Being built within the beacon, the structure of the Underground City was intricate, with countless intersecting alleys. The dark, unlit corners became ideal breeding grounds for shadows and secrecy.

At this moment, sharp, continuous noises echoed from the depths of a narrow alley.

Chen Ci pressed his lips together, gazing coldly at the row of kneeling Alphas before him. His palm repeatedly rubbed against his waist, the fabric brushing against his skin, turning the pain into a shield against the invasive sensation of being touched by strangers.

An unimaginable amount of mental power condensed and filled this small space, suffocating the Alphas under its weight. It was as if even the gravitational field had been altered. The burly Alphas, usually so strong, were forced to kneel awkwardly, unable to even lift their heads. All they could see were the pant cuffs of the Omega before them.

But that wasn’t the scariest part.

Their minds were also suppressed, their reactions slowed to a crawl. The sheer power of the Omega’s mental force silently invaded every crevice of their thoughts, even though its owner had no overt malicious intent.

The vulgarity of their thoughts matched the crudeness of their appearance.

Chen Ci had grown up sheltered in the White Tower, but he wasn’t an innocent blank slate.

Were these people really Chen Nian’s friends?

Chen Ci frowned slightly, and in the instant his expression changed, one of the Alphas who had been leering and taunting moments ago suddenly lost control of his hand. He slapped himself hard across the face.

Smack!

The slap was loud enough to make an impact, and a bright red handprint instantly appeared on his cheek. It turned out his skin wasn’t as thick as expected. The sound seemed to act as a cue, and the other Alphas followed suit. Slap after slap echoed in the alley.

The Omega youth stood quietly, his expression calm. Before him, six gangsters knelt, dazed and frantically slapping themselves—an absurd scene that would make anyone’s jaw drop.

Yet aside from Chen Ci, no one else would know about it.

Without sparing the street thugs another glance, Chen Ci turned to leave, ready to continue his journey home.

However, as he stepped forward, he noticed a figure at the other end of the alley. A stranger, an Alpha, stood there, observing from a distance. It was unclear how long he had been watching.

Chen Ci halted, instinctively lumping the Alpha in with the gang.

“Move,” he said. His voice wasn’t loud, and his tone remained even. But anyone who had seen what happened earlier wouldn’t dare take his words lightly.

The Alpha, however, didn’t leave. Instead, he boldly stepped forward.

“You might have misunderstood. I’m not with them.”

The Alpha extended his hand gracefully and said something that took Chen Ci by surprise. “I noticed you back at the restaurant. I followed you to ask: Would I be fortunate enough to invite you to lunch?”

Chen Ci raised his eyes to meet the Alpha’s gaze for the first time. The man was young, barely in his twenties, with sharp, handsome features. He was certainly more presentable than those unsavory thugs.

What caught Chen Ci’s attention most was the Alpha’s eyes—one was a normal black, while the other gleamed a striking gold.

The Alpha maintained a polite smile, his hand still extended, patiently awaiting a response.

Lunch together?

Chen Ci thought of his account balance—0.11 Oji—and the fact that it would take at least three hours to walk home. It was already afternoon, and breakfast wasn’t enough to last him until dinner. He was starving.

After a brief internal debate, he chose the free meal over hunger. If the Alpha harbored any ill intentions, the consequences would be evident from the scene behind him.

Chen Ci pulled a tissue from his pocket as a barrier, placing his hand lightly in the Alpha’s palm.

“Your honor.”

The Alpha laughed, his smile bright yet tinged with a hint of mischief. Before the Alpha could grip his hand, Chen Ci quickly withdrew it, folding the tissue and putting it back into his pocket.

“I’m Fu Tianhe,” the Alpha introduced himself. “I noticed you entered and left the restaurant quickly and thought you might’ve run into some trouble. I didn’t dare ask then, so I followed you.”

Chen Ci hadn’t noticed Fu Tianhe back at the restaurant. He gave a faint acknowledgment and said, “My name is… September.”

September was the month of his birth. While he was currently using Chen Nian’s identity, he didn’t want to reveal too much to a stranger he had just met.

It was obviously a pseudonym, but Fu Tianhe didn’t mind Chen Ci’s guardedness. Instead, he asked, “What do you want to eat?”

“Anything’s fine.”

“Then follow me. I know a good spot nearby.”

The two walked to a livelier street nearby, where the underground city bustled like a perpetual night market. The place had its own peculiar charm.

They entered a small eatery and sat at an empty table. Soon, the owner’s wife came over, wiping the table with a damp cloth that left a slightly greasy sheen.

Though it wasn’t the most sanitary place, Chen Ci didn’t mind. He wasn’t a germaphobe; he simply disliked physical contact with others.

“Order whatever you want.” Fu Tianhe handed him the menu. Scanning it, Chen Ci found many unfamiliar dishes. However, just because someone else was paying didn’t mean he’d take advantage. He chose a modestly priced single meal. When he looked up, he caught Fu Tianhe staring at him.

Caught red-handed, the Alpha blushed and sipped his tea to cover his embarrassment.

Chen Ci, unbothered, began observing Fu Tianhe instead. The golden eye intrigued him—it was a prosthetic. While realistic, it wasn’t as seamless as his real eye when he blinked.

Fu Tianhe must have lost his right eye, either from injury or illness.

The meal arrived quickly. Though it lacked the presentation of the gourmet dishes Chen Ci was accustomed to, he took a bite and found the “street food” surprisingly delicious—better, even, than the royal chef’s truffle foie gras.

Focused on his meal, Chen Ci paid no attention to the bustling restaurant or Fu Tianhe across the table. This wasn’t a fiancé or some noble; it was just an Alpha he had met fifteen minutes ago. All he knew was his name and that he had a prosthetic eye.

The two ate in relative silence. In the lively eatery, their quietness didn’t feel awkward.

When Chen Ci finished his last bite, he wiped his hands clean and said, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Fu Tianhe had already eaten, spending the time sipping tea and watching Chen Ci.

After paying the bill, Fu Tianhe asked, “What’s next for you?”

“I want to go home.”

“Is it far? Do you need a ride?”

It would take three hours on foot to reach Chen Nian’s home, and Chen Ci didn’t even have tram fare.

“Is it convenient?”

“Of course. I’m free right now.” Fu Tianhe stood, ready to go.

Though Chen Ci remained wary of his intentions, Fu Tianhe’s behavior had been respectful so far, enough to label him a “kind stranger.”

Chen Ci told him the general area of his residence. When Fu Tianhe went to call for a car, Chen Ci stopped him. “No need. The tram will do.”

They arrived at a nearby tram stop. While waiting, Chen Ci studied the schedule. Something so mundane to others felt novel to him.

The tram arrived, and Fu Tianhe called out, “Here it comes.”

Boarding the tram, Chen Ci chose a window seat and gazed outside. The scenery shifted as the tram started—metal structures, crisscrossing pipelines, and constant artificial lights. People dressed in various styles navigated through the perpetual twilight of the Underground City.

Through the window’s reflection, Chen Ci noticed Fu Tianhe sneaking glances at him. He pretended not to see, letting the Alpha believe his observation was unnoticed.

About thirty minutes later, they arrived at the nearest stop to Chen Nian’s residence. Deciding not to reveal the exact address to someone he’d just met, Chen Ci said, “Thanks for bringing me back.”

Fu Tianhe seemed a bit disappointed but smiled. “No problem. Would it be okay to exchange contact info? In case you run into trouble, you can reach out.”

His hopeful gaze made it hard to outright refuse. Chen Ci instead offered a polite alternative. “If we meet again, we can exchange then.”

“Alright,” Fu Tianhe agreed. “Until next time.”

Chen Ci nodded, giving the Alpha one last glance before walking toward home.

After a few dozen steps, a loud voice called out from behind.

“September!”

Startled, Chen Ci turned. Fu Tianhe still stood where he’d left him, shouting, “I’m Fu Tianhe!”

The over-the-top declaration, straight out of a soap opera, caught Chen Ci off guard. Clearly, Fu Tianhe wanted to ensure his name wasn’t forgotten. Embarrassed by the drama, Chen Ci nodded quickly. “I’ll remember.”

Hoping to avoid further attention, Chen Ci resumed walking. This part of the Underground City was impoverished. Carefully avoiding puddles of dirty water, he hurried along. A stray drop from above landed on his shoulder, prompting him to quicken his pace.

The air reeked of garbage. Chen Ci held his breath and walked briskly until he reached the entrance to Corridor 72-01.

Climbing to the third floor, he noticed the peeling walls and white plaster debris scattered about. Near the door, old, childish doodles decorated the wall, drawn with colored pens long ago.

Were these Chen Nian’s?

After a moment of observation, Chen Ci placed his hand on the fingerprint scanner. As expected, it failed.

Though he and Chen Nian were near-mirror twins, environmental factors had caused minute differences in their fingerprints over time.

When they’d exchanged smartwatches, they had registered each other’s fingerprints to avoid issues. But Chen Nian hadn’t added Chen Ci’s prints to the door system yet, leaving him locked out.

Chen Ci pressed the doorbell, and a voice answered moments later. “Who is it?”

“Uncle Jiang, it’s me,” Chen Ci replied, mimicking Chen Nian’s tone. “The door lock isn’t recognizing me for some reason.”

After a pause, the door opened.

The man before him was middle-aged, with streaks of white in his hair. His face and arms bore scars from severe burns, and his hunched posture betrayed an unnatural frailty for his age.

Though aged beyond recognition, Chen Ci instantly identified him as Chen Family’s former housekeeper, Jiang Dai—the man who had been thought lost in the fire.

“Back so early today,” Jiang Dai remarked casually.

He didn’t suspect the switch. Without looking closely at Chen Ci, he moved to check the door lock. “Fingerprint scanner acting up?”

“I’ll take a look,” Chen Ci offered. Seeing Jiang Dai in his pajamas, he added, “Did I disturb your rest?”

“No, I was just about to lie down.”

“Then go ahead. I’ll rest after fixing this.”

Jiang Dai nodded, returning to his room. Once alone, Chen Ci accessed the door system and swiftly registered his fingerprints and iris scan.

That should take care of it.