Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Shi Jian realized that everyone in this extremist group was a little unhinged. His hair was just a bit longer and bluer—why on earth did they call him a jellyfish?!

Gu Shiyun leaned in, a low chuckle escaping him as he whispered, "It’s quite fitting, actually."

Shi Jian shot him a fierce glare. *You pale, land-dwelling creature, don’t you dare mock me.*

To outsiders, the two of them seemed to be openly flirting and exchanging amorous glances even in the face of imminent danger, their public display of affection so blatant it was unbearable to witness.

Yuan Xiu couldn’t help but quip, "You’re such a classic Omega, the kind that could be written into textbooks as the quintessential 'doting spouse' template for generations."

If not for the mission, Shi Jian would have sewn his mouth shut on the spot. But to gather more clues, he had no choice but to play along, feigning the role of a devoted Omega wife deeply in love with her Alpha husband. He linked arms with Gu Shiyun, rested his head on his shoulder, and adopted a demure, clingy demeanor: "Can you include my husband too? Our love story should be immortalized."

Gu Shiyun took the lead, intertwining his fingers with Shi Jian’s, his voice deep and magnetic: "I hope that in the future, when people mention me, they’ll say, ‘Oh, he’s that Omega’s Alpha.’ I don’t mind being referred to as your possession—in fact, I’d love for my name to always follow yours."

Shi Jian: "..."

*You’re really getting into character, Minister.*

He shyly ducked behind Gu Shiyun, his youthful voice crisp and sweet like a fresh, tart plum: "...You’re so annoying."

Gu Shiyun: "Then can I annoy you every day?"

Yuan Xiu: "..."

Scarface: "..."

Yang Dao: "..."

*Hey, the three of us are still standing right here! Can you two stop treating us like we’re just the lubricant and condoms in your romance novel?!*

Shi Jian was barely holding back his increasingly contorted expression. Seizing the moment when no one else was looking, he gave Gu Shiyun a vicious pinch, hissing through clenched teeth, "That’s enough! Keep this up and I’ll be ‘popping out triplets’ on the spot!"

Only then did Gu Shiyun rein himself in slightly, keeping Shi Jian’s hand in his as he subtly observed the extremist group’s base.

Perhaps they didn’t believe the two could remember the route, or perhaps Yuan Xiu was confident that the AS (Ability System) inhibitors they’d been given by Scarface would prevent any escape attempts—regardless, Shi Jian and Gu Shiyun were led inside fully conscious.

Likely to avoid drawing attention, the organization’s leader had chosen an underground city as their stronghold. After passing through an extremely long, narrow corridor barely wide enough for three people abreast, a three-tiered circular underground structure appeared before them.

They stood on the lowest level, the most exposed position. The moment Yuan Xiu and the others led them in, several young researchers in white coats nodded in greeting. On the third-floor’s outer circular corridor, people bustled about; judging by their appearance, most seemed to be Omegas, recklessly emitting pheromones without restraint, much like the Alphas at First Military Academy.

But their levels weren’t particularly high. Shi Jian didn’t feel any overwhelming pressure.

Shi Jian’s gaze traveled from the opposite sightseeing elevator all the way to the top floor, where a section lacked a corridor entirely, replaced by a reflective glass wall. Behind it was a curved room, but due to the one-way glass, he couldn’t see inside from his angle.

Yet the moment Shi Jian looked up at that wall, an intense sensation of being watched pierced his spine. He almost instinctively shivered.

But that feeling of being scrutinized lasted only a moment. By the time Shi Jian calmed himself and looked again, the gaze had vanished so quickly he questioned if it was just his imagination.

The moment Shi Jian and Gu Shiyun took in the full scale of the base, they instinctively glanced at each other, both visibly stunned. This massive underground complex, comparable to a shopping mall, could easily accommodate tens of thousands of people—

So, how many members did this organization truly have? Were the kidnapped and missing Omegas being held here? And what exactly were they plotting in this hidden lair?

Too many questions swirled in their minds, darkening their expressions. Neither could have imagined that right under the royal family’s nose—in the heart of the central district, protected by the nine military zones—such a massive extremist stronghold had existed undetected for so many years. It was truly…

Gu Shiyun, who had been animated since their reunion, suddenly grew even quieter than he’d been at school. Shi Jian noticed the sudden shift in his mood and assumed he was worried about the inhibited AS. After a moment’s thought, he gently traced his little finger against Gu Shiyun’s palm.

Gu Shiyun was jolted from his thoughts and looked down at Shi Jian. Seeing the concern in his eyes, he smiled faintly and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

*‘Don’t worry. That inhibitor doesn’t work on me.’*

*‘...?’*

*‘It’s an act.’*

Then, in the blink of an eye, Yuan Xiu—who had just lamented the pitfalls of Omega love—watched as Shi Jian, who had been clinging to that Alpha moments ago, suddenly yanked his hand away and stormed off, his face dark with anger. He moved so fast Gu Shiyun couldn’t catch up.

Yuan Xiu blinked in confusion, then turned to Scarface and Yang Dao, who were equally baffled. "They’re suddenly in a chase scene? We didn’t even realize what happened."

But Yuan Xiu’s face lit up with delight. He clenched his fist. "Yes! That’s the spirit! Little jellyfish, dump him hard!"

With that, he hurried after Shi Jian, chattering excitedly. "You’re so beautiful! Your mother must be high-level, right? She passed down such great genes! If you ever have an Omega baby, they’ll definitely be gorgeous too!"

"How do you take care of your hair? It’s so long and silky. Mine always breaks off once it’s long enough to tie up—no matter what I do, it stays frizzy."

"Do you like Omegas? I know federal law doesn’t allow same-sex unions, but once you join us, that won’t matter—our organization doesn’t have such inhumane rules. After all, what law can truly constrain human emotions? So, what do you think of me? Whether you want to be on top or I am, I’m fine with it. My pheromone is hydrangea, and yours is freesia, right? Both floral notes—we’re practically made for each other~"

Shi Jian suddenly froze, a chill spreading through him—

*No.*

He had always believed his pheromones were perfectly controlled, never leaking. These three idiots had assumed he was an Omega purely because of his looks. But what had Yuan Xiu just said?

He said, *‘Your pheromone is freesia, right?’*

That sensation of being watched from above returned, and Shi Jian’s vision began to blur. In his daze, he saw Gu Shiyun catching up—his expression hardening the moment he registered the tell in Yuan Xiu’s words.

Both realized instantly: they had been exposed from the very beginning. The trio’s seemingly nonsensical banter had successfully misled them into thinking this was a wrong-place-wrong-time situation—but in reality, from the start...

They had come for Shi Jian.

They knew the secret.

In the final moments before losing consciousness, Shi Jian’s mind raced through the mental roster of suspects who could have orchestrated this. In those fleeting heartbeats, an absurd, improbable suspicion even crossed his mind—could it have been his father? A test to see what he’d learned at First Military Academy?

But before he could reach an answer, consciousness left him, and he collapsed into Yuan Xiu’s waiting arms.

Gu Shiyun’s voice was razor-edged with rage. "Give him back to me!"

"Interesting. Neither the AS inhibitor nor the anesthetic worked on you—and I used enough to knock out an elephant." Yuan Xiu tsked. "That means your genetic level must be at least A+, right? Impressive. But no matter how high your rank, you’re not worthy of coveting our little jellyfish—the embodiment of our grand design."

Flames identical to Yu Chen’s AS sprang to life in Gu Shiyun’s palms, his expression darker than Shi Jian had ever seen. His voice was raw as he snarled, "I don’t care what your organization wants. But if you lay a finger on him—"

Scarface and Yang Dao immediately shielded Yuan Xiu, a metal barrier intercepting the fireball hurtling toward them.

As the flames dissipated, Yuan Xiu smirked. "You think we’d hurt him? ...Typical clueless Alpha. But since we’ve finally found our little jellyfish, I’m feeling charitable. Don’t worry—no one will harm him. And you won’t die either. High-level Alphas like you are still... useful."

With a wave of his hand, Scarface and Yang Dao lunged forward—only to be sent flying by Gu Shiyun’s Wind Blade.

In an instant, Gu Shiyun bridged the gap, slamming a fist into Yuan Xiu’s face. Blood welled from the corner of Yuan Xiu’s mouth, but his grin only widened. Before Gu Shiyun could strike again, he whispered, "If anyone in this base dies, he’ll suffer for it. Ever heard of a life-transfer AS?"

Gu Shiyun’s pupils constricted. He wrenched his hand back, the recoil jarring his organs. Suppressing the copper tang in his throat, he snarled, "What the hell do you want?!"

Yuan Xiu tenderly brushed Shi Jian’s tousled fringe aside. "Just to witness a miracle... Don’t you want to see the real him?"

"He *is* real. There’s no ‘true’ or ‘false’ version of him!"

"Ah, you really don’t understand." Yuan Xiu sighed. "A true S++... who knows how many pluses... An Omega capable of bearing a legion of offspring to inherit his superior genetics."