Delicate Rose

Chi Li was having dinner when he suddenly received a call from Si Jinyan, who asked him a few questions.

Chi Li answered each one.

This was not the first time Si Jinyan had done this. Ever since he had ruthlessly tormented Chi Li that day, he had been returning home more frequently. Every time he came back, he would have Chi Li come to his room—sometimes to sleep in his arms, sometimes to do what pheromone treatment required.

When he did not return home during this period, Si Jinyan would sometimes call Chi Li to tell him he would not be coming back.

Chi Li was quite pleased with this behavior.

He thought this must be a sign that an Alpha depended more on an Omega.

In the office, Si Jinyan shut off the Neural Computer used for communication and shifted his gaze back to the screen before him.

The screen displayed the living room of the Si residence, along with Chi Li's back as he ate his meal with great concentration.

Geng Ji had come to deliver some documents and saw Si Jinyan intently watching the surveillance Neural Computer. He glanced over as well. "Oh? Very satisfied with the new pet you're keeping?"

The surveillance system at Si Jinyan's home had not been used for hundreds of years.

Geng Ji and Qiu Rui were Si Jinyan's right-hand men, and they had long known about Chi Li.

Si Jinyan glanced at him and shut off the Neural Computer. "What is it?"

Geng Ji, who had wanted to tease him a little longer, was cut off and turned to business. "The Emperor has made another move. They want to use force to pressure the Gagole Region and secure twenty years' worth of access to that region's rare resources."

Though Geng Ji was part of the Empire, he had always disdained such acts of aggression. Force was meant to protect the people, not oppress them, regardless of whether those people belonged to one's own country or another.

He snorted coldly and continued, "Twenty years sounds nice, but once they get their hands on it, it'll probably become permanent. Then there'll be refugees by the masses again."

Geng Ji said, "But that isn't the most important part. Those old men in the council voted together this time to bring you down. They're probably after this juicy prize. Those people would love nothing more than to control the entire Empire and launch large-scale colonial invasions!"

Geng Ji had long found them an eyesore. They were like flies—impossible to drive away, capable only of pulling irritating little tricks that did no real harm.

As the supreme commander of the Imperial military, Si Jinyan held the highest authority over matters involving the use of force.

Si Jinyan said, "Gagole's leader wants to cooperate with Loran and give Loran priority access to the rare resources. That has driven the council into a panic."

The Gagole Region was rich in rare resources. Beyond commercial applications, it also contained many rare metals essential for constructing mechs and thermal weapons.

Geng Ji understood the importance of those resources as well. "But those councilmen want to swallow it all in one bite. I really don't know what those old men need so much of it for."

Then Geng Ji had another thought. "Maybe they want to use this opportunity to put you in a difficult position, find an excuse to accuse you of failing to consider the bigger picture, then pin the label of treason on you. They've been waiting for this day for a long time, haven't they?! Then they can use the chance to strip you of your authority!"

Geng Ji slammed his palm onto the desk. The more he thought about it, the more sense it made, and the angrier he became. "Damn it! Those bastards, it must be that bastard Emperor—"

"Geng Ji!" Si Jinyan cut him off in a low voice.

"Fine!" Geng Ji waved a hand. "Got it, got it."

Si Jinyan said steadily, "The more it is like this, the less we can rush. We cannot let them seize any leverage against us. I will handle this matter. Continue reporting the situation to me."

By the time Si Jinyan returned to the residence, it was already very late.

The moment the door opened, Chi Li woke with a start. Still half-asleep, he was gathered into a pair of large hands.

When he opened his eyes, he was already cradled horizontally in Si Jinyan's arms.

Looking at that sharply defined jawline, he heard Si Jinyan's deep voice above him. "Awake?"

Chi Li's feet did not touch the ground as Si Jinyan carried him toward the master bedroom.

Si Jinyan carried the pleasant scent of pheromones. Chi Li had never noticed before, but recently, he had found that the faint scent of sandalwood made him feel at ease.

Chi Li thought it might be a side effect of Omega pheromones, making him unconsciously reliant on an Alpha.

Chi Li gave a hazy "Mm."

After placing Chi Li on the bed, Si Jinyan tucked in the covers around him and said, "Sleep."

Si Jinyan turned on a small amber nightlight, making the bedroom feel warm and intimate.

After saying that, Si Jinyan headed toward the bathroom.

Only then did Chi Li realize that Si Jinyan had come straight to his room upon returning and had not even had time to wash up.

It was very late. Chi Li looked out at the sky through the window.

The dense darkness and thin moonlight made the sky resemble an endless piece of black jade.

The sight stirred some thoughts in Chi Li. He touched the back of his neck; the swelling had yet to go down.

Chi Li thought that he needed to start preparing to go out and get an Omega modification injection.

Chi Li was on the verge of falling asleep when he remembered that Si Jinyan had clearly said that afternoon that he would not be coming back tonight.

By the time Si Jinyan returned, Chi Li was already asleep.

This time, however, Chi Li did not wake with a start. He did not realize that, surrounded by Si Jinyan's pheromones, his nerves would unconsciously relax.

His eyes merely shifted faintly. After catching the familiar sandalwood scent, he fell back into a deep sleep. Even after Si Jinyan got into bed, he instinctively burrowed a little farther into Si Jinyan's arms.

Breathing in the faint pheromone scent of the Omega in his arms, Si Jinyan felt as though the violent unrest within him could vanish with every breath.

Si Jinyan knew that he no longer truly needed Chi Li's comfort. His pheromones had become very stable, and this stable state was lasting longer and longer—long enough that the painful complications caused by his pheromone defect seemed as though they would never occur again.

Yet the Omega's pheromones in his arms seemed to torment him even more than the pheromone defect.