At night, the main building was mostly empty since classes in the teaching area had ended.
And the research institutes that did have people inside were not open to just anyone.
So Ye Lan still had to return to his student dormitory.
The student dormitories were not inside the main building but outside it.
Although dormitory buildings for each class looked similar, Class E’s dormitory was the farthest from the main building.
Functionally, there was no difference, but the facilities in Class E were relatively old.
Ye Lan took the elevator down to the first floor of the main building.
When he walked out of the main entrance, a few students passed by.
They wore matching school uniforms, primarily blue and white, indicating they were first-year students.
When Ye Lan noticed them, they noticed him at the same time.
Since he was still wearing his own clothes, it naturally drew attention.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, Ye Lan lowered his head, hiding his face with his bangs, and quickly passed by them.
Once he was sure no one was watching him, he let out a silent sigh and clenched his fists.
Strength represented everything, and it was something Ye Lan had always lacked.
He had to make up for lost time.
The path from the main building to Class E’s dormitory was one Ye Lan had walked countless times in his previous life.
Soon, a simple dormitory building appeared before him.
Ivy had grown unchecked across the facade, like green scales covering the entire building.
A breeze could make the leaves sway, appearing like a sea of foliage.
Ye Lan arrived at the dormitory’s entrance.
A scanner on the door verified his identity and unlocked it.
[Authentication Complete:
Name: Ye Lan
Dormitory: E1 Building, 4th Floor, Room 403]
The empty corridor held only the dorm supervisor reading a newspaper by the door, with electronic screens glowing on the walls.
It was almost curfew, so students inside weren’t trying to leave; those wanting to go out had already done so.
“Hey, student, wait a moment.”
Ye Lan was about to enter when the dorm supervisor called him.
The old man wore a faded military green coat.
His clouded eyes stared intently at Ye Lan, sending shivers down his spine.
The man pulled a booklet from a drawer, flipped to Ye Lan’s page, and pointed at the blank “Student Signature” line.
“Your name’s Ye Lan, right? Sign here.”
In this technologically advanced age, entry management was usually automated.
Yet for some reason, Zhanhun Military Academy still combined human supervision with machines.
Ye Lan could see the logic in this.
The dorm supervisors, for instance, had sharp eyes and monitored students daily, remembering each student’s appearance, voice, and habits.
For example, twin siblings in different classes could easily confuse machines because of their identical appearances and genetic makeup, but the human supervisors could distinguish them and direct them to their respective class teachers.
So the combination of humans and machines made sense.
“I think I remember you… you were hospitalized, right?” the dorm supervisor continued as Ye Lan signed.
“Your luggage has been sent to your room. Do you want to meet your roommate, or do it yourself?”
Roommate!
Ye Lan’s heart skipped a beat.
Would it be that guy?
The supervisor didn’t notice Ye Lan’s subtle movements, so he quietly flipped to the next page.
[E1 Dormitory Resident List:
Name: Raymond Carniel
Dormitory: E1 Building, 4th Floor, Room 403
Roommate: Ye Lan
…]
‘Raymond…’
Seeing the name reminded Ye Lan of that accident.
The image of that body pierced by the alien insect’s claws, drenched in blood, was a nightmare he could never forget.
…
The dorm supervisor rambled on, but Ye Lan paid no attention.
He signed and left, leaving the old man staring at the empty doorway, muttering, “Young people these days…”
The supervisor closed and locked the dormitory door.
Even during curfew, few students actually went to sleep.
As Ye Lan reached the fourth floor, he could hear the noise of students everywhere—playing, chatting, gaming, but no one sleeping.
Freshmen didn’t know what being assigned to Class E meant and were still excited about their new life.
Ye Lan arrived at Room 403, familiar yet strange.
He hesitated before knocking.
His reputation was ruined, and he wasn’t sure if he could be the same life-and-death comrade with Raymond as before.
The door gave him no time to hesitate.
It was automatic and unlocked upon detecting his school badge.
“Is anyone here?”
As Ye Lan entered, the lights in the dorm gradually turned on, revealing the room’s layout.
Paired wardrobes, desks, beds, and a large open area for personal items—this was a double dorm room.
In the corner, Ye Lan found his luggage.
Compared to the other side, which was already organized, his side was untouched and chaotic.
Before unpacking, he opened his wardrobe.
Inside was a neatly packaged box bearing the Zhanhun Military Academy emblem.
Ye Lan knew this contained his school uniform.
The academy’s uniforms resembled military attire superficially.
But students were still students, and wearing a uniform did not equate to being a soldier.
Uniforms facilitated management and identification.
Styles, cuts, and color themes varied each year.