Chapter 61 Starlight "Look! They definitely don't have this!"...

After Similan arrived at the designated location, he began to set up the battlefield.

Unlike Cyril, he knew what his father wanted to do when the emperor pointed to those coordinates.

Cyril could never match him in this respect; he was personally taught by his father.

He was very familiar with Sklag II's tactics.

He also knew that his chances of survival in this battle were slim.

Whether it was for Shi Wei's sake, to impress his father, or for military power, it was all for the sake of his position.

He will do his best.

With Cyril and Jiang Guyuan together, familiar figures appeared one by one in the communications room.

Defense Minister Aker has already gone to the front lines—a star system bordering the Alliance. The upcoming major operation is bound to make the Alliance restless, and someone needs to be stationed there.

Their king's image appeared on the central screen, with a starship in the background.

According to the schedule, Sklag II will arrive at a defensive port east of the Fortress of Zanth in three days.

The area has been taken over by security agents, and everything is going smoothly.

This should be the last large-scale communication before the war, with all the high-ranking officials involved in the operation in place.

Aker briefly explained the arrangements at the front, and the next person to go was Cyril; all domestic affairs were now in his hands.

"The press office has already prepared the statements, which will be released one by one according to the schedule after the war begins. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already communicated with them, so you don't need to worry about the situation back home."

King Scolag II nodded, seemingly trusting his eldest son, and said, "This time, public opinion must be controlled. Manra made the first move, so there must be a plausible reason. Also, the mercenaries will manipulate public opinion, so you must deal with that carefully."

Cyril nodded. His task was troublesome, but it was also an opportunity to demonstrate his abilities.

In particular, Similan is also a key player in this match, and he cannot be overshadowed by his younger brother.

The father said to his younger brother, "We have discussed the previous plan many times, but anything can happen on the battlefield, and many times you have to make the decision yourself - you only have one goal, to delay Yi Lan as much as possible."

“I can’t force him. He’s a very cunning man. I can’t afford to lose another son.”

With Lu Qi absent, he was the busiest person, coordinating with various parties' actions, and now he basically lives at the Security Bureau.

Besides coordinating various tasks every day, he spent all his breathing time scolding Yi Lan.

The meeting ended quickly, and His Majesty left with the words "Do your best" before cutting off communication.

Similan and Cyril exchanged a glance, and surprisingly, his older brother actually said, "Be careful."

It's really strange that there's actually some kind of brotherly bond between them.

Oh.

Jiang Guyuan said to Xiruier, "Your Highness, please take a rest."

Cyril shook his head to indicate that he was fine. He couldn't sleep anyway, so he might as well handle official business and relieve some of the pressure on his father.

Jiang Chuge has recently been treated like a mule. He doesn't have the qualifications to be considered for the battlefield. The Similan region is going to be dangerous, but his father won't let him go, and he doesn't want to work with the Similan region either.

However, even the person who disliked Shi Wei the most would not question His Majesty's decision. The Manla Empire was martial, and if someone slapped you, you would never not retaliate. Therefore, Secretary Jiang pretended to bargain with the mercenaries, but in fact he had no hope of reaching an agreement.

The mercenaries didn't seem to be in a hurry either. While the two sides were playing a game of cat and mouse, His Majesty had already led 10,000 elite troops and set off.

Yes, the scenario Shi Wei feared most has come to pass—she has to bear the label of "femme fatale."

After seeing Hela off, Shi Wei was indeed conflicted for quite a while.

If she were to meet both of these Alphas at the same time and had to choose one, she would probably choose Yi Lan.

However, putting power aside, neither of them is a good choice.

But that's the strange thing about fate; how can we talk about it without considering power?

Shi Wei's feelings for His Majesty are the reason for her dilemma. This is not about finding allies or partners; it's about finding a partner.

She still likes His Majesty very much; his pheromones will interfere with her choices.

Sigh, why does she have to choose? She doesn't actually want to marry any of them.

She and His Majesty can play these little tricks, and even if they keep him occupied, there's nothing His Majesty can do. But Yi Lan can't do that. He's already impatient. I don't know if this guy watches too many soap operas—he says that marriage before love is the most secure option.

Shi Wei had been bothered by him for days and had a terrible headache.

Why is this guy so free? Didn't His Majesty talk to him about the ransom? Why hasn't he mentioned the ransom at all these past few days... Could it be that His Majesty has really given up on her?

Every day, Yi Lan instilled in her the idea that: Sklag II's bargaining means he thinks you're not worth that much = he doesn't love you anymore = he doesn't want you anymore.

At first, she was skeptical and hesitant, until she saw the detailed ransom list from Hela—

Shi Wei: "His Majesty agreed to these conditions. What's the difference between that and giving the empire to you?"

Hela shrugged: "If it were really about ransom, Manla would have agreed to two or three things and that would have been enough, but the commander had no intention of negotiating at all; he was just playing along with Manla."

Moreover, Yi Lan did something unethical.

With nothing to do, he would take Shiwei around to play.

Under the guise of cultivating their relationship, Shi Wei agreed and spent a day having fun with him outside, completely forgetting about home.

At first, Yi Lan dragged her there, but later she obediently waited for Yi Lan to pick her up every morning.

Because they are afraid of being discovered, they don't stay outside for long.

But in just a few days, Shi Wei had already seen many things she had never seen before—

Primeval forests, underground arenas, bustling black markets, gladiatorial arenas, and more.

This was a completely new world for an Omega who had grown up in a stable world.

In Shi Wei's own words:

"I never knew there could be so many people on the street!"

Shi Wei started playing, unaware that the Security Bureau had received a surprise from Yi Lan.

When Lu Qi saw the pile of photos, his lips twitched. He wanted to help Shi Wei, but information about Shi Wei would be sent directly to His Majesty.

His Majesty's starship had barely set sail when he saw those photos.

Yi Lan's inspiration came from Manla's frequent inquiries about Shi Wei's safety, so he installed an automatic tracking device to record his interactions with Shi Wei.

Hela then extracted some fragments and sent them to Manla.

"Hela, after you retire, go open an entertainment company, you'll definitely make money!" Yi Lan looked at the intimate photos with delight, chose his favorite one, and placed it in his cockpit.

King Slag II stared intently at the moving photograph—

The background was dim, probably the audience seats of an arena. The Omega he had been longing for day and night was holding a coconut bigger than her head, slurping the juice, and watching the match intently from the stands. She pointed at the stage with one finger and turned to ask the man next to her something.

Yi Lan sat next to her, but his attention was not on the stage at all. Instead, he propped his head up and looked at the Omega next to him.

He said something that angered Shi Wei, and the equally young and beautiful Omega, holding up the giant coconut, was about to smash it over Yi Lan's head.

Yi Lan laughed and dodged, begging for mercy repeatedly.

To outsiders, this scene looked exactly like that of an intimate young couple.

Lu Qi's illusory figure appeared quite embarrassed and somewhat restless during the communication.

He knew a lot and could guess that Yi Lan had some unusual feelings for Shi Wei—but when he saw these photos and His Majesty's expression, he couldn't help but marvel at this Omega's ability to attract attention.

It's bad enough that His Majesty's two sons have fallen into trouble, but now he's even hooked up with his mortal enemy.

That's really impressive.

King Sklag II calmly flipped through the photographs:

Two people were holding hands and jumping around on the suspended ladder.

Sometimes they smile especially happily, holding flowers in their hands.

Yi Lan was kicked in the shin by her, and pretended to be in a lot of pain.

There was also Yi Lan kissing her cheek.

...

These photos were taken from very discreet angles, which Shi Wei certainly didn't know about. But the less she knew, the more it revealed her true thoughts at the time.

Shi Wei's hair was dyed red by some jerk, while he dyed his own black, saying he wanted to keep a low profile and not be discovered by others.

Shi Wei, sporting a head of bright red hair, thought to herself: Isn't this flashy enough?

However, the color is indeed very beautiful. After changing into the mercenary uniform, it looks particularly vibrant, making the skin appear fair and the complexion healthy.

It looked great with a skirt, and Shi Wei found it quite novel, so she didn't insist on changing it back.

But this bright red color stung His Majesty's eyes.

Her playful banter and lively spirit pierced His Majesty's heart.

Lu Qi knew perfectly well that such a photograph, at this moment, would only shake the emperor's resolve and affect the subsequent attack. He risked his life to advise, "It's better for Miss Shi to be treated well than to be imprisoned, abused, and spend her days in tears..."

His Majesty remained silent. Lu Qi was at a loss, but he still had to comfort her: "If Miss Shi is in a better mood, you can rest assured, right? If Yi Lan treats her badly, you will definitely feel sorry for her."

He now regrets not having Jiang Guyuan's eloquence, and feels that no matter how he tries to comfort him, it will be in vain.

"Yes," His Majesty sighed, "it's better than her being bullied."

Lu Qi's face was somber, and he felt boundless sympathy for His Majesty. Shi Wei had dyed her hair red and looked happier than she had been in Manla. His Majesty's head... was a little green.

Now he not only has to pray that this special operation goes smoothly, but also that Shi Wei won't change his mind.

Otherwise, if His Majesty manages to win back the beauty after going through all the trouble, but the beauty has already changed her mind—how embarrassing would that be?

"It was my negligence that led to this situation, and I deserve this punishment," His Majesty said, sounding as if he were a victim of a great injustice.

Lu Qi didn't know how to respond, so he pretended not to hear and said, "We've already identified these locations through the photos, but the other side has obviously chosen the angles carefully, making them difficult to track."

...

Shi Wei was unaware that His Majesty had found out about her affair with Yi Lan. With the idea of ​​taking it one day at a time and enjoying herself one day at a time, she experienced the local customs and culture of the chaotic star field.

The happy time seemed to be short-lived. Soon Yi Lan was busy, saying that Manla had started to cause him trouble and was working with the business alliance to sabotage his industrial chain.

Shi Wei didn't pay much attention at first. The business alliance was just a small place. Apart from being rich, it was always in a position where anyone could bully it.

The empires led by the Manra Empire, the chaotic star system led by mercenaries, and the united star system mainly composed of alliances constitute the three major powers in the universe.

With three powers vying for power, the business alliance is caught in the middle and constantly bullied.

But Yi Lan became increasingly busy, and eventually he had no time to spend with her.

Even Shi Wei, who was unaware of the world's affairs and stayed in the core of the Grasshopper Fortress, realized that something was wrong.

Hela wasn't there either; she was forbidden from leaving the house.

So, is His Majesty starting to fight with the mercenaries?

Shi Wei was still a little touched, not expecting that His Majesty would not give up on her.

However, this feeling of being moved was accompanied by a strong worry about his own safety—would Yi Lan kill him?

About a week later, Yi Lan finally came to see her.

He looked no different than before, but Shi Wei noticed the coldness in his eyes and began to have doubts.

As usual, they ate, drank, and had fun. When it was time to go back, Yi Lan was silent for a while: "Where else do you want to go?"

His voice sounded very gentle, which was unusual for him all day.

Shi Wei had a feeling that she was about to be doomed, and cautiously asked, "Is this the last supper?"

Yi Lan chuckled, ruffled her hair, and said, "What are you thinking about? But this really is your last time out. The Business Alliance is still not behaving properly, I have to go and deal with them myself. You'll have to stay at Grasshopper Fortress for a while—"

"I'll take you out to play again when I get back."

Shi Wei looked at him for a while and then said "okay".

Neither of them were fools; they naturally knew that the other had discovered something, but they tacitly refrained from revealing it.

Halfway there, Yi Lan suddenly asked, "Do you really like looking at the stars?"

"Um?"

"Hela said there's a meteor shower nearby, shall we go check it out?"

"Um, that works too."

It was indeed a large-scale meteor shower; it was beautiful and magnificent.

Everyone else left, leaving only the two of them.

Yi Lan had a robot bring her a bottle of wine and insisted on drinking it.

Shi Wei was afraid he would kill the hostage, so she had no choice but to drink with Yi Lan, who was clearly in a bad mood.

The man, having drunk too much, started talking more, holding her and muttering to himself—

Shi Wei overheard that everything was related to the war.

It seems that Yi Lan did not have the upper hand, otherwise she wouldn't be so depressed.

He grumbled and cursed for a while, then buried his face in his neck. Shi Wei caught a whiff of sweet grape scent and asked curiously, "What kind of wine is this? Why does it smell like grapes?"

The man holding her smiled silently and caught a faint fragrance.

He should have killed her. Killing her at this crucial moment would have certainly disrupted Sklag II's rationality.

But he couldn't bear to part with it, not even a little bit.

"I regret it so much." His voice was somewhat dazed: "I should have listened to my mother and hijacked that spaceship... That way, I would have been the first one to meet you."

"I...I really regret it."

Shi Wei couldn't understand what he was saying. She had drunk some wine and was a little tipsy. She grabbed his face and asked, "What? What gray monkey?"

Yi Lan looked at her, his eyes sparkling, a shooting star flashing across his eyes, and he was slightly stunned.

"Don't you really like me?"

This question was too difficult to answer, and Shi Wei couldn't give him a definite answer.

The atmosphere was too good, and she didn't want to say anything that would lead to her death.

Not getting a reply, Yi Lan felt a little sad: "...They ignored me, but...at least they didn't say they didn't like me..."

He seemed excited by this realization and exclaimed, "Let's do it!"

Wait a minute! What kind of thought process is this?!

Shi Wei seriously refused him. Kissing and hugging were fine, but considering his good looks, she wouldn't take such harmless contact too seriously.

But doing it is not allowed.

Yi Lan said sadly, "Why not? I'm very..."

As he spoke, he pulled Shi Wei's hand to touch it.

Shi Wei quickly struggled, thinking, "Are you kidding me? You can't just touch this like that!"

Seeing her struggle and resistance, Yi Lan, who was drunk, became even more heartbroken, and her red hair even looked somewhat dull: "Didn't you like my figure?"

Hey, hey, hey, you can eat whatever you want, but don't say whatever you want!

Shi Wei firmly denied it. Seeing him bury his face in his chest, she accused him, "Don't give me that. I've seen plenty of handsome guys. You can't seduce me!"

"Nonsense! I'm definitely the most special one!"

"What's so special about you? My boyfriends are all more handsome than you!"

Clearly, someone who's had too much to drink can't be outdone, and with a little provocation from Shi Wei, Yi Lan immediately began to think—

Shi Wei felt a little dizzy and thought we should go back, but then she noticed something new on his head.

She stared in astonishment at the Alpha before her.

Yi Lan said proudly, "Look! They definitely don't have this!"

The green eyes were incredibly bright.

They were a pair of reddish-brown animal ears, furry and looking very soft.

Shi Wei swallowed hard.

Damn, what beastman genes? This isn't just a lie!

This thing is so exciting!

Seeing her reach out her claws, Yi Lan didn't dodge and obediently let her touch him. He rubbed his lower body against her and hummed, "You still have a tail, want to touch it?"

Shi Wei's rationality completely collapsed.

...

As it turns out, it's not good for an Alpha to be too concerned about his image. Yi Lan never expected that Shi Wei, who was stubborn and hard to reason with, would actually like the part of his body that he hated the most.

If he had revealed this trump card from the beginning, perhaps the outcome of his contest with Sklag II would not have been the way it turned out.

But it was too late. Before they could break through that barrier, Yi Lan received a message from the front lines.

He had Shi Wei sent back and rushed to the battlefield, where he suffered the second-worst defeat of his combat career.

-----------------------

The author says: Yes, he had a chance, he had a trump card but didn't know it—the main reason was that they hadn't spent enough time together and he hadn't figured out Shi Wei's preferences.

Yi Lan: You stepmother! You bastard!

...

Goodnight, muah~