Chapter 47

The next day.

Zhou Rong woke in the morning light, stretched lazily, and lowered his head to press a kiss on Si Nan's sleeping cheek. Feeling refreshed and invigorated, he rolled out of bed to get to work.

He gathered all the usable tools, portioned out the food and water by the day, and took out a map to meticulously plan their travel route and potential supply points. The sun peeked out for a moment before disappearing behind the thick clouds. Zhou Rong stood in the front yard, sensing the humidity in the air, and figured it was probably going to snow.

The mountain forests, rivers, and distant villages were all shrouded in a gloomy mist. The world was utterly silent.

If it started snowing, it would be difficult to set out.

Zhou Rong casually ate a can of food, toasted some bread on the small gas stove, and mixed sweet milk powder with hot water for Si Nan's breakfast, then went to wake him up. However, when he got to the bedside, Si Nan wasn't awake at all, lying on his stomach, sound asleep.

He had indeed been very drowsy lately, perhaps a self-repair mechanism after his body had been weakened to a certain point—at the Fertilizer Plant, he had gotten less than six hours of sleep each day, and even then, he was extremely vigilant, waking instantly if anyone came near. He was a completely different person from the one now sprawled out under Zhou Rong's nose, snoring softly.

Zhou Rong pinched his nose and called his name a few times in a low voice, but Si Nan smacked his hand away and rolled over, revealing a piece of army-green fabric trapped beneath him.

Zhou Rong's gaze fell upon it, and he froze.

It was the T-shirt he had taken off last night. He had clearly hung it by the door, but couldn't find it anywhere this morning. He never expected Si Nan to have taken it, bunching it into a ball and hiding it in the blankets.

“You little thief,” Zhou Rong chuckled, reaching out to pull the T-shirt away.

He couldn't pull it out.

...Still couldn't pull it out.

Zhou Rong teased, “Comrade Xiao Si, are you trying to forcibly demand a token of love?” He then switched from pulling to yanking. Just as he applied force, Si Nan suddenly sat up, dazed, and wrapped his arms around Zhou Rong's waist.

?

Before Zhou Rong could react, Si Nan, half-asleep, executed a swift hook throw!

Zhou Rong was thrown onto the bed, nearly stunned by the fall. He then felt Si Nan wriggle a couple of times beside him, seemingly finding a more comfortable position, before snuggling into the crook of his arm and quickly falling back to sleep.

“...” Zhou Rong was dumbfounded, his gaze slowly shifting downward.

Si Nan's face was serene and peaceful in the morning light, his breath warm and fragrant. For a moment, he looked like a little angel... a little angel who, in his sleep, could execute a hundred-kilogram-class hook throw and nearly give an Alpha a concussion.

“Si Nan...” Zhou Rong's voice trembled. “You... don't you want to wake up and calm down first?”

Si Nan unconsciously licked his lips.

Zhou Rong's breathing grew difficult and his heart raced. He felt a wave of dizziness, unsure if it was a real concussion or if he was just dazed by the sight of the pale red lips before him. He let out a deep breath, trying to use his formidable willpower to keep his blood from rushing south... but the omnipresent, ever-thickening sweet scent was suffocating him.

It was Pheromones.

But it was different from the Pheromones that had lingered around Si Nan last night. If yesterday's scent was light like honey, today it had become cloyingly sweet with a faint, metallic tang. Smelling it up close, it even felt a little stimulating.

Zhou Rong stared at the ceiling, a buzzing in his ears, his brain feeling as if it had been repeatedly smashed into pulp by a ten-thousand-ton hammer.

He realized a shocking possibility.

Si Nan woke up close to noon. He seemed a bit listless, rubbing his eyes as he sat up in the messy bed. He casually asked Zhou Rong, “Why are you here?”

Zhou Rong: “...”

“What time is it?” Si Nan naturally picked up the cold milk and toast from the bedside table. Not minding that they were cold, he ate as he got out of bed and glanced out the window. “Oh, is it going to snow?”

Zhou Rong struggled to move his arm, which was numb from being pinned for several hours. He sat up and said slowly, “Comrade Xiao Si, the organization would like to have a talk with you...”

Si Nan turned around, leaning his lower back against the windowsill and raising an eyebrow.

“...Are you sure you took your Inhibitor at the end of September?”

“Of course,” Si Nan said nonchalantly. “I was on my way to the pharmacy for an Inhibitor when I ran into you guys. Luckily, you and Yan Hao only rushed in after I'd injected it. Otherwise, if I had known you were Alphas back then, you'd have been riddled with holes by now... Why?”

Zhou Rong didn't know whether to laugh or cry. “Did you know that there are actually two types of Inhibitors in our country?”

Si Nan stopped chewing.

“The ones you can just buy in a pharmacy are regular Inhibitors. They can hide an Omega's Pheromones under normal conditions to prevent distractions during fieldwork or disciplined occupations, and they're effective for half a year. The other type, which helps Omegas avoid their annual Heat Period, is a controlled Inhibitor. By regulation, those can't be sold over the counter. You have to get them from the warehouse of a designated state-run grand pharmacy with a prescription.”

“In other words,” Zhou Rong explained, “the regular Inhibitor you took after smashing the glass counter, while it can help you disguise yourself as a Beta, is useless when it comes to a Heat Period. At most, it can help you continue the disguise for another two months after your Heat Period passes...”

Si Nan: “...”

Their eyes met. Si Nan's expression became extremely strange.

Zhou Rong chose his words carefully, speaking slowly, “Based on my basic biological knowledge—they don't really teach this at the military academy—your Heat Period might be coming.”

“The organization would like to ask for your opinion, Comrade Xiao Si: should we rely on subjective initiative to overcome this difficulty, or should we respect the objective laws of nature? You can pick an Alpha you like from within a ten-li radius, and the organization will help set you two up.”

After a long silence, Si Nan confirmed, “There are two types of Inhibitors.”

Zhou Rong nodded.

“The controlled type isn't kept over the counter.”

“That's right.”

“...The one Guo Weixiang helped The one surnamed Ren find was...”

“He broke into the pharmacy's storeroom, but the employees who were hiding inside when the disaster broke out had all turned into Zombies, which is why he was chased out by so many of them.”

Si Nan couldn't say a single word.

“So, if you need one,” Zhou Rong said regretfully, “we can try setting out to find it now, but the nearest major city is two thousand kilometers away. You'll have to do your best to hold on for the entire trip...”

Si Nan stood in a daze, his hand slackening.

The already-prepared Zhou Rong darted forward, snatching the free-falling milk cup in a flash. He placed it back in Si Nan's hand, gesturing for him to hold it tight.

“A ten-li radius,” Si Nan said, the corner of his mouth twitching.

—Although he had no such intentions, there couldn't possibly be any other Alpha besides Zhou Rong within a ten-li radius. If there were, they'd be Zombies.

“The organization will definitely help set you up,” Zhou Rong promised solemnly. “The organization is very democratic.”

Si Nan tilted his head back and finished the milk, shoved the empty cup into Zhou Rong's hands, and pushed against his chest, signaling for him to get out.

“...I need to think,” Si Nan said mechanically. “Please give the organization twenty minutes first.”

·

Zhou Rong thoughtfully carried the empty cup out. He went to the kitchen and meticulously washed the dishes and utensils, unloaded enough food and water for two people for three days from the car, and then picked up his gun to patrol the area, confirming there were no wandering Zombies, wild animals, or any other dangers in the mountain forest.

Then he backed the SUV up to perfectly block the small concrete building's only entrance and exit, putting full protective measures in place. Returning to the first floor, he stopped as he passed the bathroom and carefully examined himself in the mirror in front of the sink.

Zhou Rong, twenty-nine years old, 1.89 meters tall, 83 kilograms, with a body fat percentage of 9%.

Black hair, black eyes, 2.0 vision in both eyes, and excellent genetics.

Zhou Rong had been screwed over by a former instructor's proclamation that “scars are a man's best medals.” One year, after being transferred to Unit 118, he led a team on an ambush mission to Bali Island. While setting up the ambush, he saw Yan Hao teaching Chuncao how to apply sunscreen and immediately ridiculed them mercilessly, smugly declaring that he'd never used something as sissy as sunscreen, not even on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. He even showed off his bronze skin—at the time, Yan Hao had given him an inscrutable look, shaken his head with a sigh, and said nothing. On the return trip, Zhou Rong was nearly disfigured by a fourth-degree sunburn to his face, and the agonizing two-week treatment taught him a painful lesson in humility.

Zhou Rong studied himself in the mirror for a moment, deciding he was just too rugged. If he were ten years younger, based on his facial features alone, he could have definitely competed with Yan Hao for the title of the Flower of Unit 118.

He cleared his throat, adjusted his collar and cuffs, feeling a little nervous inside.

...A ten-li radius.

'There really aren't any other Alphas around, right?' Zhou Rong wondered uneasily.

·

Zhou Rong straightened his hair, trying to flatten the small, defiant tuft that always stuck up at his forehead. Then he cleared his throat and pushed open the bedroom door.

“It's been twenty minutes, Si Xiao...” Zhou Rong's voice trailed off.

Si Nan was sitting cross-legged on the bed, examining a brass pendant that hung on his chest. He looked up at the sound, his eyes bright and innocent.

The T-shirt Zhou Rong had changed out of, his undershirt, the pillowcase he had slept on last night... they were all scattered in a circle around Si Nan, like the foundation of a nest built by a great cat.

“...” Zhou Rong looked at him, unable to tell if he was fully conscious or not.

It was Si Nan who spoke first, baffled, “What?”

“...I,” Zhou Rong said cautiously, “I came up to tidy up.”

Only then did Si Nan seem to notice the messy pile of clothes around him, but his first reaction was: “Tidy them up for what?”

Zhou Rong said, “...To wash.”

“They're not dirty.”

Zhou Rong was speechless. Si Nan leaned back, nestling into the pillow Zhou Rong had used last night, seeming somewhat listless. “I was just trying to remember what those men asked me after they injected me with that drug.”

Zhou Rong walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. Si Nan docilely leaned against him, letting Zhou Rong's arm wrap around him and pull him to his chest.

In just twenty minutes, the Pheromone scent in the room had changed. It was more fragrant and potent than when he had woken up that morning; he could even sense it clearly while holding his breath.

—That was because the hormones were directly affecting his brain's nerves.

“Remembered anything?” Zhou Rong asked in a slightly hoarse, low voice.

“They asked me where something was, but I really can't remember what. Rommel's father was the leader and investor for many biochemical experiments. Did I steal some data related to the Zombie virus?”

Si Nan pressed the knuckle of his index finger against his brow, rubbing it wearily. Zhou Rong couldn't help but ask, “What's your relationship with that Rommel...?”

“Stepbrother,” Si Nan replied. “After my dad passed away, my mom must have married his father. But the reasons are complicated, and I can't recall the specifics right now.”

Zhou Rong: “...”

Zhou Rong was at a complete loss for words. After a long moment, he pointed out the window. “You... you know his father is the former vice president of Country A, right?”

“Probably,” Si Nan said listlessly.

Zhou Rong's feelings at that moment were simply beyond words.

“Look,” Si Nan said, opening the brass pendant he never took off. “These are my birth parents. Mm... don't make that face. You're the one who just beat the son of Country A's former vice president to a pulp and left him for the Zombies. It's a little late to start worrying about diplomatic incidents now.”

Zhou Rong didn't know whether to laugh or cry. “Comrade Xiao Si, first tell me if your birth parents are some high-ranking government officials or socialites. There might still be time to salvage our diplomatic relations...”

Si Nan burst out laughing.

“No,” he said slyly, dangling the pendant in front of Zhou Rong. “My parents were just ordinary people. I don't remember what they did anymore.”

Zhou Rong gently took the pendant and looked at the old photograph inside his palm.

The pendant was still around Si Nan's neck. From this position, all Zhou Rong had to do was tighten his grip to subdue him at a vital point. But Si Nan was like a wild beast that had completely let down its guard, leaning languidly against Zhou Rong's shoulder.

“Your looks,” Zhou Rong said, studying the photo. “At first glance, you look like your dad, but looking closer, you resemble your mom. But your dad, as an Alpha, is certainly very, hmm, distinguished-looking...”

“You can just say he looks like a pale scholar among Alphas, the well-read kind,” Si Nan said with a smile. “But he's actually a Beta, and I'm the one-in-ten-thousand genetic case of an Omega born from a B/O union. Want my autograph?”

Zhou Rong was greatly surprised and sized him up with curiosity.

Si Nan turned and rummaged in the bedside table for a pen and paper, but before he could put on a show of signing his name, Zhou Rong snatched them away. “No, little treasure, I was just making a polite exclamation of surprise. We actually have an Alpha in our squad who was born from an A/B union. He's always wandering around, so it's lost all novelty...”

Si Nan thought he was talking about Chuncao, as her developmental issues had always been a puzzle. But Zhou Rong shook his head with regret. “Although it's been medically proven that any pairing of an A/O with a Beta will only result in Beta offspring, and that having an A/O child indicates perfect genes with immense hereditary value, I once swore an oath. Before I find a wife of my own, I will resolutely refrain from praising that punk Yan Hao's genes in front of any Omega.”

“...” Si Nan said with a deadpan expression, “You just reminded me.”

Zhou Rong smiled slightly. “It's fine. Yan Hao is a thousand li away, far beyond the organization's stipulated ten-li radius.”

Si Nan glanced outside.

The sky was vast, the soughing of the pines like the sea.

Within a 5000-meter radius, forget Alphas, even Alpha Zombies were a rare sight.

“But it'd be useless even if he were here,” Zhou Rong added suddenly, toying with the brass pendant.

He pulled Si Nan closer, the two of them practically plastered together as they nestled into the pillow. The Omega Pheromones floating in the bedroom grew more distinct—a coppery sweetness, alluring, with a turbulent undercurrent, as if some unspoken feeling was on the verge of emerging.

Si Nan rested his head on Zhou Rong's deltoid and let out a small “Mmm.”

“If he were here, I'd let you choose, and you would definitely choose me. And then I would drive every other male creature out of this territory and guard you fiercely right here, watching you without so much as blinking, until you were crying and reaching out your own hands...”

Si Nan's body went soft. He asked lazily, “Why would I definitely choose you?”

“Do you even have to ask?” Zhou Rong teased. “You were charmed by my handsome, dashing, and mature aura from our very first meeting. Since then, you've secretly given your heart to me, dreaming of me day and night, wanting no one else. I've seen all your little tells, you know.”

Si Nan let out a soft huff through his nose and curled up under the blanket. The pool of warmth deep inside his body felt even fuller.

It felt like it could overflow at any moment with any careless movement.

Ignoring his protests, Zhou Rong tossed aside the T-shirt Si Nan had been secretly hoarding since last night, took off the clean shirt he had just changed into, and tucked it into the blanket with him. The substitute did a good job of soothing Si Nan's not-quite-lucid emotions. He struggled to put out two fingers and pinch one of the shirt's buttons, preventing Zhou Rong from taking it away again.

Zhou Rong leaned over and kissed his temple, asking in a low voice, “Looks like you've decided to follow the development of objective laws, hmm?”

Si Nan was extremely tired and couldn't be bothered to speak.

“Sleep for a while,” Zhou Rong comforted him. “I'll go bring some food up.”

Si Nan closed his eyes.

Zhou Rong tucked him in, and just as he was about to stand up, his pinky was hooked. He looked back to see Si Nan had lifted one eyelid—an expression he made when he was both slightly interested and extremely cautious about something.

“What's wrong?”

“Do you like me?” Si Nan asked, his voice hoarse and mumbled.

Zhou Rong smiled. “Of course.”

His heart was full of affection, thinking Si Nan had asked a silly question. But the next sentence made his hair stand on end and goosebumps crawl all over his skin. “What about the other Omega?” Si Nan asked hopefully. “The one we met at the special forces competition, do you still remember him?”

Zhou Rong: “...”

Zhou Rong realized he was facing the most severe test of his life, one that demanded a level of eloquence and expressive ability no less than that of the classic dilemma: “If your mom and I both fell in the water, who would you save first?”