Chapter 76 Aquatic Scent

Chapter 76 Aquatic Scent

Lin Juangui's gaze swept over the dice scattered near the gold-chain man's feet and his already stained leather shoes, then quickly took in the dealer's slightly unnatural hand movements. A faint, mocking smile played on his lips.

Ignoring the gold-chain man's shouts, he turned to the gambling table, lightly tapping the surface with his finger. "Enjoying those magnetic dice?"

The dealer's face fell, and the gold-chain man roared angrily as if he'd been stung, "What the hell are you talking about?!"

Lin Juangui scanned the gold-chain man and his accomplices, pointing at them and stating firmly, "You've been colluding with the dealer in a scheme. You create chaos to attract attention, you act as a shill in the crowd to stir up betting emotions, using your body to block views and cover for the dealer's tricks. Your methods are amateurish."

The entire room erupted in an uproar!

Cheating wasn’t uncommon in casinos, but involving the dealer was going too far. The casino's reputation would be affected.

Exposed by Lin Juangui, the gold-chain man was furious and humiliated. "Bullshit! Words are empty without proof! Where's your evidence?!"

"Evidence?" Lin Juangui sneered, picking up a chip from the table. His fingers moved with dizzying speed.

The chip seemed to come alive, jumping, spinning, leaving afterimages.

Without even looking, he casually tossed it. The chip accurately struck the back of the dealer's hand. The dealer cried out in pain, and the button in his palm slipped out and fell to the ground.

Lin Juangui moved faster than the gold-chain man. He picked up the button, pressed it lightly, and with a soft "click," a small hidden compartment popped open on the side of the table. Inside was a miniature controller, its screen still displaying incomplete magnetic field parameters.

Seeing the scheme exposed, the gold-chain man flatly denied any involvement. "That's the dealer's little trick! What does it have to do with us?!"

The dealer, clutching his injured hand, was already taken away by security. Lin Juangui gestured for a dealer from another table to come over. "Then let's return to the original issue. You claimed my friend bumped into you. Let's settle this on the gambling table. Do you dare?"

The gold-chain man lifted his chin and laughed loudly. "If I win, you owe me a million!"

"Fine. Everyone here can bear witness. If I win, you and your accomplices are banned from this casino. If you dare show your faces here again, then... anyone can take anything they want from you."

The wager Lin Juangui proposed was vicious and ruthless. The gold-chain man couldn't help but gasp. But things had gone this far; backing down would make him a coward.

The two sat down at the table, surrounded by onlookers. Lin Juangui casually crossed his legs, while Huai Fu stood beside him, looking worried.

The casino became Lin Juangui's stage. He seemed to see through the dice cup; his every bet was terrifyingly accurate.

While Lin Juangui remained relaxed, the gold-chain man sweated profusely.

In just ten minutes, the gold-chain man and his gang not only lost all their valuables but also incurred a massive debt to the casino. Without Lin Juangui saying another word, security dragged them out like dead dogs.

Before leaving, the gold-chain man shot a venomous glare at Lin Juangui, his eyes filled with pure malice.

Lin Juangui stepped away from the table effortlessly. He exchanged a glance with the casino manager standing not far away, who gave him a grateful look.

Huai Fu patted his chest, relieved that nothing worse had happened. He looked at Lin Juangui with admiration, giving him two thumbs up. "Juangui! You were amazing! That was incredibly cool just now!"

For Lin Juangui, dice games still relied more on luck. His real expertise was cards, but he saw no need to show off too much here.

Lin Juangui looked at him somewhat helplessly. "How's your wrist? Let me take you to get some medicine."

Huai Fu, unlike the current Lin Juangui, didn't have a superhuman body. Injuries needed proper treatment; they wouldn't just heal without a trace or even bleeding.

The two went to the VIP lounge. After applying medication, Huai Fu placed his hand on a small therapy device. The casino manager soon knocked and entered, expressing his thanks to Lin Juangui.

Huai Fu looked with puzzlement between Lin Juangui and the manager, who explained, "Those thugs have some backing. They were hard for us to handle directly. Thankfully, Mr. Lin was willing to help."

"It was nothing."

The casino manager handed Lin Juangui a gold card. "If you two wish to visit more interesting places, just show this card. An attendant will guide you."

After the manager left, Huai Fu leaned in to look at the gold card in Lin Juangui's hand, asking what it was about.

Lin Juangui handed the card to Huai Fu. "I have some shares in the casinos here. Seeing you're curious about everything, I thought we'd look around the outer areas first. The inner casinos gamble not just with money, but also property... and lives."

Huai Fu pressed his lips together. He knew some casinos had very dangerous depths. This trip was just for fun and broadening horizons, but hearing Lin Juangui's words still made him apprehensive.

But Lin Juangui just shook his head, telling Huai Fu not to be so nervous. "Just a minor incident. And we helped the casino solve a problem. He should be thanking you."

Huai Fu finally relaxed.

Lin Juangui was always like this, making Huai Fu feel like nothing was truly fearsome.

Huai Fu's hand was almost back to normal. He yawned.

They had headed straight for the casino after arriving on Pifeng Star without any rest. Huai Fu was feeling tired now, and Lin Juangui noticed his fatigue.

"Let's go back and rest first. We can visit the inner areas tomorrow."

"Okay."

If they came again, Huai Fu decided he would be as low-key as Lin Juangui. He couldn't afford to be targeted like a bullseye again.

However, just as they were leaving through the casino's back door and about to get into their car, the gold-chain man from earlier rushed at them from somewhere. "Trying to leave?! You ruined me! If I'm going down, you're coming with me!"

People who frequented casinos were often opportunistic. After Lin Juangui humiliated the gold-chain man and his gang, even making them lose the bet, someone had sneered at them outside, telling the gold-chain man to come back soon—they couldn't wait to take something from him.

The gold-chain man had initially fled far away, his accomplices scattering. He called the boss who backed him, but the boss just said he was outmatched and told him to fend for himself.

Consumed by resentment, the gold-chain man sneaked back to the casino, found the car Lin Juangui had arrived in, and waited for a chance at revenge. But sharp-eyed bodyguards stopped him firmly.

The bodyguards formed a tight defense, preventing the gold-chain man from getting near Lin Juangui and Huai Fu. But the next moment, with an aura of despair and destructive madness, the gold-chain man viciously jabbed his fingers into his own neck gland!

Lin Juangui's pupils constricted. A strong sense of danger made his scalp tingle. He violently shoved Huai Fu to the ground, using his own body to shield him as much as possible.

A dull thud, accompanied by a slight explosive sound. The gold-chain man's entire back of the neck instantly exploded into a mist of flesh, blood, and pheromones. A gasoline-like smell, like an invisible poison gas bomb, instantly engulfed the small surrounding area.

"Get them into the car and away from here, now!" The bodyguards, well-trained, reacted swiftly. The Beta bodyguard closest to the gold-chain man bore the brunt, his face turning pale from the violent pheromone impact, almost vomiting.

The other two Alpha bodyguards were hit as if by an invisible sledgehammer. Their breathing instantly became ragged, veins bulging on their temples. A fierce, primal violence surged uncontrollably within them, threatening to break through the dam of reason.

But the most deadly impact fell upon the two Omegas.

Huai Fu let out a short, sharp cry of distress. His refined features twisted instantly, and his body convulsed violently.

After being helped into the car, he curled up in a corner of the seat, his nails dug deep into his arms, leaving bloody marks. Incoherent whimpers escaped his throat; his consciousness was completely consumed by heat.

Compared to Huai Fu, Lin Juangui's reaction was somewhat lighter, but cold sweat had already soaked his clothes. Each breath felt like inhaling scalding sand, bringing a burning pain.

His body slumped forward uncontrollably, his forehead hit the front seat hard, causing brief dizziness. Lin Juangui quickly formulated a plan. With trembling fingers, he activated his light brain and sent a message to Huai Jun, telling him to come quickly and save Huai Fu.

The inhibitors in the car were all used up; their empty packages littered the floor. Lin Juangui called a subordinate, trying to control his breathing. "Investigate who that gold-chain man called today, what he did, and get all the information on him and his accomplices."

Lin Juangui didn't believe his actions today alone would drive someone to a suicide attack. Someone must have put him up to it.

They finally made it back to the hotel. Lin Juangui closed the door behind them, took a deep breath, and struggled to the bathroom to inject himself with an inhibitor.

He has a high demand for pheromones; this small dose is like a stream merging into a river, showing no visible effect.

Lin Juangui could only fill the bathtub with cold water and sink into it.

His clothes clung to his body, soaked and clinging. Lin Juangui took a deep breath and recalled the times when Mu Zhang had helped him through his heat. An involuntary bitter smile crept onto the corner of his lips.

In the early days of his amnesia, Lin Juangui had still trusted Mu Zhang to some extent due to his lack of knowledge and understanding. However, while Mu Zhang appeared open and honest with him, he had concealed many crucial pieces of information.

Lin Juangui never pressed about matters that might be sensitive to Mu Zhang. He could sense a deeply hidden anxiety beneath Mu Zhang’s seemingly cultivated, composed facade. To avoid triggering Mu Zhang’s stress, Lin Juangui often complied with his decisions.

But compliance did not mean agreement.

Due to bodily modifications, Lin Juangui’s heat arrived later than usual. His mental strength, honed through specialized training, had become exceptionally robust. Alpha pheromones were dispensable, like an optional dessert.

However, the gold-chain man had triggered his gland's explosion precisely to push Omegas into heat. Compared to before, Lin Juangui’s condition was intense, and his craving for Alpha pheromones had reached a new peak.

Lin Juangui no longer intended to suppress himself for the sake of Mu Zhang’s reputation. If Mu Zhang could call others to his side during his heat, then he could do the same.

The bodyguard stationed outside the door was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. Mu Zhang was likely still in a meeting, and news of Lin Juangui’s situation had not yet reached him.

After receiving Lin Juangui’s call, the bodyguard was sweating bullets. Cold sweat poured uncontrollably from his temples. To avoid bearing responsibility, he repeatedly sought confirmation from Lin Juangui: "If Mr. Mu finds out about this, will he—"

"If he asks… be honest with him. But whoever comes must… keep it confidential."

"...Understood."

After hanging up, an agonized moan escaped Lin Juangui’s lips. His arm rested on the edge of the bathtub, his entire body submerged in water. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes dazed, engulfed in chaotic torment. His consciousness felt like it was sinking into murky, boiling water, continuously descending and blurring.

Lin Juangui was an exceptionally enduring person. He rarely complained of pain because there was no need—no one would come to his aid, so why wallow in self-pity?

The only drawback was that no one would even notice if he died.

Lin Juangui let out a long sigh. He had already closed his eyes completely when the sound of the door opening came from outside. But he didn't have the energy to lift his eyelids; maintaining composure and enduring the pain was already a struggle.

A faint yet exceptionally clear scent, like moonlight piercing through thick dark clouds or ice breaking through murky mud, instantly filled Lin Juangui’s nostrils, which were overwhelmed with searing heat.

Lin Juangui’s fingertips twitched. He smelled a fragrance intimately familiar to him.

Huo Zeshen had a specific indoor scent at home, one that effectively covered up the smell of disinfectant on him. Lin Juangui had once asked Huo Zeshen about the brand of that scent, saying, "I’d like to take it with me on business trips."

Huo Zeshen responded with a soft, sweet smile. He was delighted that Lin Juangui liked and relied on his scent.

"I had it custom-made by a perfumer. It wouldn’t be hard to replicate."

Lin Juangui could identify the main note of the perfume as absinthe, mixed with the mellow intoxication of alcohol and a fresh scent he couldn’t identify.

Huo Zeshen deliberately teased. "That’s a secret—I can’t tell you. Take a guess? If you get it right, I’ll do anything you want."

Lin Juangui wasn’t falling for it. He smiled, his eyes curving like crescent moons. "Isn’t it already true that you’ll do anything I want?"

Huo Zeshen gave a sheepish laugh and touched his nose with his fingertip. "Seems that way."

In the next moment, Huo Zeshen hugged Lin Juangui again, a persuasive tone in his eyes. "Play along with me. We’ll go to the lab and create a scent just for you. How does that sound?"

The offer was appealing enough, and Lin Juangui agreed with a nod.

But even after Huo Zeshen’s passing, Lin Juangui never managed to guess what that fresh scent was. Huo Zeshen, however, had long prepared Lin Juangui’s "reward" in the lab.

The perfume bottle was sealed. No matter how curious he was, Lin Juangui never broke the seal to experience the scent firsthand—after all, he hadn’t won the game yet.

However, the card inside the gift box listed the perfume’s ingredients. Lin Juangui felt puzzled. "Aquatic scent… What does that smell like?"

He looked at Huo Zeshen in confusion, while the latter’s affection seemed to overflow from his eyes. "The scent on you."

"Me?" Lin Juangui lifted his arm to smell himself but felt nothing.

Huo Zeshen chuckled warmly. He wrapped his arms around Lin Juangui’s waist and pulled him closer. "It smells wonderful, but most people can’t perceive it. You know about pheromones in biology—we attract each other, and our genes are the most compatible."

Lin Juangui’s ears flushed slightly. This man really was smooth with his words. He rested his head on Huo Zeshen’s shoulder and took a sniff, his nose wrinkling playfully and cunningly.

"That makes sense. So, can’t you give me a hint? Let me smell what my own scent is like?"

Huo Zeshen held his ground on this matter. "Wouldn’t that be like giving away exam answers? I never go easy on my students."

When it came to his graduate students, Huo Zeshen was strict and unyielding, showing no favoritism.

Lin Juangui leaned in and kissed Huo Zeshen’s soft lips. "Cut me some slack, Professor Huo, Dr. Huo. I’m not your student—I’m your boyfriend. Shouldn’t you show me some favoritism?"

"Fruit…" Lin Juangui’s attention was completely distracted, utterly unaware that his teasing could easily rouse a young man’s passions.

While Lin Juangui was still lost in thought, Huo Zeshen took his hand and brought it to his own face. He nuzzled into Lin Juangui’s palm, tilted his head down slightly, and stared intently at Lin Juangui with a deeply enticing gaze.

"Stop thinking, Xiao Juan. You need to help me cool down."

Lin Juangui’s body responded faintly. The absinthe-like pheromones reminded him of every moment he had shared with Huo Zeshen.

His tense muscles relaxed almost imperceptibly. The burning desire burning through his rationality was briefly suppressed by this scent before surging back even more intensely. Gathering his strength, Lin Juangui shouted, "Come in! Hurry!"

After uttering those words, his breathing became more labored. The bathroom door was pushed open, and his eyes were covered by a large hand. Then, an even stronger wave of pheromones filled the air. Lin Juangui’s vulnerable neck was exposed, and a cool kiss landed on his Adam’s apple, making his whole body tremble.

Not only the pheromones… but even the pressure of the kiss and its softness felt exactly the same…

Was he dreaming? Or was he missing Huo Zeshen too much?

Lin Juangui reached out and clung to the person’s arm. Water droplets dripped back into the bathtub, creating a soft, pattering sound. Even though he was plunged into darkness, Lin Juangui persistently tried to get closer.

"Move your hand. I want… to see your face."

The newcomer remained silent and did not obey Lin Juangui’s command. Instead, he intensified the pheromones to a concentration that made Lin Juangui dizzy.

Lin Juangui let out a guttural moan, and his hand fell heavily against the edge of the bathtub.

Logically, Lin Juangui should have felt relaxed after being satisfied, but his tension wouldn't release him. Even until he lost consciousness, his brows stayed tightly knit.

Seeing that Lin Juangui had fallen asleep, the young man removed his hand, lifted him out of the bathtub, and held him close, completely disregarding his own military uniform getting soaked. He carefully removed Lin Juangui’s wet clothes and replaced them with a dry, comfortable sleeping robe. After drying Lin Juangui’s hair, he knelt by the bedside, gazing at Lin Juangui’s fitful sleep.

Huo Zeshen watched Lin Juangui quietly. The boy from the past had grown into a composed man. His shoulders were broad and straight, his thick hair cut short, with the sides neatly trimmed, giving him a crisp, nearly severe look.

The natural downward curve of his lips made him seem even more inscrutable and enigmatic.

Lulled into deep sleep by Huo Zeshen’s pheromones, Lin Juangui lay still. Huo Zeshen reached out and gently stroked his hair, then looked down at the Omega’s fingers. He held them softly, feeling the chill of the other’s skin.

A flash of regret passed through the man’s eyes before tranquility returned.

The pheromones in the room softened to a gentle absinthe scent. Upon closer attention, one could detect a hint of plum wine fragrance mixed within.

As he aged, Huo Zeshen’s original plum wine pheromones had gradually faded, overtaken by the scent of absinthe.

He underwent tests at the pheromone research center, and the results showed that there was nothing wrong with him. It is possible for a person to have two types of pheromones, and Huo Zeshen was not the first case.

Initially, Huo Zeshen felt disheartened about it. He wondered whether he would become someone unfamiliar to Lin Juangui. But later, he realized that Lin Juangui had already completely forgotten him, so whether he seemed unfamiliar or not no longer mattered.

After Lin Juangui’s news disappeared from the Star Network, Huo Zeshen immediately noticed something was wrong. In the past, every time he returned to his dorm after a mission, he would scour the Star Network for every bit of news related to Lin Juangui. But starting from a certain point, there was no more news about Lin Juangui.

Huo Zeshen couldn’t resist investigating Lin Juangui’s situation and heard that the military hospital had recently admitted a severely injured patient. The military was planning to perform a biological modification procedure on this individual.

Such surgeries were commonplace for soldiers entering the military. However, no one would willingly undergo this kind of procedure if they had a choice, as it meant they could no longer pilot mechs, and their combat abilities would be significantly reduced.

The patient was not a military soldier, and their identity was strictly confidential. Without proper clearance, it was impossible to obtain specific information.

Huo Zeshen’s doubts persisted for a long time. After all, he still had missions to carry out and couldn’t devote all his attention to Lin Juangui.

It wasn’t until someone leaked Mu Yuanqing’s recent itinerary to Huo Zeshen that he began to sense something unusual.

He knew that Mu Yuanqing would periodically visit Sailing Star or Mu Zhang’s home on the Federal Central Star. This timing coincided exactly with Lin Juangui’s disappearance from the public eye. Generally, Omegas and Alphas staying at home had no other business apart from dealing with heat cycles. Yet, Huo Zeshen couldn’t understand how Mu Yuanqing was involved in this.

What was the hidden secret among those three? Why did Lin Juangui need two people with him every time he went into heat?

Now, Mu Yuanqing hadn’t visited Mu Zhang’s home for nearly half a year, indicating that something must have happened to make his visits unnecessary.

Combining this with the long absence of news about Lin Juangui and the overlooked report of a starship attacked by unknown forces on Wuying Star, Huo Zeshen was certain that the person undergoing modification at the military hospital was Lin Juangui.

Since realizing the strange relationship between Mu Yuanqing and Lin Juangui, Huo Zeshen had avoided any personal conversations with him. This time, he took the initiative to go to the military headquarters to wait for Mu Yuanqing. Mu Yuanqing thought something must have happened on Huo Zeshen’s end; otherwise, he wouldn’t have come.

Huo Zeshen had now grown into an adult who rarely showed his emotions. It wasn’t until he asked, “Is Lin Juangui undergoing human modification at the military hospital?” that Mu Yuanqing frowned.

Mu Yuanqing wanted to say that this matter was none of Huo Zeshen’s business, but the problem was that Huo Zeshen had already guessed the answer. Hiding it would only distract him further.

So, Mu Yuanqing took a deep breath and said, “Yes, he was attacked. Large parts of his body were destroyed. Without the surgery, he might not have been able to live a normal life.”

“...”

Huo Zeshen was silent for a long time. He couldn’t imagine how gruesome Lin Juangui’s condition was. At that moment, his heart ached intensely, tormented by the fact that he couldn’t suffer in Lin Juangui’s place.

Mu Yuanqing advised Huo Zeshen not to worry too much and to focus on his own duties. “His surgery was successful, and there’s no rejection reaction. He’ll probably wake up once his other internal organs have mostly recovered.”

Huo Zeshen grunted in acknowledgment, reported the situation in the Seventh Military District, and left.

Later, Lin Juangui suffered amnesia.

The day Huo Zeshen learned this news, he fell into an unprecedented state of confusion.

His brother had forgotten him.

He wanted to visit Lin Juangui but was refused permission by Mu Zhang. Mu Zhang intentionally wanted to completely remove Huo Zeshen from Lin Juangui’s world, and there was nothing Huo Zeshen could do about it.

To Lin Juangui, Huo Zeshen was now a complete stranger.

All the words they had exchanged and the promises they had made were remembered only by Huo Zeshen. What would Lin Juangui say when he saw Huo Zeshen again? Would he ask, “Who are you?” and then walk right past him?

Just imagining such a scene made Huo Zeshen feel suffocated.

But would Lin Juangui really remain suffering from amnesia for the rest of his life? What if Huo Zeshen became the lucky kid, waiting for the day Lin Juangui recognized him again?

However, Huo Zeshen’s luck had never been good.

After recovering, Lin Juangui no longer appeared in public. He rarely attended banquets or charity events, and Huo Zeshen found no chance to see him.

Until this “coincidence.”

Huo Zeshen couldn’t reveal himself easily, but Lin Juangui in the bathtub was just too…

Mesmerizing.

After all, he was now a young, virile Alpha. Unable to restrain himself, he made such a forward gesture toward Lin Juangui.

He decided it would be better to meet another time. Huo Zeshen needed a better way to make a memorable impression on Lin Juangui.

After staying with Lin Juangui for a few hours, Huo Zeshen prepared to leave. He released an overpowering pheromone, and when he exited the hotel room, the bodyguards at the door were so overwhelmed by the scent they didn’t dare look up at him.

“Don’t say I was here. If anyone asks, just say you found a random Alpha. Understood?”

Huo Zeshen commanded authority. As the youngest military district leader, he had blood on his hands, and his words and actions brooked no argument.

“But…” one bodyguard hesitantly spoke up, “With your pheromones, whatever we say won’t matter.”

Huo Zeshen quirked a smile. “Whether he figures it out is his business. What you say is yours.”

The bodyguard nodded vigorously. “Yes, understood.”

When Lin Juangui opened his eyes again, he was still enveloped in the scent of bitter absinthe. But the person before him had now become Mu Zhang.

His excitement quickly subsided. Lin Juangui reached up and touched his scent gland—it had returned to normal.

Seeing that Lin Juangui was awake, Mu Zhang, who had been working, quickly shut off his light-brain and hurried over to help Lin Juangui sit up. He adjusted the pillows to ensure Lin Juangui was comfortable.

Lin Juangui’s face was pale. He had never experienced such an intense heat before and still felt physically exhausted.

“Is Huai Fu okay?” Lin Juangui asked, concerned about his condition.

“Huai Jun came and took him away. This place is a mixed bag; it’s better to avoid coming here in the future.”

Even if he had business here, there was no need to personally get involved.

Lin Juangui looked apologetic. “I’ve been a burden to you.”

Mu Zhang smiled understandingly. “I know you just wanted to find something fun to do. But every time you stray too far from my side, something seems to happen, Juangui…”

“I understand. I won’t go too far in the future, so you don’t have to worry.”

Lin Juangui’s maturity eased Mu Zhang’s concerns. He helped Lin Juangui up, intending to accompany him to the bathroom, but Lin Juangui politely declined. “You have so much to do. I won’t disturb you. After I clean up, I’ll go back with you, okay?”

Mu Zhang frowned slightly but didn’t insist. He simply escorted Lin Juangui to the bathroom door and reminded him to be careful and call if he needed anything.

Both of them silently ignored mentioning the source of the other Alpha’s pheromones in the room. Lin Juangui glanced at the nearly empty bathtub, his eyes growing dark and thoughtful.

By the time Lin Juangui left the bathroom, Mu Zhang was no longer outside. A bodyguard informed him that Mu Zhang had already returned to the starship and would be waiting for him there.

Lin Juangui locked eyes with the bodyguard, his eyes burning with intensity. “Who was the Alpha you brought to me?”