Adrian sat up in bed, his head throbbing painfully.

He had dreamed of Zhong Yan again. Standing tall on the ceremony platform, his expression as calm as ever, uttering the words “I accept,” shattering all of Adrian’s ridiculous fantasies.

Adrian sat in the dark, trying to calm himself, before calling up his personal terminal to check the time. A few glowing digits floated above his wrist—it was only 5 a.m.

The culprit behind his nightmare lay scattered on the small platform by his bedside: an opened letter—not a virtual one, but a real piece of paper. This kind of thing was almost extinct these days; you might still see it in a museum. However, the Highest Academy always prided itself on its “ancient, orthodox” status, and such acts of retro artistry weren’t unusual for them.

The finely crafted envelope had been torn open in a less-than-gentle manner, revealing half a sheet of paper with simulated ink:

“To the Commander of the Navi Military District, Adrian Atte,

“It’s been seven years in the blink of an eye, dear graduate of the 91st Class of the Federation’s Highest Academy. I hope all has been well since you left your alma mater.

“The stars change, but wisdom is eternal. For over a century, the Highest Academy has lived up to its name, consistently providing the Federation with the finest minds. Now, as the oldest comprehensive academy in the Federation, it celebrates its centennial anniversary. We sincerely invite you, one of our most outstanding alumni, to come home at the end of December to celebrate the Academy’s 100th anniversary and attend the 98th graduation ceremony.

“Enclosed are the details for further arrangements…”

It was true that Adrian had been out of touch with his alma mater for many years. In fact, those three years at the Highest Academy had been some of the happiest of his twenty-seven years. But as joyful as those years were, the pain he felt on the last day when Zhong Yan closed the chapter on his student life was just as intense.

Adrian and Zhong Yan were inseparable throughout school; everyone knew it. Their graduation ceremony was a major topic across the Federation. In the first year or two after joining the Navi Star Zone, people often tried to probe into his relationship with Zhong Yan, until everyone who dared make jokes about him and Zhong Yan ended up in the intensive care unit. Eventually, people understood the depth of hatred the usually smiling young master held for that old school friend.

Adrian kept climbing the ranks until now, where no one dared provoke the wrath of the Commander of the Navi Military District, fearful of facing the vindictive reprisal of this notoriously personal commander.

As dawn approached, Adrian, feeling awful, decided not to try and sleep any longer. He got up.

In the few hours he’d been dreaming, his personal terminal must have accumulated some tasks waiting to be handled. Holding a cup of something to wake him up, Adrian connected his terminal to the large virtual screen on his desk and nearly spat out his drink.

“Today’s Headline: Councilor Zhong Yan Officially Confirms Attendance at Highest Academy’s Centennial Celebration!”

“Extended Reading: Youngest of the Twelve Attending Councilors of the Supreme Council, the Legend Behind Councilor Zhong Yan: …”

Adrian stared at the oversized headline, his gaze fixed on the repeated name. He was well past the age of punching someone on impulse and long used to seeing Zhong Yan’s name in the news as frequently as his own. But strangely, seeing Zhong Yan’s name once more associated with their alma mater stoked a rare fury within him.

The anger surged from the deepest repressed depths of his heart, slowly yet resolutely drowning out his rationality.

Adrian put down his cup and dialed his deputy, Fein.

Fein, clearly still asleep, mumbled, “Who’s calling?”

“It’s me.”

“Boss?!” Fein snapped awake immediately, tense. “What happened? Something wrong at this hour?”

“Yes, something’s up. Contact the school and tell them I’ve accepted the invitation for the anniversary. Not just me; everyone in the Navi Military District who received an invitation will also be attending.”

Fein could hardly believe what he was hearing. Everyone knew that in the Navi Military District, words like “Highest Academy” or “school” were taboo because they invariably related to that individual. Because of this, no one had dared to mention the Highest Academy’s centennial celebration, and those who received invitations had pretended not to see them. But now, at five in the morning, his boss was calling him personally to have him contact the school…

“Um…” Fein carefully confirmed, “Which school should I contact?”

“What do you think?”

The voice on the other end was calm, yet that calmness only made Fein more apprehensive. Having worked with Adrian for so many years, Fein knew all too well that the more composed Adrian appeared, the more explosive the impending eruption would be.

“Calm down. I just checked the news—I don’t think getting into a fight with a Supreme Council attendee at the anniversary would be a good idea.”

“This is an order, Mr. Deputy,” Adrian replied coldly, hanging up.

No, he certainly wasn’t going there to pick a fight. It was just…

Adrian sat down, closing the news window.

Once again, he had underestimated the extent of Zhong Yan’s coldness. After three years of being together nearly every day, Zhong Yan had, without hesitation, said “I accept” to an AI in front of the whole school. And now, how could he so calmly accept an invitation from their alma mater? It seemed that, in his mind, the past had long been discarded, allowing him to attend without fear of being affected by old memories.

In that case, Adrian couldn’t show weakness either.

This was an era without secrets.

The second-generation AI, “Butterfly,” monitored every aspect of human life. Every place showing signs of civilization had floating patrol cameras hovering round-the-clock, and virtual communities were even more completely under Butterfly’s reach. This era was safe, convenient, efficient, and also…

Dull.

Perhaps only one corner was different. The most distant star zone, the Navi Star Zone centered on Navi Star, was the only human autonomous region in contemporary human civilization. Ten years ago, the Navi Star Zone had been synonymous with danger, chaos, and backwardness. Today, however, more and more young people referred to it as humanity’s last pure land.

The Navi Star Zone was now tightly bound to the name Adrian Atte.

Everyone in the Federation knew that seven years ago, the Atte Family’s direct heir graduated from the Military Academy at the Highest Academy with a record-breaking score, dramatically rejecting Butterfly’s recommendation and resolutely heading to the Navi Military District. That year, more than one graduate followed Adrian’s lead, sparking mainstream media to harshly criticize him for misleading others.

On the other hand, Zhong Yan entered the Supreme Council, loyal to Butterfly, and became a darling of public opinion at the time. His stunning looks, composed demeanor, and background as an orphan with no family won him high regard from the public and great favor within the Council. His rise was astonishing, as in just seven years, he was already one of the twelve attending councilors, making him one of the twelve most powerful humans in the Federation.

Public opinion evolved as fast as his rise. Over the years, anonymous whistleblowers on the virtual network exposed various scandals, claiming AI was no longer pure, but colluding with a select group of high-ranking humans. 

The very idea of “anonymity” was nearly impossible in this era, so the fact that these rumors even existed lent them a degree of credibility. Unlike previous generations who had unwavering faith in AI, many in the younger generation now valued privacy and autonomy. 

As a result, the Navi Star Zone—free from AI control—seemed ideal, especially given that everyone knew the Navi District’s council was now just for show; the unchallenged ruler of Navi was the young commander of the military district, a staunch advocate for human autonomy.

Adrian’s popularity skyrocketed, idolized by anti-AI supporters. His infamous student-era rift with Zhong Yan made both camps fiercely hostile, so much so that even after both had risen to the highest echelons, their fans still waged virtual battles.

It was no wonder the whole Federation erupted when they both accepted the invitation to the Highest Academy’s centennial celebration. What had previously been a low-interest event became the hottest topic overnight.

After seven years, Zhong Yan was once again stepping foot on the grounds of the Academy planet.

The Highest Academy was not only a school but also one of the rare artificial planets. Today, this little planet glittered with starlight, its grounds bustling with influential figures from various fields. Zhong Yan hadn’t even reached the main gate before he was surrounded by a crowd of “upperclassmen.”

Few attendees were from classes after his, as few had achieved a high enough status to merit a special invitation. Even among the few outstanding young alumni… most, given the current political trends, would likely be disinclined to engage with him, the councilor.

Regardless of the younger generation’s opinions, his significant role on Capital Star was undeniable, proven by the crowd of middle-aged alumni attempting to make conversation with him. Zhong Yan, eyes lowered, politely exchanged greetings, keeping his feelings in check. Others likely thought he was simply holding himself above them, but he knew… seven years had passed since he sprinted off the graduation stage, only to find his dorm empty.

He’d thought he’d adjusted his emotions, that he wouldn’t be affected by revisiting these places.

Suddenly, there was a commotion in the distance. Zhong Yan looked up to see a group of young officers in black uniforms with gold trim heading in his direction. In the middle of the group was a tall man with black hair and silver eyes. His top-tier military uniform accentuated his cold, ascetic aura, yet he wore a faint smile, casually conversing with the officer on his right, looking in good spirits.

The bustling Academy gates fell silent—the people from the Navi Military District had arrived.