ISMW Chapter 25

Yu Chen’s patience was completely exhausted. He paused the test and removed the simulation battlefield interface helmet.

 

As the test was interrupted, Yun Xunlan instantly left the virtual battlefield. When he opened his eyes, he saw Yu Chen’s expressionless face, his right hand extended towards him, forming a “0” gesture with his index finger and thumb. Yu Chen said, “Zero.”

 

Yu Chen had figured out Yun Xunlan’s situation—

 

“Zero,” he emphasized again. “I’m giving you a zero.”

 

“Your Highness, could you please tell me how you managed to score those ten or twenty points in your previous tests?”

 

Yu Chen couldn’t understand how any examiner, after seeing Yun Xunlan’s performance in the virtual battlefield, could resist giving him a zero. How did he even have the chance to score ten or twenty points?

 

“A soldier’s first duty is to obey orders,” Yu Chen was so angry he wanted to swear, but he clenched his fist and held back. “Your Highness, you can’t even manage this most basic point.”

 

Moreover, the order he had given was just a simple command to assemble outside.

 

Yun Xunlan’s refusal to obey even this was utterly ridiculous! No wonder he had gone through eight tutors in a year!

 

If Yun Xunlan were truly one of his soldiers, Yu Chen would have kicked him out on the first day.

 

Hearing Yu Chen say this, Yun Xunlan also removed his simulation battlefield interface helmet, lowering his eyes with a lonely and helpless sigh: “Ah…”

 

The system in his mind also sighed: “Ah… it’s so annoying that this thing can block me.”

 

Once Yun Xunlan entered the virtual war through the simulation battlefield interface helmet, all memories related to the system were intentionally blurred. But from his previous life to this one, Yun Xunlan had been bound to the system for over two thousand years. The idea that “completing the system’s daily tasks is necessary to survive” had become Yun Xunlan’s survival instinct, an inseparable part of him. Even if he forgot the system’s existence, Yun Xunlan would still react instinctively.

 

Yu Chen was curious about how he managed to score those ten or twenty points?

 

It was simple. In the virtual battlefield, all characters except the examiner were AI. Some AI officers were designed with violent and crude personalities, fond of swearing. If Yun Xunlan was randomly assigned to these AI officers and got scolded a couple of times, he would go out. Although he often died during missions because he felt invincible and fearless, he could still score ten or twenty points, avoiding a zero.

 

Today was just bad luck. He was randomly assigned to a very well-mannered AI officer, and Yu Chen was also polite, never scolding him once. That’s why Yun Xunlan’s performance was so poor.

 

Why was taking a test so difficult? Yun Xunlan worried inwardly.

 

Yu Chen was also worried.

 

He was concerned about how to tutor Yun Xunlan.

 

For others, tutoring meant filling in gaps, like repairing holes in a roof.

 

But for Yun Xunlan, he had no roof at all. He was completely exposed. Even Nüwa might not be able to fix this.

 

Yu Chen felt he wasn’t capable of this task.

 

Moreover, was Yun Xunlan’s problem really just about not learning the “War Psychology” course well?

 

Yu Chen tried to phrase his words diplomatically: “Your Highness, the military is a place that emphasizes discipline and strict obedience to orders. Forgive my frankness, but you… are not suited for military service.”

 

“I know, but only this way…” Yun Xunlan raised his eyes, gazing into Yu Chen’s deep blue eyes, and slowly said, “can I gain the qualification to go to the border battlefield.”

 

Yu Chen frowned slightly: “But joining the military isn’t the only way to get qualification for the border battlefield.”

 

Medical staff, logistics personnel, mech maintenance engineers… These people also serve on the border battlefield, using their abilities to fight against the Insectoid race for the future of all humanity. The psychological stress resistance required for their professions isn’t as high as for soldiers, and their psychological health assessments are relatively easier to pass.

 

Since Yun Xunlan could develop the ninth-generation omega heat suppressant, it proved he could certainly try for a medical worker position and pass the psychological health assessment required for that profession to gain qualification for the border battlefield.

 

Why did he insist on joining the military?

 

Yu Chen pondered, perplexed.

 

“I also know that I’m not suited for the military and can’t become a qualified soldier,” Yun Xunlan said. “But I must go to the border battlefield as a frontline warrior, so I can only join the military.”

 

Hearing this, Yu Chen directly asserted: “Impossible.”

 

Even if Yun Xunlan scored full marks on the “War Psychology” exam, it would still be impossible.

 

The reason was that to ensure the continuation of the royal bloodline, the Galactic Empire’s constitution stipulated that, barring special circumstances, the royal family couldn’t have two royals fighting on the frontlines simultaneously.

 

Currently, the border battlefield already had two royal members, Emperor Yun Qihe and Second Prince Mu Xingyu, guarding it. Even though Mu Xingyu didn’t have royal blood, Emperor Yun Qihe did, and he was guarding the most dangerous frontline.

 

Under these circumstances, how could the Galactic Empire’s council possibly agree to let Yun Xunlan go to the border battlefield as a frontline warrior?

 

Unless Emperor Yun Qihe died in battle, or the Seweier Insectoid army broke through the second border line and pressed against the third border line, it was absolutely impossible.

 

Even in the worst-case scenario, if Yun Xunlan failed the “War Psychology” exam and couldn’t pass the psychological health assessment, he still couldn’t go to the border battlefield.

 

— That’s what the law stipulated, and it couldn’t be violated.

 

However, as soon as Yu Chen finished his negation, Yun Xunlan raised an eyebrow and gave him another “small” shock: “How is it impossible? I can go illegally, can’t I?”

 

Yu Chen: “…”

 

Is that possible?

 

If it’s illegal, what isn’t possible?

 

While Yun Xunlan’s “War Psychology” scores were poor, Yu Chen couldn’t help but admire his ability to leave people speechless.

 

Perhaps sensing Yu Chen’s loss for words, the silver-haired alpha curved his lips as if ending a joke and returning to serious matters. With a gentle smile, he said, “Of course, we absolutely can’t do anything illegal. That’s why I must study ‘War Psychology’ diligently, pass the assessments and evaluations, and go to the border battlefield through legal means.”

 

“Next time, I’ll strictly follow your instructions, so…”

 

“Don’t be angry anymore.”

 

Yun Xunlan rested his arms on the table, leaning slightly towards Yu Chen. His golden eyes sparkled in the night, his lips and brows filled with a gentle, appeasing smile. He asked softly, “Can you forgive me this time, Teacher Yu?”

 

— Another “can you?”

 

It was as if Yun Xunlan was Yu Chen’s marked possession, his every word and action under Yu Chen’s control, needing Yu Chen’s permission to be freed from his restraints.

 

Yet in the virtual battlefield, he clearly didn’t listen to a word Yu Chen said.

 

Oddly enough, as Yu Chen met those golden eyes, he found himself unable to utter any words of denial.

 

…Who could refuse this?

 

If it were Fu Yanxi, Gui Yan, or the others, they’d probably immediately forget how to write the word “no” and become functionally illiterate.

 

Yu Chen pressed his lips tightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. He averted his gaze from the silver-haired alpha’s warm eyes and asked helplessly, “Your Highness, did your previous teachers leave because they were angered by these words of yours?”

 

“I only dare to say these things to you, but they still left because I angered them,” Yun Xunlan recalled his previous teachers’ evaluations and honestly relayed them to Yu Chen. “They said that being my examiner and watching me take tests was a form of torture.”

 

Yu Chen couldn’t help but nod: “Comparable to cruel punishment.”

 

In just a few minutes, it could shorten one’s lifespan by over a decade. What a terrifying level of torment!

 

Yun Xunlan sincerely apologized: “Yes, it’s all my fault. I’ll try hard to correct it.”

 

He truly feared that Yu Chen would also leave because of his performance—those previous tutors had such good tempers at first, but weren’t they all driven to fury by his performance in the virtual battlefield, almost to the point of scolding him outright?

 

Yu Chen already had a bad temper; if he got angry enough to scold Yun Xunlan, that would be fortunate. If he got so angry that he left, that would be a big problem.

 

Yun Xunlan felt that if he missed out on Yu Chen, he might never find such a useful tool… no, such a good brother and capable subordinate in this lifetime.

 

In short, he was willing to pay any price to keep Yu Chen!

 

So Yun Xunlan fixed his gaze on Yu Chen’s face, first lowering his voice even more to show humility, then using his most sincere and earnest tone to plead: “Teacher Yu, please stay by my side for a while longer.”

 

Yu Chen felt that Yun Xunlan was flirting with him again.

 

Although he wasn’t looking at Yun Xunlan, he could feel the silver-haired alpha’s gaze never leaving him. That slightly hoarse, low voice sounded more like seduction than a plea.

 

But whether it was pleading or seduction, Yu Chen seemed unable to refuse.

 

The innate instinct of rivalry and repulsion between alphas seemed to completely disappear when he faced Yun Xunlan.

 

There was only one thing Yu Chen could refuse Yun Xunlan—

 

“…Your Highness, I’ll continue to tutor you, but please don’t call me ‘Teacher Yu’ anymore,” he said in a hoarse voice, reminding Yun Xunlan softly, “You said that when it’s just the two of us, you’d call me by my name.”

 

He didn’t deserve the title “teacher,” and besides, “Teacher Yu” sounded ambiguous no matter how he heard it. Yu Chen would rather hear Yun Xunlan call him by his full name.

 

But Yun Xunlan smiled and teasingly said, “Then… Teacher Yu Chen?”

 

Yu Chen: “…”

 

“Fine, Your Highness Yun Xunlan,” Yu Chen finally raised his eyes, his gaze slowly returning to Yun Xunlan, “If that’s what you prefer.”

 

The smile in Yun Xunlan’s eyes deepened, and he reminded Yu Chen that he had said more than just that one thing: “Actually, I prefer you to call me by my name, without ‘Your Highness’ or just ‘Highness’—when it’s just the two of us.”

 

“…”

 

Yu Chen was truly at a loss with Yun Xunlan.

 

Why did he always call Yun Xunlan “Your Highness”? It was to maintain a suitable distance between them, to prevent Yun Xunlan from sinking deeper into this hopeless feeling that was destined to receive no response.

 

But Yun Xunlan didn’t appreciate it, and Yu Chen couldn’t resist him. He could only grit his teeth and agree: “Alright, alright, Yun Xunlan, Yun Xunlan.”

 

He even called the young man’s name twice in succession, his tone intertwining helplessness and frustration, as complex as a 3S mech design blueprint.

 

Yun Xunlan, well-versed in the principle of moderation, feared that if he teased any further, Yu Chen might also leave in anger. So he immediately concluded tonight’s tutoring session: “Let’s end today’s tutoring here. I feel…”

 

The silver-haired alpha curved his lips: “You’ve been tortured quite a bit by me.”

 

---