Chapter 20: Making a Mountain Out of a Molehill, Aren't We?

But why did they turn into beastmen? They possessed supernatural abilities as well. What on earth happened to Blue Star after she transmigrated?

Suppressing these doubts, Xiao Ningxue looked at Zang Zexin. "Shall we go together?"

"Mm."

Feng Jingxuan cheered, "The supernatural combat department and the mecha combat department are collaborating for the first time! Xiao Qingyu, just wait to be carried to victory!"

Xiao Ningxue played along graciously, "Then I shall rely on the two of you for protection!"

Feng Jingxuan didn't feel the slightest bit embarrassed. "Leave it to me! My abilities are nothing to scoff at!"

Zang Zexin poured cold water on him, "The abilities in 'God’s Battlefield' are randomized. They aren't necessarily your own."

Feng Jingxuan remained unbothered. "All paths lead to the same destination. My metal-element ability has already reached mastery; surely I can handle other abilities with ease?"

Xiao Ningxue wanted to say something, but held back. As a dual-element user, she had some say in this matter. But speaking up would invite suspicion, suspicion would lead to investigation, and investigation would likely blow her cover...

Forget it. The kid would learn once he suffered a setback. Experience is the best teacher, after all! Xiao Ningxue watched with clear conscience as Feng Jingxuan frolicked ahead, unable to hide the schadenfreude on her face.

Zang Zexin noticed her expression. "What’s wrong?"

Xiao Ningxue hadn't expected her brief smile to be caught. Her mind raced, "Nothing, I just think Feng Jingxuan is so full of energy!" Is this what a young man in his prime is like?

Zang Zexin intuited she wasn't telling the truth. He looked at Feng Jingxuan and muttered, "He's an idiot."

*Pfft.*

Xiao Ningxue nearly choked on her own saliva. She stared in disbelief as Zang Zexin, who carried the air of a cold, aloof young master, uttered such unrefined words. It felt completely out of character.

Zang Zexin looked at her with a straight face. "What's wrong?" He seemed entirely unaware of having done anything shocking.

His attitude made Xiao Ningxue doubt her own perception. Was she making a mountain out of a molehill?

"No... nothing." Right, she was definitely overthinking it... probably?

Lost in thought, Xiao Ningxue failed to notice the smirk on the corner of Zang Zexin's mouth—a smile of triumph after a prank successfully played.

"Hey! Can you two walk any faster?" Feng Jingxuan, impatient to start the game, urged them on.

Xiao Ningxue snapped out of it. "Coming!" She turned to Zang Zexin, "Let's catch up," and quickened her pace.

The trio arrived at a building. Xiao Ningxue saw large characters inscribed above the entrance: Training Building.

A training building? Does training really require an entire building? Shouldn't it be done on a field? The "country bumpkin" Xiao Ningxue felt she was broadening her horizons. The interstellar age was truly different!

However... "Why are we here?"

Feng Jingxuan grinned, "'God’s Battlefield' is a holographic game. You must use a holographic pod to enter, and this is the only place in the whole school that has them."

To uphold its educational philosophy, the First Military Academy did not allow any privileges in student housing; every dormitory was equipped similarly. School regulations strictly prohibited placing holographic pods in dorms—a rule supposedly born from an utterly ridiculous story.

Xiao Ningxue gazed at the building in admiration, finding it all quite novel. Ever since she realized the interstellar age might be the future of Blue Star, her acceptance of this world had grown significantly. At the very least, they were all descendants of Blue Star, weren't they?

Unaware of her thoughts, Feng Jingxuan chattered incessantly along the way. Thanks to him, Xiao Ningxue gained a comprehensive understanding of the training building. In the First Military Academy, even plant-manipulators—who were protected by everyone—needed self-defense capabilities. The world held many dangers; there had been instances where wood-element users were abducted, only for the Federation to discover, upon rescuing them at great cost, that their ability cores had been ruthlessly extracted. The consequences were clear.

This reality made wood-element users wary for their own safety. After careful deliberation, the Federation added mecha combat and survival training to the curriculum for plant-manipulators, significantly increasing their ability to survive. Thus, Xiao Ningxue would eventually use this building as well. Seeing it early wasn't a bad thing.

"They say the training classes for plant-manipulators are shared with the mecha and supernatural departments. I don't know the specifics, but... I don't understand why they’d have three such different departments taking classes together," Feng Jingxuan scratched his head. He had spent his energy on military training recently and only had fragmented time to inquire about his future university life. The information he had was limited.

"It's fine. We'll find out next week anyway." Xiao Ningxue wasn't concerned. Her abilities were special, and the battlefield was second nature to her, especially now that her body was in its prime.

"That's true. The room with the holographic pods is just ahead. Oh, by the way... do you know how to use a holographic pod?" Feng Jingxuan suddenly remembered and turned to ask.

He was met with Xiao Ningxue’s innocent gaze. Understood—she didn't.

"I'll teach you," Zang Zexin said.

Xiao Ningxue was delighted. "Great!" It didn't matter who taught her, as long as she learned.

Feng Jingxuan cast a strange look at the two, sensing an odd atmosphere between them. "Fine! Zang Zexin, you handle it. I'm going in to take a look." He wouldn't compete with Zang Zexin.

The three entered the training room. It was crowded with second and third-year seniors, all using their holiday time for practice, which made the three who had come specifically for the game feel a bit ashamed. Compared to the seniors, they seemed a bit lacking in ambition!

Xiao Ningxue hesitated, "So... should we still play?"

Looking at the room's display screen, red dots indicated in-use pods, green dots meant available, and yellow meant under maintenance. The room was massive, housing two hundred holographic pods. Only a few green dots were scattered about—the room was almost entirely full.

After a brief moment of guilt, Feng Jingxuan chose to let himself off the hook. He wandered over to a pod with a blinking green light. "I'm going in! Once you log in, your friend list will appear. We'll set a meeting spot then!"

Xiao Ningxue nodded in acknowledgement, her eyes never leaving these high-tech contraptions. Is this the future?

"Let me introduce you to how the holographic pod works." With Zang Zexin's guidance, Xiao Ningxue gained a basic understanding. Rubbing her hands together, she finally stepped into the legendary pod with his help.

Opening her eyes, Xiao Ningxue saw only a void, but she wasn't worried; Zang Zexin had already warned her about this. After three seconds, a soft, mechanical voice chimed:

[Welcome to the holographic world. Please enter your identity information.]

A... QR code appeared before Xiao Ningxue's eyes?

Xiao Ningxue: ???

No, wait, this is the interstellar age—why are they still using QR codes?