Chapter 30: The Secretary’s Perfume

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A fox…

Luo Ran’s heart skipped a beat, not daring to look up to confirm this person’s identity.

The person in front of him was covered in the scent of… medicine.

Luo Ran wrinkled his nose. He had too many contrasting scents on him, but he should be an alpha.

A dangerous alpha at that.

Luo Ran’s heartbeat quickened — he was nervous.

He didn’t know how the man saw through him, or rather smelled through him.

Thank goodness I turned the earpiece off earlier, Luo Ran thought, or else Lucas and the guards would’ve heard him calling me an omega.

He could head directly to the next world if that happened.

“Don’t be so surprised.” The man grinned. “My nose is much stronger than ordinary people’s. Your pheromone smells amazing. Even though it’s covered by scent blockers,” he said in a flirtatious tone, “it smells amazing.”

Luo Ran felt very uncomfortable under the man’s gaze, like he was being hunted by a deadly snake. Pretending to stroke his hair to disguise turning on his earpiece, he then asked, “If I may ask, you are…?”

“It’s very impolite to ask for someone’s name at an auction,” the man said as he lowered his smiling eyes, “But I can make an exception since you’re so beautiful.”

Luo Ran wore a mask, so the man could only tell using his body shape and eyes.

“Huntsman.”

Startled, Luo Ran took several steps back.

Huntsman and the interstellar pirates under his command had always been arrogant — even now, they used their real names for doing business here. It was only because everyone had too much trust in the Empire’s security that no one believed they were actually Huntsman’s pirates.

As soon as the word ‘Huntsman’ came out, Luo Ran heard Lucas’ voice in his earpiece saying, “Fuck.”

In contrast, the man in front of him still smiled, as elegant as ever. Seeing Luo Ran’s guarded appearance, he chuckled and said, “Little beauty, you want to fight me?”

He seemed to think that it was incredible for Luo Ran to be an omega, and also found it very interesting.

“We cannot fight at an auction.” Luo Ran said warmly, “Sir, please excuse me.”

Huntsman didn’t move an inch.

Luo Ran frowned ever so slightly. “You are…?”

“I think it’s peculiar.” Huntsman swept his gaze over Luo Ran’s nape, then said playfully, “Rather than fighting you, I’d rather we compare skills at some other place.”

At this, Luo Ran’s earpiece exploded into noise.

“Wait for me to get there!”

Just as Luo Ran was still a little dazed by the clamour on both sides, Huntsman suddenly moved, perhaps wanting to probe a bit.

Luo Ran immediately bent at the waist to avoid his attack and struck back, aiming for the man’s neck.

His fighting skills were personally taught by Lucas, so his movements were just as fierce and decisive, just as aggressive, not giving his opponent any chance to breathe. Any normal person would expose their flaws merely from his strong momentum.

Luo Ran almost seemed like a different person when he fought.

Luo Ran frowned slightly.

There was barely anyone apart from Lucas who could suppress him so completely, but he could tell that the person in front of him now was very strong.

He might even be equal to Lucas.

However, Luo Ran wasn’t worried, nor did he show any timidity. Even if his opponent was stronger than him, it wasn’t a big deal.

Because by now, Lucas was probably charging their way like an arrow released from a bow.

Luo Ran’s fist was just about to greet Huntsman’s face when he unexpectedly pulled out a gun and pointed it at Luo Ran’s chest.

It was an air gun that wasn’t life-threatening; at most, it could knock people back.

Crack.

Before Luo Ran could sidestep it, he saw Huntsman suddenly bend over.

At the same time, the air thickened with the scent of tobacco.

It was strong and sharp, with overwhelming aggressiveness.

As an alpha himself, Huntsman briefly lost his ability to move in the instant he was attacked by a fellow alpha’s spiritual power.

Luo Ran took this opportunity to kick his air gun away.

“Lu– …Young Master.”

Lucas pulled Luo Ran behind him protectively as he glared at Huntsman.

The two alphas silently observed each other, as if secretly fighting using their pheromones.

The tension could be cut with a knife as their pheromones blended in the air.

Luo Ran took a step back, then another.

He wasn’t afraid to fight, but rather… he felt a little pressured. Although neither of them focused on him, he still felt short of breath.

A beat passed, then Huntsman raised his hands as his eyes creased into a grin. “No fighting, no fighting. This is an auction. You’re guests, I’m a businessman, we don’t need to fight.”

Lucas watched him expressionlessly.

Luo Ran stepped forward and pulled at Lucas, indicating for him to not make trouble.

If they really fought, this bathroom probably couldn’t be kept, and the commotion would be too big.

They were in the black market – the territory of interstellar pirates – while undercover. It would be their loss if anything happened.

Huntsman cheerfully left, and even gave Luo Ran a strangely ambiguous glance as he walked away.

“That wretch…” Lucas’ tone was murderous.

Luo Ran stopped Lucas by the wrist. “It’s okay.”

Now wasn’t the time to fight. If that person was really an interstellar pirate, then the entire venue was likely also under their control. They didn’t have any reason to be so hard-headed on someone else’s territory.

However, they’d asked Zhou Mingkai to report their actions to the government’s intelligence agency beforehand, so Lu Cheng and the others should already be stationed in place.

After the auction finished and they gathered the relevant information, the army could immediately rush in and arrest everyone.

“I’ll… go to the bathroom first,” Luo Ran said as he walked away. “I said I’d go earlier.”

Luo Ran quickly slipped into a toilet cubicle before Lucas could react.

Lucas followed on his heels.

Luo Ran was very confused.

Lucas stubbornly stood outside the door and stated coldly, “I’m guarding you.”

They were only separated for a few minutes yet Luo Ran met an interstellar pirate, not to mention it was such a shameless one too. Lucas decided he couldn’t leave him alone.

Luo Ran: “…”

No, that’s not…

When Luo Ran lowered his head, he could see Lucas’ black shoes and trouser legs through the gap under the door.

Luo Ran’s face turned red. “No need…”

“Hurry up.” Lucas’ voice, only separated by a thin door, sounded as if it were right next to him.

Luo Ran: “…”

Luo Ran turned to put his back against the door panel, nervously took out his scent blocker, sprayed it all over himself, then covered it up with perfume. It was the white tea scent that Lucas liked.

Luo Ran had always used white tea perfume.

This was very convenient. If his scent blockers failed for some reason, Luo Ran could still fool Lucas because his natural pheromones smelled like his perfume.

Lucas’ hard voice came again. “You’re not in the toilet to piss but to spray perfume??”

Fuck, how shameless.

Lucas touched his nose.

A grown beta man, what kind of perfume would he use?

Unless.

Lucas touched his nose again.

He wasn’t taking advantage of the situation to seduce him, right? After all, today’s Luo Ran was so handsome.

Otherwise, why would he use perfume in a place like this?

This little bastard.

The corners of Lucas’ lips rose wildly as he thought, He doesn’t pay attention to the investigation, but spends time thinking of this nonsense.

Tsk, tsk.

Luo Ran: “…”

Luo Ran’s ears and face were so red that blood might drip out at any moment. “Admiral…! You can wait at the door!”

“Bodyguards cannot leave their principals,” Lucas said in a completely calm tone. “Zhou Mingkai said so.”

Luo Ran’s heart rabbited in his chest. With the thought that Lucas might break in at any moment, he didn’t feel safe at all, and his hands even trembled slightly as he sprayed the perfume.

Afterwards, Luo Ran stayed still to let the traces of perfume dissipate.

Lucas’ voice came again, this time sounding impatient. “What, are you secretly doing makeup? What the hell are you doing in there!”

Luo Ran: “…”

Click!

Luo Ran expressionlessly opened the door, then expressionlessly passed Lucas to wash his hands.

Lucas was confused.

He’s angry again?

Luo Ran strode away from the bathroom.

Lucas chased after him with furrowed brows. “How come you’re angry again?”

Luo Ran turned around with an amiable face, and very kindly pointed at Lucas’ feet.

Bodyguards must walk behind the young master.

Lucas: “…”

He sneered coldly.

Okay, it’s a rare chance for you to be a young master, so you’re enjoying it a lot,* are you?

Just wait until they got back and he recovered his identity!

* * *

When the two returned to the main hall, the omega’s show still wasn’t over.

Lucas was rather surprised.

“Look at the timetable. The show goes for a long time, using many ways to make it more interesting for the audience,” Luo Ran said.

Lucas gripped the armrest.

When Luo Ran left earlier, he’d watched this for a while and felt he might vomit.

He’d seen soldiers covered in blood on the battlefield and seen oceans of corpses, but he couldn’t endure watching a group of people bullying a weakling like this.

It was too disgusting.

Luo Ran hesitated, then lowered his eyes. “I… plan to buy this omega. Using my own money,” he added.

Although Luo Ran said that the omega was willing, if they weren’t desperate, no one would be willing to trample on themselves like this.

Even if the army broke in to arrest everyone later, the auction wouldn’t stop, the omega would still be sold off.

“It’s not just to save people, it’s also for the sake of the investigation. He’s been dosed with the drug…” Luo Ran hesitated for a second. “Let’s talk more when we go back.”

Lucas nodded. “You don’t need to use your money, report it and let the state pay.”

Especially as the price had already reached well into the billions.

“Yes.”

After the omega’s show finally ended, Luo Ran bought him at a shocking price and filled in his information on the hidden website. The next item finally appeared.

It was a weapon made by Huntsman’s group, which Luo Ran also bought at a high price.

They wanted to look into the state of the interstellar pirates’ weapons development as well.

Then, the final item was revealed.

It was the medicine used on that omega, plus a whole bunch of other weird drugs.

The majority of them were probably illegal.

Luo Ran and Lucas looked at each other.

As a vital link in the chain of clues leading to the interstellar pirates’ industry, they had to acquire this thing.

It was at this moment that every alarm in the hall sounded in unison.

The shrill noise immediately plunged the scene into chaos.

“What’s going on! Huh? What’s going on?!”

“I think it’s the Imperial Guard!”

“Fuck it’s really them! Brothers, hide!”

Luo Ran and Lucas looked at each other again.

Huh?

No, it wasn’t the right time, they hadn’t called Lu Cheng in yet.

And Lu Cheng was from the army. What was the Imperial Guard doing here? 

“Hey!” the alpha who sat next to Luo Ran shouted anxiously. “We’ve been found, the Imperial Guard is here! Are you waiting to be caught?!”

A fight broke out at the front door. With the situation unclear, Lucas dragged Luo Ran by the hand to hide near the bathrooms with everyone else.

The cubicles were all full, but there was a small storage room nearby with a bucket and a mop inside which was empty of people. The two hid inside.

They didn’t know what was going on outside. Since they were still on the pirates’ territory, it’s better not to expose themselves for now.

The tiny space was pitch black, and every inch of their bodies were pressed together.

Lucas remembered that Luo Ran had claustrophobia. “You…”

“It’s okay.” Luo Ran shot Lucas a little smile.

As long as he had someone with him, it was fine.

Lucas frowned slightly.

This quiet little space was isolated from the clamour outside.

The smell of white tea – Lucas’ favourite scent – occasionally floated over from Luo Ran’s body. Lucas took advantage of Luo Ran’s lowered eyes to look at the person before him. Luo Ran’s soft black hair followed the line of his face and fell on his shoulders, while his eyes were still bright even in darkness.

This disguise truly was very different from his usual look. Luo Ran normally looked gentle and polite, but today he… Lucas didn’t know how to describe it. Anyways, this little bastard did everything on purpose to hook people, especially when he sprayed perfume.

But Lucas also felt perplexed, because as he kept looking… he kind of liked it.

“Luo Ran…”

“Hm?”

…Do you really like me?

Lucas hesitated. Before he could say more, chaotic shouts came from outside.

“Is anyone inside?! Come out with your hands up!”

“Don’t try to resist, we’re the Imperial Guard!”

Luo Ran: “…”

Lucas: “…”

---

Author:
The Lion of the Empire: Hmph, this damn man, he deliberately dresses like this and hides in the bathroom to touch up his makeup and spray perfume

Translator:
If this were another kind of story, and if Huntsman had more screen time, I’d say that Luo Ran has two hands! Hint hint

Footnotes:

1. Enjoying it a lot [尾巴都翘起来了]: lit. [your] tail is raised [to the sky]; meaning very smug, very proud

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