Chapter 152: They Had Been Waiting for This Moment for a Long Time

As Ji Laili stepped out of the control room, he ran into the Imperial Alpha he had previously encountered in the repair bay, the one who had come to check if the aircraft repairs were completed.

More precisely, he ran into a whole group of them.

And as luck would have it, they were in the middle of discussing him.

Or rather—if the “curly-haired, bright-smiling, adorable Beta” they were talking about was indeed him.

“You know, dating a Beta doesn’t seem so bad anymore. Omegas are way too delicate and hard to please—finding a partner among them is just a whole mess of trouble.”

“Trouble? Please, how many Alphas out there are dying to be ‘troubled’ but never get the chance? But wait—you’re not saying you actually have your eye on a Beta, are you?”

“…Was it that obvious?”

“Obvious? Dude, you came back looking like your ears had been boiled red like a tea kettle!”

“Cough. I just think… the little curly-haired one is pretty cute.”

“Curly hair??”

“Yeah. The curls, the smile, the little sharp teeth… pretty nice, don’t you think? If they’re an operator, I’d probably get to see them a lot after marriage, right?”

“Wait. Marriage??”

His companion’s eyes widened in absolute shock, his expression screaming:

“You literally just noticed a curly-haired Beta—how the hell did you already jump to marriage? Is this development normal?!”

And just when the shock couldn’t deepen further, they turned the corner—only to run directly into the very topic of their conversation.

A head of chestnut curls.

No detectable pheromones.

A bright, dazzling smile—

…Wait. This guy’s twitching lips and slightly raised brows… this was the same person, right?!

Ji Laili met the Alpha’s stunned gaze.

He blinked. Once. Twice.

Then, with zero trace of awkwardness, he asked casually—

“Oh? Were you guys talking about me?”

His gaze shifted toward the Imperial Alpha he had met earlier.

The moment he saw the way the Alpha’s face instantly froze over, Ji Laili got his confirmation.

His first reaction—

“Wait. Do I really look that much like a Beta?”

Then, as the two across from him reeled from their embarrassment, he flashed them a dazzling smile and decided to flip the situation around—

“Hey, bro, I was actually looking for the bathroom. Mind showing me the way?”

Completely thrown off by the unexpected request, the cold-faced Alpha hesitated for a brief second—then nodded stiffly.

Under the amused watchful eyes of his companions, he led Ji Laili toward the restrooms.

—

“Alright, here we are. You can—”

Pain flared at the back of his neck.

The Alpha’s eyes widened in alarm as the realization struck—

He’d been ambushed.

Just before he lost consciousness, his final sight was of the culprit crouching down beside him, resting his chin on his palm.

Those curly locks bounced slightly as Ji Laili tilted his head, flashing a smile far too innocent for the situation.

Like a mischievous puppy, utterly adorable—

Yet completely unscrupulous.

“Sorry about that, bro,” Ji Laili said, all sunshine and sincerity. “I needed a favor, but I knew you wouldn’t help me willingly, so… I had to resort to special measures.”

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he straightened his back and declared solemnly—

“Oh, and just so you know—I already have a wife!”

With that, he lowered his head to inspect his handiwork—

…and immediately frowned in dissatisfaction.

“Hey! At least let me finish talking before you pass out!”

But his victim was already unresponsive.

Ji Laili simply chuckled to himself, then smoothly began removing the Alpha’s uniform.

“Well, thanks for the outfit, anyway.”

—

A few moments later—

An Imperial soldier dressed in full uniform strode confidently through the enemy’s base.

His expression was calm, his steps light and relaxed.

It was precisely because of this natural ease that none of the Imperial Alphas he passed along the way even thought to question his presence.

Step by step, he made his way toward the ship hangar doors.

At last, he reached the entrance, flashing a wide grin at the Imperial Alpha standing guard.

The other Alpha frowned slightly, trying to recall where he’d seen him before—

—when a swift strike sent him collapsing into unconsciousness.

—

From a hidden vantage point, Instructor Aiger and his team had been keeping close watch.

They had been monitoring the heavily guarded aircraft hangar, searching for an opening.

But then—

The hangar doors—previously sealed shut—suddenly began to open.

A burst of cool mist hissed from the edges as the pressurization adjusted.

For a brief moment, their hearts tensed, fearing the worst.

Had the enemy detected them?

Had their operation been compromised?

And then—

The mist cleared.

A figure in an Imperial uniform stood at the threshold.

But before anyone could react, the figure grinned brightly—

At his fingertips, a set of keys spun effortlessly, twirling again and again through the air.

The keys to the hangar doors caught the sunlight, flickering in a blur, as if at any moment—

They might fly straight out of his hand.

And as they watched—

He silently mouthed a message to them—

“Instructor, mission accomplished.”

Aiger curled his lips into a smirk, then let out a low chuckle and cursed, “Brat, what the hell are you wearing?!”

But soon, his amusement faded.

His expression turned cold and solemn, exuding an air of authority as he raised his hand toward the group behind him.

The Alphas, who had just been standing there either in stunned silence or with smug, amused grins, immediately wiped their expressions clean.

In unison, they snapped to attention, boots clicking sharply against the ground.

The atmosphere grew heavy with silence, making Aiger’s voice all the more distinct—

“The Federation’s land does not welcome Imperial footsteps!”

“For that, we will fight until our last breath. Are you ready?!”

Before his words had even fully settled in the air, they were already being carried skyward by a thunderous response—

“SIR! READY, SIR!!!”

They had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

From the day they stepped into the military academy, to the moment they took their solemn oaths, to standing here now, facing the enemy, they had never once forgotten the weight of the insignia on their shoulders.

Aiger’s arm dropped—

A subtle but unmistakable command.

With sharp, predatory eyes, the Alphas surged forward, breaking from Aiger’s flanks and charging toward the aircraft.

They moved in perfect sync, spilling out like a flood, forming a precise V-shape from an aerial perspective.

They were fast, relentless—yet their coordination was seamless, wordless, battle-honed.

And at the very center of it all, stood one figure, the unshakable core holding everything in place.

But Aiger thought—

The true pillar that steadied the battlefield… was never just one person. It was all of them, together.

Drawing his quantum pistol from his waist, he stepped forward—

Becoming one of them.

With the same goal in mind, they rushed toward the enemy’s aircraft.

—

The Imperial Alphas, ambushed out of nowhere, were momentarily struck with confusion.

Had the Federation forces completely disregarded their hostages?

That didn’t seem right—their previous actions suggested otherwise.

Weren’t they afraid that the Imperials might execute the captives on the spot?

But the Federation soldiers were already right in front of them.

Even if the Imperials wanted to kill their hostages to make a statement, they still had to relay the message first—

Yet the moment the fight began, everything spiraled downward fast.

These Federation bastards—what kind of madness was fueling them?!

The murderous intent they exuded was like that of butchers sent to slaughter pigs!

In contrast, the Imperial Alphas…

They weren’t ready.

It was as if they had suddenly been handed weapons, shoved onto a battlefield, yet still carried hesitation in their hearts.

But their opponents?

They had already embraced death—so long as they could drag the Imperials down with them.

They had lost the battle in mentality alone.

Hesitation in combat meant death.

Small details determined victory, but their uncertain hearts had already sealed their fate from the very beginning.

—

Blood quickly painted the aircraft’s entrance—

And then spread.

That entire section of the battlefield was soon swallowed in red.

The chaotic echoes of battle traveled far and wide—

So far, that even without an official alert, the disturbance made it obvious that something had gone terribly wrong.

Philo was the first to piece together the situation.

His usually gentle features hardened as his mind snapped into action.

Without a moment of hesitation, he gave the order—

“Go to the darkroom. Drag that brat out—NOW!”