ALSACW – Chapter 47

The next day, after leaving Yun Chuji’s place, Tang Jianxi didn’t go home. She went straight to the Tang Group.

At this stage, she needed to find someone she could trust to help her protect Yun Chuji.

And although Tang Jianshen was one of the people she detested most, “most detested” and “most trusted” weren’t mutually exclusive. Sometimes, the two could even be complementary. For instance, it was precisely because Tang Jianxi was so familiar with and trusted Tang Jianshen’s fundamental nature that she disliked him so much.

That emotionless robot.

Tang Jianxi knocked on Tang Jianshen’s office door, and it opened at her touch. Sure enough, even with an hour and a half to go before official work hours, the workaholic Tang Jianshen was already there, a terrifying presence. He was always the first to arrive and the last to leave. Tang Jianxi doubted there was another capitalist in the Empire who worked others to the bone while also working himself to the bone quite like Tang Jianshen.

It was as if he had become a ghost bound to the Tang Group.

Tang Jianxi sat down at a small coffee table to the side and instructed the AI to brew her some tea. Tang Jianshen was surrounded by several layers of light screens. His expression was grave, and he swiped away a screen every ten seconds or so, only for a new one to replace it shortly after.

That feeling—that she could never possibly do better than him—surfaced again.

Tang Jianxi irritably gulped down a mouthful of tea, deciding to get this over with quickly and not subject herself to this emotional torment any longer.

“I’ve found the source of the Third Princess’s funding.”

“Hm?” Most of Tang Jianshen’s attention was still on the screens in front of him; he spared only a fraction of it to deal with his troublesome sister. “Go on.”

“Glory.”

A mocking curve touched Tang Jianshen’s lips. “My dear sister, that’s hardly big news.”

“Glory has many of the Third Princess’s supporters. It’s only natural they’d invest in her. But unless they’re willing to bankrupt themselves to help her, they alone couldn’t possibly cover such a massive financial gap.”

“Of course, that’s not all, my dear brother. What I’m saying is, the Third Princess’s business model is built on selling omegas to curry favor with omegas.”

Tang Jianshen’s fingers, which had been moving like fleeting shadows, paused. He swiveled his chair to look directly at his sister, whose face was now flushed with anger. “Explain.”

Tang Jianxi pressed against the cold surface of her teacup, struggling to maintain her composure. Her brows were knitted tightly, her jaw clenched. She said slowly, “The Glory organization uses its power to secretly collude with gangs in the outer rings of each district to traffic omegas, reaping enormous profits from this business.”

“Do you have proof?” Tang Jianshen cut straight to the heart of the matter.

“No.” Tang Jianxi set her cup down, a hint of mockery in her eyes. “If I had proof, would I need to come to you?”

Tang Jianshen dismissed all the light screens. He watched his sister from a distance, propped his elbows on his desk, and slowly clasped his hands together, his expression unreadable. “But for something like this, wouldn’t Spartacus be more appropriate?”

“I hardly think our sibling bond is strong enough for you to leak this information to me, rather than using it to undermine me at a board meeting once you have proof.”

Tang Jianxi wasn’t surprised that Tang Jianshen knew about Spartacus. She was just curious what role her brother played in the organization. He seemed to have no connection to it, yet his network was inexplicably entangled with Spartacus, making it impossible to grasp his true position. Tang Jianxi’s eyes flickered, and she lowered her gaze. “Naturally, there are some things only you can do.”

Seeing that Tang Jianxi had no reaction to his sudden mention of Spartacus, not even bothering to feign ignorance, Tang Jianshen sighed inwardly. So she did recognize me that night.

“Oh? And what might that be?”

“I need you to protect someone for me. I know you have many friends in aristocratic circles, and you’ve even bought off some lackeys. I need you to use your connections and your brain to watch over someone for me.”

”Hmm…” Tang Jianshen mused softly. “Is it your alpha? The one you brought to dinner last time?”

“Are you spying on me?” Tang Jianxi frowned, her tone sharp.

Tang Jianshen unclasped his hands and waved a hand through the air, his face impassive. “Your scent is too strong.”

Tang Jianxi’s face instantly flushed red. She had been in such a rush when she went to Yun Chuji’s place last night that she’d forgotten her suppressants. This morning, she’d also been in a hurry, her mind completely preoccupied with the matter of Glory, and had neglected to mask her scent.

But Tang Jianxi refused to show any weakness in front of Tang Jianshen. She lifted her chin, her face still red. “What, is there a problem?”

Tang Jianshen glanced at her. His emotionless eyes were like a mirror, reflecting all the turmoil, panic, and faint joy in her heart. It was at moments like this that she particularly detested her own brother.

“Of course you can.”

“However, you have to tell me why. Otherwise, I won’t know who would be suitable for the job.”

Tang Jianxi hadn’t intended to hide anything from him when she came today. She told Tang Jianshen about Yun Chuji’s plan and the ideas she herself had stayed up all night formulating. After listening, Tang Jianshen tapped his fingers lightly on the desk a few times. “The plan isn’t bad,” he said. “But are you sure that alpha can be trusted?”

Can she be trusted?

Of course she could. There was no one more foolish in the world. Told not to go, yet she insists on going. She reads a few books and starts playing the hero. It was enough to drive a person mad.

But… Tang Jianxi had to admit to herself that Yun Chuji was indeed the most suitable candidate.

“If she can’t be trusted, then the entire alpha biological mechanism deserves to go extinct.”

Tang Jianshen’s tone was as lifeless as ever. “Tang Jianxi, while you’re obsessed with your omega-savior complex, could you perhaps recall that you also have an alpha mother?”

“…”

A shiver ran through Tang Jianxi. She immediately pictured her mother’s imposing demeanor and said warily to Tang Jianshen, “You’d better not tell on me about being in Spartacus.”

Everything in the world was a contradiction. And these contradictions were rarely as simple as two daggers pointed at each other—that would be easier. At least then, one could assign the labels of “good” and “evil” and grasp the hilt of one dagger without hesitation. But the reality was often that both sides of a contradiction were tightly woven into the same cloth. One could only guess by touch, not distinguish by sight alone. It was like her mother and all the other alphas in the world. They seemed to occupy different universes. To Tang Jianxi, her mother was an object of admiration and respect, while other alphas were like killer hornets, buzzing and screeching incessantly, reeking of the blood of omegas.

And yet, her mother was also an alpha.

This was a problem Tang Jianxi could never figure out. She could only set the contradiction aside, acting one way in front of her mother and another way in front of other alphas.

And now, that contradiction had grown more complex.

Yun Chuji had been added to the mix. Tang Jianxi tried to set it aside again, but this infuriating brother of hers just had to bring it up. At the thought, she couldn’t help but glare at him.

Tang Jianshen stood up from his chair and ordered the AI to bring him a cup of coffee.

Only then did he answer Tang Jianxi’s earlier question. “As long as you don’t tell on me, I naturally won’t tell on you.”

Tang Jianxi’s brow twitched at his words, and a sudden panic seized her. “Does Mother know we’re doing these things behind her back?”

The coffee arrived quickly. Steam swirled up, blurring Tang Jianshen’s face. He took a shallow sip, the heat turning his red lips an even deeper shade. “Even if she knew, Mother would support us.”

Yes, that’s precisely why I admire Mother so much.

She was intelligent, rational, and never imposed her standards on others. Although she had a distinct alpha aura, it was never unpleasant. Instead, it gave people a sense of security. People instinctively believed that her sword would always be pointed outward.

So Tang Jianxi just hummed softly in response, offering no further comment.

But now, Tang Jianshen adopted a big-brotherly tone he hadn’t used in a long time. “However, my dear sister, according to your plan, you won’t be able to hide your alpha from Mother, you know.”

Tang Jianxi was truly fed up with Tang Jianshen. Why did he enjoy twisting the knife in people’s hearts so much?

She stood up angrily, pushed the door open, and left him with a parting shot: “I have my own plans.”

Anyway, she hadn’t planned on hiding the contract from her mother and father before, so now, naturally… Tang Jianxi found she couldn’t bring herself to finish the thought with “I’m not afraid.” How could it be the same? Before, she was just using Yun Chuji as a shield. Now, she was scheming to make the person her own. Of course she couldn’t treat it with the same detachment.

The matter with Glory, the matter with Helen, the matter with Yun Chuji, and those undeveloped inhibitors… Tang Jianxi bit her lip in frustration, her leather shoes clattering against the floor. Why was everything happening at once!

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Unlike Tang Jianxi, who was overwhelmed, Yun Chuji was having a meal with Feng Ling—the one he had been promising to treat her to. Of course, she couldn’t actually let Feng Ling pay this time. She had caused him so much trouble; she had to make it up to him one way or another.

But while Yun Chuji was determined, the alpha who was supposed to be receiving the apology was completely oblivious. On the contrary, he acted as if he’d hit the jackpot and needed to thank Yun Chuji profusely. He enthusiastically welcomed her to his restaurant. Yun Chuji was surprised to discover it was the same barbecue place Tang Jianxi had taken her to before. Her fondness for Feng Ling grew, and she officially considered him a friend.

Feng Ling brought over a huge handful of skewers with a grin, enough to feed three more of Yun Chuji. Yun Chuji was puzzled by his extraordinary enthusiasm. Feng Ling had been friendly before, mainly out of admiration because she had a perfect omega wife.

But now?

It couldn’t be because of my S-rank alpha status, could it?

Do alphas treat S-rank alphas differently?

Feng Ling didn’t leave Yun Chuji wondering for long. He soon revealed the answer himself. “Sis, thanks to you showing off your incredible power that day and charming thousands of little Os across the Empire, I now finally understand what they mean by ‘making the right choice is more important than hard work.’”

Growing excited, the big alpha took a large swig of alcohol and then sighed as if in a dream. “If I hadn’t made friends with you, I never would have imagined in my entire life that so many omegas would add me on StarNet.”

“I never realized there were so many omegas in the world.”

Yun Chuji still didn’t know she had gone viral on StarNet. Due to the original owner’s sordid browsing history, she had a very poor impression of StarNet and rarely used it. The original owner had also been a loner with few classmates added as contacts. So, while omegas all over StarNet were clamoring for her contact information, very few people could actually provide it. At the very least, Yun Chuji’s family and Tang Jianxi would never expose it. Thus, the omegas turned their attention to the alpha who had been with her.

This meant that for the past few days, Feng Ling had been living as if he’d fallen into a pile of cotton candy. Even though he knew these omegas were all after his “sis,” what if? What if one of them took a liking to him!

That would be a huge win!

Feng Ling looked attentively at his lucky star and told her about what had been happening on StarNet these past few days. Although Tang Jianxi had deleted the video, the heated discussions hadn’t stopped. For the first time, the usually reserved omegas of StarNet were passionately discussing an alpha, stirring up resentment among countless other alphas. Feng Ling, however, was not one of them. He poured Yun Chuji a glass of the restaurant’s best alcohol. “Sis, I know you’re devoted to your Miss Tang, so I didn’t give your info to that crowd of omegas. But, hey, if you ever change your mind…”

“Heh heh, this whole forest is waiting for you!”

Unsure of her alcohol tolerance, Yun Chuji didn’t touch the glass. She toasted Feng Ling with tea instead. “There’s no need. I have no intention of changing my mind.”

Feng Ling clicked his tongue in disappointment, yet he also felt a strange sense of admiration for her loyalty. He shook his head, took another gulp of alcohol, and said, “Sis, anyway, I really have to thank you.”

Yun Chuji looked at his face, completely immersed in happiness, which even seemed to have softened his inherent alpha roughness. A thought stirred in her mind, and she asked hesitantly, “Are omegas really that great?”

“Why does every alpha have to have an omega?”

But the real question she left unsaid was: if alphas could let go of their fervent desire for omegas, wouldn’t Glory’s business collapse?

And those poor omegas could have their own simple but precious lives.

Feng Ling smacked his lips. He didn’t realize that Yun Chuji’s question had excluded herself, as if she weren’t an alpha. Or perhaps he had just gotten used to her way of speaking—a strange alpha, strange enough to attract the favor of omegas. His gaze grew distant, as if looking at something without shape. “Of course omegas are great.”

Feng Ling unconsciously adopted Yun Chuji’s way of speaking, pretending she wasn’t an alpha. “Can you imagine? The happiness an alpha feels having an omega… to have someone in the world who can be completely saturated with your scent. They’re affected by your emotions, and no matter what blows you suffer, they’ll embrace you with their warm body—a soft, fragrant omega body.”

“Every time I’m in rut, I just wish an omega could come and hold me. Omegas are the antidote for alphas.”

Yun Chuji silently picked up the glass of alcohol and drained it in one go.

Feng Ling’s drunken, almost sappy confession made her realize something she had never properly considered: So, the bond between an A and an O doesn’t have to be about lust?

Yun Chuji was bewildered. Looking at Feng Ling’s hopeful face, she suddenly felt that this world was far more complex than she had imagined.

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