Today, the on-duty guards responsible for accompanying Yun Xunlan, Lu You and Ji Bai, also entered the cafeteria. They looked at the debris on the floor and then at Zhou Shun’s face, which still had slight traces of blood, their eyes full of confusion. Commander Dike’s eyes widened, silently questioning what on earth the two were doing.
Yun Xunlan stood between Yu Chen and Zhou Shun. Although his expression was calm and gentle, the inherent dominant aura of a high-level alpha made his tone carry a sense of pressure: “Repeat what you said.”
Yu Chen remained silent, glancing at Zhou Shun and gesturing for him to go first, as their conversation had started with Zhou Shun.
Zhou Shun’s face darkened as he stood straight and said: “Your Highness, we… were just joking around.”
“Did I not express myself clearly?” Yun Xunlan fixed his gaze on Zhou Shun’s face, his eyes calm. “I said: Repeat.”
An immense, heavy pressure accompanied his slightly hoarse voice, seeping out from every syllable the silver-haired alpha uttered. It violently occupied every inch of air with a biting chill, causing Zhou Shun’s breathing to halt for a moment.
His mind went blank from lack of oxygen, not even remembering when he came under this intense pressure. He moved his lips, trembling as he spoke: “Yu Chen… why aren’t you eating and just drinking a nutrient solution here…”
Yu Chen, expressionless, coldly replied: “Took suppressants. No appetite.”
…
The two performed like actors without emotion, mechanically repeating their previous conversation word for word in front of everyone.
After they finished, the large cafeteria fell so silent you could hear a pin drop. The atmosphere was more deathly still than a graveyard at midnight, a silence that made one’s heart tremble. Finally, it was the silver-haired alpha who spoke, causing the almost solidified air around everyone to flow again.
He softly asked Zhou Shun: “Major Zhou, you said you were joking with Yu Chen. Do you think these jokes of yours were funny?”
Zhou Shun’s throat went dry. He swallowed and said hoarsely: “…Not funny.”
“As one of the subjects of your joke, I also don’t find it funny.”
Yun Xunlan didn’t say anything like “If you don’t think it’s funny, why did you make the joke?” He simply stated his own thoughts, then turned to the researchers who had come with him and said: “What do you all think, professors?”
“Just as Major Yu Chen said—” A female omega with emerald eyes folded her arms and shrugged. “I just feel like vomiting. It’s like seeing someone defecate in a toilet without flushing. Really disgusting.”
“Haha, Professor Ye, your joke is much funnier than his.”
Bursts of mocking laughter immediately erupted from the crowd.
“I’m not an omega, but I also find it quite nauseating,” the beta standing next to the female omega shook his head and sighed. “I’ve personally experienced how severe the side effects of the third-generation alpha susceptibility period suppressants are.”
“Major Zhou—”
A brown-haired omega slowly walked up to Zhou Shun, who was closest to him, and asked: “I remember you were selected from among 100 alpha officers, right?”
Zhou Shun lowered his head, his body stiff: “…Yes.”
“First of all, we all greatly appreciate your willingness to join the military and become a soldier defending the empire, fighting for the empire.” The young omega paused, then continued, “But I still want to ask you—”
“Who do you think you are?”
He reached into his uniform pocket, pulled down his mask, and looked at Zhou Shun, saying: “My name is You Yao. You might not have seen my face, but my name is on the first page of the ‘Mech Defense Systems’ textbook you used at Anlos Military Academy.”
“I’m really curious, as one of the replaceable one percent, how do you have the audacity to criticize us?”
Zhou Shun couldn’t answer any of You Yao’s questions. His face alternated between pale and flushed, finally turning ashen when Yun Xunlan apologized.
Because Yun Xunlan said: “I apologize, professors. This was my mistake. I chose him, which is why he became a royal guard.”
This casual remark was a fatal blow to Zhou Shun. He seemed to crumble, no longer able to maintain his upright posture. His spine instantly slumped, and he looked like he might collapse at any moment.
Hearing this, You Yao could no longer focus on Zhou Shun. He quickly turned to Yun Xunlan, frowning and saying anxiously: “Your Highness, how could this be your mistake?”
Other researchers also urgently said: “Yes, Your Highness, this has nothing to do with you!”
“You don’t need to do this for someone like him…”
Yun Xunlan gave You Yao and the others a reassuring look, gesturing for them to be quiet. Then he turned his gaze to the dejected Zhou Shun and spoke in a steady voice: “Actually, I initially developed the new generation of alpha susceptibility period suppressants and omega heat suppressants simultaneously. The omega heat suppressants have gone through eight generations of improvements, and the optimization direction is very clear, so standing on the shoulders of my predecessors, I quickly developed the ninth generation.”
“The development of alpha susceptibility period suppressants has been slower due to insufficient data. Later, for some special reasons, I terminated the research on alpha susceptibility period suppressants and handed this project over to a medical team fully supported by Professor Jian Wenxi to continue the breakthrough.”
“But regardless of which suppressant’s development, its start and termination were decided by my personal will, unrelated to any of your imaginations.”
Yun Xunlan looked at Zhou Shun’s face, his gaze as calm as a tranquil lake surface: “Major Zhou, do you have any more doubts that need clarification?”
Zhou Shun said hoarsely: “…No more.”
Yun Xunlan asked Zhou Shun again: “Do you now think there was a problem with what you said?”
Zhou Shun lowered his head: “…Yes.”
Yun Xunlan stepped aside, making room: “Then please apologize to the professors, alright?”
Zhou Shun complied, immediately bowing deeply to You Yao and the others in apology.
Yun Xunlan then nodded to Dike to take Zhou Shun away: “Goodbye, Major Zhou. I hope the next time I see you, you’ll have learned how to spell ‘respect’.”
After Zhou Shun’s figure disappeared, he smiled gently at everyone: “Please, enjoy your meal.”
The crowd gradually dispersed.
Yu Chen only seemed to regain his senses when he met Yun Xunlan’s gaze, turning his eyes away from their locked gaze.
He glanced at the mess Zhou Shun had left on the floor and, without thinking, half-squatted to clean it up. However, just as he reached out, his hand was stopped by several slender, pale fingers.
“The cleaning robots will take care of it.”
A faint coolness transmitted from the fingertips to his skin, along with the owner’s characteristically languid, hoarse voice, stirring up an inexplicable heat in him.
Yu Chen paused, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Without looking up, he simply replied: “Okay.”
But after withdrawing his fingers, Yun Xunlan lowered his voice to a whisper, softly calling his name: “Yu Chen.”
—Without any suffix.
Yu Chen had heard Yun Xunlan call him like this before, but only when they were alone, and it should have been only when they were alone.
So when this rule was broken, Yu Chen instinctively looked up at the silver-haired alpha half-squatting in front of him, and heard him say: “Waste sorting is everyone’s responsibility. Thank you for helping to recycle a hazardous waste today.”
Recycling hazardous waste?
His hands were clean; he hadn’t picked up any trash yet. So who was this hazardous waste referring to?
Yu Chen raised an eyebrow, and after a moment, couldn’t help but lower his voice as well, whispering: “You’re welcome… Yun Xunlan.”
The alpha stood up smiling and left, his long hair creating an arc of silver light as he moved.
This time, Yu Chen watched for a long while before turning his gaze away. Not far from him, someone was still staring at Yun Xunlan’s retreating figure, unable to look away: “As expected of the Third Prince!”
His methods were both firm and gentle, resolving the issue with Zhou Shun in just a few minutes, leaving everyone satisfied and without complaint.
After this praise, the person’s envious and jealous gaze burned onto Yu Chen’s hand—the spot where Yun Xunlan had touched.
Yu Chen was initially pondering whether it was appropriate for Yun Xunlan to touch his hand and if he should avoid it next time. However, after receiving Fu Yanxi’s envious glare, Yu Chen let out a cold sneer and deliberately waved his hand in front of Fu Yanxi, as if showing off and provoking him.
“Don’t be so smug,” Fu Yanxi burned with jealousy. “Commander Dike will surely punish you with extra training when he returns.”
Regardless of the reason, the fact that Yu Chen hit a colleague was undeniable. Such incidents could be overlooked if they didn’t reach the commander, but once seen by him, punishment was inevitable. However, since Yu Chen wasn’t entirely at fault, the punishment wouldn’t be too severe.
As for Zhou Shun, he would definitely be sent back where he came from, with the reason for his dismissal from the elite guard written in his file, likely ending his career prospects.
“Train if I must. How much training could it be?” Yu Chen wasn’t afraid of extra training at all. He waved his hand at Fu Yanxi again, continuing to provoke him: “Besides, I’ve gained more than I’ve lost.”
Fu Yanxi: “!!!”
Seeing Fu Yanxi’s dazed expression, as if his soul had left his body, Yu Chen finally felt satisfied.
He walked to the refrigerator to get another nutrient solution, but overheard two engineers in white coats chatting at a nearby table: “Has His Highness gone to see Dr. Jian again?”
“Probably. I saw him take a nutrient solution and head towards Dr. Jian’s office.”
“His Highness is really something, able to knock on Dr. Jian’s door. I’ve been working here for over half a year, and I can count the times I’ve seen Dr. Jian on one hand.”
“Haha, of course. They grew up together as childhood friends…”
Hearing this, Yu Chen looked around the cafeteria and indeed couldn’t see the silver-haired figure anymore. He pressed his lips into a line, lowering his gaze to the nutrient solution in his hand, somehow feeling even less appetite than when he was confronting Zhou Shun.
Meanwhile, after leaving Yu Chen’s sight, Yun Xunlan’s smile faded.
He sighed wearily to the system: “Ah, I shouldn’t have just ticked all the top nine candidates. If only I had watched all the interviews.”
Several of the top nine candidates had their interviews after Yu Chen, including Zhou Shun. Yun Xunlan had approved them all without watching, which is how such a scum like Zhou Shun slipped through.
The system also sighed dejectedly: “Sigh, but even if you had watched all the interviews, you might not have been able to kick him out.”
Zhou Shun had a refined appearance and a cultured demeanor, looking like a polite gentleman. Judging by appearances alone, who would have known he was such a person in private?
Moreover, Zhou Shun’s admiration for Yun Xunlan wasn’t fake. He knew how to behave well in front of Dike and Yun Xunlan. Even if other guards knew about his loose tongue and lack of discretion, they were constrained by their colleague status and personal manners to speak out directly. At most, they would give subtle reminders and avoid associating with him. Perhaps only someone with Yu Chen’s “I’ll beat you up if I don’t like you” personality could fight fire with fire and strike him hard.
“Indeed, you can’t judge a book by its cover.”
Yun Xunlan once again realized how absolutely true this saying was.
After all, hadn’t he almost dismissed Yu Chen simply because he didn’t like his appearance?
Fortunately, Yu Chen’s excellence couldn’t be hidden, and he timely delivered that eye-opening vow, which enlightened Yun Xunlan, making him deeply realize his mistake and change his mind to keep Yu Chen.
Yun Xunlan warned himself: “I must never make such a mistake again.”
He quickly finished the nutrient solution and walked into Jian Wenxi’s office.
Jian Wenxi was having lunch. Seeing Yun Xunlan arrive, he raised his light brain bracelet and asked: “Yun Xunlan, why did you suddenly transfer three billion to me?”
