On Assistant Wei’s first day off, the entire Federation couldn’t sleep.

When the police helicopter landed on the rooftop helipad of the hotel, Xiao Zong had already been briefed on the situation.

“The gas leak was confined to the kitchen area, and the fire was quickly controlled. There were no fatalities, but a dozen chefs and staff were injured. Additionally, there was a stampede during the chaos among the guests.”

Fang Chi also let out a sigh of relief. When he first heard about it, he thought the entire building had blown up.

His villa was near the seaside, and when the Federation’s star network was attacked, the Xiao family immediately ordered him to find Xiao Zong to handle the company’s system breach.

That’s when Fang Chi learned that the assistant was on vacation, and Xiao Zong had taken his secretary to a banquet.

“Don’t worry,” Xiao Zong said as soon as he stepped off the helicopter, striding towards the hotel entrance. Fang Chi, running behind, tried to reassure him, “Second Sister-in-law wouldn’t go anywhere near the hotel kitchen.”

Fang Chi got two things wrong. Gu Yin was not the second sister-in-law, and Gu Yin did go to the kitchen.

But Xiao Zong didn’t have the energy to explain. He just threw out four words, “Stop talking nonsense.”

Next time, he really wouldn’t bring Gu Yin along.

A few hours ago, the little secretary had been sitting by the coffee table with a bowl of soup in hand, looking at him like he had stars in his eyes. That was just two or three hours ago.

The guy didn’t make a sound when he was bullied. Just thinking about him crying in panic amidst the chaotic crowd gave Xiao Zong a surge of frustration straight to his head.

Omegas, affected by pheromones, often lose control easily.

Fear, anger, happiness—any strong emotion could cause them to release pheromones uncontrollably. Omega pheromones can trigger Alpha heat, and when Alpha pheromone concentration reaches a certain level, it can push Betas into a pseudo-heat state.

In recent years, accidents in the Federation—deaths caused by public order disruptions or out-of-control incidents—had reached a 1:1 ratio. So, in a way, Omegas could be considered at the top of the food chain.

The police had arrived earlier and already controlled the scene.

The red lights and alarms finally ceased. The main control panel couldn’t be restored for the time being, and the hotel switched to backup lighting, making everything much dimmer.

After the control panel was violently damaged, some people were trapped in their rooms. The combination of alarms and explosions naturally caused many Omegas to lose control. They were isolated in special observation rooms, and the affected Alphas and Betas were also quarantined on different floors.

A perfectly fine seven-star hotel now looked like a biochemical weapon had leaked.

Fang Chi had given the police a heads-up, and they recognized Xiao Zong.

“Gu, as in ‘Gu Nian’ and Yin, as in ‘Yin Li’?” The uniformed officer flipped through the tablet in his hand, “There’s no record of anyone by that name. So, he must not have lost control. Maybe you should check the lobby, where everyone’s giving statements.”

When Xiao Zong reached the lobby, sure enough, a huge crowd had gathered.

The Henghua security team was also present.

Liu Jian was shouting, “We’re not answering any questions until our lawyers get here. And for the record, it wasn’t us who broke the control panel. The hotel staff already told you, didn’t they? It was that Omega who smashed it. He’s already been locked up, so why are you still asking us—”

Xiao Zong led Fang Chi and the others through the crowd and approached them. “Who smashed it?”

Liu Jian’s eyes lit up when he saw him. “President Xiao, where have you been? We’ve been looking all over for you. The hotel’s very dangerous right now—” He suddenly noticed Xiao Zong’s condition, and his tone became hesitant. “You… are you alright?”

Xiao Zong was seriously injured, yet these so-called well-trained bodyguards were like headless chickens, clueless about what was going on.

Fang Chi looked at him like he was an idiot.

Not to mention the scrapes from rolling down the hill, when the SUV collided with the oncoming car, the windshield shattered, leaving cuts on his arms and body. The wound on his forehead had just been treated by the medical staff, covered with bio-healing adhesive.

The impact caused a mild concussion, and the doctor had recommended rest and observation. But as soon as Xiao Zong heard about the hotel explosion, he hopped on the police helicopter.

Even an Omega had better instincts than this guy. Fang Chi rolled his eyes and texted Wei Mian to vent.

“Where’s Gu Yin?” Xiao Zong repeated with a heavier tone.

Everyone around turned to look.

First, because Xiao Zong was quite the sight. Second, because Mr. Gu’s actions had already become well-known among the crowd.

“Mr. Xiao, I’m the deputy team leader of the criminal investigation squad in charge of this case. My surname is Lu,” a police officer in his thirties walked over and extended his hand, adding, “Lu Lin is my uncle.”

Lu Lin was the Old Master’s personal doctor.

Xiao Zong’s expression softened slightly as he shook the officer’s hand. “I’ll have my people cooperate with the statements, but I have one person who hasn’t been found yet. I want to confirm if they’re safe.”

Fang Chi stretched his long arm over and casually put his arm around Officer Lu’s shoulder, smiling as he handed him a cigarette. “Gu Yin’s still a kid, the only one in his family. We’re hesitant to inform his family until we’re sure he’s safe. It’d be great if we could bring good news to them sooner.”

Officer Lu didn’t take the cigarette but nodded, “I understand your concerns, but Mr. Gu’s situation is a bit… unique.”

Fang Chi’s heart tightened. He quickly asked, “What happened? Did he go to the kitchen?”

Standing not far away, Xiao Zong’s heart sank at these words.

Officer Lu continued, “He forcibly entered the surveillance room and used a chair to smash the control panel, causing significant economic damage to the hotel. Additionally, Vice Chairman Ma of the business association is pressing charges for assault. Many people witnessed the incident, and an injury assessment is required to determine liability.”

“—But what’s most troubling is that during the explosion, he was the only one without an alibi.”

“Rest assured, we are committed to finding the truth and will not wrong an innocent person.”

Violent destruction, assault.

Fang Chi was stunned, turning his neck slowly towards Xiao Zong, his expression saying, An Omega did this?

The entire area around the Fuhua Hotel was sealed off. Henghua’s legal team arrived via military helicopter.

After the formalities were completed, Xiao Zong was allowed to see Gu Yin.

“…He was found outside on the lawn, soaked from the sprinklers, shivering like a quail in a tree.” The lawyer, after thoroughly understanding the situation, rushed after Xiao Zong to report.

“Secretary Gu did go to the kitchen, but he wasn’t near the gas pipes. Plus, someone was with him the whole time. Given the food safety concerns, the hotel had been keeping a close watch. The police questioning him is just a routine procedure.”

The lights of Fu Hua Hotel were dim, making the night seem even darker. The hotel’s long corridor appeared endless, with police and military personnel guarding every few meters, making the atmosphere extremely tense.

Xiao Zong’s brow had not relaxed.

“The control panel is the real issue,” the lawyer’s mouth was dry as he unscrewed a bottle of water, taking a sip before continuing, “The damage Secretary Gu caused is estimated to be worth more than six million credits. Especially since the Federation’s network was hacked tonight, I’m worried the hotel might try to shift the blame.”

The hotel’s security was inadequate, allowing [UNNAMED] members to infiltrate as staff, which led to the security breach.

But since Gu Yin destroyed the control panel, it left a lot of room for manipulation—just determining whether the system was hacked first or if Gu Yin broke it first would be a complex issue.

Not to mention that once liability is determined, these business mogul’s legal teams would come knocking, and the hotel would try to push the blame onto someone else no matter what.

“Technically, you’re the primary victim of this incident,” the lawyer’s long strides still couldn’t keep up with Xiao Zong, “And since Secretary Gu is just an intern, from the company’s perspective, we could easily detach ourselves from the situation and let the two sides battle it out.”

Fang Chi just listened without interrupting.

Fuhua Hotel was a brand under the Leng family’s entertainment business, and the Leng family had deep ties with the Xiao family. It was well-known that Leng Haiyun was one of Xiao Yan’s illegitimate sons, and he’d recently gotten close to Xiao Jingchuan, earning him the nickname “Third Young Master Leng.”

Rumors had been circulating that Xiao Jingchuan was using illegitimate children to compete with his brother for the family inheritance. If Xiao Zong were to get into trouble at a Leng family-owned hotel, it would only fuel more speculation.

“…This way, your relationship with the Leng family wouldn’t get too strained.”

Xiao Zong responded coldly, “What relationship do I have with the Leng family?”

The lawyer choked, realizing he’d said the wrong thing.

But in this world, you don’t always get to choose your battles. Xiao Zong might dislike it, but the Leng family was still one of the financial powerhouses in H Nation, and Leng Haiyun had a decent relationship with his eldest brother.

While the lawyer continued analyzing the pros and cons, the group had already made their way through the long hallway to the room at the end.

A few people were already gathered outside the door.

The officer on guard was trying to calm things down, “Please, try to stay calm. Mr. Gu is not officially a suspect, at most he’s just a person of interest or a party involved. You’ll be able to see him once Henghua’s lawyers arrive.”

The hotel manager angrily retorted, “Do you have any idea how much the control panel costs? Why can’t we see him? He locked guests in their rooms, causing us massive losses! Who will dare stay at our hotel after this?”

He was trying to scare the other side into giving statements and getting things on record quickly so they could use it as evidence in court.

“—Who knows if the gas leak is connected to him? Protocol? The protocol is that my lawyer and I need to talk to him now!”

It was only after he said this that he noticed Xiao Zong standing behind him, and he immediately fell silent.

Xiao Zong stared at him coldly.

The hotel manager and lawyer felt utterly exposed under his gaze, and their arrogance quickly dissipated. The manager awkwardly tried to ease the tension, “Second Young Master, how did you get injured?”

“My name is Xiao Zong,” Xiao Zong replied indifferently, “Don’t call me ‘Second Young Master.’ Now step aside.”

The manager’s face instantly turned the color of liver.

Some colleagues had already informed the police on guard, and since Henghua’s legal team had arrived, they were allowed to see Gu Yin.

The room was an Omega isolation observation room, temporarily used to detain Gu Yin.

During a pheromone outburst, Omegas might act out in embarrassing ways, so these rooms had double doors. The outer door protected their privacy, and the inner door allowed medical staff to observe. The door had a window that could be opened.

For privacy reasons, these rooms also had no surveillance cameras.

The observation room had only a soft sofa, and even the corners of the table were cushioned.

Gu Yin was resting his chin on his fist, staring blankly ahead, not moving an inch.

His hair was still wet, sticking softly to his cheeks. He had a jacket draped over his shoulders, but he was still shivering from the cold. His pants and shoes were covered in mud and leaves, as if he’d fallen, and he didn’t look much better than Xiao Zong.

Hearing movement outside, Gu Yin turned his head to look. When the door opened and he saw Xiao Zong standing there, he sluggishly walked out.

—small, helpless, and pitiful.

When Gu Yin was found, his face had been deathly pale from the cold. The officer guarding the door sighed, “He seems like such a sweet kid. They said he went berserk, smashing things with a chair, and then ran off. He was probably scared out of his mind.”

The little secretary silently lowered his head, staring at his toes.

Xiao Zong turned to the lawyer and asked, “Can we bail him out?”

Lawyer Wang was stunned for a moment, “Yes, we can. It’s still just a dispute at this stage.”

Henghua’s legal team was one of the top in the entire Federation. He wasn’t worried about the trial, but it seemed unnecessary—bailing someone out cost money, and afterward, they’d still have to run tests and submit evidence, consuming time and resources. With this being just an intern and the control panel damage undeniably caused by Gu Yin, wasn’t this all resolved already?

The lawyer was about to protest when Xiao Zong said, “I don’t pay you millions every year to come up with ways to shift the blame.”

The lawyer swallowed the words he was about to say.

Wang knew better than to displease a wealthy client, but he couldn’t help but be curious—how much a person mattered to the boss determined the solution to the problem.

The hotel manager, who had been acting so tough earlier, hadn’t dared say a word since Xiao Zong arrived.

“President Xiao sure cares about his subordinates,” Officer Lu commented, standing behind them with arms crossed.

Xiao Zong responded indifferently, “He’s not a subordinate. He’s my fiancée, here to experience the workplace.”

Everyone, including Gu Yin, was stunned.