Chi Yin stared at the news image on his optical computer, his eyes filled with disbelief.
The man who had been mocking Luo Wenchuan just moments ago now had fingers trembling slightly.
The voice coming from behind sent chills down his spine.
As soon as Luo Wenchuan finished speaking, the others froze for a few seconds before realizing the implications of his words.
Quickly, Yu Wan, Chi Yu, and the Yun couple frantically opened their optical computers to check the royal press conference they had missed due to the engagement banquet.
When that handsome, familiar face appeared in the news, everyone turned in shock to look at Luo Wenchuan sitting on the bench.
It was as if they had seen a ghost.
Chi Yin was the first to react. True to his reputation as a cunning old fox who had spent years maneuvering in the military, he immediately dropped to one knee and apologized to Luo Wenchuan: “This subordinate was blind and deserves death! These past days, I’ve been preoccupied with military affairs and my son’s engagement banquet, so I missed the royal press conference. Moreover, Your Highness is so refined nothing like someone raised on a barren planet which is why I failed to recognize you.
His words carefully balanced flattery toward Luo Wenchuan with reminders of his own military contributions, deftly turning his earlier mockery into sycophantic praise.
However, this tactic seemed ineffective against Luo Wenchuan.
“What should someone raised on a barren planet look like?” Luo Wenchuan asked casually, lifting his eyes calmly.
Chi Yin felt immense pressure from Luo Wenchuan’s composed tone. He hadn’t expected the newly appointed heir to pose such a question.
As a general, he couldn’t openly voice discriminatory remarks about those from barren planets, so he swiftly changed the subject: “I never imagined I’d have the honor of meeting Your Highness here today. It brings me immense joy.”
“You’re celebrating too soon.” Luo Wenchuan locked eyes with Chi Yin and enunciated each word, “General Chi Yin, you exploited your authority to obtain classified intelligence from the Research Institute and used it for transactions, putting the Empire’s core technology at risk of leakage.”
“That alone is enough to strip you of your rank or even your life. Do you understand?”
Chi Yin’s legs instantly weakened. What had been a one-knee kneel turned into him collapsing onto both knees.
Yu Wan and Chi Yu were equally terrified, but under the weight of Luo Wenchuan’s commanding gaze, they didn’t dare utter a single word in their defense.
“Y-Your Highness, I this subordinate would never leak core technology,” Chi Yin stammered, sweat pouring down his face as he struggled to maintain composure. “The information I mentioned was merely hearsay. I beg Your Highness to see the truth.”
“I will see the truth.” Luo Wenchuan’s voice was icy as he stared at Chi Yin. “And you will face the consequences you deserve.”
Beyond the threat, Chi Yin detected a trace of disgust in his tone.
And that faint trace of disgust was enough to jeopardize the prestige the Chi family had painstakingly maintained.
Chi Yin quickly realized Luo Wenchuan’s hatred for the Chi family stemmed from his affection for Yun Xingze.
“Your Highness, today’s events were not what this subordinate wished for either,” Chi Yin clenched his fists, his tone shifting from earlier mockery to one of solemn grief. “Xingze’s actions have pained me deeply! I’m willing to do anything for his recovery even caring for him at his bedside!”
His words were earnest, each one spoken with conviction.
If it weren’t for the fact that Yun Changsheng and Qin Shuang had just been mocked by Chi Yin, they might have believed him.
Watching Chi Yin’s complete shift to a groveling attitude, Yun Changsheng felt a surge of vindication, so satisfying that he nearly forgot his own name.
Chi Yin continued earnestly, “Allowing harm to come to His Highness’s beloved is my failure as a subordinate. I deserve death.”
Luo Wenchuan’s narrow eyes were icy and devoid of emotion. “Then die.”
Terrified, Chi Yin immediately kowtowed to Luo Wenchuan, repeatedly begging for forgiveness.
Chi Yu, who had always looked down on Luo Wenchuan, watched from the side, seething with frustration yet powerless to do anything.
Yu Wan even pulled Chi Yu down to kneel before Luo Wenchuan and apologize.
For the sake of the Chi family’s safety, Chi Yu had no choice but to comply. Yet his fingers dug so deeply into his palms that they pierced his flesh.
Chi Yu had always despised Luo Wenchuan a nobody from a backwater planet. But when he opened his communicator earlier, both his class and school team group chats were exploding.
Everyone was spamming messages like, “The Second Prince was right beside us all along?” and “The heir is actually our classmate?!”
Only then did Chi Yu realize that Luo Wenchuan hadn’t engaged in arguments with him not out of inferiority, but out of sheer disdain.
The thought only deepened his humiliation.
This overwhelming sense of disgrace left Chi Yu in a daze, as if trapped in a nightmare.
How had Luo Wenchuan, overnight, become the imperial heir—second only to the Emperor and above all others?!
“Right and wrong will be judged by the law,” Luo Wenchuan said coldly to the Chi family, unmoved by their apologies. “From now on, stay away from Xingze. Get out.”
The Chi family dared not protest, hastily agreeing before retreating with bowed heads.
Once outside the hospital, Chi Yin’s formal suit was drenched in sweat.
He had never felt this tense, not even before battle.
“That was terrifying,” Yu Wan exhaled shakily, her makeup smeared by sweat. “God, that kid turned out to be the Second Prince, and now the heir? How could this happen?!”
Both father and son wore grim expressions.
Chi Yin was worried about his political career, while Chi Yu was furious that Luo Wenchuan had forbidden him from approaching Yun Xingze.
Even though Yun Xingze had removed his gland, Chi Yu’s feelings for him hadn’t diminished in the slightest.
“Darling, do you think once Yun Xingze wakes up, he might ask the Second Prince to help the Yun family against us?” Yu Wan asked fearfully, her voice trembling. “He, he’s going to be the future King!”
The word “King” alone was enough to make their blood run cold.
Over the years, the Chi family had been involved in plenty of shady dealings.
If Luo Wenchuan decided to investigate, they would be in serious trouble.
Chi Yin’s face darkened. After a moment of thought, he said, “It’s unlikely. The Yun family were accomplices in harming Xingze. He despises them even more. Why would he help them?”
“That’s true…” Yu Wan relaxed slightly, though her expression remained uneasy. “Still, I can’t shake this worry. If Yun Xingze really becomes the prince’s consort, he’ll definitely come after us.”
“That probably won’t happen either,” Chi Yin said gravely. “He removed his gland. Unless it’s restored, the royal family would never allow him to be consort.”
Even so, the Chi family couldn’t help but remain deeply unsettled.
After all, Luo Wenchuan’s performance just now had fully embodied the demeanor of an emperor—cold, majestic, unapproachable, even carrying a hint of murderous intent.
“What rotten luck,” Chi Yin cursed inwardly with regret. “How did that brat Yun Xingze get so fortunate to latch onto such a formidable character? His glands better never recover. If he becomes the Second Prince’s consort, we’re done for.”
Chi Yu couldn’t help interjecting, “Father, how can you say such things.”
“Shut your mouth!” Chi Yin glared at him. “Haven’t I done all this for you? If you hadn’t stubbornly chosen Yun Xingze, how could things have come to this?”
Chi Yu retorted angrily, “Weren’t you just after the Yun family’s mecha resources?!”
Yu Wan quickly tried to mediate, “Alright, alright, let’s not argue. We should head back first.”
In stark contrast to the chaotic Chi family, the Yun couple appeared pleasantly surprised.
“Tell me,” Yun Changsheng whispered excitedly to Qin Shuang, barely containing his enthusiasm, “how could the illustrious Second Prince possibly take a liking to our son? This is simply unbelievable!”
As he spoke, Yun Changsheng cautiously glanced at the handsome man nearby, then pulled up the news interface on his light brain to carefully compare the man with the photos. The news broadcast covered the royal press conference, including footage of the Second Prince leaving midway.
“Look, the Second Prince rushed off immediately after hearing about that law it shows how much he cares about Xingze,” Yun Changsheng pointed out excitedly. “And even though he left abruptly, the King still confirmed him as the heir! This proves how highly the King regards him!”
Qin Shuang stared blankly at the news. She too was astonished. The young man from the barren planet they’d always looked down upon turned out to be a royal heir. And he cared so deeply for Yun Xingze that he’d risked his throne to rush to the hotel and save him.
Yun Changsheng had already begun viewing Luo Wenchuan as his son-in-law, growing more satisfied by the minute. He then closed his light brain, stood up cautiously, and approached Luo Wenchuan with flattery, “Ahem, I, uh, I am Xingze’s father. I failed to recognize your eminence earlier, Your Highness. Please forgive my ignorance.”
Luo Wenchuan barely lifted his eyelids, giving Yun Changsheng a cold glance without responding.
“Your Highness, our Xingze is an exceptional Omega, as you must know,” Yun Changsheng continued eagerly. “He’s kind-hearted, skilled at laundry and cooking, and most importantly, he has such a gentle temperament.”
At this, Luo Wenchuan recalled Yun Xingze chasing opponents across the battlefield with murderous intent. He raised his eyes to meet Yun Changsheng’s gaze, his expression profoundly meaningful.
Yun Changsheng felt slightly uneasy under the Second Prince’s scrutiny but pressed on, “Actually, I’ve always hoped Xingze would find happiness and belonging. If Your Highness favors him, it would be our Yun family’s greatest honor. I heard Your Highness enjoys mechas; our company has many—”
“The happiness you brought him was forcing him to remove his glands?” Luo Wenchuan interrupted coldly.
The murderous edge in Luo Wenchuan’s tone terrified Yun Changsheng so much he nearly collapsed to his knees like Chi Yin had.
“I… I-I was wrong. ” Yun Changsheng’s voice trembled. “Your Highness, I truly never imagined things would turn out this way. I also hope Xingxing’s gland can be saved. Please don’t blame me, and please don’t let this make you dislike Xingze.”
Luo Wenchuan stood up impatiently, throwing out a curt “Stop bothering me” before walking straight to the distant window, completely ignoring Yun Changsheng’s fawning.
Seeing Luo Wenchuan’s cold attitude, Yun Changsheng asked Qin Shuang worriedly: “Do you think the Second Prince might stop liking Xingze because he cut his gland?”
Qin Shuang replied: “Hard to say.”
Yun Changsheng was immediately filled with regret, slapping his thigh in remorse: “Why did we insist on making Xingze marry Chi Yu? This is like picking up sesame seeds only to lose a watermelon! That bastard Chi Yin even mocked us earlier. Who do they think they are? And Xingze too, why would he do something so foolish?”
Qin Shuang gave him a cold look: “Wasn’t it because you provoked him with harsh words at the banquet?”
Hearing this, Yun Changsheng felt even more regretful and began slapping his own face repeatedly: “My big mouth, my stupid big mouth. ”
He did this partly for Luo Wenchuan’s benefit, but also because he genuinely regretted his actions.
After the self-punishment, Yun Changsheng clasped his hands together and prayed fearfully toward the closed operating room doors: “Gods above, please let Xingxing’s gland be alright. I still want to become the imperial uncle. Please don’t let him become a Beta.”
Just then, the operating room doors suddenly opened.
The lead surgeon emerged.
Both Qin Shuang and Yun Changsheng froze momentarily before rushing forward.
Qin Shuang asked: “Doctor, is Xingze out of danger?”
“He’s no longer in life-threatening condition, but remains unconscious,” the doctor replied.
“What about his gland?” Yun Changsheng pressed anxiously. “Can his gland be saved?!”
The doctor fell silent.
At that moment, Luo Wenchuan strode over from the distance, frowning as he asked the doctor: “Well?”
“The patient’s wound was bandaged promptly, so the bleeding was stopped. His physical condition is stable,” the doctor said slowly, looking at Luo Wenchuan. “However, his gland sustained severe damage. Its ability to synthesize pheromones has completely failed…”
The doctor paused, then continued under their stunned gazes: “The patient… has become a Beta.”
