The three people who had built a revolutionary friendship during the freshman training period, and who had been singled out twice by Yama Chao, naturally grew closer.
Wang Tianwei and Jian Jingyu took the vehicle driving course together, and at noon, the three of them would occasionally gather in the cafeteria.
The hype around the freshman training had not faded yet, so it remained the most talked-about topic. Chewing on a piece of starbeast meat, Wang Tianwei asked,
Why could the sandworm still find us even after we sprayed the scent-masking agent?
Sandworms do not have noses. They rely solely on faint vibrations to track their prey. As long as you breathe, they can find you, Huang Yan replied, slowly sipping a tube of nutrient fluid.
Good thing it does not have many attack methods. If it could spit poison or breathe fire like other starbeasts, we would have been dead meat!
Jian Jingyu also had a food tray in front of him. At the moment, he was wrestling with a shelled dish with both hands, getting grease all over the table.
Unable to watch any longer, Wang Tianwei stepped in to teach him.
You have to peel this kind of shrimp like this...
That is all well and good, but... Zhang Lyra looked serious. Why do you Class S students insist on sitting with me!?
Several students from other classes in the background were craning their necks to look over. The three prodigies from Class S were actually sitting at the same table eating with a demi-human from Class A!?
Could that demi-human have some kind of special background?
Everyone's eyes were filled with intense curiosity, making Zhang Lyra feel quite uncomfortable.
Huh? Aren't we comrades in arms!? We fought the sandworm together! Wang Tianwei said in surprise.
Jian Jingyu, who finally got to eat a peeled shrimp, just kept nodding at Wang Tianwei's words.
It wasn't just us fighting... there were dozens of people. Zhang Lyra said weakly, her eyes already scanning the surroundings for another place to sit.
But didn't we know each other before that? You even flew me like a kite!
What do you mean flew you like a kite!? That was because you were running too slowly, and I was afraid you would get swept up by the sandworm!
Wang Tianwei wagged her finger and pulled a pouch of nutrient fluid from her pocket.
I know! That is why I am drinking calcium-fortified nutrient fluid now!
...
That was not what she meant at all. Zhang Lyra just felt speechless.
Jian Jingyu, however, turned to look at the nutrient fluid in her hand.
Haven't seen that before. A new product from Yida Technology? Does it work?
Seeing his eager expression, Wang Tianwei treated him like a major threat.
Whether it works or not has nothing to do with you! Anyone over two meters tall is forbidden from trying to grow any taller!
Jian Jingyu shrugged and went back to wrestling with the shrimp shells.
Wang Tianwei tore open the nutrient fluid.
Oh, right, Lyra. I remember you saying back then that the sandworm was angry. How did you know it was angry?
Zhang Lyra's body stiffened for a moment. Huang Yan calmly explained,
If you trace it back, demi-humans and starbeasts share the same origin, so demi-humans are more sensitive to the emotions of starbeasts.
The explanation was crystal clear, but the entire cafeteria went so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Planet Shuomo and the Qilin Military Academy did not discriminate against demi-humans, but in reality, the entire Federation's attitude toward them had always been ambiguous.
Because they were the product of the greatest gamble in human history...
After the interstellar warp, the human population plummeted, yet the threats from starbeasts and insectoids were endless.
To create the greatest warriors, biologists injected the mixed enhancement factors of starbeast genes into human bodies at the time.
This created a large batch of demi-humanized warriors who successfully suppressed the enemies of that era... and later, the demi-humans reproduced generation after generation just like that.
The irony was that they were clearly created to save all of humanity back then, yet now demi-humans were frequently subjected to discrimination.
Not only were the planets they inhabited relegated to the outermost fringes, but some schools even explicitly banned demi-humans from enrolling...
Were these young masters and misses from the Capital Star finally going to start humiliating them too?
Zhang Lyra kept her emotions calm and set down the hand holding her food tray, waiting for them to say what came next.
Wang Tianwei chewed on the pouch and thought for a long time.
Doesn't that make you a humanoid radar!? When fighting starbeasts, you can clearly know what the enemy is thinking!? Isn't that incredibly awesome!?
...?
Jian Jingyu had previously only focused on training his mental and physical strength, and had never deeply researched these issues. Hearing this, he also asked,
Then can you predict a starbeast's movements? Like what move it is going to use, or where it wants to bite, you can know all that?
It is not that detailed... Starbeasts fight on instinct. At most, I can just sense some emotions when I am close enough...
Wang Tianwei rubbed her chin.
That is still really strong! Humans easily reveal flaws when they are furious or overjoyed, and starbeasts might be the same!
Hmm... this radar is pretty good. If I could figure out a way to integrate it into a mecha...
Having taken classes for a few days, Wang Tianwei's mind was now entirely filled with mechas.
It wouldn't mean much. In battle, every second counts. No matter what mood the enemy is in, we must destroy them, ideally taking them out the moment they show their heads. Otherwise, those engineers would have added this feature a long time ago.
Huang Yan spoke up again, and Wang Tianwei carefully pondered his words.
"Tsk... true."
After saying that, she opened another pouch of nutrient fluid and stuffed it into her mouth.
Zhang Lyra was stunned, and so was everyone else in the cafeteria... That was it?
Was it really just a simple discussion? What they just said shouldn't count as an insult, right? What exactly did these privileged elites mean by this?
Jian Jingyu rarely ate regular food. Today, following Wang Tianwei's lead, he gave it a try and found it wasn't bad, though his stomach felt a bit overly full.
He nudged the person next to him with his elbow.
"Give me a pouch of your nutrient fluid."
"...No."
A lizard demi-human walked past them carrying a tray. Wang Tianwei raised her hand to greet him.
"Yo!"
Unexpectedly, the frill on the student's head flared right up, leaving all four of them dumbfounded...
Realizing that he had also startled Zhang Lyra, a fellow demi-human, Guan Wei slowly calmed down and whispered to Wang Tianwei,
"That day... thanks for the mask."
Wang Tianwei waved it off carelessly.
"Don't mention it, we're all classmates~"
Guan Wei walked away with his tray. Wang Tianwei, finally full and satisfied, stood up.
"Ah... I have five classes this afternoon. What about you guys?"
"Five..."
At the mention of classes, Jian Jingyu completely deflated.
"Why does my strategy class have to be taught by Yama Chao..."
Huang Yan tossed their empty nutrient pouches into the waste disposal unit.
"Four. Probably because he used to be the commander of the First Military District."
Zhang Lyra chewed her last bite of food and said naturally,
"I have four too."
"Hey! Hang in there, comrades! I'm off!"
Zhang Lyra followed Wang Tianwei to return her tray, and even watched her openly compliment the chef who had come out to inspect the dining hall. She couldn't quite put her finger on how she felt, except that this person seemed alright...
As the group left the table one by one, the atmosphere in the cafeteria livened up again.
"The young miss loves eating starbeast meat! She even drank two pouches of nutrient fluid..."
"And those people online boast about how high-class it is to not eat regular food! I knew no one could resist the feeling of a full stomach!"
"But Huang Yan didn't eat either..."
"Who cares if he eats or not!"
No one brought up topics related to demi-humans again, but the atmosphere in the cafeteria had become much more harmonious.
