CH 10

Before Lin Han could say anything, He YunTing continued, “If you feel offended or uncomfortable, just tell me.”

His voice seemed different from his internal one a few minutes ago, and Lin Han even thought he almost heard a hint of caution and ingratiation.

Some Alphas would use pheromone suppression forcibly when an Omega was in heat, forcing the other to submit. But now it wasn’t like that at all, the two weren’t far apart and in the same room, and He YunTing didn’t even look back.

A little bit of Alpha pheromone diffused up, soothing the capricious cells that were clamoring to get out of his body. Lin Han once thought that with an Alpha like He YunTing, his pheromone smell must be open and with a strong aggressiveness. Before, when he was still in school, there were two Alphas fighting over something trivial, one smelled like gunpowder, the other like rust, and when Lin Han was passing by his legs went soft, and almost couldn’t walk back to the dormitory.

He YunTing’s pheromone was different.

It was a subtle and sophisticated ebony fragrance, not heavy, with a mysterious murkiness and a sense of distance from his ascetic behavior.

He YunTing restrainedly released only a little and then stopped, so the smell of pheromone in the second cockpit wasn’t overwhelming, just a little warm and soft woody aroma, mixed with an Omega’s wisps of sweet fragrance.

“Thanks.” Lin Han returned to his senses and spoke only after feeling his body’s exhaustion lighten considerably, “I’m fine.”

His meaning was quite clear.

In any case, one could not crave the smell of an Alpha with whom one had little chance with.

He YunTing listened and politely put the pheromone away.

It took a while before he himself calmed down.

He didn’t know why he was so sensitive to an Omega’s pheromone he had just seen a few times, and when Lin Han came over to enter data for him, he could hardly contain himself from moving his eyes to the soft back of his neck.

Fortunately, he was strong enough to let Lin Han into the second cockpit before he began to adjust himself.

Lin Han could only see that He YunTing’s back was facing him, and after the other man put away the pheromone, they were both silent for a while before he spoke again, “Let’s get started then.”

“Just use your mental power to connect with the AI center as before,” Lin Han said, “I’ll… I’ll do my best to help you.”

Although he said that, Lin Han was still nervous.

He YunTing’s voice came out of the headset again through the cockpit, “Don’t be afraid. Just have a go in the repair room, it’s not hard. Just listen to my command.”

“Okay.”

The smell of ebony in the second cockpit dissipated, and Lin Han stared at the screen in front of him, not letting go of any of the data.

Soon he saw all the systems belonging to He YunTing’s cockpit activated, as the other used his uninjured arm to skillfully input commands. The highest hub belonging to the mecha activated under the drive of spiritual power, and a gentle mechanical female voice sounded in Lin Han’s ears.

“Number M2742, ignition complete. Fuselage activated. AI hub on. First cockpit ready. Please instruct.”

“Switching to second cockpit maneuvering,” He YunTing said in a deep voice, “requesting interconnection with second cockpit.”

“Interconnection with second cockpit in preparation. Please be ready.”

“Lin Han,” He YunTing called out to him in his voice, his tone still cold, but with an imperceptible lightness, “Take a deep breath.”

Lin Han did as he was told.

“Put your right hand on the second joystick and push hard to the upper right.”

“Don’t tense your left foot, continue to hold it steady.”

“Don’t worry about me, and don’t look up. I’ve got a good angle for you.”

“Your body will shake, don’t be afraid.”

Lin Han tried to restrain his body from shaking, but his hands were still covered with sweat. He knew all the mecha like the back of his hand, but when he had to drive one himself, he couldn’t help but panic. Lin Han gradually relaxed and stopped worrying too much, just listening to the instructions on the headset.

With the cooperation of the two, M2742’s engine roared and began to move forward slowly. The repair room was large enough for the giant to move under Lin Han’s slightly clumsy operation.

“Don’t be afraid.” He YunTing added, “All the data on my side comes up normal.”

“The next step may be a little uncomfortable.”

“Release the lever in your left hand, hold your right hand still, and hold it steady.”

“Okay.” Lin Han finally responded with a shaky voice, “Ah…”

Just after he finished, the fuselage shook violently and unexpectedly left the ground. The sudden sense of overweight made Lin Han exclaim, but he quickly calmed down and continued to listen to the command within the headset.

“Don’t be afraid.” He YunTing repeated.

Although the piloting of the airframe was in the second cockpit, the mental power manipulation was completely under He YunTing’s command.

M2742, in the repair room, slowly moved up and down. Due to the rustiness of the pilot, it did not seem to move smoothly, but inexplicably like a naive kid.

He YunTing rarely said so many words, and even he didn’t notice, that among the countless instructions, in addition to the necessary operation, he said, ‘don’t be afraid’, the most.

He said, “See? You can drive it too.”

You too can drive it, you too can operate it, even if this time, it’s confined to this narrow world.

Lin Han’s physique was already poor, and with his rutting period, He YunTing didn’t let him drive more, and just made sure that the spiritual connection system wasn’t damaged, and then made Lin Han stop.

Lin Han was sweating, and only after the system’s mechanical female voice announced that the engine was off, did he fall back into the driver’s seat and start to catch his breath.

He YunTing didn’t rush him, and quietly waited in the cockpit in front of him.

After a while, Lin Han took off his helmet, stood up holding the lever and walked to the door of the cabin.

There was a knock on the door of the repair room, and Lu AnHe’s lazy voice rang otu, “Boss, are you done—”

His wording was very subtle, not ‘repair’, nor ‘test’, just the single word ‘done’, but his tone was very frank, and left people doubt whether it was intentional or not. Furthermore, Lu AnHe finished and didn’t mean to come in, it was like a gentle reminder, like he was telling He YunTing that it was almost time to go.

Lin Han saw He YunTing stop for a moment, then left the mecha’s keys in place, took off his helmet and stood up from the cockpit, only then did he look at the youth in the second seat.

Lin Han’s black hair was half wet, and his heavy breathing hadn’t subsided yet, so he raised his eyes as well. He saw He YunTing standing at the cabin door, but he didn’t get on the elevator first, he waited for him to join.

He nodded to He YunTing, stepped out of the hatch, and rode the elevator down with him.

When the two reached the ground, Lin Han also finally calmed down. He knew that Lu AnHe was looking for him and was probably urging the other person to leave, so he was just about to say something when he saw He YunTing hesitate for a moment before extending his hand to him.

Lin Han’s brain was still a bit slow, plus he wasn’t wearing gloves, and was stunned for a moment.

He YunTing’s hand froze in the air and didn’t go any further.

Lin Han called out to him, “General?”

He YunTing thought of what to say at this moment, and only after a few seconds did he tense the corners of his mouth and say, “Good-bye.”

It turned out that he wanted to shake hands with him.

Lin Han, because he was alone in the second cockpit, had taken off his gloves for convenience, and now his pair of cold white hands had a thin layer of sweat, so he hesitated, but didn’t take the other’s hand. He saw the blue light in He YunTing’s eyes dim a little.

Probably because that glimpse of emotion was too obvious, Lin Han had some unexplained reluctance for no reason. When He YunTing was about to pull his hand back awkwardly, he took out a glove and put it on, leaned forward and took a step to shake the other party’s hand.

“Goodbye, General.” Lin Han’s face was finally less wary of He YunTing since the day of the celebration, and more gentle than usual, as their foreheads almost touched each other due to their slightly hasty movements.

At first, Lin Han was concerned about the other’s inner words, but this time through the gloves, through the fabric, he could feel the warmth of the other’s palms, and the thin calluses on his fingers.

He raised his eyes, and even though the expression on the General’s face was now the same as usual, because he was too close, Lin Han still saw a glint of light that had been polished anew in the azure pupils.

“Hmm.” He YunTing said, “See you next time.”

His thumb rubbed Lin Han’s white gloves before he removed his hand with the warmth of his palm.

Lin Han looked at him and an image inexplicably came to his mind.

It was like a child who was teased by an adult that took away something he liked, and as he was about to cry, he got it back, so he grabbed the beloved toy again and broke into tears.

But He YunTing was clearly not a person who showed his anger, let alone a child who cried and made a fuss. He was the General of the empire, admired by everyone, a war hero, a sharp blade that the enemy was afraid to cross paths with. But his pupils were blue, and his eyes were beautiful when their gaze locked.

He YunTing’s thin lips were still flat and cold and hard, but the corner of Lin Han’s mouth curled very lightly.

For the first time he didn’t hate the feeling of reading someone’s mind.