The next afternoon, outside the weapons depot.

Zong Mao arrived early and found a hidden spot to wait for someone. At this time, most of the alphas had finished lunch and headed to the training grounds, leaving the area around the weapons depot deserted, with hardly anyone passing by.

Zong Mao, holding his communicator, looked around anxiously, an obvious impatience written on his face.

Where is he? Why hasn’t he shown up yet?

–

Meanwhile, Li Po was leisurely picking out clothes.

He opened his spacious wardrobe and calmly scanned its contents: a white shirt, two black shirts, one pair of black pants, and two sets of combat uniforms—that was all.

Oh, and a white shirt he had swiped from Jiang Yu, one size too big.

Tch, what a waste of space.

Li Po shrugged and quickly took off the clothes he had been wearing. Then, without hesitation, he grabbed a shirt and a pair of pants from the wardrobe and put them on swiftly.

This wasn’t excessive. He had worn the previous outfit all night and, with his heat cycle approaching, he didn’t want any pheromones lingering in his sweat, potentially causing trouble. So he changed clothes to avoid any complications.

After putting on the shirt, Li Po slowly buttoned it up, but as he reached the last three buttons, a thought crossed his mind. His eyes narrowed, and he stopped his movements.

The barrier patch on the back of his neck was ripped off without hesitation, leaving the area red and tingling with a sharp, prickling pain mixed with a faint heat. Li Po didn’t pay much attention to it. He walked to the bedside, bent down, and opened the drawer of the nightstand, pulling out a few more barrier patches.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on his slightly arched back. As he straightened up, the light scattered across the floor. Li Po peeled off a new barrier patch and applied it to the back of his neck. Then, after some thought, he peeled off another and layered it on top of the first one.

Double protection.

Satisfied with his precautions, he threw the remaining barrier patches back into the drawer and shut it. He fastened the last three buttons, all the way up to his jaw, leaving no skin exposed.

Finally, he adjusted his collar, pocketed the suppressant, and left his room.

–

Zong Mao was waiting so long he was getting frustrated.

The blazing sun above him was relentless, and he was starting to feel like he was wilting under the heat. Sweat trickled down his hairline, making his bangs clump together like a homeless man who hadn’t washed in days.

But Zong Mao didn’t care about appearances anymore. He wiped the sweat from his face and wiped his hand on his pants, trying to keep his spirits up as he kept glancing toward the Omega dorms.

Five minutes passed… ten minutes… fifteen minutes…

Damn it, is he not coming?

Zong Mao wiped his face with his sleeve and checked his communicator again.

No activity. The Omega hadn’t sent him any messages.

…Damn!

Zong Mao finally understood why Hong Mao was so obsessed back then. After going through this himself, he could now feel that gnawing frustration, like a fire trapped in his chest, making him want to explode.

Gritting his teeth, Zong Mao decided to give it five more minutes! If he doesn’t show up in five minutes… then I’ll… think of something else!

Five minutes passed…

Three minutes…

One minute…

Zong Mao’s brows furrowed so tightly they could crush a fly. He let out a heavy sigh, shoved the communicator back into his pocket, and turned to leave.

But just as he turned, a flash of white entered his vision.

It was so bright it caught his attention immediately. He glanced over reflexively, intending to look away instantly, but in the next moment, his pupils shrank as he froze on the spot.

It was the Omega he’d been waiting for twenty minutes!

After a brief moment of surprise, Zong Mao’s face lit up with joy. He wiped the sweat off his forehead, straightened his collar, cleared his throat, and walked toward the Omega.

“You finally showed up. I’ve been waiting forever.”

–

Li Po hadn’t expected Zong Mao to be the one behind this.

Suppressing his surprise, he casually glanced up and down at Zong Mao, his expression unchanged, though a hint of confusion flickered in his eyes. “You’ve been waiting for me?”

“For what?”

His tone was innocent, and his expression was natural, as if he really didn’t know why Zong Mao would say that.

Zong Mao was taken aback, and his previously arrogant attitude instantly weakened. “What do you mean? Didn’t you come because of the message I sent you?”

The moment those words left his mouth, a realization struck him like lightning, and his expression changed drastically. But once spoken, words were like spilled water; they couldn’t be taken back.

Sure enough, in the next second, Li Po’s lips curled into a faint smile. “Oh no, I just came because I was bored.”

Suddenly, Li Po seemed to remember something. “Oh, someone did message me yesterday, saying they wanted to meet. Was that you?”

Zong Mao’s face had darkened to the point where it looked like a storm cloud was hanging over him. The Omega’s bright, teasing smile only added fuel to his burning anger, but he was helpless, forcing the words through gritted teeth: “Yes.”

“What a coincidence,” Li Po said sincerely.

“…”

Zong Mao was seething, but he couldn’t afford to waste time. He suppressed his frustration and got to the point, “Your mental power level clearly isn’t E. Why are you deceiving everyone?”

Li Po’s expression instantly became one of confusion. “Not E? How come I don’t know about this?”

“My mental power test results were personally logged by Officer Bian. Did something change?” Li Po tilted his head, looking at Zong Mao with genuine curiosity. “Where did you hear this? Can you tell me?”

“And by the way, what is my actual mental power level now? Is it D, C, B… or maybe A? Of course, if it’s S, that would be even better.”

The barrage of questions left Zong Mao stunned. His mouth opened as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he was like a mute, unable to utter a word.

Li Po stood there, smiling pleasantly, waiting for Zong Mao to give him an answer.

Having been outmaneuvered, Zong Mao’s face grew darker. His voice wavered with suppressed anger: “Since you refuse to admit it, we’ll test it in the weapons depot. Live ammunition doesn’t lie.”

Now he’ll definitely panic, Zong Mao thought smugly. He secretly observed the Omega’s face, hoping to catch a hint of fear or distress.

But to his disappointment, the Omega remained as calm as ever, with that same faint smile. In the next second, he heard the Omega reply:

“Sure.”

–

Inside the weapons depot.

Unlike the scorching heat outside, the interior of the depot was chilly, enough to make even Zong Mao shiver. He rubbed his arms, trying to warm up, as he walked deeper into the room, his eyes darting over the weapons displayed on the walls.

Li Po, glancing at Zong Mao’s rapidly moving eyes, suppressed a smile and shifted his attention elsewhere.

The last time he was called to the weapons depot by Di Kai, there was no time to take in the surroundings. But now, with the chance to look around, he finally got a clear view of the depot’s layout.

It turned out the depot wasn’t just the open space near the entrance. Further in, there were numerous steel doors painted black. The doors blended seamlessly with the walls, making them nearly invisible unless one looked closely. These doors were equipped with extra security measures. Li Po guessed that even combat personnel couldn’t enter freely.

After walking for a while, Zong Mao stopped in front of one of the steel doors.

Ding! Identity verification successful.

Zong Mao raised his arm and pushed open the door, which had an air of mystery about it.

Li Po: “…”

He had overthought it.

“What are you standing there for? Come in,” Zong Mao said with a smug tone when he saw Li Po still standing outside. “Finally scared? Isn’t it a bit too late for that?”

Li Po glanced at him with an unreadable expression. “You’re overthinking it.”

With that, he calmly stepped inside.

After Li Po entered, Zong Mao was about to close the door, but the Omega stopped him. “Why close the door?”

Zong Mao paused, then shot him a malicious grin. “What, worried I’ll do something to you?”

Li Po looked at him coldly. “No, it’s just that I can’t open the door by myself.”

“…”

Zong Mao’s excitement deflated. Staring at Li Po’s handsome face, a surge of frustration bubbled up inside him.

An Omega this attractive, yet still unmarked—it was a deadly allure for any alpha, Zong Mao included. He had originally provoked the Omega because of his captivating looks, the kind that made Zong Mao’s heart race just by looking at him. But when he thought about what happened to Hong Mao, his enthusiasm quickly faded. After all, survival was more important.

Thinking about Hong Mao darkened his mood further.

“I don’t buy it. But whatever, we don’t have to close the door. It’s no loss for me anyway.”

Li Po raised his eyebrows slightly and gave Zong Mao a faint smile without saying another word.

“…” Zong Mao felt like he was being taunted again.

He clenched his jaw in frustration, unsure of how to retaliate, and could only grumble, “Hurry up and pick a weapon, stop wasting time.”

Li Po turned his attention back to the weapons, slowly choosing as he asked casually, “I don’t recall ever wronging you.”

Zong Mao, leaning against the wall with crossed arms, was watching him with a sullen expression. When he heard the question, he let out a sudden, mocking laugh. “Do you really think you had nothing to do with Hong Mao’s death?”

Li Po paused but didn’t turn around, answering calmly, “It had nothing to do with me.”

“At this point, there’s no point lying. Or do you really think I’ll believe you?” Zong Mao sneered at the Omega. “I know your background, clear as day.”

In the next second, Li Po’s voice came, sharp and clear: “What background?”

“You’re from the outside…”

The words trailed off as Zong Mao suddenly realized he’d said too much. He swallowed the rest of the sentence.

Li Po: “…”

Thanks, I’ve already figured it out.

Even though Zong Mao hadn’t finished his sentence, Li Po had guessed most of it. The conclusion, however, seemed absurd even to him.

First, there was no such information in the original memories he had. Second, even if he had entered through connections, S District wouldn’t have let him in if they didn’t approve. The place wasn’t run by fools who would invite trouble inside. No one with a functioning brain would believe that.

After coming to this conclusion, Li Po glanced at Zong Mao with a trace of pity. He didn’t know who had misled Zong Mao to this point, but whoever it was clearly harbored ill intentions toward him.

…So, who exactly had he provoked?

Feeling a headache coming on, Li Po looked at Zong Mao and, after some thought, asked, “Do I really seem like that kind of person?”

Seems like what?

Zong Mao was caught off guard. He narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the Omega carefully, then concluded: No, not really.

Forget the Omega’s looks; even his build was too slender. One punch would knock him out. S District was full of strong alphas, not people who were here for a free ride. Sending in an Omega spy who couldn’t fight would be ridiculous. No one would take that seriously.

Unless… it’s seduction?

The Omega did have the looks to pull off seduction. Though he was a bit thin, he had everything in the right places, especially that face—an alpha could get lost in it. But if that were true, why had the Omega rejected both him and Hong Mao?

Zong Mao’s thoughts flashed back to when the Omega was talking to Jin Mu at the Number One Training Grounds. His face darkened. Did the Omega just think they weren’t good enough?

With that realization, a cold light flickered in his eyes as his voice rose, “Have you made up your mind yet?”

“…” Li Po immediately stopped talking and turned back to selecting a weapon.

“Enough with the dawdling,” Zong Mao said, clearly annoyed. He glanced over the weapons hanging on the wall and randomly picked a gun from Row B. “Take this and shoot at the safe zone.”

Li Po looked over, glanced at the weapon in Zong Mao’s hand, and shook his head. “No, I’ll pick my own.”

“…”

If Zong Mao had any lingering doubts about whether the Omega was looking down on him, they were now all but confirmed. The Omega didn’t even want to touch something he had touched. How was that not disdain?

Zong Mao was seething with rage.

But he couldn’t let his anger show. He gripped the gun in his hand so tightly that the cold metal dug painfully into his palm. He stewed in his frustration for a moment, then forcefully shoved the gun back into its place.

“Alright, this one will do.”

Li Po had finally made his choice. He selected a golden handgun from Row B, and the first thing he did after taking it was to toy with it in his hands. The golden handgun had smooth lines and a beautiful color. Li Po gripped the gun and prepared to raise it.

But just before he could lift the weapon, Zong Mao suddenly stopped him, “Wait a minute, have you shot a gun before?”

Li Po nodded honestly, “I have.”

Hearing that, Zong Mao finally let out a sigh of relief. He had been worried that Li Po might accidentally fire the gun and hit him. But since the Omega had shot a gun before, there shouldn’t be a problem.

“Alright then, fire away,” Zong Mao said, gesturing for him to go ahead.

Li Po wasn’t entirely sure if he could pull off this shot. He carefully recalled the previous two times he’d fired a gun—one time he was in good condition, and the other time it was a life-or-death situation, so he had no choice but to shoot.

But this time, with his heat approaching, his condition was far from ideal. And though Zong Mao wasn’t exactly friendly toward him, Li Po didn’t feel any real sense of danger, so he suspected he might not be able to shoot.

The cold gun barrel in his right hand felt heavy. Li Po rubbed the barrel with his left palm, his eyes downcast as he stared at the golden handgun, lost in thought.

In the next moment, he slightly shifted his stance, raised the gun, and aimed it at the safe zone.

At that exact moment, Zong Mao’s eyes widened in anticipation as he focused on Li Po’s right hand, ready for the shot.

But the sound of the gunfire never came.

Instead, Li Po staggered, nearly collapsing to the ground. His face turned pale, his eyes squeezed shut, and he struggled to find the wall for support before slumping against it in exhaustion.

Zong Mao was dumbfounded.

He had seen the Omega pull the trigger with his own eyes, but the bullet hadn’t fired. Could it be that the Omega was telling the truth?

No, that couldn’t be the case.

The Omega had chosen a B-rank handgun, and failing to fire it only meant his mental power was below B rank. He could still be C or D rank. One failed shot didn’t clear the Omega of suspicion; it only proved that his mental power level wasn’t high.

With that realization, Zong Mao became cautious again. He glanced at the Omega with barely concealed glee. Though he hadn’t experienced it himself, he knew that having your mental power drained was extremely uncomfortable. This would serve as a lesson for the Omega, and in a few days, he’d recover. No need for a trip to White Tower for mental power recovery fluids.

Satisfied, Zong Mao shot the Omega one last glance before turning and leaving the room.

–

Three minutes later.

Inside the room, still leaning against the wall, Li Po suddenly opened one eye. He cautiously peeked toward the door, and after confirming that Zong Mao wasn’t coming back, he opened both eyes fully.

The golden handgun was still clutched in his hand. Li Po tossed it lightly into the air, caught it mid-spin, and smiled to himself.

That’s right. He hadn’t fired the gun at all.

In the last moment before shooting, he had adjusted his stance slightly, creating a visual illusion for Zong Mao. Using his memory of the last two times he had fired a gun, he manipulated the pressure on the trigger just enough to convince Zong Mao that he had pulled it.

Zong Mao, being a seasoned combatant, was undoubtedly skilled and sensitive to any discrepancy in the distance between his hand and the gun. Any noticeable gap would have exposed Li Po’s trickery, so he had to precisely control the pressure, leaving no margin for error to successfully deceive Zong Mao.

As for accidentally firing the gun… Li Po stroked his chin thoughtfully. That possibility hadn’t really crossed his mind.

After all, he rarely gambled and lost.

Li Po twirled the handgun in his hand with a flourish, admiring his own cleverness. He deserved an award. As he toyed with the gun, his eyes drifted toward the weapons on the wall, a spark of interest lighting up in his gaze.

There were no S-rank or higher weapons in this room. All the weapons here required mental power levels of either A or B, which explained why Zong Mao was able to enter. But considering how much space was available outside, why bother setting aside a separate room for these weapons?

Li Po couldn’t make sense of it.

Not wanting to waste time on this small detail, he lifted his head and looked toward the opposite wall.

Suddenly, a glimmer of white caught his eye. Li Po blinked, his gaze drawn to it. When he finally saw what the weapon was, a smile tugged at his lips.

It was a platinum-colored handgun.

Li Po wasn’t particularly interested in the gun itself, but the color intrigued him. After all, it seemed to match a certain someone’s style perfectly.

After some thought, he decided to take the gun down.

It was small and lightweight, barely weighing anything in his hand. Li Po was pleased. This gun was stored in the A-rank section, meaning it required A-level mental power to use.

The moment he realized this, a bold idea crossed his mind—should he test it out?

There was no one else in the room. Even if the shot drained his mental power, he would have time to recover, so there was no risk of being caught off guard by an alpha. And if he did fire, it would be a perfect opportunity to finally gauge his true mental power level. It would be worth it.

The more he thought about it, the more tempting the idea became. Li Po returned the golden handgun to its place and carefully shut the steel door, leaving only a small crack open. Then he returned to the center of the room, gripping the platinum-colored handgun, and aimed it at the safe zone.

As he counted down in his mind—three, two, one…

“Bang!”

The moment the gun fired, Li Po’s mind went completely blank. He stumbled backward, struggling to stay on his feet, but eventually collapsed onto the cold ground. His fingers went limp, and the platinum handgun slipped from his grasp, clattering to the floor.

The icy floor sent chills through his hands, and he instinctively recoiled from the cold. His body shook as the intense pain in his mind overwhelmed him. Curled up on the floor, Li Po clutched his knees and buried his face in them, trying to shield himself from the freezing cold.

The excruciating pain in his head made it feel like his brain was being drained dry. All he could think about was how it felt like he was trapped in a nightmare.

In the nightmare, he was bound hand and foot and thrown into a freezing, bone-chilling lake.

The lake was so cold that his mind went numb as he sank deeper into the dark abyss. His body was tied up, leaving him no chance to struggle, and he simply sank into the depths.

Just as he began to wonder if he would freeze or drown first, a sudden surge of heat flared at the back of his neck.

The heat was overwhelming and aggressive, quickly spreading through his entire body and stripping away his senses. Li Po’s body trembled violently, and his face, still hidden beneath his knees, grew even paler.

The alternating waves of extreme heat and cold fought for control over his body. Li Po could feel every inch of his skin succumbing to the unbearable sensations. His eyes became bloodshot, and his body shivered uncontrollably.

In his hazy state, Li Po wondered, what was happening to him?

He had only fired one shot. The first time he had fired a gun, he had recovered after a short rest. Why was the reaction so much more intense this time?

His body felt unbearably hot.

His skin itched all over.

He wanted to be bitten, wanted teeth to pierce his skin and draw blood.

…And he was so thirsty.

As his thoughts spiraled out of control, a faint scent drifted into his nose—a delicate rose fragrance.

The moment he smelled it, Li Po snapped to attention, a rare trace of panic flashing in his eyes.

Where did this rose scent come from? There shouldn’t be any roses in the weapons depot.

If it wasn’t from the depot, then…

The alarming possibility hit him, and Li Po’s expression darkened.

He had never smelled his own pheromones, so he had no idea what they smelled like. He had never been able to ask anyone about it either.

Who would have thought they would be rose-scented? Li Po was familiar with roses, as people lined up every year to give them to him. Yet, he had never accepted any or bothered to take a close sniff.

Now that he could finally smell it, the scent was surprisingly pleasant, with a faint coolness that tempered the rose’s intensity, striking a perfect balance. It was an irresistibly alluring fragrance.

Wait… this isn’t the time to be thinking about that.

Li Po squeezed his eyes shut, trying to clear his mind of all the random thoughts. His eyes were bloodshot, and the corners of his eyes were even redder, making it look as if he had applied rouge.

Cold sweat dripped down his forehead. Li Po struggled to lift his head, reaching for the left pocket of his pants—he remembered that’s where he had placed the suppressant.

His black pants were already tight, and in his current sitting position, the fabric was stretched taut, leaving no room to spare. The suppressant case was firmly wedged in his pocket, its sharp corners digging into his leg. Li Po’s fingers, weak and trembling, fumbled to reach inside, but he could barely get a grip, let alone pull the case out.

For the first time, Li Po experienced a sense of utter helplessness.

His body burned with unbearable heat, and the itchiness spread from the back of his neck to every inch of his skin. There was no escaping it. His eyes, already red and irritated, became even more bloodshot.

Desperate to relieve the dryness in his eyes, Li Po forced himself to cry, but in doing so, he accidentally let out too many tears. The droplets rolled down his cheeks, falling onto the floor below.

But he didn’t have the luxury of worrying about that. A strange sensation crept over him, spreading through his body like wildfire. Soon, Li Po felt an uncontrollable thirst, a parched feeling that made his tongue dry up and his mouth flood with saliva.

He was so thirsty.

He needed water badly.

His dry, burning eyes became even more uncomfortable, and he had to squeeze out more tears just to keep them open.

Finally, after much effort, he managed to open a small gap in his pocket. Ignoring the pain in his fingers, Li Po reached inside and pulled out the suppressant case.

The sharp edges of the case nearly cut his fingers, but at the last moment, he relaxed his grip, leaving only a deep white mark on his skin.

His trembling hands fumbled with the case, trying to open it and retrieve the suppressant inside. But then, to his dismay, Li Po realized there was a layer of protective plastic wrapped around the case.

The plastic was slick and tight, and Li Po, barely able to muster any strength in his hands, had no chance of peeling it off with precision.

In his panic, he resorted to using his teeth.

But even that didn’t work. His weakened jaw couldn’t generate enough force to break through the plastic. All he managed was to leave a faint bite mark on the smooth surface, with the protective film remaining completely intact.

Li Po was on the verge of despair.

He had finally gotten the suppressant out, only to be unable to use it. It was like someone offering him hope only to snatch it away at the last moment. And even if he could get the plastic off, would he be able to use the suppressant? Not necessarily. What if it needed to be assembled or the instructions read? The mere thought was enough to make Li Po want to give up.

He knew his own body well, and Li Po realized he wouldn’t last that long.

The heat and itchiness were reaching unbearable levels, completely overwhelming the emptiness he had felt from having his mental power drained. His body’s cravings began to flood his mind, slowly consuming his rationality. Eventually, a new kind of emptiness crept in—an insatiable desire for an alpha.

In the next moment, a terrifying thought crossed Li Po’s mind—should he run out and find an alpha to mark him and end this torment?

The agony was becoming unbearable. In all his years, Li Po had never suffered like this. Even back when he was bedridden in White Tower and subjected to countless medical procedures by Bian Lu, it hadn’t been this excruciating.

But as soon as the thought entered his mind, Li Po ruthlessly crushed it. He had a mental aversion to being touched by others. Letting some random alpha near him? He’d rather die.

His current state was a result of Omega instincts kicking in during his heat. If he gave in to those instincts so easily, how would he be any different from a dog in heat on the street?

There would be no difference.

Li Po gritted his teeth and endured the pain, lowering his head and biting down on his lower lip.

His remaining rationality was slipping away bit by bit. Li Po bit down hard on his lip, dragging himself back from the edge of complete surrender. Unconsciously, his lips had already turned pale from the pressure, on the verge of breaking the skin and drawing blood.

Yet he didn’t stop. His grip on the suppressant tightened in one hand, while the other fumbled for the platinum handgun on the floor. As his mind became more disoriented, a disturbing thought crossed his mind: if an alpha did show up, who would he aim the gun at?

The alpha or himself?

Li Po eventually managed to grab the handgun, his fingers gripping it tightly, his thumb hovering just a fraction away from the trigger. He was ready to shoot himself in the leg if necessary, figuring that a little blood wouldn’t kill him.

At this moment, the Omega’s face was flushed, his eyes clouded with confusion and desire. His black hair, damp with cold sweat, clung to his forehead, emphasizing his pale, delicate features.

Due to the effects of his heat, Li Po’s expression softened, making him look fragile and easy to bully. But the stubborn glint in his tear-filled eyes added a sense of vulnerability to his overall demeanor.

Slowly, he gave up his defensive posture of hugging his knees and leaned back against the cold wall, hoping the chill would help cool him down and maintain a shred of rationality.

After all, he had no other options left.

As time passed, the emptiness caused by his mental power drain began to subside, only to be replaced by an overwhelming heat that surged through his body.

Li Po gradually released the tight grip on his lip. He licked his dry lips, hoping to ease the discomfort, but the action only intensified the dryness.

Hot and restless, Li Po had no choice but to part his lips, trying to relieve the suffocating heat. His tongue, now cool from the air, was gently bitten by his own teeth, causing a sharp sting.

Damn, that hurts!

The sudden jolt of pain brought him back to his senses, and Li Po shed a few more tears, thinking he could hold on a little longer. But then he heard a faint sound of footsteps.

Panic instantly shot through him. He forced his heavy eyelids open, staring at the steel door with a wary gaze, his grip tightening around the handgun.

“Squeak—”

The next second, the steel door creaked open, and Li Po mustered all his strength to lift the gun and aim it at the intruder, his voice cold and hoarse:

“Get out.”

–

After completing an S-rank mission, Jiang Yu submitted the report to the S District’s internal network and went to return his weapons.

At this time, the weapons depot was still empty. Jiang Yu walked to the farthest section, swiped his access card, and passed the verification process.

After returning the weapons, he checked the time and, seeing that it was still early, prepared to head to the Black Tower to handle the rest of his tasks.

But just as he was about to leave, a faint scent caught his attention.

Jiang Yu frowned slightly and turned his head toward the source of the smell—it was coming from the regular combatants weapon section.

As an alpha, Jiang Yu was extremely sensitive to scents. It took only a moment for him to recognize it as a pheromone scent. This particular scent was one he had only encountered once since entering the S District—the scent belonging to the district’s only Omega.

But Omegas weren’t allowed in the weapons depot. They weren’t part of the mission roster, so how could he be here?

Suddenly, Jiang Yu remembered that incident at White Tower.

Everything suddenly made sense.

But there was one more thing—there was no trace of an alpha’s pheromones in the air.

The rose scent grew stronger as Jiang Yu hesitated, but in the end, he decided to investigate. He hadn’t forgotten the suppressants the Omega had taken. If this was an accidental heat, things could get complicated.

When he arrived at the door, he noticed that it hadn’t been fully closed, only left ajar. Through the narrow gap, the overpowering rose scent assaulted Jiang Yu’s senses, infiltrating his every breath.

After a brief pause, Jiang Yu pushed the door open and stepped inside.

As soon as he entered, he raised his eyes and was met with the sight of a gun pointed directly at him.

And a weak, hoarse voice:

“Get out.”

–

Li Po hadn’t expected Jiang Yu to be the one to show up.

He had assumed it would be one of those alphas drawn in by his scent, and he had been prepared to pull the trigger. But as soon as he raised the gun, he found himself in an awkward silence.

The gun wavered slightly in his hand, and Li Po, completely exhausted, let it drop to the floor as he whispered:

“Sir.”

For some reason, Jiang Yu’s arrival made the air feel even more stifling. The heat clung to Li Po’s skin, smothering him to the point of suffocation.

The rose scent in the air became even more intense, nearly doubling in concentration. It filled the room, making it difficult for either of them to breathe.

Li Po lowered his head, his flushed cheeks growing even redder. His eyes were watery, and the parched feeling in his mouth intensified. He tried to moisten his lips, but the action only made his mouth drier.

He wanted to tell Jiang Yu to leave, but he had already used up all his strength earlier. He didn’t have the energy to say another word.

The heat around him grew more unbearable, his thirst worsening. His eyes reddened further, threatening to spill over with tears.

As the room’s temperature continued to rise, the very air seemed to warp and bend. Li Po couldn’t take it anymore, his watery eyes brimming with unshed tears.

His instincts screamed at him that the alpha was only a few meters away. All he had to do was reach out, and the alpha would come to him, and he could beg him to mark him.

And this alpha wasn’t just anyone—it was Jiang Yu.

Li Po liked his looks, and while he didn’t know much about him, his brief interactions with Jiang Yu had left a good impression. Unlike those alphas who were ruled by their baser instincts, Jiang Yu didn’t seem the type to be swayed by appearances alone.

So… should he let Jiang Yu mark him? Even if it was just a temporary mark?

No. Li Po quickly dismissed the idea.

He didn’t want that.

His feelings for Jiang Yu were superficial at best, and Jiang Yu had even less reason to care about him. How could two people with no real connection do something so intimate? Li Po’s principles wouldn’t allow it.

With that thought, Li Po calmed down for a moment, abandoning the ridiculous idea.

But in the next second, a new scent filled the air.

It was like a cool spring from a snowy mountain, icy and refreshing, with a faint chill to it. And for Li Po, who was burning up with heat, it was nothing short of a lifeline.

Li Po felt like he was going to break.

If not for that scent, he might have been able to hold on. But now, Jiang Yu’s pheromones were having a profound effect on him, pushing him closer and closer to the edge of reason.

What was he supposed to do?

The handgun in Li Po’s grip had grown warm from his touch. He tightened and loosened his grip several times, finally making a decision.

He raised the gun, aiming it at his own thigh. His thumb gently pressed down on the trigger, ready to pull it when—

Suddenly, a tall shadow fell over him.

Jiang Yu looked down at him with an unreadable expression, then crouched down, prying the gun from Li Po’s sweat-drenched hands.

“Why didn’t you use the suppressant?”

In the next second, he reached for the suppressant case that Li Po had been clutching so tightly.

Li Po couldn’t do anything. His head drooped in defeat, his eyes shut tight, and his lips trembled as he struggled to say even a single word.

No one could understand how much he was suffering.

The air around him was thick with alpha pheromones, and every breath he took was filled with Jiang Yu’s scent. Overwhelmed by the effects of his heat, Li Po’s mind was consumed by an unbearable craving for the alpha to come closer, to mark him, to bite into his gland and inject his pheromones.

And that urge only intensified when Jiang Yu leaned down, intending to inject him with the suppressant.

Li Po had been holding back for too long, his eyes turning red with the strain, tears pooling at the corners of his eyes. He couldn’t hold it in anymore, and a tear finally slipped down, landing in Jiang Yu’s palm.

Jiang Yu’s hand paused momentarily but didn’t stop. He gently took Li Po’s wrist, positioning the needle of the suppressant to inject him.

But just as the needle was about to pierce his skin, Li Po couldn’t hold back any longer.

He slapped the suppressant away and grabbed Jiang Yu’s wrist, sinking his teeth into it with all his remaining strength.