Chapter 7: First Encounter with Xi Ming

As Shi Chan approached the door, he once again heard faint noises from inside.

Hesitating for a moment, Shi Chan raised his hand and knocked on the door, tentatively speaking, “…Are you okay?”

There was no response from the person inside, but the sound of labored, painful breathing continued to reach Shi Chan’s ears through the door.

After listening for a while and realizing that the situation seemed to be getting worse, Shi Chan grew concerned and decided to act. He grasped the door handle firmly.

The door wasn’t locked and opened easily, revealing the scene inside the room as it swung wide—

The entire room looked like it had been ravaged by a storm: furniture in disarray, a wheelchair overturned, an unknown material shattered on the floor, a cleaning robot with its indicator lights off and lying askew, and in the middle of the chaos, a man. His half-exposed face was crawling with eerie lines, his eyes shut tightly as he struggled with heavy, painful breaths.

Shi Chan instantly recognized this man—it was Xi Ming.

Noticing someone entering, Xi Ming’s gaze shifted toward the intruder. His eyes were filled with lingering madness, violence, and despair, resembling a caged beast on the brink of exploding.

Shi Chan’s heart trembled, as if transported back to the moments he was chased by a rampaging demon beast in the cultivation world. His steps faltered, and his right hand instinctively began forming a hand seal.

“You—” Xi Ming’s hoarse voice broke through, as he exerted tremendous effort to suppress his rampaging mental energy, striving to remain conscious while sparing a thread of focus to figure out who had entered.

This omega… seemed somewhat familiar?

Hearing Xi Ming’s voice, Shi Chan suddenly snapped back to reality, reminding himself that he wasn’t in the cultivation world anymore and wasn’t facing a deadly demon beast. Calmly, he lowered the half-formed hand seal.

The tense aura he had briefly radiated quietly dissipated.

Looking at Xi Ming, who remained motionless on the floor, Shi Chan felt a mix of relief and indescribable frustration replacing his initial panic and alertness.

In Shi Chan’s eyes, Xi Ming had always been a figure of strength—upright, cold, and commanding. Even at his worst, such as returning injured and bloodied from battle, Xi Ming had exuded a wild brilliance, an aura of untamed dominance.

Everyone seemed to have forgotten that Xi Ming, not yet eighteen at the time, had graduated early and joined the front lines. He spent six years guarding the border, driving back invading Zergs and enemy forces, and had been hailed by the empire’s citizens as their “Imperial Star”—a source of pride and hope.

That era had not only been Xi Ming’s brightest moment but a glorious chapter for the entire empire.

During that time, Shi Chan began recovering his memories of the cultivation world. Night after night, he dreamt of fragmented memories from his past life.

For a young omega barely in his teens, the memories of the cultivation world were too brutal and blood-soaked. Shi Chan often woke up terrified, haunted by the experiences of his past self.

It took years for his memories to fully awaken, and during that time, he relied on news and images of Xi Ming to get through.

Though Xi Ming was stationed far away on the front lines, the young Shi Chan had already come to see him as a guardian deity. He even dreamed of scenarios where Xi Ming, clad in his military uniform, appeared in the cultivation world to protect him—though the imagery often felt absurdly out of place.

Once Shi Chan fully regained his memories of the cultivation world, his dependence on Xi Ming lessened, but his admiration remained, deeply embedded in his heart.

Even after the catastrophic loss of the 823 Battle, Shi Chan refused to speak ill of Xi Ming. He couldn’t stand hearing others badmouth him either, choosing instead to distance himself from the torrent of negativity that flooded the star network.

Having witnessed countless massacres and bloodshed in the cultivation world, Shi Chan couldn’t bring himself to view Xi Ming’s failure to protect the border planets as a grave sin. Deep down, he didn’t believe the vile accusations against Xi Ming circulating online.

Shi Chan had heard of Xi Ming’s radiation poisoning and paralysis but assumed the rumors were exaggerated.

He always believed that Xi Ming would one day rise again, just like the geniuses he had known in the cultivation world—no matter how far they fell, they would eventually climb to unattainable heights once more.

Yet now, seeing Xi Ming helpless on the ground with his own eyes, Shi Chan felt a rush of conflicting emotions: bitterness, frustration, and heartbreak, all swirling together and overwhelming him. His eyes stung, and the feelings he had buried for five years could no longer remain hidden.

Not wanting anyone else to see Xi Ming in this vulnerable state, Shi Chan closed the door from the inside. He hesitated before speaking, unsure of how to introduce himself.

Perhaps the excuse his brother Shi Wen had provided wasn’t so bad after all—an omega hopelessly in love with Xi Ming. While Shi Chan’s initial feelings for Xi Ming weren’t purely romantic and were more about admiration for a strong figure, admiration was still a form of affection…

Before Shi Chan could settle his thoughts, Xi Ming let out another low groan, his face pale.

At the same time, his violent mental energy surged outward again, wreaking havoc in the room.

Shi Chan’s thoughts were interrupted as he instinctively focused on shielding himself from the chaotic energy.

Xi Ming felt as if his head were about to split open, his consciousness slipping further and further away.

He had thought he would live a little longer this time, but the current mental energy outburst was worse than the most severe episode from his previous life. Xi Ming couldn’t muster the confidence to survive this ordeal.

Was this the price of rebirth? What was the point of living two extra days if it meant reliving the cycle of hope and despair? Worse, he might even drag the omega who had just entered the room into this mess…

Wait!

The omega!

Xi Ming suddenly remembered the omega who had entered his room. His gaze snapped to the other, his voice hoarse as he growled, “Get out! Now!”

Because of his radiation exposure, Xi Ming’s room was specially modified to provide top-tier protection. Leaving the room would ensure the omega wouldn’t be harmed by his spiraling mental energy.

Taking a few strained breaths, Xi Ming closed his eyes in pain, summoning every ounce of strength to suppress his out-of-control energy and buy the other person time to leave.

He had yet to live long enough to see the empire crumble, yet here he was again, crushed by hopelessness.

Closing his eyes, Xi Ming’s heart churned with hatred. Yet, in the next moment, he sighed in resignation. He had wanted to drag the empire down with him, to see every imperial family destroyed, but just now, he had instinctively told the omega to leave.

Perhaps it was because he hadn’t seen such pure, clear eyes in a long time—eyes untainted by hatred, disgust, or fear, gazing at him as if he were still the man he used to be…

The raging mental energy in the room subsided slightly as Xi Ming struggled, but his condition only worsened. Veins bulged on his forehead, cold sweat dripping like rain, his expression terrifying.

Shi Chan, feeling the change in the air, trembled slightly.

This man, Xi Ming, who had never met him before, had instinctively chosen to protect him—even at great personal cost. The realization struck a deep, raw chord in Shi Chan’s heart.

Taking a deep breath, Shi Chan recalled what he had learned in biology class and made up his mind. Without hesitation, he approached Xi Ming and helped him up.

Looking at the Omega before him with his gaze lowered, Xi Ming grasped the other’s hand and moved slightly, his eyes flickering with emotion.

If he could live, he naturally wished to.

Next, relying on his Alpha instincts, Xi Ming pinned the other beneath him, his hand unyieldingly moving toward the back of the other’s neck—where the Omega’s gland was. With the last shred of his sanity, he carefully observed the Omega beneath him. If there was even a trace of negative emotion in those eyes…

A few seconds later, Xi Ming confirmed it. There wasn’t any negative emotion. The Omega’s gaze was clear, and apart from some nervousness, there wasn’t the slightest hint of unwillingness.

Knowing his current physical condition was dire, Xi Ming didn’t bother asking where this Omega had come from. As long as the other was willing, that was enough.

Staring into the other’s eyes, Xi Ming’s throat moved, but the question that came out was different from what he had planned.

“What’s your name?”

At the very least, he needed to know this Omega’s name.

With his mental strength still in turmoil, the terrifying aura surrounding Xi Ming enveloped Shi Chan almost entirely because of their position.

“Shi Chan.” Currently, the two were positioned such that Shi Chan was being pinned to the ground. Thankfully, the carpet beneath them cushioned him, so he didn’t feel too uncomfortable. However, his nape—his gland, untouched by anyone before—was pressed by the other’s large hand, making his heartbeat uncontrollably accelerate.

The Omega lying on the ground had a pair of clear, jet-black eyes, now filled with the reflection of the man above him.

“My name is Shi Chan.”