With Chi Yao’s words, Jing Xi suddenly didn’t know whether to be happy or sad.

It was an unexpected delight that his pheromones weren’t rejected, but regaining control over their release was too difficult.

Jing Xi said in a low voice, “An alpha’s pheromones can’t induce estrus in another alpha.”

On the contrary, an alpha’s pheromones during their susceptibility period were too aggressive and very unfriendly to the same sex. The higher the pheromone intensity, the greater the attack received.

Chi Yao turned his head to look at him and smiled. “The scent you’re giving off right now would make even a fly go into heat, let alone a ‘libertine’ like me.”

Jing Xi was speechless.

Seeing the cold sweat on his forehead, Chi Yao couldn’t bear to joke anymore and asked, “Can the mecha purify the air to lower the pheromone concentration?”

Although it was a waste, Jing Xi’s pheromones were too strong right now, much richer than during the last susceptibility period, and even he couldn’t handle it.

Jing Xi just looked at him, silently refusing.

No alpha would want to prevent the person they liked from being dyed with their scent; it was instinct.

“You won’t?” Chi Yao leaned in slightly, his smile ambiguous. “If something happens, do you still want to investigate properly?”

Hearing the word “investigate,” Jing Xi’s muddled brain finally cleared a little.

He hesitated for a long time before reluctantly pressing the purification button.

Chi Yao was amused by his unwilling expression.

Just as he was about to tease him, he heard Jing Xi say with a deadpan face, “When we get back, you have to accompany me for a whole day.”

Chi Yao asked, “Why?”

Jing Xi replied, “Compensation.”

Chi Yao was speechless.

Wasn’t there something wrong with how this debt was being incurred?

The mecha was even faster than a fighter jet, taking only half an hour to get from north to south.

As they approached the southern coast, a series of warnings from the super-intelligent AIs sounded in the cockpit.

Jing Xi opened the monitoring window and sent Xiao Hong and Xiao Lan down to conduct a quick and detailed scan of the entire area.

The feedback they received surprised them both.

Mountain ranges stretched on, and beneath the dense vegetation were tightly packed beast herds. The howls of wolves and roars of tigers could be heard everywhere.

Flying Dragon said, “The frequency of sonic attacks is too high. It is recommended to retreat ten kilometers.”

Jing Xi followed the AI’s instructions and pulled back, his expression serious. “In a natural state, this density is absolutely impossible.”

Even though they were mutated, they still followed the laws of nature, and different beasts would keep each other in check.

Chi Yao looked at the screen and pointed to one of the windows. “Let’s go check here.”

Jing Xi glanced at it and gave an order to Xiao Hong with his thoughts.

The image in the window returned to the previous mountain range, and the camera gradually zoomed in.

A group of Level 5 wolf kings appeared on the mountain peak. They seemed to be patrolling their territory, and the entire mountainside from the peak down was covered with wolf packs.

“It’s definitely not normal,” Chi Yao said thoughtfully. “A mutated wolf king would never allow a competitor to exist within its territory.”

Jing Xi said, “They don’t look like they’re about to fight at all.”

Chi Yao leaned back in his chair, his voice light. “For so many wolf kings to gather together and be at peace, I can only think of one possibility.”

Jing Xi turned his head to look at him. “There’s a wolf here that’s stronger than them.”

Chi Yao nodded.

Jing Xi frowned. “But Level 5 mutation is already the highest level of mutation—”

Chi Yao sneered. “Before Level 5 mutations were discovered, everyone thought Level 4 was the strongest.”

As they spoke, Xiao Hong had already circled the entire mountain but found nothing new.

Jing Xi said, “We have to go down and take a look.”

They couldn’t discover many details through a screen.

Chi Yao had the same thought, but he didn’t plan to go with Jing Xi.

“I’ll go down.” Chi Yao gestured for him to unbuckle his seatbelt. “You wait here for me, don’t run around.”

Jing Xi obviously couldn’t agree.

“I’ll go with you.”

Chi Yao asked, “Can you?”

Jing Xi said seriously, “I can before it gets dark.”

Chi Yao didn’t refuse.

As a legion commander, any decision Jing Xi made was definitely well-thought-out. He would never joke with his own life or the lives of others.

On this point, Chi Yao never had any doubts.

The cries of Level 5 mutated beasts could emit sonic waves of varying intensity, which were harmful to both machines and people.

Jing Xi found a place with fewer beasts, drove the Flying Dragon into a huge cave, and authorized some permissions to the AI to prevent any incidents while they were away.

After getting out of the mecha, Xiao Hong had already flown back and, following Jing Xi’s instructions, transformed into protective armor mode.

“This is for you.”

Hearing Chi Yao’s voice, Jing Xi turned his head to see the other man holding out a ring.

Giving him a ring?

A glint flashed in Jing Xi’s eyes. “What do you mean?”

Chi Yao took the opportunity to take his left hand, place the ring on his middle finger, and turn the outer metal band of the ring.

“It can interfere with sonic waves. Don’t lose it. Give it back to me when we return.”

Jing Xi was speechless.

He has to return it?

He looked at Chi Yao. “What about you?”

Chi Yao had Xiao Hei activate its protective armor mode and walked out of the cave unhurriedly.

“Its effective range is large enough to cover me.”

Jing Xi glanced at the ring and followed him.

Planet 333’s atmosphere was very thin and hadn’t undergone any artificial atmospheric modification. The vegetation here was constantly exposed to cosmic radiation and was larger than on typical inhabited planets. Even the wild grass could grow four or five meters tall.

“Don’t we look like little dwarves who’ve stumbled into a land of giants?” Chi Yao pushed aside the wild grass and joked.

Jing Xi glanced at his tall frame of over 1.9 meters.

“Your size is just fine.”

Chi Yao turned his head and looked at him with a smile. “Which size are you talking about?”

Chatting as they walked, the discomfort in his body seemed to have lessened quite a bit.

Jing Xi walked past him with a deadpan expression. “Whichever one you think it is.”

After passing through a primeval forest, they saw a pack of wolves gathered at the foot of the mountain in the distance.

Chi Yao gave a rough glance; most of them here were Level 1 or 2 mutations.

The higher up the mountain, the higher the level.

It was as if they were guarding something.

Jing Xi tapped Chi Yao’s chest twice, and the protective armor simulated the environment, entering stealth mode.

Chi Yao watched as Jing Xi disappeared from feet to head before his eyes, his interest piqued.

“This function is not bad. When was it added?”

Jing Xi said, “I added it when I was improving the protective armor. I’ll implant the chip for you when we get back.”

As he spoke, Chi Yao heard Xiao Hei’s voice in his ear.

“Connected with Xiao Hong.”

After that, Jing Xi reappeared in Chi Yao’s line of sight.

In their cloaked state, the two of them walked openly past the beast herd without being discovered at all.

Chi Yao asked, “Can this function also be used for bad things?”

Jing Xi was speechless.

Halfway up the mountain, as far as the eye could see, there were only Level 3 mutated gray wolves.

They took a detour, passing through an area with fewer beasts.

Chi Yao stepped on a broken branch, which made a crisp cracking sound.

The small noise attracted the attention of a few gray wolves to their left front.

After their mutation level increased, their alertness also became stronger.

Chi Yao gently retracted his foot and jumped over by stepping on a large rock nearby.

Hearing the breathing behind him become heavy, Chi Yao turned to look and couldn’t help but ask, “How are you doing?”

Jing Xi shook his head. “I’m fine.”

Chi Yao said, “If you can’t hold on, you need to say so early.”

Seeing the other nod, he continued forward.

After a short while, his hand suddenly felt warm. He looked down to see someone had silently hooked their pinky finger with his.

What kind of cute way of acting spoiled is this?

Chi Yao’s heart stirred. Without saying a word, he took his hand and held it tightly.

“Chi Yao.”

Jing Xi’s deep voice sounded from behind.

Chi Yao answered, “Hm?”

After a long pause, Jing Xi replied, “It’s nothing.”

It took them nearly an hour to finally climb to the summit.

The summit was a huge plateau that connected the entire mountain range.

Hundreds of Level 5 mutated wolf kings roamed about, making Jing Xi’s scalp tingle.

Wearing Chi Yao’s ring, he indeed didn’t feel the discomfort from the sonic waves.

Before the two of them had walked over, the nearest wolf king locked its gaze on them and started walking in their direction.

Chi Yao tapped the back of Jing Xi’s hand a few times, using a code they both understood to signal him not to move.

The alertness and sensitivity of the wolf kings were very high; even a slightly heavy breath could be detected.

The two held their breath, watching as the wolf king slowly circled them once before leaving.

Chi Yao led Jing Xi along the edge, observing them as they walked.

Such a massive wolf pack lingered in this mountain. The state of the wolf kings didn’t seem like they were resting, more like thugs patrolling their turf.

Either the mountain held the prey they wanted, or they were guarding something.

Chi Yao was more inclined towards the latter.

The two carefully walked from one end of the plateau towards another peak, and the number of gathered wolf kings gradually increased.

Halfway there, Chi Yao suddenly stopped.

Jing Xi followed his gaze.

In a slightly sunken area between the peaks, dozens of wolf kings were circling a cave entrance.

The entrance wasn’t large and was obscured by towering fir trees in front and behind. It was impossible to spot without looking carefully.

Chi Yao suddenly heard Xiao Hei’s voice in his ear.

Xiao Hei said, “Xiao Hong asks if you want to go check out that cave.”

He was actually using the AI to pass messages.

Chi Yao didn’t have a control chip in his brain and couldn’t communicate with Xiao Hei in any way other than voice, so he had to continue using the code to talk to Jing Xi.

Ten minutes later, the two had moved to a spot less than five meters from the cave entrance.

They were surrounded by wolf kings in all directions. If they were discovered, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Chi Yao casually picked up a stone from the ground and threw it hard behind him.

The stone hit a distant branch, making a loud thud. The vibrating branch shook continuously, making a rustling sound.

“Awooo—!”

The small noise immediately alerted all the wolf kings, and they instantly ran towards that tree.

Chi Yao narrowed his eyes slightly, grabbed Jing Xi’s hand, and ran quickly towards the cave entrance.

The inside of the cave was pitch black.

After a brief period of adjustment, a downward-sloping tunnel gradually became clear in Chi Yao’s eyes.

Jing Xi had Xiao Hong activate night vision mode and scan for biological fluctuations within the cave.

Not two minutes after they started walking, the howls of wolves from above drew closer.

The wolf kings that had been standing guard had returned to the cave entrance.

In all his years in the military, Jing Xi had never had such a thrilling experience.

But with Chi Yao by his side, he felt an inexplicable sense of security.

It was as if with him around, any problem could be solved.

As this thought flashed through his mind, he couldn’t help but tighten his grip on the hand in his palm.

Chi Yao thought he was scared and signaled for him not to be nervous.

A wolf howl suddenly came from below, echoing in the small tunnel, its sonic attack power multiplying geometrically.

Perhaps due to his susceptibility period, Jing Xi’s five senses were more acute than usual. The ring canceled out most of the sonic waves, but it still affected him.

The irritable mood, combined with the stimulation of the sonic waves, threw his breathing into disarray.

He heard the faint sound of footsteps, and they were gradually approaching.

Chi Yao narrowed his eyes slightly, looked left and right, and quickly pulled Jing Xi to hide in a recessed alcove on the side of the tunnel.

The alcove was very small, barely able to accommodate two tall alphas.

Chi Yao listened to the sounds around him, put his arm around Jing Xi’s waist, and, turning sideways, squeezed him into the inner side.

The next moment, messy footsteps ran past from behind, accompanied by several wolf howls.

Chi Yao calculated in his mind. There were about five, with four more behind that hadn’t caught up yet.

There were probably many more wolf kings hidden in this cave.

Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly heard an accelerated heartbeat in his ear.

Chi Yao was stunned. Just as he came to his senses, his waist tightened, and Jing Xi buried his face in his shoulder.

“Are you okay?”

Chi Yao tapped a few times on his back.

As a result, the arms holding him tightened even more.

Jing Xi’s exhaled breath brushed over the side of his neck like a feather, astonishingly hot.

Chi Yao’s heart skipped a beat.

Is this kid running a fever?

After waiting for the second wave of wolves to run far away, Chi Yao frowned. “Let’s go back first.”

Jing Xi held onto him without letting go, enduring the discomfort and saying, “At least let’s figure out the situation in this cave before we leave.”

Chi Yao’s voice turned cold. “Do I need to tell you how dangerous it is here?”

Jing Xi said, “I can handle it.”

Chi Yao’s temper flared up at his stubborn words.

Before he could scold him, he heard the other whisper in his ear, “With you here, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Chi Yao was speechless.

Does this kid even know what he’s saying?

After waiting a moment and hearing no more movement, Chi Yao patted him and continued down into the cave.

After Xiao Hong and Xiao Hei connected, Chi Yao could also see the situation Xiao Hong scanned.

The area below this cave was like an ant’s nest, intricate and seemingly endless.

Except for the occasional wolf king, there were no signs of any food storage here.

Xiao Hei said, “Xiao Hong says it doesn’t look like a wolf pack’s den.”

Chi Yao nodded.

If it wasn’t their den, but they were guarding it, then there must be something else hidden here.

After walking down for about another hour, the downward angle of the tunnel gradually eased, and the space ahead became more open.

“Wooo—”

A whimpering sound exploded in his ear. It sounded like the wind blowing through a crack in the rock, but if you listened carefully, it also sounded like a person crying.

Chi Yao frowned.

No matter how he listened, this was not a sound a wolf would make.

He identified the direction and, at a fork in the road, chose the right path and walked inward.

The whimpering sound gradually grew louder, accompanied by a strange energy fluctuation.

Chi Yao couldn’t describe it, but he could definitely feel it.

“Hiss—!”

Jing Xi’s sharp intake of breath came from behind, and the hand in his palm tightened abruptly.

Chi Yao paused and immediately turned around.

“How are you?”

Jing Xi clutched his forehead, his breathing rapid. “This sound is very aggressive.”

The sound was already very close.

He looked at the window in his vision showing Xiao Hong’s scan.

At the end of this winding passage was a red dot, larger than the other wolf kings, with no signs of activity.

This thing must be what the wolf kings were guarding.

The estimated distance was less than a kilometer.

But with Jing Xi in this state, if they got any closer, he probably wouldn’t be able to take it.

Jing Xi caught his breath. “I can wait for you here, but you have to promise me not to act rashly.”

Perhaps Chi Yao was strong enough, but what lay ahead was unknown, and no one knew what might happen.

After a moment of silence, Chi Yao said in a low voice, “What about Xiao Lan? Let it go over and take a look.”

Jing Xi was stunned, not having expected him to make such a choice at all.

“With you like this, how could I leave you behind?” Chi Yao was angered into laughter by his expression. “Am I that much of a beast?”

A glint flashed in Jing Xi’s eyes. “I’m just a little uncomfortable, it’s not that serious.”

Since he came of age, each susceptibility period was just a physiological process for him, like a cold. It would get better on its own without needing attention, so there was no need to worry.

This was the first time he had truly experienced the feeling of being specially cared for.

He composed himself, woke up Xiao Lan, and said in a low voice, “It might not be able to withstand it either.”

Chi Yao said, “Go as far as it can. It would be best if it can get a full scan.”

After Jing Xi gave the command, the little bean Xiao Lan shot out with a whoosh.

Less than two minutes later, they both heard Xiao Lan’s cursing.

“Holy crap! You scared me to death!”

Chi Yao and Jing Xi were speechless.

The little bean Xiao Lan flew back, stuck to Jing Xi’s forehead, and trembled for a long time without coming down.

Xiao Lan said, “The sonic attack frequency is more than ten times that of a wolf king. My chip almost exploded, boo-hoo-hoo—”

Chi Yao checked the scan window.

Xiao Lan had only flown halfway at most before it couldn’t take it anymore and turned back.

What on earth was so aggressive?

The hand in his palm tightened again. Chi Yao came to his senses and quickly led Jing Xi out.

“We’re going back?” Jing Xi’s voice was low and hoarse.

He could tell that Chi Yao was not affected by this sonic wave.

Chi Yao’s voice was light. “Your internal organs will be shattered.”

Jing Xi was taken aback. “I’m fine—”

“I’m not fine,” Chi Yao’s voice turned cold. “If I had known this sonic wave was so strong, I wouldn’t have brought you in here.”

Although his tone was harsh, Jing Xi couldn’t help but smile.

He said in a low voice, “I’m not as fragile as you think.”

“You’re not as strong as you think,” Chi Yao sneered. “If you were gone, where would I find another arch-nemesis this beautiful?”

Jing Xi’s fingertips twitched, and he tested nonchalantly, “So you’re saying I’m special to you?”

Chi Yao turned his head to look at him and chuckled lightly. “Did you only just realize?”