ISMW Chapter 3

Aelin felt he’d been rather unlucky lately. Even accompanying his boss to an auction could lead to an assassination attempt.

 

They had finally managed to take refuge in a safe room, only to find that terrorists were hiding inside, and even the auction manager was their accomplice!

 

So when Aelin witnessed a terrorist disguised as a guest shoot off an innocent person’s arm with a high-energy beam gun, only to have his head blown off by another gray silhouette, who was then shot in the shoulder by the auction manager… after watching this continuous chain of predator-becoming-prey killings[mfn]”螳螂捕蝉黄雀在后” (táng láng bǔ chán huáng què zài hòu), a well-known Chinese idiom that literally translates to “the mantis hunts the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.”[/mfn], Aelin thought he was going to die in this chaotic battle.

 

He couldn’t understand how so many people had managed to bring guns into an auction where weapons were strictly prohibited!

 

Before his presumed death, Aelin wanted to say farewell to his kind boss and leave his last words: Boss, thank you for bringing me to see the world, but please don’t bring me in the next life.

 

To his surprise, when he turned around, he found his alpha boss paper-white, cold sweat streaming down his temples, pupils dilated to nearly fill his entire eyes, collapsed on the ground and completely immobilized.

 

Aelin couldn’t help but wonder: Was his boss hemophobic? How could he be so terrified just from seeing a few people get their heads blown off? He’d never shown such a condition before.

 

While pondering this, Aelin suddenly heard a gentle voice saying: “Would all betas please remove your masks and lie face down with your hands on your heads.”

 

Following the source of the voice, Aelin discovered it came from the guest whose right hand had been melted off by the high-energy beam gun at the beginning.

 

This person asked the betas to remove their masks while keeping his own on, remaining a cold gray silhouette to everyone else.

 

Aelin stared in slight bewilderment, not immediately following the instruction to remove his mask.

 

He wondered why only betas were being asked to do this. Weren’t alphas and omegas of concern?

 

Before Aelin could figure out the answer, he felt a powerful gust of wind brush past his face—the owner of the voice had swung a long blade, pinning a beta behind him to the wall with a whooshing sound. The cracking stones and the gun slipping from the beta’s hand made a dull thud, immediately drowned out by three thunderous gunshots.

 

Bang! Bang! Bang!

 

Before Aelin could exhale the breath he’d just taken, three more people had stopped breathing forever.

 

“I’ll state this one last time—”

 

The owner of the voice, using only his remaining left hand, had efficiently eliminated four betas who had attempted to attack him in the span of a single breath. He then turned the dark barrel of his gun toward Aelin, who still hadn’t lain down, and stated calmly, word by word: “Now, would all betas please remove your masks and lie face down with your hands on your heads.”

 

His voice, transformed by the mask and broadcast through the public channel, had lost its original timbre. It sounded like that of a mechanical being devoid of life and emotion. Even though his tone remained gentle, it carried an undeniable air of authority that brooked no argument.

 

This time, Aelin didn’t dare hesitate. He quickly removed his mask pin with trembling hands, held his head, and lay face down on the ground, indicating he had no weapons or intention to attack. His heart pounded violently in his chest, merging with fear to create an indescribable feeling of suffocation that left his mind blank. Only one thought remained: he now understood why the gray silhouette had only asked betas to comply.

 

Because high-level alphas could release pheromones to exert pressure.

 

All the alphas and omegas in the safe room had already been subdued by the gray silhouette’s pheromone pressure, their limbs rigid and bodies limp. They didn’t need to be worried about. But betas like him, who couldn’t smell or sense pheromones, remained unaffected and therefore received “special” attention from the gray silhouette.

 

But his boss was already a top-tier 3S-level alpha…

 

Even if they were alphas of the same level, how powerful must the gray silhouette’s pressure be to render his boss unable to utter a single word?

 

Aelin couldn’t remember clearly what happened afterward.

 

But he would never forget that when the safe room door was broken open, the gray silhouette didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he slowly walked past Aelin, pulled out the long blade embedded deep in the wall, and sighed almost inaudibly: “Though I have but one hand left, I still stand as the mightiest among ten thousand men.”

 

“What ‘mightiest among ten thousand men’? Without me, you’d definitely be dead. I’m the mighty one, you know?”

 

Back on the starship, Yun Xunlan had barely spoken a word. He sat silently in the medical chair, allowing the doctor to treat his severed hand, ignoring the system’s random chatter.

 

“Which organization did this?”

 

“How many people did they send to assassinate you?”

 

The system was talkative and couldn’t stop even when alone: “Are they looking down on me?”

 

Hearing this, Yun Xunlan responded with rare brevity: “Their target wasn’t me, it was Jian Wenxi.”

 

System: “Oh, they weren’t looking down on me? Then it’s fine.”

 

“Yun Xunlan—”

 

“How are you?”

 

Just as Yun Xunlan and the system were discussing Jian Wenxi, the man himself, who had been waiting outside the medical room, saw the doctor emerge and rushed in. He crouched beside the medical chair, his eyes red as he stared at Yun Xunlan’s right wrist encased in a medical regeneration fluid tube.

 

“It’s been reattached. It will heal in two or three days,” Yun Xunlan smiled reassuringly. “It’s nothing.”

 

Jian Wenxi still felt guilty: “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have let you accompany me…”

 

Yun Xunlan stopped him: “If I hadn’t come with you, you might be dead. Besides, you’re a citizen of the Galactic Empire. I have a duty to protect you.”

 

Jian Wenxi opened his mouth, wanting to say more, but at that moment, Ni Chun hurriedly entered the medical room and said anxiously: “Third Prince, the Crown Princess demands to see you.”

 

It was “demands to see,” not “wishes to see.”

 

The latter allowed for choice, the former permitted no refusal.

 

As soon as Ni Chun’s last word faded, a black-haired woman dressed in a white imperial gown appeared at the entrance to the medical room.

 

Her features resembled Yun Xunlan’s by about sixty percent, and her eyes were also pure gold, but her gaze was so imposing that no one dared to look at her directly—she was the Crown Princess of the Galactic Empire, Yun Xunlan’s elder sister, Yun Xunguang.

 

“So it’s just a severed hand.”

 

Yun Xunguang lowered her gaze and scanned Yun Xunlan twice, finally fixing her eyes on his right wrist. She raised an eyebrow and said to Jian Wenxi: “Wenxi, please step outside. I have some matters to discuss with Xunlan.”

 

Jian Wenxi was quite afraid of Yun Xunguang. Despite his concern for Yun Xunlan, he didn’t dare disobey her orders, so he left reluctantly, looking back repeatedly as he walked away.

 

Yun Xunlan, however, wasn’t intimidated by Yun Xunguang at all. His eyes revealed a hint of resignation: “Royal Sister, we’re about to warp back to Imperial Star. There was no need for you to make this trip personally.”

 

Yun Xunguang countered: “Your light brain suddenly sent me a message saying it had detected the complete disappearance of its wearer’s life signs. How could I not come?”

 

—That was because the right hand wearing the light brain bracelet had been severed.

 

But Yun Xunlan didn’t talk back.

 

Yun Xunguang walked up to him with her hands behind her back and continued: “Since I’m here, I might as well discuss an important matter with you.”

 

“Given that your current guards were rendered immobile by your pheromones during this attack, unable to properly counterattack—a truly pathetic performance—and considering your name is on the interstellar black market’s bounty list, I’ve decided to select a new batch of warriors from the seven major legions to form a new royal guard unit to protect you.”

 

“The total number of guards will be ten thousand. The proposal has already been approved by the council. Selection begins tomorrow, with interviews three days later. Be prepared.”

 

Hearing this, Yun Xunlan was slightly stunned: “Ten thousand people?”

 

With the current tense situation at the border battlefront, for the royal family to select ten thousand elite warriors from the Empire’s seven major legions just to form a small army to protect him, a single alpha, seemed both extravagant and excessive. How had the council approved such an outrageous proposal?

 

The system also chimed in inside Yun Xunlan’s mind: “Exactly, it’s ridiculous! Finding ten thousand people to protect you isn’t as good as finding someone to insult you daily. With me around, how could you possibly die?”

 

“Ten thousand people is too many,” Yun Xunlan shook his head. “Besides, the black market isn’t offering a bounty for my head, just for my manuscripts.”

 

“Ten thousand is too many?”

 

Yun Xunguang let out a scoffing “Ha!” and said: “Then go ahead and get that 3-billion bounty on you removed from the interstellar black market, and guarantee that those targeting you will never post a second bounty.”

 

Yun Xunlan replied indifferently: “If they post another one, we’ll just remove it again, won’t we?”

 

“Fine, if you have the money and enjoy this futile game of throwing good money after bad, I won’t interfere. But how much more abuse can that fragile body of yours withstand?” Yun Xunguang sneered. “Your physical strength level is already very low. Your last medical examination results weren’t optimistic either. The Medical Research Institute believes there’s still a risk of continued decline. At this rate, any beta unaffected by pheromones could kill you.”

 

Yun Xunlan, who had just killed four betas, hadn’t even countered when the system started complaining again: “Impossible, absolutely impossible! Is she looking down on me too? Though if you didn’t complete yesterday’s daily task, then pretend I never said that.”

 

Its voice intertwined with Yun Xunguang’s, making Yun Xunlan, who was approaching his susceptibility period, increasingly irritable.

 

In this world, alphas were classified into different levels, as were omegas.

 

Alpha levels were determined by physical strength, with pheromone levels linked to physical strength levels. Omega levels were judged by mental strength, with pheromone levels matching mental strength levels. The hierarchy descended from SSS, SS, S, A, B, C, D, E, to F, with 3S being the highest and F the lowest.

 

E and F level alphas almost all carried incurable genetic defects. E-level alphas couldn’t even defeat trained omegas, while F-level alphas had physical strength even inferior to ordinary omegas.

 

Betas, who neither had nor could detect pheromones, were more balanced in both aspects without any bias and weren’t ranked. If they had to be classified, it would be through a comprehensive assessment of both physical and mental strength.

 

Yet despite being an alpha, Yun Xunlan’s physical strength was below the average beta level, almost approaching that of an omega.

 

“Don’t think you can rest easy just because they’re offering a bounty for your manuscripts rather than your head,” Yun Xunguang was a typical alpha with a very dominant personality. She gestured at Yun Xunlan’s severed hand with her chin and continued, “Besides, I’m just here to inform you.”

 

“These ten thousand people won’t all follow you around constantly. Normally, only nine SS-level elite alpha guards will stay by your side. The others will remain stationed at the Imperial Star military headquarters, only accompanying you when you leave Imperial Star.”

 

“The commander-in-chief of the guard will be appointed by me.”

 

Yun Xunguang glanced sideways at Yun Xunlan. Perhaps knowing that her next requirement would be difficult to accept, her voice softened somewhat: “As for those nine alphas who will be with you day and night, you can choose them yourself. Pick ones that you find pleasing to the eye or that you like.”

 

“Alright,” Yun Xunlan didn’t object further, only reminding his fellow alpha Yun Xunguang: “But in three days, I’ll likely be in my susceptibility period. I won’t find any alpha pleasing to the eye, let alone like them.”

 

Yun Xunguang smiled and said: “I know, which is why you don’t need to be there in person. Just watch the selection holographic livestream. After all, any alpha you find pleasing to the eye or likable during your susceptibility period will surely get along well with you after it ends, don’t you think?”

 

Making him select his future alpha guards during his susceptibility period… only Yun Xunguang would do something like this.

 

Yun Xunlan was speechless, and replied with obvious sarcasm: “Yes, I can hardly wait to meet them.”

 

Yun Xunguang leaned down, looking into Yun Xunlan’s golden eyes that matched her own: “You’d better mean that. Because you absolutely cannot leave their field of vision.”

 

Seeing her smile, Yun Xunlan also smiled faintly: “Is that even possible?”

 

“If I say it’s possible, then it’s possible. As long as you’re not in a location I deem absolutely safe—”

 

Yun Xunguang continued in a tone that brooked no argument: “Even if you’re having sex, at least one of them must be present to observe.”

 

Yun Xunlan: “?”

 

His smile faded as he said to Yun Xunguang: “Why not just have them sleep with me every night then? Wouldn’t that be even safer?”

 

But Yun Xunguang seriously sought his opinion, as if she genuinely had such an intention: “So you’re willing?”

 

Yun Xunlan directly stood up and left the medical room, his actions making his attitude clear—how could he possibly be willing?

 

Right now, he didn’t even want to see Yun Xunguang, an alpha related to him by blood, let alone have other alphas sleep with him every day.

 

Sensing his irritability growing increasingly severe, Yun Xunlan felt he needed to do something to calm his emotions. For instance, following the system’s advice to continue browsing the internet and collecting negative comments about him from interstellar netizens, completing his essential daily survival task.

 

Therefore, as soon as he returned to Imperial Star, Yun Xunlan locked himself in his bedroom, refusing to see anyone.

 

He sat down at the low table by the floor-to-ceiling window in his bedroom and personally brewed a pot of Lushan Cloud Mist tea.

 

After brewing it, he didn’t drink it. Instead, he slowly poured the fragrant tea over a small blue stone fish.

 

The small blue fish was exquisitely crafted and lifelike. When doused with tea, bubbles would emerge from its mouth—it was Yun Xunlan’s tea pet.

 

He strictly followed the steps for nurturing a tea pet: first pouring tea over the little fish, then brushing it with a teapot brush. After completing these steps, Yun Xunlan went to wash his left hand. Upon returning and sitting down, just as he was about to handle the tea pet while reading his “Bedtime Reading” collection, his light brain vibrated twice.

 

“‘Jian Wenxi’ has sent you two messages. Would you like to read them?” the virtual butler informed Yun Xunlan in a monotone electronic voice:

 

[Jian Wenxi: Yun Xunlan, is your hand better? Does it still hurt? I’m very worried about you.]

 

[Jian Wenxi: By the way, your susceptibility period is coming soon, right? I’ve already had the V17 version of the alpha susceptibility period suppressant sent to you. This time, they added 0.1mM of lithium to the formula, which should theoretically improve the suppression of manic symptoms. Experiments on humanoid test subjects have shown only three side effects: blurred vision, dry mouth, and drowsiness, lasting between 48-72 hours of continuous suppression—more comfortable than previous suppressants. Try it and let me know how it works.]

 

Yun Xunlan replied: [It doesn’t hurt, it’s much better already. But I can’t try the suppressant now. Royal Sister is establishing a new guard team for me, and I need to watch the guard selection livestream during this susceptibility period to choose nine alpha guards that I find pleasing to the eye and likable. Using suppressants would affect my judgment of them. I’ll try it during my next susceptibility period.]

 

[Jian Wenxi: ?]

 

Jian Wenxi’s single question mark perfectly expressed his confusion, and he followed up with: [Which alpha could possibly find other alphas pleasing to the eye during a susceptibility period? Even one would be difficult, let alone nine?]

 

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