Chapter 43: Core Zone

Chapter 43 Core Zone

Early in the morning, Xu Shaoen kicked Pei Ju out the door.

All day yesterday, he didn't dare count how many times Pei Ju had claimed him.

Even an omega made of steel couldn't take that.

Even his pheromone scent had thinned out, and that was like opening Pandora's box—he found that Pei Ju was never satisfied.

His body was soaked in the other man's scent.

Xu Shaoen leaned against the door and closed his eyes.

The feeling of being entered wouldn't go away—the pheromone scent, the panting in his ear, the arms locked tight around him, the cloyingly sweet kisses that nearly stopped his heart. Just recalling any of it made him embarrassingly wet.

Xu Shaoen flopped onto the bed and buried himself in the blankets.

He even wondered—with all that intense practice, wouldn't he end up pregnant?

His hand trailed down to his lower belly.

It felt a little puffy. He didn't know if it would go back down completely.

Those suppressant shots were a lost cause now. Pei Ju wanted to teach him biology at every waking moment, asking endless questions, and he couldn't answer a single one.

And he didn't want to, either.

Xu Shaoen pressed his hot face into the pillow.

At least he hadn't knocked again—he'd had more than enough lessons for today.

**

Meanwhile, Pei Ju, having been kicked out, wasn't bothered.

He'd recharged inside the omega's body last night and slept like a baby.

Completely satisfied and full.

"Good morning, Brother Pei."

"Good morning, Xiaojin."

Pei Ju looked fresh and full of energy this morning.

Xiaojin asked worriedly, "Did your cold get better?"

Pei Ju replied, "Much better."

Thanks to the miracle medicine in that room.

He could never get enough of that taste.

If Xu Shaoen hadn't kicked him out this morning because he couldn't handle any more, he'd have kept going.

Pei Ju's fingers twitched as he recalled the feel of holding Xu Shaoen's waist.

Soft yet resilient—he could wrap his arms all the way around it from behind.

One touch and the omega trembled, letting out soft moans that made his whole body tighten.

Even if Xu Shaoen tried to run, he couldn't—one arm around him and he was stuck, unable to move. He'd smack him, push him, shove him, scolding him in that soft, sweet voice, but his resistance was always weak, almost nonexistent. The pleasure he couldn't hide was written all over his body.

The reddening ears, the trembling lips, the arched chest, the ragged breaths—all showed how much he loved it and how he gave in.

Pei Ju's breath hitched as he stared at the closed door.

What kind of life had he lived before? Dull and flavorless.

From now on, he'd be eating meat at every meal.

Xiaojin looked at Pei Ju, confused.

For some reason, standing in front of him today, Pei Ju gave off a faint, oppressive aura.

But when Pei Ju smiled, the feeling faded.

Must be his imagination, right?

Xiaojin wasn't so sure.

"Are we going to see the arena fights today?" Xiaojin quickly got ready and asked Pei Ju what the plan was.

He was still looking forward to going home, even though the arena kind of scared him. But he was willing to try it out.

"Not today." Pei Ju didn't like going into a fight unprepared. Rushing into the spotlight without being ready wasn't smart.

Especially when he wasn't strong enough yet.

He remembered Xu Shaoen's tears and didn't want to make him worry for nothing.

Today, he had something way more important to take care of.

He needed to rent a better place—with better soundproofing, room for attendants, and a place where they wouldn't be disturbed. It needed a comfortable water heater, a plush bed, and a walk-in closet where he could dress up his precious one nicely.

Of course, all this prep was for a perfectly normal and necessary thing—mental grooming.

He absolutely had no other intentions.

"Wasn't the place you two stayed at last time good enough?"

When they got to the rental office, the Alpha who helped them remembered them clearly.

It was rare for a C-rank Alpha like Pei Ju to have an omega with him.

For that reason, he'd even found them a small single-story house with a courtyard and an outdoor shower—already quite decent conditions.

Sama Main Star's environment was far better than other garbage planets, but even here, quality was graded.

The lower district had no visible buildings or household waste, no mountains of scrap metal, but the sewage treatment wasn't strict enough.

The middle district had pretty flowers and greenery lining the roads, plus comfortable air purification systems. The sky looked bluer, though occasional sandstorms and smog still occurred.

The upper district was a different world entirely. The most magnificent white tower stood at its center, omegas strolled the streets, and the avenues were filled with elegantly dressed figures.

The roadside plants were constantly refreshed, the sky rails and starships were brand new, and inspection officials patrolled with authority. Beyond that, there were large-scale vegetable cultivation bases, exhibition halls for rare beasts, and every necessity and entertainment amenity fully connected to the capital star hundreds of galaxies away.

But changing one's residence was no easy matter.

Sama Prime Planet has eight lower districts, three middle districts, and one upper district, where a strict hierarchy is enforced. Only high-ranking Alphas and Omegas can enjoy the best environment and top-tier services. Betas with excellent skills may take temporary work in various districts, but if they can't afford the exorbitant housing costs, they're sent back to other planets.

Even in the eight lower districts, only Alphas ranked C or above can obtain long-term residency permits. Lower-ranked Alphas might as well move to central areas on other planets, where they'd receive far better treatment than in Sama Prime's lower districts.

"To meet the housing requirements you mentioned, your only option is the central area of Coent City."

When higher-ups come to inspect, they stay in the luxury hotels at Coent's core zone—an area with beautiful surroundings and excellent conditions that rival the upper district of Sama Prime.

The Alpha explained but apologized: "The core zone of Coent Main City is only open to Alphas ranked B or above. Because the designated area is small and environmental management is strict, heavy fines are imposed for any violations."

He pocketed the energy stones Pei Ju had secretly given him and sighed: "This is something money can't change, even for you."

Pei Ju had expected this.

He looked inward at his mental sea. With Xu Shaoen's help, it was no longer a boundless sea of darkness—a few stars now twinkled in the darkness, their light illuminating a small area.

The size of a mental sea is often directly linked to an Alpha's power.

Xu Shaoen had once said that a C-rank Alpha's mental sea was like a cramped little room—about the size of the room they were renting now.

A B-rank Alpha's mental sea was larger, perhaps like a presidential suite of one to two hundred square meters, with mental energy capacity multiplying accordingly.

An A-rank Alpha's mental sea was even more expansive—expanded into a three-story villa with a courtyard, or a towering skyscraper. An A-rank Alpha's mental reserves were enough to protect themselves while condensing into physical forms for direct attacks on external targets.

An S-rank Alpha's mental sea was difficult to measure concretely; suffice to say, the differences between S-ranks were vast.

Depending on their attributes, their mental seas could be a desert, a grassland, or an ocean.

Their perception was sharp, and their reaction times were lightning-fast. Their mental energy, when used, was better than detection instruments. Some Alphas had combat power rivaling an entire army.

The entire Sama Prime Planet had only one S-rank Alpha, and Coent Main City had only a few A-rank Alphas stationed there. Most high-ranking Alphas lived in the middle or upper districts.

So what was his mental energy level now?

Originally, his mental sea had been like a torn, wind-blown tarp—but he had no idea how vast it really was.

The mental energy stored inside was like a drifting mist—sometimes more, sometimes less—and the only part he could truly control was what Xu Shaoen had helped stabilize.

But even that felt much stronger than before, when he had relied solely on energy stones to boost his power.

"I've recently gotten stronger—maybe I now qualify for the core zone. Please test my level."

Pei Ju gathered his mental energy and bit down on a capsule made of fluorite powder.

If his strength wasn't enough, a little cheating wouldn't hurt.

Watching the Alpha bring over the strength tester, Pei Ju thought: he hoped he wouldn't need that thing.

Otherwise, Xu Shaoen would definitely get angry—his face turning red as he scolded Pei Ju while treating him.

That feeling... was almost worth looking forward to?

Beep, beep.

The Alpha testing him widened his eyes, then reset the device and tested again.

"What's wrong—not enough to qualify?" Pei Ju's eyes darkened. He had already poured in all the mental energy he could command. If it still wasn't enough, he'd have to go all in.

"No." The Alpha scratched his head. "I'm just puzzled—how did your mental energy stabilize at B+ in just two days?"

Don't think C+ and B+ are just one rank apart—the mental energy required is tens, even hundreds of times more!

"Is that so?" Pei Ju's heart thumped suddenly, but his expression gave nothing away.

He showed a confident smile, as if he had expected it all along: "My mental sea was injured before. It recovered after mental grooming."

"That makes sense." The Alpha looked at Pei Ju with envy.

This was exactly why they all wanted Omega partners.

Not only could they secrete sweet pheromones to soothe during heat cycles, but they could also heal mental sea injuries, calming its turbulence and repairing damage.

"Well, congratulations—you're qualified to live in the core zone." The Alpha stamped a new mark on Pei Ju's ID card. A fresh green coating symbolized his rank upgrade: B-rank Alpha!

"No way!" Xiaojin jumped for joy the moment they walked out the door.

He quickly lowered his voice: "That fluorite powder really works—it actually tricked the detector!"

Could he use it to fake being an Alpha too?

Seeing Xiaojin's eager look, Pei Ju pressed his cheek against his teeth and spat out a capsule.

"Boss, you didn't use it?" Xiaojin froze, watching Pei Ju throw the capsule into the trash.

"Yeah. So stop thinking about taking shortcuts."

Pei Ju sternly lectured the kid: "In this world, strength is everything!"

Xiaojin: "..." That's not what you said before we went in—you not only bought empty capsules as backup, but you also told me not to tell Brother Xu.

Now he could almost see a silver wolf, its tail swishing back and forth, looking mighty pleased with itself.

But better not to call him out.

Pei Ju was the big bro; he was the little bro.

Big bro eats meat, he drinks the soup—big bro's strength rises, and he benefits too.

"So can we go live in a big house in the core zone now? I'm going to tell Brother Xu the good news!" Xiaojin was about to run off, but Pei Ju grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back.

"Wait." He still had other things he needed Xiaojin to help with.

Xu Shaoen was asleep alone in the room.

**

Lights off, curtains drawn, the room was still.

A mental barrier covered the outside, untouched by anyone, so his mind drifted in a deep, hazy sleep.

It had been a long time since he had slept this well.

He didn't even notice Pei Ju come back.

The man carried a scent achingly familiar to him—his mental sea didn't raise the slightest alarm.

He felt a gentle kiss on his forehead, then he was lifted up, cradled in warm arms.

"Wake up, little kitty."

Pei Ju hefted Xu Shaoen's weight in his arms.

He was definitely thinner than he'd been back at the academy; he'd been through so much these past few days.

Xu Shaoen reached out, looping his arms around Pei Ju's neck.

His eyes cracked open into sleepy slits, and he was already being carried out the door.

He saw the triumphant spark in Pei Ju's eyes.

"Today, we're moving into the big room."

==========Author's Note:==========

Happy Dragon Boat Festival! 20 small red envelopes randomly dropped! Congratulations to Pei Pei on another upgrade!!