“Rose, peach, or citrus. which pheromone do you prefer?” Yin Xishu waved several commercially available synthetic pheromone injectors before Pei Ningyu. The not-quite-full reagents sloshed in their glass vials, catching the light.
These were the substances about to be injected into Xu Sidu’s body the things that would turn him into a plaything.
“Rose, I think.” Pei Ningyu murmured excitedly. Just imagining Xu Sidu emanating such gaudy rose pheromones was enough to make him tremble with anticipation.
Most people at the base would differentiate into alphas betas were uncommon. If he missed this opportunity, Pei Ningyu might never encounter such an entertaining “toy” again.
After differentiating into a beta, each one would undergo a transitional learning period in the “White Tower.” There, they’d be brainwashed to abandon their previous education and taught to meekly accept their inferior status and inevitably tragic fate no matter how illustrious their past achievements, the White Tower treated all betas equally.
By then, Xu Sidu would undoubtedly face countless violations, enough to shatter his worldview and strip away his aristocratic dignity.
Pei Ningyu had to act quickly he needed to become the most unforgettable “first” in Xu Sidu’s life before he entered the White Tower. Ideally, the mere memory would make Xu Sidu tremble in fear, his stomach convulsing. Now that would be amusing.
All that remained was to lure Xu Sidu here.
Impatient, Pei Ningyu urged Yin Xishu to send the invitation. They’d concocted a flimsy excuse, claiming the Crown Prince was recruiting beta palace attendants and asking if Xu Sidu wanted to come to the base for an interview.
The lie was so transparent that Pei Ningyu hadn’t held much hope. Xu Sidu might be foolish, but surely not that foolish.
Even though Yin Xishu and the others weren’t close to Xu Sidu, and even though this sudden offer of help from an unfamiliar classmate was completely out of character for Pei Ningyu.
Perhaps it was because of Pei Ningyu’s close ties to the Crown Prince.
Or maybe Xu Sidu’s current predicament had left him too desperate to analyze the situation rationally. People in crisis often overlook nearby traps in their haste to escape.
Miraculously, Xu Sidu took the bait.
“He replied!” Someone showed Pei Ningyu the message on their smart device. “He said ‘Received. Will attend.'”
Pei Ningyu pressed his lips together. After a moment of surprise, a mocking smirk spread across his arrogant face.
So even Xu Sidu wasn’t immune to the stupidity that came with becoming a beta. Weren’t they all like that?
–
Pei Ningyu’s unchecked arrogance at Weidu Military Academy stemmed not only from the Pei family’s position in the empire’s inner circle but also from the Crown Prince’s favor.
Long before other families schemed to place their juniors near the royal family, Pei Ningyu had already been frequently summoned to accompany the Crown Prince.
Pei Ningyu’s dirty deeds were half suppressed by the Pei family’s influence, while the other half those earth-shattering scandals were quietly resolved with the Crown Prince’s tacit permission.
So when Pei Ningyu falsely claimed to relay the Crown Prince’s orders, Xu Sidu didn’t doubt him for a second and immediately initiated the call.
When Xu Sidu’s image appeared on the holographic screen, Pei Ningyu noticed faint dark circles under his eyes and unshaven stubble on his face.
“.That’s the situation.”
Pei Ningyu was downright malicious. Though he had fabricated the entire story on a whim, he delivered it with such conviction just to watch Xu Sidu scramble pathetically for a sliver of hope.
He especially wanted to see Xu Sidu’s face pale with fury, forced to swallow his anger when the lie was exposed.
Pei Ningyu: “The Crown Prince hasn’t finalized the details yet, and his interest seems lukewarm. But. I think you should keep an eye on this.”
The lazy, chin-raised way Pei Ningyu relayed this information burned into Xu Sidu’s vision.
Xu Sidu noticed that Pei Ningyu didn’t seem particularly invested in the matter of beta attendants merely passing it along casually which greatly lowered his guard.
Pei Ningyu: “In fact, the Crown Prince was deeply impressed by you. You performed well in the last tournament.”
Fourth place, wasn’t it? He couldn’t remember.
Pei Ningyu lied coldly.
Xu Sidu remained silent, as if unwilling to revisit the past. His parched lips betrayed his desperation and dire circumstances.
Despite Pei Ningyu’s dismissive attitude, Xu Sidu responded with earnest gratitude. He spoke up: “But right now, I have no opportunity to meet the Crown Prince.”
Hesitating, he added, “Could you help me?”
“A holographic call or an in-person meeting either would do.”
Pei Ningyu’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, like a leopard poised to sink its fangs into its prey’s throat. His slender fingers rubbed against his thumb.
“Sidu, really.”
“After presenting as a beta, the first thing you should do is strengthen our friendship, don’t you think?”
Pei Ningyu’s dark eyes gleamed like obsidian, translucent under the light.
“Only then would I have a reason to help you. You know I can’t disclose the Crown Prince’s whereabouts.”
Xu Sidu’s tightly furrowed brows relaxed instantly. He lowered his head, his attitude unprecedentedly sincere: “I swear I won’t misuse the opportunity. As an Imperial soldier, my loyalty to the Empire is beyond question. If you assist me, I’ll do everything in my power to serve you. Please consider it.”
Xu Sidu, who usually maintained the reserved demeanor of a noble heir, treated Pei Ningyu with even greater reverence.
“…”
Pei Ningyu feigned hesitation, as if deeply conflicted.
Then, he quickly answered: “Fine.”
Pretending to be reluctantly persuaded, he sighed. “You don’t have much time. The Crown Prince will only be at the Royal Disciplinary Institute until six o’clock… You have about fifteen minutes to get there.”
“…”
Xu Sidu’s expression shifted gradually. His dark eyes dimmed, and his lips pressed into a tight line.
He angrily punched the desk with a loud “bang,” sending the celestial globe crashing to the floor: “Pei Ningyu, did you not get enough of your brother’s whip last time?”
Pei Ningyu’s expression remained unchanged, not even the slightest shift in the curve of his lips. Only at the mention of “your brother” did the veins on his slender hand, resting on the silver chair arm, suddenly bulge.
How dare Xu Sidu bring up that whipping incident.
Almost everyone around them knew that although he and Pei Xu were blood brothers, their relationship was terrible. Pei Xu, relying on his status as the elder brother, disciplined him harshly, with nothing but beatings and scoldings!
All he had done was “accidentally” injure the Crown Princess’s only son during training, and Pei Xu had forced him to apologize. What was there to fear from a Crown Princess who had long been marginalized from the core?
.There were many, many incidents like this.
Pei Ningyu’s mood grew increasingly gloomy, but on the surface, he remained as composed as ever. Lowering his eyes, he appeared utterly docile as he patiently pressed, “What’s wrong? I was just kindly informing you. Do you want me to be whipped by Pei Xu again?”
The boy’s eyes were clear, black and white: “Sidu, I thought we were good friends.”
Choked with rage, Xu Sidu’s voice seemed to squeeze through the cracks of his throat: “The Crown Prince personally arrived at the front lines yesterday, escorted by the Platinum Fleet.”
Pei Ningyu’s dark pupils fixed on Xu Sidu with amused interest. Compared to Xu Sidu’s furious tone, his voice remained calm and indifferent.
“Oh, so you knew.”
The boy, who had just seemed genuinely concerned for his friend, now appeared like a completely different person all traces of worry gone, replaced by a careless smile. “After presenting as a beta, you still have the mind to care about the Crown Prince’s affairs… It seems you don’t quite understand your situation yet.”
Xu Sidu’s face darkened. He had long known of Pei Ningyu’s irreverence, but he never expected him to joke at a time like this. Abandoning all pretense of decorum, his voice dripped with disgust: “Pei Ningyu, there’s a chance you’ll present as a beta too.”
“Do you think you can keep acting so recklessly without General Pei’s influence? What difference is there between you and me? On the day you present as a beta, will your brother even care about you? Aren’t you afraid?”
Pei Ningyu dropped the act as well. He leaned closer, his stunning face now even clearer in Xu Sidu’s vision, cutting him off: “Tell me, if I demanded you from the Xu family right now, wouldn’t they strip you bare and send you over without hesitation…?”
Pei Ningyu murmured softly.
“You probably won’t live to see the day I present as a beta… What a shame.”
Xu Sidu was left speechless by Pei Ningyu’s taunt. His expression stiffened as he simply glared coldly at him.
“Fine. Kneel and kowtow to apologize to me now.”
The smile vanished from Pei Ningyu’s face as he stared down at Xu Sidu with icy disdain. “Then I might consider giving you some time to adjust to begging me after you’re delivered instead of breaking you right away.”
Xu Sidu’s face was as dark as storm clouds. A wave of helplessness washed over him, his anger making his voice tremble: “I’ll relay every word of yours to Major General Pei.”
“This time, the Crown Prince won’t be around to plead for mercy on your behalf in front of General Pei!”
Immediately, Xu Sidu picked up a book from the table and hurled it at Pei Ningyu’s face on the holographic screen, hitting the communicator’s switch and causing his figure to vanish from Pei Ningyu’s sight.
