Cannon fodder in the Interstellar

“Manni performed exceptionally well in the admissions assessment at the Xuan Gu First Military Academy, catching the attention of the Crown Prince. Over the past two years, the Crown Prince has been implementing a training program, gathering the most elite young talents in the empire for focused development. He likely wants to cultivate a group of outstanding star mecha warriors… as you know, there’s a rumor that the Crown Prince is preparing for this,” Captain Lin said somewhat gloomily.

While he called it a rumor, he was already about seventy percent sure. The Crown Prince’s actions only reinforced his belief in its truth.

“Now it makes sense why Miss Manni was forced to transfer to the Mecha Combat Department,” Officer George murmured.

“Hua Deqi represented the Crown Prince in commending us for our timely protection of Manni yesterday. I suspect the Commander also received relevant information, which is why he didn’t dare to question last night’s events, but he was still unwilling, so he indirectly mocked me for being a good guardian,” Captain Lin said with a smile.

Officer George was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized, “So that mysterious figure who appeared last night and captured the assassin was likely a guard sent by the Crown Prince to protect Miss Manni. No wonder we couldn’t find any information about it.”

“There’s a good chance that’s true. Those experts are not ordinary people to be controlled easily. That explains how Major Hua Deqi knew about it so quickly and clearly,” Captain Lin thought of this after receiving Hua Deqi’s message.

“This is great! This means we won’t have to worry about Miss Manni when she goes to the Xuan Gu First Military Academy. I didn’t expect the Crown Prince to value talent to this extent,” Officer George said excitedly.

What he didn’t express was his joy that since Manni had caught the Crown Prince’s attention, it meant that Captain Lin, as her guardian, was also in the Crown Prince’s favor.

For soldiers stationed on remote planets far from the central star domains, especially for someone like Captain Lin, a talented member of a prominent family but seen as a cast-off, this was absolutely good news.

The Crown Prince was someone everyone in the Gus Empire knew; he was a powerful ally. If Captain Lin benefited, naturally those following him would also reap rewards.

Although they protected Manni out of personal feelings, being recognized by the upper echelons was a reason to celebrate. Who wouldn’t want opportunities for advancement when they had the capability?

“But what about the burdens Manni will have to bear in the future…” Captain Lin wasn’t as pleased as Officer George.

He thought about how, once the situation escalated, those carefully trained star mecha warriors like Ruo Manni would inevitably become weapons of the empire. The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility. He couldn’t fully share Officer George the joy, considering he had watched this child grow up.

“I’m just saying, if this situation really escalates, can an ordinary soldier really escape?” Officer George looked at Captain Lin and said.

Ordinary soldiers, lacking ability, would face worse fates if luck turned against them. They, too, would confront similar circumstances.

“True, perhaps this could be another way out,” Captain Lin sighed, thinking of his wife and son.

Even ordinary people would face the same dangers in such significant events, especially those living on fringe planets. Only those in the central star domains had greater security.

In his younger days, he wanted to cast aside everything he despised, but… he should have prioritized his family.

After all, Ruo Manni’s exceptional talent made it impossible for her to grow up inconspicuously, and as her guardian, he couldn’t be low-profile either.

Just like today, Major Hua Deqi’s message had thrust him into the spotlight, giving him a confidence he hadn’t had before.

The Crown Prince valued Manni; he couldn’t have overlooked her guardian. Hua Deqi’s timing in contacting him and the commander to frame his adjustment of soldiers as a secret order from the Crown Prince was a clear signal for him and those around him.

He had abilities; this was his intention from the start. Why shouldn’t he actively seize that opportunity to bolster his chances for the future?

Unbeknownst to Ruo Manni, her changes were already beginning to influence Captain Lin.

After finishing her conversation with Mentor Fang, Ruo Manni opened her light brain and checked the enrollment information from the Xuan Gu First Military Academy. She remained in seventh place. In fact, none of the top ten names or rankings had changed.

Getting accepted into the Xuan Gu First Military Academy was a shared dream of both the original owner and Ruo Manni, and now that it was finally settled, Ruo Manni felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

After satisfying her hunger, she remembered the malicious rival next door, Aoi Dan, who must have seen her results.

Given Aoi Dan’s vindictive nature, there was no way she would calmly accept this outcome. What kind of schemes would she come up with? Did she have a hand in what happened yesterday?

Checking the enrollment information, Ruo Manni saw Aoi Dan’s rank was 784. In the novel, Aoi Dan had entered an elite class, so her trajectory hadn’t changed.

With the allure of the specially designed holographic game pods dangling in front of her, and considering Aoi Dan’s previous failed attempts to harm her, it was likely that Aoi Dan would only become more vindictive.

Ruo Manni was certain Aoi Dan would do everything in her power to prevent her from going to the Central Star.

Now that the assessments were over, Aoi Dan no longer had to study; instead, she would have more time to plot against Ruo Manni.

With Aoi Dan’s advantages as a local reincarnator, Manni, being an outsider, had no idea what resources Aoi Dan might have or what tricks she could pull.

And what about those past grievances that had been buried? Would they resurface because of Ruo Manni’s unexpected arrival? Did those whom she currently lacked the strength to confront know about her acceptance into the academy?

If they did, would they try to stop her from going to the Central Star?

With over two months until school started, there was plenty of time for unforeseen events to occur. Even if Ruo Manni successfully boarded the ship to the Central Star, with a half-month journey and a layover, who knew if she might end up disappearing like the original owner in the novel?

A wave of anxiety washed over Ruo Manni. With danger lurking in front and behind, what could she do to ensure her safe arrival at the Central Star?

Although Ruo Manni felt frustrated by her own weakness, she didn’t allow herself to be disheartened or to escape from her problems; the situation was there, and avoidance wouldn’t solve anything.

After some contemplation, she realized she had no perfect solutions, so she decided to act cautiously, avoiding unnecessary risks, and to rely on Captain Lin’s support when faced with challenges beyond her ability.

She thought of several not-so-ideal plans to discuss Aoi Dan with Captain Lin, but unexpectedly received a message from him containing great news, which completely alleviated her current worries.