IMAO Chapter 109

He felt like he discovered an incredible secret.

The War God had a partner who had never appeared… there could only be one reason for that.

Su Lan sighed. So the reason the War God never married was because of a deceased lover. Looking at the Alpha before him who was more handsome, more capable, and from a better family background than himself, his eyes showed a hint of sympathy.

Poor Alpha, must have lacked love since childhood.

Just as he was lost in these thoughts—

Ji Rong returned from meeting both parents.

“Back so soon?” Jiang Yuan asked.

Ji Rong hummed in response. “It was just a quick meeting. Once they saw I was fine, they had more important matters to attend to.”

“That makes sense. After your father’s speech, everyone in the hall seemed much more at ease.” Jiang Yuan shifted to make room for Ji Rong.

“Mm.” Ji Rong sat down casually next to Jiang Yuan. “My other father came too.”

“They care about you a lot.”

Their voices were quiet. Under the current noise of the warship, unless someone was deliberately listening, no one would notice their conversation.

After deducing that Ji Rong might be Ji Chong’s son, Su Lan had been carefully controlling his expression, not wanting anyone to discover he was eavesdropping on the conversation behind him. Upon hearing their exchange, Su Lan lost his balance and fell straight down.

“You alright there, young man?”

Su Lan hurriedly sat up, waving his hands. “I’m fine, I’m fine!”

Damn!

Su Lan couldn’t control himself, mentally screaming—

‘Other father’?

Not… not dead?!

I take back my sympathy, you don’t deserve it! Waaah!

Wait, is Marshal Ji Chong’s mysterious partner on the warship too?!

What kind of Omega are they? To be loved by the Marshal, they must be an exceptionally outstanding Omega!

I want to meet them so bad!

No no no, eavesdropping on others’ secrets isn’t something a well-educated rich kid should do. He, Su Lan, isn’t that kind of person.

Su Lan sat up straight, leaning against the chair back, his perked ears quivering slightly—

Damn!

Say more!

He wants to hear!

However, Su Lan was disappointed as the conversation behind him suddenly went quiet. Just as he was about to turn his head for a peek, he heard a low voice muttering.

The two had barely exchanged a few words when Jiang Yuan, propping his head up with one hand, closed his eyes and responded with a muffled sound.

“Asleep?”

Seeing Jiang Yuan asleep, Ji Rong stopped talking and instead sat quietly beside him, watching over him.

As an Omega, Jiang Yuan’s physical stamina was slightly lower than Ji Rong’s. He’d been under intense stress these past few days, and now that he’d finally contacted his family and friends, he relaxed enough to fall asleep mid-conversation.

Since he was propping himself up with his hand rather than leaning against the chair, his head kept swaying, threatening to bump at any moment. Worried, Ji Rong quietly placed his hand between Jiang Yuan’s head and the chair, cushioning any potential impact.

Su Lan, who’d been secretly observing the two, twitched his lips—

Damn!

Dage, isn’t your arm getting sore?

You’ve been holding that position for half an hour, aren’t you tired?

Even watching is tiring!

Just then, the handsome Alpha withdrew his hand, and Su Lan thought: See, your arm got tired!

But before Su Lan could finish that thought, he watched as the handsome Alpha smoothly guided the sleeping person’s head onto his own shoulder.

Su Lan: ???

Su Lan turned back around with a complicated expression. If these two weren’t having an affair, he’d eat his own head.

He looked up, just in time to catch the disappointed gaze of the Omega who’d earlier gestured for him to move. He winked at the Omega, his expression saying—

‘Look at me, Meimei[mfn]Little sister[/mfn]!’

‘I’m single!’

But Meimei ignored him.

About an hour later.

Jiang Yuan woke to the sound of an explosion. Looking out the window, he furrowed his brows.

“Awake?”

Jiang Yuan nodded, about to say something when Ji Rong continued, “Why don’t you go sleep in a room? Given your special circumstances, I asked them to arrange a private room for you.”

Half an hour ago, Ji Rong had already gotten the room number Xiang Ye had assigned to Jiang Yuan, but since Jiang Yuan was asleep, he didn’t wake him up.

“Thanks,” Jiang Yuan nodded without being fussy. With his irregular pheromones, staying with others might cause problems. “What about you?”

Ji Rong paused, saying, “There aren’t many rooms on the warship. They only arranged one private room for you.”

“Oh,” Jiang Yuan said, “then share the room with me.”

Seeing Ji Rong stunned, Jiang Yuan continued, “The other rooms are crowded and you won’t sleep well. You’ve barely slept these past few days.”

Su Lan: “…” So you two ARE in that kind of relationship!

“If you’re worried… ahem, you can take the inside, I’ll sleep on the outside. I won’t do anything.” Jiang Yuan thought about it and added sheepishly, considering how his credibility was shot after sleeping with his bro once… then twice, “If you’re really worried, forget it.”

Su Lan confusedly glanced at the two from the corner of his eye: “…” What’s really going on with you two?

“Okay!” Ji Rong’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he immediately agreed, worried Jiang Yuan might change his mind.

Jiang Yuan nodded, sneaking a glance at Ji Rong.

Their eyes met.

Jiang Yuan: “…”

Ji Rong: “…”

They both quickly looked away, ears slightly red.

Jiang Yuan: Why is he looking at me? He couldn’t know I’m planning to sleep with him a third time if necessary, right?

Ji Rong: Why is he looking at me? He couldn’t know I have ulterior motives toward him, right?

At this moment, Su Lan’s mind was as turbulent as the sunspots on the solar surface – damn, what’s really going on with these two?

…

In the dark universe, countless ships were docked as the massive energy shield finally disappeared, signaling the end of the North Mali war.

To ensure no civilians were left behind in North Mali, the Federation warships hadn’t left. After the rescue operation, they remained stationed outside North Mali for two full days.

“Is it over?” Jiang Yuan stood in the room, looking at the now-disabled energy shield. The timing matched what that woman had predicted. The North Mali war was over.

“Should be.” Ji Rong looked out the window, about to speak when suddenly a communication channel opened, broadcasting to the entire universe.

The full-screen communication connected, and the image of a heroic woman appeared throughout the warship.

“I, Selena Bartlett, daughter of Lucian Bartlett, hereby declare that all people are created equal, endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights, including the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

They sold our nation to capital, letting it rule over us.

They divided people into classes, treating us as inferior beings.

They passed bills without our consent, leaving us bankrupt.

They stripped us of our rightful benefits, funneling all income into capital’s pockets.

They murdered officials who sought justice for us, evading the law.

When any form of government or organization violates these principles, people have the right to change or abolish it!

My father repeatedly expressed opposition but was assassinated. My mother and brother, one after another, gave their lives for this cause, along with others who fought for the same purpose.

When government becomes a tool for the wealthy to manipulate capital, it is no longer worthy to be our ruler!

I hereby swear upon my life, property, and sacred honor: From now until eternity, in the People’s Republic of North Mali, all people shall be equal. Everyone shall have enough to eat and wear. Poverty, hunger, and illness shall be far from us.

The People’s Republic of North Mali takes responsibility for this war and expresses deepest apologies to the people of all nations who perished in it.”

(Note: Declaration of Independence, modified)

The war was over.

In the wasteland, a little boy held a little girl’s hand as they walked between North Rio and the slums, where the wall had been shattered by bombs.

A ray of sunlight fell upon a tender sprout breaking through the concrete ground.

“Hurry!”

“Hurry!”

Aka moved swiftly, his once-limping foot now running like the wind.

A pair of eyes searched through the crowd, looking for that person he’d been thinking of day and night. Where?

“Milu!”

“Milu!”

Aka called out anxiously.

“Ge, I’m here!”

A voice came from behind. Aka turned to see a young man missing one hand but beaming with joy. Tears suddenly started streaming down the man’s face uncontrollably.

“Gege, look, Uncle Aka is crying!” Nina tugged at her brother’s hand, whispering.

Envy absently nodded at his sister’s words, noticing his mother was also searching through the crowd. He instinctively began scanning faces, wanting to see that familiar face, the one that appeared in his dreams.

“Charles!”

“Charles!”

Alice called out several times, but no one answered.

Just then, a black warship in the sky opened its hull, and letters written on white paper began floating down. Thousands upon thousands of letters rained from above.

Envy unconsciously reached out to catch one of the letters. Opening the envelope, he unfolded the contents. It was from a stranger named ‘William’:

‘Dear Mira:

The war is about to begin, and I’ve waited for this day for so long.

Lady Selena asked if we were afraid.

No, I’m not afraid.

Since birth, we’ve lived like rats in the shadows, dwelling in darkness, eating the rich’s garbage, drinking dirty water, with some even freezing to death in winter. The thought of having to live our entire lives in poverty, pain, and numbness, I find that more terrifying than death.

Perhaps I, or any of us, might die in this war, but Mira, you will live in a new North Mali, and that’s enough.

Your loving father, William’

Like Envy, others caught the letters falling from the sky.

Achilles looked at the letter in his hands and unfolded it. These letters were written before they launched the war. They were everyone’s last words.

The broadcast ended. For North Mali’s people, this was liberation, but for those who innocently lost family, friends, and lives here, it was a heart-wrenching experience they would likely never forget.

“This woman really succeeded. Those mercenaries were defeated so quickly,” Jiang Yuan said, somewhat stunned.

“It’s probably not that simple. Those mercenaries were quite capable. They might have been caught off guard at first, but once united, it shouldn’t have ended this quickly. As far as I know, all the wealthy families in North Mali had military defense systems installed.” Ji Rong furrowed his brows but didn’t continue. It didn’t matter anymore.

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