Chapter 98 Not Pregnant

Chapter 98: Not Pregnant

Lin Juangui's eyes filled with confusion. Hadn't the doctor previously said his gestational sac was underdeveloped and he couldn't have children?

But Mu Zhang gradually became lost in his own thoughts, slowly nuzzling Lin Juangui's ear with his lips. "I've heard all Omegas have a reproductive instinct; it's just a matter of time. Would you undergo surgery for him?"

"No, I wouldn't." Lin Juangui's reply remained as calm as ever.

Mu Zhang asked him why.

Lin Juangui chuckled softly. "I'm quite afraid of pain."

They looked at each other in the mirror for a moment. Lin Juangui's earlobe, already flushed pink from Mu Zhang's teasing, felt itchy. He turned his head slightly to avoid the sensation, but this movement somehow angered Mu Zhang, who took the earlobe into his mouth and bit down hard.

"Hiss—" Lin Juangui frowned. Before he could say anything, his inhibitor patch was ripped off by Mu Zhang. Mu Zhang's intent was clear: he wanted to mark Lin Juangui.

An Omega's gland was exceptionally sensitive, much like how a cat's scruff shouldn't be easily grabbed.

Mu Zhang kept watching Lin Juangui's reaction in the mirror. He had expected to see disgust and resistance on Lin Juangui's face, but instead, Lin Juangui's cheeks gradually flushed red, and his body leaned slightly forward.

After all, Mu Zhang and Lin Juangui hadn't had many intimate encounters. For a long time after their marriage, they were practically strangers to each other.

Lin Juangui's aloof, untouchable demeanor always made Mu Zhang think he despised such things. But he seemed to have been mistaken; Lin Juangui's body was telling him the complete opposite.

If not for the rejection of their pheromones and the clearly defined boundaries in their contract, Mu Zhang might have possessed Lin Juangui long ago.

Every time this thought crossed his mind, Mu Zhang felt utterly powerless. Being used was frustrating, and his feelings had come at the worst possible time. Why did fate play such a cruel trick, letting him experience the torment of having a delicious treat right before his eyes yet completely out of reach?

That time on Yungang Star, although what Geng Xuelan did was excessive, it indeed shattered the final barrier between Mu Zhang and Lin Juangui.

After that, Lin Juangui seemed to have received some kind of shock, emerging completely from his depression, his smiles becoming more frequent.

During that period, Mu Zhang was almost torn apart by the intertwining guilt and relief in his heart. He, who always believed he could control everything, kept making mistakes regarding matters related to Lin Juangui, leaving him deeply conflicted.

It wasn't until Lin Juangui forgave him once more that Mu Zhang was truly saved.

"I didn't understand before why you'd leave me alone during my heat. I didn't know what I had done wrong. Even if I couldn't accept your pheromones, you could have just held me more, like you are now... instead of letting those things enter my body."

A sheen of tears glistened in Lin Juangui's eyes. He seemed wronged by this, his body trembling slightly.

Mu Zhang looked as if he had heard something unbelievable, his movements even pausing. But Lin Juangui continued to nuzzle against him. "It wasn't until I heard you were close with General Mu, that you had a friendship since school, that I understood. You felt awkward, didn't you? You didn't want him to hear us being so intimate, right? But it's really exhausting for me to perform this one-man show..."

These words completely overturned Mu Zhang's understanding. He had thought Lin Juangui's series of strange reactions were born of spite—whether it was giving gifts to Mu Yuanqing's Omega fiancé or rolling around with Huo Zeshen, it was all to get back at him. It turned out it was because Lin Juangui felt Mu Zhang was always distancing himself, so he used these actions to test Mu Zhang's true feelings?

Mu Zhang's movements gentled considerably, the hostility in his heart gradually dissipating.

No wonder, back on Yungang Star when they were drugged by Geng Xuelan and had to help each other, Lin Juangui had been incredibly sensitive. At most, he would push against Mu Zhang's shoulders with his hands, frowning and saying where it hurt, but otherwise his moans were sweet.

Omegas always had physical needs. Providing only pheromones without helping with other needs seemed far too stingy.

Mu Zhang felt deeply guilty and immediately said "I'm sorry" to Lin Juangui.

"I was too careless."

Even the most beautiful flower needs fertilizer to thrive. In the end, Mu Zhang hadn't done enough.

But when an Alpha and Omega were intimate, they couldn't help releasing pheromones. For Lin Juangui's sake, no matter what, Mu Zhang still had to try his best to restrain himself.

He ultimately couldn't personally satisfy Lin Juangui. He could only hold him tightly, leaving a trail of lingering kisses on his shoulders, trying to erase the marks others had left.

Facing the mirror was still too embarrassing. Lin Juangui turned his head as if wanting to bury it in Mu Zhang's chest, not daring to look. Mu Zhang gripped his chin, forcing Lin Juangui to watch. "So beautiful."

During this time, Mu Zhang and Lin Juangui had unraveled too many misunderstandings and emotional knots. Mu Zhang finally understood what Lin Juangui had been sad about. What he wanted, Lin Juangui had actually given him long ago; he had just been too immersed in past guilt to face it.

Mu Zhang lifted Lin Juangui onto the countertop. Even disheveled, Lin Juangui was still beautiful. Mu Zhang kissed him, his hands caressing meticulously. Lin Juangui's knees rested on Mu Zhang's shoulders, his body curled up as he mumbled, "It's so cold."

"Help me, and it'll warm up soon."

Mu Zhang still held Lin Juangui tightly, unable to suppress a bit of his true nature: "You're so needy, baby. In the future, if you want it, just tell me directly. I'll satisfy you, okay?"

A flicker of dark coldness passed over Lin Juangui's face before it returned to normal.

He asked Mu Zhang how he would manage.

Pheromones remained the barrier between them. As long as Lin Juangui was still an Omega, when he needed pheromones, he wouldn't think of Mu Zhang.

Mu Zhang let out a low chuckle, shook his head, and said nothing more.

The Omega pheromones in the room grew increasingly intense, their nature undergoing a subtle change. Mu Zhang had never closed the door. As he carried Lin Juangui out, he took the chance to glance at Mu Yuanqing lying on the hospital bed.

Mu Yuanqing was still unconscious, appearing completely still. However, the slightly raised arc of the bedsheet gave him away.

Mu Zhang laughed coldly to himself. He knew no one could resist Lin Juangui's pheromones. But how well Mu Yuanqing had put on an act! No matter the situation, he always maintained that righteous gentleman facade. Yet now, he had been completely exposed at a time no one would have expected.

Mu Zhang lowered his head and kissed Lin Juangui's forehead.

Lin Juangui could understand him now. His efforts over the years hadn't been in vain. They were the most suitable for each other; no one could separate them.

When Mu Zhang carried Lin Juangui out of the ward, Ge Miao saw Lin Juangui's state and immediately lowered his head. Mu Zhang calmly ordered, "Have an obstetrician come examine him. Check if he's pregnant. If he is, get rid of it."

Ge Miao's eyes widened in shock, momentarily forgetting to respond.

What did Lin Juangui being pregnant mean? Ge Miao remembered Lin Juangui's body wasn't suitable for bearing children. His gestational sac seemed underdeveloped; even if he had been with another Alpha, he shouldn't be able to conceive, right?

Mu Zhang frowned slightly, displeased. Ge Miao quickly said he understood and would handle it immediately.

Throughout the examination, Mu Zhang stayed by Lin Juangui's side. The only skin on Lin Juangui's body that was his own, unmodified, was from his neck down to his lower abdomen. Watching the equipment scan over Lin Juangui, Mu Zhang felt a pang of desolation and sadness.

He and Lin Juangui had missed too many good times.

"The report for Mr. Lin is in. He is not pregnant."

Lin Juangui lay on the bed, his sleeping face serene. Mu Zhang hummed in acknowledgment. He wasn't actually surprised by this result, but for safety's sake, he had to do this.

Actively cuckolding himself was already unthinkable enough. If he let Lin Juangui carry another Alpha's child... Mu Zhang wouldn't do anything to Lin Juangui himself, but he would absolutely kill the Alpha who got Lin Juangui pregnant.

This was how Mu Zhang was when he liked someone: he would try every way to cater to their preferences, even unconditionally lowering his bottom line.

He knew it wasn't good, but the sense of achievement it brought him was immense pleasure—a feeling that earning vast sums of money or seizing territories couldn't provide.

"How is Mu Yuanqing?"

With Lin Juangui's pheromones replenishing his mental energy, it should have pulled him out of his deep coma.

Ge Miao nodded. "His condition has improved. However, the Zerg acid caused neurological damage that's hard to reverse for General Mu. I'm afraid it will still require time."

Mu Zhang understood in his heart. Mu Yuanqing's current state was actually the best possible outcome.

Countless people out there want Mu Yuanqing dead, hoping to pin all those shady dealings on him. Once Mu Yuanqing breathes his last, they can wipe their slates clean and continue living carefree lives, above the law.

But Mu Zhang still hopes Mu Yuanqing can survive.

Even if they are no longer lovers and their feelings have faded, Mu Yuanqing still has a spot in Mu Zhang's heart.

He doesn’t want Mu Yuanqing tainted by any grime or dust; he hopes Mu Yuanqing remains pure and clean from beginning to end.

Ultimately, Mu Zhang is guarding that spotless, innocent part of his own heart.

But Mu Yuanqing's physical reactions also seem pretty funny to Mu Zhang.

"In that case, it seems Juangui's pheromones aren't of much use. Let Bai Yue take care of him from now on—at least he still has some genuine concern for Mu Yuanqing."

"Yes."

Even though Mu Yuanqing is now a criminal in the Federation, Bai Yue still visits him often, going against his family's wishes.

Bai Yue doesn’t believe Mu Yuanqing committed any terrible wrong; he simply thinks Mu Yuanqing didn’t know how to defend himself or was perhaps framed.

To put it bluntly, it’s the ordinary people blowing things out of proportion. Over the years, there have been countless experiments, big and small, within the Federation. Whether they succeed or fail doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. The outbreak of the insect plague isn’t directly related to Mu Yuanqing—isn’t it the fault of the experimenters’ improper operations?

Bai Yue is fuming with anger but doesn’t know how to vent it. Aside from coming to chat with the unconscious Mu Yuanqing, no one else is willing to listen to him.

Lin Juangui has no idea what’s happening outside or what Mu Zhang's been going through. When he wakes, Mu Zhang is still by the bedside, holding a paper book to read.

He seems not to have noticed Lin Juangui is awake, totally absorbed in reading the storybook in his hands.

Lin Juangui didn’t expect Mu Zhang to be so childlike—a grown man who's into storybooks. Just as he reaches out to grab the book from Mu Zhang’s hands, Mu Zhang sets it down and looks up at him with a smile. "Full of energy?"

"What are you reading?"

Mu Zhang tucks a withered bellflower into the book and hands it to Lin Juangui. "An adventurer's travel journals. My mother often read them to me when I was little. I could read them to you sometime if you want."

"Are they gonna be bedtime stories?" Lin Juangui smiles, eyes curving. He looks down at his loose silk robe, gets up, and snuggles onto Mu Zhang’s lap, pressing close against him.

Mu Zhang holds him tight around the waist. When he smiles, little crow's feet appear at the corners of his eyes—signs of aging—making him look even more distinguished and attractive.

"Yes, I’ll be with you from now on."

"Good."

Mu Zhang runs his fingers through Lin Juangui’s hair, his tone casual, like he's talking about the weather. "Most matters in the Political Department have been handled. I’ve already arranged who should be in which positions. We've got a rare chance to take it easy for a while. Is there anywhere you’d like to go? Let’s go do something fun together."

Taking up a post in the Political Department was indeed difficult at first. Mu Zhang comes from a prominent background, but having been a space pirate for so many years, he essentially threw away his own bright future.

But truth be told, Mu Zhang is also incredibly lucky—no matter what he wants to do, the universe always gives him an out.

Mu Zhang isn’t the only descendant of the Mu family. It’s just that Mu Jie holds a high status within the family due to his military achievements. The sons and grandsons of his brothers now hold high-up jobs in the Federation’s Political or Military Departments, all arranged through Mu Jie’s connections.

Nevertheless, Mu Jie still hopes his grandson will settle down after sowing his wild oats and take up his responsibilities in society, instead of being a parasite who only knows burning, killing, and looting—that path can’t last.

Everyone recognizes Mu Zhang’s intelligence and excellence. Since he can get so many space pirates to follow him, it shows he has a real talent for handling people. With that ability, building a power base in the Political Department would naturally be within his grasp.

Mu Jie is getting up there in years and naturally worries that he might die one day without having paved the way for Mu Zhang. Fortunately, the Omega Mu Zhang married is clever, knows how to work on his public image, and has served as the perfect springboard to clean up Mu Zhang's image and get him into the Political Department.

The Political Department has hundreds of divisions. Mu Zhang initially entered as a special advisor and gradually worked his way up to his current spot through ability and internal recommendations.

Some, jealous of Mu Zhang’s rapid rise, tried to trip him up—whether from within the family or outside, many seemed particularly displeased with his meteoric rise. But the fact that Mu Zhang could take those hits and fight back proves his capability.

Those who had been watching from the sidelines, seeing Mu Zhang’s skills, naturally pledged their loyalty. Mu Zhang needed time to sort out these people’s backgrounds, determine whether they could be of use, and also handle orders from the President. Getting four hours of sleep a day was already a luxury for him.

After the catastrophe on Puli Star, Mu Zhang’s act of sending Lin Juangui away from the Federation’s central star alarmed many, making them fear a major upheaval was coming and prompting them to prepare for evacuation.

But it was this very behavior that gave Mu Zhang an opportunity to purge many who opposed him.

Not standing with the Federation in its time of need, yet thinking of sending wives and children to escape early? Once dismissed from their posts, they could leave as they wished.

Some cursed Mu Zhang for his double standards, but Mu Zhang provided ample justification.

Lin Juangui is a businessman; traveling between planets is perfectly normal for him. Moreover, Lin Juangui delivered a blow to the Liang family and openly secured the project to rebuild the Sixth Military District. Who would say he left the Federation’s central star to avoid disaster? Isn’t he rescuing the Sixth Military District from dire straits?

Once this news broke, countless critics fell silent. With the two of them gaining such momentum, anyone looking on would feel hopeful about tomorrow.

Now Mu Zhang no longer needs to personally handle trivial matters. Many people, eager to catch his eye, voluntarily take on tasks. Mu Zhang has finally entered a rare period of rest.

Sometimes Mu Zhang quite admires Lin Juangui. He prides himself on being capable and discerning with people, but Lin Juangui understood long ago how to delegate authority, letting subordinates handle various matters before reporting back to him for centralized processing.

As the saying goes, if you can’t lead a team, you’ll just work yourself to death. Mu Zhang has thoroughly grasped this now.

Lin Juangui is considerate of Mu Zhang and doesn’t want him overworked. "Getting those slippery, seasoned old foxes to behave is already an achievement. Let’s not go too far. How about you rest well and catch up on sleep at home?"

Mu Zhang takes Lin Juangui’s hand and places it over his own heart. Lin Juangui’s words warm him deeply, but Mu Zhang has other plans—something he’s been brewing for a long time, which can’t be done if he’s just sleeping at home.

"I still want to spend more time with you. I’ll just extend my sleep hours later. Think about it, okay?" Mu Zhang coaxes him.

Lin Juangui knows that failing to come up with a destination might dampen Mu Zhang’s spirits. He lowers his head, thinking seriously for a moment before saying, "How about returning to Sailing Star? We’ve lived on the Federation’s central star for so long. If we want peace and quiet, Luochen Manor is a good place."

This aligns perfectly with Mu Zhang’s initial idea.

Sailing Star is indeed a place of great significance. If he and Lin Juangui can start anew there, Mu Zhang might truly find fulfillment in life.

"Good, we’ll do as you say."

The feeling of being in sync with Lin Juangui is utterly wonderful. Mu Zhang nuzzles Lin Juangui’s cheek with his nose. Lin Juangui shrinks his neck, ticklish, but shows no impatience on his face.

Soon, someone brings food. Mu Zhang considerately feeds Lin Juangui.

A young nurse, hearing Lin Juangui has woken up, comes to check on him but finds the two immersed in affection. Flushing, she quickly apologizes and turns to leave.

Lin Juangui’s appetite remains small. After a few bites, he says he’s had enough, and only then does Mu Zhang start on the remaining meal.

Lin Juangui thought he’d have to undergo a series of tests after waking, so he’s somewhat surprised when Mu Zhang tells him they’ve already been completed.

Mu Zhang helps Lin Juangui get dressed. "You said you’re afraid of pain. Having those instruments scan you isn’t a pleasant experience either. We finished it all while you were asleep."

Lin Juangui touches his stomach and asks about the results. Mu Zhang smiles, curling his lips. "Don’t worry, everything’s fine. But… remember to take precautions in the future, understood?"

Mu Zhang speaks as if instructing an ignorant child, though the other is clearly his partner.

Lin Juangui bites his lip and nods, a flicker of clear shame crossing his face. Mu Zhang’s mood brightens even more, and he kisses Lin Juangui’s cheek.

"Alright, let’s go."

Lin Juangui doesn’t know where Mu Zhang is taking him, thinking it might be to release pheromones for Mu Yuanqing again. But Mu Zhang is holding him as if they’re about to leave.

"How is General Mu’s condition? Don’t I need to…"

"Nah, it's fine." Mu Zhang interrupted what Lin Juangui was about to say next. The two of them ran directly into Bai Yue, who had come to visit Mu Yuanqing.

Bai Yue didn't greet them, just giving a slight nod in acknowledgment before passing them and heading deeper inside. Lin Juangui glanced back at him, looking thoughtful.

Mu Zhang knew what Lin Juangui was curious about and murmured in his ear, "He actually cares a bit."

"What a shame."

Lin Juangui seemed to be lamenting that Mu Yuanqing hadn't successfully married Bai Yue, but in his heart, he was thinking: if Mu Yuanqing hadn't been entangled with Mu Zhang all this time, could he have lived a good life with Bai Yue?

However, the cruelest thing in this world is that there are no 'ifs.' No matter how wild your imagination gets, reality ultimately wins out.

The news of Mu Zhang taking time off and returning to Sailing Star with Lin Juangui quickly reached Huo Zeshen's ears.

Huo Zeshen also wanted to go to Sailing Star. He didn't want Mu Zhang to enjoy such a wonderful vacation, but for the next few days, he was tied up and couldn't leave.

After learning that Huo Zeshen had followed Lin Juangui to Youlan Star, Liang Xiancheng arranged for many people to lay in wait at the Liang family residence.

Huo Zeshen had feelings for Lin Juangui and was grateful for the help Lin Juangui had given him in the past. Liang Xiancheng knew this full well and was even more intent on exploiting it.

Lin Juangui wasn't sitting around either. He understood better than anyone how important Huo Zeshen's current position was and also wanted to use that past kindness to pull Huo Zeshen into his camp. So, he had Huo Zeshen go to Youlan Star to see what the Liang family had actually done back then.

Liang Xiancheng didn't want to guess what choice Huo Zeshen would make. But if Huo Zeshen's attitude could be so easily swayed by Lin Juangui, Liang Xiancheng needed to take action to warn him.

Even if Huo Zeshen learned about those experiments conducted by the Liang family, so what? He should be thanking the Liang family for saving his life, allowing him to live until now as a test subject.

Huo Zeshen seemed to have realized this. After arriving at the Liang residence, he first subtly scanned his surroundings. Noticing something was off, he directly handed the already darkened storage core to Liang Xiancheng.

"Elder Liang, I'm back. This is the storage core from Youlan Star. The data inside has already been taken by Lin Juangui."

Liang Xiancheng's hand holding the teacup trembled slightly. Huo Zeshen's sincerity was truly beyond his expectations. He had always greatly appreciated people who told the truth—the more transparent, the easier to control, and he would reward such an attitude.

But the more transparent Huo Zeshen was, the more Liang Xiancheng felt he couldn't get a firm grip on him.

"Do you think this data will have an impact on the Liang family?"

Liang Xiancheng knew perfectly well what was on Youlan Star. He had allowed Youlan Star to exist for so long and even permitted the sale of those things because he knew they couldn't really harm the Liang family.

Moreover, if Lin Juangui dared to send people to release this evidence, the Liang family had plenty of ways to fight back. Not everyone was like Mu Yuanqing, foolishly stepping forward to shoulder all the responsibility.

Mu Yuanqing's mistake was not knowing how to transfer risk. Who could be so stupid as to take all the blame upon themselves, completely blocking any path for others to save him?

In this day and age, how many laboratories can guarantee they are completely clean, with all procedures legal and compliant? No one can withstand a thorough investigation.

Mu Zhang himself has his own dirty laundry; would Lin Juangui dare to stick his neck out and risk his head?

As one of the few survivors who escaped from Youlan Star, Huo Zeshen already had a certain degree of authority. His current close relationship with the Liang family was the best proof of everything, and it could even serve to rationalize the Liang family's experiments.

Liang Xiancheng was very satisfied with Huo Zeshen's understanding. He tossed the darkened storage core aside but still didn't lower his guard against Huo Zeshen.

The death penalty might be avoided, but living punishment was hard to escape. A glint of shrewdness flashed in Liang Xiancheng's somewhat dim eyes. He had Huo Zeshen sit down beside him and asked a servant to bring him a cup of tea.

"You saw the self-defense mechanisms on Youlan Star, right?" Liang Xiancheng was clearly referring to the mech that resembled the form of the Zerg.

"Yes."

Liang Xiancheng deliberately paused before saying to Huo Zeshen, "Your position is already significant enough to influence the military landscape. Mu Zhang's arms factory has dominated for so many years; anyone buying weapons has to go through them first. But if the military can introduce the Liang family's unmanned mechs in the future, can they still be as arrogant as they are now?"

Huo Zeshen wasn't surprised by Liang Xiancheng's ambition. However, putting unmanned mechs into use would undoubtedly face numerous difficulties. The Federal laws alone stood in the way, prohibiting all mech production companies within the Federation from violating biological principles and forbidding autonomous activation of mechs.

Liang Xiancheng's plan required the cooperation of multiple parties to succeed. Huo Zeshen asked, "Will the Federal Parliament pass the proposal allowing autonomous activation this year?"

"Yes. We are going to usher the Federation into a new era."

It seemed Liang Xiancheng was very confident about those unmanned mechs. So, Huo Zeshen had to tell him some unfortunate news to dampen his spirits a little.

This time, when Ultimate was sent for repairs, many error messages appeared. Although the repair personnel fixed the mech's exterior perfectly, Ultimate's central system seemed to have suffered damage. Not only were the repair costs high, but it also couldn't be fixed in just a few hours as before.

Regarding this, Huo Zeshen apologized to Liang Xiancheng, "It was my negligence. I'm sorry."

Liang Xiancheng was already so old that his eyes were drooping. He despised the aging brought by time yet envied the vitality of the young. So, he tried every means to possess, hoping to transfer a bit of life force to himself.

Logically speaking, the Liang Corporation had developed mechs that led the Federation—an achievement no one else could match. Wasn't it only natural for Liang Xiancheng to seek some benefits for himself? One couldn't demand he work himself to death every day, could they?

But once greed is unleashed, it's hard to rein in. Liang Xiancheng wanted to live, more than anyone, to see the Federation he had changed.

Huo Zeshen's strength had been witnessed by Federation citizens over the years. Ultimate had also absorbed a lot of psychic energy, converting it into life force and transferring it to Liang Xiancheng. But for Liang Xiancheng, this was far from enough.

Liang Xiancheng wanted to return to the years of his past. Ultimate's conversion efficiency was too low; he needed more mechs operating on the same model as Ultimate to convert life force and transfer it to him.

It was only after Ultimate's repair report came out that Liang Xiancheng learned: the psychic energy released by Huo Zeshen had exceeded the limit that Ultimate could receive and convert.

Ultimately, this wasn't Huo Zeshen's problem, but that Ultimate couldn't keep up with the times.

However, over so many years, the Liang family had only successfully developed and put into use one Ultimate mech. And finding orphans like Huo Zeshen, with no background or family, to provide psychic energy—these conditions were all indispensable. Therefore, no matter what, Liang Xiancheng could not afford to lose Huo Zeshen.

"You personally go to the repair center to assist with Ultimate's upgrade until it can smoothly convert again."

"...Yes."

Huo Zeshen knew he wasn't yet at a stage where he could challenge Liang Xiancheng. Until then, he had to submit.

But the situation waits for no one. Federation conflicts were breaking out frequently. Puli Star had shown many people the incompetence and ambition of the Federal Military Department, prompting them to prepare to establish their own domains and secede from the Federation.

The weapons Mu Zhang had once sold were now becoming shells fired at various military districts, while he himself remained temporarily unaware of all this.

Lin Juangui had kept him in the dark.