The moment the words fell, the surrounding air suddenly became colder by several degrees.

Li Po didn’t understand why, so he looked up at Jiang Yu, only to see a layer of coldness covering his face.

…What’s going on?

Sensing that something was off, Li Po began to reflect on his own words. As he replayed what he had just said, he realized something was wrong.

Hiss, it sounds a bit like flirting…

But all he wanted to do was touch the chip in Jiang Yu’s arm. Wasn’t that nothing? He just wanted to see if there would be a bump after the self-destruct chip was implanted, or if it would leave a scar.

Although Li Po wasn’t too concerned about his appearance, he had an almost obsessive control over his body. If an ugly scar appeared on his arm, it would really bother him every time he looked at it.

Because he was overly concerned about what might happen after the chip was implanted, Li Po hadn’t noticed Jiang Yu’s icy expression. Since Jiang Yu still wasn’t responding, Li Po decided to take action himself.

If it were anyone else, Li Po would never have touched them without permission, but Jiang Yu was different—Jiang Yu had already seen him nearly naked.

The thought of Jiang Yu unintentionally seeing his legs made Li Po grind his teeth in anger. So what’s wrong with touching his arm? He hadn’t even complained about being taken advantage of.

Thinking this, Li Po felt more justified. He slowly walked forward and looked up at Jiang Yu.

Seeing that Jiang Yu wasn’t reacting, he gathered his courage, quickly reached into Jiang Yu’s sleeve, and began to feel along the spot where the Alpha had bitten his forearm in his memory.

The temperature on the fifth floor of the Black Tower was very low, so Li Po’s fingers were cold. His icy fingers touched the warm, soft skin beneath the sleeve, and instantly, a subtle, electric-like sensation surged up Jiang Yu’s arm, reaching his nerves, even causing the nearby skin to shiver.

Li Po’s mischievous hand kept moving up inside Jiang Yu’s sleeve, inching closer and closer.

For once, a ripple of emotion appeared in Jiang Yu’s usually calm eyes. Without hesitation, he grabbed Li Po’s waist and pushed him away, coldly saying, “You’re an Omega.”

“?” Li Po’s eyes filled with genuine confusion.

Yeah, he’s an Omega, what’s the problem?

He had been seriously trying to feel for the chip, but no matter how much he touched, he couldn’t feel any bump or scar.

Could it be that the implanted chip doesn’t leave any visible marks? Just as he was lost in thought, Jiang Yu pushed him away. Although the push wasn’t hard, Li Po still felt upset.

Feeling wronged, Li Po asked, “Why did you push me?”

“…” Seeing that Li Po had no sense of self-awareness, Jiang Yu coldly stated, “An Omega should know how to maintain their dignity.”

Wait, this sounded familiar.

Li Po hated being wronged, so he reflexively argued, “How did I not maintain my dignity?”

Jiang Yu gave him a cold glance. “What were you just doing?”

Li Po responded righteously, “I was feeling for the chip.”

“I’m worried the implant might leave a scar, so I wanted to check yours. But since you weren’t responding, I had to do it myself.”

Actually, rolling up the sleeve and looking wasn’t out of the question, but Li Po was worried that what he saw might not be accurate. After weighing his options, he decided to touch it. Too bad Jiang Yu wasn’t cooperative.

Jiang Yu lowered his eyes, his cold gaze locking with the Omega’s. After observing Li Po’s eyes for any sign of deceit and finding none, he finally spoke, “Who told you the chip would definitely be in the arm?”

“…” Li Po was at a loss. He had never thought about it and just assumed everyone was the same.

At this moment, Jiang Yu was staring at him. Li Po had no choice but to mumble the truth:

“The first Alpha who got parasitized activated the self-destruct program, right? He bit his forearm at the time… I thought it was the same for everyone.”

Thinking for a moment, Li Po asked, “So, Sir, is your chip not in your forearm?”

Jiang Yu replied expressionlessly, “No.”

Suddenly understanding, Li Po asked, “So, I can choose where to implant the chip, right?”

“Mm.”

Li Po nodded in realization. Then, out of curiosity, he asked, “Where’s your chip, Sir?”

Jiang Yu didn’t seem inclined to answer. Instead, he glanced at the Omega and walked to the side, pressing a button on the machine. “It won’t leave a scar. Come here.”

Li Po didn’t dwell on the answer. Knowing that the implant wouldn’t leave a scar reassured him quite a bit. Though he still worried about the chip causing a bump under his skin, that concern paled in comparison to becoming an official combatant.

Thinking of this, he obediently walked over to stand beside Jiang Yu.

“Have you decided where to implant it?”

Li Po hadn’t actually thought about it, so he glanced at the machine and asked, “How do you activate the self-destruct program?”

Jiang Yu briefly replied, “Mental power or force.”

Li Po understood. The first Alpha who had been parasitized must have chosen the violent method to end his life in such a tragic manner.

“Then the thigh,” Li Po said softly after some thought.

Jiang Yu glanced at him, surprised, but didn’t ask anything. He simply pressed another button.

As Jiang Yu moved, the machine’s top opened slightly, and a few deep blue waves of electricity began to crawl over the surface of the machine, forming a square frame.

In just a few light-seconds, the deep blue waves solidified, perfectly fitting with the machine’s hidden track. Then, a person-sized space suddenly appeared inside the machine.

Li Po hesitated, glancing at Jiang Yu beside him. Jiang Yu thought he was scared and casually said, “It won’t hurt.”

Li Po hadn’t even considered the possibility of pain, but since Jiang Yu said so, he smiled and said, “Got it, Sir.”

With that, he turned his gaze to the space inside and walked in calmly. As he stepped inside, his figure vanished along with the space.

Jiang Yu stood in place, his expression unchanged as he withdrew his gaze. In his groin area, the precise and intelligent chip under his skin slightly protruded, hidden beneath a thin layer of flesh, seamlessly blending with his body temperature.

…

The moment the machine pierced Li Po’s skin, his vision went black.

A sharp, knife-like pain sliced through the inside of his thigh, as if someone was cutting into his flesh with a small blade. The stabbing pain was intense, unbearable.

Li Po wanted to cry. He had trusted Jiang Yu’s words, thinking it wouldn’t hurt, and hadn’t prepared himself mentally. Little did he know the cost of trusting others could be so severe. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and his face turned pale.

Damn…

He really wanted to curse.

After the intense pain subsided, a cold sensation crept in. Before he could figure out what it was, another wave of excruciating pain nearly knocked him unconscious.

Just as Li Po was about to bite through his lip from the agony, the pain finally began to recede. Li Po let go of his lip and took a deep breath, relieved to have survived.

Damn, they didn’t even bother with anesthesia. This is worse than White Tower.

Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind:

[Self-destruct chip implanted successfully]

Zzzzzz…

A mechanical, electric sound hummed, and deep blue electric currents wrapped around Li Po’s body. In the next second, he was teleported outside the machine.

Li Po’s legs nearly gave out beneath him, and he almost collapsed to the ground. At the same time, the sharp pain in his inner thigh remained, causing him to furrow his brow, his face turning deathly pale.

Just as he was about to crumple to the floor, a hand suddenly reached out from the side and steadied him.

“What’s wrong?”

“It hurts…” Li Po’s voice was weak. His eyelids drooped, and he complained in a pitiful tone, “Why did you lie to me?”

“If it hurt, you should have told me. I could have mentally prepared. You didn’t say anything, so I didn’t know. I almost died just now.”

“You Alphas have thick skin, but I’m an Omega. How can I be the same as you?”

“They didn’t even give me anesthesia. So stingy.”

“Just like you, won’t even let me touch your arm. Stingy.”

The more Li Po spoke, the more wronged he felt. He forgot all about Jiang Yu’s status and just kept rambling.

He wasn’t really that fragile, though. He’d been into extreme sports before and had suffered worse injuries without complaining to anyone. He had silently endured far more painful injuries.

But now, for some reason, he couldn’t stop complaining to Jiang Yu, rattling off a barrage of grievances.

“…”

Jiang Yu remained silent after hearing him out.

His brow furrowed slightly, and the hand holding the Omega tightened involuntarily.

Li Po thought Jiang Yu was doing it on purpose and got even more annoyed. He struggled a bit, trying to break free from his grasp. “If you’re unhappy, just say so. Why are you hurting me? Let go.”

But Jiang Yu didn’t let go. Instead, he slightly loosened his grip and said, resigned, “Don’t move.”

Li Po refused to comply.

Doing everything Jiang Yu told him to would make him seem too easy to manipulate.

Seeing the Omega still struggling, Jiang Yu’s brow furrowed even deeper. He’d never encountered such a spoiled and stubborn Omega before—more troublesome than even the most unruly Alphas. He couldn’t use force, and he couldn’t speak too harshly either.

Feeling a bit of a headache, Jiang Yu’s face grew cold, and he sternly said, “Behave.”

“…”

Li Po immediately stopped moving.

“Are you mad?” Suddenly, all the emotion drained from Li Po’s face as he asked coldly, his pale face calm.

Jiang Yu frowned at him, unsure why he was asking such a question.

“Alright, I get it.” Li Po lowered his gaze, his eyes devoid of emotion. “The chip has been implanted, Sir. Is there anything else you need me to do? If not, I’ll head back.”

After thinking for a moment, he added, “Sorry for wasting your time.”

Jiang Yu stared at the suddenly quiet Omega, feeling like something was off.

But he couldn’t quite pinpoint it, so he just nodded slightly.

Noticing Jiang Yu’s response, Li Po expressionlessly withdrew his arm from Jiang Yu’s grasp and limped toward the exit.

The chip had just been implanted, and it couldn’t be rubbed against anything, so his walking looked a bit awkward. But Li Po didn’t care at all, continuing to walk forward resolutely.

Suddenly, a force pulled him back. “Take this.”

Li Po glanced sideways and saw a white pill. He didn’t know what it was, but he didn’t care. “No need, thank you, Sir.”

Jiang Yu looked at Li Po’s stubborn profile and fell silent for a few seconds. Finally, he lowered his gaze, staring at the white painkiller in his palm, and said in a flat tone:

“It’s been five years since my chip was implanted. I didn’t mean to lie to you; I just forgot.”

“This is a painkiller. Take it.”

Jiang Yu’s tone was calm, not sounding like an explanation, but this was already quite rare for him.

Li Po stared at him for a while, then finally averted his gaze and stopped arguing. Without saying a word, he took the pill from Jiang Yu’s hand and swallowed it.

“Do you need water?”

Li Po chuckled, “Do you have any?”

“No.”

“Then forget it.”

“…Mm.”

Li Po didn’t ask why Jiang Yu had painkillers on him. He knew that even if he asked, Jiang Yu wouldn’t answer, so he didn’t bother wasting his breath.

The painkiller took effect quickly. In no time, the pain in Li Po’s leg was gone. He gently shook off Jiang Yu’s hand, took a few experimental steps, and found it much better.

Li Po was a bit surprised; he had never taken a painkiller that worked so fast.

With his leg feeling better, he was about to leave, but something came to mind. He turned to Jiang Yu and asked, “By the way, how are my two teammates? Did they die or…?”

Jiang Yu looked at him for a moment before answering, “They’re not dead.”

Li Po’s eyes widened slightly. “How do you know? Did they return to S District?”

Jiang Yu shook his head. “The chip can detect life signs.”

A sudden realization hit Li Po, and his face changed. “Does that mean this chip can track me wherever I go?”

Jiang Yu didn’t immediately answer, instead asking, “Do you regret it?”

Li Po’s face instantly scrunched up in distress. After hesitating, he tentatively asked, “Is it too late to dig it out now?”

Jiang Yu glanced at him with an unreadable expression. “It can’t track you.”

…You could’ve just said that earlier.

Li Po’s emotions rose and fell like a roller coaster. He cursed Jiang Yu under his breath but maintained his obedient demeanor. “Got it, Sir. I’ll be leaving now.”

With that, he turned and left without waiting for Jiang Yu’s permission.

Behind him, Jiang Yu watched the Omega’s retreating figure, his eyes growing more complicated.

—Was Li Po’s pure, obedient nature genuine, or just an act?

•

Li Po had intended to head back to the dormitory, but halfway there, he suddenly remembered something and changed direction.

If he wasn’t mistaken, he hadn’t visited White Tower in a while.

Thinking of Bian Lu, Li Po couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty. And now that he was going to White Tower mainly to ask about the painkillers Jiang Yu gave him, his guilt grew even stronger.

White Tower, Third Floor Consultation Room.

Li Po pushed the door open. As expected, there were no patients. Bian Lu was hunched over the desk, writing medical records.

“Dr. Bian, I’m here,” Li Po said nervously.

Without looking up, Bian Lu replied, “You came back yesterday, didn’t you? And you’re only coming to see me now.”

Li Po lowered his gaze, speaking softly, “I went to see the Commander first, he…”

“Stop, stop.” Bian Lu didn’t want to hear it. He swore he had no interest in whatever was going on between the two of them.

He capped his pen, raised his head, and asked, “How did the mission go?”

Li Po thought for a moment. “It was alright, except two of my teammates didn’t return.”

“They didn’t return? They died?” Bian Lu was stunned.

By all accounts, the mission assigned to Li Po should have been very simple, not only simple but with a few people sent to protect him.

If that was the case, how could two of them not come back? Even if there were sudden changes in the mission, it shouldn’t result in the loss of two Alphas.

Li Po shook his head. “They’re not dead, but they didn’t come back. Maybe they were kidnapped.”

Bian Lu grew even more curious. “What exactly did you encounter?”

Hearing Bian Lu’s question, Li Po hesitated. The moment he accepted the mission, a set of mission rules appeared in his mind. The first rule was that he couldn’t disclose mission details to anyone outside of the system, combat officers, or administrators, or he would face penalties.

“Um… Am I allowed to say?”

At first, Bian Lu thought that given the level of mission Li Po was assigned, it wouldn’t matter if he talked about it. But seeing the Omega’s cautious, secretive demeanor, Bian Lu suddenly felt a bit guilty. “Forget the rules. It’s fine. We can talk about something else.”

Li Po obediently nodded and then asked, “Dr. Bian, do you know of any particularly effective painkillers?”

“Painkillers?” Bian Lu frowned. “Why do you need that? Where does it hurt?”

Li Po quickly shook his head. “No, it’s just that I used a very effective painkiller at the Commander’s place—a white pill—so I was wondering if you could prescribe me some.”

Li Po thought he was emphasizing the white pill painkiller, but to Bian Lu, the entire sentence took on a different meaning.

An Omega using painkillers at Jiang Yu’s place?

What on earth had happened to require painkillers? How painful must it have been?

Suddenly, Bian Lu’s expression froze.

With a “whoosh,” he stood up and hurried over to the Omega’s side, circling him to check, focusing especially on the back of his neck.

Seeing the barrier patch securely adhered to Li Po’s neck, with no signs of redness or injury, Bian Lu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Dr. Bian, what’s wrong?” Li Po was startled by Bian Lu’s sudden actions.

Bian Lu didn’t answer. He just gave Li Po a look of sympathy and pity. “Be careful. He’s been holding back for a long time.”

Huh? What?

Li Po stared at Bian Lu in confusion, completely clueless as to what he was talking about.

Seeing the Omega’s innocent expression, Bian Lu sighed deeply and returned to his seat. Only then did he speak again, “You’re asking about Jiang Yu’s painkillers?”

Li Po nodded.

“Jiang Yu’s medications are all specially made by White Tower. His constitution is unique, so the effects of his meds are enhanced. You won’t be able to get the same ones. If you need painkillers, I can prescribe you a regular version. While the effect isn’t as strong as his, it still works quickly.”

Hearing this, Li Po lowered his gaze in slight disappointment. So Jiang Yu’s medication was VIP-level. No wonder it worked so well. Still, the regular version would do for him, especially since injuries are inevitable in missions.

Thinking this, he nodded to Bian Lu.

Bian Lu wrote out a prescription and handed it to him. “Only take them if absolutely necessary. Overuse can lead to drug resistance.”

“Got it, Dr. Bian.”

Just as Li Po was leaving the consultation room to get his medication, he bumped into someone familiar.

At first, Li Po didn’t notice him and kept walking. But as they brushed past each other, the other person suddenly called out to him.

Hearing the voice, Li Po glanced back and saw that it was Zong Mao.

The moment he saw Zong Mao, a look of disgust flashed across Li Po’s eyes. He quickly averted his gaze, not wanting to engage, and prepared to leave.

“I heard you went on a mission,” Zong Mao said with a smirk. “Two of your teammates died, and only you and another one came back.”

Li Po stopped in his tracks.

“The one who came back is completely devoted to you now, even turning against his old friends because of you.”

The more Zong Mao spoke, the more amused he became. He couldn’t help but clap his hands, mocking, “What a clever trick—taking out the people you didn’t like without anyone noticing, and gaining a loyal follower in the process.”

Li Po couldn’t care less about Zong Mao’s sarcasm. In fact, he was more interested in the word “friends.”

Since when were bullies and the bullied friends? How laughable.

Seeing that the Omega wasn’t responding, Zong Mao didn’t get angry. Instead, he chuckled softly and asked, “Do you think the next one who doesn’t come back could be me?”

Li Po frowned at him, thinking he must be crazy.

“At first, after measuring your mental power, I doubted my judgment. Then, I went on a mission with Jin Mu, and he didn’t seem to harbor any ill will toward me. Just as I was about to let go of my suspicions, this mission of yours really opened my eyes.”

“So, you like to do things yourself, huh? I didn’t expect an Omega with mental power below B-level to be so capable. You must have someone outside helping you, right?”

“I’m telling you, even if I die, I’ll expose your actions to the higher-ups before I go, and S District will judge you!”

Zong Mao stared coldly at Li Po, his eyes gleaming with a hint of madness.

Li Po didn’t flinch. He calmly glanced at Zong Mao and asked, “Evidence?”

Zong Mao nearly lost it at Li Po’s nonchalant attitude. Clenching his fists and suppressing the rage coursing through his body, he gritted his teeth and said, “There will be evidence sooner or later. You’d better hide your fox’s tail well, or you won’t even know how you died when the time comes.”

“Oh,” Li Po nodded. “So you don’t have anything yet. I figured.”

After saying that, he shot Zong Mao a mocking smile. “Who but a clown would be dumb enough to reveal their hand so easily?”

“You…!”

Li Po didn’t want to hear any more of Zong Mao’s rants. After finishing his sentence, he didn’t spare another glance at Zong Mao and headed straight for the pharmacy.

Watching the Omega walk away as if nothing had happened, Zong Mao stood there, his hair practically standing on end with rage.

He had originally come to White Tower to get medicine for his insomnia and anxiety. He had almost recovered, but ever since Di Kai told him about the Omega, he hadn’t been able to sleep. Every night, he sat in agony, chewing on his fingernails against the wall.

He was a sensitive, paranoid person, and the night Hong Mao was taken away had left him sleepless. He didn’t expect the Omega to still not let him off, and now it seemed like the Omega was preparing to deal with him soon.

If he had known the Omega’s true identity, he would never have been foolish enough to provoke him from the start. He wouldn’t have said those arrogant, self-serving words just to satisfy his own animalistic desires.

Zong Mao regretted it so much he could cry. The situation was like a sword of Damocles hanging over his head, driving him to the brink of madness.

No, he needed to take the medicine, sleep well, and save his strength to catch the Omega’s slip-up and expose his true nature!

With that thought in mind, Zong Mao anxiously made his way to the consultation room.

Yes, time to get the meds…

•

After picking up his medication, Li Po left White Tower, lost in thought.

Judging by the attitudes of both Jiang Yu and Bian Lu, it seemed like they didn’t really care much about the two Alphas who went missing outside of S District. Not to mention Jiang Yu, but even Bian Lu had only been surprised for a moment before returning to his usual calm demeanor, as if this was something he had seen countless times before.

Although Li Po felt something was off about the factory and had reported it to Jiang Yu, it was still just his side of the story. The only one who returned with him was Kuang Feng, and they had only seen two pollutants—not the crates. The only part of their story that could align was the mercenaries.

Clearly, judging by Jiang Yu’s attitude, S District didn’t care about the mercenaries. In fact, it seemed like interference from outsiders was a common occurrence in S District missions. You could tell by the way Kuang Feng had treated that mercenary.

Thinking of this, Li Po felt like he had missed something. He carefully recalled the scene at the time and suddenly caught onto something—Kuang Feng’s attitude towards the mercenary had changed after he pulled the mercenary over and glanced behind his ear.

What had Kuang Feng been checking for?

With this thought, Li Po pulled out his communicator. He opened the screen and noticed a red dot next to his contacts.

Who’s bothering me now…

Li Po grumbled internally as he opened it.

But when he saw who the request was from, his impatience vanished, replaced by surprise.

On the screen, there was a message:

[Friend request—from Kuang Feng]

To be honest, Li Po was a little surprised that Kuang Feng had really fallen out with Di Kai and distanced himself from that oppressive, humiliating situation. Not everyone had the courage to change their circumstances and bear the consequences, but Kuang Feng had done it. That was no small feat.

Li Po had already prepared for Kuang Feng to stay on Di Kai’s side, opposing him. He hadn’t expected Kuang Feng to actually turn against Di Kai and side with him, even at the cost of offending Di Kai.

Of course, Li Po wasn’t that naive. He had considered the possibility that this might be a staged act, a collaboration between Di Kai, Kuang Feng, and Zong Mao. But even if that were the case, he was confident he could control the situation and wouldn’t let himself suffer.

As he thought about this, Li Po pressed the [Accept] button.

Before Kuang Feng could greet him, Li Po, driven by his curiosity, sent a message first:

[Do you remember that mercenary in the factory? You glanced behind his ear. What were you looking for?]

Though he asked, he didn’t have much hope of getting a response. After all, the mission rules were clear. If he wasn’t mistaken, this was likely part of the mission. Given Kuang Feng’s timid nature, he probably wouldn’t tell him.

The next second, the communicator lit up.

Kuang Feng: [Do you have time to meet in person?]

Kuang Feng hadn’t answered his question, but Li Po instantly understood—it wasn’t something they could discuss over the communicator.

Realizing this, Li Po quickly replied:

[Sure. You pick the place.]

Kuang Feng: [20 minutes later, Training Ground 1.]

…

Ten minutes later, Li Po found Kuang Feng hiding in a corner, squatting down and fiddling with something. He looked like a quiet little mushroom.

“You’re here.”

Kuang Feng was startled by the sudden voice. He jumped up, nervously wiping his hands. “You got here so fast.”

Li Po smiled, “I came from White Tower.”

“Oh.” Kuang Feng nodded. He subtly glanced around before lowering his voice. “It wasn’t safe to say anything on the communicator.”

Li Po, hearing this, was a little confused. “But we were on the same mission.”

Kuang Feng shook his head mysteriously. “No, it’s not about the mission. What you asked me about is something different.”

Amused by Kuang Feng’s cautiousness, Li Po chuckled and teased, “Aren’t you worried about getting punished for telling me this?”

Kuang Feng shook his head earnestly. “I’m not afraid.”

“Alright, then tell me.”

“I was looking for a tattoo—a black hourglass tattoo.”

Li Po frowned, “A black hourglass?”

“Yeah,” Kuang Feng nodded cautiously. “The tattoo is behind the ear, about a centimeter long. It’s not very noticeable. You wouldn’t see it unless you got up close.”

“And why were you looking for it?” Li Po asked, puzzled.

At this, Kuang Feng ran a finger across his neck. “To kill them.”

Li Po was taken aback.

“I don’t really know why, either. I’ve never seen anyone with that tattoo behind their ear. But I know that if I encounter someone with that mark, no matter who they are or what they’re doing, I must kill them. I can’t leave a single one alive.”

Li Po was speechless for a moment.

“Sorry, that’s all I know, and it’s all I can tell you. But since I have such a strong impression of this, it must be very important. If you ever come across someone with a black hourglass tattoo behind their ear, be extremely cautious.”

“Got it,” Li Po nodded in agreement.

“Oh, and the shape looks like this.” Just in case, Kuang Feng crouched down again and sketched a rough outline in the dirt.

Li Po looked down, memorizing the shape Kuang Feng drew. He then handed Kuang Feng a white handkerchief. “I’ve got it. Thanks for the help.”

As soon as Li Po handed him the handkerchief, Kuang Feng’s ears flushed red. He quickly wiped away the markings on the ground and stood up, accepting the handkerchief.

“I’ll head out now. If anyone sees us together, it might hurt your reputation.”

Li Po nodded.

Honestly, he hadn’t expected Kuang Feng to be so thoughtful, even more so than he had anticipated.

After watching Kuang Feng walk away, Li Po refocused and decided to find a holographic simulation machine to try out his mental power control.

But to his surprise, just as he found a machine and inserted his star key, someone approached him, placing their hand on the pod door and stopping him from entering.

Li Po glanced to the side—it was Jin Mu.

Since their last encounter at White Tower, where Jin Mu had helped him get medicine, Li Po hadn’t seen him again, only exchanging a few messages on the communicator.

Now, seeing Jin Mu in person, Li Po was clearly surprised.

“What are you doing here?”

Jin Mu looked angry. He had been training here the whole time, but as he was practicing, a sudden wave of irritation washed over him. Without much thought, he had opened the pod, intending to step out and get some air.

But just as he stepped out with one foot, he caught sight of Li Po in the corner, talking secretly with an Alpha he didn’t recognize.

At that moment, Jin Mu almost exploded with rage. He nearly charged over to demand what they were doing, but his rational side suppressed his impulse, forcing him to step back, close the pod, and leave a small crack to spy through.

He had no idea that Li Po had been on a mission, nor that the Alpha was his teammate. He just assumed Li Po had hooked another new fish.

Jin Mu was so angry he could almost gnash his teeth. Sitting in the pod, he watched the two from afar, his eyes dark as ink.

He couldn’t understand why Li Po would even bother with someone of that quality. What was his taste?

That Alpha wasn’t tall, had an average build, and looked scrawny. At least Jin Mu had six-pack abs. What did this guy have? He looked like a weakling.

The more Jin Mu watched, the angrier he became. He was about to explode.

But he didn’t dare to act out immediately, so he waited until the two separated before quietly approaching the Omega, pretending to bump into him by chance. “I’ve been training here the whole time. Why are you here?”

Li Po didn’t suspect anything and just replied nonchalantly, “Training. What else?”

“…” Jin Mu was struggling to maintain his composure.

Training? Then what was he doing earlier? Smiling at someone, handing them a handkerchief—was that training?

Hah, more like training a dog, right?

Jin Mu sneered inwardly, but his face remained calm. He asked, “Why haven’t I seen you these past few days? I sent you messages, but you never responded.”

Li Po glanced at him, replying casually, “I was on a mission.”

“…???”

Jin Mu’s jaw nearly dropped.

A mission? An Omega went on a mission? That couldn’t be possible. How could S District allow that?

He stared at Li Po in disbelief, his eyes wide with shock.

Li Po, meanwhile, was quite pleased with Jin Mu’s reaction. Jin Mu had once mocked him, saying he couldn’t go on missions, and if he did, he’d only hold others back. Li Po still remembered that well:

—“You, an Omega, on a mission? Can you even kill pollutants? Or would you just wet your pants? Plus, with your E-level mental power, you can only use those melee weapons, which are useless. You’d just drag the team down. Who would dare team up with you?”

But as it turned out, he could go, he could kill pollutants, and he didn’t wet his pants.

As for mental power, he was at least an A-level. As for weapons, he could use anything A-level and below. As for dragging the team down… Li Po smirked coldly. It was the others dragging him down, not the other way around.

With these thoughts, Li Po calmly watched Jin Mu’s expression, feeling quite satisfied.

Then Jin Mu ruined his mood with his next question: “What level was your mission?”

“…” Damn it.

Could he say? If he did, wouldn’t he just get embarrassed again? Where would his hard-earned dignity go?

Li Po shot a displeased glance at Jin Mu, staying silent.

After spending some time deciphering the Omega’s thoughts, Jin Mu quickly tried to reassure him. “It’s okay, take your time. My first mission was B-level. You’ll work your way up.”

Ugh.

Li Po didn’t want to deal with him anymore. He lowered his gaze to Jin Mu’s hand on the pod door. “Move your hand. I need to get inside.”

Jin Mu was stunned. Did he say something wrong? Why was the Omega’s tone so much worse now?

As a dense, steel-hearted Alpha, Jin Mu’s brain cells were clearly lacking. Desperate to change the subject, he suddenly remembered that all combatants had to get a self-destruct chip implanted. So, he blurted out:

“Oh yeah, since you went on a mission, you must be an official combatant now, right? Did you get your chip? Where’d you get it implanted?”

Li Po had been fine until now, but the mention of the chip instantly made him think about the inside of his thigh, which had started hurting again.

Instead of answering Jin Mu’s question, he shot back, “Where’s yours?”

Jin Mu grinned, raising his palm. “Here.”

Li Po glanced at his palm, puzzled. “Isn’t that inconvenient?”

“Not at all,” Jin Mu raised his hand to his mouth, mimicking a bite. “If I ever end up in a life-threatening situation, I can just lift my hand and bite the chip. Simple and easy.”

“Why not destroy it with mental power?”

Jin Mu chuckled, “You’re still inexperienced.”

Li Po: “?”

“In a desperate situation, who has the luxury of mental power left? Most combatants have a strong survival instinct. Unless they’re backed into a corner, even if they have a sliver of mental power left, they wouldn’t choose the extreme method of self-destruction. For example, I’d keep fighting until the very last moment, as long as I still had strength.”

“…” Li Po fell silent after hearing this.

Exactly. If there’s a better option, who would choose such a brutal way to die? Although starting the self-destruct program means dying without a whole body, destroying the chip with mental power is still more dignified than a violent death.

“What if the chip is implanted in the wrist, and your arm gets blown off during a mission?”

Jin Mu, clearly enjoying the Omega’s questions, eagerly explained, “Oh, the chip is very precise. It can detect if the damage is voluntary or not. If it’s not, the self-destruct program won’t activate.”

After thinking for a moment, he added, “But generally, combatants who lose a limb, even if they survive, will be sent out of S District. So many prefer to die in battle, earning a good reputation in S District, rather than being thrown out like trash.”

“Don’t you think S District is a bit cruel?” Li Po asked softly after hearing this.

Jin Mu smiled, “Survival of the fittest. If you’re not strong enough, you’ll be eliminated. It’s not cruel.”

Li Po nodded in understanding.

He then glanced at Jin Mu’s hand still on the pod door and raised an eyebrow. “I’m done asking. Thanks. You should go back to training.”

“…?”

Jin Mu looked at the Omega in disbelief. Was he being told to leave?

At that moment, he finally remembered what he had initially wanted to ask—where the Omega had implanted his chip.

But now, not only had he failed to get the answer, but he had also let the Omega get all this information out of him.

Great, he’d been used again.

Once again, discarded after use.