Then Go Die

Feng Bu stared darkly at the composed young woman standing before him.

Although the final roster for the military academy league hadn't been announced yet, his father had tipped him off a couple of days ago—this year's Chief Commander wouldn't be him, but a freshman named Xu Lingqu.

How could this be?

He hadn't performed well last year, true, but why should some nobody take his place? If it were Shen Shouli, Liu Zheng, or anyone else with A+ spiritual power, he wouldn't be this upset!

Xu Lingqu was only B-rank. There were rumors she was the adopted daughter of an old subordinate of General Xu, but so what? He'd been watching her for the past two days—she came to the physical training room every day and trained, showing nothing special at all.

In the end, he couldn't hold back. He had people sabotage the training room's systems and the indoor surveillance robots, then cornered her here. He was going to make her give up the Chief Commander position, whether she liked it or not.

"Xu Lingqu, you know why I've blocked you here, don't you?" Feng Bu stepped closer, a knife in his hand, the threat unmistakable.

"No, I don't." Xu Lingqu answered honestly. She didn't even know who this gloomy-faced man holding a knife wrong was.

Feng Bu was certain she was playing dumb, grinding his teeth. "Don't tell me you don't know you've been selected as Chief Commander for the military academy league?"

Just two days ago, Xu Lingqu had been thinking she couldn't let go of the Chief Commander position. Now she learned by accident that she'd already been chosen. She nodded. "Now I do. You're Feng Bu, the principal's son, right?"

The ability to get inside information, precisely sabotage the training room systems, and round up his lackeys to corner her—he must be that nepotistic commander she'd heard about who'd embarrassed Moye in last year's league.

The words "principal's son" stung Feng Bu again. He glared at Xu Lingqu. "Don't think I don't know your enrollment process wasn't even proper. Aren't you only in Moye because of General Xu's connections?"

"Oh, so?" Xu Lingqu said flatly. "We're both here on connections. Mine just happen to be stronger than yours. So what part of me being Chief Commander can't you accept?"

Rather than explain or justify herself to someone like this, it was better to fight fire with fire.

"How dare you!?" Feng Bu was, as expected, furious. He wanted to denounce Xu Lingqu for shamelessly using connections, but realized every word would only implicate himself.

He settled for playing the righteous card. "I don't want to compete for this position. I just think it belongs to Shen Shouli or Liu Zheng. They're the ones who should represent Moye as Chief Commander."

"Are you sure? Have you asked them?" Xu Lingqu waved her smart bracelet. "If you haven't, I can ask them for you right now."

"You—!" Feng Bu hesitated. After all, Liu Zheng and Shen Shouli had gone through a trial period with Xu Lingqu. Shen Shouli was so untouchable that Xu Lingqu probably didn't know him, but Liu Zheng, being from Star System No. 4, was someone she might actually know.

"Since you came in, I've been wondering—does the interstellar era still have those absurd school-bullying movies for you to imitate? That you'd dare sabotage the systems and the robots, but leave my smart bracelet working so I could call for help?" Xu Lingqu glanced down at the message Natata had sent her five minutes ago—she'd already gotten in touch with Instructor Guan, who was still on campus.

As her words trailed off, the training room door was forced open from outside. Instructor Guan arrived with his people. The image of Feng Bu still holding a knife was recorded on the spot—irrefutable evidence. The bullying incident was caught red-handed, and it would now be reported straight to his father.

Feng Bu trembled like a sieve. He'd thought that from the moment the systems were sabotaged, Xu Lingqu would be so panicked she wouldn't know what to do. He'd completely failed to notice when she'd contacted the instructors.

Idiot. No wonder Moye lost so badly last year even under Kai Ang. The commander's an idiot—even heavenly troops wouldn't save you.

Finally done watching the imbecile's performance, Xu Lingqu stood up and nodded to Instructor Guan, who had arrived. As the victim of the bullying, she had no more questions to ask, and Instructor Guan allowed her to leave first.

Xu Lingqu walked out and made her way down the corridor when, suddenly, Feng Bu's heart-wrenching voice rang out from behind.

He'd broken free of the guards at the door, forced his way out, climbed onto the corridor railing, and stood on it. "Xu Lingqu! If you don't give up the Chief Commander position, I'll jump from here!"

Instructor Guan, who had rushed over, frowned. He had no idea Feng Bu was this kind of person. When Su Li had recruited him, she hadn't mentioned having to deal with students like this. He was thoroughly exasperated.

Xu Lingqu stopped.

Feng Bu thought his threat was working and continued louder. "You're a B-rank student who shouldn't be coveting this position anyway. You're a freshman who hasn't even formally taken a command course yet. What exactly qualifies you for this position? I admit I did poorly last year, but I've improved. Why can't you give me another chance?"

The latter half was practically a complaint against the instructors and his own principal father. Threatening with his life—the only person he could actually threaten was his father.

Xu Lingqu turned to look at him. "Then go die."

She said it softly. The students who had gathered, murmuring about Feng Bu's suicide threat, fell silent instantly. Even Instructor Guan was startled by her casual tone.

"If you want to jump, no one's stopping you now. I won't give up the Chief Commander position. If you die, at least no one will be causing trouble anymore. Go die." Xu Lingqu offered her suggestion, then walked away without looking back, leaving Feng Bu, legs trembling, staring at her retreating figure in disbelief.

Someone so cold—what right did she have to be a commander?

In the few seconds he stared blankly at Xu Lingqu's departure, Instructor Guan moved swiftly and pulled him down. The corridor normally had an energy-field protection mechanism, but Feng Bu's sabotage of the training room systems had caused a small fault in this area.

It had been ages since the interstellar era last had a student jumping off a building and making news. Now that this had happened, the Military Department and Sky Network would probably point fingers at Moye again.

He told the gathered students to disperse. After being pulled down, Feng Bu kept trembling and crying, curled up in a corner, refusing to leave no matter what.

It was then that Su Li, having just heard the news and rushed over from home, saw Instructor Guan and Feng Bu in a state of acute stress.

Seeing her arrive, Feng Bu finally spoke.

"Someone who tells me to go die like that—why can she be Chief Commander?" His voice shook.

Su Li exchanged a look with Instructor Guan, then turned to him. "Because she knows you don't have the guts to die."