Chapter 17: Shattering Perceptions

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Of course, this term of endearment referred specifically to wood-element ability users, not implying anything precious about the other classmates.

“Bamboo is the favorite food of pandas on our planet. This bamboo shoot is the young form of bamboo.”

Zang Zexin looked at Feng Jingxuan with a strange expression, while Feng Jingxuan’s face gradually flushed red.

Xiao Ningxue sensed the awkward atmosphere and quickly tried to smooth things over: “Maybe it’s just a preference encoded in the genes! It’s nothing serious; everyone likes different things!”

“Are you saying pandas are some kind of uncivilized animals?” Feng Jingxuan ground his teeth.

Xiao Ningxue was confused: “Yes, why?”

Zang Zexin cleared his throat: “In the Federation, comparing orcs to uncivilized animals is considered insulting.”

At some point, orcs began to reject being likened to uncivilized animals, feeling that such creatures should not be equated with themselves.

This has developed to the point that even a slight mention can be taken as a challenge to fight.

Xiao Ningxue realized she had stepped on a minefield.

“I’m sorry; on my planet, I really like pandas...”

Feng Jingxuan and Zang Zexin’s expressions stiffened.

Why did it feel like the more she explained, the more confusing it became?

“In any case... I just arrived in the Federation and don’t know many common customs. If I say or do anything wrong, please just tell me directly—no need to be polite!”

Cultural misunderstandings can really be deadly!

Feng Jingxuan was surprised: “You’re not from the Federation? Then how did you get into the First Military Academy?”

The First Military Academy is a sacred place for orcs in the Federation; even orcs from the Empire can only enter as exchange students.

“My planet’s technology isn’t advanced enough to connect with other worlds. I came here by accident, so...”

Feng Jingxuan understood immediately: “You must have encountered an unknown wormhole.”

Xiao Ningxue had investigated as well and found that throughout Federation and Empire history, there have been people who appeared due to unknown wormholes. Without exception, they all died here eventually—some naturally, some otherwise.

The only common factor was that none of them ever returned home.

As descendants of prominent families, Feng Jingxuan and Zang Zexin naturally understood the implications.

They looked at Xiao Ningxue with pity in their eyes, a look she couldn’t bear to meet.

“You don’t have to...” Xiao Ningxue felt that being transported here was actually a blessing. Her family had perished early in the apocalypse on her world, and after struggling through so much hardship, she had long since grown weary of life.

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Traveling here was, in her view, a good thing.

“Alright, it’s more a blessing than a curse for me. Let’s just eat!” Xiao Ningxue didn’t want to explain her planet’s situation any further, so she quickly invited them to eat. “My coming here is good for you too, isn’t it?”

Zang Zexin and Feng Jingxuan exchanged a discreet glance and tacitly dropped the subject.

Feng Jingxuan laughed heartily: “Exactly! There’s an old saying: ‘A loss may turn out to be a gain.’ Xiao Qingyu, don’t worry—I’ve got your back!”

Xiao Ningxue’s hand twitched imperceptibly: “Thank you very much, Brother Jingxuan!”

Zang Zexin said, “If you need anything, you can come to me too.”

Xiao Ningxue responded with equal gratitude.

She knew the two only cared because it suited their interests, but as the saying goes, judge people by their actions, not their thoughts. As long as their deeds benefited her, that was enough.

“Eat quickly! It won’t taste good once it cools!” Feng Jingxuan, acting as the chef, urged.

Only then did Xiao Ningxue and Zang Zexin pick up their chopsticks.

Looking at these familiar things before her, Xiao Ningxue grew increasingly convinced of her inner suspicions.

Unfortunately, she had no way to prove it now, but it seemed like the freshman history course in the Plant Science Department might eventually give her a definitive answer.

“Snap!” Feng Jingxuan bit lightly into the bamboo shoot, closed his eyes, and savored it deeply, completely immersed in its fresh aroma.

Xiao Ningxue smiled wryly at him and casually picked up a forkful of bitter chrysanthemum to taste.

Her expression froze.

How to put it?

This stuff indeed had a suppressive effect, but it seemed to contain some pollution itself—though far less than the residual energy left by wood-element ability users.

Eating it, she inexplicably felt...

Well...

How to describe it?

It was like “wearing a belt soaked in iodine while being beaten and disinfected at the same time.”

Only the iodine effect was much, much stronger.

“Is it not to your taste?” Zang Zexin asked softly.

Xiao Ningxue hurriedly masked her strange expression: “No! Feng Jingxuan’s cooking is excellent!”

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She gave a thumbs-up.

Feng Jingxuan snapped out of his reverie, saw her gesture, and mimicked it: “What does that mean?”

Zang Zexin took a bite of banana and looked at Xiao Ningxue curiously, clearly wanting to know as well.

“It means you’re really amazing!” Xiao Ningxue said sincerely. Feng Jingxuan’s cooking was indeed very good; it was the ingredients that were problematic.

No wonder Feng Jingxuan didn’t like to cook bananas but still brought them—apparently because Zang Zexin liked them.

Feng Jingxuan looked at his own thumb: “This means really amazing? Don’t mess with me!”

He had so many mischievous friends that this had become a conditioned reflex.

“Of course! The best way to prove it is for you to use this gesture to praise me—I’ll happily accept!” Xiao Ningxue said earnestly.

Feng Jingxuan took another bite of bamboo shoot. This meal was basically all he had eaten, while Xiao Ningxue and Zang Zexin had mostly pushed the bamboo shoot aside.

Xiao Ningxue had brought only a small amount, just enough to satisfy Feng Jingxuan’s craving.

Zang Zexin’s original form was a wolf. He neither liked nor disliked bamboo shoots; for him, edible plants were just a way to relieve mental energy strain, so he didn’t mind what he ate.

Still, he ate a few more bites of the dishes Xiao Ningxue had prepared.

After finishing, Zang Zexin conscientiously went to wash the dishes.

Feng Jingxuan had excellent cooking habits—he tidied up the kitchen as he went, so Zang Zexin only needed to wash the plates and bowls they had just used.

Xiao Ningxue wanted to help, but Zang Zexin and Feng Jingxuan refused in unison: “You’ve given us such delicious edible plants; this is the least we can do!”

Xiao Ningxue gave up.

She rummaged through her space storage and took out some vegetables and fruits.

“These can be eaten directly, no need to cook,” she said, pointing to grapes and apples.

She had originally wanted to bring mangoes but changed her mind due to the higher risk of allergies. She was here to make friends, not provoke anyone.

So she switched to apples at the last minute.

Feng Jingxuan looked on, confused: “But the Research Institute announced that all edible plants must be cooked before eating...”

The Federation Capital Star Research Institute was highly respected throughout the Federation. They were the first to cultivate edible plants that alleviated the mental energy pollution suffered by orcs and females. Over the years, they had introduced many edible plants and were considered a sacred place on par with the First Military Academy in the hearts of orcs.