“So, how exactly did Eugene Oddis end up going down such a dark path?” Barney asked. “I saw him through the window yesterday—he doesn’t look like a terrorist at all.”
Flock nodded in agreement. “Yeah, he looks more like one of those guys who play guitar at country bars, singing something like ‘Oh, your eyes shine like the stars,’ then passing out after a single bottle of beer.”
Colin was pouring coffee for Luo Hai and couldn’t help chiming in. “Actually, he really was a singer at one point—not in a bar, though. He was signed to a record label and even released an official album.”
“What?”
That got Barney and Flock interested, and they gathered closer.
“It’s true. You can still find his songs online,” Colin said. “Besides that, he’s also worked as a kindergarten teacher, a chef at a five-star hotel, an accountant for a tech company, and even ran a little flower shop in Leisau.”
“That’s a ridiculous résumé,” Barney said, shocked. “A guy like that could get a job anywhere—why the hell did he become a terrorist?”
“Work history doesn’t prove a person’s morals or conscience,” Luo Hai said flatly.
“Is he from the North?” Barney clicked his tongue. “Northerners are always so extreme. If I have kids, I’m definitely not letting them marry a Northerner.”
“Worse,” Flock said. “He’s from Fuba Port.”
Barney immediately understood. “Ah, a Fuba native. That explains it.”
“He grew up in the Oddis Orphanage,” Colin added. “That place was raided years ago for harboring Omegas. The entire orphanage burned down—he was the only survivor.”
“No wonder ‘Oddis’ sounded so familiar,” Barney mused. “He was named after that orphanage. No wonder he turned out so extreme…”
The conversation soon drifted away from Eugene and onto how extreme Northerners were in general, with everyone sharing their own gripes about people they knew from the North.
Luo Hai, uninterested, tuned out of their chatter and focused on his work.
But his phone buzzed again, determined to keep him from having a moment of peace.
He picked it up and saw three unread messages—naturally, all from Eugene Oddis.
[Have you had breakfast? You left too early. If you waited five more minutes, you could’ve had the toast I made for you. No worries, though. Next time, I’ll wake up earlier.]
[I saw Mrs. Parsifal’s bulldog again. It got into a fight with a cat downstairs. Looks like that cat is the boss of your complex—its combat skills are top-notch.]
[Yikes. That bulldog’s in trouble. The vet bill’s gonna cost a fortune.]
Luo Hai: “…”
Luo Hai opened the message chat box and, expressionless, typed inside:
[Don’t message me during work hours.]
After sending it, he was just about to put down his phone when it vibrated again. Not even a second later, Eugene had already replied.
[I’m so bored. What’s your computer password? Can I use your computer?]
Looking at this message, Luo Hai couldn’t help but wonder if there was something really wrong with Eugene’s brain.
[No.]
[Then can I read the books in your study? Please, please, I’m really too bored~]
This message even came with a teary-eyed hamster emoji at the end.
Luo Hai felt his temples starting to throb.
[Suit yourself.]
After sending this reply, he had just planned to put his phone away when another message popped up.
[Will you be back at noon? Is there anything you’d like to eat? I can go buy it now.]
He held his phone, resisted the urge to respond, but in the end, he quickly typed back a message.
[No.]
As expected, Eugene replied instantly.
[Ah, what a shame. I was hoping to show you my seafood cooking skills. Back in the day, my seafood stew was the signature dish at our restaurant.]
Luo Hai slowly exhaled from his lungs and typed out one last message in the chat box.
[Don’t. Message me. During work hours.]
After sending that, he turned off his phone screen, pulled open his desk drawer, and tossed his phone inside.
On the other side of the office, the others had already moved on from complaining about Northerners to discussing regional food differences.
“I know that in Duhaat, they have those stacked honey pancakes,” Barney gestured with his hands, one low and the other raised high. “The biggest ones can stack this high. My cousin went on a business trip there once and brought me one. It took me a whole week to finish.”
“Those are impressive, but way too sweet for me,” Flock said with a laugh. “I prefer something more substantial, like Marwen’s grilled fish. They fry the skin until it’s super crispy on both sides, and when you bite into it, all the juices just burst out. Pair it with a bowl of rice, and it’s pure heaven.”
“You guys are making me hungry,” Colin said, embarrassed, as he rubbed his stomach.
“Same here,” Flock glanced at the clock on the wall. “Only five more minutes until we’re off—let’s go grab something to eat!”
“What should we have? Grilled fish or honey pancakes?” Barney asked with a grin.
“If we ever go on a business trip to Marwen, I’ll definitely treat you guys to grilled fish,” Flock said, standing up from his chair. “But for today, let’s stick to some Nantes cuisine. I know a place that makes amazing cheese fondue. Let’s go try it!”
Barney packed up his files, shut down his computer, and looked toward Luo Hai. “You coming?”
“I’m not,” Luo Hai replied coolly. “I have something to take care of.”
His words made the atmosphere a bit awkward, especially for his assistant, Colin.
The young Alpha glanced at Barney and Flock, then back at his boss, hesitating before clearing his throat. “In that case, I’ll just—”
“You go with them,” Luo Hai told Colin. “It’s a personal matter. You don’t need to accompany me.”
Since his boss had put it that way, Colin had no choice but to nod.
Barney patted him on the shoulder and led the group out of Luo Hai’s office.
“Your boss really needs to do something about his cold and antisocial personality,” Flock remarked. “At this rate, he won’t get promoted even in six years.”
“He’s got great skills, but he’s too much of a loner,” Barney commented. “If I were Chief Prosecutor Doyle, I wouldn’t promote him either.”
Colin gave an awkward smile. “That’s just the way he is.”
….
After most of his colleagues at the prosecution office had left, Luo Hai finally stood up from his desk, retrieved his phone from the drawer, and headed downstairs.
During the lunch break, the office building was quiet. On the left side of the hallway, plaques displayed famous quotes from the legal world, while on the right, framed photos showcased outstanding prosecutors and judges who had recently received honors.
At the very center stood a dignified bust of Chief Prosecutor Colette Doyle.
The statue had a stern expression, a handsome face, and wore a sharply tailored suit. His gaze was directed into the distance, exuding the aura of a guardian of justice.
Luo Hai’s gaze lingered on the statue for a moment before he quickly looked away. He continued walking down the corridor, eventually stopping at the infirmary on the first floor and raising his hand to knock on the door.
A middle-aged Beta man with silver-gray hair opened the door. When he saw Luo Hai, he smiled.
“Dr. Ian,” Luo Hai said.
“Come in.” Dr. Ian waved him inside. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
Luo Hai stepped into the infirmary. The computer and medical equipment were all running, and a cup of hot tea sat on the desk.
Ian gestured for him to lie down on the examination bed and calmly attached the diagnostic equipment to him. “You haven’t come by in a while. Has work been busy?”
“A bit,” Luo Hai replied. “There have been a lot more Omega crimes lately.”
Ian’s hands paused for a moment. “They put you in charge of Omega-related crimes?”
“Yes,” Luo Hai said. Before Ian could frown and say anything more, he interrupted, “Crime is crime, regardless of who commits it. It seriously affects public order. Besides, I do understand Omegas better than others.”
Ian sighed. “Say whatever you like. This is your generation’s problem, not mine. I’m just an old man about to retire. I can’t concern myself with too much anymore. Lie still. Let’s check your health and pheromone balance. Are you still taking your medication?”
Luo Hai lay down as instructed, waiting quietly as the machines emitted soft lights and sounds. “If I don’t take it, my Omega scent will be noticeable within three hours—that’s what you told me.”
“Yes, but…” Ian sighed again. “That medication can disguise your pheromones, but it can’t change your biological structure. Not only that, but it damages your glands, slowly disrupts your hormone balance, causes irregular heat cycles, and brings you immense pain…”
Halfway through, Ian suddenly stopped, looking at the screen in surprise.
“How is it?” Luo Hai asked.
“It’s much better than last time,” Ian murmured in disbelief. He straightened up, then leaned forward again to check. “Your blood markers, your pheromone stability… I thought your condition would only get worse over time.”
A weight that had been pressing on Luo Hai’s chest finally lifted. He exhaled slightly in relief.
Ian continued analyzing the screen. “If you haven’t stopped the medication, then the only explanation is…”
“I found an Alpha,” Luo Hai said after a pause, seeming unwilling to phrase it that way. “Sort of.”
Ian’s expression turned from surprise to immediate concern. “An Alpha? You told an Alpha that you’re an Omega?”
“Not exactly.” Luo Hai sat up and removed the equipment from his body. “He already knew my secondary gender.”
There was too much hidden information in that statement. Ian knew that as an outsider, he shouldn’t pry too much. After a moment of thought, he changed his approach.
“Can you trust him?”
“No,” Luo Hai said flatly. “But I have ways to make sure he won’t betray me.”
