The Banquet After the Storm
Before the situation could spiral further into directions the Alliance did not wish to see, Jiang Yun called an end to the negotiations.
What followed was the evening banquet.
Inside the grand, gilded hall, an orchestra in formal attire played a gentle waltz.
The glow of the crystal chandeliers shimmered through crystal glasses of red wine, scattering over faces adorned with polite, smiling masks.
Before the flashing cameras of both sides’ reporters, Jiang Yun accepted a glass of wine from Ian. The two clinked glasses lightly under the spotlight.
Ian spoke animatedly beside him, his manner open and radiant. On the surface, there was no trace of the ambition or hunger that burned beneath, only the easy warmth of two old friends reunited after a long time apart.
Zhong Man stayed close by Jiang Yun’s side. The moment the diplomatic formalities were done, she took the glass from him, handed it off to a waiter, and offered him a sterilized handkerchief.
Jiang Yun gave a brief word of thanks. As he wiped his hands, he began to walk with her through the hum of laughter and clinking glasses, heading toward the private lounge.
A single door separated the opulent banquet hall from the quieter world within.
“Do three things,” Jiang Yun instructed.
“First, make sure that nothing from today’s negotiation leaks out, especially the part about Colonel Lu.
Second, postpone the next scheduled meeting. Even if the Orin delegation demands urgency, we will not accommodate them.
Third, Ian must have more of Colonel Lu’s personal belongings in his possession. Send this information to Intelligence. I want to know exactly how many cards he still holds.”
There was no hesitation when Jiang Yun spoke the words ‘personal belongings’. His composure was unbroken, his tone that of a diplomat in full control, untouched by private grief.
“I’ll handle it immediately,” Zhong Man said. She turned on her heel, the click of her heels echoing down the corridor as she left.
As the Alliance’s chief representative, Jiang Yun could not be away for long.
He opened his personal communicator, a message from Jiang Mu had arrived not long ago, asking when he’d be home that night.
It’ll be late, he replied briefly, then set the device aside.
He was about to return to the hall when something at the corner of his vision caught his eye, a small triangle of freshly cut bread on the table.
Soft, golden, still warm from the oven, its sweet, comforting scent rose through the air.
Jiang Yun closed his eyes for a moment, willing the sweet fragrance away.
Then, the door behind him suddenly swung open.
A tall, flame-haired figure stepped in, bringing with him a thick wave of alcohol, vodka.
That scent, sharp, heady, and unmistakably domineering was Ian’s pheromone.
Seeing Jiang Yun, Ian feigned surprise, hands lifted in mock apology, “Oh? I didn’t think anyone was in here. But it’s perfect that you are.”
He turned and shut the door behind him, walking forward with a smile, “Mr. Diplomat, it seems my pheromone inhibitor’s worn off. If I stay out there any longer, there might be… complications. Could you lend me a hand?”
In the sealed room, the concentration of Alpha pheromones rose rapidly.
Vodka, bold, intoxicating, it carried a physical weight, a psychological pressure that could crush any Omega’s defenses.
But Jiang Yun didn’t flinch.
He stood tall, straight-backed, letting the Alpha’s scent swirl around him like smoke. His expression, his posture, even his breathing remained steady.
“There’s a spare inhibitor in the cabinet,” he said calmly.
Ian’s long, narrow eyes narrowed further. “We’re in your capital, your territory. Don’t you think it’s poor manners to make your guest fetch things himself?”
“I’ll get it for you,” a third voice said, deep and hard-edged.
The door opened again. Maurice entered.
The instant he smelled the vodka in the air, his face darkened.
Between Alphas, pheromones carried their own instinctive tension. To release them openly in another Alpha’s presence was nothing short of a provocation.
Ian raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Well, well. The party just got livelier.”
Maurice shot him a cold glance but restrained himself, forcing his body to remain neutral as he crossed the room toward the cabinet.
Ian watched him with idle curiosity,
“Tell me, Lieutenant Colonel,” he drawled, “do you know what scent Jiang Yun’s pheromone has?”
Maurice froze mid-motion.
Ian let out a long, theatrical oh, feigning regret, “You don’t? I thought you two were close friends, you’ve known each other for years, haven’t you?”
“That’s none of your concern,” Maurice replied coldly, “Retract your pheromones, Orinian.”
Ian’s grin widened. “Don’t be so serious, Colonel. I’m just curious. I wondered if his scent might be as unforgettable as his face.”
Jiang Yun leaned lightly against the cabinet, lifting his gaze just enough for their eyes to meet.
“Does it matter?” he asked quietly.
They stood a short distance apart, but Jiang Yun’s calm, cool look made Ian falter for half a breath, just long enough to lose the upper hand.
“What?” Ian asked, his composure flickering.
“My pheromone,” Jiang Yun said evenly. “Is its scent important to you?”
Ian gave a low laugh, half teasing, half sincere. “Of course it is. If I ever had the honor of smelling it, I’d consider myself blessed.”
Jiang Yun’s reply was soft, almost indifferent, “Then you’ll have to ask my late husband.”
Both Ian and Maurice froze.
“No one,” Jiang Yun continued, with the faintest of smiles, “Knows my scent better than Colonel Lu. If you’re curious, dig deeper through his belongings or bow a few more times before his remains. Perhaps he’ll visit you in a dream and tell you himself.”
Ian, so often all smiles, suddenly went still.
Without that smile, his beauty took on a strange, almost ghostly quality, the red of his hair lending an eerie gleam to the quiet malice beneath.
He said nothing for a long moment. Then, with a laugh too loud and too bright, he said, “Colonel Lu…. Colonel Lu Huai.”
Ian dropped onto the sofa, crossing his legs leisurely. His eyes glimmered with something that looked like memory, “Do you remember the first time we met, Mr. Diplomat?”
Jiang Yun didn’t answer.
“It was seventeen years ago,” Ian went on, “When I was sent to the Desert Planet on assignment. On the way, the star-train I boarded was hijacked by pirates. They took over the dining car and forced the engineer to change course.”
“The brave conductor tried to resist and was shot dead, right before our eyes. It was my first business trip after graduating, and suddenly I was staring death in the face. I was terrified.”
“The dining car had no food. People were hungry, thirsty, crying, a few fragile little Omegas sobbing nonstop. It almost made me laugh.”
He tilted his head, smiling faintly. “Do you know why I wanted to laugh? Because I’m an Alpha and when an Alpha meets chaos, he doesn’t cry, he takes the opportunity.”
He turned his gaze back to Jiang Yun, voice slow, deliberate, “The opportunity to play the hero… and win the beauty’s heart.”
“I quickly came up with a plan. I’d take out the pirates guarding the car, seal the doors, then find a way to blow the dining car off the main track. That way, everyone would be saved! Perfect, right?”
Maurice couldn’t help interrupting, “And the hostages?”
“Hostages?” Ian lifted his shoulders in mock innocence. “I’m afraid that wasn’t part of my plan.”
Maurice let out a contemptuous snort.
Ian ignored it, lost in his own recollection,
“I was excited! Imagining my name in the Imperial honors list, maybe even a promotion and the beautiful Omega I’d seen on that train would abandon his newlywed husband and fall into my arms.”
“So I waited. I waited until my shirt clung to me with sweat, until my lips cracked from thirst. I waited until I nearly lost patience.”
“And then my chance came.”
“I was ready to strike when the door to the dining car suddenly opened from the inside.”
“The smell of blood hit first, thick, metallic, overwhelming. The pirates who’d been laughing just moments before were now lying in pools of blood. Every last one of them was dead. The dining car was a slaughterhouse.”
Ian’s tone, once lazy and mocking, grew darker, “And then a young man in black stepped out from the carnage.”
“He wore an ordinary black T-shirt and a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. He could’ve been any traveler on vacation. On his wrist, a red gemstone bracelet, a local trinket from the Desert Planet.”
“His face and hands were smeared with blood. But in his left hand, the one wearing a wedding ring, he was holding a perfectly clean bottle of milk.”
Ian’s smile turned faintly rueful. “Looking back, I suppose that was your honeymoon, wasn’t it? You and Colonel Lu? Quite a honeymoon, no wonder your marriage ended so unhappily.”
Maurice knew of that incident, the 1223 Starrail Massacre but he hadn’t known Ian had been there.
Ian narrowed his eyes, “He was brilliant, Absolutely blinding.”
Maurice couldn’t help but recall that same memory, that young man, his courage, his unshakable calm. Blinding, yes, there was no better word.
After that event, Colonel Lu Huai had once again been awarded the First-Class Medal of Honor.
When asked what reward he desired, Maurice had been present. He had expected the usual, weapons, or perhaps the new combat mech Lu had long admired.
But Lu Huai had only smiled and said, “How about another week of honeymoon leave? My wife wants to ride the Ferris wheel and carousel on Hobson Star.”
Hobson Star, a planet built entirely for pleasure. A festival for adults, a fairy tale for children, an entire world made into one colossal amusement park.
Ian’s story ended there.
He rose to his feet, eyes fixed on Jiang Yun’s face, as though trying to catch any flicker of emotion.
“Tell me, Mr. Diplomat,” he asked softly, “did you love your Alpha?”
Beneath the shadow of his lashes, Jiang Yun’s eyes were calm and cold.
“So that’s what all this is for?” he said quietly. “All your pretty words, all that sentiment, just to make me admit that I loved Colonel Lu?”
“Oh no,” Ian said lightly. “Any Omega would fall for him that’s only natural. But you’re different, Jiang Yun. He wasn’t only your husband, your Alpha, the father of your children, he was also the man who saved your life.”
He leaned in, his voice dropping low, “Don’t you want to know what his last words to you were?”
“‘Last words’?” Jiang Yun echoed then gave a small, mocking laugh.
“Colonel Lu already left a will. He left me everything he owned. Because of his sacrifice, the Presidential Office promoted me beyond precedent. What use would I have for last words? Will they make me richer? Will they give me more power? Be realistic, Your Excellency.”
Ian’s expression darkened.
Jiang Yun walked toward the door, hand already on the handle, “You said it yourself, all that’s left is a body. To me, it means nothing.”
Ian’s eyes went cold. He took a step forward, reaching out to seize Jiang Yun’s shoulder but before he could touch him, Jiang Yun stopped and turned his head slightly, eyes cutting across like a blade.
Ian froze, his pupils constricted and, to his own disbelief, he stepped back. For an instant, he saw something impossible.
Behind Jiang Yun, in the shimmer of the air, the shadow of a blood-stained young officer stood tall, watching him from above, silent and merciless, a ghost from seventeen years ago issuing a warning colder than death itself.
✦ ✧ ✦
Cressilia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
A little coffee for the person who made these words happen? (｡•́‿•̀｡)
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Who can compare to Colonel Lu?Chapter 2 · He should be deadChapter 3 · How were we born?Chapter 4 · That’s where Colonel died..Chapter 5 · No one knows my pheromone than Colonel LuChapter 6 · Colonel Lu’s remainsChapter 7 · Heat is approachingChapter 8 · CheckmateChapter 9 · A dream liked married lifeChapter 10 · What might be his pregnancy be like?Chapter 11 · He thought he would be the father of two childrenChapter 12 · So we just hang Colonel Lu on the wall?Chapter 13 · Finally, I have something to say to my wifeChapter 14 · Why doesn’t Colonel Lu understandChapter 15 · He doesn’t Love MeChapter 16 · You’ll see him soonChapter 17 · So casual, so carelessChapter 18 Part 1 · He.. He’s looking at meChapter 18 Part 2 · He..He’s looking at meChapter 19 · Lu Huai is still aliveChapter 20 · Wait until I bring back your zombie Alpha dadChapter 21 · Long time no see, Jiang YunChapter 22 · I still have that qualificationChapter 23 · It still tastes sweet when you kiss itChapter 24 · He seems to have forgotten how to act cuteChapter 25 · The two unfortunate children were completely terrifiedChapter 26 · Please make yourself at home.Chapter 27 · Hello, UncleChapter 28 · Am I not your deceased husband?Chapter 29 · Don’t you love me anymore?Chapter 30 · Our home is No. 5, Qianshui RoadChapter 31 · Is he… here to keep him company?Chapter 32 · What exactly did Alpha bring me?Chapter 33 · Thanks a lot, brothers!Chapter 34 · Hi?Chapter 35 · I only let you take care of the child for one dayChapter 36 · Did you have thoughts when you ‘died’?Chapter 37 · Put a double bed in your homeChapter 38 · They both suffered heavy lossesChapter 39 · Welcome back to the Alphas’ arena.Chapter 40 · Why should I lower myself?Chapter 41 · I have learned that Colonel Lu Huai is still aliveChapter 42 · They are sensitive and vulnerableChapter 43 · He would also feel regret.Chapter 44 · When a child is quiet, they’re definitely up to somethingChapter 45 · Dad, you have such a good eye for choosing a husband!Chapter 46 · Who made it wear a colonel’s uniform?Chapter 47 · I love him very muchChapter 48 · Okay, I believe youChapter 49 · I remember you went pretty hard on him at the end.Chapter 50 · Colonel Lu, don’t be too fierceChapter 51 · To…make up for the regretChapter 52 · A perfect match!Chapter 53 · Colonel Lu, let’s get married!Chapter 54 · When will you finally learn to stop talking nonsense?Chapter 55 · My darlings, we’re homeChapter 56 · Babies, please stopChapter 57 · I’m about to enter my heat cycle, not my due dateChapter 58 · Is he complaining to his wife?Chapter 59 · The only lieChapter 60 · Colonel Lu, the babies are all crying.Chapter 61 · Dad, Colonel Lu bullied me.Chapter 62 · A large number of foreign ministersChapter 63 · Jiang Mu definitely likes handsome guys tooChapter 64 · First time bringing a partner to a major diplomatic occasionChapter 65 · You’re still as handsome as you were back thenChapter 66 · Bedtime Strategic PartnerChapter 67 · How can you be so good at threatening people?Chapter 68 · I’m waiting for youChapter 69 · I’ll stay by your side, from beginning to endChapter 70 · Can you handle Lu Chao’s… educational session for me?Chapter 71 · The First SpringChapter 72 · Extra 1Chapter 73 · Extra 2Chapter 74 · Extra 3Chapter 75 · Extra 4Chapter 76 · Extra 5Chapter 77 · Extra 6Chapter 78 · Extra 7Chapter 79 · Extra 8Chapter 80 · Extra 9