It seemed that Flock and the others believed that by stationing military and police forces in the northern district, they had already won half the war before it even began. Before the workday had even ended, they were already drinking to celebrate. Naturally, Luo Hai was invited as well. As always, he didn’t refuse, and as always, he took the initiative to provide the drinks.
By the time he returned to his apartment, the sun had begun to set. Luo Hai rubbed his throbbing temples as he made his way upstairs. Two neighbors walked behind him, chatting as they climbed.
“I haven’t seen Mrs. Parsifal in a long time. Even her dog hasn’t been barking these past few days.”
“Oh, you didn’t hear? She was arrested as a suspected Lightwing Society spy. Her dog’s a stray now—who knows if it’ll survive the winter.”
“Really? I knew she didn’t seem like a good person…”
Luo Hai’s footsteps suddenly halted, startling the two behind him. He forced a small smile as he turned back, and they awkwardly returned it.
Once inside, Luo Hai shut the door behind him. He rubbed his temples and went to make himself a cup of tea to sober up.
Days of running around and socializing had drained him to his limit. He wanted nothing more than to collapse into bed and sleep for three days straight. But there was still too much to do. He could only push through, forcing himself to keep going.
It’s fine, he told himself. Fifteen years ago, he had already endured the worst hell imaginable. Nothing that happened now could be worse than that.
Just as he was about to head to his bedroom and continue working, the doorbell suddenly rang.
Luo Hai froze.
Outside, the sun had completely dipped below the horizon, leaving only a faint trace of lingering light. Soon, night would once again descend upon this dead city.
At this hour, someone ringing his doorbell… A bad feeling crept into his chest.
He stood still, holding his cup, waiting for a full minute. The doorbell didn’t stop. It paused for a second or two between rings but resumed insistently each time.
Whoever was outside must have seen him enter. They knew he was inside. Ignoring it wouldn’t work.
Luo Hai set down his cup and walked to the door, peeking through the peephole.
A tall young man stood outside, holding a medium-sized box. His face was completely unfamiliar.
As Luo Hai looked through the peephole, the man impatiently pressed the doorbell again. “I’m looking for Mr. Luo Hai. Is he home?”
Luo Hai was silent for a moment before placing a hand on the doorknob. “Who is it?”
“Delivery,” the man replied. “I have a package for you.”
“I didn’t order anything,” Luo Hai said quietly.
“Well, I don’t know about that. Your name and address are on it. I’m just here to drop it off,” the man said. “Could you open the door and take a look? I can’t leave until you do.”
Luo Hai hesitated for two seconds, then cracked the door open.
In an instant, the man shot his foot forward, blocking the door. Before Luo Hai could react and try to shut it, the man had already wedged himself in, forcing his way inside.
“You—” Luo Hai barely had time to speak before the man swiftly pulled a gun from the box and pressed it to Luo Hai’s forehead.
The air turned deathly still. Luo Hai remained calm, staring at the man as he slowly raised his hands.
The man smirked slightly and nudged the door shut with his foot. The front door closed behind them, sealing the violence inside.
“Prosecutor Luo Hai,” the man murmured. “You’ve been living quite the good life since leaving the Lightwing Society, haven’t you? On the news today, giving interviews tomorrow—everywhere, spreading your Omega threat rhetoric. On the surface, you seem to despise Omegas. But in reality?”
Luo Hai pressed his lips together and said nothing.
“You fooled everyone—but not me.” The man lowered his voice. “I saw through your little act from the beginning. ‘Prosecutor’? No, you’ve been with the Lightwing Society all along, haven’t you?”
Luo Hai looked up, meeting his gaze calmly. “So what if I have? Are you going to kill me?”
“You think I won’t?” The man’s voice dropped even lower. He cocked the gun. “I could take you out right here. Not leave a single trace. By the time your neighbors realize anything’s wrong, your corpse will already have been gnawed clean by rats.”
Luo Hai’s expression remained completely unmoved. “Alright, go ahead.”
The man furrowed his brows, raised his hand, and aimed the gun at Luo Hai’s head, pulling the trigger.
With a loud “bang,” a large burst of colorful streamers shot out from the barrel, scattering over Luo Hai’s head like a multicolored veil.
Luo Hai expressionlessly pulled the streamers off his head. “When will you stop these childish tricks, Eugene?”
The man burst into laughter, doubling over as he pulled off his disguise and wig, revealing slightly damp blond hair. “When did you realize it was me?”
“No matter how you disguise yourself, your scent stays the same.” Luo Hai pressed his fist against Eugene’s chest and gave a light push. “No one knows your scent better than I do, idiot.”
Eugene laughed as he reached out and pulled Luo Hai into an embrace, burying his nose in his neck, breathing in his warmth and scent.
Luo Hai’s blood was once again infused with that cold, artificial pheromone—sharp and unapproachable, every molecule rejecting the closeness of an Alpha, like a pricking thorn.
But Eugene reveled in it. If the prize hidden within the thorns was a single, soft rose, he was willing to grasp every thorn, no matter how deep they cut.
Luo Hai, however, frowned and pushed him back slightly. “Didn’t we agree not to contact each other unless absolutely necessary? Do you have any idea how close this place is to the prosecutor’s office? Do you know how dangerous this is—”
But Eugene didn’t seem to have the patience to let him finish today. He pulled Luo Hai into a kiss, pressing forward with such force that Luo Hai stumbled backward onto the sofa. Even then, Eugene showed no intention of letting go, simply shifting to pin him down completely.
The large white alpaca plushie on the couch bounced once before it was pitifully shoved onto the floor. Finding its long, fluffy neck an annoyance, Eugene reached out and tossed it even farther away.
Luo Hai was thrown into a daze by the deep and fiery kiss. His usually calm and sharp eyes were now clouded, his rapid breaths filling the gaps between each moment of intimacy.
“You’re suddenly…” Luo Hai’s words came out in broken fragments. “What’s gotten into you…”
Eugene didn’t answer. He simply bit Luo Hai’s lips, silencing him.
Luo Hai keenly sensed that something was off about Eugene.
His pheromones were thicker than usual, his movements more restless. Though he was trying his best to suppress it and appear carefree, a sorrowful scent still clung to him, growing heavier and more overwhelming.
It took Luo Hai quite a bit of effort to break free from Eugene’s hold. He cupped Eugene’s face and pulled back slightly. “Are you in your susceptibility period?”
Eugene mumbled, “A little.”
It was either a yes or a no. What kind of answer was “a little”? Luo Hai was at a complete loss.
Brushing off Luo Hai’s question, Eugene moved in to kiss him again, but Luo Hai firmly grabbed his chin and turned his face away.
“What’s going on? Tell me.”
“What do you mean, ‘what’s going on’? I haven’t seen you in so long—I just missed you.” Eugene panted as he pressed down on Luo Hai’s wrist, trying to pin him down again.
“Don’t try to fool me.” Luo Hai pushed his knee up against Eugene’s chest, stopping him in his tracks. His voice was resolute. “As soon as you take your pants off, I know exactly what you’re trying to pull. You’re not right. You’ve been hiding something from me since the last time we met. Tell me what’s going on.”
“And what if I don’t? What can you do about it?” Eugene held Luo Hai’s wrists down, looking at him from above. But before Luo Hai could respond, Eugene leaned in.
Luo Hai suddenly felt a chill on his chest as his shirt was roughly torn open. Buttons flew off, hitting the floor with crisp little sounds. A moment later, a burning heat spread across his skin, making his eyes sting with warmth.
“Eugene Oddis!” Luo Hai struggled fiercely.
Realistically, there was no way he could overpower a strong and vigorous Alpha, but Eugene clearly didn’t want to hurt him. After hesitating for two seconds, he finally let go, allowing Luo Hai to break free from his grip.
Luo Hai leaned against the sofa, panting as he looked up at Eugene. His freed hand pressed firmly against Eugene’s collarbone. “…If you don’t tell me, I’ll start to hate you. With every passing second, I’ll hate you more, and I’ll keep hating you until you tell me.”
This may not be a very strong threat, but Eugene immediately stopped his movements. He pouted like a wronged golden retriever, staring at Luo Hai for a long while before speaking in a low voice.
“I can handle the pain on my own, I don’t want you to feel it too, to go through it again.”
