Cannon fodder in the Interstellar

If someone else had conducted the interrogation, it would have been difficult to unearth Instructor Fiedler as the culprit.

This is due to a blind spot in human nature. People tend to think that Instructor Fiedler, who is responsible for security checks, is the least likely to be involved because if there were any security issues, the first reaction would be to suspect him.

However, precisely because of this, others will first suspect him when something goes wrong. Investigators who think beyond the surface might assume that Fiedler wouldn’t be so bold as to knowingly commit a crime.

Investigators with insufficient experience and keen observation skills might divert their attention, deeming Fiedler an unlikely suspect, which leads to a “dark under the lamp” effect.

Instructor Fiedler, bold and meticulous, had been audacious enough to be bought off.

After carrying out the plan, Fiedler cleaned up after himself thoroughly. As long as he was not listed as a suspect, it would be impossible to trace it back to him.

But he was unlucky and encountered Hua Deqi.

Hebrew Adam was also at the interrogation scene. When he learned who was behind Instructor Fiedler, he was filled with shock, anger, and frustration.

Hua Deqi didn’t say anything about the incident. As for matters concerning the Second Prince, his position and identity made it inappropriate for him to comment. He was only responsible for reporting the matter to the Crown Prince, and how the two brothers handled it afterward was none of his concern.

During the hours that young Ruo Manni was unconscious, the incident involving the Adam team and the special circumstances of Hebrew Adam stirred up a significant commotion, leading to many arrests in the capital city.

Ruo Manni’s last memory was of seeing the red light particles shot by Hebrew Adam, not realizing they were advanced explosive projectiles, which led to her being hit.

Although Ruo Manni instinctively felt danger when the explosive detonated and tried to withdraw her mental power, the shockwave from the explosion was so fast that she couldn’t react in time. It felt as if the explosion had hit her head directly, causing her vision to go dark, and she lost consciousness.

When Ruo Manni regained her awareness, she found herself lying in a treatment chamber, feeling enveloped in a warm and comfortable sensation, as if she had slept for three days and nights after being utterly exhausted and well-fed.

But didn’t she suffer severe mental trauma? How could she have recovered so well? Her mental power was not only fully restored but even slightly expanded. And weren’t they in the middle of a training exercise? Where was she? Where were her teammates?

Before Ruo Manni could press the button to open the treatment chamber, it opened on its own. An elderly man with graying hair appeared before her.

Just as Ruo Manni was about to speak, Sheila rushed over from the side and, with an anxious tone, asked, “Ruo Manni, how are you? Does your head still hurt? Ah, you’ve advanced to mid-level fourth rank!”

Sheila’s last sentence was spoken with rising excitement, and her voice betrayed a mix of envy and jealousy. Sheila couldn’t help but feel that Ruo Manni’s achievements were constantly undermining her.

“I’m fine now; I’ve fully recovered,” Ruo Manni reassured Sheila, knowing that despite her changing expressions, Sheila genuinely cared about her.

Having been teammates for a while, Ruo Manni was now accustomed to Sheila’s mood swings and no longer found them surprising.

“The young student has recovered very well, with no lingering issues at all. In fact, this misfortune has turned into a blessing, and your advancement speed will only be faster from now on,” the elderly man said with a smile.

This was certainly very good news, and Ruo Manni was overjoyed, ignoring Sheila’s envious gaze. She proudly reached out her hand to Sheila, asking her to help pull her out of the treatment chamber.

As Ruo Manni emerged from the treatment chamber, she noticed that the room contained only two familiar faces: Hebrew Adam and Sheila. The other three adults included the legendary school doctor, whom Ruo Manni vaguely remembered, and the elderly man who seemed to be a high-ranking physician.

The most striking figure, however, was the young man with black hair and eyes, who was exceptionally handsome. His military uniform revealed that he was a major.

“Hello, I’m Hua Deqi, Hua Deli’s cousin,” Hua Deqi spoke in his softest tone.

Noticing the girl’s eyes widening in surprise, Hua Deqi saw her attempt to quickly cover her reaction with a blink.

Hua Deqi was perceptive; Ruo Manni’s attempt to hide her surprise only confirmed her dismay. The girl recognized him…

Or rather, she should be aware of his identity and possibly even her own background, as her reaction suggested a deeper understanding.

Although the crown prince had given prior orders, Hua Deqi decided not to follow them strictly. Given the situation, saying nothing might lead to unnecessary misunderstandings. He felt it was important to address the matter directly rather than suppress it.

Having made up his mind, Hua Deqi turned to the others and said, “I need to ask Manni a few questions. Please step aside for a moment.”

Hebrew Adam immediately frowned and said, “This matter doesn’t concern her. There’s no need to ask her.”

Hebrew Adam spoke with a firmness that clearly showed his strong trust and protectiveness towards his companion.

However, Hua Deqi remained calm and replied, “This is part of my duty. As long as Ruo Manni answers truthfully, I won’t make things difficult for her. If there are any issues, I will consult with you and follow your advice on how to handle them.”

Hebrew Adam was somewhat reassured by Hua Deqi’s words, knowing that Hua Deqi didn’t seem to intend to trouble his companion.

“I’ll stay,” Hebrew Adam said, still feeling uneasy. He thought that his presence wouldn’t make a difference and that he would need to be informed later anyway.

“No,” Hua Deqi firmly refused. “As your partner, you might not be able to view the situation objectively. Your presence could influence me and prevent me from making a proper judgment.”

From their exchange, Ruo Manni roughly understood the situation—it was related to the late-stage fourth-tier psychic mutation wood.

It was obvious that this situation wasn’t part of the school’s original plan. After all, the purpose of the school’s training exercises is to help them grow and improve, not to put them in deadly situations.

Since Hebrew Adam is the second prince, the situation must be complex and likely involves royal power struggles.

When Ruo Manni looked at Hua Deqi earlier, her initial reaction was due to the surprise of learning his identity. However, now that her psychic energy was fully restored, she could keenly sense that Hua Deqi’s gaze was not that of a stranger who had no connection with her.

Hua Deqi most likely knew who she was. Although he maintained a serious expression, Ruo Manni could sense his friendliness towards her.

Ruo Manni had an intuition that Hua Deqi would not harm her unless absolutely necessary.

Therefore, when Hua Deqi said he wanted to speak with her alone, Ruo Manni wasn’t afraid. Instead, she felt a sense of anticipation, as she had many questions she wanted to ask.