Chapter 04: The Greedy Shi Family

Several days had passed since the successful match. This match not only caused a stir within the Shi family but also left Xi Ming staring at the results on his terminal, his eyes filled with confusion.

“…Shi Chan?” Xi Ming read the name aloud, his brows furrowed as he tried to recall memories from his previous life. Yet, there was no trace of any impression related to this omega.

“Hiss—”

Perhaps he was thinking too hard, for a sudden burst of pain overwhelmed him. Xi Ming clenched his fist tightly and shut his eyes.

It was unclear how long it took, but the alloy armrest beneath Xi Ming’s hand had become slightly deformed from his grip. After enduring the throbbing pain in his mental strength, he reopened his eyes, revealing traces of lingering madness and exhaustion.

What use is reincarnation…? Xi Ming looked out of the window at the new servant’s face, which still carried fear and apprehension. His expression was cold and sinister.

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The people of the empire, whom the foolish Xi Ming had once protected, later turned on him without hesitation.

The entire nation—those at the top were insincere and self-serving, while those below were ignorant and easily swayed, hiding within the safety zones but boasting loudly.

The events of “Incident 823” had obliterated any goodwill Xi Ming held for the royal family. Yet, he still retained feelings for the empire. For the empire, he endured both physical and mental agony, spending years summarizing his combat command experience. However, his identity as the author was exposed through certain habits, leading to a torrent of abuse.

But later, when the empire faced a formidable enemy, those who had once scorned his strategies relied on his writings to resist for a little longer, winning a few victories. Yet not one person expressed gratitude to him.

When the empire could no longer hold, the enemy general demanded Xi Ming be handed over in exchange for considering a truce. The people Xi Ming had protected for six years enthusiastically agreed without hesitation, from top to bottom. The sentiment online was overwhelmingly in favor of his sacrifice, as if they couldn’t wait to send him off to die.

The enemy general had once been a member of a pirate group annihilated by Xi Ming. Demanding Xi Ming was purely personal, but the homeland he had protected was ecstatic to comply without even trying to negotiate.

Most of Xi Ming’s short life had been spent on battlefields—fighting the Zerg, pirates, and federations to defend the empire. Yet, in the end, the empire he had protected handed him over to his former enemy.

When Xi Ming learned that people were coming to arrest him, his disillusionment with the empire was complete.

By that time, Xi Ming’s body had been ravaged by radiation for nearly ten years. He was frail and deteriorating, and it was evident he wouldn’t last long even without being captured.

Refusing to be taken prisoner but left with no escape, Xi Ming saw his household staff looking at him with eyes full of greed and eagerness to bind and deliver him. They even opened the door for the captors.

Xi Ming chose mutual destruction. Sitting upright, he pressed the detonation button, bidding a final farewell to his identity as an imperial soldier. From then on, he owed the empire nothing.

His heart was filled with unwillingness and hatred. After the excruciating pain, he saw light again—he had returned…

Back to five years ago.

Recalling the final battle of his previous life, Xi Ming’s gaze turned icy. This time, he would never write any combat strategies again.

As for the empire…

He wanted to watch it crumble with his own eyes.

Now, however, his body, tormented by radiation for five years, was already deteriorating. The effects of radiation were irreversible, and Xi Ming could only watch himself deteriorate again, enduring yet another round of unbearable pain.

Looking at his only pain-free limbs—his paralyzed legs—Xi Ming let out a hoarse and desperate laugh, his eyes chillingly cold.

In his dreams, he often longed for the days when he was unscathed and whole. They had brought him back; why couldn’t they take him to a time before his injuries?

Xi Ming placed his hands on his unfeeling legs, gradually applying pressure but feeling nothing—not even pain.

Breathing heavily, unable to control his emotions, Xi Ming leaned back into his wheelchair, his face rarely showing a trace of despair as he closed his eyes.

The room fell silent once more.

…

Soon enough, Xi Ming dismissed the absurdly arranged marriage from his mind.

Due to the effects of radiation on his brain, many of Xi Ming’s memories from his previous life had become blurry. However, the desolate and lonely residence he remembered clearly proved that no omega had ever appeared in his life. There had only been servants who didn’t dare meet his gaze and a house that was always quiet and empty.

If this match had occurred in his previous life, it could only mean the omega had postponed and married another alpha—a scenario Xi Ming had anticipated.

Xi Ming disliked omegas. Anyone who had been met with their terrified and disgusted stares countless times wouldn’t harbor goodwill toward them. As such, he had long given up on marrying one. In his previous life, it seemed Xi Songkai had tried arranging this for him but ultimately failed because no omega was willing.

Xi Ming could already imagine how this unfortunate omega would react: likely terrified, bursting into tears, or even fainting. Then, consoled by friends, they’d curse him out and quickly apply for a postponement to find another alpha.

As a headache began to emerge, Xi Ming frowned and stopped his thoughts. He focused on controlling his mental energy, trying to slow its deterioration—a method he had found in his previous life to delay his mental breakdown.

Sadly, it only delayed the process and didn’t prevent his death.

As he controlled his mental energy, a faint thought crossed his mind. Now that he knew this method earlier, perhaps he could live one or two years longer this time.

But what difference would it make? Five years or six?

…

With Xi Ming’s indifference, the Shi family’s initiative, and Shi Chan’s family’s cooperation, the postponement opportunity was “willingly abandoned” by both parties. Their relationship was now marked as “pending registration.”

According to regulations, couples in this status had one year to formally register their marriage and complete the procedures. Even if they didn’t, their status would automatically change to “spouses” after a year, with their marriage photo a forced combination of their ID pictures. For appearances, most AO pairs would take the initiative to register and take a joint photo.

To the public, a “pending registration” AO was already considered a couple. Even if they didn’t get along, they’d have to wait at least two years to divorce.

The system immediately notified both parties to register their marriage within a year.

Even though reincarnation had dulled his interest in most things, Xi Ming stared at the notification, momentarily stunned. What was this omega’s deal?

At the same time, Shi Chan finally met the people he had been avoiding: Shi Wen and Li Manman.

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Sia- Hi Readers!!! Thank you for your patience. I will continuously update this novel so just buckle up. And buy some Ko-Fi to support me. Happy Reading. ^_^