Chapter 124 Top Alpha: He was once a crippled Omega. 34. Now…

The following afternoon.

After lunch, Qi Mingzhao took a walk alone by the lake. His pace was leisurely, but his heart was filled with anxiety.

For today's plan, he took a full week off from the military, utilizing most of the power he had acquired, both overt and covert, since arriving on Far Voyage Star. If this were a gamble, he had already staked too much; he could not tolerate any failure.

"I hope Lady Luck will smile upon me again..."

Qi Mingzhao gazed at his reflection in the frozen lake, his eyes filled with melancholy.

Suddenly, his wristwatch jolted.

Qi Mingzhao's expression changed slightly. He looked around and continued walking forward while connecting the communication.

Lu Ran's voice came through the encrypted channel: "Domir's secretary just informed me that the itinerary is confirmed. Domir will arrive at Xinguang Hospital in half an hour."

“Peng Youshan also has people watching him, but there’s no movement yet. However, he canceled his original schedule for this afternoon. If he doesn’t have any schedule, there’s a good chance he’ll agree to come and cooperate with you, but it’s not certain he’ll come. Peng Youshan is too cautious.”

Upon hearing the first sentence, Qi Mingzhao's expression relaxed slightly.

“The most important thing is for Domir to be caught in the trap,” Qi Mingzhao said in a low voice. “As for Peng Youshan, it would be best if he came, but if he doesn’t, the biometric information must be delivered. I’ve already told him that Black Deer is about to take action, and the biometric information must be delivered to Xinguang Hospital this afternoon.”

Lu Ran paused, then said, "Mingzhao, are you so sure the lost map is in Domir's hands? What if he doesn't have it?"

"Didn't you already guess? Lu Ran?" Qi Mingzhao lowered his head. "Now, whether Domir has the map or not is no longer the key. The key is that if everything goes smoothly, I can escape the potential harm. That's why you helped me, isn't it?"

Qi Mingzhao sighed softly: "I really hope my guess is right. The map was taken by someone sent by Domir. You found out where the map was, retrieved it, and obtained Domir and Peng Youshan's biological information. Then we can naturally unlock the map and complete the mission."

"This is the best ending."

"But if my guess is wrong, or if something unexpected happens and we don't get the map back or can't complete the mission, then we already have a second option to fall back on, right?"

"At that time, as long as we make a mess of Domir's death scene and leave behind the biological information of Peng Youshan and some of the rebels we collected earlier, the mission can be postponed further."

"With Domir's death and Peng Youshan's involvement, the problem is no longer with the map, but with the 'key.' The main responsibility, no matter how you look at it, will never fall on my head."

"Afterwards, the higher-ups will definitely issue new maps and new coordinators, and we'll start all over again, which is fine. If I'm the one carrying out the mission again the second time, I'll be even more careful to avoid repeating the same mistakes and to prevent dragging you down..."

Qi Mingzhao's tone became dejected.

Upon hearing this, Lu Ran immediately said, "What are you saying, Mingzhao? I've never felt that you're a burden to me. Everything I've done for you has been done willingly, and this time is no exception."

"Don't worry, with me here, your plan will definitely be completed smoothly, regardless of whether you can get the map back."

“Lu Ran…”

Qi Mingzhao's voice trembled slightly, choked with emotion.

Lu Ran offered Qi Mingzhao a few more words of comfort before hanging up.

At the lakeside, Qi Mingzhao stopped, his face expressionless. After a moment, he turned and walked towards the garage.

"Young master, your fiancé has gone out."

In the villa next to Qi Mingzhao's residence, a maid stood at the corner of the window, watching the white modified car slowly drive away, and made a call.

"He's all alone, without anyone with him?" Zhou Gan's voice came from the other end of the communication.

"Yes."

"Okay, I understand."

In an office of the Third Army Corps of the First District, Zhou Gan hung up the communication, immediately got up, took off his military uniform, changed into civilian clothes, and walked out quickly.

People in the corridor who saw him simply raised their hands in salute, and no one asked any questions. It was common for this new parliamentary supervisor to be late and leave early; they were all used to it.

As Zhou Gan started the car and drove away from the military base, he turned on a hidden smart screen.

On the screen, flashing red dots indicated Qi Mingzhao's location. The AI ​​simultaneously analyzed Qi Mingzhao's route and provided his possible destination.

"Xinguang Hospital, is it... an obstetrics hospital?" Zhou Gan's face turned ashen the moment he saw the AI's analysis.

He knew that Qi Mingzhao had always been popular, even when she was still disguised as a Beta and struggling to study. Later, when Qi Mingzhao regained her identity and gender and returned to the Qi family, she had even more suitors.

He would get jealous and argue with them, but in reality, he never took them seriously. Because he believed that Qi Mingzhao loved him, and he believed in Qi Mingzhao's pure and kind nature. He was confident that Qi Mingzhao would never betray him.

This has indeed been the case for the past two years.

He admired him, loved him, and always looked at him with concern and affection.

But when did these changes begin?

It seems to be that accident involving the public airship.

That was the first time Qi Mingzhao had looked at him with impatience. He was trying to hide it, but he still saw it.

But he clearly knew he was wrong, he fawned over Qi Yousheng and apologized, he served Qi Mingzhao like a slave, and he even knelt on a durian. Isn't that enough?

Qi Yousheng seemed to have forgiven him, but he stopped talking to him about confidential matters and looked at him as if he wanted to write the word "good-for-nothing" on his forehead.

Qi Mingzhao kept saying it was okay and that he didn't blame him, but he was often distracted during kisses, the bed was a bit boring, he was going out secretly more often, and his clothes often had unfamiliar pheromones. Now he even had to go to the most famous... obstetrics hospital in the second-class district behind his back?

It never formed inside him!

Zhou Gan slammed his fist on the steering wheel.

The car shook, indicating that the driver was not in a good condition, and immediately activated the automatic driving mode.

Zhou Gan took a deep breath and raised his hand to dial Qi Mingzhao's number, but: "The user you dialed is currently busy..."

Almost simultaneously, Qi Mingzhao's message arrived.

"Brother, I have to go to the team and won't be able to make calls. I'll talk to you later when I get back. Love you."

Zhou Gan stared at the information projected on his wristwatch, then slumped back in his seat. Only the car, its direction unchanged, followed the flashing red dot, driving out of the first-class area and straight towards Xinguang Hospital.

"Zhou Gan went out too?"

Qi Yousheng, who was scrolling through the screen and reviewing documents, paused and looked up when he heard his adjutant's words.

"Yes, judging from the direction, it's the second-class area. They're most likely going to find the young master," the adjutant replied.

"What do you think they're going there to do?" Qi Yousheng asked.

The adjutant shook his head: "I don't know, it might be a private matter?"

"Private matters," Qi Yousheng closed his eyes, raised his fingers to pinch his brow, "All those covert actions recently, the intelligence department's operations, and the military's archives, were all for private matters? I'd like to believe it, but it's unlikely."

“Then you…” The adjutant looked at Qi Yousheng cautiously.

"I'm going out for a bit," Qi Yousheng opened his eyes and stood up. "If anyone comes, just say I've been in the office the whole time."

"clear."

The adjutant replied.

"I told you long ago, Domir is a fool. He doesn't understand anything, yet he walks right into someone's trap and doesn't even know how he died."

Cigar ash drifted down, and Councilor Peng flicked his fingers, chuckling, "Sigh, well, I can't blame others. I'm a fool too. Even if I'm smart, I still end up getting myself into trouble. Tsk, we're all fools."

Inside the high-speed, low-altitude aircraft, Representative Peng's personal bodyguard looked at him with some surprise upon hearing this. "You mean, today's mission is a trap?"

"It's pretty close to the truth." Councilor Peng said, biting his cigar.

The guard officer's expression changed slightly: "Did Black Deer betray us? Or did the rebels kill Black Deer and steal his identity? Does the Intelligence Bureau know about this? No, never mind that, Congressman, since you already know there's something wrong, why did you still go there personally? It's too dangerous!"

"I hope you will take my advice and turn back immediately!"

“What you’re describing could be either a possibility or not,” Councilor Peng said. “If we turn back now, what if everything is normal on Black Deer’s side, and we’re just missing my biometric data, which would delay the mission? Who would take responsibility for that? You, Jack?”

The guard paused, his lips trembled a few times, and then, as if remembering something, said, "You told me before you left that unlocking the map requires your active biological information. Does that mean you don't have to be present in person? No matter what kind of biological information it is, as long as it's placed in the special collection box, it can maintain sufficient activity for at least four hours, right?"

"Four hours is enough time for us to secretly send someone to deliver it to the location in Black Deer."

“If you don’t trust anyone else, you can entrust this task to me. You know I would never betray you…”

Representative Peng interrupted him: "If Black Deer really has a map and is trustworthy, then doing it your way is certainly the best option. But what if he doesn't have a map and is just a fool? Perhaps someone is waiting for the delivery of my biometric information?"

"Going in person might lead to a trap, while not going in person could also end in tragedy."

Sweat beaded on the guard's forehead: "As long as you're alive, there's always a way. You shouldn't risk your life no matter what."

“You still haven’t grasped the crux of the matter, Jack,” Congressman Peng said, twirling the cigar between his fingers. “From the very beginning, I wasn’t in control of this mission. Neither I nor Domir were the ‘keys.’ Keys are meant to be used; they are paired with locks and cannot exist independently.”

"It's true that I'm a big shot in the Light Party, but it's precisely because I'm so big that even bigger people worry about me, worrying that I might grow bigger and bigger until I overshadow them."

"Fools can come up with stupid ideas when they have a sudden inspiration."

"But I can't refuse. I have too many enemies, and if I want to survive here, I have to bow down. That's what those bigger figures want to see. However, bowing down temporarily doesn't mean bowing down forever."

"Many people are waiting for the election, but they don't know that I'm waiting too. I just didn't expect that some people would be even more impatient than me. If they're heartless, then I have no choice but to be heartless as well..."

Representative Peng sighed and crushed the cigar with his fingers.

"I didn't expect you to be so impatient."

At 2 p.m., on the private docking pad behind Shin Kong Hospital, Dr. York, accompanied by a group of medical staff and bodyguards, escorted Domir as he disembarked from the aircraft and slowly walked toward the hospital.

"But my advice remains the same. I still hope you will come back in a week, that would be the safest option."

Dr. York spoke to Domir with a serious expression.

“I trust your judgment, York,” Domir said with a smile. “But I’m used to this kind of thing, and I believe there won’t be much difference after a week. Of course, I’m also very careful about my body, and a fresh, comprehensive check-up is necessary before any injection treatment.”

“Of course,” Dr. York replied helplessly, “Everything is ready, please follow me…”

Today, the sun was shining brightly on the distant star, a rare occurrence, its light dazzling and hazy.

Domir and his entourage walked into the VIP building, bathed in sunlight.

At roughly the same time, a couple in their thirties entered the prenatal checkup appointment channel at Shin Kong Hospital.

One was mature and composed, the other gentle and handsome; they smiled and handed the nurse their appointment numbers.

"Yes, her surname is Wu, and she's having her prenatal checkup in the VIP area this afternoon..."

Suddenly, dark clouds appeared, the sunlight shifted, and the shadows of the surrounding towering buildings spread, unknowingly covering the entire Shin Kong Hospital.

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Author's Note: [Glasses] Everyone's here! It's great that you're all here! (cough cough)