“Has the information been sealed?”

Inside the administrative office of District S, a man leaned against a dark gray sofa, his expression grave.

In front of him, a large light screen hovered in mid-air, projecting a human figure who was currently speaking.

The figure lowered their head, their tone respectful: “Administrator, the information has been completely sealed. The outside world believes it’s just an Alpha who suffered a mental breakdown and attacked people due to hallucinations.”

“What about the examination report?”

“I’m sorry,” the figure shook their head, “The Alpha’s body has been completely destroyed. With only a few pieces of the pollutant’s limbs, it’s impossible to determine the cause of the parasitism.”

The man waved his hand dismissively. “Keep investigating.”

“Understood.”

The figure retreated, and the light screen slowly retracted.

On the tidy desk, a pile of documents lay scattered, with the number “083” marked in the upper left corner.

Lately, Li Po had been experiencing frequent dizziness. Sometimes it hit him in the middle of training, sometimes after drinking nutrient solutions, and other times right after waking up… There was no discernible pattern.

He couldn’t figure out what was going on and had no choice but to chalk it up to “after-effects of transmigration.”

He had considered that it might be related to his Omega physique, but his neck was always covered with a pheromone blocker, and there were no signs of heat or swelling—completely at odds with the biological knowledge he had learned from the original owner.

Unable to make sense of it, Li Po decided to stop thinking about it. He pulled on his boots and casually grabbed a shirt from the closet, preparing to head out.

It wasn’t until he stepped out of the dormitory building that Li Po noticed something was off.

His waist felt exposed, with cold wind rushing in, filling the space around his lower back. But the front of his shirt was snug against his stomach, outlining a lean and sleek curve.

Not only that, but the neckline was also dangerously loose, half-revealing his well-defined collarbone. The sharp ridges of his bones protruded like smooth pieces of jade.

Li Po cursed internally, realizing he had put on the wrong shirt.

This was Jiang Yu’s shirt!

He tugged at the oversized garment, feeling a headache coming on. Going back to change for just a shirt didn’t seem worth it, so Li Po reluctantly tucked the hem of the shirt into his pants and buttoned it all the way up, making sure not a bit of skin was showing.

After tidying himself up, he finally lifted his foot and started walking toward the training grounds.

But before he could take more than a few steps, he spotted a head of red hair blowing in the wind.

“…”

“Fancy seeing you again,” Red Hair greeted him with a cheerful, overly familiar grin, acting as though they were close friends.

Li Po’s face remained expressionless. He stood still, gazing at Red Hair with a calm, distant air, showing no intention of engaging in conversation.

Red Hair’s face twisted slightly with the sting of being ignored. Who was he trying to act high and mighty for? Did he really think he was worth that much?

However, he didn’t show it, keeping a twisted smile on his face. “About last time—missions are a no-go, we don’t have the authority for that.”

Upon hearing that, Li Po’s patience instantly ran out. He didn’t want to stay a second longer and lifted his foot to leave.

“Wait!” Red Hair hurriedly blocked his path. “Don’t be in such a rush. How about trying something else?”

“I’m not interested,” Li Po replied, rejecting him outright.

Red Hair panicked. He hadn’t expected this Omega to be so stubborn and difficult to fool. Seeing that Li Po was about to leave, Red Hair, in desperation, reached out to grab his hand, muttering under his breath, “Don’t be ungrateful. This is an opportunity most people don’t get, and I’m offering it to you. How can you not appreciate it?”

His yellowish hand was about to brush the corner of Li Po’s shirt when Li Po frowned, preparing to dodge. But before he could react, a shadow loomed over him.

A tall figure smacked Red Hair’s hand away and shoved him back half a step. “Who gave you permission to touch him?”

Red Hair was stunned.

The back of his hand turned red from the impact, and his entire arm felt numb. He stared at the two in disbelief, his eyes darting back and forth as if trying to figure out their relationship.

“Why didn’t you dodge?!” Jin Mu didn’t spare Red Hair a second glance. Instead, he turned around, glaring at Li Po angrily. His tone was far from friendly.

Li Po blinked, his eyes clear and innocent. “I didn’t have time to react.”

Jin Mu was both exasperated and amused. He had originally come to confront Li Po and clarify things, but as soon as he arrived, he stumbled upon this scene. Anger surged within him uncontrollably, and before he knew it, he had rushed over to shield the Omega behind him.

Red Hair watched the scene unfold with great interest, his eyes full of mockery. No wonder the Omega had rejected them last time; he had already found himself a powerful backer. He glanced at Jin Mu, a bit puzzled. This Alpha didn’t seem stupid—so how had he let himself get wrapped around this Omega’s finger?

Seeing that things were going nowhere, Red Hair decided not to waste any more time and turned to leave.

Suddenly, a voice called out from behind him, stopping him in his tracks: “What did you mean just now?”

“…?” Red Hair froze, rubbing his ears in disbelief as he turned back around.

On the other side, Jin Mu’s face turned pitch black, dark to the point of being terrifying. His fists clenched tightly, and he glared at Li Po as if he wanted to swallow him whole.

Li Po ignored the scorching gaze directed at him. He smiled faintly and asked again, “Does it have anything to do with missions?”

The moment the word “missions” was mentioned, Jin Mu’s back teeth ground together. He knew it. This cunning Omega, sly as a fox, would kick him to the curb the moment he had no use for him.

“…There’s a bit of a connection,” Red Hair replied hesitantly after a glance at Jin Mu. “Have you ever heard of the holographic combat simulation?”

Jin Mu’s expression changed instantly. He opened his mouth to say something, but in the end, he only clenched his jaw, his face clouding over with anger.

Li Po shook his head.

“It’s a system that uses holographic technology to simulate a realistic battlefield. There’s both a team mode and a solo mode; you can choose whichever you want for training. The scenarios are very similar to actual missions. I’m guessing you’ve never been on a mission before, right? You can try this first.” Red Hair summarized briefly, his eyes fixed on Li Po. “Well, what do you think? Interested?”

Actually, he hadn’t told the whole story.

The holographic combat simulation was one of the final exams that military academy graduates had to undergo. It was also one of the major annual training exercises for the soldiers of District S. The reason it could be compared to a real mission was that all the scenarios were based on actual events.

Once inside the holographic simulation, you would be fully immersed, forgetting that it was just a simulation and that none of it was real. Everything inside, from the objective to your comrades, would make perfect sense. In short, it was a virtual “real” battle.

For many military academy students, this exam was a nightmare. Although it didn’t cause physical harm, the mental trauma it inflicted was all too real. Even many of the strongest Alphas had quit the selection process after completing the simulation, giving up their chance to join District S.

And as for where those people ended up… well, they were often sent straight to mental institutions.

Even in District S, where the training happened annually, a small percentage of people still suffered mental damage and required extended recovery periods after the exercise. Let alone someone as delicate as Li Po.

With how frail he looked, Red Hair guessed he’d probably wet himself within minutes of entering the simulation. He was brimming with malicious thoughts, eager to see how things would unfold.

The only question was whether Jin Mu would stop it. If he did, then there wouldn’t be any fun to be had.

Meanwhile, Jin Mu was running his own calculations.

As a top-tier Alpha, this kind of simulation was as easy for him as eating or drinking. There was no challenge in it at all. The team mode would allow him to enter with Li Po, giving him the opportunity to protect the Omega while also showing off his skills.

Omegas tend to admire strength, and Jin Mu was certain Li Po would fall for this.

As for why he wanted to impress him… Jin Mu didn’t want to think too much about it. He chalked it up to a typical Alpha’s competitive instincts.

He glanced toward Li Po, who was standing diagonally behind him. The Omega’s fox-like eyes curved in a smile, his brows lifted slightly. “Let’s give it a try, then.”

At the holographic simulation training ground, Red Hair led the way. He approached a capsule and pressed a silver button hidden on the side. After an iris scan, the capsule slowly opened, revealing a spacious, comfortable interior.

His gaze swept over the two of them, finally resting on Li Po. “So, what’s it going to be? Solo mode or team mode?”

Li Po didn’t hesitate. “Solo mode.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Jin Mu froze. He had assumed that Li Po had allowed him to tag along because he had wanted to team up. But this… this wasn’t how he’d imagined it at all.

Red Hair was also taken aback. Did he hear that right? This Omega actually dared to go in alone? Did he even realize what he was getting into?

“Honestly, it’s not as easy as you think. You’d better go in with the Alpha next to you,” Red Hair hesitated for a moment, surprisingly showing a rare bit of kindness.

Jin Mu seized the opportunity to speak up. “It’s dangerous in there. I’ll go in with you to protect you.”

But to everyone’s surprise, even with the ladder handed to him, the Omega still refused.

“No need. I can handle it myself.”

His words left Jin Mu feeling like something was stuck in his throat. His heart felt like it had been soaked in vinegar, sour and uncomfortable. He stared at the side of Li Po’s face, struggling to find the right words. “Plenty of trained Alphas have come out of there insane. You’re an Omega; you won’t be able to handle it. And you shouldn’t have to do this in the first place.”

Li Po’s expression grew colder. He hated it when people used his gender to make assumptions. Did being an Omega automatically mean he was inferior to an Alpha? He didn’t think so. Even if he went in there, lost his mind, or died, it would be his own choice—no one else’s business.

With that thought, he lifted his gaze and asked, “So, what do you think an Omega should do?”

Jin Mu was momentarily at a loss. What else could an Omega do? Obviously, they were supposed to be marked by an Alpha and bear children. Wasn’t that their duty?

That’s exactly what he thought, and it’s exactly what he said, in all sincerity.

“Duty?” Li Po repeated, his tone flat.

After a brief silence, he curled his lips into a cold, sarcastic smile. “I’m going in. You two can go back now.”

With that, he stepped into the capsule and disappeared into a stream of pale blue data.

Once his figure had completely vanished, Red Hair scratched his chin and clicked his tongue in mock sympathy. “Tsk tsk tsk, that Omega’s in for a tough time!”

Jin Mu’s face was stiff, his gaze dark as he slowly shifted his attention to Red Hair, his eyes filled with menace. “Why are you doing this?”

Red Hair glanced at Jin Mu, his tone light and playful. “Why else? The Omega didn’t let me bite his neck.” He turned to another Alpha standing nearby, curiosity in his eyes. “By the way, how’d he taste? Was it… intoxicating?”

“Bang!!!”

In the next second, Red Hair’s nose took a direct hit from a fist.

Blood gushed out like it was free, his face contorting in pain as he clutched his nose, cursing, “What the hell is wrong with you? I…!”

Jin Mu’s expression was icy. His gaze dropped, and without mercy, he punched Red Hair’s stomach. “Hmm, can’t keep your hands to yourself, huh?”

“…”