I’m Addicted to your Pheromones from the First Moment We Met - Chapter 40

They returned to the familiar riverbank.

Standing on the pebbles, Yu Zhouyao felt a strange sense of nostalgia, even though the environment now seemed somewhat foreign.

Looking upstream from the spawn point, small elevation changes stretched for nearly three kilometers. Downstream, the ripples smoothed out as the water flowed toward an unseen plain. On both sides, dense, lush thickets blocked their line of sight.

This time, the two did not follow the usual path. They chose to plunge into the woods to investigate.

Broadleaf trees towered over the bank, their massive leaves drooping and swaying with the rhythm of the wind and water. Both girls switched their mecha to energy-saving mode, hunching down to navigate the dense forest.

The “Mud-Mud-Mud Fish,” a creature so overly adaptable and lacking in features, had made Yu Zhouyao suspicious.

She had asked Mu Mingyue, “Eldest Miss, if someone had no distinguishing features at all but appeared in a very specific place, what would your first impression be?”

Mu Mingyue’s eyebrows arched. There was no warmth in her smile as she replied, “That person would definitely be someone you shouldn’t mess with. In social circles, having no features is a common ‘protective color.’ I would suspect they were hiding a secret. What about you, Zhouyao?”

“Great minds think alike. These fish are far too plain. Plus, the first level has such a grand name: Dragon Roar Canyon. It’s the perfect setup for a puzzle.”

Mu Mingyue smiled. “So that’s it.” Her fingers brushed lightly against Yu Zhouyao’s mecha shoulder. “I thought Teacher Yu was hiding a secret of her own.”

Yu Zhouyao stared into her eyes and shook her head.

If the clues were only on the riverbank, the explorable area would be less than a fifth of the total map. Based on the logic of the examiners, the real answer had to be in the woods. Since they had found nothing of value along the water, they had to go deeper.

Yu Zhouyao carefully pushed aside the massive leaves. The jungle was impossibly lush. Broadleaf trees crowded together, leaves overlapping leaves, while the ground was choked with shrubs. The rushing river alone couldn’t sustain such density.

Yu Zhouyao was certain there was a specific nutrient source here perhaps the remains of a “dragon”?

They activated their infrared sensors. As they cut a path through the weeds, the display changed. Biological signals ahead were weak; the infrared spectrum trended toward blue, a sharp contrast to the dense, vibrant red of the riverside thickets.

They quickened their pace.

From a distance, Yu Zhouyao spotted a small pond and a massive pile of carrion swarming with flies.

Yu Zhouyao took a sharp breath. “Ah!”

It wasn’t a mythical dragon, but something more grounded in interstellar reality: a Rainbow-Polar Snake. It was a massive specimen that had been dead for a long time. Its head was missing, but the remaining three hundred meters of its body lay coiled by the water. The stench of decay hung heavy in the air, feeding a cloud of insects.

Yu Zhouyao turned on her olfactory sensors and was immediately hit by a wave of rot.

Mu Mingyue whispered, “Zhouyao, is this the clue we were looking for?”

“It should be,” Yu Zhouyao nodded.

They approached slowly. Yu Zhouyao sampled the water. Her mecha’s diagnostic tools confirmed that the pond was connected to the river. A tributary flowed through this pond, naturally carrying the nutrients and toxins of the snake’s rotting flesh into the main current.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen a Rainbow-Polar Snake this big,” Yu Zhouyao remarked.

“Have you seen others before?”

“Yes, but much smaller. They are brutal creatures. Their venom is lethal to humans on contact. Only something heavily armored, like a pangolin, could survive an encounter. Because of their sheer lethality, people call them ‘dragons.’ So, Dragon Roar Canyon refers to a dragon in the metaphorical sense.”

“Why did you encounter them before, Zhouyao?”

“Ah, that’s because…” Yu Zhouyao took a breath and changed the subject. “Eldest Miss, the logic here is the same as the other twenty-nine levels. This snake is a treasure trove of biological materials. Planet M410 in the Border System is famous for them.”

Mu Mingyue nodded thoughtfully. “You’re amazing, Zhouyao. I don’t have nearly as much field experience.”

Yu Zhouyao continued, “I remember you don’t like decorations made of snake skin. Their skin is beautiful, and traders usually polish it for luxury bags and luggage. Rich ladies in the city love them. The meat is also incredibly nutritious. Hunters look for size to maximize the harvest. Plus, if you take the gallbladder while it’s still dying, you get the venom.”

Hidden behind her mecha’s visor, Yu Zhouyao gave a bitter, silent smile. Teacher, why is the Border System full of treasures yet still so underdeveloped?

“I think the mystery of this map is solved,” Yu Zhouyao said.

The story was clear: A Rainbow-Polar Snake had died here. Its carcass soaked into the pond, which fed into the river. All the life along the waterway had been nourished by this “dragon,” growing unnaturally lush.

They used mecha blades to hack off several large chunks of the carrion. Returning to the rapids, they dug a small pit and dropped the meat in.

The Mud-Mud-Mud Fish swarmed downstream, desperate for a taste of the “divine” flesh. They rushed right into the line of fire. Mu Mingyue set up a simple barrier downstream to catch the bodies.

A piece of meat dropped; greedy mouths opened; carcasses piled up. The cycle repeated.

In less than twenty minutes, every fish in the three-kilometer stretch was dead. Yu Zhouyao stood there, waiting for the announcement.

The mechanical voice spoke:

“Congratulations on clearing the level. Scoring in progress… System score: eighty-nine points. Please keep trying.

Congratulations to Student Yu Zhouyao and Student Mu Mingyue for raising the Level 1 score above eighty-five. Reward: fifty bonus points.

To ensure fairness, Level 1 is now closed.

All first thirty levels are now closed. Reward: one thousand bonus points. Congratulations on clearing the game!”

Yu Zhouyao leaned back in her seat, exhausted. Mu Mingyue stepped out of her pod and walked over.

“Are you tired, Zhouyao?”

“A bit. Thinking is harder than moving.”

“You worked hard, Teacher Yu.”

“You too. Handling all those mental power maneuvers in the pod isn’t easy.”

“I feel like my control has improved a lot through this!”

“That’s great, Eldest Miss.”

Yu Zhouyao shook off her fatigue and hopped down from her chair, her usual energy returning. “Let’s go. Now that mecha homework is done, I have to finish Mr. Zhai’s engineering assignment. Ugh, so annoying.”

Mu Mingyue’s eyes flickered for a second as she followed her out.

The news that they had speed-cleared the virtual competition in twenty days sent shockwaves through the school. Forums were flooded with posts, and the teachers took notice. Even Zhai Shiming, busy as he was, heard the rumors. He consulted Professor Colin, who was full of praise.

“They are both naturally gifted,” Colin said. “Yu Zhouyao has an intuitive grasp of mecha, and Mu Mingyue has caught up incredibly fast despite her health. Their completion rate is proof of their strength. Don’t you agree, Dean?”

Zhai Shiming smiled. “Clearing it in twenty days with such high scores… as the Dean, it’s hard not to be impressed. I knew they were good prospects.”

“Then,” Colin added, “should we put their recruitment for the school team on the agenda?”

“It’s already in the works.”

Yu Zhouyao was buried in her engineering classroom, oblivious to the world. Mu Mingyue was equally busy. Neither had time for the commotion they caused.

So, when Zhai Shiming finally sent the invitation, Yu Zhouyao’s first response was: “Ah, Mr. Zhai… I’m really busy lately. I haven’t finished this week’s homework yet. Maybe… maybe some other time?”

Zhai Shiming pushed his glasses up. “Student Yu Zhouyao, please stop what you are doing and listen carefully.”

Yu Zhouyao sat up straight, eyes bleary.

“Based on your performance, the coaching staff has decided to grant you and Mu Mingyue special admission to the school mecha team. Yu Zhouyao, do you wish to join?”

Her brain took a few seconds to process the words. “The school team?”

Wait, wait, wait!

She rubbed her face. “Mr. Zhai, do you mean the team that competes in the annual Military Academy Mecha Tournament?”

“Yes. Do you wish to join?”

“Of course!” she shouted. “I’ve wanted to join since the first day of school. I just, I’m a bit dazed from the homework. I definitely want to join.”

“I knew you’d be interested.” He sent an official email to her optical computer. “The process is in your inbox. Professor Colin already handled the initial evaluations. You can skip to step three: Supplementary Assessment. If you have questions, message me. See you at the team facility.”

“Mr. Zhai, do you manage the school team too?”

Zhai Shiming looked speechless. “The tournament results are a major part of my annual performance review. What do you think?”

Yu Zhouyao laughed nervously. “Haha, I just thought you were busy. You’ve worked so hard.”

He tapped her on the head. “If you care about your mentor, then get some results. My bonus for next year depends on you two.”

“Haha, I’ll try my best!”

“Don’t ‘try.’ Do it!”

As soon as he left, she shared the news with Mu Mingyue.

Welcoming the God of Wealth: Eldest Miss! Welcoming the God of Wealth: Good news! Welcoming the God of Wealth: We got invitations to the school mecha team!

A Round Moon: Yes, Zhouyao. I got the notice this morning. A Round Moon: Congratulations to us! A Round Moon: We can train together again. (^▽^)

Welcoming the God of Wealth: We’re in! Just some routine assessments left. Welcoming the God of Wealth: I’m so excited!

They met up to study the application process. Mu Mingyue read it aloud:

“Step Three: Supplementary Assessment. Since selection usually starts in the second year, first-year students with recommendations must undergo supplementary knowledge training to catch up with the team’s progress.”

“Oh,” Yu Zhouyao rubbed her head. “So, more studying. Why is there more memorizing?”

“Haha, you really hate memorizing things, don’t you?”

“Mr. Zhai has tortured me for a whole semester. One book a week! Who can stand that? I hope it’s not too much…”

“Well,” Mu Mingyue pointed to the text, “it says here: ‘Go to the school team facility to obtain the examination syllabus.'”

Yu Zhouyao’s eyes lit up with a grin. “Great! There’s a syllabus. Eldest Miss, let’s go to the school mecha team right now and get the scope for the exams.”

Mu Mingyue hesitated for a moment. “Well, we could, but finals week starts next Monday. I’m a bit worried the mecha team exams might put too much pressure on our other subjects.”

“We’ll find out once we ask. Let’s go!”

Eager to move, Yu Zhouyao nudged Mu Mingyue along until they stood before the doors of the school mecha team’s training hall. Yu Zhouyao pressed the doorbell.

A moment later, the door slid open. A woman with vibrant red hair stepped out, greeting them warmly. “Oh, you’re here. Student Yu Zhouyao and Student Mu Mingyue, right? We’ve been waiting for you. Come on in.”

“Hello. I’m Yu Zhouyao. And you are…?”

The woman smiled. “I’m He Qionghua, the captain of the school mecha team. Mr. Zhai told us a few days ago that he picked two promising newcomers from the first-year class. Everyone’s been dying to meet you.”

Mu Mingyue offered a polite greeting. “Hello, Captain He.”

As they entered the training hall, several heads popped up from the lounge sofas.

“Captain, Captain! Are these the new juniors?” a girl with short black hair asked.

“Indeed.” He Qionghua introduced them to the rest of the squad. “This is Yu Zhouyao, and this is Mu Mingyue.”

The black-haired girl bounced off the sofa and landed right in front of them. “Hi there! I’m Hua Nai, but everyone calls me Nana.” She gave them both a big hug. “Welcome to the team, girls!”

She then yelled toward the sofa, “Sanshui! Stop sleeping, guests are here!”

A mop of curly hair belonging to a person of rather neutral appearance rose from the cushions. They let out a long yawn before shaking hands with the newcomers.

Captain He introduced them: “This is Su Miao, also known as Sanshui. She’s under a lot of academic pressure, so she’s chronically sleep-deprived. But don’t worry, she’s incredibly reliable once she’s on the field.”

Hua Nai added, “Sanshui is a totally different person once the match starts!”

Su Miao yawned again and leaned back onto Hua Nai’s shoulder to resume her nap. “Nana, where’s Old Ding?”

“Brother Ding? He has an exam today, so he couldn’t make it. He’s pretty busy—I think he also has a follow-up appointment at the hospital,” Hua Nai said, rubbing her hands.

He Qionghua explained, “One senior isn’t here today, Ding Yuanzhong. He’s the backbone of our team, a four-term veteran, and basically a walking encyclopedia. If there’s ever anything you don’t understand, just ask him. You’ll meet him soon enough.”

Yu Zhouyao nodded.

He Qionghua led them through the lounge and into a conference room where a young man with short hair sat. “This is our vice-captain, Du Kai. He’s the team’s tactical commander.”

Du Kai stood up and shook their hands formally. After they were seated, he got straight to business. “Since you’re both here, let’s discuss the ‘Supplementary Assessment.’ I was just looking into it.”

He sent two electronic files to their devices. Yu Zhouyao and Mu Mingyue skimmed through the documents and shared a look.

Yu Zhouyao swallowed hard. “Captain Du, this document is… a bit long, isn’t it?”

“It’s only the content of five or six courses,” Du Kai replied. “With your talent, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

He Qionghua added, “Don’t worry, you don’t have to finish these immediately. You can complete the assessments over the eight weeks of summer break once your finals are over.”

Yu Zhouyao let out a sigh of relief.

Mu Mingyue smiled and asked, “Captain He, I see there are assessments for mecha combat techniques as well. Do we need to self-study those too?”

Du Kai shook his head. “No, Miss Mu. All combat techniques will be guided by coaches. For the training you’ve missed, you can go directly to Professor Colin; she’s one of our team’s advisors.”

After chatting for a while longer, the two girls left. Before departing, Yu Zhouyao asked, “Captain He, what’s the pass rate for this supplementary assessment?”

He Qionghua laughed loudly. “Hehe, it’s one hundred percent! It looks like a lot of content, but you two will be fine. Just relax.”

“Thanks, Captain. That makes me feel much better.”

Once they were gone, He Qionghua returned to the conference room. Du Kai looked up. “Captain, I heard that ‘one hundred percent’ comment. Hmph.”

“Hey, did I lie? It’s a fact,” she chuckled. “In the history of the team, only Old Ding has ever taken this specific assessment. One out of one—that’s one hundred percent. It’s a shame he wasn’t here today; he might have had some advice for them.”

Du Kai shook his head. “Old Ding’s situation was different from theirs. The subjects they need to be tested on aren’t the same either.”

“Isn’t that better? Everyone has their own strengths. Our team’s power is going to increase significantly. Mr. Zhai is practically counting his performance bonus already.”

“I hope so,” Du Kai sighed. “The pressure for next season is immense.”

Hua Nai tossed him an apple. “Captain Du, don’t be so grim. You spend all day staring at match footage. You’ll age prematurely. Here, have an apple to de-stress.”

Sanshui, momentarily awake, gave a thumbs-up.

He Qionghua patted Du Kai’s shoulder. “Relax, Du Kai. My pressure isn’t any less than yours. We didn’t even make the top eight last season. It’s natural for the commander to be stressed, but new blood brings new energy.”

She turned on a recording. “Look at their virtual battlefield footage. Levels 2, 5, 19… they found the optimal solutions immediately. Even we might not pull off that kind of coordination if we went into the pods right now. We can’t let talent like this go to waste.”

Du Kai sighed and took a bite of the apple, only to immediately spit it out. “Hua Nai! This apple is sour!”

Hua Nai blinked. “Oh, really? Hahaha! I must have grabbed the wrong one. Here, these are the ripe ones.”

While the team was debating, Yu Zhouyao and Mu Mingyue were focused on their own race against time. They used the empty engineering classroom as their base, pulling all-nighters to wrap up their first semester. After a week of intense exams, they finally finished.

Yu Zhouyao collapsed onto the floor. “Eldest Miss, finals are finally… over. I’m alive again!”

Mu Mingyue laughed. “It has been an exhausting ten days. Let’s take today to rest properly.”

They decided to head to the snack street outside the campus. Faced with a sea of delicious treats, Yu Zhouyao was practically drooling. They tried various snacks, eventually ending up at a newly opened dessert shop. After waiting in a long line, they reached the counter.

“Eldest Miss, which one do you like? I think the lemon cake looks good,” Yu Zhouyao suggested.

“It looks tempting, but I’m torn,” Mu Mingyue admitted.

“Hey, we’re finally out! Let’s just enjoy ourselves.” Yu Zhouyao proceeded to order one of everything on the counter.

Mu Mingyue teased, “Zhouyao, that’s too much. We can’t eat it all.”

“It’s only a dozen or so items! We can eat a few, and give the rest away. I’ll bring some to Dr. Pei or the seniors at the mecha team.”

Mu Mingyue finally nodded, and the two enjoyed a celebratory feast.

Yu Zhouyao patted her stomach. “Oh, I’m so stuffed. I feel like a ripe watermelon ready to pop.”

Mu Mingyue laughed. “Oh? And how much is this watermelon per pound? I’ll take the whole thing.”

Yu Zhouyao joined in the laughter. They carefully packed up the remaining intact desserts to take away, and Mu Mingyue added seven cups of fruit tea from a nearby drink shop to their haul.

Back at the training hall, Yu Zhouyao pressed the doorbell.

Ding!

The sound of light, hurried footsteps approached. “Coming…”

Hua Nai opened the door. “Hello there! Come in, girls, come in.”

Mu Mingyue smiled. “Nana-jie, we just got back from outside and brought some snacks for everyone.”

Hua Nai held the door open. “Aww, you didn’t have to be so polite! It’s no trouble at all, we’re teammates after all. Come on, get inside.”

She led them to the conference room, where four people were gathered. Seated furthest from the door was a tall, sturdy young man—the senior they had missed last time, Ding Yuanzhong.

“Hello, everyone,” Yu Zhouyao greeted them.

Hua Nai took the fruit tea and desserts, setting them on the table. “Snacks from our two juniors! Help yourselves.”

“Thanks, you two,” He Qionghua said. “You’ve met everyone else. The one next to me is Ding Yuanzhong; you missed him the last time.”

Ding Yuanzhong gave them a kind, silent smile in greeting.

Captain He continued, “You’ve arrived at a good time. We’re having an internal meeting to discuss next season’s training and tactical planning. Sit down and join us.”

Mu Mingyue took a seat next to Yu Zhouyao as Du Kai began the presentation.

“The tournament organizing committee just released a notice regarding changes to the team competition format. Small squads are increasing from five members to six, with one additional substitute who enters after a starter is eliminated. Essentially, it’s a seven-person team event now. Specific details are pending.”

“This change is unfavorable for Shuguang Academy,” Du Kai said, glancing around. “As you can see, even counting our two first-years, we only have seven people—exactly enough to meet the minimum requirement. And…”

Ding Yuanzhong picked up the thread. “We’re all comrades here, and these two are about to join the team, so I’ll be blunt. I went for my follow-up at the hospital. The doctor advised me against overusing my mental power. Normal coursework is fine, but for high-stakes matches… my endurance isn’t what it used to be.”

Hua Nai asked worriedly, “Are you alright, Captain Ding?”

“I think I’m okay. The doctor suggested I stop using ‘Mental Bloodburn.’ It might affect the competition.”

Mu Mingyue frowned slightly. Yu Zhouyao blinked, keeping her expression neutral.

“It’s okay, Old Ding,” He Qionghua comforted him. “Team matches are about coordination, tactics, and willpower. You still have us.”

Ding Yuanzhong shrugged, indicating he could manage.

Vice-Captain Du turned to the two newcomers. “Given our situation, we need to accelerate your admission assessment.”

Yu Zhouyao nodded. “No problem.”

“Here’s the plan,” Du Kai continued. “Captain Ding will lead you through the theoretical knowledge; he has the most experience. For practical mecha combat, Professor Colin will be in the training room during the day for the next eight weeks to give you intensive training.”

“Wait,” Hua Nai cut in, “don’t first-years have to do a mental power evaluation? What about that?”

Du Kai pushed up his glasses. “Things might be different this year. I heard a rumor that the school spent a fortune to recruit an expert in mental power training from the Central System. They should be on their way.”

Ding Yuanzhong nodded in agreement. “We definitely need an expert. In terms of mental power research, the Border System is light-years behind the Central System.”

Su Miao shifted her head, let out a yawn, and leaned back on Hua Nai to sleep.

“So… how will our mental power evaluation be scheduled?” Yu Zhouyao asked.

“We won’t know until the new coach arrives. Everyone will hold off on mental power training for now. Yu Zhouyao, Mu Mingyue once you’ve mastered the basic mecha techniques, we’ll move into the virtual competition to familiarize you with tactics and teamwork. The rest of us will continue routine training.”

Hua Nai raised her hand high. “Me, me, me! You two have to team up with me!”

He Qionghua reached out to tap Hua Nai’s head but accidentally hit Su Miao instead. Sanshui let out a small huff, clutching her head.

“Sorry, Sanshui! I didn’t mean to hit you,” the Captain apologized quickly.

Hua Nai grinned mischievously and stuck out her tongue. “Hehe, Captain, you can’t catch me!”

As the snacks were cleared away in the lively atmosphere, Su Miao took a sip of her lemon tea and thanked the two girls. “Thanks, juniors. The cake and tea were great.”

“You’re welcome. I’m glad you liked it, Sanshui-jie,” Mu Mingyue replied.

When the others weren’t looking, Yu Zhouyao whispered to Mu Mingyue, “Eldest Miss, why does everyone thank you and not me?”

“Hmm… I don’t know. Maybe it’s because you look too serious?”

“I do not!”

Mu Mingyue giggled.

The brief rest was followed by intense study. Ding Yuanzhong handed over the syllabus and his notes.

Yu Zhouyao swallowed hard, staring at the stack. “Senior… over a thousand pages of notes? Is there really this much?”

The old senior patted her shoulder. “Well, I don’t know exactly what they’ll test you on, so I compiled everything that could come up. Don’t worry, it won’t be outside this range.”

Yu Zhouyao’s eyelids drooped. Over a thousand pages! If they tested beyond that, she might as well give up.

“It is a bit much. Good luck,” Ding Yuanzhong said sympathetically.

For the next few weeks, Yu Zhouyao spent her days in mecha training and her nights memorizing. During breaks, she and Mu Mingyue would quiz each other. When she got stuck, Yu Zhouyao would nervously bite her nails.

“Ugh… I can’t remember. Where does the Blue-Flower Fiber Butterfly live? Is it… in flower clusters? Near waterfalls? Polar regions? Argh! I can’t remember!”

Mu Mingyue shook her head. “None of the above. They live symbiotically with Seven-Luminous Vines, which grow on sheer cliffs.”

Yu Zhouyao scratched her head. “Argh! This is so hard! I am never making peace with Botany or Zoology.”

Mu Mingyue gently patted her cheek with the back of her hand. Her skin felt cool, like she had just stepped out of a cold shower.

Yu Zhouyao caught her hand. “Eldest Miss, how do you memorize all this? Teach me your secrets.”

Mu Mingyue tilted her head. “There’s no shortcut, I’m afraid. I’ve been memorizing these things since I was a child.”

“No fair!” Yu Zhouyao complained.

Despite the grumbling, she had to dive back into the books. While anyone can master a subject given enough time, their biggest enemy was the clock. Yu Zhouyao had no time to read, and Mu Mingyue had to face intensive training before she had even fully mastered “Reverse Mental Bloodburn.”

Support