Tag: BL (page 9 of 12)

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After Luo Ran woke up and was accompanied through his rehab sessions by Lucas, he ate a very satisfying bowl of hot porridge. Before, Shen Xiluo had been worried that his body was too weak so his meals had all consisted of nutrient tubes.

The two sat face to face at the dining table, Lucas with a bowl of plain white rice and Luo Ran with a bowl of plain white porridge. It looked quite bleak, so much so that anyone looking at them might wonder if the life of an admiral was really so miserable.

“Admiral!”

They were halfway through their meal when Wang Qiuyang and several other adjutants barged in.

Wang Qiuyang jumped when he saw Luo Ran.

“Knock when you come in next time,” Lucas said.

“Uh, yes…” Wang Qiuyang rubbed his chin with a dry smile. Thankfully he hadn’t interrupted any steamy scenes, otherwise he might be silenced.

Over the course of several expeditions in the past, Lucas and his adjutants had developed the habit of not bothering to knock when they went into their rooms.But now that the admiral’s Secretary Luo was here… hehehe.

“What’re you in a hurry for?” Lucas ticked up an eyebrow. “Going to give birth?”

Wang Qiuyang went closer. “Sir, it’s not good, the pirates went to Luobing’s east district.”

“East district?” Luo Ran frowned. “The UNK mines?”

“Yes!” Freeman replied. “According to the projected route given by our scouts, their goal should be the UNK mine.”

There were two UNK mines which had been discovered and excavated thus far: one was on M4 which had been destroyed, and the other was on Luobing, close to a spaceport. If pirates wanted to raid it, there was a good chance that they would succeed.

“They’ve really gone crazy, are they trying to gamble their last hand?” Lucas sneered.

“Sir, we can’t let them take Luobing’s mines so easily,” Luo Ran said. “What arrangements are there on Luobing’s side?”

Freeman reported, “They’ve already requested help from the Empire, but His Highness the First Prince said to let Major General Mokka take the lead, and we should go back to the capital to rest.”

“Rest?” Lucas laughed in anger.

“Damn!” Wang Qiuyang snorted coldly. “The first prince is a maggot blinded by profit! For the sake of his little benefits, can he even give up the mine!”

“It’s not a little benefits, it’s a lot,” Freeman corrected him.

If the research into UNK continued, then as the leader, the first prince would naturally earn a lot; and if he then succeeded the throne, his contribution to the economy and the sciences would be a big advantage.

“Okay! Stop talking about the royal family,” Lucas said, waving his hand. “Go get ready, we don’t care about whatever orders they give! Tell Major General Mokka not to bother, we’re going straight there!”

“Yes sir!”

After the adjutants left, Lucas shovelled in the rest of the rice, then looked over to Luo Ran who’d already finished his food. “Since there’s still a bit of time, I’ll take you outside to take a walk.”

“Yes…? Are we going to patrol the camp?” Luo Ran asked.

“Just taking a walk.”

“…Purely a walk?” Luo Ran frowned ever so slightly. He didn’t understand why Lucas wanted to do such a meaningless thing with him. It would have made sense if they were going to an amusement park to relax like during his vacation, but now…?

“The scenery on Phainon is pretty good, and there’s a famous chocolate factory here,” Lucas said proudly. “I checked.”

“Okay.”

Just to see the scenery and eat chocolate…

This was too weird. There weren’t any objectives or anything, it was completely unlike Lucas’ usual style.

But since Lucas wanted to go, he might as well keep him company.

The two left the battleship and transferred to a hovercar.

* * *

The hovercar soon arrived at the chocolate factory. Luo Ran glanced at the plain and monotonous square factory, paused, then his gaze slid to Lucas.

“I’ll go and buy some for you.”

“Okay.”

Five minutes later.

As Lucas boarded the hovercar, he tossed a bag of chocolates at Luo Ran. “Done, there’s one of every type.”

He said it as if checking in while on a mission.

Someone who didn’t know what was going on would think he was conducting an investigation.

Luo Ran opened the bag mechanically, and started eating mechanically.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Next stop.” Lucas opened his terminal and frowned. “Phainon’s great tree, it’ll take ten minutes.”

Luo Ran: “…”

Luo Ran felt that something was wrong. He leaned closer to take a look at the terminal.

“What are you looking at! Sit properly!” Lucas reacted very quickly and hid the screen.

But Luo Ran had managed to catch a glimpse of the first line.

Luo Ran: “…”

[Phainon’s Romantic Getaway for Two! The 10 Best Places for Couples!]

Luo Ran: “……”

Was he crazy or was Lucas crazy.

Luo Ran hugged the chocolates and nestled in the hovercar’s cushioned seats, his face so red that it burned.

Chunks of dark chocolate liquor melted in his mouth, and its bittersweet taste stung on his tongue.

He clearly had a good capacity for alcohol, but now this little piece of chocolate was so potent that he felt dizzy.

No wonder, no wonder when he woke up, Lucas had been so… strange.

Can it be…

No, why?

Luo Ran felt a string in his mind snap.

Why…!

What kind of development is this!

“Does it taste good?” Seeing Luo Ran’s face turn red, Lucas stretched out a hand curiously. “Give me one too.”

Luo Ran clutched at the bag. “It’s good. I-I’m sorry, the last piece of chocolate liquor I ate.”

Lucas: “…”

Lucas rubbed his nose and said, “Did you see it, the terminal?”

“No.” Luo Ran immediately shook his head.

“Then we’ll go to Phainon’s tree now?” Lucas asked with a raised eyebrow.

“No need, I think we should go back…” Luo Ran, not daring to look at Lucas, lowered his head. He very much resembled a ripe apple right now.

Lucas smiled, then completely ignored his opinion.

Phainon’s tree, like the Empire’s tree of marriage, was a remnant from the time of ancient Earth. It too stood tall and unwavering throughout the ages, and so it became another symbol of romance.

It’s just that the one in the capital had people seeking marriage, while this one was for lovers wishing for a good life together.

Once the two got off the hovercar, Lucas followed the guide and bought a ribbon from a nearby stall, wrote his and Luo Ran’s names on it, and hung it on a branch.

“Task complete,” Lucas said stiffly. “Next stop.”

Luo Ran: “…”

“Okay.”

With Lucas being so stilted, it relieved a lot of Luo Ran’s embarrassment.

Just endure it for today, he thought, I’ll just pretend I don’t know what he’s doing.

Anyways, Lucas was the one who made this ‘date’ into a mission.

* * *

For the next stop, Lucas took Luo Ran to an open, remote space. The barren and flat land stretched as far as the eye could see, without a single blade of grass, but the sky above glowed with beautifully psychedelic colours. Unlike the plain night sky of the capital, the sky here was more like a painter’s colour palette, with purple, pink, and blue nebulae slowly drifting overhead as if in a dream.

“What’s going on?” Lucas frowned as he looked out the window at this quiet scene. “Didn’t they say you can see meteor showers at this time?”

He’d wanted to make the hovercar AI turn on the candlelights on the ship when the meteors fell, then he could take out roses and confess his love to Luo Ran.

He’d already practised his confession script.

99 roses to represent my dedication, a sky of meteors to represent my sincerity! Meteors may be fleeting, but my love for you will never change!

I like you, be with me!

This was what he found on the internet, and Lucas was very satisfied with it.

Luo Ran smiled dryly. “Maybe we missed it.”

“No way, right? Wait a bit more.” Lucas glared upwards.

Luo Ran reluctantly waited with him.

After a while.

“Admiral.” Luo Ran hesitated, then opened his mouth again. “Are you…”

“What?”

“…Nothing.”

Half an hour later.

Lucas thumped the window frame angrily. “The internet is full of liars.”

Luo Ran could only lean back on his seat and close his eyes to rest in preparation for the next battle.

They waited for a long time until it was clear that it truly wasn’t happening before Lucas indignantly brought Luo Ran back.

He also shot a fierce glare towards the sky as he left.

Luo Ran: “…”

Luo Ran let out a relieved breath.

—— XXX ——

Upon returning to the battleship, everything had been prepared, and their fleet was ready to leave M4 and chase the pirates down to Luobing’s frontier town.

They were about to take off. Luo Ran, eager to avoid Lucas, said, “Sir, I’ll go check on Lion One’s progress, I’ll see if it’s fixed yet.”

Then he slipped away.

Lucas wanted to follow, but he had to go to the bridge to set their route, so he could only let him go for now.

Luo Ran soon arrived at the repair hangar.

People came and went within the hangar, and they were all there for Lion 01; after all, the big guy was really complicated to repair.

“Secretary Luo, you’re here.” The leader of the mechanics was a male alpha about the same age as Xia Zhi who looked very scholarly, and was currently looking through some papers.

“We’ve troubled you, Mr. Qi,” Luo Ran said, knowing exactly how difficult Lion 01 was to work on.

“No trouble, it’s my honour to work on the ‘wife’ of the Empire’s god of war,” Mechanic Qi Wen smiled at Luo Ran, and then, as if thinking of something, hurriedly added, “I mean the concubine, please don’t mind, Secretary Luo.”*

“…” Luo Ran didn’t want to speak.

He turned to look at Lion 01. The big guy looked a little cramped here; its exposed parts and circuits where its arm had been cut off had already been repaired, but the new arm hadn’t been installed yet.

The arm was currently placed nearby. “The new parts need to be painted after they’re finished, but that would make Lion One’s old and new colours uneven, so we’re planning to simply repaint the whole thing,” Qi Wen said.

Luo Ran nodded.

With a smiling glance at Luo Ran, he continued, “The admiral came to see me personally yesterday, to tell me to use Lion One’s original colour, since that’s his lucky colour.”

Luo Ran stiffened.

Qi Wen looked back at Lion 01 and said with emotion, “Lion Origin and Admiral Alton fell in battle a long time ago. When Lion One was just made, wasn’t that the second year you were the admiral’s secretary? Your relationship hasn’t changed for so many years, I really admire it.”

Luo Ran was frozen in place. After a moment, he asked, “Lion One’s colour… is it really because of my hair? It isn’t a coincidence? It wasn’t the mecha master’s decision?”

“Huh?” Qi Wen frowned lightly, then asked in a surprised tone, “You don’t know?”

Seeing Luo Ran’s expression, Qi Wen hesitated, then explained helplessly, “That year, I was fortunate enough to accompany my teacher during Lion One’s design phase. When they were discussing its colour, my teacher asked for the admiral’s opinion, and after he thought for a while, he said to use the same colour as your hair.”

Luo Ran lost the ability to speak.

“My teacher specially brought me to look at your hair, and it really was beautiful. My teacher was very excited, he drew out the whole design as soon as he got back.” Qi Wen couldn’t resist taking another peek at Luo Ran’s long hair.

At the time, his hair was only shoulder length, it wasn’t nearly as long as now.

“Luo Ran!”

Upon turning, Luo Ran saw Lucas, who’d finished his official duties, striding towards him.

Qi Wen tactfully left.

Luo Ran was still a little unbalanced.

Things were going way beyond his cognition.

“Let’s go, you’re still not fully recovered, go back and rest.” Lucas grabbed Luo Ran’s wrist and dragged him back to his office.

The moment they stepped into the room, they saw the window light up.

Lucas was taken aback.

It was a meteor.

It turned out that they hadn’t missed it, tonight’s meteor shower was just delayed.

Countless bright lights streaked across the sky, trailing their dazzling tails.

Meteors fell like rain.

Luo Ran was rather surprised.

Watching meteors on a battleship in space was a completely different experience from watching it on-planet.

More beautiful, more shocking. In his trance, it seemed like the meteors were right in front of him, like he could touch them if only he stretched out his hand.

He could vaguely see an outline of the rocks within the meteors’ glow, but this hardly detracted from their beauty.

“Luo Ran, when I left on this expedition, I said that I had something to say to you,” Lucas said.

Luo Ran nodded. “Yes.”

Bang!

Lucas abruptly pressed Luo Ran against the window, caging him in his arms.

Luo Ran’s hands were raised above his head into a posture of absolute surrender, with no way to escape.

It made him feel both nervous and embarrassed, though he’d experienced this pose many times before.

“Admiral,” Luo Ran whispered, “let go…”

“It’s a bit late now, and not what I planned. However…” Lucas paused, then looked straight at Luo Ran, a little nervous.

The distance between them was close, very close, so close that their noses were about to touch.

* * *

Bang–!

“Sir! We’re ready to leave!” Wang Qiuyang shouted as he crashed in along with a large group of officers. “Us brothers are just waiting for you to go to the bridge and give the order! Admiral… eh?”

“…”

The most terrifying thing was silence.

Wang Qiuyang stared blankly at Lucas who was pressing Luo Ran against the window.

Oh, he thought, I’m done for.

Fuck.

“Wang. Qiu. Yang.” Lucas looked like a god of death.

Luo Ran thanked heaven, thanked earth, and thanked Wang Qiuyang. He broke free from Lucas’ restraint and smiled widely at the adjutant. “It’s nothing, you can say it.”

Wang Qiuyang: “…”

If the madam wanted the minister to die, the minister couldn’t not die.*

Greeting death like an old friend, he said, “It’s just…”

“You shut up!”

Unexpectedly, Lucas interrupted him. He smirked at Luo Ran. “Fuck! You think I’m too scared to say it with them around?! I’m saying it today even if lightning splits the battleship apart around us!”

With dread building in his heart, Luo Ran turned on his heel and ran away.

Lucas immediately chased after him, and with a sonorous and powerful voice, shouted at the top of his lungs, “Luo Ran! I like you, everything I did today was to tell you, I like you! Not the ‘like’ between a boss and employee, it’s the ‘like’ like I want to mark you! It doesn’t matter if you’re a beta or omega!”

Luo Ran: “…”

“Luo Ran, can you be my wife?”

Luo Ran: “…..”

Luo Ran ran faster, running straight out the office.

“Stop right there!”

Lucas chased him outside. “Or you can be the husband, I don’t care!

“Luo Ran!

“I like you, did you hear me?!”

The entire audience gasped.

Oh, gods.

It’s a wonderful love.

---

Footnotes:
1. Concubine [小老婆]: lit. little wife; contrasts with 大老婆 (lit. big wife), which refers to the official wife. Dates from the days when a man was allowed multiple wives.
2. If the madam wanted the minister to die, the minister couldn’t not die [夫人要臣死，臣不得不死]: a play on the phrase 君要臣死，臣不得不死, meaning ‘if the lord wants the minister to die, the minister must die’, mainly expressing that the minister/subordinate should be loyal. Based on Confucius’ writings so you know it’s to enforce class/status; the following phrase is 父要子亡，子不得不亡, meaning ‘if a father wants his son to die, the son must die’.

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Luo Ran didn’t know how long he slept.

It must have been for a long time.

But it was very comfortable. At first he’d felt cold, but then he suddenly fell into a warm embrace which was also filled with his favourite smoky scent, as if he was lying on a grassland, surrounded by the bitter yet mellow scent of dried grass.

* * *

“Get up!”

Luo Ran hazily saw Lucas glaring at him from atop a platform at the military HQ. The man wore a navy blue combat uniform, clean and neat, which showcased his smooth lines of muscle.

It was a dream, right?

Luo Ran went back to five years ago.

That was his second year as Lucas’ secretary, and also the second year after Lucas agreed to teach him how to fight.

He originally didn’t even know how to kick, but under Lucas’ inhuman training, he could now hold his own in a fight.

The only thing was that he had to report to the infirmary every day, if not with cramps here then with wounds there. He was hardly ever unscathed.

Luo Ran pushed against the ground and staggered up, then felt his body pounce forwards and throw a punch towards Lucas.

Thump!

Lucas easily stopped his fist and used his other hand to hit Luo Ran’s abdomen.

Luo Ran instantly fell to the ground. He clutched at his stomach, momentarily unable to stand.

“Get up! Keep going!” Lucas snapped. “Is that all you can do?

“It’s useless to have good looks in a fight, and it’s worse than useless to cry!” Lucas pulled Luo Ran up by the collar and lifted his hand as if to punch him in the face.

Luo Ran had no strength at all, but in desperation, he forced himself to block Lucas’ hand and threw himself forwards to strangle him by the neck.

“That’s better.”

Raising his leg and smoothly kicking Luo Ran off the stage, Lucas looked at Luo Ran who’d once again fell and said, “Get up, you can’t admit defeat, you have to overcome all obstacles.”

He taught Luo Ran self-confidence, taught him to go forward, taught him to not be afraid of anything.

* * *

“Get up!”

* * *

Luo Ran shuddered, then slowly opened his eyes.

“Luo Ran…?”

Lucas had moved aside to rest his eyes, but as soon as he saw Luo Ran’s eyes open a crack, he went up and hugged him in excitement.

“…?” Luo Ran dazedly stared at Lucas’ forbidding face which was magnified countless times, still a little confused.

His arms and legs were somewhat stiff, he couldn’t move, and his mind was empty, as if he’d just experienced a great catastrophe.

“Luo Ran, you bastard.”

Lucas gripped Luo Ran’s wrist as his chest heaved violently.

Luo Ran had slept for three whole days, and as time passed, Lucas felt like he would go mad.

Upon the sight of Luo Ran still confused and unguarded, he couldn’t help but lower his head and kiss those chapped lips.

“Mmph…?!”

Luo Ran’s eyes widened. As soon as he woke up and before he could realise what was going on, he received such ‘treatment’, which muddled him even more.

His breath was stolen away by the kiss. Lucas’ actions were both intense and rough, as if he wanted to tear Luo Ran apart and swallow him into his belly.

“Sir… W-Why…” Only when Luo Ran spoke did he discover that his throat was so dry.

Luo Ran grabbed at Lucas’ back, trying to resist but completely unable to exert any strength.

“Punishment.” After finally ending the kiss, Lucas held himself up with one hand on the bed as he watched Luo Ran pant for breath. “You little bastard, you can’t not be punished.”

“…?”

The next second, Lucas bowed his head again and harshly bit Luo Ran’s lips. As they exchanged air, Lucas pressed the back of Luo Ran’s head to deepen the kiss.

“Hurts…”

Luo Ran frowned deeply, trying to breathe properly.

He felt that he might have woken up wrong.

Then, Lucas gaped at Luo Ran who’d fainted in front of him once again: “???”

He anxiously pressed the emergency call button.

Shen Xiluo and several other doctors soon arrived.

Shen Xiluo glanced at Luo Ran whose lips were red, peeling, and even swollen, then looked at Lucas. “…” He pushed up his glasses. “Sir, although I support your relationship with the secretary in order to promote the Empire’s economy and complete the task of producing an excellent next generation, you can’t be such a beast.”

“…”

“What happened to Luo Ran…?!”

Shen Xiluo looked over the instruments, then pushed up his glasses again. “He’s fine.”

“…He passed out!” Lucas snarled impatiently. “You’re not checking on him?!”

Shen Xiluo could only go up and give Luo Ran a cursory scan, before stepping back and saying, “He’s fine, it’s just that he was kissed until he ran out of air. Admiral, you’re very fierce.”

Lucas: “…”

Luo Ran, who was pretending to be unconscious: “…”

Shen Xiluo wondered what on earth happened for Secretary Luo to fake unconsciousness as soon as he woke up.

Maybe there was some hope for the Empire’s excellent next generation?

Shen Xiluo rubbed his chin then said as if just thinking of it, “Secretary Luo will wake soon.”

Then he collected his doctors and left.

Lucas: “…??”

Still a little confused, Lucas sat back down.

Three minutes later, Luo Ran indeed woke up again.

“…”

The two stared at each other.

“You faked it?!” Lucas finally reacted, shouting, “You fucking lied to me again?!”

“…” Pointing to a cup on the table, Luo Ran whispered, “…Thirsty.”

“…”

While cursing under his breath, Lucas poured hot water, helped Luo Ran sit up, then personally fed him the water.

Luo Ran: “…”

Luo Ran had never expected to be treated like this. He lowered his head doubtfully and drank.

Yet Lucas’ expression was as fierce as ever.

After he finished drinking, Luo Ran spent a moment trying to gather his thoughts before leaning against Lucas to ask in a low voice, “What happened…? How long was I asleep?”

Lucas frowned. “Do you not remember what happened in the mecha?”

“The mecha…?” Luo Ran hesitated. “I remember we boarded the mecha, then I passed out in an explosion.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow. “Mn, your spiritual state got another shock with the explosion.” He pulled Luo Ran close until they were back to chest so that Luo Ran could lean on him more. “Your spirit was unstable, so Shen Xiluo injected you with alpha pheromones.”

You little liar, let’s see how long you can pretend.

Keep pretending, keep pretending!

Heheh, I’ll look forward to it.

Lucas, who was planning his retaliation, deliberately didn’t explain anything.

“So that’s it.” No wonder I feel strange, Luo Ran thought. 

And Lucas’ pheromones made him feel very comfortable.

“Now, we’re at…?”

“We’re camped out above SAT-12, after you do your rehab, I’ll take you down for a walk.”

“Oh…”

“Luo Ran.” Lucas tilted Luo Ran by the chin until they could look each other in the eye, and said seriously, “Don’t do this next time.”

“What…?”

“Next time there’s danger, don’t rush up without care for your own safety, protect yourself first, okay?”

Luo Ran blinked.

“You can’t ever try to pilot my mecha again. The next time something like this happens, the most important thing is to protect yourself. If you’re ever this reckless again, I’ll beat you up,” he said.

“I… didn’t succeed, right?” Luo Ran asked nervously.

“No.” Lucas smiled until his eyes squinted.

Somehow, Luo Ran felt that Lucas was being weird.

Very weird.

He seemed to be angry, but he was also very gentle.

Gentle to the point of absurdity. This wasn’t like Lucas, he’d never been like this before.

“Admiral…”

“Hm?”

Luo Ran stared blankly at Lucas. “Are you okay?”

“Why would I not be okay?”

“…”

“Admiral, I can do it myself.” Luo Ran wanted to escape.

“Don’t move,” Lucas snorted angrily. “Rest properly.”

Luo Ran jumped in fright. “Okay…?”

He didn’t have the energy to think too much either, after all, his mental state wasn’t good, and with how comfortable Lucas’ pheromones were, he soon fell asleep again.

* * *

The next time he woke up, Luo Ran was much better.

Lucas was doing paperwork next to the bed. This time, he proactively poured Luo Ran some water when he saw that he was awake.

“Thank you.”

Luo Ran took the cup, then glanced at the pile of documents beside Lucas. “Sorry… I think I can go back to work after resting for a while longer.”

“…” Lucas said helplessly, “There’s no need.”

Lucas went closer and rubbed the back of Luo Ran’s head. “Does it still hurt?”

Luo Ran shrank back in embarrassment. “It doesn’t.”

Too strange.

This is too strange…!

“Okay, then I’ll help you do rehab.” Lucas pulled the rehab machine closer and helped Luo Ran stand up.

“I can do it myself,” Luo Ran said as he broke free, “I’ll do it myself…”

It wasn’t that Luo Ran was embarrassed.

He was mostly afraid that Lucas, this blockhead, would tear his bones apart.

If that happened, never mind the rehabilitation, even his life would be gone.

“Shush.” Afraid that Luo Ran would fall, Lucas stuck close as he supported him into the machine.

The machine was very simple. Luo Ran only needed to hold on to the bar as he twisted his waist and lifted his legs.

“Be careful.” Lucas pressed the machine with one hand to ensure it was balanced, and held Luo Ran’s waist with the other. “Let’s start, slowly, don’t force it.”

Luo Ran: “…”

Was he still sleeping? Was he dreaming?

“Thank you, sir.” Luo Ran looked away with his ears turning red.

The atmosphere was cosy and… not quite right.

Luo Ran paused, desperately trying to find another topic to dispel the ambiguous yet awkward atmosphere. “I vaguely remember something important happening as I was passing out. Rather than robbing UNK, the pirates seemed to be aiming more to assassinate you.”

“Yes,” Lucas said with a frown, “They’d also wanted to kill me before, but this time was different. Compared to profit-seeking pirates, they acted more like hitmen.”

Hesitating, Luo Ran suggested, “Could it have something to do with the changes in the capital…?” He didn’t say the rest.

Could it be that the first prince, seeing that he’d lost all favour with Lucas and guessing that he would support the second prince, had simply…?

Lucas raised his eyebrows. “It doesn’t have to be the first prince. To act at a time like this, anyone would think of him, so someone else might have wanted to kill two birds with one stone. After killing me, they could pit the first prince.” Then he added, “Of course, it may also be that the first prince knew we would think of this, so he just broke the boat.”

“There are others who might collaborate with pirates,” Luo Ran suggested.

Even if they excluded the highest-ranking officials, there were many people who had access to the Empire’s secrets.

“We can only start with Princess Zhou Mingzhu,” Luo Ran concluded with a sigh.

Lucas summarised how Zhou Mingzhu met with prostitutes.

“Prostitutes?” Luo Ran frowned.

How could a dignified princess meet with those people? Did Zhou Mingzhu herself know about this?

“I ordered Lu Cheng to ask her directly. If she doesn’t want anything to happen to her wedding, she has to tell the truth,” Lucas said.

“Mn.”

Coincidentally, just as Lucas said this, an encrypted message came from Lu Cheng.

Luo Ran finished half an hour of rehab and sat to rest for the time being.

Lucas turned on the projection screen to let Luo Ran read with him.

After a moment, Lucas frowned slightly.

When Lu Cheng showed Zhou Mingzhu photos of the three women, she was so scared that she honestly confessed.

Zhou Mingzhu had always been a noble princess, there was no way she’d allow herself to get into a scandal before marriage. Thus, she could only sign a nondisclosure agreement with Lu Cheng — she would tell the truth, but they couldn’t make it public.

Lu Cheng then recorded her statement, which Lucas now played.

“I… I used to have a crush on the admiral. It wasn’t anything special, most of the omegas in the capital would like him as long as their circumstances weren’t too bad. And my brother has a good relationship with him, so of course I knew him a bit better too. When the viscount — that is, Viscount Vincent — found out about it, he told me that he could help me get together with the admiral, and he said it so confidently too.

“I’d always wanted to meet the admiral, but never had a chance to. So Vincent said to find him at Royal Father’s birthday banquet and… confess.

“He said he found three makeup artists for me, that they would make me so beautiful that the admiral would definitely accept… After all, the admiral had just ended his engagement with Nina, and I, no matter how you look at it, I’m definitely better than Nina!”

Luo Ran and Lucas met eyes.

Vincent… was from the second prince’s faction.

Was the second prince the culprit?

But as someone from the second prince’s faction, how could he so blatantly connive against Zhou Mingzhu? It seemed more like someone was framing him.

The two kept listening.

“Vincent brought me to a room and introduced me to the three makeup artists, then he left. But then when I accidentally broke a teacup and one of the women leaned down to clean it up, I saw the glands hidden underneath her hair. I became a little scared, because… because there was a flower tattooed on the glands… everyone in the Empire knows that only prostitutes would have a flower tattoo there. I didn’t know what to do, I just ran…

“After that, I suddenly went into heat. I was so dizzy. I somehow went upstairs where I met the Zerg prince, and later he told me I’d been drugged.

“I’m afraid to say these things, since… Vincent and my second brother are close, I… I’m not stupid.”

Speaking of this, the princess became a little sad.

No matter whether it was the first or second prince, they were both her brothers. And yet they were willing to use her identity as a princess, as a female omega, to advance their schemes. It was no wonder that afterwards, she was willing to tacitly permit Zhou Mingkai’s plans, and even grew a bit closer to him.

Although Zhou Mingkai was ignorant and incompetent, he at least wouldn’t plot against her.

“So…” Luo Ran said as he frowned, “if I’m not mistaken, the mastermind originally wanted to drug you and then send Princess Zhou Mingzhu and the three women to your bed? But for some reason they didn’t do it in the end, maybe because you were resistant to the drug or because the princess escaped. And due to the drugs, the princess spent an amorous night with the Zerg prince.”

Then Mou Kadi was indeed a gentleman to not use this to blackmail Zhou Mingzhu.

“Moreover, Mou Kadi’s room was very close to yours. Her Highness only ran into him because the mastermind’s target was originally you.”

It was because Mou Kadi went out to get a drink that he happened to see both Zhou Mingzhu and, later, Luo Ran who went upstairs while wearing white.

Everything had a logical explanation.

“Of course, this is predicated on the fact that Princes Mingzhu didn’t lie,” Luo Ran said.

“Probably unlikely, she doesn’t have any need to, not unless she’s one of the ones behind it,” Lucas said, “and the chances of that aren’t high. She and Zhou Mingkai are the same, they’ve both been raised to die by the royal family.”

Luo Ran nodded.

He thought harder.

Why?

Why did Lucas have to have relations with Zhou Mingzhu and those three women?

A long moment passed as he thought it through, and his brows furrowed into a frown.

“Ah…!” Luo Ran clapped his hands, suddenly thinking of something. “Sir!”

“Mn.”

“Don’t you think that the reporters came too quickly that day?” Luo Ran asked. “Why did they come so fast, how did they know to interview you? And who let them in?”

Lucas frowned.

That was true.

“Maybe…” Luo Ran paused, then continued, “maybe the mastermind wants to ruin your reputation?”

–The Empire’s admiral took advantage of the royal birthday banquet to force the princess and some prostitutes to have an illicit affair, playing wildly all night, taking no one into his eyes.

If rumours like that spread, it would be a major blow to both Lucas’ reputation and his CP with Luo Ran, undoubtedly collapsing his image.

Not to mention that if he got addicted to drugs, he — an SSS-grade alpha — would be completely uncontrollable, so similar news would also emerge in the future.

“Heh,” Lucas sneered.

What a beautiful plan!

Luo Ran felt terrified.

If the scheme had succeeded that day… then everything would be over.

Fortunately, Lucas’ physique was strong enough that Zhou Mingzhu discovered it early, and…

Fortunately, he went upstairs, and the one who had a one night stand with him wasn’t someone who wished him harm, but himself…?

Wait, that seemed wrong.

Just when he wanted to speak, Luo Ran suddenly felt pain lancing through his head, so harsh that he fell to one knee.

“Luo Ran…!”

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” He closed his eyes tightly as he gasped for breath.

Lucas hugged him with one hand and pulled out a syringe of medicine from his pocket with the other.

It had been almost an entire day since Luo Ran took his last injection, it was indeed time for another dose.

Luo Ran was a little surprised to see Lucas take out the medicine.

Had Lucas… put Luo Ran’s medicine in his own pocket?

After the injection, Luo Ran vaguely saw the scene behind Lucas change before his eyes.

From the barren monochromatic medical ward on a battleship, it became their office, the place they were most familiar with.

Familiar beds, familiar cabinets, the window sill covered in wisteria flowers, the desk piled high with paperwork — evidence of their presence was everywhere.

“Sir, we’re back in the office,” Luo Ran said blankly.

Lucas paused, then rubbed the back of Luo Ran’s head. “Yeah, you need to rest.”

Lucas picked him up and put him on the bed.

“Go to sleep, Ranran.”

Lucas imitated the nickname used by Xia Zhi and Luo Ran’s family.

Luo Ran froze. “What?”

“I said, go to sleep, Ranran.” Lucas pulled up the covers. “Good night.”

---

Author:
I heard the lion’s going to confess in the next chapter!

Translator:
Neon Dragonfly (neondragonfly.org) has very kindly offered to take over this novel after c58, so… hip hip hooray!

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Looking at the stars from a mecha was very different to looking at the stars from a battleship.

The stars seemed much brighter. Looking out to the vast universe from this tiny space through a tiny window, you would fully realise how insignificant you were.

Luo Ran wasn’t scared; he was even quite excited.

He’d never thought that he could one day sit in Lion 01, see this scene of the universe, and see how Lucas was usually like.

But soon there was no time to appreciate scenery. He saw rows upon rows of warships, belonging to the interstellar pirates who’d rushed over.

“Don’t worry, they’re still reeling from last time, there’s no way they can fight seriously,” Lucas smiled and raised his eyebrows. “You just watch.”

Lucas had always been confident and domineering on the battlefield.

Whether he won or lost, as the commanding officer, he couldn’t be timid.

He was the god of war, and would always be what the god of war should be — one man able to hold out against ten thousand.

Luo Ran quietly watched Lucas organise the army as he held the manual.

Lucas used both hands to control the mecha, and his whole attention was on the display which showed an overview of the battlefield. Blue dots represented their own forces, while red dots represented the enemy.

He looked at those bright dots and gave orders over the comms, controlling the direction of the army formation, grasping the overall situation.

It was the first time Luo Ran watched Lucas do this at such a close range.

Calm yet not cowardly, cautious yet self-assured.

A Lucas like this made Luo Ran unable to move his eyes away.

On the one hand, he observed the battlefield with Lucas, and on the other, he couldn’t resist resting his gaze on the way Lucas operated the mecha’s controls. From his mechanical fingers, Luo Ran’s gaze naturally flowed up to his sharp, distinctly handsome throat and chin.

Boom——

Boom——

Artillery fire focused on Lucas’ Lion 01, it seemed like he was the obvious target.

Perhaps it was because they knew their chances of victory weren’t high that the pirates were fighting so hard, like desperate wolves backed up against a cliff.

Huntsman, currently commanding his fleet, was trying his best to break out of the Imperial forces’ siege and doing his damndest to get to Lucas.

Lucas wasn’t afraid of him in the least but right now Luo Ran was with him, so he took care to skirt around the rear, not leading the charge as he usually did.

Luo Ran couldn’t help but remind him, “Behind…!”

He’d already noticed it. He manipulated the control column to bring Lion 01 into a vertical leap, neatly avoiding the gunfire coming from behind them.

“Admiral, you’re their target!” Luo Ran frowned.

“That’s to be expected, we’re both here,” Lucas said, also frowning slightly. “Wang Qiuyang, when will our backup arrive?”

“Sir! The reinforcements are currently at coordinates X6-Y1, ETA is four minutes eleven seconds!”

Although everyone in the team were elite soldiers, there were too few of them, so it wasn’t easy for them either.

In just a few minutes, pirates had surrounded Lion 01 in all directions.

“Don’t worry, backup is almost here, we can break out soon,” Lucas’ eyes glinted, “so just sit tight.”

Rumble——

Rrrrrrrumble——

All artillery fire was aimed at Lion 01, to the point that Luo Ran could barely see through the window for the smoke and muzzle flashes.

Lucas relied on his precise calculations to avoid the shelling. Under his control, Lion 01 didn’t look like a cumbersome mecha at all, but rather resembled a real life agile lion.

It required a heaven-defying level of spiritual power for anyone to make this hunk of heavy metal which ordinary people couldn’t even power up move so lightly.

“Careful…!” Luo Ran had also been calculating their enemies’ positions. He nervously pressed Lucas’ shoulder and called out, “Coordinates X4-Y6!”

Lion 01 used an almost-impossible angle to avoid a guided missile, utilising its flexibility to the extreme, but in the next second, Lucas was stunned.

A huge battleship endured artillery fire to come towards him, ignoring all attacks. Even when it was almost blasted into a burning wreck, it still insisted on charging him like crazy.

Although Lion 01 was able to avoid missiles, it couldn’t hide from a gigantic battleship disregarding its own life to rush at it as if in a suicide attack.

But even if it did hit and sacrificed both its structural integrity and everyone on board, it still wouldn’t do much damage to Lion 01 the mecha — what it was doing was meaningless.

Were the people on board crazy?

Boom———

The battleship indeed crashed into Lion 01 with a loud noise and violent shaking, it happened so quickly that they had no time to dodge.

When the battleship exploded, Lucas used one hand to maintain his mecha’s balance and the other to pull Luo Ran into his chest and cover his ears.

Boom——— Boom!

The explosion was so loud that it almost shattered their eardrums. The cockpit shook as if in a vortex, so much so that if it weren’t for Lucas’ quick actions, Luo Ran would’ve been thrown far away, and the booms would also have hurt his spirit.

“This bastard…!”

A light flashed in Lucas’ eyes. Now he knew why the pirates’ flagship was so determined — it was filled to the brim with a shocking amount of gunpowder!

Just the enemy flagship crashing into Lion 01 wasn’t enough to destroy it, but if the gunpowder inside also exploded, then…

But they couldn’t eject either; if they did, he and Luo Ran would be blasted into smithereens long before reinforcements arrived! Lion 01 was their bulwark.

Lucas held Luo Ran close as he manipulated the mecha.

Then, an incredible scene happened–

Lion 01 raised its left hand which held a sharp sword… and cut off its own right hand!

Its right hand fell, taking with it the attached battleship the moment the gunpowder within exploded.

Luo Ran watched as a crimson flower burst into existence beneath the mecha, blowing both the battleship and its separated hand to pieces!

All this happened in a matter of moments. After this series of inhuman operations, even someone as strong as Lucas felt a bit dizzy.

A few seconds later, another warship charged at them.

It must have wanted to repeat the trick.

Luo Ran’s breath caught. “Admiral!”

Lion 01 couldn’t lose another arm, they had to dodge!

These pirates are crazy…!

It wasn’t easy to build a battleship capable of withstanding the Imperial troops’ bombardment, and pirates weren’t rich in resources in the first place. How many lives and materials did they sacrifice for this?!

But on the other hand, if they could use these to exchange for Lucas’ life, then the pirates would have gained a lot.

“Admiral!”

They were out of time…!

Luo Ran broke free from Lucas’ grip and reached for the control column.

Whoosh——

Lion 01 narrowly avoided death with a weirdly stiff posture, and the battleship which missed them was soon shot down by the Empire’s other mechas.

After dodging, it seemed as if Lion 01 finally couldn’t hold on, and it fell uncontrollably.

“Luo Ran…!”

Lucas, now awake, took over control and steadied Lion 01.

Their reinforcements had finally arrived.

* * *

In the cockpit, Lucas, completely confused, hugged Luo Ran to himself.

Just now, someone forcibly connected to his spiritual power. It was only because it was Luo Ran whom he had no defence against and was 3S grade that it succeeded.

Lucas had felt as if he’d been electrocuted, and for a moment, the scent of white tea pierced into his deepest nerves.

He hadn’t rejected it.

Then there was a violent bump, Lion 01 moved under Luo Ran’s control, and they avoided the pirates’ battleship.

After this, he collapsed onto the console and lost consciousness.

“Luo Ran!”

Lucas picked him up, only to see Luo Ran’s chalky white face. A stream of blood trickled from his ears, flowing along the lines of his face and chin to drip down.

“Luo Ran…!”

Lucas vaguely understood something.

At this moment, Luo Ran was held in Lucas’ arms, shivering all over and looking like he was in extreme pain.

He was already in an extremely fragile state with injuries both physical and mental, now that it was compounded with how he forcibly broke into Lucas’ spiritual sea and took control of an unreasonably heavy mecha like Lion 01, it was no wonder he couldn’t hold on.

“Luo Ran, don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid…” Seeing Luo Ran like this, Lucas couldn’t help holding him closer, feeling ice in his veins.

He couldn’t panic.

Taking a deep breath, he turned on the comms and said, “Cover my retreat to the flagship! Dr. Shen go on standby, Luo Ran is hurt!”

“A-Admiral…” Luo Ran gripped Lucas’ clothing dazedly. His entire body trembled from pain, his back already soaked through with cold sweat.

At this moment, he felt as if someone had peeled back his scalp and was relentlessly hammering his head.

He’d never felt this way before. It was like something had blocked his perception of the outside world, making his mind so chaotic that he couldn’t understand anything that was happening.

“Luo Ran…”

Lucas used one hand to make the mecha retreat and the other to hold Luo Ran.

Luo Ran was still trembling.

The situation was critical.

Lucas took another deep breath, then lifted his hand to the back of Luo Ran’s neck, pressed him to his shoulder, and pulled down his high collar. There, he bit down on Luo Ran’s nape.

Sure enough, his teeth dug into a raised piece of soft flesh — an omega’s gland.

With the interaction between his pheromone disorder and spiritual collapse, the originally light scent of white tea burst out at this moment. If not for the fact that he was still on an active battlefield and had to control himself, Lucas would’ve been instantly brought into a sympathetic rut.

“Mmph!”

An alpha bit his most vulnerable place. Despite not knowing what was going on, Luo Ran still subconsciously twitched, then his whole body went limp.

As Lucas bit into the gland and poured his own pheromones in, he gently rubbed Luo Ran’s head to comfort him.

In his daze, Luo Ran faintly felt something invade him and take over his entire being.

It was a very strange feeling, but also very comfortable.

Luo Ran still hurt a lot, but the pain gradually eased.

What happened later, he had no idea. He completely passed out.

Lucas gave Luo Ran a temporary mark. He was still a little absent-minded as he looked down at the flushed, unconscious form in his arms. Only his muscle memory and subconscious reflexes ensured their safe arrival to the flagship.

“Admiral!” Shen Xiluo had long stationed himself at the landing pad with medical equipment and a stretcher. Upon seeing Lucas exit the mecha carrying Luo Ran, he immediately demanded, “What happened?”

“He…” Lucas opened and closed his mouth a few times, unable to form words for a while.

When Shen Xiluo got closer, he understood the situation with a single glance.

He pushed up the frame of his glasses. “Fortunately you reacted quickly, and knew how to help Secretary Luo.”

Saying so, he directed Lucas to put Luo Ran on the stretcher and rapidly began first aid, injecting him with the necessary drugs.

As he watched Luo Ran’s pale face, Lucas thought to himself that Shen Xiluo was right.

He’d been a blind idiot.

---

Translator:
Gunpowder and explosives in space… Just… just ignore it… Is this happening in the atmosphere or something… but it’s not mentioned… suspend disbelief… (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻  I can’t ignore it! Author, at least use lasers!

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“The admiral…?” Luo Ran wasn’t just a little surprised. When he last spoke to Lucas, he had been only three hours away from M4 and now only a day and a half had passed, so how…?

Shen Xiluo and Lu Cheng supported Luo Ran back to the bed, where he dug out a bottle of painkillers from his pocket, swallowed a pill, and then waited for the pain in his head to subside.

This was different from ordinary headaches. A dull pain came from deep in his skull, depriving him of the ability to think. He had been fine when he was lying down and resting, but as soon as he had to focus on negotiating with the first prince for an extended time, his body couldn’t endure any longer.

“Yes!” Lu Cheng said. “Admiral really is back! He’s currently in the B4 system, already in Imperial territory!* Everyone in the Empire knows!”

Luo Ran rubbed his temples and leaned against the headboard. “He’s alone?”

“There’s a small team with him.”

“Colonel Lu!* Colonel Lu!” Lu Cheng’s radio once again transmitted the sound of the guard-captain below. “The first prince is going to force his way in!”

Lu Cheng’s eyes widened. Motherfucker, this guy’s too shameless!

“Colonel Lu! Major General Chen, Major General Mokka, and Lieutenant General Luo are here to stop them!”

Lucas was the head of the military and Luo Ran was his secretary, not to mention that everyone already tacitly recognised him as the admiral’s romantic partner.

Now that the royal family wanted to kidnap people, those officers at the military department each with tempers worse than the last naturally couldn’t sit idly by. They immediately brought their private soldiers here to help.

“Adjutant Lu.” Luo Ran, gripping the bed sheets, resisted the discomfort to say, “Don’t do anything!”

“Huh…?” Lu Cheng stopped.

“Don’t let our guards move, and more importantly, don’t let those people from the military department intervene!” Luo Ran said sternly. “Adjutant Lu, you go down and stop Lieutenant General Luo’s group right now! We must not do anything to injure the royal family’s people! Go, hurry up!”

The military department was already a sensitive topic, especially with how Lucas controlled more than half of the Empire’s military power. It would be bad if they ‘ran wild’ in the capital or, even worse, used weapons.

“Yes sir!” Luo Ran looked so serious that Lu Cheng became serious as well, and said through gritted teeth, “But, but if we don’t do anything, the first prince’s people will break in!”

“No, they can’t take me away,” Luo Ran smiled. “Isn’t the second prince also here? He won’t let me be taken away, that would mean letting the first prince ally with the military department.”

Lu Cheng was taken aback.

He didn’t understand it, but since Luo Ran said so, he’ll just do it!

Just as he turned to leave, Luo Ran pulled him to a stop and gave one last reminder. “Let the second prince help on his own initiative, you can’t speak to him or hint at him, much less ask him for help, do you understand?”

“Yes!”

After Lu Cheng left, Luo Ran’s breath became a little short, so he took another pill.

“Secretary Luo is still injured, the current situation is normal,” Shen Xiluo, who was standing nearby, said. “You just need to recuperate for a while.”

“Yeah,” Luo Ran nodded.

“I’ll remind you again — although the painkillers are effective, try not to take too much or else your body will develop resistance, and taking more drugs to overcome this will only hurt you in the long run.”

Luo Ran paused, then said, “I’ll do my best, but there’s no choice right now.”

Shen Xiluo pushed up his glasses by their frame. “As you are an SSS omega, my suggestion is to find a SSS alpha to assist you in pheromone soothing.”

“…” Luo Ran turned away. “Ah.”

He pretended not to hear it and turned on the radio Lu Cheng had left for him just in case.

As soon as it was turned on, he could hear a series of noisy shouts and collision sounds.

He frowned.

It seemed that the first prince’s people and the second prince’s people had started a dispute downstairs.

Luo Ran was on the hospital’s highest level, so he couldn’t hear anything directly. Everything was as peaceful as always up here, but things had already devolved into a mess down there.

He was silent for a moment, then turned and asked, “I’m a beta, wouldn’t it be fine if I went to the first prince’s lab?”

“Don’t even think about it, if you really went, do you think you can still hide your 3S omega identity?”

Although Luo Ran understood this rationally, he still felt uncomfortable just sitting there when it was so chaotic below, he wanted to solve this troublesome situation that happened because of himself.

Of course, he was most worried about causing trouble to Lucas and the military department.

“Ow…”

Luo Ran frowned and rubbed his head.

He couldn’t think anymore, thinking would only hurt.

“Secretary Luo, you lie down first,” Shen Xiluo said as he pressed him down, “stop thinking for now.”

* * *

At the hospital’s ground floor.

Neither the first prince nor the second prince showed their faces, they only sat in their respective hovercars and observed the situation.

The first prince’s guard-captain reached the hospital’s stairs before being stopped by the second prince’s guard-captain, and the two were in a stalemate for a while before the first prince’s guard-captain made the first move, wanting to use his shield to push his opponent out of the way.

The first prince was indeed in a hurry, because Lucas had already reached B4 and was about to arrive at the capital.

If he couldn’t finish things before then, he could only wait to be dealt with.

Zhou Mingyu was making a bet.

He would either draw the army to his side in one fell swoop and continue the experiments, or he would have to completely sever ties with Lucas.

“Please don’t interfere with official duties!” The first prince’s guard-captain shouted at the people blocking his way. “Secretary Luo hasn’t received adequate care and is unwell! His Highness wants to help him!”

Lu Cheng was nervously watching the situation from nearby.

He’d already persuaded people from the military department to retreat, but they were still guarding outside and refused to leave.

Bang——

Right then, the hospital’s main doors suddenly slammed open.

A tall and mighty man stood in the doorway with a terrifyingly fierce expression, his aura so overwhelming that people could barely breathe.

When Lu Cheng saw Lucas, he directly swore out loud.

He’s back…!

The admiral really came back!

Trembling with excitement, Lu Cheng ran up to him. “Admiral…! Secretary Luo said not to fight with the royals, so our people–”

Whoosh——

Before he could finish, Lucas unhesitatingly picked up a chair and threw it at the first prince’s guard-captain. “Why the hell’d I care about that!” he sneered.

The man’s expression was full of arrogance, resembling a lion with all its claws and teeth bared.

The guard-captain was knocked unconscious, and the scene went a little out of control for a while.

Lucas ordered his team to hold position outside, then leapt up the stairs himself with a sword in hand, shouting, “Everyone scram!”

With this, everyone was stunned.

Even the first and second princes came out of their hovercars.

The two entered the hospital, and what they saw was Lucas standing alone on the stairs, his condescending gaze, and the two teams who were previously entangled with each other standing aside. No one spoke a word.

“Don’t say our army is abusing its power in the capital! I’m standing here by myself, let’s see who dares to go up!” Lucas shouted. Then he directly pierced the sword into the ground with a boom.

Although Lucas’ sword was made out of the best materials that could be found in the Empire, both sharp and strong, how much strength did one need to be able to drive it into solid concrete?

The SSS-grade alpha unscrupulously unleashed his pheromones at this moment, completely crushing all the alphas and betas present.

Some people with lower spiritual strength had already started panting, unable to breathe freely.

The thick scent of tobacco swirled around them and pierced into their nasal cavities as if declaring sovereignty.

The second prince stood still, on the one hand controlling his breathing, and on the other hand watching this trainwreck in motion.*

Heh, he wanted to see how his beast of a brother could overcome this.

“Admiral…” First Prince Zhou Mingyu smiled and said, “Please calm down, we can find a way to cure Secretary Luo together.”

Lucas’ gaze fell on Zhou Mingyu.

Zhou Mingyu could feel the pheromone suppression targeting him, as if a pair of giant invisible hands were pressing on his shoulders, pressing him down until he couldn’t stand upright. The pheromones relentlessly invaded his mind, causing him stinging pain.

He silently resisted it, a few drops of sweat beaded at the corner of his forehead and he seemingly inadvertently held the table next to him for support.

“Zhou Mingyu, I heard you want to forcibly steal away my secretary?” Lucas sneered.

“You misunderstood,” Zhou Mingyu smiled. “It’s just that I noticed that Secretary Luo was forced to stay by Doctor Shen yet hasn’t received proper treatment, he was ill when we met. I originally wanted to understand the situation better in order to help, but who knew that Adjutant Lu would drag me out, so now I have reason to doubt Secretary Luo’s safety.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow.

Zhou Mingyu continued, “I’m very willing to help, whether now or before. Admiral, matters on M4 haven’t yet concluded, it isn’t appropriate for you to be here. I only want to take care of Secretary Luo for you, give him the best treatment, and bring him to the research team so that we can work together to solve the issue of UNK’s future.

“Secretary Luo is a beta, he won’t be affected by the side effects of UNK radiation but his power can save both the Empire and all other alpha and omega.”

“Now you’re just spouting bullshit, like hell I’d care if he’s a beta or omega!” Lucas said as he easily pulled the sword out. “You won’t touch him!”

On the floor, numerous cracks surrounding a small hole were revealed.

As soon as Lucas pulled out the sword, the atmosphere condensed.

The first prince’s soldiers tensed and silently clenched their weapons.

Lu Cheng watched all this in horror.

“Admiral, you’ve misunderstood, no one wants to hurt Secretary Luo!” Zhou Mingyu maintained his dignified appearance, only when someone got closer could they see the sweat on his brow. He frowned, saying, “Who was it that sent you misleading information, causing you to leave M4 early to come here? You don’t have to worry, Admiral, Secretary Luo is–”

Before he could finish, Lucas roared back, “You take care of yourself! My secretary is my responsibility, now that I’m here, no one else can interfere!”

“Admiral!” Shi Xiuqi, who was standing at Zhou Mingyu’s side, said in a suppressed voice and a red face, “You, uh, you’re speaking with His Highness the First Prince! How can you be so arrogant!”

Boom——!

Then, everyone saw Shi Xiuqi’s chubby body flying out like a football.

Lucas had picked up a chair and threw it at him with overwhelming force, so Shi Xiuqi flew out along with the chair.

Shi Xiuqi collapsed on the spot with his arm at a strange angle, the bone had presumably snapped.

This man who only knew how to cater to others for the sake of interests was in so much pain that his eyes were filled with stars. He curled into a ball and shivered in fright, not daring to speak.

Zhou Mingyu’s face was a sheet of white.

How did he forget that Lucas had never put the law in his eyes, this was a lunatic…!

“What are you doing, Admiral?” Zhou Mingyu asked coldly. “Will you act rudely? Here?”

Lucas sneered. He wasn’t afraid.

“Admiral.”

Lucas stopped.

Hearing a familiar warm voice from behind him, he turned around to see that Luo Ran had come down at an unknown time.

Luo Ran stood with one hand gripping the stair’s railings and the other hand holding onto an IV drip stand.

He was now suffering from pheromone disorder and his spiritual power was badly damaged, so Lucas’ aggressive pheromones combined with the swirling mixture of other alphas’ pheromones made him feel rather uncomfortable.

But he worried that if he didn’t come down, things would become even more chaotic. After all, he’d been monitoring things over the radio.

It didn’t matter who acted first or why they acted.

If Lucas’ forces did something in the capital, the one in the wrong must be him, no reason needed.

“Admiral,” Luo Ran, bracing himself, called again.

Lucas immediately stepped forwards and supported him by the waist. In a low voice, he asked, “Why did you come here?”

Glancing at the people below, he gestured for Lu Cheng to deal with it, then accompanied Luo Ran back upstairs.

When he took a closer look at Luo Ran, he saw his chalky white face and his foot which was still covered in a cast. Lucas paused, then simply swung him into his arms.

“Admiral…!” Luo Ran only felt his feet becoming weightless before he was picked up.

“Hush,” Lucas whispered, “I’m back, don’t worry.”

This simple sentence made Luo Ran freeze.

Actually, even if Lucas didn’t come back, he still had a way of solving the problem, he wasn’t a soft target to be bullied at the mercy of others.

But Lucas did come back.

Luo Ran smiled. “Mn.”

Lucas carried him back to his room, where he dropped him on the bed. “Sleep!”

I understand what Shen Xiluo said, Luo Ran thought.

At first, he did have a headache, but now that Lucas, a 3S alpha, was here and not emitting aggressive pheromones, a tobacco scent surrounded him and invisibly soothed his injuries, making him feel very comfortable.

So when Lucas got up to go back downstairs, Luo Ran subconsciously reached out and grabbed Lucas’ sleeve.

Lucas stopped.

Luo Ran abruptly came to his senses and retracted his hand, then turned his head away and said, “I-I wanted to ask, what’s going on on M4? Why did you come back?”

Lucas raised an eyebrow. “I won the first battle and came back after arranging things, now Wang Qiuyang is still there holding down the fort. Stop worrying, it’s just an M4. We can win no matter what we do.”

“Yeah.” Luo Ran lowered his eyes.

Lucas smiled, then sat down next to the bed again.

“Just let Lu Cheng take care of that mess down there,” he said. “Afterwards, I’ll take you to M4, we’ll leave at most three hours later.”

Luo Ran was taken aback. “Okay.”

“Go to sleep, don’t be scared.,” Lucas said, sitting by the bed. “I’ll stay right here.”

Lucas’ entire body was covered in dust, and he still carried hostility and filth from the battlefield. Truthfully, he looked a little out of place just sitting like this.

There was quite a distance between M4 and the capital. For the sake of getting here faster, it could be said that Lucas did absolutely everything in his power to speed up.

Luo Ran looked at Lucas’ sturdy and straight back. At this moment, he was using his terminal to contact Wang Qiuyang to follow up on the battle situation. He kept his voice low as they discussed countermeasures, presumably not wanting to disturb Luo Ran from slumber. 

Luo Ran’s heart moved. He got up, and then leaned against that wide, powerful back.

Lucas completely froze in place.

Luo Ran just slept against Lucas like this, not minding how uncomfortable his posture was.

And though Lucas still held his terminal, he didn’t dare to move, nor did he dare to speak.

With the warmth on his back, all the anger and frustration he came back with were smoothed away. They had only been separated for a few days, but he’d missed Luo Ran very much.

At this moment, he suddenly realised what he was feeling.

Lucas thought —

It’s over.

I fell.

—— XXXX ——

Three hours later, Lucas brought Luo Ran onto a warship, then set off for M4.

Before leaving, Luo Ran went to see Xia Zhi to report his safety. Shen Xiluo would also go with them; although he was worried about Xia Zhi, Luo Ran needed him more.

The first prince was unwilling, but he couldn’t stop them.

His options all disappeared the moment Lucas came back.

–He lost the bet.

No one thought that Lucas could use such a short time to conquer M4, then return so quickly.

It was insane.

On the warship, the prior scene was replicated — Luo Ran lay down, while Lucas sat nearby talking with Wang Qiuyang.

After a while, Lucas saw that Luo Ran truly fell asleep, so he got up and went to find Shen Xiluo.

“Admiral?”

Shen Xiluo was currently on the bridge, having a video call with Xia Zhi.

Lucas glanced at his terminal, then raised his eyebrows. “You reconciled with Doctor Xia?”

“Should be, I feel he’s treating me better,” Shen Xiluo said proudly. “It’s probably because I studied hard, and my skills finally satisfied him.”

Lucas: “…”

Fuck.

Lucas suddenly felt that he lost badly.

He and Luo Ran hadn’t even confessed to each other yet.

“Admiral, you don’t need to be discouraged, keep working hard.” Shen Xiluo encouraged Lucas very professionally.

“…”

Lucas snorted, then got to the point of his visit. “Luo Ran… is it really just a spiritual power problem?”

The expression on Shen Xiluo’s face didn’t change one iota as he pushed up his glasses. “Yes, it’s something unique to betas, resulting from resonance with the UNK’s electromagnetic field.”

“Can a beta really resonate with UNK?” Lucas frowned slightly.

He and Luo Ran had been with each other for so many years and they knew each other well.

But he suddenly wondered… Did he miss something?

“There has never been such a case before, but evidently, Secretary Luo did resonate with UNK as a beta,” Shen Xiluo said.

Lucas frowned harder.

In the time he recently spent with Luo Ran, the secretary would often act strangely as if seeing something that wasn’t there, and his reactions were slower.

His symptoms were exactly the same as those of omegas with pheromone disorder and spiritual power collapse.

“Could you have… misdiagnosed him?” Lucas asked slowly with furrowed brows.

“…” Shen Xiluo, feeling that his professionalism was being insulted, said sternly, “Admiral, please have more confidence in me. I won’t misdiagnose you even if you turn into an omega!”

“…”

“Else you suspect that your secretary is hiding his gender?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then you haven’t found anything even after so many years?” Shen Xiluo sighed and cast Lucas a sincerely loving look.

Although this question was to help Luo Ran hide his identity, it was also something Shen Xiluo truly thought. 

Lucas: “…”

“Shen! Xi! Luo!”

Just as Lucas was about to settle their accounts, the warship’s alarm suddenly sounded.

The alarm was so sharp that it woke everyone up. Lucas’ eyes froze, and then he reluctantly let go of his terrible friend and went to the monitoring room.

Adjutant Freeman, who had followed Lucas back on this trip, reported, “Pirates are chasing us!”

By now, they’d travelled for a day and were very close to M4. Presumably, these were pirates sent to reinforce their people on M4 and detoured to stop them by the way.

After all, the team Lucas brought was small and built for speed; the lower their defences, the faster they could move.

Lucas glanced at the red dot on the screen, then said, “It’s okay, we’ll fight them here and Wang Qiuyang will bring the rest of the army here to meet us.” He cracked his neck. “You stay here and wait for my orders!”

“Yes sir!”

Before setting out, Lucas turned to go to Luo Ran’s room.

Luo Ran had also been woken up by the alarm and had washed up, tidied himself, dressed, and was now ready to go at any time at Lucas’ instruction.

Lucas smiled and raised an eyebrow at this. “Oh? Secretary Luo, are you commanding the troops this time?”

Luo Ran only chuckled in reply. “I thought you would ask me to go with you.”

Lucas snorted a few times.

He’d guessed right.

Lucas worried that the pirates would be the same as last time, wanting to take Luo Ran as a hostage.

The main battleship he brought this time had few strong points other than its speed, so he would never be able to relax if he left the injured, mentally unstable Luo Ran behind on the ship.

He might as well bring him onto his mecha, where he could personally protect him.

“It’s just that the mecha will shake a bit,” Lucas said.

“That doesn’t matter, you don’t need to worry about me,” Luo Ran said seriously. “I can take it no matter how much it shakes, you pilot it as you like, Admiral.”

Although Luo Ran said so, since Lucas was bringing Luo Ran, he would naturally avoid the thick of the fighting.

“Let’s go.”

With his arm around Luo Ran’s waist, he brought him up the ladder and into the mecha.

Contrary to Luo Ran’s expectations, the mecha’s cockpit was rather spacious, to the point that he could lie flat.

Of course, he wouldn’t lie down.

This was the first time Luo Ran had gone into any mecha, so everything was very new to him. He kept looking around everywhere curiously.

The closed cockpit was well-lit, and the control panel in front was filled with dense buttons and other control surfaces.

Luo Ran found himself sitting on the warming cushion he gave Lucas before he left.

“How is it?” Lucas asked, “Is there anything uncomfortable?”

Logically speaking, this was an enclosed space, so Luo Ran should have been scared — however, Lucas was there and he could still see everything outside, so he felt quite good.

“Nothing.”

He picked up the operating manual placed inside the cockpit and endured his headache to read through it carefully.

“You don’t need to read that, you can’t pilot my mecha,” Lucas said as he activated Lion 01 with his fingerprints. “Mine is operated using pheromones and spiritual power, you don’t have them.”

Besides, other alphas couldn’t pilot it either. In this world, there were only two people who could: Lucas, and the omega who established a spiritual connection with Lucas.

“I know, I’m just curious.” Luo Ran matched the buttons in the manual to the control panel as he flipped through the booklet, looking very serious as he did so.

Luo Ran truly was curious.

Anyone would be curious about the one known as the Empire’s sharpest blade and strongest shield.

“We’re going,” Lucas said. “If you can’t get used to it, lean on me.”

“Okay.”

Lion 01 slowly rose, left the battleship, and rejoined the vast expanse of space at a steady speed.

---

Author:
Today’s is as thick and long as before! Ranran is going to pilot a mecha next chapter, so… eheheh he finally loses his disguise

Translator:
Why is the author so diligent… as much as I like it as a reader, I’m sick of translating 6k character chapters… (Ｔ▽Ｔ)

Footnotes:
1. He’s currently in the B4 system, already in Imperial territory [他现在还在B4荒星，但是已经在帝国范畴里]: each half of the sentence implies something directly contradictory somehow. I did my best.
2. Colonel Lu [陆队]: as far as I know 队 when used as a suffix refers to the leader of a squad of people (of nebulous size), so captain would be more correct, but damn I want more ranks than just admiral, adjutant, and captain.
3. Watching the trainwreck in motion [隔岸观火]: lit. watching a fire from the opposite bank [of a river]

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Luo Ran was having a dream.

It was very dark — he seemed to be in a spacious but not especially well-lit place.

Where… is this?

Then, he saw a light source in the distance, which was particularly obvious in the darkness.

He was irresistibly drawn to that silvery light mixed with dazzling scarlet.

Following this light, Luo Ran came to a cave where the walls were covered with countless glowing stones with red lines.

These had been named UNK because they were an ‘unknown’ type of ore.

This was a cave filled with UNK.

UNK from both Luobing and M4 were hidden deep within mines and needed intense digging to find, completely different from this cave where UNK lay around like common gravel.

Luo Ran reached out to stroke the stone, only to feel a shudder go through his body. Then his eyes opened and he woke up.

“Secretary Luo.”

The first thing Luo Ran saw was Shen Xiluo, standing nearby and holding a file in his hands. Shen Xiluo’s features were originally stern, and now they were even more solemn.

After all, Xia Zhi had also been injured in the blast, but Shen Xiluo couldn’t accompany him due to work responsibilities.

It wasn’t only Shen Xiluo there. Also present were various research institute staff, the first and second princes, as well as several Council members.

Luo Ran looked around and found that he was currently in a VIP room of the Capital Hospital, which was Shen Xiluo’s territory.

He felt both surprised and confused.

What happened?

He tried to move his body, then sat up and leaned against the headboard.

There was pain emanating from all over his body, presumably from the fall, and he was definitely affected by the explosion, but it was mostly just some superficial scrapes and burns. The most seriously injured part was his left leg, which was in a thick plaster cast. It must have fractured.

Somewhat impatiently, Shi Xiuqi said, “Secretary Luo is awake, we can start the experiment now!”

He instructed someone to bring a tray over, on which was placed a piece of unrefined UNK.

Having just woken up, Luo Ran’s mind whirled as he tried to understand.

Just what is happening?

“Secretary Luo, when you fell, you coincidentally fell on a bag of UNK, which melted upon contact,” Shen Xiluo said.

“…!”

Luo Ran’s heart skipped a beat.

Then his omega identity…

“This is a major discovery, a great leap forward!” Shi Xiuqi’s entire face was flushed with excitement as he said tremblingly, “If a beta can refine UNK with only their bodies instead of with spiritual power, then all our problems are solved!”

“Yes,” the first prince smiled, “and the number of beta is much higher than alpha and omega. If beta can refine UNK, then there wouldn’t be the current issues with spiritual collapse either.”

Luo Ran paused, then calmly put away all his words and expressions.

It seemed that Shen Xiluo was the one who treated him and Xia Zhi when they fell unconscious and he didn’t allow anyone else to interfere while he himself didn’t say anything, so his omega status was still hidden.

Luo Ran glanced at Shen Xiluo, who looked as professional as ever.

The UNK ore was placed in front of Luo Ran, as were everyone’s gazes.

Luo Ran still leaned against the headboard, a little hesitant.

“You don’t need to worry, Secretary Luo,” Shen Xiluo pointed out, “Just do it.”

After a few seconds, Luo Ran gently laid his hand on the ore.

Then, a miracle happened.

No one in the room could help being amazed.

They saw the silver stone began to crack starting from the place under Luo Ran’s hand, then it slowly turned into a thick liquid substance until the entire outer layer of the UNK disappeared, leaving behind a tiny piece of essence.

Luo Ran himself was also stunned.

…What is this?

“Oh Heavens, you’re clearly not an omega but how can you still…!” Shi Xiuqi’s eyes shone. “Secretary Luo, after you recover, please be sure to participate in the experiments!”

“Director,” Shen Xiluo interrupted in a steady voice, “Secretary Luo can only resonate with the UNK like this because his body was changed by the electromagnetic fields induced by the explosion. However, this resonance will not last long — it will disappear in two days at most.”

Shen Xiluo’s serious demeanour, paired with his figures and data as well as his well-known familiarity with spiritual power, ensured that no one doubted his words.

Then he opened a report to explain his points one by one.

“Betas have no spiritual power, so they are especially vulnerable to UNK radiation. This is especially true for the incident at the spaceport, where the mass UNK explosion caused a magnetic field around the entire area.”

One-third of the packages at the spaceport were swapped for explosives, but that still left two-thirds as UNK.

“In any case, let Secretary Luo have a good rest for now,” Shen Xiluo said. “The explosion and resonance caused some damage to his brain and he will inevitably have some symptoms, so he needs to take it easy.”

Shi Xiuqi originally hadn’t wanted to leave, but after a glance from the first prince, he could only obediently go out.

When only Shen Xiluo and Luo Ran remained in the room, Shen Xiluo immediately said, “Secretary Luo, some people already suspect you’re an omega.”

Luo Ran frowned.

“But you can’t expose it, especially not in the current situation. The admiral isn’t here and the first prince’s people can’t wait to use you for experiments even though you’re a beta — if you become an SSS-grade omega, they would only become more extreme.”

Maybe even to the point of outright robbery.

Luo Ran raised his head and said sincerely, “Doctor Shen, thank you, thank you very much for not saying…”

“I knew the first time I saw you that you are an SSS-grade omega,” Shen Xiluo said slowly.

As a skilled doctor and pheromone researcher, he could tell with a single glance what gender people were, but he wouldn’t proactively mention it.

Luo Ran was taken aback.

Then, he suddenly stopped talking.

He just stared forward in a daze with empty eyes.

“Secretary Luo?” Shen Xiluo frowned slightly.

Luo Ran didn’t react.

“Secretary Luo.” Shen Xiluo accurately tapped Luo Ran’s temple, causing him to shudder and come back to his senses.

“Why did I…”

“It’s normal.” Shen Xiluo dragged a chair closer, sat down, then seriously explained, “Secretary Luo, I will now tell you your actual situation.

“You have refined UNK but your spiritual power is SSS-grade, so the side effects will take longer to show themselves — unlike other omega, your body will not immediately send signals to indicate maladaptiveness. This explosion can be regarded as a trigger.

“The UNK explosion did cause resonance, but it was your pheromones which resonated. I don’t know what will happen because this has never happened before. I can only judge that for an unknown reason, your spiritual power is very compatible with UNK.

“This, in addition to the pheromone resonance, led to you being able to melt UNK with your bare hands. It is currently unknown how long this state will last. At the same time, your spiritual consciousness suffered secondary trauma caused by a violent external force, so you will also suffer symptoms such as delirium, fatigue, and migraines.”

Luo Ran indeed felt a little tired, he had to make an effort to understand Shen Xiluo’s long speech.

Pausing for a moment, Shen Xiluo then handed two bottles of medicine to Luo Ran. “These are the medicines you need to take. One is for stabilising your pheromones, two pills a night. The other one is a painkiller, take it as needed.”

“Thank you.”

“Rest well.”

Shen Xiluo left after taking care of Luo Ran’s side, he still wanted to see Xia Zhi.

After he left, Luo Ran stared blankly at his white ward.

As the smell of disinfectant filled his nose, he suddenly missed the scent of earth.

He thought to himself, maybe he was too used to smelling tobacco.

Luo Ran supported himself with the IV stand to get up, wanting to open the window, but when he looked up, he saw that the originally empty window sill was now filled with hanging wisteria flowers.

It was exactly the same as the wisteria in the office.

So beautiful.

He kept looking at it absent-mindedly until his terminal beeped and vibrated with a notification.

Luo Ran picked it up.

“Luo Ran.”

It was Lucas’ voice.

Luo Ran paused.

“Luo Ran.”

“Oh, Admiral.”

The familiar voice coming from the terminal suddenly made Luo Ran feel relieved.

When he looked up again, the wisteria flowers were gone.

“Luo Ran, how are you?” Lucas asked, his voice low and hoarse. “Are you hurt?”

“No.” Luo Ran spoke slowly, trying to organise his words. “It’s only flesh wounds. My left leg is broken but it doesn’t hurt after injecting anaesthetics.”

Lucas was silent for a while, then: “Did they make things hard for you?”

“No.” So far, Luo Ran hadn’t felt anything significant was happening, but he guessed that it must have become chaotic outside and the two sides must have quarrelled again.

“Luo Ran, you wait for me to go back. I want to see who can bully you.”

“Okay,” Luo Ran couldn’t resist smiling.

“Wait for me.”

“Mn.”

Lucas made a serious vow to Luo Ran.

When the call ended and he put down the terminal, Luo Ran noticed that the wisteria flowers had completely disappeared.

–When he thought of him, the wisterias bloomed.

But after the call, there were no wisteria flowers left. Luo Ran peacefully lay down and continued sleeping.

* * *

Thump!

Lucas, who just finished the call, harshly slammed his fist on the railing in front of him.

The railing shook and dust scattered around it.

Wang Qiuyang stood next to him not daring to speak.

This had to happen just when they left.

His chest violently heaved up and down.

“Should we… turn back? Or after we land at M4, I and the other adjutants can take care of things and Admiral can take a small team back.” Wang Qiuyang straightened. “I will bring victory to the Admiral at any cost!”

Grasping the railing, Lucas closed his eyes for a long moment, opened them, and then said in a suppressed voice, “No need. Current ETA is three hours, let the warships go faster.”

Then, Lucas turned and strode away from the bridge.

“Finish it quickly! Fight earlier and we’ll go back earlier!” The hostility in Lucas’ eyes was so thick that even an alpha like Wang Qiuyang couldn’t control his fear.

* * *

Elsewhere, Shen Xiluo hurried downstairs after finishing Luo Ran’s file.

When he pushed open the door to Xia Zhi’s ward, he saw that Xia Zhi was already awake and undergoing a physical examination under the care of several other doctors.

Shen Xiluo went closer, pushed up the frame of his glasses, and said, “I’ll do it.”

Xia Zhi glanced at Shen Xiluo and took a deep breath. “No need, it’s done.”

Luo Ran had protected Xia Zhi rather well when they fell, so he didn’t receive any serious injuries and even had quite a bit of energy now. 

After the other doctors left, he immediately grabbed Shen Xiluo.

“How is Ranran? He’s an omega…”

Xia Zhi’s hands were shaking. As soon as he woke up, he heard that Luo Ran could melt UNK with his bare hands, which scared him half to death. He originally suppressed it because he didn’t want others to see through him, but now that he saw Shen Xiluo who also knew this secret, he couldn’t bear it anymore.

“He’s fine, I covered it up,” Shen Xiluo said, holding Xia Zhi’s hand. “He’s been prescribed Mental Stabiliser DX-56.”

Xia Zhi let out a breath. “As long as he’s fine, as long as he’s fine…” He lowered his head. “It’s all my fault…”

“First, this isn’t your fault, because you participated in neither the bomb’s making nor its installation,” Shen Xiluo stated seriously, “second, Luo Ran being fine doesn’t mean the situation is fine, this turmoil isn’t over yet.”

“Huh…?”

Shen Xiluo sat on the edge of the bed still holding Xia Zhi’s hand, and Xia Zhi was so focused on Luo Ran that he didn’t notice anything was wrong.

“People with the first prince and second prince have surrounded the hospital, just waiting for an opportunity,” Shen Xiluo said. “Shi Xiuqi hasn’t left either, he’s still downstairs.”

“…?” Xia Zhi was confused. “Why?”

“The first prince wants the research into UNK to continue, so he wants Secretary Luo to join the research institute — he’s ready to kidnap him at any time. The second prince is the opposite, he’s here to stop the first prince,” Shen Xiluo paused for a moment, then continued, “and do the admiral a favour by the way, hoping to win him over.”

Xia Zhi was shocked for a moment when he heard this, then when he ran to the window to see, indeed, there were soldiers standing outside the hospital.

“Asshole…” Xia Zhi glared. “This is a blatant threat! He’s threatening Ranran!” He paced back and forth, saying, “What if we announce Ranran’s SSS-grade omega status? The Empire has always protected omega, not to mention 3S-grade.”

“You’re too naive.” With a voice as dead as stagnant water, Shen Xiluo analysed, “The Empire protects omega because they are weak, but also because they can use spiritual power, and the stronger the power, the more they are protected, precisely so they can be used in times like this.”

Xia Zhi’s entire body stiffened.

Shen Xiluo continued, “We can put it off now because Secretary Luo is a beta. But that changes if he’s an omega. It would be inevitable to be caught and repeatedly injected with UNK in order to find the secret of melting UNK with his hands.”

“…The law prohibits inhumane experiments like that!” Xia Zhi trembled.

“The law is what the royal family and the Council say it is, and experiment proposals go through the research institute director.”

“Then… is the first prince not afraid of the admiral coming back and dealing with him!”

The two princes were obviously competing for Lucas’ power before.

“If Secretary Luo really joins the research team, then not only will the admiral not ‘deal with him’, but he will automatically join the first prince’s camp and participate in the experiment. Else why do you think the second prince is so anxious to stop it?”

Xia Zhi sat heavily and cracked his knuckles one by one. “Shen Xiluo, what do we do, Ranran is a 3S omega, I don’t know why he’s so familiar with UNK, but we can’t let them take him away… if they inject him with UNK, you know what’s going to happen! His spirit is already damanged!”

“Mn,” Shen Xiluo nodded, “I will do my best.”

He put his arms around Xia Zhi’s shoulders stiffly, as if trying to comfort him.

Xia Zhi blinked in surprise for a few seconds, and when he recovered, he looked at Shen Xiluo strangely.

“You…” The corners of Xia Zhi’s lips twitched upwards. “You’ve changed quite a lot.”

“Do you like it?”

“…You weren’t so kind before. When something like this happened, you would only put the Empire’s interests first, like a robot without emotion. I thought you would say that, then…”

“Is that one of the reasons why you broke off the engagement with me back then? Apart from my bad skills.”

With Shen Xiluo suddenly saying that, Xia Zhi froze again. “I…”

Shen Xiluo interrupted him. “So I changed, I’ve been studying hard in the last few years.”

“By watching porn?” Xia Zhi asked, torn between laughing and crying.

“Intimacy is the emotion most intuitive for humans to express, this is also within my scope of study.”

Xia Zhi: “…”

Shen Xiluo gazed seriously at Xia Zhi. “If I do well this time, would you consider having dinner with me?”

“…” Xia Zhi, smiling, said lightly, “That depends on your performance.”

—— XXXX ——

“Secretary Luo…!”

This sleep of Luo Ran’s lasted a day and a half. By the time he woke up, Lu Cheng, who had been guarding the door, had come in.

Luo Ran pressed at his temples, forced himself to concentrate, and asked, “What’s wrong? Why are you here?”

“Report! It’s the admiral who asked me to come, to protect you!” Lu Cheng said.

“Protect me?” Luo Ran slowly frowned.

“The first prince dispatched his personal soldiers to guard outside the hospital, and the second prince did as well,” Lu Cheng said. “Please believe in me, Secretary Luo! No one can kidnap you while I’m here!”

“Did you also bring troops?” Luo Ran had a bit of a headache.

This was the capital, so they wouldn’t break out into open combat and this was just using private soldiers such as bodyguards to suppress others, but the current situation still wasn’t ideal in the least.

And this was all due to him.

A pause later, Luo Ran ordered, “Arrange something for me, I’ll talk with His Highness the First Prince or Director Shi. Don’t let things get worse.”

“This… Yes sir.”

After a while, Zhou Mingyu himself came alone, perhaps to show his sincerity.

“Secretary Luo, are you feeling any better?” Zhou Mingyu dragged a chair closer to the bed and sat down, smiling. “I originally wanted to send a few nurses to help take care of you, but Doctor Shen insisted on doing everything himself.”

“Having Doctor Shen is enough,” Luo Ran also smiled.

“Secretary Luo, allow me to get straight to the point,” Zhou Mingyu said. “My goal is simple — I hope that you can cooperate with the research team, find out how a beta can refine UNK, bring the Empire higher, and save the other alpha and omega.”

Luo Ran said nothing.

“Secretary Luo, you know that I… that in my heart, you’re different.” Zhou Mingyu poured Luo Ran a cup of warm water. “I will look after you and ensure your safety.

“Can you believe me?”

“…Your Highness.” Just as Luo Ran wanted to say something, he felt a sharp pain in his head, and then his vision fell into chaos.

“Secretary Luo…!”

“Secretary Luo!”

Two people who were waiting outside, Lu Cheng and Shen Xiluo, abruptly rushed in.

“Your Highness, Secretary Luo’s mental state isn’t good now, can you step out first…!”

Luo Ran hadn’t thought that this would happen so suddenly either, apparently, he couldn’t concentrate for too long before his spirit wasn’t able to hold on.

“Apologies…” Luo Ran pressed his forehead. “Can I contact you later by terminal?”

Zhou Mingyu hesitated, but in the end, he still left.

Not long after, Lu Cheng received a call for help on his radio.

One of the guards stationed outside shouted, “The first prince’s people have a doctor here and want to go in, saying they’re here to pick the secretary up for treatment!”

“…” Lu Cheng’s eyes narrowed as he shouted back, “Don’t let them in!”

Five minutes later.

“The admiral is back…!”

Luo Ran vaguely heard this sentence and was stunned.

What?

---

Author:
Write a little plot this chapter, next chapter will be sweet!

Translator:
I’m so done with the author’s aversion to naming things

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“Luo Ran!”

Lucas was still chasing him, just as fiercely as before.

Luo Ran covered his ears as he ran. Two grown men — one an admiral of the Empire, the other one of the best secretaries of the empire — ran downstairs one after the other, making all the guards shocked stupid.

Soon, Luo Ran boarded his hovercar and successfully escaped.

All in all, although Luo Ran thoroughly lost this battle, now he at least knew that the messes his previous dates turned into… really were done by Lucas.

But even if Lucas wanted to make things difficult, he would at most blacklist them.

However, Yu Han’s mother was originally in contact with Luo Ran’s parents, yet now even Yu Han’s family members refused to get close.

It shouldn’t be… right?

Although Lucas was stubborn, his personality wasn’t that barbaric.

Luo Ran felt as if he was missing something, but romance wasn’t a priority for him, so he let it go.

…Lucas was the bigger problem right now.

Their relationship seemed to be gradually getting out of control, and now…

Luo Ran covered his face and burrowed into the hovercar’s sofa.

Oh dear.

But in just two days, neither of them had the time to talk about this.

–Something happened at the UNK Special Research Centre.

An alpha who was injected with UNK suddenly went berserk and his spiritual power collapsed, injuring two beta researchers and an omega refiner. The two beta only had superficial wounds, but the omega’s spiritual power was damaged and they fell into a coma.

Not everyone could be as lucky as Luo Ran. Most omega who suffered damage to their spirit had issues ranging from mental illness to becoming a vegetable for the rest of their lives.

Omega going through spiritual power collapse would experience hallucinations, severe migraines, muscle weakness, and so on, while alpha were the opposite — they would lose their rationality and self-control, and attack everyone around them as if they’d gone crazy.

The alpha who went berserk, a researcher at the centre who volunteered to become a research subject, had already been subdued and was now undergoing treatment.

And the injured A-level omega was the youngest child of Major General Mokka. Major General Mokka’s family had no intention of letting this pass and had already brought a lawsuit against the research centre, intending to fight with the government until the end.

Lucas was the head of the military, so the big leaders all listened to him.

And he wouldn’t be just a bystander once something like this happened.

As Lucas’ representative, Luo Ran was currently speaking for him at a conference.

“This person is Ann Mokka,” Luo Ran said, gesturing to a photo projected behind him. “As everyone knows, the Empire’s laws are biased towards protecting the weaker omega, so if the government doesn’t give an adequate explanation for this incident to the Mokka family, I fear it will chill the hearts of everyone in the military.”

Director of the Research Institute Shi Xiuqi, a slightly chubby middle-aged man, frowned. “Just arrest the alpha who went berserk and charge him according to the law, let him make reparations.”

That alpha was an ordinary civilian, he had no worries about dealing with him.

After a pause, Luo Ran’s brows furrowed as well. “It isn’t entirely the alpha’s fault, it was only because he was injected with UNK that he lost all rationality and judgement — to lay all blame at the feet of the alpha because they are innately stronger would also be an injustice. In the researchers’ opinion, this event is the fault of the experiment, and UNK should not be used by humans.”

Next, he presented the alpha’s psychoanalysis report, which showed that the incident wasn’t intentional.

The alpha also stated that he was willing to pay compensation to Ann Mokka, whether through monetary means or pheromone soothing — in summary, he would do his best to cooperate with all of the Mokka family’s requests.

“So the problem isn’t the person, but the things involved.” Luo Ran then presented reports from the project manager, Xia Zhi, and the representative of the medical department, Shen Xiluo.

“Doctor Xia is in charge of the project’s security, and Doctor Shen is in charge of the staff’s safety. Now, they’ve both made it clear that this project is not suitable for further research.”

The data in the report was very clear. Xia Zhi and everyone had worked through the night to produce it.

It stated that UNK could provide six times as much energy as a normal ore, but at the same time, the radiation it emitted could destroy an alpha or omega’s spirit.

And since it couldn’t be refined by machines, this meant that they could no longer use UNK in the future.

“This…” Shi Xiuqi glanced at the eldest prince Zhou Mingyu, frowned, then said, “This was just an accident, a unique event, it doesn’t mean everyone would be affected by the UNK radiation.”

“Please read this section of the report,” Luo Ran said as he pointed to the projection screen, “Doctor Shen has conducted numerous tests on both the immediate damage and long term consequences of UNK radiation on the human body.

“It is an indisputable fact that chronic exposure to UNK leads to spiritual collapse and even death for alpha and omega. There is currently no cure, but this does not exclude the possibility that there will be one in the future.”

“Yes, there are side effects,” Shi Xiuqi acknowledged, “but it isn’t as if you don’t know the great benefits of UNK either. We can’t stop just because of a single accident. I’m younger than Doctor Shen and Doctor Xia — if they don’t dare to continue, I dare.”

The second prince, Zhou Mingjing, frowned. “Our energy was sufficient even before we had UNK.”

“That’s true, but we do have UNK now. Are we going to give up technological progress?” Shi Xiuqi asked. “Since we can be better, why stop here?”

Two factions soon emerged due to the UNK issue —

One party insisted on continuing to develop the UNK, led by the eldest prince. This group also included Shi Xiuqi and Lucas’ brother Cyril.

The other party advocated giving up the UNK and keep using the previous ores in order to protect the spirits of alpha and omega, led by the second prince.

The Empire was already somewhat divided due to the issue of imperial succession, but now, this became much more obvious.

Luo Ran was also a little surprised that the second prince, who was once part of the military and had a tough and unyielding personality, would choose to protect people at this time.

Or perhaps it was as Lucas said — that it was precisely because he experienced battle that he treasured lives more.

However, Lucas only observed from the sidelines without getting involved, and Luo Ran only explained the situation as objectively as possible.

Even if they did have any thoughts, they wouldn’t choose a side, because once they did, it wouldn’t be regarding the UNK but regarding the throne.

The second prince glanced at the eldest prince and sneered, “People are more important than energy — the Empire only exists because of the people, and energy is only a tool of the people. I hope my big brother and the director won’t put the cart before the horse.”

The eldest prince shook his head. “Second brother, you’re too short-sighted. In fact, it’s the people who only exist because of the Empire. Only when the Empire is strong can we protect our citizens. And although progress requires some sacrifice, if we don’t do it, the Empire can only be crushed by other planets.”

“Brother, who doesn’t know that you’d gain a lot from UNK?” the second prince retorted sternly. “This accident was a wake-up call, I hope you can at least recognise that. UNK isn’t an energy source, it’s a poison. Yes, it can make people stronger, but the side effects are also significant, enough to cause death. In other words, if the Empire is greedy for the power of UNK, we’ll suffer a backlash sooner or later!”

The dispute between them became fiercer and fiercer, the smell of gunpowder within the room became more and more intense; the situation could explode at any moment.

Shi Xiuqi interjected: “Second Highness, you’re incorrect. It isn’t just an energy source, it’s also something that can make the Empire invincible! We cannot fear it just because of its capabilities, we have to conquer it! If we can control this power and give it to our soldiers, it would be a piece of cake to solve the pirates! We would be the strongest existence in the universe!”

Bang–!

The previously silent Lucas smacked the table with such force that everyone jumped.

“Let’s see who dares to use UNK on my soldiers,” he stated with a cold face.

The eldest prince slowly frowned, while the second prince said in a soothing tone, “Yes, neither soldiers nor citizens are mere tools or weapons to be used.”

They have now confirmed that UNK would cause damage to an alpha or omega’s spiritual power, and long term use would cause physical weakness, spiritual collapse, and even death.

“Admiral, please calm down.” The eldest prince gave Shi Xiuqi a glance, then continued evenly, “Our main goal is still to refine UNK to use it as a source of energy. As for the problems regarding spiritual power, I think we need to continue researching in order to find a solution. Both we and the Empire must rise to the occasion.”

“Continue researching?” the second prince snorted. “Do you mean choosing a few unlucky alpha or omega and injecting them with UNK, that kind of research? Use them until the end, then find a new one?”

Zhou Mingyu frowned. “Brother, you’ve crossed the line.”

“Lucas, you have to know what would happen if pirates got their hands on UNK,” Cyril said with a glance at Lucas. “Even if our imperial soldiers don’t use it, pirates will! How will we fight with them then?”

“Che!”

Lucas let out a loud snort, then folded his arms across his chest and crossed his legs. “Don’t say nonsense if you haven’t been to war! Do you think the soldiers are all cowards like you? As long as we have a single sword, my people can go toe to toe with pirates even if they become immortals! We’re not afraid!

“My warriors aren’t weapons, and they aren’t tools! Don’t talk to me about using drugs, I’ll bring victory to the Empire, but I won’t exchange their lives for it.”

Although Lucas was only sitting there, his aura still made Cyril breathless, and his bearing was such that no one in the room dared to refute him.

After a while, it was the eldest prince who broke the tense atmosphere. He smiled widely and said, “Admiral, I can understand your feelings, but it would truly be very troublesome if UNK lands in the hands of the pirates. I received an urgent report this morning — I think you knew this earlier than me, Admiral — that a new mine was discovered on M4 in the outer system, but it and the planetside garrison have already been captured by pirates.”

Of course Lucas knew, the military headquarters received the distress signal very early that morning.

“I know,” Lucas said without any ups or downs. “We’re setting off tomorrow, I’m personally bringing people to clean up M4. The military department is already preparing for it.”

“We can’t keep going like this,” one of the eldest prince’s supporters said, “we now know that these bitter-cold mines aren’t exclusive to Luobing, they might show up on any sufficiently cold planet.”

The second prince raised an eyebrow. “So you want to fight fire with fire? The enemy are devils, so we should turn our own soldiers into devils?”

The two sides continued to argue, while those from Lucas’ faction continued to watch.

But from the few times Lucas spoke up, one could already see his opinion. And when the second prince spoke, he always intentionally or unintentionally counted Lucas among his own camp.

They argued for half a day without end, getting more agitated as time went on until they even brought up the imperial power struggle, so they could only suspend the meeting for now.

After Lucas and Luo Ran left the conference room, Shi Xiuqi and a duke* from the second prince’s faction ran over to chat.

“My daughter Nina especially likes to read stories about you and your secretary recently, Admiral, she likes you a lot,” the duke grinned.

Shi Xiuqi smiled a not-smile. “It’s just children making a fuss online, Duke doesn’t need to care.”

Lucas felt so annoyed that he simply turned around and left.

Luo Ran smiled. “Yes, I sometimes also take a look at the holonet when I have free time.”

In conclusion, a single incident caused countless waves, but no matter how chaotic the capital was, the most important thing for Lucas was to deal with the pirates on M4.

As soon as the meeting ended, Luo Ran and Lucas went to the military headquarters. 

There wasn’t much time to prepare, Lucas was going to depart tomorrow.

Luo Ran went back to the office and took thick cotton gloves and coats out from storage, then placed countless warming cushions in the mecha.

Lucas was surprised when he saw this just before his departure.

“There’s no need,” he said as he rolled his eyes, “It’s just a little colder, I only need to endure it a bit, it’s not a big deal.”

Luo Ran only chuckled.

It was currently early morning with a grey sky hanging overhead. Lion 01 had been transported into the warship and Lucas now stood next to the warship’s door. He looked at Luo Ran and said, “I’m leaving.”

“Yeah.” Luo Ran nodded.

This scene had happened too many times, seeing Lucas off had happened too many times. Luo Ran had already gotten used to it.

From their youth until now.

He was forever watching Lucas step into a warship and leave in the dark, chaotic early mornings, and then watching Lucas return triumphantly amid sunshine and fireworks.

“Luo Ran.”

“Hm?”

“After I deal with M4, I have something to say to you,” Lucas said, pursing his lips. “You wait for me.”

“What…? Can’t you say it now? Or use your terminal…” Luo Ran said.

“Shush.” Lucas patted Luo Ran’s head. “I still need to think about it.”

“I…”

“The ceremony.” He spread out his hands. “I’m leaving.”

Luo Ran hesitated, then leaned close and hugged him, whispering, “I wish Admiral a smooth journey.”

This was a very frank hug in the past, but now Luo Ran’s face was a little red. 

Especially because he could hear Lucas’ heartbeat in this posture.

“Okay, luck charging complete.” Lucas let go of him. “See you.”

Lucas turned and went into the warship.

Luo Ran watched Lucas’ back disappear into the warship’s gaping maw, then its solid steel doors closed.

Following this, innumerable warships, aircraft, and mechas lifted off.

* * *

In the following few days, Luo Ran had very little time to rest.

The vast majority of his time was spent taking care of matters related to UNK, not to mention how Lucas, the one who was in charge of the overall situation, wasn’t there.

“Secretary Luo!”

Rong Duo handed a report to Luo Ran. “From the research institute.”

“Thank you.”

The newest batch of UNK from Luobing would arrive today. This was the last batch Luobing was sending before the UNK transports were suspended.

And Xia Zhi’s suggestion was to let Luo Ran take a team to protect this batch elsewhere until the people above made a decision, otherwise another storm would be set off in the research institute if it’s sent there.

Luo Ran got up. “I’m going to the port, Xiao Duo, can you tidy up the documents we’re using today?”

“Okay!”

The spaceport was close to the military camp on the outskirts of the city, and as a transit point for military cargo, it was guarded heavily.

Now that Luobing’s transport ship had landed, a large group of people were very carefully unloading packages from it to transfer on to the Empire’s cargo ships.

The packages were all filled with UNK.

“Ranran, you’re here!” Xia Zhi was there with a checklist. “You’re right on time.”

He randomly picked one of the packages to inspect.

Luo Ran handed him a pair of scissors.

“Wait,” Luo Ran ordered, seeing something.

“What…?” Xia Zhi also saw the red light coming from within the package and stiffened.

“Xiaxia–!”

Bang———

A red cloud exploded into existence, its shockwaves shaking even the nearby trees.

* * *

“Admiral…”

Lucas, who was spacing out on the main deck, turned to see Wang Qiuyang’s terrible expression. “What? M4 was sucked into a black hole?” he raised an eyebrow.

“No… It’s Secretary Luo… something happened.”

Lucas froze.

“But he’s fine! He’s okay!” Wang Qiuyang hurriedly added. “He’s not hurt.”

With a face even darker than Wang Qiuyang’s, Lucas ordered in a low voice, “Speak.”

“Luobing installed a lot of bombs in the latest shipment. When Secretary Luo and Doctor Xia went to inspect a package, the mechanism inside activated and explosives went off at the port. Fortunately, Secretary Luo and Doctor Shen were standing on a high platform, Secretary Luo reacted quickly and jumped off with Doctor Shen, so they don’t have any serious injuries, just some superficial flesh wounds.”

“Bombs?” Lucas shouted. “Are the sensors at customs and the hyperlane broken?! They don’t have any detectors left? The inspectors are all dead? What do you mean superficial flesh wounds!”

Lucas immediately pulled out his terminal to call Luo Ran, only to remember that he probably wouldn’t be able to pick up. He was a little anxious as he held the terminal, and his expression was so stormy that he seemed as if he were going to devour people.

“We’re still investigating… It should be a problem on Luobing’s side, their plans were interrupted by our people’s actions. The government has also started an investigation into the details,” Wang Qiuyang reported. “You don’t need to worry  about their injuries, Admiral… We have a different problem.

“For some reason,” Wang Qiuyang said with a bitter face, “after the explosion, Secretary Luo could melt and refine the UNK with his bare hands.”

Lucas completely froze in place. “What did you say?”

“Um… Melt UNK with his bare hands,” Wang Qiuyang repeated, still feeling surreal. “The capital is in complete chaos…”

---

Author:
One of his identities is about to be revealed, light a candle for Secretary Luo

Translator:
The cost/benefit of UNK research has happened over and over in our history too whenever any new substance pops up — the most obvious parallel is probably polonium, which eventually killed Marie Curie from radiation, leading to uranium etc. Despite the pro-research side being the antagonists here, neither side is strictly wrong. Thoughts? And Happy New Year!

Footnotes:
1. Duke [公爵]: unsure if this is a name (Gong Jue) or a ducal title

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They made their way to the control room, where they also met Zhou Mingyu.

“What happened?” Zhou Mingyu asked with a frown. “Explain.”

“We received a distress call from the boat, saying that they encountered nomadic merfolk who stole the food on board,” the ship’s safety officer reported. “We’re re-attempting communication.”

There had always been merfolk in these waters, but they typically kept to themselves. Zhou Mingzhu’s group were just unlucky enough to meet a group of solitary merfolk, who tended to be more aggressive than clan merfolk.

“Scrrrch… Scrrrch…”*

“Imperial 05, requesting… scrrrch… support…”

They got through, but the signal on Zhou Mingzhu’s side was very weak.

“Merfolk… scrrrch… in the fight, they destroyed… radio.”

“We’re fine… they left…”

It was Mou Kadi.

Zhou Mingyu let out a sigh of relief. “As long as the people are fine.”

The radio was intermittent, but they could still understand the situation over there. The people with Zhou Mingzhu had suffered an attack by merfolk, and although they weren’t injured, the boat’s engine was destroyed so they couldn’t return under their own power.

Therefore, someone from the ship had to go pick them up.

After Zhou Mingyu understood the details of the situation, he said, “Let Lu Bei or Secretary Luo go with the captain. If something happens, there are more people to help.”

“I’ll go,” Luo Ran said. “I’m worried there are more merfolk around here, it would be better to stick closer to the riverbank, and I’m familiar with it from military exercises in the area.”

“Okay,” Zhou Mingyu nodded.

This incident wasn’t a big deal. Even with the few guards on board the small boat, it was impossible for them to be unable to guarantee the safety of the two royals, Lucas wasn’t worried at all.

Fifteen minutes later, Luo Ran’s rescue boat reached Mou Kadi and Zhou Mingzhu.

Their situation indeed wasn’t very good. The small boat was dented all over, and was slowly taking on water.

“Your Highnesses,” Luo Ran smiled. “Come up, we can tow your boat back.”

“Mn…” Zhou Mingzhu nodded, still subconsciously gripping Mou Kadi’s arm.

Now that Luo Ran arrived with several boats stuffed full of the Empire’s soldiers, Zhou Mingzhu relaxed, and only then did she realise something and break free of Mou Kadi with a pout.

Mou Kadi was surprised for a moment, then smiled.

No matter how cold and arrogant she acted, Zhou Mingzhu was still a pampered little omega princess who grew up in the lap of luxury. When something like this happened, she could endure it because of royal pride, but she was still scared, and gripped Mou Kadi the entire time.

Mou Kadi couldn’t help but internally thank the merfolk.

“Is Your Highness not holding any more?” he asked with a smile. “What if more merfolk come?”

“Shut up…!” Zhou Mingzhu scolded, her round almond eyes glaring into him. “Could this have happened if you hadn’t dragged me out here?”

Once the two boarded the rescue ship, Luo Ran handed Zhou Mingzhu a towel.

“You’ve worked hard, Your Highness.”

Zhou Mingzhu took it, then strode below deck into the rest area.

Mou Kadi hurriedly followed her.

Luo Ran was a little dumbfounded at how much closer they were now.

After a moment, he turned to go after them as well, planning to tell them about the new route so Princess Mingzhu wouldn’t be nervous.

“Go away…! Stop pestering me!”

“Mingzhu!”

Hearing the two starting to argue, Luo Ran’s steps slowed.

“Mingzhu, I’ve only been here a few days and even I know the admiral doesn’t like you. Don’t keep waiting for him.”

“Why do you care!”

Luo Ran had no intention of eavesdropping on their drama, but just as he was about to leave, the next sentence stunned him in place.

“I’m warning you, I’ll never let you go if you mention what happened at the banquet!” Zhou Mingzhu shouted.

“I wouldn’t…” Mou Kadi said in a helpless tone. “Never. I’d never use this thing to threaten you or destroy your reputation, I swear it. But I’ve already given you a temporary mark… I need to take responsibility.

“And I really do like you.”

Luo Ran slowly frowned.

According to what they said, Mou Kadi and Zhou Mingzhu had an affair together that night.

What happened at the banquet… was it related to the three women?

Andika had said that the three women sneaked in, obviously not with any good intentions.

And Zhou Mingzhu’s movements were unknown after meeting with those three women, perhaps she met Mou Kadi…?

Mou Kadi’s room was on the same floor as Lucas’ room.

The clues were very chaotic.

But they seemed to point in the same direction.

He tapped the folder in his hands, thinking that he would have to look over it again when he went back.

They were still arguing, but now it was more of a childish squabble. Zhou Mingzhu was throwing a tantrum, and Mou Kadi was coaxing her.

Luo Ran thought a bit, then went back a fair distance before approaching again, this time ensuring his footsteps were audible, and even made sure to shake the door. Only then did the two royals notice his presence and stop fighting.

The boat soon safely reunited with the cruise ship.

After playing for another day, the ship docked, and thus ended their short vacation.

They also more or less achieved Zhou Mingkai and Mou Kadi’s goals. Although Zhou Mingzhu was still cold towards Mou Kadi, she also tacitly allowed many of his actions.

And when they got back, Luo Ran was stunned by the pile of documents on his desk.

“Secretary Luo, I’ll help you tidy it up?” Rong Duo, sitting next to him, offered.

“Thank you.” Luo Ran had something of a headache.

He’d finally dealt with all the work piled up from before, including the post-expedition cleanup, and came back feeling much lighter than before.

Then he was struck a harsh blow by the documents that were stacked all the way to the ceiling.

Rong Duo had even kindly brought him a stepladder.

Luo Ran: “…”

Was this okay?

He resigned himself to organising it all.

In fact, most of it only needed a stamp or be referred to Lucas, but he still needed to read them, so it wasn’t relaxing by any means.

“I’ll help.”

As soon as Lucas opened the door, he saw Luo Ran on the stepladder holding a large stack of heavy documents, so he rolled up his sleeves and went up.

Rong Duo’s eyes widened.

The admiral would actually…?

What a wonderful love!

“N-No need…” Luo Ran said hastily, “I can do it myself.”

Lucas was tall enough not to need a ladder and directly stretched out a hand. “Just hand me the documents you find.” He would willingly act as Luo Ran’s human stand.

“…” Luo Ran’s ears were ever so slightly red. “No need.”

“What are you dawdling for! Hurry up!”

“…”

Luo Ran could only hand over the papers in his hand to Lucas.

As Luo Ran picked through the pile, he asked, “Do you not need to go to the military headquarters?”

“They can wait a while.”

Nearby, Rong Duo cried while covering her mouth.

At this time, Luo Ran was standing atop a stepladder, looking up as he searched through the stacks, and every time he found one he needed he would drop it lightly into Lucas’ hands.

The tall man in military uniform stood next to the stepladder, and although the space between it and the desk was a little cramped, he still quietly held the papers.

Like a cute, obedient lion.

“…It’s done.” Luo Ran looked down. “Thank you, Admiral.”

“That’s all?” Lucas frowned.

“That’s all for now, I’ll take a look at these first.”

“Mn.”

Lucas placed the documents on the desk, then turned and strode away.

Luo Ran was still a little surprised.

His thoughts couldn’t help but run wild.

Rong Duo chuckled foolishly. “The admiral is so good to you.”

“I-I suppose so.” He sat down, took a deep breath, and was about to start on his work when Xia Zhi sent him a message.

Xia Zhi: I’ve contacted that date for you, I’ll send his details

[Image]

Xia Zhi: Of course, I suggest you don’t seek death, otherwise your big lion will bite someone! That brute.

Luo Ran thanked him helplessly.

Elsewhere, Lucas sat in a hovercar, and the more he thought, the more he felt that something wasn’t right.

Luo Ran had been very distant towards him lately, very professional.

It seemed to have started since… the compatibility scanner?

Yes, it was the compatibility scanner. Ever since then, it was as if Luo Ran changed into a different person. He could still hug him before, but now he even protested when he tried to help holding a few documents.

It also seemed to be that point when Luo Ran would occasionally blush around him.

He looked very cute.

Just as Lucas was reminiscing on a Luo Ran with flushed ears, he received a message from the investigation team’s captain.

–Admiral, Secretary Luo is going on another date

Lucas: ??!!

—— XXXX ——

Luo Ran’s prospective new date was called Gu Nancheng, and was also an excellent alpha.

In fact, almost all alpha could be called excellent, because they had unique talents and strengths that allowed them to achieve twice the results with half the effort. This wasn’t even mentioning the special education alpha in the capital received.

It was only after some research that Luo Ran found that this alpha wasn’t simply ‘excellent’.

Gu Nancheng was from an exceedingly wealthy nouveau riche family which apparently owned several real estate companies. He himself was said to be a promising young man who had taken over many corporate responsibilities.

In summary, this was a real life domineering president, from his name to his status to his personality.

And when Gu Nancheng discovered that he would be meeting Luo Ran, he booked an entire private room at an upscale restaurant.

“Like what you see?”

Upon Luo Ran’s arrival, Gu Nancheng grandly showed off the floor to ceiling window behind him.

Luo Ran: “…”

Gu Nancheng smiled and stretched out his hand. “Secretary Luo, I’ve admired you for a long time, you look much better than in the photos.”

Luo Ran shook his hand and nodded. “Hello.”

After ordering, Gu Nancheng showed a charming smile and said confidently, “Secretary Luo, I’ll speak plainly.”

“Mn,” Luo Ran smiled back.

“My family is putting a lot of pressure on me, so I hung a profile on the dating site, planning to find whoever I could to stave them off for a while. But I never thought that I’d be able to meet you, so I don’t want to be perfunctory anymore,” he said. “You are extraordinary — of course, I am as well — so you won’t need to work hard when you’re with me, I know it isn’t easy to be a secretary.”

Gu Nancheng redoubled his charm. “I have enough money to let you spend however you want for two entire lifetimes.”

Luo Ran: “…”

Gu Nancheng raised an eyebrow. “How about it?”

“Apologies, I still prefer to have feelings for each other first,” Luo Ran replied helplessly.

“As expected of Secretary Luo, you don’t covet wealth or luxury, completely different from those people outside.” Gu Nancheng was very satisfied.

Luo Ran: “…”

“It doesn’t matter, I’m willing to make as much time for you as you want, you’re worth it.” Gu Nancheng lightly placed his hand on his chest. “Might we eat together again tomorrow?”

“Another time, I’m too busy with work.”

Luo Ran was brainwashed with a lot of strange things during this meal, but he didn’t immediately leave once it was over. Instead, he stood in a corner and observed Gu Nancheng.

Then he saw Gu Nancheng walk towards his luxurious hovercar only to be intercepted by a man.

Luo Ran recognised him as someone from the investigation team.

…As he thought.

Gu Nancheng and the man spoke for a while, then they returned to the restaurant and went upstairs to a private room.

When Luo Ran followed quietly, he was stopped outside their room by a pair of people.

“…Secretary Luo?”

They were from Lucas’ guards.

Luo Ran smiled widely. “Boo.”

Guards: “…”

Luo Ran stood next to the door to eavesdrop.

Inside the room:

Although Lucas only sat with his hands on the table and his legs crossed, with how stern his face was, just his aura alone could crush Gu Nancheng to death.

Gu Nancheng was evidently surprised to see Lucas, and asked doubtfully, “Why is Admiral here…? Were you the one who wanted to discuss business with me? Why did you make the trip yourself?”

“You were here with my secretary on a date?”

“…” Now Gu Nancheng understood. He smiled dryly. “Yes.”

“You like him? You want to keep going out with him?”

“Yes,” Gu Nancheng said again, puffing out his chest proudly. “I can let him live in the lap of luxury.”

“Oh? I’ll be assessing you a bit, anyone who wants to take away my secretary has to pass this test!” Lucas said.

He was the very image of an overbearing mother-in-law.

Luo Ran, outside: “…”

Gu Nancheng was full of self-confidence. “Alright, come on!”

“First, I’ll ask you a few questions.” Lucas’ expression turned serious. “What’s Luo Ran’s favourite colour?”

“Dark green.” Gu Nancheng did his research.

“What’s Luo Ran’s favourite food?”

“…Uh, noodles?”

“Wrong!”

“What’s Luo Ran’s favourite type of flavour? Sweet or spicy?”

“Mild…?”

“Wrong!”

“What’s Luo Ran’s most common habit?”

“…”

“Can’t answer? Next question, what’s Luo Ran like when he’s angry?”

“…”

“No, I’ve only just met Secretary Luo, I can learn all these things in the future,” Gu Nancheng retorted.

“Okay, then let’s keep going.”

Lucas rose to his feet, and the guards in the room immediately handed each of them a wooden sword.

“Draw your blade!”

“…???!!”

Luo Ran: “…”

To be honest, Luo Ran actually felt quite happy when he saw Gu Nancheng’s cold yet wickedly charming expression crack.

However…

When he then looked at Lucas, who held a wooden sword and looked ready to fight at any time, he laughed angrily.

“Admiral!”

Luo Ran walked in with a smile. “Why are you here?”

“…?!” This time, Lucas was the one to turn into stone. “W-Why are you…”

Gu Nancheng took this opportunity to slip away, his domineering president setting had long disappeared.

Lucas was about to chase after him in a rage. “Where are you going?!”

“Admiral…!” Luo Ran blocked Lucas and smiled wider. “Admiral, you have a lot of free time.”

“…”Ah. Luo Ran is angry, Lucas thought.

“Luo Ran, I…” He suddenly felt a little guilty. 

Luo Ran was still smiling. “What’s my favourite colour?”

Lucas: ?

When he reacted, he sneered. “Of course I know the answers to my own questions! Dark green!”

“What’s my favourite food?”

“Sweet food. Especially the kind that’s small but expensive.”

“What’s my favourite type of flavour? Sweet or spicy?”

“You like matcha flavour the most, you like eating desserts that aren’t too heavy, you like light and fragrant flavours, and you’re a damn picky eater too.”

He didn’t forget to add in his complaints.

“…What’s my most common habit?”

“You always go into a daze, you tap things when you’re thinking, you squint your eyes when you eat something you like.”

“…”

“What am I like when I’m angry?”

“You’ll smile very gently, the more gentle you are the angrier you are, and you’ll become very polite but also very sarcastic.”

“…”

“I don’t…!” Luo Ran’s entire face flushed red.

“Hah! You think I don’t know?! I’m telling you, I know everything!” Lucas shouted. “You become incoherent when you get nervous! Your eyes drift around everywhere!”

“I’m not!”

Luo Ran pivoted on his feet and ran away, blushing up to his ears.

Lucas chased him, still shouting. “Your ears go red when you’re embarrassed, and you’ll run away! Like now!

“You act spoiled when you’re happy! Your voice will go soft!

“Your favourite animals are lions!

“You secretly like to watch those cliché idol love dramas! Your favourite movie is Titanic* from Ancient Earth, and you cry every time you watch it!”

As Luo Ran ran out to escape, Lucas followed right behind him.

“You’re also saving money to go play at B7-ICE-199! Because there are penguins, seals, and polar bears there!”

Luo Ran was unable to bear it any longer. He turned back with a face so red it was about to drip blood and shouted, “…Stop talking!”

Ahhhh is he still human!!!

---

Translator:
Given the futuristic setting, I’d think they would be paper free by then… although the mental image of paperwork stacked to the ceiling is pretty funny.

Footnotes:
1. Scrrrch: trying to imitate the sort of noise a radio makes when there’s bad signal, you decide how well I did. I spent way too long agonising over this, please comment any suggestions
2. Titanic [泰凹尼克号]: strictly speaking it should be pronounced more like Tiounic, but it’s pretty obviously supposed to be Titanic. Authors often self-censor copyrighted material and country names like this.

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Lucas was playing billiards with Zhou Mingkai, who drank alcohol as they played. Neither of them intended to go to bed early.

“Go in…!”

The white ball collided with the red ball, making a dull sound, and pushed it into a corner hole. “I won!” Zhou Mingkai shouted happily.

“Boring.” Lucas rolled his eyes.

“Admiral…” Zhou Mingkai hesitated, then asked, “How are you and Secretary Luo?”

“How can we be?”

“It’s just…” Zhou Mingkai put down the cue stick, directly sat on the pool table, and crossed his legs. “There’s something I’m not too sure about, but I still want to tell you.”

“Speak.”

“Um… I think my oldest brother, he… seems to like Secretary Luo?” Zhou Mingkai said hesitantly. He only guessed so because he saw that Zhou Mingyu’s attitude towards Luo Ran was a little strange.

Lucas was taken aback.

“I don’t know, he might be doing it because he wants to pull you to his side.” Zhou Mingkai shrugged with a smile. “After all, you look like someone who’ll support my second brother.”

Zhou Mingkai thought that it was hard for him too. He clearly wanted to just be a salted fish, but was somehow forced to get stuck in the middle of these three.

“How dare he!” Lucas sneered and slammed the cue stick on the floor. “I’ll skin him alive!”

“It’s not for certain, maybe he just wants to make friends with you two.” Zhou Mingkai paused for a moment, then smiled slyly. “And what are you and the secretary? If you haven’t confessed, you don’t have the right to manage him.”

“Who says I have no right! I’m his boss, he’s my secretary, of course I can manage him.”

“…”

Just as Lucas was always shocked at Zhou Mingkai’s scumbag ways, so too was Zhou Mingkai always shocked at Lucas’ straight male declarations.

“Then do you like him or not?” Zhou Mingkai asked, grinning. “If you don’t like him, why bother caring?”

Lucas stiffened.

Luo Ran went on another date.

When Lucas learned of this, he really, truly felt angry.

He wanted to keep Luo Ran, he didn’t want Luo Ran to be with someone else. As soon as he imagined Luo Ran smiling at another man or woman, Lucas felt uncomfortable all over.

As if something was stolen from him.

No need to mention the thought of Luo Ran talking intimately with others, showing a different expression, or taking care of them; Luo Ran only had to smile as he walked with someone else for Lucas to feel angry.

“Don’t control him if you don’t like him, if you like him, go confess already,” Zhou Mingkai said helplessly. “You haven’t told him anything but you’re still so possessive, and you’ve even messed with his dates, tch, you’re such a scumbag.”

“…”

Lucas was silent.

After a long while, he threw the cue stick aside, swiped Zhou Mingkai’s wine, and gulped down a few mouthfuls. “If I can’t give him the best, I won’t give anything,” he said in a low, unclear voice.

“What?” Zhou Mingkai didn’t hear clearly.Lucas hesitated, then snorted, “I said, I’m not controlling him, and I haven’t done anything about his dates!” He slammed his glass onto the table. “When have I controlled him?! I just want him to work hard and not go on dates and stop thinking about love or whatever all day long! The most I’ve done is go see just what his damn date looks like. If they’re not at least as good as me, why should I let them get together with my secretary?”

Zhou Mingkai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “You’ve even sent people to bribe and intimidate them, and you don’t call it messing with them?”

Yu Han worked in the government and was a friend of a friend, so Zhou Mingkai happened to hear of something. Apparently, after Yu Han went on a date with Luo Ran, first it was Lucas going to his door and asking about this and that, then someone dressed in black threatened him and gave him money to stay far away from Secretary Luo.

He’d even thought he was reading a section from one of Nana’s tyrannical president stories.

“Intimidate?” Lucas frowned.

“…?” Zhou Mingkai blinked. “It wasn’t you?”

“What wasn’t me? If you’ve got something to say, spit it out.”

“Uh, nothing…” Zhou Mingkai was a little surprised.

Lucas wasn’t the type of person to lie about this. If he really did it, he would righteously admit it.

Then who…?

Oh, maybe it’s…

Zhou Mingkai was surprised by his own thoughts.

No way, right?

Lucas’ expression darkened. “You’re saying someone did that? Who?”

“No one, no one.” Zhou Mingkai smiled until he squinted. “I’m just guessing, I thought you did it, since you’re so scary already.”

Then Lucas went back to his room. Despite what some people thought, his tolerance for alcohol wasn’t actually that good, and now he felt a bit tipsy.

Lucas turned on his terminal, wanting to see what Luo Ran was doing.

False Truths: Do you think the admiral likes the secretary?

He subconsciously replied–

Lucas: Likes.

And couldn’t help but laugh.

The wine gave him courage, and let him give the most honest response — so he replied.

But he was very clear about what he was thinking.

How could he not like him?

That was his Luo Ran.

* * *

Likes?

Likes??

In his room, as Luo Ran looked at this reply, he felt as if he was breaking apart.

Could it be that Lucas’ account was hacked?

Could it be that Lucas’ hand slipped?

Could it be that Lucas was deliberately teasing him?

Could it be that Lucas had been kidnapped?

H-How could Lucas like him?

Ridiculous.

Absurd.

Luo Ran was so nervous that he felt confused from top to bottom.

It must be the like between friends, the affection towards an employee… Yes.

It must be.

H-He shouldn’t think too much.

It was so late, time for bed, yes.

Luo Ran immediately got up to wash.

Smack!

“Ow.”

He’d accidentally bumped into a nearby pillar, and immediately covered his forehead.

Calm down.

Lucas was an iron-boned, battle-hardened admiral who hated marriage, love, and sticky partners. He thought romance was a farce, and everyone around him was rubbish.

He should stop thinking so much.

It was an outrageous thought.

Outrageous!

Luo Ran rushed through his nighttime routine and, not daring to look at the terminal again, directly laid down to sleep.

Then he had a dream. In the dream, he was carried away by a lion and thrown into a cave in its territory.

In addition, the lion showed a savage expression and wanted Luo Ran to birth little lions for it.

But when it found out he was an omega, it was so angry that it banished him to the wilderness, where Luo Ran was the only person there. Luo Ran walked and walked, suddenly came upon a fierce beast, and was immediately killed.

Then Luo Ran was frightened awake.

Luo Ran: “…”

His night passed chaotically like that.

The next day, after everyone ate breakfast together, Mou Kadi suggested he take Zhou Mingzhu out to sea on a smaller boat.

The small boat was connected to the cruise ship’s system and there were a lot of the Empire’s soldiers on board, so although it was small, it was very safe, and they could appreciate different scenery while on board.

Zhou Mingzhu was reluctant, but in the end was half-persuaded, half-cajoled onto the boat.

After sending them off, Zhou Mingjing invited Lucas to the ship’s fighting arena, and Zhou Mingkai also tagged along. 

Lucas glanced at Zhou Mingyu and, worried that he would come to pry a corner again, hooked a finger at Luo Ran. “Come on, let’s go.”

Luo Ran dodged his gaze. “I’ll go back…”

Lucas frowned and moved forward as if to pull him.

But Luo Ran immediately retreated in alarm.

Lucas was taken aback.

What the hell was he doing?

Luo Ran lowered his head and clutched at a stack of documents in his hands. “Admiral, I’ll go to my documents to read some rooms.”

“The hell are you nervous for!” Lucas growled. “Get over here!”

Zhou Mingjing and Zhou Mingkai watched them snuggle together, going back and forth in low voices. Zhou Mingjing walked closer. “What’s wrong, Secretary Luo? It’s perfect, I also want to spar with you. It’s been a long time since I exercised a bit.

Zhou Mingjing was tall and handsome and had forbidding yet delicate features, completely different from Zhou Mingyu’s elegant, scholarly demeanour. His was an intimidating appearance.

In fact, all three royal alpha brothers were tall and handsome, but each had very different temperaments.

“See?” Lucas snarled. “Come with me!”

Zhou Mingkai and Zhou Mingjing looked at each other.

Oh, a lovers’ spat.

As soon as they arrived at the arena, Zhou Mingkai put on boxing gloves and turned to Luo Ran.

After ‘forming grievances’ with the two princes in that garden years ago, Zhou Mingjing would occasionally ask to spar with him. However, Luo Ran was someone taught by Lucas, and Zhou Mingjing was in the end a prince entangled in business and politics, so Zhou Mingjing had never been able to beat him.

And eventually, as they fought again and again, to beat Luo Ran became one of Zhou Mingjing’s goals.

Luo Ran also put on a pair of gloves and gave Zhou Mingjing a respectful salute.

The two went into the ring while Zhou Mingkai and Lucas watched from below. Zhou Mingkai blew into a whistle, then grinned. “Go Secretary Luo! Go brother! Woohoo!”

Whoosh!

Almost as soon as the announcement came, Luo Ran lunged. His fists fell like a violent storm.

He struck without any hesitation at all, giving his opponent no time to react. Luo Ran took advantage of this gap to push him back step by step, and Zhou Mingjing had barely any chance to retaliate.

Even Zhou Mingjing who’d fought with Luo Ran many times before was weakened by his fierce aura every time.

Thump! A fist hit Zhou Mingjing’s stomach and forced him back several steps.

Zhou Mingkai whistled again, then turned to look at Lucas.

Lucas, who was stunned in place.

Lucas was a little distracted.

His ears had suspicious traces of red.

Fuck, so sexy, he thought.

Up on the stage, Luo Ran’s body was as light and agile as a swallow, yet every attack was as forceful as a sledgehammer.

For an instant, only his graceful, floating silver-blue hair remained in Lucas’ eyes.

So lovely.

And he was the one who taught Luo Ran, the moves that were used were all his.

Lucas could guess what Luo Ran would do next, how he would do it, from which direction, he knew it all.

It’s just that in the past, what Lucas cared about was if his technique was right, if his strength was enough, if his reactions were quick, but now…

Lucas found that he couldn’t move his eyes away from Luo Ran’s hair and face.

Even his heart beat faster.

Shit, how did I become like this?

Bang!

On the stage, Luo Ran threw Zhou Mingjing over his shoulder.

“Three, two, one!”

“Secretary Luo wins!”

Zhou Mingkai grinned wide. “Oh my, brother! You’re an alpha, how can you not beat him?”

“You’re also an alpha,” Zhou Mingjing said indifferently as he stood up and patted dust off his sleeves. “Why don’t you come up and go a round with Secretary Luo?”

“…No no, not going,” Zhou Mingkai smiled dryly. He had been a salted fish even in the military academy, what would he use to take on Luo Ran? His life? “If anyone, let the admiral fight!” He tried to push Lucas forward.

Lucas was about to say something when there came the sound of rapid knocking on the door.

It was a staff member from the ship’s control room. “The prince and princess’s boat was intercepted by merfolk…!”

Luo Ran was surprised.

What…?

---

Translator:
Don’t worry, no plans to drop this, and if that changes I’ll give a warning of at least 5 chapters

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Luo Ran didn’t expect it.

He really didn’t expect that Lucas, the god of war, who was usually so straightforward…

Would counter him like this.

Luo Ran’s entire body stiffened. He watched Lucas sneer, get out of bed, and march towards him, all while looking like he wanted to eat him.

I’m in for a beating, Luo Ran thought.

Then he turned and ran.

“Get the fuck back here!”

Lucas didn’t even bother putting on his shoes before chasing him out.

Whoosh——

Luo Ran, feeling a gust of wind coming from behind, subconsciously turned and raised his arm to defend himself.

He crossed his arms to block Lucas’ punch, then struck with his elbow to push him back.

Luo Ran knew that he couldn’t beat Lucas and didn’t plan to stay. However, just as he turned to leave, Lucas’ fist came again to stop him. He was forced to reach out to intercept, but Lucas took the opportunity to seize him and flip him around.

Lucas’ strength was much greater than an ordinary person’s. No matter how good their skills, Lucas could simply use brute force to pin them down.

Right now, Luo Ran’s hand was trapped in Lucas’ grip and twisted behind his back, and his body had been forced into a half-kneeling position.

“Are you fighting or not!” Lucas said angrily. “Damn, little bastard, you even ran!”

“…” Luo Ran pursed his lips. He’d never won against Lucas before.

Luo Ran planned to give in and discuss things properly, but before he could do anything, he felt his whole body become weightless and leave the ground.

“Admiral…!” 

Lucas held Luo Ran like a sack of rice. He only needed one steel-hard arm clamped around Luo Ran’s waist to hold him in place, while the other was used to open the door.

With his belly stuck on Lucas’ shoulder, Luo Ran struggled to hit Lucas’ back.

Smack!

Lucas slapped Luo Ran’s behind.

“Stay still!”

“…”

Luo Ran, his face flaming red, didn’t dare move.

As soon as Lucas’ great strides brought him back into the office, he threw Luo Ran onto the bed, then bent down and grabbed his discarded tie to lash Luo Ran’s hands to the headboard.

“…!” Luo Ran’s eyes widened. “Admiral!”

Again, his face flushed to the point of bleeding.

Wh-What is going on…!

The dead knot Lucas made ensured that Luo Ran could only move side to side a little bit, not nearly enough to be able to escape.

“Admiral, don’t…” Luo Ran’s whole body softened when the scent of tobacco rushed over him. He buried his head in his arms as he pleaded, “Don’t do this, I can’t escape anyways.”

Lucas completely ignored Luo Ran in favour of lying down next to him.

“Don’t get up to anything,” he said. “Go to sleep.”

* * *

However, Luo Ran couldn’t sleep at all.

Although it wasn’t especially uncomfortable for his hands to be shackled like this, he was still nervous, not to mention Lucas was sleeping right next to him.

The bed was so saturated in his tobacco scent that Luo Ran felt as if he were cradled within Lucas’ aura.

Yet now that the temporary mark had faded, Luo Ran no longer felt comforted by it but… provoked.

It wasn’t the best feeling.

It was an absolute invasion, as if a lion had seized him for itself.

Silence fell over them for a long time as they lay there.

“Admiral…” Although his tied wrist prevented him from turning, Luo Ran could tell from the breathing coming from behind him that Lucas hadn’t fallen asleep yet. “Are you still awake? Can you untie me?”

After a brief wait, Lucas sighed deeply, then got up and released Luo Ran’s binds.

“It’s done.” He frowned. “Go to sleep.”

Luo Ran clutched the quilt and nodded. His wrists were marred with a band of red.

“Luo Ran.”

“Hm?”

“Can you always stay with me?” Lucas asked flatly.

In the silent darkness, a man’s deep voice exploded in Luo Ran’s ears.

Luo Ran gripped the bedsheets, stunned.

“Luo Ran?”

“…Yeah,” Luo Ran replied in a steady voice, “I will. I said it before — I will always be your secretary, until the day you are no longer the admiral.”

The two lay back to back as moonlight penetrated the window covered by wisteria flowers to shine softly on the bed.

Lucas soon fell asleep and Luo Ran didn’t want to keep talking about this anymore either, so he could only carry his chaotic mess of thoughts into his dreams.

He’d never thought that he would one day feel so awkward around Lucas, that his heart would race like this.

* * *

The next morning, Zhou Mingkai came over.

It was very early. Luo Ran was in the middle of making coffee for Lucas, and hadn’t groomed himself yet.

Thus, Zhou Mingkai easily spotted the ambiguous red marks on his wrist.

He could see at a glance that it was from being strangled with something.

Oh ho.

Zhou Mingkai’s pupils trembled and the macho man blushed as he turned shy.

Eeeeeeee! There’s hope for the next generation of the Empire!

“Good morning, Your Highness.” Luo Ran casually handed Zhou Mingkai a cup of coffee. “Are you here for anything? The admiral isn’t awake yet.”

“Oh, it’s the same telling it to you, I was going to look for you originally anyways,” Zhou Mingkai grinned. “It’s Mou Kadi, he asked me to help him get together with Mingzhu. He even threatened me!” he exclaimed resentfully. “Saying that if he couldn’t marry the princess, he’d marry me instead.”

Zhou Mingkai really couldn’t help getting agitated. Marriage or whatever, just leave him out of it.

“So Your Highness plans to be a matchmaker? How?” Luo Ran went to heat up some bread as he resisted the urge to laugh.

“I can’t think of anything either. I wanted to get them to go out and play, but it’d be too strange to be just the two of them, there’s no way Mingzhu would agree. So, I might set up a family outing with my brothers and Mingzhu, then pull Mou Kadi along.”

Luo Ran nodded. “Good idea, you can also take this chance to relax.”

“But it would also be strange if Mou Kadi was the only outsider,” he continued, “so I thought of calling other friends along, like you and the admiral.”

Luo Ran thought for a bit. “Where are you going?”

“It’s a cruise that’s leaving tomorrow morning. We’re just eating good food and taking in the sights, very relaxing. They probably wouldn’t want to go if they’d have to exercise a lot. My brothers also have a lot of paperwork to do, so they can bring those onto the ship.”

Smiling, Luo Ran said, “The admiral has never liked this sort of gathering, and he might not be able to leave right now with the mecha exhibition only halfway through. Why don’t I take his place to go with you?”

“Okay!”

Luo Ran thought that this was a good chance to avoid Lucas for a couple of days without falling behind on his work.

Perfect.

Let Lucas calm down a bit, and him as well, he also needed to calm down.

“You can get to know Lu Bei.” Zhou Mingkai clasped his hands together. “Oh thank heavens, you two can do your work together and Lu Bei’ll care less about me.”

“Is that the new representative for the royal family?” Luo Ran asked curiously.

“Yeah! My royal father and big brother told him to keep an eye on me and stop me from embarrassing the imperial family or something, so annoying.”

The imperial family had appointed a new representative, Lu Bei, who would speak on their behalf. His speeches would often involve the military, so Luo Ran communicated with him often.

Lu Bei was also responsible for maintaining the imperial family’s image — and since Zhou Mingkai was the biggest black hole in this endeavour, he had no choice but to stick to him closely.

Luo Ran sincerely admired this representative in his heart. Although he looked like a gentle scholar who stuck his head in books all day, was younger than Zhou Mingkai, and was an omega, he could still manage Zhou Mingkai very well.

The previous imperial family representative was an alpha, and it was rumoured that once, he was so annoyed by Zhou Mingkai that they physically went to blows. Perhaps a young dandy prince like Zhou Mingkai just refused force but not coercion. 

“Remember to call me when you’re about to leave tomorrow.”

In this way, Luo Ran concluded a secret transaction with Zhou Mingkai.

Luo Ran still had to give Lucas a report on the progress of research into the UNK, so he made a trip to the UNK Special Research Centre.

At the research centre, neither Xia Zhi nor Shen Xiluo looked very happy.

According to Xia Zhi, the use of UNK on human bodies was beginning to show undesirable side effects.

The first to show symptoms were the alpha and omega injected with UNK, who began to develop mental disorders and spiritual riots. Although it wasn’t serious yet, this was a bad omen. Xia Zhi and Shen Xiluo immediately called a halt to the experiments and gave treatment.

For alpha and omega, it was a very serious matter for them to be injured mentally.

The stronger they were, the more vulnerable they were. For example, Luo Ran’s mental wound from a few years ago couldn’t be considered severe, yet it was only barely healed now. Lucas was even more prone to going berserk, and constantly required drugs and aromatherapy.

This wasn’t the only problem. The research institute had transferred many omega with strong spiritual power here in order to refine UNK, and one of the weaker Grade A omega had begun to have hallucinations.

But the people injected with Ua didn’t have any issues, so the UNK side effects should only affect people with pheromones.*

Xia Zhi quietly dragged Luo Ran, who was the first to successfully refine UNK, home to examine him, and only when everything turned up normal did he relax.

In summary, the UNK brought no great revolution to the Empire, and instead gave a whole bunch of problems, making the scientists very distressed.

Leaving these problems for the professionals to worry about, Luo Ran now turned to the task of making arrangements for the interstellar pirates caught near the border with Luobing.

After capturing the many pirates, they had to put them somewhere. The stubborn ones could only stay in prison, but the more cooperative alpha, and the lower-ranking beta and omega who did miscellaneous work on the pirate battleships were sent to various agricultural areas.

This matter intertwined a lot of factors, and there could be no mistakes for fear of causing a riot.

Luo Ran was so busy that he worked all through the night in the office. He was able to snatch a few hours of sleep by napping on his desk before the sun rose in the blink of an eye, and the time he and Zhou Mingkai agreed upon arrived.

“Wake up.” Lucas frowned as he knocked on Luo Ran’s glass desk, making a crisp sound as he did so. “Why didn’t you go inside to sleep?”

“Hm…” Luo Ran dazedly raised his head from his arms and blinked.

Lucas smiled. “Go to the ship and sleep, it’s time to go.”

“Oh.”

Luo Ran went through all his personal grooming and changed clothes before realising something when he caught sight of Lucas still standing there in casual clothing.

“Admiral, you… you are also coming?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“…”

Luo Ran froze.

Lucas turned towards him and smirked. “What, you want to carry me there? I’ll be keeping an eye on you for the next few days, don’t think of making any trouble!”

“…” Luo Ran’s lips twitched into a dry smile. “I thought you wouldn’t like this sort of thing. You’ve always disliked places with too many people, not to mention going on a vacation cruise.”

“Really?” Lucas raised an eyebrow but didn’t keep talking, instead he went downstairs.

Luo Ran hardened his nerves and followed.

Zhou Mingkai was surprised to see Lucas, as was Zhou Mingzhu. She pulled him aside and asked, “Didn’t you say the admiral isn’t coming?”

“Maybe it’s because Secretary Luo is here, heheheh.”

“Ah.” Zhou Mingzhu blinked.

The group boarded the cruise ship Zhou Mingkai booked. There were no other guests on board, only the staff and musicians. Zhou Mingkai led everyone to the open-air restaurant on the main deck, where a band began to play.

The deck had amazing views. You could see the blue sky, the river, and buildings on the shore, and it wasn’t so late in the day that it was too hot.

“Your Highness, here, this tastes good.” Mou Kadi smiled politely as he sat opposite Zhou Mingzhu with offerings of treats.

But the young lady remained indifferent and was very resistant to him.

“Your Highness, do you prefer apple juice or watermelon juice?” Mou Kadi held one in each hand.

“Neither,” Zhou Mingzhu replied coldly.

Mou Kadi sighed but didn’t take it to heart. He only asked if she wanted to eat salad, he could help get it for her.

Elsewhere:

“Secretary Luo, this crab is a local specialty, it’s impossible to get it in the capital,” Eldest Prince Zhou Mingyu smiled as he served Luo Ran a small crab. “Smaller crabs have more flavour.”

Luo Ran blinked. “Thank you.”

“Eat this one.” And with a smack, Lucas dropped a bigger crab into Luo Ran’s bowl, then said in a strange tone, “You need to eat big crabs to get enough flavour!”

Luo Ran: “…”

Luo Ran smiled widely. “They’re both good, each has its own taste.”

“What each has its own taste, there’s always a better one,” Lucas scolded. “Is the big crab better or the small crab better?”

Luo Ran: “…”

“Of course the one the admiral chose is better,” Zhou Mingyu said.

Luo Ran smiled.

Lucas: “…”

Lucas felt that he somehow came worse off in this comparison, how did he seem both childish and petty?

He expressionlessly started eating again.

Upon noticing Lucas’ mood, Luo Ran hesitated, then picked up a lobster, peeled it, dipped it in sauce, and placed it in Lucas’ bowl.

“Admiral, here.”

Lucas paused, and desperately suppressed the corners of his lips from rising. “Hmph! It’s not like you don’t know that I only eat rice, not these.”

Yet despite saying so, he picked the lobster up, shook it side to side, and ate it with satisfaction.

Zhou Mingyu: “…”

Zhou Mingyu lowered his head, obscuring his expression.

Zhou Mingkai, nearby: “…”

Even disregarding the weird atmosphere… Why did he feel a little extraneous?

He couldn’t help but glance towards Lu Bei, and saw a scholarly, glasses-wearing youth chatting with his second brother Zhou Mingjing about politics, about literature, and about military logistics. There was very obviously no place for him there.

Zhou Mingkai: “…”

Zhou Mingkai, the organiser of this whole trip, sullenly ate a piece of fish.

—— XXXX ——

After sunset, Luo Ran was just about to return to his room to rest when the eldest prince Zhou Mingyu stopped him.

“Secretary Luo, can I speak with you for a minute?”

“…?”

They strolled along the deck. A soft evening breeze blew, causing a thousand ripples to form on the river surface.

“Secretary Luo, do you remember when we first met?” Zhou Mingyu chuckled. “It was a romantic night just like this, and we ran into each other in the back garden of the hotel where a banquet was being held. At the time, my brothers and I were still young, and me and my second brother were having a fight in the garden. You didn’t know we were princes and thought he was bullying me, so you rushed up to protect me.”

Luo Ran, surprised, was torn between laughing and crying.

They had all been hot-blooded youths then, and with the second prince Zhou Mingjing having been in the army, of course there was no way for the eldest prince to fight back. He’d been pressed into the ground and given a thorough beating.

Luo Ran naturally thought that Zhou Mingyu was being bullied, and immediately went up to defend him from the second prince, receiving not a few wounds of his own in the process.

It was in this way that Luo Ran got to know Zhou Mingjing. Zhou Mingjing was already friends with Lucas, and now he appreciated Luo Ran even more.

Zhou Mingyu and Zhou Mingjing never got along, Luo Ran thought, when they were kids they’d physically fight, and now that they’re older, they’ve only moved their rivalry under a thin veneer of peace.

“I didn’t expect Your Highness to remember, it was such an embarrassing thing back then,” Luo Ran said in an amused voice.

“Of course I remember, I started to like you since then.”

“…?”

Zhou Mingyu smiled. “I really do like you, not because of politics or the admiral. Do you believe me?”

Luo Ran froze on the spot as he rapidly processed the information passing through Zhou Mingyu’s lips.

After a moment, he lowered his eyes, quirked his lips, and smoothly changed the subject. “Your Highness must be joking, I also admire you and His Highness the Second Prince, as well as the admiral.”

Zhou Mingyu smiled as well. “Mn, I admire you. You’re an amazing secretary, absolutely perfect,” he said. “Mingzhu came because of the admiral, and I came because of you.”

Luo Ran wasn’t exactly disturbed, just… surprised.

It was unclear if Zhou Mingyu truly liked him for himself or for the sake of politics. After all, he and Lucas were known to have a good relationship with Zhou Mingjing, it wouldn’t be unusual for Zhou Mingyu to be anxious.

But at this moment, Luo Ran was more concerned about another thing.

“Princess Mingzhu came because of the admiral…?”

“Yes,” Zhou Mingyu answered, shaking his head, “Mingzhu’s had a crush on the admiral for a long time, but she’s never dared to confess, and she also has the pride of being a princess, so she’s only taken a few more looks by using Mingkai. This is also why she rejected the Zerg prince.”

“So that’s it.” Luo Ran nodded, thinking that Lucas was indeed the man who topped the list of ‘The Empire’s Most Eligible Alpha Bachelor’ for several consecutive years.

“Can I invite you to a meal later?” Zhou Mingyu asked warmly. “As friends is fine.”

“Apologies, I’m too busy with work. …And the admiral doesn’t like it when I eat out with others.”

“I see.” Zhou Mingyu looked down.

“It’s very late,” Luo Ran commented gently, “I’ll go back first.”

He felt that he’d made things clear with Zhou Mingyu.

No matter if Zhou Mingyu was joking or not, no matter if his true aim was him or the military, Luo Ran still felt that he had an obligation to unequivocally express himself.

He thought of Yu Han.

After reaching his room, Luo Ran opened up his chat with Yu Han, planning to explain that he couldn’t go out with him any more.

He sighed. With how Lucas would react, he might as well hold off on any future blind dates, and in any case, whether or not he dated didn’t make much difference in the end.

Luo Ran: Mr Yu, I want to talk to you about something.

Ding!

[System: apologies, as you are no longer friends with this person, you cannot send messages]

Luo Ran: ???

Realising something, he tapped Add Friend, but it rejected him.

Luo Ran: …

He was, once again, inexplicably blocked by a blind date.

With no rhyme or reason.

In the past, he’d thought that it was because he himself somehow presented himself poorly, but with it happening over and over again, he couldn’t help but doubt that conclusion.

And thinking back to Lucas’ behaviour yesterday, could it be…

Luo Ran frowned. He considered calling his parents to get in contact with Yu Han that way, but on second thought, he’d rather not cause them anger or worry over this. Besides, since he was already blocked, it would be inappropriate to disturb Yu Han.

But Luo Ran was still curious, and didn’t intend to let it go so easily.

Therefore, he contacted Xia Zhi.

Luo Ran: Can you add back the date you rejected before? I want to go on a date with them.

Xia Zhi: …

Xia Zhi: ?????

Xia Zhi: Yes…?

Luo Ran was determined to get to the bottom of this, to know once and for all if this was the result of Lucas’ actions.

Although…

He frowned again.

Why would Lucas do this?

Just because he wanted Luo Ran to focus wholeheartedly on his work?

As he held the terminal in his hands, Luo Ran became a little lost in thought.

Lucas was very possessive — his things could only be his.

For example, the crabs today; for example, the blind dates; for example, the rut some time ago; for example…

Luo Ran, as if possessed by a ghost, opened Holonet,* navigated to the CP forum, and posted something.

False Truths: Do you think the admiral likes the secretary?

Replies soon poured in.

XXX: OP change your ID!! How dare you doubt this wonderful love?! Their feelings are stronger than anything, even the admiral’s 38cm!

XXX: OP, let me give you a summary [link]

Luo Ran ignored the other replies in favour of tapping on the link.

[The 50 Secrets of Lucas Aldor That Luo Ran Doesn’t Know]

He seemed to have seen this type of article before, it was probably a trend…? There could be both truth and lies inside, but everyone nonetheless seemed to enjoy reading them.

1. In every media photo, the admiral’s eyes are on the secretary

Just the first one shocked Luo Ran.

Huh…?

Curious, Luo Ran searched for Lucas’ photos on the Holonet.

Five minutes later…

Luo Ran came back to the article with a flaming red face.

2. The admiral secretly takes photos of the secretary, and the only photos on his terminal are of the secretary

3. The admiral likes to wear couples clothing with the secretary, he deliberately matches his clothing with the secretary’s

4. The one exception to the admiral’s mysophobia* is called Luo Ran; everyone else is dirty, including professional bootlicker Zhou Mingkai, but the admiral likes to hold the secretary’s waist or grab his wrist

5. The admiral’s wallet is called Luo Ran

6. The admiral gets jealous super easily

It even included images.

In a gif, Lucas and Luo Ran were standing together for an interview, and Lucas’ face immediately darkened when Luo Ran turned to speak with someone else.

The more Luo Ran looked, the more he blushed.

It seemed that many of these small actions became habits as he and Lucas spent time with one another.

He couldn’t help but think back to how they interacted before.

But it was too long ago.

They had walked next to each other for such a long time.

After a while, Luo Ran couldn’t bear to keep reading. With the way he felt like exploding, there was no way he would be able to endure until the 50th secret.

Just as he was about to go offline, his terminal sent out a notification chime. Someone had replied to his thread.

Luo Ran took a look.

False Truths: Do you think the admiral likes the secretary?

Lucas: Likes.

Luo Ran, stunned, looked at the ID’s data.

It was Lucas.

Then, Luo Ran really did explode.

---

Translator:
I admit my interest in this story is waning, but I’m not dropping it. We haven’t even reached my favourite part yet!

Footnotes:
1. This part is unclear: 但是注射了Ua都没有问题，所以UNK的辐射和副作用只会针对拥有信息素的人。
2. Holonet: previously starnet, basically the interstellar version of the internet; since I already ripped off hyperlanes from Star Wars, why not this as well?
3. Mysophobia [洁癖]: lit. addiction to cleanliness; I don’t like using the word mysophobia because it’s a real thing which doesn’t seem like what’s happening here — mysophobia manifests as a fear of touching dirty things whereas Lucas (and, let’s be real, every other ML who must save themselves for the MC ahem ahem) shows more of a disdain for touching others

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Luo Ran, who hadn’t noticed what he said at all, hurried home with documents in hand.

On the way, he was flipping through them when he noticed a new friend request on his terminal.

Hello, my name is Yu Han, this is the number my aunt gave me

Luo Ran paused.

That blind date his parents mentioned…?

The alpha?

After Luo Ran clicked to accept, Yu Han immediately sent a few messages.

Yu Han: Apologies, I planned to wait for you to add me, but got a bit impatient 🙂

Yu Han: I’m Yu Han, 26 this year, an alpha, currently working as an auditor in the government’s Ministry of Finance

Luo Ran was torn between laughing and crying — this person was just as honest as his dad said.

Luo Ran: Hello. My name is Luo Ran, 25 years old, I’m one of the Empire’s secretaries.

Yu Han: I know I know!

Yu Han: I’ve seen your info and photos online, you’re amazing

Yu Han: Ah, I didn’t mean to investigate you, I just

Luo Ran: It doesn’t matter, that’s normal

Yu Han: Sorry, I’m a little nervous (^^ゞ

Luo Ran split his attention between doing paperwork and replying to the messages, and before he knew it, he began using a formal tone, making Yu Han even more nervous.

After chatting a bit, Yu Han suggested going out for a meal together.

Yu Han: Um… do you have time tomorrow? We can go to dinner together, I can look for a place

Luo Ran: I do. Don’t worry, I’ll find a restaurant with delicious food and good reviews. See you at seven o’clock?

Yu Han: Yes…!

Luo Ran glanced at the messages again, feeling a little surprised.

How come this person was so stiff?*

Sensing that he seemed a little too serious, Luo Ran could only temporarily download a cutesy emoji pack and send an adorable ‘see you later’ emoji.

After dealing with Yu Han, he went back to reviewing tomorrow’s schedule.

Lucas would be at the military HQ for most of the day and had no need for Luo Ran, which he was very satisfied with. It just so happened that he was now freed up for an evening… appointment?

No, it should be called a blind date.

Luo Ran paused as he suddenly thought of Lucas.

“…” He suddenly felt a little unsure — would Lucas be angry?

…But employers weren’t qualified to control whether their employees went on a date.

Luo Ran patted his head.

Don’t think so much… He shouldn’t let his mind wander, he only needed to be a professional secretary.

* * *

The next day, Lucas was on his way to the military HQ when an incident happened.

The Zerg kingdom’s young prince had arrived with diplomatic envoys and asked Zhou Mingzhu, the princess of the Empire, to marry him.

The Zergs and the Empire were far apart, separated by galaxies in fact, and it was difficult for them to communicate, so the young prince came directly.

Zerg and Imperial forces once again held a meeting.

The young Zerg prince Mou Kadi was handsome and elegant, with the Zergs’ characteristic pale complexion. In the Zerg clan, males had always tended to be weaker.

“There is a marriage contract between the Empire and the Zergs,” Mou Kadi smiled. “According to my royal father, when I was born, I was engaged to the Empire’s youngest prince who was born in the same month.”

Zhou Mingkai’s entire body froze. He first glanced at Eldest Prince Zhou Mingyu, then at Mou Kadi, in disbelief.

Help, I don’t want to get married!

Zhou Mingyu nodded helplessly, admitting that there was indeed such a thing.

Zhou Mingkai wanted to cry — his imperial father really knew how to pit people.

“Now I’m here to fulfill the engagement,” Mou Kadi said as his smile grew into a grin. “However, I fell in love with Princess Mingzhu at His Majesty’s banquet. Afterwards, I thought about her day and night, and finally decided to come to the Empire to make my feelings clear.” He looked towards the golden-haired Zhou Mingzhu who sat nearby, then smiled and asked, “Princess, might you agree?”

With her ears ever so slightly red, Zhou Mingzhu retorted coldly, “Keep dreaming!”

Zhou Mingkai suddenly remembered that when he was younger, this prince had once come to the Empire to play and spent some time with Zhou Mingzhu. The two children ran everywhere together and had quite a good time.

Oh-ho, he thought. This wasn’t love at first sight, but a longing across many years.

Sitting beside him was Lucas, legs crossed and bored out of his mind.

Yet another one came looking for marriage, but this Zerg had a clear goal, and every word both overt and covert implied his willingness to marry into the Imperial family without causing trouble or demanding unreasonable conditions. After all, it was the same on Zerg planets — male Zergs married in, female Zergs bore the responsibility of being the head of the household.

Of course, this marriage wouldn’t actually change much between the nations, because they were too far apart. Allies? Distant water couldn’t put out imminent fire. Enemies? No need to be. This wedding only depended on personal willingness.

Zhou Mingyu, who was sitting at the head of the table, took one look at Zhou Mingzhu’s firm attitude and rubbed his temples. “Well, marriage is a matter of mutual affection, it wouldn’t be good if we forced it. I will discuss this further with the Zerg leaders; in the meantime, Your Highness, please spend some time in our capital first.”

“Alright,” Mou Kadi agreed happily.

After the meeting ended, Zhou Mingkai walked out next to Lucas. He thumped his chest. “Holy shit, thank the gods that he doesn’t like me.”

Luo Ran smiled. “Third Highness, don’t you claim to be loved by all?”

“That’s different,” Zhou Mingkai said, “I only want to play, not get married to be controlled by someone else. My charm is reserved for a single night of their lives only.”

This scumbag line made Lucas show an expression of extreme contempt on the spot, as if wondering why he made friends with a person like this.

“I’m leaving.” Zhou Mingkai waved his hand. “A new representative for the imperial family was appointed recently. It’s whatever if they’d just stick to writing speeches, but my imperial father also ordered them to keep an eye on me and stop me from shaming the imperial family, they’re really strict.”

Luo Ran smiled and nodded.

They originally thought that this would only be a small episode, but then Lucas and Luo Ran received a report in the afternoon.

“According to the investigation, we have verified Prince Andika’s testimony — there were indeed three women entering through the back door.” The investigation team’s captain stood in front of Lucas’ desk, keeping a meticulous distance. “And as soon as they were led in, the three women met with Princess Zhou Mingzhu.”

Luo Ran startled. Huh?

“Zhou Mingzhu, the Empire’s little princess?” Luo Ran frowned slightly.

“Yes,” the captain answered. “The three women were led by one man into Princess Zhou Mingzhu’s room. Half an hour later, they came out again, looking exactly the same as when they went in. The princess’ whereabouts at that time are not known.”

Luo Ran tapped his knee as he thought.

Was Zhou Mingzhu involved in the plot that night?

Why did the Zerg prince pick now to propose marriage?

However, the clue about white clothing the Zerg prince provided was correct.

Luo Ran wore blue that day, and his white inner shirt was revealed when he took off his suit jacket as he went upstairs. The prince, being drunk, couldn’t tell the difference between a white shirt and silver hair, and only noticed a white silhouette flashing past.

After a moment’s pause, Luo Ran said, “Keep going. Focus on Princess Zhou Mingzhu but keep it quiet, don’t let others know we’re investigating her.”

She was part of the imperial family, after all — it would be hard to explain if they got caught.

“Yes sir.”

Lucas let out a deep sigh. “What a load of shit.”

“Mn.” Luo Ran lowered his eyes. “Don’t worry, Admiral, I’ll take care of it for you.”

Lucas slid his gaze sideways to where Luo Ran stood a bit further away than usual. “Stay for dinner.”

Luo Ran smiled, replying, “No need, I have something to do tonight.”

Lucas glanced in the direction Luo Ran left with a frown.

Why did he feel a little distant?

What happened to Luo Ran the last couple of days?

* * *

At this moment, Luo Ran had no idea what his boss was thinking. He just went home, took a shower, changed into more casual clothes, then went to the restaurant he’d decided on.

It was a very ordinary restaurant. The price wasn’t so expensive that the other party would be reluctant to pay, but neither was it so lacking that he would feel Luo Ran was looking down on him.

“Hello.” His date was already at a table when Luo Ran arrived.

As Wang Zitong and Luo Cheng had said, he was indeed a tall and handsome alpha who looked very honest, maybe even a little shy.

This kind of alpha was very rare — after all, alpha tended to be inherently better than beta and omega from birth.

“Hello, hello,” Yu Han immediately greeted as he stood. “You look as good as in the photos.”

“Thank you, you as well.”

The two went through the formalities, ordered food, then chatted about work for a bit before Yu Han asked, “Mr. Luo, are you here on a date because you want to get married?”

Luo Ran hesitated, but felt that he should put things plainly on a date, so he answered, “No, not in the next few years. I can’t get married for now, the admiral needs me for his work.”

“Then… Do you want to fall in love?” Yu Han continued to ask.

“Depends on fate,” Luo Ran said.

Although he said so, Luo Ran did spend his days next to an SSS alpha with unparalleled appearance and ability. It was hard for him to be moved by anyone else, so he could only go with the flow.

After a brief pause, Yu Han smiled back. “Ah, yes, fate is important. Then, Mr. Luo, do you have an ideal type?”

Luo Ran thought for a while before replying, “No.”

Yu Han pursued an answer. “Don’t you have a preference…? For example, a specific trait? If you had to choose, what would you pick?”

Some beta liked alpha, others liked omega; some liked men, others liked women. Betas had a great variety of choices.

Luo Ran was silent for a long time as he thought it over. “Male alpha? Acts decisively and resolutely, firm in their principles, respects others.”

“Oh…” Yu Han looked down, thinking that Admiral Lucas was indeed a great influence on Luo Ran’s life…

But it didn’t matter, after they fell in love, that would change… right?

The two continued to chat. Yu Han was very enthusiastic, and although he occasionally turned strangely listless, Luo Ran was good at talking and easily kept the atmosphere from turning cold.

Afterwards, Yu Han slowly stuttered out, “Um, I… are you free tomorrow? Or the day after? We can go to the amusement park or something.”

“My apologies, I have too much work, I can only spare time for a meal.”

“That’s fine that’s fine, a meal is fine too.”

They made an appointment for next time before parting ways, with Luo Ran insisting that he didn’t need to be escorted.

I don’t know if we’ll lose contact again this time like before, Luo Ran thought. They clearly got along very well, but his previous partners all mysteriously disappeared.

He had to wonder if his interpersonal skills had issues, which would be a big problem. After all, his work depended on it.

Ding!

Luo Ran was just about to head home when he received a message from Lucas.

Lucas: Stop there, don’t move.

Luo Ran: ??

When he turned around, he saw Lucas and a hovercar parked behind him.

Lucas’ complexion was very, very bad.

Luo Ran couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.

Inexplicably guilty.

Lucas went up and grabbed Luo Ran’s wrist. “Finished eating?” he asked coldly.

“Yes, when did you get here, Admiral… ow.”

Lucas dragged him onto the hovercar as he snarled, “Okay, so you’ve learnt to lie.”

He’d felt that something wasn’t right with Luo Ran, and when he checked, he actually… went on a date!

He was so angry that he couldn’t eat, but after standing in the wind outside for two hours, he felt that he was already full of hot air.*

“I…”

“You shut up! Little bastard thinking of love all day, I told you to do your work properly!” Lucas scolded. “Have you sorted out my documents for tomorrow?!”

Luo Ran paused for a moment, taken aback, then honestly replied, “I have.”

“…What about the day after tomorrow’s?!”

“Also done.”

“…”

“Still protesting!” Lucas started the hovercar and directed it to go to the office before pressing Luo Ran against the window, where he tightened his hold on Luo Ran’s wrist as he interrogated with a sullen face, “When did you meet? You’re in love with him?”

Even with his hands shackled above his head against a chilly pane of glass, Luo Ran felt more confused than anything else.

“Admiral, I… That is,” Luo Ran continued more calmly, “a few days ago, my blind date introduced my parents when I went home, today was our first meeting. You’ve misunderstood.”

“Oh? Your date introduced your parents? Want to try again?” Lucas sneered.

“…Sorry, I…”

“I knew something was up with you!” He was about to die of anger. No wonder Luo Ran was so weird yesterday!

“I’m not,” Luo Ran said. “I am merely making friends.”

“I’m not listening to your bullshit! You damn little playboy!”

“…” Luo Ran’s eyes widened.

He only went on a couple dates, how was he a playboy?

And who taught Lucas that word…!

“Calm down, Admiral,” Luo Ran soothed. “I promise not to go on any dates in the future, can you let me go?”

Lucas pressed his body between his own and the window with a terrifying expression. “You said the same thing last time.”

“…”

“I’m warning you,” Lucas said fiercely, “If you dare to go on another date, I’ll…”

Luo Ran waited a long time for an answer which never came. Since his wrist was beginning to hurt, he reminded, “You’ll what?”

Lucas let go of Luo Ran, sat down opposite him, and jabbed a finger into his face. “I’m telling you, if you’re an omega, I’d give you a bite and a mark on your neck. Let’s see if you still dare to go on dates when every breath of yours has my scent!”

Luo Ran’s face instantly flushed red.

Wh-What’s he talking about…! Has Lucas gone crazy…?!

Does he even understand what a mark means!

“It’s a pity you’re a beta. Then, if you dare to go on a date, I’ll just bite your face,” Lucas declared. “I’ll make tooth marks on your cheek, and everywhere else people can see — or maybe I’ll take a pen and write my name on your skin.”

“Admiral, please, stop talking…” Luo Ran lowered his head. Red had spread from his face to his neck and ears, and his heart raced in his chest.

He was reminded of what happened during Lucas’ rut.

At the time, it was probably done unconsciously, but Lucas was clearly awake now. Luo Ran wasn’t stupid, he just didn’t dare to think too much.

“Scared?” Lucas raised an eyebrow.

Luo Ran shrank into himself and said nothing.

The hovercar soon arrived at the office.

Lucas dragged Luo Ran all the way upstairs, locked his office’s doors with a click, then locked it again with his terminal.

Luo Ran was deeply confused now.

“Don’t even think about going home, you just stay at the office and work,” Lucas said coldly.

Luo Ran, whose arm was still in Lucas’ grasp, replied warmly, “Admiral… I won’t get married. Like I said before, I’ll properly take care of you and your work… ouch!”

Lucas pressed him into the sofa, then threw a pillow and quilt over him. “Sleep!”

Luo Ran stared blankly at him with half his body sunk into the sofa.

“I have to go home, Admiral…”

“What are you going home for?”

“…”

Luo Ran turned away. “Subordinates should not stay in their superior’s office.”

Lucas was taking off his jacket. “Who said that? You bring them here to discuss it with me.”

“…”

Luo Ran felt a little embarrassed. He rubbed his fingers against his palm, trying to think of a reason to leave.

Then he saw Lucas sit down with a lunchbox.

Luo Ran: “…?”

He glanced at the time and frowned. “Admiral, you haven’t eaten dinner yet?”

Did he wait for me outside the restaurant all this time…?

Lucas snorted coldly but said nothing. 

His heart filled to bursting with anger as he chewed the rice.

Luo Ran and that man had sat by the window, so Lucas could vaguely see them.

Luo Ran smiled at the man.

Luo Ran paused, then said, “Admiral, I’ll heat it up for you, then cook a few simple dishes, okay?”

“You just want me to unlock the door for you, I’m not that stupid.”

“…I didn’t.” He truly didn’t have such a thought, he only wanted to cook something for Lucas.

Lucas put his food down. “Okay.”

He opened the office door and followed Luo Ran into the kitchen. Then he sat down right there, crossed his arms and legs, and stared at Luo Ran, not letting him have half a chance of escape.

Luo Ran: “…”

It looked as if he were taking care of a prisoner.

He was speechless. Even if he ran, wouldn’t he still have to come back for work tomorrow…

Luo Ran ignored him in favour of heating up the rice and cooking a few light dishes.

Lucas wasn’t used to eating heavily spiced or flavoured food, so Luo Ran only blanched some vegetables and chicken breast meat.

Lucas was a little absent-minded as he watched Luo Ran busy himself in an apron.

“It’s done.” Luo Ran smiled as he carried the food back to the office. “You can eat this, next time don’t eat cold food.”

“Mn.” The anger on Lucas’ face had dissipated quite a bit by the time he was watching Luo Ran take off the apron.

Lucas went to bed after he was full. When Luo Ran saw that he was asleep, he hesitated a moment, then went to open the door.

He didn’t want to spend the night together with Lucas like this, though they were only in the same room.

Anyways, he and Lucas had the same access authority for the office and its door.

Silly idiot, Luo Ran thought exasperatedly at Lucas.

Bringing up his access code on his terminal, he turned it towards the door for its system to scan.

Beep.

The door opened.

Just as Luo Ran was stepping out…

Beep beep beep beeeeeeeep——

The door’s alarm, as piercing as a rooster’s crow, was deafening.

It shocked Luo Ran into stillness.

It shocked Lucas awake.

And it shocked the whole world awake.

Lucas — obviously the one who set the alarm — looked at Luo Ran, who had one foot out of the room… and smiled.

“Luo. Ran.”

Luo Ran: “…”

The silly idiot was him.

(^_^)

---

Author:
Lights a candle.

Translator:
Sorry not sorry, work is kicking my ass. I’ll try to keep to the schedule.

Footnotes:

1. Yu Han actually used 您, the formal ‘you’, usually used for superiors and/or elders, which is why Luo Ran is so surprised — they’re just chatting, after all. Our cute MC, being unintentionally intimidating. 
2. An untranslatable pun relying on the link between 气 (anger, energy, air) and 风 (wind). NB: thanks to SunDropTL for suggesting hot air to replace steam!

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