Jealously

This teaching​‌⁠⁠​‍⁠​​‍⁠‌‍⁠​⁠‍⁠​​‍‌​⁠ session not only stunned the entire First Legion but also shocked a group of elderly academicians—oh wait, a group of “dandelions”— the white-haired academicians.

The academicians were well aware of Jiang Ci’s situation, but knowing and seeing are two different things. When they witnessed firsthand that the once weak omega child, who couldn’t even lift a simple mechanical part, could now pilot a SS class mecha and spar with the strongest Legion Commander in the empire.

Only now did they truly realize the tremendous growth and transformation Jiang Ci had gone through. While their hearts ached with a bittersweet feeling, they also noticed something strange.

Although these academicians had devoted their lives to research and knew little about close-quarters mecha combat, they could still recognize who was piloting Wan Jiang’s and Bai Ze’s mechas. Even an outsider could tell that Bai Ze’s performance fluctuated drastically during the battle.

——This was a teaching match.

And Bai Ze’s driver alternated between two people.

It’s just that the instructor was a little strange. If they weren’t mistaken, he was that strange young man who had stood on top of the Zerg general. After all, everyone had seen him enter Bai Ze’s cockpit.

Although the existence of higher-level Zergs was known, humanity’s general impression of Zergs remained that of massive, terrifying, and grotesque creatures. Plus, Zergs were known for brute strength, clawing, and biting in combat. Who would have thought they could pilot mechas?

Yet Jiang Ci’s introduction left no room for doubt.

[He is the highest-ranking commander of the Zergs.]

But the scariest part wasn’t this—it was the next sentence:

[He’s also the person I’m currently dating.]

This news hit them like a bolt from the blue.

Deputy Director Zheng was the most shaken. Of all the academicians, he had been Jiang Ci’s hands-on mentor during his year in the academy’s youth program and had the deepest affection for him, as well as the highest expectations.

“He… Xiao Jiang, you… you two…”

Deputy Director Zheng was so shocked he couldn’t even form a complete sentence. It was only after the truth was laid bare that they noticed the faint alpha pheromones lingering around Jiang Ci.

At first, they assumed it was just from being in an alpha-dominated military camp, but upon closer inspection, they realized it was the unmistakable scent of a complete mark.

However, despite Jiang Ci revealing this bombshell, he wasn’t immediately showered with blessings from his teachers.

“Ah…!”

Although no one openly voiced their opposition, the revelation still caused one of the older academicians to slap their thigh in frustration.

Jiang Ci was an omega, and it wasn’t unusual for an omega to be marked by an alpha after reaching adulthood. In fact, the unusual thing was that Jiang Ci hadn’t been marked until now.

Omegas in all professions had difficulty advancing, mainly because they were sheltered before adulthood and then restricted by heat cycles two to three times a year, making it hard for them to work normally.

In the eyes of most people, omegas—being so delicate and dependent—were like vines clinging to alphas, unable to live independently.

But Jiang Ci was different. For nine years after reaching adulthood, he had endured the excruciating pain that made other omegas shudder at the mere thought, resisting his omega instincts. This had made many academicians proud of him, seeing in him the potential to go much further.

—If only he chose to return to academia.

This was the second reason they had braved the dangers of coming to Bright City.

But now, Jiang Ci had been fully marked. This meant he might follow the path of many omegas, fading into the background. And to make matters worse, the one who had marked him wasn’t even an ordinary alpha, or a human at all—

It was a high-ranking Zerg!

This raised serious concerns. Could a Zerg even develop the same protective instincts toward an omega that a human alpha would? Could this strange and unprecedented bond truly be right?

Huo Xianfeng, sharp as ever, quickly sensed the gloomy atmosphere. Though he didn’t particularly care about the group of stiff old academicians, he did care about his wife, so he still greeted him.

With a casual wave, the young man cheerfully said, “Yo, good evening, old geezers…”

Thud!

The Major General immediately elbowed him with an expressionless face, so the latter immediately changed his words,

“Ahem, I mean, good evening, professors.”

“……”

The group of rigid old academicians collectively fell into silence.

The atmosphere was painfully awkward.

A few seconds later, Deputy Director Zheng finally sighed and gave Huo Xianfeng a kindly smile, the kind that you saw an elder give to a younger generation.

“Hello, Mr. Xiao Huo.”

This demonstrated the deputy director’s grace. “Xiao Huo” conveyed closeness, while “Mr.” added a touch of respect.

The other old academicians quickly composed themselves as well.

In truth, they didn’t dislike Huo Xianfeng; their concern and regret were more for Jiang Ci.

But after Deputy Director Zheng spoke, everyone at least maintained polite appearances, though it stopped at simple greetings.

This allowed Jiang Ci to breathe a small sigh of relief. He had consciously tried to integrate Huo Xianfeng into his world, but it seemed it was not going to be easy.

While Jiang Ci was racking his brain for a way to keep the conversation going and ease the awkwardness, he suddenly heard Deputy Director Zheng ask,

“Mr. Xiao Huo, when are you two planning to get married?”

“…”

The question was so abrupt that even Huo Xianfeng was momentarily stunned.

Huh?

M-Marriage???

Jiang Ci was in shock, and it felt like every cell in his body had been jolted awake.

“No! No! Wait!”

Jiang Ci quickly stepped forward, blocking Huo Xianfeng from the old man who seemed about to dive into even more personal questions.

“Wait! Zheng… Teacher Zheng, this is… way too sudden…”

Even his uncle had never asked him such a question.

It was rare to see Major General Jiang flustered and at a loss in front of others. He had always worked hard to maintain his image of maturity, calmness, strength, and sharpness, so seeing him in such a state was quite unusual.

“We’ve only just started, and the current situation is incredibly tense and dangerous. It’s not the right time to think about such matters…”

Compared to Jiang Ci’s flustered response, Deputy Director Zheng remained calm, as if he hadn’t asked an awkward or difficult question at all.

Because typically, once an omega is fully marked, they will be bond to their alpha, and the next step would be marriage, followed by being kept at home by the alpha.

This was the very thing the teachers had been most worried about regarding Jiang Ci as an omega.

At this point, Deputy Director Zheng confirmed with Jiang Ci,

“So, you won’t be getting married anytime soon, right?”

Jiang Ci froze for a moment. “…Yes.”

As he gave his answer, Jiang Ci wanted to glance at Huo Xianfeng, but he suddenly found he lacked the courage. Even though Jiang Ci was certain about their mutual feelings, there were just too many obstacles between them.

The current tense situation, the conspiracy of the Illusory God Church, the plight of the Capital, and the unresolved blood feud between humans and the Zergs—all of these were hurdles in their path.

So, in the short term, marriage wasn’t going to happen.

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The elderly scholar placed his hand on Jiang Ci’s shoulder, his knobby fingers exerting a pressure Jiang Ci found hard to bear.

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For instance, they knew about the child skipping grades to get into the military academy, training alongside alphas, participating in various military competitions, eventually earning a spot in the First Legion, and finally being awarded the rank of Major General after seven years of accumulated military achievements.

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It was unimaginable how difficult it had been for an omega to accomplish all of this. They were proud of him—for his hard work, his resilience, and his achievements.

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In their eyes, Jiang Ci was destined to inherit Jiang Jinsheng’s legacy. Even though he was an omega, the glory brought by Jiang Jinsheng’s accomplishments and Jiang Ci’s innate talent were more than enough to overcome the disadvantages of his gender.

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“The recent repairs to the Forbidden Abyss, the restoration of the temple, and the decoding of the core brain—you have a sharper instinct than us old scholars. So I can confidently say that over these years, you haven’t given up, nor have you stagnated. You’ve continued learning and progressing.”

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“……”

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“Sorry, but I have to interrupt.”

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“Teacher Zheng, is it? May I ask who told you that any alpha officer in the First Legion could replace him?”

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Jiang Ci froze. He looked up and saw the familiar side profile of Huo Xianfeng. The young man still looked indifferent, but suddenly, he seemed to be glowing.

Major General Jiang was taken aback.

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In fact, Jiang Ci hadn’t always been this resolute.

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Could all the efforts and pain really lead him to the future he envisioned?

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In this omegaverse world, this was an unchangeable law.

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So later on, Jiang Ci often envied He Zhun—envied that he could pursue what he loved, climbing step by step in his chosen field, shining brightly.

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He sat beside the recovery pod, carefully adjusting the proportions of the restoration fluids and monitoring Jiang Ci’s physical data. He Zhun’s focused, gentle expression reminded Jiang Ci of his father, and for the first time, Jiang Ci showed his most vulnerable side to the person he once despised the most.

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He Zhun was momentarily startled, and his hand lightly touched the glass. Despite the cold barrier of the pod, Jiang Ci felt a warmth that seemed impossible to experience.

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[It’s just that I don’t want you to force yourself to do things you don’t like because of a temporary shadow or a temporary hurdle that you can’t get over. ]

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[A-Ci, if you have the ability to protect yourself—and even protect many others—it would bring me great comfort and pride.]

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[So, whether this talent manifests as groundbreaking technology or unmatched battle strength, it’s your own power—something you’ve earned through your efforts that no one else can provide.]

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[The person you want to become can only truly be decided by you.]

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“Bai Ze is a SS mecha. I remember that, back when it chose its pilot, there was a military competition held across the entire Empire. In the end, as I recall, Jiang Ci defeated all contenders and was the only one to meet its required mental power threshold, right?”

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“You…!”

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“No, that’s not what I meant. I’m saying that compared to being a soldier, Jiang Ci is more suited to research. After all, the nation’s research capabilities are far more important than its military strenght…”

“—That’s your opinion,”

Huo Xianfeng interrupted,

“and your opinion shouldn’t interfere with another person’s life.”

It shouldn’t interfere with another person’s life…

In those words, it was implicit that, in Huo Xianfeng’s view, no one had the right to dictate his life.

“Even if we take your comparison of research and military strength, let me ask you this—”

“The establishment and prosperity of your human Empire to this point was not only due to Jiang Jinsheng, nor was it just due to the contribution of your Academy of Sciences.  It also took the sacrifices of people like Huo Chao, Zhou Jiuya and his countless soldiers who shed blood in battle, as well as Pei Changyun’s tireless policy management… And let’s not forget the countless ordinary people whose sacrifices are often unseen.”

“If you really want to compare, to weigh the scale, then you should first try comparing and calculating whose sacrifices over the centuries have truly been the most important.”

“Who is truly more noble than whom?”

“……”

At this moment, everyone fell silent.

From his time in confinement, Huo Xianfeng learned more than just combat skills. He had begun to understand this strange yet powerful species from the perspective of a King.

Huo Xianfeng was arrogant, but this was his arrogance toward individual humans. The more he learned about this civilization, the more admiration and respect he felt for it.

They lacked the Zergs’ powerful bodies and loyalty, yet they were still a remarkable and unique civilization.

Jiang Ci pulled down Huo Xianfeng’s arm from around his shoulder but he didn’t let go. Instead, he held onto his hand.

“Teacher, I have my own thoughts about my future path.” Jiang Ci showed a smile that was both apologetic yet resolute.

“Sorry, Teacher. We have something to attend to, so please get some rest.”

“…Alright.”

Jiang Ci took Huo Xianfeng’s hand and walked away. Once they were out of sight of the others, he started walking faster and then suddenly broke into a run, pulling Huo Xianfeng along.

Huo Xianfeng didn’t ask why or where they were going; he simply ran with him.

By now, the sun was nothing more than a sliver of red on the horizon, casting a blood-red hue across the distant sky as darkness began to fall.

All around them were crumbling ruins and scattered debris—a scene that looked straight out of the end of the world.

They ran through the desolation, as if headed for the world’s end without a second thought.

At that moment, watching Jiang Ci’s determined figure racing forward, Huo Xianfeng finally understood why Huo Chao always loved falling from high places, never tiring of something that seemed so pointless.

Because you could feel the wind.

—Because you could feel freedom.

This was exactly what Jiang Ci was feeling now—and what made him happy.

When the last bit of light finally faded and the world plunged into darkness, Jiang Ci stopped, breathing heavily from the long, fast-paced run. His cheeks were flushed, while Huo Xianfeng’s heartbeat and breathing remained steady and calm.

This was the natural physical difference between humans and the Zergs—an unbridgeable gap.

But Jiang Ci didn’t mind; even the exhaustion he felt at this moment brought him a deep sense of happiness and relief.

“Huo Xianfeng.”

He turned around and looked at the young man’s calm expression. In the dim light, he could barely make out Huo Xianfeng’s outline, so he reached out to hold his face.

“Hm?”

Jiang Ci’s hands traced his features, and after a long moment, he finally spoke in between his heavy breaths.

“You talked so much today.”

“…And you dragged me all the way out here just to tell me that?”

“Yes.”

The Major General gently stood up on his toes to kiss him.

“You talked too much… today… and that was my teacher…”

Just now Huo Xianfeng shocked the old man so much that his aged hands were shaking.

“What, feeling sorry for him?”

Huo Xianfeng pressed a hand to his waist and didn’t kiss him back, waiting for Jiang Ci to kiss him again.

“So… are you planning to shut me up this way?”

“…Mm.”

No more words were needed.

In the quiet of the night, only the sound of their intimate, affectionate kisses filled the air.

A long while later, Jiang Ci pulled back slightly, his breathing ragged. He reached out, wrapped his arms around Huo Xianfeng’s waist, and held him close, whispering softly,

“Actually, He Zhun told me something similar a long time ago. He said I should choose my own life, but…”

But back then, Jiang Ci hadn’t fully understood it, not until he met Huo Xianfeng.

Until, little by little, he learned and experienced so much from Huo Xianfeng. It was as if the young Jiang Ci had been accustomed to locking himself in that narrow, enclosed cabinet for years.

In the past, it was He Zhun who first opened that door and said, “I found you.”

But it was Huo Xianfeng who, rather than just opening the cabinet, pulled Jiang Ci out into the vastest world, guiding him to feel the winds of freedom together with him.

So now, in the end, Jiang Ci had finally fallen into a deep sea of love that he couldn’t escape from and was more than willing to drown.

But before he could finish speaking, Jiang Ci suddenly felt Huo Xianfeng grab the back of his collar and then he was lifted away by the other person with one hand.

“Then go find He Zhun.”

With that, Huo Xianfeng turned and walked off.

“…?”

Wait, what just happened?

Jiang Ci stood there stunned for a few seconds before quickly chasing after him.

“Huo Xianfeng—”

The Major General was genuinely at a loss. He hadn’t even finished rehearsing his confession, and the person he was confessing to had already turned around and walked away.

Huo Xianfeng said nothing and had a cold face, his long legs marched with such purpose that Jiang Ci had to practically jog to keep up.

“Hold on, I wasn’t done…”

“Hey, Huo Xianfeng, you’re not seriously jealous, are you?”

“He Zhun is like a brother to me…”

M1zushi: it’s in moments like this that you remember what made you first translate PRD 😭😭

Author has such a great pen to write such emotional moments when you don’t expect it. Seeing jiang ci truly run free with HXF like a burden had been thrown off his back, like a little child discovering how refreshing a gust of wind is on your face oshfkdslfkdskjfkdskj

Also HXF being jealous of HZ is never tiresome, he did lose major years of A-Ci’s life and he surely regrets that he didn’t wake up earlier to protect a-ci before everything happened. But if he did met a-ci before, would they truly echo with each other like they do now?