CH 49

A slight strange sound suddenly came from outside the door.

Si Huaixi possessed keen psychic perception, even faster than Pei Zhaozhou in detecting the disturbance outside the rest cabin door. He threw clothes at Pei Zhaozhou and urged him to put them on first. His deep azure eyes were hauntingly deep.

“Brother Pei, there might be some ‘rats’ on the move. How unfortunate!” Si Huaixi’s tone carried a hint of gritted teeth.

Their purpose for this trip was the same—to lure out the mastermind behind the scenes. However, Si Huaixi, disguised as a Beta, took on the role of Pei Zhaozhou’s deputy, significantly lowering the guards of those behind the scenes. Only Pei Zhaozhou knew that Si Huaixi, this Beta, possessed formidable strength that rivaled any Alpha in the empire.

Sometimes Pei Zhaozhou would wonder if Si Huaixi was truly a spy. How absurd and stubborn were the leaders of the Federation to allow such an outstanding and powerful individual to be a spy?

Pei Zhaozhou’s expression froze. It was past 1 a.m. now, and most of the people on the spacecraft were already asleep. Who could possibly come to his door at this hour?

A hint of vigilance flashed through his golden eyes as he faced the individual outside the door who had deliberately chosen this time to cause trouble. His eyes revealed a genuine and indignant anger.

“Who is it? Don’t worry about me, go after them quickly!” Pei Zhaozhou urged Si Huaixi to take action.

The misty light from the bathroom illuminated the slightly reddened corners of Pei Zhaozhou’s eyes. His golden eyes shimmered with watery radiance. The wet strands of his bath-drenched hair slowly dripped water, sliding down his rosy cheeks, which were flushed from the steamy water. His lips, slightly swollen and rosy, discreetly brushed against his collarbone.

Si Huaixi’s eyes dimmed slightly, and after a momentary pause, he shifted his gaze to outside the door.

He did not make a sudden move, but quietly spread out his psychic power. The scene covering half of the spacecraft fell into his view, including the person hiding in front of Pei Zhaozhou’s resting door.

That person kept his head lowered in the late night, his pale face dripping with cold sweat due to nervousness. He held an injector in his hand, inserted it into the gap of the rest cabin door.

Injector?

What was inside it? Who wanted to harm Brother Pei?

Si Huaixi’s expression immediately turned stern, and a chilling intent flashed in his eyes.

His psychic power instantly condensed into ropes, strangling the person’s neck.

If the surveillance cameras were able to capture the scene, one could see a person suddenly raising their head in the corridor, fingers incessantly scratching their neck, eyes slightly bulging, face turning purple from suffocation.

Following the struggling movements, the injector that was originally held in his hand fell to the ground.

In the moment the door opened.

Si Huaixi coldly retracted his psychic power, shielding the person who was lying on the ground, gasping for breath and coughing. With swift steps, he lifted the person by the collar, ruthlessly delivering a few punches, and once again knocking him down to the ground.

Under the panicked gaze of that person, he picked up the injector.

“Brother Pei, take this for testing and collect evidence of this person’s guilt to send to the court,” said Si Huaixi as he handed the syringe to Pei Zhaozhou who stood behind him.

Pei Zhaozhou glanced at Si Huaixi, who showed no sign of suspicion, and then looked at the person who had already been beaten down on the ground. If he wasn’t mistaken, the moment the door opened, that person seemed to be writhing in pain on the ground.

Suppressing his inner doubt, Pei Zhaozhou took the syringe, carefully examined its body, and noticed there was no label attached. He needed to have it tested to find out what gas it contained.

“Peter, who sent you here?” Pei Zhaozhou’s gaze turned cold, as if he could see through people’s hearts.

Pei Zhaozhou remembered when he first took command, different units were assigned to participate in this rescue operation. Peter was an assistant from the military logistics department, always enthusiastically serving tea and water, but was later coldly dismissed by Si Huaixi, who found him bothersome.

Peter hadn’t figured out why he suddenly felt like someone was choking him, but seeing Pei Zhaozhou, he couldn’t think about it anymore. His face turned pale instantly, enduring the tearing pain in his throat, and tried to defend himself cunningly, saying, “General Pei, I just happened to feel restless with pheromones in the middle of the night, so I went to the warehouse to get a bottle of suppressant. Can you give it back to me?”

Pei Zhaozhou sneered, “Is it a suppressant inside? Show it to me.”

Peter’s pupils trembled, his already yellowish face turned even paler.

Pei Zhaozhou reached out, weighing the syringe in his hand, and with a slightly cold smile, he said, “Or should I give you an injection?”

The ice-cold needle aimed at Peter’s body.

Caught in fear and guilt, Peter didn’t dare to dodge for a moment. But as he saw the needle about to pierce into his skin, it instantly drew blood. Realizing what was inside, his heart sank, and instinctively, he tried to escape by throwing his hand away.

However, Si Huaixi, who was standing nearby, caught him in the act and kicked him down harshly.

Si Huaixi’s eyes were filled with a cold anger as he turned to Pei Zhaozhou and said, “I will take him to the interrogation room and find out the person behind this for you.”

Pei Zhaozhou’s heavy expression slightly softened, nodding in agreement, “Yes, I’ll go with you.”

In the interrogation room,

Under the effect of a triple dose of pain-inducing potion, Peter revealed the entire incident in less than half an hour.

“I was wrong, ah… It hurts! General Pei, please spare me. I’m just a small figure, someone paid me off. I didn’t even get a good look at that person’s face…”

“Inside, inside was an arousal-enhancing pheromone catalyst for Alphas. It only triggers the onset of heat in Alphas earlier. I didn’t dare to poison anyone… I’m just greedy for money, I wouldn’t harm others!”

Si Huaixi was familiar with Beta information but had no knowledge of the drugs used by Alphas, so he asked Pei Zhaozhou.

“Brother Pei, is what he said about the catalyst true?”

“Yes, he is indeed correct,” replied Pei Zhaozhou.

Pei Zhaozhou had already obtained the test report, confirming that it was indeed a catalyst.

Stimulants are commonly used to treat Alphas with low pheromone metabolism, allowing them to enter a susceptible period. It’s like some kind of excitatory drug, which generally doesn’t harm ordinary Alphas, but may cause sudden emotional restlessness and fluctuations. However, this is for ordinary individuals.

Pei Zhaozhou’s eyes turned cold. If this type of medication were used on Alphas with disrupted pheromones, it would worsen their condition, causing them to become mentally agitated, irrational, and even lose their sanity.

Who could have studied his illness so thoroughly? Pei Zhaozhou was grateful that his condition had improved significantly, and this time the mastermind behind the scenes didn’t succeed, otherwise…

Those Alphas who experienced mental breakdowns would ultimately either be forever confined to mental hospitals as lunatics or sent for mercy killing with the consent of their family and friends.

A chill ran down Pei Zhaozhou’s spine. It felt as though numerous malicious eyes were peering at him from behind, and he had to face everything alone. The bone-deep exhaustion drained his spirit and determination.

Si Huaixi noticed the expression on Brother Pei’s usually cold and resolute face… It appeared fragile, lonely, and dimmed, like a star that had lost its brilliance, on the verge of falling.

His heart throbbed painfully, and a sense of panic and urgency engulfed him.

Si Huaixi didn’t even realize how gentle his voice sounded at that moment, as he let Pei Zhaozhou lean against his chest. His eyes were clear, sincere, and filled with warmth as he softly promised, “You’re safe with me. No one can harm you.”

Pei Zhaozhou’s trembling gaze was filled with unease as he suppressed a smile at his own vulnerability. Since when did he become afraid of facing everything alone?

Was it after the incident a few years ago when the mech regulator went out of control and exploded, or was it due to the torment of illness? Maybe it was after he became pregnant, his inner self became even more timid and cowardly…

Ripples emerged in Pei Zhaozhou’s eyes, and in an instant, his cold and determined gaze returned, as if the vulnerability that flashed by earlier was just an illusion.

Pei Zhaozhou pressed his thin lips together, his eyes mature and indifferent. “You don’t need to console me. Even your own identity is in doubt… Regardless, I won’t leave you during this time, so take advantage of my generosity and ask for whatever you want.”

He had long grown accustomed to carrying everything on his own. Leaving anyone wouldn’t make him lose his reliance, nor would it hinder his ability to trust or distrust anyone.

Equally proud, not relying on anyone to grow independently, Si Huaixi could perceive the distrust in Pei Zhaozhou’s eyes. As someone who came from the end of the world, he appreciated and recognized this solitary and self-reliant attitude towards survival. He could deeply understand the mindset of not easily trusting anyone, even until death.

Brother Pei didn’t trust him, just as he didn’t trust Brother Pei.

But so what?

It didn’t hinder their commitment, nor did it make Brother Pei resist his closeness, leaving a profound mark on him.

During their time together, the seemingly sweet and fragile trust on the surface, he genuinely put in effort, and he didn’t believe that Brother Pei was only using him for his psychic abilities.

If it was a mutual usage, there would be no need for mutual kisses. When the golden hues of his eyes were imprinted in his eyes, there was a flicker of shyness and delight in his fragmented gaze, sweet like a star dipped in honey.

…However, neither of them could fully trust each other or entrust everything.

Actually, he could get closer, allowing himself to be exploited just like how Brother Pei allowed it.

Si Huaixi’s eyes darkened like a black sea, turbulent and restless.

Despite his deliberate aloof nature, the person in front of him was deeply imprinted in his eyes. His dry eyes stared at the slightly cold Pei Zhaozhou, and a possessive desire welled up, leaving a trace of dissatisfaction on his lips.

Regardless of whether Brother Pei was an Alpha or an Omega, he belonged to him.

In the following days, their relationship returned to normal.

It’s just that Pei Zhaozhou became more vigilant about his surroundings, the doors and windows, ventilation openings, and the food he consumed. On the other hand, Si Huaixi, as if he had gone mad, thoroughly investigated everyone on the spacecraft and managed to catch the deeply hidden rat.

“Brother Pei, I found him.”

Si Huaixi’s eyes sparkled, a slight curve appeared on his lips.

Looking at Pei Zhaozhou, who was quietly sipping the specially formulated prenatal nutrient, his seemingly calm and clear eyes overflowed with a hint of pride, like a peacock showing off to its mate.

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