Chapter 86: Preparations for Attack

In Xi Ming’s arms, it was as if Shi Chan couldn’t feel the terrifying strength of Xi Ming’s embrace at all. He gently pressed his cheek against Xi Ming’s chest, loosely wrapping his arms around the other’s waist and relaxing completely in his embrace.

Xi Ming was the person Shi Chan was closest to. How could he not sense Xi Ming’s emotional state? Shi Chan simply… didn’t know what to do.

He had never once thought of leaving. He had never taken the initiative to leave Xi Ming’s side, and he’d made countless promises to stay. Yet Xi Ming’s sense of insecurity had never lessened even a bit.

Sometimes Shi Chan would reflect on whether he had been wrong to indulge Xi Ming’s possessiveness back then. But he always wanted to fulfill Xi Ming’s every desire. Then he’d wonder if it was because his pheromones had no effect on Xi Ming that caused this insecurity. But back then, Xi Ming was gravely injured — how could Shi Chan possibly pretend to go through a heat cycle just to reassure him?

Fortunately, Shi Chan had no intention of avoiding Xi Ming. While their relationship dynamic might have felt suffocating to other omegas, for Shi Chan, it was just right. After all, having experienced abandonment and betrayal from his closest relatives in both lifetimes, he wasn’t the least bit repelled by such attentive and consuming affection.

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After two days of developments, the Empire finally obtained solid evidence of Xu Lihan’s death.

They watched the Federation’s battleships taunt them with their attacks. They saw General Xu risking everything to draw enemy fire for a slim chance of survival. And they saw… Xu Lihan’s mecha disintegrate under the bombardment.

For the Empire’s people, who had seen Xu Lihan as their last hope to turn the tide, only overwhelming grief, fury, and hatred surged in their hearts.

“No!!” Cries of anguish and rage rang out, but they could only watch helplessly as the mecha was destroyed again and again… over and over.

“No…” Tears blurred their vision. They reached out as if to shield the screen from the Federation’s fire, their eyes filled with sorrow, their fingers trying to touch the final glimmers of their hero.

Some dropped to their knees and pounded the walls until their fists bled, howling until their throats were raw. Others sat numbly among ruins, gazing blankly at the sky — nothing left but emptiness after despair.

The Empire’s hard-won determination seemed to collapse in an instant. Everyone was at a loss. The war had dragged on for so long. The Empire’s generals had either defected or perished. Now even their last great hope had been extinguished…

Did the Empire… still have a future?

But that despair only played out within the Empire. Xi Ming, who kept a close watch on the war’s developments, looked on with icy eyes and immediately issued several commands:

“Expose the Federation’s omega spy organization. Instruct Hormone Industries to reduce weapon supplies to the Federation by 80%. Contact the arms manufacturer Di Fen and offer a high price to halt weapon deliveries to the Federation for three months.”

The Empire might have lost ground, but Xi Ming had no intention of letting the Federation gain the upper hand.

Just as the Federation was feeling triumphant and preparing to carve up the Empire’s benefits, they were suddenly stabbed in the back. Not only was their weapon supply chain disrupted, stalling their offensive momentum, but their own star network was flooded with discussions about the omega spy organization — shaking the previously dominant pro-war sentiment.

But that only slowed the Federation down.

What truly threw them into disarray was the unrest among those who were dissatisfied with how the benefits were to be divided.

The Federation’s wartime propaganda was aimed at the masses. The true power holders were clear-eyed — they only cared about profit. Seeing the Federation about to seize control, those who hadn’t profited enough were easily provoked and wavered.

And those war profiteers — who sold weapons, trafficked people, smuggled resources, and conducted illegal transactions under the fog of war — suddenly realized something:

Letting the Federation dominate would not be in their best interest.

What a joke. They were helping the Federation now through illegal means, but once the Federation won and controlled the entire galaxy, would it really tolerate people who challenged the law and ignored rules?

What were they thinking? The Federation wasn’t a charity.

Thoughts like these spread quickly through various channels. Organizations that had been reaping the Federation’s war benefits all paused their actions in unspoken agreement — and began to watch and wait.

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In the depths of interstellar space, beyond the reach of both the Empire and the Federation, the pirate lair that had existed for years was tightly concealed beneath a veil of special magnetic star clouds.

An omega with a gruesome scar on the back of his neck slowly sat up from a pool of blood, clutching a short sword still dripping with blood. Around him lay the lifeless bodies of high-ranking star pirates—and the wide-eyed corpse of the Flamefire Pirate Organization’s leader.

“Hah… hahaha…”
The short sword slipped from his hand and clattered to the floor.
Tao Ruihe covered his face with a blood-stained hand, dry and pained laughter leaking through his fingers.

Though the pirates outside could burst in at any moment, Tao Ruihe had no regrets.
He had already killed the core leaders of this pirate alliance.
The rest were just minor bosses—none had the ability to unify the pirate factions.
All that awaited was chaos.

He had already sent the coordinates and infiltration route of the pirate lair to the Steller Organization.
Whether or not they seized the opportunity… Tao Ruihe no longer cared.

From this moment on, he had finally obtained the freedom he had always longed for—
No more restraints from the Federation.
No more entangling relationships.
He was no longer a manipulative omega spy for the Federation sent to deceive the Empire, nor was he someone’s gentle and sincere lover.
He no longer had to bear the weight of emotions others imposed on him.

Tao Ruihe placed his hand over his heart, feeling its rhythm.
Ignoring the aching nostalgia buried deep within, he smiled through reddened eyes.
Why wasn’t he happy?
Hadn’t he finally gained the freedom he had yearned for the most?

By the time the other star pirates noticed the unusual silence in the meeting room and hesitantly opened the door, what greeted them was a room full of cold corpses.

Tao Ruihe, at last free, took his unspeakable story with him—
Just like countless others burdened with sorrow and unspoken pain,
He faded silently into this era of voiceless wails.

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“Boss, someone just sent us the location and entry method for the remaining star pirate lairs.”
Luo Liang brought the verified message to Xi Ming.
“There’s also an extremely detailed report on the Federation’s omega spy network. If the contents are true… it’s even bloodier than what we previously exposed.”

Most of the factions Steller absorbed during its rise were star pirates, but not all pirates accepted subjugation.
Some, unwilling to be conquered yet too weak to resist, retreated into the pirate lair hidden in that legendary stellar zone—a place said to tear apart anyone but pirates who entered.

At the time, Xi Ming had been too focused on strengthening himself amid the Empire-Federation war to bother with them.

But now…

With sole control over the only known cure for radiation sickness in the galaxy, the Steller Organization had already recruited enough “radiation patients” during this war—
People who were either wealthy or extremely gifted.

Xi Ming tapped his fingers against the desk, eyes narrowing.
“Send the Beta squad to stretch their legs.
Everyone else, reach the designated location—
We strike in one day.”

The Empire was collapsing, the Federation in disarray.
This was the perfect moment.

Xi Ming took advantage of the chaos to seize control of several central star domain planets.
Steller’s radiation mecha warriors had already infiltrated the capital star, poised for action—
Just waiting for his signal to destroy or seize over a thousand key institutions.

Within five minutes of Xi Ming’s orders, Yi Fei came knocking on Shi Chan’s door.

“Healer Shi!”
The moment the door opened, Yi Fei beamed with eagerness.
He got straight to the point:
“Please help me! Ask for me to join the Beta squad on this mission!”

“What mission?”
Shi Chan blinked in confusion.
He rarely paid attention to Xi Ming’s organizational affairs.

But Yi Fei wasn’t discouraged—
Everyone knew Shi Chan was the only person who could change Xi Ming’s mind.

“It’s a mission to wipe out the star pirates. I can go too!
Only Betas are going, so pheromone interference won’t be a problem.”
Yi Fei pulled out all his best puppy-dog eyes, almost like he was begging an older brother.
“I’ll install isolation devices in my mecha, and I’ve stocked up on suppressants!
Chan Chan, please talk to Boss Xi for me—
I’ve trained so hard! You know what I’m capable of!
I’m definitely on par with those Beta warriors!”

It was a little heartbreaking, actually—
Yi Fei had always thought he was the only omega in the galaxy who could pilot a mecha,
The first to break omega stereotypes…

But then came gentle, beautiful Shi Chan—
And not only could he pilot a mecha, but he was just as good at it!

Yi Fei was mortified… but also thrilled.
He thought this was fate—
That he and Shi Chan were destined to be the strongest omega mecha duo, conquering the stars together.

But reality was…
Xi Ming wouldn’t let Shi Chan out of his sight for more than half a day!!!
Every time Yi Fei tried to bother Shi Chan, his training intensity would increase—
Even the two older brothers who joined Steller with him would get dragged into sudden “emergency missions.”

Eventually, after someone “warned” them, the brothers realized—
Their little brother was the problem.
So from then on, anytime Yi Fei wanted to find Shi Chan, his brothers would block him immediately.

Yi Fei was heartbroken.
A mecha-piloting omega was an absolute rarity—one in a hundred million!
And yet Shi Chan… got stuck with an alpha who restricted his potential?!

This led Yi Fei to look at Shi Chan with a mixture of pity, sympathy, and sorrow every time they met—
Causing Shi Chan to label him as… a bit odd.

Still, out of care for fellow omegas, Shi Chan asked Xi Ming about the mission’s details.
And finally, under Yi Fei’s hopeful gaze, he nodded.

“You can go on this mission, but make sure your suppressants and isolation gear are ready.”

“Yaaay!!”
Yi Fei practically jumped with joy—
He wanted to kiss Shi Chan, but out of fear of Xi Ming, held back.
Instead, he bounced excitedly a few more times, waved goodbye, and dashed off.

“Chan Chan, I’m off to get ready! Wait for my victorious return!!”

Shi Chan watched the bouncing omega disappear,
Gently stroking the soft fur of Feifei.
Looking into its blank, trusting eyes, he sighed:

“So energetic.”

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P.S. While translating these few chapters, I realized just how much of the pain each of these characters are going through.(┬┬﹏┬┬)