His Match Is an Interstellar Monster

Chapter 14: Blind Date

The Landis family owned a large private estate on Central Star, spanning an area as large as a province. The estate’s population, taxes, and laws were all under the Wenser family’s control.

Caro drove the aircraft swiftly on the military-exclusive airspace, flying out of the imperial capital. Two hours later, the aircraft landed slowly on the helipad at Wenser Estate.

Two rows of security teams stood quietly on either side of the road. Landis and Caro disembarked from the aircraft one after the other, then boarded a private car within the estate, slowly heading toward the brightly lit mansion in the distant night.

Seated side by side in the back seat, Landis habitually activated the car’s holobrain and projected the screen, beginning to use the spare moments to handle the remaining files and plan for tomorrow’s tasks.

Caro felt his liver ache just watching him. As his direct subordinate and personal secretary, Caro felt it necessary to advise his superior to pay attention to his personal life.

He cleared his throat and said earnestly, "Commander, this time, don’t botch it like the last two times, where you killed the conversation in three sentences. A perfect match is a rare opportunity."

Especially, don’t be sarcastic. Who can stand that? Of course, he didn’t dare say the last part out loud.

"Hmm." Landis didn’t even lift his head, casually responding as he focused on writing on the light screen with an electronic pen.

Caro continued to advise, "Don’t keep such a serious face. Relax your expression and smile more." As he spoke, he demonstrated a gentle, kind smile.

Landis remained noncommittal, "Anything else?"

Encouraged, Caro opened the floodgates, "Also, don’t wear your military uniform; it makes it seem like you’re in a military meeting. With your proud and cold demeanor, you’ll only scare people off.

"Wear casual suits to appear more approachable, and show off your charm and strengths during the conversation, make the most of this opportunity."

Landis stopped writing, looked up, and gave him a cold glance, "Are you saying I’m scary?"

Caro: "..." Do you think you’re not intimidating?

Landis was irritated by Caro’s expression of wanting to speak but holding back. He pinched his furrowed brow and impatiently said, "Alright, I got it."

Caro pursed his lips, unable to resist silently thinking, *Believing he’s the imperial crown prince would be easier than trusting in Commander Landis’ social skills.*

In his heart, he clasped his hands together and silently prayed, hoping Commander Landis wouldn’t do anything strange and ruin the blind date again!

※※※

Zhiyang.

Xiao Sa had just gone through an exhilarating battle and hadn't noticed the unexpectedly heated discussions in the spectator stands or on the Stellar Network forums. He had no idea that he had become a dark horse who gained fame after a single battle.

He peeled off the neural link patch from his temple, and as soon as he was free from the pain control of the virtual cabin, the aftereffects of the intense battle immediately swept over him.

He lazily stretched his arms, which were still sore and numb from overuse, and his mental energy was also significantly depleted.

"It seems that physical combat against mechs places too much strain on both the body and mental energy."

"Beep—beep—"

Xiao Sa opened the notification message sent to his optical brain, and it was the same matchmaking request. To his surprise, there was an additional gift attached. He opened it to find an electronic notebook.

"*Experience in Mental Combat and Enhancement*?"

Xiao Sa's eyes lit up—this was a great find!

He couldn't wait and started flipping through the pages, reading rapidly. After just two pages, his eyes were glued to it, unable to look away. Just as he had guessed, people in this star domain could expand their mental sea using this method.

In the old movies from his home planet, this was exactly like a martial arts manual. And this person had casually given it to him as a gift?

The person who wanted to have an arranged meeting with him seemed quite nice.

Since they had shown such sincerity and he had already read it, it would be rude to refuse now.

Xiao Sa thought for a moment and decided to accept the other party's online dating request. Even though he had no intention of getting married, he should at least explain things clearly in person and express his gratitude.

The notes weren't long, but every sentence was essential. Xiao Sa sat cross-legged on the bed, studying them carefully. He was so engrossed that he spent the entire night without eating or sleeping, until noon the next day when Deken, the second-in-command of the pirate group, came knocking.

When the door opened, Deken saw Xiao Sa with two huge dark circles under his eyes, yet he looked satisfied. It was unclear what he had been up to all night.

Deken was startled and, with some concern, rubbed his hands together. "Alpha sir, could you check on our leader? His leg seems to be flaring up again."

Xiao Sa rubbed his chin. It seemed that Broken Peak's injuries were indeed not something that could be fully recovered with just one cleansing.

But this was a good opportunity to use the chance to deplete his mental sea to near-exhaustion to test the methods mentioned in the notes.

...

After Xiao Sa finished the second cleansing of the mental residue for Broken Peak and returned to his room, he sprawled out on the bed in a star shape. Both his physical strength and mental energy were completely drained, and a heavy sense of exhaustion washed over him like a tidal wave.

He didn’t even want to move a finger, like a salted fish without dreams. After lying there for a long time, he finally forced himself to sit up and meditate according to the method described in the notes.

Xiao Sa carefully felt his mental sea and was pleasantly surprised to find that the edges were indeed expanding slightly. Although the speed was extremely slow, with perseverance, it might really achieve a second differentiation.

"Little Sa, get up, it’s time for your online date."

Haino's reminder jolted Xiao Sa awake. "Damn, I almost forgot."

Rubbing his eyes and yawning, he climbed into the virtual pod and logged in, only to find that his date was already waiting for him in the virtual café.

Xiao Sa checked the time and realized he wasn’t late; the other party had arrived early.

He quickened his pace and walked to the café entrance. The glass window reflected the side profile of a blonde man.

The man wore a black military uniform with three gilt stars on his shoulders. The golden threads sewn along his waist perfectly outlined his narrow waist. Beneath his uniform jacket, he wore a simple white shirt, with the collar buttoned up to the top, exuding a strict and precise air.

Before logging in, Landis had intended to follow Caro’s suggestion and avoid wearing his military uniform. But upon entering the wardrobe, he realized he had never paid much attention to his clothing. His closet was filled with various military uniforms and brand-new black and white shirts, with not a single casual outfit in sight—after all, apart from necessary family gatherings, he never took leave.

Like the man himself, his clothes were monotonous, cold, and exuded the aura of a workaholic.

Xiao Sa’s pace slowed as he frowned and scrutinized the other’s face.

The man’s appearance was undeniably striking, with sharp, three-dimensional features and particularly deep-set eyes. The warm yellow light from above cast a gentle golden glow on his nose, softening his otherwise cold, icy blue eyes.

The moment Xiao Sa clearly saw the other’s face, he was utterly shocked.

How could it be him—the blonde general who had ambushed him on the warship that night?!

Was it a coincidence that he was the one set up on a blind date with him?

Was it because he had beaten him up badly, and now the general was waiting to catch him and throw him into prison? Or had he discovered that Xiao Sa was actually an alien stowaway?

A flurry of thoughts raced through Xiao Sa’s mind, but none of them made sense. All his thoughts eventually converged into one: Was it still possible to run away now?

Oh, it was too late. The blonde officer had already noticed him.

When Landis’s gaze turned towards him, he slightly furrowed his brow, and an innate cold, stern aura spread subtly, making people instinctively step back and hesitate to approach.

This person... why did he look so familiar?

Online matchmaking, as a crucial part of the empire's marriage matching system, does not allow participants to use virtual avatars to ensure authenticity, striving to ensure that appearance and condition mirror reality.

Xiao Sa was wearing a black shirt and a stand-collar coat. He hadn’t been exposed to direct sunlight outdoors for a long time, and his face was pale like a vampire’s. Two prominent dark circles marred his otherwise handsome face.

After battling the red mech last night and spending the entire night studying the notes, he had nearly depleted his remaining mental energy.

His current state of fatigue and weakness left no doubt that he was a C-grade disabled person.

Enemies meet on a narrow path.

The moment their eyes met, Landis was equally shocked. This was the same Xiao Sa who had escaped after being attacked on the warship!

Unexpectedly, the person he thought had vanished into the vast starry sea had turned up in a matchmaking session!

What a surprising twist of fate.

Landis slowly removed his military cap. His short, light blonde hair was slicked back with gel, revealing a smooth, full forehead, with only a small lock falling at the side.

With a complex look, he stared intently at the other person: "It’s you?"

At that moment, Landis seemed to catch a faint scent and felt an inexplicable tingling at the back of his neck. He subconsciously touched it, feeling the skin under his fingertips slightly warm.

Xiao Sa was in a dilemma, hesitating. Until he suddenly noticed the other man touching his neck. Surprised, he finally sat down across from the man.

Well, since he was already here, they were only meeting online, and who knew how many planets apart they were.

"Captain, we meet again," Xiao Sa blinked and greeted slowly. "Thank you for the notes you gave me yesterday."

As the initial shock faded, Landis scrutinized him. Compared to when he had rescued this person from the pirate group, the man in front of him still looked very haggard and frail, the skin on his wrist so pale that the veins were visible.

Yes, his mental grade was only C, and he was mentally disabled. When they were on the warship, he had been seriously injured, and Landis had suspected him of having ties with the pirate group, yet he had done such a thing...

Landis felt a rare awkwardness: "How is your health?"

Xiao Sa had already braced himself for the other man to seek fierce revenge or even engage in a brawl. He never expected the first words out of the man's mouth to be a concern for his well-being.

Thinking of the precious notes the other had given him yesterday, Xiao Sa wondered if he had misjudged the man—could he actually be a kind-hearted person?

Xiao Sa subconsciously rubbed his overused wrist and said, "A period of rest will heal me."

This statement, however, landed differently in Lan Dis's ears.

He frowned, realizing that Xiao Sa had indeed been severely wounded that night and hadn't recovered after all this time.

After a moment of silence, he actually took the initiative to apologize. "I'm very sorry for that night. I didn't mean to hurt you. My mental entity went out of control, and I don't know why the Black Flame targeted you. In any case, I should apologize to you."

If Caro were here, he would have dropped his jaw. The usually icy Commander not only refrained from sarcasm but actually apologized first.

Xiao Sa was stunned for a moment. "Oh, that... I've already let it go."

It had been so long, and Xiao Sa isn't a petty person. He wasn't the one who had suffered a loss.

After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Actually, that night I—"

Not only did I beat you up, but I also bit you. He wondered if his pheromones had marked the high-ranking Admiral. Was this powerful general really not angry?

Lan Dis quickly cut him off. "I am aware."

Xiao Sa: "?"

Lan Dis instinctively averted his gaze, clearing his throat while raising a hand to cover his lips. "I recall."

Xiao Sa's fervent confession from that time, which was etched in everyone's memory, especially Lan Dis himself.

Though he didn't fully understand why, it appeared this man had developed an instant attraction. Otherwise, why wasn't he angry at all today and so readily forgiving?

Hearing this, Xiao Sa was truly taken aback. The General remembered everything but didn't hold the assault against him at all.

Feeling relieved, Xiao Sa set aside his concerns about potential retaliation, even feeling a slight sense of embarrassment for his own cynical thoughts.

A simulated waiter brought coffee over. Lan Dis pushed one cup toward Xiao Sa, and asked, "You haven't yet told me why you were held captive by the space pirates."

After a moment of recollection, Xiao Sa, feeling a weight in his heart, replied honestly. "My former home was destroyed in the war. While seeking my homeland, my family and I encountered an interstellar storm as we fled. My ship crashed during the incident, and upon waking, I was already on that pirate vessel."

That explains it.

Ship accidents caused by interstellar storms can be devastating. Since Xiao Sa had escaped alone, it was likely that his other family members had perished.

In other words, this young man in his twenties had experienced the cruelty of war, been forced to flee his home, lost his family, and was then captured by space pirates. Now, he stands alone, an orphan.

And not only did I treat him like a criminal, but I also harmed him...

Landis focusedly looked at Xiao Sa's face, his gaze naturally drawn to those clear amber-colored eyes.

The young man had neatly cut dark brown hair, pale and youthful skin, and bold and sharp eyebrows. His facial features combined to create a strikingly handsome appearance that was immediately unforgettable.

Even someone as cold and unyielding as Admiral Landis could not help but be touched when such a melancholy look appeared on this face.

There seemed to be a mysterious aura about Xiao Sa that made people instinctively trust and feel close to him.

Unconsciously, Landis leaned forward slightly and said earnestly, "Regardless of what happened that night, I am willing to take the blame."

Xiao Sa: "Ah?"

Take responsibility for whom?