Chapter 76 – Come to the Darkness
Novel Title: 顶级掠食者 (Alpha Predator)
Author：水千丞 (ShuiQianCheng)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: 沈岱 (Shen Dai -MC), 瞿末予 (Qu Moyu -ML))
*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*
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After Attorney Chen left, Shen Dai sat motionless for a long time. He kept staring at the half-spread A4 paper covering half of the table.
He thought for a very long time, starting from the temporary ‘mark’ Qu Moyu had given him in the lab five years ago, to the present day. He thought about how he had admired that S-class alpha from afar, how he had struggled to restrain himself but couldn’t help getting closer, and how he had ended up with such deep hatred. He thought about how Qu Moyu had transformed from a saviour into an abuser, descending from the pedestal with his halo to reveal his abhorrent and terrifying true self.
Shen Dai pondered over what he had said wrong, done wrong, or chosen wrong to fall into his current predicament. Just as he would meticulously review and analyse his data after countless failed experiments, he repeatedly examined his ‘data’ but couldn’t believe that his failures would lead to success because no failure had ever left him so utterly devastated.
Was he being punished so severely just for loving the wrong person?
He wished his life could pause here, giving him enough time to think because he realised that besides his supposedly clever mind, he had nothing else. No wonder Qu Moyu could manipulate him so easily.
A waiter coming to refill water bumped into Shen Dai’s vacant and bewildered gaze. Both were startled. The waiter was frightened by Shen Dai’s pale face and hollow eyes. “Are you alright?”
Shen Dai snapped back to reality. “I’m fine.” He quickly gathered the papers into a folder; they were indeed things that couldn’t be seen. They were proof of his stupidity, incompetence, and shame.
Shen Dai left the café and looked across the street at a familiar business car. Attorney Chen had told him when he left that the car was waiting to take him to see Qu Moyu once he had made up his mind.
That car had once taken him to Qu Moyu’s elementary school. They had eaten at a noodle shop filled with Qu Moyu’s childhood memories, then held hands as they walked and talked on the street. That had been the moment Shen Dai felt closest to Qu Moyu’s heart and the most touching scene in their lives together. It was more moving than any passion.
But that was only what he had thought.
Reality had torn apart his dreams and left him with the mess he had to clean up.
Shen Dai got into the car. The driver, also from the Qu family, greeted him politely and then started the car without saying where they were going. Shen Dai didn’t ask, merely sending a message to his grandma, saying he’d be back late due to something urgent.
The route became more and more familiar. The car was heading to the Qu residence. When he finally saw the familiar garden gate, Shen Dai’s fists clenched tightly.
The car hadn’t even stopped when Shen Dai saw Uncle Heng and Aunt Lan standing at the door.
Before the driver could open the door, Shen Dai pulled it open himself and got out. He and the two old acquaintances looked at each other, their gazes complex and deep.
Uncle Heng greeted him in a low voice, “Mr. Shen.”
Aunt Lan frowned deeply, her eyes slightly red.
Shen Dai nodded at them and walked into the house.
Hearing the noise, Qu Moyu came down the stairs. The leather slippers should have made his steps light, but the hurried sound was obvious. He slowed his pace upon seeing Shen Dai, trying to appear composed as he walked down.
The Qu residence hadn’t changed much since Shen Dai had left more than a year ago. Qu Moyu was a person with strong control tendencies; even household affairs had to follow a set of standards, and the helpers needed to comply without easily changing things. For a moment, Shen Dai felt like he was still the same person who had temporarily stayed here due to the marriage agreement, constantly reminding himself to keep his distance from Qu Moyu. Back then, he thought that their repeated entanglement by fate was destined. But he hadn’t expected that calamities often wore the guise of beauty.
Qu Moyu looked at Shen Dai as if he had lost his soul, feeling extremely distressed. This might have been a last resort. But he had no other choice now. He walked up to Shen Dai, his gaze involuntarily flickering. “Where’s Qiu Qiu?”
Shen Dai’s eyes filled with killing intent. He threw the folder in his hand at Qu Moyu, and while everyone was stunned, he landed a fierce punch on Qu Moyu’s face.
Qu Moyu staggered back a few steps from the punch. His head tilted to the side, maintaining the inertia from the impact. His eyes held a mixture of shock, anger, and sorrow.
Uncle Heng and the others were stunned, standing there in a daze.
They had never heard of Young Master experiencing any physical attack before. As an S-class alpha, he was naturally much stronger than ordinary people, especially in his own house.
A flush of red spread across Qu Moyu’s handsome face. His chiselled jawline tightened, and his Adam’s apple moved slowly and heavily, as if he was swallowing something hard to digest. As an alpha, being struck by his omega in front of all the household staff was something he had never experienced. He quickly reviewed his past, unable to find a more humiliating moment in his life. He slowly turned his face to look at Shen Dai. His eyes were cold and deep, flickering with sparks of anger. Yet, his pheromones showed no significant turbulence. Instead, what was surging up, uncontrollable and persistent, was a feeling that seemed to be called… ‘aggrieved’.
Uncle Heng was the first to react, waving for everyone to quickly leave. Within a few seconds, the large living room was left with only the two of them.
Qu Moyu touched his hot, burning cheek and spoke in a low, oppressive voice, “The last time I was hit was when I was twelve.” Back then, he lacked the control over his pheromones that adult alphas had. He almost caused a serious incident while fighting with classmates. Since then, he hadn’t fought anyone. It was not to protect himself but to protect others. As he spoke, his gaze never left Shen Dai’s face. The face displayed a mixture of hatred, pain, and despair. Just looking at it was enough to cause him pain. “Do you feel better now? If not, you can take a few more hits.”
Shen Dai glared with bloodshot eyes, gritting his teeth as he spat out, “Qu Moyu, you’re a scum!”
Qu Moyu was momentarily stunned. Shen Dai had never cursed at him in such a way, even at his most agitated moment. He probably thought it was out of fear—just saying ‘hate you’ and ‘get lost’ was the strongest rebellion an omega could express to an S-class alpha. Most of the time, Shen Dai was restrained, avoiding direct confrontation and carefully resisting, fearful of provoking him. Though Qu Moyu could not fully understand the physiological submission Shen Dai felt in his presence, he was used to it. As the apex predator, he had always been accustomed to others trembling at his feet.
Shen Dai was completely enraged because Qu Moyu had touched his most sensitive spot—his child.
Isn’t this exactly what he wanted? To hit someone where it hurts the most. Yet facing Shen Dai’s accusations and hatred made him feel suffocated.
Shen Dai’s once handsome face was now twisted and feral. Shaking his fist, he roared, “How low and shameless can you be, trying to take my child away from me?! You didn’t want him back then. I went through so much to have him. What right do you have to call yourself his father? What have you ever done for him?! I will never give you custody of Qiu Qiu!”
Qu Moyu’s eyes dimmed as he looked down, his heart being wrenched painfully. The difficulties he had faced in his life seemed insignificant compared to the helplessness Shen Dai inflicted on him. He took a deep breath and took a step closer to Shen Dai.
Qu Moyu’s initial intention was to comfort him. But Shen Dai recoiled like a frightened rabbit, his fur bristling in defence of his child. He was determined to protect his offspring but could not overcome the deep-seated fear of a predator. He took a step back.
He was scared. But he still forced himself to look directly at Qu Moyu.
Yet Qu Moyu avoided Shen Dai’s gaze several times, appearing calm as he said, “What I want isn’t just Qiu Qiu. I want you.”
Shen Dai stared at Qu Moyu, his lips trembling slightly.
“I’ve tried to reason with you, apologised, analysed the pros and cons, and made various promises. But you rejected all of them,” Qu Moyu said, his face masked in a calm veneer that concealed all the turbulent emotions. “I had no choice but to use force.”
Shen Dai was infuriated by this reasoning that felt like theft, leaving him speechless.
“Ah Dai, I must get what I want. If you had been more accommodating, we wouldn’t have had to come to this.”
Shen Dai shouted, “I’m a human being! I have my own will. I don’t want to be with you. How dare you force me!”
“It makes no difference,” Qu Moyu said, each word like a small knife piercing Shen Dai’s heart, causing a gush of bleeding. He gazed at Shen Dai, his tone unexpectedly gentle, “You can choose to bring Qiu Qiu back to me, or I can get custody of Qiu Qiu and allow you to take care of him. The result is the same.”
He had shown Shen Dai his utmost patience and compromise, yet it was still not enough. It seemed the only option left was to take by force. He would never let Shen Dai leave him. Since Shen Dai was already someone he couldn’t lose, then he would keep him close. Conquest always brought a sense of security—once he had someone, held them tight, he would no longer be haunted, day and night, by longing or the torment of being manipulated by an omega. He would never experience that kind of desperate yearning and helplessness again.
The means and process of obtaining what he wanted didn’t matter. What mattered was achieving the goal. Everything he desired in this life followed the same principle.
Shen Dai’s heart felt crushed. His eyes felt like they were burning. Warm tears streaming down his face.
Qu Moyu frowned at Shen Dai’s tears, reaching out to wipe them away. But Shen Dai recoiled as if avoiding a plague. He avoided his touch. Qu Moyu’s hand hung in the air, just like his empty, aching heart. He lowered his hand, clenched it tightly, and resolutely said, “Where is Qiu Qiu? Go and fetch him now. From now on, he’s not allowed to use Bai Xiangwan’s scent. You’re my omega and he’s my son. As long as you obey me, I promise to treat both of you well.”
Shen Dai closed his eyes, not because he wanted to imprison himself in darkness. But because darkness had enveloped him completely.
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*Translator’s Note: the latest RAW chapter (Chapter 130) is soooo long… -K
Next update: 2022.07.14
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*Proofread by 2024.09.03* I will proofread these chapters slowly and randomly when I’m free. So please understand if there are any delays or discrepancies. TQ.
Proofread version of the rest of the novel will only be available on Novels Space.space while Mature Chapters will be released on my Blog.
