When the Major General Omega Picked Up a Little Snake Alpha - Chapter 9

Luo Qi’s mind was filled with images of the little snake’s black, glossy scales. He quickly retraced his steps before leaving today, certain he hadn’t missed a thing.

He had clearly locked the door, so how did it get out?

And how did it end up inside his bag?

“Your father said he’ll try his best to make it. Do you know when he’s arriving?”

Xue Ying’s phone was a thin, black rectangular slab. He tapped it against the scanner at the launchpad gate and punched in a code.

Receiving no response, he looked back to see Luo Qi staring blankly into the distance.

“Luo Qi?”

“Hmm? My dad? I’m not sure, he didn’t tell me.”

“And you didn’t ask?”

“There wasn’t much point.”

Xue Ying studied his face, trying to gauge his thoughts from that calm, rippleless expression.

“Did you have a falling out with him?”

“No, we don’t even get the chance to argue.”

Xue Ying nodded slowly. “Let’s go.”

Luo Qi was an almost perfect individual, even back in their military academy days. He was a favorite among the instructors and topped every class.

However, Xue Ying knew that Luo Qi was rebellious to his core. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have insisted on enlisting after secondary differentiation into an Omega. With his father’s connections, he could have done anything he wanted.

Serving on a starship was the hardest path. It meant being away from home for years and trekking across unfamiliar planets, a dangerous and grueling life.

In Xue Ying’s eyes, Luo Qi should have stayed home, well-cared for by an Alpha. He didn’t need to trade his freedom for this, with his status, he could travel wherever he pleased for leisure.

Xue Ying had always felt that way.

“Did your father not reach out to you first, either?”

“No,” Luo Qi’s brow furrowed slightly. “Why do you have so many questions today?”

Xue Ying fell silent. They stepped into the launch station where a dozen sightseeing flyers were parked. Their hatches were open, each cabin designed to seat four.

They chose the nearest craft and sat opposite each other. Once they took off, Luo Qi stared at the scenery outside while Xue Ying stared at him.

The atmosphere was a bit awkward.

Well, it was only awkward for Xue Ying.

Luo Qi was still deep in suspicion. His hand rested on his small bag, his fingers tracing the zipper pull.

The bag was quiet. Was the little black snake actually in there?

Could he have misidentified it earlier?

Using his clothes as a shield, he eased the zipper open just a crack and slid his index finger into the opening.

A damp, cool sensation brushed against his fingertip. Something soft and moist twitched before suddenly curling around his finger.

Luo Qi’s palm went numb with the sensation, and he jerked his hand back.

Xue Ying noticed his odd behavior. “Luo Qi?”

“Yeah,” Luo Qi smoothed back a few stray hairs, moved the bag to his lap, and covered the zipper with his other hand. “Who else is coming today?”

“The usual faces, some old classmates,” Xue Ying said. “The event doesn’t start until tonight, you can go rest first.”

The flyer ascended into the atmospheric dome of the “Crystal Ball,” and the city below became a blur. Seeing that the conversation had stalled, Xue Ying cleared his throat. “What have you been doing these past couple of days on leave?”

“Reading a bit, cooking a little,” Luo Qi recalled. “Having some wine.”

“How is that snake doing?”

Luo Qi’s bag suddenly jerked. The movement was so aggressive it caught Xue Ying’s eye.

“The snake… it’s quite good,” Luo Qi stroked the zipper. “Very obedient, quite perceptive.”

The little snake began squirming restlessly inside the bag, seemingly provoked by something, arching and bumping against the fabric.

“Luo Qi, did you bring a living creature in here?” Xue Ying raised an eyebrow.

Pets were allowed in the hotel, but they were usually led in on leashes.

Keeping one stuffed in a bag was unheard of.

“It’s not a living creature,” Luo Qi said, crossing his long left leg over his right. “Have you heard of bionic hamsters?”

“Bionic hamsters? Since when do you like hamsters?”

“Fang Xi likes them. I bought it as a gift for him.”

Xue Ying snorted. “You think I believe that?”

Just as Luo Qi was about to reply, the zipper beneath his palm rattled as it was pushed open from the inside.

He tried to press the opening shut to slide the zipper back, but with Xue Ying watching him, he could only tighten his grip on the gap and use his thumb to jam the slider.

Then, his fingertip touched that slippery, soft thing again.

The creature poked half its head out of the small gap, its flicking, forked tongue darting out to lick, lick, and lick his palm.

He couldn’t let go, yet he was terrified of squeezing too hard and hurting the snake’s neck, so he sat there, frozen.

His palm felt like it was holding a piece of soft, sticky dough, and the licking sent shivers up his arm.

“What exactly did you bring in here?”

“You’re awfully nosy.”

He pressed down hard, forcing the snake’s head back inside, and quickly zipped it shut.

The little snake struggled inside, butting its head upward until the zipper area bulged.

“Luo Qi,” Xue Ying had mostly guessed the truth by now. “A differentiated snake should be kept in an isolation box.”

Seeing that the secret was out, Luo Qi didn’t bother hiding it anymore. “It wanted to follow me.”

“What do you mean ‘wanted to follow’? It’s just a snake,” Xue Ying leaned back against his seat. “Didn’t you just finish your heat cycle? Why bring it along?”

Luo Qi brought his hand down in a sharp chop against the bag. The squirming bundle finally went still.

“You seem very familiar with my cycles,” Luo Qi said coldly. “You’ve been paying a lot of attention to me lately, haven’t you?”

He had seen the messages Xue Ying sent him, they were all meaningless small talk.

He never used to send things like that.

“It’s not intentional,” Xue Ying said, his words coming out a bit abrasive. “But is there anyone in the military who doesn’t know your schedule?”

“True, but not everyone asks me how many hours I’ve slept or what I had for dinner,” Luo Qi smiled thinly. “Unless you have some ulterior motives? If so, you might want to work on your conversation skills.”

Xue Ying bit his lip and looked away, his ears turning red—though whether from anger or embarrassment was hard to tell.

“If you’re bringing a snake here, it needs to be in a proper case,” he said, changing the subject. “It would be bad if it bit someone.”

“I know. I’ll go borrow one.”

Luo Qi looked down at the bag. The snake hadn’t moved again.

Had he accidentally knocked it unconscious?

That strike just now had been fairly heavy.

When the flyer reached the station, the two of them stepped out. An attendant was waiting, but Xue Ying dismissed them and led the way himself.

The hotel featured artificial sunlight and was open to the sun on all four sides. Luo Qi’s room was a grand suite with crystal interiors and transparent floors revealing colored quicksand beneath. The living room connected to a glass terrace that led to the bedroom. The bed was circular with a pink frame, draped in delicate gauze curtains.

“What kind of room did you book?” Luo Qi was stunned by the decor.

“Is it not good? I thought it suited you,” Xue Ying said expressionlessly. “Wait here, I’ll go borrow a case.”

“Fine. Oh, and about the snake, don’t tell anyone.”

“I… understand,” Xue Ying agreed hesitantly. “Just don’t let it wander off.” He closed the door as he left.

Luo Qi entered the bedroom, placed the bag on the floor, and shut all the doors and windows to ensure there were no cracks it could escape through.

He sat cross-legged on the floor and opened the zipper just a bit.

The little snake was still coiled around his phone. Its black scales shimmered with an iridescent glow, shining even in the dim room.

“You naughty snake—” Luo Qi started to scold it, but his voice softened halfway through.

The snake’s head was drooping listlessly to the side, resting against the small water bottle.

“Did I hurt you earlier?”

Luo Qi reached out to touch its head. The moment he felt the scales, the snake’s body flinched violently.

It remained coiled around his thin phone, burrowing deeper into his folded clothes.

“Come out.” Luo Qi reached in and scooped up its body, which was rolled up like a paper tube, to inspect it.

The snake wasn’t as hot as before. It felt like a piece of chilled dough, yet it refused to let go of the phone, clutching it like a precious treasure.

Fortunately, its head was still moving. He hadn’t turned it into an idiot.

“Who told you to follow me? Do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve caused?”

Luo Qi held it flat in his palm, pointing his right finger at its small head to lecture it.

“You are an Alpha,” he said, poking its head until it wobbled. “In a place like this, differentiated animals are supposed to be sent to a lab.”

The little snake flicked its tongue, the tip brushing against his fingernail. Luo Qi jerked his hand back.

“No running around, and no licking me. You’re not a cat or a dog.”

The sensation of the snake’s tongue was too strange. His sensitive skin really couldn’t get used to it.

“Do you understand?”

The snake’s tail draped over the back of his hand, the tip scratching at the base of his finger before tracing a straight line.

It was going to draw a shape. Luo Qi waited for the tail to turn a corner, but instead, the tip perked up, moved to a different spot, and swiped back.

It slowly drew an ‘X’.

“What’s that supposed to mean, huh?” Luo Qi lifted it closer to his face. “You’re defying me?”

The tip of the snake’s tail poked his cheek. Luo Qi recoiled, and the tail began waving in the air, emphatically drawing more X’s.

“You!” Luo Qi narrowed his eyes. “If you don’t behave, I’ll turn you into a stew.”

“Xiao Yu loves snake meat,” he pinched its soft black head with his right hand, forcing it to “make eye contact.” “Especially small snakes. The meat is very tender and fresh—”

Before he could finish, the soft black bundle in his fingers suddenly slipped free and lunged straight for his forehead.

The “bundle” magnified instantly. As the snake’s vertical pupils met his eyes, Luo Qi’s heart tightened. He tried to pull back, but at this distance, it was too late.

He felt a cool sensation on his brow as the snake’s damp nose pressed against his forehead. A tiny tongue brushed over him with lightning speed before retracting.

Luo Qi’s mouth hung open, a chill creeping up his rigid spine.

He had really spoiled this snake too much.

If it had actually been a “bad” snake, he would have been dead just now.

The small snake’s head remained suspended in mid-air, its golden glass-bead eyes staring intently at him.

What… was it doing?

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