ISMW Chapter 78

Yun Xunlan himself was like a riddle shrouded in mist.

 

He was an alpha, yet his mental power was as high as an omega’s. No one could find the truth from it, and no one knew why he differentiated so early.

 

The time for a fertilized egg to develop into a fetus with initial human form is exactly three months. Did the fetus at this stage have consciousness? Would it have memories? If so, perhaps only Yun Xunlan knew the answer.

 

“If your relationship is indeed good, I suggest you consider marriage.” Yun Xunguang pinched her brow. “Because besides the conventional organ replacement, alphas have one last method to treat insect venom—secondary differentiation, making the alpha undergo secondary differentiation into an omega, so they can continue to receive pheromones injected by another alpha.”

 

Alpha pheromones in alpha glands have a release limit. Beyond this limit, alpha pheromones will be exhausted and gradually atrophy.

 

At that point, alphas poisoned by insect venom are no different from betas—they will all die within two years.

 

Betas themselves don’t have fully developed glands, and even if they do, they’re atrophied and insufficient for secondary differentiation. But alphas are different.

 

Alpha pheromones naturally repel and oppose each other. After an alpha exhausts their own pheromones and is then marked by another alpha, their glands will instinctively try to squeeze out more pheromones to resist the invading foreign pheromones.

 

Unfortunately, they can’t squeeze out anything and can only be completely conquered and occupied. To adapt to such invasion, the alpha’s body will force the not-yet-completely-atrophied glands to undergo secondary differentiation, attempting to accept another alpha’s pheromones.

 

Under normal circumstances, alpha pheromones in alpha glands almost never get exhausted, and secondary differentiation doesn’t occur.

 

However, alphas poisoned by insect venom must constantly produce pheromones from their glands to resist the erosion of the venom in their bodies. This causes frequent susceptible periods and pheromone disorders. When the venom blood concentration rises, causing silverization values to spike, the glands will burst out the highest concentration of pheromones to attempt self-rescue.

 

The pheromone impact produced during that period can be called a biochemical weapon, even affecting betas. That’s why Ni Chun insisted Yu Chen wear a pheromone isolation mask at the time.

 

“The medical team estimates that Lanlan’s gland pheromones will be completely exhausted within two years, possibly sooner.” Yun Xunguang crossed her hands on the table, her expression calm, her tone steady as she informed Yu Chen of all possibilities. “If differentiation fails, Lanlan will become a beta; if differentiation succeeds, he will become an omega.”

 

She looked into the alpha’s sea-blue eyes and said word by word: “And because of your pheromones, he will undergo secondary differentiation, making you destined partners.”

 

The moment the woman’s words fell, Yu Chen connected everything together.

 

He thought of Yun Xunlan emphasizing that he couldn’t be marked by him, thought of Ni Chun’s insistence that they take safety measures, thought of Pei Xingting’s words “if you two can really be together, it would be good for the Third Prince,” thought of Dike’s intensive training during this period to get him to 3S level quickly—everything had actually been traceable all along.

 

No alpha doesn’t want to permanently mark and possess their lover, but Yu Chen was more concerned about something else: “Your Highness the Crown Princess, can the Third Prince accept this treatment method?”

 

This wasn’t simply a matter of secondary sexual characteristic transformation. Yun Xunlan had lived as an alpha his entire life, and the whole galaxy knew he was an alpha. If one day he suddenly underwent secondary differentiation and became an omega, how much criticism would he face? Could Yun Xunlan accept changing from an alpha to an omega?

 

Faced with Yu Chen’s inquiry, Yun Xunguang responded with silence. After a long while, she asked quietly: “Isn’t it good enough to survive?”

 

“You would also become destined partners.”

 

“How many people in the world can meet their destined partner?”

 

Yu Chen forced a smile, his cold eyes understanding: “He’s unwilling.”

 

“If he’s unwilling, should I just watch him die?!” Yun Xunguang raised her voice slightly, then quickly became quiet again. “…I hope more than anyone that the serum can be made before he has to undergo secondary differentiation.”

 

She hoped even more that this time could be earlier—early enough to be before He Chubai’s death.

 

But would any deity listen to her wishes and grant them? No, the deity had already granted her one wish.

 

Yun Xunguang was very happy when she first learned that Papa was pregnant. Father only deeply loved Papa and rarely invested emotions in her. Whenever she thought of this, she couldn’t help but worry about her future brother or sister, because he would probably be like herself—not getting enough love.

 

However, Yun Xunguang secretly swore she would use everything she had to love him, compensating him for all the love she didn’t receive.

 

But when the new year arrived, terrible news came with it. She overheard Father’s conversation with the doctor—

 

“This child… must I give up?”

 

“Even if we don’t terminate the pregnancy now, this child can’t survive past the seventh month. The longer we delay, the greater the harm to the Empress’s body.”

 

“Then so be it.” Yun Qihe was silent for only a moment before calmly deciding. “Perform the surgery tomorrow. No need to tell the Empress.”

 

He turned to leave, but after rounding the corner, he saw Yun Xunguang with red eyes.

 

The young, resilient girl looked up, clenching her fists and stammering: “Father… I will work hard to practice piloting mechas, will recover the lost first border line, will fight to the insectoid home planet, so can you, can you…”

 

“No.”

 

Before Yun Xunguang could finish speaking, Yun Qihe denied her. He gently patted his daughter’s head: “That’s what I should do, not you.”

 

Yun Qihe seemed to be denying what Yun Xunguang had said aloud, but what he was really denying, both knew better than anyone.

 

That night Yun Xunguang didn’t sleep.

 

She knelt by the bed looking at the universe outside the porthole, watching stars being born in brilliant nebulae, watching them burn with breathtaking brilliant light. She made a wish to the deity, hoping her Papa and little brother could both survive and see this world of beauty and danger.

 

The next day, her wish came true.

 

However, after her anticipated brother was born as she wished, Yun Xunguang was almost never happy again. Even though her brother was quiet and well-behaved, never causing trouble or making noise, just looking at him made Yun Xunguang very sad.

 

“Hair silverization might be a symptom accompanying insect venom…”

 

“Excessive alpha mental power activity isn’t good, it might lead to mental abnormalities…”

 

“Continuous level decline is inevitable, can only wait for serum development…”

 

Father and Papa had more important things to do. They rarely returned from the border battlefield. Yun Xunguang stayed alone on the Imperial Star, repeatedly hearing doctors say these things, going back and forth waiting outside operating rooms, day and night looking through a small transparent window at her brother who refused contact with living people.

 

He didn’t seem free enough, happy enough, fortunate enough, healthy enough… but they lacked nothing in food and clothing. Perhaps they shouldn’t ask for too much.

 

But Yun Xunguang wrote her greed openly—her mecha piloting simulation platform alias: Floating Round (浮圆子).

 

That was another name for tangyuan (sweet rice balls), symbolizing reunion.

 

So later this truly became an impossible wish to fulfill.

 

How many times when Yun Xunguang stood outside Yun Xunlan’s hospital room did she want to ask him: If life could be chosen, would you want to come to this world? Would you want to become our family?

 

But Yun Xunguang never asked.

 

Because this hypothesis wouldn’t hold.

 

Even if it did, with Yun Xunlan living so painfully, the answer would inevitably be negative.

 

“I absolutely cannot accept… Lanlan dying before me… you have no idea…” Yun Xunguang gritted her teeth, taking several deep breaths to calm her emotions. “Yu Chen, think carefully about the secondary differentiation matter.”

 

Yu Chen still insisted on prioritizing Yun Xunlan’s personal will: “Your Highness the Crown Princess, I’m not the one who needs to consider this.”

 

“Then when Lanlan wakes up, go ask him.” As the surgery ended, Yun Xunguang suddenly stood up and went to talk with Dr. Edmund. “Lanlan should like you very much. Maybe he’ll give you the answer I want to hear.”

 

Yu Chen saw Yun Xunlan lying on a narrow white hospital bed being wheeled out again.

 

His eyes were covered with gauze, his lips pale, his body completely covered by soft blankets. The cold light from above fell down, reflecting on his porcelain-like skin. Yu Chen worried he might be crushed to pieces.

 

Seeing Yun Xunlan come out safely, Jian Wenxi was finally willing to get up and leave. Before leaving, he whispered to Ni Chun: “Notify me when Yun Xunlan wakes up.”

 

Ni Chun nodded: “Yes, Young Master Jian.”

 

Yu Chen accompanied Yun Xunlan to the hospital room door, where an unfamiliar doctor stopped him: “Major Yu Chen, the Third Prince won’t wake up for a while. You should go rest first.”

 

Yun Xunguang waved her hand: “Forget it, if he wants to keep watch, let him. I think Lanlan will want to see him when he wakes up.”

 

So Yu Chen was granted the privilege of entering Yun Xunlan’s hospital room and sitting by his bed.

 

When there was no one else around, only himself and Yun Xunlan, Yu Chen’s usually straight and broad back bent deeply.

 

His forehead pressed against the bed edge, like a puppy wanting to nuzzle its owner but not daring to. He propped his elbows on his legs, his lashes lowered, looking at a bit of light reflected from the tiles, listening to the weak but clearly audible breathing. Even without looking directly at Yun Xunlan’s face, he finally felt his floating, suspended heart settle back into place.

 

There was a faint lychee rose pheromone scent in the air. Yu Chen guessed it was probably seeping from Yun Xunlan’s sutured wounds. Smelling this pheromone, he showed no signs of entering a susceptible period.

 

“My ‘illness’ seems to be cured.” He stared blankly, curving his lips, and asked in a low voice, “…When will you get better?”

 

Even if Yun Xunlan were awake, he wouldn’t be able to answer Yu Chen’s question.

 

In dreams, one doesn’t know they are but a guest.

 

Yun Xunlan didn’t even know what day it was.

 

The pain inflicted by the insect venom, with the help of high-efficiency painkillers, he couldn’t feel at all.

 

He only sank softly and gently into his dreams, returning to the most carefree years of his life, when he was only fifteen, still the naive young master of the Yun family who had never experienced hardship.

 

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