Deep within the Gamma Galaxy Corridor, the First Legion’s suppression campaign continued amidst the wails and lamentations of countless pirates.
On the other side of the corridor, however, the Commander of the Second Legion found his brow furrowing deeper with every passing moment as he oversaw his own mission.
Listening to his adjutant’s report while tracing the routes on the star map, the Commander felt that something was fundamentally wrong.
What was going on? It was common knowledge that the Gamma Galaxy Corridor was a lawless hive of piracy where raids occurred daily. Why, then, after sailing for so many days, had they only encountered a few pathetic stragglers?
Where were the pirates? Where were those blood-hungry sharks that usually swarmed at the slightest scent of prey? Where had they all gone?!
Looking at his own dismal "harvest," the Second Legion Commander grew increasingly suspicious. He began to wonder if he simply had rotten luck, having drawn a sector where pirates had gone extinct. How else could he explain such pathetic returns?
Was his luck truly that bad? Had he chosen the wrong route?
After some serious deliberation, the Commander decided his concerns were valid. He promptly issued a new order to his adjutant: "Turn the fleet around. We’re changing course."
"???" The adjutant was struck with disbelief. "Sir, if we change course now, we might accidentally intrude upon the hunting grounds of the other Legions."
The adjutant felt conflicted; such a move seemed rather unsportsmanlike.
Faced with his subordinate’s shock, the Second Legion Commander argued righteously that all was fair in war. Whoever caught the prey kept it. Besides, space was vast; surely they wouldn't be so unlucky as to run straight into someone else!
At the Commander’s word, the massive fleet banked in the starry void, silently veering toward the hunting grounds of the other Legions.
What the Second Legion Commander didn't know was that he wasn't the only one with this idea. The other six commanders, all scratching their heads and fearing they would end up at the bottom of the rankings, had made the exact same choice. A confrontation was only a matter of time.
***
In a remote corner of the Gamma Galaxy, a massive Federation-class flagship sailed silently through the dark. Admiral Ji Qiu, draped in a black military cloak, stood lost in thought as he gazed at a holographic star map.
The surroundings were deathly quiet until the sound of footsteps approached from behind.
"Reporting, Admiral."
Shifting his gaze from the map, Admiral Ji turned to look at his deputy standing nearby.
Noticing the slight hesitation on the man’s face, the Admiral raised a hand, signaling him to speak freely.
As the Admiral’s right hand, the adjutant knew his superior’s temperament well. He didn't hesitate, reporting the current situation directly.
The reality was that the First Legion had, by its own strength, nearly emptied the entire Gamma Galaxy of pirates. This had left the other seven Legions wandering aimlessly to scavenge for scraps. It had even reached the point where two Legions had accidentally collided while trying to raid the same pirate nest.
As the adjutant reported this bizarre turn of events, he remained utterly perplexed. Such a one-sided outcome was completely unforeseen. Seriously, how had the First Legion pulled it off?!
The adjutant’s expression was a complicated mask of confusion.
Admiral Ji listened to the report calmly, his expression unchanging. He merely gave a slight nod to acknowledge the information.
"?" Seeing the Admiral so composed, the adjutant couldn't help but ask, "Admiral, do we not need to intervene?" If this continued, the First Legion would soon wipe out every pirate in the Gamma Galaxy single-handedly.
"No need. They are simply operating according to their own capabilities." Having said that, Admiral Ji’s attention returned to the holographic map.
Recognizing the Admiral’s habit of deep thinking, the adjutant said no more and quietly withdrew.
However, just as the door was about to click shut, the adjutant thought he heard a very faint sound from within. Was it... a chuckle?
A laugh? The Admiral laughed! Startled, the adjutant looked back, but saw only the closed white hatch. There was nothing else.
The adjutant wondered if he had misheard. Having served as Ji Qiu’s deputy for so long, he had almost never seen the man show significant emotional fluctuations. The Admiral rarely even looked angry, let alone amused.
*I must have misheard,* the adjutant thought, dismissing the possibility of the Admiral laughing.
Yet, behind that door, Admiral Ji was indeed looking at the star map with a faint, rare smile playing on his lips.
Unlike Ji Yeran’s gentle and charming features, Admiral Ji—despite being an Omega—was cold and rigid from head to toe, like a block of ice. Now, wearing that rare smile, he murmured to himself, "That brat."
Far away, the "brat" in question suddenly choked on a mouthful of water, coughing violently several times.
Hearing the commotion, Feng Zhixi looked up, watching Ji Yeran with curiosity, as if observing a strange creature.
Feng Zhixi’s eyes were fixed on Ji Yeran, his pupils as deep as obsidian, shimmering with a shifting luster.
Being stared at so intently, Ji Yeran finally managed to stop coughing. He turned to meet the Omega’s eyes, feeling somewhat helpless. "What are you looking at?" he asked. Had a flower suddenly sprouted on his face?
Feng Zhixi shook his head but didn't look away. He kept his eyes fixed on Ji Yeran, unblinking.
Ji Yeran: "..."
After a long while, seemingly having seen enough, Feng Zhixi finally withdrew his gaze. He answered slowly, "So that’s what it looks like when someone chokes on water."
Ji Yeran, feeling inexplicably mocked: "..."
Seeing Ji Yeran’s stifled expression, Feng Zhixi felt a surge of delight.
As the Omega laughed, a faint scent of wine drifted from him, mingled with a sweet and sour aroma—exceptionally crisp and pleasant.
Catching a whiff of this scent, Ji Yeran’s expression shifted slightly. He looked at Feng Zhixi instinctively. From his angle, he could see the skin of the Omega’s neck extending to the back of his ear—it was as fair and smooth as warm suet jade.
This time, it was Ji Yeran who fell into a long silence. He seemed lost in his own thoughts, failing to snap out of it until someone poked his cheek.
A cold sensation jabbed his face—not once, but several times—pulling Ji Yeran back to reality.
Coming to his senses, Ji Yeran saw Feng Zhixi’s finger still hovering in mid-air and those searching eyes, clear and bright, with a startling brilliance deep within the pupils.
"What were you thinking about so deeply?" Feng Zhixi asked lazily, propping his chin on one hand. Because the recent pirate raids had been so lucrative and there were no "gas bombs" around to annoy him, the Omega was in an excellent mood. He didn't even mind Ji Yeran’s dazing off.
As if testing the softness of the Alpha’s cheek, Feng Zhixi tilted his head, completely ignoring the fact that his "victim" was staring straight at him. He continued to poke Ji Yeran’s cheek rhythmically, seemingly fascinated by the novel texture.
At the tip of his nose was the faint scent of green plums—a sweet and sour fragrance. It seemed that at some point, this green plum had slowly started to turn sweet. Feng Zhixi thought uncertainly.
Feeling the light pressure on his cheek, rhythmic and capricious, Ji Yeran looked at the Omega. The lazy smile in the corners of Feng Zhixi’s eyes and brows was full of willful indulgence, like a kitten that had shed all its borrowed bravado to lie down comfortably and bask in the sun.
Looking at Feng Zhixi like this, Ji Yeran couldn't help but smile. He reached out, caught Feng Zhixi’s hand to hold it still, and steered the conversation back to the matter they had been discussing.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 第二军团 | Second Legion | One of the military divisions of the Federation. |
| 季秋 | Ji Qiu | Admiral of the Federation, an Omega, and likely Ji Yeran's father or close relative. |
| 联邦级旗舰 | Federation-class Flagship | A high-tier command vessel of the Federation military. |
| 喝水被呛到 | Choking on water | A common Chinese idiom/trope suggesting someone is talking about you behind your back. |
| 青梅香 | Green plum fragrance | Ji Yeran's pheromone scent. |
| 酒香 | Wine fragrance | Feng Zhixi's pheromone scent. |
