Chapter 24
The Imperial Navy has always had a close relationship with the Military Department, making it a crucial talent pool. Therefore, those internal societies, although claiming to be campus organizations, often have certain influential support behind them. In a sense, they serve as important channels for the Empire’s major core departments to attract talents in advance. For example, the Combat Society is sponsored by the Individual Combat Division, and the Mecha Society is backed by the Mecha Mobile Division. The Entertainment Society serves as a fixed recruitment point for the Interstellar Performing Arts Troupe. As for the renowned Imperial Patrol Guard, many members already possess official military rank medals issued by the Empire, allowing them to directly enter key departments upon graduation.
Upon returning with the materials handed out by the counselor, Lu Jingning carefully studied them and hesitated as he singled out a few societies that seemed particularly intriguing.
Yan Hebin came back just in time, and Lu Jingning greeted him, asking, “Yan Hebin, did the teacher talk to you about the societies? Do you have any preferences?”
Yan Hebin, standing upright as he placed his shoes neatly at the entrance, replied without hesitation, “Mecha Society.”
Lu Jingning noticed that his roommate genuinely had a strong affinity for mechas; even when they chose their branches, Yan Hebin decisively opted for the mecha division, closely connecting himself with mechas even in the society.
In truth, the Mecha Society was also within Lu Jingning’s considerations, but its recruitment assessment involved two aspects: mecha construction and combat. As for mecha construction, it was undoubtedly something he didn’t need to think about. Making mechas? Compared to dismantling them, he might even be more skilled in the latter. However, virtual mecha combat, on the other hand, was a piece of cake for him.
If this were a usual time, Lu Jingning wouldn’t worry at all. However, he was currently going through a turbulent phase. Despite the temporary relief from Wen Xingchen’s mark, he hadn’t attempted to activate the pheromone aura again. Who knew if he might unintentionally stir up some trouble?
Lu Jingning felt his wallet had become particularly fragile lately. It might be better to play it safe. He sighed and said, “I’ll think about it some more.”
Yan Hebin responded with a simple “okay” and sat down at his desk, opening his light brain.
Lu Jingning had noticed that Yan Hebin had been spending a lot of time in the mecha construction system over the past few days. At first, he marveled at the diligence of a top student compared to a lousy students like himself. However, it wasn’t until now that he finally understood. With great interest, he leaned over and asked, “Oh? Are you planning to use this mecha for the Mecha Society’s interview?”
Yan Hebin replied with an unwavering tone, “Yes, I’ll do the final calibration tonight. I’m not sure if it will work.”
Lu Jingning took a glance at the appearance of the mecha and gave an unequivocal affirmation, “I think it’ll be fine!”
Yan Hebin’s tone remained indifferent, “Thanks.”
Lu Jingning: “…”
Why such an indifferent response? He genuinely thought it was fine, buddy!
Although he was indeed a mediocre student in mecha construction, he had seen hundreds of mechas, if not thousands, that his boss had touched. Just by looking at the structure and configuration of Yan Hebin’s mecha, he could tell it was a powerful creation. Although it might seem a bit immature now, with some guidance from a professional, it would undoubtedly become a formidable weapon on the battlefield.
However, from Yan Hebin’s reaction, it seemed like he didn’t take Lu Jingning’s praise to heart.
Lu Jingning thought it over and decided to drop the topic. He didn’t say much, just secretly pondering in his heart.
This kind of interview seemed quite interesting; maybe he should go with them to check out the Mecha Society’s recruitment event if he had time.
Unfortunately, the lively event didn’t come to fruition. In the afternoon, just as Lu Jingning was preparing to head out, he suddenly received a communication from the school.
Yan Hebin had already gotten ready with his roommates from the neighboring dorms, Ren Jin and Su Jianian, waiting at the door. Seeing Lu Jingning not moving for a long time, Ren Jin couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you coming with us?”
“Go ahead; I don’t think I can make it. The counselor asked me to go to the Academic Affairs Office urgently,” Lu Jingning said with some confusion. “I wonder why they’re calling me now. I’ve already compensated for the damages from the mecha class. I haven’t caused any other trouble, have I?”
Ren Jin was Lu Jingning’s number one fan, so when he heard this, he couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. “Alright then, we’ll go first. Lu Bro, if you finish early, make sure to come and join us.”
Lu Jingning patted his head. “Got it, I’ll be there if I can make it.”
Ren Jin’s face visibly brightened, and he waved happily. “Goodbye, Lu Bro! We’ll wait for you!”
Lu Jingning watched them leave and then checked the communication records, furrowing his brows. He turned around and opened the wardrobe. There, he spotted the two jackets hanging in the corner. He paused for a moment.
He hadn’t noticed it before, but unknowingly, Wen Xingchen had already borrowed two jackets from him, and they were still here. He wasn’t sure if he had enough clothes to wear. Maybe he should return them at some point?
However, the request Wen Xingchen made when borrowing them echoed in his mind: “If you’re returning them, remember to wash them first.”
After a moment’s contemplation, he casually grabbed a jacket from the side and decisively closed the closet.
Forget it, he wouldn’t return them. Who knew if that guy would be unsatisfied with how he washed them? It would be such a hassle.
…
Visiting the Academic Affairs Office was a common occurrence for Lu Jingning. He had been there countless times in his life, so he didn’t feel any pressure. However, as he entered the office and saw it filled with people who didn’t look like school staff, he couldn’t help but pause for a moment.
There were a mix of male and females as well as old and young people.. If one didn’t know better, they might think they had mistakenly walked into some kind of all-age matchmaking event.
After a moment of hesitation, he finally managed to utter three words, “Excuse me?”
Seeing Lu Jingning about to leave after speaking, the head of the Academic Affairs Office, Zhu Zhai, hurriedly called him back. “Wait, don’t leave. They’re all here to see you.”
Lu Jingning looked at the group of people, a puzzled expression on his face. “Everyone here… who are they?”
At the moment Lu Jingning spoke, everyone’s eyes were already on him, and their expressions were quite complicated.
Finally, a middle-aged woman stepped forward, wearing a smile as she asked, “You must be Lu Jingning?”
Seeing the woman, everything became clear to Lu Jingning. He couldn’t help but feel like laughing, and he raised an eyebrow as he looked at Zhu Zhai. “Teacher, are you hoping I’ll step in to plead for Zhong Feng?”
Zhu Zhai’s expression didn’t look good either. He was well aware of how serious the matter was. Making Lu Jingning accept this offer to defuse the situation was something he couldn’t say out loud.
An elderly person, the oldest among those present, wobbled his way out of the crowd and kindly smiled, saying, “Lu, my dear student, you see, our Fengfeng already knows he was wrong. Ultimately, you haven’t suffered any injuries. Why not show some kindness and help resolve the matter? If you want any compensation, feel free to tell us, and we’ll do our best to meet your demands.”
Facing this seemingly well-intentioned face, Lu Jingning couldn’t muster a smile. He sneered slightly and said, “Zhong Feng knows he was wrong, and I haven’t suffered any injuries? Grandpa, you have quite the way with words. The way you downplay such a serious matter makes it seem like it’s not a big deal at all.”
The old man’s expression stiffened involuntarily, “Young man, how can you speak to your elders like this?”
“I speak to people in a way they deserve. Don’t try to pull the ‘respect your elders’ card with me.” Lu Jingning didn’t buy into the act of showing deference to the elderly. His smile vanished completely, and he continued, “This time, I indeed came out unscathed, but does it have anything to do with Zhong Feng? The only reason I didn’t face any harm is that they happened to lock me in the warehouse and not someone else. Instead of feeling grateful, you should be thankful. Imagine if they had chosen another Omega; things would have escalated to a much more severe extent, and the consequences would be more than just a few years in prison.”
The old man was rendered speechless by Lu Jingning’s words, clutching his cane tightly, shaking with anger.
The middle-aged woman couldn’t stand by either, “Things can be negotiated; there’s no need to be so absolute in your words. Don’t you know…”
Lu Jingning interrupted her with a smile that wasn’t a smile, “Indeed, many things can be negotiated, but not this one. As far as I’m concerned, even a few years in prison would be a light punishment for scum like Zhong Feng. If you keep pestering me, I might just go directly to the Supreme Court of the Imperial Star for an appeal. Who knows, they might extend the sentence by another ten years?”
Under his extremely arrogant attitude, the middle-aged woman’s face turned pale.
The Academic Affairs Director, Zhu Zhai, had been silently listening nearby. At this moment, he couldn’t help but cast a few more glances at Lu Jingning, filled with astonishment. Such a defiant Omega, he had never seen something like this before.
It was the old man who first regained his composure. He looked deeply at Lu Jingning and lowered his voice, “Young man, I advise you to discuss this matter with your family. You’re still young, and it’s understandable to act without considering the consequences. However, sometimes, you need to think about other people in your family. If your actions bring trouble to your parents, that wouldn’t be good.”
Lu Jingning could naturally sense the underlying threat in his words. Suddenly, he seemed to understand where Zhong Feng’s audacity came from. People like him could infiltrate the top military academy of the Imperial Fleet for a reason, with certain background support. It was hardly surprising.
However, he couldn’t help but find the old man’s attitude amusingly ironic. It turned out that it wasn’t wise to threaten just anyone, as it had backfired on him.
Although Lu Kongbin’s position wasn’t too high, he was a first-class hero of the empire, receiving the highest respect wherever he went. Not to mention his grandfather, who held significant influence even after retiring from the top echelons.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, he deliberately concealed his family background. Apart from the old principal, probably only a few top leaders at the Imperial Fleet Academy knew about his true background.
Unexpectedly, the members of the Zhong family couldn’t uncover his background and came to his door with unwarranted confidence, attempting to pressure him. Did they really believe that having some power could crush anyone?
Lu Jingning truly wanted to tell them that he hadn’t informed his father about this incident and, in fact, it was a virtuous act of repaying hostility with kindness. If Lu Kongbin ever found out, once he flew into a rage, not only would Zhong Feng never walk out of prison again, but even the entire Zhong family would likely be expelled from the military in a quick and silent manner.
Despite his kind nature, why couldn’t people understand him?
While Lu Jingning silently contemplated, he had a more profound realization of the term “idiot.” Seeing him remaining silent, the Zhong family members thought he was finally scared, and their arrogance intensified.
Just as they were about to speak again, someone at the door calmly interjected, “Sorry, I’m a bit late.”
Hearing the familiar voice, Lu Jingning instinctively looked over to see Wen Xingchen standing at the entrance, dressed in black, which accentuated his tall and perfectly proportioned figure.
As the top-ranking freshman, Wen Xingchen was, of course, familiar with the Academic Affairs Director. However, Zhu Zhai appeared somewhat perplexed, saying, “Wen Xingchen? I didn’t ask you to come.”
Wen Xingchen smiled faintly, “I heard about the matter involving Zhong Feng’s coercion of an Omega, and as a witness, I came to take a look.”
By using the term “coercion,” Wen Xingchen instantly escalated the severity of the crime, leaving the expressions of the Zhong family members looking less happy.
The middle-aged woman gritted her teeth, “Young man, please be mindful of your choice of words!”
Wen Xingchen’s lips curled into a slight smile, “Ah, my apologies. Perhaps I used the wrong description.”
The woman’s complexion improved a little, before she heard him speak slowly again: “It’s not seduction, it’s gang r4p3.”
“Pfft—!”
The surroundings fell into a strange silence, but there was a discordant voice bursting out laughing.
Lu Jingning noticed the gazes from around him, and waved his hands apologetically, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I couldn’t hold back. Please do continue. Go on, go on!”
It was probably around this time that he started liking Wen Xingchen’s vicious mouth.
Really, why was he so likable? He liked it so much that he couldn’t wait to pounce on him and kiss him hard.
He ignited the people from the Zhong family with just a smile. The two men behind him rolled up their sleeves menacingly and said, “How dare you speak like that!”
Lu Jingning could feel the pervasive scent of Alpha pheromones in the air, and suddenly raised an eyebrow as if seeking trouble.
This was getting interesting.
The two men released their pheromones, partly to pressure Wen Xingchen, and partly to stimulate Lu Jingning, the Omega.
Unfortunately, due to the excellent confidentiality measures taken during this incident, they had no chance to get to know Lu Jingning at all. Seeing that he remained composed and unaffected, they began to feel uncertain.
As they attempted to release more pheromones to test the situation, an overwhelming aura suddenly emanated, completely suppressing them. They subconsciously took a step back.
Several Alphas from the Zhong family couldn’t help but feel their scalps tingle. Even the Omega among them, feeling weak in the legs, hurriedly leaned against the nearby wall, with thin beads of sweat appearing on their backs.
No one had expected that a student could possess such a powerful aura. Silence fell, and they were left speechless in the tense atmosphere.
The middle-aged woman’s displeasure grew, mixed with mockery. She thought that Wen Xingchen was being reckless by releasing his pheromones so openly. Wasn’t he afraid of affecting his Omega classmate?
However, her thoughts vanished when she turned to look at Lu Jingning. He didn’t seem affected at all, maintaining his composure, and even appeared to enjoy the situation, twitching his nose as if he found the atmosphere delightful.
The people from the Zhong family could no longer maintain their arrogance, and fear remained.
What kind of place was this Imperial Navy University? Were all the people here monsters?!
The academic affairs director, Zhu Zhai, who managed to remain composed under Wen Xingchen’s pressure, stepped forward to mediate with a friendly attitude. He gently patted Wen Xingchen’s shoulder and said, “Student, ease up on the pheromones. We’re here to mediate. Even if you don’t accept it, there’s no need to make it too embarrassing.”
He then turned to the Zhong family and amiably inquired, “What do you all think? Isn’t that the right approach?”
The people from the Zhong family were naturally unwilling, but under Wen Xingchen’s overpowering presence, they instinctively felt fear and reluctantly backed down, saying, “Right, right, today, we disturbed you.”
Only then did Wen Xingchen discreetly withdraw his aura. Without giving them another glance, he turned to Lu Jingning and asked, “Shall we go?”
“Sure, let’s go!” Lu Jingning replied and bid farewell to the teacher and others, saying, “If there’s nothing else, then goodbye!”
The Zhong family wanted to stop them, but the chilling aura emanating from Wen Xingchen made them hesitant and anxious, and they could only watch them leave.
Once they were downstairs, Lu Jingning asked, “Where to?”
Wen Xingchen replied, “Where are you going?”
Lu Jingning checked the time and said, “I’m planning to go to the Mecha Club and see if Yan Hebin is still there. As a good roommate, I should give him some encouragement.”
Wen Xingchen appeared agreeable, “I have nothing to do, so wherever you want to go is fine.”
…
Today was the first day of club recruitment, and the first batch of clubs had officially entered the recruiting stage.
As one of the most popular clubs at the Imperial Naval Academy, the Mecha Club’s recruitment site was bustling with people, comparable to the scene of a top 500 interstellar enterprise’s job fair. The intense competitive atmosphere could be felt even from a distance.
Lu Jingning was about to contact his friends when he looked up and saw several familiar figures. He waved to them from afar.
As they heard his voice, they looked up and recognized his eye-catching golden hair. However, instead of being energetic like when they left home, they seemed downcast.
Lu Jingning noticed their expressions and also saw Yan Hebin’s stern face. He asked in surprise, “What happened? You didn’t make it in? That’s impossible, right?”
If he hadn’t mentioned it, the mood might have been different. Now that he spoke up, Su JiaNian’s already gloomy expression turned indignant, “Those Mecha Club people are nothing but a bunch of narrow-minded jerks! Yan Hebin’s mecha is clearly much better than the Alphas’, yet they made him undergo virtual combat. It was clearly designed to give him a hard time just because he’s an Omega!”
Ren Jin became angry, and even his cheeks turned slightly red, “Exactly! They had an A-class Alpha compete against Yan Hebin, knowing that their pheromone strength was vastly different. If he loses, they would say it’s because of the mecha’s problem! Why not just say they don’t want to recruit Omegas instead of bullying people like this?!”
As Lu Jingning listened to their complaints and understood the situation, he turned to Yan Hebin and asked, “So it wasn’t an issue with your mecha, right?”
Yan Hebin, who had remained silent, finally spoke. His tone betrayed no emotion but was firm, “The mecha I made is undoubtedly the strongest among those in the competition.”
Lu Jingning, who had already been irritated by the Zhong family, couldn’t contain his frustration. Now, he found another reason to vent. Hearing this, he couldn’t help but clench his fists, “Fine! Why do people everywhere look down on Omegas?!”
Wen Xingchen had been waiting idly by the door and couldn’t help but laugh when he heard Lu Jingning’s rant.
Ah, wasn’t this guy here to apply for the interview? It seemed more like he came here to stir up trouble!
T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
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What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
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Thank you for the chapter! Discrimination really is in a lot of places. It’s great that lu jingning will never give up! Had it been another omega, it could have gotten quite ugly. I don’t understand why the school just let the two parties meet.