“Seriously, Dad?” Sang Lan, upon hearing the news from Sang Qi, widened his eyes and leaped off the bed in pure joy.
“He’s actually rushing back this early to propose to me…” he murmured, glancing at his casual home outfit, a bit flustered as he hurriedly considered heading back to his room to tidy up.
Compared to his attitude toward his former fiance, Sang Lan’s attitude had changed quite a bit.
Jiang Qian should have left the palace by now and reached his villa outside the palace. Sang Lan was eager to see him; after all, Jiang Qian had been staying at the Holy Dan Academy for quite some time. It had been ages since he last saw him, let alone the fact that he surprised him with such a proposal.
Sang Qi was also quite pleased with this marriage arrangement; now, the Sang family was connected to the royal family. However, thinking of the intense look on Prince Jiang Qian’s face when he left, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
After a delicate touch-up, Sang Lan, brimming with joy, arrived outside Jiang Qian’s villa.
“I’m looking for His Highness; just tell him Sang Lan is here.” Entering this person’s villa always required notification, even for him. Sometimes he felt Jiang Qian was too icy, but since he proposed so quickly, he must like him.
The gatekeeper showed almost no emotion, as if he had never known Sang Lan: “His Highness said he won’t see anyone today.” His tone was indifferent.
Sang Lan had long been displeased with this gatekeeper. Once he and Jiang Qian were married, he would definitely dismiss this person.
However, at this moment, Sang Lan patiently repeated, “Could you please inform your master?” Thinking that this person might not be aware of some details, he added, “His fiance, Sang Lan.”
The gatekeeper seemed a bit annoyed, but he reluctantly asked Sang Lan to wait and went inside to make the request again.
As Sang Lan observed the villa from outside, he pondered how they should decorate it after their marriage. In this waiting period, the gatekeeper returned with long strides.
“His Highness says he’s tired and needs rest. You better go back for now.” The gatekeeper seemed somewhat infuriated with Sang Lan’s persistence.
The smile that had just started to form on Sang Lan’s face froze in place.
“He really said that?”
Sang Lan couldn’t believe it, but the gatekeeper remained silent.
Inside the villa, Jiang Qian’s claim of needing rest was merely an excuse. Despite his composed exterior, he was now visibly agitated, venting his frustrations by casually kicking and knocking over furniture, causing a thunderous uproar in the room.
Dealing with Jiang Ling in the hands of Chu Wenyu was no simple task, and relying solely on himself was out of the question. Finding an ally with at least comparable strength to Chu Wenyu was nearly impossible. In this predicament, Jiang Qian suddenly had an idea.
With a serious expression, he frantically searched for information about Chu Wenyu. In his memory, this monarch had a fatal weakness – a tendency towards spiritual instability. Though it was only hearsay, as no one dared to provoke him for fear of triggering an episode.
Jiang Qian seized upon this vulnerability and, using his connections within the academy, finally contacted a mercenary organization.
Ninety percent of the mercenaries inside were individuals who had been pursued and arrested in certain star systems for crimes, turning to piracy due to lack of a place to belong. Hence, they had to earn a living through such means, and indeed, many formidable experts were among them.
Due to the organization’s commitment to safeguarding clients’ private information completely, the anonymous Jiang Qian discreetly posted his mission.
[Assassinate the ruler of Burke Star, preferably someone with understanding of his spiritual disorders.]
The mission’s difficulty was exceptionally high, and the reward was staggering, essentially depleting Jiang Qian’s savings accumulated over the years. However, if successful, he cared little about such assets.
Tasks involving the assassination of a planetary ruler weren’t uncommon in the mission hall, but those who succeeded were rare. More often than not, individuals ended up losing their lives without receiving payment.
Surprisingly, Jiang Qian did find someone.
This mercenary, in particular, was shrouded in mystery. The information he registered with seemed entirely fabricated, and he had no history of taking on assignments.
Initially, Jiang Qian had serious doubts, as this mission could not afford a half-hearted participant. At the very least, having someone who could seriously injure Chu Wenyu while working alongside him would be ideal.
With caution, he initiated contact with this mysterious figure.
After a brief moment, Jiang Qian found himself trusting the person to a significant extent.
[Hello, employer. My code is 008. Here are the records of Burke’s ruler’s spiritual outbreak episodes in the past five years that I’ve been able to trace. I’ve identified a pattern, and if you want a higher chance of success, this period is the most suitable time, especially five days from now. On that day, his spiritual strength will be particularly weakened, making him vulnerable, though I can’t guarantee the success rate,] the person said, sending all his research data to Jiang Qian. He didn’t inquire about his employer’s identity or care about revealing these details in advance and how it might affect his reward.
Jiang Qian’s expression became serious; something felt off. The information suggested that this person had been observing Chu Wenyu for quite some time, as if he had come specifically for him.
[How capable are you?] Weakened spiritual state was one thing, but Jiang Qian was more concerned about being unable to get close even when Chu Wenyu was vulnerable.
The person quickly proposed a time and place to meet, and with a mixture of trust and skepticism, Jiang Qian attended the appointment. After some probing, an agreement was reached between Jiang Qian and 008.
To seize the golden opportunity, Jiang Qian and Sang Lan’s engagement announcement was abruptly made, and according to 008’s advice, Jiang Qian departed from Charles a day early. Alongside the elite troops sent by King Charles, mercenaries hired by Jiang Qian were also part of the support.
The leader was the same person he negotiated with. His whole demeanor was strange, especially his golden eyes and somewhat mechanical way of speaking, completely unlike anyone Jiang Qian had encountered in any star system. His companions, besides lacking his imposing presence, shared the same quirky aura.
Occasionally, Jiang Qian could hear them conversing in an unfamiliar language. Though his rationality told him these people were not simple, perhaps targeting Burke, there might even be a threat to him because that person occasionally cast exploring glances in his direction.
However, his desires overpowered reason. He cared little about the origins of these people; he simply hoped this mission would eliminate two threats, ensuring that no one in the entire galaxy could rival him. After all, he was a rapidly growing SS-level spiritual power user.
This mindset further solidified his determination.
The previous probe into the mercenary gave Jiang Qian a rough idea of his strength. He was shocked at the time because the mercenary’s prowess surpassed his own. According to his estimation, the spiritual strength should also be around dual S-level, not too low.
What shocked him more was that such a formidable figure had no name in the galaxy. Perhaps it was because the person’s identity couldn’t withstand the light of day.
Their speculation proved correct. Chu Wenyu’s peak of irritability occurred in these few days, frequently unleashing his fury on the palace attendants. His ferocious gaze seemed as if he wanted to tear them into pieces. Only after undergoing temporary treatment from Jiang Ling did he feel somewhat relieved, yet still weak and haggard. His mind was a mess, extremely reliant on Alpha. Tears would well up in his eyes if he couldn’t see Alpha, a stark contrast to the Chu Wenyu before the onset of his condition.
Doubts arose in Jiang Ling’s mind that night, leading him to secretly connect the irritability with the pheromones. Following this lead in his search for information, he discovered the possibility was real.
The absence of pheromones might not only be innate, but there was another possibility – an acquired change in attributes, causing such a situation.
However, this was mostly theoretical, and few had ever attempted it because changing attributes was a highly dangerous and not worthwhile attempt. Interstellar society was already open and accepting; most places welcomed relationships of various attributes, making such transformations unnecessary.
After some thought, Jiang Ling dismissed the idea. Chu Wenyu didn’t seem like an omega in his impression. With this line of clue cut off, he temporarily had no way to cure the situation. So, he decided to accompany Chu Wenyu during his outbreaks, soothing him with comforting words, as it didn’t seem too dangerous.
News of Jiang Qian’s arrival at the border of Burke’s star area soon spread, accompanied by an explanation of the reasons. Perhaps anticipating that Chu Wenyu wouldn’t allow him into Burke, Jiang Qian stayed at the border.
Of course, in reality, Jiang Qian had no intention of entering, as it would be difficult for him to escape.
The appearance of warships from other star systems at the border was a serious matter, receiving far more attention than civilian smuggling. Almost immediately, the border guards took defensive measures before conveying the information to the palace.
To successfully bring Chu Wenyu and Jiang Ling to the border, Jiang Qian’s words were quite uncompromising. He stated that if His Majesty disagreed, he would have to force his way through.
Although the army he brought was far inferior to Burke’s military might, breaking through their defenses in a short period at the small town near the border where they were staying posed no problem. His main goal was to provoke the authority of the monarch. For the sake of his reputation, Chu Wenyu should take some action.
“King Charles is quite persistent,” Chu Wenyu’s eyes reddened with visible irritation.
“Wait for me in the palace,” Chu Wenyu immediately organized the military forces of Burke’s capital. He was certain of Jiang Qian’s strength and had no fear whatsoever. In fact, he saw this as an opportunity to release the pent-up violent emotions within him.
Despite feeling capable of protecting Jiang Ling, Chu Wenyu didn’t dare to act recklessly. He believed it was safest to keep Jiang Ling in his own stronghold.
“This time, no sneaky escapes allowed!” Although the incident had happened a long time ago, Chu Wenyu still remembered it vividly, his expression now very serious.
Jiang Ling was not at ease with Chu Wenyu going out alone. The confrontation between the two sides reminded him of the original story, where Chu Wenyu lost control of his spiritual powers during a battle with the male lead. However, the current timeline was far from reaching the climax of the original story, and Jiang Qian’s strength was not that formidable.
But Jiang Ling didn’t think Jiang Qian would be unaware of these factors; he should have made some preparations.
Most importantly, if Jiang Qian just wanted him to return to Charles, he wouldn’t be so diligent.
“Your Majesty, if you’re worried that I might escape, let me go with you. After all, I’ve trained alongside Your Majesty,” even though this level of training was insignificant compared to the highly skilled mecha pilots who trained regularly.
Chu Wenyu considered it and thought it might also be an opportunity for Jiang Ling to gain some practical experience.
For now, Jiang Qian can’t cause much trouble with him around.
“Are you asking to go with me just to collaborate with him from both sides?” Because of his unstable spiritual powers, Chu Wenyu’s controlling tendencies were stronger. Moreover, this was the area where he felt the least secure, so he wasn’t docile towards alpha at this moment, and his words were full of questioning.
“If I truly wanted to leave, Your Majesty wouldn’t be able to stop me,” Jiang Ling spoke while crouching down, gazing at him steadily. He didn’t mind Chu Wenyu’s suspicions; he knew his beloved was unwell, which explained his behavior.
Chu Wenyu blinked, realizing that his suspicions were hurting Jiang Ling too much. He exerted considerable effort to calm himself. “I’m sorry.”
He couldn’t control himself, especially when these people repeatedly tried to take Jiang Ling away from him, making him even more irritable.
“Just remember to stay by my side, or I worry,” Chu Wenyu tightly held Jiang Ling’s hand, smelling the faint scent of mint from him, calming his mind for a moment.
In fact, each time the symptoms flare up is the period he should have experienced as his heat cycle. Previously, he only suffered in pain and discomfort. Now, having a partner, he becomes especially reliant on him, hoping to bask in his pheromone scent and alleviate his panic.
During heat cycles, an omega can alleviate symptoms by being marked, but his current attributes completely prevents this method from relieving his symptoms. Instead, it would only intensify the torment in his spiritual domain.
“Your Majesty, rest assured, I won’t leave you.” Jiang Ling affirmed, particularly determined this time.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
