Luo Wenchuan frowned, thought for a moment, and then dialed Zhuo Feiyue’s communication line.
Zhuo Feiyue seemed to have just returned from his morning exercise, looking quite energetic.
When he answered the call, he enthusiastically said to Luo Wenchuan, “Your Highness, what brings you to call me today?”
“Professor Zhuo, I want to ask you something,” Luo Wenchuan said in a serious tone. “If pheromone matching isn’t found in the database, can an Alpha still complete a mark on an Omega?”
Zhuo Feiyue answered without hesitation, “Of course not.”
Luo Wenchuan pursed his lips and slowly said, “But last night, when I was drunk, I temporarily marked Yun Xingze.”
Zhuo Feiyue froze in place, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg.
After a long while, he finally snapped out of his daze and exclaimed in shock, “You, you, you marked Yun Xingze?!”
Luo Wenchuan nodded somewhat awkwardly.
“Your Highness, you’re full of surprises! Moving so fast! Aren’t you two still in the middle of the competition.” Zhuo Feiyue beamed with joy, but then suddenly realized something was off. “Wait, if this is true, then there’s no way you and Yun Xingze wouldn’t match…”
Luo Wenchuan looked at Zhuo Feiyue and slowly said, “So, is there a possibility that the matching database has malfunctioned?”
“That’s impossible,” Zhuo Feiyue said blankly. “The current matching system is already very advanced. How could there be a malfunction.”
After that, both of them fell into silence.
Zhuo Feiyue naturally hoped their pheromones would match. He had always wished for the Second Prince to find his own happiness.
So, Zhuo Feiyue said to Luo Wenchuan, “How about I help you run another test?”
Luo Wenchuan pondered for a moment before replying, “If the database is faulty, no amount of testing will help.”
“We can try a different testing method,” Zhuo Feiyue said earnestly, looking at Luo Wenchuan. “For example, taking both of your pheromones directly to the lab for a compatibility test. That way, the results would definitely be accurate.”
Luo Wenchuan was slightly taken aback.
Then, hesitantly, he asked, “Direct pheromone testing?”
Zhuo Feiyue nodded and then inquired, “Last night, were there any residual pheromones in your room?”
“The pheromones from last night were all eliminated,” Luo Wenchuan said, pressing his lips together.
Zhuo Feiyue asked again, “Then, do you have any of Yun Xingze’s pheromones saved? Even if it’s just a trace from an accidental contact before, a tiny amount would be enough for testing.”
At this, Luo Wenchuan suddenly seemed to remember something. He looked up at Zhuo Feiyue and slowly said, “Accidental contact… yes, there is.”
He then told Zhuo Feiyue about the existence of the black umbrella.
“That’s perfect!” Zhuo Feiyue’s face lit up with a wide smile, his voice brimming with anticipation. “Then I’ll go ahead and run the test for you right away. Conveniently, your pheromone sample is already stored in the royal hospital.”
After ending the call, Luo Wenchuan felt both hope and nervousness in his heart.
He didn’t know what the test results would reveal.
But no matter what, he knew the person he loved was Yun Xingze. This had nothing to do with pheromones or compatibility.
Just as Luo Wenchuan was about to head to Yun Xingze’s room to confess his feelings, an encrypted communication suddenly connected to his neural interface.
For this particular call, Luo Wenchuan had no right to refuse.
In other words, this call was from the royal family.
Luo Wenchuan was slightly taken aback.
When the call connected, the virtual projection appearing on the screen was his royal liaison—Mekar.
Mekar was responsible for conveying the king and queen’s orders to Luo Wenchuan.
For more routine commands, he would have Zhuo Feiyue relay them.
When he personally made the call, it meant something significant had happened in the palace.
“Mekar,” Luo Wenchuan frowned slightly, his expression turning serious. “What’s the matter?”
“Dear Second Prince, I’m here to inform you of something,” Mekar smiled at Luo Wenchuan, though his tone remained coldly professional. “This weekend, please return to the palace.”
A trace of confusion flashed in Luo Wenchuan’s eyes as he asked, “What’s the reason?”
The king and queen knew he was participating in the NCLM. Unless something extraordinary had happened, it was unlikely they would summon him back mid-competition.
“Recently, a federal spy was captured on the Imperial Capital Star. After intense interrogation, he revealed a great deal of information,” Mekar replied unhurriedly. “One particular matter has concerned His Majesty, the Federation has begun focusing on the Starsea team, with special attention on you and an Omega named Yun Xingze.”
Shock flickered in Luo Wenchuan’s eyes. He instinctively blurted out, “It’s one thing if they suspect my identity, but why investigate Yun Xingze?!”
“Second Prince, forgive my bluntness,” Mekar said slowly, “but your relationship with that Omega seems rather unusual.”
The implication was clear. The Federation had taken notice of Yun Xingze precisely because Luo Wenchuan had grown too close to him.
“But he’s just my mecha engineer,” Luo Wenchuan said anxiously. “He knows nothing about.”
Mekar sighed and continued, “There’s no need to explain to me, Second Prince. The priority now is ensuring your safety and establishing the heir as soon as possible.”
Luo Wenchuan’s fingers tightened. “I’m not going back. I’ll return after the competition ends.”
If the Federation had set their sights on Yun Xingze, he needed to ensure the Omega’s safety.
Mekar responded politely yet firmly:
“This is a royal command.”
Luo Wenchuan froze. He couldn’t help but frown, about to argue further, when Mekar added, “Second Prince, you needn’t worry about Yun Xingze’s safety. While you’re away, we’ll arrange for his discreet protection.”
Still unconvinced, Luo Wenchuan remained uneasy.
Mekar coaxed patiently, “Second Prince, this return to the palace will likely involve the official announcement of your heir status. The stakes couldn’t be higher.”
At this point, Luo Wenchuan knew he had no choice but to comply.
“Then you must guarantee Xingze’s safety,” Luo Wenchuan said coldly, glaring at Mekar. “If anything happens to him, I won’t let you off.”
“You have my word,” Mekar assured. “Though, since you’re so concerned about Yun Xingze’s well-being, perhaps it would be best to maintain some distance until your heir status is confirmed.”
Luo Wenchuan fell silent at this suggestion.
After a polite farewell, Mekar ended the call.
Meanwhile, in Yun Xingze’s room early that morning.
As Yun Xingze washed up, he studied his reflection in the mirror.
On his scent gland, there was a faint bite mark.
Yun Xingze wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt his metabolism had accelerated recently the tooth mark had faded to near invisibility.
Just as he finished washing up, Yun Xingze suddenly received a call from the Yun family.
It was Qin Shuang calling.
Last night, all the mecha companies on the Imperial Star had learned about the major move by the Research Institute, with Changsheng Group being the most well-informed among them.
Chi Yin had personally visited the Yun couple late at night and said, “Word has already spread from the Research Institute the first-generation psionic amplifier has been successfully developed. The exact amplification coefficient hasn’t been disclosed yet, but I suspect it’s around 1.5.”
Upon hearing this, Yun Changsheng’s water glass slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor.
Beside him, Qin Shuang widened her beautiful eyes in astonishment. “The psionic amplifier has been completed?! But wasn’t it said that they couldn’t find any test subjects?”
“I only found out recently that the Research Institute enlisted the help of some mysterious big shot,” Chi Yin frowned slightly. “Probably a military general or a genius-level Alpha from a mecha academy.”
“That’s incredible!”
Yun Changsheng stood up excitedly and hugged Chi Yin tightly, thanking him for bringing the news.
Qin Shuang also brought out the family’s finest red wine to entertain Chi Yin and promised to supply the latest mecha shipments to Chi Yin’s military unit.
With just a few words, Chi Yin had managed to reap substantial benefits from the Yun family.
However, his goal wasn’t these small gains.
After a moment, Chi Yin feigned distress and said, “Many mecha companies have caught wind of this and have been asking me for details.”
“You absolutely must not tell them!” Yun Changsheng immediately interjected. “This is monumental news. I guarantee that if our Yun family acquires the related technology, we’ll become the top mecha company in the entire galaxy!”
This wasn’t an empty boast; it was a future everyone could foresee.
The words “psionic amplifier” were simply too tantalizing for any mecha company.
“I don’t want to say anything either,” Chi Yin sighed, glancing at the couple. “But Liu, the CEO of Qilin Mecha Corporation, offered to betroth his Omega daughter to my son, Chi Yu. You know Liu, his daughter has an 80% compatibility rate with Chi Yu. ”
Hearing this, Yun Changsheng immediately understood his implication.
Slapping his thigh, Yun Changsheng declared, “Old Chi, you should think carefully about this. Our Xingze has an 89% compatibility rate with Chi Yu!”
Chi Yin’s eyes flickered as he slowly replied, “But I heard Yun Xingze doesn’t think much of my son.”
“Nonsense! That’s just childish temper!” Yun Changsheng waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure their marriage goes smoothly. Omegas just need a little coaxing. Chi Yu is just too straightforward.”
Chi Yin murmured, “Even so, Yun Xingze has been performing exceptionally well in NCLM. I imagine many Alphas have taken notice of him. Would Chi Yu still have a chance?”
“His heart definitely belongs to Chi Yu,” Yun Changsheng said confidently. “No matter how good other Alphas are, could they possibly compare to your Chi Yu?”
“Well, if you say so, I’ll reconsider,” Chi Yin stood up, a faint smirk curling his lips. “This weekend, Liu was planning to discuss it with me.”
“Old Chi, what are you still hesitating about?” Yun Changsheng grew impatient. “Their marriage is definitely going to happen!”
