Chapter 89

Chapter 89

Xia Qing had never told Xu Zhangying that their lives were actually complete opposites.

Until the age of 12, every corner of Xia Qing's life had been filled with the same constant refrain:

"You will definitely be a prime alpha."

There were many reasons for this, but the most important one was Xia Qing's father—Xia Gaohan, a prime alpha.

Xia Qing's mother, Lin Hanshan, was the eldest omega daughter of a prominent family. His maternal grandfather, Lin Guangji, had only three omega daughters in his lifetime, so unlike other noblewomen, Lin Hanshan had been instilled with an heir's consciousness and duty from a young age.

But when she returned home with the world's finest STEM degree, she discovered that her younger sister, Lin Shurong—five years her junior—had already taken a husband. A foreign alpha had merely adopted the Lin surname, effortlessly snatching away everything she had strived for over two decades.

And all because the second daughter, Lin Shurong, was a prime omega. Despite never having to lift a finger, all she had to do was marry the man Lin Guangji had chosen by the age of 20, and she would most likely give him the most important thing—a perfect prime alpha heir.

Thus, Lin Hanshan pivoted sharply—she chose a prime alpha husband, one so outstanding that Lin Guangji couldn't help but respect him, even if he couldn't control him.

When *VIDA* was handed over to Xia Gaohan, it was nothing more than a holding company pieced together from acquired small companies. Yet within just six years, it had grown at a terrifying pace into a conglomerate far surpassing the *Xing'an Group*.

And Lin Hanshan, who had once fought desperately for Lin Guangji's recognition as his heir, did one thing immediately after *VIDA* went public—she severed all ties with her family. She was no longer the subordinate clinging to her father, begging for his approval.

She handed everything over to her husband, had her child take his surname, and waited—confidently, calmly, yet with an inevitable trace of anxiety—for this child to become a prime alpha.

To become her badge of honor.

No one had ever told Xia Qing this, but he had realized it at an extremely young age—though this early maturity was, of course, another reason Lin Hanshan was convinced he would be a prime alpha.

However, it wasn't his mother, Lin Hanshan, who taught Xia Qing, but his cold, busy father, Xia Gaohan—a man who seemed the least likely to be a doting parent.

After Xia Qing completed his foundational education and displayed extraordinary talent, this man assumed complete control of his education.

Before the age of 13, Xia Qing had never attended a formal school. Instead, he was taught in various large rooms—perhaps in their home in San Francisco, or their residence in Melbourne—by different people who appeared by his side, imparting knowledge at a pace far beyond conventional education.

Whether it was theoretical physics, applied mathematics, increasingly complex chemistry, or languages and social sciences, Xia Qing never found learning exhausting or painful, because everything was gradually introduced within the scope of what he could comprehend.

But as Xia Qing approached the age of 10, Lin Hanshan's expectations and anxieties grew increasingly severe—reaching their peak when Lin Shurong's son presented as a prime alpha.

It was also at this time that Xia Qing noticed the difference between his father and mother—this coldly pragmatic man didn’t seem to care about his presentation outcome.

"If you're an idiot, being a prime alpha won’t help," the man remarked, glancing at Xia Qing's assessment reports before tossing them onto the table. He looked up at Xia Qing with a faint, mocking smile.

The tall, aloof prime alpha stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, the North American redwood forest stretching beyond, veiled by rain.

Xia Qing met his father's gaze—eyes identical to his own—and remained silent.

That day was Xia Qing's 10th birthday.

Lin Hanshan, who had never been involved in his education, began grasping at the hope that prime alphas might present later.

But this hope lasted only a year before it was utterly shattered—the moment Xia Gaohan took his own life without explanation. And in its place rose bottomless resentment.

"Xia Qing, where did you go to middle school?"

Xu Zhangying's voice pierced the silence of the room, slightly slurred from drowsiness.

"My school registration is in the UK, but I didn’t stay there for long."

"What?" Xu Zhangying opened his eyes, meeting the pair of brown eyes mere inches away. "My father arranged personal tutors for me. Most of my education was done at home," Xia Qing replied softly.

Xu Zhangying suddenly remembered something and asked, "Is it because the learning pace was different from school? Actually, I heard that you, Xia Qing, were planning to apply for university. Sorry, I did ask around about you a little."

Xia Qing's gaze rested on the top-tier alpha's face, showing no sign of discomfort, and replied calmly, "Yes, according to my late father's plan, I was supposed to enroll in a university's pre-med track last year."

"Damn," Xu Zhangying rubbed his eyes, suddenly wide awake, his expression one of astonishment. "Xia Qing, you really are a genius—13 years old and already heading to university? No wonder exams are nothing to you now."

Xia Qing felt slightly burned by the fervent admiration in the top-tier alpha's eyes and averted his gaze somewhat awkwardly. "It's just a matter of different educational resources. If it were you, Xu Zhangying, you'd be the same."

"No way—what are you saying, boss? How could I ever compare to you?"

Before Xia Qing could finish, Xu Zhangying pulled him into a tight embrace, messing up his hair wildly and exclaiming, "Do you think your brilliant brain is something mass-produced? Not even one in a million could match you!"

This time, it was the beta who was trapped in the alpha’s bear hug. By the time Xu Zhangying finally let go, Xia Qing's hair was a tangled mess. Xu Zhangying grinned, pinching Xia Qing's cheeks with both hands.

"How are you this perfect? Perfect face, perfect IQ, perfect combat skills, and so humble—my god, even your personality is flawless. No wonder I fell for you at first sight."

Xu Zhangying then nuzzled affectionately against Xia Qing's burning, perfect face. "You’ve got to carry me in tomorrow’s competition, boss. I’ve even played the charm card—you have to help me out."

"Xu Zhangying," Xia Qing felt like he was being enthusiastically licked by an overexcited dog. He wanted to ask when exactly this "love at first sight" had happened, but the emotions swelling in his chest left no room for words.

*Next time*, the boy thought.

-

"Why are these two kids together? If this was also Lawrence's plan, it serves no purpose other than making things even crueler."

In the break room, Xiao's face was grim as he watched Amber hack into the official website.

Dozens of files popped up rapidly on Amber's screen. Frowning, he scanned the contents and said gravely, "When I last tracked this kid’s movements at the end of last year, he hadn’t returned to the country. Since Emperor’s death, he’s been off the grid."

Laura leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, her expression icy. "What about his mother? Has she returned?"

Without looking up, Amber replied, "After Emperor’s death, his wife was also arrested because she held 10% of the shares. But AGB and the FBI couldn’t find evidence linking her to LEBEN. VIDA was originally her family’s overseas enterprise before it was severed from the domestic conglomerate."

"From 2005 until late last year, this wife—surnamed Lin—spent a fortune hiring high-powered lawyers to plead her innocence. She claimed she was deceived by her husband and never handled any corporate affairs. Eventually, she posted a $30 million bail and got off scot-free. After that, I stopped tracking her."

Suddenly, Amber’s fingers paused over the keyboard as he stared at a student competition record on the screen.

"Lin Shuhua," Laura read aloud, standing beside him. "Chinese, and his school seems to be the same as those two kids."

Three minutes later, Amber straightened up and exchanged a strange look with Laura. "Talk about fate."

Lance frowned. "Why fate?"

Laura glanced at them and shook her head. "A kid from the wife’s family is also participating in tomorrow’s competition. He’s been attending the same school as the top-tier alpha, while the beta kid transferred in half a year ago."

"So you’re saying the Emperor’s son and the dead journalist’s kid being together is... a freak coincidence?" Xiao’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"Who knows?" Laura muttered, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes. "There are too many wild cards in this whole mess."

"Three hours until dawn," Amber checked his watch and turned to the group. "Leave the terrorist search to the Japanese team. We need to talk to the kids in the competition ourselves."

-

At 7:49 a.m., four soaking-wet kids slipped into the hotel’s buffet restaurant, acting casual in the breakfast line.

But Meng Yulin’s sharp eyes caught them just as they mingled. "Stop!" he hollered.

The nearby diners startled at the Chinese teacher’s sudden shout. The four froze, bracing for an earful—they weren’t sure if their rooms had been checked last night. Qi Feng had mentioned that the girls’ rooms were inspected.

"What were you three doing, coming down so late? And why are you all wet?" Meng Yulin snapped, conspicuously ignoring Lu Heguang (who was conspicuously ignored).

Xu Zhangying suddenly had an idea and tentatively offered, "We went for a morning run outside." (a weak excuse, given their damp clothes).

"Why are you running outside when it's still raining? Do you want to catch a cold and miss the competition this morning?" Meng Yulin's tone was stern, but the students with lowered heads were already hiding gleeful expressions.

After being sent off to eat, they were told to hurry. Xu Changying patted Lu Heguang's shoulder and told him to go find his teammates from the Hong Kong team. Then he looked up at Zhao Yang with a puzzled expression. "No way, Qi Feng *swore* they checked the rooms!"

Zhao Yang was equally baffled. They glanced around and spotted Qi Feng waving at them from a nearby table for four, so they quickly walked over.

Qi Feng pulled out seats for the three of them while saying anxiously, "Holy shit, I thought I was gonna die. I thought Old Meng was going to *skin you alive*. How did he just let you off like that?"

Xu Changying also found it strange. "Did they not check the boys' rooms last night? Old Meng doesn’t know we snuck out."

"Wait, no—Lu Xueqing checked the girls’ rooms... Do you know who checked the boys’?" Qi Feng white-knuckled her fork, her expression tense.

"Who? If it was a student, covering for us would be normal, right?" Zhao Yang unceremoniously snatched a bite of the toast from her plate.

Qi Feng, watching Zhao Yang devour the food without caring about her intel, rolled her eyes. "I just found out. Brace yourself."

Zhao Yang still didn’t look up.

"Lin Shuhua."

"Cough—" Zhao Yang nearly choked mid-swallow, coughing violently before finally managing to ask in horror, "Who?"

Xu Changying, who was peeling an apple for Xia Qing—also taken from Qi Feng’s plate—was equally startled. "No way?"

Zhao Yang and Xu Changying exchanged glances, then scanned the room. Xu Changying didn’t spot that ruthlessly pragmatic top alpha and withdrew his gaze. As he cut the apple into rabbit shapes and placed them on Xia Qing’s plate, Qi Feng asked, "Did you guys *bribe* Lin Shuhua or something? I thought you were dead for sure."

Xu Changying briefly thought of Xia Qing’s relationship with him but shook his head. "No, he has no reason to take a risk for us."

Zhao Yang looked around the distant tables but didn’t see the person in question. Just as he was about to turn away, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a handsome boy in a white shirt sitting diagonally across from him, staring directly at him. Their eyes met.

Zhao Yang immediately slouched down. "Shit, he’s *staring* us down."

Qi Feng had been eyeing the rabbit apples Xu Changying placed on Xia Qing’s plate like a starved puppy. Just as disappointment set in, Xu Changying handed her a new one. Her eyes lit up, but Zhao Yang’s words made her nearly jump out of her seat. She quickly lowered her head. "Where?"

Xu Changying wiped his hands, amused. "What’s the point of hiding now? Guess we’re in his debt now."

With that, since their clothes were still damp and they’d eaten for about five minutes, Xu Changying glanced at Xia Qing, said a quick word to Qi Feng, and headed upstairs to change.

Watching the two leave, Qi Feng felt something was off. She wrinkled her nose. "Why does Xia Qing smell so much like A Ying?"

"Most of it’s faded by now. You have no idea how strong the scent was this morning," Zhao Yang stabbed one of Qi Feng’s rabbit apples with his fork, grumbling. "If Xia Qing weren’t *just* a beta, I’d suspect they’d hooked up."

"Wait, alphas and betas can’t hook up?—Hey, that’s my rabbit! Stop! You jerk!"

-

At 9 a.m., contestants and spectators entered the venue, packed in over 500 people. Though spectator seats hadn’t been canceled, it was clear the local authorities had deployed extra police to the scene.

The city was still on edge due to fears of another terrorist attack, so most attendees were teammates and family. When the lights came up, both participants and spectators were still discussing the subway gas attack from the night before.

"Don’t worry, we’re far from the attack. There’s no subway in Odaiba."

"But I heard there was an incident at Shimbashi Station too, but some students stopped it."

"It’s insane. The other four attacks left over a dozen dead and injured more than a thousand. If Shimbashi hadn’t been stopped, who knows how bad it would’ve been."

"The media says those four students haven’t been found yet. They just left after helping—total lone-wolf move. But I heard news outlets are blasting CCTV footage and witness photos to track them down."

Xu Changying rubbed his face and glanced at Zhao Yang on stage, wondering if they’d actually make it to Disneyland Tokyo after the competition like Old Meng promised. Just the thought of informing Ye Xin made his muscles tense reflexively.

Fifteen minutes before the competition, Xu Changying’s team and Lin Shuhua and Li Xuyin’s team stood together, listening to the last-minute pep talk from Meng Yulin and the other two team leaders.

On the final day, everyone wore white shirts and dress pants as their school uniforms. Xu Zhangying, who rarely buttoned his shirt all the way up, had done so this time, yet a bruise already turning purple on the left side of his neck remained visible. In the end, Xia Qing tore open a band-aid and stuck it on for him.

"Not bad, Xu Zhangying," Jian Feichi, the mentor of Lin Shuhua's team, gave Xu Zhangying's slight frame a firm pat. "Finally taking the finals seriously, I see. This is the first time I’ve seen you wear our school uniform so properly."

The competing teams and the students in the stands broke into laughter. Xu Zhangying let out a strained laugh, keeping his back stiff, afraid that someone might notice something if he bent over. He could only shoot a pitiful look at Xia Qing, who stood nearby.

Xia Qing turned his head slightly to glance at the unlucky top-tier alpha, then the corners of his lips curled up as he let out a soft chuckle, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

He rarely showed such vivid expressions, and Xu Zhangying was momentarily stunned. But the next second, Xia Qing turned away, his face returning to its usual indifferent calm.

"Xia Qing," Xu Zhangying immediately leaned in to complain, "You’re still holding a grudge? That’s too much. I’m already so miserable, and you’re laughing at me."

But Xu Zhangying, busy being clingy, didn’t notice that others had also observed the change between them—Lin Shuhua and Li Xuyin, who stood nearby.

Li Xuyin mused thoughtfully, "So Xu Zhangying and Xia Qing are this close. I hadn’t noticed before."

Li Jiayu stood behind him, feigning deafness, pretending not to hear anything.

Lin Shuhua remained silent, quietly watching the two whispering closely together before lifting his gaze to Zhao Yang in the audience stands. Zhao Yang, unsettled by the gaze, immediately turned away.

"Beep—" The electronic tone of the competition sounded, snapping everyone to attention as they followed the referees into the competition area.

After the referees inspected the robots once more, the three-hour-long final began. The competition was divided into two rounds: the Skills Challenge and the Team Collaboration Challenge. The Skills Challenge itself consisted of two parts—Manual Control and Autonomous Control.

The first round was the Autonomous Control Skills Challenge. The tasks and field setup were announced on the spot, requiring the robots to complete high-difficulty tasks such as navigating obstacles, picking up and placing objects in designated zones—all without manual control. The teams had to program and debug their robots on-site for autonomous execution.

This was clearly Xia Qing’s domain. Under the referees’ supervision, he quickly got to work. But Xu Zhangying hadn’t been idle these past two months either—he’d learned to debug equipment, check sensors, and handle basic circuitry, so he could lend a hand.

Other teams had four or five members huddled together, discussing strategies and programming challenges. Only Xu Zhangying and Xia Qing’s team stood alone with just the two of them. Xu Zhangying crouched behind Xia Qing, watching as the latter calmly wrote a new program on the computer after just a few minutes of thought.

Soon, with twenty minutes left, Xia Qing set aside the laptop and worked in sync with Xu Zhangying to modify the robot. One minute before the final "beep," they completed the last step.

Xu Zhangying stroked the robot, which looked like a clunky, excavator-like thing, then crouched down and kissed its mechanical arm. "Raphael, you better pull your weight. I know you’re the best."

The referee nearby, though he didn’t understand Chinese, chuckled at the sight, eyes crinkling. Then Xu Zhangying looked up at the beta male standing beside him, staring fixedly at him.

"Hey, don’t be stingy," Xu Zhangying tilted his head, covering his mouth with a hand as he whispered, "You’re the best too. I’ll kiss you later when we get back."

Xia Qing blinked and turned away.

While watching the earlier robot performances, Xu Zhangying realized just how difficult the finals were—at least a third of the teams’ robots failed to complete all tasks, getting stuck at two-thirds or even halfway through the course.

So when Raphael smoothly completed every task and flawlessly navigated the track, Xu Zhangying saw Shang Xiangming standing outside the arena, stopwatch in hand, giving them a thumbs-up. Meanwhile, Meng Yulin, in his classic striped polo shirt, was already clapping enthusiastically.

Lin Shuhua’s team was also formidable—their robot not only finished all tasks but was only one second slower than Raphael.

The real-time rankings were displayed on the venue’s large screen: "Xu Zhangying & Xia Qing" stood firmly in first place, while Lin Shuhua and an American team tied for second.

So when the second round—the Manual Control Skills Challenge—began, Xu Zhangying, gripping the controller at the starting line, could feel most of the audience’s eyes on him.

The task required him to maneuver the robot to lift wooden blocks and toss them into designated baskets. Though it resembled a game, Raphael wasn’t a pre-programmed, polished gaming device. The competition’s tasks were tailored to exploit blind spots in custom-built robots.

But Xu Zhangying’s precision control skills were as sharp as Xia Qing’s intellect—honed to perfection through gaming. Plus, he was a natural show-off; the bigger the crowd, the more excited and effortless his performance became. His speed and precision were maxed out, earning points with every move the robot made, each success met with cheers from the spectators.

Xia Qing stood to the side, watching the alpha milk the attention, and this time, he couldn’t help but laugh.

"Damn," Qi Feng muttered in surprise, staring at the beta male who was wearing a faint smile at Xu Zhangying. He nudged Zhao Yang’s shoulder. "Since when was Xia Qing this good-looking? I feel like he’s even prettier than our campus heartthrob."

"Isn’t that obvious?" Zhao Yang scoffed. "Why do you think Xu Zhangying’s so clingy with him? That guy’s always had a thing for pretty boys—a total looks-fiend without a clue."

"Oh, so his preference leans towards male omegas? I always thought A Ying was neutral about gender—looks like Lu Xueqing will be heartbroken then. She told me last night she likes A Ying." Qi Feng scratched his head, gazing at the shining top-tier alpha standing under the spotlight.

Zhao Yang was utterly stunned. He gave Qi Feng a speechless look. "I gotta say, you childhood friends are truly cut from the same cloth. You’re even worse than Xu Zhangying when it comes to being shallow—you take it to another level."

"Damn it, you can’t force feelings. Even if I cried and begged on my knees, Lu Xueqing wouldn’t like me. Wait—you still haven’t answered me. Is it true that A Ying prefers guys?"

Zhao Yang raised a finger, calm as ever. "Just like how you’ve never been in a relationship but your eyes have never strayed toward men, Xu Zhangying is the same—except he’s the opposite. He’s just not interested in girls. It’s hardwired—no changing that."

As he spoke, Zhao Yang slung an arm over Qi Feng’s broad shoulders and shook his head. "You and Xu Zhangying are practically a match made in heaven as childhood friends. If not for that bond, your lives would have zero overlap—neither bothering the other."

"Piss off. What about you?" Qi Feng, thoroughly roasted, gritted his teeth and fired back. "You only like Auntie Ye."

"Talk nonsense again," Zhao Yang flushed red and immediately put him in a headlock. "I just want Ah Xin to be my stepmom, that’s all."

"A Ying said Auntie Ye’s been dating a female alpha recently—her third this year. Do you really think she’ll marry our uncle?"

"Obviously. Ah Xin will come back around."

"Didn’t you say this stuff is innate and doesn’t change?!"

As the two chaotic-good teens began their nth round of bickering in hushed tones, two unfamiliar figures entered the stands behind them and sat directly in their row, casually watching the intense robot competition unfold.

"Wait, if A Ying likes guys, does that mean he’ll date Xia Qing?" Qi Feng suddenly wondered. "Though, a male alpha and beta dating—does that count as homosexuality?"

"Nah," Zhao Yang said decisively, glancing at the two in the center of the arena. "If you actually observe them, Xia Qing might be pretty and match Xu Zhangying’s usual taste for the soft, innocent type, but personality-wise? Not a chance. How could Xu Zhangying even date him?"

Unlike Qi Feng, Zhao Yang had completely dismissed any suspicions after the subway incident.

A violent beta who bashed a terrorist’s skull in with a fire extinguisher—how could he possibly agree to date Xu Zhangying? Unless Xu Zhangying got on his knees bawling and begging during the confession?

Qi Feng bit his nails anxiously. "Even though A Ying’s never dated before, he’s been off lately. I think it’s possible. Wanna bet on it?"

Zhao Yang scoffed. "Bet what? Same as usual—twenty bucks, Baohua Road’s roast duck rice."

Qi Feng slapped Zhao Yang’s palm. "Deal. Twenty it is."

"I’d like to bet twenty too. I’ll take this gentleman’s side."

Suddenly, an unfamiliar male voice, speaking perfect Chinese, chimed in. The two best friends froze mid-conversation, exchanged glances, and slowly turned around.

At first glance, Zhao Yang felt like he’d been dumped into icy water. His eyes widened in disbelief as he trembled slightly, staring at the two impeccably dressed, imposing AGB agents sitting right behind them.

The blue-eyed Russian man raised a finger to his lips, signaling the two terrified alpha boys to stay calm.

When the final team match concluded, the big screen began tallying the total scores, including performance points submitted by the judges. Xu Zhangying, still spaced out from prolonged concentration, only jolted back to attention when Xia Qing gently gripped his shoulder. Turning, he met a pair of bright eyes.

"Xu Zhangying," the boy said softly, gaze steady. "Thanks for bringing me along. I had a lot of fun."

—Thanks for bringing me along.

Of course Xia Qing knew. He always did.

Xu Zhangying stared blankly at the spark in Xia Qing’s eyes before breaking into a smile and nodding. "Yeah. I had a blast too."

The moment the words left his mouth, the screen finalized the scores. Cheers erupted as the two boys looked up to see their names in first place. Before they could react, Meng Yulin and the others rushed over and embraced them.

The student spectators cheered as well. Lin Shuhua’s team had encountered a snag with their robot in the final round but still managed fourth place.

Hong Kong came in second. Xu Zhangying turned slightly and soon spotted Lu Heguang’s small figure in the crowd, looking for him as well. Their eyes met briefly, and the boy grinned before lifting a hand to wave—half greeting, half goodbye.

Even Xia Qing was pulled into an excited hug by Shang Xiangming, who kept ruffling the hair on his head. The thirty-year-old physics teacher was so thrilled that he switched to Cantonese in excitement: "Good boy, you've made us proud! I always knew you were head and shoulders above the rest—way better than that prime alpha next to you, hahaha!"

Xia Qing, who had never been treated like this by a teacher before, widened his eyes slightly in surprise. But Xu Changying just winked at him and grinned.

Soon, the award presentation commenced. Under the flashing lights of the media and organizers, the awarding official presented trophies and prize money to the two boys. By then, the students and audience in the stands had been allowed onto the competition field, and reporters were eager to complete their prearranged interviews.

Though it was just a niche but prestigious competition, all the media present inevitably focused on the prime alpha in the winning team. Within moments, four or five journalists from Japanese newspapers and magazines had surrounded Xu Changying.

The normally showboating Xu Changying now hid behind Xia Qing, speaking awkwardly, "I owe all my knowledge to this classmate. My understanding of robotics is far inferior to his."

As he spoke, Xu Changying scanned the crowd, puzzled as to why Zhao Yang and Qi Feng hadn’t come to him immediately.

Soon, he saw the crowd part. Before he could see anything, a tell-tale oakmoss scent drifted faintly toward him.

Xu Changying’s expression changed instantly. He grabbed Xia Qing’s left hand and held it tightly. Xia Qing paused slightly before turning to look at the four alphas who had suddenly appeared in the crowd, cutting imposing figures among the others.

The competition organizers and science museum staff stepped forward, halting the reporters who were still trying to interview the students. Soon, most of the venue went quiet, watching in confusion as the newly crowned champions confronted an unexpected development.

Standing beside the AGB Officers were Meng Yulin and the others, their faces grim. Laura advanced with measured steps, inclining her head to look at the two middle schoolers. Her gaze swept past Xu Changying before settling on Xia Qing’s face. She spoke softly in Chinese: "Congratulations, but we’re investigating a very important case and need your help. Can you come with us?"

Xia Qing stared at the female alpha officer calmly, as if unfazed: "Sure."

"No!" Almost at the same time, Xu Changying stepped forward, pulling the beta protectively behind him. He glared at the AGB Officers with suspicion. "I caused everything yesterday. Why are you only taking him? You can’t take him!"

The air grew thick with tension instantly. Laura could even detect a faint, oppressive pheromone leaking from the young prime alpha due to his emotional turmoil.

Lin Shuhua, Li Xuyin, and others in the crowd wore stunned expressions. Not just them—everyone present, including the research team, was shocked by the unexpected development [in Japanese].

"Don’t be so tense," a voice suddenly spoke up behind Laura. It was Amber, who stooped to eye-level with Xu Changying. "Didn’t we agree on a temporary contract at the subway station yesterday? Though we haven’t had the chance to thank you four for stepping in, we didn’t want to disturb you before the competition ended."

"We just have a few things to discuss with this student—"

"No," Xu Changying tightened his grip on Xia Qing’s hand, his face adopting a suitably grave expression. "I don’t believe you. If he goes, I go too!"

Since they were speaking Chinese, the Japanese reporters and foreign competitors nearby couldn’t immediately understand the conversation [in Japanese]. But the research students and Lin Shuhua’s team nearby paled—were these sudden AGB Officers referring to what happened at Shinbashi Station yesterday?

Meng Yulin stepped forward, ready to scold Xu Changying for treating law enforcement as a joke.

But before he could speak, the AGB Officer replied readily, "Fine, then you both come with us. That works even better."

"Xu Changying," Xia Qing suddenly whispered, "Don’t follow."

"Too late, he already agreed," Xu Changying said, his earlier agitation fading as he gave their joined hands a playful swing. "Come on, you think I’d leave you behind?"

Before he could finish, Laura and Xiao ushered them forward by their shoulders. The confused crowd silently made way. By then, Xu Changying noticed suited detectives and uniformed Japanese officers appearing in the venue.

"Damn, why does it feel like we’re the terrorists now?!" Xu Changying grumbled under his breath.

"Your safety is of utmost importance right now," the female alpha whispered in his ear. "We’re protecting you."

Xu Changying, who had seen one too many action films, immediately shut his mouth, his face adopting a suitably grave expression.

Wait—what about Zhao Yang and Lu Heguang?

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he felt someone grab his arm. Turning, he saw Zhao Yang, his face pale, thrust his backpack into Xu Changying’s hands. "Keep this."

Just as Xu Changying was about to speak, a detective interposed himself between Zhao Yang and the group, shaking his head.

And just like that, Xia Qing and Xu Zhangying, who had demanded to stay together, were escorted to a car outside the venue.

The female alpha AGB Officer nodded to the accompanying police officer before taking the driver's seat, while another Officer, who appeared to be of Asian descent, sat in the passenger seat. As soon as the doors closed, the police car in front led the way, and the female Officer hit the gas to follow.

"I haven’t even had a chance to talk to Old Meng yet," Xu Zhangying finally realized the situation had escalated beyond expectations. Just two minutes ago, he had been a jubilant champion, and now he was being hauled off by the infamous AGB. His face paled slightly.

"Don’t worry, we’ll have follow-up discussions with your teacher later," the Asian Officer turned around and extended a hand to the two teenagers. "My name is Xiao, also Chinese. This is Laura. Feel free to speak in Chinese—we understand."

Xu Zhangying and Xia Qing remained wary. After shaking hands with the Chinese Officer, they stayed pressed together in the backseat. Xu Zhangying locked his arms around Xia Qing’s waist, while Xia Qing gone quiet, lost in thought since the AGB Officers had appeared.

"Where are you taking us?" Xu Zhangying asked.

Xiao, wearing wire-rimmed glasses, smiled faintly. "We just want to ask you about yesterday’s terrorist attack. Don’t be nervous—the Japanese police will also protect you."

"Then why did you only want to take Xia Qing at first?" Xu Zhangying pressed sharply.

Laura, who was adjusting her Bluetooth earpiece with one hand, glanced into the rearview mirror. The Beta boy being tightly embraced was deep in thought.

"Because he saw a key figure yesterday. Isn’t that right, Xia Qing?" Laura said, keeping her eyes on the road but trying to keep her tone as gentle as possible.

"I saw many people. I’m not sure which one you’re referring to," Xia Qing replied calmly, meeting Laura’s gaze through the rearview mirror.

Xu Zhangying froze for a moment at Laura’s words but quickly echoed Xia Qing, "Yeah, there were tons of people at the subway station. How could we know who the terrorists were?"

"Your name is Xu Zhangying, right?" Laura suddenly changed the subject, hands on the wheel. "I’ve been curious about you. Actually, I noticed you back in Shanghai."

"So you’ve already dug up our identities," Xu Zhangying was briefly surprised before relaxing. "Then the TV stations probably won’t need to post photos asking for leads anymore."

"Definitely not. Kids, what you did saved hundreds of people. You still don’t get how big this criminal case is," Xiao said quietly, giving them a steady look.

"Xu Zhangying, how did you identify the terrorists? What made you decide to act?" Laura asked, keeping her eyes on the road.

Still clinging to Xia Qing, Xu Zhangying looked up at the rearview mirror. "Their pheromones were off. The person trying to jump onto the tracks and the one releasing the gas had identical pheromones—like factory-made copies."

Amber’s voice came through Laura’s earpiece: "Called it."

Xiao nodded approvingly. "Truly exceptional perception. Your judgment and decisiveness are also remarkable."

But Xu Zhangying’s wariness didn’t fade. He frowned. "Praising me won’t help. We’re not Japanese citizens. Under international policing protocols, you can’t enforce anything on us here."

Laura couldn’t help but chuckle. "You know quite a lot for a kid."

"Can’t help it. My dad often dealt with your kind overseas, so I picked up a thing or two," Xu Zhangying replied casually, but not bragging.

The moment he finished speaking... silence fell over both cars connected via Bluetooth. Xia Qing, who had been keeping his head down, sensed something amiss. His eyes darted up as he lifted his gaze to meet the female Officer’s stern reflection in the mirror.

"Is that so?" Xiao quickly regained his composure. "Was he also part of an international organization?"

"Nah, just an international journalist. Tough job. But he’s gone," the high-grade alpha answered matter-of-factly.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Xu Zhangying felt Xia Qing’s arms tighten around him. Thinking Xia Qing needed comfort, he patted his back reassuringly, unaware of the guarded look Xia Qing was directing at Laura and Xiao.

"That’s truly regrettable. He sounds like a great man," Xiao murmured.

Xu Zhangying didn’t notice the Officers’ odd tone and simply shrugged. "Has nothing to do with being a father. He died doing what he loved and believed in. Maybe he didn’t regret it at all."

All the AGB Officers' eyes narrowed slightly at his words. Laura’s heart clenched painfully. She glanced into the rearview mirror, fighting to keep her smile natural. "For someone your age, that’s an incredible way of thinking. I like you."

"Is that a confession?" Xu Zhangying, still clinging to Xia Qing, asked cautiously (joking but wary).

"No, I just think you're very talented. Would you like to become an AGB Officer in the future?" Laura finally laughed freely.

"I'm not at the age to plan my career yet, so any promises now might not count—though AGB is really cool." The middle schooler pretended to pacify the adults with vague promises.

Lance's voice also came through the headphones: "I like this kid. He's way too sharp."

"You said our safety is at risk, so why weren’t my other two friends taken away?" Xu Zhangying couldn’t help but speak up, still worried about Zhao Yang and Lu Heguang.

"To be precise," Xiao said slowly, "Xia Qing is in more danger. But considering how adamant you were, we brought you along as well."

Xu Zhangying’s brow instantly furrowed. Without looking at Xia Qing, he immediately asked the AGB Officer, "Why is he more at risk? Did someone recognize his face?"

Xiao wasn’t sure how to explain to Xu Zhangying, especially since Xia Qing hadn’t spilled the details yet. He turned back and saw the beta kid gripping the alpha’s hand, shaking his head at him.

Xu Zhangying locked eyes with Xia Qing and immediately stopped pressing further, instead lowering his gaze to Xia Qing’s fingers.

Laura cleared her throat, seemingly trying to change the subject again. Though she really had no clue how to handle teens, she chuckled lightly, "You knew Xia Qing was in more danger, so why did you insist on coming? Is this also something you think is worth it?"

"Of course," the 14-year-old top-tier alpha declared loudly, hugging the beta tightly as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "I’m his boyfriend."

Dead silence again on both ends of the Bluetooth connection.

"Hahaha."

Three seconds later, Amber’s booming laugh rang through the headphones. "Fate is truly fascinating, everyone."

Lance, speechless for a long moment, finally added slowly, "Never saw this coming."

Outside the Bluetooth connection, Xiao opened his mouth before managing to speak: "Seriously? That’s... uh, great."

Asking children about their early romance was so bizarre that even Xu Zhangying gave the seemingly calm but internally devastated adult officer a puzzled look. "Last night."

Amber’s lone, exaggerated clapping echoed through the Bluetooth.

Meanwhile, in Laura’s car, Xia Qing finally had enough and clamped a hand over Xu Zhangying’s mouth.