Chi Yao just wanted to tease Jing Xi, but he didn’t expect the other man’s expression to turn serious, as if he were genuinely recalling some tragic experience.

“The whole world thought I was sick,” Jing Xi said, looking out at the night through the car window. “Later, even I didn’t know if I was sick or not.”

So it was about that. Chi Yao drove the car out and casually replied, “Delusional disorder?”

He hadn’t intended to bring this up now.

So far, he had only heard about the death of the childhood friend from Jing Rong. He hadn’t had time to verify it, and he needed more clues to prove whether this “Yao” was him.

“They thought he was dead, but I thought he wasn’t,” Jing Xi said in a flat voice. “It was just a difference of opinion. I don’t know why they thought I was sick.”

Chi Yao: “Because they had evidence, and you didn’t.”

He recalled the inexplicable dream from that day.

In the dream, the three- or four-year-old Jing Xi’s reaction to hearing of his childhood friend’s death was far calmer than a child’s should have been.

Generally speaking, there are two situations for such a reaction. The first is that he didn’t care at all whether this person was dead or alive. The second is that the shock was too great, and his body activated a self-protection mechanism, making him refuse to believe it from the bottom of his heart.

Jing Rong and Bai Qi looked like the type to dote on their child. Combined with what Jing Xi said about his parents having recently passed away and their son being gone, they would only love this only grandchild even more.

“Yao” was dead, and even they were heartbroken, but Jing Xi seemed to live in his own world, refusing to accept the facts. It was normal for them to wonder if something was wrong with him.

Jing Xi: “They only found his personal belongings.”

Chi Yao: “The spaceship exploded. What did you expect him to leave behind?”

“But I was always sure he wasn’t dead. It wasn’t a delusion, nor a guess, just a real feeling.” Jing Xi leaned back against the seat, then added after a long pause, “Maybe I just couldn’t accept that he died without even leaving a single bone for me.”

Chi Yao was taken aback by this statement.

Remains were left for partners and family.

“You were only four or five when you met? You were only together for a year. Where did such deep feelings come from?”

Jing Xi: “After my parents passed away, he was the first person to break into my world. I saw him as my own brother.”

A glint appeared in Chi Yao’s eyes. The word “brother” made him feel pleased.

Just as he was about to speak, he saw the other man turn to look at him, his tone shifting. “But not anymore.”

Chi Yao: “…………”

What did that mean? Was he not worthy?

The afternoon tea was for nothing.

Chi Yao smiled through what seemed like gritted teeth.

“Right. After so many years apart, no matter how deep the feelings were, they’re gone.”

Jing Xi: “All feelings change with time—”

Before he could finish, Chi Yao interrupted him.

“Alright, I don’t want to hear about your love story with your little childhood friend. It’s not relaxing at all, and I don’t feel comforted in the slightest.”

Love story?

Jing Xi: “…Then what do you want to hear?”

Chi Yao thought for a moment. “Why were you so desperate to take on Extreme Shadow’s case back then?”

Jing Xi glanced at him. “Do you want to hear the truth?”

Chi Yao: “Mmm.”

Jing Xi: “Do you promise not to throw a tantrum?”

Chi Yao: “…”

When Jing Xi graduated from the military academy, he already held the rank of First Lieutenant. After entering the military, he was originally supposed to be in charge of dealing with mutated beasts, which was also his specialty.

But as luck would have it, on his very first expedition after graduation, he ran into an Extreme Shadow robbery.

At that time, Extreme Shadow was just a small, unknown band of space pirates.

Since they were in a hurry to get to a desolate planet for a mission, Jing Xi suggested to the then-commander of the Black Tiger unit that they focus on driving them away and intimidation.

A small pirate gang like that could usually be scared into behaving for a long time.

But Chi Yao was just too damn punchable.

He took control of the Black Tiger’s AI, pushed the Black Tiger commander off the command seat, and made him fall flat on his face in front of numerous officers.

The damage wasn’t high, but the humiliation was immense.

As a result, Jing Xi was sent out by the furious commander to deal with Chi Yao.

The two of them fought on their very first meeting.

Jing Xi: “Did you know that the Black Tiger’s equipment at that time could have blown 100 Extreme Shadows to smithereens?”

Chi Yao smiled lazily. “So what? I didn’t do anything bad. They couldn’t touch me.”

Jing Xi: “Robbery isn’t a bad thing?”

Chi Yao recalled the event. “That bunch of idiots walked right into it. I just taught them a lesson and took some payment for my labor.”

Jing Xi: “…”

Could robbery be explained in such a fresh and refined way?

Thinking of something, Chi Yao chuckled. “If it weren’t for me, how could you have been promoted so easily? I get half the credit for you becoming a general in your twenties.”

Jing Xi’s face was wooden. “So I should thank you?”

Chi Yao: “You’re welcome.”

Jing Xi: “…”

The fact that a little-known pirate gang could control the AI of a major legion caused a huge sensation in the military. For some reason, it even spread to the outside world.

Extreme Shadow’s name was at the top of major social media platforms for several days. It was hard for the general public not to know about it.

Everyone thought it was an accident.

A legion’s AI was not comparable to ordinary artificial intelligence. Its defense and security systems were top-tier. How could it be so easily hacked?

As a result, for the next year, Extreme Shadow appeared in the headlines every few days, and the military was driven to distraction.

Every legion sent out would be humiliated, and eventually, no legion was willing to volunteer for the fight.

To deal with such a pirate gang, one legion couldn’t handle it. If they combined several legions, it would be embarrassing if word got out, and crucially, they still might not be able to take them down.

At that time, Jing Xi had already been transferred under Chen Bingfeng.

With pressure from above, this unwanted job was thrown to Jing Xi by Chen Bingfeng.

No one expected that this favored son of heaven, who had just entered the military, would also be so adept at dealing with space pirates.

Later, Extreme Shadow and the Flying Dragons maintained a very delicate balance. The other legions were spared from disaster, so happy they were just short of burning incense and praying.

Chi Yao didn’t know much about the internal affairs of the military. Hearing it recounted by Jing Xi in such an emotionless tone, it was inexplicably comical.

Chi Yao: “So we were mutually encouraging and making progress together?”

Jing Xi: “Not at all.”

For the next two days, they went through all the yellow-marked areas but found nothing new.

“Should we do a thorough search of this base?” Chi Yao asked.

In the afternoon, the two sat eating breakfast by a sun-drenched floor-to-ceiling window.

Chi Yao swiped his finger, and a holographic map appeared in mid-air next to the dining table. “I still feel like there’s a problem.”

To find two problematic research institutes within one base, one of which was brazenly displaying beastification specimens, the extent of the network of interests involved was unknown.

“Just the two of us, it’s too inefficient. Too many people, and it’s easy to get discovered.” Jing Xi took a sip of coffee. “Should we check out that dessert shop today?”

In the sunlight, Jing Xi’s fingers were well-proportioned and slender, so white they seemed to glow. Chi Yao found it hard to look away.

It was clearly his own hand, why did it look so exceptionally good when Jing Xi was using it?

“We can,” Chi Yao answered a beat later.

Jing Xi: “If your guess is correct, then it’s very likely we’re being watched.”

Chi Yao picked up the white porcelain bowl and sprinkled a small pinch of food on the water’s surface.

After being raised for a few days, the little goldfish was much more energetic than when it was first picked up, but it was still just as lazy. It would definitely float if it could avoid swimming.

“Have you finished testing your protective armor?” Chi Yao asked casually. “The temperature has suddenly dropped these past few days. It’s a bit cold to be out at night.”

“Cold?” Jing Xi paused slightly and checked the weather for the past few days.

There was no so-called temperature drop. The temperature these last two days was even a little higher than before.

He suddenly thought of something, and his expression changed.

Chi Yao put down the white porcelain bowl and looked up to see his grave expression. He understood in an instant.

“…When was your last susceptibility period?”

Jing Xi: “…”

Seeing his silence, Chi Yao cursed under his breath and counted on his fingers. “According to past patterns, I should be able to go back in another two or three days. Can you hold out?”

Jing Xi: “I’m here, don’t be afraid.”

Chi Yao was so angry he laughed. “Is there any medicine to delay the susceptibility period?”

Jing Xi: “There should be?”

Chi Yao: “You’re asking me?”

Jing Xi: “You haven’t taken it?”

Chi Yao: “I f—” I don’t even have a susceptibility period.

The words reached his lips, but he swallowed them back down.

He had heard from Chun Qin before that the stronger an alpha’s emotional fluctuations, the stronger the symptoms during the susceptibility period.

But it was only hearsay; he had never truly experienced it.

He didn’t know if it was because of the long-term drug injections, but some of his human aspects seemed to be slowly disappearing.

Jing Xi said with a blank face, “If it really comes to it, I’ll let you bite me.”

Chi Yao was about to nod when he suddenly paused. “Your body is mine!”

Jing Xi looked up at him. “Then when your susceptibility period comes, I’ll let you bite me back.”

Chi Yao: “…”

Something seemed off. He thought about it seriously for a moment. “Does biting an alpha work during the susceptibility period?”

Jing Xi spouted nonsense with a straight face. “Alphas and omegas both have glands. Since they both have them, it’s the same no matter who you bite.”

Chi Yao almost believed him. “That seems to make a lot of sense?”

Jing Xi avoided his gaze and slowly stood up.

“Isn’t it because you can’t hold on?”

Chi Yao: “…”

You really don’t have a single selfish thought, do you.

Hearing him say that, Chi Yao remembered the maze in the sky amusement park that day.

The scent of Jing Xi’s blood and pheromones seemed to still linger in his nose.

Chi Yao’s heart skipped a beat.

If he had bitten him then, he wondered what would have happened.

He was suddenly looking forward to it.

At night, the two entered the base again.

The shops here were almost all closed at night.

Si Mu was on the first floor of a twenty-something-story building.

At this time, only a few rooms in the building were lit.

Chi Yao had Xiao Hong and the others take care of the surveillance here and invaded directly through the main entrance.

The shop was very clean and didn’t seem to have any problems.

Chi Yao gave it a cursory glance and went straight to the back room.

Behind the cashier’s counter was a small room. This kind of layout was usually used as a staff break room.

The door was locked. He took a look and saw that the security level of the lock far exceeded commercial use.

The price of this lock alone was enough to buy the entire shop.

“Xiao Lan, pick the lock.”

The Xiao Lan bean floated over and attached itself to the lock’s sensor area.

[Cracking—40%—70%—99%—Crack failed!]

A piercing alarm blared in the space.

Jing Xi frowned, feeling something was wrong.

Let alone this kind of lock, even a military-grade lock was not difficult for Xiao Lan to crack. How could it possibly fail?

He grabbed Chi Yao’s finger and pulled up Xiao Lan’s control panel.

He understood when he saw a few lines of data.

This was a modified lock with a dual anti-cracking program installed. Its security level was even higher than a military-grade lock.

At the same time the alarm sounded, Xiao Hong’s voice rang in Chi Yao’s mind.

[Suspicious target detected within 100 meters.]

Chi Yao grabbed his hand and pulled him away.

“Now is not the time for research.”

Just as he took a step, his peripheral vision noticed a flash of light. Chi Yao turned and hugged Jing Xi to dodge.

Almost Si Multaneously, a bullet grazed past them and hit the wall.

Gunshots continued to ring out. Jing Xi looked left and right.

The small passage to the right of this room led to the kitchen.

“This way!” Jing Xi pulled him inside.

The kitchen was not large, filled with a milky aroma. Some semi-finished cakes were placed in a transparent cabinet on the side. Besides that, there was almost nowhere to hide.

The sound of footsteps accompanied by gunshots gradually approached. In the dim light, a dark figure appeared at the kitchen doorway.

He approached slowly, the heels of his shoes making a slight clicking sound on the tiles.

Chi Yao listened to the sounds around him, but most of his attention was on Jing Xi.

The gap between the curtain and the oven was only a few dozen centimeters, which was very tight for two tall alphas.

The two were inevitably pressed together.

Chi Yao’s mind couldn’t help but wander.

It was a good thing he had switched bodies. If he had seen Jing Xi’s face at such a close distance, he might have lost control—and hugged him to take a good sniff.

He had smelled plenty of omega pheromones, but compared to Jing Xi’s, they were all worthless.

As he looked over, Jing Xi happened to look up at him.

Their eyes suddenly met.

They were so close that they could both hear each other’s accelerated heartbeats.

Jing Xi’s eyes swept over “his own” face.

A black mask covered half his face, he wore night-vision goggles over his eyes, and his forehead was covered by a hat.

This look seemed biteable.

Chi Yao was trying hard to focus his wandering thoughts on the person outside when his face was suddenly touched.

Noticing what had happened, his eyes widened slightly.

This kid Jing Xi actually kissed his cheek!

Through two layers of masks, there was no actual physical contact.

Jing Xi unhurriedly pulled back. The hand hanging by his side was suddenly grabbed by Chi Yao.

“Fuck!”

Chi Yao cursed through gritted teeth, turned his head slightly, and went after him.

But before he could kiss him, he immediately reacted and pulled him down to squat.

Bang, bang, bang!

Bullets pierced through the curtain and hit the metal frame.

“Don’t move!”

Chi Yao, his face cold, tore down the curtain and threw it forcefully.

The dark figure was unable to dodge and was covered by the curtain.

Aroused by Jing Xi, Chi Yao took a few steps over, his moves ruthless.

Under his hands, the dark figure couldn’t last more than two moves before his neck was locked.

“Who are you people?!” The dark figure didn’t dare to move and questioned sternly.

From this voice, Chi Yao knew who it was without even looking.

It was none other than that chocolate-scented omega, Si Qi.

Chi Yao dragged out his words and said without a care, “Robbery.”

Jing Xi, who was about to walk out: “…”