The headquarters of Ole Military University.

In a bright and airy study room, Ruan Jiao leaned against a seat in the back corner, staring at the projection in front of her, uneasily zooming in and out on an image.

Someone walked past, “Ruan Jiao!”

Ruan Jiao turned her head, her face also lit up with joy, “Zhou Tong? You’re back? How did it go? Were you successful?”

“Yes!”

The other girl beamed, “It’s considered a successful initial awakening! It was worth taking such a long leave. But, hey, let me tell you, it was really troublesome.”

As she spoke, she sat down next to Ruan Jiao, activating a soundproof barrier, just as she was about to recount her arduous experiences, she saw the image on Ruan Jiao’s projection.

“Huh?”

Zhou Tong stared at the picture, “Is that a lion? Why is it that color?”

She subconsciously read the caption next to the image, “Venomous Twin-Winged Scorpion-Tailed Flying Lion, abbreviated as Venomous Lion Scorpion, a Federation-era S-class primal bloodline?”

“Ah, I was looking at the bloodline compendium.”

Ruan Jiao frantically closed the window, “These S-class ones… they’re really scary, aren’t they?”

“Ha, those guys aren’t just scary-looking.”

Zhou Tong thought back to the image, “Su’s new Duchess, the Crown Prince’s fiancée, is a Lion Scorpion, right? Oh, speaking of His Royal Highness, I heard you were grouped together with him in the simulated frontline combat practice? He even invited you to a banquet?”

Ruan Jiao’s face froze.

The practical part of this course involved drawing lots for group assignments, allowing cross-major and upperclassman teams.

Ruan Jiao, possessing memories from her past life, clearly remembered that when lining up, she had been behind Zhou Tong, and Zhou Tong had drawn the number that paired her with the Crown Prince.

This time, she inadvertently switched places with Zhou Tong, standing in front of her, and succeeded.

However—

Zhou Tong would also have taken leave due to entering the awakening precursor stage. During this time, her family had spent a lot of money hiring a professional team to help her successfully achieve awakening.

Ruan Jiao’s eyes dimmed.

Her own parents weren’t without money.

Although their status was nothing in the aristocratic circles, their company was quite large, and they had sufficient financial resources to cultivate her.

But they were unwilling to do so.

Because they looked down on her E-class bloodline.

And because her adopted sister, Ruan Ting, was a C-class.

—Years ago, their spaceship was attacked by pirates, and her parents mistakenly switched their babies in the chaos, ultimately raising Ruan Ting, who was not their biological child.

While she was left to live on a remote planet for nearly twenty years.

After they were reunited, her parents, upon learning that she was only an E-class, wished they didn’t have her.

After interacting with the Crown Prince, Ruan Jiao had understood that different circles had different standards.

For ordinary families, mostly E-class and F-class, there wouldn’t be such requirements.

For those like her biological parents, with some status and wealth, they would have expectations for their child’s bloodline rank.

For wealthy families and titled nobles, it went without saying.

Of course, the awakening process was fraught with danger, and one could easily be destroyed.

Therefore, many people, regardless of their status, only hoped for their children’s healthy growth, without many other expectations.

Ruan Jiao had friends like that.

Their families were harmonious, and they had no pressure.

She had always deeply envied them.

Zhou Tong was like that too.

Her family had hired trainers and healers for her, not because they had high demands on her, but because she herself had such aspirations.

“Right,” Ruan Jiao looked at Zhou Tong, suppressing the emotions welling up in her eyes, “And several other classmates, the five of us went to Reeden-XIII, the Crown Prince sent a ship to pick us up, and we’ve just returned.”

Anyway, even without the exchange, Zhou Tong wouldn’t have much time with the Crown Prince, it was better to give this opportunity to herself.

Ruan Jiao thought this, suppressing her guilt, and out of a feeling she couldn’t quite define as showing off or compensation, she described some details in detail for the other girl.

When other classmates had asked her before, she had only given perfunctory replies.

“That was the Duke Su’s banquet, right? Did you see her in person?”

Zhou Tong asked excitedly.

They were all students at Ole Military University, with nobles everywhere on campus, and many royal family members; Zhou Tong had practically seen every one of them.

Including the Crown Prince, although only a glimpse from afar, she had at least seen him in person.

Among her peers with prestigious titles, only the newly appointed Duchess Su remained a mysterious figure.

Ruan Jiao hesitated, “I did.”

“Hmm? What’s with that expression? Do you like her?”

Zhou Tong’s eyes lit up, “So that’s why you were secretly looking at her race’s compendium?”

Ruan Jiao was stunned.

She recalled the Duchess’s many inexplicable actions, and Su Yao’s infuriating attitude towards the Crown Prince, and her face fell.

Ruan Jiao took a deep breath, “…She’s engaged, I don’t have any feelings for her.”

Zhou Tong understood, “So if she were single, you would?”

Ruan Jiao was instantly overwhelmed, wanting to leave immediately, but afraid that Zhou Tong would gossip, she restrained herself and carefully explained.

“I think she’s not worthy of the Crown Prince. She’s frivolous and casual, doing that kind of thing with Prince Dylan in public, and she has no ambition, she hasn’t even been able to condense a spirit body yet. In contrast, the Crown Prince has always remained chaste.

I know those nobles don’t care about that, but the Prince is more valuable than she is, with better conditions. When we were taking the exam on Nimbus Star… many people wanted to get close to him, but I haven’t seen him get close to anyone.”

Ruan Jiao couldn’t help but complain.

If Su Yao wasn’t Rui An’s fiancée, Ruan Jiao wouldn’t care how many people she had slept with.

Or rather, if Rui An and Su Yao were the same kind of person, Ruan Jiao wouldn’t feel sorry for the Crown Prince.

Now, just thinking about what she had witnessed that day made her furious.

“Uh…”

Zhou Tong was dumbfounded, “That, well, the Duchess is only a few months past her coming-of-age, it’s not strange that she can’t condense a spirit body. She just inherited her title; she’s probably been busy reading all sorts of confidentiality agreements and insurance contracts.”

“Who isn’t busy? The Crown Prince is also busy, we’re also busy, but we still find time to train?”

Ruan Jiao shook her head, “I just feel…”

“Okay, okay, I understand what you mean, but the Crown Prince can’t find anyone better, what can he do? There aren’t many unmarried S-class people to begin with, the Crown Prince is strictly heterosexual, right? So the number of eligible candidates is halved again, and then the remaining ones have very low compatibility with him.”

Zhou Tong spread her hands, “They match every year, and the results are always dismal. Now, having a 60% match is not bad. Do you expect her and the Crown Prince to be exactly the same type? That’s like hoping I win a hundred million on the lottery ticket I bought today.”

Ruan Jiao was about to speak when her optic brain vibrated again.

She glanced at it and immediately stood up, “I have something to do, let’s chat in the dorm later.”

Zhou Tong waved her hand indifferently. Ruan Jiao hurried out of the classroom. The corridor outside was quite crowded; she quickly weaved through the crowd, squeezing into the elevator at the last moment.

After leaving the teaching building, she dashed to the garden behind.

On a tree-lined path, she saw the figure of the blond young man from afar.

Ruan Jiao ran over, “Your Highness!”

Her face was still flushed, and her breathing was slightly rapid.

Rui An’s gaze fell on the young girl’s cheeks, “No need to rush, do you have any more classes today?”

Ruan Jiao shook her head and then nodded, her already racing heartbeat quickened again, “…No, I was going to audit Professor Li’s class, but watching the video later is the same.”

“Good,” Rui An smiled, “I brought a team of healers to help you advance your initial awakening. It’s not convenient to do this at school, if you have time, we can leave now.”

Ruan Jiao’s heartbeat grew even faster, “Your Highness!”

“I know you want to rely on your own efforts, but—”

Before he could finish, his optic brain vibrated wildly.

The Crown Prince paused slightly.

This level of alert meant something important.

He gave Ruan Jiao an apologetic look, then answered the voice communication from the Royal Household Department.

“What?!”

Tythos-VII Orbit.

On a dilapidated satellite, in a certain town.

High-voltage cables crisscrossed overhead, slicing through the dim gray sky.

The stench of blood hung heavy in the silent streets.

Abandoned surveillance cameras hung on the high walls, long coated in thick dust.  Shattered bodies lay scattered on the ground, their implanted cybernetics occasionally sparking.

Su Yao felt burning hot.

Like a predator that had been chasing prey under the scorching sun for a long time, the heat burned from the inside out, the temperature of her throat, heart, lungs, liver, gallbladder, and stomach all rising steadily.

She roughly pushed aside the other person’s coat and buried her face in the cool, smooth shirt, feeling the chill seeping from their chest cavity.

Her teeth tore through the fabric; the thin barrier disappeared, and the coolness radiating from the flesh and skin became clearer.

Her lips touched smooth skin; when her canines grazed it, they only left a fleeting white mark, not tearing it.

The muscles were thick and full, seeming to contain endless power, yet so cool.

Su Yao silently raised her hand, placing her claws on his pectoral muscles, pressing down lightly.

The musculature beneath her hand was strong and resilient, full and slightly elastic.

In this touch, she felt a strange, indescribable pleasure.

So she pressed a few more times.

“…Perhaps you can’t give me the answer either.”

The man grabbed her wrists, pulling her arms to the side, then directly removed his coat.

“Then this is my last time looking for you.”

He seemed to remember something, “I don’t mind trying… it shouldn’t be more troublesome than those robots back then.”

Su Yao looked at him in a daze.

She didn’t realize that if it were someone else, they might already have been bitten open by her, she just found everything before her novel.

A large expanse of golden light rose behind the man in black.

They were standing too close, and the golden light was too large, so Su Yao couldn’t see the outline or shape of the thing.

“…Compatibility.”

She muttered to herself.

“Adjusting.”

The man in black spoke slowly, “This is my first time too. Give me some time, let you relax first, right? I heard it’s easier between the same species?”

Su Yao couldn’t fully understand all this.

But certain words and concepts jumped around in her mind, reminding her that things weren’t so simple.

For example, not everyone could soothe others with their spirit body.

Either there had to be compatibility, or there had to be corresponding special abilities.

“Healer—”

She raised her hand to grab his collar, but before her claws could retract, the already damaged shirt was torn again.

“Hmm,” the man in front of her nodded slowly, “…Just consider me a healer.”

Su Yao blinked, “What’s your customer rating?”

He thought for a moment, “Whatever you give, that’s what it is. After all, you’re the first, and there won’t be a second.”

Su Yao: “???”

Was that something a professional should say?

Various rating interfaces flooded her mind.

Various software and apps.

Some were even opened by restaurant waiters, their smiling faces saying, “Thirty-word review with a picture for a free gift,” still fresh in her memory.

Su Yao reached for his clothes again, “I want a gift—”

And tore off a few more pieces of shredded fabric.

The next second, her wrist was grasped, a cold, large hand easily clenching her delicate wrist, completely enclosing it in his palm.

He looked down at the hand and claw in his palm, his thumb slowly moving upward, into the bestial hand area.

His fingertips brushed against the soft, deep red fur, touching the slightly rough black pads.

First, the largest pad on the front paw; its shape was like a miniature claw, or a flattened, round peach.

He stroked past the pad, touching the round finger pads inside, and couldn’t help but press down.

In the groove of the finger bone, the sharp claws slowly extended.

He released his hand.

The claws immediately retracted.

He pressed again.

The claws instantly sprang out.

“?”

Su Yao stared at him like he was crazy.

He calmly pressed twice, then grasped the furry paw.

A few seconds later, with the crisp sound of bones shifting and extending, the strong, sinewy human hand slowly transformed into a claw.

Two claws of the same shape, but different sizes, were held together.

Like two big cats mimicking humans clapping hands.

Su Yao felt the other person’s aura change.

Initially, the man had no scent, only a comfortable coolness radiating from him. Now, he seemed to have become one of her kind.

She smelled a familiar, friendly, and pleasant scent.

Her raised scorpion tail swayed twice, happily curling up, the tail hook slowly lowering, the barb almost touching the man’s forehead.

Most people, faced with this scene, would not be able to remain calm and composed.

“…Right.”

The black-haired man remained calm, looking up, “And this.”

He released the claw; a shadow flashed beneath his hem, the black mass quickly approaching, like ivy winding around a tree trunk, tightly encircling her tail.

Su Yao turned her head.

Two identical scorpion tails intertwined in the air, the sharp, curved barbs interlocking, kissing each other faintly.

She quickly relaxed.

At that moment, Su Yao saw the golden light again.

It fell like gentle, warm rain, gently enveloping her completely.

She felt like she was embraced in a warm embrace, as if returning to her childhood many years ago, a carefree afternoon napping in her mother’s arms.

Warmth seeped into her skin and flesh, countless memories flooding her mind in an instant.

She remembered who she was, remembered everything from the past, and remembered the magnificent banquet hall, and the blood-stained streets.

Su Yao suddenly opened her eyes.