Chapter 32: New Semester

A week later, all schools across the Empire commenced the new semester.

Lin Yuan wanted the Royal Guard to escort Luo Fei to school, but Luo Fei preferred a low profile and decided against bringing guards. Instead, he set out together with his brother, Luo Ning.

The two didn’t take an interstellar passenger ship. They simply let Chongming carry them there directly, saving considerable time.

Luo Fei had been accepted into the Empire’s finest military academy—Saint Romia Military Academy, which also happened to be the alma mater of his Royal Father and Dad.

Luo Ning had not applied to the military academy. A voracious reader since childhood with a deep interest in literature, he usually spent his free time buried in various legendary novels. Thus, for the unified entrance exam, he had applied to Herman University’s Literature Department.

The rules and discipline at Saint Romia Military Academy were exceptionally strict, as all admitted students would eventually hold military status and had to be trained according to a soldier’s standards. Herman University, however, was different. It was a comprehensive university established after imperial reforms over two decades ago. Alphas, Betas, and Omegas could all study here. The university’s atmosphere was open and liberal, with a vast array of disciplines. Among them, its Business School, Computer Science College, and Literature Department boasted some of the Empire’s best professors.

Both Herman University and Saint Romia Military Academy were located within the Alkaid Starfield, a hub for most imperial schools. However, the two institutions were situated on different planets. If using a flight-capable mecha, the journey took an hour. For Chongming, it would only take half an hour.

Luo Fei first dropped his younger brother off at Herman University. Playing the big brother role quite convincingly, he personally escorted Luo Ning all the way to the dormitory and helped him settle his luggage.

The other roommates weren’t present yet. Luo Fei took the moment to advise his brother, “Per Royal Father’s wishes, your identity here will be kept strictly confidential. Other than people who have seen you before, no students will know you’re the Second Prince. But still—you’re an Omega, good-looking, and talented. Many people are bound to pursue you. Have you thought about how to handle that?”

Luo Ning stated coolly, “I have zero interest in dating. The library has so many books—I doubt I can even finish reading them all in four years. Who has time to bother with any Alphas?”

Luo Fei smiled, affectionately patting his bookworm brother’s hair. “Then you can just soak in the library every day.”

Dodging his hand, Luo Ning looked at him with displeasure. “We are twins. You were born just five minutes before me. Could you please stop always acting like a big brother and messing up my hair?”

Laughing, Luo Fei withdrew his hand. “Your hair is very soft. It feels really nice.”

Luo Ning rolled his eyes at him and stated evenly, “I will keep an eye on Senior Mo Han for you. If anyone confesses to him, I’ll alert you immediately.”

Luo Fei nodded. “Good. And if any Alpha bothers you, you tell your Imperial Brother right away too. I can come over and sort it out.”

The two brothers exchanged a knowing smile and a silent pact of mutual support.

Luo Fei turned to leave. “I’m off now. Take care of yourself at school.”

Luo Ning nodded. “Mm. I hear the special training at the military academy is incredibly tough. Hope you can handle it, Imperial Brother.”

Luo Fei confidently raised an eyebrow. “That bit of hardship won’t stop me. I’ve been used to being beaten up by Dad since I was small. I’m very durable.”

Suppressing a laugh, Luo Ning said, “Then go on, quickly. Goodbye.”

After leaving Herman University, Luo Fei arrived at Saint Romia Military Academy to register.

The location of this academy was an important imperial military base. Besides the academy, one of the Empire’s five major legions, the Rose Legion, was also stationed here. Additionally, the large-scale military exercises the Imperial Military organized every year took place here. When the time came, his grandfather and Royal Father might even participate in those exercises.

Stepping onto the academy grounds, Luo Fei immediately felt a solemn, dignified atmosphere, starkly different from Herman University’s relaxed and free environment.

At the school gate stood a statue, resembling an eagle spreading its wings in flight. It was the iconic landmark of Saint Romia Military Academy and had a history spanning hundreds of years.

Walking further into the academy, besides the new arrivals coming to register, everyone he saw was dressed in crisp, neat military uniforms. They walked with straight, upright postures, exuding the decisive and resolute bearing of an Imperial soldier.

Alongside the other students, Luo Fei completed his registration, underwent a thorough medical examination, and received two sets of properly fitted uniforms. He then made his way to the student dormitory area.

Upon entering, he saw a tall, well-built young man emerging from a bedroom. Their eyes met, and Luo Fei proactively greeted him, “Roommate? Hello.”

The other student gave a curt nod and replied coolly, “Greetings, Your Highness the First Prince.”

Luo Fei was slightly surprised. “You recognize me?”

The other student stated, “I saw you previously at the birthday banquet. My name is Ludwig. I am the son of General Michael of the Star Legion.”

There had been far too many guests at the banquet for Luo Fei to possibly recognize everyone. But General Michael he knew—one of the Empire’s few Three-Star Generals. He had also heard that General Michael had a son, though the son was of a rather somber disposition and rarely appeared in public. He hadn’t expected this man to become his roommate.

His features were handsome and sharp, but his expression was cold and indifferent. He didn’t seem like an easy person to get along with.

Extending his hand with a smile, Luo Fei said, “Hello. We’ll be living together in the same dorm for the next few years. Let’s look out for each other.”

Ludwig uttered only a single word. “Mn.”

He was indeed exactly as rumored—a taciturn man of few words.

But Luo Fei didn’t mind. As long as there was no conflict between roommates and the dorm atmosphere remained harmonious and peaceful, that was enough. They didn’t necessarily have to become close confidants.

The following day, Saint Romia Military Academy held its entrance ceremony for the new students. Everyone was required to wear their military uniforms and swear the oath in the main auditorium.

Although Luo Fei had been raised and trained strictly according to military standards by his Royal Father since childhood, this was the first time he had donned an official military uniform.

In the mirror, the young man looked valiant and spirited. The impeccably straight, deep-blue uniform accentuated his tall and slender physique. Perhaps it was the uniform’s ability to enhance one’s presence, but dressed in it, Luo Fei seemed to shed a bit of his eighteen-year-old youthful naivety and took on a new weight of steadiness and capability.

His roommate Ludwig, meanwhile, presented the perfect image of a cold, ascetic soldier. His face was icy, betraying absolutely no emotion.

The two of them arrived at the grand auditorium. All around them were fellow freshmen, uniformly dressed in their military attire, standing in perfect, orderly formations.

The entrance ceremony officially commenced at 8 AM sharp. All the new students faced the emblem of the Imperial Military and recited their oath of enlistment in unison. It signified that from this day forward, they had officially become soldiers of the Empire.

Immediately after the swearing-in ceremony ended, students of different majors promptly began their month-long orientation special training.

The academy’s special training included—alongside the expected combat skills, marksmanship, and mecha piloting—a simulated battlefield training component specific to Luo Fei’s major, Military Command and Strategy. All students would enter a full-dive holographic battlefield environment within specialized simulation chambers to engage enemy forces in combat. Many freshmen, lacking this foundational background, found themselves utterly routed. The mechas they piloted kept getting blown to pieces; the sensation was truly agonizing.

Within a single month, freshmen were expected to grasp basic tactical techniques.

This was an immense test of mental fortitude. Students with even slightly weaker willpower could find their mental strength utterly shattered by the relentless bombardments of enemy fighters.

While the mental power training was brutal to the point of perversion, the physical conditioning was equally cruel. Hunger training forced cadets to maintain calm, clear-headed judgment even after days without food. Grueling weight-loaded marches of dozens of kilometers nearly drained their physical stamina completely. And in that state of utter exhaustion, they still had to remain constantly alert to the instructors’ surprise ambushes, which could strike at any moment. Getting caught by an instructor meant having to redo that entire training module from scratch…

Successfully passing the assessments after a month of such training left the surviving freshmen having practically shed a layer of skin.

Under such high-intensity training, all the new cadets practically collapsed into bed and fell asleep instantly upon returning to their dorms every night. Massive sleep deprivation forced everyone to treasure every single minute of rest.

But Luo Fei was different.

Every night, after returning to his dorm room, he would connect to his gaming pod, log into the game, and spend an hour playing jungle adventures with Frank and Caitlin.

This type of holographic game was actually quite draining mentally and physically too. Because the full-dive environment was exceptionally realistic, one had to maintain extremely high levels of concentration to avoid being killed by other players.

He did not let the hardships of training derail his own plans.

Because he wanted to mature as quickly as possible, to grow into a dependable man capable of pursuing the person he loved.

The very thought of Mo Han filled him with boundless motivation.

Half a month later, one evening, Luo Fei logged into his gaming pod. Entering the party queue, he unexpectedly discovered that Frank’s team had an additional member, whose ID was “MH.”

It was Mo Han!

The party was matched and entered an instance. Looking at Mo Han standing right there beside him, Luo Fei’s heart swelled with an excitement beyond words.

In the game, Mo Han used his own real appearance. So, the person right before his eyes was indistinguishable from the actual Mo Han: refined, handsome features, the same height of about 180 centimeters as in the real world.

Unlike his usual crisp, professional attire of dress shirt and trousers, he was now clad in a more pragmatic and agile outfit. A white tank top revealed his nicely toned arms. The vest was tucked into the waistband of his pants, accentuating the leanness of his waist. A tactical equipment pack hung at his hip, suitable for storing ammunition during the expedition.

Even dressed like this, Mo Han was still so stunningly handsome that Luo Fei couldn’t tear his gaze away.

Fighting the powerful urge to just rush over and embrace him, Luo Fei forcibly maintained an appearance of calm and asked, “Who’s this?”

Frank introduced them. “Our team captain, Mo Han. He’s been swamped with the new semester starting a few days ago and only just found time to log on tonight.”

Mo Han’s calm voice sounded right next to him. “This Mr. F, is he the one you mentioned? The teammate with exceptionally strong combat skills?”

Frank confirmed, “That’s right. He’s been running Hard Mode instances with us for half a month now and consistently scores first place.”

Mo Han turned his gaze towards Mr. F. The system’s default “Face No. 1.” A completely generic, unremarkable face you’d see everywhere.

But at that very moment, the smile on that ordinary face was extraordinarily brilliant. Looking straight at him, the man extended a hand, grinning. “Hello, Captain. I’m a new team member. Please take good care of me.”

Mo Han reached out and shook his hand, not overthinking the matter of his identity in the slightest. He simply assumed he was just some skilled player Frank had encountered in the game.

But still… wasn’t this guy’s smile a little too dazzling?

How could a system-generated face’s expression be made so vividly expressive by him?