Processing

Federal Central Government.

Ever since Chi Li's identity had been exposed, Si Jinyan, who was rarely late, had failed to show up for three full days.

Today, Si Jinyan finally came.

Earlier, Qiu Rui had been speaking quietly with Geng Ji. "Did the Marshal tell you to make a move?"

Geng Ji knew what Qiu Rui meant. "No."

Many times, Si Jinyan's position made it inconvenient for him to act personally. Over time, all such matters involving bloodshed and covering up traces had been handed over to Geng Ji.

There had been no shortage of undercover incidents around Si Jinyan—the Emperor's informants, enemy spies, agents sent by other countries...

But no one had ever remained hidden for as long as Chi Li had.

To resolve this matter without drawing attention, the fewer people who knew, the better. Besides Qiu Rui and Si Jinyan, who already knew, Geng Ji was next in line. Yet Si Jinyan had never handed the matter over to Geng Ji.

Qiu Rui had not actually agreed with Si Jinyan's decision at the time—to upload some of Si Jinyan's real physical data into the fabricated database.

But Si Jinyan had answered, "He'll only believe it if you give him something real. He's very smart."

After hearing Geng Ji say that, Qiu Rui considered it and said, "Then perhaps the Marshal wants to deal with him personally."

Geng Ji had been smoking with his head lowered. At that, he lifted his eyes to glance at Qiu Rui, confusion in his gaze. "Are you made of wood?"

Qiu Rui frowned. Those words sounded very familiar. He had heard them twice in two consecutive days, and Lu Jiu had been the first.

It was no exaggeration to say that Qiu Rui was half of Si Jinyan's brain. A graduate of a top academy, his IQ ranked among the Empire's top ten. He was sensitive to current affairs and ahead of his time in thought. In analyzing data, gathering intelligence, predicting trends, and proposing practical solutions, almost no one could surpass him. At such a young age, he had already secured his place as one of the Empire Marshal's right-hand men.

Qiu Rui therefore frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

Geng Ji stubbed out his cigarette and shrugged. "Nothing."

Geng Ji tossed the cigarette butt into the ashtray. As he left, he thought of Lu Jiu. It seemed Lu Jiu still had a long way to go.

Qiu Rui glanced at him, then noticed the office doorway from the corner of his eye and immediately straightened his back. "Good morning, Marshal."

Si Jinyan looked at them without saying anything, then nodded.

Si Jinyan handled several important matters before leaving early that afternoon.

Geng Ji seemed to have been waiting at the entrance for a long time.

Si Jinyan headed for the parking lot, and Geng Ji followed behind him.

Only after they reached a sparsely populated area did Geng Ji speak. "Keeping him by your side isn't a long-term solution."

Si Jinyan stopped and turned to look at Geng Ji.

Geng Ji had actually suspected Chi Li before. During the previous kidnapping incident, Chi Li's escape had been far too strange.

He did not believe Si Jinyan had noticed nothing.

Yet Si Jinyan had still allowed events to continue until the evidence lay plainly before him, as though only then had he been forced to face reality and take action.

The Si Jinyan in his mind was not like this. Or rather, Si Jinyan had softened. Perhaps even Si Jinyan himself had not realized it.

Geng Ji said, "What happened before exposed too many details."

"Chi Li isn't someone who will obediently stay in line, and his identity isn't simple either."

"Sooner or later, this will become known to everyone. It'll be even more troublesome then."

"Besides, the Emperor and his people have been eyeing this place for a long time."

Si Jinyan wore his military uniform, its tailored cut making his already tall, straight figure appear even more imposing. At Geng Ji's words, Si Jinyan clenched the hand hanging at his side.

Geng Ji could only say so much. He had no right to interfere in how Si Jinyan chose to deal with Chi Li.

When Si Jinyan returned home, he first asked the butler about Chi Li's condition that day.

The butler said, "Mr. Chi didn't touch his lunch."

Expressionless, Si Jinyan undid the buttons of his shirt. "What else?"

The butler opened his mouth, but in the end, he could not help pleading for Chi Li. "Sir, I don't know what mistake Mr. Chi made, but... if this continues, he definitely won't be able to endure it."

Even Yuan Ru, a beta, had felt the overwhelmingly dense pheromones when he entered that bedroom. Chi Li's susceptible period had never eased; the Marshal had probably done something.

Si Jinyan said in a low voice, "Yuan Ru."

Before speaking, Yuan Ru had known he should not say such improper things. He lowered his head and apologized. "Marshal, I shouldn't have said that. It won't happen again."

When Si Jinyan pushed open the bedroom door, Chi Li was curled into a ball on the bed.

Because of his susceptible period, Chi Li found it difficult to fall asleep and equally difficult to remain awake.

Most of the time, he was in a dazed state, feeling as though a massive furnace were burning him. He felt hollow inside, while his skin stung as if thorns had rolled over it.

The omega masking agent in Chi Li's body had not yet been fully used up, and the instinct to crave comfort like an omega remained powerful.

The instant Si Jinyan opened the door, the pheromones raging around Chi Li, with nowhere to be released, immediately found their target and reached for Si Jinyan at the doorway.

Si Jinyan generously released his own pheromones in response to those competing pheromones.

Chi Li suddenly began to tremble on the bed, perhaps from relief, or perhaps because the fear of being controlled by those pheromones over the past few days descended upon him again.

Si Jinyan sat at the bedside and touched Chi Li's sweat-soaked forehead, then lifted him entirely into his arms.

Si Jinyan held Chi Li by the waist. Though it had only been a few days, Chi Li seemed to have grown thinner again.

"Want some nutrient solution?"

Chi Li hazily opened his eyes. The moment he recognized Si Jinyan, his pupils focused and his eyes widened. Almost instinctively, he clutched Si Jinyan's throat with both hands.

Over the past few days, they had spent half their time fighting. Whenever Chi Li was awake, whenever he still had the strength, Si Jinyan's expression darkened. He seized Chi Li's wrists and said coldly, "Looks like you still have strength. No need to eat, then."

Si Jinyan effortlessly broke free of Chi Li's grasp and pinned him beneath him.

Si Jinyan's deep voice sounded beside Chi Li's ear. "Then have something else instead."

Chi Li went from resisting at first to sinking into the vast net woven by desire, his fingertips clutching the sheets as they trembled, curled, then stretched...

After two rounds, Chi Li completely lost consciousness. Still, because Si Jinyan had eased him, the pain in his body truly lessened somewhat.

Just as his consciousness was about to sink into the depths of chaos, he vaguely felt Si Jinyan suddenly rise, then approach him again.

Si Jinyan gripped the back of his neck. When the needle pierced the gland there and cold medicine was injected, Chi Li shuddered all over. His nerves instantly tightened, and half his awareness returned at once.

When he raised a hand to stop him, Si Jinyan had already finished and stepped away.

Chi Li looked at the empty syringe in Si Jinyan's hand, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly. "What did you inject me with..."