Chapter 15: The Admiral’s Interrogation

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The next day, Luo Ran carefully asked Lucas for leave from the company and went to find Xia Zhi.

This time he could touch the ore’s inner core, but that was all.

“How is it?”

Seeing Luo Ran stop, Xia Zhi handed him a packet of nutrient solution.

Luo Ran took the nutrient solution and bit into it with a frown. “There’s a force that keeps pushing me out.”

“A force?”

Luo Ran pondered for a bit. “It’s not clear… I only know something’s there.”

But there was some good news. The research institute finally managed to contact two S-grade omega who went to the institute to begin refining that day. Luo Ran also wrote his experiences yesterday into a report and sent it to the institute.

Experimenting with it would go easier if there were more samples and reference data.

Luo Ran didn’t plan to stop exploring the ore either, only he wasn’t so anxious to make progress anymore. He could spend at least half the day doing official business at the company.

“If even you’re having trouble, it’ll be even worse for those two, right?” Xia Zhi shook his head.

“Maybe I have to face it head-on and break through using spiritual power,” Luo Ran said thoughtfully. “I’ll try again later.”

This was undoubtedly dangerous. Xia Zhi hesitated but didn’t say anything. He knew that he couldn’t stop Luo Ran, so he could only be more alert.

Luo Ran finished the nutrient solution and was just preparing to continue when he received a report from the research institute.

Yes, after yesterday’s experience, Luo Ran made sure to occasionally check his terminal’s notifications, and even set a special ringtone for Lucas which was as loud as thunder.

“What is it?”

Luo Ran furrowed his brows. “One of the omega from the research institute ran into trouble. It seems they went into heat while refining, and injured their spirit.”

“Ah…?”

“They say it’s because the ore can stimulate spiritual power, same as what I felt. But I only felt invigorated and didn’t have any heat symptoms.”

Xia Zhi quickly discovered the reason. “That’s because you’re stronger by two grades, so you’re stronger and more resilient, you won’t be affected so easily. Besides… you have a temporary mark. Your spiritual power is more stable than ever, otherwise, how could you have reached the core in only two days?”

Luo Ran paused, still a bit uncomfortable with this topic. “Yeah.”

Xia Zhi glanced at Luo Ran with a slight frown.

He really wanted to know who gave Luo Ran his temporary mark. What if he had been wronged?

For as long as he’d known him, Luo Ran’s self-control bordered on inhuman. If it weren’t for his strong willpower, one could say that he had no wants or desires.

Xia Zhi couldn’t imagine what kind of situation, or person, could leave Luo Ran with a temporary mark.

“Xiaxia?” Luo Ran waved his hand.

“Ah… ah?”

“Let’s keep going.” Luo Ran adjusted the electrode cap.

“Oh…”

Xia Zhi sighed. Forget it, if Luo Ran doesn’t want to say then I can’t force it.

The two continued to work until Luo Ran left just before the sunset. He still had to go to the company to pick up Lucas to accompany him to dinner with His Highness the Prince. The empire was the host and Luobing the guest, so although they were the ones who sent the invitation, Luo Ran was the one who organized everything.

Since Luobing sent an official invitation, Lucas couldn’t not go. It just so happened that he became suspicious of Andika, so despite being reluctant, he accepted Luo Ran’s arrangement.

Upon entering the restaurant, they saw Andika already seated and reading the menu.

As a royal of Luobing, Andika was actually rather pretty, with delicate and soft facial features. However, perhaps because he was an illegitimate child, Andika rarely spoke up for himself.

“A-Admiral…” Andika nervously watched Lucas sit.

Luo Ran originally planned to leave, but with one glare from Lucas, he obediently stood next to them some distance away.

Lucas put on a fierce expression, crossed his legs, and folded his arms across his chest, perfectly giving off an alpha’s overwhelming aura.

He didn’t look like someone here for a meal at all, he was more like a debt collector.

“What, what do you want to eat, Admiral…” Andika rubbed his clothes nervously.

Lucas waved off the menu, indicating for Andika to order.

After ordering the food, the atmosphere once again turned tense.

Lucas got straight to the point and asked, “At the emperor’s birthday banquet earlier, where were you?”

Taken aback, Andika replied, “M-My sister and I were in the main hall, socializing.”

“Any evidence?”

Like a criminal being interrogated, Andika hurriedly said, “Yes, there is, it’s your adjutant Lu Cheng, I accidentally fell and he helped me up.”

“And then? You stayed with him all night?”

Andika looked down. “That, I was a bit tired, so I went upstairs to rest.”

“Evidence.”

“No-none… but I really did just rest in my room, nothing else. Why is the admiral asking?”

Naturally, there was no way Lucas would explain. He continued asking: “When did you leave?”

“The next morning…”

Andika wanted to cry but had no tears. Why was this so different from the date he’d imagined?

Was Lucas here for a meal or for an interrogation?

Lucas sneered. “Everyone left after the banquet late at night, what did you stay at the hotel for?”

“I… I didn’t feel good, then I got a fever, so I stayed in the room. I also asked my maid to buy fever-reducing medicine for me.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow.

See, he said this prince was suspicious.

Sure enough, he stayed overnight at the hotel, then reunited with Luobing’s people the next day.

Lucas finished asking and got the answers he wanted, so he stood and prepared to leave.

“A-Admiral…?” Andika stared after Lucas’ vanishing back in a dumbfounded manner.

“Our most sincere apologies.” Luo Ran approached and said, “However, the food here is excellent, Your Highness can enjoy it slowly.”

“But…”

Luo Ran smiled. “With the admiral here, Your Highness wouldn’t have relaxed, right?”

“En…”

Once Luo Ran caught up to Lucas and boarded the hover car, Lucas crossed his arms. “See, I told you Luobing’s people had problems.”

Luo Ran pressed his brows together. “I feel… something isn’t right.”

In the beginning, Lucas didn’t really think Andika was the culprit just because he had a pet dog. After all, the DNA report clearly stated that the sample was from a stray dog deceased for many years, whose body parts were also used as samples in the lab.

It was only because Andika was hugging the dog which made Lucas think of Luobing.

Luo Ran paused. He thoughtfully tapped his fingers on the terminal he was holding. “Don’t you think that His Highness Prince Andika was too calm?”

“?”

“We all know His Highness’ personality. As an illegitimate child, he has always been bullied by his elder brothers and sisters. Wasn’t he always afraid of you?”

Lucas nodded.

Luo Ran continued, “He usually stutters when speaking. But during Admiral’s questioning just now, he was able to speak clearly and fluently, plainly stating all his thoughts.”

As soon as Luo Ran mentioned it, Lucas understood.

Yes, how could such a timid person who had trouble speaking at the best of times respond so calmly to those ambiguous questions?

It was like… he practised in advance, trying desperately to prove his innocence.

“I don’t know if Admiral noticed that His Highness would stop and think while answering. Although the pause was short, he was definitely thinking,” Luo Ran added.

Like trying to remember his lines.

Luo Ran thought that even if he guessed wrong and he was just a person prone to thinking deeply, there was still only one possible conclusion: His Highness Prince Andika was strange.

“Then you go check it.” Lucas sneered. “Let’s see what Luobing is up to.”

After news spread that Lucas ‘accompanied’ Andika for a meal, both the empire and Luobing exploded.

The empire’s omega all wept bitterly, while the tears from CP fans streamed until they could fill entire lakes.

Meanwhile, Luobing’s royal family was on cloud nine, hating that they couldn’t immediately discuss marriage.

The next day, Rong Duo finished her paperwork and logged on to the forum, only to see a scene of carnage.

[Admiral, you’re so cruel! Ungrateful, loving the new and rejecting the old, you rake!]

[Breaking news! For the sake of the little foreign prince, the admiral abandoned the wife with whom he shared troubles?!]

Rong Duo clicked on the topic with question marks all over her face.

Ah, okay.

Although Rong Duo was an intern stationed outside Lucas’ door next to Luo Ran, she usually worked quietly by herself and only feasted her eyes, not daring to approach them with gossip. This time, she also wasn’t sure what was going on.

“Excuse me, is Secretary Luo here?”

Just then, a junior employee from the lower floors came up with a bunch of flowers.

Rong Duo got up with a smile. “Secretary Luo went on a business trip, I’m temporarily replacing him. What’s the matter, did something happen?”

“It’s a delivery for Secretary Luo, but outsiders can’t come up, so I brought it over.”

“Okay.”

Rong Duo examined what the employee was holding – it was a bouquet of fresh roses with fresh dew on the petals, clearly very valuable.

Rong Duo was a little confused.

Who would send Secretary Luo something like this?

Lucas suddenly walked out, about to leave for the military headquarters. He glanced at the flowers.

Rong Duo automatically explained, “Someone sent flowers for Secretary Luo!”

Lucas frowned slightly when he heard this.

Lucas strode forwards, grabbed the bundle of flowers, and opened the small card inside.

I sincerely invite Mr. Luo to attend my birthday party. I hope I will be lucky enough to dance together with you.
–Zhou Mingyu

It was from the eldest prince, whose birthday was coming soon. Lucas also received an invitation, but his was through official channels.

Lucas snorted coldly and directly threw the flowers into a nearby trash can.

Peng! The loud sound caused Rong Duo to jump. Then she trembled, not daring to make a peep, let alone look at Lucas.

It was only after Lucas left that Rong Duo was able to slowly recover. As she patted her chest, she abruptly realised that she seemed to have witnessed something incredible?!

Although…

Rong Duo thought for a while, then took a photo of the invitation card in the trash can and sent it to Luo Ran.

She carefully avoided including the trash can, only focusing on the card.

Lucas threw the flowers away himself, so she naturally didn’t dare to pick them up. However, since they were handed over to her to pass on to Luo Ran, she should still give him a heads up.

While messaging him, Rong Duo wondered why the eldest prince would suddenly invite Secretary Luo…

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Author:
Rong Duo: so sour, is this the taste of love?

Translator:
I’ve decided to continue translating this novel to the end! If you have a bit to spare, please consider supporting me through Ko-fi.