Chapter 70

In Bluestar’s cockpit, Klaire put Xi Wei gently down on the bed.

Because of the stimulant’s effect, the levels of pheromones in Xi Wei’s body kept rising higher. In addition to that, he’d used up all his strength to knock Joen out, so right now, he was completely weak, so much so that he needed Klaire to rearrange his limbs for him.

It was a good thing Klaire had gotten there in time, or the consequences would’ve been unimaginable.

Ever since he was born, he’d known that omegas were a disadvantaged group in the empire that people had to protect. Due to the difficulties of heats, many omegas could only stay at home and raise children. But it wasn’t until today that he truly realized the bitterness and hardship of being an omega—

This feeling of lying on the chopping board waiting for someone to take advantage of him was really so hateful!

Xi Wei parted his lips and took deep breaths. He wanted to strive his hardest to preserve the last of his reason, but unfortunately, the heat in his body was rising nonstop, and almost burned his nerves down to the last wire. Even more frighteningly, the strange feeling of emptiness in his body kept growing stronger, climbing from the bottom of his spine up to his brain. It actually made a thread of desire for someone to embrace him rise up from the bottom of his heart.

No, he had to think of something as quickly as possible…

Just then, a trickle of cool liquid slipped past his lips. Xi Wei opened his eyes to find that Klaire had gently lifted him up, and was currently giving him water.

“How do you feel?” Klaire asked softly, “Does it feel really uncomfortable?”

“Yeah…” Xi Wei drank from the glass of cold water in Klaire’s hand until it was empty. The feeling of emptiness in his body subsided a little, but the heat that seemed like it would scorch his mind away only blazed higher and higher, as if his every cell had been set alight.

“Klaire...hurry and have Bluestar help...restore Egret’s system...inside Egret...there’s some emergency...suppressants...hurry…” Xi Wei said with difficulty, reaching out and grabbing Klaire’s collar.

Klaire couldn’t be clearer about what condition the omega in his arms was in. He hadn’t taken all those years of health class for nothing. The omega pheromones in the cockpit grew stronger and stronger. That sweet scent almost drove him out of his mind.

—What’s more, the omega lying in his arms was someone he’d liked for a long, long time.

Whether it was his natural instinct as an alpha to possess an omega, or the love he had for Xi Wei in the depths of his heart, as a man with normal physical functions, the easiest thing to do right now would be to push down the man in front of him and eat him up thoroughly.

Hold him, take him, make it so that he’s really yours…

There was a voice in his head shouting wildly for him to do that.

But…

Xi Wei was someone who could be coaxed but couldn’t be forced, like iron that was easily bent. If he took advantage of Xi Wei's difficulties right now to hold him, how would he be any different from Joen with his despicable methods?

What was the use of just obtaining his body?

After Xi Wei recovered his reason, he’d definitely chop him into pieces, and there wouldn’t be any leeway for him to redeem himself.

After loving Xi Wei for so many years, he was very clear about his personality. He would never dare to force him.

Although his body was stirred up almost to the point of exploding, Klaire finally used his reason to restrain himself—because he understood Xi Wei’s personality, and even more than that, he respected his dignity.

“Owner, the levels of pheromones in the eldest prince’s body have already risen to 8.5. If you don’t think of something, once he enters heat, you won’t be able to stop it anymore!” Bluestar jumped out in front of Klaire and said in agitation, “What’s more, I examined Egret’s system, and he was hit by a hidden virus that caused him to enter a dormant state in self-defense. It’s going to take at least ten minutes to wake him up. According to my calculations, by the time ten minutes are up, the eldest prince’s pheromones will already have risen to an uncontrollable level. So owner, you won’t be able to get the suppressants in time!”

“...” Klaire took a deep breath to calm himself down and said, “Think of a way to access Egret’s system from the outside and help him get rid of the virus.”

“Ah? Then wouldn’t I be invading Egret’s body without his consent? What if he cuts me down after he wakes up?” Bluestar twisted side to side a little shyly.

“...” Klaire rolled his eyes. “Shut up! Hurry up and move.”

“Oh.”

Klaire rushed the dumb mecha to assist Egret. Bluestar was happy to do this task. He’d already been forcibly shut down by Egret once, but this was his first time entering Egret’s system. When he saw the densely packed nervous circuits in Egret’s AI center, Bluestar was quite excited. He looked around curiously while helping Egret get rid of the jamming signal.

In the cockpit, because of his fever, Xi Wei’s mind wasn’t too clear. His eyes were tightly shut, and under the light, his thick eyelashes cast circles of shadow below his eyelids. He clearly wasn’t feeling well. His eyebrows were tightly creased, and his whole body was trembling faintly.

For as long as Klaire had known him, he’d always been so confident and straightforward, decisive and dexterous, and whoever dared to bully him, he’d surely return it by ten times.

Klaire had never seen him looking so helpless and fragile.

A thread of distress slowly spread out from his heart. His movements even gentler, Klaire held Xi Wei up lightly and said, “How are you? Xi Wei, can you hear me?”

Xi Wei nodded in a haze. “Yes…”

“Egret’s entered a dormant state, and Bluestar’s helping him restore his system, but it’s going to take time. What’s more, the levels of omega pheromones in your body right now are constantly rising. Even if we get hold of suppressants, they’re not going to be any use.” Klaire paused, then said in a soft voice, “Right now, there’s only one way left. I can temporarily mark you and suppress the pheromones in your body. Is that okay?”

Xi Wei stared blankly. It was only after a long while that his fever-muddled brain understood what Klaire meant.

—A temporary mark was one of the ways alphas had to mark omegas. Unlike a permanent mark, in which the two people’s bodies were completely bonded, the temporary mark only required the alpha to bite into the gland on the back of an omega’s neck and inject their own pheromones into it. The alpha pheromones’ powerful effect would temporarily suppress the chaotic pheromones in the omega’s body, delaying their heat.

In the empire, the temporary mark was a way for an alpha and an omega who felt they were soulmates to pledge their love. After the alpha marked the omega, the omega would carry the other’s imprint and scent. It was a way for the alpha to declare his right of ownership over the omega.

Xi Wei wasn’t actually that willing for Klaire to mark him. Having a bite taken out of him, and afterwards carrying his imprint and scent—it’d feel just like being a pet whose owner had collared him. Xi Wei couldn’t help but feel a thread of aversion rise up in him.

But…

As Klaire had said, right now, there really wasn’t any better way.

A temporary mark would still be much better than actually going into heat.

Xi Wei was silent for a moment, then finally followed reason and nodded his head. “Alright.”

When he said that one word, a thread of awkwardness and humiliation flashed through his eyes. To the thoughts of a straight man like him, wasn’t being bitten by someone and carrying their imprint really a blow to his self-respect?

Klaire gently stroked his hair and reassured him softly, “Don’t be afraid, it won’t hurt too much.”

When Xi Wei turned around and his head lowered, revealing his fair, slender neck, Klaire’s heart immediately started beating as fast as a drum. He slowly moved his lips closer, found the position of the gland, and accurately bit down.

“Ah…!” Xi Wei suddenly let out a little cry. The intense stimulation made his body momentarily spasm. Like a little animal who’d had his weak spot touched, he started struggling fiercely.

“Don’t be scared...don’t be scared.” Klaire held him tight, stroking his back to comfort him at the same time that his teeth pierced deeper into the vein in his gland.

A thread of bright red blood flowed out, and their pheromones started frantically blending together.

Xi Wei’s body was trembling violently. This feeling was too strange. A thread of strange liquid broke through layers of defenses, forcefully pouring into his body. As if smoothed down and pacified, his originally chaotic pheromones actually gradually settled down.

His whole body was wrapped up in Klaire’s familiar and strange fragrance. Xi Wei’s body had lost its strength, and he was finally so tired he closed his eyes.

Klaire looked at the person fast asleep in his arms, and then looked at his own mark on the back of his neck. His heart suddenly softened, and he couldn’t help leaning over and giving him a kiss.

Xi Wei didn’t resist at all, and Klaire took the opportunity to lick into his mouth.

“Ah...mm…”

The vague sounds were muffled by his lips. Klaire didn’t find out that at the moment when he kissed him deeply, Xi Wei’s eyelashes started trembling violently.

After the sweet, gentle kiss was over, Klaire moved back and said softly above his lips, “Sleep, you’ll always have me.”

***

Through his unflagging efforts, Bluestar finally helped Egret restore his system. After restarting, Egret discovered that some foolish mecha was wandering about everywhere in his AI center. He unceremoniously kicked him out at once.

“...” Looking very wronged, he said, “Egret, I’m the one who helped cure you. Shouldn’t you repay me with your body and become my wife?”

“How’s my owner?” Egret calmly ignored him and asked Klaire.

“He’s fine, he’s fallen asleep for now.” Klaire looked at Xi Wei who was sleeping peacefully in his arms. He smiled slightly, put him on the bed, and then gently covered him with a blanket.

Egret looked at this scene and didn’t say anything. He just returned to his Xi Wei’s side and stood protectively over him.

Klaire said, “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt your owner. Tell me, exactly what happened today? How come you suddenly shut down?”

“When my owner and I entered the Royal Hotel, a virus attacked me with an electromagnetic wave, exceeding my system’s preset safety threshold. My system automatically shut down in order to protect my AI center.” Egret said calmly, “From what I know, the mechas made by different mecha manufacturing masters in the empire have many differences, and the different systems aren’t compatible. That is to say, the mecha who attacked me definitely wasn’t made by Mr. Aston or His Highness Berg.”

“Yes, that’s right.” Klaire nodded in agreement. The system Berg had made for Egret was pretty much the same as the kind Mr. Aston made. His Majesty’s Leo, the marshal’s Blackdragon and General Craig’s Goldencrane all used the same kind of system. If it had been one of those mechas that appeared, Egret would have been able to notice it much sooner.

The mecha Joen brought today should’ve been Blaze, who belonged to General Crist of the Cobra Corps. His manufacturer was an ancestor of the Orlando family. Blaze had been serving the Empire for hundreds of years, and his system had been through many updates. He rarely came out these days. It was understandable that Egret had fallen to his attack after being caught off guard for a moment.

However, what Klaire couldn’t figure out was: “Before I left, I told Xi Wei not to meet Joen alone. Why would he go to see him all by himself?”

This involved the Underground Alliance’s secrets. Egret didn’t answer, but said, “Wait until Xi Wei wakes up and ask him this question. Now...where are you going to bring my owner?”

Klaire said, “I’ll bring him to the Cigar galaxy for now. I need to report for duty on planet Rennes on time.”

Xi Wei was asleep, and Egret couldn’t make a decision for him. He could only wait quietly by Xi Wei’s side.

***

Klaire flew Bluestar to the place where the Morningstar Corps had stopped and ordered them to continue advancing through the general command channel. Although the corps officers were full of doubt, they could only listen to the major general’s orders.

After passing by the wormhole to the Cigar galaxy and choosing a relatively safer, though much longer route, it wasn’t until the next morning that the Morningstar Corps reached the planet Rennes space station in the Cigar galaxy.

This planet was at the edge of the empire, and it was a very barren and desolate place. It was always snowing, the weather was cold, and there weren't many citizens here.

The conditions of the military base were quite poor. Many soldiers had to live packed together in dormitories. As the major general, Klaire only had a room twenty square meters in size, with a tiny bathroom and kitchen.

Klaire, however, didn’t mind at all. After reaching the base, he sent the still sleeping Xi Wei into his room, and turned on the heat so he could have a good rest. Only then did he go out to meet the major general originally stationed here so that he could hand over his duties to Klaire.

As the marshal’s rear support troops station, the base had many maintenance mechas, as well as a battleship factory and a large military hospital and signal station. Although the conditions were difficult, fortunately the facilities weren’t lacking, and it was easy for Klaire to take over.

After he settled the officers and soldiers down in the military quarters, Klaire returned to his room, travel-worn.

Outside, it was still snowing. Klaire had snow all over him, and after returning to the room, he naturally took off his coat and dusted the snow off of it.

However, he suddenly noticed a sharp pair of eyes glaring at him.

Klaire looked back in confusion. The fierce gaze was coming from an angry omega. It turned out that Xi Wei had woken up, found someone had bitten him on the neck, and was sitting on the bed, ready to interrogate him.

Klaire smiled and walked over to him. “You’re up?”

Xi Wei stared at him coldly. “How did this happen?” He pointed to the back of his neck where he’d been bitten.

Klaire shrugged innocently. “Joen schemed against you yesterday. He gave you a pheromone stim-”

“I know all that.” Xi Wei interrupted him. “Let’s get to the point, was it you who marked me?”

Klaire coughed. “Yes.” Klaire rubbed his nose, smiled and said, “But I had your agreement, and I explained it to you. The situation then was urgent. If the pheromone levels in your body weren’t suppressed and you entered heat, the consequences would be unimaginable.”

Xi Wei didn’t speak and stared steadily at Klaire.

Klaire had a bit of a guilty conscience, but he pretended innocence and said, “You were in a daze at the time, did you not hear me clearly?”

“I heard you.” Xi Wei said with a cold face, “You don’t have to explain your reasons, I understand. I’m not asking about that.”

“...Then what are you asking about?”

“I’m saying, when you marked me, outside of the situation being critical, did you have any other motives?” Serious for once, Xi Wei looked at Klaire with a focused gaze. “Also, after you marked me, why did you kiss me?”

Klaire: “...”

It’s all over! Wasn’t he asleep?!

Xi Wei said word by word, “The temporary mark doesn’t require a kiss, does it?”

Klaire: “...”

Xi Wei: “There were only the two of us in the cockpit, you didn’t need to act either, did you?”

Klaire: “...”

Xi Wei stood up, curled his hands into fists, and walked slowly up to Klaire. “So why did you need to wait until I closed my eyes to steal a kiss?”

Klaire: “..........”

***

6 hours and 10 minutes for 2,841 words, or 13 minutes for every 100 words. An increase in rate by 1.8 minutes...sigh...

Y’all don’t know my pain after this chapter...I wanted to stop translating and go to sleep but I had to know what would happen next...it was 3 in the morning...

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