Cannon fodder in the Interstellar

Regarding the assassination mentioned by Hua Deqi, Ruo Manni was not surprised because it had been referenced in the novel.

According to the novel, it was the work of the Yunkai aliens who controlled the human inhabitants of the Gumera star region, turning them into puppets to secretly eliminate human experts, preparing for their future invasion.

Initially, the Crown Prince and his group were unaware of this. Consequently, many experts in the Gumera star region were assassinated, including the current Adam King. The puppets even incited conflicts, almost leading to war between the Vera Federation and the Gus Empire. Fortunately, the novel did not depict an actual war, or humanity might have faced a catastrophic defeat.

In reality, however, Ruo Manni had not heard of any experts in the Gus Empire being assassinated up to this point. She wondered if the Gus Empire’s royalty had already discovered this issue and thus had prepared defenses.

“The Second Prince has encountered three major assassination attempts within just over four months of appearing in the capital star after his rapid increase in strength. However, these incidents have been suppressed, and the outside world is unaware. Therefore, the Crown Prince and I wish to keep you in the dark to avoid distractions from your cultivation. Our original plan was to inform you of these matters once you reached adulthood, allowing you to decide how to proceed. But now I see that you are already aware of many things, so I want to clarify our intentions to avoid any misunderstandings,” Hua Deqi continued, aiming to prevent any misinterpretations.

“Although others might not know of your existence, the Crown Prince and I have been watching you grow from the moment we discovered you. We have come to see you as a younger sister. Now, I want to ask you, Ruo Manni: do you wish to return to your family? If so, I will make preparations,” Hua Deqi asked solemnly.

Ruo Manni remained silent.

To be honest, she did not want to return.

The situation was entirely different from what she had originally envisioned. Having received such substantial favors from the Crown Prince and Hua Deqi, declaring her initial intentions now would seem heartless, like an ungrateful opportunist.

Indeed, no matter the world, it is difficult to refuse help once you’ve received it. She found it hard to stand her ground now.

“I grew up on Topaz Star; it is my homeland in my heart. I intend to return there after graduation, and this plan has not changed. Moreover, Uncle Lin is a high-ranking military official on Topaz Star. Returning to his domain after graduation would be better for me,” Ruo Manni explained her plans slowly, not letting the recent favors sway her decision.

“As for other matters, I have not yet decided,” Ruo Manni said quietly.

After all, she had a few years until graduation and did not need to make an immediate decision. In a state of indecision, she could delay and decide later based on the circumstances.

Although Hua Deqi accepted her from the bottom of his heart, the current situation was not his doing, nor could it be attributed to the Crown Prince. Their feelings were indeed genuine.

Hua Deqi looked at Ruo Manni and, understanding her thoughts, smiled slightly with a sense of relief. No matter her stance, there was no resentment or extremism in her eyes.

That was enough; other matters could be addressed gradually. She was still young and needed a safe period to grow.

Unable to resist, Hua Deqi gently stroked her hair. For a cultivator, this action was highly taboo, but Ruo Manni did not instinctively move away.

The warm hand gently caressed her hair, and the familiar feeling of being cared for by a family member was identical to the affection she remembered from her brother.

Ruo Manni’s eyes filled with tears. Her brother… her brother…

“Don’t rush. As long as you understand the Crown Prince’s and my intentions, we will continue to keep this matter suppressed and prevent others from knowing about you. Once you’ve decided, we’ll decide how to proceed,” Hua Deqi said softly.

Ruo Manni nodded. This was good. She did not harbor any ill will toward Hua Deqi and the Crown Prince. They had done so much for her privately, and she was not an ungrateful person. However, she did not want to face her complicated background and its associated troubles. She preferred the quiet days of focusing on her cultivation.

“Thank you and the Crown Prince for your… protection and help. I will use all my abilities to become a level 8 psychic as soon as possible. I understand how much you need a level 8 psychic,” Ruo Manni vowed.

In the past, Ruo Manni had felt like she was struggling alone, like a firefly in the vast darkness, her light too weak to illuminate even her immediate surroundings. The feeling of walking alone was truly unsettling.

Now, knowing she had so much support and many companions, she felt that the real world was very different from the novel’s world. This realization sparked a passion in her, as many things would also differ when great disasters arrived.

“You know about the Yunkai Star situation,” Hua Deqi raised an eyebrow slightly.

Hua Deqi, who was in charge of interrogations alongside the Crown Prince, was exceptionally sharp-eyed. He understood Ruo Manni’s meaning from her words alone. Reflecting on Captain Lin’s situation, he did not find it unusual.

“Mm!” Ruo Manni nodded.

“Good, but don’t be too hasty. That could be counterproductive,” Hua Deqi said with a unique tenderness. Boys and girls are indeed different.

“Alright.” Ruo Manni nodded again, understanding Hua Deqi’s affectionate intent.

The two continued their pleasant conversation, unaware of the passing of time.

Perhaps because some time had passed, Hebrew Adam was worried. Although he had not intrusively entered, he had opened the door to the treatment room, using this method to remind Hua Deqi.

“The Second Prince is a good leader,” Hua Deqi said to Hebrew Adam. “You and the Crown Prince are becoming more alike, although the Crown Prince’s cultivation wasn’t as high as yours at your age.”

Hebrew Adam’s surprise was evident on his face. He had not expected to hear Hua Deqi’s praise.

Even though the Crown Prince’s brilliance cast a shadow over his generation of young people, Hua Deqi, as a prospective heir of a prominent family with outstanding abilities, was not someone whose praise could be easily disregarded.

Ruo Manni watched with amusement as Hebrew Adam’s mouth involuntarily turned up at the corners. She noticed that he had completely forgotten his dissatisfaction with Hua Deqi, and it took him a moment to recall his previous discontent. This was the first time she associated the term “fool” with him.

Hua Deqi, accompanied by his guards and Dr. Paul, whisked away Instructor Fidler like the wind.

Instructor Dudley and the head of the instructor team then appeared and delivered a serious lecture. They made it clear just how severe the mistakes were and how their mishandling had put them in a difficult situation.

Hebrew Adam and Ruo Manni, especially the former, were reprimanded to the point of sweating profusely. The terms “fool” and “idiot” seemed particularly fitting for both her and Hebrew Adam.