 Chapter 11
Waking up late, he decided to skip breakfast and prepare brunch instead.
As He Yuan busied himself in the kitchen, he noticed the official meal deliveries from the cooking system—this morning’s, yesterday’s, and the night before last.
None of them had been eaten. Did this mean that Admiral Wen Su had already fallen ill before dinner two days ago?!
Enduring more than 36 hours of excruciating neural pain, without uttering a single word, merely frowning and lying down silently?!
… Incredible. Truly worthy of being a top-tier combatant!
He Yuan was filled with admiration.
Although Admiral Wen Su seemed to have recovered this morning, it was crucial not to be complacent. He needed to keep a close eye on him!
At the dining table, He Yuan blinked his large eyes, scanning Wen Su carefully, thinking he was being very cautious. But a top-tier combatant’s sensitivity to the outside world was beyond extraordinary.
Wen Su, on the surface, remained calm, sitting upright as if savoring a fine wine, sipping milk and slowly chewing on the love-filled fried rice made by this Omega. Internally, however, his emotions were surging.
This Omega clearly loved him deeply. Despite being coldly rejected, he no longer openly expressed his feelings to avoid causing trouble, but his genuine affection could not be entirely concealed.
That look in his eyes—so cautious yet so greedy, so real, and so… cute.
Yes, Wen Su no longer denied it. This Omega, He Yuan, was indeed very cute. He no longer resisted the idea of a relationship between the sexes. Last night had been a truly epoch-making night for him, but he couldn’t rush things just yet.
There was one very important question still unanswered—
Did he truly “love” this Omega sitting before him?
Understanding and facing the question—was it equivalent to “love”?
If he advanced things without reaching the level of “love,” it would be too hasty and would show extreme disrespect and irresponsibility toward the Omega who clearly “loved” him deeply. A mature and rational Alpha would never do such a thing.
No, he needed to take his time, to feel and verify things slowly.
Wen Su made up his mind, his face relaxing. Seizing the moment, He Yuan asked, “Admiral, how did you get that illness? Was it due to an injury?”
“It wasn’t an injury. I’ve never been injured,” Wen Su replied calmly. “It was a residual effect from battling with my pheromones.”
“Battling with pheromones?” He Yuan, born with closed glands, was unfamiliar with matters related to pheromones.
But Wen Su wasn’t surprised.
“This only happens to top-tier Alphas with overwhelmingly strong pheromones. In the entire history of the galaxy, less than a hundred Alphas have experienced this.”
“Wow…” He Yuan’s eyes and mouth both opened wide.
“Extremely powerful pheromones are hard to control. You could even crudely understand it as if they possess a certain consciousness of their own, unwilling to submit to the body’s owner. They rebel, wanting to break free and exist independently. As their owner, I had to tame them, to make them completely obedient.” Wen Su paused. “I succeeded, though it left me with some minor aftereffects.”
Minor…
Aftereffects…
He Yuan’s face twisted in disbelief.
“Are you saying there are Alphas who can’t tame their own pheromones?”
Wen Su nodded.
“And what happens to them?”
“They can undergo medical intervention to suppress their pheromones’ power, becoming ordinary Alphas.”
“What if they don’t accept medical intervention?” He Yuan asked nervously.
“If they don’t get medical help and can’t tame their pheromones…” Wen Su said casually, “They either go mad or die.”
He Yuan: ………………
The Alpha before him, neither mad nor dead, occasionally having headaches, could indeed be considered “minor” and “light” aftereffects.
How impressive.
“Are there any signs before the aftereffects flare up? For example, this time, what triggered it?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Wen Su’s expression darkened slightly. The words “because of you” almost slipped out.
During the period when he left the base to attend team-building events and He Yuan returned to school, Wen Su had racked his brain over how to handle his relationship with He Yuan. He constantly found himself in inner conflict, self-doubt, and eventually, a bit of fear as he realized his emotions seemed to be defeating his rationality.
It was hard to accept.
The massive emotional turmoil had broken down his mental defenses, but now that he had processed it, all the prior pain had taken on a positive meaning.
So, he told a little white lie: “This time, there were no signs. It was probably just an accident.”
“Oh…” He Yuan nodded. “Yesterday, I followed the robot butler’s suggestion and created white noise artificially. You’re all better today! Um… I’m not saying it’s all because of me, but I might’ve helped a bit. So, I was wondering if I could ask for your permission to sing you to sleep occasionally, to keep it up!”
It wasn’t a bad idea.
After all, Omega’s singing was truly lovely.
But…
“That would affect your sleep.”
“No problem!” Feeling a surge of responsibility from his superior’s consideration, He Yuan patted his chest. “I sleep really well! Five hours a night is all I need to feel energized! Plus, I’m your personal assistant, so it’s my duty! This task is on me, sir. You can count on me!”
11:00 PM
Wen Su had finished his bath, dried off, and lay in bed wearing his robe. Right on cue, a knocking sound came, steady like a heartbeat.
After a soft “Come in,” the door opened slightly, and He Yuan poked his head in.
Looking a bit embarrassed.
“Admiral, can I come in wearing my loungewear? My suit is in the wash, and it’ll take a while to dry…”
Due to financial constraints, He Yuan only had one decent suit.
Still trying to maintain the image of a personal assistant, Wen Su cooperated, saying, “You can. Since you’re my personal assistant, you might as well be more casual.”
He Yuan: !
It seemed that after his headache, Admiral Wen Su had grown more approachable!
Of course, he definitely didn’t want the Admiral to keep having headaches!
He Yuan thanked him and walked in. He was wearing soft, cartoonish loungewear with little bear prints and matching bear slippers. He stopped about two meters from the bed, stood straight, clasped his hands together, and cleared his throat.
A clear and melodious song filled the room again. Maybe because he had sung for too long the previous night, his high notes were a bit hoarse today.
Omega, just like his voice, was fragile.
Wen Su felt a bit guilty. Lying under the covers, he closed his eyes, pretending to sleep.
He was well-versed in the art of deception, a master of both strategy and tactics. If he wanted to trick someone, that person would inevitably fall into his trap.
Soon enough.
He Yuan noticed that the person on the bed had a serene expression and was breathing steadily. Feeling proud of his usefulness, he stopped singing and quietly left, closing the door softly behind him.
Meanwhile, Wen Su opened his eyes.
He was very concerned about the earlier question. Desperate for answers, he reopened the anonymous emotional forum he had sworn not to use again and posted:
*”What exactly does it feel like to be in love?”*
Short and to the point.
In the quiet, yet somewhat tumultuous, night, he once again set off an explosion among the netizens.
“What kind of insane question is this? The feeling is obviously amazing, so good, incredibly good, unbelievably good.”
“Yeah, like you’re on cloud nine, with your whole body trembling.”
“When you meet the right person, even your soul trembles.”
“Like two perfectly fitting puzzle pieces.”
“Both madly cherishing and madly crushing each other.”
Wen Su: ?
That didn’t seem quite right.
He kept reading—
“LZ must be a virgin, huh? That’s why they’re asking.”
“How tragic. Let’s light a candle for LZ.”
Wen Su: ???
He continued reading—
“Wait, is there a possibility that everyone here misunderstood? LZ might be asking how to confirm if it’s true love?”
“… Huh?”
“??????”
“Emmmm, isn’t it a bit too innocent to be contemplating such a question in the dead of night?”
Wen Su: ………………
He scrolled back up to reread his post, frowning deeply.
He didn’t think this mix-up was entirely his fault.
This forum was really strange.
But on the bright side, he got two answers for the price of one.
After searching the page for a while, he finally found the “quote” button, selecting the reply that had hit the nail on the head and typing, “Yes, that’s my question.”
After a moment’s thought, he added:
*”I appreciate everyone’s help. Thank you.”*
From a young age, Wen Su had always been the strongest, so the opportunity to use such a phrase had been extremely rare. But now, in this moment, he realized he was standing at a crucial turning point in life, a fork in the road he had never encountered before. He needed the guidance of those with experience to avoid going astray.
Despite the initial confusion, the enthusiastic netizens, moved by his politeness, were more than willing to help.
*”Knowing their flaws but still appreciating their strengths, and not wanting to leave them.”*
*”Able to share in both wealth and hardship.”*
*”Because of their presence, you become a better person, or rather, you both become better together.”*
*”Thinking they’re cute! Not beautiful, handsome, sexy, or cool—cute! Cute is the highest compliment!”*
*”When you see something interesting, you immediately want to share it with them, wanting to give them the best of everything.”*
*”Willing to restrain yourself for them.”*
*”Agreed. You crave their body but also restrain yourself for them.”*
*”Like-minded, mutually admiring and understanding, both soulmates and passionate lovers.”*
*”+1, there must be a resonance of souls.”*
…
The discussion continued for over an hour. Wen Su read through each response, thinking them over carefully.
Some of the points seemed to apply to He Yuan, while others didn’t, indicating that what he felt was “affection,” but not yet “love.”
The netizens advised that if there was “affection,” he should observe and let things develop, then decide whether to advance or retreat based on how things evolved.
That made a lot of sense.
Feeling that he had gained a lot, Wen Su went to sleep content.
___
The Next Morning
Following the principle that “assistants must be obedient,” He Yuan accepted Wen Su’s formal order to sit together and eat the same meals. However, just as he was preparing to exercise, Wen Su called him over.
Wen Su walked ahead in silence. Though curious, He Yuan followed quietly.
They went into the villa’s living room, up to the second floor, and toward the far end of the hallway. Their destination was… the recreation room.
He Yuan: ?
It was prime morning time, and Wen Su had come to the recreation room! He had never entered this room before!
He Yuan was very confused as he watched Wen Su activate the virtual screen, turn on the game console, and hand him a pair of thin glasses.
It was a peripheral for a holographic game.
“Admiral, you want me to play games with you?”
“Exercise,” Wen Su replied succinctly.
“Oh!”
He Yuan understood. After all, Wen Su wasn’t one to indulge in entertainment. He spent nearly all his time improving his combat skills. This was just a change in form.
Adding some fun to monotonous training was a good idea.
It showed that Wen Su was gradually recognizing the importance of happiness. How wonderful!
Wen Su selected a two-person combat game.
Both of them put on the holographic glasses and were instantly transported to the game’s setting: a canyon with jagged rocks. The sunset bathed everything in a mix of warm yellow and dim shadows. Their avatars were automatically outfitted in weathered, cowboy-style shirts, vests, work pants, and boots, with dust and grime on their faces and hair.
… So cool!
Especially Wen Su, who looked like the protagonist of a movie!
It was He Yuan’s first time playing a large-scale holographic game, and he was completely amazed. Before he could finish marveling, a “ding” sounded, and the words “Battle Start” appeared in bold red letters in the air. Then, with a sudden “whoosh,” a fist the size of a sandbag flew toward his face!
Instinctively, he opened his eyes wide, and the next thing he knew, his body was flying backward, his limbs flailing. He watched as fake nosebleed sprayed into the air, the blood trailing off and transforming into the words “K.O.”
In the real world, He Yuan landed hard on his butt, wincing as he rubbed his unbloodied nose.
Wen Su: …
He kept a calm expression, but inwardly, he was extremely embarrassed, his ears—rarely—turning hot.
His intentions had been good.
After watching for a long time, he had finally decided to teach He Yuan real exercise, rather than just letting him flail around dancing.
Considering that live teaching might be too much for He Yuan’s fragile body, he had decided to ease him into it through a holographic game.
In the previous round, he had thrown the most basic, easily blockable punch, even reducing his strength to half of what it normally would be. Yet, somehow…
It was beyond his expectations.
Still, the way He Yuan sat there rubbing his nose with a frustrated look was quite cute.
And he did look adorable in the game avatar.
… Adorable?
*”Cute is the highest compliment!”*
Wen Su’s “love radar” flickered to life, and he felt a bit dazed.
At that moment, He Yuan stood up. “Sorry, Admiral! I was too busy looking at the scenery and didn’t notice the match had started. You’re really serious, and your punches are so fast!”
As he said “so fast,” he clenched his fists, his expression deadly serious, cheeks puffed out.
Even more adorable.
“Admiral, let’s go again! This time, I’ll definitely take it seriously!”
The new round began, He Yuan’s eyes burning with focus as he lowered his center of gravity, shuffling his feet in preparation.
The battle commenced. Wen Su threw another straightforward punch, and He Yuan raised his arms to block, stumbling back a few steps. But by the time the second punch came, he couldn’t block in time and was K.O.’d again.
Wen Su: ………
He had already reduced his strength to 25%.
He Yuan, embarrassed, scratched his head. “You’re amazing, Admiral.”
Each scene was best of five rounds, and they were now at match point in the third round. Wen Su replicated his previous punches exactly, reducing his strength to just 12.5%.
He Yuan was actually very smart: once he got hit, he would undoubtedly figure out how to defend. But for punches he hadn’t experienced yet…
And so, predictably, he was hit by the third punch and suffered a third K.O.
Wen Su: ………………
Turns out going easy… no, going *extremely* easy, was harder than expected.
“Admiral, you’re too strong. I’m totally holding you back by training with you. I’m wasting your time!” He Yuan thought to himself that he was utterly useless. Wen Su had finally given him a task, and he just couldn’t do it right!
Wen Su ignored him, exiting the fight and searching the system again.
A single-player challenge game caught his eye. The setting was a wilderness camp with multiple traps and guards. As the camera zoomed in, the focus landed on a dark cell.
A beam of light shone down, and He Yuan entered the game, now wearing a dirty, ragged shirt, barefoot, and covered in injuries.
“The game has started,” the system voice announced.
He Yuan blinked in confusion.
Was the goal to escape? How was he supposed to escape? Even if he got out of the cell, how would he deal with all the people and traps outside?!
And why was this a single-player game? Wasn’t Wen Su supposed to be exercising?
“Ah!”
Suddenly, his hands were grabbed from behind. He turned his head to see Wen Su’s tall form pressing against him, wrapping him in an embrace. Wen Su leaned in close to his ear and said, “The game has started.”
The words were the same as the system’s, but Wen Su’s voice was deeper, more reliable, and full of texture.
He smelled like the woody cologne He Yuan had carefully chosen for him.
The scent had layers, just like its owner.
At that moment, a trap in the cell’s ceiling activated, and a massive axe swung down toward them.
He Yuan gasped in surprise, but the man behind him calmly grabbed him around the waist, gracefully turning and jumping to avoid the blow.
*Thump thump.*
*… Thump thump.*
It was the sound of a heartbeat.
He Yuan listened intently, carefully confirming.
No, this wasn’t a game sound effect—it was real.
It belonged to both him and Wen Su, slightly out of sync but almost perfectly in harmony.
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