ABFMV Chapter 48

At the military meeting, both General Peter and Rong Chen were closely monitoring the situation on the Star Network.

When the military discovered the video, they immediately launched an investigation and contacted everyone involved.

It was absurd that someone with psychic abilities would dare to attack and injure others in the virtual network.

If this incident wasn’t handled immediately, the consequences would only worsen.

“Who broke the law and dared to harm someone?” General Peter sighed.

The Emperor and he had always considered psychics a threat that needed strict control. However, to avoid overregulation, no further measures had been taken—until now.

No one expected such a loophole to appear. If someone with ill intentions had exploited it at the time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Rong Chen didn’t speak; his gaze never left the screen as if he were searching for the smallest clue.

Soon, a subordinate reported, “The competition committee said…”

“What did they say?” General Peter pressed anxiously.

The reporter wiped sweat from his brow, sneaking a glance at Rong Chen, and said, “The committee said the injured party was hurt during a duel with the Princess.”

The room immediately fell silent.

The officers exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how to react, and finally, almost in unison, lowered their heads.

No wonder a psychic dared to injure someone in the virtual network. Most psychics were under military supervision, and if the Princess ordered it, very few would dare to refuse.

What shocked them was that the Princess acted so recklessly, without considering the consequences of her actions.

Rong Chen’s eyes darkened as his fingers tapped slowly on the table—a gesture that sent chills down the spine.

Then, gradually, all emotion disappeared from his face, as if a massive stone had sunk beneath the sea, leaving no trace.

“Find the person responsible. We owe the public an explanation.”

Hearing this, the military breathed a collective sigh of relief and responded in agreement.

On the surface, the Emperor demanded punishment for the perpetrator, but in reality, he intended to protect the Princess.

The officers understood: this concerned the royal family’s reputation, and given the gravity of the mistake, the Emperor would never let others know the Princess was behind it.

At least with the Emperor’s statement, the tension in the room eased slightly.

“You’ve truly disappointed me. As the Princess, you act so recklessly, and many in the military now know about your actions. It’s a joke.”

In the palace hall, Rong Chen’s face darkened as he looked down at Rong Xi. Under his fury, Rong Xi dared not lift her head or argue.

“Silent, are you? I’d like to hear your reasons for doing something so foolish.”

Rong Xi was talented among her peers but narrow-minded and impatient.

Worse, she was arrogant—so much so that she couldn’t see reality clearly.

Because of this, Rong Chen had long excluded her from consideration for the crown heir.

Now, he felt certain his judgment had been correct.

When the military learned the Princess was responsible, he felt humiliated. Though he chose to suppress the news, accountability still had to be addressed.

If the Princess went unpunished, it would chill the hearts of his subordinates and make him appear an ineffective ruler.

As the center of power, he had to be cautious, treading carefully.

Unfortunately, Rong Xi did not understand this.

Biting her lip nervously, she said, “That Beast Clan member disrespected the royal family. If I let him go unchecked, my reputation would suffer, so I wanted to teach him a lesson.”

Rong Chen chuckled lightly. “Do you think your reputation in the military is so high? Right now, the commanders must be wondering how the imperial Princess could be so foolish. Compared to your brother, you’re vastly inferior.”

Rong Xi’s chest heaved painfully, unable to bear his words.

She looked up at him and smiled uncontrollably. “Father, I’m only following your example. Don’t you use these tactics? Compared to Rong Xia, who only smiles naively, isn’t ruthless, me more like you?”

Rong Chen glanced at her coldly. “If you do something, make sure no one finds out. Otherwise, you’ll only suffer the consequences. I can’t believe you don’t understand this.”

“I’m revoking your access to the holographic virtual network. If your skills aren’t up to par, don’t embarrass yourself. As for mecha piloting, you should pause that for now. I didn’t expect that training would only make your ambitions greater. You might as well go to the Imperial Academy of Arts; a Princess should behave like a Princess.”

Rong Xi shook her head furiously, teeth clenched. “Father, mecha piloting is my dream. I’ll never give it up, not even to attend the Academy of Arts.”

Rong Chen’s eyes were cold as ice. “If this is your dream, why sully it with dirty tactics in a duel?”

Before Rong Xi could respond, he turned and walked away. “I’ve made my decision; you cannot overrule it.”

“Father!”

Rong Xi clenched her fists, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She knew she wouldn’t let this go, and that Xiao Nan had likely been manipulated behind the scenes.

Could it have been Xu Linlang?

News of the Princess enrolling in the Imperial Academy of Arts spread like wildfire.

Everyone knew she was obsessed with mecha duels; naturally, she would have gone to Lilan Military Academy—not an arts school.

Many suspected this was related to the previous incident on the holographic network, when a psychic injured someone during a virtual duel.

The victim, Xiao Nan, had apparently been injured during a duel with the Princess.

Perhaps the matter involved the Princess, but to save face, she was quietly assigned to the arts academy.

“Thinking that Xiao Nan was hurt by her… I dueled her last time, and she was relentless, leaving no escape.”

“She’s not the heir, yet she carries herself so arrogantly.”

“Quiet, the current heir looks weak and sickly. That ambitious one might even succeed the throne someday.”

“Yes, the heir is secluded and weak. Compared to her, there’s no contest.”

The mecha piloting students chatted until Instructor Chen Ziwei hurried in, prompting everyone to return to their seats.

One proactive student asked, “Instructor, what’s going on?”

Chen Ziwei leaned on the podium, frowning. “Students, you may need to assist the military on a mission. The situation is serious.”

The students exchanged worried glances. Normally, freshmen weren’t deployed, only senior students.

This would be their first mission as new students.

“Instructor, what’s the situation?”

Chen Ziwei sighed. “There are signs of Zerg activity on the outskirts of Lilan Star, possibly a covert invasion. Most equipment for detecting Zerg won’t work amid the mining sites and magnetic fields, so we need more personnel.”

He looked at the students. “Lilan Military Academy is on Lilan Star, the fastest reinforcement point. The principal believes this real-world mission will help you improve. Everyone must participate; no one may refuse. Offenders will be expelled. Cowards do not belong here.”

The gravity of his words didn’t intimidate the students; it excited them.

“The instructor is right! Cowards don’t belong here! We’re here to join the military and protect our country one day!”

“I’m ready for real combat!”

Chen Ziwei raised a hand. “Not yet. First, you’ll be paired into two-person teams assigned by the academy.”

“Can we choose our own teams?”

Chen Ziwei shook his head. “No. Piloting students will pair with maintenance students. Unpaired maintenance students will form support teams for the military.”

Students buzzed with excitement; pairing is crucial because mecha are pilots’ second lives. Mistakes could be fatal.

Hao Xinyi asked Su Yilu, “Who do you want to team up with?”

“I haven’t decided,” Su Yilu said, glancing at Yao Mo. “Do you want to team up? You’re piloting, I’m maintenance.”

Yao Mo looked at her terminal, seeing many invitations, and smiled apologetically. “I’m already paired with Welsh from maintenance.”

Su Yilu forced a smile. “Well, teaming with Welsh isn’t bad. I’ll see about others.”

Hao Xinyi, noticing her discomfort, changed the topic. “Since this is a school-wide mission, Xu Linlang can’t sit this out either.”

Su Yilu rolled her eyes. “She’s probably teamed with Qiye.”

Hao Xinyi added, “It’s open to all grades. She might end up with senior Lu Xiao.”