Forbidden Zone Rose - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: No Different from Falling into the Nest of a Beast that Could Lose Control at Any Moment…

The Alpha who had brought Su Zhi into the Forbidden Zone, Xu Leng, finished organizing the data recorded in the mining area today with Team Leader Zhou. Racing against time, they finally managed to upload the data into the real-time modeling system before 5:00 PM to generate predictive models.

The machine hummed with a low-decibel operational sound, and the Alpha slowly exhaled.

Five o’clock sharp. When Xie Yi said five, he meant five—not a second more, not a second less. A time mentioned so casually seemed to have been calculated with extreme precision against the workload. It felt as if nothing, not even the smallest margin, could escape his control.

Xu Leng’s expression was subtle: “What’s the background of this Mr. Xie? I’ve never heard of him before.”

Xu Leng had worked in the mining sector for years and was considered a veteran in the field. He had never seen Xie Yi before. If it weren’t for the fact that Xie Yi’s professional skills were genuinely formidable, he would have suspected the man was just a well-connected individual parachuted in to pad his resume.

Team Leader Zhou: “He might be an expert requisitioned from the military. This Forbidden Zone was originally military-owned, so it’s normal for someone like him to be here. There are plenty of things we haven’t heard of; there’s always a bigger fish out there. It’s normal for high-profile figures to keep a low profile.”

Xu Leng looked at him: “Brother Zhou, you’re too good-tempered.”

Team Leader Zhou was also an Alpha and the leader of this survey team. Theoretically, he should have been the one in charge, while a technical consultant often acted as little more than a figurehead. However, the moment the team assembled, Xie Yi had forcefully taken over the leading position, giving Team Leader Zhou absolutely no face.

Team Leader Zhou smiled: “It’s not like that. Consultant Xie is indeed more capable.”

Team Leader Zhou was in his forties. At his age, he no longer had the competitive, hot-headed nature driven by the hormones of younger Alphas. Having seen more of the world, his sense of danger was also sharper; he could accurately judge who could be provoked and who couldn’t.

Just from their initial encounter today, he knew this young Alpha was not ordinary. Actually, Xie Yi’s personality wasn’t fierce; at least on the surface, he hadn’t uttered a single curse word or scolded anyone. Compared to the Alphas who worked in the mines year-round and developed a wild, untamable streak, he could even be called a gentleman—refined and well-educated, like a creature living within the framework of civilized etiquette.

But that bone-deep, dangerous sense of pressure couldn’t be hidden. The moment he joined the team, he occupied the leadership position—not out of a deliberate attempt to target Team Leader Zhou, but because he was born that way. Wherever he went, he naturally could not occupy a subordinate position.

Sometimes, to the weak, a casual glance from the strong feels like condescending pity. The man was clearly destined for greater things; coming to the Forbidden Zone was likely a waste of his talents. The gap was too wide, like an ant trying to shake a giant tree; even attempting to compete would look unsightly.

Team Leader Zhou: “Alright, don’t say these things in front of others.”

Xu Leng snorted: “I wouldn’t dare. I’m only saying this to you. I’m not stupid. Didn’t you see how obedient they’ve all become?”

Humans instinctively submit to the strong. This is a subconscious mechanism to seek benefit and avoid harm. Alphas are the most combative type of people, yet they are also the group that most strictly follows the law of the jungle.

Team Leader Zhou: “It’s good that you know. You young Alphas sometimes just have too much energy and nowhere to vent it… Rein in your pheromone scent; it’s stifling.”

Xu Leng: “Haha, sorry, I didn’t notice.”

Xu Leng suddenly remembered something: “Team Leader, did you smell Mr. Xie’s pheromones?”

Team Leader Zhou shook his head: “No.”

Generally speaking, the hierarchy among Alphas is decided by the strength of their pheromones. Especially in a gathering of Alphas, the competitive instinct in their genes urges them to release pheromones to duel with their peers. Once a hierarchy is established, they also release pheromones from time to time to signal dominance, much like the scent marking of an Alpha wolf in a pack.

Some critics say Alphas are animals living under the control of pheromones; though crude and unpleasant, there is a blunt truth to it. Alphas release pheromones not only during courtship but also frequently when interacting with their own kind. It is their instinct, and forcibly defying it is extremely painful.

Yet, from the very first moment he met the group, Xie Yi had never released his pheromones. If it weren’t for that staggering aura that made it impossible to mistake him for a Beta or Omega, it would be hard to believe he was an Alpha—not a single drop of pheromones had leaked out.

Xu Leng: “This guy is really strange. Is he frigid? No way, he doesn’t look like it.”

An Alpha’s pheromones are closely linked to their sexual capability; it wasn’t a wonder Xu Leng made that connection.

Team Leader Zhou: “…”

A low frequency of pheromone secretion could indeed be due to a low libido. But there was another possibility: that his desires were deeper than an average person’s, causing him to repress them profoundly. Xie Yi’s demeanor and bearing were reserved and stern; to reach such a level, he might have undergone specialized training.

Under the veneer of restraint, there are often things surging that cannot be shown to others. The things that must be hidden are often the most terrifying. Team Leader Zhou felt something was slightly off; since their first meeting, he felt there was an indefinable difference between Xie Yi and a normal Alpha, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. He just felt a subconscious sense of familiarity… as if he had seen something similar somewhere, but the memory was too distant and blurred.

However, his intuition told him not to investigate further.

Team Leader Zhou instinctively changed the subject: “Let’s not talk about that. Is the Beta who joined this afternoon settled in?”

At the mention of this, Xu Leng felt a wave of gloom: “Not yet. As soon as we got to the base, Mr. Xie told me to hand the data over to you.”

Team Leader Zhou: “Go on then. There probably aren’t any extra tents. Have him stay with the other Beta in the team.”

Team Leader Zhou paused: “He is too beautiful. Even if he’s a Beta, you should be careful.” He added vaguely, “If nothing else, even… a conflict resulting in an injury would be hard to explain.”

Xu Leng nodded: “Right, I’m going now.”

Leaving Team Leader Zhou’s place, Xu Leng grabbed someone to ask about Su Zhi’s whereabouts. The person gave a subtle expression: “That Beta went into Mr. Xie’s tent and hasn’t come out.”

Xu Leng thought he had misheard and said in shock: “What?”

Su Zhi ate dinner in Xie Yi’s tent.

Because of Xie Yi’s kind warning, Su Zhi stayed in the tent the whole time. He wasn’t the type to seek excitement anyway, so being alone was fine. Xie Yi seemed very busy. After settling Su Zhi in, he left, asking about dietary preferences. Around 5:00 PM, he brought back a self-heating meal and some new snacks for Su Zhi before leaving again.

Su Zhi felt like he had accidentally stumbled into one of those pet-raising games where Xie Yi was the owner behind the screen, logging in at set times to complete tasks and feed him, +1, +1.

By the time Xie Yi returned again, it was 9:00 PM. Su Zhi was sitting by the bed, focused on reading.

There was radiation interference within the Forbidden Zone, so regular communication devices couldn’t connect to the internet. Before leaving, Xie Yi had found him several books introducing mining areas to pass the time, but Su Zhi found them a bit confusing, so he started reading downloaded journal materials on his iPad. He wanted to see if he could find a solution for 0409’s condition; 0409’s constitution had always been a major flaw. Even if this illness was resolved, there would be a next time. To fundamentally solve the constitutional issue, he had to find a way to introduce new plant genes for improvement.

However, he had already tested all the plant genes he could consider, and none could improve the constitution while retaining 0409’s high-yield traits. Su Zhi decided to broaden his horizons and look at newly discovered rare plants and experimental plants.

Su Zhi had read over a dozen journal papers this afternoon, all focused on new plant varieties. When he focused on his work, he had an air of being isolated from the outside world, being deeply invested. Within his pale pupils, it seemed nothing could fit except research data. When he instinctively looked up, he didn’t immediately reflect Xie Yi’s shadow. His thick, lowered lashes cast shadows under the light like butterfly wings that would break at a touch. At this moment, he looked like the indifferent and aloof researcher from the files again.

Xie Yi paused: “Why aren’t you resting?”

The survey team’s schedule was set based on weather and prediction models and was irregular. They would assemble and depart at 3:00 AM tomorrow, meaning they had to wake up and pack at 2:30 AM. With an Alpha’s high energy, four or five hours of sleep was plenty to recover, but for a Beta, it was pushing it.

Su Zhi felt a bit embarrassed: “I was too absorbed and accidentally forgot the time.”

“Mhm,” Xie Yi didn’t say much. “Get some rest soon. We have to wake up early tomorrow.”

Su Zhi obediently turned off his iPad and did a quick wash-up. When he returned, he found Xie Yi had already opened the sleeping bag.

But—it wasn’t prepared for Su Zhi; Xie Yi had climbed in himself. The man had broad shoulders and long legs; the sleeping bag, made to the standard of an average Alpha’s build, looked a bit tight for him. Curled up inside, he looked somewhat cramped.

Su Zhi: “?”

Xie Yi: “You sleep on the bed. The sheets have been replaced with fresh ones.”

Su Zhi was stunned: “There’s no need…”

Xie Yi: “It’s fine, just for one night. You’ve just arrived at the mining area and might not be used to the environment. If you accidentally fall ill, it will be more troublesome.”

He gave Su Zhi no room to refuse. Su Zhi wasn’t good at handling social push-and-pull. He thought about it—he truly was only staying in the Forbidden Zone for this one night, so Xie Yi only had to make do for one night. Xie Yi’s style was dominant, clearly accustomed to giving orders, but his attitude wasn’t forceful. Furthermore, what he said made a lot of sense; if he fell ill, it would indeed cause more trouble for others. He convinced Su Zhi through logic.

Su Zhi could only say: “Alright, I’m troubling you. Thank you.”

Su Zhi lay down on the bed with his clothes on, and the light in the tent went out.

In the darkness, Xie Yi suddenly asked: “What do you want to do by coming to the Forbidden Zone?”

Su Zhi’s heart skipped a beat. He had been worried about the man asking this ever since he met Xie Yi. It was just that Xie Yi seemed very busy, only finding time in his busy schedule to feed Su Zhi and never asking, so he had forgotten.

Su Zhi hesitated, still unable to think of a reasonable excuse. He decided to omit the part about 0409 and confessed: “I am quite interested in the Red Stone mine.”

Xie Yi was quiet for a few seconds: “Mhm, I see. Go to sleep.”

He didn’t offer an opinion on Su Zhi’s purpose; it just seemed like a simple inquiry. But from Xie Yi’s perspective, not opposing it was already a silent form of permission. Despite it being a vague conversation, in his daze, Su Zhi felt an indescribable sense of peace.

Su Zhi said softly: “Goodnight.”

The man’s voice sounded low and cold in the darkness: “Goodnight.”

Su Zhi usually had trouble sleeping in new places and wasn’t used to sleeping on someone else’s turf. But today, perhaps because he had traveled for half the day and then focused intensely on reading data, he was both physically and mentally exhausted, and sleepiness soon washed over him. Furthermore, Xie Yi’s place was very clean and organized; the bedding only had a faint scent of detergent. He was as reserved and restrained as the man himself, and Su Zhi didn’t feel any strong, uncomfortable vibes.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, Su Zhi’s nerve endings suddenly twitched sensitively. It felt as if something was silently watching him in the dark night. Su Zhi pulled the thin blanket over himself, lacking a sense of security and instinctively wanting to cover and protect himself.

But he didn’t realize that even the bedding he was wrapped in was saturated with the watcher’s aura.

At 2:30 AM, the camp’s wake-up alarm rang.

Waking up at this hour was indeed painful. When Su Zhi opened his eyes, his brain was in a daze for several minutes. Fortunately, he wasn’t an official member of the survey team and didn’t need to carry much equipment. All his things were in one backpack, organized the night before. He could set off immediately after putting on his radiation suit.

The survey team departed on time. At this hour, the night was thick and dark; you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. All members boarded the transport vehicles and headed toward the mining area.

As soon as Su Zhi boarded, he was arranged to sit next to Xie Yi. They sat in the front row, so Su Zhi couldn’t see the many Alphas in the back row stealing glances at him. This new Beta had spent the entire night in Xie Yi’s tent. It wasn’t that they suspected something happened between the two over the course of the night. It was just that Xie Yi himself had a very strong presence, and Su Zhi, the new Beta, was also quite eye-catching; it would be harder not to notice them.

Xu Leng, who had brought Su Zhi into the Forbidden Zone yesterday, looked particularly unwell. He had wanted to go ask Xie Yi yesterday but ultimately lacked the courage. He was the one who came first… how did he get intercepted?

Regardless of what everyone was thinking, the journey was very quiet. Moreover, today’s work was heavy, so they didn’t have much energy to spare for other things. They soon reached the first surveying point. Everyone filed out of the vehicle. Su Zhi wanted to follow, but Xie Yi stopped him.

A question mark popped up in Su Zhi’s head: “Hm?”

Xie Yi said: “This point is not a Red Stone mine; the next one is. The terrain in the surveying area is complex; stay on the vehicle and catch up on sleep first.” Xie Yi left his coat on the seat and said in a deep voice: “Watch my coat for me. If you feel cold, cover yourself with it while you sleep.”

Before Su Zhi could react, he stepped off the vehicle and closed the door.

Mhm… it was true. There was no point in him following; as an outsider, he might even get in the way and delay progress. Su Zhi was self-aware. Furthermore, by saying that, Xie Yi likely meant he had agreed to take him to the Red Stone mining area. Fine, he would stay on the vehicle obediently for now.

Su Zhi thought for a moment, and the question mark above his head slowly dissipated, turning into a fluffy period. The vehicle’s climate control system was on; it wasn’t cold, but suddenly being left alone made the silence feel a bit abrupt. The trench coat the man left was draped over the seat handle. Su Zhi looked at it for a while, reached out to pick it up, folded it neatly, and placed it back on the seat.

Work in the mining area was exhausting—not physically. The work of the survey team wasn’t primitive manual labor like digging with pickaxes; it involved using many precision instruments, measuring data, and constructing real-time models to facilitate systematic mining later. It was a technical job. Physical exertion would have been easy; Alphas had no shortage of stamina.

However, this work drained the Alphas mentally. During the surveying process, Alphas had to use their five senses to the maximum extent to find the trend of the ore veins and determine precise measurement points. During this process, their pheromones often fluctuated uncontrollably.

The situation at the first mining point was more complex than expected. It took over three hours longer than estimated to complete the task. By the time they finished, it was already noon. Having worked through the deep night and into the morning, the Alphas were visibly more irritable than when they set off, showing signs of unstable pheromone levels. Two Alphas even got into an argument and were called out by Team Leader Zhou to cool off.

Naturally, they couldn’t continue working in this state. The team rested on-site for two hours to eat and recover their strength, as well as to relax their minds and stabilize their pheromones before heading to the next point.

Amidst a group of restless Alphas, the tall figure who remained calm and steady was particularly distinct. Xie Yi looked calm, his dark eyes showing no fluctuation, and there wasn’t even a thin layer of sweat on his brow. It was impossible to tell that he was the one with the highest work intensity and theoretically the most mental exhaustion, having also played the role of guiding the entire situation. If Xie Yi hadn’t corrected several important pieces of data in time, they would have had to stay at the first point for another two hours.

Xu Leng looked at him as if he were a monster, whispering his complaints to Team Leader Zhou: “Was he like this yesterday too? No fluctuations at all? How can he endure so much? Is he for real? He’s like a robot… this guy is a bit of a freak.”

He truly found it inconceivable. Team Leader Zhou didn’t speak. He looked at Xie Yi’s figure, his brow slightly furrowed as if he were thinking about something.

At 2:30 PM, the survey team arrived at the second point—the Red Stone mining area.

Su Zhi had rested on the transport vehicle all morning and was now in good condition, full of energy. Even wearing the radiation suit, he followed Xie Yi quite smoothly. This time, Su Zhi observed him up close.

The man looked very focused while adjusting the instruments, his eyes—already naturally dark—seemed even deeper, as if they could swallow a person whole. Occasionally, he would look up and ask Su Zhi to hand him a few tools.

There were two Betas in the team responsible for adjusting the entire team’s instruments. However, Xie Yi was used to doing it himself so that everything was under his control. Those two Betas didn’t approach Xie Yi; only Su Zhi was his little tail. Su Zhi followed behind Xie Yi like a bird following a feeding bowl. The two of them collaborated for several hours.

The surveying at this point was relatively smooth, but because they had been delayed for so long at the first point, by the time they nearly finished, it was already 6:00 PM. It was past the expected time, and the horizon was starting to turn a pale yellow as sunset approached.

The others went to pack the instruments. Xie Yi took out several sample Red Stones collected during this survey from the sample bag and asked him: “Take a look.”

Su Zhi: “…” Su Zhi felt a bit guilty. Wasn’t this a bit too blatant?

Xie Yi: “Can you use them?”

Su Zhi took them with some embarrassment, examined them, and then said in a small, even more embarrassed voice: “The quality isn’t enough.” He said: “I need some with higher purity. Not a lot, just a little.” Su Zhi pinched his fingers to demonstrate: “Just a little like this, about 5g is enough.”

5g of Red Stone made into Extract No. 173 would be enough for 0409 for over three months.

Xie Yi thought for a moment and told Su Zhi to wait where he was: “Wait for me for a moment.”

He got up to talk to another Alpha. Su Zhi knew the man’s name was Zhou and he was the team leader; besides Xie Yi, he was the one in charge. They talked for five or six minutes before Xie Yi returned: “Seven hundred meters from here, there’s an existing mine tunnel left behind before the zone was closed. We can go down that way.”

This point was on the periphery of the entire Red Stone vein; today’s original plan only went this far. To get Red Stone of higher purity, one had to go deeper into the vein. It was too late, and it wasn’t in the plan. They had already worked overtime today, so the main force definitely wouldn’t follow; they were heading back to camp to rest.

Xie Yi would take him there alone and let Team Leader Zhou take the main force back first.

Su Zhi hadn’t expected Xie Yi would be willing to go through so much trouble for him. If giving him Red Stone samples earlier was just a small favor, specifically taking Su Zhi deep into the mining area was something that couldn’t be described as just “trouble.” This was only their second meeting.

Xie Yi was truly… warm-hearted. Completely at odds with his appearance.

Su Zhi said very seriously: “Thank you so much for your help. If you ever need anything in the future, you must tell me.”

Xie Yi’s dark eyes lingered on his pale cheeks through the protective suit. Perhaps because he had worked all day, his voice was a bit husky: “It’s nothing. We’ll follow the existing tunnel. If things go smoothly, one hour is enough for the round trip.” He said: “Let’s get it first.”

The convoy returned to the camp, everyone so exhausted they didn’t want to speak. Some Alphas, unable to take it anymore, gave themselves a few sprays of inhibitor to help stabilize their pheromones; otherwise, they might not be able to stop themselves from fighting those around them. Every Alpha in the survey team was allocated a quota of inhibitors, but none of them wanted to use it unless absolutely necessary. Releasing pheromones is an Alpha’s nature; suppressing it with drugs is essentially violating that nature, causing a sense of both physiological and psychological discomfort and repression.

Xu Leng also sprayed himself and was shivering from the discomfort. He suddenly thought of Xie Yi, who hadn’t shown any signs of losing control until they left: “That guy Xie isn’t human…”

Losing control of pheromones and suppressing it with external hormones is very painful, let alone controlling it proactively. It was simply unimaginable. Xu Leng thought of Xie Yi’s special care for Su Zhi and said gloomily: “Anyway, I don’t think he’s frigid.”

He had originally thought that beautiful Beta would return empty-handed this time, but he hadn’t expected that while Xie Yi looked distant, he was so attentive in private. Why was he even trying? He couldn’t compete at all.

Xu Leng muttered several insults about Xie Yi, when Team Leader Zhou suddenly spoke to himself: “I remember now.”

Xu Leng: “What?”

Team Leader Zhou looked dazed, not hearing the question, entirely lost in memory.

Xu Leng: “Team Leader, why have you been spaced out all day? You almost measured the data wrong back at the mine earlier. When did you start making such rookie mistakes?”

Team Leader Zhou turned his gaze to him and said hesitantly: “I think I remember why he feels familiar—”

Before he could finish his sentence, a sudden alarm from the instruments cut him off. A sharp wail erupted.

The real-time monitor had detected a slight earth movement 3.6 kilometers from the camp in the due north direction, judged to be a small-scale geological collapse. It was precisely the location of the mine tunnel where Xie Yi had taken Su Zhi.

Team Leader Zhou’s face changed drastically: “D*mn it.” He didn’t have time to explain: “Get those in good condition and go to Red Stone Tunnel No. 8 for rescue. Something’s happened.”

Xu Leng also panicked: “That Beta—”

After a moment of hesitation, a flash of apprehension crossed Team Leader Zhou’s eyes. He gritted his teeth and said: “Unlock permissions and bring weapons.”

Xu Leng: “?!”

When Team Leader Zhou was young, he had spent several years in the army. The army is a good place for Alphas; it can consume a large amount of stamina and allow them to release their nature. The army follows the law of the jungle and speaks with strength. In such a system, the ones at the top are the highest-level, most powerful Alphas.

Back then, there was an especially prominent “Alpha” in the unit where Team Leader Zhou served. That “Alpha” was strong, very strong. The reason Team Leader Zhou felt a sense of familiarity when he saw Xie Yi was because he had witnessed that overwhelming dominance before. Despite being an Alpha, that “Alpha”—like Xie Yi—could suppress everyone without using pheromones. Relying solely on physical prowess, he could take on seven or eight Special Forces-level Alphas single-handedly without losing ground.

The first time Team Leader Zhou smelled that “Alpha’s” pheromones—the only time—was during a joint exercise. The opposing side’s strategy was too excessive; they set a trap using external Omega pheromones, triggering a pheromone riot in the “Alpha.” That “Alpha” raped another Alpha on the spot.

This was very strange. Alphas naturally have a strong mutual repulsion. When an Alpha’s pheromones fall into a riot, they are more likely to engage in violent confrontation against other Alphas present rather than sexual intercourse. But that was exactly what happened. And even more unbelievably, the Alpha who suffered the assault was marked on the spot.

An Alpha was marked by another “Alpha.”

As everyone knows, Alphas cannot be marked. Regarding the specifics, there were many versions: some said the Alpha transformed into an Omega on the spot, others said the Alpha’s glands were destroyed… After the incident, those two were never heard from again, having vanished into thin air. Most of the leadership related to the exercise were replaced, and a ban was placed on the army, forbidding any further public discussion of the matter.

In the army, there were vague rumors that beyond the existing ABO genders, there was another secondary differentiation gender that stood above Alphas. But such rumors had always existed, and not many people took them seriously. It wasn’t until he personally experienced this incident that Team Leader Zhou realized the rumors might not be groundless.

Later, the military arranged for psychiatrists to provide several months of psychological counseling for all personnel involved. Perhaps due to the effect of psychological suggestion, the impression of this incident gradually faded in their memories, becoming transparent. They wouldn’t think of it proactively, and over time, almost everyone forgot. No one even mentioned it during reunions with old friends.

It wasn’t until now that the traces reconnected the dots, illuminating the terrifying memory that had been buried deep in his subconscious. On the way to Red Stone Tunnel No. 8, the dusty memory became clearer. Team Leader Zhou’s expression grew more and more solemn.

The transport vehicle sped along and reached Red Stone Tunnel No. 8 in just half an hour. Checking inside along the tunnel, they quickly found the collapse site. The good news was that the collapsed area wasn’t large; judging by the scene, the situation shouldn’t have been serious at the time, and the probability of danger was low. The bad news was that the collapse site was too narrow and located at a bend, blocking it completely. The survey team tried calling out inside, but their voices felt like they were falling into a deep pool, receiving no response.

Xu Leng: “They might have headed deeper into the tunnel. That’s wise.” Staying away from the collapse site to avoid secondary collapses while waiting for rescue was the correct choice.

However, Team Leader Zhou’s face grew uglier. Especially after receiving no response, his face was as dark as ink.

Xu Leng: “Team Leader, what’s going on? Why did you bring weapons…”

Team Leader Zhou shook his head and didn’t answer the Alpha’s questions, only saying: “Clear the way as fast as possible.”

Suddenly, a special scent drifted into the air, making almost every Alpha’s hair stand on end instinctively. A faint peppermint scent—extremely subtle, yet still so sharp it felt like it would corrode one’s internal organs.

“What’s this smell? It’s so strong.”

“Pheromones?”

“Are these Consultant Xie’s pheromones…?”

Team Leader Zhou’s face changed drastically. He searched the ground intensely and finally found the source near the collapse. It was several drops of blood on the rocks. It had already dried, and the pheromones within had mostly evaporated, leaving only a tiny amount. But it was this tiny amount that gave the Alphas present an extremely strong sense of crisis.

Blood. The “Alpha’s” blood.

Team Leader Zhou hadn’t seen the primary scene of the accident during that exercise. —Fortunately, he hadn’t; otherwise, it might have become an inescapable lifelong nightmare. That day, when he and two other comrades arrived after hearing the news, the victimized Alpha had already been rescued, and the “Alpha” in a pheromone riot was isolated and surrounded. Even so, the scene was shocking enough.

The “Alpha” had been shot at least a dozen times; his hands, feet, leg bones, and shoulders were all pierced by bullets, and he was covered in blood, almost becoming a “blood man.” Yet even so, he could still move freely and forcefully knocked down two officers who tried to come forward to control him. Finally, it took a tranquilizer gun with enough dosage to knock out an adult elephant to finally make him collapse.

The “Alpha,” fitted with an electric shock neck ring and a bite muzzle, was escorted past Team Leader Zhou under suppression, revealing a pair of blood-red eyes that refused to close. There was no trace of humanity left in them, only primal, beast-like desire.

What kind of scene was that… Team Leader Zhou recalled that moment and felt a chill and tremor spreading from his back. A large amount of blood was spread on the ground, congealing with the soil into brown patches. And the pheromones emanating from the blood—even more pungent than the metallic scent of blood, high-concentration and extremely aggressive—tortured the nerves of every Alpha present. Many people broke down on the spot and vomited.

That physical capability, that aggression, that madness of acting on animal instincts after losing all humanity. It simply wasn’t a level an Alpha could reach. In fact, it simply wasn’t something that should appear in a human being. It was simply… some kind of monster wearing human skin!

Similar high-concentration aggressive pheromones triggered even worse memories, churning in his stomach. More than twenty years had passed, but that sense of fear felt close at hand. Team Leader Zhou could no longer remember exactly what that “Alpha’s” pheromones smelled like, but this identical brutality—as if it would destroy and devour everything, a deterrent that made even Alphas feel terror—remained deeply in the depths of his consciousness.

He would never mistake it. —Xie Yi and the “Alpha” in the army back then were the same kind of special existence.

Team Leader Zhou stood up abruptly, his face pale: “Get everyone from the camp to come here—even if they have to take inhibitors! Clear the tunnel at the fastest speed and rescue them!”

He didn’t know what secrets were involved, or if another gender truly existed that was higher than the Alpha level—an existence the military was willing to conceal even if it meant brainwashing all those in the know. But he knew that against power that could easily tear even a top-level Alpha to shreds, Su Zhi—a Beta who hadn’t undergone any training—simply couldn’t take any action that could be called resistance.

Now, in Team Leader Zhou’s eyes, the tunnel collapse itself was no longer the greatest danger. —Xie Yi was.

At the moment the tunnel collapsed, Su Zhi didn’t realize at all what had happened. The process of getting the Red Stone was smoother than expected. Aside from the tunnel’s equipment being too old and having some malfunctions, taking a while to open the gate, everything was successful. The Red Stone quality in this tunnel was excellent, with purity far exceeding the requirements for making Extract No. 173. The entire process took less than forty minutes.

However, on the way back out, the tunnel wall suddenly shook slightly.

“Watch out—”

Before Su Zhi could react, he felt his arm tighten and was pulled into a scorching embrace by a terrifying force. Then came a loud bang and a shaking. His eardrums throbbed. When he regained his senses, everything was pitch black. All light had been cut off, and the air was filled with dust and the scent of gunpowder.

Su Zhi was shocked: “The tunnel collapsed?”

The man: “Mhm.” He held Su Zhi and stepped back several more paces, moving away from the collapse site.

Su Zhi didn’t dare speak. After a long while, when there was no further movement, he finally let out a cautious breath. Once the initial danger passed, Su Zhi realized his current posture was very strange. He was wrapped tightly and seamlessly in another scorching embrace. Every rise and fall of Xie Yi’s chest drove Su Zhi’s own breathing.

“I…”

Su Zhi felt a bit of pain. It wasn’t from being hit by rocks during the collapse; Xie Yi had protected him in his arms at the first moment, so he hadn’t suffered a single injury. It was because Xie Yi was holding him too tightly. Not only was he clutching him with a force that felt like he wanted to crush him into his embrace, making it difficult to breathe, but a large palm was also pressing against the back of his neck. The extremely hot palm was pressed against his cool neck like a branding iron, making that spot feel as if it were being burned by fire, aching with heat.

It was a posture of complete control—like holding a child or restraining a pet. This was very strange. Su Zhi instinctively struggled a bit.

“Don’t move.” Instead of letting go, the man’s forceful fingers moved up to grip the back of his head, pressing Su Zhi’s head completely against his chest.

Su Zhi: “?”

Su Zhi: “Mmm—”

Darkness amplifies human desires. Xie Yi’s slightly cold voice contained a dominance that had been well-hidden during the day, carrying a hidden command: “Stay still.”

Su Zhi thought Xie Yi must have a reason for holding him like this—perhaps to guard against the risk of a secondary collapse. Although uncomfortable, he gave up struggling and tried hard to stabilize his breathing in the man’s arms.

Suddenly, he sensitively smelled a hint of blood and said alertly: “Are you injured?”

Xie Yi’s voice was slightly husky: “…Mhm.”

Su Zhi was a Beta, and a Beta who could almost completely not smell pheromones at that. He could only smell the metallic scent of blood; he couldn’t smell the extremely sharp pheromones diffusing from the blood. Nor did he realize that in such a dark, enclosed, and isolated space—under the stimulation of danger and injury—being with Xie Yi was no different from falling into the nest of a beast that could lose control at any moment.

Support Forbidden Zone Rose