It took Zhan Pingchuan quite a while to stabilize his pheromones, which were surging and darting around like a roller coaster. His susceptible period nearly came early.
His eyes darted around as he brought his fist to his lips, coughing once to ease the awkwardness: “Can we agree that next time we discuss such explosive topics, you could give a little warning?”
Lance had already put his glasses back on. That previous comment was purely a necessary measure to quickly attract the Outer God.
That dog had been tricked last time and was furious. This time, nothing less than something explosive would attract It.
Fortunately for Lance, improvising was too easy.
He stopped walking, his gaze toward Zhan Pingchuan first showing confusion, then quickly turning away, his palm awkwardly pressing against his cheek, as if it had become unbearably hot.
“Are we not allowed to discuss such topics?” Lance asked softly.
Holy shit.
Zhan Pingchuan’s heart instantly softened.
He was so damn innocent, like a well-behaved student who had never received sex education, even unaware of appropriate boundaries, thinking such matters could be discussed with classmates just like academics.
Zhan Pingchuan was truly afraid that Lance might learn about boundaries from him, and then what if he never said anything provocative again?
“It’s not that we can’t discuss it, but that thing is a normal reaction for Alphas, you understand?” Zhan Pingchuan put his hand on Lance’s shoulder, walking forward while earnestly making excuses for himself. “It just gets engorged when stimulated by pheromones. We were absolutely focused on treating pheromone chaos, nothing else.”
They had already reached the point of biting lips, yet still claiming to be focused solely on treatment.
Lance was amused inside, but his expression remained as wooden as someone who had never seen adult content.
“Mm, because I was a bit worried about corrupting your pure heart. You’ve just come of age, after all.”
“……” Zhan Pingchuan instantly recalled the words he had made up on registration day. At that time, it was purely to provoke Erdiff, but now he couldn’t say he wasn’t that pure.
“Ahem, ahem.” Zhan Pingchuan turned his head and coughed twice more, mumbling indistinctly, “Not exactly just come of age. I’ll be eighteen in August.”
Lance naturally continued: “Then I’m in May, older than you.”
Zhan Pingchuan, with some inexplicable competitive spirit, started making things up as the words reached his lips: “No, do you know what the lunar calendar is?”
This time Lance genuinely didn’t understand, so he looked at Zhan Pingchuan with an explosion of curiosity.
Zhan Pingchuan felt more confident.
What would a little mixed-blood redhead know about solar and lunar calendars?
“My family has another calendar system. The August I just mentioned is my lunar birthday. My solar birthday is in January, which is your system, understand?”
Lance knew he probably wasn’t telling the truth, but couldn’t be bothered to quibble. So he smiled thoughtfully: “Then you’re older than me.”
Zhan Pingchuan felt satisfied.
Lance just wanted to quickly end the topic of “getting hard.” He lifted the curtain of the cafeteria and, while walking in, turned his head to ask Zhan Pingchuan: “Why do you think the Challenge Cup competition was moved up this time?”
Zhan Pingchuan’s eyelid twitched. Actually, he had clearly felt the S-level pressure coming from that car, but was interrupted by Lance’s question.
He hadn’t seen the person’s face clearly, but he carefully remembered the license plate—C.P.1-002.001.
C.P. was the code for Capital City, 1 was the special number for the Blue Pivot inspection team, 002 meant it was a vehicle from the Second District, and 001 might indicate it was the first car in the same batch.
There weren’t that many S-levels in the world. The person was most likely the director of Blue Pivot’s Second District, Si Hongche, known for his iron-blooded ruthlessness and cruel brutality.
Zhan Pingchuan had encountered Si Hongche once before. His father had taken him to attend the Federation government’s quadrennial joint meeting, where all seven top guilds sent representatives to discuss the management and mining plans for underground cities.
Si Hongche was already a hot candidate for Second District director at that time. When he entered, he was wiping his fingers with a handkerchief, and the four-year-old Zhan Pingchuan clearly saw blood on it.
Mixed in the blood was the faint scent of olive pheromones.
That was the scent of Omega pheromones.
So Zhan Pingchuan had always had a poor impression of him. Someone who wasn’t gentle with their own Omega was probably not a good person.
Si Hongche’s arrival was definitely related to the deaths of Boras and Kluova, after all, both were secretly trained spies under him.
If it weren’t for Erdiff this time, the outside world might not have known that the Blue Pivot inspection team possessed such terrifying abilities.
Zhan Pingchuan wasn’t feeling so relaxed either. After all, if Si Hongche caught him, things would become troublesome.
“It might be related to the deaths of the two Blue Pivot officers,” his answer was the kind of conspiracy theory a normal student might come up with.
Lance knew what Zhan Pingchuan was concerned about, so he pretended to naively guess: “I think perhaps they have a way to find the culprit through this Challenge Cup competition.”
Zhan Pingchuan turned his head to look at Lance, his tone playful: “They say one woman died from a sniper rifle, and the other man was burned to a crisp. How can they find the culprit from that?”
If there was anything strange, it was that he hadn’t expected that car to suddenly explode.
Although he hadn’t left Boras’s corpse intact, at least the family could still recognize the appearance, which could be considered doing a good deed.
Lance could only discuss with Zhan Pingchuan by playing dumb: “Perhaps there are some special ability users. After all, before the principal’s interview, we didn’t know there were people who could restore scenes and voice prints.”
Zhan Pingchuan teased: “Then this person probably isn’t as useful as Boras and Kluova.”
A flash of sharp light appeared in Lance’s eyes: “I guess so, otherwise they wouldn’t need to use the underground city.”
Zhan Pingchuan raised an eyebrow, asking a question he already knew the answer to: “Do you think the killer is among us freshmen?”
Lance’s acting was superb: “No way, that’s scary.”
The two killers looked at the sincerity and clarity in each other’s eyes. After a long while, Zhan Pingchuan finally patted Lance’s shoulder and said cynically: “Don’t be afraid, big brother will protect you.”
He didn’t forget to take advantage of the situation.
“Mm.”
Both simultaneously looked away, pretending to gaze at the food.
The cafeteria was crowded. Zhan Pingchuan’s appetite had been spoiled by Si Hongche, and he was about to order a salad to make do, when he saw Lance leaning against the counter, tilting his head to avoid the glass, saying to the chef inside: “Two portions of seafood mixed rice, um… and two cups of strawberry yogurt, thank you.”
After the cafeteria chef calculated the total, Lance proactively swiped his card.
Zhan Pingchuan exclaimed in surprise: “You can eat this much?”
Lance: “One is for you. I’m treating you.”
Zhan Pingchuan felt a warmth in his heart: “You don’t need to spend money on me.”
Lance: “You treated me to shumai too.”
“How much does shumai cost? I’ll give you the cash later.” Zhan Pingchuan couldn’t accept letting an Omega pay for a cafeteria meal. If word got back to Ghost Eye Guild, it would be mortifying.
Lance firmly declined, smiling as he said: “Seafood mixed rice isn’t expensive at all. You don’t need to have any psychological burden. I can treat you in the future too.”
“You’ll treat me again… wait, what?” Zhan Pingchuan vaguely sensed something was off.
Damn, he still thought his family picked up scraps!
Forced to play the role of a kept pretty boy, Zhan Pingchuan suffered in silence.
After eating, two days passed peacefully, and the Blue Pivot inspection team personnel had completely withdrawn from the campus.
Under the coordination of Star University’s logistics department and the finance department’s emergency fundraising, all equipment and prize money needed for the Challenge Cup competition had been prepared.
The most crucial item was the camera that could firmly attach to the body and transmit real-time footage.
The cameras would faithfully record students’ performance in the underground city, and judges would use this to give final scores. At the same time, to accept supervision from various sponsors, each student’s battle footage would be live-streamed on the Federation network to prevent cheating.
“Star University lives up to its name, securing sponsorships from the seven top guilds in just two days.”
“That’s all about social connections. Think about how many talents Star University sends to the seven top guilds every year.”
“Sigh, we’re really the most unfortunate batch. Every educational reform from childhood to adulthood has been tested on us. We’ve just entered school, haven’t learned a thing, and now we have to fight in an underground city. How can we compare with previous years?”
“Yeah, those top guilds won’t think we’re a doomed batch, right? Please no, I still want to intern during summer vacation.”
“If you have time to think about all that, have you found teammates yet?”
……
These past two days, whenever students gathered, they would discuss the Challenge Cup. Some were happy, some worried. Those with experience or high levels were eagerly preparing, waiting to make a splash in the underground city.
The three A-level Awakened ones naturally became hot pursuits, but Zhan Pingchuan, due to his black history of stealing bicycles, was unanimously considered a poor person with limited information access, unlikely to have resources to enter underground cities, and thus having no experience to speak of.
Animal system A-level Awakened Ashlen and Enhancement system A-level Awakened Tu Mo were surrounded by people.
“Brother Lun, please take me with you. I’ll cover your meals for next month, how about that?”
“Brother Lun, Brother Lun, considering we’re roommates, let’s team up. I’ll support you.”
Ashlen frowned slightly, slowly raising his eyes, looking at his roommate with an incredulous gaze, asking in disbelief: “What kind of support can you provide? E-level animal system.”
The male student’s face instantly flushed red. He hadn’t expected Ashlen to deliberately target his flattery and favor-seeking, embarrassing him in public.
His lips trembled, still wanting to try, but the flattering words were stuck in his throat, unable to come out.
Ashlen, seemingly satisfied seeing his embarrassment, shrugged and laughed: “Zhan Pingchuan is both brave and more impressive than us. Why don’t you go find him?”
The male student instantly understood—Ashlen was holding a grudge from registration day.
That day, Lance was about to be punished by Dean Erdiff. Unable to bear watching, he had looked pleadingly at the two A-level Awakened ones, but unexpectedly, they both hid like turtles. In the end, it was the reckless Zhan Pingchuan who stepped in, stopping Dean Erdiff.
After dismissal, the male student couldn’t help but comment: “Both are A-levels, why was Zhan Pingchuan the only one brave enough to save someone?”
The speaker meant no harm, but the listener took offense. A-level Awakened ones are mostly proud and arrogant, and Ashlen harbored resentment.
The male student lowered his head, arching his back into a ball, shrinking back in embarrassment.
Just then, a lazy voice came in, and someone placed a palm on the male student’s hunched back: “Tsk, how did I get praised without noticing? We’re all classmates. Please don’t be so polite in the future. Just knowing I’m awesome in your heart is enough.”
Zhan Pingchuan, taking advantage of his height, looked down at Ashlen over several people’s heads. His face still had that swaggering, delinquent look, and the two pendants hanging from his ear bone jingled just as cockily as their owner.
Ashlen’s face alternated between green and white as he gritted his teeth: “…Who praised you?”
“Doing good deeds anonymously?” Zhan Pingchuan looked around, asking loudly, “Who just said I’m both brave and awesome?”
The observing classmates silently raised their fingers, pointing at Ashlen.
Zhan Pingchuan looked at Ashlen with a complex expression.
Ashlen: “……”
The male student hung his head, his voice as faint as a mosquito’s: “Thank you.”
Zhan Pingchuan patted his shoulder: “Since that’s been said, you can join our team.”
“Huh?” The male student didn’t immediately react, surprised that he was being hit by such a windfall. After all, he had always felt that Zhan Pingchuan was stronger than others.
Zhan Pingchuan pulled him out of the crowd like picking up a chick: “What’s your name?”
“Liu Bo,” the male student quickly replied.
“Oh, simple and straightforward.” Zhan Pingchuan racked his brains for a complimentary word, then asked, “What animal system form?”
“Marmot.”
“…Mm.”
Damn, the last-place complimentary word reserve is so easy to exhaust!
Lance didn’t say anything when he saw Zhan Pingchuan bring someone back. They did need teammates—even if they were capable, two people couldn’t pick up all the items dropped by beasts.
“Then, then, then… can I join too? For the sake of the shumai.” Tang Li came running, sniffing out the opportunity.
Although he was a C-level Awakened, he was in the recovery system. At his current level, the health he could restore was better than nothing, but his combat power was poor, so not many people liked him.
Zhan Pingchuan had a bit of a headache. Nothing good ever happened when he encountered this little Omega.
“Classmate, my heart has already—”
“Please!” Tang Li suddenly bowed deeply, cutting off Zhan Pingchuan’s Kilimanjaro. “I really need this score. Since childhood, my biggest dream has been to join High Tower Guild. High Tower Guild is practically Eden, a utopia, a guiding light. Not only is their geographical location superior, but their corporate culture is also excellent—no overtime, no forced drinking, and they treat newcomers with the warmth of spring. Other guilds simply can’t compare!”
Zhan Pingchuan was furious: “Tsk, if you put it that way, you just—”
“Come on then.” Lance, who had barely spoken, fiddling with the sleeve of his school uniform jacket, suddenly interjected at this moment.
Zhan Pingchuan: “?”
Wait, he was praising High Tower Guild, darling.
Tang Li’s eyes lit up: “Really? Thank you! You like High Tower Guild too, right?”
Lance lowered his eyes and tugged at the corner of his lips, noncommittal.
Zhan Pingchuan: “……………..”
No, darling, that’s the rival company. This Tang Li is a fan of the rival!
Liu Bo cleared his throat, raised his hand, and asked formally: “Um, what’s our team name?”
Zhan Pingchuan’s lips finally curled into a barely perceptible smugness as he said modestly: “Lance’s Sky.”
“?” Lance almost strangled the Moth Rong Weng in his sleeve.
“Ah…” Liu Bo paused, scraping his brain for words, “That’s a good name. Blue sky, romantic and poetic, quite cute too.”
Tang Li really wanted to ask which “blue” it was, but wisely held back.
Blue Hole Reservoir was located in the suburbs outside the seventh ring of Capital City. Due to its shape resembling a tai chi symbol, it was also called Tai Chi Lake.
Embracing the reservoir were rolling hills, but there was little vegetation on the hills, mostly bare limestone.
It took more than two hours by car from Star University to Blue Hole Reservoir. The bus had to wind around a long mountain road before reaching the entrance to the underground city.
This C-level underground city, named Frightening Bird, was discovered at the end of a cliff. A bare, lonely iron door stood on the cliff, eerie and terrifying.
But since the Federation government took it over, a recruitment market quickly appeared.
Non-guild members with qualifications to enter the underground city could team up with others at the recruitment market to increase their survival rate.
Three years had passed, and Frightening Bird had become a must-clear dungeon for novice Awakened ones.
However, today, because Star University’s Challenge Cup competition had chosen it, the Federation government had closed entry qualifications for individual visitors and other guilds.
After all, five hundred people was already a large group.
Screech—!
Suddenly, the sound of a car braking sharply came from the mountain road entrance. The gripping tires swept a deep paint mark on the ground, and the car steadily stopped at the recruitment market.
Soon, the Blue Pivot inspection team’s convoy arrived one after another, parking in a neat row. Dozens of inspection team members jumped out of the cars, heavily armed, guarding strictly.
The originally spacious and pleasant valley suddenly gained a murderous atmosphere.
The students unanimously quieted down, their eyes showing nervousness, curiosity, and confusion.
Lance and Zhan Pingchuan instantly tensed up. Almost in the same second, they both looked toward the SUV with license plate C.P.1-002.001 parked in the center.
Liu Bo drew in a cold breath: “Is the school taking our batch so seriously? Even the Blue Pivot inspection team has come to escort us.”
He naively thought that these elite Awakened ones, selected through layer upon layer of screening, were here to protect their safety.
The SUV, which had kept its doors tightly shut, finally showed movement. The door opened automatically, and polished deep black boots stepped on the ground’s weeds as Si Hongche emerged.
The mountain was cold, but he wore only a thin dark blue uniform, with a thick, wide rhinoceros leather belt from which hung the gloves he usually carried.
After getting out of the car, Si Hongche glanced back inside.
Soon, from the other side of the car, another person emerged.
He was petite, with snow-white skin and very beautiful, thick golden curly hair. Si Hongche’s leather coat was wrapped around him, covering him completely.
However, the cold mountain wind quickly reddened his ears. He was thin, as if without any resistance.
His features were actually quite outstanding—almond-shaped eyes, fine eyebrows, a small, round nose tip, and red, prominent lips.
His face showed almost no traces of age, yet it was full of marks of torture.
He was too thin, causing his eye sockets to sink deeply, making him look especially tired. His once lively doll-like face no longer had its fullness, clinging tightly to his bones.
His gaze was empty and bewildered, as if no scenery could trigger the neurotransmitters that convey pleasure.
Standing there, he was like a dead person.
Lance was very familiar with that kind of gaze—it was the precursor to a breakdown.
Seeing Oliver come out, Si Hongche opened his five fingers and waved behind him expressionlessly.
“C-level underground city Frightening Bird is about to open!”
“All students, please confirm you have your cameras and enter in an orderly manner!”
An inspection team member held a crystal ore against the rusty iron door. The crystal ore instantly emitted a dazzling blue light, and countless radiation forces were continuously absorbed by the iron door.
With a “creak,” the iron door slowly opened.
A cold, damp air, as if from the underworld, drifted out from the door. Inside was deep darkness, seemingly enticing people to indulge in it.
The Blue Pivot inspection team, with solemn faces, supervised each team of students entering the underground city.
“Holy shit, that’s scary!”
“What are you afraid of? It’s only C-level.”
“What kind of beasts will be inside? I only know about goblins.”
“Pfft, goblins are the lowest F-level beasts. They probably can’t even survive in Frightening Bird.”
……
Liu Bo swallowed with a “gulp”: “Brother Zhan, you’re taking the lead, right?”
He was very aware of his own abilities. He could barely defeat goblins, so this competition depended entirely on riding the coattails of the experts.
“Yes, yes, yes, yes.” Zhan Pingchuan stood at the front of the team, stepping into the iron door without blinking.
Under the scientific parenting principles of the manager and Old Zhan, Zhan Pingchuan, who hadn’t awakened any abilities yet, was packed off to the underground city for tempering. Those bizarre beasts were dismembered and splattered right before his eyes, providing an extraordinary childhood experience.
Tang Li also felt a chill down his spine, his lips colorless: “Let me be clear, I don’t have any offensive abilities at all, um… Brother Zhan.” He unconsciously followed Liu Bo’s example.
A mere C-level underground city hardly caught the White Pharaoh’s eye, but Lance very professionally maintained his persona, pretending this was his first time in such a place.
Walking through a layer of water-like dark barrier, the outside’s layered mountains disappeared, replaced by a damp, dark passage.
Suddenly, the “flap” sound of wings flapping came from above!
Lance closed his eyes and tilted his head, his cold fingers tightly gripping Zhan Pingchuan’s clothes: “Big brother, I’m scared.”
##
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
![Dissatisfied [e-sports]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/4997572.jpg "Dissatisfied [e-sports]")
