Chapter 3: She Doesn’t Mind
Xiao Ningxue wanted to say that she wasn’t that fragile. Seeing how tense everyone was, she chose to remain silent. All explanations would have to wait until she fully understood the situation.
“Boom!” The tremors grew more intense.
Hu Lingfei only relaxed when he saw Xiao Ningxue’s feet touch the ground. He immediately ordered his soldiers, “You two, take the esteemed Plant Specialist to the reception room. The rest of you, follow me to defend against the insectoid horde. At all costs, ensure the Plant Specialist’s safe departure from here!”
“Yes, sir!” The soldiers, as if bolstered by a newfound core of confidence, raised their voices slightly.
Xiao Ningxue calmly observed everything around her. She knew their shift in attitude was because of her wood-type supernatural ability, but living in a technology-advanced interstellar society, she couldn’t understand why wood-type powers were so highly valued.
Unless...
Unfortunately, she never got to be part of what happened next. Hu Lingfei didn’t give her a moment to speak; he simply took his men and fled. Many glanced back at her before leaving, as if she were their last hope.
Xiao Ningxue: “...” Could someone please tell her what on earth was going on?
She had no idea where the information was coming from.
“Respected Plant Specialist, please follow me.” The two soldiers behind her looked at her with eager eyes. Xiao Ningxue felt as if they were scrutinizing her from head to toe, as if trying to see right through her.
Both bore distinct animal traits—one resembled a leopard, the other a bear.
“Can you tell me what’s really happening?” she asked.
Luckily, she had assigned herself an Otherworlder identity, allowing her to ask boldly. Had it been any other persona, she might not have dared.
“What would you like to know?” the bear soldier asked straightforwardly.
“...” Good question.
She wanted to know everything.
The leopard soldier noticed her embarrassment and shot the bear soldier a glare. “Nonsense! Of course the Plant Specialist wants to know everything!”
After all, he had observed her from start to finish and naturally understood her “identity.”
The bear soldier scratched his head, wearing a simple-minded expression that perfectly fit Xiao Ningxue’s stereotypical image of bears...
Or had some childhood cartoon ingrained the notion that bears are dimwitted?
The leopard soldier rolled his eyes. “Once we get to the reception room, we’ll just play the Federation Encyclopedia for the respected Plant Specialist, isn’t that enough?”
Damn simpleton.
If it weren’t for his maxed-out defense stats, there was no way he would have been recruited into the Marshal’s team!
And it was a special recruitment!
Just thinking about it made the leopard soldier’s mood sour.
Waaah! He wanted to be specially recruited by the Marshal too!
Xiao Ningxue silently listened to the two soldiers bickering behind her.
By the way...
Wasn’t she the respected Plant Specialist? Why were they arguing and leaving her out?
The leopard soldier suddenly realized his mistake and quickly apologized, “Sorry, respected Plant Specialist, it was our fault. When we get there, I’ll play the Federation Encyclopedia for you. After watching it, you’ll understand everything.”
A flicker of hope shone in Xiao Ningxue’s eyes. “Thank you.”
Unexpectedly, the respected Plant Specialist was so approachable. The leopard soldier felt a bit proud. “It’s nothing, it’s our duty.”
The bear soldier hurriedly nodded. “Yes, respected Plant Specialist, it’s our duty.”
Xiao Ningxue smiled at the bear soldier’s simple demeanor.
Her soft laughter brushed past the ears of the two beasts.
Miraculously, their ears twitched.
Ears... so ticklish!
The Plant Specialist’s voice was truly pleasant.
Both were top graduates but found no words to describe their feelings at that moment.
Unfortunately, Xiao Ningxue didn’t see this.
She missed it completely.
The two beasts led Xiao Ningxue to the reception room, which bore no resemblance to the interrogation room. This room was brighter, simpler yet grand, though still permeated by the distinct technological aura of interstellar society.
“Please have a seat. There isn’t much on the warship, but please bear with it. Here’s some water. I’ll play the Federation Encyclopedia for you. It’s an educational animation every child in the Federation watches. Afterward, you’ll understand.”
Educational for children...
Xiao Ningxue’s ears automatically skipped over that part.
No matter what it was, as long as it helped her understand her current situation, she didn’t care whether it was educational or for children.
Indeed, she didn’t care.
The leopard soldier found the educational animation “Federation Enlightenment” on the reception room’s “television.”
Seeing its category, Xiao Ningxue’s mouth twitched in silent disdain.
She had been able to hold her own during the apocalypse, and yet suddenly, in the stars, she had to start with a children’s educational cartoon.
Such a gulf was unbearable for an adult.
Only the leopard soldier accompanied Xiao Ningxue inside; the bear soldier conscientiously guarded the door outside.
After watching the Federation Encyclopedia, Xiao Ningxue’s expression turned into a bewildered question mark.
She had learned a great deal of useful information, but some revelations shattered her worldview.
The current year was Star Calendar 9830.
This world was astonishingly male-dominated!
Whether in the Federation where she now was or its adversary, the Empire, females were exceedingly rare.
The vast majority of females lived on the two nations’ home planets, with only a few residing in the capitals of first-tier planets.
The male-to-female ratio had reached a terrifying one million to one.
In other words, had Xiao Ningxue admitted she was female... or rather, a female being, she would likely have been sent at all costs to the home planet by Hu Lingfei, then assigned by the central intelligence to marry at least five beast husbands.
Of course, the central intelligence’s assignment wasn’t initially mandatory — if a female didn’t register five beast husbands by age twenty-two, the system would automatically assign the remaining slots.
If a female wished to have more males, the society welcomed it enthusiastically.
Even a fool wouldn’t refuse such a good deal.
Females here were accustomed to this and generally selected five beast husbands before twenty-two, many choosing seven or eight.
But Xiao Ningxue, coming from another world, was different. Though the apocalypse had collapsed the law, the base she came from still strongly promoted monogamy.
She simply could not accept this societal norm.
She could only be thankful she hadn’t revealed her “female” identity.
Coincidentally, her bloodstained appearance masked her scent, and thanks to the warship crew’s experience with all kinds of environments, they hadn’t been overwhelmed by her strange odor, successfully protecting her identity.
Moreover, the Federation Encyclopedia explained why Plant Specialists were so precious.
Because interstellar plants had mutated.
They had become highly aggressive and extremely toxic.
Reckless consumption could cause mental breakdowns and uncontrollable supernatural abilities.