Chapter 524: The Tenth Day of Transmigrating into an Interstellar World

Chapter 524: Day Ten in the Interstellar World

Back when he and An Cheng were collecting stuff on that alien planet, An Cheng had laughed at him, saying he was like some little junk collector, stuffing everything into his space.

Later, An Cheng stopped saying that—because he wanted An Yi to stuff him into the space and take him along, too.

A faint smile tugged at An Yi's lips.

In those days...

He paused.

He didn't follow that train of thought any further.

Just then, the door swung open.

George stuck his head in.

"An Yi!" He waved at An Yi, waving big, like he was afraid An Yi wouldn't see him. "The military's here. The captain wants you over there!"

An Yi closed the book and stood up. "Got it."

There were three extra people in the command room.

Three officers in military uniforms stood in front of the main screen—two women and one man, all with high-ranking insignia on their shoulders.

The one in front was a middle-aged woman, back ramrod straight, gaze sharp as an eagle's, short hair combed back neatly, immaculate.

Xing Ruize stood beside her, face blank.

Jiang Biao and Ma Zhiye leaned against the wall. Jiang Biao looked pretty relaxed; Ma Zhiye still had that blank look on his face. Cheng Hong stood by the door, arms crossed, posture relaxed, but his eyes were sharp and alert.

When An Yi walked in, Cheng Hong shifted a little to make room for him.

Xing Ruize's gaze flickered, and he walked over to stand next to An Yi.

An Yi turned his head and greeted him quietly: "Captain."

Xing Ruize's eyes softened. An Yi had greeted him first even at a time like this...

The middle-aged officer's gaze landed on An Yi, looking him up and down. "So this is the guy who found the chip?"

Xing Ruize nodded. "An Yi," he said. "Our ship's repairer, temporarily attached to this mission."

The middle-aged officer gave a small "mm" and walked over to An Yi.

"You're An Yi? A repair major at First Interstellar Academy?"

"Yes," An Yi said.

"How'd you find that chip?"

An Yi raised his wrist, tapped the screen, and brought up the footage.

"The seal was damaged," he said. "I found it when I opened it up to check."

The middle-aged officer watched the whole recording and copied the entire process.

Her gaze lingered on the screen for a few seconds, then she looked up at An Yi.

"Good," she said. "Very meticulous."

A faint smile tugged at An Yi's lips.

The middle-aged officer stared at him for a couple of seconds, then turned and walked back to the main screen.

"We've already examined the chip," she said, her voice turning cold and businesslike again. "Leave the follow-up to us. Don't go spreading this around."

Ma Zhiye's brow twitched slightly. So it wasn't anything simple.

Only Xing Ruize and An Yi didn't react.

Xing Ruize had already figured it out.

An Yi had known from the start.

"You all handled this very well," the middle-aged officer continued. "The chip wasn't activated, the signal didn't give away your position. The military will handle the follow-up."

Her gaze swept over everyone in the room.

"You'll be rewarded for your performance this time. As for the details, someone will let you know when you get back."

Jiang Biao let out a breath, his shoulders visibly slumping, the tension on his face melting away.

Ma Zhiye's mouth twitched slightly. George was already grinning.

Xing Ruize nodded. "Got it."

The middle-aged officer gave a small "mm," turned, and headed for the door.

The two adjutants followed behind her, their footsteps in sync. When she reached the door, the middle-aged officer suddenly stopped.

She turned around, her gaze landing on An Yi.

"You're An Yi, aren't you?"

"Yes."

The middle-aged officer gave him a long look.

She didn't say anything else, just turned and left.

The command room went quiet for a few seconds.

Then Jiang Biao flopped down into a chair and let out a long breath.

"So we did something good?" he said, wiping his forehead with his hand. "I thought we were gonna get chewed out. Turns out they came to hand out rewards."

Ma Zhiye stared at him, face blank. "What were you scared of?"

"What was I scared of?" Jiang Biao glared at him, eyes wide. "I was scared that chip was something one of us accidentally brought in! That would've been impossible to explain!"

Ma Zhiye didn't say anything, but his expression clearly said "you're overthinking it."

George sidled up to An Yi and whispered, "An Yi, this time it's all because of you!"

An Yi turned to look at him.

"No," he said. "It's everyone's credit."

George shook his head. "You really are the observant one!"

An Yi smiled lightly. "It's nothing."

George froze for a second at that smile.

Then he scratched his head and suddenly went red—An Yi's smile was way too pretty!

Xing Ruize stood in front of the main screen.

His eyes on An Yi.

He watched An Yi smile at George, watched George scratch his head, watched the starlight from outside the window fall across An Yi's face as he turned his head.

That face looked so soft in the starlight, the curve of his lips just right, his lashes lowered slightly, as if starlight had landed on them.

He pulled his gaze away. An Yi had smiled at that general earlier too.

At the general, at George, at everyone—he smiled at all of them so... so easily.

Xing Ruize's brow furrowed slightly. Does he smile at everyone like that?

Comments section:

"??? What are you thinking, MC?"

["Does he smile at everyone like that"~I added that squiggly line myself, just feel the tone.]

"What exactly are you getting sour about! What! Spill it!"

"No, Xing Ruize, that thinking of yours is wrong! What are you bothered about! Why do you care who An Yi smiles at! Say it!"

"I can't take it anymore. The male lead is clearly jealous, right? Even if I don't know what he's jealous about!"

"Jealous over George, duh! An Yi smiled at George! And it was such a gorgeous smile!"

"Doesn't he smile at everyone though? An Yi's always smiling. He smiles at Jiang Biao, he smiles at Ma Zhiye, he smiles at me too! (jk)"

"Is that the point here? Is An Yi really a girl disguised as a guy? I can't see it at all!"

"What else would it be? What else? I'm asking you—what else? Do you think an ordinary side character would get this much description? Would get the male lead this worked up?"

"That actually makes so much sense, I've got nothing to say."

"I can't take it. This is a romance novel, right? It has to be a romance novel, right? The female lead is just cross-dressing as a guy, isn't she?"

"Bro, wake up! This is male-oriented! Male-oriented! Male lead POV!"

"Then what am I looking at here? What is this? Can anyone tell me what this is?"

"It's bromance. (pained face.jpg)"

"It's the author pushing bromance. (pained face.jpg)"

"It's the author pushing bromance with unyielding determination. (pained face.jpg)"

"You guys are killing me hahahaha!"

"..."

An Yi caught Xing Ruize's expression out of the corner of his eye, and raised an eyebrow slightly.

Over the next two days, military personnel came and went.

People in different uniforms filed in and out—some carrying instruments, some with data pads—turning the crates over and over for inspection.

The outpost's alert status was gradually lifted. The auto-turrets retracted into the walls, the red warning lights in the corridors went out, and normal lighting was restored.