She suddenly remembered asking her parents the same question years ago.
Perhaps it was the Yun family’s lasting influence on her, or perhaps she’d spent too long treading carefully between company and household.
Somewhere along the way, for the sake of so-called family interests, she’d become the very person she once despised.
At this moment, genuine remorse flickered in Qin Shuang’s eyes.
All she could say was, “I’m sorry.”
“Your apology is worthless.” Yun Xingze’s voice turned icy as he regained composure. “Qin Shuang, I’ve told you before an Omega’s worth isn’t defined by marriage. I still believe that.”
“But this is reality.” Qin Shuang’s composure cracked, tears glistening in her eyes. “I’ve told you too, this society gives Omegas no chances. Doesn’t this law prove everything?”
Yun Xingze looked at her, emotions churning.
Qin Shuang was wrong.
But she wasn’t entirely to blame.
“Besides, marrying Chi Yu isn’t such a bad deal,” Qin Shuang swallowed hard, suppressing the tremor in her voice before quickly regaining her usual composure. “Yun Xingze, the Chi family won’t treat you poorly, and our company will thrive. If you want to pilot a mech, forget about an eight-million unit one in the future, you could even have an eighty-million-unit mech.”
“Marry Chi Yu? Become a tool for the Chi family? Lower myself to serve him?” Yun Xingze cut Qin Shuang off mid-sentence. “You might be willing to do such things, but I’m not.”
Qin Shuang looked at Yun Xingze for a long moment before finally letting out a heavy sigh:
“Just accept your fate.”
After speaking, she lowered her gaze, her eyes dim and lifeless, then turned and walked away.
She didn’t seem the least bit happy about Chi Yu and Yun Xingze’s marriage.
After Qin Shuang left, Yun Xingze should have felt panic and fear.
Yet at this moment, he was struck by an unprecedented calm.
Suddenly, Yun Xingze thought of the original owner of this body and Eugene from the Research Institute.
He closed his eyes, his fingers slowly tracing the gland on the right side of his neck, feeling the path of the blood vessels, the texture of the skin, and the steady pulse beneath.
Just because he was an Omega, just because his pheromones were highly compatible with Chi Yu. Did that mean he had to bind his life to Chi Yu’s forever?
From the very first day he arrived in this world, Yun Xingze had been fighting to escape this fate.
In his past life, he had battled illness for over twenty years, contributing to mecha research even on his deathbed.
How could he possibly bow to fate now?
A moment later, Yun Xingze opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and unyielding like diamonds.
He had already made his decision.
Yun Xingze opened his backpack, revealing a small box a parting gift from Luo Wenchuan, meant for self-defense. Inside were a miniature photon blade and a particle gun.
He picked up the photon blade.
Before pressing the button, it was just a short, silver hilt.
But once activated, particles would emit from the tip, forming a blade capable of slicing through metal and jade alike.
Yun Xingze studied the hilt for a while, then raised it, testing its position near his neck.
The size was perfect; just right for what he intended to do.
He slipped the hilt into his suit pocket and was about to leave when something occurred to him. His expression darkened slightly.
He opened his communicator and sent Luo Wenchuan a message.
After that, Yun Xingze steadied himself and stepped out of the lounge.
Yun Changsheng happened to be looking for him and grinned, slinging an arm over his shoulders. “The Chi family is here. Let’s go.”
Five o’clock sharp.
The royal press conference officially began, with the king and queen appearing in the grand golden hall.
The king delivered his customary speech and revealed the identity of the second prince—Luo Wenchuan, now stepping into the public eye for the first time.
Camera flashes bombarded Luo Wenchuan’s face.
From automated drones to reporters who had traveled from across the galaxies, everyone was consumed by curiosity about this mysterious prince. They knew any news about him would dominate the headlines tonight.
The moment Luo Wenchuan appeared on screen.
Every student at Starsea Military Academy watching the livestream froze in shock.
“What the hell—”
“Luo Wenchuan is… the second prince?!”
“Are you kidding me?! The prince was right beside us all along?!”
“Oh my god, what kind of twisted plot is this?! Wasn’t Luo Wenchuan supposed to be some poor kid from a backwater planet?!”
“Now that you mention it. I remember hearing the second prince was exiled to a wasteland planet as a child.”
“Holy shit!! I went to school with a prince?!”
The king surveyed the ministers and reporters in the hall, his deep voice amplified by the microphone, echoing through the room and across every corner of the interstellar empire via the star network:
“Before announcing the heir’s identity, there is one matter I must address first.”
“Article 23 of the Marriage Law states: ‘Highly compatible Alphas and Omegas must be together.’ After deliberation, it has been decided to extend its application from the frontier planets to the entire nation, in response to the increasingly tense relations between the Empire and the Federation.”
These words instantly sent shockwaves through the crowd.
Upon hearing this, Luo Wenchuan’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Seated beside the Queen, he leaned in and whispered through gritted teeth, “What’s going on? When was this meeting held?!”
“There have been several meetings about it,” the Queen replied calmly. “The decision was finalized recently.”
Luo Wenchuan abruptly stood up, ready to leave.
Startled, the Queen quickly rose and grabbed his arm, whispering urgently, “Chuan, have you lost your mind? They’re about to announce the heir designation.”
“I have something more important to do.” Luo Wenchuan’s heart pounded with unease at that moment.
He needed to see Yun Xingze immediately.
“What could possibly be more important than the heir designation?” the Queen pressed anxiously. “Are you really going to throw away your future for someone else?”
The King also stood up at this point, his cold gaze fixed on Luo Wenchuan. “What’s the matter?”
“I have urgent business to attend to,” Luo Wenchuan said tersely, shaking off the Queen’s grip as he strode out.
The scene descended into chaos not just from the shock of the legal amendment, but also from the dramatic moment on stage that left everyone speculating whether Luo Wenchuan was renouncing his claim to the throne.
“Luo Wenchuan!” the Queen called out sharply. “Yun Xingze is already engaged to Chi Yu! It’s too late even if you go now!”
Luo Wenchuan froze in his tracks. He turned to glare at the Queen, his voice icy. “How did you know about this?!”
The Queen pressed her lips together before responding slowly, “I only wanted you to find a highly compatible Omega and live a happy life. That’s why I informed Chi Yin about this matter.”
“The ones ruining my life,” Luo Wenchuan said, his gaze piercing the King and Queen like shards of ice, “are you.”
Without another word, Luo Wenchuan pushed past the crowd and stormed out of the Golden Conference Hall.
He opened his communicator to see a location pin and message from Yun Xingze: [I’m at the Polis Hotel. Let’s return to Noah Star together after this.]
[…]
Luo Wenchuan’s eyes barely skimmed the first line before he immediately boarded his aircraft, setting course for the Polis Hotel.
His heart raced at maximum intensity.
He kept repeating to himself:
There’s still time. There has to be still time.
Meanwhile.
Before entering the engagement venue, Yun Changsheng gave an awkward smile and said to Yun Xingze, “Xingxing, actually I brought you here so you could get engaged to Chi Yu. Don’t be angry, I only want what’s best for you!”
After speaking, Yun Changsheng watched nervously, bracing for his son’s outburst.
But to his surprise, Yun Xingze didn’t resist.
He simply responded with a quiet “Mm,” appearing completely compliant.
“You agree?” Yun Changsheng asked, overjoyed.
Yun Xingze raised his eyes to look at this father, curling his lips into a faint smile, his voice clear and pleasant: “That’s right. Today, I wanted to give you a surprise to repay your constant care for me.”
Hearing Yun Xingze’s words, Yun Changsheng felt deeply gratified and patted his son’s shoulder firmly: “Good boy, you’re so obedient! From now on, the relationship between our family and the Chi family will rely on you!”
The grand doors of the banquet hall slowly opened.
Yun Xingze’s expression remained unchanged as he calmly stepped into the hall.
Seeing the other protagonist of the engagement party arrive, the guests naturally grew excited.
“Ah, Yun Xingze is here!”
“He looks quite happy, doesn’t he?”
“Well, any Omega would be thrilled to marry the general’s son.”
“I skipped the royal press conference for this engagement party. I hope it’s worth the wait.”
“You can always catch the news about the press conference later. It’s just the second prince nothing special!”
“True, I’d much rather watch an engagement ceremony.”
Seeing Yun Xingze walk in composedly, Chi Yu felt some of his nervousness ease.
Unable to resist, he stepped forward and looked at Yun Xingze, saying somewhat sheepishly, “Xingze, is this too sudden? I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to accept it.”
“What’s so sudden about it?” Yun Xingze smiled slightly, meeting Chi Yu’s gaze. “There’s something even more sudden coming.”
Chi Yu froze. “What?”
“Nothing.” Yun Xingze’s smile under the lights appeared pure and innocent.
No one could tell what he was really thinking.
Dressed in formal attire, he was so breathtakingly handsome that it was impossible to look away.
The guests couldn’t help but marvel at Chi Yu’s good fortune in finding such a beautiful fiancé.
Amidst the envious gazes of everyone, the engagement ceremony was about to begin.
At that moment, Yun Xingze suddenly walked to the front of the hall, stepped onto the stage, and said to the host, “Excuse me, may I borrow the microphone? I have something to say to my fiancé, Chi Yu.”
Seeing the happiness in Yun Xingze’s eyes, the host didn’t think much of it and immediately handed him the microphone. “Here you go. Feel free to say whatever sweet words you’d like!”
After speaking, the host gestured to the cameraman, “Make sure you record this!”
Taking the microphone, Yun Xingze looked at the guests, his calm tone laced with amusement. “I’m glad everyone is here to witness this moment. Lately, I’ve been thinking what is the meaning of my existence? Now, I understand. My purpose is to marry Chi Yu, to be a dutiful wife and mother. My identity as a mecha cadet is worthless. My winning streak in NCLM means nothing. My life is tailor-made for Chi Yu.”
The entire hall fell silent.
Even Chi Yu stood frozen in place after hearing these words.
“I’d like to thank my family for working so hard to marry me off, the Chi family for finding me worthy, and Mr. Chi Yu for his deep affection. I take great pride in the fact that my pheromones are highly compatible with Mr. Chi Yu’s. After all, every Omega should find an Alpha with high compatibility and take pride in it, shouldn’t they?”
Qin Shuang stared at Yun Xingze, as if unable to believe her ears.
The crowd could all sense the biting sarcasm in Yun Xingze’s words.
Yet his expression remained utterly serene, as though he were speaking about something entirely unrelated to himself.
Yun Xingze paused here, suddenly lifting his gaze to meet Chi Yu’s. His smile under the dazzling chandelier was breathtakingly charming.
He asked Chi Yu, “Chi Yu, you really like my pheromones too, don’t you?”
Hearing this, Chi Yu’s face flushed red. He nodded and replied, “Of course I do. After all, you’re the Omega with the highest compatibility match for me. Our pheromones must blend perfectly.”
“Yes, in this star system, I am the Omega with the highest compatibility for Chi Yu.” Yun Xingze said slowly, his voice ringing clearly through the hall. “Who else could possibly make Chi Yu happy besides me?”
At this moment, Chi Yu was overwhelmed with happiness. His fingers trembled slightly as he gazed at Yun Xingze with infatuation.
It seemed forcing Yun Xingze into this engagement had been the right decision.
Look how much he liked him now.
“So here, I have a gift I’d like to present to Mr. Chi Yu, the Chi family, and my parents.” Yun Xingze’s gentle gaze swept over the mentioned individuals as he reached into his pocket. “I hope they’ll remember this moment forever and take pride in it for the rest of their lives.”
The Chi family members smiled contentedly, admiring how well the Yun family had raised their child to change his mind so quickly.
Chi Yin said to Chi Yu, “See? Omegas are all like this. They pretend to be unwilling on the surface, but they actually adore you. Just be firm with them and they’ll obey.”
Yun Changsheng also smiled happily, unable to resist asking, “Xingze, what exactly is this gift?”
“This gift is also for the rule-makers of our society, for those who care so deeply about Omegas.” Yun Xingze raised his voice as he continued, “It’s thanks to them that Omegas live such happy lives.”
Qin Shuang, who had remained silent until now, finally sensed something amiss.
A sudden chill ran down her spine.
Before she could react.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Yun Xingze pulled out the hilt of a photon blade from his pocket and swiftly pressed the activation button.
The sharp blade gleamed coldly as it sliced through the air.
Yun Xingze raised his hand, precisely aiming the photon blade at the gland on the right side of his neck.
Everyone’s eyes widened in shock.
Chi Yu cried out hoarsely, “Yun Xingze! What are you doing?!”
Before his words fully left his mouth.
Amidst the stunned gazes of all present, Yun Xingze firmly gripped the photon blade and decisively drove it toward his gland without a trace of hesitation.
