Chapter 127 – Want to Hear a Secret?

“Lance?” Zhai Yifei’s surprised gaze flickered between the two.

Shen Yu gave him a slight nod but didn’t offer any further explanation. Instead, he spoke calmly to the tall Alpha, “There’s no need to worry. We’re not here to harm you.”

The Alpha held Shen Yu’s gaze for a moment before giving a small nod. He then patted the people behind him, signaling them to relax.

In reality, they barely needed the reassurance—Ji Laili noticed that after Zhai Yifei had called out “Lance,” the hostility in the captives’ eyes had noticeably lessened.

“What are you doing here?”

The tall Alpha kept a sharp watch on them, sensing that their identities were far from ordinary.

After all, sneaking into a high-security lab in the dead of night and successfully shaking off the patrol squad was no easy feat.

His gaze swept across the group before settling on Shen Yu.

“I remember you—you’re from the Empire too.”

Shen Yu met his gaze, his voice calm and composed. “It doesn’t matter who I am. What does matter is why we’re here… and I think you already have an idea.”

“This is your only chance.”

The Alpha fell silent, fully aware that he had no other options.

If no one came to rescue them, they would remain as test subjects until the day they died.

Taking a deep breath, he spoke: “What do you want to know?”

—

Before being locked in the cage, Chi Fei had never imagined that people could actually be used as live test subjects.

At the Federal Military Academy, there had always been field missions assigned to senior students, and the Alpha cadets were particularly eager to prove themselves.

Chi Fei had been no exception.

His mission had taken him to Nagano Star, which was right on the border between the Empire and the Federation. Imperial presence in the region was commonplace.

His objective was to eliminate Imperial forces—one of the rare missions that required a team operation.

So, a group of them had set out, expecting a routine assignment—only to uncover something far more sinister.

“Captured Imperial soldiers had their hands and feet bound. We were supposed to escort them back to the Federation’s prison. But we never expected…”

“There was an Imperial spy among us.”

“They freed the captives.”

“By the time we realized what had happened, it was already too late. They had lured us into a trap…”

Chi Fei fell silent.

Lei Po hesitated before asking, “…Your teammates?”

Chi Fei’s voice was flat, devoid of emotion.

“All dead.”

Lei Po felt a sharp pang in his chest. “…I’m sorry.” His apology sounded clumsy and inadequate.

Chi Fei merely shook his head, clearly unwilling to dwell on the topic.

Knowing that Chi Fei had also been a Federal Military Academy student made it easier for both sides to trust each other.

At last, the wariness in Chi Fei’s eyes faded.

“For years, I worried that the Federation would never uncover this experiment.”

His voice was heavy. “By the time I was captured, this research was already well underway. And as far as I know, they’ve successfully developed the drug… and even have a proven success case.”

“A success case?” Ji Laili asked. “Brother Chi Fei, does that mean the Omega Conversion Serum was already perfected two years ago?”

Chi Fei blinked in surprise. “No. Back then, it was still called the Alpha Conversion Serum.”

“Alpha?” Eugene frowned. “You mean… they were turning people into Alphas? Then what about Omega conversion?”

Chi Fei nodded. “That’s one way to put it. You see… I was originally a Beta.”

The group stiffened, eyes widening in shock.

From his build… his scent… everything about him screamed ‘Alpha.’

He had once been a Beta?

Chi Fei continued, “After being taken as test subjects, we were divided into groups and injected with different versions of the serum.”

“The conversion serum has gone through three generations. The Omega Conversion Serum you mentioned… I suspect that’s the third generation.”

Originally, the serum was designed solely to create stronger Alphas, so the Empire could compete against the Federation.

Chi Fei and his team had been injected with the first-generation serum, while others were given the second-generation version.

The first-generation test subjects survived—after an excruciating secondary differentiation process.

But the second-generation subjects all died—their pheromones destabilized beyond recovery.

By the time Chi Fei finished explaining, a heavy silence had settled over the group.

The conversion serum had deeper roots than they had anticipated.

“Then there definitely won’t be a fourth generation,” Ji Laili said, his eyes crinkling into a confident smile. “It’s already a miracle that something this twisted even made it to the third stage.”

His bright optimism cut through the gloom, lifting the heavy mood.

“We’re definitely going to win.”

Lei Po smirked. “Failure? That’s not even an option for me.”

Ji Laili raised a brow. “Oh? You’re that confident?”

Lei Po crossed his arms. “It’s not confidence—it’s a fact.”

Eugene scoffed, “Tch. You’re hogging all the good lines, huh? But yeah… I agree. In the end, we’re the ones who’ll come out on top.”

The group exchanged determined smiles.

For the first time in years, Chi Fei felt a rare sense of ease.

He looked at them, something nostalgic flickering in his eyes, and—almost unconsciously—he smiled.

And then, he met Shen Yu’s gaze.

The young man who had helped him the moment they met had a calm expression, but his eyes…

His eyes carried the weight of a promise.

“I will get you out of here.”

Chi Fei waved his hand dismissively, the bruises on his arm stark against his skin. For once, his voice carried a rare lightness. “Honestly, I was already prepared to reunite with my teammates.”

“Whether I leave or not doesn’t really matter.”

He glanced back at the people behind him, his gaze softening. “But they… they’re still young. They shouldn’t spend their whole lives trapped here, treated as test subjects.”

Shen Yu’s tone was indifferent. “Someone who can’t even protect themselves has no right to worry about others.”

“If you were in my position, you’d do the same.”

Chi Fei’s unwavering certainty made Shen Yu look away, instinctively denying it. “I wouldn’t.”

Chi Fei smiled knowingly. “You would. Just like how you helped me.”

Even without knowing his identity, Shen Yu had been willing to take the risk to help him.

Classic Federal Military Academy behavior.

Chi Fei felt a rare sense of comfort. He watched as the usually composed young man finally showed a flicker of emotion—his brows tensing slightly, a hint of panic flashing across his face.

Almost unconsciously, Shen Yu’s gaze darted toward a certain direction.

Chi Fei followed his line of sight—only to spot a head of soft chestnut curls.

In an instant, he understood everything.

Grinning like he used to back at the academy, he teased, “Afraid that someone who can actually control you will hear?”

Shen Yu’s ears flushed red, but he forced himself to remain calm. “No.”

Chi Fei raised a brow. “So… you don’t like him?”

Shen Yu pressed his lips together and repeated the same answer. “No.”

Chi Fei chuckled, his laughter drawing the attention of the hot-blooded Alpha teens nearby.

Curious, they glanced between him and Shen Yu, their interest piqued.

The chestnut-haired one was especially nosy—he eagerly moved closer. “Brother Chi Fei, what are you two talking about?”

Chi Fei’s gaze swept over Shen Yu’s tense posture, and with a knowing smirk, he answered:

“A secret.”

Ji Laili’s face immediately fell, his expression aggrieved. He looked up at Shen Yu with puppy-dog eyes. “I can’t know?”

Shen Yu faltered under his gaze, his resolve wavering.

But then he remembered—if Ji Laili found out, he’d definitely be mad.

He hesitated.

Ji Laili sighed dramatically, then suddenly chuckled. “Alright, fine. I won’t ask. Besides, I have way more secrets with you anyway.”

Shen Yu exhaled in relief and quietly reached for Ji Laili’s hand.

The others didn’t even bat an eye anymore.

At this point, they’d all mastered the art of pretending not to see anything.

Since they were already here, they might as well make the most of it.

Taking the opportunity, they decided to familiarize themselves with the lab layout—it would make things easier the next time they returned.

And naturally, the person who knew the lab best—Shen Yu—was dragged along to be their temporary guide.

Ji Laili wanted to follow, but just as he was about to step forward, Chi Fei stopped him.

Blinking in confusion, Ji Laili turned back. “Brother Chi Fei? What is it?”

The tall Alpha looked at him, his eyes glinting with amusement.

“Want to hear a secret?”