No Money to Divorce

“Xiao Yan, don’t…” Adrian felt pained but it wouldn’t be too proper to comfort him in front of everyone. Their statuses were different now, he had to show the President respect in front of others. So, he could only dismiss his own subordinates by saying, “I need to talk to the President. You three should go check on the progress.”

The Third Colonel knew he said something wrong just now and quickly ran away while Adrian didn’t have the time to settle the accounts with him. With his hand half around Zhong Yan’s waist, Adrian took him up the stairs in the College of Engineering’s Experiment Building.

In order to facilitate their communications and scheduling, all the machines they needed were moved to the first and second floors. So, nobody was around when they arrived on the third floor. Adrian took Zhong Yan into his arms, but strangely, Zhong Yan did not hug him back.

Adrian had many reasons he wanted to bring up to explain why he was the best candidate. The inside of this planet was filled with dangers after all. A human had to be sent deep into danger. In a situation others could survive in he would also be able to survive. In a situation others could not, he would still be able to survive. Having the strongest person go would be the best option to minimize the possibility of incurring a sacrifice. But when the words came to his mouth, he couldn’t say it. There was no way Zhong Yan would not understand such a simple reason. Moreover, Zhong Yan had already expressed that he did not object to his choice. This seemed to have taken away the need for Adrian to even explain.

“I’m sorry.” In the end, those were the only words he could muster. He held the man in his arms tightly and apologized. “I’m sorry.”

Zhong Yan gently pushed him away. If you did not look at the slight tinge of red at his eyes, then his expression could even be described as calm. “You didn’t do anything wrong, really, and I’m not just saying that. You didn’t stop me when I became President, so I won’t stop you from being the hero either. Both of us know the line between our personal lives and public, so I support your decision. When you save everyone…When you come back…Could you…”

A crack finally appeared on his calm mask. He could hear his voice choking back. Adrian felt like something was stuck in his throat and he couldn’t say anything at all. His chest heaved up and down before he could adjust himself. He promised Zhong Yan solemnly, “Once this ends, I’ll retreat from the frontline. I’ll never put myself in danger again. I’ll always stay by your side, and I’ll go wherever you go. I won’t leave anymore, okay?”

Zhong Yan’s mood did not alleviate because of this promise, because the premise of it was that he needed to come back up alive. For a human made of flesh and blood to break through the ultimate protection set up by an omniscient super-AI seemed almost like an impossible task. Without saying yes or no, he looked down. “Let’s go down and check on the progress. I’ll sign the presidential decree for your operation later.”

“Xiao Yan…”

“Commander-in-Chief!” A young voice shouted from downstairs.

Both Adrian and Zhong Yan looked over and saw a tall student who was about twenty-years-old standing by the stairs. Adrian nodded to him and said, “Yes, what is it?”

Then, he introduced him to Zhong Yan. “This is the current Student Council President of the Supreme Institution. He helped us out a lot a few days ago and he’s one of the students who chose to stay behind.”

While he was speaking, the young Student Council President walked over to them and greeted Zhong Yan. “Your Excellency the President. It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Jonny Studen. I asked a few of the colonels earlier and they told me that the two of you were upstairs. I just overheard Senior Zhong Yan talking about a presidential decree on my way up…Please excuse my presumptuousness, but may I ask if the two of you were discussing the candidates for the underground mission?”

The situation was getting clearer and clearer, and though no specific plan has been announced, most people were aware that someone would have to go down in this situation. There wasn’t anything they had to hide. This was something they were going to announce soon, so Adrian admitted it. “That’s right. Do you have any suggestions?”

“I do.” The boy straightened his back and spoke in a firm voice. “Please let me perform the task.”

Adrian was surprised. Zhong Yan remembered an intelligence report he received from the Supreme Institution two months ago and whispered to Adrian, “The Student Council President for this generation comes from the Military Academy.”

“As of this month’s rankings, I am also the current Chief of the Military Academy.” Jonny said, “Senior Yate was once the Chief of the Military Academy as well. I’m sure you must know the weight this list holds.”

If Adrian were to say that Fayn rushing over from Navi behind his back to take his place in this task annoyed him, then this student who still had that youthful aura around him simply made him want to laugh, but he restrained himself. He did not wish to offend this boy’s sincerity.

Zhong Yan said helplessly, “Mr. Studen, we will not send a student who has yet to leave the campus to this mission.”

“Then much less Your Excellency the Commander.” It seems that Jonny had already guessed early on that his proposal would be rejected, but he tried to argue with reason. “Mankind needs the Commander, but they may not necessarily need a student who has yet to even graduate!”

As soon as he said that, the faint smile at Adrian’s lips disappeared completely. Zhong Yan shook his head and looked at Adrian’s expression. Without saying anything, he took a step back.

“Jonny—I hope you don’t mind me calling you that,” Adrian said, “You told me specifically that you were the current Chief of the Military Academy, so you also agree that performing this mission may require excellent abilities in combat, correct?”

“Yes, Senior.”

“Good. Then let’s fight.”

Jonny froze. Suspecting that he might have misheard, he asked, “What?”

“You and me, right here. Let’s fight.” Adrian repeated again, “Not anyone can be sent out to do a difficult task like this just because they asked to be. Both the President and I certainly agree on that. At the very least, you have to show us if you’re really capable of replacing me in this mission.”

The young Chief looked at the most dazzling one of his seniors and thought back to Adrian’s lofty achievements in the past when he ranked at the top. The enthusiasm of a man’s itch to fight was causing his blood to surge. Clenching his fists, he said, “Alright. Let’s do it right now.”

The hall on the third floor on the Experiment Building had already been cleared out and was now empty. It was suitable to be used as a temporary arena. Zhong Yan helped Adrian take off his coat and whispered quiet enough that only the two of them could hear. “He’s a kind boy. Just think of it as warm-up, don’t go too harsh on him.”

But Adrian was unmoved. “If he needs me to go easy on him, then that means the quality of the Military Academy’s Chief has declined.”

Zhong Yan shot him a disapproving glare. Adrian scratched his nose and finally relaxed. “I know what to do.”

Jonny had already known then he wouldn’t be able to beat mankind’s legendary warrior.

When Adrian Yate graduated the Supreme Institution, he left behind an outrageously high record in the solo combat standings that was hard for his successors to beat. Later, the students of the Military Academy, especially the excellent students who ranked at the top, would constantly work hard to set a record and they would compare it with the records Adrian left back then. Jonny was one of them.

There was still a gap between his current records and Adrian’s, but the gap was not very big. So, he figured that he should at least be able to sustain for a short period of time in his fight with Adrian before he lost. Moreover, how many winners were there in the world when it came to fighting bare handed with Adrian one-on-one? The time he could spend being evenly matched with him could prove his skill, and perhaps the two seniors would change their minds and allow him to go.

But he did not expect that he would lose so quickly and so thoroughly.

After the two seconds when he recovered from the pain after being thrown to the marble floor, he still wanted to get up and fight, but those two seconds of immobility were enough for Adrian to keep him pinned to the ground. Struggling to no avail, he could only admit defeat.

Jonny stood up blankly, only to see Adrian stretching the arm he had managed to grapple temporarily with a carefree expression. He didn’t even break a sweat at all.

“Indeed, he’s strong for a student who’s only advanced to the third grade,” Adrian commented, “If you fought me when I was nineteen, then we might have been evenly matched. But obviously, there’s no way you can beat me right now.”

After leading his troops on the front line for seven years, Adrian had long since broken away from being only at the academic level. Jonny felt a little ashamed when he thought of his self-recommendation, and was just about to apologize when Adrian patted his shoulder and continued, “Similarly, I can’t replace you either. Jonny, it took both me and the President’s titles during our school to make up yours. I can almost imagine how brilliant your future will be and how much you can contribute to this world. Certainly, the world needs me, but it needs you too. Now stop saying stuff like that.”

Tears welled up in Jonny’s eyes, and he choked back, “I’m sorry, Senior.”

“Ade.” Zhong Yan came over and gave Adrian a light tap, motioning for him to look at the stairs.

Nobody knows how long the three colonels have been there, but Fayn who clearly looked travel worn was with them as well.

“Go down and check on the progress at the entrance. I’ll come see you later,” Adrian said to Zhong Yan.”

Zhong Yan nodded understandingly. Then, he took Jonny with him and left. When they walked past the people at the staircase, he mentioned lightly, “Please, the three of you. Brief me on the situation again.” Then, he took the three colonels downstairs with him as well.

“Boss.” Fayn walked over to Adrian and was just about to say something, but he was stopped when Adrian reached out his fist.

“You’re not gonna want me to beat that idea out of your mind too, do you?” Adrian asked.

Fayn was silent. After a long time, he started with difficulty, “Even if ten people went down there, no one would survive.”

“I know. If it has to end in death…” Adrian pursed his lips. No matter what, he wouldn’t dare to say this in front of Zhong Yan, but Zhong Yan wasn’t here right now. He said to Fayn, “If it has to end in death, then are you trying to say that my life is worth more than yours?”

Fayn gritted his teeth. “In a sense, yes, Commander.”

“Fine, my life is worth more than yours and that’s why you’re going in my place. What about that kid from earlier? The current Student Council President. He’s still a student. According to your standards, quite naturally, he can also go in your place since you’re the Deputy Commander of this military command after all. And if you’re going to be sending a student down there with limitless prospects in front of him, we might as well just send a regular student, is that what you mean?”