JFWCM Chapter 68

Scaling the Wall for a Night Out

In the Star Alliance Academy’s futuristic and technologically brilliant campus, the love between Yi Shang and Jiang Wan’yuan was like a unique poem. Yi Shang always possessed an innate aloofness, like a distant and mysterious star, radiating an icy aura that kept people at bay. She spoke very little, each word seemingly carefully considered before being uttered, and her deep eyes were as unfathomable as the vast universe. However, as soon as Jiang Wan’yuan appeared, Yi Shang’s world seemed to bloom with spring, her eyes immediately becoming incredibly gentle, a gaze that seemed capable of melting the hardest ice. Jiang Wan’yuan was completely different; she was like a passionate little sun, her cheerful and lively personality allowing her to shine like a radiant star wherever she went, attracting the attention of those around her. Laughter followed her, as if no worries could approach her.

On this day, the academy’s electronic bulletin board flashed various messages as usual, and news about the latest interstellar battle game, “Star Legend,” instantly caused a stir among the students. During class breaks, Jiang Wan’yuan chattered like a cheerful little bird, discussing the game with her classmates. She waved her hands excitedly, her eyes sparkling with excitement, “Did you guys know? The game’s scenes are so realistic, it’s like being there in person! You can pilot super cool battleships and fight in various mysterious star systems. I heard there are hidden, mysterious missions. Completing them unlocks super powerful weapons and equipment!”

Zhang Yao, already a huge game enthusiast, perked up immediately upon hearing this and moved closer to Jiang Wan’yuan, her eyes shining. “Really? Sounds so fun! Too bad the school’s crappy network can’t handle such a large game.” Jichuan chimed in from the side, “Yeah, if we could just sneak out and find an internet cafe to play, that would be so awesome.”

Upon hearing this, a bold idea instantly flashed into Jiang Wan’yuan’s mind. She grabbed Zhang Yao and Jichuan, and lowered her voice mysteriously, “How about we sneak out tonight to go online and play games?” Zhang Yao and Jichuan exchanged glances, a hint of hesitation flashing across their faces. After all, sneaking out of school violated the rules, and the consequences of being caught were unimaginable. But the temptation of the game was too great, like a delicious cake placed right in front of them, hard to resist. In the end, under Jiang Wan’yuan’s encouragement, they nodded in agreement.

The three immediately huddled together and began to plot a detailed plan. Jiang Wan’yuan spoke, pointing with her finger on the table as she described the route, “The security cameras on the north wall of the school are currently under maintenance, and the patrol robots’ routes have also changed. It’s safest for us to sneak out from there. After we get out, walk along Quantum Avenue for about a kilometer, and there’s an internet cafe called ‘Interstellar Phantom.’ I heard the equipment is top-notch.” Jichuan was still a little worried, frowning as he said, “But what if we get caught? We’ll get a major demerit, and it might even affect our future qualifications for interstellar exploration.” Zhang Yao patted Jichuan on the shoulder, saying nonchalantly, “Hey, don’t be so timid. If we’re careful, we won’t get caught. It’s a rare and exciting opportunity. It would be a shame to miss it.”

At this time, Yi Shang was sitting alone in the corner of the classroom, immersed in an ancient book on interstellar energy. Her world seemed to consist only of the book in her hands, and she was oblivious to the noise of the surrounding classmates. Sunlight streamed through the window and fell on her, outlining her delicate and stern profile, her focused expression making it seem as if everything around her was irrelevant.

On the other side, Jiang Wan’yuan, although full of anticipation for the evening’s “adventure,” felt a little conflicted. She knew that Yi Shang had always followed the rules and might not agree to go with them. But she really wanted to share this happiness with Yi Shang, so after hesitating for a moment, she skipped over to Yi Shang’s side. She affectionately took Yi Shang’s arm and told her about the plan to sneak out and play games. After she finished, she looked at Yi Shang expectantly, pouting, “Yi Shang, please come with us, it’ll be so much fun. With you there, I’ll feel much more at ease.”

Yi Shang looked up from her book, frowning slightly, a hint of surprise and hesitation flashing in her eyes. She instinctively felt that this kind of rule-breaking behavior was undesirable and too risky. But when she saw the expectation in Jiang Wan’yuan’s watery eyes, as if tears were about to fall, her heart softened. Before Yi Shang could speak, Jiang Wan’yuan continued, “Yi Shang, just this once, we promise we won’t cause trouble and will be as careful as possible. And think about it, it would be so cool if we could fight side by side in the game together.” Yi Shang sighed helplessly, unable to resist Jiang Wan’yuan after all, and nodded slightly.

Seeing this, Jiang Wan’yuan was as excited as a little rabbit, throwing herself into Yi Shang’s arms and kissing her on the cheek with a “smack.” “Yi Shang, you’re the best! I knew you wouldn’t refuse me.” Yi Shang’s face flushed slightly, and she gently patted Jiang Wan’yuan on the back. “Don’t let it happen again,” she said softly, her voice filled with helplessness, yet full of indulgence.

Finally, evening arrived, and the campus was shrouded in darkness, as quiet as a deep ocean. Yi Shang, Jiang Wan’yuan, Zhang Yao, and Jichuan quietly slipped out of the dormitory and headed towards the north wall of the school. Yi Shang walked in front, her figure light and agile, like an elf in the night. Jiang Wan’yuan followed closely behind, excitedly tugging at Yi Shang’s clothes from time to time, her eyes sparkling with suppressed excitement. Zhang Yao and Jichuan were a little nervous, constantly looking left and right, as if patrolling teachers might pop out at any moment.

Arriving at the foot of the north wall, Yi Shang looked up, confirming that the security cameras were still under maintenance and not working. She grabbed the edge of the wall with both hands, using a little force in her arms, and easily climbed over the wall. She squatted on top of the wall, observed the situation outside, and after confirming that it was safe, made a gesture to the people below. Jiang Wan’yuan tried to copy Yi Shang, grabbing the edge of the wall with both hands, but she didn’t have enough strength and couldn’t get up even after several tries. Seeing this, Yi Shang frowned slightly, reached out and grabbed Jiang Wan’yuan’s arm, gently pulling her up onto the wall.

“Hehe, Yi Shang is still the strongest.” Jiang Wan’yuan stuck out her tongue and said softly. Yi Shang looked at her indulgently, then helped her slowly jump to the outside of the wall. Zhang Yao and Jichuan also climbed over the wall in the same way. The four did not dare to delay and hurried along Quantum Avenue. The lights on the streets at night were dim, and occasionally a hovercar drove by silently. Jiang Wan’yuan held Yi Shang’s arm tightly, talking excitedly about her expectations for the game as they walked, “Yi Shang, I really want to try piloting a battleship as soon as possible. Maybe I can become a top pilot in the game.” Yi Shang nodded slightly, a barely perceptible smile appearing at the corner of her mouth. “Yeah, I believe in you.”

Soon, they arrived at the “Interstellar Phantom” internet cafe. As soon as they opened the door, a wave of heat rushed towards them. Huge holographic screens flashed various dazzling interstellar scenes, and players were intently operating their controls, shouting out various commands from time to time. “Look, that’s hyperspace jump!” “Fire particle cannons, take them down!” The internet cafe was filled with a constant cacophony of voices.

The four found a corner seat and turned on four machines. Jiang Wan’yuan couldn’t wait to put on the game helmet and enter the world of “Star Legend.” Yi Shang, watching Jiang Wan’yuan’s excitement, gently put on her helmet as well. When she entered the game, she found herself in a vast interstellar port, surrounded by various uniquely shaped battleships, radiating a metallic luster. Jiang Wan’yuan was right next to her, curiously looking around.

“Wow, this is so realistic! Yi Shang, let’s go choose a battleship quickly.” Jiang Wan’yuan grabbed Yi Shang’s hand and ran towards the battleship parking area. Among the many battleships, Jiang Wan’yuan chose a small and flexible “Phantom,” its appearance like a shining shooting star, with smooth lines and extremely high speed attributes. Yi Shang chose a steady and majestic “Aurora,” which, although larger, had excellent defense and firepower.

Zhang Yao and Jichuan also each chose their battleships, and the four formed a squad, ready to face the challenges in the game. Their first mission was to escort a batch of important supplies through a dangerous interstellar wormhole. The wormhole was full of unknown dangers, strong gravitational fields, suddenly appearing meteor showers, and interstellar pirates lurking in the dark.

As soon as they entered the wormhole, the surrounding space began to distort, and various strange lights flickered. Jiang Wan’yuan gripped the control stick tightly, her eyes focused, “Everyone be careful, this wormhole doesn’t look right.” Yi Shang said calmly, “Maintain formation, watch out for meteorites. I’ll detect changes in the gravitational field ahead.” She skillfully operated the battleship’s console, analyzing the surrounding environmental data.

Just then, a group of interstellar pirates suddenly rushed out of the shadows of the wormhole and opened fire on their fleet. “Damn it, we’ve been spotted!” Zhang Yao shouted, quickly adjusting the angle of his battleship and firing laser cannons to counterattack. Jiang Wan’yuan nimbly controlled the “Phantom,” weaving through the hail of bullets while searching for weaknesses in the pirate fleet. Yi Shang commanded the “Aurora,” using its powerful shields to defend her teammates from attacks, while also finding the right opportunity to fire heavy particle cannons, hitting a pirate battleship.