MVCFO CH52

1.

“What?!”

Lin Xiangqi stared at the special training notice from the military academy in Lu Cong’s hand in disbelief. He checked the time written on it three times to be sure.

“All new students must report to the Northern Frontier Military District within 24 hours of receiving this email. Arriving more than five minutes late will be considered forfeiture of admission?!”

Wait—was this even reasonable?

It was normal for university freshmen to go through military training, and Lin Xiangqi had already mentally prepared himself for the tougher training of a military academy. But it was only early August, and not only were they starting training early, they had to report within 24 hours.

He scrambled to check the map and became even more distressed.

“There are no direct flights to the Northern Frontier Military District! We’ll have to transfer once in the capital, then take a train after we get to Luo City… Lu Cong, are you sure this isn’t a scam email?”

Lin Xiangqi looked at Lu Cong hopefully, wishing he’d say it wasn’t real.

Unfortunately, Lu Cong’s expression was grave. “It’s probably not.”

The Alliance Military Academy had a very different educational system and administrative structure compared to regular universities.

They had already learned this through various sources when they chose to apply to a military school.

Every year, the Alliance Military Academy changed its talent selection process. Past experiences were of little reference, because the academy loved to spring surprises on naïve and unsuspecting freshmen.

This “special training” was nothing like the usual military orientation at regular universities. It wasn’t just about physical and mental preparation—it was the academy’s very first test for its new students.

Once the training ended, everyone would face a placement assessment—yes, like the class placement tests in high school. Students would be assigned classes based on their results.

And this placement was far stricter than anything in high school. Mess up your placement exam in high school, and you’d just end up in a weaker class. But fail this assessment in the Alliance Military Academy? You could lose your admission entirely and be transferred to a second-tier military school.

Lin Xiangqi had even heard the harshest version of the rules: if a new student committed a serious violation during training, they’d be officially blacklisted by the Alliance Military Department—permanently losing any chance of ever becoming an officer.

Even though he had mentally prepared himself for this, Lin Xiangqi was still caught completely off guard by the suddenness of the notice.

Reporting within 24 hours might not sound like much, but at this time of year, most graduates were still enjoying their summer break in full relaxation mode.

If someone didn’t check their email within three days, they’d miss the special training. Even those who saw it immediately might not be able to make it on time for all kinds of reasons.

Lin Xiangqi and Lu Cong lived very far from the Northern Frontier Military District—separated by two allied nations.

Normally, that kind of trip would take at least a week at a relaxed pace.

But now, they had just 24 hours.

Lin Xiangqi suddenly remembered how, not long ago, Tang Luyu had warned him that the competition at the Alliance Military Academy was brutal, that even those who passed the entrance exam needed to stay on guard constantly—because at this school, you couldn’t fake your way to a diploma. It was entirely possible to be “eliminated.”

At the time, Lin Xiangqi wasn’t worried at all.

He had heard from Tang Luyu that top-tier Omegas like him were considered unique assets in the medical field and received a lot of preferential treatment. To put it bluntly, the academy wouldn’t just kick someone like him out without reason.

And Lu Cong? He was even more solid. The Alliance Military Department’s high regard for Lu Cong was well known. Add to that Lu Cong’s own exceptional talents, and until today, Lin Xiangqi couldn’t imagine any scenario in which Lu Cong would be eliminated.

But now Lin Xiangqi understood.

Apparently, all it took was being five minutes late—and neither of them would be admitted to the academy.

How funny.

And how terrifying.

“No matter how you look at it, the time is way too tight.”

Lin Xiangqi grumbled, but his hands didn’t stop working. He quickly mapped out the entire route and came up with a reasonable travel plan.

“If we don’t rest along the way and sleep on the plane, we should just barely make it.”

Lu Cong immediately booked the fastest available flight and checked the time. “We can still catch the next one.”

Lin Xiangqi silently struck a sprinter’s pose. “When does it leave?”

Lu Cong replied solemnly, “In fifty minutes.”

“—Grab the luggage!”

The two of them turned and ran at the same time.

Lin Xiangqi had a strong hunch that the next few years of university might be even more intense and exhausting than their final year of high school.

They didn’t even have time to say goodbye to the old house they had lived in for so many years. Just like that, without pause, they sprinted into a new chapter of life.

2.

After nearly 16 hours of flying, Lin Xiangqi and Lu Cong were finally on the last leg of the journey.

Because they bought the tickets last minute, they were seated in separate train cars.

Traveling alone was boring, and the train had poor signal, so Lin Xiangqi couldn’t even use his phone. He looked around at the other passengers.

Maybe it was just his imagination, but he noticed that everyone in the carriage looked about the same age—slightly older than him, perhaps, but certainly no older than thirty.

A thought began to creep into his mind.

Could it be… everyone here was also headed for special training?

The Northern Frontier Military District was a restricted zone, and most public transportation couldn’t reach it directly.

Which meant that new students from around the world, whether they flew or came by ship, would all eventually end up transferring through Luo City and boarding this train.

The more Lin Xiangqi thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

He glanced at the two people seated beside him—

On the aisle side was a young man around twenty-five. He had a strong build, bulging muscles, a buzz cut, tanned skin, and a vicious-looking scar peeking from the back of his neck. He exuded an intimidating presence—like he could punch ten Lin Xiangqis into the ground.

By the window sat another young man in his early twenties. His posture was upright, features sharp, eyes steady. His hands rested in loose fists on his knees. Just sitting there, he looked like a soldier.

The Alliance Military Academy’s admissions process was different from regular universities. A portion of new students had already served in the military before enrolling. These people had strong real-world experience and had proven themselves in the field—so the military gave them a slot at the academy to train them as officers.

Lin Xiangqi had a feeling the two men beside him were those types of recruits.

Which meant…

Lu Cong would have to train and compete with people like this?

Lin Xiangqi unconsciously started biting his lip.

In his eyes, Lu Cong had always been a kind and gentle person—non-confrontational and mild-mannered. Sure, he was physically fit, but only by the standards of regular school Betas. Compared to seasoned soldiers, it was hard to say how much of an edge he really had.

Even though top-tier Alphas were genetically superior, effort still mattered. Lu Cong had spent years staying by Lin Xiangqi’s side, giving up many opportunities to train or challenge himself. He’d already fallen behind others at the starting line. While these men were enduring brutal drills or risking their lives in battle, Lu Cong had probably been in the kitchen making late-night snacks for him…

Lin Xiangqi was getting worried. He feared Lu Cong might not be able to handle the intensity—or worse, get bullied at school.

“Are you an Omega?”

Suddenly, someone in the row ahead turned around, leaning over the seatback to look at Lin Xiangqi, breaking his train of thought.

“There are very few majors in the Alliance Military Academy that accept Omegas. Just look around this carriage—almost everyone here is headed to special training. Eighty percent are Alphas, and a few look like Alpha-type Betas.”

Lin Xiangqi looked up and saw a refined young man wearing silver-rimmed glasses. He looked clever and had a warm smile.

Even though this was Lin Xiangqi’s first time traveling far from home, his social instincts hadn’t dulled. He smiled back politely.

“You’re an Omega too.”

The other shook his head with a laugh.

“No, I’m a Beta who just looks like an Omega.”

Lin Xiangqi didn’t show any surprise and replied with sincerity,

“Then you must be a very outstanding Beta.”

After all, everyone admitted to the military academy was elite in their region—and for a Beta, who naturally lacked strong pheromones, to stand out meant they had to be exceptional in some other way.

“Wow, talking to you is really uplifting,” the other boy said with a pleased expression. “Let me guess, you’re either in Military Diplomacy or Military Psychology, right?”

Lin Xiangqi felt like, although every sentence the guy said sounded like a compliment, he was clearly trying to probe for information. So he deflected lightly, “I was just being honest. It has nothing to do with my major.”

“Alright, I guess I guessed wrong,” the boy said with a smile as he reached out his hand. “I’m Qi Mingyi, I work in computers. What about you?”

Although he’d mentioned his field, he hadn’t clearly stated which specific discipline. His words were still trying to coax information out of Lin Xiangqi.

“Lin Xiangqi.” Lin shook his hand, smiling as he asked, “There are so many people on this train—why are you only talking to me? Is it because I’m the only one whose info you couldn’t find?”

Qi Mingyi froze.

People nearby also turned to look at him with strange expressions.

There were many branches in the computer field, but those who were skilled in information technology often had ways to collect and investigate data. Qi Mingyi clearly hadn’t expected Lin Xiangqi to expose him so directly, and his face turned a bit ugly.

“You looked into all of us?”
The burly soldier in the aisle seat finally spoke.

Qi Mingyi dropped his smile, his gaze flickering as he feigned calm. “Just doing some early research on future classmates, nothing wrong with that, is there, Luo Fu?”

He deliberately emphasized the man’s full name, making it clear that he had indeed collected data on everyone here—claiming dominance in the conversation.

The man named Luo Fu looked at him grimly. “We’ll all meet anyway. What’s the point of digging around in private?”

Lin Xiangqi was also curious about this Qi Mingyi character and began to observe him with a “watching a show” kind of gaze.

Unexpectedly, Qi Mingyi immediately shifted the topic back to Lin Xiangqi.

“That’s because I heard someone really special was arriving this year. I couldn’t help but want to see what he looked like.”

Luo Fu glanced at Lin Xiangqi and said,

“It’s not him.”

Lin Xiangqi: “?”

What were these two cryptic guys talking about?

“Of course I know it’s not him. He’s an Omega. But the one I’m looking for is…” Qi Mingyi suddenly chuckled. “Ah, looks like you’ve heard the rumors too?”

At that moment, murmurs started spreading around them.

Lin Xiangqi listened carefully and realized everyone seemed to be discussing the same thing.

“Is it that person…?”
“I heard their physical exam results went beyond the extreme-excellent level.”
“Don’t know the name…”
“Yeah, I heard too… supposed to be incredibly strong.”

Lin Xiangqi wasn’t a gossip-lover, but he’d always worried that Lu Cong might run into fierce competitors at school. He couldn’t help joining in and asked Qi Mingyi,

“Who are you all talking about?”

“A very dangerous Alpha.”

This time, the speaker wasn’t Qi Mingyi or Luo Fu, but the resolute-looking man sitting by the window. He introduced himself as Zhao Xuanyang and told Lin Xiangqi,

“He might be the first—and possibly only—Alpha in the world to exceed the extreme-excellent classification. But his public records still label him as extreme-excellent. No one knows whether he’s on this train right now.”

Lin Xiangqi gasped sharply.

Someone who had surpassed the extreme-excellent level? That was terrifying!

“Is someone who surpasses extreme-excellent really that much stronger?”
Lin Xiangqi knew his question sounded a little naïve, but he genuinely didn’t understand how the ranks were divided.

Several people immediately jumped in to answer.

“The leap between ranks is extremely difficult. Even the strongest excellent-level Alpha would be instantly suppressed by the pheromones of an extreme-excellent one. By that logic, even the most outstanding extreme-excellent Alpha would become a ‘weakling’ in front of someone at a higher level.”

Now it was no wonder everyone was on edge.

Many of the Alphas present were extreme-excellent themselves—top elites in their respective fields. But now, a new presence had appeared, someone who could overpower all of them. Who wouldn’t be panicked?

Lin Xiangqi felt anxious too.

He realized Lu Cong might not be able to secure the top ranking in his major anymore.

Against someone who had surpassed the extreme-excellent level, no matter how hard Lu Cong tried, it would be nearly impossible to win.

Which meant… if they wanted to qualify for independent dorms in the future, Lin Xiangqi would have to rely on his own efforts now.

He suddenly felt a heavy sense of responsibility.

What he didn’t know was that back when Lu Cong was very young, the Alliance had already considered reclassifying his pheromone level. But for various reasons, it was never finalized.

Now, that mysterious person who had broken through the extreme-excellent level… was actually Lu Cong himself.

During the third physical examination, when Lu Cong released his pheromones, he couldn’t quite control the intensity—he accidentally broke the data recorder. The medical staff in charge of the measurements all went into glandular overdrive.

After repeated tests, they confirmed that Lu Cong’s pheromone levels far exceeded the maximum value for an extreme-excellent Alpha. The Alliance Military Academy had already submitted a formal application to certify him as the first Alpha to surpass the extreme-excellent classification.

Although the application hadn’t been officially approved yet, insiders like Qi Mingyi, Luo Fu, and Zhao Xuanyang had already gotten wind of it—they just didn’t know exactly who it was.

Qi Mingyi had been digging around for clues as soon as he boarded the train, hoping to identify the hidden Alpha. But aside from Lin Xiangqi—whose data was specially protected—no one else stood out.

This topic sparked everyone’s interest in the train car, and people discussed the issue of surpassing the extreme-excellent level for quite some time.

Lin Xiangqi even took out a notebook and seriously jotted down notes—collecting intelligence on Lu Cong’s potential competitors.

Qi Mingyi couldn’t help chuckling when he saw how focused Lin Xiangqi looked.

“Xiao Lin, why are you more nervous than all the Alphas? What exactly is your major?”

This time, Lin Xiangqi didn’t dodge the question and answered honestly:

“I’m in the Pheromone Therapy program.”

For a moment, Lin Xiangqi felt like everyone who heard him suddenly turned to look at him.

Even Qi Mingyi’s expression became hard to read.

Lin Xiangqi was puzzled.

Military medicine shouldn’t be such a rare major, right? Why are they all looking at me like that? Did I remember the wrong major name?

“Daring to even apply for Pheromone Therapy and actually getting admitted—you’re impressive.”
Qi Mingyi gave him a big thumbs-up.

Lin Xiangqi was even more confused.

“Isn’t military medicine a pretty common field?”

“There are many tracks under military medicine.”
Luo Fu looked at him with a mix of respect and sympathy.

He’d enlisted earlier and knew more than the average freshman, so he explained,

“Pheromone Therapy is internationally recognized as the most advanced medical field. But from what I know, only a handful of students are accepted each year—and in the past few years, no one at the Alliance Military Academy has successfully graduated from it.”

Qi Mingyi added,

“I heard the most experienced senior in your program is already forty-five. He once participated in an inter-allied war and saved countless lives… but he still hasn’t received his therapist certification.”

Lin Xiangqi: “?”

He turned pale.

“Is the graduation threshold for this major that high?”

Qi Mingyi shrugged.

“Apparently.”

Zhao Xuanyang turned around with a serious expression.

“These days, very few military doctors specialize in Pheromone Therapy. If you can master it, you’ll save countless soldiers in the future.”

Lin Xiangqi was a bit overwhelmed by all the praise and responded modestly,

“I might not even graduate…”

Zhao Xuanyang’s mouth twitched, but he still said earnestly,

“Give it your best.”

“It’s alright either way. Your program is known for being ridiculously hard to get into and even harder to get out of,” Qi Mingyi said, trying to comfort him.

“Even if you don’t graduate, it won’t be your fault. As long as your therapeutic skills meet a certain level, you can still apply to join the military. As for the diploma… take your time.”

Lin Xiangqi still felt a little disappointed. He said glumly,

“Can I switch majors? I don’t want to never graduate.”

After all, he still wanted to graduate and join the army with Lu Cong.

“Don’t give up so easily,” Qi Mingyi advised.

“At military academy, no one’s a pushover. You need to face your problems head-on, or you’ll be eliminated. Since you chose this major yourself, you should stick with it.”

“You make a good point,” Lin Xiangqi admitted. “But… this major was assigned by the school.”

Qi Mingyi froze.

“Huh? Assigned… by the school?”

He didn’t know how other schools worked, but the Alliance Military Academy never assigned majors.

What you study is entirely up to you—if you qualify, you’re in. If not, you’re out.

This was the first time he’d heard of anything like this.

Even Luo Fu and Zhao Xuanyang, who were sitting nearby, were curious.

“That major has extremely high requirements for both talent and individual ability. Why would the school assign you to it?”

Lin Xiangqi looked troubled, resting his chin on his hand.

“I don’t know either.”

“It’s fine, I’ll help you check.” As Qi Mingyi spoke, he pulled out his mini computer.

“There’s a possibility the school system had a bug and assigned you by mistake. I’ll take a look and we’ll know.”

Lin Xiangqi stared at him in surprise.

“You’re going to hack into the school system?”

Luo Fu warned him,

“Be careful not to break the rules.”

Zhao Xuanyang added,

“Or the law.”

Qi Mingyi just smiled casually.

“Relax, I know what I’m doing. I’m just checking the admission records for the medical department this year. If it was a system error, there should be multiple misassigned students. I’ll just compare their selected majors to the final admissions and we’ll know—”

Right then, his voice abruptly cut off.

Everyone thought he ran into a technical issue and asked,

“What’s wrong? Can’t find it?”

Qi Mingyi opened his mouth, glanced at Lin Xiangqi with a complicated expression, then looked back down at the screen. After a moment, he shut the computer, adjusted his glasses, and said in a cryptic tone,

“I found it. No mistake.”

Lin Xiangqi sighed.

“Looks like I really won’t be able to graduate.”

Luo Fu tried to comfort him while Zhao Xuanyang encouraged him to hang in there.

Qi Mingyi hesitated for a while before finally saying,

“You’re not not going to graduate. This year, you’re the only person admitted to the Pheromone Therapy major. From what I can tell… the school personally placed you there, probably intending to pour all their resources into training you.”

Everyone froze.

Even Lin Xiangqi looked stunned.

“Why?”

Qi Mingyi almost laughed in frustration.

“You’re seriously asking why? If you’d just said earlier that you’re an extreme-excellent Omega, I wouldn’t have even bothered to look it up.”

“Extreme-excellent Omega?!”

“I heard those kinds of Omegas can’t handle hardship—pampered and delicate, always protected at the very top of the social pyramid. Who’d come to military school and suffer?”

“Exactly. Most extreme-excellent Omegas have far better options. Rarely do any of them choose to become military doctors.”

“Wait, where is he? Let me take a look, please—I’ve only seen that type of Omega in dramas!”

Voices rose and overlapped.

Lin Xiangqi had only been an Omega for less than a year. He never expected that he himself would be considered a “legendary figure.” Embarrassed, he ducked his head.

Just then, Luo Fu quietly asked,

“…I heard the pheromones of an extreme-excellent Omega can bring people back from the dead. Is that true?”

Lin Xiangqi: “?”
Lin Xiangqi: “Of course not!”

3.

Once off the train, Lin Xiangqi got separated from the few classmates he’d just met.

Luckily, he spotted Lu Cong in the crowd right away.

Lu Cong stood tall, straight-backed, and strikingly handsome—he naturally drew attention. But Lin Xiangqi couldn’t get past the crowd of Alphas around him and was pushed along with the flow.

Afraid Lu Cong wouldn’t see him, Lin Xiangqi waved his arms high.

The surroundings were loud and chaotic. Lin Xiangqi, overwhelmed, got swept further into the crowd.

Just as he was about to be pushed toward the escalator, a hand wrapped firmly around his waist and pulled him into a safe, open space.

“There were so many people, I thought you didn’t see me.” Lin Xiangqi leaned into Lu Cong’s embrace, exhaling in relief and naturally falling into step beside him. “You have all the luggage—is it hard to carry?”

“Not at all.” Lu Cong’s voice had a strangely calming effect. He said,
“I actually tried to come find you in your car earlier, but they stopped me.”

Lin Xiangqi immediately chimed in,

“I know! They stopped me too!”

He’d tried to find Lu Cong before the train arrived, but there was no cell signal. So he got up and tried to go over—but halfway through, a crew member stopped him, saying that the lights might dim in the upcoming section and standing in the aisle would be dangerous. In short, they absolutely refused to let him leave his car.

Pouting, Lin Xiangqi muttered softly,

“I really wanted to see you… but they wouldn’t let me. These past few hours were so hard. I missed you so much.”

Lu Cong’s grip tightened slightly. If they hadn’t been surrounded by people, he would’ve kissed the boy in his arms already.

“I missed you too.”

“Oh, right!” Lin Xiangqi suddenly remembered something important and whispered secretively,
“I found out there’s an especially powerful Alpha this year. If you run into him, do not try to fight head-on, okay?”

Lu Cong watched Lin Xiangqi’s animated talking, replying with a casual “Mm.”

“They say his pheromones are so strong that, once unleashed, no one within ten kilometers could survive—though I think that’s probably exaggerated.”

“Oh? Who’s that powerful?” Lu Cong stared at his lips instead, remembering how every time he kissed that little lip bead, Lin Xiangqi would go weak in the knees and make the cutest sounds.

“I haven’t figured out who it is yet, but don’t worry. I’ve already made arrangements with some classmates—we’ll keep gathering info over the next few days.”

When he finished speaking, Lin Xiangqi noticed Lu Cong’s expression had shifted.

“Classmates?” Lu Cong asked in an even voice, but his tone was deep.

Lin Xiangqi nodded.

“I met a few people on the train. One’s Qi Mingyi—he’s a really skilled hacker. I heard he didn’t even take the college entrance exam—the military school invited him directly. Then there’s Luo Fu, who’s been in the army for years. He was in the special forces. And Zhao Xuanyang, he’s—”

Right then, Lin Xiangqi suddenly realized something. He blinked at Lu Cong and smiled.

Lu Cong looked at him.

“Go on.”

Lin Xiangqi began to play dumb.

“I suddenly forgot their names… hmm, guess I haven’t known them long enough.”

Just then, he happened to pass through the ticket gate first.

Lu Cong handed over their luggage and followed closely behind.

The crowd finally thinned out a bit outside the station. In the warm sunlight, Lu Cong took Lin Xiangqi’s hand and said with a teasing smile,

“I thought I hid my feelings pretty well.”

Lin Xiangqi gave him a sidelong glance, amused.

“Not at all. I just mentioned a few names and instantly smelled vinegar.”

“That obvious?”

“Very obvious.”

Lu Cong lowered his gaze and looked at him gently.

“I don’t mean to get in the way of your making friends.”

Lin Xiangqi reached up and tousled his hair.

“I know. You’re the most generous.”

Lu Cong replied quietly,

“Not really.”

“Hm?”

Lu Cong checked the time—there were still two full hours before they needed to report in. Suddenly, he pulled Lin Xiangqi in the opposite direction of the crowd, leading him into a quiet and hidden corner.

There, they shared a long, deep kiss. Warmth flowed as their tongues entwined. Lu Cong sucked gently on Lin Xiangqi’s soft lip bead for a long while, until the boy was dizzy and breathless, before finally letting go.

“I’m not generous,” Lu Cong murmured, each word low and deliberate against his ear.
“I’m petty. I get jealous easily. When we’re apart too long, I get anxious, uneasy, and scared. I can’t help it.”

Lin Xiangqi melted in his arms, looking at him with a mix of laughter and affection.

“So what now, Lu Cong?”

“Kiss me.” Lu Cong lifted his chin and pressed his lips to Lin Xiangqi’s once again. After a while, he whispered,
“I’m easy to coax.”

Lin Xiangqi laughed, eyes curving into crescent moons. He wrapped his arms around Lu Cong’s neck and gave him a fierce, deep kiss. Still unsatisfied, he turned his head and, panting slightly, said,

“So worried someone might come after me? Then mark me.”

Lu Cong’s body visibly tensed, Adam’s apple bobbing hard, fangs itching. But he didn’t immediately bite. He rationally reminded Lin Xiangqi,

“Baby, a mark leaves behind pheromones. No matter how restrained I am, people nearby will still smell it.”

“I like your scent.” Lin Xiangqi deliberately twisted the meaning.

Lu Cong licked his dry lips, voice hoarse.

“They’ll know you’ve been marked by me.”

Lin Xiangqi looked at him provocatively.

“Is being marked by my husband something to be ashamed of?”

A sharp prick of pain came and went, leaving behind only tingling numbness. It was a brief and simple mark, but the stimulation was far from mild.

Lin Xiangqi trembled in Lu Cong’s arms, resting for a long time before he could walk again.