What Was This Place?!

Three days later.

First Oasis, Verdant Dew Sanatorium.

Shen Que, who had no idea why the maids had suddenly started keeping such a close eye on him, finally found an excuse to go out alone.

"It is indeed a live Pheromone Memory Stone."

Charles "The Excuse" Li returned the white stone to Shen Que.

"Pheromone Memory Stones are among the more common things produced by the Sea of Life, but they're still extremely rare. You can't buy them on the open market. You might have some luck at the Black Market."

"Pei Ji did say he bought it at the Black Market," Shen Que said.

To avoid drawing attention, he had worn a cloak that day, made of fine white cotton embroidered with subtle gold patterns.

"That little brat... His luck really never runs out... He actually recognized this thing."

For once, Charles felt a little envious.

Everything produced by the Sea of Life was a precious research specimen.

The Research Institute had Pheromone Memory Stones too, but applying to use one for research required signatures from at least three honorary professors.

And they had to guarantee it would not suffer the slightest damage.

They couldn't break it open or run chemical tests.

What the hell were they supposed to research, then?

Charles reluctantly tore his gaze away from Shen Que's hand.

"Dr. Li, how long can this kind of stone preserve pheromones?" Shen Que asked.

"It varies. A day, a month, or possibly forever," Charles said.

"Forever?"

Shen Que was a little surprised.

Charles nodded.

"I've read several papers on memory stones. So far, no research has established exactly how these stones preserve pheromones."

"In the cases we have, six months to a year is the most common duration."

"But there was one case..."

Charles recalled it.

"There was an Alpha-Omega couple. The husband was terminally ill, and his wife didn't want to have their bond removed after his death."

"As you know, when a fully bonded Omega loses their Alpha, they suffer both physically and mentally. Their heats go unrelieved, and they never have pheromones to soothe them again, until they die or go mad."

"To spare his wife that suffering, the husband tried everything, spending all his savings to obtain a Pheromone Memory Stone. Before he died, he stored his pheromones inside it."

"That stone preserved them forever."

Shen Que stared at the stone in his hand.

Charles glanced at him.

"The case caused quite a stir in academic circles. Many scholars tried to analyze it, but none could offer a reasonable explanation. There was one... very unscientific theory."

"Unscientific?"

"Yes, unscientific."

Charles frowned, seemingly disapproving at the mere thought of it.

"The person who proposed it was a senior researcher who was quite well respected at the time. Later, something happened, and he was expelled from the Academy of Sciences. All his research findings were invalidated, and there aren't any records of him in the database anymore."

Shen Que read something else into those words: Charles had tried to find that researcher's work, but had failed.

"He said... memory stones preserve pheromones through emotion."

"The longer the emotion felt by the person depositing their pheromones lasts, the longer the pheromones remain."

"When that husband died, his guilt, worry, and love for his wife were frozen forever in that moment, so the stone preserved his pheromones forever."

"Not even death could bring it to an end."

"That is very unscientific," Shen Que remarked.

"Yes." Charles nodded in agreement. "It sounds like a fairy tale."

"Personally, I prefer to believe that memory stones preserve pheromones through some substance they contain, and that the duration depends on its concentration or some other property."

"Unfortunately..."

He sighed.

"There's no way to prove it."

He turned to Shen Que. "But none of that matters. Now that you have one, make good use of it to treat your condition."

"Your previous attending physician and I both agree that prolonged exposure to a highly compatible Alpha's pheromones will help treat your Pheromone Dysregulation symptoms."

"That was probably the Empress's intention in marrying you off here."

Shen Que nodded.

After listening to another round of reminders to watch his diet and avoid bumps and knocks, Shen Que suddenly asked Charles just before leaving:

"Dr. Li, do you know any good craftspeople in First Oasis?"

"Wouldn't Demi know more about that?" Charles suggested instinctively.

Then he noticed that no servants were accompanying Shen Que that day.

He came out alone?

He frowned in disapproval.

"Demi went out today." Shen Que's gaze flickered. "And Anya happened to have something else to do."

"Given your physical condition, you really shouldn't go out alone." Charles slipped back into nagging mode.

Shen Que listened patiently, then repeated his question when Charles finished.

The kind, refined Alpha doctor, determined to accommodate all his patient's needs, replied:

"I don't know much about these things, but I've heard my students mention a shop. It seems fairly good."

An hour later.

Shen Que finally managed to... get lost in the rainforest city beneath its interwoven canopy.

Though "lost" wasn't quite accurate.

His aircraft's autopilot had a precise positioning system, after all.

Even without autopilot, Shen Que didn't believe he could truly get lost, given that he could pinpoint coordinates in the universe.

No one with a poor sense of direction could become a commander.

He suspected the doctor had remembered the address incorrectly.

Sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves, scattering dappled shadows.

Interwoven tracks wound like hunting snakes, and aircraft hummed overhead.

News scrolled across a large screen floating in midair:

[New-generation treatment pod unveiled! Could extend the average human lifespan by another 100 years!]

[Her Majesty the Empress visits Tianfu Star to convey her regards. Supreme head chef personally prepares insanely spicy cuisine to welcome her!]

[His Excellency Chu Yang provides financial support to over 300 children on Unnamed Planet No. 172.]

[Another mass disappearance reported on a remote Unnamed Planet. Space Pirates suspected of human trafficking.]

[Coko releases new song, sales exceed 100 million!]

And other such news.

A round service robot flew over to his aircraft, which had been hovering there for too long.

[Sir, are you having any difficulties?]

Shen Que considered for a moment. "I want to go to this address."

[Searching for you now.]

[Search successful. The route to Galhaha Prenatal Testing Center has been sent to your navigation system.]

[Galhaha: a cozy haven for you and your baby.]

"Wait!" Shen Que snapped the navigation off.

What was this place?!

Why were there even ads?!

A "QvQ" expression appeared on the service robot's electronic screen.

[Sorry I couldn't help. Is there anything else you need?]

Shen Que rubbed his forehead. "Just take me to any accessories shop..."

[Certainly. I have found 1,886 nearby accessories shops. Calculating route. The route has been sent to your navigation system.]

[Light of the Oasis, your dazzling choice.]

[Kaka Jewelry, making you the hottest thing in the oasis!]

Meanwhile, at Verdant Dew Sanatorium.

Charles opened his Terminal to clear his unread messages and fell into contemplation as he looked at the address in his records: [Guli Workshop, 78 Tianshui Street, First Oasis].

It seemed he had...

Accidentally sent Shen Que the address meant for Countess Janet.