Cannon fodder in the Interstellar

Ruo Manni noticed that Hua Deli was suspicious about how she knew about Mina-Olli’s assassination, but she didn’t get angry. After all, as an ordinary citizen, she wasn’t supposed to know such things or have access to such information.

This was the original male protagonist, and he would be her partner for the next four years. A certain level of trust was necessary between them; otherwise, who knows what might happen?

To prevent Hua Deli from developing unnecessary suspicions, Ruo Manni decided to reveal her source of information. People of their status tend to have severe trust issues.

Moreover, since Mina-Olli and the Second Prince had already been attacked and Ruo Manni herself was also a target, she estimated that Hua Deli and Dean Atchison were probably among the potential targets too.

Ruo Manni wasn’t sure whether Hua Deqi had told Hua Deli about the inner workings of this assassination organization. Her own information came from Hua Deqi and Rick Amber. She didn’t mind sharing it with Hua Deli; if he wasn’t aware, it would at least serve as a warning to him.

“My senior brother told me about these things because someone tried to sneak into the school and assassinate me in the past two days. Fortunately, they were all caught by the school guards, but no one can guarantee that no one has successfully infiltrated. He told me to stay vigilant. I suspect this is very likely targeted at members of our elite class. You and Dean should also be careful,” Ruo Manni said frankly, expressing her concern.

Hua Deli knew that Ruo Manni was apprenticed to Li Qixing, so her explanation made perfect sense. His suspicion immediately disappeared, but he became a bit worried.

He was well aware of the assassination organization. He and Dean were surrounded by many guards, and their families had been prepared for a long time, so they hadn’t encountered any danger.

However, Ruo Manni, being an ordinary citizen with no one to protect her, was actually the most at risk. Fortunately, she was deeply obsessed with cultivation and had no interest in going out shopping or playing around, which is why she hadn’t encountered any trouble so far.

Looking at the girl on the other end of the communicator, who seemed a bit dazed and less lively than usual because she didn’t know what to say to him, Hua Deli couldn’t help but remark, “You should be more vigilant. Given the current situation, never go out alone.”

“Oh! I know that,” Ruo Manni nodded. She didn’t need him to tell her; even if she wanted to go out, she couldn’t.

After learning from Hua Deli that Mina-Olli was not seriously injured and would likely return to school tomorrow, Ruo Manni felt relieved.

Holidays always pass in the blink of an eye. Early in the morning, the first-year elite class gathered in their classroom.

Most of them had returned to school yesterday evening, including the Second Prince. Only Hua Deli and Mina-Olli returned to school early this morning.

Mina-Olli still looked somewhat weak, her face a bit pale, making it obvious to anyone that she was not in the best physical condition.

“If you’re still not fully recovered, you can rest at home for a while. You can follow the courses online on SkyNet. You’re pushing yourself too hard,” Sheila said, frowning.

Given the medical capabilities of this era, someone who is still this weak after spending two days in a medical pod must have either suffered from a severe illness or sustained serious injuries with significant blood loss. Such conditions require proper rest to recover.

As for Mina-Olli, it was undoubtedly the latter.

It was clear that everyone knew about this incident, and they all stepped forward to comfort her. Ruo Manni then asked Mina-Olli about the details of the attack.

“It was my cousin. Normally, she’s a bit jealous of me and likes to say some unpleasant things, but I never thought she would want to kill me. We grew up together by our grandmother’s side; how could her hatred run so deep that she’d want to kill me?” Mina-Olli said sadly.

Since everyone seemed well-informed about the incident and they were all in the same boat, Mina-Olli had no intention of hiding anything.

Perhaps because her body was weakened, Mina-Olli’s emotions were also fragile, making it hard for her to accept that a family member wanted her dead.

Seeing Mina-Olli’s sorrowful expression, Ruo Manni realized that this girl had not only suffered serious physical injuries but also deep emotional wounds.

Ruo Manni thought for a moment, wondering if Hua Deqi, the Director of the Security Bureau, had uncovered anything about the puppeteers. However, based on Mina-Olli’s reaction, she likely didn’t know about this matter.

It was possible that Hua Deqi and his team hadn’t found concrete evidence, or that the situation was too sensitive to disclose. In that case, Ruo Manni herself couldn’t casually mention it, lest others notice something was off about her.

But seeing her friend so upset and considering the possibility of facing such situations in the future, Ruo Manni felt concerned. These young people were all elite youth who would be key forces in fighting against the Yunkai people in the future. They couldn’t afford to be sabotaged by the puppeteers.

But how could she warn her friends without making them suspicious about her secret of being reborn?

After pondering for a while, Ruo Manni asked Mina-Olli, “Logically, someone wouldn’t go to such extremes without a deep-seated grudge. Since you’re sure there’s no such hatred between you and your cousin, think back—was there anything unusual about her mental state at the moment she attacked you?”

Mina-Olli hesitated, looking at Ruo Manni, who then added, “Think carefully.”

Mina-Olli began to recall the events of that day. After a moment, her expression changed: “I didn’t sense any hatred or killing intent from her, which is why I wasn’t on guard. Just before I passed out, I saw that she seemed blank, as if she had no emotions at all… Is that not normal?”

The group fell silent for a moment. Then, Hebrew Adam spoke up first, “It’s definitely not normal. There should at least be some emotion, like joy, fear, or hatred.”

“It’s impossible for someone to have no emotion at all,” Hua Deli added.

“Did your family not interrogate her for the reason?” Dean Atchison asked, frowning.

“She had already committed suicide by then,” Hua Deli answered on behalf of Mina-Olli.

To think someone hated Mina-Olli so much they were willing to die with her. Dean Atchison gave Hua Deli a complicated look. This guy always had a stern, deadpan face—yet somehow, he attracted women. Mina was truly unlucky to have a fiancé like that.

Ruo Manni noticed the subtle exchange of glances between Dean Atchison and Hua Deli, but she had no interest in figuring out their rivalry. The situation with Mina-Olli’s cousin was a classic case of a puppet assassin.

Using a puppet to deal with young people like them, who hadn’t even stepped out into the world yet, was quite a bold move. But it also meant they were in for serious trouble.

In the novel, Mina-Olli and Hua Deli only received this kind of treatment after they joined the military. But in reality, they were already experiencing it ahead of time. Who was flapping these butterfly wings?

Ruo Manni felt like cursing, but she was afraid she might end up cursing herself.

“Isn’t it said that high-level telepaths can control people with weak willpower?” Ruo Manni said.

Mina-Olli frowned. “That’s just a rumor, and the practitioner must be at least level eight. But there isn’t a single level eight telepath in our entire Gumera Star Region.”

“Can you be 100% sure that those shady organizations don’t have one?” Ruo Manni guided them.