Chapter 55
The sea met the sky, and the shimmering turquoise surface reflected layer upon layer of light.
Lu Wanqing stared intently at the horizon, spreading his pheromones across a radius of several miles, probing deeper into the ocean bit by bit, constantly pushing the limits of his range.
This was his training during his days adrift and out of contact.
Just as he had taught Shu Ci, abilities could only be forged stronger at their limits.
The subtle vibrations in the air, the fluctuations of the water, the sounds made by various creaturesāhis pheromones wandered through them all, stripping away the different frequencies one by one. Suddenly, Lu Wanqing felt a faint, almost imperceptible tremor.
He frowned, wanting to probe further, but his communication device rang.
His pheromones quickly retracted. Lu Wanqing stood up, went inside the cabin, and raised his hand to answer. He Lian’s stern voice echoed throughout the cabin: “Why did you change course without authorization?”
Ever since he discovered that messages could be sent out, Lu Wanqing had quickly established contact with Cui You and He Lian.
The disaster relief mission in Districts Seven and Eight had been completed smoothly. Except for a portion of the team left behind to patrol the coast for any remaining mutated creatures, the other units had returned to the Central District one after another. After confirming Lu Wanqing’s coordinates, they had planned a return route for him.
He Lian had complete confidence in Lu Wanqing. After making the arrangements, he went about his own business, only to return and find that Lu Wanqing had not only failed to return via the designated route but had headed in a completely different direction.
“What? Do you have enough supplies to take a massive detour and give yourself a long vacation?”
He Lian’s voice was full of vigor. One could imagine him blowing into his beard and glaring at the map. “I have no obligation to lie for you. If you don’t come back soon, those old men in the Kinki District will issue your obituary directly!”
Lu Wanqing covered his ears and turned down the volume.
Ignoring He Lian’s childish complaints, he replied calmly, “There is abnormal activity beneath the sea in this area. It’s very similar to the respiratory frequency of mutated creatures.”
He Lian’s breathing paused.
“When you have time, contact the research institute and have them observe the meteorological conditions here, especially the atmospheric pressure.”
With this topic raised, He Lian lost all impulse to scold him.
Seeing He Lian hurriedly confirm his coordinates and cut the communication, Lu Wanqing sighed.
The abnormal activity had only just been discovered; in reality, it wasn’t his original reason for changing course.
A few days ago, when he passed by that archipelago and took photos, he remembered something from the past related to that placeā
On a magnificent luxury cruise ship, a beautiful but hollow “Shu Ci” had looked despairingly at the sea surface, wanting to jump.
Calculating the timeline, it didn’t seem to be happening now, but who knew how much of a storm a butterfly’s wings could stir up?
Lu Wanqing had hesitated for a long time, nearly sitting withered in the cabin all night, before finally changing course in the dark.
He didn’t want to gamble with the cost of losing him, not even on a one-in-ten-thousand chance.
The day the cruise launched was Shu Ci’s own birthday. If he hadn’t transmigrated, this would have been his birthday in his zodiac year.
They say one’s zodiac year is fraught with bad luck, so Shu Ci specially wore a ruby bolo tie over a beige shirt, and layered a dark green, slightly long trench coat over it. The contrasting deep green and dark red gave him an air of nobility.
The line for ticket checking at the port was exceptionally long; only VIP tickets were eligible for the fully serviced fast track.
When Shu Ci arrived, he happened to see Shen Lin being attended to at the end of the VIP line.
As if sensing his gaze, Shen Linās golden eyes shifted, falling on him discreetly. It was unclear whether the look contained concern or expectation, but the moment Shu Ci met his eyes, a particularly heavy feeling welled up in his heart.
He looked away first, hid the invitation Shen Lin had given him, took out the admission ticket given by his teacher Wen Yuan, and turned to walk towards the end of the regular ticket line.
Approaching a stranger of an actor for no reason would arouse some suspicion. Invitations were numbered, and the organizers surely had records of who each number was issued to. If he used the invitation to board, it would undoubtedly reveal that the person behind him was Shen Lin.
For the sake of caution, he decided to use Wen Yuan’s excuse of “meeting the director to fight for an audition opportunity.”
Calling it an excuse wasn’t entirely accurate.
The original host really had boarded this luxury cruise ship for an audition qualification; this was where his “run away while pregnant” plot began.
Back then, he had forced a smile amidst the socializing despite feeling unwell. While Gu Lanzhu was entangled with Bai Yue, he treated the original host with cold looks and words. A series of condescending, domineering CEO remarks had left him disheartened.
He had gone to a deserted corner of the deck to lean against the railing and feel the sea breeze. Just as he was about to faint, he was supported by Gu Lanzhu’s assistant.
And that time he ran away pregnant, it was largely thanks to this assistant who had developed compassion. During the chaotic docking at the destination port, it was Zhao Qian who helped the original host successfully leave Gu Lanzhu’s range of sight and enter the pregnancy plot.
Shu Ci boarded the ship, lowering his eyes to search among the people in the fast track.
He didn’t know if Gu Lanzhu would come. His right-hand man, Yi Xingshui, had already been fired by him. Shu Ci wouldn’t mind taking this opportunity to lobby Zhao Qian away as well.
“Why are you here too?” An arrogant voice came from behind.
Shu Ci looked back and saw Bai Yue holding an umbrella, standing not far away with his arms crossed. As soon as he opened his mouth, he gave people goosebumps: “Brother Ah Zhu has already gone to the top floor to chat with my uncles. You won’t be able to wait for him standing here.”
“…” Did I not show you the marriage certificate?
Shu Ci felt that talking to him was an insult to his intelligence. The corners of his mouth twitched, and he turned to leave.
“Hey, wait.” Bai Yue stopped him. “Director Zhang is also coming this time. Are you here to ask him for an audition qualification?”
Bai Yue’s hand almost touched the ruby on his chest. Shu Ci instinctively took two steps back. His retreat looked quite wretched in Bai Yue’s eyes, as if he was bullying someone.
Bai Yue glanced at him, quickly put his hands behind his back, put away his aggressive posture, and softened his tone: “Do you want to be my double that badly? Outside of the play, and inside the play too?”
Shu Ci was stunned. Isn’t this a line from the original book?
He looked Bai Yue up and down. “Did you read the materials I sent you last time?”
Bai Yue’s face darkened, and he puffed out his chest. “Brother Ah Zhu said he never knew about those situations. What the two Gu family uncles did has nothing to do with him. You just want to sow discord between us!”
Shu Ci revealed a sarcastic smile.
He suddenly felt that Shu Cui, who watched the board of directors’ movements for him and asked for his inheritance on his behalf, had become pleasing to the eye. At least his idiot cousin knew that what he did was wrong and was willing to turn over a new leaf to make amends.
“I really never had that thought,” Shu Ci said sincerely. “I hope you two stay together for a hundred years. If you two don’t get married, I’ll be very troubled, okay?”
Ideally, lock yourselves up together and don’t come out to harm others.
Bai Yue blinked, suspecting he had heard wrong. He moved his lips, wanting to say something more, when a familiar voice came from behind.
“Ah Yue.” The person called out.
Bai Yue turned around, his body went soft for a moment, and soon his eyes lit up. “Uncle! Hello, Uncle Gu.”
In an instant, he assumed the posture of a noble family member and bowed slightly.
Shu Ci followed his gaze and saw three middle-aged Alphas in suits walking out one after another. After cramming knowledge recently, he quickly matched the people to their names.
The leader was Councilman Gu, Gu Lanzhu’s uncle Gu Yan, who was often seen on TV.
To Gu Yan’s left was a man who looked similar to him, slightly taller and fatter, with bright red pupils. He was clearly Gu Lanzhu’s father, Gu Chuang. The one on the right looked seventy percent like Bai Yue; he must be Bai Yue’s uncle, Chen Gui.
No wonder Bai Yue had swayed just now. With three high-ranking and powerful Alphas walking side by side, their pressure was enough to make an ordinary Omega submit subconsciously.
Compared to Shen Lin’s drastic reformist forces, these three before him could be said to be the core figures of the conservative forces. Before the younger generation’s wings were fully fledged, these three, relying on their family status and strength, were enough to control the nation’s lifeline and turn the clouds into rain.
Shu Ci didn’t want to play nice with three old foxes. Just as he was thinking of an excuse to leave, the phone in his pocket vibrated.
It was a call from Shen Lin.
He answered the phone gratefully. “Hello.”
“Come up, third floor of the restaurant.” Shen Lin’s voice was clear and powerful. “You and I appeared together in the news on the day of the opening ceremony. Gu Yan will recognize you. Don’t say too much.”
“Okay.”
Shu Ci glanced at the three middle-aged Alphas out of the corner of his eye, turned around, brushed past Bai Yue, and walked around to the other side into the cabin.
He left cleanly and neatly. Bai Yue wanted to call him back, but failed to catch him.
Chen Gui was a little surprised to see his nephew reveal such rare urgency. “Do you know that person just now?”
Bai Yue’s eyelashes trembled.
He saw Gu Lanzhu hidden behind the three men through the gap between them. It was the first time he had seen him hide his aura so well. The Alpha who always proudly released his pressure actually had such a quiet and timid side in front of Shu Ci.
Bai Yue didn’t know what he was thinking in his silence, and felt a faint panic in his heart.
Seeing his uncle staring at him, he had to nod. “He’s my classmate.”
Chen Gui looked thoughtful. “It’s rare for an Omega to see us and still keep their back so straight.”
Gu Chuang looked back at his son behind him. Just now, when they went downstairs, he noticed that his son’s eyes fell on that Omega, suppressing surging emotions without saying a word.
Recalling his son’s performance recently, he probably knew who that was.
āThe not-so-obedient Omega partner he had chosen for his son.
“His pheromone level must be very high,” Gu Chuang laughed. “This child is suitable for marrying into our family.”
Bai Yue’s face turned pale upon hearing this, and he whispered, “He’s already married.”
But his uncle Chen Gui didn’t notice anything and chimed in, “Although levels were abolished long ago, you can still tell by looking. Do you want to invite him for a compatibility test?”
Gu Chuang glanced at Gu Lanzhu and snorted coldly. “What’s the use of doing it? My son is useless in relationships, an incompetent waste who can’t get a wife.”
Gu Lanzhu’s hand hanging by his side clenched tighter.
The corners of Gu Yan’s eyes lifted, and he withdrew his gaze from Shu Ci’s dark green hem.
“Shen Lin has something going on,” he commented faintly.
Gu Yan had been monitoring Shen Lin’s campaign team. He never knew when Shen Lin had connected with this Omega. A casual shot at the A University opening ceremony had won him so much buzz and approval ratings.
He had investigated Shu Ci. He had rebelled against his family and drawn a clear line, was married but hadn’t interrupted his studies, and now seemed to be starting a business. It could be said that he was the most vivid example Shen Lin could present.
His existence was another bold and free way of living. He was simply a guiding light created specifically for Omegas!
Although in Gu Yan’s view, it was ridiculous for an Omega to want to change this world and their inherent way of life single-handedly, if cooperating with him could increase approval ratings… he wouldn’t mind throwing more resources at him.
“Shouldn’t the spokesperson for the group’s products be changed?” Gu Yan looked sideways slightly and asked casually.
Author’s Note:
Councilman Gu: Throw money at him and snatch him from Shen Lin’s camp!
Shu Ci: I have an island, I don’t lack money, and neither does my husband! (Hands on hips)
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