Chapter 61 Little Psycho

Chapter 61 Little Madman

Lin Juangui was still lying on the bed, smirking indifferently. He took a deep breath; Mu Yuanqing's Alpha pheromones had a subtle, soothing woody fragrance that Lin Juangui liked a lot.

Compared to the faint pheromones provided by those pillows, Lin Juangui finally knew what it felt like to be enveloped by an Alpha's soothing pheromones.

No wonder Mu Zhang had set a trap to make him a human suppressant. Even without intimate contact, just the pheromones alone were enough to make Lin Juangui feel euphoric, especially since Mu Yuanqing was a high-ranking Alpha who could fully satisfy Lin Juangui's needs.

Before, Lin Juangui found this kind of irresistible physiological behavior ridiculous, but he had been an Omega for so long, and he knew exactly how agonizing heat could be. Rather than suffering bitterly, it was better to find some enjoyment for himself. Who would want to be stuck staring blankly at Mu Zhang anyway?

Mu Zhang leaned against the door for a while to collect himself, while Mu Yuanqing sat upright on the sofa not far away, his gaze slightly lowered, staring at the carpet as if spaced out.

The Alpha's eyes were ringed with red. It was almost a reflex action—Lin Juangui, suddenly choked by Mu Zhang, quickly resisted, but in his heat, he had no strength at all and could only gasp for breath.

Sensing something was wrong, Mu Yuanqing immediately stood up and came over to grab Mu Zhang's wrist. The two Alphas stood at a standoff like this.

Mu Zhang seethed through clenched teeth at Lin Juangui. "Why are you doing this to me? Why..."

Mu Zhang seemed devastated. He couldn’t understand the meaning behind his recent gentleness and generosity toward Lin Juangui. Lin Juangui hated him to the core and had long said he would never change his mind about Mu Zhang. Why did Mu Zhang still cling to hope?

But in the end, Mu Zhang lost to his own unwillingness. His feelings for Lin Juangui didn’t come suddenly but were gradually worn down by the other over time.

By the time Mu Zhang realized it, it was already too late. He didn’t even have the ability to resist and could only let Lin Juangui do as he pleased.

This time, Lin Juangui secretly called another Alpha to provide pheromones and help him through his heat. Next time, would he let Mu Yuanqing leave a mark on his gland?

The more Mu Zhang thought about it, the angrier he became. His entire body tensed up. He raised his eyes to look at Mu Yuanqing. "You didn’t tell me anything either, just letting him indulge his whims?!"

Mu Yuanqing quickly shook off Mu Zhang's hand, preventing him from getting closer to Lin Juangui. "You sought out Mr. Lin initially because of his unique pheromones, right? Don’t make mistake after mistake! You treated him as a human suppressant and didn’t care about his life or death—that’s already going too far! I’m just helping you make amends!"

Mu Zhang stood up and took a deep breath. He shook his head, pointing at Lin Juangui but looking at Mu Yuanqing. "Are you choosing him over me for him?"

"Cough, cough..." Lin Juangui sat up, covering his neck. His hair was disheveled, his shirt full of wrinkles, and his cheeks flushed with the redness unique to heat. "It’s not like I asked General Mu to put on a sex show for you. I just asked him to release Alpha pheromones, just like how you brought me in and had me release pheromones for General Mu. Didn't you not care then?"

Mu Yuanqing's gaze at Mu Zhang was full of disappointment. "I used to think you were just unruly, but now it seems your arrogance is disgusting! Omegas are not playthings! Even if you don’t like them, you should still respect them. Don’t you have any Omegas in your family? Would you treat other Omegas this way too?"

"What right do you have to criticize me?!" Mu Zhang shouted in a rage. Perhaps he never imagined that in this world, an ex would help a current partner deal with pheromone issues. His worldview was in pieces.

Lin Juangui and Mu Yuanqing just watched Mu Zhang quietly. Mu Zhang took two steps back until his back was against the wall, then said to Mu Yuanqing, "I’ve lost to pheromones. Potent suppressants stopped working on me completely three years ago. Without an Omega’s comfort, I might not even live to forty. I’ll become more irritable and unpredictable. You knew all along how things would end between us. Cutting ties with me was the right choice."

Mu Yuanqing frowned. He wanted to say he didn’t regret his relationship with Mu Zhang at all—it was just that there was no future between two Alphas, so it was better to enjoy the process. But Mu Zhang had never been able to move on.

"I wasn’t part of your past, but judging by how hung up you both are, it must have been beautiful memories." Lin Juangui suddenly interjected, leaning tiredly against the headboard, his head slightly drooping.

"But what does that have to do with me? You used me as a pheromone substitute for General Mu to help you through your Alpha’s rut. At first, I didn’t know anything and foolishly worked hard for you, hoping you’d value me a little. And then? You ruined my eyes, got me kidnapped, and triggered my psychological illness.

Mu Zhang, I don’t owe you anything. Why should I love you? And you made me watch you and the person you love putting on such an affectionate show.

You leaked the contract, didn’t you? Otherwise, how could you two sleep together without any reservations in the Beast's Nest? General Mu found out about us, so I went with the flow and asked him to do me a small favor. Does that count as cheating on you? But then again, are we really partners?"

After saying all this, Lin Juangui was already exhausted. He was still in heat, his mind foggy, and his body’s reactions were still intense. If there weren’t two people in front of him, he might have found a sex toy to relieve himself. In short, he was far less calm inside than he appeared.

Mu Yuanqing’s face paled when Lin Juangui mentioned the Beast's Nest. Even though he told himself that Mu Zhang and Lin Juangui were contract partners, it was still the time his conscience felt most uneasy.

When Mu Zhang admitted his feelings for Lin Juangui to Mu Yuanqing, Mu Yuanqing felt even more despicable.

It was because of this guilt that Mu Yuanqing chose to come and release pheromones to help Lin Juangui through his heat—at least it made him feel a little better.

Lin Juangui’s questions hit Mu Zhang one after another. Mu Zhang's voice broke a little. "You don’t believe in my feelings for you."

"Mm." Lin Juangui glanced at Mu Yuanqing, then said to Mu Zhang, "Your words just now have already proven everything. What do you mean by 'General Mu turning against me for you'? Your knee-jerk reaction is the most honest. From beginning to end, I’ve always been the outsider."

Even at a time like this, Lin Juangui remained unusually rational.

Mu Zhang felt as if he had returned to that summer years ago, when Mu Yuanqing, though regretful, said to him with firm determination, "We have no future together."

Now they were both right in front of him, but Mu Zhang felt like he had lost everything.

He clutched the clothes at his chest tightly, and in his rage, a mouthful of blood spilled from his lips.

"Mu Zhang!" Mu Yuanqing hurried over to support him. He was about to call a doctor, but Mu Zhang gripped his hand tightly.

When Mu Zhang was in a bad mood, a killer instinct would emanate from his face. He closed his eyes and forcefully swallowed back the blood, his expression contorted momentarily.

"Keep releasing your pheromones. I’ll go rest in the next room. I know your restraint—you won’t do anything to him, right?"

An Omega in heat needs an Alpha by their side to care for them. Clearly, Mu Zhang was not Lin Juangui’s choice.

Mu Yuanqing was torn. Mu Zhang had already shaken off his hand, supported himself against the wall, gone to another room, and slammed the door shut.

Lin Juangui said weakly to Mu Yuanqing, "Sorry, General Mu. I overrated Mu Zhang’s feelings for me."

Mu Yuanqing didn’t know how to react anymore. He truly couldn’t imagine that someone as proud as Mu Zhang would one day be so defeated and helpless.

Back when Mu Yuanqing and Mu Zhang broke up, though the Alpha struggled to accept it, he still lifted his head and said to Mu Yuanqing, "Mu Yuanqing, no one will ever love you more than I do. Maybe we’ll both love someone else in the future, but you’ll never forget me."

Indeed, Mu Yuanqing never pursued anyone else after that. He kept company with suppressants, not knowing how many times he thought of Mu Zhang, but Mu Zhang would never belong to him again.

Mu Yuanqing lacked courage. He lacked the resolve in love and couldn’t abandon everything around him to wander the world with Mu Zhang.

He could only push Mu Zhang away and then watch Mu Zhang—

*Fall in love with someone else.*

What Mu Zhang did to Lin Juangui was too excessive. No one had time to regret it. Lin Juangui just wanted to use Mu Yuanqing to torment Mu Zhang.

The control of this game was in Lin Juangui’s hands, and no one had the right to refuse.

Mu Yuanqing was still releasing pheromones, but his pheromones had already betrayed his emotional distress. Lin Juangui felt slightly better after a while and asked Mu Yuanqing why he had fallen in love with Mu Zhang back then.

"He was the only one who told me I could do anything, that I didn’t need to hold back."

For Mu Yuanqing, much of his courage came from Mu Zhang.

If not for Mu Zhang’s encouragement, Mu Yuanqing might have simply become a frontline soldier in the military, never even considering becoming a leader to so many soldiers.

He didn’t have particularly strong talent in tactical planning. If it weren’t for his powerful pheromones, he might not have reached his current position.

But Mu Zhang told Mu Yuanqing, "Just having powerful pheromones is enough. Grandpa told me that what many soldiers need most is a symbol of leadership. As for tactical arrangements, you can leave them to trusted subordinates. You’re a natural leader. Weren’t you great as the student council president?"

Mu Yuanqing felt a little embarrassed. "I was elected—I didn’t expect it to be me…"

"Isn’t that even better?" Mu Zhang laughed, radiant. "It means you’re what everyone wanted."

After listening, Lin Juangui smiled. "So some things were destined from the start. Your past with Mu Zhang was indeed beautiful, a spiritual pillar for both of you as you grew up. No matter what, at least you had such a passionate time once."

But between Lin Juangui and Mu Zhang, there was only interest and calculation.

"You and Mu Zhang..." Mu Yuanqing looked into Lin Juangui's eyes, glistening with tears, unsure how Mu Zhang had managed to hurt them.

But the way Mu Zhang had just gone straight for Lin Juangui's throat without a word had truly startled Mu Yuanqing. He never imagined Mu Zhang would dare to harm Lin Juangui so recklessly.

Lin Juangui took a deep breath, calmly opened the bedside drawer, and gave himself an injection of suppressants.

"Why are you still doing this?" Mu Yuanqing stared at Lin Juangui in shock, unable to comprehend why he would do such a thing.

In the original storyline, Mu Yuanqing and Lin Juangui would never have had the chance to sit down and talk like this.

Mu Yuanqing didn’t know what Mu Zhang had done to Lin Juangui. He still held onto the youthful hero-worship of Mu Zhang from their youth, believing that even at his worst, Mu Zhang would never harm him. But now that Mu Zhang had changed, that illusion was fading, and Mu Yuanqing could no longer dismiss the truth about Mu Zhang as mere slander.

Lin Juangui was an excellent storyteller. Instead of elaborating on his own feelings, he simply recounted his experiences after meeting Mu Zhang exactly as they happened.

Mu Zhang had exploited Lin Juangui not once or twice. Even if Lin Juangui had been naive at first, by now, if he hadn’t grown a thicker skin from Mu Zhang’s treatment, he would truly be a fool.

After hearing everything, Mu Yuanqing clenched his fists tightly, biting his lip and taking a deep breath. Restraining himself from punching Mu Zhang right then was already a testament to his self-control.

Under the influence of Mu Yuanqing’s pheromones, Lin Juangui’s heat ended in just three days.

To avoid suspicion, Mu Yuanqing left first, while Lin Juangui went to freshen up in the bathroom.

These past few days had been torture for all three of them. Although Lin Juangui had found comfort in the pheromones, his heart still ached. He had to restrain himself from thinking about Huo Zeshen and their past, or else he would be overwhelmed by desire.

The presidential suite had many rooms. Mu Yuanqing’s door remained open, providing soothing pheromones for Lin Juangui.

As for Mu Zhang, his door had remained shut since he closed it. Mu Yuanqing had knocked, but Mu Zhang only replied in a hoarse voice, "I need to think things through alone. Don’t worry about me."

Mu Yuanqing knew he should have spoken to Mu Zhang before coming, but between their long-standing friendship and helping Lin Juangui, he had chosen the latter.

That friendship might have long since vanished from Mu Zhang’s heart, but this Omega was truly pitiable, and Mu Yuanqing genuinely sympathized with him.

Yet his sympathy had become a sharp blade aimed at Mu Zhang. Mu Yuanqing felt that Mu Zhang and Lin Juangui were simply a doomed pair.

So when Lin Juangui said his heat was over, Mu Yuanqing practically fled.

Lin Juangui had assumed Mu Zhang would continue hiding in his room like a coward. But as he finished drying his hair, Mu Zhang quietly opened his door.

The Alpha was still wearing the suit from Lin Juangui’s birthday party days earlier. He was unshaven, unkempt, disheveled, his eyes bloodshot, looking utterly forlorn.

Compared to Lin Juangui, who was radiant after his heat, Mu Zhang resembled a stray dog on the street, his eyes filled with ferocity.

Lin Juangui turned off the hairdryer, expecting Mu Zhang to say something. Instead, Mu Zhang silently walked over and knelt on one knee before him. After three days of contemplation, this once-proud Alpha had finally accepted Lin Juangui’s invitation to this game.

"You need to understand, some things, once done, can’t be undone. If you drag Mu Yuanqing into this and someone finds out, what kind of public opinion storm will you face?"

"Are you worried about him?" Lin Juangui’s train of thought was entirely different from Mu Zhang’s. After all, he was now an unhinged Omega intent on tormenting Mu Zhang and Mu Yuanqing. He didn’t care about consequences; he only wanted his own satisfaction.

Mu Zhang slowly shook his head. Mu Yuanqing didn’t need his sympathy. The moment Mu Zhang decided to help Lin Juangui through his heat, he had already categorized Mu Yuanqing as an Alpha to be wary of.

Mu Yuanqing’s pheromones were widely liked, a fact Mu Zhang had known for years.

Mu Zhang’s pheromones were intense and potent. Aside from his rut or during combat, he rarely used them. As a top-tier Alpha, his self-control was exceptional, ensuring not a trace of his pheromones leaked out.

Lin Juangui’s aversion to Mu Zhang’s pheromones had been evident since the first time he helped Mu Zhang during his rut and was overwhelmed by the scent. After that, Mu Zhang never dared to release his pheromones around Lin Juangui, not wanting to see the disgust on his face.

But this time, his pride had been genuinely wounded.

After being bathed in Mu Yuanqing’s pheromones, Lin Juangui felt incredibly comfortable, without the usual anxiety and low spirits. His heat ended quickly.

This was Lin Juangui’s chosen method—far better than seeking out random Alphas. Mu Yuanqing was also discreet and wouldn’t speak of this.

But Mu Zhang was conflicted.

He spent three days accepting reality. Mu Yuanqing was still better than other Alphas, but why had he, Mu Zhang, fallen to such a powerless state?

Mu Zhang wished he could be carefree, but he simply couldn’t.

The Alpha took hold of Lin Juangui’s foot, fetched a sock from nearby, and helped him put it on. "Lin Juangui, you can torment me all you want, but please don’t involve others. My feelings for Mu Yuanqing are my fault, and using you is also my fault. I still want to make things work with you. Is that possible?"

This was Mu Zhang’s plea for a truce. He had never experienced Lin Juangui’s madness before, as Lin Juangui had always acted in his own interest.

But this time, Lin Juangui held nothing back, exposing all of Mu Zhang’s wrongdoings before Mu Yuanqing. Mu Zhang felt as though he could never hold his head high again.

In truth, Mu Zhang didn’t need to care about these things, but he knew Lin Juangui wouldn’t rest until he had vented his anger. Just like when Lin Juangui had lashed out at him during his mental breakdown, only by satisfying him could Lin Juangui let go and move on.

After Mu Zhang finished putting on his socks, Lin Juangui placed his foot on Mu Zhang’s knee, looking puzzled. "Do you think I’m seeking revenge?"

A feigned, innocent smile spread across the Omega’s beautiful face. His eyes curved softly as he reached out to touch the rough stubble on the Alpha’s chin. "I’ve already said, I just found someone who knows about us to help me through my heat. I didn’t do anything with the person you like. Of course, if he didn’t know about this, I wouldn’t have called him over. Everything I’m doing now is only because you gave me the power, isn’t it?"

"It was me." Mu Zhang had completely resigned himself.

But he only took a deep breath and smiled at Lin Juangui. "You’ve done well. From now on, I won’t do anything to harm our marriage."

If Lin Juangui needed Mu Yuanqing’s pheromones, so be it. As long as they didn’t end up in bed together, Mu Zhang could tolerate it.

What Lin Juangui was doing now was merely replicating the arrogance and disrespect Mu Zhang had once shown him. The one suffering now was Mu Yuanqing.

Mu Zhang felt there was no solution other than to follow Lin Juangui’s wishes.

On the return journey, Mu Zhang tidied himself up a bit, so he didn’t look quite as disheveled.

Everyone assumed the Alpha-Omega pair had enjoyed a romantic heat. Judging by Mu Zhang’s exhausted appearance, it was clear how draining it was to care for an Omega—as if all his energy had been sucked dry.

The Alpha’s eyes no longer held the spirited confidence of his youth; instead, they carried the weariness of middle age.

Lin Juangui was a clever little unhinged person. Mu Zhang had thought he had Lin Juangui under his thumb, but Lin Juangui’s series of moves had hammered Mu Zhang into the ground, leaving him no room to resist.

On the way back, Mu Zhang held Lin Juangui’s hand the entire time, their fingers interlaced. Lin Juangui’s hand ached from the roughness of Mu Zhang’s large grip, but whenever he tried to pull away, Mu Zhang wouldn’t let him.

"I’ll look into surgery to change my pheromone scent. What fragrance do you like? I’ve noticed you use jasmine-scented pillows often."

"...Mu Zhang, I don’t understand why you’re doing this." Lin Juangui seemed troubled by Mu Zhang’s actions. "Your sudden change in behavior feels bizarre to me."

An Alpha’s pheromones are closely tied to their combat ability. Lin Juangui didn’t know what effects the surgery might have, but even if Mu Zhang went through with it, he wouldn’t appreciate it. He simply thought Mu Zhang had some issues.

Mu Zhang smiled. "I know you don’t trust me, and you think I’m just trying to be self-indulgent. But doesn’t that mean you care about me? Otherwise, why would you find my actions bizarre? You should be completely indifferent."

Lin Juangui thought Mu Zhang was too good at self-convincing. He reached out to touch Mu Zhang’s forehead, confirming he wasn’t feverish, then shook his head. "I’ve noticed you’re quite honest when it comes to me."

"How so?" Mu Zhang hadn’t expected such an evaluation from Lin Juangui.

Lin Juangui raised an eyebrow, a hint of teasing in his tone. "General Mu must have held onto feelings for you over the years. He said you always encouraged him, giving him the courage to become a leader and persevere in the military."

Mu Zhang’s eyes dimmed slightly. He hadn’t expected to hear these words from Lin Juangui.

Both Mu Yuanqing and Mu Zhang were Alphas. They rarely had sentimental moments, and such words were seldom spoken directly to each other.

"But you've been terrible to me from the very start, never cared what I thought of you. And you think I have no ability to resist any of your arrangements."

Lin Juangui propped his chin and continued, "I'm not someone who enjoys holding grudges, but every time you make a decision, I hope you'll reconsider. Some things can't be fixed just by doing something afterward—they're a bottomless pit."

"Then I'm even more curious to see just how bottomless this pit's appetite is."

Mu Zhang tapped a finger against Lin Juangui's chest, having clearly resolved himself. Since he'd already missed his chance with Mu Yuanqing, he was determined not to let Lin Juangui slip away from him.

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If that was the case, there was no harm in using these methods to keep Lin Juangui hooked.

Lin Juangui detected Mu Zhang's motive and frowned. "But our contract still has over a year left. This isn't worth your while."

"True."

So Mu Zhang was already thinking of ways to keep Lin Juangui around, wasn't he?

When they returned to Luochen Manor, Lin Juangui summoned [the other Lin Juangui].

[Lin Juangui] gave Lin Juangui a knowing smile, clearly aware of everything Lin Juangui had done, looking utterly pleased. "Seeing Mu Zhang and Mu Yuanqing so distraught was so satisfying. You're really something, to have reduced these two to such a state."

Lin Juangui showed no pleasure on his face; he simply told [Lin Juangui] to be prepared.

"Huh? Prepared for what?"

Lin Juangui had already anticipated how difficult it would be to divorce Mu Zhang in the future. He had trampled Mu Zhang's pride underfoot, and even if Mu Zhang didn't retaliate now, he would eventually seek revenge.

By nature, Lin Juangui wasn't a troublemaker; he didn't enjoy seeing others ruin themselves. But according to Mu Zhang's logic, even if Mu Zhang turned himself into an Omega, it had nothing to do with Lin Juangui. There was no need for Lin Juangui to go looking for trouble.

However, Mu Zhang still had his grandfather and grandmother behind him—people Lin Juangui couldn't afford to offend.

So, for the sake of his own safety, Lin Juangui had to rein it in a bit while also laying the groundwork for the future.

"If one day I push Mu Zhang to the brink, and he does something... extreme, as my golden finger, you'll have to become my ultimate cheat code."

[Lin Juangui] was stunned. "You think Mu Zhang isn't crazy enough already?"

For [Lin Juangui], seeing that out-of-control look on Mu Zhang's face was incredibly satisfying. How could Lin Juangui still want to add fuel to the fire?!

Lin Juangui shook his head. "The fact that he still thinks he can win me over means he's already come up with other strategies. Once I dismantle a few more of his moves, he'll become even more frantic. Someone with his personality can't stand failure, so the best solution he can think of is—"

Eliminating the source of his failure.