Chapter 60: The Spy Omega

Shi Chan and his group used the garbage disposal plant as their first base, rapidly learning and developing in this relatively safe location.

The people from Jugu were highly enthusiastic about learning, especially the five scientists who constantly surrounded Liang Yongqing, demanding that he read various academic theories to them. Liang Yongqing was growing increasingly frustrated by their relentless pursuit of knowledge.

As for the others, Xi Ming had them practice basic mecha training in the virtual domain. They were now completely engrossed in it, unwilling to waste a single moment.

The omega that Shi Chan rescued regained consciousness three days later.

He only told Shi Chan his name—Tao Ruihe—and that he had removed his own gland. He remained silent in response to any other questions.

Though Tao Ruihe had woken up, his body remained extremely weak due to the injury on the back of his neck. He spent most of his time lying in the tent, only able to move slowly on rare occasions.

Since Shi Chan didn’t know his background, he wasn’t about to expose his spiritual power just to heal a stranger. Saving him was already a rare act of kindness.

However, abandoning him would be no different from sentencing him to death. In the end, Shi Chan decided to keep Tao Ruihe but prohibited him from accessing any communication devices that could contact the outside world.

Surprisingly, Tao Ruihe didn’t mind the restriction at all. After all, there was no one he could contact anyway.

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The change in ownership of the garbage disposal plant didn’t attract much attention. During the ongoing war between the Empire and the Federation, properties were constantly changing hands.

Meanwhile, the landlord of the small alley apartment, upon waking up and realizing the child left behind by the previous tenant was gone, happily reclaimed the apartment ahead of schedule, seized all the belongings left behind, and quickly rented it out again.

At the garbage disposal plant, everything operated as usual, except for Area C, which was now closed off and restricted from entry. Xi Ming and the others remained hidden in this landfill on the outskirts of Nico State.

Half a month later, Heng Qi entered the tent, holding three or four different-colored nutrient solutions in his hands. He placed them beside Tao Ruihe, swallowed his saliva, and asked, “Pretty brother, what flavor do you want today?”

Tao Ruihe glanced at the child.

These days, Heng Qi’s complexion had improved significantly. His eyes lingered on the packaging of the nutrient solutions, and after a moment, he took a deep breath as if he could smell their flavors. “Brother, do you like pink? Big Brother said the pink one is watermelon-flavored. What does watermelon taste like? I’ve never seen one before.”

Heng Qi had never left the area near this garbage disposal plant since birth. Most of the time, he ate “reconstituted” food—an extremely cheap and unappetizing substitute that no one wanted to know the true ingredients of.

Being able to drink different flavors of nutrient solutions every day was already an unprecedented happiness for Heng Qi.

Tao Ruihe withdrew his gaze and stared straight up, as if there were unseen landscapes on the tent ceiling.

Heng Qi didn’t quite understand this strange brother but still took up the responsibility of caring for him. “Then, brother, I’ll give you the pink one!”

With that, Heng Qi brought the nutrient solution to Tao Ruihe’s lips.

The child’s gentle touch wasn’t unpleasant. Tao Ruihe drank the solution without resistance and then closed his eyes again.

“Brother,” Heng Qi nudged Tao Ruihe’s arm with his small hand, looking at him expectantly. “Brother, do you want to go outside for a walk today?”

Heng Qi had asked this question every day, only to receive silent rejection.

But today, the omega lying on the bed slowly nodded.

Heng Qi’s face lit up with joy. He carefully helped Tao Ruihe up and asked in his soft voice, “Brother, are you feeling better today?”

Tao Ruihe looked at the sunlight he hadn’t seen in days. After a moment of silence, he reached out and gently patted Heng Qi’s head.

Heng Qi, unaccustomed to such gestures, widened his eyes in surprise. When Tao Ruihe withdrew his hand, the child looked a little disappointed but quickly changed the subject. “Brother, Brother Shi—the one who saved us—said we can’t leave this area or use any devices to contact the outside world.”

Since Tao Ruihe had never left the tent before, there was no need to remind him of these rules. But now that he had stepped outside, Heng Qi quickly relayed everything he knew.

“Mm.” Tao Ruihe had already been warned by that omega when they first met, so he showed no particular reaction to Heng Qi’s reminder.

Hearing his response, Heng Qi was even more surprised. Previously, no matter how much he talked, Tao Ruihe never replied.

Heng Qi tilted his head and asked, “Brother, where are you from? Brother Shi said you’re an omega. Why would an omega come here?”

Tao Ruihe, wary of moving his injured neck too fast, slowly shifted his gaze to Heng Qi and replied in a quiet voice, “Knowing too much won’t do you any good.”

Heng Qi shrank back a little and didn’t dare to ask any more questions.

Tao Ruihe turned his gaze to the distance.

Where was he from? Even he didn’t know. He didn’t even know who his parents were.

From the moment he became aware of his existence, Tao Ruihe had been secretly raised in a military base, trained alongside other omegas of unknown origins.

Young omegas were the easiest to brainwash, and before long, they were molded into “talents” willing to dedicate everything to the Federation.

Yes, at first, Tao Ruihe believed he was being trained as a valuable asset for the Federation—until his lessons started including alpha psychology, suppression of omega instincts, and seduction techniques.

Until… he was assigned a mission to infiltrate the Empire’s border planet and become the omega lover of a certain researcher.

That was when Tao Ruihe realized his future wasn’t about serving the Federation in the way he had imagined. Instead, he was to be a spy, an undercover agent, using his omega body as bait—sacrificing his future in a way that couldn’t bear the light of day.

After gaining access to the interstellar network and learning more about the universe, Tao Ruihe refused to accept his fate.

But the Federation’s control was like a tightening net, suffocating him.

Watching the alpha researcher gradually develop feelings for him, knowing the permanent mark was approaching, Tao Ruihe—who had never truly fallen in love—could no longer endure it.

He didn’t want to be controlled. He didn’t want to be a tool for seducing random alphas. He didn’t want to be permanently marked by someone he didn’t love.

For the first time in his life, Tao Ruihe was truly awake.

He longed for something he had never possessed—freedom.

Even if it was only for a single day!

When he realized he could never escape the Federation’s control, nor the Empire alpha’s pursuit, he made a desperate choice—he cut out his own gland.

If they all wanted his “value,” then he would erase that value!

Tao Ruihe absentmindedly touched the wound on his nape, his eyes vacant.

He had never expected that the alpha who loved him so dearly would die for him.

“Why did you bring me here…” Tao Ruihe muttered. The man who had listened earnestly, who had approached him with such warmth, who had shown him his little inventions with a gentle smile—was gone forever.

“This planet… was just a lie I made up to gain your trust.”

From the start, their encounter had been a fabricated story, a deception Tao Ruihe had meticulously woven.

But he hadn’t expected that, in the end, he would be the one shackled by guilt and regret.

Looking down at the calluses on his hands from years of training, Tao Ruihe reminded himself—

The star pirates who killed that alpha were still out there.

“…I still have things to do.”

He couldn’t stay here any longer.

Since he hadn’t died, he had to find a way to infiltrate the star pirate group.