TCFGBH Chapter 95

In an era where the average lifespan in the interstellar empire was 300 years, the Emperor, now over 250 years old, appeared to be in his prime. The fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, left by the passage of time, only added to the mature charm of his demeanor.

Behind the Emperor followed two figures: the principal of the Central Military Academy and Lin Xueyang, a frontier Major General.

Ludwig had only ever seen videos of the Emperor online. This was his first time encountering the supreme ruler of the Empire in person. An unusual gentleness in the Emperor’s gaze softened the dangerous aura surrounding him.

Ludwig didn’t understand why but felt an instinctive sense of caution. He lowered his head slightly, avoiding the Emperor’s gaze. Following the crowd’s example, he clenched his right fist over his heart and bent in a bow.

“Your Majesty.”

…

The synchronized motion of countless individuals, standing as straight as bamboo, carried the cold, precise style of the academy.

Born in the chaos of a garbage star where imperial power held little sway, Ludwig had never developed a reverence for the Emperor. Glancing at the visibly flustered Edwin and the others, his mind focused on one thought:

—To help Xia Yan clear his name.

Whether a student was cheating or falsely accusing another, both scenarios would reflect poorly on the academy’s discipline under the principal’s leadership.

Ludwig spoke up first to ensure the teachers wouldn’t downplay the situation. His words were concise as he outlined the entire incident and concluded by emphasizing the need for the law enforcement team to intervene:

“…The Central Military Academy gathers the finest talents from across the Empire. Each student is a soldier-in-training from the moment they enroll. A soldier who lies spread rumors or defames their peers betrays the values of the Empire. I respectfully request that His Majesty allow the law enforcement team to investigate this matter thoroughly and maintain the academy’s integrity.”

His words inherently framed Xia Yan as the victim.

The Emperor’s expression remained unreadable, his emotions concealed as he asked, “Oh? You trust your teammate so completely?”

“Of course,” Ludwig replied firmly. “I’ve been roommates with Xia Yan for three years. I know his character very well.” Yeah, right! He didn’t understand the old Xia Yan at all, but the current Xia Yan? That, he could handle.

Xia Yan’s lips twitched. “…” Absurd!

Hans Dill, the one who had accused Xia Yan, paled as a hint of malice flickered in his eyes. He had already spoken his claim and could no longer retract it. Even knowing it was a dead end, he could only press forward.

After all… Hans had seen Edwin’s chat logs. Xia Yan had indeed mentioned that the information came from the Xia family’s database.

Whether or not the academy had leaked the test materials, Xia Yan’s use of family resources was undeniable. By controlling the narrative and positioning himself as a righteous figure, Hans hoped to exonerate himself as merely a victim of misunderstanding.

Yes, he had deliberately chosen to make his accusation publicly.

Hans came from a modest background and was born into an ordinary civilian family. With only a B-grade mental aptitude, he barely qualified for Central Military Academy admission and struggled throughout his schooling. At one point, he came close to being expelled for failing to meet the credit requirements, until a group of classmates approached him.

All he had to do was agree to certain requests, and they’d help him meet the academic requirements.
Desperate, Hans agreed, thinking he’d only be running errands or offering compliments to curry favor. But he realized how wrong he had been when he received his first order.

“Uh… provoke Young Master Xia on purpose? This… I…”

“Hans,” the man had patted his shoulder, smiling. “It’s just a little joke. This is the academy. No one can harm you here.”

“…”

“You’ll cooperate, won’t you?”

At that moment, a chilling dread swept through Hans, freezing him to the core. “Understood.”

The task turned out to be easier than expected. Xia Yan’s personality was naturally arrogant, dismissive of commoners, and flanked by two lackeys who were equally obnoxious. A little needling, and the insults came rolling in.

Had it not been for the academy’s ban on fighting, Hans might’ve been beaten up on the spot.

That same evening, an anonymous post appeared on the school’s forums, criticizing Xia Yan’s character.
Hans had shut his terminal with trembling fingers, gazing out the window. The dark sky seemed like an enormous vortex pulling him in.

Once he was in, escape was impossible.

Since then, Hans has performed several tasks related to Xia Yan. The rewards have been generous, and he has gradually slipped from reluctant to complicit.

This particular task was no different. Some students would doubt Xia Yan’s abilities regardless of the academy’s findings.

And that was enough.

Hans bit down hard, glancing at the Emperor with feigned humility. He spoke cautiously, “Your Majesty, I did see Edwin reviewing Zerg information.”

After a pause, he added hesitantly, “A lot of the Zerg in that material appeared in today’s training… Oh, but I might have misunderstood.”

“Those were just general materials!” Edwin interjected.

Hans turned to Xia Yan, wearing a sincere expression. “I apologize, Xia Yan. I’m willing to make a public post to clarify this misunderstanding.”

Xia Yan was momentarily stunned.

What a clever retreat!

Hans’s public apology would be useless. People would just assume he was bowing to pressure, and the rumors about Xia Yan cheating would only spread further.

And since Hans had apologized, refusing to accept it would make Xia Yan seem petty and vindictive.
This tactic was simple enough for Xia Yan to see through. Would the Emperor fail to notice it? Xia Yan’s gaze flicked to the golden-haired ruler.

The Emperor stood silently, his expression unchanged, a trace of consideration in his eyes.

Consideration?

He’s testing me to see how I handle this.

In an instant, Xia Yan understood. As a contender for the throne, if he couldn’t deal with this trivial issue, what right did he have to ascend to the Empire’s highest position?

A faint, almost imperceptible smile curved the young man’s lips.

Then, naturally, he chose to botch the situation.

“Hmm.” The impossibly beautiful young man nodded slightly, dismissively waving his hand. “I forgive your stupid behavior.”

Hans froze for a moment, thrown off by the unexpected response. Regaining his composure, he replied, “Thank you for your magnanimity.”

Clarence frowned faintly.

Was that all? Someone this naïve wouldn’t make a suitable ruler. Perhaps the other candidate was more promising…

Before the Emperor could dwell further, a familiar, icy voice interrupted, “Wait.”

Clarence tilted his head slightly, turning to Ludwig. A trace of softness appeared in his gaze.

For reasons unknown, from the moment he saw Ludwig in the observation box, Clarence felt a sense of familiarity that inexplicably softened his usually hard heart, giving him extra patience.

Clarence asked, “Do you have something to add?”

“Your Majesty.” Ludwig saluted again. “As team captain, Xia Yan’s reputation reflects on all of us. Hans’s accusation has damaged our collective honor.”

“And what would you propose?” Clarence asked.

“I respectfully request the law enforcement team to clear our names,” Ludwig declared before reassuringly glancing at Xia Yan. See? He could play along. No need to panic.

Xia Yan, trying to sabotage his image, was internally seething while maintaining a façade of calm confidence.

Edwin and the others, recovering from their awe at meeting the Emperor, quickly supported Ludwig, rallying to defend Xia Yan’s reputation.

Xia Yan: “…”

The golden-haired Emperor watched the scene unfold with interest. The principal had mentioned earlier that Xia Yan was disliked by his peers in Class A. The Emperor glanced at the principal skeptically.
The principal felt aggrieved. It hadn’t been like this before!

A ruler didn’t need to be perfect, but they needed to possess a charisma that drew people to them. It seemed further observation was warranted.

Clarence nodded. “Xueyang, summon the law enforcement team.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Major General Lin Xueyang replied promptly.

Edwin’s eyes lit up. They had succeeded.

Ludwig discreetly exhaled in relief.

Xia Yan: “…” Damn it!!! This was the Empire’s top judicial force—calling them for such a minor issue was absolutely overkill!

Hans: “…” No—no need to panic, he could still salvage this.

At that moment, the victim and perpetrator found their feelings unexpectedly aligned.

What a delightful coincidence.