Chi Zhan froze, then murmured another soft “Thank you.”
He hadn’t expected Tang Ling to be such a thoughtful person. Up until now, he’d seen him purely as a rival…
The guilt hit him hard.
“Tang Ling. Next time we meet, we’ll be opponents. Let’s have a fair match.”
“Why not have a match with me?” Xiao Xing interjected grumpily. “If you lose, you’re not allowed to run away again!”
“Let’s talk about that next time,” Chi Zhan replied calmly, pulling out Xiao Xing’s nameplate and handing it back to him.
Xiao Xing’s tone was curt: “I gave it to you. Don’t return it.”
Chi Zhan ignored him and shoved it back into his pocket before briskly walking away.
Betas were quick by nature. Xiao Xing lunged to catch him but grabbed nothing but air, his face instantly darkening.
His amnesiac gege was driving him absolutely crazy—equal parts love and hate!
Just as Cen Chi was about to leave, someone stepped in to block his path.
It was Tang Ling.
“What just happened—don’t tell anyone,” Tang Ling said coolly. “Or deal with the consequences.”
“That’s exactly what I was going to say to you,” Cen Chi replied.
Their eyes met. Both of them sharp-minded, it took only a few seconds to silently strike a deal.
Before leaving, Cen Chi patted Qi Song’s shoulder with a slight smile. “Fate willing, we’ll meet again.”
Only Qi Song and Chu Xingxiao remained.
Leaning against a tree trunk with one leg propped up, Chu Xingxiao said, “That little sleight of hand just now—why didn’t you dodge?”
Cen Chi’s move had been subtle, but not fast enough to escape an Alpha’s keen vision.
“A normal Beta wouldn’t have noticed it,” Qi Song said calmly, brushing off an almost imperceptible trace of powder from his shoulder. “No need to make trouble for myself.”
“You saw it too, then. That Cen Chi guy doesn’t seem like a real Beta.” Chu Xingxiao narrowed his eyes. “What, is it trendy to pretend to be a Beta these days? Just like you?”
Qi Song didn’t respond. He merely shot Chu Xingxiao a look.
“What’s wrong? In a rush to chase after your little gege?” Qi Song smirked. “He clearly didn’t want you to catch up—that’s why he bolted. Even if he wanted to leave, he could’ve at least told me. So tell me—what exactly happened back there?”
Finally, Chu Xingxiao’s true purpose surfaced. His eyes narrowed with intent.
He had been deliberately stalling Qi Song.
The scent marker he left was enough to track Chi Zhan. But Qi Song, still posing as a “Beta,” couldn’t openly mark him. In a forest this vast, hoping to “accidentally” run into Chi Zhan again would be near impossible. Chu Xingxiao knew that—and that’s why he hadn’t immediately gone after him.
After a brief silence, Qi Song asked, “What exactly do you want to know?”
“Don’t play dumb,” Chu Xingxiao snapped. “My gege’s naturally cautious. There’s no way he’d just fall asleep in a stranger’s arms during a training assessment. Even an idiot would think something’s off.”
“Would they now?” Qi Song said quietly, his lips curving into a faint smile.
He rarely smiled. Normally he was like a walking glacier. But when he did smile—it rarely meant anything good.
“He remembers me,” Qi Song said simply. “Is that the answer you were afraid to hear? Too bad. It looks like he’s completely forgotten you.”
“You—what the hell are you talking about?” Chu Xingxiao retorted instantly. “You think I’ll buy that crap? He doesn’t even remember your name! His entire past has been sealed. You seriously expect me to believe that nonsense? At least make up something more convincing.”
“You failed—so you assume I did too?” Qi Song said coolly. “You tried to keep him by your side, even used handcuffs on him. You knew he couldn’t beat you in a fight, so you used brute force and petty tricks. But it still didn’t work—he still doesn’t remember you.”
“I’m not like you.”
“He remembers me. That’s why he could sleep so peacefully.”
Qi Song was never a talkative person—especially after Chi Zhan left. He barely spoke, as if saving his words built power within him.
But each word he did say hit Chu Xingxiao squarely in the chest, sharp and precise.
Chu Xingxiao was so furious he couldn’t even speak.
Under normal circumstances, Qi Song probably wouldn’t have gone this far. But today, after seeing the red marks on Chi Zhan’s wrist—clear signs of struggle—he didn’t hold back in the slightest.
“He is His Highness. Not someone you can treat however you please. Do you understand that?” Qi Song’s voice dropped, steely and low. “Put away your childish tantrums. The situation is extremely dangerous. We might be under surveillance already. If we’re not careful—not just you and I, but he……he could end up in grave danger.”
Chu Xingxiao deflated like a balloon with a pinhole. He stayed quiet for a long time before murmuring hoarsely, “I know. It’s just…”
He dragged a hand across his face, voice ragged.
The person he had dreamed of, longed for, day and night for all those years—had finally appeared before him. It felt like a dream.
But unlike Qi Song, he didn’t have that same ironclad self-control. The affection that had once sprouted like a sapling had grown wild and tangled, impossible even for him to restrain.
And yet, all he saw now was a stranger.
Surprise. Joy. Hurt. Confusion. Anger.
All of it came rushing in, and he still had to pretend like nothing was wrong, forced to come up with some excuse just to approach his own brother.
It was too much.
He couldn’t accept it—this reality, where his gege no longer remembered him.
***
Chi Zhan leaned behind a tree, looking up at the sky. The light had all but faded. The temperature dropped sharply as darkness swallowed the forest, turning everything pitch black. The landscape around him was barely visible anymore.
It was already night.
Time, right now, was as precious as gold. They only had two short days. Anyone who didn’t collect enough points would be eliminated.
Chi Zhan’s top target, naturally, was the Crown Prince.
They’d fought briefly once before—but it had been rushed, unprepared, and far from a proper match. Chi Zhan had been left with deep regret.
