Shan Xun couldn’t figure out why Jiang Zheyu was unhappy, and it was making him extremely irritable.

Even when he was calm, his tone was unfriendly when he spoke. Now, seething with irritation, he sounded like he was about to beat someone up.

His tone was as terrifying as King Yanluo’s.

"I’m not unhappy!" Jiang Zheyu said quickly, subconsciously taking a few steps back, afraid his fist might accidentally land on her.

But who would have thought that her retreat would make the man’s expression grow even darker.

A vein throbbed on Shan Xun’s forehead, and his thick, sharp brows lowered heavily.

"Why are you backing away?" A surge of irritation he couldn’t suppress washed over Shan Xun.

Jiang Zheyu paused when she heard him. Her body had moved back subconsciously; she hadn’t even realized it herself.

"I-It’s nothing," Jiang Zheyu rushed to explain, her mind racing until she finally came up with an excuse. "It’s just that you’re so tall. When you’re too close, it’s tiring to crane my neck to talk to you. So if I step back a bit, my neck won’t be so strained."

’Patting myself on the back for that excuse.’

It was the perfect way to diffuse the awkwardness of her retreat just now.

Shan Xun’s magnificent, deep purple eyes, swirling with various emotions, stared straight at her. It was impossible to tell if he believed her.

Those eyes were like a wild beast’s, sharp and cold as they fixated on their prey, as if he might bite her neck at any second.

Years of fighting the Zerg Race seemed to have stained Shan Xun’s deep purple eyes with a savage aura, like a field of man-eating violets.

Shan Xun had absolutely no experience interacting with females. He had never even seen a female on the Star Network. The only people he ever dealt with were Male Beastmen, and interacting with them was brutally simple. If you didn’t like something, you fought. Anything could be cleared up with a good brawl.

As for how to get along with a female, his mind was a complete blank.

"If there’s any other furniture you want, just tell me. I’ll have someone get it for you." Shan Xun decided not to press the issue of why Jiang Zheyu had stepped back. ’Could it be the furniture? Is that why the female is unhappy?’

"It’s enough, it’s enough. I don’t need anything else," Jiang Zheyu said, waving her hands dismissively.

"Really enough?" Shan Xun looked at her, his eyes perpetually sharp, as if not the slightest clue could escape his gaze.

"Mhm, it’s really enough," Jiang Zheyu hastily nodded.

"So are you happy now?" Shan Xun asked, staring at her with a deadpan expression.

Jiang Zheyu didn’t know how to react for a moment. ’How did we get back to whether I’m happy or not?’

’When was I ever unhappy?’

"Huh?" Jiang Zheyu blurted out in confusion.

"Why were you looking down just now? Why were you unhappy?" Shan Xun asked bluntly, his tone extremely irritable.

’Didn’t I already have someone move the rest of that pink furniture away? Didn’t she say herself that it was enough? Why is she still unhappy?’

It was only then that Jiang Zheyu understood.

She had indeed been a little unhappy earlier, but it was fine now.

As for why she was unhappy...

Jiang Zheyu looked at the man before her with a complicated expression. He looked truly fierce, and he sounded just as fierce. He seemed to have a terrible temper, and now that she was interacting with him, it felt like his temper really was quite bad.

"I’m not unhappy." Jiang Zheyu felt like she really didn’t want to talk to him anymore.

She felt that every word he spoke was like he was reprimanding a subordinate—harsh and unfriendly.

"Jiang Zheyu!" Shan Xun frowned. "Do you have a problem with me?"

Jiang Zheyu fell silent for a moment.

The way he had just said her name, "Jiang Zheyu," sounded like a drill instructor shouting at her.

Jiang Zheyu: ...

"Captain Shan, I really don’t have a problem with you." Jiang Zheyu quickly composed herself, offering a faint smile to make herself appear more sincere.

Shan Xun’s eyelid twitched violently.

’You’re lying. You’re putting on an act.’ Shan Xun grew even more vexed.

He could sense the female was wary of him.

"Are you afraid of me?" Shan Xun frowned deeply at her, interrogating her like a criminal. "Why are you afraid of me?"

Jiang Zheyu’s heart skipped a beat. She felt the man’s gaze darken as he drew closer, his presence becoming more and more oppressive.

"Of course not." Jiang Zheyu quickly walked into her room. "Captain Shan, I’m really not afraid of you. You’re overthinking it. I’m going back to my room to rest. Please, make yourself at home."

She shut the door quickly as she spoke.

Irritation and a savage aura surged within Shan Xun.

He stood outside her door for a long time before finally leaving.

「The training grounds.」

Shan Xun stood in the center, having just viciously thrown a Beastman to the ground. "Useless. Next!" he said coldly.

The next Beastman immediately charged.

Fists flew straight to faces, every punch landing solidly against flesh and bone.

One by one, the Beastmen were defeated by Shan Xun, left lying on the ground, unable to get up.

"Is Captain Shan in a bad mood today?" one Beastman asked as he limped over to another.

"Definitely in a bad mood. He’s being ruthless," the other Beastman grimaced in pain.

Every single Beastman of the -2 Zone Second Legion had been beaten up by their Commander.

The next second, they heard their Captain’s grim voice. "Everyone up! Weighted march, one hundred laps around the Research Institute!"

"Shit, that’s a death sentence!" A Beastman’s face went numb. "Did Captain Shan’s Male Beastman genes suddenly surge or something?"

"Stop talking and go get your weights!" another Beastman hurried off.

And so, a massive, thundering run began outside the Research Institute.

Even from her room, Jiang Zheyu could hear the sound of them running outside. It was a tremendous clamor.

’The soundproofing in this Research Institute is terrible.’

Jiang Zheyu sighed. It was so boring staying in her room. She then remembered her mission here was to heal Beastmen with damaged spiritual power. ’Why haven’t they asked me to start healing anyone today?’

She wanted to ask what she was supposed to do next, which probably meant she had to ask Shan Xun.

Jiang Zheyu felt she was being far too sensitive. The man just looked fierce and naturally sounded fierce. He hadn’t actually done anything to her. Besides, he was sent by the Empire to protect her.

’There’s nothing to be afraid of.’

’It must be because I was spoiled by my Beast Husbands’ sweet talk for the past three months. With them gone so suddenly, I’m just feeling a little fragile.’

Jiang Zheyu: ’Another day of missing my Beast Husbands... *sob*...’

’This Deserted Star is so miserable. The buildings are so cold, I don’t know my way around, and I don’t know a single person here.’

She hadn’t slept well last night, either. The bed wasn’t familiar, and she just couldn’t get used to it.

Jiang Zheyu decided her mood was just terrible, so she might as well sleep. A good nap could make all her unhappiness go away.