Tag: BL (page 11 of 12)

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The two just hid their heads in the coat and stumbled their way onto the hovercar.

Lucas, with his eyes a little red, tightly grasped Luo Ran’s hand.

At times like this, alpha were more sensitive to omega pheromones; and towards omega whom they liked or already marked, they were completely unable to resist.

However, Luo Ran knew that he’d used a lot of scent blocker sprays and drugs to suppress his own pheromones.

Lucas was breathing hard, as if trying to hold something back.

“Admiral, do you have a headache?” From his research, Luo Ran knew that alpha would be very uncomfortable during this period. They felt like someone was fighting in their minds, so they couldn’t help but direct their aggression outwards to vent.

Luo Ran dug out the rut-suppressant medicine he carried in his pocket, and handed that along with a thermos bottle to Lucas.

Lucas swallowed it roughly.

Luo Ran lightly patted Lucas’ back.

Lucas’ eyes dimmed, and he quickly grabbed Luo Ran’s wrist again.

Ow.

It hurt, but Luo Ran held back from crying out.

Marks soon appeared on the wrist from the hard metal’s pressure. Luo Ran gritted his teeth, drooped his head, and waited for their destination.

“Admiral, we’ve arrived.”

Lucas didn’t look at Luo Ran again — he felt that if he took one more glance, he wouldn’t be able to hold back. He turned and strode towards his room as his chest heaved with breath.

Luo Ran locked the doors and windows, then stood outside his room. “If Admiral doesn’t feel well, or needs anything, send a message through the terminals, okay?”

An answering grunt came from within, then Lucas seemed to climb onto his bed to sleep. After all, Luo Ran dosed the white tea incense with a lot of sleeping aids.

Luo Ran let out a relieved breath, then smoothly took out an ointment to rub his wrists with.

Lucas didn’t really know how to control his strength and the force he used towards others was different from normal people, but Luo Ran didn’t plan to remind him.

Lucas’ rut usually lasted between one to three days.

Luo Ran pulled up a reclining chair, sat right next to the door, and took the time to do some paperwork.

The beta patrolling outside were also used to Luo Ran guarding Lucas through his rut.

The next day, the investigation into Andika’s case started in earnest. There were many things to look into, not least of which were the pirates’ supply route, the maid’s weapons, and the extent of the pirates’ infiltration.

According to Andika, the maid threatened him with both drugs and interstellar pirates, in order to force him to bring pirates to the Empire’s capital… and to arrange a meeting between the pirates’ leader — Huntsman — and a VIP from the Empire to take place during the banquet, for a business meeting. The plan was to disguise Huntsman as Andika’s bodyguard.

As for who the VIP was, Andika didn’t know.

But after careful consideration, Huntsman was present at every banquet.

He could only be there under the protection of the VIP.

Lu Cheng handed the report to Luo Ran, then summarised their progress in a few sentences.

“There’s one more thing… Andika told me something, but I didn’t let him report it to the authorities,” Lu Cheng said in a low voice. “Secretary Luo reminded me earlier to not report this kind of thing.”

Luo Ran raised his eyebrows and motioned for Lu Cheng to continue.

“Andika said that interstellar pirates are planning to steal UNK.”

The situation had changed immediately after Luo Ran successfully refined the UNK.

Repeated experiments showed that the refined UNK indeed contained more energy — up to five times more energy, in fact, compared to anything from previous mines.

The most important point was that it could not only power machines and factories, but if people ate it or were exposed to its radiation for a period of time, their spiritual and physical powers would increase dramatically. It was the equivalent of a new medicine and weapon combined.

Of course, the Empire immediately began making plans and setting rules, as well as officially launching a large-scale UNK refining project. All the omega from the research institute succeeded in refining UNK using blueprints from the ‘SSS omega’, and Xia Zhi, as the first to successfully refine it, was also invited to the institute as a researcher, which could be considered as returning to his roots.

It was also because of this that the meetings between the two countries would start again.

At present, Luobing had already promised to send another batch of UNK soon.

If interstellar pirates wanted to steal some, then they must be targeting this delivery of UNK.

Luo Ran frowned slightly, wondering why pirates would bother stealing it at all. It wasn’t as if they knew how to refine it.

But on second thought, that Huntsman seemed… a little mysterious.

Maybe he could figure it out? Or perhaps the pirates also intended to steal the blueprints, after all, Huntsman had that important friend of his.

Luo Ran rubbed his temples. “You’ve done a good job, this thing shouldn’t be reported to them, our army has always been the ones to fight pirates.”

Their superiors weren’t trustworthy. They didn’t know who the spy was, and they couldn’t defend against it at all.

Their operation couldn’t be interrupted again like last time.

“Go negotiate with them to transfer that maid to our detention facilities,” Luo Ran ordered, “then question her as harshly as needed about their plans for the robbery.”

With UNK containing this much energy, it might easily create terrifying new weapons if processed. They couldn’t let interstellar pirates get their hands on it.

“Yes sir!”

“Oh, right, Secretary Yuan Han asked me something this morning, and the imperial family is also very concerned.” Luo Ran stroked his chin and smiled. “You and Prince Andika…?”

At this, Lu Cheng scratched at his cheek, a little embarrassed. “He said it’s okay to… um, get married. But he’s afraid Luobing’s side won’t agree, so he asked me to mark him.”

An alpha could mark countless omega in their lifetime, but an omega could only have one alpha, and their marks could never be removed.

If Lu Cheng marked Andika, then Luobing wouldn’t have a choice about it even if their original plan was to have their prince matched with Lucas.

But this result was exactly what the Empire wanted. Not only would it satisfy Luobing’s requirement for a marriage, but it also wouldn’t let them take advantage of the situation.

Lu Cheng didn’t have a high status — he was neither of the imperial family nor did he have a hereditary title or military rank.

But he also couldn’t be said to have a low status — he was the chief adjutant of the Empire’s admiral, and was someone who held real military power.

Not too much or too little, just right.

Luo Ran chuckled a little. “We weren’t very clear before, but now we know. Prince Andika treats you very well, but he’s still a rather timid omega. You have to be patient while he quits the drug, the process might not be so smooth or beautiful, so you have to take care of him more and don’t show any impatience. It’s important to give him self-confidence and to keep encouraging him.”

Luo Ran remembered the Andika he saw at the banquet. At that time, the young man, who held an empty plate, stood next to the long table in a daze, staring at the many types of food. He obviously wanted to eat but dared not reach out and take any, and in the end, Luo Ran personally chose some food for him.

“He encountered something like this on his first trip to the Empire, plus he’s never lived well in Luobing before, so he must be very scared,” Luo Ran said, “you have to stay with him more. How about I ask the admiral to give you a holiday when he comes over, and give you a reduced workload for half a year?”

“Thank you, Secretary Luo!!” Lu Cheng solemnly stated, “I definitely will! I’ve already marked him, and I’ll protect him properly in the future, I won’t let him be bullied again.”

“Also… You must treat him well, but don’t think that you’re inferior to him. Altogether, his position in Luobing and your position in the Empire is about the same, so be confident.”

Luobing was a vassal state and Andika was an illegitimate child, while Lu Cheng was the adjutant of the Empire’s admiral.

“Yes sir!!” Lu Cheng’s heart was warm.

After that, Lu Cheng intended to leave, but he couldn’t resist a glance at the tightly closed door.

“Secretary Luo isn’t going in…?” Lu Cheng asked.

Finding Lu Cheng’s question very strange, Luo Ran raised his head. “It’s better not to disturb the admiral at this time.”

Lu Cheng hesitated as if uncertain whether to say something.

Secretary Luo was a beta, he… might not understand.

Lu Cheng took a deep breath. “Secretary Luo, I’ve also experienced ruts before. During ruts, alpha lose almost all reason and self-control, but can restrain themselves in the face of their favourite omega or beta and suppress all their instincts, do you know what this means?”

“…?” Luo Ran couldn’t quite react to this new topic for a while.

“This means that the alpha really, truly cherishes them, so that they can fight against biological instincts. That shows extraordinary determination and resolve, I-I might not be able to do it…”

Luo Ran smiled. “I know this.”

“Yes!”

Lu Cheng left. Luo Ran paused; putting aside liking him or whatnot, Lucas really was… trying his best to endure, he didn’t lose his temper or lash out.

Lucas didn’t have to.

Luo Ran lowered his eyes and gripped the report without a word.

* * *

Luo Ran sat near the door for the rest of the day, watching the patrolling beta go in to deliver food for Lucas.

Wang Qiuyang prepared a sandbag for Lucas, which he used in the room to exercise and vent. The sound of his fists hitting the sandbag was so intense that Luo Ran could hear them across the door, letting him feel the depths of Lucas’ irritability.

Luo Ran sat like that until evening, and when he returned after a shower, he saw that the door had opened.

Lucas stood next to the door and expressionlessly watched Luo Ran with pitch-black eyes.

Luo Ran immediately went closer and asked, “Admiral, do you need anything…?”

Lucas: “You.”

Luo Ran froze.

Lucas held the door frame. The man’s eyes were like those of a falcon, and his sharp aura made Luo Ran breathless.

Luo Ran replied blankly, “I… What about me?”

Luo Ran’s body smelled not only of white tea, but also of his shampoo from his recent shower.

“Can you come in with me?” Lucas asked in a low, hoarse voice.

Luo Ran’s reason was telling him: no, you can’t.

He was a secretary, an employee, and an omega masquerading as a beta, he shouldn’t approach his boss during his rut.

That would be overstepping.

But when Luo Ran met Lucas’ eyes, he suddenly thought of Lu Cheng’s words, and then… he nodded.

Luo Ran wanted to do his best to meet all of Lucas’ requirements and avoid making him sad.

Almost in the same instant Luo Ran nodded, he felt himself being dragged in.

Bang! As soon as the door closed, Luo Ran was pressed against it. The man in front of him breathed heavily. “I don’t want you to be anyone else’s secretary.”

“I won’t,” Luo Ran replied. After a beat, he repeated gently, “I won’t, Admiral.”

Lucas didn’t seem to believe it. He lowered his head, and bit at the junction of Luo Ran’s neck and shoulder.

Luo Ran frowned slightly at the pain.

Lucas stared ferociously at Luo Ran, wishing to leave his mark.

Luo Ran is mine.

Lucas bit hard, leaving a deep red tooth mark on that fair skin.

Then he turned his head and took a bite on the other shoulder.

“Admiral…!” Luo Ran reflexively raised his head and stared upwards. “You…”

Lucas grabbed Luo Ran’s left hand and bit his wrist.

“Mnh…” These were all vulnerable places, Luo Ran could only passively let this madman go crazy.

A bright red mark appeared on his left wrist.

It wasn’t enough. Lucas snared Luo Ran’s right wrist and lowered his mouth again.

—My mark has to be everywhere others can see.

As soon as this thought emerged, Lucas’ gaze moved to Luo Ran’s face.

This place was also his.

Lucas bit those soft lips.

---

Translator:
The first couple from the emperor’s banquet is set, and our ship is sailing! A good chapter, all told.

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Lucas originally didn’t want to bully Luo Ran, after all, his mood wasn’t too good right now.

He was gradually able to realise something, and guessed that he might be in his rut.

But that guy sent himself up, and even jumped around to provoke him…

Bang——

Lucas pressed Luo Ran onto the bed with his own weight and glared at him, looking no different from the rumoured killing god.

Luo Ran saw it clearly now.

He laid there in a daze, still a little confused.

Ah, he’s not crying.

…No, what was he thinking?

Wasn’t he wasting his time? Even if he thought with his knees, he’d know that Lucas would never have anything to do with tears.

…Then.

He’s done for now.

Luo Ran smiled stiffly and tried to defend himself. “Admiral… I-I didn’t mean to, I thought…”

“You thought?” Lucas raised his eyebrow.

Luo Ran’s hands were still clasped above his head. Lucas pressed against half his body, and with his knees digging into Luo Ran’s legs, there was no way for him to move.

In this posture, he was completely subdued, completely unable to resist.

“I thought you were unhappy…” Luo Ran said nervously.

He really couldn’t get the words ‘I thought you were crying’ out of his mouth.

“I really, truly, am unhappy,” Lucas said with a dark look, “I want to bully someone, to release my anger.”

“…” Luo Ran closed his eyes and submitted to his fate.

Lucas made a light sound, then gripped and raised Luo Ran’s ankle.

Luo Ran: “…?!”

Lucas… tickled Luo Ran’s foot.

“Ah…!” Luo Ran rolled around, trying to escape, but Lucas simply shifted sideways and pinned him in place.

At this moment, Lucas was half-kneeling on the bed next to Luo Ran’s waist. One leg was bent with a knee pressed against Luo Ran’s chest to prevent him from getting up, and the other knee supported himself on the bed.

Lucas held Luo Ran’s foot up with one hand at the ankle, and the other tickled his sole.

“A-Admiral…!” This posture was too ambiguous, plus Luo Ran was ticklish, and he couldn’t take being scratched like this. He was tortured so badly that reflexive tears came out, and kept struggling and twisting like a fish out of water.

“Haah… stop!” The usually calm Secretary Luo couldn’t help letting out begging and gasping sounds mixed with uncontrollable whimpers, looking extremely uncomfortable.

Lucas turned towards Luo Ran. “Do you know what you did wrong!”

Luo Ran gasped for breath. “I know.”

Lucas continued to ask, “Whose secretary are you?”

“Yours,” Luo Ran replied.

Lucas put down Luo Ran’s ankle, and was only reluctantly satisfied at seeing his current embarrassed appearance.

Although a fire still burned in his heart, he knew that he couldn’t keep messing with Luo Ran when he saw him blushing and dishevelled, because his mind had also become chaotic.

Very, very chaotic.

He also had some extreme thoughts.

His head hurt again.

Lucas rubbed at his temples as he got up. “You better remember it, next time, find me and I’ll…”

He stopped, then turned and left without another word.

Luo Ran, still lying on the bed, stared blankly at Lucas’ departing figure.

Then, after a while, his face and ears slowly began to burn.

Luo Ran didn’t know what he was doing either.

Only…

Just now, it seemed, a little, not suitable for a relationship between an employer and employee.

But it wasn’t his fault this time… probably.

It was the proud and territorial lion who absolutely didn’t allow others to rob his prey. Even if he was a mere secretary, he had to clearly lay his claim.

Luo Ran patted his cheeks and got up to make preparations.

He asked Adjutant Wang Qiuyang to surround the house with their people, but to also stay a certain distance away from Lucas, and only allow beta patrolmen to bring messages between them.

“The admiral is more vulnerable during this time, so Adjutant Wang, you must guard him well. Adjutant Lu and I will return in an hour.”

Wang Qiuyang also understood this was a rut. He gave Luo Ran a crisp salute and replied, “Yes sir!”

Before leaving, Luo Ran filled the house with incense and arranged for a special beta to stand guard. As soon as Lucas fell into his rut, they would immediately close all the windows, lock the doors, and directly enter isolation, then send someone to notify Luo Ran.

After arranging all this, Luo Ran brought Lu Cheng and Shen Xiluo to look for Prince Andika.

Luobing’s royals all lived in the eastern residential area. Not only were they surrounded by their own soldiers, but also by the Empire’s soldiers, for fear of them meeting an accident. The many stationed soldiers would guard them throughout the night.

Luo Ran’s group only had three people, plus he was very recognisable, so they easily passed layer after layer of guards to arrive at His Highness Prince Andika’s residence.

Andika’s rooms were separated from the others by a certain distance and didn’t have any lights on. Everything was still.

Luo Ran slowly frowned, feeling that something was off.

The sky had just turned dark, yet the guards were all spread relatively far away. Although they could still ensure the safety of the people inside and prevent outsiders from getting in, there wasn’t a single person nearby and the house was too quiet.

Lu Cheng suppressed his worries and clenched his hand around the gun holstered at his waist.

Luo Ran first explained the situation to the guards and asked them to be ready to break in at any time, then turned and gestured to indicate that their trio would sneak inside to take a look.

There was no need to mention Lu Cheng’s abilities. Luo Ran and Shen Xiluo were also very skilled, so they simply acted separately.

Inside, not a single light was on, nor was any person present.

Luo Ran walked in through the back door and carefully observed the clues left behind.

But there was nothing there.

It was a little too calm. There wasn’t any sign of fighting — everything was in its place.

Just then, Luo Ran suddenly shuddered, whirled around, and found a fleeting shadow on a roof beam.

He wasn’t sure if it was his own illusion, so he backed into a corner to try and get a better look.

Something creaked.

Luo Ran paused. He seemed to have stepped on something. 

Looking down, he saw that he’d stepped on a wooden board, and below the board it sounded… hollow.

There was a space underneath!

The house was so quiet that this miniscule sound quickly made Lu Cheng come to take a look.

Luo Ran pointed to the wood boards beneath his feet and motioned for Lu Cheng to open it while he himself retreated a few steps and pointed his gun at it, just in case.

Lu Cheng nodded. He held the wooden cover with one hand and signalled to Luo Ran with the other.

One, two…

Three!

Boom!!

As soon as the cover opened, a person charged out and desperately stabbed Lu Cheng, who was the closest, with the knife in his hand.

“Your Highness…?!” When Lu Cheng recognised Andika, he immediately restrained him. He only dodged and didn’t retaliate.

“Let…! A-Adjutant Lu?” Andika originally fought like crazy, but Lu Cheng’s voice stunned him.

“It’s me, it’s me, what’s going on?!”

“I…” Before Andika could say anything, he saw that behind Lu Cheng, someone dropped down from the roof beam — a woman wearing Luobing’s maid uniform — with a pistol in her hand. She mercilessly shot at Lu Cheng, who held Andika protectively in his arms.

The maid fell from the sky in the blink of an eye.

Andika was shaking all over, but when he saw this, he gritted his teeth and exerted all his remaining strength to change positions with Lu Cheng.

The bullet pierced Andika’s shoulder but missed his vital points. The maid snorted and aimed again at Andika’s head.

Bang!

* * *

Someone collapsed.

But it was the crazy maid, not Andika.

Not far away, Luo Ran’s pistol was raised, its muzzle still emitting smoke.

No one could have imagined that in such a critical situation, when life and death were decided within milliseconds, Luo Ran could accurately shoot the maid.

This required extremely high spiritual power and concentration, but Luo Ran was clearly just a beta without spiritual power or pheromones.

However, this wasn’t the time to discuss it, because the sound of gunfire made Shen Xiluo and the guards outside rush over.

When Luobing’s guards arrived, they saw Luo Ran holding a gun, Andika injured, and the maid laying in a pool of blood. They immediately raised their guns towards the people from the Empire.

The people Luo Ran asked Wang Qiuyang to bring, as well as the Empire’s soldiers, also pointed their guns at Luobing’s guards. The situation immediately turned tense.

Andika couldn’t hold on any longer and fainted.

“What happened?!” The eldest prince and Luobing’s ambassadors also arrived, and each ordered their people to lay down their weapons.

Then Shen Xiluo simply asked Lu Cheng to put Andika on the bed and gave first aid on site, while the medical team also came to help.

The maid was also treated, but she was then detained.

Soon after, Andika opened his eyes, still looking a little frightened.

“Your Highness, I… I will stay with you.” Lu Cheng stood to the side, as stiff as a block of wood.

In Lu Cheng’s impression, Andika was a timid person, and he was clearly afraid just now, but he still… chose to protect him.

“Your Highness, you can relax,” Luo Ran said. “We have already caught the assassin, but can Your Highness tell us what is going on?”

Luo Ran’s tone was gentle, plus he was the one who saved him just now, so Andika only hesitated a little before saying, “That maid…”

Then, as if remembering something, he looked fearfully at the people behind Luo Ran.

Every royal and ambassador of the Empire and Luobing was assembled behind Luo Ran.

“Apologies, may I speak with Prince Andika alone for a few minutes?” Luo Ran requested. “He is under a lot of stress right now.”

When the eldest prince glanced at him, he added, “Your Highness can rest your worries, I will deal with this properly.”

The eldest prince nodded and left, and the others followed him out.

“You can say it now.” Luo Ran looked at Andika. “With things as they are, you cannot avoid this.”

“I…” Andika sat up, then curled up in the quilt, clearly still scared. “I don’t know…”

“But I know,” Luo Ran stated calmly. “Doctor Shen examined Your Highness just now. You have been taking aphrodisiac drugs for nearly a month.”

Both Lu Cheng and Andika’s eyes widened.

“I do not know if this was intentional or not, but I do know that Your Highness took this drug at the emperor’s birthday banquet, then had a romantic encounter with Adjutant Lu. The drug is addictive and you can’t do without it, so your maid — that is, the spy interstellar pirates inserted into Luobing — extorted you and your mother with it to make your work for them, yes?”

This was why Andika was constantly in heat, and why he had to take so many doses of inhibitors.

Luo Ran glanced at the completely stunned Lu Cheng and continued, “However, Adjutant Lu confessed to you, which gave you a ray of hope. You wanted to try to resist, and so the maid took the opportunity tonight to silence you.”

Because Andika could no longer be controlled.

Outsiders couldn’t penetrate the many layers of guards, but the maid was originally on the inside.

When Andika heard this, he suddenly burst into tears.

“I, I… I really don’t know what to do…” He shrank into a ball, covered his face, and bawled his heart out. “I’m useless…”

Then Andika stuttered out, “I didn’t know that drink had drugs in it, I really didn’t know… I saw the admiral drinking it…”

Luo Ran stiffened.

Lu Cheng hugged Andika and used his pheromones to comfort him, since they already temporarily marked each other.

Andika clutched at Lu Cheng’s shoulder like a drowning man clutching onto driftwood.

“At the banquet, you saw Admiral Lucas drink something, so you also drank it?” Luo Ran asked.

“Um, yeah…” Andika frantically nodded his head. He was very scared when he first arrived at the Empire and was too afraid to eat anything, but he thought that since an admiral of the Empire dared to eat it, then there shouldn’t be any danger.

The depths of Luo Ran’s eyes froze over.

So that’s how it is.

Someone wanted to harm Lucas that day at the banquet but didn’t expect Andika to accidentally get involved, so they simply used Andika instead.

They thought they could control Andika, but didn’t expect Lu Cheng either. When Andika eventually outlived his usefulness, they tried to tie up loose ends, but couldn’t anticipate that he and Luo Ran, these two variables, would look for Andika tonight.

Fortunately, Lucas had an SSS-level physique, which made him so strong that even such a drug couldn’t affect him that much. It only made him lose control for a single night, but couldn’t induce addiction.

Fortunately…

Luo Ran tightly clenched his fists.

At this moment, a knocking on the door interrupted Luo Ran’s thoughts.

Luo Ran opened the door and greeted a guard, who handed him a transparent bag. “This was found on the maid,” he reported.

Inside was a dagger, a gun, and… a packet of drugs.

Luo Ran showed the packet to Andika. “Is this the drug?”

If yes, he could hand it over to the research institute for testing, then trace the black market connections to cut off all trade routes for the interstellar pirates.

“That’s…!” Andika subconsciously leapt up and reached for it.

He’d already developed a severe dependence on this drug.

“No, you can’t…” Lu Cheng wanted to stop him, only to hear Luo Ran say coldly, “Let him have it.”

Luo Ran’s voice was absolutely flat. “He’s been controlled for his entire life, and now even just a drug can control him. Forget it.”

Andika froze with his hand still outstretched.

“He’s a coward, and has never fought for anything,” Luo Ran said sternly. “Now he doesn’t need to fight anything. Keep taking this drug, and in a year, or maybe only half a year, he can be free.”

“I…” Andika’s whole body trembled. “I-I’m not…”

He’s tried… He’s tried, but…

Andika stopped.

He seemed to have succeeded…?

Andika retracted his hand, and after a long silence, he grabbed Lu Cheng’s hand and choked out, “I don’t want it, I’m not touching it, I can… I can quit.”

“You can.” Luo Ran returned to his usual gentle appearance, as if the apathetic Luo Ran just now was a hallucination. “We brought back an omega from the black market who had more severe symptoms than Your Highness. He’s been placed in a rehabilitation centre for detoxification, which has been going well. Your Highness doesn’t need to worry,” he comforted.

After that, Luo Ran didn’t ask any more questions. Andika wasn’t in a good mental state today, and besides, someone else from the Empire and Luobing would take over the investigation.

Luo Ran left the room, leaned against the railing outside, and shakily closed his eyes.

He’d originally thought that the mastermind behind the drug wanted to send someone to Lucas’ bed, but no one visited Lucas that night. Instead, Luo Ran was the one who bumped into him and spent a crazy night with Lucas.

But if their goal was to hurt Lucas, why would the mastermind use an aphrodisiac instead of using a drug that directly destroyed spiritual power, like Cyril did when they were children?

The mastermind’s purpose and means had some contradictions.

And disregarding all this, the fact of the matter was that if Lucas wasn’t an SSS alpha, if he was even slightly weaker, then… he would probably be the same as Andika was now.

Someone wanted to ruin Lucas.

However, he didn’t notice, and allowed Lucas to drink the glass of water that day.

It was his dereliction of duty.

Luo Ran tightened his fists until his nails dug into the palm of his hand.

He’d once promised himself that since he would stay by Lucas’ side, then he’d never let him suffer through what happened in his childhood ever again. But he failed.

“What are you doing here.”

Luo Ran startled.

Lucas stood there, looking at Luo Ran in dissatisfaction. “Why aren’t you going back?!”

“I…” Luo Ran began, throat dry, as he stared blankly at Lucas.

Seeing that Luo Ran was in a daze with a pale face, Lucas thought he was cold, so he stripped off his large coat and tossed it over Luo Ran’s head. He grabbed Luo Ran’s hand and ordered, “Go back.”

A strong tobacco aroma rushed over them.

Luo Ran was pulled towards the hovercar, which was parked on a flat area not far away.

But Lucas suddenly stopped with a grimace and pressed his temples.

“Ugh…” Lucas pressed his fingers with more force. All the alpha pheromones nearby suddenly made him very irritated, and made his head hurt. He had the urge to get rid of them, to destroy the sources of all other pheromones.

“Admiral…!”

Then everything went dark, because Luo Ran covered Lucas with the same coat he gave him.

Lucas froze.

Out in the open, where anyone could see, two big adult men huddled together under a coat.

The coat, which covered them from head to shoulder, created a small private space for the two of them.

A delicate white tea scent penetrated Lucas’ senses. Maybe it was because it was the same as the incense he used that Lucas calmed down, and even the alpha pheromones outside didn’t seem as unpleasant.

Shit, this guy’s using perfume again, Lucas thought.

He clearly knew it was his favourite scent, so he teased him on purpose.

“Admiral, the hovercar isn’t far away, let’s go quickly.” Luo Ran gripped the jacket tightly, his eyes shining in the dark. “I’ll protect you.”

---

Author:
Ah, I miscalculated… although it’s part 3, the rut’s not over yet

Translator:
For people who’re concerned c34 was supposed to be c33 part 2, don’t worry, it’s supposed to be like that. The author’s got 14k characters (T∇T RIP me) across 3 chapters all named The Admiral’s Rut. Small mercies because if it were all one chapter, I might actually cry.

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Once they arrived at the destination, everyone got off their hovercars one after another.

When he saw Lu Cheng counting people, Luo Ran felt fortunate that he knew Lucas would come early on, so he specially asked Lu Cheng to also bring their guards.

This way, it wouldn’t be a problem to stay the night if it really were his rut.

But what surprised Luo Ran was that he could see Cyril, Lucas’ older brother, among the people crowding around the imperial sons.

Cyril, with his shoulder-length black hair and refined facial features, looked like a typical politician.

He stood next to the eldest prince; apart from him, the eldest prince was also surrounded by a few important officials, and the second prince was the same.

In contrast, Zhou Mingkai stood with his hands in his pockets, still acting like a fool, and was only followed by the necessary attendants and guards.

The princes led the way, followed by the Luobing royals and ambassadors, around the agricultural area to take in the views as the specially invited Minister of Agriculture explained everything.

Lucas walked by himself at the end of the group. Luo Ran took care to stay next to him to keep an eye on his condition, and let the others go a little further away.

After all, those who were able to become one of Lucas’ adjutants or guards were mostly alpha.

Lucas: “…”

Tsk.

His little secretary kept peeking at him all the way, and deliberately sent others away.

It was such a headache.

If he was so possessive now, then if they got together in the future, wouldn’t he want to crawl into his body?

And if they got married, would he not allow him to leave the house?

How should he deal with such a sticky spirit then?

Lucas frowned as he started exerting brainpower.

“Admiral?” As soon as Luo Ran saw Lucas frowning, he worried about whether he had a headache, and asked nervously, “Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

“Tsk.” Lucas tossed his head and smirked, “I’m okay.”

After touring for a whole afternoon, everyone was a little tired, so the minister led the group to rest at a temporary gazebo where cool drinks and snacks were laid out.

Luo Ran waited for the others to go in, then he ordered Lu Cheng and the guards to subtly surround the gazebo and protect Lucas without a trace.

Lucas frowned, realising that Luo Ran was more sensitive today.

Didn’t I say that it’s only a headache?

He didn’t know whether to cry or laugh.

“Secretary Luo.”

As Luo Ran observed everything from the periphery, a young man with a face full of smiles greeted him.

Although most beta got together with other beta, they could also like an alpha, or like an omega.

Lucas instantly frowned when he saw an omega approach Luo Ran and glowered at them.

The young man was First Prince Zhou Mingyu’s secretary. He grinned at Luo Ran. “Hello, Secretary Luo! My name is Yuan Han, His Highness said you’ll be teaching me.”

The two examined each other.

Before, they only heard of each other, and now that they met, they found that they… actually looked very similar.

Yuan Han’s body shape and facial features both resembled Luo Ran, the biggest difference might be that he was much more lively. When he smiled, he looked a lot more cheerful.

“Others always say that I’m Secretary Luo’s long-lost brother,” Yuan Han chuckled.

Luo Ran only nodded and went straight to the topic. “I have an hour free after dinner tonight.”

He originally had more time, but now that Lucas’ condition changed, Luo Ran didn’t want to leave his side.

“An hour…” Yuan Han paused. One hour didn’t seem to be enough, but to be honest, as a graduate of the Imperial Academy, Yuan Han felt that he only lacked experience and didn’t really need another secretary to give guidance. So far, he hadn’t made any major mistakes in his work.

The only thing was that the eldest prince always asked him to be more calm and gentle.

As for why he didn’t have enough experience, it was because he’d just graduated and hadn’t yet finished his internship when he met the eldest prince who came to inspect the academy, and the prince claimed him on the spot.

“Thank you, Secretary Luo.” Yuan Han bowed respectfully to Luo Ran.

“You done?” Lucas went up to them with an eyebrow raised. “Then go back.”

Yuan Han jumped. He was a little scared of Lucas’ murderous aura, so he hastily turned and left.

Lucas glanced at Luo Ran. “Why’d he look for you?”

“Work things, he asked me to help him later tonight, just for a while.”

Lucas frowned. “The royal family doesn’t have the money to hire someone?”

“Apparently they need my experience.” Luo Ran smiled. “It’s fine, it won’t take long to finish.”

The agricultural area had accommodations nearby. Knowing that these highnesses would come, they’d tidied up in advance.

Luo Ran chose a relatively secluded place for Lucas. As soon as Lucas entered, the guards dispersed to provide multiple layers of protection.

Since Lucas had opinions about it, Luo Ran took advantage of the time Lucas spent eating and relaxing to go to the eldest prince.

The eldest prince’s residence was naturally surrounded by his guards and confidants. Luo Ran met not a few council members on his way, including Cyril.

“Secretary Luo,” Cyril greeted as he got closer.

Luo Ran nodded back politely.

“Where is Secretary Luo going? If you’re on your way back, may I accompany you to visit Lucas?” Cyril asked. “And see that little brother of mine.”

“My apologies,” Luo Ran replied with a smile, “the admiral is resting, and tends to be irritable if anyone wakes him up.”

“I’m his brother, not some outsider,” Cyril said earnestly. “Our parents also hope that we can share a meal together.”

“My apologies,” Luo Ran repeated as he lowered his eyes.

Cyril even felt some unfriendliness from this eternally gentle secretary.

“This…” Cyril started hesitatingly. “Secretary Luo, Lucas listens to you. Can you help persuade him?

“No matter whether it’s then or now, I’ve also worked hard… That year my father gave me such a beating that I didn’t have an inch of intact skin, and then I had to kneel outside on a freezing winter day… As long as Lucas didn’t wake up, I couldn’t get up either, it lasted for five whole days…”

Cyril lowered his eyes and humbled both his posture and tone. “I was also sick for a long time after that, and afterwards, I always lived in guilt…”

Luo Ran was shocked. “Five days…?” An unclear emotion floated up in his eyes.

“Yes,” Cyril said, “For five whole days, I…”

“The admiral was unconscious for five days?” Luo Ran exclaimed in surprise. “I only heard that the admiral suffered back then… so he was unconscious for that long.”

How heavy was the dose to affect an SSS alpha so badly?

Cyril, stunned, instantly forgot his lines.

“Secretary Luo! You came.”

The eldest prince came over and broke the stalemate.

His cheer was obvious. “I heard you’re coming, so I came to see if you need help.”

“Excuse me.” Luo Ran nodded lightly to Cyril, then followed the eldest prince inside.

Zhou Mingyu gestured at the snacks and drinks laid out. “Secretary Luo, please feel free to eat anything.”

“No need,” Luo Ran replied. He intended to finish quickly, so he immediately took out a couple documents and asked Yuan Han, who was sitting nearby, some questions about it.

Although Yuan Han graduated from a prestigious academy, he did lack experience, so some questions stumped him. Luo Ran patiently guided him through them all.

As Yuan Han listened, his eyes towards Luo Ran gradually changed.

“Secretary Luo’s point is very interesting.” At some point, Zhou Mingyu had quietly walked to Luo Ran’s side and leaned down to look at the papers in his hand. “Even I hadn’t thought of dealing with it this way.”

“Your Highness over-praises me.” With his thoughts turning quickly, Luo Ran grabbed another document and started explaining it.

Yuan Han looked at Zhou Mingyu and suddenly understood something.

They’ve worked together for so long, it would be strange if he didn’t have a little understanding of this highness.

He’d always wondered why he was chosen to become one of the eldest prince’s personal secretaries so smoothly. So it was because…

He couldn’t say that he wasn’t disappointed or sad. After all, that person wasn’t interested in his talent, ability, or character — he’d never been seen as his own person.

However, he also wasn’t qualified to say anything, and could only do his own work to the best of his ability.

Yuan Han was silent for the rest of the lesson.

* * *

An hour later, Luo Ran very punctually looked at his terminal then packed up and prepared to leave.

Zhou Mingyu offered to keep him, hoping he would stay and join them for dinner, but Luo Ran politely refused.

“Then I’ll send you back.” Zhou Mingyu directly got onto the hovercar.

The distance between their two residences wasn’t far, a hovercar could get there within five to seven minutes.

Taking advantage of the fact that they were alone, Zhou Mingyu smiled and said, “I hope Secretary Luo won’t misunderstand.”

“Misunderstand what?”

“Secretary Luo is so smart, you must see that I’m trying to get close to you,” Zhou Mingyu answered.

Luo Ran paused, then lowered his eyes and smiled. “I am a mere secretary, how can I know?”

“I truly do want us to be friends, but please believe that it has nothing to do with the admiral or gaining power. If my goal was to win over the military, I would deal directly with the admiral.” Zhou Mingyu’s smile was exceedingly sincere. “I just appreciate your skills, your abilities, and your elegance and beauty, so I hope you can become my confidant.”

“Your Highness is too kind… I am just an ordinary person.” Luo Ran was rather surprised — he hadn’t expected Zhou Mingyu to be so direct.

Zhou Mingyu said in a warm voice, “I’m also an ordinary person. When I discard the shell of being a royal prince, I am only a twenty-something year old man, the same as your admiral.”

Something flashed in Luo Ran’s eyes.

That’s right, his admiral was an ordinary person.

Everyone thought that Lucas was the empire’s sword and shield. They thought that he was the strongest alpha, that there was nothing he couldn’t do.

Lucas represented power, so everyone took it for granted, such as Cyril.

No one ever thought of protecting him.

“So I will also feel loneliness, and because of my identity, I don’t have many friends or people I can talk to. In this, I’m the same as the admiral.”

“I see.” As Luo Ran smiled, his gaze towards Zhou Mingyu warmed up quite a bit.

The hovercraft landed at their destination.

“Can you also help next time?” Zhou Mingyu hooked the corner of his lips. “I’ll wait for you.”

After Zhou Mingyu left, Luo Ran turned around and instantly saw Lucas standing not far away. He leaned against the wooden railing with his arms across his chest and a leaden gaze, his face as gloomy as could be.

Lucas must have seen Zhou Mingyu.

Subconsciously, Luo Ran’s wrist began to hurt. He prepared himself to be scolded.

Luo Ran slowly walked up to him with a stiff smile. “Ad…”

Then Lucas turned and went into the house.

He didn’t say a word, he didn’t react in any way.

Luo Ran: “…??”

“Admiral.”

Luo Ran followed him with small steps, but Lucas surrounded himself with an oppressive air and completely ignored him.

As soon as Lucas entered his room, he slammed the door closed.

Luo Ran stood dumbfounded at the doorway.

And inside, the vaunted Lion of the Empire harshly locked the door.

Didn’t he say he likes me?

He was caring about himself just that afternoon, doing his little tricks.

As a result, he turned his face so quickly. He smiled so sweetly at the eldest prince, and Lu Cheng said that he even spoke with Cyril.

Damn scumbag, little bastard, what a playboy.*

Why bother being a secretary, he should go play around, play himself to death.

Isn’t he just relying on his looks and smarts.

Lucas didn’t know why he suddenly felt so irritable. His headache was getting worse, and he felt uncomfortable all over.

It was also because Lucas knew he was unusually irritable right now that he refused to go out and confront Luo Ran.

Lucas went to the window to get some fresh air, but a sudden gust of wind hitting his face made him sneeze.

“Goddammit.” He sniffed.

Outside, Luo Ran’s heart felt empty when he heard the sound of sniffling.

He knew that alphas during ruts had erratic mood swings, and their tear glands would also be more sensitive…

Although Lucas was SSS, although his rut hasn’t truly started… But…

Luo Ran stood at the door, undecided. Lucas shouldn’t be… Is he…

Crying with grievances inside?

Luo Ran couldn’t imagine it, and even felt it was impossible. But he was still worried… What if?

His heart swung up and down, but in the end he chose to swipe his terminal at the door to verify his identity and go straight in.

“Admiral…” Luo Ran saw Lucas sitting on the bed, rubbing at his eyes, with his nose and eyes both a bit red.

Then Luo Ran sat next to Lucas, carefully reached out his hand… and rubbed the top of Lucas’ head.

It’s pretty soft, Luo Ran thought.

Lucas: “…”

Lucas: ???

Luo Ran’s smile was incomparably kind. “There, there.”

“…Luo! Ran!”

You’re finished!

---

Translator:
There are quite a few things going on in the background of Luo Ran and Lucas’ story that would make interesting stories in their own right. Like, Yuan Han would be a great protagonist for a white moonlight substitute story.

Footnotes:

1. Playboy [海王]: lit. sea king; a specific type of scumbag who has a lot of ambiguous relationships, so named because they cast a wide net to pick up girls

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Luo Ran himself was deeply asleep, ignorant of the kiss that fell softer than a feather.

The scent of white tea clung to Lucas’ lips, not only from the wine he drank but also from Luo Ran.

It was still his favourite flavour.

Lucas gazed at Luo Ran, who was sleeping on his front, then picked him up and carried him horizontally in his arms.

“Mmn…”

Through his blurred consciousness, Luo Ran detected a thick tobacco scent. The smell of earthy hay had long sunk into the memory of every cell in his body and brought him an unparalleled sense of safety.

Luo Ran, having lost his reason and awareness, subconsciously followed his instincts and curled around Lucas’ neck.

Lucas froze.

Shit, this cunning guy, he’s being seductive again.

Isn’t he just relying on his good looks?

At this moment, Lucas — the dignified admiral, the Lion of the Empire — flushed bright red from the base of his ears.

Lucas carried Luo Ran into the inner room and gently put him down on the bed.

Luo Ran frowned slightly and tightened his arms around Lucas’ neck, still asleep.

“…So sticky.” 

There was a tenderness in his eyes that he himself didn’t notice.

After he put Luo Ran down, he also helped him pull up the quilt.

The wind outside began to blow again, causing the floor to be covered with petals.

So the next day, when Luo Ran first woke on Lucas’ bed in the office, he was very confused.

Oh, that’s right, I accidentally got drunk last night.

…Wait.

Why did I get drunk so easily?

Did I go overboard?

Luo Ran knocked the side of his head in annoyance, trying to wake himself up.

He said he’d be a proper employee but look at him now, he actually drank himself to unconsciousness in the office.

Fortunately, his tolerance was quite good, and he wouldn’t make trouble after getting drunk.

He was very confident in this.

Luo Ran was just about to get up when he noticed the quilt covering him and froze.

Smiling softly, he made the bed, prepared breakfast and a suit for Lucas, ironed and hung up his military uniform, and then quietly left the office.

At around the time Luo Ran finished sorting through his folders, Rong Duo also arrived at work.

After he handed her the day’s work and made some other arrangements, he went to Xia Zhi’s house.

Luo Ran first took a look at the research institute’s progress report, which stated that most of their omega had successfully touched the ore’s core, but were missing the crucial spiritual path.

“Sure enough, the efficiency goes up when there’s more people,” Luo Ran said with a smile.

Xia Zhi rolled his eyes. “It’s not like they’re as awesome as you, exploring the key routes so early on.”

He’d been in constant communication with the research institute about Luo Ran. The research institute was very interested in this SSS-level omega, and they’d always carried the hope of pulling him over to refine UNK at the institute so they could study his spiritual power.

However, Xia Zhi and Luo Ran made it very clear that this was an omega with social anxiety who hated crowds. If he were forced to participate in a large group, he might have a mental breakdown.

Why were SSS alpha and omega so rare? Apart from their low numbers, many — especially omega — faced the threat of mental breakdowns.

Because their spiritual power was too strong and too sensitive, it was easy for them to fall into a mad, berserk state. And most alpha and omega who went berserk… died.

This was also why Lucas’ symptoms after he left the battlefield were so serious, and until now, could only be managed with aromatherapy and drugs.

After the two of them went down to the basement, Luo Ran put his hand on the by now extremely familiar stone, and got started.

* * *

At the cemetery.

Lucas placed the flower bouquet in front of the tombstone.

The tombstone had a name carved into it — Alton Aldor — along with a photograph. Although the man in the photo had a murderous expression and looked fierce, Lucas knew that in private, he was mischievous and playful, and wasn’t serious at all.

For example, he would secretly drag him to drink wine.

The marshal and his wife also approached and put down a flower bouquet.

The marshal’s wife smiled at Lucas. “Your secretary didn’t come with you?”

Lucas didn’t bother to answer such an obvious, self-evident question.

“I heard the manager say you took Secretary Luo to the ranch to go horse-riding,” the marshal’s wife said, clearly very satisfied. “That’s good, Secretary Luo helped you do so much work, you should take him out to play more, don’t always bully him.”

That manager had patted his chest and swore not to tell Lucas’ family about their visit, but he sold them out in the blink of an eye.

Although, since the topic turned to Luo Ran, Lucas’ expression did ease a little. “I’m not bullying him,” he huffed.

Then the couple’s eldest son, who was also Lucas’ older brother, Cyril also arrived, holding a bunch of flowers.

Lucas pinned noticeably hostile eyes on Cyril.

“Lucas,” Cyril greeted cheerfully, “Long time no see.”

The two would only meet a couple of times a year on special occasions like this.

Lucas refused to look at him.

Their conflict hadn’t lasted for a mere day or two, the marshal’s wife also didn’t know what to say to them.

“Yeah… it’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other.” The marshal’s wife stepped forward, wanting to hold Lucas’ hand, as she tried to smooth things over. “It’s rare for us to get together, why don’t we go out for a meal? Take it as spending some time with mom.”

Lucas reacted quickly and easily avoided the marshal’s wife’s hand.

He couldn’t accept, and even hated, touch from others.

“Sure,” Cyril replied. “Anyways, I’m just about done with my work, I can stay with mom and dad.”

Cyril was a member of the Imperial Council, and part of the eldest prince’s faction.

The Aldor family’s Cyril followed the eldest prince, but Lucas was obviously more friendly with the second prince, who previously joined the army, so no one knew which prince would have control of the military in the end.

“You guys eat.” Lucas only came to clean the grave and pay respects. He left as soon as he was done.

“Hey…!” The marshal’s wife wanted him to stay, but Lucas was already far away.

She looked down, feeling sad.

Their estrangement was real, and it had accumulated for many years. She and her husband hadn’t handled it well at the beginning, so they took one wrong step after another.

Cyril and Lucas only had four years between them. When Lucas was five, and Cyril was nine, Cyril listened to other people’s slander and rumourmongering, saying that everything they owned — their property, control over the army, even the foundations of the Aldor family — would belong to Lucas in the future, because he was an SSS-level alpha. Lucas’ birth heralded the arrival of the king, while he, as just an A-level alpha, could never surpass Lucas.

So Cyril obtained dangerous drugs made by pirates from an undercover agent with ulterior motives and put them in the young Lucas’ food, causing a lot of damage to his spiritual power.

Later, Lucas did recover, but he kept pestering his parents to expel his brother. The two of them argued all the time, and couldn’t keep the peace even for a day.

The two were both their sons. Cyril was still young, he was just deceived, how could a child have so many ideas? And Lucas was even younger, he would forget it as he grew up, so the marshal and his wife always hoped the two would reconcile, and that Lucas would forgive his brother.

Later, the two of them started living at the military academy. The marshal and his wife didn’t know what happened, and neither did they get wind of any major incident.

Only, Lucas somehow joined Alton’s army at just thirteen years old and even went on the battlefield. The marshal and his wife had no way of stopping him, so they could only beg Alton to look after him more.

At the time, Alton had laughed and said, “This nephew of mine is an SSS-level alpha, what’re you afraid of! How can any Aldor man be a coward?”

Afterwards, as he fought in battle after battle, Lucas gained his own power and fame. He forcefully took over the Aldor family’s army, including the marshal’s forces, and didn’t leave a single crumb for Cyril.

Cyril was now a high-ranking member of the council, but even still, his only protection was Lucas and the Aldor family.

There was nothing concrete about him.

“It doesn’t matter.” Cyril chuckled helplessly. “He’s always been like this. If mom and dad really want to spend time with him, let’s wait until I’m not here.” He lowered his eyes. “After all, I’m the one in the wrong.”

The marshal slowly frowned. He was naturally introverted and wasn’t suited to dealing with problems between children.

His wife also felt helpless.

Their two children… one was hot-headed with a strict worldview, while the other was empathetic gentle like water.

How did they turn out so different?

　　——— XXXXX ———

“Success…!”

A burst of disbelieving exclamations came from the basement.

Luo Ran was also stunned when he saw the blood-red core in front of him. 

He finally pulled out this thing that had been hidden deep inside the ore, now they just needed to knock off a thin layer of the stone to take it out.

At this moment, the small piece of ore which Xia Zhi carefully carved out was exuding a strange yet dazzling red light.

A preliminary examination of the numbers jumping on the measuring instruments gave some indication of just how much energy this tiny little thing might provide.

“My god…! We really did it!” Xia Zhi couldn’t help shouting. “You’re amazing…! No wonder you’re SSS!”

Luo Ran also looked at the core.

“Then the next step… is to negotiate with the research institute.”

They carefully packed the core away and then went to the living room to discuss their options.

Before, when no one succeeded in refining it, Luobing drew so many pies in the sky but after all, it was all based on speculation and rumours, and no one knew what the ore could actually do.

As a result, after they began research into this, Luo Ran could conduct independent research with Xia Zhi, the former ace doctor, and inform headquarters later.

But now that he was successful, the research institute would definitely ask for the omega’s records. Even if the omega couldn’t go in person due to his mental illness, they still needed him to ‘exist’.

Luo Ran bit into a nutrient tube as he relaxed on the sofa. “Now, I’ll make a detailed tutorial and pattern map for the research institute. You’re also an S-level omega, so you can try and see if you can refine it based on my information. If you’re successful, then that ‘SSS omega with anxiety’ doesn’t have to go to the research institute, you can go negotiate with them instead.”

“Theoretically, you’re right, and since you’re the one making the tutorial it must be fine, but what about the recordings…?”

Luo Ran had already thought of a countermeasure to ensure that his identity was completely hidden. “It’s very simple, just find an omega from another planet to cooperate with us.”

He grinned. “Anyways, I’m the admiral’s secretary.”

He had a lot of privileges, it wouldn’t be a problem to mess with a few files.

“Okay.” Xia Zhi nodded and said, “Then I’ll go report it, and tomorrow I’ll go to the research institute.”

Then Xia Zhi proposed to celebrate.

“After all, you completed such a feat! Unfortunately, no one knows about your contribution,” Xia Zhi said, a tad unwilling. “You’re an SSS omega!”

Luo Ran chuckled. “Then let’s go out for a good dinner, should we call Doctor Shen as well?”

Luo Ran did promise to arrange a dinner for him. Although Shen Xiluo also forcibly stuffed him with a few unmentionable websites, Luo Ran couldn’t not keep his word.

“…” The corner of Xia Zhi’s mouth twitched. “Are you crazy?”

“Doctor Shen treats you pretty good,” Luo Ran said with a grin. “He’s brought you breakfast every day the past few years, three hundred and sixty-five days through rain or shine, you’re not even a little moved?”

“…The hell I’m moved.” Xia Zhi’s ears grew red, yet he gritted his teeth. “He treats this as just another chore, right? He even comes at the same time every day!”

Luo Ran remembered that this was the person who would set alarms during papapa.

…He couldn’t do anything about it, the memory was too profound, after Xia Zhi said it once while he was drunk, he’d never forgotten.

Luo Ran tried again. “At least he’s devoted…?”

Xia Zhi’s expression turned complicated. “The admiral also seems like a devoted person. If the only two alpha left in the world are Shen Xiluo and the admiral, who would you choose as your partner?”

As a partner…

Luo Ran’s expression also turned complicated. “I’m quite comfortable being single.”

Xia Zhi: “Right?”

Once he dealt with the UNK and the research institute, Luo Ran packed his things in preparation for going to the agricultural area with the eldest prince’s group of people.

As for the dinner, Xia Zhi absolutely refused to go, so they could only postpone it.

After returning to the company and completing the work handover, unexpectedly, Lu Cheng asked to see him.

“I’m sorry!”

Lu Cheng bowed to Luo Ran as soon as he pushed open the door to the meeting room.

Luo Ran already had a good idea of Lu Cheng’s purpose for coming. He smiled and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I… I looked for His Highness Prince Andika…” Lu Cheng looked shy. “I still think that it’s better to talk things out! I confessed to him, I said, don’t mess around in the dark, he can tell me if he has his reasons, we can work it out together! I can help him.”

Luo Ran took that in, then asked, “Did he say anything?”

Lu Cheng straightened. “Not much, he just said that he won’t harm me, or the empire. And he accepted my confession, he said he’s willing to try it with me.”

Luo Ran was silent for a while as Lu Cheng looked at him nervously.

“Lu Cheng,” Luo Ran said. “Before you came, I received a report from the intelligence team.”

Lu Cheng’s breath stuttered as he waited for Luo Ran’s judgement.

“According to the intelligence team, Prince Andika’s maid left the embassy and went to the black market. They followed all the way, and watched with their own eyes as the maid made contact with interstellar pirates.”

Lu Cheng’s face paled drastically.

Interstellar pirates.

They were the enemy for whom he’d followed Lucas for many years, aiming to eradicate them once and for all.

Seeing Lu Cheng frozen in place, Luo Ran added, “But we don’t have to rush so quickly to conclude that Prince Andika is evil. After all, we don’t know the whole truth — I just hope that you can understand the situation and not get bewitched.” He smiled. “Can you do it? If you can, then tomorrow, go with me and Doctor Shen to the agricultural area.”

Luo Ran already had a lot of information on hand, including a photo of the maid at the black market. He was well prepared to have a good discussion with Andika.

Lu Cheng took a deep breath, adjusted his breathing, and gave Luo Ran a perfectly standard military salute. “I can!”

“Good, then go get ready.”

“Yes sir!”

* * *

However, when Luo Ran got up early the next morning to go to the meeting point with a small suitcase, he saw a hovercar parked at his apartment building’s entrance.

It was unknown how long Lucas stood leaning against the hovercar, with Lu Cheng following at his side. “Let’s go.” 

Luo Ran: “…??”

Lucas: “I haven’t been to the agricultural area for a long time, plus the royal family wants me to go.”
He thought, Let Luo Ran go alone with the eldest prince? The hell he’d go alone!

Luo Ran: “…”

He didn’t dare to believe his eyes. “Admiral, you’re actively taking part in an activity like this…?”

Did he suddenly gain an interest in having an arranged marriage with Luobing?

But Luo Ran’s own thoughts amused him.

It was too far-fetched. His admiral probably wouldn’t fall in love in his lifetime.

“I said, I’m interested in the changes at the agricultural area,” Lucas said solemnly. “Food is the foundation of a country. It’s important during wars, and equally important during peace.”

“Of course.” Luo Ran nodded his head and joined Lucas on the hovercar.

After the hovercar picked up Shen Xiluo, they followed the royal convoy to the plains outside the city.

From the hovercar’s windows, they could see endless paddy fields of rice. The grains weren’t ripe yet, so the soil was covered by neat rows of greenery.

Machines for watering, weeding, and fertilizing surrounded the crops, alongside glass shades that controlled their exposure to sunlight.

It was very impressive.

Lucas and Lu Cheng sat in a row, while Shen Xiluo and Luo Ran sat in another row.

Lucas frowned and suddenly spoke. “Lu Cheng, you and Luo Ran swap places.”

Lu Cheng, Shen Xiluo: ???

I-Is he that possessive?

Luo Ran was also puzzled, but after sitting next to Lucas, he could tell that Lucas’ breathing wasn’t quite as smooth as usual.

“Admiral, is something wrong?”

“Nothing, headache.” Lucas rubbed his temples then regarded the other two alpha. “You guys stay further away.”

Having followed Lucas for so many years, Luo Ran was intimately aware of his body and habits, so his heart naturally skipped a beat.

This… This was the precursor to a rut!

An alpha’s rut came twice a year, and when it did, they would be stressed by pheromones of other alpha, leading to hostility and uncontrollable attacks. They would also be more sensitive to omega pheromones, and their possessiveness, libido, and destructive tendencies would be infinitely magnified.

To use the words of Xia Zhi, they were a pile driver bomb on two legs.

For someone like Lucas with especially strong spiritual power, his rut would only be more intense.

Luo Ran felt a headache coming on.

Lucas’ past ruts all took place in the office. He’d directly call a beta from the Pheromone Management Agency to take care of him, then lock himself in the office to isolate for two or three days.

But they were now outside the city.

Lucas wasn’t as sensitive as Luo Ran, he only thought it was a headache.

However, being next to Luo Ran felt very comfortable.

Luo Ran took out pills and warm water from his bag.

“Admiral, please eat this.”

Shen Xiluo, who sat opposite them, slowly raised an eyebrow.

Yo, it’s a rut.

Maybe I need to show Lucas some resources as well.

---

Translator:
I kind of understand Cyril’s feelings, because that cannot be a good environment to grow up in, and it’s his younger brother who’s more talented and pressing on his head. But also, wow what a disproportionate response.

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At the same time, at the military headquarters.

Lucas, wearing earmuffs and protective goggles, steadily fired shots at a target in the distance.

The human-shaped target’s abdomen was instantly pierced by a few holes.

Lucas didn’t stop. He reloaded his gun and continued to shoot until the target was in tatters and its face split into a jagged grin.

Shit, just a human-shaped target, what’re you smiling for, so shameless.

Lucas snorted coldly, then smoothly reloaded again.

Nearby, Lu Cheng and another adjutant called Wang Qiuyang looked at each other.

“The admiral is in a bad mood?” Lu Cheng asked.

Although Lucas was also very fierce during his usual training, today he was… how to say it… he looked disgruntled.

“Okay.” Lucas rotated his wrist and glanced at Lu Cheng as if looking at a fool.

Then he looked at Wang Qiuyang. Although he was also quite silly, he was already married to an omega, with whom he had a good relationship for many years.

Lucas asked Wang Qiuyang, “Why would your omega suddenly ignore you?”

Luo Ran wasn’t an omega, and they weren’t in that kind of relationship, but it felt right to ask Wang Qiuyang.

Lucas also didn’t know why.

Lu Cheng and Wang Qiuyang’s eyes widened.

Ohh!!

Their boss equated he and Secretary Luo to Wang Qiuyang and his wife, and asked about his feelings!

A wonderful love!

Wang Qiuyang forcibly calmed down, cleared his throat, and brought out his most professional attitude. “For this, it depends on how long it lasts. If it’s just for a while, then they probably want to have some fun teasing you. If it’s for an entire day, then it’s probably because they’re upset after an argument and you need to coax them.”

Lucas thought for a while, then replied, “It’s been about four days.”

The main thing was that Luo Ran wasn’t completely ignoring him. He was just as gentle as before, all his work was still perfect, and everything that should be done was done.

But… he wasn’t stupid, he could feel the difference.

Wang Qiuyang: “…”

Lu Cheng: “…”

He’s been left hanging for four days and still has the energy to come to practice now…

This is a bit…

Lu Cheng and Wang Qiuyang decisively shut up.

Lucas gritted his teeth. “Just say it! Don’t piss around in front of me!”

Wang Qiuyang straightened himself and obediently stated, “Normally, if Xiao-Yun ignores me for so long, I would reflect on if I was too cold to her, or if I neglected her somehow?”
Lu Cheng grinned. “I know, isn’t this ‘in order to capture, one must let loose’?”*

“Guess so.” Wang Qiuyang also smiled. “She’s half irritated, half aggrieved, and wants to convey that my recent performance made her unsatisfied.”

In order to capture, one must let loose…?

Lucas frowned slightly.

That’s right, didn’t Luo Ran have a crush on him?

No wonder.

Ah, this damnably cunning guy.

His long-held love was never answered, so he felt angry and wronged?

Lucas had a bit of a headache.

Did that guy want an answer from him?

Troublesome beta.

Troublesome secretary.

Lucas snorted coldly, picked up the other gun beside him, and pointed it at the target. 

His mind wandered as he practised, but even so, his every shot landed in the most accurate location.

This was his muscle memory.

Just like getting used to Luo Ran was in his muscle memory.

Bang!

Before Lucas left, he shot the target’s head wide open.

* * *

In the company’s reception room.

“Doctor Shen, wait.” Seeing Shen Xiluo starting to gather resources, Luo Ran couldn’t help saying, “You’ve misunderstood… I don’t read these things.”

“Hm?”

“I’m just curious how others talk about me, so I bought it,” Luo Ran said seriously. “I definitely, definitely don’t have that kind of thought towards the admiral.”

It was Zimei Xueran who ordered it, not Luo Ran.

He had nothing to do with it, really.

Shen Xiluo frowned softly and persuaded, “Secretary Luo, sex is a natural instinct for all animals. As animals ourselves, we have an obligation to bear the next generation, there’s no need to feel ashamed.”

“…” Luo Ran suddenly remembered what Xia Zhi said before.

This person’s IQ is incomparable to others, and his EQ is also incomparable.

Luo Ran looked at Shen Xiluo with a kindly gaze.

You’re being like this?

Okay, your dinner appointment’s gone.

Once Shen Xiluo left, Luo Ran held the bag with the book with complicated feelings.

To read or not to read?

Of course he had to read it!

This book made him look so weird in front of Shen Xiluo, he had to finish it even if he shoved it down his throat word by word, otherwise, he’d have suffered for nothing.

Luo Ran’s lips pouted uncontrollably.

Then, he gathered himself up and opened the report Shen Xiluo brought with him.

Within 24 hours, they’d successfully analysed the ingredients and effects of the drug affecting the omega he bought from the black market.

Luo Ran slowly furrowed his brows.

It did have some harmful ingredients which made it addictive and could lead to impaired mental function and fatigue, or something worse if they kept using it.

It also had stimulants which, when combined with the other ingredients, could make the user fall into a heat five times stronger than normal.

It was a terrifying aphrodisiac. If an ordinary person ate it, they would experience an almost endless heat period.

Luo Ran rubbed his temples.

This drug was… terrible.

Next, he turned to the report about Luobing’s Prince Andika, which said that Prince Andika hadn’t left his room for several days.

Luobing’s ambassadors were a little worried about him and tried to go in, but were all driven out.

Just then, Luo Ran received a real-time alert.

At the same time as when he asked Shen Xiluo to get the book, Lu Cheng finished the day’s training and, unable to hold himself back, went to find the prince.

The intelligence team asked whether they should stop him.

Luo Ran hesitated a few seconds, then returned a ‘no need’.

He speculated that for an unknown reason, the prince of Luobing ingested the same drug as the omega from the black market.

But he couldn’t rely purely on speculation.

After thinking it over, he contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and asked them a few things.

Earlier, Luobing’s envoy toured the military camp, and in a few days, they and the imperial family would go to the agricultural area outside the capital’s city limits to enjoy themselves.

The empire had several of these agricultural areas scattered around its territories, and every one was its lifeblood. Many soldiers and machines took care of their day to day operations.

Luo Ran examined the itinerary, then finally replied to one of the invitations the eldest prince occasionally sent him — he asked him to teach his newly appointed secretary the ropes.

He’d previously always refused on the grounds of being too busy; although this was indeed true, this time…

He could take advantage of when they all went to the agricultural area overnight to give the new secretary some lessons.

Luo Ran planned to bring Shen Xiluo as well to get a good understanding of Andika’s situation and give him a physical exam as well if possible.

Ding dong–

An alarm Luo Ran set on his terminal rang.

When he saw that it was a notification marked in red, he immediately opened it.

He used red on his calendar for annual reminders, either festivals or other special days.

Admiral Alton’s death anniversary

Luo Ran felt a little surprised.

It’s already the anniversary of Admiral Alton’s death…

Admiral Alton, the soldier who brought the empire many victories and was hailed as a hero.

He was Lucas’ uncle, teacher, and second father.

When Lucas stepped onto the battlefield as a teenager, Alton was the one who personally raised him into today’s Lion of the Empire.

Later, Alton was killed in a battle against interstellar pirates, so Lucas smoothly inherited the army and became the empire’s newest admiral, bringing countless victories.

Luo Ran got up, left the company, went to a flower shop, and carefully picked out some flowers then arranged them himself.

It was already dark when he finished. Luo Ran took the flowers back to the company to give to Lucas.

Lightening his footsteps, Luo Ran quietly went to the highest floor.

Lucas usually wouldn’t be there at this time.

As expected, the lights were off.

Luo Ran let out a sigh of relief, went into the office, and put the flowers down properly. Just as he was about to leave, a sudden force made him lose his balance and slam into the sofa.

He reflexively wanted to resist, but immediately stopped when he smelled the familiar scent of tobacco.

Luo Ran lifted his head and stared at Lucas, who stood before him.

Such a tall man looked down on him from above, and in the darkness, his pair of sharp eyes made him look like a lion on the hunt.

Luo Ran swallowed.

He remembered that Lucas ruthlessly vowed to ‘clean him up’ before he left earlier.

“Admiral, if you beat me up I won’t be able to work tomorrow,” he said. “Tomorrow is the anniversary of Sir Alton’s death, so I have to be here to handle the official business while Admiral isn’t here. The day after tomorrow, I have to visit Prince Andika and negotiate with him…”

“The anniversary.” Lucas looked down. “I remember.”

Luo Ran quietly looked at him. Admiral Alton had already passed away many years ago, and Lucas no longer had obvious emotions when talking about it.

“You stay tonight, drink with me, and I won’t clean you up.”

Luo Ran opened and closed his mouth. He originally wanted to refuse, but when he met Lucas’ eyes, he somehow said, “Okay.”

Lucas always drank the night before the anniversary of Alton’s death, and Luo Ran often joined him.

This might be called a tradition, because when Admiral Alton was still alive, he would share a drink with Lucas before every battle.

Even though Luo Ran was deliberately avoiding Lucas, this time… was different.

Lucas took out the white tea wine Zhou Mingkai gave him from the cabinet.

As a wine with the flavour of white tea, it was very special.

Luo Ran opened its cork, letting its mellow aroma flow out. Unlike other wines, this smell wasn’t overwhelming because it had the mildness of white tea.

Luo Ran actually liked to drink, but couldn’t do it often because of strict family rules in the past and a high workload in the present. Now, his eyes brightened. “I’ll pour Admiral a glass.”

Lucas raised his eyebrows.

Their two glasses were soon full.

Every time they drank together, Lucas only drank one glass, while Luo Ran finished the rest of the bottle.

The point was that Luo Ran had a good tolerance for alcohol and rarely got drunk.

“Admiral, you and Admiral Alton have been drinking together for so many years, why is your tolerance still so bad?” Luo Ran smiled and took a sip, visibly satisfied.

This wine already had a strong flavour, then it was infused with white tea, making the final taste especially intense.

“I don’t like the feeling of not being in control, it was always my uncle who drank, not me.” Lucas frowned softly.

Luo Ran chuckled.

In contrast, he liked the feeling of being slightly tipsy. When he wasn’t completely drunk, yet wasn’t completely clear-minded, with that light, floaty feeling, all his worries and concerns would disappear.

This wine was so strong that Lucas only drank a few mouthfuls before putting it down.

The bouquet of flowers was nearby.

The two sat by the floor-to-ceiling window filled with wisteria flowers. Moonlight shone through gaps between the petals and fell onto Luo Ran’s silver hair.

Luo Ran, having been drinking for a while, had a somewhat flushed face.

“Luo Ran.”

“Hm?”

Luo Ran raised his head, his gaze soft.

Lucas was taken aback.

Luo Ran raised his glass and made another questioning hm? noise.

Lucas wondered to himself why he never realized that Luo Ran was so stunning before. “Nothing,” he finally said.

This wine, with its strong flavour, didn’t seem to be of high purity, but in fact, it had a higher alcoholic content than most spirits.

Luo Ran was fooled into losing his self-control and soon became somewhat drunk.

It didn’t occur to Lucas that Luo Ran was drunk. Mainly, this was because he’d paced himself, so Luo Ran slowly became drunker and drunker, and didn’t directly collapse into sleep.

Lucas smiled at seeing Luo Ran gaze out the window with hazy eyes. “Hey.”

Luo Ran slowly turned his head to look at Lucas.

“Do you know who I am?”

“Ad… miral.” He seemed to be the same as usual, just a little more sluggish.

Luo Ran stared blankly at Lucas, still holding a wine glass in his hands.

“Do you like me?” Lucas asked in a low voice.

He already knew the answer, yet still couldn’t resist asking at this moment.

Luo Ran didn’t reply for quite a while, but finally smiled and replied, “I… like.”

Lucas was a hero, how could anyone not like him?

Lucas felt that something might be wrong with his heart.

Before he could say anything, Luo Ran put down his glass, crossed his arms, and went to sleep right there on the table.

Lucas: “…”

A flower petal blown by the wind landed on Luo Ran’s hair. Lucas got up and reached out to flick it away.

After a short pause, he bent down and gently laid a kiss on Luo Ran’s brow.

He was covered in the scent of white tea wine.

Lucas clicked his tongue.

Lucas thought, If it’s Luo Ran…

Then, it’s not impossible to try to give him a response.

---

Author:
The Lion of the Empire: I’ll  b r e a k  myself

Translator:
Feelin’ a bit weird that Alton, a dead guy, is named when Lucas’ actual biological mother (and maybe his father too) with actual screentime isn’t. Also, we never learn the name of the company they work at (or own??), it’s always ‘the company’.

Footnotes:

1. In order to capture, one must let loose [欲擒故纵]: from the Thirty-Six Strategems; as explained by Wikipedia: cornered prey will often mount a final desperate attack. To prevent this, let the enemy believe they still have a chance for freedom. Their will to fight is hampered by their desire to escape. The enemy’s morale will be depleted and they will surrender without a fight when the illusion of escape is revealed.

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“Go out?” Luo Ran asked softly.

Lucas nodded.

“Hey! The ones inside, get out! Hugging and crying, are you so inseparable?!” There was a gap between the door and the floor, which showed a large shadow when the imperial guard’s flashlight swept across.

The shadow was relatively unclear and seemed to be two people hugging each other and kissing.

Luo Ran: “…”

Lucas kicked the door open and sneered at the group of guards.

After the Imperial Guard made a mess of things in the main hall, Lu Cheng had no choice but to come in as well to help wipe their asses. He set up his forces to encircle the venue, trying to prevent anyone from escaping in the chaos.

Now, he followed this group of imperial guards with a face full of despair.

It was bad enough that the Imperial Guard came, but they hadn’t even sent their special ops team.

With just their capabilities, the interstellar pirates could take care of them with a single punch.

Lucas and Luo Ran matter-of-factly showed themselves and looked at the imperial guard captain.

“Report your name and identity!” the captain shouted sharply.

Lucas raised an eyebrow at him.

If there were any remaining pheromones on his body, it would be especially obvious in such a small space.

Lu Cheng rolled his eyes.

You don’t look like an admiral at all, okay?

He took another sniff.

This scent…

Shit.

Lu Cheng instantly petrified.

Lucas felt that this captain was too silly and couldn’t be bothered to deal with him, so he simply took off his mask and stood next to Luo Ran.

As soon as they stood together, Luo Ran understood.

Since he was technically also an official, it wouldn’t be good for him if it ever got out that he appeared at this sort of place, so he’d reported his plans to the government’s intelligence agency earlier.

Which led to this situation.

Interstellar pirates couldn’t teleport. As humans, they must have walked inside like a normal person.

Then how did they get past the many layers of security?

Naturally, they must have a spy on the inside — and this spy had to be placed very high to have the necessary power to help them.

As today showed, this powerful spy could requisition information from the intelligence agency and mobilize the Imperial Guard to disrupt the situation here in time.

Since that was the case, it was pointless to keep their disguises.

Lucas and Luo Ran turned and left, leaving the captain frozen in place.

“Ad– Ad, Ad…”

No way.

No way, there’s no way, right?

The team of imperial guards were all struck dumb.

Ah.

It’s the admiral.

And the secretary.

“You idiot!” Although the Imperial Guard caused Lu Cheng no end of frustration, he still suppressed his roar. “You dumbasses messed up today’s investigation!”

“I was wrong!” The captain wanted to burst into tears. He’d only followed orders! He only thought it was just a few illegal merchants, not interstellar pirates.

“You dumbasses also messed up the creation of the Empire’s outstanding descendants!”

“…I was wrong!!!!”

All kinds of wails and howls sounded from the storage room.

After Luo Ran went back, he quickly learned about the situation from Lu Cheng and the Imperial Guard.

The Imperial Guard came after receiving orders from above, but also didn’t know who exactly sent them.

The Empire’s interior isn’t safe, Luo Ran reflected, we must be more careful in the future.

That night, it was very lively in certain group chats among the Imperial Guard and army as they discussed a wonderful love.

[The admiral and secretary were inseparable in the bathroom! All tangled up in each other!]

[The admiral and secretary did young master top x bodyguard bottom roleplay!]

It’s just a pity that the mission was classified so the people involved couldn’t talk about it openly, and could only huddle together in the lonely snow.

The next day, Luo Ran received his ‘goods’ in the mail.

Luo Ran had handed the weapons found on the interstellar pirates to Lu Cheng for processing. After the omega arrived in restraints, Luo Ran immediately released him then brought him to the medical department for a check-up with Shen Xiluo, and finally asked him for a report.

“We need to know everything about the drugs in his body, from its ingredients to its purpose,” Luo Ran said as he bowed slightly. “We’ll be troubling you, Doctor Shen.”

“It’s no trouble.” The tall alpha in a white coat pushed up his glasses and said, as expressionlessly as ever, “You just need to say a few good words to Xia Zhi for me.”

Shen Xiluo said this every time, and Luo Ran had long gotten used to it. He nodded with a bright smile.

* * *

“Doctor Shen was more handsome than usual today,” Luo Ran said that afternoon at Xia Zhi’s house.

Xia Zhi: “…”

“Did you go to the medical department today?” he asked helplessly.

Luo Ran nodded, grinning.

“Don’t bother with him.” Xia Zhi rolled his eyes. “You’re here for the UNK again, right?”

“Mn, yeah.”

The investigation into the black market would take a bit of time. After Luo Ran took care of his work, made coffee for Lucas, and arranged his clothes, he came to Xia Zhi’s place.

The two went to the basement. When Luo Ran saw the stone again, he felt a bit of a headache.

“The research institute’s been making arrangements. There are now more than seventy omegas who have S-grade spiritual power or above actively refining UNK, but for SSS-grade omega like you, there are no more than ten.” Xia Zhi shook his head. “They’ve gathered so many capable people, but there’s still been no progress.”

“Take it slowly, there’s no rush,” Luo Ran commented. “For omega to have such strong spiritual power is rare, there’s no need to exhaust it for the sake of speed.”

Luo Ran placed his hand lightly on the stone and closed his eyes.

…Hm?

Feeling something strange, Luo Ran gently picked it up.

“What’s wrong?” Xia Zhi worriedly consulted the measuring instruments. “Is there a problem?”

“I feel… it seems to be clearer,” Luo Ran said. “Yes, those complicated patterns are much clearer than last time.”

“Huh…?”

That’s possible?

“Maybe it’s because you’ve refined it a few times, and practice makes perfect?” Xia Zhi asked.

“Maybe,” Luo Ran said. “The instruments don’t show any abnormalities, so it’s probably fine.”

Xia Zhi thought, Luo Ran’s physique was already a little strange.

When he became an adult and presented, the Pheromone Management Agency only detected that he was a B-grade omega.

There happened to be a worker at the Agency who was a senior from the same school as Luo Ran, whom he asked to edit his records to a beta for the sake of a job. The senior, who knew of Luo Ran’s circumstances and didn’t have enough money himself, could only help in this way.

This was why he could fool everyone.

And if they detected that he was an SSS-grade, this story might have changed altogether.

In the following months, Luo Ran’s spiritual power slowly condensed.

His B-grade became A, then S, and SS, before finally stabilizing at SSS.

When Luo Ran told Xia Zhi, he felt it was incredible.

Maybe Luo Ran’s body was born with the ability to optimize itself.

When Luo Ran just became Lucas’ secretary, the situation was a mess. He couldn’t keep up with Lucas’ requirements at all and was reprimanded every day, not to mention that he was just a weak little omega.

Now, Luo Ran was the perfect secretary. Even in terms of combat, the average alpha couldn’t beat him.

Luo Ran stayed in the basement until late evening. 

He didn’t know why it felt so much smoother today, to the point that he felt he’d almost figured it out.

Xia Zhi was also surprised.

“Your brainwaves were… very active today.” He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “It can’t be that your brain can evolve on its own, right? Your IQ is 105 today and will be 500 tomorrow?”

Luo Ran paused, then asked, “There won’t be any problem, right?”

“No, I’ll take a closer look tonight.”

Luo Ran nodded, and was about to get up when his terminal lit up.

It was a message from Lucas.

Lucas: You’re going straight home later?

Luo Ran: Yes.

Lucas: Don’t go home, go to the company, eat together.

Lucas would sometimes do this. Although he ate the company’s usual boxed meals, he would eat it together with Luo Ran.

Before, the two of them rarely went home, so they’d eat something at the company then go to bed.

But now…

Luo Ran hesitantly brushed his hair behind his ear, then pressed the reply button.

Luo Ran: Apologies, I’m tired today, I’ll go home first.

No reply came from Lucas even after a long time.

Luo Ran let out a sigh of relief, bid farewell to Xia Zhi, and went home.

* * *

The next day, Luo Ran brewed the coffee as usual. He asked Rong Duo to pass over the clothes and to send in the documents.

Lucas prepared to go inspect the military camp in the afternoon. As he shrugged on his military uniform, he said, “Luo Ran.”

Luo Ran, who had his head down reading paperwork, immediately responded, “Here.”

Lucas looked at him quizzically. He felt it strange that Luo Ran still hadn’t moved.

Since Lucas going to the military camp wasn’t for work or for an official parade, it wasn’t strictly necessary for Luo Ran to follow him.

But in the past, they would go together, then Luo Ran would find a shady spot to continue doing paperwork by himself as he waited for Lucas to finish.

Now Luo Ran felt that since it wasn’t required, he didn’t need to follow.

“I’m a little busy,” he said as he smiled at him. “I’ll see you off here, Admiral.”

Lucas stared steadily at Luo Ran, without much of an expression on his face.

To the side, Rong Duo tried to curl into a ball.

Wuwuwu.

They must’ve had a fight.

Why was the atmosphere so terrifying when they got back from the parade that day?

Lucas turned away without a word.

Rong Duo let out a deep breath.

Her life was too hard.

After Lucas left, Luo Ran went to the kitchen of the secretary’s office and poured himself a glass of warm water.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared on the table.

Luo Ran was startled at a strong tobacco scent that came from behind. As soon as he turned around, he was pulled harshly and slammed against a cabinet.

“I thought about it, something still isn’t right,” Lucas said coldly. “Weren’t you avoiding me these few days?”

Luo Ran was stunned.

W-Why did he come back?

“Admiral, can you let…”

They were in a public kitchen. If anyone saw, there’d soon be another story floating around.

“I won’t run, please let me go,” Luo Ran placated.

Lucas only sneered. “No way, you’re too crafty.”

With his hands pressed above his head, Luo Ran felt like Lucas was going to lift his whole body.

“Come on, let’s chat, if you’re dissatisfied somewhere just say it.”

“…” Luo Ran could only say helplessly, “I’m not.”

“Huh.”

“Really, I’m not.” Luo Ran smiled. “Could it be that Admiral feels he needs to apologize for something?”

However, when this sentence fell into Lucas’ ears, it became blatant sarcasm.

Fuck, did I really do something wrong?

Frowning, Lucas recalled what he did recently.

Perfect, completely perfect.

He did nothing out of the ordinary.

“Can’t you say it properly?” Lucas asked as his frown deepened. “Talk honestly.”

“…” Luo Ran helplessly said, “Nothing’s wrong, and I wasn’t avoiding you. I’m just… fulfilling my responsibilities as an employee.”

Lucas was silent for a while, and finally scowled. “Speak human.”

“…I’m not dissatisfied with you,” Luo Ran said.

“Then why were you avoiding me?”

“I wasn’t.”

“You’re lying again, if you keep lying…” Lucas thought for a few seconds, then said fiercely, “I’ll deduct your salary.”

“The company controls everyone’s salary, and it also controls your living expenses,” Luo Ran reminded him.

“…”

Seeing that Lucas was still stubborn, Luo Ran thought that this time he couldn’t fool him.

“Admiral, I’ve recently reflected on my actions.” Luo Ran lowered his eyes. “I’ve decided to work harder.”

Lucas looked puzzled.

Luo Ran said euphemistically, “It will make our workplace more efficient. I will complete all the work that should be done, and not touch work that should not be done.”

“How is this related to you avoiding me?”

With great effort, Luo Ran said, “As I said, I have not been avoiding Admiral. It is merely that eating together and going to the military camp together is not within the scope of necessary work.”

Lucas stiffened.

…Huh?

“How is it not within the scope of necessary work?”

“Because you do not need me at the exercise grounds, and I cannot help you with the inspection as your adjutants can, so it is not within my purview.”

Lucas’ face went through a series of changes. A long silence later, he snarled viciously, “Your purview’s always been talking back, right?”

Luo Ran smiled as usual.

Lucas, gazing at Luo Ran, could only let it go.

“Admiral, you’ll be late.” Luo Ran tapped his terminal. “Your inspection starts in half an hour.”

Luo Ran originally had a sense of distance when interacting with people. Today, Lucas felt it more than ever.

“…You just wait.” Lucas pointed at him. “Wait for me to get back.”

Then he turned and strode away.

Luo Ran let out a sigh of relief and rubbed at the red area on his wrist which was pinched by mechanical fingers.

When he went back, he saw Rong Duo hard at work at her desk, like a deaf little shrimp who definitely didn’t hear anything going on.

Rong Duo had been scared to death.

She personally saw Lucas stride into the kitchen in fury, then heard a loud bang from inside.

Oh heavens, they must be arguing, maybe even fighting.

When they came out, Luo Ran’s wrists were red…

Rong Duo’s mind instantly turned in another direction.

Ah, what a wonderful love.

Obviously, what Zhou Mingkai said before was right. There was nothing in the world that a ♂fight♀ couldn’t solve — if there was, then fight again.

Due to requirements for workplace privacy, Rong Duo couldn’t share what happened and could only howl about this dog food* to herself. Before she could finish digesting it, she received a message from the owner of a LuRan online store.

* * *

That afternoon, Lucas went to the military camp by himself, while Luo Ran went to stay at the company’s reception room.

Shen Xiluo was visiting in order to get signatures from several of their department heads, and brought the checkup results of the omega from the black market by the way.

Luo Ran was working through his documents when he received a private message from One Tender Blossom.

One Tender Blossom: Oh, you’re from the company! Why didn’t you say so earlier! Let’s meet IRL in a bit, and I’ll pull you into the company’s CP group chat! Or are you already in?

False Truths: ?

One Tender Blossom: Ah, didn’t you buy stuff online? The shopkeeper of the online store will come over today to drop off the things everyone at the company bought together, you can come to pick yours up after work (*^0^*)/~☆

Luo Ran: “…”

It was only then that he remembered that his mailing address was set at the company. After all, he stayed at the company more often than at home, even on weekends.

* * *

I’m finished.

This…

This this this…

This was the book he ordered, the one with four admirals and one secretary.

That book!!!

Luo Ran desperately wanted to go back to that night and give himself a big slap.

Those who did not obey the core values of the Empire deserved to be punished!

Luo Ran felt he was going to cry.

He really didn’t know that those CP fans would combine their purchases and that the shopkeeper would hand them all to Rong Duo.

Did the company have so many people who bought merchandise?

His terminal rang again.

One Tender Blossom: Dearie, the time is set for 5pm right after work, OK? At the break room opposite the bathroom on the ground floor!

One Tender Blossom: By the way, which department are you? Remember not to let the bosses, I mean the secretary and admiral, see when you come down! This is a classified mission! We can play happily by ourselves, but don’t mess around with the big bosses! (づ￣ ³￣)づ

Luo Ran: “…”

It was now half-past four.

There was half an hour left.

Click.

Just then, Shen Xiluo entered with a folder.

“Arrived late by three minutes and eleven seconds,” Shen Xiluo said in a frigidly emotionless tone as he pushed up his glasses. “I apologize.”

“It’s fine.” Luo Ran smiled as he took the folder. “Thanks for this.”

“Remember to say a few good words,” Shen Xiluo said.

Luo Ran looked at the old-fashioned, dull, stiff man in front of him who insisted on calculating his energy consumption even when speaking. He was the kind of person who would set timers even when spending time with Xia Zhi. Five minutes of kissing, ten minutes of hugging, then came a hardcore “Okay, you can open your legs.”

He was very reliable, wouldn’t talk nonsense, plus Luo Ran had Xia Zhi as a trump card.

“Um… Doctor Shen.”

Shen Xiluo raised his head to look at Luo Ran.

“Can you do me a favour?”

“What.”

“…Help me pick up a book, and pretend that the account is yours.” Following this, Luo Ran cheerfully sold Xia Zhi off: “Afterwards, Xia Zhi will have dinner with you.”

Shen Xiluo’s poker face showed a once-in-a-lifetime crack.

“But I hope you can keep this a secret.”

“No problem.” Shen Xiluo solemnly nodded, treating this task as a top-secret operation.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Shen Xiluo came back carrying a bag.

Luo Ran: “…Thanks for your help, did they say anything?”

“Nothing, they just asked why it was sent here, plus some other strange questions, I didn’t answer.”

Then Shen Xiluo silently considered Luo Ran for a long time. Seeing that Luo Ran was about to leave, he couldn’t resist saying, “Secretary Luo, read less of this type of book.”

“…”

Shen Xiluo pushed his glasses up again and said in a flat voice, “I saw a few pages on the way here. It completely violates human anatomy and has no logic at all, whether in size or positions.”

“…”

Shen Xiluo continued, “Disharmony in bed between spouses signifies the accumulation of many contradictions. If you have unrealistic expectations of the admiral, you will inevitably be disappointed, which will negatively impact the feelings between spouses and this deterioration will eventually cause trouble for the empire.

“Hence, I recommend you to observe interactions between real people instead.”

Shen Xiluo got closer to Luo Ran and connected their terminals together.

And then… sent him links to a few websites.

“There are a lot of videos here, but they are all more realistic than those novels. According to the current scientific consensus, a typical human penis is between thirteen and twenty-two centimetres, and anything exceeding this is a sign of abnormal growth. I think someone with 38 centimetres is no longer human, so Secretary shouldn’t have such high expectations for your partner.”

“…” Luo Ran was speechless. I don’t, I’m not.

“If necessary, I can arrange to get a few reference videos for you. Only through rational intercourse can a marital relationship be harmonious.”

“…”

Luo Ran thought to himself, if he went off the deep end when he joined the CP group chat, then when he ordered this book…

That person definitely wasn’t him.

It was another Luo Ran.

Don’t ask, he didn’t know anything.

---

Translator:
Shen Xiluo is my favourite supporting character, seriously.

Footnotes:

1. Dog food [狗粮]: netizen slang for couples PDA; witnessing PDA is called eating dog food

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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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Too stupid.

Really too stupid.

Luo Ran covered his eyes and couldn’t bear to look at it directly.

Especially since a crowd of people soon came out and repeated his posts, making it resemble a cult scene.

It was outrageous.

Many people also sent a variety of weird photoshopped reaction pics.

Luo Ran, who was so embarrassed that his face burned red, didn’t dare to stay in the group to chat and immediately went offline.

But he could now know what everyone was whispering about, improve his understanding, then start to maintain a proper distance from his boss.

Luo Ran promised to himself that from tomorrow onwards, he would pay more attention and not do anything that would make it easy for others to misunderstand.

So the next day, he asked Rong Duo to send in the coffee and clothes that he arranged.

Rong Duo: ??

They argued?

Rong Duo brought the things into the office with trepidation.

Lucas had his head lowered as he read documents, but looked up when he detected an unfamiliar presence and immediately frowned at the sight of Rong Duo.

Rong Duo: “…Admiral, good morning.”

Lucas looked at her coldly.

“…I’ll leave now.”

In the afternoon, Luo Ran handed Rong Duo a large stack of documents with a bright smile. “I’ll be troubling you.”

Rong Duo: “…”

That evening, Rong Duo got off work but Luo Ran stayed behind to finish off his work until late in the night.

Luo Ran stretched his muscles, planning to head home.

The office door was pushed open with a click, revealing Lucas. He looked at Luo Ran, who was tidying up his desk, and said coldly, “You don’t need to go home tonight.”

“…” Luo Ran froze, then shot him a smile. “It isn’t midnight yet, I…”

“Get in here!”

“…”

Lucas turned and walked away before Luo Ran could say anything else.

To be honest, if it was before, Luo Ran would go in without thinking anything of it. But now that he went through the shippers’ trials and tribulations, he was no longer clean.

In the middle of the night, the office was deserted except for the two of them… and his boss suddenly came out, ordering him to stay the night.

If Nana knew this, a new story would immediately come into being.

Luo Ran sighed and went in helplessly.

Lucas stood before the window. When Luo Ran followed his gaze, he froze for a moment.

“It’s blooming,” Luo Ran said, smiling. “It’s that time of year again.”

Lucas had a series of trellises installed on his window which were covered in wisteria flowers. Before, when it hadn’t bloomed yet, it looked very plain with just the creeping stems, leaves, and buds, but now many rows of bright purple flowers filled the entire window.

It looked ethereal.

On the window sill, a single wisteria was displayed under a clear glass dome.

Lucas nodded.

The flowers were only planted last year. At the time, he thought Lucas only did it on a whim but didn’t expect that these flowers would accompany Lucas for season after season.

“Why does Admiral like wisteria flowers?” Luo Ran asked curiously.

“I don’t like them,” Lucas said as he frowned. “Who’d like these girly things.”

Luo Ran glanced at the wisteria that filled the window from top to bottom.

“It calms my mind,” Lucas explained.

As an SSS alpha, his pheromones were rarely stable, and it was also easy for him to lose control of his spiritual power.

This wisteria fragrance, like the white tea incense, could calm Lucas down and make him feel at ease even by merely looking at it.

Luo Ran nodded his head.

Maybe it’s because I really can’t match Lucas and wisteria flowers together, Luo Ran thought, that I even see wisteria in my dreams.

In that dreamscape awash with wisteria flowers, a cosy little cabin hid within.

It was like a heavenly paradise.

As his mind wandered, Luo Ran sat on the edge of the sofa, considering how to tell Lucas that he wanted to leave.

Seeing that Lucas had already changed his clothes and was preparing to sleep, Luo Ran hurriedly spoke up. “Admiral, I think I should go…”

“Stop talking.”

Lucas, pillowing his head on his arm, was about to fall asleep.

He couldn’t get used to not seeing Luo Ran for a whole day, so he decided to let him stay overnight.

After a beat of silence, Luo Ran could only talk about work. “Admiral, do you understand what happened yesterday?”

He was referring to what happened between Andika and Lu Cheng in the bathroom.

“Yeah.” Lucas turned over, his train of thought easily led astray by Luo Ran. “Investigate that Andika properly.”

“Mn, we will.” Then Luo Ran added, with emotion, “Military officers are no good at dealing with politics and interpersonal relationships. It’s no wonder that every officer is followed by a group of civil servants.”

Lucas narrowed his eyes.“Who are you talking about?”

“Adjutant Lu, not you,” Luo Ran answered smoothly.

“He is a bit silly, but do you know how he became my adjutant?”

Lucas’ adjutants had all been selected on the battlefield before Luo Ran became his secretary, but he had some understanding of them after working together for so many years. “Adjutant Lu is good at judging the battle situation and terrain, is skilled in mecha operation, and…”

“I don’t need you to compliment him,” Lucas interrupted impatiently, feeling it unbearable to keep listening. Luo Ran had never praised him like that. “I had another adjutant at the time, who’d been good at his job and was hand-picked by my uncle. But on his first day, Lu Cheng hated him on sight and the two argued. Later, he was exposed as an undercover interstellar pirate during an ambush. Even my uncle hadn’t realized.”

Luo Ran was surprised.

Lucas had said before that their battle-honed instincts were very accurate, leading to sudden flashes of intuition.

Including about people.

“Then I hope Adjutant Lu’s instincts are accurate this time as well,” Luo Ran said, “or else we’ll have a lot of trouble.”

There was no sound from Lucas.

…He fell asleep?

When Luo Ran went closer to check, he saw that Lucas really fell asleep as he spoke.

Luo Ran was torn between tears and laughter.

With his eyes closed and sleeping on his back, Lucas looked very different from his usual fierceness.

Luo Ran suddenly remembered something that happened a long time ago.

When he first became a secretary for Lucas, the war had just ended, and Lucas was promoted as soon as he returned. After being appointed as an admiral, everyone in the Empire talked about him — everyone crazily worshipped him. After all, before then, people only knew of him through reports from the front line, which talked about a young general who achieved one victorious battle after another. But once Lucas returned to the Empire and was officially introduced to the media, all the miracles and legends were made real.

The news of Lucas’ uncle dying on the battlefield disheartened the Empire for a long while, but Lucas became the Empire’s new hope and strength.

That was when he was most popular.

However, only Luo Ran knew that Lucas couldn’t sleep at night, and didn’t sleep well even if he did fall asleep.

He couldn’t get used to ordinary life. After leaving the battlefield, he became cranky and anxious, not to mention he possessed SSS-grade pheromones — he was inherently prone to losing control of his spiritual power.

At night, he would sit up vigilantly at the slightest noise, completely unable to relax. And he couldn’t fall asleep afterwards either, with his mind filled with terribly tragic memories.

But Lucas could now sleep soundly. There was no war anywhere except when interstellar pirates occasionally messed around somewhere.

Luo Ran glanced at Lucas, who seemed to sleep especially well tonight.

Maybe it was because of the wisteria?

He checked on the white tea incense burner and made sure there was enough incense inside, changed out the water in the humidifier, adjusted the temperature for the air conditioner, then quietly left.

Once he got home, Luo Ran spent the whole night reading up on gardening tips, then ordered a bunch of fertilizers, soil, and nutrients, as well as purported super potions*, from the online marketplace.

Luo Ran also bought a pot of wisteria flowers.

He decided to try raising a pot at home.

It would be great if the wisteria could always bloom.

       ——  XXX  ——

The next day, the investigation team made new progress.

They discovered that the black market would hold an auction on the next day. Since they had both the time and location, they decided to send a few investigators undercover to observe it.

After a brief hesitation, Luo Ran asked the investigator for a ticket, planning to check it out himself.

“The black market auction? You’re going by yourself?” Lucas scowled when he heard of it.

“There are some essential differences between auctions and transactions. Transactions are only open to insiders, whereas you can attend auctions as long as someone vouches for you, so investigators can use this channel to gather information. And it’s not particularly dangerous,” Luo Ran explained, “because there are outsiders present. I’ll use an earpiece to keep in constant contact, and I’m only taking a look at the situation, so Admiral doesn’t need to worry.”

“I’ll go with you,” Lucas said.

Luo Ran stilled. “Admiral, there’s no need to…”

“What time? Say it again.”

“…”

So two people would go.

But they needed a disguise.

Zhou Mingkai found them a reliable, tight-lipped makeup artist.

The makeup artist was a young woman who was under the impression that Lucas and Luo Ran were going on a trip or date while in disguise, and was so excited that she almost tripped over her feet as she entered the room.

“M-My apologies! It’s my first time seeing Sir Admiral and Secretary, I, I’m a bit nervous.” The young woman with her hair in a bun dragged a large bag as she trotted in.

The two were currently in a reception room on the ground floor*, and the makeup artist also quietly came in through a more obscure elevator in the back.

Although…

Luo Ran gave Zhou Mingkai a glance. Is she really reliable?

Zhou Mingkai returned a thumbs up. Absolutely reliable!

Half an hour later:

Luo Ran looked at the mirror, feeling strange.

The makeup artist not only made them different people, but somehow also made them… more handsome?

Luo Ran’s silver hair was too iconic, so the makeup artist simply dyed it pitch black and draped it over his shoulder, then applied red eyeshadow to the corners of his eyes and drew a tiny mole there.

When she paired it with a long-sleeved black shirt and figure-hugging pants, the normally gentle man instantly became more aggressive yet alluring.

The contrast was so extreme that Zhou Mingkai couldn’t look away.

He felt as if he’d suddenly reached an epiphany.

Luo Ran, not quite used to it yet, subconsciously rejected the earrings the makeup artist handed over.

Whereas Lucas transformed into… a bodyguard?

He wore a typical monochrome suit, swept his hair back tidily, and used such shiny hair gel that it made Luo Ran’s entire mind chaotic.

After so many years of looking at Lucas’ dishevelled, unruly hair, Luo Ran truly couldn’t get used to this sudden change.

Lucas also looked at Luo Ran. He slowly reached over and gently twisted a stray lock of Luo Ran’s hair.

“Can it be changed back?” Lucas frowned slightly. He still preferred Luo Ran with his silver-blue hair.

The makeup artist covered her mouth, nodding frantically. “Yes! The dye will fall off after it’s washed.”

Luo Ran smiled. “Admiral should also wash your hair afterwards… It looks strange on you, the last time I saw you with such a formal hairstyle was at your promotion ceremony.”

“Oh, yeah.” Lucas scratched uncomfortably at the back of his head.

The makeup artist continued to cover her mouth and cry.

Geez, you can still see it when they get married later, Zhou Mingkai thought.

The two completely changed their hairstyles and clothes. The makeup artist put some eye makeup on Luo Ran, but didn’t touch anything else. After all, the auction would provide masks, and asking Lucas to put on makeup would probably be asking for his life.

After the makeup artist left, Zhou Mingkai spoke. “Your new identities have been arranged. Secretary Luo is Xie Ancheng’s friend, a rich young master, and Admiral is Young Master Luo’s bodyguard.”

After speaking, Zhou Mingkai couldn’t help letting out an internal hiss.

He had a new idea for Nana when he got back.

“Bodyguard…?” Luo Ran glanced at Lucas.

This reversed the relationship between superior and subordinate…

Luo Ran felt a bit uneasy.

Lucas probably wouldn’t be very comfortable… seeing as he was a high-ranking admiral.

Lucas frowned as he thought. “How does a bodyguard act?”

“Just…” Zhou Mingkai looked down. “Follow the young master, listen to the young master’s orders, and protect the young master.”

“Got it,” Lucas said.

The two set off. The entrance to the auction was hidden in a bar; Luo Ran could only enter after he showed his invitation letter and registered his information.

Lucas unthinkingly strode in front of Luo Ran.

Luo Ran: “…”

Seeing Luo Ran hesitating, Lucas raised an eyebrow. “What.”

“Um… to decrease others’ suspicions, please let me walk in front.”

Lucas thought about it for a long while before he understood and clicked his tongue. “Troublesome.”

He retreated behind Luo Ran.

As they stepped into the hall, they saw that with dim lighting and everyone wearing masks, it was very hard to recognise anyone.

There weren’t many people present, and of those who were, most were wealthy patrons looking for some excitement.

Neither Luo Ran nor Lucas ate or drank anything on-site, instead preferring to silently walk around and observe.

Although there weren’t many customers around, there were a lot of guards at every corner and entrance, all of them armed with weapons.

Lucas moved closer to Luo Ran and lowered his head. “Those guards are all interstellar pirates, this is their territory,” he whispered.

A gust of hot air washed over Luo Ran’s ear, making him freeze for a short moment before he nodded.

Some people were already seated, some walked around like Luo Ran and Lucas, while others chatted.

Not long after, someone went on the stage to announce the start of the auction.

They didn’t talk much before sending the first item up.

It was a person.

Luo Ran narrowed his eyes the slightest bit.

This…

An omega with chains around his limbs and neck was pulled up, then the host introduced him with a few words and set his starting price.

Quite a few people rushed to bid, and the price gradually rose.

Lucas sat next to Luo Ran. Although he couldn’t see his face, Luo Ran could still feel the low air pressure surrounding him and knew that his eyes were filling with anger.

Lucas had always been very clear in his principles and bottom line*, of course he wouldn’t be able to take this.

“That omega is willing,” Luo Ran said as he leaned closer to Lucas, “he can earn a lot in just one month.”

Luo Ran knew this because someone introduced this line of work to him when he was desperately short of money, but he hadn’t done it in the end.

To stimulate a bidding war, the host, grinning, took out a small bottle and poured it down the omega’s throat.

The next moment, the omega went into heat. Thick pheromones filled the hall and wafted towards the audience below the stage, making many alphas start breathing heavily.

Luo Ran widened his eyes.

This is…

“This omega has been fed ‘special medicine’ for an entire month! He’s addicted!” The host cackled loudly. “It’s not a loss to bring him home!”

Seeing that many unfamiliar alphas sitting on his other side lit up after hearing of the special medicine, Luo Ran curiously asked them, “What’s the special medicine?”

“Is it your first time?” The alpha smiled. “It’s an aphrodisiac sold by Huntsman’s* group, the effect is very good! People get addicted as soon as they eat it, but it also makes them go into heat, so they’ll always beg for it.”

“Huntsman?”

“He sells drugs, any drug that you can think of. Tsk, they even took the name of that interstellar pirate boss.”

Luo Ran: What do you mean they took the name, they are interstellar pirates.

Interstellar pirates did sneak into the Empire’s black market, and arrogantly used their real name, but no one believed it.

After asking some more, Luo Ran confirmed that Huntsman began to set up shop around half a month ago.

This went on for over half a month, yet Lucas’ people didn’t know anything about it?

He didn’t believe that there weren’t traitors.

After the omega on the stage went into heat, many alphas couldn’t sit still. Those who kept their minds raised their bids, while others directly injected themselves with inhibitors.

Luo Ran looked somewhat worriedly at Lucas, but saw that there wasn’t the slightest ripple on his face, and he even looked a little disgusted.

Luo Ran breathed a sigh of relief; but now, he discovered a new problem.

An alpha’s scent couldn’t attach itself to a beta, but after the omega on stage affected the alphas below, Luo Ran’s whole body was contaminated with messy alpha pheromones. It wouldn’t go well if Lucas detected it.

“I’m… going to the bathroom.” Luo Ran stood.

“I’ll go with you.”

“No need, you should stay to monitor the situation here.”

Luo Ran strode towards the bathroom.

On the way, he met a curly-haired man wearing a mask.

The man stopped him with a grin.

Luo Ran shot him a quizzical look.

The man chuckled. “How unexpected… an SSS omega, why would one be here?”

The man was tall, slender, and spoke with a light yet elegant tone. Although he was clearly talking normally, it sounded as if he was reciting poetry.

Luo Ran was startled.

How can he tell?

And having been tortured by Lucas’ harsh words for so many years, Luo Ran only felt goosebumps at such a cultivated voice.

It was too uncomfortable, as if someone pinched him.

The man lowered his head slightly, sniffed, then raised an eyebrow. “There’s also an SSS alpha nearby. Extraordinary.”

…Did this guy have a dog’s nose?

Luo Ran looked down. There, embroidered on his cuff, was a fox.

---

Translator:
Apologies for missing last week’s update! The good news is that my stockpile is getting back to a reasonable level so hopefully this won’t happen again.

Footnotes:

1. Purported super potions [星研发的神奇药剂]: these truly are purported because I have no idea what this is talking about
2.  Ground floor [底楼]: context here makes it strange if they’re trying to hide on the ground floor, but that is what 底楼 means. However, I’m more inclined to think the author meant a basement level or something, which would also allow for the elevator mentioned later in the sentence.
3. Very clear in his principles and bottom line [揉不了沙子]: lit. never been able to stand even a bit of sand in his eyes; a perfectionist, a very definite attitude toward things, no room for mistakes or differences
4. Huntsman [猎狐]: lit. fox hunter; it’s a name/title, and fox hunter sounds kinda ehh in English, so I used Huntsman as in one of the main roles during fox hunting. Reference to the huntsman spider is also a bonus.

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