At a remote corner of the outer reaches of the Capital Star System sat a small, unremarkable planet. Few knew that this world, which appeared so ordinary from deep space, was in fact a sector-class prison.
Inside the planetary prison, the Galactic Inspector raised a hand, cutting off the man across from him mid-sentence.
Seeing the Inspector’s hand clad in a white leather glove, the Acting Warden tactfully fell silent, waiting in quiet anticipation.
The room plunged into stillness.
Only after meticulously finishing the message in his hand did the Inspector look up. He scrutinized the Acting Warden—a beta with a steady countenance and a face that seemed, at first glance, the very picture of loyalty and reliability.
The Inspector gave a slight nod. "Not bad," he said.
This "not bad" was both a commendation of the Acting Warden's competence and an acknowledgment of the valuable intelligence he had provided for this operation.
Hearing the praise, the Acting Warden offered a humble, simple smile. His upright features and thick brows made him look inherently trustworthy.
This Acting Warden was the person Ji Yeran "trusted most." An abandoned child taken from an orphanage by Ji Qiu and brought into the Ji family, he had remained by Ji Yeran’s side until the latter was fourteen, when Ji Yeran’s mother forcibly removed him from the family to enroll him in the Benne Military Academy.
This "trusted" confidant now held the position of Acting Warden, exercising the duties of the office in place of the reluctant Ji Yeran.
It was precisely because of Ji Yeran’s "young master" temperament and "reckless whims" that this "loyal subordinate," forced to clean up after the profligate scion, had gained the opportunity to come into contact with the mysterious forces standing behind the prison system.
The Inspector glanced around the Warden’s office, which was conspicuously empty of its rightful occupant. He asked nonchalantly, "I have been here for some time. Where is your superior?"
Sensing the underlying dissatisfaction in the Inspector’s tone, the Acting Warden—who had betrayed Ji Yeran in their previous life—lowered his head and remained silent. This "loyal and reliable" man seemed incapable of lying, yet appeared unwilling to overstep his bounds by speaking ill of his superior.
"Leaving one's post without authorization and neglecting duty as a Warden..." the Inspector murmured, pausing intentionally. Seeing the other man look up in shock, his face a mask of hesitation, the Inspector continued slowly, "However, you have done well. I can choose to overlook it this time."
At the Inspector’s magnanimity, the Acting Warden breathed a long sigh of relief, his expression relaxing considerably.
Having said his piece, the Inspector straightened his sleeves and turned to leave.
As he passed by, he lightly patted the Acting Warden’s shoulder and said with deep meaning, "Keep up the good work."
It was a promise wrapped in a hint.
The Acting Warden watched the Inspector depart. Only when the figure had completely vanished did he let his expression shift, revealing the naked ambition in his eyes.
He was not a dog to be summoned or dismissed at someone's whim. He would be a man above others!
***
On one side, a traitor was fueled by ambition to climb the ranks; on the other, the real Warden was lazily handing Ji Wei a convenient tool. He believed Ji Wei would perform admirably—after all, in their previous life, Ji Wei had played his part to perfection.
The only difference was that the timeline had been moved up slightly. Ji Yeran smiled.
Having finished his "official duties," the diligent Warden transformed back into the "work-shy playboy." He strolled back to his quarters and pushed open the door.
Inside the room, Feng Zhixi, who had just closed his portable light-brain, heard the movement. He looked up at Ji Yeran standing in the doorway and asked casually, "Is the family meeting over?"
Ji Yeran stood by the door, positioned exactly where the light from inside met the shadows of the hallway. He looked at Feng Zhixi, his eyes a deep, impenetrable black.
The "pampered brat" was hiding a little secret from him. That was Ji Yeran’s first instinct.
After a brief pause at the threshold, the Alpha closed the door as if nothing were amiss. He walked toward Feng Zhixi while answering the Omega’s question. "Yes."
By now, Feng Zhixi had finished washing up and was leaning against the headboard. He seemed a bit drowsy from the wait, letting out a lazy yawn that left a misty, starlit glaze in his eyes.
The young Omega wore light-colored pajamas, his hair fluffy and soft. Under the warm glow of the lamps, he seemed enveloped in an invisible haze, looking indolent and relaxed—hardly any different from the pampered youth who used to stretch out on the sofa years ago.
*Like a cat,* Ji Yeran thought as he approached step by step. *The kind with sharp claws that knows how to scratch.* His own aura was restrained and clean, devoid of aggression, filled with a deceptive harmlessness and tenderness meant to beguile small animals.
"?" Seeing Ji Yeran draw closer, Feng Zhixi looked up at him in confusion.
Under the warm light, the Omega’s eyes were like the clearest, purest obsidian—deep, mysterious, and impossibly beautiful.
Reaching Feng Zhixi’s side, Ji Yeran leaned down unhurriedly. He drew closer, and then closer still, until the distance between them was less than zero. The scent of strong spirits diffused between their lips, and the Warden found that his "alcohol tolerance" seemed to have improved.
The tart sweetness of green plums melded with the mellow richness of the spirits. That sweet fragrance and warmth made Feng Zhixi instinctively tilt his head back to seek more.
A dense, lingering kiss fell along with the scent of green plums. Feng Zhixi felt as though he were being enveloped in a misty landscape of wind and rain.
It was like the fine drizzle of early spring that falls alongside drifting willow catkins—dense as a woven web, light as the wind, shrouding the Omega’s entire body. The green plum pheromones were like that rain, patiently and thoroughly soaking into every inch of his skin, entangling every breath in a tender, lingering embrace.
Some kinds of warmth are addictive.
When the kiss, flavored with green plum wine, finally ended, Feng Zhixi looked at the Alpha who was so close their breaths mingled. He blinked and corrected him, "My pheromones didn't fluctuate." His current pheromone levels were stable; he didn't seem to need the Alpha's soothing.
Hearing the Omega’s words, Ji Yeran lowered his gaze, his long lashes casting shadows like tender, flirtatious fans. He replied nonchalantly, "Then perhaps my perception was mistaken."
Feng Zhixi looked at him with suspicion, his eyes clear and direct with doubt. In a state of long-term marking, could an Alpha really misperceive an Omega’s pheromone fluctuations?
Facing the little patient’s skepticism, the Warden didn't even blink as he claimed, "Indeed. It’s my first time marking someone; I’m not very practiced yet."
Feng Zhixi: "..."
After a brief and "friendly" consultation regarding the proficiency of marking, the Warden smoothly changed the subject. "Did you find the special energy fluctuation you mentioned?"
"Not yet." Feng Zhixi shook his head with a hint of regret. Ever since he had accidentally captured a segment of strange energy with his modified "Arachne" program, he hadn't been able to intercept any more anomalous data, no matter how he adjusted the parameters.
It was as if it had all been a fleeting dream.
What did that captured segment of strange energy represent?
Feng Zhixi was puzzled. He had a strong premonition that this energy fluctuation was definitely connected to Hill’s various oddities.
From the moment he first saw that strange data, Feng Zhixi had felt a peculiar intuition. He couldn't say where it came from; it felt as though it were buried in the depths of his soul, hidden in the deepest layers of his genetic code. Something was reminding him, warning him to pay attention—but to what?
*Perhaps this is the key to unraveling the entire mystery,* Feng Zhixi thought.
However, since then, no matter how he tweaked Arachne’s sensory parameters, he hadn't caught another wave. It seemed the program's success had been a mere fluke.
*Is there any other way to replicate that day's success?* Feng Zhixi wondered. That "gas bomb" was shrouded in mystery, and now, the clue to solving it was within reach. He just needed to find the end of the thread to unravel the truth.
The mist hung before his eyes; all it lacked was a gust of wind.
His competitive spirit ignited, Feng Zhixi couldn't help but feel eager to try again, his eyes shining with a startling brilliance.
***
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Starry Rebirth: The Warden and the Outlaw’s Interstellar Revenge | Chapter 69 | Ambition and Intimacy | Novela.app | Novela.app
