It was past midnight when the black carriage rolled back through the iron gates of the quiet house. Prince Jing Yuchen and General Zhen Sheng stepped out into the cool night air, their faces tight with frustration.
The long hours spent dealing with the worried Emperor and the court ministers had left them tired and angry.
They walked side by side into the main house, heading straight toward the private rooms.
"The northern river lines must be fixed before dawn," Zhen Sheng said, his deep voice sounding rough. He rubbed the center of his chest, where a dull ache was still pulling uncomfortably at his core.
"Marcus will handle the orders," Jing Yuchen replied, his violet eyes dark as he focused on the hallway ahead. "Right now, we need to check on the Duke. He has been under the forced seal for hours. He should be resting or weak from the fever by now."
They reached the bedroom doors, where Marcus was standing guard. The assistant quickly bowed, turned the key in the lock, and stepped aside.
Zhen Sheng did not bother to knock. He placed his large hand flat against the wood and pushed the doors open with a rough force.
But the moment they stepped inside, both Alphas froze in their tracks. The scene before them was full of total destruction.
The big bedroom was completely ruined. The chairs had been flipped over, their legs pointing up into the air. The painted privacy screens were smashed into pieces, the broken frames scattered across the floor tiles. The soft bedding had been ripped up, and the white stuffing was flying through the dark room like snow.
Standing right in the center of the big mess was Li Yan.
He was breathing fast, his chest rising and falling. His skin was still red, burning from the high fever caused by the sealed energy, but he stood straight and proud. In his right hand, he held a broken, twisted piece of a metal washbasin, its sharp edge shining under the dim light of the lamp.
His eyes were bright with a wild energy that took both men by surprise. His pride and his past life as a leader had pushed him past his physical limits, forcing him to fight back with everything he had.
He looked at the two powerful Alphas with pure hatred, his lips turning into a sharp smile.
"You want to lock me in like a dog under your roof?" Li Yan said, his voice rough but filled with anger as he raised the metal weapon toward them. "Then you can deal with a mad one."
Zhen Sheng’s face turned red in a second. He stepped over a broken piece of a chair, his strong cedar scent filling the ruined room.
"What is the meaning of this, Mingxuan?" Zhen Sheng roared, his deep voice shaking the walls. "You are a noble Duke! Why are you acting like a madman in the middle of my house? Look at this room!"
"I don’t care about your house, and I don’t care about your rules!" Li Yan shouted back, his grip tightening around the metal basin until his knuckles turned white. He did not back down an inch, his eyes locked onto the general’s face. "You think you can just turn a key and keep me quiet? I will tear this entire house down before I let you do it again!"
Jing Yuchen stepped past the general, his violet eyes flashing with anger. His strong ozone pressure filled the room, making the air feel thick and freezing. He pointed a long finger directly at Li Yan’s chest.
"Drop the weapon, Duke," Jing Yuchen commanded, his smooth voice turning so low it made Marcus shake near the doorway. "You are pushing your luck too far. You are burning with a fever, yet you are wasting your strength throwing a fit."
"A fit?" Li Yan mocked, letting out a sharp laugh that echoed off the high ceiling. He took a step forward, his bare feet moving through the broken pieces on the floor. "You think this is a fit, Your Highness? This is me telling you exactly how much I hate you. You and your high status can go away! You have nothing but your strength and your titles, but you don’t own my mind."
"Shut your mouth!" Zhen Sheng barked, his large fists clenching at his sides as he stepped closer. "We locked your scent down to save our men. We did it for the safety of the house, and you reward us by destroying my property?"
"Your property?" Li Yan screamed back, his voice cracking with rage. "My body is not yours to manage! I saved your life at that party, General, and your prince rewarded me by shoving his freezing energy down my throat! You are nothing but two monsters who don’t know how to do anything except use force!"
All three of them were shouting over each other, their voices clashing in the ruined space. The air was thick with the scents of cedar, ozone, and the faint hint of lilies, creating a cloud of tension.
"You will learn to respect our position, Mingxuan," Jing Yuchen said, his pale face coming close to Li Yan’s as he stepped over a pile of torn sheets. "We are the only ones keeping you alive."
"I would rather rot than depend on your mercy!" Li Yan yelled directly into the prince’s face, refusing to give in to their strong pressure.
Zhen Sheng let out a rough growl, his patience completely gone. He took a big step forward, his large hands reaching out to take the metal from Li Yan and pull him down to the floor.
Suddenly, a loud, clear chime rang directly inside Li Yan’s head, making his ears ring.
The general froze mid-motion, and the prince paused as well, both men still breathing hard from the argument. Right in front of their angry faces, the blue glass screen flashed into view in Li Yan’s vision, showing an unexpected update.
The text on the screen pulsed with a dark purple light that cut through the mess of the ruined room.
[MISSION PROGRESS REPORT: Key Data Shift]
[General Zhen Sheng: 12% (+2%)]
[Prince Jing Yuchen: 7% (+2%)]
[System Note: Targets’ affection levels have gone up. Host’s wild display and stubborn behavior have triggered a hidden interest. They remain completely angry, but they are becoming obsessed with your mind.]
Li Yan stared at the rising numbers in absolute shock and disgust. His jaw went slightly slack, his wild energy freezing instantly as he read the words.
He looked from the glowing screen to the two angry Alphas who were still glaring down at him with red faces and clenched fists. He was completely horrified. His smart mind could barely understand the data. Screaming insults at them had actually made them like him more.
Zhen Sheng noticed the sudden shift in Li Yan’s gaze, his golden eyes narrowing with anger and suspicion as he leaned down, his cedar scent brushing against Li Yan’s cheek. "What are you staring at, Duke? We are not finished talking about this room."