Chapter 4 Dependence...O(￣皿￣)乂(￣皿￣……

Two days later, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince - Lin Zhi ascended the throne as scheduled and became His Majesty the Emperor.

The alliance has developed for so many years, and the coronation ceremony has been simplified. Lin Zhi went to the hall in the morning to sign, stamp, and take the oath, and the ceremony was completed.

What remains is the banquet in the afternoon and the press conference in the evening.

Lin Zhi held the wine glass and looked at the people coming and going at the banquet in front of him, feeling a little annoyed.

After completing the necessary procedures in the morning, Lin Zhi actually wanted to go home and rest before the press conference arrived, rather than socialize here.

Although his physical condition is much better than before he was marked by Lu Yuan, and he is also very energetic, there is another problem now...

Lin Zhi pinched his palm imperceptibly to sober himself up.

——His mind was full of Lu Yuan’s pheromones.

So energetic.

Lin Zhi still had a pheromone-suppressing collar around his neck, but the pheromones were too strong after the marking was completed, and some of them would always leak out. Therefore, the faint smell lingered at the tip of Lin Zhi's nose, tempting him to want more, as if challenging his nerves.

Pheromone addiction was more serious than he had imagined.

Lin Zhi’s brows became increasingly furrowed.

But this banquet was a celebration banquet held by the cabinet for him. The cabinet ministers were headed by the Duke and composed of hereditary nobles from the imperial city. They were the ones who nominated Lin Zhi to become emperor, and they were also the ones who handled government affairs with Lin Zhi, controlled the alliance's business and economy, and were powerful people who covered the sky with one hand.

If Lin Zhi doesn't attend, it would be ungrateful and would be an embarrassment to them.

So he suppressed his discomfort and stood there in his formal suit. The wrinkle-free fabric was decorated with fine gold-stamping patterns and inlaid with expensive gems, blending in with this magnificent banquet hall and other dignitaries.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! The Alliance is now completely ours." The Duke clinked glasses with Lin Zhi and said with a smile, "Your Majesty ascended the throne with numerous military achievements. Your reputation is even greater than that of previous emperors. This proves that your efforts and management of the Alliance Army over the years have not been in vain. If Your Majesty can also bring those stubborn soldiers of the Alliance Army under your control, then no one in the Imperial City can hinder us."

The middle-aged Duke was leaning on his scepter, his face peaceful, and he was smiling kindly at the moment, but the smile did not reach his eyes.

Lin Zhi said without any emotion, "The Duke's new business has been booming recently, and no one can stop you."

"This is all thanks to your Majesty's care," the Duke said with a smile. "This is all thanks to your Majesty's care. If it weren't for... Oh, you don't know, when you were away at war, some ungrateful and untouchable people took them to court. It's said that the Allied Forces bailed them out."

The Duke scoffed, "How ridiculous! Who has the final say in the court? It's my fault for not doing their job well. I've already told them to deal with those people."

Lin Zhi's heart sank.

The "those people" that the Duke mentioned lightly were twenty-nine civilians whose land and homes were seized, but their injustice was soon buried in silence, and they no longer existed in this world.

While he was away fighting, something beyond his control happened in the imperial city.

Lin Zhi's fingers holding the goblet tightened slightly, and his fingers were as red as if dripping blood under the white gloves, but his face showed no abnormality.

After all, having worked with the cabinet for more than ten years, Lin Zhi has become as skilled at concealing his emotions as breathing.

But at this moment, he wanted to leave the banquet even more.

The physical discomfort and psychological nausea collided with each other, making him almost dizzy.

"Your Majesty?" the Duke paused. "What's the matter with you?"

He sensed the pheromones emanating from Lin Zhi's body, but he couldn't smell them clearly because the distance was too far. However, this was a rare thing, after all, His Majesty never showed his pheromones in front of outsiders.

Is it because it is a susceptible period and therefore cannot be controlled?

A gleam of light flashed in the Duke's eyes. Isn't this a good opportunity?

He turned around and was about to ask his Omega daughter to come over.

"Father."

But he didn't call his daughter. Instead, his eldest son, Noel, who was standing not far away, strode over.

He was a tall and handsome Alpha who was dressed in gorgeous and neat clothes.

As the heir to the Dukedom, he is powerful, versatile, and has delicate and soft facial features. He is the dream lover of many Omegas in the imperial city.

——If you don’t know his private life behind the scenes.

Noel looked at Lin Zhi with a smile.

Lin Zhi smelled the faint scent of red wine on the man and couldn't help but sneer in his heart.

Nuoer's gentle gaze fell on Lin Zhi, even gentle to the point of being a little gloomy, and he said softly: "I saw from a distance that your Majesty didn't look well. Please allow me to help you go to the private room to rest."

The man had a nice voice and his tone was as elegant as flowing water, making people think he was singing a hymn.

The Duke frowned and wanted to remind Noel to call his sister over, but Noel seemed to be unable to see him, and all his eyes were on Lin Zhi.

The look in his eyes was staring intently, and on the surface it was concern, but Lin Zhi sensed a hidden inquiry.

Noel's eyes swept across his neck inconspicuously.

He had investigated the drugging incident, and the current result showed that it had nothing to do with the Duke. After all, if it was the Duke, he would not have drugged him so lightly.

But what exactly made Noel suspicious?

Moreover, over the years, the interests of the cabinet, especially the Duke's clan, have long been tied to his. If Noel wants to betray him, it would be tantamount to cutting off his own retreat.

What is Noel's purpose in testing like this?

But none of this matters, and it doesn’t matter what happens to Noel. What Lin Zhi wants is a result that will eliminate all future troubles.

Lin Zhi glanced at Nuoer, curled his lips and smiled, "No need, I just suddenly felt a little drunk, just go to the private room and rest."

"But..." The Duke wanted to say something, but he saw Lin Zhi nodded and strode away.

…

…

Three minutes...

Lin Zhi walked slowly towards the private room. The empty corridor was silent, as if he was the only one there.

But as someone who has been on the front line all year round, Lin Zhi cannot hide any slight sound.

Two minutes...

Lin Zhi paused and stopped in front of the door of the private room. He supported the door handle with one hand and rubbed his temples with the other, as if he was really feeling uncomfortable.

One minute.

“Click.”

Lin Zhi opened the door, lowered his eyes to hide his brilliance, but before he even entered, his legs suddenly went limp, as if he was about to fall down.

"His Majesty!"

Noel no longer hid his figure. He suddenly appeared from the side and supported Lin Zhi. "Your Majesty, shall I help you in?"

Noel's tone was concerned and anxious, like a gentleman, but there was a hint of excitement in his eyes, as if he had finally grasped something and verified something.

However, the next moment, Noel froze.

Lin Zhi's eyes were clear, and his expression was as cold and distant as ever. At this moment, he was looking at him expressionlessly.

Noel froze.

And then Noel's blood ran cold.

At such a close distance, he finally smelled the pheromones on Lin Zhi's body.

It was an absurdly strong aura, with a hint of bitterness and richness, and an oppressive aura. At this moment, it became even more ferocious and domineering because of his approach.

Is it the pheromone of Alpha... no, high-level Alpha?

Noel looked up at Lin Zhi.

Is Lin Zhi really an Alpha, or a high-level Alpha?

Lin Zhi was glaring at him at this moment, his eyes showing his usual arrogance, as if he didn't take him seriously at all.

As he walked to that station, the murderous aura from the front line and the sharpness of the soldiers nailed Noel to the spot, pulling the two worlds apart.

He even saw some murderous intent in Lin Zhi's eyes, but it was only for a moment, and he thought he was mistaken.

But Nuoer suddenly felt that no one was qualified enough to stand on Lin Zhi's side.

This... powerful Alpha.

Noel suppressed a distorted expression.

Was he going mad? Was he wrong?

Is this really his illusion...?

Lin Zhi looked at Noel's stunned expression with satisfaction, thinking that Lu Yuan's pheromones would only be useful at this moment.

It’s time to close the net.

Lin Zhi raised his eyebrows and asked, "Why are you here?"

"I..." Noel opened and closed his mouth repeatedly.

"Well... did you find out?" Lin Zhi suddenly took a step forward towards Noel.

Noel's breath caught.

"Discover...what?"

Lin Zhi smiled and said, "I found out that I am about to assign you an important and confidential mission."

Lin Zhi pushed Nuoer aside without leaving a trace, walked into the private room and said, "Come in and talk."

He sat down on the sofa naturally, looked at Noel with a superior attitude, took out the terminal and sent him a file.

——"NE East District Energy Development"

"This is..." As the Duke's eldest son and heir, Noel looked at these words and regained his senses.

He frowned and asked tentatively, "Your Majesty wants me to be in charge of this project...?"

NE is not only the energy needed for mechas and all weapons on the battlefield, but also maintains and supports the daily operations of the alliance. There has always been a special department to explore the starry sky and mine on every barren planet. The alliance has also established many energy stations in outer space.

But after so many years of mining, the available resources have become increasingly scarce, so the mining teams are often targeted by space pirates while mining, and robberies are becoming more and more common.

"That's right." Lin Zhi picked up the hot tea that the waiter had prepared on the table and took a few sips to sober up. "The mining team is made up of unarmed scientific researchers. It's time for the military to take over. But the Allied Forces..."

Lin Zhi paused appropriately.

Noel raised his eyes. "Those soldiers and marshals of the Alliance Army have disliked us for years. They must be jealous of our inherent dignity and glory. After all, they are just a bunch of common people and soldiers. Their so-called military achievements are earned through hard labor and risking their lives."

His tone was gentle, but his words were not at all gentle. "Your Majesty has a far-sighted vision. If Your Majesty had not been to the front lines in recent years and used your military rank to suppress them, they might have been planning how to eliminate us."

"So we truly cannot hand over the empire's lifeblood, energy, and such weighty power to them. Your Majesty, rest assured. I will lead the clan's private soldiers to see to this."

Lin Zhi patted Noel's shoulder gently. "You're right. I only trust you on this matter. After all, the royal family and the cabinet are in the same boat. They are allies with bound interests, right?"

Lin Zhi raised his eyebrows slightly.

He knew very well that Noel's ambition was no less than the Duke's, and if given the chance, Noel would not mind replacing the Duke.

Noel was indeed stunned.

He seemed to be trapped in Lin Zhi's eyes, and it took him a long time to find his voice and he said "hmm".

Lin Zhi waved his hand, "You go, I need to rest."

Noel put the tip of his tongue against his teeth, and looked at Lin Zhi with a moving gaze, as if he was still confirming something.

Really... is it impossible?

Lin Zhi looked up.

Meeting Lin Zhi's gaze, Noel immediately put on a proper smile and said, "Have a good rest."

“Click.”

After the door to the private room was closed, Lin Zhi stared at the tightly closed door for a moment, and then...

——Falling on the sofa like a boneless person.

Now that he was alone, Lin Zhi could no longer suppress his emotions. He leaned against the sofa and gasped for breath. He wished he could be injected with an inhibitor right now, but he had no way to do so.

Lu Yuan...

His already irritable mood became even worse because of the banquet. Lin Zhi felt that his brain was clamoring even more for Lu Yuan's pheromones at this moment.

Or rather, he wanted the pheromone lingering on his neck.

Too little, totally inadequate.

Lin Zhi impatiently grasped the armrest of the sofa, his nails nearly scratching the leather through his gloves. In his past life, Lin Zhi had never been exposed to sexual desire, nor had he ever thought that pheromone addiction was such a terrifying thing.

He took out candies from his pocket and put them into his mouth one by one, letting the sour and sweet taste explode on the tip of his tongue to relieve the pain.

At the same time, outside came the sound of clinking glasses and the classical melodies of a violin symphony. It was clearly the string music of a high-class hall, outlining the elegant and noble atmosphere in the hall at the moment, but it made him even more upset.

Lin Zhi remembered what he had just said to Noel.

In the same boat, interests are tied together?

ha……

Lin Zhi closed his eyes.

But it doesn't matter... He has endured for too long for the throne that everyone is vying for, so even a moment won't make a difference.

Now that he has finally ascended the throne, all of this can finally come to an end...

No, not a period, but a comma.

Eliminating the cabinet is not an easy task that can be accomplished overnight. The powerful in the imperial city are like a thousand-year-old tree, whose roots have long penetrated into every crevice deep in the ground.

On the opposite side of the cabinet - gaining a seat for the Union Army was the first step, and letting Noel go to the East District to develop it was the second step.

He had been to the East District several times with the Alliance Army before, but the region was now overrun with bandits and pirates, and its resources were nearly depleted. Not only would Noel gain nothing by going there, but he would also put himself and his clan in danger, staring at this already rotting piece of meat every day, and he might die at any moment.

Can……

Lin Zhi ate a few more fruit gummies.

In other words, the Alliance is now facing an energy shortage. According to mining statistics, the NE will be exhausted within the next twenty years at least.

Lin Zhi still has to find a way.

"hiss."

Lin Zhi paused, then realized that he had scratched a wound on the palm of his hand while thinking.

He took off his gloves, revealing dense scars on his palms, as well as a few new bloodstains.

Lin Zhi didn't want to dirty his gloves, so he took out a disinfectant tablet from his pocket and carefully cleaned and wiped the wound.

I didn't expect that his habitual poking these past two days would actually cause him to get a wound?

Lin Zhi rubbed his temples.

Zhou Fang reminded him that even though Lin Zhi didn't seem to be in any serious condition for the time being, Enigma's pheromones were still too strong for ordinary people, so the next marking would have to wait at least two weeks to give the body and glands time to repair.

But he couldn't possibly continue like this until the next marking. He had a lot of things to do in the meantime, and countless official duties, so he couldn't just keep poking his palm like this for two weeks.

These past two days have made Lin Zhi clearly aware of his own situation. He no longer hesitated and directly logged into his small account to contact Lu Yuan and knocked on his avatar.

Lu Yuan: [? ]

Lu Yuan: [Is the little Omega lonely? I saw on the news that Lin Zhi ascended the throne today. I guess... he must be feeling very proud right now, enjoying himself at banquets with the rich and powerful, drinking and enjoying the luxury and power, right?]

Lu Yuan: [It's a pity that we Omegas have to endure this alone.]

Lin Zhi: “…”

Lin Zhi didn't bother to pay attention to him. He just took a screenshot of the instructions in the Pheromone Management Bureau regarding the dependence after marking and the underwear and supplies and sent it to Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan: [Want to borrow some clothes?]

Lu Yuan: [The picture says the closer the better. Do you want me to send you some underwear?]

Lin Zhi: “…”

Lin Zhi could already imagine Lu Yuan's dissolute face and tone.

L: [A shirt will do.]

Lu Yuan: [This is a different price.]

L: [……]

Lu Yuan: [Well, to be honest, life in the Lower Town is tough. If I give you the clothes, what would I wear? It's nothing like your Lin Zhi, who has all the luxury of living and thinking about sex.]

Lin Zhi felt that every time he talked to Lu Yuan, he would live ten years less.

L: [/500,000 transfer/]

Lu Yuan: [It should be mailed to Upper Town in three hours.]

Lin Zhi was about to end the call when he heard the terminal ringing the next moment.

【Lu Yuan requests a video call with you. 】

Lin Zhi: “?”

Lin Zhi almost threw the terminal out.