Extra: The Past (Part 4) part 1
District 2 served as a springboard, and it wasn’t long before Song Zhiyuan established a foothold there.
As a nominal “Near-Capital District,” District 2 was actually a place where “the mountains were high and the Emperor was far away,” leaving a significant amount of room for political maneuvering. Because a few famous Omegas had hailed from there, the gender stereotypes weren’t as suffocatingly rigid as in other places. However, there were still those who would sneer to his face, saying things like, “What makes an Omega think they can stand above us?”
Song Zhiyuan was ruthlessānot just to others, but to himself. He once pulled two knives from a drawer, pointing one at his own gland and pressing the other against his opponentās throat.
“I can destroy my gland for the sake of this bill, or I can help you experienceāas an Omegaāthe pleasure of having someone step on your head. Which will it be?”
In private, many people called Song Zhiyuan “that crazy Omega.” Later, that descriptive phrase gradually shifted from a slight to a compliment.
Many of those in power were family men who harbored love for their own Omega relatives; they knew the absurd and incomprehensible situations those relatives faced. No matter how “crazy” Song Zhiyuan acted, the policies he fought tooth and nail to push through were genuinely for the benefit of every citizen, regardless of whether they were Alpha or Omega.
“Is your dad out at another social function?”
Shu Changze, visiting from the Central District on a rare occasion, saw Song Shiyu sitting quietly and serenely on the sofa, reading a book.
Song Zhiyuanās status required him to hide the facts of his marriage and child-rearing; by necessity, the existence of this child had to be kept secret. She lived in the shadows. Fortunately, as Song Zhiyuan gradually gained control over the eyes and ears of District 2’s media, the childās true identity was never exposed.
“Uncle, you’re here.” Song Shiyu put down her book and walked over gracefully. “Dad is at a victory banquet. He probably won’t be back for a while. Have you eaten?”
To Shu Changze’s surprise, the side of Song Zhiyuan seen at work was diametrically opposed to the one at home. No matter how busy he was, he was incredibly patient when accompanying his child.
Song Shiyu had grown into a poised young lady. Aside from being a bit shy and timid, there wasn’t a single flaw to be found in her character or speech.
“A victory banquet?” Shu Changze thought about it, linking it to the administrative shifts in the Central District, and smiled. “Is there cake? Letās eat some to celebrate your fatherās success.”
If nothing unexpected happened, Song Zhiyuan would likely be transferred back to the Central District soon.
While Song Zhiyuan was celebrating in District 2 amidst clinking glasses… Lu Wei was bleeding out in District 7.
“F*ck!”
Clutching a wound on her shoulder, she dove behind an icy rock. She pulled a sniper rifleācomposed of a mess of partsāfrom her bag, assembled it with her eyes closed, aimed at the spot where the cold shot had come from, and ended the threat with a single pull of the trigger.
She didn’t know how many she had killed by the time she returned to the base, covered in scars.
She lay in the infirmary, bored out of her mind as she nursed her wounds and watched the news. When she saw Yu Yao, the adjutant under He Lian, standing by her bed, she sat up with a start.
The doctor nearby glared at her, pointed to the wound on her abdomen, and walked out, closing the door.
“There’s a mole at the base,” she said seriously.
There had been an ambush on every one of her personal mission routes; someone had definitely leaked the information.
“Which district doesn’t have them?” Yu Yao looked at her coldly. “The councilors are courting every faction they can. Internal strife due to differing positions was inevitable. But why were they targeting you?”
Lu Wei really wanted to kick this man who lacked a filter.
“Because He Lian is being transferred back to the Center, and Iāalong with youāam the strongest candidate for the position of General of District 7. Isn’t that enough?”
She didn’t mention the other reason. Regarding the suppressed research on the aggressiveness of Omega pheromones, she was the only living witness. She was a thorn in the side of certain people who wanted her gone at any cost.
“Looking at how energetic you are, it seems my chances of winning are higher. After all, the Generals of District 7 never tend to last very long.”
Yu Yao frowned. “Don’t say things like that.”
He stepped forward, opening his palm to reveal a coded message from his own intelligence line. “The higher-ups have already decided on you. Someone just didn’t want you to take office.”
“Hah.” Lu Wei raised an eyebrow, not at all surprised.
She had more seniority than Yu Yao, more merits, and most importantly, she was stronger. Of course they should choose her.
“You didn’t die today, but on the way back to the Central District for your debriefing and appointment… it will be dangerous. Even within the Central District itself.”
“We’ll see about that. I’m no pushover,” Lu Wei said, her eyes darkening. “As for you, you should apply for a transfer back. I see your dad constantly pressuring He Lian to send you back to find a wife.”
Seeing her bring this up, Yu Yaoās throat bobbed. He took a step closer. “You’re so concerned about whether other people are getting marriedāwhat about you?”
“I have a goal.” A memory of a certain night flashed through Lu Weiās mindāthe fragrant, soft, and bone-deeply gentle Omega in her arms. She swallowed hard.
In the next second, it was as if Song Zhiyuan were standing right in front of her. …Holy mother ofāwas she hallucinating from thinking about him too much?
No, it wasn’t an illusion. It was a news clip on the television. Song Zhiyuan, in his capacity as the Speaker of District 2, had entered a Central District agency during the new round of elections.
“Move aside, don’t block me from looking at my wife.”
She waved Yu Yao away, her eyes fixed on the screen, watching Song Zhiyuanās gentle yet high-spirited demeanor. His resume listed him as unmarried, and he only claimed to have had one Alpha mark him before they broke up; he was currently single. As that “marked Alpha,” Lu Wei could amuse herself for ages every time she saw Song Zhiyuan in the news.
“…I’m talking to you about major life events, and you’re talking about ‘stanning’ a celebrity?” Yu Yao was speechless.
As an Alpha, Lu Wei was beyond reproachāher ability and looks were exceptional. She seemed like a lone wolf, and she had no background. He was her competitor, but he secretly wanted her to marry an Omega from the Yu family. The nobility almost always used marriage to win over talented people without backgrounds. Only Lu Wei was immune to both the carrot and the stick. Whenever the subject came up, she played dumb. Singers, actorsāevery one of them was her “wife.”
And now, to brush him off, she wouldn’t even spare a Councilor. Terrifying.
“Stanning? Between stanning a star and chasing a wife, which one do you think is more tiring?”
She had heard that the arranged marriage partner Yu Yao was pining for had quite a personality; she insisted he had to court her properly before they could discuss anything else.
“Are you really going to bring that up?”
Lu Wei, whom others usually threw themselves at, had never tasted that kind of bitterness. She watched Song Zhiyuan’s moving lips, thinking about how she had bested Yu Yao once again by having already possessed the Omega she loved. She smirked.
“Hey, Iām telling you, you should call your future kid ‘Xingxing.’ When the kid asks why, you can tell them itās because chasing their mom was as hard as reaching for the stars!”
“Lu Wei!” Yu Yao, exasperated, turned off her TV.
Lu Wei wasn’t happy about it and attacked him with her pheromones. Yu Yao wasn’t exactly a gentle soul either and shoved the attack right back at her.
Two people about to ascend to the rank of General engaged in a silent, extremely immature, and fierce brawl before they were discovered.
Looking back later, that was likely the last time they ever fought. From then on, Lu Wei took root in District 7, and Yu Yao returned to the Central Base.
When Yu Yao eventually returned to District 7, the first thing he did was handle Lu Weiās funeral arrangementsābut that is a story for later.
Lu Wei never expected that her casual teasing would lead to Yu Yao actually having a child named “Xingxing.”
That star would later shine as brightly as her own child in the history of District 7.
“Father.”
Song Shiyu walked into the living room, clutching her doll.
Her father hadn’t turned on the lights; he was sitting alone in the darkness. The shifting light and shadows from the TV screen flickered across his face. It was jarring, and she couldn’t make out his expression.
“What is it, sweetheart?”
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