Covering that hideous eye, Ji Wei carefully concealed himself within the shadows. He clung to the belief that with the current level of medical advancement in the Federation, this minor physical ailment of his would surely be resolved soon.
It would be fixed soon. Very soon, any moment now! And when that time came, he could finally... Ji Wei reassured himself inwardly. Yet, what he met instead was a body that drew closer to a monstrous form with each passing day.
First, it was one eye; soon after, the other mutated as well. Then, those revolting black scales began to manifest on his skin—one, then two, then three, multiplying relentlessly.
Ji Wei grew more terrified by the day, his temperament becoming increasingly violent and his actions more frantic.
He crouched warily in his dark corner, unaware that the silent hunter had already arrived at the mouth of his den, rifle in hand, and had even released another venomous serpent into his lair.
In a nameless, murky corner, Ji Yu—having learned the "truth" and been bitten by the very snake he had raised—let out a manic laugh. A mere puppet he had groomed actually thought he was worthy of challenging him?
Soon, an aging viper and a fledgling snake seeking to usurp him were locked in a death struggle. To claim ownership of a rotting nest, they tore at one another, striving to shred the other using the most brutal means possible in that dark corner, despite being father and son of the same blood.
Ji Wei had exposed his ambitions too early. Had he waited a few more years until his wings were fully fledged, the aging Ji Yu, whose power was waning, might not have been his match.
But now, the hunter had gently brushed aside the mist, exposing the two hidden webs of conspiracy to the sunlight. He let these two serpents tear each other apart under the glare of day until they reached their mutual destruction...
***
On Capital Star, when Chairman Ye received the message from afar, the Alpha woman, with her striking and elegant features, arched an eyebrow slightly. Her little cub’s methods were quite ruthless.
*He takes after me,* she thought. Chairman Ye paused her work on the seemingly endless pile of official documents and looked out the window. In the dark sky, magnificent fireworks were blooming.
Tonight was the annual grand festival of Capital Star. Following ancient traditions, the fireworks exploding over the planet symbolized the eternal resilience and enterprising spirit of humanity.
Watching the sky fill with blossoms of light, Ye Qing opened her personal terminal and contacted another person who was worlds away.
When Admiral Ji appeared in Chairman Ye’s office as a holographic projection, the first thing he saw was Ye Qing in a gorgeous formal gown, with the sky full of fireworks erupting behind her.
"Is it that time again?" Admiral Ji asked, momentarily stunned by the display.
"Yes," Ye Qing replied with a smile.
With a silent understanding, the couple stood side by side by the window, watching the brilliant fireworks outside.
Under that same sky, at a private manor, Ji Yeran and Feng Zhixi were also watching the pyrotechnics in the dark night.
The fireworks bloomed in the air, as dazzling as a brilliant galaxy. Like a country bumpkin who had never seen the world, the little light ball hopped and bounced, chasing after the radiant sparks as they faded into the distance.
Watching that silly, bumbling ball of light, Feng Zhixi let out a smile.
The summer evening breeze was warm, and the moonlight was like liquid silk. The quietly smiling Omega had retracted all his sharp edges; his long eyelashes drooped slightly, veiling the starlight in his eyes. Under the silver moonlight, he looked impossibly beautiful.
Seeing the Omega let down all his defenses and reveal his soft interior beside him, Ji Yeran felt a stir in his heart. It was as if he were seeing the youth from years ago again, stretching lazily on the sofa—languid, at ease, and possessed of a vibrant, living beauty.
The crisp scent of strong liquor lingered in the summer wind, drawing one into a dream.
It turned out he had fallen much earlier than he realized; a single glance in his youth had captured his heart, yet he had remained blissfully unaware.
Laughing at his own foolishness in his mind, Ji Yeran followed his heart’s desire. He leaned down, letting a kiss fall upon the corner of the Omega’s lips.
The soft, cool corner of his mouth was stained by the warm scent of green plums. The sweet plum fragrance and the crisp scent of spirits blended perfectly, as if they were naturally meant to fuse together.
Under such moonlight and amidst the brilliant fireworks, the Warden took Feng Zhixi’s hand and placed a badge in the Omega’s palm. He asked a solemn question: "Can I be your Alpha?"
Clutching the badge, Feng Zhixi looked at the Alpha before him and laughed. His answer was a matter of course: "If you aren't mine, who else do you think you belong to?"
The moonlight fell like water upon the manor’s sea of violet flowers. The joyfully idiotic light ball was forgotten in the floral waves as the naturally domineering pirate leader reached out, successfully capturing his Warden. The scents of green plum and strong liquor became entangled, indistinguishable from one another, locked in a desperate, beautiful embrace...
The door to the room opened and then clicked shut. The drawn curtains blocked out the sky full of fireworks. In the darkness, the room was filled with a lingering fragrance.
"Ji Yeran..." Feng Zhixi called him by his full name, his voice clean and cool, yet carrying an imperceptible tremor at the end.
In the darkness, Ji Yeran looked up and responded tenderly, "I'm here..."
Feng Zhixi’s hand brushed against the Alpha’s back, which was covered in scars. Feeling the ridges beneath his palm, he curled his fingers slightly, gently rubbing them with his fingertips.
Once, twice—the itch traveling from his back reached straight to Ji Yeran's heart, making him unable to resist grabbing the Omega’s mischievous hand, their fingers interlacing and locking tight.
Feng Zhixi kept his eyes open. In the darkness, those eyes—like obsidian—seemed brimming with moisture, as if they might overflow at any second.
With his hand caught, Feng Zhixi blinked and lightly nudged the Alpha with his foot. Then, his voice was swallowed between their lips and teeth...
In the dark, sealed room, only the occasional sound of short, restrained gasps could be heard.
The scent of green plums merged forcefully into the liquor, growing richer and richer, inseparable and deeply entwined...
In the midst of a drifting, sinking dream, Feng Zhixi seemed to see a magnificent, long river. It had no beginning and no end. He waded through this river, trekking against the current as all the vanities of the world flashed past his eyes, until a pair of arms pulled him into an embrace.
"Found you." The gentle voice was right by his ear. Feng Zhixi turned his head and saw the lingering tenderness in the Alpha’s eyes.
*Yes, found you.* The "cub" smiled. He had found his "scabbard."
