Mutated Pheromones

Editor: DarkSapphire, Sahloknir

[An Omega Suddenly Entered Their Estrus Period in the Downtown Area, All the Alphas Fought to Escape with Their Lives] On the afternoon of the twenty-third, an adult omega in the Dai Yuan District of S City suddenly entered their Estrus Period and hurried into an office building on the street. A few minutes later, something heartwarming happened. An unpaired alpha ran out of the building with their nose covered. The unnamed alpha refused to return to work until the omega was in the ambulance. 

This video was obtained from within the office building.

The omega in the video was pixelated. Viewers could only see a figure rushed into the building, and then the picture turned to the corridor and stairway. Then suddenly, it showed a crowd of alphas shoving and pushing out of the door without the slightest hesitation, trying to get as far away as possible and going around the helpless omega.

They switched to the discussion segment.

Those big public figures who have been looking down on alphas rarely say good words about them. This is the first time they complimented the alphas like gentlemen. In addition, we asked some alphas at the scene for some comments. They got my full admiration, because it’s very difficult to resist the temptation. 

Back at the office building, a reporter arrived at the office building and excitedly said to the camera, “The omega’s pheromone spread all the way from the first to the fourth floor. Only one company occupied this building, Sky Soaring Technology Company. We have the honour of interviewing the person in charge of it.”

As soon as she made an introduction, the camera moved to the man beside her. “Hello, Director Wu. We noticed that when things went down, your company’s alpha staff seemed to have undergone a training drill. No one broke formation. What kind of training did you implement? Was there any punishment system?”

“There is no punishment system,” The man said with a smile. “Our company has always been very strict on the personnel. Apart from professional ability, we also pay great attention to cultivating employees’ quality. In particular, the negative views on the alphas in society. In view of this, we have specially organized education for employees, so their conscientiousness in this aspect is very high…”

Qin Xiujie held out his hand to pause the video and patted his cousin’s head. “What are you doing watching this?”

No emotion was visible on Yue Ran’s face. “For fun.”

This afternoon, he fell unconscious in the office building and from word of mouth, was carried to the ambulance by a group of betas.

Since he had no alpha partner, the doctor at the search and rescue centre gave him a suppressant injection. It was evening when he woke up, and he learned he was on the news.

He unpaused the video to continue watching, wanting to see what else the news said. 

Qin Xiujie sat on the edge of the bed and picked up an apple from the table to peel it for his younger cousin.

Today, he heard that Ran Ran suddenly had his first estrus period outside. Everyone was scared to death. After all, this happened to an omega a few months ago, instead, it was on the street. Which led to the omega getting life-threatening injuries between the plunders.

By the time they arrived at the hospital, they learned Ran Ran got through the daunting experience without mishap.

He finally witnessed the power of the so-called ‘mutated pheromones’ repellent scent’. A figure immediately popped into his mind, his good friend in-game who was searching unexplored spots in the game. He felt it wasn’t too late to tell Jiang Xiao the truth tonight. 

He cut the apple into bite-size pieces, arranged them on the plate, inserted one with a toothpick and handed it to his cousin.

After Yue Ran finished the news, he put down his tablet and began to nibble on the apple.

Qin Xiujie secretly observed the younger man’s expression and didn’t bring up the matter. Instead, he casually changed to a new topic, “I found Pure White Sun quite interesting.”

Yue Ran looked at him. “You passed?” 

Qin Xiujie nodded with a smirk. “I crammed a lot in the past few days. I’ve watched your preview videos and also his. He asked me and I answered correctly, and then I asked him if he knew Pure White Sun because, after the great Dying Star, he was my next favourite one. After that, he stopped testing me.”

Yue Ran: “…”

How two-faced could you be!

Hlc Wleplf mbcalcefv rwlilcu. “Lbk vlv sbe wffa tlw?” 

Tef Ejc gfmjiifv, “Ktgbeut Vecxfc Zbbc, tf lcagbvemfv wf ab Uegf Qtlaf Vec.”

Ca atja alwf, atf KVVZ rfgnfg kjr ralii j gfijalnfis cfk rfgnfg klat atf cewyfg bo qijsfgr ifrr atjc atgff vlular. Pa kjr fjrs obg atf wjpbglas bo atf qijsfgr ab wffa fnfcaejiis. 

With Sunken Moon’s good temper, it was easy for him to make acquaintances, Pure White Sun was one of them. Later, they met Inked Sun, who was extremely shameless, yet it was never boring around him. Now Yue Ran thought about it, even if he didn’t play for very long, he had a great time every day.

Qin Xiujie asked, “What about Tempest?” 

Yue Ran replied, “We never really talked much, so we were never close.”

Strictly speaking, he talked with Sunken Mon the most. Outside of that, he would be that one quiet person who listened and didn’t contribute to the conversation.

Qin Xiujie wondered, “Have you two ever challenged each other?”

Yue Ran huffed, “Yes, but I could never beat him.” 

Qin Xiujie inquired, “How many matches?”

Yue Ran counted, “Maybe four to five? I only won one because the timer ran out and I had the higher remaining HP.”

With his temper in the past, he wasn’t able to bear his loss and vowed to practice hard to hone his techniques. In the future, he would beat Tempest into the ground, which never happened because he deleted his account.

It was his turn to ask a question. “Is he still playing on the old server? I heard that he doesn’t get on as much now.”  

Qin Xiujie suggested, “Yes. But you could probably ask Sunken Moon. They should still be in contact.”

“Oh.” Yue Ran uttered, then he heard the sound of a door opening and saw his parents coming in.

Yue Shizhong had a bouquet in his hand.

Earlier, a nurse informed them someone wanted to visit their son, which they went out to deal with. The person who was in charge of that technology company sent the flowers. 

Although Yu Shizhong wasn’t happy that the other party pretended to act innocent on the news, it was their beta employees that took care of his son when he was unconscious. In the end, they thanked the man but didn’t allow him and his employees to visit Ran Ran.

He walked beside the bed and sat down. “How are you feeling? Any pain?”

Yue Ran answered, “None, I feel fine actually.”

Yue Shizhong had come up with various comforting words, but when he saw his usual calm expression, he didn’t know where to start. 

But his wife, Deng Ling, remained collected. She patted her son’s head and sat with him for a while. Seeing the tiredness on his face, she suggested the other two go back to rest.

Yue Shizhong couldn’t stop his worrying. “It would be better for me to stay here for the night as well. It’s still summer so there’s no work for me. Aren’t you busy with your live show?”

“I’ve already called in. It’s alright for the show to be delayed a day or two.” Deng Ling said with a bright smile. “This is a centre for omegas. I’ll stay.”

“Those pheromones won’t affect me,” Yue Shizhong said with grievance. “What happened to Ran Ran isn’t something small. It’s best for me to accompany…” 

Deng Ling smoothly interrupted, “I’m enough. If you’re here, he would be the one comforting you instead.”

Yue Shizhong: “…”

Qin Xiujie lowered his head and pretended not to hear anything. He didn’t speak up for his poor uncle.

He politely said goodbye to his aunt and uncle and went home with his parents. Once he was back in his bedroom, he quietly closed the door, searched the news link, and sent it to Jiang Xiao. 

It was half past ten now.

During the day, Yue Ran informed Jiang Xiao he would have dinner with friends. Now, with the little summoner nowhere to be seen, he figured that Yue Ran wasn’t coming online for the rest of the evening. Just as he was about to fight arena with Inked Sun like he promised, he received a link from Qin Xiujie with a message attached: [That was Ran Ran.]

Both his eyebrows jumped and he started a call without thinking. He immediately hit the other with questions. “What happened to him?”

Qin Xiujie answered, “The doctor gave him suppressant. He is in observation status and needs to stay in the hospital for two more days.” 

Jiang Xiao declared, “Okay, pick me up at the airport first thing tomorrow morning.”

“…” Qin Xiujie was stumped. “Wait a moment. I just wanted to let you know, not for you to come here.”

Jiang Xiao said calmly, “I’m just coming to S City as a tourist.”

Qin Xiujie couldn’t resist the urge to cry-laugh. “Finish listening to me first.” 

He gave the short version of his cousin’s mutated pheromones, and sighed, “Now do you know why I told you to let him go?”

Jiang Xiao confessed, “I like him. It has nothing to do with his pheromones.”

Qin Xiujie shared, “According to Ran Ran, he ran into an alpha and the alpha fainted on the spot.”

Jiang Xiao: “…” 

“I know you’re pursuing him in the game,” Qin Xiujie murmured with a bitter smile. “I hope you can stop for a while. I’m afraid that you’ll sink further and further, and that Ran Ran will start to feel something towards you. I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”

Jiang Xiao was silent for a few seconds. “I want to go see him first.”

Qin Xiujie insisted hastily, “Don’t, he’s not in the right mood now. He probably doesn’t want to see any alpha.”

Jiang Xiao knew that. 

When an omega was under extreme fear, one could well imagine how much stress they would be under when they got rejected by an alpha with their own eyes. Furthermore, during an omega’s estrus period, they were known to be more anxious, had a lack of appetite, and were emotionally unstable, which could lead to them breaking down.

His logical side understood Yue Ran’s temper, and it was better to give the younger man some space.

But his emotional side was screaming ‘that’s the person he likes!’ he couldn’t just watch without lifting a finger during the other’s most difficult time.

His emotional side won. “I’ll only stay for one day. Tell him I’m travelling, and going to stop in S City for a connecting flight. And we should meet up for a meal before my next flight.” 

Qin Xiujie didn’t know how many times he regretted betting on the fake couple thing. He asked with a wry smile, “Is this necessary? A meal won’t give you enough time for a proper chat…”

“I know, but at least I can see him,” Undisturbed, Jiang Xiao laid out his terms. “After I see him, I won’t pursue him any more in the game. We’ll see once university starts.”

Qin Xiujie was at a loss for words for a long time, but he finally agreed.

But it couldn’t be tomorrow, they needed to wait for Ran Ran’s estrus period to subside and him to be out of the hospital. 

Jiang Xiao naturally understood as he ended the call.

While Yue Ran was completely in the dark.

He only ate half an apple and couldn’t stomach the rest. He lay back down on his bed and was ready for a rest.

His mother turned off the light for him, laying on the side of the small bed with him. 

After a while, she saw that her son slowly curled into a ball. She sighed internally. She knew her son’s strong self-esteem, and could only support him like this.

Once Yue Ran curled as much into a ball as he could, he was hemmed in by sleepiness. After heaving a dazed sigh, he immediately fell into a deep sleep.

After waiting for a while, Deng Ling got up and pulled the quilt down to expose Yue Ran’s head so he could breathe. She gently caressed his face before she went home.

Yue Ran stayed in the hospital for three days, and when all the signs and numbers indicated he was almost back to normal, he packed up his things and checked out of the hospital. 

His get together with his friends was set at noon. This time, no one had an incident. When they learned about his situation, they didn’t dare to mention a word more and even cautiously interacted with their boyfriends during the meal.

Although Yue Ran knew they were thinking of him, he still felt helpless and felt it was a mistake to meet his friends this soon after discharge.

So after the meal, he didn’t join them for karaoke. He went home alone and booted up his computer.

Since he went missing in action in the game for several days, as soon as he went online, he was instantly bombarded with incoming messages. 

Besides the cute little lambs in his guild, Pure White Sun and Sunken Moon were worrying about him. They didn’t see him for a few days and thought he had disappeared on them again. When he got on that day, Pure White Sun was almost moved to tears.

The corner of Yue Ran’s lips twitched as he replied to all of them, one by one.

As he was sorting through his messages, his cousin also sent a question in their private chat.

[(Private) Wailing Wall: Something came up, so Jiang Xiao will stop here in between flights. I think the plane will land tonight. He suggested we meet up with him for dinner. Do you want to go?] 

Yue Ran pondered over it and came up with no objection.

They were all going to the same university anyway. With the senior’s relationship with his older cousin, they would be bound to see more of each other in the future.

[(Private) A- – – – Killer: Sure.]