Faced with Captain Xu’s sudden, thunderous roar, the blonde, blue-eyed Omega seemed completely caught off guard. Before the overwhelming, mountain-like pressure of this terrifying "demon king," Hill’s lips parted slightly as he stared blankly, a look of tearful distress washing over his face as if he were the victim of some great injustice.
Captain Xu was utterly baffled. *What is this brat doing, just standing there? Where are the spare pheromone patches? The suppressants?* The cloying, sweet scent drifting off the boy was growing thicker by the second, so sugary it made the Captain’s throat feel parched and scratchy.
The "innocent little darling" Hill remained there, emerald eyes brimming with unshed tears. He acted as though he hadn't heard a word Captain Xu said—or perhaps he truly had been scared witless by this human Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Seeing the stunned Omega do nothing but whimper while his pheromones continued to fluctuate wildly, Captain Xu felt a massive headache coming on.
Hill stood frozen, helpless and trembling. He gazed at Captain Xu with tears wobbling on the brink of falling, his fair face flushed red. He played the part of a lovely yet resilient Omega to perfection—a literal "white lotus," pure and ethereal, standing firm against the wind and rain.
Unfortunately, Hill’s repertoire of high-level tactics, which usually worked wonders on Alphas, was entirely wasted on the aesthetically-challenged Captain Xu.
Captain Xu’s head was filled with question marks. *Is this kid stupid? Why is he just standing there staring at me with watery eyes?*
In the eyes of a man who didn't have a single "chivalrous" bone in his body, an Omega with fluctuating pheromones was nothing more than a ticking time bomb. More importantly, this bomb was refusing to follow orders.
He had no intention of letting the First Fleet be hauled before a military tribunal because of a collective Alpha riot!
Given the emergency, Captain Xu couldn't be bothered with pleasantries. Since the brat wouldn't move, he simply barked out a blunt command.
As the order left his lips, the officers in the combat room gasped in unison and took a synchronized, massive leap backward. This included the head of the Mecha Maintenance Department who had brought Hill in.
Hill, still mid-performance as a world-class "white lotus," was stunned. *What’s happening?!*
The speed at which everyone retreated was so fast it happened in the blink of an eye, leaving a vast, empty space around Hill.
At that moment, the only ones left in the center of the room were Hill and the dark-faced Ji Wai, both equally oblivious to the situation.
In the next heartbeat, Hill and Ji Wai were blasted from head to toe by a torrent of white mist spraying down from the ceiling.
The atomized gas was cold enough to cause frost. It felt like being plunged into sub-zero ice water. The powerful airflow, capable of freezing a person solid in an instant, hammered down on them, turning the pair into "artistic ice sculptures" with wild, explosive hair.
Hill: "?!"
Ji Wai: "?!!"
At this point, it didn't matter how wide or innocent Hill stretched his emerald eyes.
Dense, almost tangible gas particles enveloped the two frozen figures. This was a special substance used by the military for personnel who fell into extreme emotional states due to specific triggers. The gas itself was freezing and possessed incredibly strong adsorption properties.
In short, it was a high-efficiency atomized sedative that also functioned as a pheromone shield.
There was just one catch: the way these gas particles adsorbed stray particles in the air was a bit... violent.
This violence manifested as the two victims being drenched in an icy blizzard that chilled them to the bone, while simultaneously feeling as though they’d been struck by lightning—a sensation akin to high-voltage electricity surging through their bodies for a split second.
This was the Federation Military’s specialized sedative—a cure for all forms of "unruliness."
For this joint military exercise, Captain Xu had specifically requested this sedative in case any Omega cadets ran into trouble. He had originally intended it as a mere precaution and didn't think he’d actually use it, but now it seemed his foresight had paid off. The effect was excellent.
It all happened too fast. By the time the powerful mist dissipated, the faint, cloying sweetness in the air had vanished completely.
After the head-on blast, Hill’s fluctuating pheromones had indeed "calmed down" exactly as Captain Xu desired. Meanwhile, Ji Wai, who had been caught in the crossfire, looked like a piece of charcoal.
With his hair standing on end like a literal explosion, Ji Wai gritted his teeth and looked up, glaring at Xu Yi with a gaze full of naked threats.
However, Xu Yi, a man who had weathered countless storms, didn't even glance in Ji Wai’s direction. His entire focus remained on Hill.
*Good, that blonde Omega has finally settled down.*
Seeing that the stray pheromones had finally disappeared and the cadet had returned to a "normal" state, Xu Yi let out a long sigh of relief. *Much better.*
Hill, his teeth chattering from the cold and his hair a frizzy mess: "..." *Is this Alpha mentally ill?!*
Watching this scene from a safe distance, Feng Zhixi couldn't help but laugh. It was simply too creative.
Looking at Hill, who now resembled a frozen "rotten egg," a spark of inspiration hit Feng Zhixi. He began to wonder if he should pre-make some instant-release sedative bio-capsules. In the future, whenever he saw Hill releasing "toxic gas," he could just toss one—exactly like using bug spray.
Amused by his own imagination, Feng Zhixi subconsciously poked Ji Yeran to share his latest brainstorm: "Pesticide Robot" vs. "The Gas Bomb." The thought alone made him giddy.
Ji Yeran felt helpless. He still hadn't let go of Feng Zhixi’s hand. Being led astray by his increasingly childish partner, even the mature and steady Warden couldn't help but indulge in the mental image.
"Pesticide Robot" vs. "The Gas Bomb"—and an explosive-haired gas bomb at that... Yeah, the visual was pretty hilarious.
At the thought, a faint smile touched Ji Yeran’s lips.
That smile was immediately caught by the paranoid Ji Wai, causing the fragile-hearted man to explode with rage.
*Ji! Ye! Ran!* Fire seemed to burn in Ji Wai’s eyes as he stared at the Warden.
Unfortunately, Ji Yeran wasn't paying him any attention at all. He was still busy contemplating Feng Zhixi’s future masterpiece.
Ji Wai, who believed he was the absolute center of the universe: "!"
While the two "best friends" were busy imagining bizarre battlefield scenarios, Captain Xu, having neutralized the crisis, turned a dark face toward Hill.
"What happened?" he asked in a low, stern voice. "Do you not carry pheromone patches and suppressants with you?" *Is this Omega’s brain broken? If he wants to die, the First Fleet doesn't want to go down with him!*
Being lectured so harshly by the "blind" Captain Xu, the little Omega lowered his head aggrievedly, looking like a pitiable creature on the verge of tears.
"I-I'm sorry, sir... it's all my fault..." Hill murmured, his voice thick with a sob. He huddled there, his shoulders twitching, making it hard for anyone to find the heart to blame him.
Normally, no one would blame a fragile, confused, and innocent Omega, even if it were his own negligence.
However, Hill’s foolproof tactics failed again. Before the cold and ruthless Captain Xu, all of this was merely a performance for a blind audience.
Xu Yi’s face remained grim. "Of course it's your fault!" *Did this cadet actually think he wasn't in the wrong?!*
"..." Hill was so choked by Xu Yi’s bluntness that he momentarily forgot to keep brewing his tears. That single teardrop hanging precariously from his eyelid suddenly felt very awkward.
Hill: "?!" *Is this Alpha insane? Does he not know the meaning of 'tenderly protecting the fairer sex'?!*
The "insane" Captain Xu was done wasting words on Hill. He looked up at the ship’s doctor who had hurried over and instructed, "Check his condition." If he wasn't fit, he should just withdraw from the competition. He couldn't gamble with the lives of an entire ship of soldiers.
Hill: "?!" *This Alpha is a psychopath!*
Watching the drama, Feng Zhixi peeked out from behind Ji Yeran. Seeing the contrast between the "Tyrannosaurus Rex" and the "Innocent Victim," he couldn't help but marvel inwardly. Hill’s Oscar-worthy acting was truly a god-given talent.
Sensing the restless movements of the "pampered brat" behind him, Ji Yeran felt a wave of resignation. He gave Feng Zhixi’s hand a gentle tug to pull his attention back.
Interrupted mid-show, Feng Zhixi reluctantly withdrew his gaze and looked up at Ji Yeran with clear, dark eyes.
*What? You're ruining the show!* Feng Zhixi’s expression was one of pure disdain.
Ji Yeran didn't know whether to be angry or amused. This little brat was enjoying the show now, but in a moment, he’d start complaining about the "stink" making him dizzy. It was better not to let him linger.
Of course, if Ji Yeran said that directly, the stubborn and pampered "white-eyed wolf" would surely argue. So, Ji Yeran chose a different approach.
He leaned down slightly, his voice soft, as if coaxing a lover. "Stop looking. Looking at filthy things for too long will make your eyes hurt."
Because of their proximity, as the whisper entered his ear, Feng Zhixi seemed to catch a hint of a sweet scent—like green plums soaked in sugar, both sweet and refreshing, incredibly pleasant to the nose.
His attention shifted instantly. Feng Zhixi gave a subconscious "mm-hmm," his thoughts completely turning toward that sweet green plum.
*What do I have to do to make this green plum stay sweet all the time?* Feng Zhixi fell into deep thought, completely forgetting to continue watching the "Rotten Egg’s" spectacular performance.
***
Glossary
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
许舰长 (Xǔ Jiànzhǎng) | Captain Xu | The stern commander of the starship/First Fleet.
季崴 (Jì Wǎi) | Ji Wai | An antagonist, likely a relative of Ji Yeran; arrogant and sensitive.
雾化镇静剂 (Wùhuà zhènjìngjì) | Atomized sedative | A high-efficiency military-grade sedative spray used to calm extreme emotions and block pheromones.
白莲花 (Báiliánhuā) | White lotus | A slang term for someone who acts innocent and pure to manipulate others.
臭鸡蛋 (Chòu jīdàn) | Rotten egg | A derogatory term Feng Zhixi uses for Hill.
杀虫剂机器人 (Shāchóngjì jīqìrén) | Pesticide Robot | Feng Zhixi's humorous idea for a gadget to counter Hill's pheromones.
糖浸过的青梅 (Táng jìnguò de qīngméi) | Sugar-soaked green plums | A description of Ji Yeran's pheromone scent.
