Chapter 14

That's not because I don't like it.

Braving the biting wind, Wei Jiangxue, leaning on her cane, arrived at the SKY shopping mall. She took off her windproof coat, draped it over her arm, grabbed a passerby, asked for directions to the elevator, and went straight up to the top floor of the mall.

System 233 has recently become obsessed with games, so Wei Jiangxue wants to do as many things as she can herself as possible.

As a blind person, those fancy clothing stores are not a good place for her to spend money. Just thinking about buying a bunch of things that she can't see at all makes Wei Jiangxue feel like she's out of her mind.

So she changed her target. Since she was going to play the role of a cannon fodder who spends money without restraint, she decided to satisfy her appetite first among all the eating, drinking, and entertainment.

But soon, Wei Jiangxue discovered that this small shopping mall could not meet her role-playing needs at all—the prices of the goods were too low, and she went into each of the many shops she passed to buy and browse.

After I finished eating, I checked the bill and found that I hadn't spent much money at all.

Wei Jiangxue bit her straw, knowing she needed to change her approach. Sure enough, she should check out the clothing stores on other floors.

As for the luxury brands that the mall invited to set up shop, Wei Jiangxue didn't plan to go in to broaden her knowledge for the time being, fearing that she would be distorted by the prices.

She simply took out her phone from her pocket and had the voice assistant call Mi Rui'an, who answered almost instantly.

"Mi Rui'an, what are you doing?"

Mi Rui'an replied on the other end of the phone, "Is the big anchor bored out? I'm currently figuring out what kind of makeup and styling to do for you the day after tomorrow."

"Then stop for a moment. Come out to SKY Mall. I want to buy clothes. Can you help me pick out something that suits me?" Wei Jiangxue didn't want her to research her makeup and styling for the day after tomorrow. What was more important now was to find Mi Rui'an to help her see how different clothes would look. That way, Wei Jiangxue wouldn't have to figure out what to wear on her own when she went out later.

Thinking it was unfair to ask Mi Rui'an to do fieldwork at the last minute, she added at the end, "I'll give you an extra bonus."

"Boss Xuexue is so generous. You really should adjust your personal style." Since she had nothing else to do, Mi Rui'an readily agreed.

After Mi Rui'an agreed, Wei Jiangxue hung up the phone.

She couldn't think of anywhere else to go, so she found an electric massage chair, lay down, and scanned the code to have it massage her back and waist.

Live streaming requires sitting for long periods of time, and Wei Jiangxue felt like her back and buttocks were about to die from sitting.

Feeling extremely drowsy, Wei Jiangxue didn't want to fall asleep, so she listlessly clasped her hands together and waited for Mi Rui'an.

A faint vibration came from the mall's ventilation system, and Wei Jiangxue felt as if it had malfunctioned. The air grew heavier and heavier, and a sense of unease arose in Wei Jiangxue's heart.

However, she quickly realized that something was wrong in the mall.

An extremely strong scent of camphor leaves spread throughout the mall, reaching the top floor where Wei Jiangxue was located at lightning speed.

Screams and running sounds erupted, and the mall's loudspeaker issued a warning: "An anomaly has occurred on the third floor. Security is on its way. Please move to an open area immediately to avoid..."

Although she had never encountered it before and only had the characteristics described verbally by 233, Wei Jiangxue quickly realized that this was Alph, and that this Alpha was out of control.

It's important to know that Alphas and Omegas wear suppression bracelets or pheromone-blocking patches when they go out. The ABO Association does not allow Alphas or Omegas to have their pheromones directly exposed in public environments, firstly because the scent of Alphas or Omegas' pheromones is too strong and would affect the lives of passersby.

Secondly, the pheromones of Alphas or Omegas can trigger a pheromone surge in other Alphas or Omegas.

Just like now, Wei Jiangxue could feel that the gland on the back of her neck, which belonged to the Alpha, was a little sore, as if it was very dissatisfied with the rampant unfamiliar Alpha hormones outside.

Inside Wei Jiangxue's body, it felt as if something was desperately trying to come out.

[System 233: Now remove the suppression bracelet, follow your heart, and release your pheromones. It can protect you from other Alph pheromones.]

The appearance of 233 was like a timely rain, and Wei Jiangxue followed suit.

A delicate fragrance wafted out, quickly enveloping Wei Jiangxue's body like a tidal wave, forming a protective shield. If Wei Jiangxue hadn't stopped while she was ahead, the fragrance of the freesia would probably have spread further, almost filling the entire shopping mall.

Sure enough, after the scent of freesia drove away the camphor tree odor, Wei Jiangxue felt much better.

"What exactly happened? Did an Alpha lose control in public?"

Wei Jiangxue couldn't see, but she had a more sensitive sense of smell to guide her. She pursed her lips and walked towards the place with the highest concentration of camphor scent.

"You said before that I'm higher than the other A-rank characters, so I can suppress all the unimportant background figures, right? In this situation, what can I do?"

233 originally wanted to tell her to stay away, since it's best not to get involved if you're blind.

But then it shifted its perspective and saw the Alpha on the third floor, who was showing signs of rioting, chasing an Omega. He looked frantic and had clearly lost his mind...

The security team had just assembled, and by the time they arrived, Omega might already be too exhausted to run.

Only Wei Jiangxue, who is near the elevator on the fourth floor, can help that Omega.

[System 233: Don't rush, be careful not to trip. Take the elevator to the third floor. I'll guide you to find that Alpha. You don't need to suppress your pheromones; release them boldly. That Alpha is capturing an Omega and trying to mark her. You don't need to do anything; just find that Alpha, and your pheromones will naturally suppress her.]

Upon hearing this, Wei Jiangxue frowned. When the elevator reached the third floor, she tossed aside her white cane and quickened her pace: "I'll run there. As long as you don't give me the wrong directions, I won't fall."

[System 233: ...Okay.]

With a daring but safe cooperation, Wei Jiangxue stumbled and staggered to the center of the camphor tree pheromone concentration.

Wei Jiangxue heard two other heavy, rapid breaths besides hers.

Around the time Wei Jiangxue arrived, the Omega had exhausted himself and collapsed to the ground. The Alpha, seeing her prey slow down, also decelerated and cautiously approached.

The Omega collapsed to the ground, too weak to even stand. Crying, he backed away, sobbing softly, "Don't come any closer..."

The Alpha, who had lost his mind, ignored her, inhaled the sweet strawberry pheromones in the air, licked his lips, and continued to approach the Omega.

Without stopping, Wei Jiangxue immediately ran towards the Omega, simultaneously using the method described by System 233 to condense the scent of freesia into a net and press it down on the out-of-control Alpha—

"Wake up! Don't go near her!" Wei Jiangxue shouted sharply.

Suppressed by the higher-level freesia pheromones, the Alpha attempted to resist, emitting hoarse sounds. Wei Jiangxue had no choice but to release more pheromones to immobilize her.

Following the scent of strawberries, Wei Jiangxue reached out her hand to the crying Omega: "Don't be afraid, she is no longer a threat to you."

Strands of her hazy blue hair cascaded down, carrying the delicate fragrance of freesia. Her voice was melodious and had a uniquely soothing effect.

The Omega stared blankly at the suddenly appearing Alpha: "Thank you for saving me..."

As if she had found someone to lean on, she opened her mouth and burst into tears: "I... my legs are weak... I'm so scared..."

Seeking a sense of security, the Omega clung tightly to Wei Jiangxue's arm.

The sweet scent of strawberries lingered on Wei Jiangxue's body. Wei Jiangxue frowned and mentally muttered "233" to shield her body from the influence of AB hormones.

A long, slender hand suddenly reached out from the side, with undeniable force, and pulled Wei Jiangxue away from the Omega.

Wei Jiangxue turned her head in surprise, unable to immediately identify who the other person was, until the person spoke: "I've been looking for you for a long time, boss."

Mi Rui'an's voice was colder than usual, as if she was angry.

But who could Mi Rui'an be angry with? Because she didn't see him at the agreed place?

After recognizing her, Wei Jiangxue relaxed completely, guessing the reason for the other party's inexplicable outburst of emotion: "It's you."

Mi Rui'an's sharp gaze swept over Wei Jiangxue and the Alphas and Omegas present. She frowned and spoke with a sarcastic tone: "If it wasn't me, who else would you like it to be?"

Several pheromones were mixed together in the scene, Alpha, Omega... which disgusted Mi Rui'an.

Especially since the other Alpha present was out of control, with his pheromones roaming everywhere. In this situation, if it weren't for the fact that Wei Jiangxue had come over, Mi Rui'an really wouldn't have bothered to care.

When Mi Rui'an turned around and her gaze fell on Wei Jiangxue, who looked somewhat bewildered, a strange sense of incongruity suddenly gripped her.

Besides Wei Jiangxue's own delicate and sweet freesia scent, there was also the cloying strawberry smell of that Omega. This other person's scent immediately filled Mi Rui'an with a deep-seated disgust.

Her temples throbbed with pain, her eyes fixed on Wei Jiangxue. Her entire body seemed to be bristling with thorns, resisting the interference of external pheromones.

But that familiar freesia pheromone, belonging to Wei Jiangxue, rushed headlong into Mi Rui'an's vicinity, like a sturdy foundation, firmly anchored in the center of the mixed scents. Far from becoming tainted by the mixture, it seemed to purify the surrounding air, making the cloying sweetness less nauseating.

This realization left Mi Rui'an frozen in place.

She realized that, from the very beginning, her pheromones seemed to be "different" from Wei Jiangxue's. It wasn't something she was used to, but it wasn't unbearable. She had previously crudely categorized the subtle, strange emotions that arose in her heart each time they were close as "dislike."

But now, when Wei Jiangxue is clearly tainted with the aura of "others," that "difference" that had been overlooked suddenly becomes clear and sharp.

That's not because I don't like it.

It's a feeling of "not disliking" that belongs only to her.

A strange, almost violent emotion surged into her heart without warning—she couldn't tolerate Wei Jiangxue having someone else's scent on her. Even if it was just an accident, it wouldn't be acceptable.

Her face was cold, and the force with which she gripped Wei Jiangxue's wrist unconsciously increased, her voice tense:

"Do you think you're so great? You dare to meddle in other people's business."

Her tone was one of displaced anger that even Mi Rui'an herself was unaware of, bordering on transgression.

[Author's Note]

No update on the 26th.