Chapter 7 Became Him

Chapter 7 Becoming Him

Fang Ran stumbled back to his apartment, making a beeline for the bathroom.

He let the icy water cascade over him, hoping it would quell the restless heat churning within.

After more than ten minutes, his skin was aching from the cold, already tinged with a faint blue.

Still, Fang Ran gritted his teeth and endured.

Cold droplets splattered his eyelids, blurring his vision.

Yet, he could still vividly see the sentinel’s deep, unsettling eyes.

After what felt like an eternity, Fang Ran’s muddled mind finally began to clear, and the oppressive heat slowly receded.

He turned off the shower, wiped the cold water from his face, and felt his entire body tremble.

Head bowed, Fang Ran braced his hands against the wet wall, taking deep, forceful breaths.

Had it finally passed?

He slightly increased the water temperature, seeking a little warmth.

Steam began to curl gently through the bathroom.

Fang Ran closed his eyes, letting the warm water flow over him.

Just as he started to relax, a faint itch suddenly prickled at the back of his neck.

An unwelcome thought surfaced in Fang Ran’s mind, and he instinctively reached for his nape.

But he immediately dismissed it.

This body had no omega gland.

No gland, no heat.

That was the one thing he had been grateful for.

Though he didn't know the source of the pheromone scent, he had confirmed countless times that there was no small bulge on the back of this body’s neck.

But this time, he felt it.

The hot water streamed onto the bathroom floor with a soft, rustling sound.

Fang Ran’s heart plummeted.

Trembling, he walked to the bathroom mirror and wiped away a patch of steam.

The face staring back was terrified, a flush of red at the corners of its eyes.

He took a deep breath, mustered his courage, and slowly turned his head to look.

The back of his neck was flushed crimson.

An inch below his hairline, a small bulge had appeared.

There was no denying it now.

He didn't even need to think about what had happened today.

Fang Ran looked again at the face in the mirror.

The original owner’s appearance was only seventy percent similar to his own, but in the misty reflection, the face now felt uncannily familiar.

"Fang Ran" had become him.

He had once again become a complete Omega.

A wave of fury surged within him.

"Fu Zhangzhou!"

"You goddamn sentinel!!!"

......

Three mornings later, Fang Ran boarded a hovercar.

Instead of his usual route to the subcenter, the car was headed towards Zone 5, on the opposite end.

Outside, the scenery gradually shifted from the bustling central area to decaying and rundown surroundings.

Fang Ran still sat by the window, but he was weary in mind and body, too tired to pay much attention.

He hadn't slept at all that night.

After tossing and turning for half the night, he finally called in sick to the center again, using his physical condition as an excuse.

Angry and frustrated, he spent the day moping listlessly in bed.

He had thought that transmigrating into this book would free him from the effects of an Omega’s heat, but it seemed there was no escape.

After much contemplation, Fang Ran rallied.

Life had to go on, and the most important thing now was to find a solution.

If the gland had already appeared, could heat be far behind?

There were only two ways for an Omega to get through heat: a temporary mark from an Alpha or an inhibitor injection.

Of course, there were no Alphas here, so his only option was inhibitors.

Over the past two days, Fang Ran had barely slept, scouring the web for studies based on symptom descriptions and looking for any drugs that might help.

Due to the emergence of monsters, this world had also seen indirect advancements in research, with several pharmaceutical companies being quite capable.

In the end, the few medications he narrowed down were surprisingly related to sentinel purification.

Fang Ran drew up a list, which became the purpose of his trip.

Zone 5 was the only area adjacent to Zone 4, and people moved back and forth frequently between the two zones, so the hovercar was quite crowded.

Since he boarded, people had been shooting him looks from time to time.

In this post-apocalyptic world, sentinels were a double-edged sword.

Their abilities could ward off monsters but also create risks. Therefore, national regulations required that even sentinels not working for the center or other organizations must register their identities.

Yet, some always refused to do so for various reasons.

Perhaps they wished to avoid regulation, or perhaps they had their own burdens to bear.

Some of these groups had even formed their own factions in ungoverned zones.

Fang Ran’s destination today was one such place.

As more and more eyes drifted his way on the bus, he quietly pulled down his hat and put on his mask.

Guides typically only operated near the center of a district and were usually accompanied by Sentinels when crossing districts. He knew he was drawing too much attention.

Just then, a "chime" sounded—the transit alert.

Fang Ran had reached his destination.

This was an area located at the border between District 4 and District 5.

The architectural style here was noticeably different from that of the district center—more cluttered and run-down.

The walls on both sides of the street were mostly covered in colorful graffiti. Beneath the bloody, bizarre patterns and large words like "Freedom" and "Liberation," unidentifiable figures stood or crouched, casting vague, assessing looks at anyone passing by.

Most of these people were unregistered rogue Free Sentinels, and the media generally referred to them as "dangerous or people to avoid."

Someone whistled at him.

Fang Ran tugged his hat lower, silently repeating to himself not to look or listen, and quickened his pace.

This time, he got lucky—no one followed him.

After turning two corners and going up an incline, Fang Ran arrived in front of a building.

It was a distinctive restaurant.

Standing on the steps, he could see the vibrant decor inside, wooden ceiling fans, and warm lighting—an attempt to recreate a retro, pre-apocalypse style, though it fell somewhat flat.

The bouncer, wearing sunglasses and headphones, was dressed in a poorly fitted suit.

Seeing Fang Ran approach, he immediately stepped forward to block his way. "Sir, do you have a reservation?"

Fang Ran shook his head.

The bouncer said expressionlessly, "All reservations are filled today. Please—"

Before he could finish, Fang Ran produced a badge.

"I’m here to see her."