Chapter 09: Soothing the Pain

“Alphas and Omegas are naturally compatible.”

This statement is written on the first page of the AO physiology textbooks, frequently seen across the Star Network. It’s universally accepted as truth and serves as a romantic declaration for many AO couples.

However, Xi Ming only had a shallow understanding of it.

Before reaching adulthood, Xi Ming was already sent to the borders. Since then, he gave up almost all holidays and devoted all his energy to protecting the Empire, leaving no time to interact with Omegas.

Later, when the 823 battle was lost, Xi Ming was severely injured and disgraced overnight. That was when he needed an Omega’s mental soothing the most, yet every Omega avoided him like a plague. Until his death, no Omega ever came near him.

But in this lifetime…

Xi Ming lowered his gaze to the Omega resting quietly in his arms. His fingers brushed against the back of Shi Chan’s neck, his expression dark and unreadable.

The mental soothing from an Omega was indeed very effective. The rare calm in his spiritual power was like a dream after prolonged, relentless pain. It was no wonder Alphas were eager to claim an Omega early on.

For a moment, Xi Ming lost himself in thought. What if he had an Omega back then?

But the next second, he snapped back to reality, mocking himself for daydreaming. His affliction was caused by radiation erosion, with unhealed wounds on his body being the key to his short lifespan. His spiritual power disturbance was merely an accelerant to his decline.

Omega mental soothing, as its name suggests, only worked on the spiritual level. Even if his spiritual power became stable under an Omega’s soothing, the radiation-inflicted wounds on his body would still drag him to death—just at a slower pace.

Still, for now, time was what Xi Ming needed the most.

Xi Ming’s gaze flickered. His palm pressed against the back of Shi Chan’s neck and, after a brief pause, tightened his hold, pulling Shi Chan closer into his embrace. His other hand rested firmly on Shi Chan’s back, eliminating any possibility of retreat.

An Alpha’s possessiveness over their Omega was on full display.

The Omega in his arms was soft and quiet—an unprecedented tenderness Xi Ming had never experienced before. Yet his thoughts wandered back to his previous life.

He had dedicated his entire life to the Empire with a clear conscience, only to be cursed and abandoned, meeting a self-destructive end.

Xi Ming didn’t know how the Empire reacted to the news of his death. Did they cheer? Or continue to curse him for not squeezing out his last bit of worth for the Empire?

Either way, the thought chilled Xi Ming to his core and filled him with hatred.

This was the Empire he had protected for six years and originally intended to serve for a lifetime.

When the servant at home willingly opened the door for outsiders, Xi Ming’s last shred of affection for the Empire vanished entirely.

…

But the Omega in his arms was an unexpected variable.

Xi Ming looked at Shi Chan, his hand sliding upward to the back of Shi Chan’s head, his fingers threading through the soft strands of hair.

He needed the mental soothing. No matter who sent this Omega, they shouldn’t expect to take him away now.

Shi Chan, oblivious to Xi Ming’s thoughts, was already dozing off in his arms due to exhaustion. He didn’t react at all to Xi Ming’s actions.

Xi Ming watched the Omega in his arms for a while. Under the calming effect, he too began to feel drowsy.

Holding the Omega tightly, Xi Ming slowly closed his eyes.

The room was silent, with only the sound of two steady, lengthening breaths.

…

A sudden ringing broke the tranquility of the room.

The terminal on Shi Chan’s wrist lit up in sync with the chime.

Shi Chan, who had already closed his eyes, was startled awake by the noise and quickly opened them.

The drowsiness and confusion in his eyes faded quickly, replaced by clarity in mere seconds.

The slight vibration on his wrist seemed to urge him, but…

Shi Chan tried to move, only to realize he couldn’t answer the terminal at all—his entire body, including his arms, was tightly confined in Xi Ming’s embrace. Unless Xi Ming moved, Shi Chan couldn’t even raise his hand.

Faced with this predicament, Shi Chan’s mind blanked out for two seconds…

Moments ago, he was about to fall asleep in this position. Not only did he not feel uncomfortable, but now that he thought about it, he even felt a bit of comfort.

As an Omega, Shi Chan always knew that at twenty, he would marry an Alpha and share a life together. However, he had assumed that, due to his vigilance honed in the cultivation world, he would need time to adjust to another’s proximity.

But now, Shi Chan considered Xi Ming’s posture and grip for a moment and blinked… His instincts from the cultivation world seemed to vanish.

The ringing terminal continued its persistent noise, jarring in the previously silent room, interrupting Shi Chan’s thoughts.

Putting the posture issue aside for now, Shi Chan tilted his head slightly to look at Xi Ming and urged, “The terminal is ringing…”

Xi Ming paused for a moment near Shi Chan’s terminal, a trace of displeasure flashing in his eyes at being interrupted.

Looking at the Omega in his arms, Xi Ming was suddenly reminded of something that worsened the chaos of the Empire’s wars.

It began when some Alphas’ possessiveness over their Omegas intensified during wartime. They restricted their Omegas’ freedom excessively, to the point of practically confining them.

This behavior angered other Omegas, sparking rebellion and demands for freedom. The resulting AO conflicts caused internal strife within the Empire, further complicating the already devastating war.

For now, however, the war had not yet begun. Many Alphas preferred keeping their Omegas at home, and post-marriage Omegas rarely ventured out. This was widely accepted and unchallenged.

Looking at Shi Chan, Xi Ming’s gaze grew contemplative, but he did nothing, only saying, “Get up.”

He loosened his hold, supporting himself with his hands, and slowly sat up.

His gaze swept over his useless legs, and Xi Ming’s expression darkened, his hatred for the Empire growing even deeper.

Even after ten years, he couldn’t accept his disabled body, nor could he forget the reason behind it or forgive the decade of curses and humiliation from the Empire’s people.

After all, he was meant to conquer the stars…

Shi Chan, on the other hand, glanced at the terminal and saw an unfamiliar number before muting the sound.

Shi Chan’s striking appearance often attracted attention, and despite early rumors of his betrothal to an Alpha, a few persistent Alphas still found his contact information and tried to “win him over.”

Initially, Shi Chan directly hung up on such unknown calls. However, some Alphas, offended by this, confronted him in person.

Uninterested in these petty conflicts, Shi Chan later chose to ignore such calls entirely, letting them ring until the caller gave up.

This time was no different. After silencing the terminal, Shi Chan stood up.

Seeing Xi Ming reaching for the wheelchair that had toppled over, Shi Chan quickly walked over and helped him straighten it.

The wheelchair was upright, but Xi Ming remained seated on the ground.

Before Shi Chan could offer assistance, Xi Ming instructed, “There’s a square button on the side of the wheelchair. Press and hold it for three seconds.”

“Alright.” Shi Chan paused, found the button on the black wheelchair, and held it down. Three seconds later, a soft blue light zipped around the wheelchair.

“FZ578, mobility assistance,” Xi Ming commanded fluently.

The armrests blinked twice in response before two metallic, stair-like extensions unfolded from the sides of the wheelchair.

Xi Ming grabbed onto the extensions and, using his arms, slowly lifted himself into the seat.

Shi Chan, hesitating whether to help, stopped when he noticed Xi Ming’s intense focus. The Alphas in this world had strong egos and competitiveness, and Shi Chan worried his intervention might offend.

Within moments, Xi Ming was seated in the wheelchair. The metallic extensions retracted, and the chair returned to its original form.

Shi Chan glanced at Xi Ming, noting his neutral expression, and withdrew his gaze.

Xi Ming remained silent, and Shi Chan was unsure what to do. After a quick glance at the cluttered room, he asked, “Should I check if the cleaning robot still works?”

Faced with Shi Chan’s clear eyes and the lingering scent of his Omega’s pheromones, Xi Ming unconsciously softened his expression and nodded.

Shi Chan turned to check the robot.

While Shi Chan’s back was turned, Xi Ming frowned slightly, searching his memories of his past life for anything related to a system-arranged marriage.

But still, he found nothing. No matter how hard he thought, there were no clues about any marriage or Omega.

Shi Chan seemed to have appeared out of thin air.

While Xi Ming’s thoughts raced, Shi Chan crouched to operate the fallen cleaning robot.

Soon, its indicator light turned back on. After a few quick settings, the robot silently resumed its diligent cleaning.

Standing up, Shi Chan stepped back to clear the area and glanced at his terminal, noticing a new message.

[34*15: Madam, this is Zhang Shiyi. Dinner has been…]

So the earlier unknown caller was Zhang Shiyi.

Shi Chan skimmed the message and replied with a simple “Got it” before closing the terminal.

Looking at Xi Ming, Shi Chan asked, “Shall we go have dinner?”