IMAO Chapter 138

In the laboratory.

Tian Xiaotian wore a troubled expression. As the top graduate from the First Military Academy’s Mecha Manufacturing Department this year, she had always held herself in high regard. However, her first experimental project at the research institute had hit a roadblock, and their team had made no progress in the past three months.

As a graduate of the Mecha Manufacturing Department, she naturally worked in the mecha research division. Their team was currently designing a mecha equipped with spatial jump components, hoping to achieve spatial jump functionality.

However, due to technical limitations, they couldn’t reduce the mecha’s weight enough, so the jumping feature became more of a hindrance than a benefit.

Of course, their team wasn’t the only one facing such issues. Different departments in the research institute all had their own research directions.

Solving this problem wouldn’t happen overnight, and there was no telling how long it would take them to overcome this obstacle.

But Tian Xiaotian quickly brushed aside this feeling of dejection. Over the years, their Federation Research Institute had conquered countless challenges. They had even mastered Hoyt’s exclusive spatial key technology, and now every military commander in the country was equipped with a spatial key.

In recent years, the Federation’s technological breakthroughs had been coming one after another, at an absolutely astounding rate.

Under Master Xu’s leadership, the National Research Institute had reached unprecedented heights!

The social status of their researchers had risen accordingly.

So what if it took many years of research?

They would definitely succeed!

Tian Xiaotian believed this!

Just then, her communicator beeped once. But after that single beep, the device seemed to go crazy, beeping non-stop as message after message popped up, quickly reaching 99+.

“Ahhh! The Vice Director is finally coming back! Waaah! I won’t have to go bald from stress anymore!”

“The Vice Director’s coming back??? Is this info reliable?”

“It’s true! I’ve already confirmed it with the Director~”

“Vice Director, save my dog life!”

“I can finally go home to sleep… I’m so tired of sleeping at the research institute, waaah! I miss my wife!”

“Why doesn’t the Vice Director just stay at the research institute permanently? I miss him every day! QAQ”

…

“Pfft, bunch of noobs, always waiting for the Vice Director to give you improvement suggestions~”

“Oh please, Liu Zheng, you’ve got some nerve saying that. Aren’t you the one who asks for the Vice Director’s help the most? Some people even had their graduation projects revised by the Vice Director.”

“Well, I’m different. I don’t need the Vice Director’s improvement suggestions, I just want to see him~ He’s so amazing!!! Ahhhhh!”

The Vice Director… Tian Xiaotian knew of this person, but hadn’t seen them since joining the institute. After all, when she signed her contract to join the research institute, one of the clauses was about not revealing the Vice Director’s identity. It was part of the confidentiality agreement, and this clause was particularly strange. What was the deal with their Vice Director that required such secrecy?!

From the information revealed in the group chat’s conversations, she keenly noticed that this Vice Director seemed incredibly capable, otherwise her seniors wouldn’t be acting this way.

However… why did every department act like they were saved?

Even if the Vice Director was amazing, they couldn’t possibly be an expert in every project!

“Lian-jie, I’ve been at the research institute for over half a year but haven’t seen the Vice Director yet. Why aren’t they at the institute?” Tian Xiaotian quietly asked her senior, Sister Lian, who was chatting with others in the group.

Without looking up, Sister Lian laughed and said, “The Vice Director only spends three months a year at the institute, so it’s normal you haven’t seen them. As for why they’re not here, you’ll understand when you meet them in person tomorrow.”

“I’ll understand when I meet them?” Tian Xiaotian asked.

Sister Lian looked up at her with a smile, “Yeah, you’ll see. By the way, it’s fine to admire the Vice Director, but don’t actually fall for him. He’s taken, and his partner gets very jealous.”

Tian Xiaotian scoffed, “Lian-jie, what do you take me for? I’m not that shallow.”

Sister Lian: “Many people say that, but we have a saying at the research institute – ‘One look at the Vice Director ruins you for life.'”

…

The next day, Tian Xiaotian got up early, got ready, and rushed to the research institute. She wanted to see what kind of person their Vice Director really was!

Following the voices, she quickly spotted him.

Through the transparent glass window, light fell across the man’s face, the shadows accentuating his handsome features. He wore a white lab coat, his elegant fingers slowly flipping through the experimental records.

He raised his eyes, pointing at the records while talking to the first person in line before him, obviously giving advice.

God YUAN!

Tian Xiaotian’s eyes widened, her pupils dilating. She was completely stunned!

She had only seen him in military uniform before. Suddenly seeing him in a lab coat, seriously talking with others, she couldn’t take her eyes off him. He was simply too dazzling, like he was glowing, and her gaze couldn’t help but follow him.

“Xiao Tian, your eyes are glued to him~”

Hearing Sister Lian’s teasing voice, Tian Xiaotian finally snapped out of it, embarrassedly averting her gaze. Remembering what she’d said yesterday, she felt awkward. After a few seconds, she asked, “Lian-jie, General Jiang is… is our Vice Director?”

Sister Lian: “Yes, surprising, right? And there’s something even more surprising. You’ll see when you go in.”

Tian Xiaotian fell silent for two seconds, then immediately followed Sister Lian into the laboratory.

“Vice Director, this is our improved design, but I think it could be better. Please help!”

“The material ratio seems wrong no matter how we adjust it! Vice Director, save me!”

“This…”

The researchers’ questions were diverse and covered completely different research directions, from spatial research to mechanics to materials…

Tian Xiaotian couldn’t help but wonder. Everyone in the interstellar world knew God YUAN, the youngest Major General in all of space. True, God RONG was also a Major General, but he was a month older than God YUAN, so God YUAN’s title as the youngest Major General was well-deserved!

Even if… even if God YUAN was amazing, he couldn’t possibly know everything!

These people couldn’t be deliberately trying to stump God YUAN, could they?!

However, even as she was pondering this, she heard a pleasant voice slowly explaining, offering opinions and improvement plans.

Tian Xiaotian’s jaw nearly hit the floor, because she was certain God YUAN wasn’t just making things up. Just look at how enlightened these researchers looked!

Somehow, she suddenly remembered that time when a certain Omega had looked at spaceship data and manually piloted one…

He could pilot mechas, fight, and even fly spaceships???!

Was it ridiculous?

Yes!

But now there was something even more ridiculous!

God YUAN could not only pilot mechas, fight, and fly spaceships, he could also do scientific research!

…

Half an hour after the end of her shift, Tian Xiaotian had just washed her hands in the bathroom and grabbed her personal belongings to leave when suddenly her foot slipped-

Oh no.

She was going to fall.

Tian Xiaotian instinctively closed her eyes, but instead of hitting the ground, she felt a steady hand supporting her back. She opened her eyes and immediately met a pair of beautiful eyes, their owner looking at her with slight amusement.

“Be careful,” said the owner of the hand in a deep, pleasant voice after she steadied herself.

Tian Xiaotian’s ears turned red, and she involuntarily lowered her head. She was so embarrassed, and of all people to embarrass herself in front of, it had to be someone she admired. She wanted to die!

Seeing the young girl run away without a word, Jiang Yuan was confused. Did he do something wrong? He had been careful not to touch anywhere inappropriate, and had deliberately supported her back rather than her waist…

After washing his hands, Jiang Yuan left the institute and saw Ji Rong waiting for him at the entrance. He also noticed that the startled deer-like girl from earlier was still there. Seeing him come out, she quickly walked over and mumbled, “Just now… thank- thank you… um, um, Vice Director, I’m leaving first!”

“Okay, bye, see you tomorrow,” Jiang Yuan replied.

After Jiang Yuan said goodbye to his new colleague, he turned around to see Ji Rong’s eyes darkening, his emotions unreadable. Jiang Yuan knew that when his boyfriend’s emotions were this unreadable, he needed extra coaxing… otherwise, he’d be the one suffering tonight.

“She’s new at the institute. She almost fell, so I helped steady her,” Jiang Yuan paused for two seconds, then added, “I supported her back.”

Seeing Ji Rong’s expression still unchanged, Jiang Yuan turned to look at him and suddenly thought of something. He asked, “Did Ye Nanfeng annoy you again?”

Ji Rong: “…”

Seeing Ji Rong’s silence, Jiang Yuan confirmed his guess and was instantly speechless.

Why did their senior have to stir up so much trouble? Now that all three of them were in the Peacekeeping Force, every time Ye Nanfeng upset Ji Rong, Jiang Yuan would suffer for it at night!

Jiang Yuan: “Did he send you… um… those steamy stories again?”

Ji Rong’s expression darkened further at these words.

No need to guess, that was definitely it.

Jiang Yuan had a massive headache.

Somehow, people on StarNet had started shipping couples. At first it was normal, pairing him with Ji Rong, but recently some people online had started shipping him with Ye Nanfeng.

Since he and Ye Nanfeng were both Omegas with similar experiences, people often compared them, and over time, some people started shipping them together!

There were even quite a few writers on StarNet writing… steamy stories about him and Ye Nanfeng.

Ji Rong was very bothered by this – extremely bothered.

That night after they got home, Ji Rong tormented Jiang Yuan over all night long.

Early the next morning, Jiang Yuan decided this couldn’t continue. Even ten of him couldn’t handle it. He took out his communicator, opened StarNet which he hadn’t used in over half a year, and edited a message-

[Jiang Yuan: Please stop writing steamy stories about me and Senior Ye. My boyfriend is hard to coax, please understand.]

Several days later.

Because of Jiang Yuan’s single StarNet post, nobody in the entire interstellar network shipped Jiang Yuan with Ye Nanfeng anymore. However, an even more outrageous ship appeared – Jiang Yuan (Omega gong) x Ji Rong (Alpha shou).

Reading the message, Ji Rong’s eyes darkened. He put down his communicator, turned his head to look at Jiang Yuan, pulled him closer to sit on his lap, and said in a lazy, sultry tone while gently biting his ear, “Xiao Yuan, I want to prove myself.”

Before Jiang Yuan could answer, Ji Rong’s hands were already unbuttoning his collar and undoing his belt.

Jiang Yuan: ???

Really, there’s no need. I know you can do it! You’re especially good at it!

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