Chapter 2 - Reunited Where We Once Met (1/2)

Adrian sat up from his bed with a splitting headache.

He had dreamt of Zhong Yan again. Standing high on that platform, he spoke, with that usual expression on his face, “I accept”, shattering all the ridiculous fantasies of he who stood beneath that stage.

Adrian sat in the dark, taking a while off to recover from his emotions before he called for his personal terminal to check the time. Several fluorescent numbers floated above his wrist—it was only five in the morning.

The culprit of his nightmares was scattered on the small platform above his headboard; an opened letter—not a virtual letter, it was written on real paper.

This sort of thing was practically extinct these days. You may be able to find it in a museum, but the Federation’s Supreme Institution had always flaunted their “old traditions”, so this was not his first performance art experience from them.

Such a well-crafted envelope had been violently torn open by someone without a care in the world. Half of the words printed out in artificial ink were revealed:

“To your Excellency, General Commander of the Navi Military Command, Adrian Yate:

“In the blink of an eye, it has been seven years since we last met. As our dear graduate of the 91st batch of our Supreme Institution, we hope everything has been going smoothly for you since leaving your alma mater.

“The stars are ever-changing, and knowledge is eternal. For a century, the name of the Supreme Institution has been kept high, and we have always been delivering the highest talents of our institute to every corner of the Federation. Today, the oldest and most traditional institute in the Federation ushers in her 100th birthday. We sincerely invite you, our most valued alumni, to return home this December to visit us and to attend the 100th anniversary of your alma mater, as well as our 98th graduation ceremony.

“Please approach us following the detailed guide below…”

Indeed, it had been many years since Adrian had last visited his alma mater. Frankly, his three years in the Supreme Institution could be considered the happiest three years in all his twenty-seven years of living; but no matter how happy those three years had been, the final full stop given to him by Zhong Yan was the most hurtful moment of his student days.

He and Zhong Yan were practically inseparable in school. Everyone knew this, so even the footage of their final graduation ceremony were spread across the Federation. Since his first years of entering the Navi System, people have constantly been trying to inquire about his relationship with Zhong Yan. Until—everyone who had been making jokes about him and Zhong Yan were thrown into the intensive care unit. Everyone now understood how deep this ever-smiling young master’s hatred was for this friend he had in his student days.

Later, Adrian rose up through the ranks, and right now, nobody dared to bring up the kryptonite of the General Commander of the Navi Military Command in front of him any longer, for fear of not being able to withstand the retaliation of this man who always seemed so unreserved.

The sun was rising soon. Adrian was in a bad mood and couldn’t sleep anymore, so he decided to just get up from bed.

Thinking about it, he must have piled up a lot of pending work in his personal terminal during his nightmare. Adrian grabbed himself a refreshing drink and connected his terminal to the large virtual screen in front of his desk before taking a sip.

“Today’s headlines: Counselor Zhong Yan’s attendance to the 100th anniversary of the Supreme Institute has been confirmed!”

“Read more: Behind the legendary Counselor Zhong Yan, the youngest of the 12 Members of the Supreme Council: …”

Adrian stared at the exaggerated headline title, and his eyes fell on that recurring name. He had already gone past that age where he would resort to dealing with all his problems with his fists, and had also long been accustomed to seeing how that person’s name was frequently reported on the news just like his own. But what was rare, was the name Zhong Yan appearing once more with his alma mater right behind it, and he still could not help but feel his anger rising.

Anger burst forth from the depths of his chest like repressed magma that had been brewing for ages. Slowly but steadily, it was drowning out his reason.

Adrian put down his cup and dialed the number of his deputy, Fayn.

Clearly, Fayn’s mind was still in dreamland; he asked in an incoherent mutter, “Who?”

“Me.”

“Boss?!” Fayn’s mind cleared up in an instant, and he asked nervously, “What happened? Did something happen at this hour?”

“Yes, there’s something. Contact the school right now and tell them that I’ll be accepting their invitation. And not just me, all of us in the Navi Military Command who have received the invitation are accepting.”

Fayn could not believe what he had just heard. Everyone knew that within the Navi Military Command, any words relating to “Supreme Institution” or “school” were taboo because it would inevitably be associated with him. And just because of that, none of his old school buddies dared to even mention the Supreme Institution’s hundred year anniversary. After receiving it, all of them pretended they never even saw it. But now, at five in the morning, his immediate superior had called him personally, asking him to contact the school…

“Um…” Fayn cautiously confirmed, “Which school am I contacting?”

“Which do you think?”

The voice transmitting through his terminal sounded very calm. But the more it sounded so, the more astonishing it was for Fayn. After being colleagues for so many years, he understood this old schoolmate of his way too much; the calmer Adrian appeared on the outside, the more earth-shattering the outburst would be in the end.