Chapter 3: The Pristine Lady

In a hazy state, Levi seemed to hear the sound of pages turning. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw a profile—a sharp nose and tranquil eyes. As if struck by lightning, Levi jolted awake.
“What are you doing in my room?!”

“Why can’t I be in your room?” Claude smiled faintly—sitting beside Levi. His long legs, clad in military trousers, exuded quiet strength. “If you slept a few more minutes, I would’ve finished this copy of Faust.”
“I thought this was my room! Only my voice and fingerprint can let someone in!” Levi’s face turned cold, his slightly raised chin giving him a defiant look, visibly displeased by the invasion of his private space.

“I used my authority for a search.” Claude turned slightly, placing the book aside. “Remember I told you to report to the Z-Zone training base at 9 a.m. today? You’ve been late by eight hours. To confirm Sergeant Levi Van Pelt’s whereabouts—I had the Military Affairs Office unlock your door.”

Levi snorted and ruffled his bird’s nest-like hair. “Why didn’t you wake me up then?” Levi glanced at the bedside clock-realizing it was already past 5 p.m. He hadn’t expected to sleep so long.

“If you needed sleep, I wouldn’t disturb you.” Claude stood up, showing his unreadable expression. “From now on, you’ll be tired every day. Also, to prevent you from forgetting time or other important matters—I’ll have Military Affairs install a smart system in your room.’ “Huh?”

“Let’s go have dinner.” Claude tossed the T-shirt from the chair onto Levi’s face. “Then I’ll show you a fighter jet faster than the ‘Blue Crisis.”
Levi was stunned for two seconds before a smile spread across his face. “So you weren’t joking about there being a faster fighter jet?”
“What do you think?”
Their dinner venue was a restaurant called ‘Dawn and Lanterns’. The ceiling displayed holographic starry sky, giving diners the feeling of being enveloped by the night sky. For people living in the fortress city, rarely seeing the real sky, this restaurant was unique.

Claude ordered several dishes, from appetizers to main courses to desserts, reflecting his high standard of living.
Levi, without even looking at the menu, casually ordered a sandwich and stared at the starry sky above-seemingly mesmerized. “Have you ever done night missions?” Claude, leaning on his hand, looked across the table—his relaxed smile attracting the attention of other guests.

“Yes, but I wasn’t in the mood to enjoy the night sky at the time.”
“How do you feel looking at this now?” Claude’s aperitif arrived. He swirled his glass, his long fingers brushing the red liquid, exuding an artistic aura.

“We think we can conquer the universe, but in the end, the universe conquers us.” Levi lowered his head, tapping rhythmically on the table with one hand.
“It sounds like you don’t long for the universe.”
“I trust the ground beneath my feet more.” Levi’s sandwich arrived and he took a big bite, chewing with puffed cheeks. When he finished, Claude had only completed his appetizer.
Bored, Levi toyed with a toothpick in his mouth—glancing around at the restaurant’s decor and other guests.

Most of the patrons were refined individuals. Not far away sat a girl in an emerald green dress. Her fair skin and sweet smile as she chatted with the boy next to her caught Levi’s attention for a moment.

“That’s Colonel Ames’s fiancée. If he saw you eyeing her like that, he’d blow your head off,” Claude kindly reminded him.
Levi shrugged it off, shifting his attention to a woman in a black gown. She was leaning on her hand, absentmindedly stroking the rim of her wine glass, exuding a mysterious allure.

“Ah—” Claude’s fingers also tapped on the table, matching Levi’s rhythm. “That’s Mrs. Smith—the wife of Brigadier General Smith. Though they’re going through a divorce, he’s trying to win her back. If anyone makes a move on her…”

“He’ll blow my head off,” Levi quipped, unfazed, already scanning the room for his next target. By the window sat a short-haired female officer-whose bright smile and dimples added to her charm.

“Oh—Lieutenant Ellis. Claude waved at her, appearing friendly.

The officer immediately stood up and saluted, “Hello, Major General Sean!”
“It’s leisure time; no need for formalities, Claude’s charming smile never failed to impress. “Out with your girlfriend tonight? You should spend more time with her.”

“Yes, we’re planning to see a movie together, Ellis replied, her face glowing with sweetness. Levi pursed his lips—surprised that Lieutenant Ellis also liked women.
After a few pleasantries—Claude returned to his dessert.

“You seem intent on irritating me,” Levi said as he flicked the toothpick onto the table— an uncouth gesture that somehow came across as nonchalant and endearing.

“You misunderstand. I just don’t want you to have any unnecessary fantasies.”
“Then what counts as ‘necessary’ fantasies?”
“I want you to train diligently-adapt to a system you’ve never encountered, and then climb into the ‘Pristine Lady’ and fly into the sky,” Claude mimicked Levi’s tone, “and kick those alien bitches out of the solar system.”

Levi stared directly into Claude’s eyes, momentarily entranced by the brilliance within them. He
wasn’t just a naive kid. From the moment he first met Claude-his instincts told him that beneath Claude’s gentle and elegant smile lay cold indifference. Yet, every time their gazes met-Levi felt as if the air between them sizzled.

After dinner—Levi followed Claude to the Z-Zone. This was the most secretive part of the K11 airbase where many delicate experiments were quietly conducted. The hallways were lined with research labs, where people worked with intense focus. Full-sensory computers whirred constantly, displaying rapidly shifting data on large screens. Every research breakthrough here played an unimaginable role in humanity’s battle against the invaders.

Though it was already 10 p.m.-many experts and scholars were still calculating and testing. As Claude entered the Z-Zone, he moved quietly, gesturing for the researchers who were about to salute him to remain silent so as not to disturb others. Levi followed closely behind, whispering, “Are there any alien corpses here? Maybe you’ve even captured a live one, locked away somewhere for study?”

“You’ve never seen them?” Claude tapped the scanner lightly, and the security door slid open, revealing a faint light from the long hallway.
“No,” Levi shrugged, his signature expression of indifference. “They always stay inside their ships. Someone once described them to me, and I’ve seen pictures in the newspapers-half-transparent beings. Supposedly, their brains are also their hearts or something…” Claude let Levi ramble on until-two minutes later, they stepped into a brightly lit chamber.

In the center of the room, which was the size of a swimming pool—stood a white fighter jet. Its sleek lines seemed to pull the very air around it. Light spilled onto its surface—cascading down in a shimmering glow.
Levi stood at the entrance—his gaze completely captivated.
Claude leaned against the wall, watching Levi’s profile. “This is the ‘Pristine Lady.’ It’s the result of research from the first intact alien spacecraft we captured three years ago. The Pristine Lady’s speed, performance, and weapons systems are on par with the invaders’. If someone can pilot it-we might still have a chance to regain air superiority.”

“You mean… it really is that fast?”

“Yes, and it won’t overheat, even after ten hours of extreme flight.” “So… am I the one who gets to fly it?” Levi chuckled, clearly pleased.

Claude stood silently, but Levi didn’t notice. The Major General was no longer watching the white fighter jet—instead, his focus was entirely on Levi.
At this moment, the young man’s clear blue eyes shimmered as if stars themselves were reflecting in them.

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Proofreader/Editor: meowrii