Number Nine was a habitual smooth-talker. Despite being an AI, he loved hyperbolic language and a dramatic tone more than anyone; consequently, no one believed a word he said, including LAN.
However, a certain dragon-man’s slightly weary face suddenly brightened considerably.
After the warship fleet docked with the Phoenix, LAN struck while the iron was hot, tirelessly convening a meeting immediately.
During this ground mission, they had encountered giant sand worms. Everyone had to engage in frontal combat while simultaneously protecting the equipment from destruction. They were all exhausted, especially LAN, who had personally eliminated two of the creatures, suffering the greatest mental strain.
The exciting news, however, was that they had quickly discovered TR-s ore of extremely high purity, allowing them to finish the job and return early.
To allow everyone to rest sooner, the meeting was highly efficient, swiftly reaching the following conclusions:
The survey was a major success. A formal claim of ownership for the Fire-type planet would be announced on the Star Net on behalf of the Justice Army to prevent others from occupying it. Simultaneously, a message would be sent back to the base planet to dispatch three mining vessels.
The Phoenix had concluded its surveying mission; next, it would focus on resupplying materials and recruiting for the team.
Afterward, they would return to the base planet.
Once everyone had received their respective tasks, the meeting adjourned.
Evan and LAN were the last to leave, entering the optical elevator together.
With no one else in the elevator, Number Nine’s voice reappeared: “Boss, do you need me to report on An Xiaoming’s whereabouts?”
“For what?”
“From 14:16 yesterday to 09:25 today, An Xiaoming remained in your shared room. Activities included playing games and searching for data; whether there was sleeping or bathing behavior is unknown due to permission restrictions,” Number Nine began directly. “From 09:30 to 09:50, at the dining area, he ordered a bowl of spicy beef noodles. At 09:56, he went to the theoretical classroom to take notes and read. He left at 11:50, returned to the dining area for lunch, and went back to the room at 12:34, where he has remained until now.”
“Boss, An Xiaoming is waiting for you~”
LAN: “…Mm.”
Evan: “…”
The AI actually didn’t get snapped at.
A moment later, Evan reached his destination floor first and departed after saying goodbye.
LAN continued alone to the floor above, returning to the private deck belonging to him and the little merman.
Standing at the door, LAN moved to open it directly but hesitated. After a thought, he changed his mind and knocked.
Knock, knock, knock!
He didn’t naturally believe Number Nine’s words; he just wondered what the little merman was actually doing inside.
After a short wait, the door finally opened.
A rush of fresh air, so strong it was almost aggressive, swept over him. It was laced with a hint of fruit fragrance, making the hybrid dragon-man feel as though he had been hit with a shot of pure oxygen.
The little merman’s eyes were red, his tears not yet dry. He looked at the person outside the door in a daze: “…You’re back already?”
“…Didn’t Number Nine tell you? The mission ended early.”
LAN strode into the room, closing the door behind him. He asked nervously, “What’s wrong? Are you sick? Is something the matter?”
“Oh, it’s nothing…” An Ming sniffled, appearing a bit out of it. “I was watching a romance movie starring an Omega Movie King… Wuu, it’s so touching!”
LAN: “…”
“I figured I should learn more about trending topics on the Star Net so I’d have something to talk about with everyone. This movie was just released…” The little merman sobbed, slowly returning to sit on the sofa. “They’re breaking up right now; I’m going to finish watching.”
“…………”
This was the surprise Number Nine mentioned?
LAN was still wearing yesterday’s combat uniform. It wasn’t too dirty, but having battled two giant sand worms, he had certainly broken a sweat; he definitely needed a shower.
“…I’m going to bathe. Take your time watching.”
“Okay,” the little merman replied, his eyes never leaving the holographic screen in mid-air.
LAN: “…”
He went into the bedroom.
After showering and changing into loose, comfortable casual clothes, his fatigue lessened slightly.
It also had a great deal to do with the concentrated Alpha pheromones in the air.
LAN breathed shallowly, his mood relaxing significantly.
Returning to the living room, he finished a glass of water from a dark gray cup just as the little merman turned off his light-computer.
“Finished?”
“Yeah.” An Ming looked at the “beautiful dragon emerging from the water” before him with a blank expression, then suddenly his mouth twitched, and he burst out crying again with a loud “Wah!”
“Heavens, why is it a tragedy!” The little merman was incredibly frustrated. “The Omega Prince fell in love with the enemy nation’s Alpha General and gave birth to a cute child… but then war broke out. The Prince ran between the two empires trying to sue for peace, but was denounced as a traitor, and ultimately met his lover on the battlefield as enemies…”
“The Alpha General was brutally killed trying to save him, and the Prince committed suicide in grief on the spot… How could it end like that? What was the point? What a trash movie, wuu…”
The little merman wept piteously, so immersed in the plot he couldn’t pull himself out.
LAN’s expression was quite somber.
Seeming to think of something, he merely said: “Perhaps it was adapted from actual events.”
“Really? Then that’s too tragic! Waaah!” The little merman felt even more miserable.
LAN had no choice but to walk to the sofa and rub the little merman’s blue head, attempting to comfort him: “I just said that offhand.”
An Ming cried uncontrollably, sobbing so hard he nearly couldn’t catch his breath. At the same time, he felt embarrassed. He explained through his hiccups: “My susceptibility period might be coming again. I’ve used that peach-scented spray twice, but my heart still feels so heavy…”
His heart was brimming with emotions that desperately needed an outlet. At this moment, he particularly wanted a hug. After a moment’s hesitation, he threw himself recklessly into the other’s damp embrace.
Caught off guard by the sudden plunge, LAN: “…”
“Let me vent for a while, I’ll be fine soon.” An Ming held on tight and wouldn’t let go, murmuring, “Thanks…”
“…You’re welcome.”
The crisp sensation in the air grew stronger and more stimulating.
Alpha pheromones during a susceptibility period were already stronger than usual, and the little merman was shedding tears like an open floodgate. Every drop of water was saturated with fragrant molecules, saturating the hybrid dragon-man at close range.
LAN began to feel the back of his neck heating up.
“An Ming?” He tried to push the little merman away. “Stop crying.”
An Ming snapped out of his trance-like state and finally began to perceive things outside the movie. He immediately sensed LAN’s resistance and let go at once.
The crying also stopped abruptly.
At this moment, due to their proximity, he also smelled LAN’s pheromones.
Unlike the faint, cool sensation from before, a hint of creaminess had been added.
Sweet…
…Oh no.
Only now did An Ming realize in hindsight that his crying and hugging seemed a bit too casual…
He and LAN were clearly not that familiar yet, so why was he acting just like a real partner…
An Ming pulled back silently, hurriedly using his fingers to wipe away the tears still overflowing.
Crystal clear teardrops hung on his ivory-white fingers, flowing down the gaps between them until his entire hand and forearm became wet.
LAN’s eyes gradually turned green, growing dark.
The little merman wiped his tears: “Sorry…”
“Mm,” the hybrid dragon-man said, swallowing subconsciously.
The sound of the swallow was somewhat loud, causing the little merman to look up.
He saw that LAN’s gaze was fixed unblinkingly on his tear-soaked fingers.
“…” An Ming remembered the care plan from that morning.
Although he felt they were too close and the scent was too heavy which made him very uncomfortable nonetheless…
LAN was sick and needed his surface pheromones.
Amidst his hesitation, An Ming tentatively extended his finger.
“…Do you… want it?”
LAN’s body suddenly stiffened, his expression becoming increasingly unreadable.
Seeing this, the little merman straightened up slightly and brought his finger to the dragon-man’s lips.
“I washed them.”
A heavy, ambiguous atmosphere flowed and stagnated, nearly drowning them and making it impossible to breathe.
An unspeakable longing grew wildly, like vines wrapping around a fragile will.
The hybrid Omega opened his thin lips, and his moist, soft tongue enveloped the little merman’s finger.
Then, he gently sucked on it.
An Ming trembled slightly. A tingle raced quickly from his fingertip; soon his entire hand and forearm were numb. He tried his best to suppress his instinct to pull away, forcing himself to let the other take what he needed.
There weren’t enough tears on his finger, so LAN grabbed his hand to kiss the gaps between his fingers deeply.
The warm lips and tongue lingered over the soft skin, leaving behind an infinite, lingering tenderness like a song or a sob, recounting a secret, extravagant hope.
Once.
There was a man.
His name was like a thunderclap, a sharp sword that made those in power tremble.
Today he was still powerful, becoming a terrifying new legend among the planets.
But the fire inside him was nearly extinguished.
At this very moment, that faint spark of fire jumped with a renewed, scorching intensity.
An Ming closed his eyes, his tear-stained eyelashes trembling slightly.
As if possessed, his finger even hooked and slid for a moment, touching hard teeth and the soft lining of the mouth.
LAN paused, then released the finger.
Subsequently, he pulled the little merman toward him and kissed his eyes.
The little merman was so good.
An Ming’s eyes were covered in warmth; he didn’t dare move, and he had to exert every ounce of effort to keep his fish tail from popping out.
His legs felt somewhat stiff and sore.
Noticing this, LAN sat on the sofa, pulling the little merman in to continue kissing his eyes, then following the tear tracks to the back of his ear, cleaning the tears there as well.
An Ming’s ear fins appeared unknowingly, and a patch of delicate small scales emerged behind his ear.
He was pressed tightly against LAN’s warm, thick body, feeling the shape of the other’s chest muscles. A desire rose within him to pounce back and press the other man down firmly.
The longing grew more intense. Unconsciously, his hands were already on LAN’s shoulders, stroking the bulging muscles there, gradually increasing his strength, ready to push him over at any moment.
Suddenly, something like a whip touched his back and gave him a light flick.
Snap!