Johnsen didn’t care about the lives of those three omegas. He had never developed the kind of vulgar feelings for them described in clichéd romance novels. After all, who would show favoritism to a tool?
He only regretted his two unborn children. When he had traded marriage for a future, he had been prepared to never have children in his life. He had even made vows of eternal love to Qi Sheng based on this.
Later, he learned it was a good deal, because a future was a universal equivalent—it could be exchanged for so many, many things.
He, for example, had exchanged it for a relationship with the Third Princess and three omegas he could control as he pleased.
But even so, while low-grade A/O pairings had certain advantages in terms of fertility, the process was infuriating. He had to watch them inject themselves with inhibitors, their eyes red, while he lay panting on the bed, powerless from pheromone exhaustion.
It was a physiological humiliation.
Johnsen endured it. Later, he adapted to it. And later still, he savored a kind of pleasure in manipulating their emotions—at least I’m satisfied, but you aren’t.
And so he got two children.
And now they were gone.
But that wasn’t the most important thing. He could have more children; after all, he had bought two more omegas.
However, Johnsen looked at the rubble projected on the light screen and thought, who would be so extreme as to kill these three nameless omegas?
He wasn’t worried that the investigating police would connect this house to him. His money and status were enough to erase his footprints every time he stepped into the villa. He was worried about something else.
Cold sweat broke out on Johnsen’s forehead. From his hover car, he looked at his home, bathed in the glow of the setting sun.
Qi Sheng. Was it him?
Then this car of his… could it have a bomb too?
Johnsen’s body trembled slightly, but then he recalled Qi Sheng’s usual submissiveness. He calmed down.
I’m just scaring myself, Johnsen slapped his face hard to clear his head. He’s just an omega. What could he possibly do?
Opening his optical computer, Johnsen sent a few messages. No matter who was behind this, he had to extricate himself first.
Johnsen maneuvered the hover car and stopped at his front door.
Qi Sheng was waiting for him.
Johnsen walked over with a smile, his handsome face showing the remorse of a good husband. “I’m home so late today.”
“I thought you weren’t coming back today.” Qi Sheng’s head was lowered, as if he were replying to someone’s message.
Johnsen’s expression froze.
In that instant, a flash of insight struck him: Yes, it was him. My omega killed my omegas.
This kind of situation was not unheard of within Glory. Omegas’ noses were probably very sensitive; many had discovered their alphas’ activities. But they hadn’t connected it to human trafficking. After all, an alpha’s philandering was hardly a rare occurrence, whereas organized human trafficking was something that had long since vanished from people’s lives.
Johnsen reacted quickly. He immediately knelt on the ground in remorse. “A Sheng, I was wrong. I was misguided. I’ll never keep people on the side again.”
“Please, just forgive me this one time, okay?”
As he spoke, he quietly peeled off the blocker patch on the back of his neck. The scent of rum-flavored pheromones filled the space between them. Paired with the strong smell of alcohol on the alpha, it was, in a way, a perfect complement.
Just five minutes, Johnsen thought, and he’ll forget everything. The only thing on his mind will be how to let me fuck him.
The kneeling alpha continued to look sincerely at the omega opposite him. Under his gaze and the influence of his pheromones, the omega closed his optical computer. He raised his head, his eyes glistening with moisture.
There, goal achieved.
Johnsen went forward and embraced him. They moved from the living room to the bedroom. More than two hours later, Qi Sheng turned on his side to look at the alpha, who had fallen into a deep sleep, and skillfully gave himself a shot of inhibitor.
He could feel an infinite tenderness for this alpha because of the recent marking, a tenderness that was enough to make him ignore the faint scent of an unfamiliar omega on him.
However, it couldn’t make him forget.
Qi Sheng kissed Johnsen with a blank expression. Johnsen didn’t wake up. As a D-rank alpha, placating a B-rank omega was much less taxing than a D-rank, but in order to make Qi Sheng forgive him, he had exhausted nearly all his strength.
Qi Sheng sat up against the headboard, opened his optical computer, and continued his previous conversation: 【Does your Spartacus really have that drug that controls alphas?】
The person under the name “Marco” replied: 【Of course】
【Please prepare some for me. Oh, and send some sufficiently sturdy chains along with it】
【That’s not a problem, but?】
【J.K. Mining will terminate its cooperation with Warm-O】
【A pleasure doing business with you】
Qi Sheng gently caressed the man’s face. Look, he’s mine forever now.
How blissful.
Meanwhile, Yun Chuji had returned to her residence.
She was lying flat on Tang Jianxi’s lap. Tang Jianxi gently stroked her temples. Yun Chuji stared at the sky-blue ceiling, still unable to shake off the experience of the auction.
Logically, she should have been accustomed to this kind of human trafficking. In her past life, her closest handmaiden had been bought, as had the people who took care of her daily needs. Yun Chuji herself held the indenture contracts of several people. She should have been used to it.
But the changes brought by transmigrating were too immense. Yun Chuji had painstakingly studied so many books, and over many late nights, she had slowly corrected her own perceptions and come to feel ashamed of her past actions.
True, she had been ignorant, but she had also been high and mighty.
The problem was, her high-and-mighty status was built merely on a few flimsy indenture contracts. Just like the people at the auction, their superiority was built on the star coins in their hands, built on the fact that they weren’t the ones being bound and displayed.
No, they were far worse than her. At most, she had complied with a cruel but unavoidable custom. But those people were dragging others from a life of freedom straight into hell.
Yun Chuji had never seen so many despairing faces.
“Why can they do such things?” Yun Chuji murmured. This wasn’t her era. In this era, human trafficking was a felony. They didn’t even have the excuse of ignorance, yet they still engaged in it with such enthusiasm.
As if humanity itself were a joke.
Tang Jianxi’s hand moved from Yun Chuji’s temple to her eyes and brows. She watched her quietly for a moment, still finding her face so pure it brought joy to one’s heart.
“Some people just take pleasure in doing evil.”
“But…” Yun Chuji trailed off, unable to finish her sentence for a long time. Finally, she just frowned and said in a low voice, “It shouldn’t be like this.”
Hearing this, Tang Jianxi bent down to meet Yun Chuji’s gaze. Her bright eyes clearly reflected the alpha’s bewildered face. Her voice was resolute, like the first toll of a morning bell, offering solace to this soul from another world. “If you can’t accept it, then fight against it.”
This was meant to be an inspiring statement, but Yun Chuji just blinked blankly. Not only was her fighting spirit not roused, but she was stunned for a good while. Then, she actually said, “Jianxi, you’re so beautiful.”
“???”
When I flirt with you, you run faster than a rabbit. Now that I’m talking about serious matters, you look completely captivated.
Tang Jianxi chuckled and pinched Yun Chuji’s cheek, a look of sudden realization on her face. “Ah, so this is the type you like.”
A blush immediately spread across Yun Chuji’s face. She hurriedly denied it, “No, I didn’t mean anything else. You’re just really beautiful. Just now, it was the kind of beautiful where all I could say was that you’re beautiful.”
Finally, she managed to describe it precisely. “It’s like… your soul was shining.”
This was also a sentimental yet serious statement, but Tang Jianxi didn’t show the pleasure of being praised. Instead, she looked rather solemn. She leaned in even closer, staring intently at Yun Chuji—or more accurately, at her lips.
“If I were to kiss you now, would you not dodge?”
“Huh?”
Yun Chuji was about to shake her head, but her face was held in place, half her body in the other’s arms. Before she could make any real move, Tang Jianxi kissed her.
It was a brief touch, and then they parted.
But the soft sensation didn’t leave so easily. Perhaps she was too agitated, or as Yun Chuji would put it, too flustered. The tingling on her lips lingered. She wanted to press her lips together but was afraid the movement would be too obvious and betray her thoughts.
The omega’s lips curved into a slight smile. She explained slowly, “Just now, I felt that I absolutely had to kiss you.”
How abrupt, Yun Chuji chided herself, while brazenly biting her lip. She sat up from Tang Jianxi’s lap and said, “Don’t copy me. I’m being serious.”
Tang Jianxi glanced at her, her tone pointed. “I’m being serious too.”
Yun Chuji fell silent. Having watched so many romance movies, she now understood what ambiguity was.
At the same time, she despised herself. If she were to return to ancient times like this, she would sooner or later earn a reputation for being fickle and promiscuous.
No, I have to make things clear again.
“Jianxi, I’m really not worth…”
Before she could finish, Tang Jianxi raised a hand, signaling her to be quiet.
So Yun Chuji obediently closed her mouth.
“Xiao Ji, liking you is my decision. Whether you’re worth it or not, I already like you, and I currently have no intention of regretting it. On the contrary, I like you more each day than the day before.”
“Of course, I hope you’ll be with me. But you should remember that when I confessed to you, I just wanted to make you happy. And from your reaction, I know that you were happy.”
“That’s good enough. As for when I can truly have you,” Tang Jianxi smiled faintly, “it will probably be when you’ve figured things out.”
“After all, I think it’s very likely you’ve already fallen for me.”
Yun Chuji was aghast, at a complete loss, her face flushing crimson.
How is that possible! Jianxi must be tricking me! Do I like her? Do I… not like her?
Yun Chuji’s heart was in turmoil. It felt as if she knew the answer, yet at the same time, she didn’t. She took several large gulps of water and patted her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.
But it was no use. Yun Chuji could only bear the heavy burden in her chest. She coughed, pretending that none of what just happened had occurred. Her eyes darted away as she took another big drink of water, then said, “Um, what should we do about those omegas?”
Johnsen probably never would have dreamed that the money Yun Chuji used to buy the omegas had been given to her by Tang Jianxi, that she had sent them to a place arranged by Tang Jianxi, and that the two of them were now amicably discussing the omegas’ futures.
“It depends on what they want. If they want to go home, we can send them back after this whole affair is resolved. The gang’s influence should be mostly suppressed by then. If they don’t want to go home, I can find them jobs in S-District. People in the inner ring are more inclined to hire human employees now, so it won’t be hard for them to settle down.”
Tang Jianxi indulged Yun Chuji’s desire to evade the topic. She wasn’t disappointed. She knew Yun Chuji was conflicted, struggling, and confused. She was willing to give her time. After all, Tang Jianxi thought with surprise and contentment, just liking this person was enough to make one happy.
The two then discussed how to make Johnsen turn against his organization. Tang Jianxi told Yun Chuji about Qi Sheng’s true nature, which greatly surprised her and left her with a lingering fear. To think that such a gentle-looking person could harbor such an obsessive and crazed personality, and could be ruthless enough to bomb three omegas to death. If Tang Jianxi hadn’t reacted quickly, a tragedy would have truly occurred.
However, the path involving Qi Sheng was now closed. Tang Jianxi had already contacted Johnsen’s former partners. As expected, they had some things that would give Johnsen a headache. Coupled with the Tang family’s enticements, there should still be a decent chance.
At the same time, the hacker Tang Jianxi had hired at a high price was already on a ship to Cang Star. If all else failed, they would have to resort to the clumsy trick of leaking information from his optical computer.
Just as the two were discussing when to send Helen and the others back, Tang Jianxi’s optical computer chimed.
It was a message.
After reading it, her expression turned extremely ugly.
Yun Chuji asked worriedly, “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.” Tang Jianxi closed her eyes and gave a bitter smile. “I underestimated people’s intelligence, and at the same time, I overestimated their bottom line.”
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