Cannon fodder in the Interstellar

“Here is the girls’ dormitory. The facilities here are much better than those in the boys’ dormitory,” the senior said, pointing to a building with white exterior walls and blue doors and windows, which looked very refreshing.

“The girls’ dormitory is off-limits to boys, so I can’t take you upstairs. Let’s add each other on the communication app. If you have any questions, just send me a message; don’t hesitate!”

Ruo Manni found this rule very friendly. Just like in the interstellar era, there were still regulations against boys entering girls’ dormitories. Did this mean that the boys in this era were still clueless?

Since he was her direct senior and treated her with warmth and admiration, there was no ulterior motive, and she might need to consult him in the future. Having another friend could mean more sources of information, so Ruo Manni didn’t hesitate to add him on the communication app.

After saying goodbye to the guiding senior, he returned to the school gate to continue his tasks while she walked into the girls’ dormitory building.

As soon as Ruo Manni entered the lobby on the first floor, she saw the dorm manager. However, she thought it was unfair to call such a beautiful middle-aged woman a “dorm manager”; “Auntie” would be more appropriate.

Initially, Ruo Manni was a bit worried about how well she would get along with her dorm mates, as students in this era came from various planets and were far more diverse than those from her Earth era.

But to her surprise, when she scanned her student ID, the dorm manager smiled appreciatively and informed her that since she was among the top ten freshmen in the mecha combat department, she could enjoy a private dormitory all to herself.

This news delighted Ruo Manni, while the two girls following her turned green with envy, their eyes almost turning red with jealousy.

“Wait a minute… Black hair and black eyes, plus she’s one of the top ten freshmen on the assessment leaderboard. Is this girl the legendary genius psychic…”

“No way, this girl is a level four beginner warrior. The news said that genius girl warrior is only level three…”

“After all, she’s a genius. Can’t she level up in the past two months?”

“But she’s a genius psychic, not a genius warrior. How could she improve that quickly…”

As Ruo Manni stepped out of the dorm manager’s office, she overheard two girls whispering behind her, feeling pleased that her status as a level four beginner warrior allowed her to keep a low profile.

The guiding senior earlier hadn’t made any connection between her and the legendary genius psychic.

Ruo Manni’s dormitory was on the third floor, so she didn’t need to squeeze into the elevator; it was very convenient to go up and down.

The fifty-square-meter suite was small, but it was quite well-equipped. Besides having a bedroom, a living room, and a bathroom, it surprisingly included a fully-equipped kitchenette, which gave Ruo Manni a delightful surprise.

God knows that during the more than twenty days of training on the military ship, to avoid revealing her jade pendant’s storage space, Ruo Manni had even given up a good meal in the morning.

After eating nutrient solutions and takeout foods for so long, it was truly disgusting to think about it for a foodie.

Now that she had a small kitchen, she could let the robotic housekeeper prepare exquisite dishes without worrying about being found out. Indeed, the lack of food provided by the school had its advantages.

In the robotic housekeeper’s programming menu, Ruo Manni had re-added some of her favorite recipes after her rebirth, which she hadn’t tasted in almost a month. Just thinking about those dishes made her crave them so much.

She was going to live here for three or four years, and having such a good living environment was truly a pleasant surprise; at least she could freely come and go in her own space now.

Since it was already late, and she wasn’t sure if the staff member had finished work, Ruo Manni planned to report to the administration office tomorrow to confirm her status as a new student and collect her student card.

She instructed the robotic housekeeper to tidy up the kitchen and prepare a big meal for her to satisfy her growling stomach, then she went to organize her bedroom.

The bedroom wasn’t large; it had a 1.5-meter-wide metal frame bed and a small wardrobe. The entire room was very clean. Ruo Manni took out her usual bedding from her space pendant and spread it on the bed.

Then she placed her beloved holographic gaming pod next to the bed, leaving little remaining space. Luckily, Ruo Manni had both the jade pendant space and the space buckle, so she could store many supplies that didn’t need to be accessed frequently.

After eating and drinking her fill, Ruo Manni began to log into the official website of Xuan Gu First Military Academy.

Although she hadn’t received her student card yet, she had asked the dorm manager for the internal network URL of the academy earlier. After attempting to enter her student number, she found that she could log in successfully. However, some information was restricted, and she needed the student card to access those details.

The information she could see mainly consisted of the campus map. With this map, she could pinpoint her location with her light brain, making it easy to navigate without fear of getting lost, which was perfect for a newcomer in unfamiliar surroundings.

With this simplified map, Ruo Manni quickly located the teaching building she needed to report to and identified the direction from the dormitory. Tomorrow, she wouldn’t need to ask anyone for help, nor would she have to worry about getting lost.

However, she found that too much information was restricted; she couldn’t even access the student forum, which had nothing interesting to offer. Not wanting to waste time, Ruo Manni logged out and entered the training space within her jade pendant.

Dean Atchison returned home, and his mother, Hua Defei, came out to greet him with a big hug. She softly said, “Sweetheart, you’re back! I’ve missed you so much these past few months. You’ve been away for more than two months and have lost a lot of weight.”

Dean Atchison rolled his eyes dismissively. “You say this every time I come home, but when I’m actually here, you act like I’m in your way.”

Hua Defei patted his shoulder insistently. “You silly boy, why do you have to speak such harsh truths?”

After a warm reunion between mother and son, a middle-aged man in crisp military uniform in the living room said helplessly, “Can you two take your conversation inside? Is it really necessary to chat at the front door?”

“Your father is feeling jealous. Don’t let his serious demeanor fool you. He took leave early today specifically because he knew you were coming back,” Hua Defei revealed her husband’s “good intentions.”

Captain Atchison was a very serious man, but in front of his son, his stern facade was often punctured by his wife’s remarks. As a result, Dean Atchison had never been afraid of him and often ignored his father’s serious face, just like his mother did.

Dean Atchison also gave his father a big hug. “Long time no see, Dad! Did you miss me?”

A smile appeared on Captain Atchison’s face. “It’s been much quieter around here these past two months.”

If Ruo Manni had seen the warm welcome Dean Atchison received when he returned home, she would have felt a mix of emotions. Why, in this age of interstellar travel, do parents still think of making a big meal for their children when they come home from a long journey?

“Dean, did you meet that genius telekinesis master? How was she? Is she as amazing as they say on the internet? I heard you have a good relationship with her,” Hua Defei asked with curiosity.