CH 1

At 8 a.m., the outpatient hall of St Paul’s Private Hospital, California.

A young man who was around 180 cm tall stepped into the elevator. The young man was wearing a black coat, a baseball cap, sunglasses and a mask on his face. His body was completely covered up.

He entered the elevator and turned to stand in the corner. Then he reached out and pressed the button for the 4th floor. His hands were white and slender. The fingertips were round and his nails were neatly trimmed. They looked very beautiful.

The 4th floor contained the Omega Pheromones Specialist Department.

A person who was dressed like this—was he a star?

The passersby in the elevator looked at him curiously. The young man kept his head down until a ‘ding’ sound entered his ears. The elevator doors opened and he immediately walked out, leaving only his thin and tall back for everyone to see.

The heating was turned on in the hospital and there weren’t many patients today.

The young man had just walked in from outside and he still had the coldness of the wind and snow on his body. He walked quickly to the reception desk, his voice clear. “Hello, I am Jiang Shaoyu. I have made an appointment with Dr. Zhou for a follow-up consultation.”

The doctor working at the pheromones specialty department today was Zhou Yang. He was a male omega, Chinese and graduated from the University of California with a Ph.D. His research topic was related to A/B/O pheromones.

Jiang Shaoyu had been seeing him for a few years in California and the two of them gradually became friends.

The nurse saw his appointment information on his phone and immediately took him into the doctor’s office.

The moment he entered the office, he saw Zhou Yang talking to someone on the phone, seemingly discussing a case. He saw Jiang Shaoyu and gestured for the other person to ‘sit first’. Then he continued to talk to the person on the other end of the phone.

Jiang Shaoyu took off his coat and hung it on the hanger next to him. Then he sat down in a position opposite the doctor.

Zhou Yang quickly hung up the phone and looked at him with a smile. “You have come for a re-examination?”

Jiang Shaoyu hummed in agreement and took off his mask and sunglasses, revealing a pair of clear, star-like eyes.

His eyes were very beautiful but they were cold. The slightly raised, dashing eyebrows made his facial features slightly sharp. He obviously looked fickle in love but his lips were full and sexy. There was a bright red mole at the corner of his lips.

Zhou Yang quickly tapped on the keyboard to check the electronic file. Then he asked with concern, “How has your pheromones control been recently?”

Jiang Shaoyu answered casually, “It is still the same. It isn’t very stable.”

Zhou Yang found his file and called in a nurse to examine him.

The results of the examination soon came out. Zhou Yang looked at the figures on the list and frowned.

Jiang Shaoyu’s pheromone values were still very unstable.

Zhou Yang had been a doctor for so many years but he had never seen a case like this. This person was obviously an omega but his pheromones were more aggressive and oppressive than an alpha.

He still remembered five years ago when he first saw the out of control Jiang Shaoyu. Zhou Yang, who was an omega, was forced to feel weak due to the other person’s pheromones. The alphas around him had long been frightened and fled the scene en masse.

Most omega’s pheromones would attract alphas. Alphas would feel sweet and seductive when they smelled an omega’s pheromones. They couldn’t help wanting to get close to the other person and mark them.

Meanwhile, Jiang Shaoyu was different.

This omega’s pheromones had a strong aggressive and deterrent effect on alphas. This meant that when alphas faced Jiang Shaoyu, they didn’t feel the impulse to get close to him. They only wanted to flee.

The alphas didn’t think about how tempting his pheromones were. They just felt that his pheromones were too strong and domineering. It was like their territory was violated and provoked and it was very uncomfortable.

The diagnosis from the hospital’s expert panel was that Jiang Shaoyu had a pheromone disorder.

Such cases were rare. It was caused by the glands mutating during differentiation. He might’ve differentiated into an omega but his pheromones contained some of the characteristics of an alpha and would reject an alpha’s approach.

It was difficult to be marked even if such an omega entered their estrus period.

Jiang Shaoyu hadn’t been sad when he learned of this conclusion. He just asked very calmly, “My glands have mutated. Then can you do surgery to remove them?”

The doctor looked at him with surprise. “Of course not! An omega’s glands are related to the entire endocrine system. It will affect your lifespan if you remove them. Various hormones in your body will be completely disrupted.”

Jiang Shaoyu touched the glands at the back of his neck and whispered, “It is really troublesome.”

He was silent for a moment before looking up and asking again, “Is there any treatment?”

The professor suggested, “We have developed two sets of plans. The first one is to control your pheromones with a special made short-acting inhibitor. You will need to administer one shot a day while being observed at any time and having regular check-ups. The second plan is to look for alpha pheromones that match you in the database. Then if you want, let him mark you completely.”

Jiang Shaoyu didn’t even think about it and chose the first plan.

His sense of pain might be sharper than ordinary people but the pain of one injection a day was still bearable.

Over the years, he had been staying in California for treatment. The group of experts adjusted his treatment plan several times and changed several inhibitors for him. Finally, they found the most suitable injection.

At present, his pheromones might not be stable but at the very least, they wouldn’t scare away alphas any longer.

Zhou Yang lowered his head to note things down in the file while asking, “Have you had any symptoms of fever or fatigue recently?”

Jiang Shaoyu shook his head. “No, everything is normal.”

“That’s good.” Zhou Yang asked the nurse to bring a box of inhibitors and instructed, “Continue to inject it once a day according to the previous plan. Monitor the changes in your pheromones and come to the hospital once a week for a follow-up check.”

“Understood.” Every time he got a re-examination, Jiang Shaoyu had to draw his blood on an empty stomach and couldn’t inject any inhibitors. Now it was the usual time to inject an inhibitor. He took the medicine box from the doctor’s hand, skillfully opened it, pulled up his left sleeve, picked up the disposable syringe in his right hand and stuck it in his arm.

The needle tip pierced the skin and a transparent liquid was slowly pushed into his body. His pale skin and slender arms made him look a bit sick, but his posture of pricking himself with the needle was clear and decisive. He was obviously used to it.

After he injected it, he quickly pulled out the needle. A drop of bright red blood oozed from his fair skin and Jiang Shaoyu used a cotton swab to stop the bleeding. Then he pulled down his sleeve and put on his sunglasses and mask. He got up, took his coat, put it on and said, “Thank you. I will come back next week for the follow-up check.”

Zhou Yang looked at this person’s thin back and couldn’t help feeling some pain. The daily injection of an inhibitor in the body actually had great side effects. His digestive and metabolic functions were affected and he had recently lost a lot of weight.

Zhou Yang wondered softly, “Why don’t you consider the second plan?”

Jiang Shaoyu stopped. “Huh?”

“Find an alpha who can suppress your pheromones and let the alpha mark you completely. You won’t need to inject the inhibitors and your pheromone disorder can be alleviated.”

“Marked you completely? Do you mean to let an alpha form a knot in my body?” The corners of Jiang Shaoyu’s mouth curved up in a sneering smile. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to control my fist and will smash his head to pieces.”

“……” Zhou Yang didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. This aggressive omega could indeed do something like ‘putting the alpha who marked him into the hospital.’

It wasn’t until Jiang Shaoyu left that Zhou Yang rubbed his temples in a distressed manner.

No one could stand this person’s pheromones. Every year during the estrus period, Jiang Shaoyu would suffer a lot of pain and would need to inject 10 times the usual dose of inhibitors in order to barely control it.

As his attending doctor, Zhou Yang had seen him frantically scratch himself when he was out of his mind. Then once he regained his sanity, the omega’s eyes were always clear and calm.

He looked sick and weak, but his personality was proud and stubborn.

In the past five years, he had been disciplined to the point of abnormality. Every morning, there were regular injections at 8:30 and every Wednesday, there was a regular check-up. The side effects of the injection meant his body’s digestive and metabolic function were affected so he even strictly set the time he ate and slept. He was like a robot with a program.

In the eyes of others, such a day was difficult and boring. However, Jiang Shaoyu had a peaceful attitude.

He lived alone, raised a puppy and lived quite freely.

It was 9:30 a.m. when Jiang Shaoyu walked out of the outpatient building.

There wasn’t a single trace of greenery on the streets and the air was full of depression. There was a heavy snowfall just yesterday and the humid air seemed to soak into people’s bone marrow. A gust of cold wind blew past, blowing the snow on the ground straight into people’s faces. Jiang Shaoyu frowned and wrapped his coat tightly around himself while walking quickly to the parking lot.

A couple next to him had just come out of the outpatient clinic. The pregnant male omega slowly walked forward with the help of a male alpha. The omega’s voice was very happy. “Honey, do you think our baby will be like you or like me?”

The alpha replied softly, “I hope he looks like you. He will be very cute.”

Jiang Shaoyu looked away in an expressionless manner.

He was also an omega. Other omegas could get the car and favor of alphas. They could be marked and have a loyal and unwavering love.

Meanwhile, he just scared away alphas. He made the alphas feel disgust, fear and want to keep away.

Tsk, he was really single until now due to his strength.

The medical term for this disease was ‘Pheromone Disorder.’

Jiang Shaoyu himself named it: Destined to be forever alone.

This was fine as well. Jiang Shaoyu thought to himself that if he lived alone, he could do whatever he wanted. He didn’t need to care about others or be managed by others. He was free and unrestrained.

Once the weather improved, why not take a trip in an RV?

Just then, his phone suddenly rang. It was a text message from an unknown number: [Ah Yu, it is Yu Mingxiang. Is this your number? Have you ever considered returning to China?]

Jiang Shaoyu was a bit startled.

Yu Mingxiang was the manager and team leader of the ACE team. He hadn’t been in contact with her since he retired. She was suddenly looking for him after a few years. Was something wrong?

Jiang Shaoyu typed a reply: [Sister Yu, I have no plans to return to China for the time being. Are you okay?]

Yu Mingxiang replied: [I recommended you to the leaders and would like to invite you to return to China as a coach.]

Jiang Shaoyu raised an eyebrow. [Are you joking? Letting a retired player like me be a coach?]

Yu Mingxiang replied with a long message: [I’m not joking. The reason why the ACE team was able to create miracles back then was because you were the captain. All the tactics were arranged by you and you also commanded the game. You are the player with the highest tactical awareness that I have ever seen. I believe you are capable of taking the position of coach.”

It was too cold outside. Jiang Shaoyu went to his car, opened the door, sat in the driver’s seat and pressed the switch for the heating. The warm air circulating in the car finally made him more comfortable.

He took off his hat and mask and rubbed his frozen fingers together. Then he picked up his phone and typed quickly: [Don’t place me on a pedestal. I have left the e-sports circle a long time ago. That tactical awareness is all in the past.]

Yu Mingxiang said: [Even so, you have been paying attention to ‘Gun King’, haven’t you? I saw your side account logged into the international server a few days ago.]

Jiang Shaoyu didn’t deny it. [I was bored so I played casually.]

Yu Mingxiang: [After you left, ACE was disbanded and several of the old team members aren’t doing well. Ye Zi was suspended, Old Lin plans to retire and Xian Chen is sitting on the bench. In addition, do you remember your apprentice Xiao Pei?]

Jiang Shaoyu fell silent. He naturally remembered.

Yu Mingxiang sent two messages in a row.

[He didn’t become a professional player and refused all invitations from the big clubs.]

[He has been waiting for you to come back.]