Chapter 35: Disgust

Chapter 35: Disgusting

Huo Lanjing frowned at the person before him. Was he waiting for some day?

Suddenly, a soldier's voice echoed, "General, is everything alright?" The sound grew closer.

Huo Lanjing released Luo Le and stepped back.

Luo Le also stood up, smoothing out her clothes.

Huo Lanjing glanced at the soldiers behind him, then opened the hovercar door with one hand and pushed Luo Le inside with the other. He followed by getting in himself.

"Luo Le asked, reaching for the door handle, only to find it locked.

Huo Lanjing remained silent, giving the order for the hovercar to zoom away.

The soldier watched the car's fleeting taillights, recalling the vague scene he had glimpsed moments ago. Realizing something, he hurried back, pretending he had seen nothing.

Luo Le tugged hard on Huo Lanjing's shirt. "Are you deaf? I told you to let me go!"

Huo Lanjing: "Be quiet."

He seized Luo Le's hand, and a purple beam of light bound their wrists tightly together.

This was a laser shackle used by the military to imprison criminals – incredibly strong, it could only be released with the owner's authorization.

Luo Le: ...

He decided not to struggle anymore, instead finding a comfortable position to lean against.

Moments later, the hovercar came to a halt.

Without needing Huo Lanjing's instructions, Luo Le followed closely behind him all the way to the entrance.

Little Yuan rushed over and, upon recognizing them, roared, "Master, Lady, welcome back home."

Huo Lanjing: "Little Yuan, standby mode."

With a beep, Little Yuan glided upstairs on its own accord.

Huo Lanjing took his place in the center of the long sofa. Luo Le glanced at the seats on either side. Perfect, not a single one was available; he had no choice but to share the sofa with him.

Luo Le walked to sit as far from Huo Lanjing as possible.

Huo Lanjing didn't seem to mind. He tilted his head and glanced at Luo Le, saying, "Let's talk."

Luo Le replied, "About what?"

Huo Lanjing thought for a moment. Recently, Luo Le had been obsessively bringing up Chen Wuxing every day.

He asked, "Are you... in conflict with Wuxing?"

Otherwise, why would he always inquire about their relationship after seeing them together?

Huo Lanjing typically addressed Luo Le by his full name.

Luo Le sneered. "Wuxing, how sweet. It's rare that you still remember what I asked."

Huo Lanjing disliked Luo Le's tone when speaking to him; it grated on his nerves.

"Speak properly."

"I'm speaking the way I want to. Take it or leave it."

Huo Lanjing couldn't comprehend why Luo Le was reacting so explosively, like a powder keg ready to ignite.

He gazed intently at Luo Le, not in a hurry to respond.

Luo Le sensed his gaze and, instinctively, her demeanor softened slightly.

But in the next moment, she realized how submissive she had been and straightened her back, determined not to lose her composure.

Huo Lanjing asked, "You're filing for divorce because of him?"

Luo Le wished she could throw a brick at his head.

"Don't shift the blame onto others. I'm filing for divorce, not because of someone else."

Upon finishing her sentence, she noticed Huo Lanjing's slightly furrowed brow, as if he were trying to unravel some mystery.

He didn't want to waste time. He went straight to the point, "I know that you and your family, the Huos, don't like me. You tolerate me only because of the engagement. I like you, so I don't care."

"But people get tired, Huo Lanjing. I'm exhausted. Divorce is good for both of us. We'll also fulfill our elders' wishes in a way. Even though I don't like Huo Fei, she's right about one thing: we're not suitable for each other."

Huo Lanjing had never imagined that Luo Le would say they were incompatible one day.

A thousand tangled threads spun in his mind, but he couldn't grasp the right one.

Pausing, he asked, "Incompatible?"

Luo Le's lips curved slightly. "Isn't it so? From personality to values, even our criteria for choosing partners, we don't match, right? You want a gentle and obedient wife who waits for you. As for me, I don't have such aspirations. A few years is enough for me. I just want someone who always puts me first, who's always by my side as a soulmate. Since neither of us can meet the other's expectations, let's end it sooner rather than later. Don't make it ugly."

With every word Luo Le spoke, Huo Lanjing's breathing grew heavier. Wasn't Luo Le just complaining that he lacked time for him?

Huo Lanjing grabbed Luo Le's chin angrily. Luo Le tried to turn away but was pulled back.

Huo Lanjing's thumb caressed Luo Le's lips. "Face, money, power... I haven't spared you anything, have I? As for companionship... an Empire soldier dedicates their life to the Empire. I can't give that to you, but you've already received more than enough, Luo Le. One shouldn't be too greedy."

Luo Le lifted his lips, laughing as he looked up. "Yes, you gave me these things. But love, you gave to him."

But what he had always desired was never any of these; he had only ever wanted Huo Lanjing all to himself.

Huo Lanjing's deep eyes narrowed. "Who is he?"

Luo Le replied, "Huo Lanjing, aren't you tired of pretending? You think no one can see through your relationship with Chen Wuxing. With his background, the Huo family would never have accepted him. And you've been doing well all these years, haven't you? I've been a shield at home, sparing you from numerous troubles."

"You wouldn't let me visit you in the military zone every time I mentioned it, and throughout our marriage, you neither marked me nor allowed me to bear your child."

At this, Luo Le chuckled. "But it's for the best now that we're divorcing. I won't need to remove the mark, and I'll still be sought after. In that case, I should thank you for not marking me."

As he spoke, Huo Lanjing's hand slowly descended before pausing, loosely circling Luo Le's neck with his broad, long fingers. Under the light, his chiseled face appeared dark and contemplative, as if weighing the decision to strangle or not.

Luo Le looked up at him, his expression daring him to do the deed.

Huo Lanjing's gaze turned perilous, like a hungry wolf ready to pounce.

"A favor for not marking me?"

Luo Le shrugged and smiled. "Indeed."

Yesterday and today, Luo Le had thanked him twice in total.

Each time left him feeling profoundly displeased.

In the early days of their marriage, it was difficult for Luo Le to elicit any emotional response from him, no matter what she did.

Huo Lanjing furrowed his brows, studying him intently. It seemed that things were different now.

"I've said all I needed to. If you have nothing else, please release me. I need to go back. We'll set another time to get the divorce later."

Upon finishing her sentence, Luo Le saw Huo Lanjing's expression darken abruptly. The world spun around her, and by the time she regained her senses, her wrist was pinned above her head, and her legs were firmly pressed down by his knee.

"What are you doing?"

Huo Lanjing's cold demeanor returned as he gazed down at her. His thin lips parted, "Doing what you wish for."

What exactly did she wish for?

Before Luo Le could voice her confusion, Huo Lanjing leaned in, sealing her lips with his. The salty, punishing kiss held a hint of retribution. His serpentine gaze locked onto her, as if he were devouring her inch by inch.

In those eyes, Luo Le saw a possessiveness that didn't belong to Huo Lanjing.

How could this be...

The intense kiss left him gasping for air, as his territory was relentlessly conquered, leaving his mind blank.

With one hand, Huo Lanjing was unbuttoning Luo Le's shirt, but Luo Le was entirely oblivious.

Just as Luo Le thought he would suffocate, Huo Lanjing released his lips, moving downward to his jawline. His kisses lingered there, alternating between gentle nibbles and tingling touches.

Luo Le's face flushed crimson, a mix of frustration and anger. His hands were pinned by Huo Lanjing's grip, unable to move, while his feet were restrained as well.

Using the only part of his body still free, he muttered, "Huo Lanjing, what you're doing is... marital... I'm going to... mmm..."

Huo Lanjing raised his hand to cover Luo Le's mouth, trailing down to his collarbone. The buttons, half undone, were scattered chaotically.

He gently bit into Luo Le's collarbone, his teeth undoing the buttons one by one, descending down to Luo Le's abdomen.

Luo Le managed to break free from his captor's grasp, roaring loudly, "Huo Lanjing, let me go, damn it! I don't consent to this! I find you disgusting, disgustingly so!"

Huo Lanjing abruptly halted his movement, his gaze sharp as he stared into Luo Le's eyes. "Me, disgusting?"

Luo Le, now with nothing to lose, spilled his innermost thoughts. "You Alphas are all beasts controlled by your pheromones. How can you resist during rutting season? Chen Wuxing, so beautiful and gentle, being treated like that... it's disgusting!"

Something snapped within Huo Lanjing. He turned Luo Le around, now facing away from him.

The moment he released his grip, his potent cold pine scent flooded the room.

Under the Alpha's pheromone dominance, Luo Le's body went limp, unable to move. His own pheromones secreted involuntarily.

Huo Lanjing tore off the suppressant patch, exposing the inflamed gland. He pressed forward.

As he drew near, the soothing scent of yuzu enveloped him, calming his agitation.

Huo Lanjing paused, planting a series of kisses around the gland.

A gland was the most sensitive spot on an Omega's body. With this provocation, an electric jolt coursed through Luo Le's entire being.

He gasped in surprise. "Ah..."

Seemingly annoyed by his noise, Huo Lanjing once again sealed his lips shut.

"Mmm... mmm..."

This time, Luo Le could no longer disturb him, only able to utter indistinct sounds.

Huo Lanjing gazed intently at the gland for a while, his eyes holding a mysterious emotion that was hard to decipher.

After a moment, he lowered his head, his sharp fangs piercing the soft gland.

In an instant, their mental energies intertwined and entwined, a warm current flowing through their consciousness.

Luo Le looked in astonishment at the wrist now held captive by Huo Lanjing. Why had things escalated to this point?

With no time for contemplation, his body suddenly became hypersensitive and thirsty for more.

He craved Huo Lanjing's pheromones, yearned for his kisses, longed for his warmth.

Every touch or kiss from Huo Lanjing transformed into electric shocks that surged through his mind.

Clothing shredded into tatters littered the floor, followed by trousers, undergarments...

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He haphazardly wrapped himself in the blanket, curling up in the darkness.

Unbeknownst to him, after he fell asleep, Huo Lanjing gazed at his face, lost in thought.

At 7:40 AM, Luo Le's biological clock roused him from slumber. Still with eyes closed, his hand instinctively reached for the other side of the bed, only to find it empty.

As consciousness returned, he jolted fully awake.