LABMY CH78.1

The next morning, Jian Yuanbai took Lu Qianyun aboard the warship heading to patrol the planet. To Lu Qianyun’s surprise, the warship was unusually small.

It seemed that the reason why the warship was attacked and forced to make an emergency landing on an alien planet in the original plot had been found.

As they stepped onto the warship, they didn’t see a single person along the way, which surprised Lu Qianyun even more. “Is it just the two of us on this trip?”

Jian Yuanbai replied, “There’s also the one piloting the warship.”

“Apart from him, the other accompanying soldiers are on the other two smaller warships.”

After boarding, Jian Yuanbai had to first report to his superiors via video call, so he didn’t take Lu Qianyun to the warship’s cabin but went directly to his office on the warship.

Lu Qianyun looked out through the large window and saw the vast expanse of the starry universe, as well as the warships trailing behind them like steel beasts.

He leaned against the window, quietly gazing at the boundless space.

Meanwhile, Jian Yuanbai sat behind his desk, reporting to his superior via a light-brain projection.

Because it was a military mission, the audio from the video call was not broadcasted, so Lu Qianyun couldn’t hear the voice from the other end of the communication. He could only hear Jian Yuanbai’s brief responses.

Lu Qianyun felt at ease. Since Jian Yuanbai didn’t ask him to leave, it meant there was nothing he couldn’t hear.

When Jian Yuanbai ended the video call with his superior, Lu Qianyun turned around and asked, “Why split into three warships?”

“If it’s for protection, wouldn’t it be better for everyone to stay on the same warship?”

In the original plot, all the soldiers were on the same warship.

Jian Yuanbai replied, “If something happens, they’ll have a chance to survive by not being on the same ship as me.”

“After all, I wouldn’t be able to protect so many people on my own.”

Lu Qianyun doubted what he heard and hesitantly asked, “Aren’t the soldiers supposed to protect you?”

Jian Yuanbai, still processing the files on his light-brain, replied without looking up, “I know, but they’re too weak.”

“If something really happens, I’ll be the one protecting them. By not being with me now, they can avoid danger.”

He suddenly paused, raised his eyes to look at Lu Qianyun, and said, “I’m not saying I’m putting you in danger. Bringing you along was just to give you a change of environment and mood. I’m confident I can protect you.”

“No one can harm you under my watch.”

Lu Qianyun’s heart tightened. Did Jian Yuanbai know something?

“You mean there’s likely to be danger on this trip?”

Jian Yuanbai, who often faced danger on missions, didn’t want to ruin Lu Qianyun’s mood, so he said, “Don’t overthink it. I’m just saying if there’s danger.”

The warship traveled at an extremely fast speed. Though it couldn’t be felt from inside, they had already crossed two planets in a short time. Given Jian Yuanbai’s rank, the patrol mission only allowed him to inspect C-level planets.

These planets were all located in remote star systems.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Sitting near the door, Lu Qianyun instinctively looked up.

They were in Jian Yuanbai’s office. Though there was a door, it wasn’t closed. After hearing permission to enter, the soldier walked in.

The soldier didn’t look at Lu Qianyun and saluted Jian Yuanbai with a standard posture. “Lieutenant, did you call for me?”

Jian Yuanbai’s military rank wasn’t high, but he was wealthy. His treatment in the army couldn’t be compared to ordinary people. However, as a result, he had no access to core power.

As an ordinary lieutenant, not only could he independently lead three warships, but he also had two adjutants. The person in front of him was one of them.

Jian Yuanbai ordered, “Change the route to the mining planet. Go to Zone A.”

The adjutant hesitated, “But our mission this time is to patrol the security management of the C-level planet. Changing the route midway might be inappropriate.”

Jian Yuanbai’s tone was firm, “The order requires me to arrive before the first of next month. There are still fifteen days left. Do you think, with your warship piloting skills, you’ll need fifteen days to reach the C-level planet?”

“Now, can you carry out my order?”

The adjutant replied, “Yes, Lieutenant. I’ll inform the other two warships immediately.”

However, Jian Yuanbai said, “No need. I’ve already notified them. Let them continue toward the nearest C-level planet.”

The adjutant’s hesitation and confusion were evident, but since Jian Yuanbai’s order didn’t violate the original mission, he couldn’t object.

“Yes, Lieutenant.”

Before leaving, Jian Yuanbai stopped him. “Take him to choose a room.”

Then, he looked at Lu Qianyun and said, “I still have some documents to handle. Go with my adjutant and pick a room you like.”

Although the warship was small, there were still options to choose from.

Lu Qianyun nodded and followed the adjutant out.

The metal footsteps echoed in the quiet corridor as they walked.

The adjutant led Lu Qianyun to a row of open doors, as no one was staying in these rooms.

Lu Qianyun stopped at the door of the innermost room and asked, “Why is this door closed?”

The adjutant replied, “That’s the lieutenant’s room.”

“Oh?” Lu Qianyun became interested. “Has anyone else ever stayed there? For example, when this warship was used for other missions?”

The adjutant’s expression became somewhat strange. “No, this warship was purchased by the second lieutenant in his personal capacity.”

“But aside from military missions, the second lieutenant has no authority to use it. When he retires, the warship will be transferred to the military’s possession.”

To sum it up, he spent a fortune to buy a warship, but only had temporary usage rights. In reality, he could only use it for military purposes.

Lu Qianyun stroked his chin and said, “Then I’ll take this room.”

The adjutant was stunned. “But this is the second lieutenant’s room.”

Lu Qianyun: “Didn’t the second lieutenant tell me to pick whichever room I wanted? I’m choosing this one now.”

“I’ll talk to him later. You can go back to your duties.”

Hearing this, the adjutant said nothing more. His task was complete, and it was time to return to his post.

Operating a small warship only required setting the course, and there was nothing much to handle unless they encountered an enemy attack or other special situations.

Still, the adjutant diligently returned to the control station, sitting in front of the screen that displayed the dark, endless void and the path they were about to follow.

By the time Jian Yuanbai finished his work and walked toward his room with his luggage, he saw Lu Qianyun leaning against the wall at his door from afar, his posture lazy, head lowered, lost in thought.

“Why aren’t you going back to your room?”

“Couldn’t decide? There are two rooms, and they’re quite spacious. Plus, there’s a window.”

Lu Qianyun looked up at him, smiling faintly. “I’ve decided. I’m waiting for our dear second lieutenant to open the door.”

Jian Yuanbai was stunned. “You want to stay in my room?”

“You told me to pick whichever room I wanted. I figured the best room would be yours,” Lu Qianyun said deliberately. “Don’t tell me you’re reluctant.”

Jian Yuanbai sighed helplessly and unlocked the room’s access for him, saying with a smile:

“How would I dare?”

“If one day, the ‘Grounded Dragon’ Lu suddenly soars to the skies, who knows, you might hold a grudge against this little second lieutenant for not giving up his room.”

There were some nicknames that, once mentioned, were absolute killers.

Lu Qianyun, who had been teasing and joking, instantly lost his composure. His beautiful eyes widened as he glared at Jian Yuanbai.

“Do. Not. Call. Me. Grounded Dragon!”

He spoke each word with force, but his ears slowly turned red. He bit his lip unconsciously, his voice softening as he muttered with frustration and embarrassment, “Annoying.”

Jian Yuanbai almost reached out to pinch his ruby-red earlobe, but at the last moment, he diverted his hand and patted Lu Qianyun’s shoulder instead, chuckling softly, “Alright, alright, I won’t call you that.”

“Go inside and rest early.”

Then, Jian Yuanbai turned and entered the adjacent room. It wasn’t as good as his own, but it was better than a standard single cabin.

Aside from a bed, there was a simple table and chair, as well as a window that allowed him to view the outside.

The scenery in space was monotonous after a while, but seeing the brilliant Milky Way was still better than staring at the cold, hard steel walls of the warship all day.

Occasionally passing by planets, he could also admire their unique appearances—different colors and sizes, like marbles scattered on black sand.

As for the private bathroom, every room had one.

In the small, steamy bathroom, the sound of water stopped. Through the lingering mist, smooth and well-defined abs were faintly visible, along with perfectly proportioned muscles, broad shoulders, and a lean, powerful waist.

The man who had just finished showering possessed a body that could be described as stunning. He stepped out of the bathroom, leaving the mist behind, while the lower half of his body was wrapped in a towel, hiding what lay beneath.

When Jian Yuanbai glanced at the narrow single bed that barely fit an adult, he suddenly remembered—he didn’t have a spare bedsheet.

He was a bit of a clean freak and disliked sleeping on bedsheets that others had used, even if they had been washed.

He had brought a few casual outfits and towels in his luggage, but no bedsheet, because he hadn’t expected to leave his own room on the warship.

Without hesitation, he threw on a coat and headed back to his original room.

Lu Qianyun should still be awake after a quick shower. Out of habit, Jian Yuanbai forgot to knock and directly pushed the door open.

After all, it was his room, and the lock automatically recognized his identity.

“I’m here to grab a spare bedsheet.”

His voice grew softer and softer, and by the end, his words were barely audible.

In the room filled with his own pheromone scent, the beautiful young man turned his head in panic, his damp hair dripping with water. He was only wearing an oversized dark green shirt.

His long, slender legs were exposed, and the hem of the shirt barely covered the tops of his thighs. It was clear he wore nothing underneath.

More importantly, Jian Yuanbai recognized that shirt—it was his.

Jian Yuanbai’s Adam’s apple bobbed unconsciously as he stared blankly. For some reason, Lu Qianyun didn’t speak either. The room was so quiet that the sound of their breathing was audible.

“You…” Jian Yuanbai started, but his voice was hoarse and he couldn’t continue.

Lu Qianyun bit his lip, looking embarrassed and apologetic. “I didn’t mean to wear your shirt.”

He hurried to explain, “I left my luggage in your office and forgot to bring it over. I didn’t want to wear the dirty clothes I just changed out of, and I couldn’t find a towel after showering. The only thing in the closet was two sets of military uniforms, so…”

Fresh out of the shower, Lu Qianyun’s pale face was flushed with a soft pink hue, like a peach in spring.

His eyes shimmered with moisture, but he avoided looking directly at Jian Yuanbai. “I’ll wash it after this, so…”

Lu Qianyun raised his head and met Jian Yuanbai’s gaze, his face still flushed as he softly asked, “So… can I wear it?”

Jian Yuanbai took a deep breath, abruptly turning his back to him. “You can.”

His lowered tone, his turned back, and the way he clenched his fists all seemed to scream that he was angry about his belongings being taken without permission.

So, being misunderstood was only natural, right?

Lu Qianyun’s eyes flickered with a bit of guilt and anxiety on his face. He stepped forward and grabbed Jian Yuanbai’s hand. “Are you angry?”

Jian Yuanbai let out a questioning sound and instinctively turned to look at him. Being so close, the moisture on Lu Qianyun’s body became more noticeable.

The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, and the tiny droplets of water sliding down his smooth collarbone were clearly visible to Jian Yuanbai.

He actually found this scene… quite seductive.

Jian Yuanbai awkwardly avoided eye contact and said, “I’m not angry.”

“The towel in the room was thrown away last time, so you couldn’t find one and ended up wearing my clothes. It’s perfectly normal.”

It was because of this that he brought an extra towel with him, but he didn’t expect Lu Qianyun to forget his luggage in his office.

However, compared to his words, his averted gaze and furrowed brows made him seem far from convincing.

Lu Qianyun pressed his lips together and didn’t continue the topic. Instead, he shifted to the reason why Jian Yuanbai had come to the room in the first place.

“You came to get the bedsheet, right?”

“I saw it in the wardrobe when I was getting clothes earlier. I’ll get it for you.”

Jian Yuanbai unconsciously let out a sigh of relief. “Okay.”

This was a warship. Even though it was his personal room, it was only slightly larger. Despite having a wardrobe and a sofa, it was all in one room with no partitions.

So, he awkwardly stood facing the door as if reflecting on his actions while Lu Qianyun turned to the wardrobe to fetch the clean bedsheet.

Lu Qianyun handed the bedsheet to him. “Here.”

Jian Yuanbai took the bedsheet without making eye contact with Lu Qianyun, only focusing on the bedsheet in his hand. However, from the corner of his eye, he saw Lu Qianyun’s fair and slender legs.

Damn.

He took the bedsheet and was about to leave, but just as he stepped out the door, a trembling voice came from behind him.

“I just wore your clothes for a bit.

Do you really not want to look me in the eye?”

Jian Yuanbai froze in place and turned around in shock to see Lu Qianyun, who looked like he was about to cry. “No.”

“Where did you get that idea?”

Lu Qianyun extended his hand and counted with his fingers, “Your tone, your frown, avoiding eye contact, and your clenched fists.”

When he mentioned the clenched fists, he slowly curled his last finger and said uncertainly, “Uncle, I just wore your clothes. You’re not actually going to hit me, are you?”

Jian Yuanbai was dumbfounded by this string of accusations and almost found it convincing. He quickly denied it, “How is that possible? I’m not angry at you.”

“No,” Lu Qianyun grabbed him and said, “Look at me and say it.”

To prevent Jian Yuanbai from avoiding him, Lu Qianyun moved closer. From afar, it looked like the two of them were practically hugging.

At 1.75 meters tall, Lu Qianyun had to tilt his head up to look at the 1.93-meter-tall Jian Yuanbai.

From Jian Yuanbai’s perspective, Lu Qianyun, with his head tilted up and eyes fixed on him, looked both obedient and delicate. His flawless, fair face was magnified right before his eyes.

Without thinking, Jian Yuanbai blurted out what had been on his mind the whole time, “Lu Longlong (Long means dragon), how are you even prettier than an Omega?”

This blunt compliment was met with a merciless door slam and the familiar scolding that Jian Yuanbai could perfectly mimic in his head:

“Don’t call me Lu Longlong.”