Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Nation G—or rather, what remained of half the capital.

It was more bustling now than ever before.

A little girl huddled on the bed, holding her unconscious mother, peering through a gap created by an explosion in the wall at the bustle outside.

Her mother had told her that after wars, many foreigners would come. They would take all the valuables from their home, and if angered, they might even kill.

So she didn't dare go out. But the water at home had run out, and there was no food left.

She hoped they would leave quickly without discovering them, but the damaged, unsteady door was pushed open anyway.

A tall figure stood backlit in the doorway, a gun in hand that made the little girl tremble. Still, she fiercely protected her mother, shouting at the intruder to leave, insisting this was their home.

To her surprise, the person who had forced his way in actually froze, muttered words she didn't understand under his breath, and stepped back out.

A short while later, the aunt from next door came in.

“Why are you still here? The aid workers are distributing food—come with me, quickly!” Without another word, the aunt dragged her outside. Dazzled by the sunlight, the girl stood there, frozen.

There was none of the chaotic panic she had expected, nor were there any threatening foreigners. Instead, everyone was lining up in front of a tent to receive food and water. Whenever young, strong troublemakers tried to snatch supplies from women and children, those uniformed foreigners would drive them away.

Such clean water, food still steaming…

Without hesitation, she ran toward the food distribution line but stumbled and fell after running into someone in her haste.

Panicked, she hurried to get up to apologize. The person was so tall; she timidly looked up but could only see his chin.

Instead of the expected scolding or blows, the person remained silent for a moment before crouching to help her up.

It was a man with a stern yet handsome face.

The little girl warily stepped back and, confirming he had no intention of following her, hurried off.

Only when she reached a safe distance did she look back. The man had already stood up and was speaking with someone in military uniform beside him.

“Mr. Yan, we understand the situation. We will do our utmost to rescue Mr. Shen and ensure your safe return to the country.”

The turmoil in Nation G had pushed the topic of secondary gland evolution into the international spotlight. At the United Nations General Assembly, the East had prevailed despite opposition to deploy peacekeeping forces. The speaker was a major from this mission.

Yan Jiu shook his head. “The situation is worse than you think. I must stay.”

As they spoke, the two entered the command center tent, where other officers had gathered to report. They all turned their attention to Yan Jiu, their curiosity piqued by this mysterious figure who held no rank but had been explicitly instructed to heed his advice.

Hearing his tone, the major thought of the widespread rumors about secondary evolution. “Could it be that experiment…”

Mid-sentence, Yan Jiu created a fireball with his bare hands. “It’s exactly this serious.”

This magic-like act defied everyone’s understanding, and they quickly grasped the serious implications behind it.

Yan Jiu briefly explained the course of events, and the major immediately understood his point. “So now we need to find the key to nullifying your powers?”

“No, I already have some ideas about that.” Yan Jiu glanced at Yang Bai, who was rushing over. “The urgent priority is to rescue A-Hui. Otherwise, if Chen Shenzhi fully masters the technology from back then…”

That madman might even start a world war, and Yan Jiu suspected that was exactly what he intended.

A moment later, Yang Bai reached them. “Senior! Did you call me over because you found my brother?!”

Without a word, Yan Jiu tossed him a dagger.

Yang Bai was terrified. Was this a hint that he should kill himself? He felt he could still be saved!

“Dad!” Yang Bai fell to his knees with a thud, clutching Yan Jiu’s leg. “At least let me see my brother—no, my mom—one last time before we part!”

Yan Jiu: …

The officers, led by the major, exchanged stunned, curious looks. These tangled titles suggested quite a story!

Yan Jiu had never been so embarrassed in his life. He picked up the dagger and nicked Yang Bai’s finger.

Yang Bai yelped in pain and sprang up, but Yan Jiu held his finger firmly, letting a drop of blood fall onto an unhealed scrape on his own hand.

No one understood what Yan Jiu was doing until he created another fireball, which went out in the blink of an eye.

Instantly, all eyes turned to Yang Bai like spotlights.

Yang Bai hid behind Yan Jiu, uncomfortable with the attention. “I… I have no idea what’s going on either!”

Yan Jiu hadn’t understood at first, but when he left, Nathan had still been barely alive and had uttered Yang Bai’s name. Earlier, when Yan Jiu spoke with Yang Bai, he learned that Nathan had taken Yang Bai’s blood under the pretext of a blood shortage.

It had only been a hypothesis then, but now it was confirmed.

Yan Jiu’s expression darkened. “As you’ve seen, this idiot was also part of the experiment back then. If I’m not mistaken, Chen Shenzhi will undoubtedly come back for him.”

“We’ll place him under protection immediately!” The major was about to call for guards, but Yan Jiu raised a hand to stop him.

“No.” Yan Jiu revealed a grim smile. “I’m hoping he does come.”

Yang Bai didn’t understand what his “dad” meant, staring instead at his finger. “But… why is this happening to me?”

*

When Shen Hui came to, he felt dizzy and disoriented. The aftereffects of overexerting his pheromones made him retch dryly as he turned over.

A glass of water was promptly handed to him. He took it instinctively and thanked the person, but froze the moment he saw those fingers.

Memories came flooding back. He sat up straight and silently put distance between them.

Chen Shenzhi was considerate of his feelings, moving away to sit on a chair nearby.

Only then did Shen Hui take in his surroundings—a clean, tidy bedroom with no windows. A double bed and a set of table and chairs were the only furnishings.

The faint hum of a ventilation system suggested they were underground.

“After such a long separation, don’t you have anything to say to me, A-Hui?” Chen Shenzhi’s smile was as gentle and courteous as ever, enough to put the uninitiated at ease.

Shen Hui felt only disgust.

Chen Shenzhi remained patient, waiting calmly for him to speak.

An invisible battle of wills and dominance unfolded between them—the one who spoke first would inevitably be at a disadvantage.

Shen Hui’s face was pale and translucent as he leaned against the bed, eyes closed, resting. After a long silence, he was the first to break. “What is Yang Jingqiao to you?”

Chen Shenzhi smiled victoriously. This was only the first step; he would gradually ease A-Hui back into familiarity with him.

“My teacher,” Chen Shenzhi replied frankly. “She didn’t die back then. She made her way abroad and was taken in by the Chen family. Around that time, I became interested in gland research and sought her out as my teacher. It was through her that I learned of your existence.”

So even their initial meeting had been a deception.

Chen Shenzhi generously filled in the blanks for him.

Yang Jingqiao not only survived the explosion but also took Shen Hui—Experimental Subject A—with her. She made her way back to the East, but the perilous situation made it impossible for her to keep a child. After moving around through various channels, she placed Shen Hui in the best local orphanage and drew away the pursuing forces herself.

He was the result of her meticulous cultivation, a project she had poured far more heart into than into her own child. Yet now, all she wished was for this child to live an ordinary life, untouched by the darkness and bloodshed.

Later, she entered the Chen family and, leveraging their influence, returned to Country G in search of something—but she never came back. Little did she know that Chen Shenzhi, whom she had only taught for a short time, had long been fixated on the experiment and had tracked down Shen Hui’s whereabouts.

When he found Shen Hui, Shen Hui had not yet differentiated—like an unopened present, waiting to become his omega.

But Shen Hui differentiated as a beta, shattering all his plans. Furious, he provoked Shen Hui, luring him into undergoing gland surgery.

Even after nearly destroying himself, Shen Hui remained a beta, and because of Chen Shenzhi's madness, he ended up by Yan Gui’s side.

Becoming Yan Gui’s omega.

Chen Shenzhi was so enraged that he killed all the test subjects and took the most perfect replica of No. 1.

Shen Hui had no interest in what he was thinking, refusing to even glance at him: “What was she coming back to find?”

Whatever it was that made Yang Jingqiao risk her life to return, it must have been connected to that explosion.

Shen Hui stared expressionlessly at his hand, then met Chen Shenzhi’s intense gaze, certain that he had indeed discovered something.

Only at times like this would Chen Shenzhi’s eyes gleam with excitement.

He pushed himself up from the bed, ignoring Chen Shenzhi’s offered hand.

Chen Shenzhi curled his fingers, a flicker of ruthlessness in his eyes—how long could he hold out when he was already in his grasp?

The two of them left the room and walked deeper into the facility. The people hurrying past were either soldiers or researchers in white lab coats.

It seemed he had already reached a cooperation agreement with the G government—no wonder the military had been involved in besieging the Alliance building.

This was a larger experimental base than the abandoned research institute. The room Shen Hui had woken in was likely in the living quarters. After about half an hour of walking through twisting hallways, the view suddenly opened up.

Chen Shenzhi walked ahead, then stepped aside to show Shen Hui: “Look, this is the foundation of the new world.”

Shen Hui moved forward, stunned by the sight before him.

In a space dozens of stories high stood a huge mass of red flesh, beating rhythmically like a heart.

It was so enormous that Shen Hui, standing on the surrounding catwalk, couldn’t see its full form.

“What… what is this?” The overwhelming pressure gave Shen Hui a deep sense of foreboding.

He had never felt such fear, even standing on battlefields once piled with corpses.

“This is the greatest achievement of Teacher Yang and the others. They called it Raphael.”

The moment Shen Hui looked up at it, he felt a sudden connection—his heart raced uncontrollably, and he fell to his knees as his strength failed him. The heavy beating in his ears was overwhelming.

Soon, he realized the heartbeat wasn’t just his own—it was also coming from that mass of flesh.

It seemed to have noticed Shen Hui too, its trembling suddenly intensifying, as if calling out silently.

*Come back, my child. You belong here.*

Shen Hui even unconsciously stood and took a step forward, but Chen Shenzhi yanked him back, holding him tightly in his arms.

He let out a sigh as if it were as expected: “Not yet.”

Shen Hui snapped back to reality, cold sweat breaking out all over his body. He clutched Chen Shenzhi’s arm: “What is it?! What are you trying to do?!”

Chen Shenzhi tenderly wiped the cold sweat from his temple, then signaled to the staff nearby.

Several soldiers immediately pushed a few teenage omegas into the pool where the flesh resided. In the blink of an eye, the omegas were absorbed into the flesh, disappearing without a trace.

Throughout, the omegas did not resist; their eyes were empty yet joyful.

The excited flesh gradually calmed after its feast, and Shen Hui’s sensation of being drawn to it also subsided.

“It is the perfect gland in this world,” Chen Shenzhi said obsessively, staring at him. “In the future, you will possess it.”

“I will possess you.”

Before Shen Hui could react, Chen Shenzhi tightened his grip, holding him tight, and sank his teeth into the gland at the back of his neck.

Cold alpha pheromones were injected into the gland, fiercely conflicting with Yan Gui’s mark.

Shen Hui trembled all over, agony wracking his body.

“Before that, we must first remove that repulsive scent on you.”

Author’s Note: I’ve checked the outline—it should wrap up within 10 chapters. ❤️

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