Chapter 57: The Birth of the Baby

Chapter 57: The Birth of the Baby

During this time, Landis had been living reclusively within the manor, keeping his pregnancy a secret known only to the empire's top leaders, core family members, and a few trusted subordinates. The rest of the world believed he was on an extended leave.

As for Xiao Sa, he had been "resting due to illness." After all, he had been classified as a C-grade mental invalid, and when he first "married" into the Wenser family, people were speculating how many more years he had to live. Now that he had fallen seriously ill, it didn’t come as a surprise.

After attending a boring royal military council, Landis was about to get into his car when someone suddenly called out to him.

The third prince, Moyang, smiled as he approached, "What a coincidence, Sir Landis."

Landis remained expressionless, nodding with great composure, "Third Prince."

The third prince gave a meaningful glance at Landis' gradually rounding belly, "Where is Xiao Sa? Why isn’t he accompanying you?"

Landis replied coldly, "Thank you for your concern, Third Prince. He's been unwell lately and is recuperating at home, not seeing any visitors."

The third prince chuckled, "I must say, Mr. Xiao Sa's abilities are truly astonishing. He can heal your mental corruption and even get you pregnant. I’ve never encountered anyone quite like him, even among S-tier mentalists."

Landis felt a slight shock in his heart. Could the third prince be suspecting something?

He looked at the third prince with displeasure, "What exactly do you want to say, Third Prince?"

The third prince spoke slowly, "To be honest, I've also undergone a mental energy compatibility test with Xiao Sa. You probably didn’t know this, Sir Landis, but he isn’t 100% compatible with only you. He is also 100% compatible with me. I even wonder if he possesses some special ability that allows him to be fully compatible with everyone."

In his heart, the third prince mused about the secrets Xiao Sa might be hiding. Was Xiao Sa truly ill, or had Landis uncovered something and confined him? The timing was quite coincidental.

Why was Landis so opposed to the mechanized beast legion searching the family grounds? Was it really that simple?

Landis' usually cold eyes betrayed a flicker of shock. His expression changed, and his gaze turned completely icy, his face like a layer of frost.

"Thank you for informing me, Third Prince. No matter how many people Xiao Sa is 100% compatible with, he is still my spouse."

Others shouldn’t entertain such unrealistic hopes.

With that, he ignored the third prince and boarded the car with Caro.

※※※

Landis hurried back to the manor, and Caro, seeing his superior's gloomy expression, didn’t dare to speak.

Landis sat alone in the master bedroom, lost in thought. Within a mere month, Xiao Sa’s presence had completely faded from the bedroom. He didn’t know how he had gotten through the past month.

But thinking of the baby in his belly, he found some comfort.

Landis eventually went into Xiao Sa's small study and found a box on the desk. It required a password, and after trying both Xiao Sa's and his own birthdays, the box opened successfully.

Inside was a box filled with pheromone vials.

Landis casually opened one, and the strong scent almost made him choke, so he immediately closed the bottle and couldn’t help but take deep breaths of the familiar scent lingering in the air.

He gently stroked his belly, and in the comforting embrace of the tequila-scented air, he felt the reassuring presence of the baby.

Just as Landis' expression softened, he noticed a file at the bottom of the box. When he opened it, his expression darkened immediately.

It was a signed divorce agreement, along with a statement renouncing all property rights.

Xiao Sa actually intended to divorce him! Was this entire box of pheromone vials Xiao Sa's way of giving him a "breakup fee"?

A wave of fury washed over him, darkening his expression like a storm cloud.

He had always believed they were a perfect match, destined to be together. But today, the third prince’s words opened his eyes. Without him, Xiao Sa could find a perfect match with anyone.

How could he have been so blind? A liar, a manipulator!

A storm of anger brewed in Landis' icy blue eyes.

No wonder Xiao Sa had been so proactive in treating his mental instability and contamination, repeatedly promising to cure him. He had clearly planned to take the gem and leave as soon as their agreement ended.

Xiao Sa wasn’t some C-grade, nor was he mentally disabled. He could live perfectly fine without Landis.

Finally, it all made sense. No wonder Xiao Sa had shown no interest in the industries, mineral veins, or the sanatorium Landis had offered him. Because he didn’t need any of it.

He didn’t need the gifts, nor the child, nor Landis himself.

Landis had always thought he could give Xiao Sa so much, but it turned out that all along, it was he who needed Xiao Sa, not the other way around.

Whenever Xiao Sa truly needed him, all Landis did was push him away.

Landis had never felt this realization so sharply. Was this why Xiao Sa was determined to leave him? Or maybe it was because they belonged to different races, and their futures were never meant to intertwine.

No wonder that day at the exit of the palace’s underground, after all his questions, Xiao Sa had only offered an apology. From start to finish, there had been no intention of continuing their marriage.

Landis sank into the soft sofa, one hand covering his forehead, a few strands of golden hair falling, casting deep shadows between his brows. The sudden surge of irritation and anger quickly turned into confusion and helplessness.

Could it be that Xiao Sa really had no intention of coming back?

Landis’ hand gently rested on his abdomen, his brow furrowing. Impossible. No matter what, they still had a child together.

The connection between Xiao Sa’s race and the humanoid mutants from centuries ago was something Landis preferred not to dwell on. For now, he pushed the thought aside, or rather, he had always subconsciously refused to think too deeply about it.

Landis picked up the divorce agreement again, his icy blue eyes obscured by the shadows of his bangs.

What would Xiao Sa be doing at this moment? Had he already found his alien kin?

Among his people, was there a tradition of marriages based on mental energy matching?

The thought of Xiao Sa finding another perfect match ignited a burning jealousy within Landis.

The universe was vast, but he couldn’t even find someone to argue with.

With a cold smile, Landis crumpled the divorce agreement in his fist, tearing it into shreds. Wanting to divorce him? Dream on! Any agreement he hadn’t signed was just a waste of paper.

After his small vent, Landis picked up the pheromone inhibitor he had opened before, opened the filter, and gently inhaled.

The familiar scent of tequila immediately filled the room, wrapping him in a gentle cocoon, and his turbulent mental sea gradually calmed.

Was it his imagination, or did it feel like the fetus in his abdomen had moved slightly?

Landis’ brow twitched slightly. Could it be that the child needed this too?

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Caro’s voice came through: "Sir, may I come in?"

Landis put down the inhibitor, thought for a moment, then tucked it into his pocket.

Caro hurriedly entered the room, holding a stack of confidential files, which he handed to Landis.

His expression was serious. "Sir, we have some leads regarding the investigation into the military mutation sanatorium and the whereabouts of those mutated officers from the Fourth Legion, as per your previous instructions."

Landis composed himself, took the files, and carefully examined them.

"We investigated the burial sites of the deceased mutated soldiers and discreetly opened their coffins. The urns were either empty or contained non-human remains."

"In other words, the bodies of these mutated soldiers did not go through the normal cremation process."

"Their families did receive a large sum of compensation at the time, but now if you look for them, they have all vanished without a trace, and no one knows where they went."

Landis looked solemn. He remembered that Xiao Sa had once told him about finding the body of General Eric, the former commander of the Fourth Legion, in the cryo-storage of the Royal Association's experimental research institute.

At the time, he believed it was related to inhibitor development. Now that he thought about it, there were indeed many suspicious points.

A cold shiver ran down his spine, sending chills through him.

Landis was well aware of the royal family's internal power struggles and the political machinations of the nobility, but he had never wanted to get involved in these matters.

His duty was simple and pure: to eliminate any external enemies that dared to invade the empire.

When he allowed Xiao Sa, the alien, to leave, he didn't feel like he had betrayed the empire. After all, he knew Xiao Sa only wanted his treasure back and had no intention of harming the country.

But now, Landis felt a sense of confusion. What if the enemy was not just the mutants but also within the empire's inner circles?

Landis took a deep breath and asked, "How many others are aware of this?"

Caro shook his head. "We investigated discreetly and didn't tell anyone."

Landis said in a low voice, "Don't spread this until we have any evidence."

Caro, with deep concern in his eyes, said, "I understand, sir."

※※※

At the private clinic of Wenser Estate, Landis was undergoing a routine prenatal check-up.

His lower abdomen had already begun to noticeably protrude. His usual tight military uniform could no longer fit, so he was wearing a loose casual shirt and overcoat.

The doctor adjusted his glasses, glanced at the test results, and hesitated before speaking.

Landis immediately furrowed his brow. "Doctor, what's the result? Is there a problem with the fetus?"

"No, no, no," the doctor quickly waved his hand. "The fetus is very strong, and its development is normal, but... it's just different from other children..."

Landis's frown deepened, and he asked in a low voice, "How is it different?" This was his first time carrying an alien baby, and he had no experience.

The doctor hesitated before saying, "The fetus's mental energy levels are very strong, and its development speed is exceptionally fast, almost twice that of a normal fetus. It's almost like... um, some kind of genetic mutation."

Landis relaxed slightly, but his brow remained furrowed. "It's just developing faster, with no other issues?"

The doctor said, "Other than that, everything is normal. A typical fetus has a gestation period of nine to ten months, and even for premature births, it's at least seven months. But for you, it will probably be about six months."

Landis was startled. So, in three months, it would be born.

"Will there be any health issues with such an early birth?"

The doctor also found it strange. "Based on the test results, the fetus is developing normally, but this is the first time I've seen such a case. For now, it's best for you to rest at home and avoid strenuous activities."

Landis fell silent for a moment and could only console himself that perhaps alien babies developed at this speed.

Landis didn't know that for the fetus, the ultra-high concentration of pheromones from a top-tier Alpha was like a super tonic. The more frequently it was ingested, the faster the growth.

A typical child would signal the mother's body to slow down the intake when it couldn't handle it. However, its parents were both S-level strong individuals with terrifying physical and genetic traits, so there was never a point where they couldn't handle it.

※※※

On a desolate planet far from the Dawn Empire, another story unfolded.

Ever since Xiao Sa led his clansmen to build the spaceport, a transport ship left every ten to fifteen days, loaded with inhibitors, returning with abundant supplies and energy.

Xiao Sa's clansmen no longer lived inside the mountains; instead, they began building a town in the open areas along the shaded side of the hills.

Their labor force was severely insufficient, so Xiao Sa offered generous wages to attract many local natives to work. As the population grew, the town expanded outward.

On this barren yet quiet planet, the construction efforts grew more intense with each passing day.

Wearing tactical goggles, Xiao Sa rushed between construction sites, busier than ever, his once fair skin now bronzed from the sun.

When he returned to his residence that evening, he found, to his surprise, not only his parents and elder brother in the living room but also a strange Omega.

"You're back," his mother greeted him warmly. "Come and meet Mr. Qin Xiang."

This was a male Omega, about half a head shorter than Xiao Sa, with a slender and well-proportioned figure. His face had the reserved beauty unique to Omegas, with large eyes that blinked at Xiao Sa. His neck flushed slightly, matching Xiao Sa's idealized image of an Omega.

Realizing the situation, Xiao Sa sighed, a wry smile on his face. "I’ve already told you, I’m still married."

The Omega was stunned, disappointment evident on his face.

"Didn’t you tell us you were divorced?" his mother asked in surprise.

Xiao Sa remained standing, not sitting down, and said calmly, "I didn’t say that. I left a divorce agreement, but it wasn’t signed. The situation was complicated, and I didn’t discuss it with him."

His mother shook her head. "That Admiral isn’t from our clan. Besides, you're wanted by the Dawn Empire. They've even blockaded the entire border to hunt you down. It's already good that he helped you escape. Do you really think he'd still be with you?"

"Moreover, he's a high-ranking Admiral in the empire. If someone discovers your identity and drags him into a military tribunal, what would happen?"

"Should he give up his high rank and family to come to this desolate planet and live like a native with you? What can you possibly offer him?"

"Your statuses and even your races are too different. Think about him for once."

His mother couldn't help but mutter, "If you were an Omega, at least you could give him a child."

Xiao Sa fell silent. He had to admit, his mother's words hit hard.

He hadn’t intended to divorce Landis when he left the divorce agreement; it was just a precautionary measure. If his mission failed, he didn’t want to involve Landis.

If he succeeded, he would return to the estate to destroy the divorce agreement, so Landis wouldn’t see it.

But as fate would have it, things didn’t go as planned. Still, it was better than being captured during the mission.

He hadn’t had the chance to deal with the divorce agreement, and it must have been discovered by Landis by now.

In Xiao Sa's guess, given Landis's original temperament, there was a ninety percent chance he would have angrily flown over in a starship to confront him or have a big argument, just like last time on Frostfall Star.

Even though the Dawn Empire had blockaded the border now, and he had lost contact with domestic signals, with Landis's status, power, and independent style, if he really wanted to find him, he would have a way to get to the border.

It had been a long time since the incident. Every time he sent Broken Peak to smuggle inhibitors from neighboring countries, he had him check for news from the Dawn Empire's border.

But the answer was always the same—no movement at the empire's border. As wanted criminals, they had no way to enter the empire for more information.

Thinking of this, Xiao Sa couldn’t help but sigh.

Maybe he had been too hopeful.

After all, given General Lan Dis' status, the fact that he let me go at that time, and even shot himself in the arm for me, already showed a great deal of consideration for our past relationship. How could I expect him to risk everything to come after me?

Lan Dis wanted to marry me because his mental sea had fallen into a frenzy, and I was the only one who could save him.

Now that he is completely cured, he no longer needs me. To him, my presence is a dangerous liability, like a ticking time bomb.

Moreover, since clearing out several mutant strongholds on this desolate planet, I have become increasingly suspicious that the so-called humanoid mutants might actually be related to my clansmen.

I can still vividly recall Lan Dis' resolute attitude from that moment. Given the threat we posed, it's surprising he didn't send warships to eliminate us. How could he possibly come looking for a reconciliation? Isn't this the outcome I had already anticipated?

The little white tiger on his shoulder let out a few whimpers with its ears drooping. Xiao Sa silently patted its head.

In the end, he shook his head and looked apologetically at the Omega across from him. "I'm sorry, but my marriage hasn't ended yet. Even if we were to separate, I would want to hear it from him personally."

The other party seemed like they wanted to say something more, so Xiao Sa had to bring up his older brother. "Actually, my older brother is also very nice."

Qin Xiang glanced silently at Xiao Ke, his eyes turning red after hearing about his younger brother's marriage, then quickly left with a twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Older Brother: "???"

※※※

As the days went by, the Dawn Empire's border blockade remained in place, with the mechanized beast legion being reassigned to other areas to continue the search. Unbeknownst to them, Xiao Sa had already slipped across the border and was long gone.

Three months later, on Central Star.

Lan Dis had entered the final weeks of pregnancy and had barely left the estate for months.

Fortunately, the pheromone inhibitors left by Xiao Sa were plentiful. Whenever Lan Dis missed his pheromones or felt unwell, he could rely on the inhibitors for temporary relief.

As the due date approached, Lan Dis found himself struggling with the unfamiliar sensation of his chest swelling, occasionally leaving embarrassing wet marks that forced him to change clothes every few hours.

In the estate's medical facility, Lan Dis lay in the delivery room.

An entire private medical team bustled around him.

Lan Dis' physical condition was quite unique, and the doctors' plan was to proceed with a cesarean section. With advanced medical technology today, there would be no real danger. The only thing Lan Dis worried about was whether the baby would be healthy.

After all, it was only six months.

During this time, Lan Dis had read a lot about obstetrics and childcare, and even filled a whole cabinet with parenting plans.

It was said that even with the most advanced painless technology, some pain would still be felt during the first delivery. Having faced far worse on the battlefield, this level of pain was nothing to him.

Unexpectedly, as the contractions began, he closed his eyes and suddenly saw a silvery-white glow before him.

He didn't know that at that very moment, within his mental sea, the once desolate landscape had transformed into a lush oasis. A bright, clean moon hung in the night sky, radiating gentle, clear light.

The warm, gentle light enveloped him, silently easing his pain and calming his anxieties.

In a daze, Xiao Sa felt as though he were floating in a warm, comforting embrace, the rising and falling waters cradling him in peace and warmth.

When Lan Dis opened his eyes again, he ignored the wound on his abdomen and weakly asked, "Where's the baby?"

The doctor quickly brought over the newly born infant and excitedly said, "Congratulations, General. It's a very healthy and strong boy."

He enthusiastically added, "We've never seen a six-month-old baby so strong, with such a powerful mental energy signature. The genetic inheritance must be exceptional, likely from high-level parents."

Landis' gaze immediately locked onto the newborn and didn't waver.

The just-born baby had his face still crinkled from birth, with fair and delicate skin.

Landis reached out to touch the baby's soft cheek but hesitated, remembering the rough calluses on his fingers. He didn’t want to accidentally hurt the little one.

In the end, he simply brushed his finger lightly over the soft, velvety skin, the sensation like a warm marshmallow.

Even Landis' normally cold and hard heart couldn't help but soften.

This was his child, his and Xiao Sa's child.

He was about to take the baby into his arms when the infant suddenly puckered his little mouth and wailed loudly.

Landis frowned, feeling a mix of helplessness and cluelessness.

He had no experience with babies at all. How was he supposed to soothe such a small thing? Finally, he dropped his voice, slipping into a commanding tone out of habit: "Enough, no more crying."

The doctors and nurses looked at him with utter disbelief, and Caro was on the verge of losing it. Was he really expecting such a small baby to obey commands?

To everyone's surprise, the baby gradually stopped crying, either out of shock or for some other reason.

He opened his pair of blue, clear eyes, looking at Landis with wide, tear-filled eyes before opening his mouth and sucking noisily on Landis' finger.

Everyone: "???"

Was this actually working?

The doctor cleared his throat awkwardly. "It would be best if the newborn stayed in the nursery for observation."

Landis nodded and slowly lay back on the bed, closing his eyes for a moment before speaking in a deep voice, "Has the emperor's decree not ended yet?"

Caro hesitated for a moment. "Not yet. But if this continues, the economic losses will only grow, and public unrest is already at a boiling point."

Landis opened his eyes and said calmly, "Then we should escalate the situation further."