Chapter 69
Song Hengye felt very annoyed. At first, it was just Qin Xiaoshaoye using his wealth to ask him to wear his wristband during training to fool his family’s monitoring system. Considering that this was only to help Qin Yuxing deceive his family, it didn’t affect the instructors’ routine training or disrupt Qin Yuxing’s assessments. It wasn’t a major violation, and there was money involved—and Song Hengye desperately needed money—so he agreed.
But who would have thought that Qin Yuxing would be so careless and get caught by the Qin family’s old man after just a few days?
The Qin family even came to the military academy to bring Song Hengye back. He was incredibly frustrated by this; after all, it was Qin Xiaoshaoye’s problem, not his. Coming back here was a waste of his training time.
Standing in the front garden of the Qin family’s estate, looking at the half-ruined building that had clearly been damaged by an explosion, Song Hengye fell silent. To be honest, this did seem like something Qin Xiaoshaoye would do.
Qin Yuxing, looking shocked, ran over to Song Hengye, wiping the dust from his face and glancing around for any sign of his grandfather. Seeing no one else around, he tiptoed closer, whispering, “Song Hengye, what are you doing here? Didn’t I already transfer the money to you?”
He had paid exactly what was agreed upon!
As he spoke, he reached out to push Song Hengye, keeping his voice low. “Hurry up, get out of here. Are you trying to get me killed?”
Song Hengye: “…”
Before he could say anything, Qin Yuxing had already pushed him toward the entrance, but then the Qin family’s old man came out with the butler and guards, smiling warmly. He looked at Qin Yuxing with a benevolent expression, “Xingxing, your classmate is here. Why not invite him in for a chat?”
Qin Yuxing: “…”
Invite him in? Was the old man trying to kill him?
Seeing his grandfather’s expression, Qin Yuxing glanced at Song Hengye, who looked both resigned and irritated.
Realizing the situation, Qin Yuxing stood up straight, put on an obedient expression, and smiled at his grandfather. “Grandpa, I still have training to finish today, so I’ll go back now.”
With that, he obediently headed toward the training area.
The old man’s face grew serious as he watched. “Xingxing! Are you still not going to tell the truth?”
Qin Yuxing: “…”
The old man was truly angry now. He pointed his cane at Song Hengye. “You dared to find a stand-in for training just to deceive me?”
Clutching his chest, he wondered if this brat would be the death of him. Qin Yuxing had always been so obedient and diligent in training, excelling every time… Wait. The old man’s face darkened as he thought about it. Could it be that all of those previous training results were faked with the help of a stand-in? Looking at Song Hengye, the old man found it entirely plausible!
Seeing that his grandfather was genuinely angry, Qin Yuxing felt a bit helpless. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about his grandfather’s feelings, but he had felt suffocated for years. All he wanted now was to leave this planet, to explore the stars and embark on an epic journey.
It didn’t matter if his grandfather was angry, but if it led to him being confined, that would be a problem. He had been confined when he was younger, and he knew that the training room was equipped with simulation battlegrounds and walls as solid as iron. Even with his recently awakened S-rank ability, he didn’t have the confidence to break out. If he were to escape, it would only be possible when his cub-sized lion evolved into a majestic adult lion. But there was another issue—his ticket was scheduled for departure tomorrow.
He had to figure out how to contact the black market seller and ask for a rescheduled ticket or buy one for the following week. After all, he hadn’t yet figured out how to get his little lion out of the garden.
Seeing that Qin Yuxing hung his head in silence, the old man recalled how the little lion behaved in the live broadcast, treating colorful candies as treasures. His heart softened a bit.
However, before he could say anything, Qin Yuxing suddenly slid to his knees smoothly and kneeled in front of him with a thud.
The old man: “…”
With tears welling up, Qin Yuxing said pitifully, “Grandpa, I didn’t mean to find a stand-in.”
The old man’s voice was cold. “If it wasn’t unintentional, then it was intentional?”
Qin Yuxing: “…”
Standing up straight, he said with conviction, “I haven’t missed a single class! If you don’t believe me, ask him.”
He pointed at Song Hengye.
Song Hengye, who was just about to leave: “…”
The old man wasn’t fooled. “You two are in cahoots. I don’t believe either of you.”
Frustrated, Qin Yuxing pleaded, “Oh, Grandpa!”
He walked over, lowering his voice, “Grandpa, I was just trying to help him. He’s from the barren star belt, no family, no way to earn money. He’s just a military academy student who doesn’t even have time for part-time jobs because of his training. It’s pitiful, isn’t it? You’ve always taught me to have an eye for talent and to build connections with capable people. Well, he’s the first talent I’ve connected with!”
The old man: “…”
Although his explanation was full of holes, it did soften the old man’s heart a little. He leaned in and whispered, “Has he awakened yet? What level?”
Why was Qin Xiaoshaoye so eager to befriend this person?
Qin Yuxing hesitated for a moment but quickly straightened his posture and said confidently, “Although he hasn’t awakened yet, he’s as hardworking as Chu Jiangting. With that kind of work ethic, he’s bound to awaken as an S-rank, right?”
The old man: “…”
He sighed. “If hard work alone could determine an S-rank, then S-ranks would be everywhere.”
The world had no shortage of hard-working individuals, but these people often didn’t get the rewards they deserved.
However, the old man didn’t dismiss Qin Yuxing’s opinion entirely. His success with the Qin family had come from not underestimating anyone who could work hard and endure hardships.
The old man, unwilling to punish Qin Yuxing too harshly, turned to the instructor behind him and said, “Go, check Xingxing’s progress thoroughly.”
If it’s too far behind, he would be truly upset!
The family instructor nodded and led Qin Yuxing to the half-ruined training area.
Feeling pitiful, Qin Yuxing glanced back at Song Hengye, wishing he could take his place. Ah, he was doomed! Since entering the academy, he hadn’t trained properly, and now he was surely going to get scolded.
Seeing Qin Xiaoshaoye’s rumpled appearance and strange attire, Song Hengye thought the boy must have gotten into some other ridiculous situation. But, oh well, it had nothing to do with him. He had already been questioned by the family’s butler and had been kept waiting because of the old man’s anger.
As he turned to leave, the old man called out, “Song Yuanye, wait a moment.”
With a blank expression, Song Hengye turned back. “It’s Song Hengye.”
The old man: “…”
He cleared his throat and continued, “Song Hengye, I’ve learned about your background. You’ve had a difficult journey from the barren star belt, haven’t you?”
Song Hengye didn’t respond.
The old man softened his tone. “As you’ve seen, our Xingxing is still young. I’m worried he might get bullied at school or be led astray. You’re older and more experienced. If you’re willing to serve the Qin family, I can offer you the highest level of guard service. What do you think?”
The old man had never considered this before. He had always thought his grandson was a genius with unmatched intellect. But after seeing how the little lion acted in the live stream, he began to have doubts about Xingxing’s intelligence.
A genius might excel in specific areas, even surpassing many seasoned experts. But in other aspects, perhaps… the intelligence was lacking.
The old man sighed, troubled whenever he thought about the little lion’s behavior.
Since Xingxing had chosen to befriend Song Hengye, the old man decided to trust his grandson’s judgment, giving Song Hengye a chance.
Song Hengye’s life had indeed been tough, but he had never considered serving an old family. His dream was to return and rebuild his home planet—an abandoned, desolate place that had become a supply station for space pirates. If no one stepped in, it would soon be erased from the star maps.
Shaking his head, Song Hengye replied, “Qin Yuxing is an S-rank; no one can harm him.”
On the other hand, he himself hadn’t even awakened a spirit beast yet; his future was uncertain.
After leaving the Qin family, Song Hengye received a message from Qin Yuxing less than five minutes later.
Squatting inside the cockpit of the training mecha, hiding from the instructor, Qin Yuxing sent a message: “Song Hengye! Tell the instructor you need to find me! Come pick me up! Hurry
! Get me out of here in ten minutes, and I’ll pay you a hundred thousand credits! QAQ.”
A hundred thousand.
Song Hengye expressionlessly closed the message and turned back to the Qin estate.
*
Meanwhile, Bai Nuosi, unaware of Qin Yuxing’s situation, sat on a stone bench, cradling the little lion. He hadn’t immediately followed Huo Ran Chuan back but instead gently comforted the little cub, asking softly, “Xingxing, were you scared just now? Were you frightened?”
The little lion: “…”
Bai Nuosi picked up Teng Snake as well, holding one cub in each arm. “And you, baby? Were you scared too? That strange uncle almost threw a rock at you; it was dangerous. If anything like that happens again, you must run away, understand?”
Teng Snake obediently nodded, as if it hadn’t just slapped Qin Yuxing against the wall moments ago.
It took advantage of the moment, cuddling closer to Bai Nuosi, seeking comfort.
The little lion: “…”
Unhappy, the little lion glared at Teng Snake. A heavy snake, pretending to be a cub—how shameless!
The little lion tried to push Teng Snake out of Bai Nuosi’s arms, nudging it aside.
Teng Snake: “…”
Watching the two cubs squirm in his arms, Bai Nuosi was relieved that they seemed unharmed. He gently patted the little lion’s bottom, scolding, “Xingxing, why did you run off without waiting for me? You nearly scared me to death!”
The little lion, caught off guard by the pat, was stunned. This was the second time it had been spanked—the first time was when it had snuck off to play a game late at night.
Oh, right, it still hadn’t found its frog glasses!
The little lion looked pitifully up at Bai Nuosi, eyes wide and teary.
Bai Nuosi’s heart softened. He had genuinely been frightened earlier. If they had really encountered a child kidnapper and he hadn’t caught up, what would have happened if the man had run off with the little lion?
The consequences were too terrible to imagine.
Huo Ran Chuan placed a comforting hand on Bai Nuosi’s shoulder, speaking softly, “It’s okay now. Don’t worry.”
Bai Nuosi, holding both cubs, stood up and walked alongside Huo Ran Chuan, still worried. “How did that person get in? Did he climb over the wall?”
He glanced at the tall fence surrounding the garden.
It didn’t make sense—it was so high, and the security system hadn’t been triggered.
Huo Ranchuan glanced at the little lion. “Maybe he crawled through a hole. I’ve already sent people to investigate. Don’t worry, I’ll strengthen the patrols around the Rose Nursery.”
Internally, he had already flagged Qin Yuxing as a key figure to watch. Hopefully, Qin Yuxing would take his training seriously in the future.
The little lion: “…”
It glared fiercely at Huo Ranchuan. Ridiculous! It was a mighty lion, not some hole-crawling creature!
Huo Ranchuan personally escorted Bai Nuosi back to the dormitory. Originally, he had planned to ask if Bai Nuosi wanted to finish watching the movie they had planned before. After all, both of them were always so busy that finding a shared moment of free time was rare. It had been three days, and he still hadn’t had the chance.
But seeing Bai Nuosi’s troubled expression, Huo Ran Chuan sighed and said warmly, “Rest well. Don’t worry. I’ve already arranged for extra patrols at the entrance of each dorm.”
The sight of Bai Nuosi’s pale face, so clearly frightened, tugged at his heart.
Though Bai Nuosi had initially been startled, he was now calm, holding the two cubs safely in his arms, unharmed and safe. This experience was a reminder not to be complacent when taking the little ones outside, even if it was within the nursery. Although the cubs seemed obedient, they could dart off unexpectedly.
After returning to his room, Bai Nuosi gave the cubs a bath. The little lion was particularly obedient, doing everything Bai Nuosi said. Even when Bai Nuosi handed it its favorite snack, it waited, looking cautiously at him until he said it could eat. Seeing the little cub’s expression, Bai Nuosi, who had initially intended to scold it, couldn’t bring himself to do so.
Well, at two years old, it’s hard to expect them to remember everything. At this age, they need close supervision.
Tonight, Bai Nuosi felt exhausted, mostly from the stress and fear earlier. So, he only prepared simple snacks for the cubs and didn’t make anything for the golden eagle. Since Huo Ranchuan was dining at home, he had food brought directly from the cafeteria.
Bai Nuosi didn’t check on the golden eagle. Although the eagle could sense Bai Nuosi’s presence nearby, it grew increasingly agitated when Bai Nuosi didn’t come at the usual time.
Pacing restlessly in its enclosure, it ignored the food Huo Ranchuan had sent and stared anxiously at the five potted plants on the windowsill. It wanted to water and feed them but remembered the little caretaker had forbidden it. Reluctantly, it moved away, fussing with the music player and then the towel Bai Nuosi had given it. The commotion continued all evening.
Huo Ranchuan, frustrated in his own apartment, sighed. He finally had free time, and Bai Nuosi was right next door, but because of Qin Yuxing’s incident, he didn’t feel right knocking on Bai Nuosi’s door.
The suggestion from the prince about having Bai Nuosi take care of Chen Min crossed his mind again, making him even more irritated. Looking at the state of the golden eagle, he knew having Bai Nuosi care for Chen Min wouldn’t be enough unless they became partners. Only then might the golden eagle willingly merge with Chen Min’s spiritual sea.
Damn!
Just thinking about it was enough to drive him mad.
Unable to hold back, he shared his senses with Teng Snake, wanting to see what Bai Nuosi was doing.
Bai Nuosi was getting the cubs ready for bed, holding them close in his pajamas. “Babies, it’s time for bed.”
Tonight, Bai Nuosi planned to use storytime to teach the cubs some lessons. Although he didn’t expect them to understand fully, at least they needed to learn not to run off and to wait for him.
Sitting with one cub on each side, Bai Nuosi asked the little lion softly, “Xingxing, you were almost taken away by that strange man today. Were you scared?”
The little lion: “…”
The little lion nodded timidly. “Scared~”
Bai Nuosi continued, “Then, in the future, don’t run off on your own, okay?”
The little lion nodded obediently. “Okay~”
Seeing the little lion’s quick and obedient response, Bai Nuosi felt happy. Maybe a cub that speaks early also understands early? Perhaps it really understood him.
So he continued, “Next time you go out, no matter where you want to go, tell the teacher first. If you can’t see the teacher, or if the teacher can’t see you, you must turn around and come back immediately. Do you understand?”
The little lion nodded again, this time enthusiastically. “I understand!”
Overjoyed, Bai Nuosi hugged the little lion and patted its head. “Xingxing is amazing! Xingxing has to keep its promise!”
Suddenly, the little lion’s ears perked up, its expression turning serious. It listened for a few seconds before leaping out of Bai Nuosi’s arms and onto the floor. It ran toward the door, but then, as if remembering something, paused, turning to Bai Nuosi and shouting, “Teacher, I’m going to save my master!”
With that, the little lion dashed out the door.
Bai Nuosi: “???”
Teng Snake: “…”
Confused, Bai Nuosi murmured, “Xingxing said… it’s going to save someone?”
What master? Was this from some cartoon?
At first, Bai Nuosi thought the little lion was just playing a game. After all, he had just taught it to inform him before going anywhere. The little lion had agreed and was now demonstrating.
But as he watched the lion sprint away, Bai Nuosi hesitated for a moment before quickly getting out of bed, slipping on his slippers, and chasing after it. “Xingxing! Where are you going now?”
This time, Bai Nuosi was genuinely upset.
What on earth was Xingxing doing?
Running out in the middle of the night, where could it possibly be going?
By the time Bai Nuosi made it out of the room, the little lion had already entered the elevator, and the doors closed behind it.
Bai Nuosi: “…”
Without hesitation, he entered another elevator.
Teng Snake stayed close by, following him. Bai Nuosi had no idea what was going on. Why had the little lion suddenly rushed off like that, and what did it mean by “master”?
While in the elevator, Bai Nuosi quickly sent a voice message to Huo Ranchuan: [Director Huo, Xingxing suddenly took the elevator and ran off. Can you come down and help me catch it?]
He was worried he might not catch up, as the little lion was too fast—he hadn’t managed to catch it earlier that day.
Huo Ranchuan was already tuned in to Teng Snake’s senses and had anticipated Bai Nuosi’s message. He moved out immediately but was one step too late—the elevator had already gone down, leaving him to take the stairs instead.
Bai Nuosi and the little lion were just seconds apart.
In the garden, Bai Nuosi spotted the little lion sprinting toward the main gate of the Rose Garden. He shouted, “Xingxing! Stop!”
Darn it, it had promised to wait for him, and now it was running off again!
Fuming, Bai Nuosi vowed to give the little lion a good scolding when he finally caught it.
The little lion was just too much!
But, as frustrated as he felt, Bai Nuosi wouldn’t act without understanding the full situation. Until he knew what was really going on, he wouldn’t scold the cubs lightly.
The east dormitory had fewer guards; most of them were stationed near the west dormitory. However, since many of the residents in the east were guards themselves, as soon as Bai Nuosi called out, several guards rushed over. Everyone knew who Bai Nuosi was, and seeing his urgency, five or six guards joined in the chase. “Teacher Bai, what happened?”
Panting, Bai Nuosi said, “Xingxing, it’s ahead!”
Teng Snake had already leapt from Bai Nuosi’s side, quickly closing in.
Just like that afternoon, Bai Nuosi felt a pang of worry seeing Teng Snake rush out. “Baby, come back! Don’t go!”
But Teng Snake didn’t return. It looked serious as it chased after the little lion toward the gate. Something felt wrong this time.
It had sensed a disturbance in the little lion’s spiritual sea. Could it be that Qin Yuxing was in danger?
But Qin Yuxing was supposed to be back at the Qin estate.
The gate of the Rose Garden had a security system, but the curfew didn’t start until ten at night. It was only around eight, so even though it was dark, the gate wasn’t locked. The little lion and Teng Snake ran through easily, followed closely by a few guards. Bai Nuosi, panting heavily, trailed behind.
His anxiety grew as he ran. Something felt off about the little lion’s behavior, and Teng Snake’s reaction was strange, too.
Their sharp instincts and speed didn’t match that of ordinary two-year-olds. Were young beastman cubs really this alert from such an early age?
And what was this “master” the little lion mentioned? Why did it seem as if the cub had heard a call?
Running across the empty street, Bai Nuosi found himself trailing the guards by over ten meters.
Suddenly, there was a loud boom from up ahead. An unknown object had exploded, and flames shot into the night sky.
In the chaos, Bai Nuosi saw the little lion dart forward like an arrow, racing toward the blaze.
