Chapter 28

Chapter 28: You Bark Fiercely, You Get Beaten Fiercely—If You Go Down Fast, Who’s to Blame? Me?

Adjutant Ai’s flat narration, paired with the footage, hit the academy like a meteor strike.

For a moment, it felt like everyone forgot how to breathe.

The leadership and surrounding cadets all stared at Jiang Yi Zhu.

It wasn’t just that she’d paid someone to buy banned drugs and plant evidence.

She’d opened the academy defenses and let aberrant beasts and mutant insects flood into the school.

And she’d chosen to do it on the day the Commander-in-Chief arrived.

For a second, no one knew whether to be impressed by her suicidal boldness… or grateful for the twenty credits she’d indirectly helped them earn.

Jiang Yi Zhu shook her head violently, eyes glued to the projection. “Not me! That isn’t me! I checked the cameras—I avoided them! How could you have footage of me?!”

Her gaze snapped to Adjutant Ai, hysteria rising. “Fraud! Face swap! Yes—face swap! Your Highness, that isn’t me. He’s using face-swapping tech to frame me and help Jiang Tea Tea!”

Jiang Tea Tea clicked her tongue and stepped forward, unimpressed. “Someone framed you? Be serious. What are you—some important official—who deserves the Commander-in-Chief’s right hand personally framing you?”

She’d spent the last half hour absorbing soil essence. The pain in her stomach had eased enough for her to move, and she wasn’t in the mood for this performance.

She stopped in front of Jiang Yi Zhu and looked down at her. “You did it and won’t admit it. You really did crawl out of Trash Planet. You’ll never wash that filth off.”

“How dare you!” Jiang Yi Zhu shrieked.

She forced her water-element ability into motion and attacked Jiang Tea Tea with everything she had left. “I’m the true Jiang family eldest miss—the real heiress. You stole my place. I suffered on Trash Planet for fifteen years because of you!”

“You think you get to stand aside? No. You have to go to Trash Planet and suffer the same way I did. You have to feel it. Only then will my hatred finally be satisfied!”

Trash Planet was her scar. Her nightmare—the place she woke up sweating about at night, terrified she’d be sent back.

After being retrieved and brought to Capital Planet, she hadn’t dared think about what she’d endured there: being bullied, eating garbage, fighting for a single breath.

She should’ve grown up on the prosperous Capital Planet as the Jiang family’s young lady, never lacking anything.

Jiang Tea Tea had lived that life instead.

And now Jiang Yi Zhu’s mom and dad—and the male she liked—were trapped in the Police Bureau.

Why?

Why should Jiang Tea Tea be allowed to live while she suffered?

Jiang Tea Tea moved without hesitation.

She kicked Jiang Yi Zhu’s wrist—hard.

Bones cracked.

Jiang Yi Zhu screamed as her hand went limp.

Jiang Tea Tea pinned the broken wrist under her boot and ground it into the stone. The summoned water collapsed at once, splashing back down and soaking Jiang Yi Zhu instead.

Already missing teeth and coughing blood, she looked even more pitiful—drenched and shivering like a dying bird.

Jiang Tea Tea’s voice went soft.

Too soft.

It slid into Jiang Yi Zhu’s chest like a thin blade.

“Jiang Yi Zhu,” she said, “did your mom never tell you? She lost you herself. She brought me home.”

“Your years on Trash Planet were caused by your mom’s mistake,” Jiang Tea Tea continued. “Not by me.”

“So tell me—why are you hating me? Why does your hatred have to land on an innocent person?”

The fake heiress’s resentment—words that had never been said—poured out through Jiang Tea Tea in that moment. It felt like a heavy shackle loosening inside her, pressure finally easing.

Jiang Yi Zhu shook her head, tears streaming. She couldn’t accept it. “No… that’s not true…”

Jiang Tea Tea smiled without warmth. “Or are you just too scared to blame your mom?”

“Because if you blame her, you can’t keep living the life you have now—allowance in hand, pretty clothes, and the habit of humiliating me whenever you want.”

“Admit it,” Jiang Tea Tea said. “Your fear and your weakness are why you can only lash out at someone innocent. You’re trying to claw back the dignity you lost on Trash Planet by stomping on me.”

The words struck deep.

They shattered the fragile self-respect Jiang Yi Zhu had built on Capital Planet. She had nothing left to argue. She could only sob.

Jiang Tea Tea finally lifted her foot and turned toward Chong Ming. “Your Highness. The truth is clear. This has nothing to do with me.”

She touched her stomach, grimacing. “I’m injured again. I won’t be guiding you around the academy as some ‘outstanding student.’”

Chong Ming’s gaze flicked to her midsection. He handed her lightbrain back. “If you’re injured, go to the Medical Department. The Royal Military Academy Medical Department has the best equipment and the best physicians.”

Jiang Tea Tea understood exactly what he meant. She buckled her lightbrain back onto her wrist. “Fine. I’ll get a full-body checkup. Then I’ll have them send the report to you.”

He wanted to know whether she’d awakened abilities.

He could have just said so. Instead, he’d taken the long way around.

Chong Ming didn’t deny it. “I’ll be waiting for your report.”

Sui Xuan Chu dragged Huang Da Zhuang forward, both of them still half-dead. “Commander-in-Chief, one of us got kicked and one of us got struck by lightning. We’re going to the Medical Department too.”

Huang Da Zhuang nodded so hard his neck nearly snapped. “Yes, yes. We need treatment so we can study better and serve the empire—and serve Your Highness!”

Chong Ming’s gaze settled on them. “Good. I hope you study hard—defeat me, become me, surpass me, and lead the empire to new heights.”

Huang Da Zhuang looked like he’d been resurrected on the spot. Eyes wide, he shouted with sudden vigor, “Yes, Your Highness! We won’t disappoint you. Study hard, improve every day!”

Sui Xuan Chu grimaced. “…”

His ears rang.

Jiang Tea Tea turned and called, “Let’s go. Medical pod.”

Sui Xuan Chu hauled Huang Da Zhuang after her at once, shouting, “Roommate, wait! Help me! I took three bolts—I’m cooked through!”

Jiang Tea Tea didn’t look back. “I almost got eaten by a mutant tiger and got kicked twice. I’m falling apart. I’m not carrying you.”

“Sister Tea,” Huang Da Zhuang whined, “almost getting eaten is nothing. My leg bone nearly got bitten off. I didn’t even scream.”

“That’s because you’re thick-skinned,” Jiang Tea Tea shot back.

“Hey—hey—Chief Sui Xuan Chu, I was joking!” Huang Da Zhuang cried as Sui Xuan Chu dragged him faster. “Don’t take it seriously!”

They crossed the blood-slick stones under bright sunlight, heading for the Medical Department in full view of the stunned academy.

Chong Ming watched them go. Then his gaze lowered to Jiang Yi Zhu, still sprawled on the ground, shaking and sobbing.

His voice dropped a degree colder. “Adjutant Ai. Notify the Military Ministry of Justice. Investigate everyone connected to Jiang Yi Zhu and Yang Jie Jun.”

“No matter who is uncovered,” he said, calm and lethal, “punish them at the highest level under empire law. If necessary—execute them on the spot.”