Chapter 14 Almost Got Robbed

Chapter 14: Almost Robbed at Home

The door chime immediately sounded as Wen Qi approached the entrance, which slowly began to open.

Suddenly, a pair of hands reached from behind, grabbing him and preventing him from moving forward. Without a word, they slid up his arm, settling into his palm.

A card was slipped into Wen Qi’s hand.

"Uh..."

Nie Qiaoer, who had just pushed the door open and witnessed the scene, instinctively took a step back, his eyes drawn to the intimately linked arms of the two.

Judging by the faint yet distinct scent in the air, the person in casual clothes beside Boss Wen was likely an omega.

Wen Qi, however, unconsciously withdrew his hand and walked to the door, a little surprised. He had only met this bob-haired customer briefly the previous night and wondered about the reason for this visit.

Wen Qi instinctively asked, "Mr. Nie, did something happen at the shop?"

Nie Qiaoer shook his head. The next moment, he handed something over, which Wen Qi took.

It was his missing name badge.

"Oh, thank you for making a special trip to return it."

Nie Qiaoer smiled. "No big deal, I just happened to see it."

He had originally used this as an excuse to visit Wen Qi’s home. Aside from his own interest in Wen Qi, it was mostly due to CEO Ji Yaoming’s unusually different attitude…

Noticing the displeased-looking omega behind Wen Qi, Nie Qiaoer raised an eyebrow.

Good thing he came.

Because it seemed he had stumbled upon something interesting.

"Well, I won’t disturb you any longer." Feeling the incessant vibration of his communicator on his wrist, Nie Qiaoer smiled meaningfully.

Wen Qi didn’t try to keep him, knowing that a ringing communicator meant urgent military business.

"Who was that?"

Wen Qi entered the bedroom. "Nie Qiaoer, Captain of the Third Division and Stellar Cruise Executive Officer."

"Were they the ones on the third floor last night?" Xu Zhu asked.

Wen Qi nodded, took out a change of clothes, and, keys in hand, was about to leave.

Remembering something, he turned back to his friend. "Since your fever’s gone, you should head home soon. And this card—" Wen Qi placed it back on the table. "Take it and use it. I’ve cut ties with the Wen family, so don’t feel burdened."

Xu Zhu silently stared at the person casually saying such things, completely unaware of his own nails digging into his palm. After a moment, he smiled lightly and nodded at the weary-faced man.

"...Okay."

——

Conference room, top floor of the Alliance Headquarters. With 30 seconds left until 8 o’clock, the door opened, and a travel-weary figure draped in a cloak and wearing an inhibitor collar entered the room. Nie Qiaoer took a seat one empty chair away from Ji Yaoming.

Teng Feng suppressed his displeasure and opened the meeting panel. Everyone turned their attention to the strategic map displayed on the floating screen, marked with red, black, and white lines.

"I’ll skip the pleasantries—you’ve all worked hard. Due to personnel changes in the Second Zone, the Northern War Zone is currently vulnerable, especially on Velogo Planet, where at least 10 Alien Species intrusion incidents have been reported."

Teng Feng shifted his focus to Ji Yaoming. "Has your division noticed anything unusual in the Northern War Zone over the past three months?"

"As of now, the Second War Zone’s personnel deployment is adequate. Most Alien Species intrusions have been low-level, and we’ve captured and contained them. Processing is ongoing," Ji Yaoming reported calmly. "However, aside from that, the Northern War Zone has always been barren. It’s unusual for Alien Species to target Velogo Planet."

Centered around Oraiha Star, aside from scattered minor star systems, the MW Star Alliance primarily consists of six major planets. Velogo Planet, located at the northernmost edge of the star system, is not just poorly conditioned—it’s widely regarded as a place abandoned by the major alliances.

Essentially, a slum.

"That’s exactly the issue." Teng Feng tapped the table with his fingertip.

"Why would resource-seeking Alien Species go to such a remote place? Moreover, our Northern War Zone’s combat capabilities are strong. There’s no reason for them to see it as a vulnerable point to invade."

Ji Yaoming nodded. "We’ve already sent people to investigate. We’ll report any findings as soon as possible."

"Good. I’ve reviewed the quarterly reports from all war zones." Teng Feng’s tone softened slightly. "You’ve all done well, especially the Third Zone. The crackdown on interstellar pirates has been effective, saving us a lot of trouble. Last month’s capture of a large pirate organization led us to track down a group of black-market arms dealers, which was a significant help."

Nie Qiaoer, usually energetic, simply quietly nodded.

"Alright, that’s all for today’s agenda. Discuss among yourselves if there are any adjustments needed within the military—personnel, funding, or other matters. Feel free to bring them up." He glanced at his communicator, stood up, and adjusted his military cap. "I’ll step out for a moment and return shortly. If anything comes up, we can discuss it when I’m back."

The attendees began discussing, though there wasn’t much to talk about. After all, Teng Feng handled military affairs with rigor and was almost always responsive to requests. If there was any shortcoming at the moment, it was the lack of an executive officer in the Second Zone.

"He should’ve found a replacement as soon as he withdrew the personnel," the Fifth Division Captain said with a dark expression, exasperated. "I can barely handle my own Western War Zone."

"Weren’t you only there for a week?" Nie Qiaoer retorted impatiently. The Fifth Division Captain was all show and no substance—a product of nepotism from before Teng Feng’s time. "Ji has been there for three months. Did he complain?"

The Fifth Zone’s executive officer flared up, standing abruptly. "What would you know about the hardships of managing a war zone, you who just eat and loaf around on starships?"

"Damn it! Weren’t you the one complaining here first?" Nie Qiaoer also lost his temper. "What’s wrong with starships? Without us in the Third Zone, interstellar pirates would target your Western Outpost first! Don’t act all high and mighty after benefiting from our work!"

"Alright, alright," Chris interjected, feeling exasperated. "Stop arguing. If Ji Yaoming isn’t saying anything, what’s the point of you two fighting?"

Nie Qiaoer fell silent, frowning as he flipped off the Fifth Zone Captain. "Damn it! I’m already upset that the person I like is taken."

Ji Yaoming, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them.

"Hm?" He rubbed his temples, annoyed by the noise, and smiled sarcastically. "Rare to see someone who prides himself on being sure-footed finally slip up."

Ji Yaoming didn’t take it seriously, as this person’s views on relationships were vastly different from his own. "But since when do you hold back? If you want someone, just take them."

Nie Qiaoer shook his head slowly. "Ah, just a beta. I thought if he were single, I might give it a try. But turns out his heart belongs to someone else. Forget it—I do have principles about this."

"A beta?" Ji Yaoming’s hand paused, his right eyelid twitching violently. "Since when did you start liking betas?"

Chris, never one to miss out on drama, tossed her shoulder-length hair and landed a precise blow: "Oh~ Could it be you’re talking about yesterday’s shop owner?"

Ji Yaoming’s face darkened instantly.

Even the look he gave the person sighing at the table carried a hint of a dangerous look.

"Say that again? Whose heart belongs to someone else?"