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4.

Military school training wasn’t as terrifying as Lin Xiangqi had imagined.

He had worried he wouldn’t even survive the first day, but unexpectedly, he was one of the few who stuck it out from beginning to end.

This was perhaps because the platoon Lin Xiangqi was assigned to was mostly filled with students from technical majors, where physical fitness requirements were less strict.

Especially among the freshmen in military medical tracks, the majority were Omegas—widely perceived as delicate and fragile. The instructors only required them to meet the basic military standards and didn’t push them to exceed their physical limits.

The same went for students like Qi Mingyi, who were in Military Information Systems or Computer Networks. Every single one of them preferred sitting over standing, and asking them to run a few laps was basically torture. Though the instructors sounded strict, they didn’t actually push them too hard—after all, these students’ value lay in their brains and technical expertise. If they were physically wrecked, it would be a major loss.

Still, even with lowered expectations, the special training was no walk in the park.

Many wanted to quit midway, but were stopped in their tracks by a single sentence:

“Remember, once you’ve entered military school, you must hold yourself to a soldier’s standards. Backing out means becoming a deserter. If you want to quit, I’ll give you one minute to pack your things and take your admission letter. Get lost. The Alliance Military Academy doesn’t need you.”

After hearing that, no matter how hard things got, everyone gritted their teeth and pushed through.

Lin Xiangqi didn’t think he was doing particularly well, but to his surprise, he was singled out and praised.

The reason, of course, was that he was the only extreme-excellent Omega in the entire incoming class. He had every right to be pampered, and everyone expected him to be. Yet he hadn’t complained even once—he performed better than some Alphas in terms of endurance and mental strength. The instructors told everyone to learn from him.

During a break, someone asked admiringly:

“They say Omegas and Alphas develop oppositely. The higher an Omega’s pheromone level, the weaker their physical fitness. You’re extreme-excellent, right? Shouldn’t you be fainting after a few steps? How come you’ve got such great stamina and strength?”

Lin Xiangqi was a little embarrassed by the praise but answered honestly:

“Maybe because I didn’t know I was an Omega at first.”

Most of the others didn’t quite understand what he meant.

But Qi Mingyi, sitting at a distance, instantly understood—

Because Lin Xiangqi had never internalized the belief that he was supposed to be weak, he had never grown up to match the stereotypical image of a fragile Omega.

Lin Xiangqi never thought of himself as exceptionally gifted—he simply let himself grow freely, and that was all.

Qi Mingyi stared at him with a strange, heated look in his eyes. His pale irises sparkled behind his glasses.

Quietly, he left the group from his own major and moved next to Lin Xiangqi, gazing at him without blinking.

Lin Xiangqi shivered and turned stiffly to glare at him.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

Qi Mingyi replied,

“I’m expressing my admiration.”

Lin Xiangqi said dryly,

“You look like you’re about to fall in love with me.”

Qi Mingyi didn’t get flustered at all. He even admitted it cheerfully:

“I fall easily for souls that are like mine.”

Lin Xiangqi stared at him for a few seconds, then firmly turned away. Tilting his head, he revealed the mark on the back of his neck.

“Look—”

Qi Mingyi, being a Beta, didn’t immediately recognize the significance of the bite mark.

“Who bit you?”

But a second later, realization struck him. His expression became complicated, then impressed. He gave Lin Xiangqi a thumbs-up and said,

“Nice. That’s a really effective way to turn people down.”

Qi Mingyi wasn’t actually in love with Lin Xiangqi, but after realizing the mark came from an Alpha, he wasn’t disappointed—just curious.

“That mark looks fresh. Is your Alpha in military school too? Wow, you two got admitted together. He must be high-level as well.”

Lin Xiangqi tugged his collar straight and nodded. The pride in his tone was obvious.

“He’s extreme-excellent too, but I think he’s stronger than the average extreme-excellent Alpha. The academy started tracking him when he was very young—they say he’s one of the most valuable talents in the Alliance. When we got admitted, the school even sent him a long letter of gratitude.”

“Whoa, the school sent a thank-you letter to a student? That’s rare.”
Qi Mingyi gave him a look like he was humoring a kid who was bragging. He didn’t take Lin Xiangqi’s words seriously at all. He just assumed this was a love-struck little Omega seeing his Alpha through rose-colored glasses. Laughing, he said,
“Maybe the thank-you letter was for you, not him. After all, you’re the only seedling in the entire Pheromone Therapy program.”

Lin Xiangqi explained seriously:

“It wasn’t the same. The letter was specifically for him—not because he chose to study here, but…”

—But because they wanted to thank him for choosing the military path.

Lin Xiangqi hadn’t meant to say too much, but he also knew what he could and couldn’t say. So he smiled and brushed it off.

“It was encouragement. After all, someone with a near-perfect score could’ve gone anywhere. The fact that he chose military school—isn’t that worth encouraging?”

Qi Mingyi finally perked up.

“He missed a perfect score by just one point?!”

Lin Xiangqi nodded.

Qi Mingyi blinked.

“Wow, I thought you were exaggerating—but your Alpha really is that good. Only geniuses can score that high. What major is he in?”

Lin Xiangqi replied,

“Combat Command.”

Qi Mingyi paused and tried to be tactful:

“With a brain that sharp, I thought he’d choose a technical post. Combat Command is supposed to be hellish—the training is so intense that even physically fit people can get wrecked.”

But Lin Xiangqi didn’t see it as something needing explanation. He just said lightly,

“It’s fine. He’s really strong physically.”

Qi Mingyi asked with a meaningful look:

“…In what way?”

At first, Lin Xiangqi didn’t catch on. But then, under Qi Mingyi’s suggestive gaze, he got goosebumps and immediately realized the innuendo. He narrowed his eyes, grinned, and replied:

“In every way.”

5.

Since Lin Xiangqi was the only student in the Pheromone Therapy program, he couldn’t be housed with any classmates. So during dorm assignments, he was slotted in wherever there was an open bed—and ended up randomly assigned to another platoon’s dorm.

Luckily, it turned out that he was placed in the same room as Qi Mingyi.

But unfortunately, he heard that their dorm building was very far from the one Lu Cong’s platoon was in.

After morning training and lunch, the instructor gave them an hour for midday rest.

Qi Mingyi flopped flat onto his bed, ready to sleep like a log. But he saw Lin Xiangqi sitting up with his phone, looking at something.

Curiosity wrestled with sleepiness. In the end, curiosity won the battle—for now.

Qi Mingyi had still failed to dig up any personal information on Lin Xiangqi or his Alpha. That could only mean one thing: at least one of them had a highly influential background—either someone in the upper echelons of the Alliance government or high-ranking military brass.

So of course he was curious. It was killing him.

Fighting off sleep, Qi Mingyi climbed onto Lin Xiangqi’s bed and squeezed in beside him.

Lin Xiangqi instinctively tried to kick him off, but Qi Mingyi hushed him:

“Don’t wake the others. Relax, even though we’re different genders, my type is burly muscle-men. I have no designs on you.”

Lin Xiangqi rolled his eyes.

“I do have muscles, you know.”

Qi Mingyi snorted.

“Is that the point of the sentence?”

Lin Xiangqi kicked him anyway, successfully shoving him off. He muttered,

“Don’t bother me.”

Qi Mingyi sat cross-legged on the floor, adjusted his glasses, and asked,

“Are you texting your Alpha?”

Lin Xiangqi didn’t really want to chat. But then an idea flashed in his mind—Qi Mingyi was a hacker. His eyes gleamed mischievously. Grinning, he asked,

“Can you check what the Combat Command platoon is doing right now?”

Qi Mingyi laughed.

“You think I’m your personal surveillance camera?”

Lin Xiangqi raised an eyebrow.

“So you can’t do it?”

Qi Mingyi knew he was being baited—but he still fell for it.

“Who says I can’t? Just wait.”

Two minutes later, Qi Mingyi gave him a look and said,

“Let’s talk outside.”

Lin Xiangqi quietly slipped on his shoes and followed him out.

The two of them crouched behind the dorm building, by a patch of sandy ground, staring at the mini screen in Qi Mingyi’s hand.

Lin Xiangqi squinted.

“I can’t see clearly—what are all those red and green dots?”

Qi Mingyi explained:

“Red dots are permanent personnel at this base—like our instructors. Green dots are freshmen like us. The surveillance network here is too secure to hack directly. If I got caught, I’d be jailed. So I used a different method to roughly scan who’s still active on the training grounds. Look—see that group of green dots moving fast? That means they’re still undergoing high-intensity drills.”

Lin Xiangqi frowned.

“But it’s already 1:00 PM. They didn’t even get lunch or rest—they’re still training?”

Qi Mingyi said, “That’s why I told you—the training intensity over there is brutal. Pushing physical limits is part of it. It’s entirely possible they go days without proper sleep or meals.”

Lin Xiangqi started to feel uneasy. “That could kill someone.”

Qi Mingyi replied, “Exactly. Your Alpha is really in for it.”

Lin Xiangqi immediately stood up.

Qi Mingyi grabbed him. “What are you trying to do? Lin Xiangqi, let me remind you—this is the Northern Military District. There’s tight surveillance everywhere. Anything you do will be tracked. If you’re thinking of sneaking food or water to him, both of you could get kicked out.”

Lin Xiangqi said, “I wasn’t planning on bringing food.”

Qi Mingyi: “Then what are you in such a rush for?”

Lin Xiangqi pulled away and said, “Intense physical activity causes rapid increases in body temperature, which stimulates glandular activity. Prolonged dehydration can lead to glandular dysfunction, and in that state, there’s a high chance of destructive pheromone dysregulation.”

Qi Mingyi was stunned. “That was… incredibly technical. Is that something they teach in military medical school? Why are you reciting it to me?”

Lin Xiangqi grew anxious. “I’m not reciting it for you. A doctor I know told me this. She said if an Alpha ends up in that condition, the best thing to do is provide pheromone soothing immediately.”

“What happens if you don’t? Isn’t pheromone imbalance pretty common? I heard nine out of ten Alphas go through it at some point,” Qi Mingyi asked.

Lin Xiangqi said, “My Alpha… his pheromones are unusually aggressive.”

For most people, a pheromone imbalance just meant a bit of uncontrolled secretion. A patch or two would settle things after a while.

But Lu Cong’s pheromones were far denser and more potent than the average Alpha’s. If he lost control, the overflow would be dangerously obvious—and ordinary pheromone blockers wouldn’t be enough.

If people caught a whiff of such aggressive pheromones, it could trigger combat instincts in other Alphas, or even glandular stress reactions in some.

It was something best avoided.

Qi Mingyi understood what he meant and offered some comfort. “Don’t worry. Anyone who can get into Combat Command has strong self-control and resistance to pheromone influence. They won’t start fighting just from smelling a bit of it.”

But Lin Xiangqi still hesitated. “Still… he might be uncomfortable.”

Qi Mingyi sighed. After a moment, he said, “If you’re really that worried, go take a look. I can pull up a base map of the training field, but it won’t be high-res. Just avoid sensitive areas and sneak over. If you get caught, say you got lost.”

Lin Xiangqi looked at him gratefully. “Thanks. Even if I get caught, I won’t drag you down with me.”

Qi Mingyi shrugged. “No big deal. I’ve got plenty of ways to cover my tracks. Just be careful, okay? You’ve got half an hour left of lunch break. Don’t be late for afternoon drills.”

6.

The Combat Command platoon had the most intense training regimen of all the military school freshmen.

Of course, these students were physically and mentally stronger than most, so even though the drills were grueling, no one had dropped out yet.

But there was a big difference between pushing through with grit and breezing through with ease.

By the end of the morning, over half the group was completely exhausted—only a handful could still stand properly after finishing the exercises.

Luo Fu and Zhao Xuanyang had real combat experience. Luo Fu especially had endured far tougher training in the past, so this level of difficulty wasn’t much to him.

He stood tall among the scattered, collapsing figures.

From the corner of his eye, Luo Fu spotted a young Alpha who, like him, hadn’t broken a sweat or lost his breath. His attention shifted.

There was something very different about this young Alpha.

Luo Fu’s own stamina came from years of intensive training.

But this young man didn’t look like someone with much of a training background. He simply hadn’t hit his limit yet.

When it came time for lunch, the instructors showed no intention of letting them rest. After forming up into squads, they were ordered to begin the next round of equipment training.

Groans and complaints erupted.

Some bold Alphas even shouted in protest, but the instructor just stared at them coldly and said, “If you don’t want to train, then get out. Get off the training field. Get out of the Alliance Military Academy.”

One of them shouted angrily, “My glands are about to catch fire! What if everyone has a pheromone breakdown—can you take responsibility for that?!”

Standing high above, the instructor looked down with icy finality. “If you can’t even control your pheromones after half a day of training, then even if you make it into the army, you’ll just be a useless burden. You might as well leave now.”

His words made it perfectly clear: managing pheromone regulation was part of their assessment. Anyone who couldn’t do it was a waste of space—and using it as an excuse to rest made them even worse.

No one dared speak after that.

But unfortunately, someone eventually lost control. After prolonged high-intensity exertion, their glands began secreting pheromones on their own.

The Alpha scent quickly spread through the group, triggering discomfort in most, and setting off chain reactions in others who were already near their limit.

The training field was instantly filled with a chaotic, volatile mix of pheromones.

Luo Fu had dealt with this sort of thing before. He immediately told those around him who weren’t affected to back away.

The higher an Alpha’s pheromone level, the more aggressive it became. A few were manageable—but if too many lost control, chaos would erupt.

The instructor looked down at the mess. Aside from Luo Fu and Zhao Xuanyang—who remained relatively calm like seasoned soldiers—the rest were panicking, screaming, and charging around like their pants were on fire. Useless, every last one.

Disappointed, he frowned. Just as he was about to call in Omega medics to help soothe the new recruits, he noticed one Alpha among the chaos.

The young man stood still, his expression calm despite the madness around him. He didn’t just remain composed—he was actively helping to calm and organize others. And he looked completely unaffected himself.

The instructor’s eyes lit up. Finally, someone worth watching in this year’s batch.

But then, the instructor noticed something subtle: a flicker of… irritation on the young Alpha’s face.

It wasn’t due to the surrounding pheromone breakdowns.

It was because he saw that lunch break was almost over.

Lu Cong had originally planned to use the break to find Lin Xiangqi.

Now that the plan had been ruined, he clicked his tongue in annoyance.

With a frustrated motion, he grabbed a screaming Alpha and forcefully suppressed his pheromones, slamming him to the ground.

The instructor didn’t know what Lu Cong was thinking, but judging from the scene, he knew the training had to end. If these inexperienced recruits kept releasing pheromones like this, their glands could get damaged.

So he shouted, “Anyone who can form ranks within thirty minutes gets a break!”

That sounded easy—but for the Alphas currently suffering from glandular dysfunction and pheromone overload, it was almost impossible.

They could barely hear the instructor through the haze. Their brains were flooded with thoughts like “fight fight fight,” “kill kill kill,” “whose stink is that—I’ll rip his head off.”

Even Luo Fu was approaching his limit. The suffocating blend of Alpha pheromones made him nauseous and filled him with violent urges. He wanted to rip some dumb rookie’s head off and kick it like a ball.

No one noticed that, after the instructor spoke, the usually impassive Lu Cong suddenly smiled.

Form ranks to earn a break?

Perfect.

In an instant, a crushing pressure blanketed the field like a torrential downpour.

Lu Cong’s pheromones swept across the training grounds in a subtle but all-encompassing wave, forming a giant invisible net and slamming downward.

Two Alphas who were just about to start brawling suddenly went limp and collapsed to their knees.

At the same time, dozens of clashing pheromone scents were instantly smothered by the smoldering intensity of Lu Cong’s own.

In less than ten seconds, the chaos stopped.

The other Alphas were left groaning, clutching their glands, rolling on the ground in pain—but their minds were suddenly crystal clear.

And Lu Cong, standing amid the silence that followed his storm, politely said:

“Please form ranks within two minutes. Much appreciated.”

7.

Following the directions Qi Mingyi had given him, Lin Xiangqi ran all the way to the Combat Command platoon’s training grounds.

Hiding behind a wall, he peeked around the corner and saw that the crowd had already broken up—but many people were still lingering on the field. Some Alphas were lying on the ground gasping, others were being helped or carried away.

And in the air…

There was a faint, familiar scent.

It was Lu Cong’s pheromones.

Damn. Lin Xiangqi’s first reaction was: I’m too late.

Without thinking, he sprinted toward the field—

But he’d barely taken a few steps when a hand reached out and pulled him aside.

The kiss was like the lingering aftermath of a wild storm, drenching him entirely. Lin Xiangqi felt as if even his bones had been soaked, floating in a cloud of heat and softness, his whole body nearly lifted off the ground.

It took a long moment before he finally realized where they were. Struggling, he pushed Lu Cong away a bit and quickly asked during a brief gasp for air,
“Mmm… did you release your pheromones on the training field?”

Lu Cong looked down at him, thought for a moment, and decided the question didn’t need an urgent answer. So he held it off, kissing Lin Xiangqi deeply for a long time. Only after satisfying the craving in his heart did he lazily ask,
“What did you say?”

Lin Xiangqi was already gasping for breath, not even daring to open his mouth too wide—afraid that Lu Cong would take the opportunity to invade further. He could only press his hands against Lu Cong and warn him,
“You can’t keep kissing me. We’re still on the training ground, someone might see us.”

Lu Cong stared at him for a while, then curled his lips into a smile and used Lin Xiangqi’s own words against him:
“What’s so unsightly about a man kissing his wife?”

“…,” Lin Xiangqi blushed furiously, lips pressed tight. After a long pause, he scolded, not too harshly,
“Mimicking little gremlin.”

Lu Cong said,
“Let me kiss you again, hmm?”

Lin Xiangqi shook his head firmly.
“No no.”

Lu Cong:
“…Wife.”

Lin Xiangqi:
“There are people coming and going—bad influence. Your instructor’s still on the field.”

Lu Cong burrowed into the crook of Lin Xiangqi’s neck with barely restrained urgency, lips gently brushing over his smooth, delicate skin.
“Ignore them.”

“Hey, Lu Cong—ah, seriously…” Lin Xiangqi tried to push his chin away while insisting again,
“You still haven’t answered me. Why was your pheromone scent in the air? Are your glands out of balance?”

“No.” Lu Cong recounted everything that had just happened.

Lin Xiangqi listened in alarm.
“Your pheromones alone knocked everyone down? That must have used up a lot—what if they get mad and gang up on you for revenge?”

Lu Cong kept nuzzling and kissing, but never managed to land where he truly wanted, growing visibly impatient.
“Who’d dare?”

“Fine, fine—you’re the strongest. Of course no one would dare. But—mmph—wait!” Lin Xiangqi pressed a hand against Lu Cong’s lips, struggling to finish his sentence,
“You haven’t eaten. Aren’t you hungry?”

Not knowing the exact rules here, Lin Xiangqi feared the cafeteria might close, and Lu Cong would miss his meal, so he was growing worried.

Lu Cong let out a soft sigh, then simply pinned both of Lin Xiangqi’s hands down to keep him from squirming. His voice low and coaxing,
“Very hungry. So let me eat my fill—okay?”

8.

“I heard your unit has a terrifying new recruit?”

“Where’d you hear that?”

“Don’t worry about that. Just tell me—is it true that kid single-handedly neutralized all the Alphas who lost control of their pheromones?”

“What if it’s true?”

“If it is, then he’s a real gem. The military will definitely prioritize training someone like that. Why the long face?”

The instructor of the Combat Command unit spoke in a low, serious tone, his face unreadable—neither happy nor particularly unhappy, but definitely not relaxed.
“Strength is good. But when someone’s too strong, they become a source of fear.”

The other instructor fell silent at that, his own expression growing grim.
“You’re right. His power is frightening—it’s already beyond what we can manage. If he ever decides to ignore the rules here, who could possibly control him?”

Both men sighed at once, the weight on their shoulders suddenly much heavier.

9.

“Lu Cong, from now on, you need to follow my rules.”

Lin Xiangqi’s lips were slightly swollen, cheeks flushed, but his expression was serious.
“If I say no kissing, you stop immediately. Break the rule once, and I won’t kiss you for a whole month. Do you object?”

Lu Cong tried to negotiate.
“Can we make it one day?”

Lin Xiangqi folded his arms.
“No.”

Lu Cong:
“But a month is too long.”

Lin Xiangqi was exasperated.
“Can’t you just not break the rule?”

Lu Cong:
“Maybe… occasionally…”

Lin Xiangqi lowered his eyes and sighed pitifully.
“You’re not listening to me at all anymore. Well, makes sense. You’re a powerful Alpha—you don’t have to agree with me. What could I even do about it? From now on, you’ll do whatever you want, whenever you want—kiss me wherever, whenever. Go ahead and kiss me to death.”

“Yan Yan.” Lu Cong couldn’t tell if he was being sincere or melodramatic, but he still took Lin Xiangqi’s hand and apologized gently—just like he had every time before. Showing the same obedient demeanor, he said softly,
“I was wrong. I’ll listen to everything you say, okay?”

Lin Xiangqi:
“What about when we’re in public?”

Lu Cong:
“I’ll restrain myself.”

Lin Xiangqi:
“And if I say stop?”

Lu Cong:
“Then I’ll stop.”

Only then was Lin Xiangqi satisfied. He licked his still-sore lips and smiled sweetly.
“Then here’s your reward.”

He leaned forward and kissed the gland on Lu Cong’s neck, lightly releasing a faint trace of pheromones—a reward for his Alpha.