Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Inside the Alpha dormitory—

"Hey, Mopey Bunny, do you know what Queqiu has been up to lately?" Tang Butian grabbed Xu Feng, who was about to go freshen up.

Holding a rabbit-faced basin, Xu Feng honestly shook his head, "I don't know. Why do you ask?"

Tang Butian's bear ears always wiggled when he spoke. He voiced his concern, "Lately, Queqiu always locks himself in his room as soon as he gets back to the dorm. I hope he hasn’t run into any trouble."

"What can happen to Queqiu? I'm perfectly fine; don't scare yourself." After the entrance exam simulation, Xu Feng’s courage had grown slightly, at least enough to directly refute Tang Butian now.

After speaking, he turned and entered the bathroom, leaving Tang Butian alone, staring at the closed door of Queqiu's room, somewhat puzzled as he touched his ear, "Is that so… I hope I’m just mistaken."

In fact, he wasn’t mistaken at all. Queqiu had been researching how to create a soothing agent for some time.

Having learned the basic principles of the soothing agent from Bai Tianxing, he opted for the simplest and most direct method: extracting a high concentration of genetic fluid from his own leaves.

Canary-green leaves sprouted from Queqiu's fingertips, swaying cheerfully in the breeze, before being plucked by the stem and dropped into a distillation flask.

Mo'erfa, propping his head up, watched the entire process unblinkingly, "Doesn't it hurt?"

Queqiu plucked another leaf and fed it to him, "Plants' pain tolerance isn't something humans can comprehend. You could think of this process as cutting nails, or hair trimming?"

Mo'erfa’s chewing motion halted midway.

Queqiu patted his head, "It's just an analogy. You need to perform well later."

After days of experimentation, Queqiu roughly understood that for Omegas, the effect of the soothing agent was similar to that of nutrient fluids, and even less palatable than the varied flavors of nutrient fluids; but for Alphas, it was a sought-after rarity.

Thus, Mo'erfa naturally became Queqiu's test subject.

"First, try the soothing agent Figo gave me." Queqiu handed Mo'erfa the school-provided soothing agent, which he had initially obtained from Figo for comparison with his own creation.

Mo'erfa sat on the edge of the bed, obediently drinking it all, then commented, "This seems like the lowest grade of soothing agent, offering minimal help in suppressing genetic diseases and restoring strength. But considering the scarcity of resources on Dark Star and its distance from the Imperial core, this level of soothing agent is about right."

Queqiu nodded and then handed him the soothing agent he had prepared.

"Do I really need to drink this? I feel a bit reluctant." Mo'erfa lovingly caressed the cold tube. Unlike the pale green soothing agent from before, the liquid inside was a deep, rich green, speckled with flecks of gold, resembling flowing green auroras.

Queqiu couldn’t quite understand, looking at him quizzically, "What's there to be reluctant about? If you're worried about running out, I can make many more bottles."

"Is this equivalent to your blood?" asked Mo'erfa.

Queqiu replied, “Plants don’t have blood, but if you consider this as blood, then yes, it is.”

Morfa carefully examined the soothing agent extracted from Queqiu’s canary leaves, captivated by its mysterious and beautiful color, and wondered if drinking Queqiu’s ‘blood’ would mix with his own, becoming one.

Caught up in these thoughts, he grew excited, and the mature glands on the back of his neck emitted a rust-scented pheromone, enveloping Queqiu in an invisible embrace.

Oblivious to these nuances, Queqiu, the innocent rose, noticed Morfa hesitating to drink the soothing agent he made and decided to take direct action, forcefully tilting Morfa's chin up to make him drink quickly.

“Cough, cough, mom, slow down, I can’t take so much,” Morfa choked, his eyes tearing up, his silver-grey eyes shining brightly as he awkwardly endured Queqiu’s force-feeding, unintentionally uttering some awkward lines.

Queqiu, unaware of the implications, eagerly looked at the coughing Morfa, asking impatiently, “How does it feel?”

Queqiu had poured too quickly and urgently for Morfa to properly taste the canary soothing agent. Struggling to recall the brief experience, Morfa described, “It’s somewhat cool and refreshing, has a very fragrant taste, free from the usual grassy or earthy flavor of regular soothing agents. It’s like a sweet floral scent, and the texture is smooth.”

Queqiu: “…”

“I didn’t ask you to describe the taste,” he said, moving back to sit in his chair, speaking seriously, “I’m asking, what's the difference between my homemade soothing agent and the ones provided for free by Dark Star Military Academy?”

Morfa also became serious, sitting up straight, and said earnestly, “You can’t take this kind of soothing agent to the black market for trading.”

Queqiu was stunned, “Why? Is there something wrong with it?”

He had thought his method of making soothing agents was flawless, but Morfa’s response was unexpected.

“No, I’m not saying your soothing agent is bad; on the contrary, it’s too good—”

Queqiu was perplexed.

“What I mean is, its quality is so high that no soothing agent available on the market can compare, not even close. This is something that shouldn’t exist in the Empire, but now that it does in your possession, it’s like holding a treasure that invites trouble.”

Morfa struggled to describe the changes he felt in his body at that moment. It was like a well on the brink of drying up suddenly receiving a life-giving rain, every parched speck of dust equally blessed, filling every empty space.

His tense spirit instantly smoothed out, and the fatigue vanished, producing an immediate and remarkable effect.

Compared to the first soothing agent he drank, it was like muddy water – useful in an emergency but limited in effect and even muddying the clean walls of the well, making breathing difficult.

He was certain that before entering his weaker, repeating cocooning phase, he must have been a very high-level Alpha. Hence, he could feel the vast difference between the inferior soothing agent and the canary soothing agent more acutely and intuitively.

Queqiu thoughtfully looked at the empty vial, "So you mean to say…"

Morfa's eyes twinkled with determination as he told Queqiu, "You absolutely must not use this concentrated extract as a soothing agent, nor should you trade it on the black market, or you'll easily become a target."

Many in the Empire were desperately seeking cures for genetic diseases, almost to a mad extent. If they discovered a new soothing agent on the market that not only effectively alleviated genetic diseases but also rapidly restored spiritual energy, they would turn heaven and earth to find the source.

In that case, Queqiu would find himself in grave danger.

Morfa didn’t want Queqiu to take such a risk.

"In that case…" Queqiu pondered for a while before a sudden inspiration struck him, "Can I dilute my leaf extract with nutrient solution?"

Morfa paused, thought about it, and confirmed, "Theoretically, it's feasible. Nutrient solution is safe and harmless and can be used as a diluent. However, you'll need to continuously adjust their ratios to achieve an effect similar to the free soothing agents provided by the school, so it won't attract undue attention."

This approach was quite unique; while most were focused on increasing the purity of soothing agents, Queqiu was doing the opposite, trying to reduce the purity to avoid unwanted attention.

Queqiu, ever focused, took Morfa's advice to heart and immediately started experimenting. Reluctantly using his precious nutrient solution, he mixed it in various proportions with the canary leaf extract, creating five different soothing agent samples.

The samples differed significantly in appearance, with the green color intensifying from left to right, indicating increasing effects and concentrations, similar to his earlier gene grade results on the Aelisbis.

Morfa started with the darkest colored sample, pausing after each to discern its difference from the free soothing agents provided by Dark Star Military Academy, while Queqiu meticulously noted every detail.

By the end of the trial, Morfa's complexion was turning pale, and his feather-like antennae waved restlessly.

He kept crossing his legs back and forth, struggling to endure something.

Queqiu's entire focus was on the soothing agent samples, unaware of Morfa's discomfort, concluding, "So the final dilution ratio is 10 (nutrient solution) to 1 (canary leaf extract), right? This should keep the soothing agent within a safe range, maintaining its effectiveness without drawing too much attention."

"However, even the least concentrated version is superior to the school's free supply, not quite matching it exactly."

Receiving no response, Queqiu looked up, puzzled, and called out, "Morfa?"

"Mother, I understand your urgency to recover your strength, but please understand my urgency too and give me some time for personal matters," Morfa pleaded pitifully.

"Huh?" Queqiu finally looked up at him, "What's wrong?"

Morfa didn't have time to answer; he dashed past Queqiu like a gust of wind.

Shortly after, Queqiu saw the young Alpha rush into the bathroom. The door slammed shut, and within seconds, there were hurried rustling sounds of fabric, followed by the prolonged, strong rush of water hitting the tiles.

Realizing what was happening, Queqiu's face unconsciously flushed red, his cheeks burning hot, as he awkwardly looked away.

"This is really... something."

The wait seemed extraordinarily long, especially in such an implicitly suggestive setting, making it even more uncomfortable.

To Queqiu, it felt like half an hour had passed, but it was only a few minutes. Morfa emerged from the bathroom looking relaxed, shaking water off his hands as he sat down next to Queqiu.

He noticed Queqiu's flushed appearance.

"Hey, Mother, why is your face so red?"

He seemed genuinely unaware, yet also as if he knew precisely why.

Queqiu turned his face away, presenting only a profile to Morfa: "You’re not a child anymore. There’s no need to report everything to me, like... what just happened."

At this, Morfa smiled, his silver hair giving him a mischievous air, "I wouldn’t... without your permission."

He leaned forward, whispering softly, almost breathily, into Queqiu's ear.

Queqiu glared at him irritably and quickly put some distance between them.

"Before you say things that aren't appropriate for children, have you forgotten you’re still just a larva in the cocooning phase?"

Queqiu, seemingly feeling that his words weren't impactful enough, deliberately elongated Morfa's nickname in a teasing tone, "Isn't that right, Fuzzy?"

Hearing this embarrassing nickname again from someone he knew well, Morfa couldn't keep his composure. He covered his face with his hands in embarrassment, and his antennae drooped instantly.

"Please, Mother, don't call me that."

"If you continue to misbehave, I will," Queqiu warned.

Morfa uncovered his face, crouching in front of Queqiu, resting his chin in Queqiu’s palm. Looking up with his grey-white eyes, he seemed utterly innocent and pure, "Of course, I'll be good. Morfa will always be Mother's most obedient pup."

Queqiu pinched his antennae, "You've been very good today. Do you want a reward?"

He had just successfully created a suitable soothing agent and was in a particularly good mood.

Morfa felt a ticklish sensation from his antennae, causing a similar feeling of eagerness to surface in a corner of his heart.

He blinked, "Then, reward your obedient pup with a kiss."

Without hesitation, Queqiu leaned down and gently kissed Alpha's forehead, a chaste kiss devoid of any desire.

The cool touch of his lips was fleeting, like a dragonfly skimming the surface of the water, touching it lightly but causing ripples across the entire lake.

Morfa remained still, not even daring to breathe too heavily, for fear of disturbing the delicate dragonfly.

"I'm so glad you granted my wish, Mother," he said. Yet the more significant reason remained unspoken, buried deep in his heart for now.

Queqiu, feeling apprehensive, patted Alpha’s shoulder, “Get up first.”

Once Morfa was seated, Queqiu added, “I’m planning to go to the black market when I find some free time, to see if there’s a demand for privately made soothing agents.”

“That place is a den of mixed characters; it could be dangerous. I’ll accompany you,” Morfa offered.

Queqiu frowned slightly, “But… won’t that expose you?”

“We can disguise ourselves as a Beta couple,” Morfa suggested, “Not just me, you need a disguise too. Black Alphas do exist, and even with your strength, it’s best to be cautious.”

Queqiu thought it over and agreed with Morfa’s proposal.

“But how do an Omega and an Alpha disguise as Betas?” Queqiu had never heard of such a method.

Morfa answered, “You can ask that Mantis Omega; I think he knows how to disguise as a Beta and sneak out of the school.”

This indeed seemed like a good idea. After planning their trip, Queqiu's next task was to prepare more batches of the canary soothing agent, now that he had perfected the recipe, both for trading at the black market and…

To repay Figo, as he had promised.

Queqiu also shared some of the soothing agents with Tang Butian and Xu Feng.

“This is unbelievable, how come you all have soothing agents, and I’m the only one who didn’t save any?” Tang Butian felt like the unluckiest person in the dorm.

Figo slapped him on the forehead, “Be grateful you have some to drink. Does it matter where it came from? Go where it’s cool and stay there.”

Tang Butian, clutching his forehead with one hand and holding the soothing agent preciously with the other, grumbled as he went back to his room, “What the heck, this is just dorm bullying against an innocent little bear roommate using brute force…”

Figo almost burst into laughter, then heard Queqiu asking, “What about Xu Feng? I haven’t seen him around.”

"He usually goes to bed early, so he must be in his room getting ready to rest. Do you want me to deliver the soothing agent for you?"

Queqiu shook his head, "No need to trouble you, I'll take it myself."

He approached Xu Feng's door and knocked gently, "Xiao Feng, are you there?"

It was quiet for several seconds inside, then a voice unlike Xu Feng's usual tone answered, sounding as if he had a cold with a heavy nasal voice.

"Queqiu? Come in, I'm here."

Queqiu entered to find Xu Feng seemingly flustered, tidying up something. His eyes were red and slightly wet, as if he had just been crying.

Avoiding Queqiu’s gaze, Xu Feng forced a smile, "Make yourself comfortable, my room is a bit messy, don’t mind it."

"It's fine," Queqiu shook his head. Xu Feng was typically the introverted, neat type; if anyone's room was untidy, his wouldn’t be.

Xu Feng seems to be avoiding me, Queqiu thought.

"I've brought you the soothing agent."

Xu Feng looked at him gratefully, "Thank you."

Queqiu quietly observed Xu Feng, sensing something was off, "What's wrong with you?"

"Ah? No, I'm fine," Xu Feng said, feigning ease. "Maybe it's just the academic pressure recently, and I haven't been resting well."

"I'm okay, really. Thank you, Queqiu."

"You're not okay," Queqiu fixed his gaze on Xu Feng's eyes, unblinking, "I heard you crying before I came in; you also seemed like you were avoiding me. And, you're not aware of how red your eyes are, are you?"

Xu Feng fell silent.

In such a situation, if it were Figo or anyone else, they probably wouldn't have continued to probe. But Queqiu, not being human and unfamiliar with the nuances of human interaction, simply spoke his mind without considering whether the other person wanted their feelings to be noticed or not.

He felt he was just stating a fact.

Xu Feng remained silent for a long time, his head hung low, clearly unwilling to communicate.

Queqiu didn’t press him further. Leaving the soothing agent behind, he turned to leave, “If you’re facing any difficulties, Figo, Tang Butian, and I can help you.”

His hand was on the doorknob, about to leave, when the droopy-eared rabbit suddenly spoke up, calling out to Queqiu.

But Queqiu waited a long time, only to hear, “You can’t help me... neither can Figo or Tang Butian.”

Queqiu clearly heard a choke in Xu Feng’s voice as he spoke.

He stopped, turned back, and sat next to Xu Feng, “What happened?”

After another silence of about a minute, Xu Feng finally managed to speak, “It’s not something that happened to me, but rather…”

“It happened to my brother.”

As he spoke, Xu Feng kept his head buried, idly twirling a carrot ring on his ring finger.

“Your brother?” Queqiu had never heard him mention this person before.

Xu Feng nodded gently, “Yes. My brother, Xu Hua.”

Mentioning his brother seemed to make the already cautious droopy-eared Alpha even more sensitive, resembling a snail curling further into its shell.

“He's a healing Omega with plant genes, four years older than me. A very gentle and kind Omega,” Xu Feng said, his eyes reddening as he looked up at Queqiu, “Just like you.”

Queqiu instinctively felt this wasn’t going to be a happy story.

Xu Feng gave Queqiu a brief glance before lowering his head again, unwilling to let anyone see his vulnerability.

"When you first asked me, I instinctively wanted to avoid the topic and not speak about it," he laughed at himself, "I guess I'm quite weak, aren't I?"

"I've never thought there's anything wrong with being like you are. You're not strong, but you've never bullied those weaker than yourself. And you've completed simulation assessments that many couldn’t, which proves you're not as weak as you think," Queqiu stated matter-of-factly.

He thought he was just stating the truth, but to Xu Feng, it was a warm comfort.

"No one has ever affirmed me like you do. I don't want to stay weak forever. My brother's situation weighs heavily on my heart. It's been four years, and no one knows the pain I carry inside. If I don't find someone to rely on, even temporarily, I fear I might soon have a mental breakdown," Xu Feng's voice choked, his shoulders trembling subtly, indicating he might be holding back tears.

Queqiu nodded, showing his understanding.

"I'm here with you, so you don’t have to be afraid."

Xu Feng sniffled, his emotions stabilizing a bit after briefly venting.

He spoke again, his voice trembling slightly, "My brother..."

"He disappeared off-campus in his third year at Dark Star Military Academy, four years after he enrolled."

Author’s note:

Who understands the feeling of writing like visiting a grave every day TT