The Honest Man Was Targeted by His Ex-Boyfriend's Alpha Brother - Chapter 25

Black short leather boots stepped firmly onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust that quickly coated the edges of the brand-new, clean shoes. In this area, only the main road was paved with asphalt; most of the others were dirt paths.

Hua Yunlian could not spare the energy to be annoyed. His handsome brows were tightly knit as his gaze slowly swept across the surroundings. With a wave of his hand, he ordered, “Spread out and look for him. The moment you see a trace of Chen Wang, seize him immediately and contact me.”

“Yes, sir!” The well-trained bodyguards dispersed at once.

He did not know if Chen Wang had crawled into an air-raid shelter or hidden in some remote forest. The GPS signal on Hua Yunlian’s phone flickered on and off, darting around like a cunning rabbit, making it impossible to pinpoint his exact location.

A century ago, following the end of industrialization, a significant amount of pollutants remained, leaving the sky over the slums a perpetual, gloomy gray. Just looking at it for a few moments soured Hua Yunlian’s mood. Trash was strewn everywhere, yet it did not seem to affect the residents’ lives. Atop the filth and dust was an endless line of snack carts. The roadside stalls were packed so densely they resembled the Kowloon Walled City.

“Ice powder, ice powder! Eight yuan a bowl!”

“Stinky tofu! Buy two skewers, get one free! It smells stinky but tastes savory.”

“Come, come! Grilled pork diaphragm! Fragrant charcoal-grilled pork diaphragm!”

Vendors huffed as they fanned the flames, the fires burning intensely. The man weaved through the crowd. As the wind blew, the scent of smoky grilled meat clung to his leather jacket. His already grim, cold face darkened further. He turned back to glare fiercely at a stall owner, but his vision was obscured by rolling billows of thick smoke, and the glare missed its mark.

The more Hua Yunlian thought about it, the more ridiculous it felt. Who was Chen Wang to him anyway? The man did not even treat him well, yet here he was, chasing him into this godforsaken place. The transportation, the food, and the architecture were all worse than the previous century. There was not a single thing Hua Yunlian could tolerate. There was not even a single helipad; he had nowhere to park his helicopter.

His sharp canines ground together as he let out a cold sneer. Just wait until they met. He would see if he could not dominate Chen Wang completely. With his mind filled with images of tormenting the other man, the young master’s mood improved slightly. He stepped toward the middle of the road to avoid being drenched in the foul-smelling smoke.

In the slums, traffic lights were essentially decorations. Cars of all kinds honked and drove recklessly, ignoring traffic laws entirely. Pedestrians could easily be grazed or even hit if they were not careful. But today, there was a man who acted as if they did not exist. He had nearly reached the middle of the road, walking leisurely with his hands in his pockets.

Traffic began to congest, and the piercing sound of horns merged into a single, long blare. “Where did this brat come from?” A driver, accustomed to being arrogant, lowered his window in a fit of rage.

However, just as he leaned out to unleash a torrent of abuse, he was hit by a wave of intense Damascus rose-scented pheromones. His head felt as if it were splitting open, and he immediately clutched his head, screaming in pain. The road-raging driver felt a crushing pressure from a higher-ranked soul. His face turned ashen, and he dared not act out again.

Technical staff continued to attempt precise positioning. Hearing the reports through his earpiece, Hua Yunlian began to adjust his route. By chance, he caught sight of the zoo where he had once been imprisoned. An old man was herding ducks inside. The place was overgrown with weeds and covered in duck droppings; it no longer looked anything like a zoo.

Hua Yunlian stood outside the iron gate for a moment, feeling a sense of loss. He had only looked at this main gate three times in his life. The first time was when Hua Hongfei sent men to discard him there. The leopard cub, its eyes not yet fully faded from their blue newborn film, had looked back with a gaze full of confusion and sorrow. The second time was after he had spent three years there. His beast form had grown into adulthood, and he had unexpectedly differentiated from a common Alpha into an S-class Alpha. The Hua family came to take him back, and he caught a fleeting glimpse as he left. The third time was now, returning to his old haunts by accident while searching for Chen Wang.

His heart felt heavy, and his light-colored eyelashes trembled slightly. His face was so handsome it seemed otherworldly. In truth, all Hua Yunlian wanted was for one person to treat him well with their whole heart. Yet, he could not understand why something so simple was always out of reach. He was willing to compromise; it did not have to be everything.

For instance, his mother had locked him in a dark rental room since he was a child, forbidding him from going out and ignoring his tears and pleas. But occasionally, she would use the money meant for makeup and designer brands to buy him two pieces of candy or a bag of potato chips. He would forever remember the sweetness of being in his mother’s arms.

Then there was Chen Wang. He had taken care of him for three years, only to leave without a single word of farewell. Within a few years, he was entangled with his eldest brother and his father. He even failed to recognize him; it was truly infuriating.

“But, if Chen Wang had been a little nicer to him, or recognized him a little sooner.” Hua Yunlian pursed his trembling lips, not daring to think further. He gritted his teeth and walked away.

Chen Wang had not slept well last night. In truth, he was feeling extremely anxious. He owed Hua Yunlian so much debt, yet he had run away in a fit of pique. That man would certainly not let him go. But on second thought, that little brat had personally sabotaged his two jobs. Without a source of income, he could not pay the debt back anyway. It was the Hua guy’s own fault.

He rolled over grumpily, pillowing his head on his arm, his legs rubbing together. For some reason, he thought of how Hua Yunlian looked in bed: fierce, ruthless, and with staggering stamina. If Chen Wang sternly refused his request for another round, the boy would soften and act spoiled. But once he agreed, Hua Yunlian would revert to that predatory state, as if wanting to suck the marrow from his bones, all while whispering endless filth. When it was over, he would coax and comfort the nearly fainting Chen Wang. In those moments, Hua Yunlian was very gentle.

A few times, Chen Wang felt dazed. He had not been with anyone else, so he did not know if others were like Hua Yunlian. In that regard, they were actually quite compatible, were they not? In many moments Chen Wang had not even noticed himself, he was actually quite indulgent toward the young master. Unfortunately, he had always been dull when it came to emotions. A mix of complex feelings and thoughts crashed through his mind until he finally fell asleep as dawn began to break.

It was all Chen Yuhe’s fault for telling him that gossip; Chen Wang had a terrifying dream. In the dream, Hua Yunlian leaned in, bowing his head to show him the small, rounded, bouncy leopard ears nestled in his light-colored hair. Chen Wang touched them, and the young master was very submissive. Then, Hua Yunlian swung a thick, fluffy tail in front of him. Chen Wang could not put it down, marveling at the wonderful texture. The young master purred under his touch like a big cat with a contented pout.

Before Chen Wang could get his fill, he saw Hua Yunlian grab his hand and lead it downward, suddenly touching that large, imposing part of his anatomy. The tall man pressed against the crook of his neck, acting spoiled. “Brother, I want it.”

Chen Wang shouted in his mind, “What?!” He felt as if he were being added to a mountain of corpses of small Omegas. In extreme terror, he woke up with a start.

The alarm was set to go off in two minutes, but Chen Wang was too frightened to go back to sleep. He replayed the memory several times. Hua Yunlian’s body was smooth, with nothing but powerful, masculine lines. Only then did he feel relieved. He dragged his heavy body out of bed and cleaned himself up.

The Chen family’s gambling father was nowhere to be found. There had been no news of him since their last meeting in the Central City. Chen Wang did not bother looking for him. Since he was currently out of work, he planned to buy more food and supplies for his mother to make her daily life a bit easier. However, he had not returned here in a long time, and the security in the slums was getting worse by the day.

While he was on his way to the old shopping mall, passing through an alley, several unfamiliar scents began to follow him. Sensing this, Chen Wang quickened his pace, cold sweat dripping from his brow. To his surprise, the men were even faster. They lunged at him, pinning him down and laughing crudely. “Where are you going, pretty boy?”

Chen Wang was usually tough, but he was ultimately a refined man; he could not overpower several thugs attacking him at once. “What do you want?” Seeing their aggression and noticing the knives tucked under their shirts, he knew no one would save him in this rough area. Chen Wang had no choice but to yield. “Do not move. If you want money, I will give it to you.”

It was rare to see someone with such fair, delicate skin and a refined, scholarly aura. He did not look like he belonged here at all. Even when he was angry and cold, he looked like a piece of white jade, inspiring desire rather than fear. A predatory green light flickered in the Alphas’ eyes.

“Haha, we do not want money. We want a partner!”

“Even though you are a Beta, you have got more spark than the Omegas around here. Give us a favor and we will let you go, how about it?”

“Me first! Let me go first!”

Chen Wang’s face turned deathly pale. His arm was dislocated, and the pain made it impossible to throw a punch. The Alpha in front of him impatiently unbuckled his pants and was about to move toward Chen Wang when a dark shadow flashed by with lightning speed. The lead thug was sent flying, hitting the wall with a dull thud. Seeing things take a turn for the worse, the other thugs scrambled away.

While Chen Wang was still reeling from the shock, the Alpha standing in front of him let out a cold snort. He turned around, reached out, and pulled him up.

“Thank you.”

“It was nothing. You should not walk this road alone.”

The moment he saw Chen Wang’s face, the man’s emotions fluctuated violently. The faint scent of tobacco in the air grew intense; it was the smell of his pheromones. Chen Wang, smiling bitterly, thanked him repeatedly and offered a reward.

The Alpha arched an eyebrow at him. “You really do not recognize me?”

Chen Wang stared for a long time before a blurry shadow emerged from his memory, barely overlapping with the man in front of him. He pointed at him in disbelief. “You, you are Little Yuan?”

“A lot can change after university. I remember you were so chubby and round when you were a kid.” He gestured with his hands. “I cannot recognize you at all now.”

Yuan Mingxiao waved his hands dismissively and laughed heartily. “Of course! I am all muscle now, hard as a rock. I am not soft and squishy like when I was a kid.” His eyes were full of warmth as he looked at Chen Wang, and he gave a mischievous grin. He grabbed Chen Wang’s hand and pulled it toward his chest. “If you do not believe me, feel for yourself. You were my best friend growing up; I will let you be the first to experience it.”

Startled by his enthusiasm, Chen Wang quickly withdrew his hand. “That is quite unnecessary.”

Yuan Mingxiao had been his childhood playmate. Back then, they were both just little kids, and their secondary genders had not manifested. Time had passed, and he had not expected Yuan Mingxiao to change so much. He was not exceptionally handsome, but he was pleasant to look at, and the physique hidden under his ordinary denim jacket was full of hormonal charm.

Hearing that Chen Wang was going to buy supplies, Yuan Mingxiao immediately said, “I am headed that way too. Let us go together. I need to buy some end-of-term prizes for the kids at the orphanage!”

Yuan Mingxiao had grown up in an orphanage, and because he was fat as a child, he was often bullied. Chen Wang had been the class monitor; whenever he saw an injustice, he would protect the weak like a hen protecting its chicks. These memories remained etched in Yuan Mingxiao’s heart; they were among the few beautiful memories of his childhood.

Chen Wang heard that he was still volunteering at the orphanage and was experienced in buying daily necessities. Guided by him, Chen Wang managed to buy many affordable items. “Your mother has trouble getting around, so you should buy more meat to freeze,” Yuan Mingxiao suggested.

The two spent a long time browsing the supermarket, catching up on each other’s lives. Yuan Mingxiao’s main business was running shops; he had beverage stores in both the Central City and the slums. Chen Wang felt a twinge of envy. He felt discouraged, as if he were the only one whose life was currently in shambles.

After checking out, they headed back. Yuan Mingxiao dropped off the supplies at the orphanage and then immediately took the heavy bags from Chen Wang’s hands, insisting on walking him home. He tilted his chin bossily. “I am an Alpha, so I will carry them. You just talk to me!”

When they were jostling over the bags earlier, the man’s hand had brushed over Chen Wang’s cool fingers. It was hard to tell if it was intentional. Chen Wang raised an eyebrow but said nothing. As the two were joking and pushing each other, they did not notice a camera lens flashing in a corner.

A bodyguard sent the photo to Hua Yunlian and lowered his voice to report over the phone, “President Hua, he has been found.”

Passing by a small park, Chen Wang slowed his pace. “Oh, do you remember playing here all the time when we were kids?”

Yuan Mingxiao smiled and said loudly, “I remember. Back then, I always thought the giraffe arch at the park entrance was so tall. But looking at it now, why does it seem so small and run-down?”

Chen Wang paused for a moment, thinking of the zoo again. Yuan Mingxiao set the bags down, took out his phone, and found a place to prop it up. “Childhood friends reuniting; why do we not film a video as a souvenir?”

Chen Wang readily agreed. They hit the record button and stepped back, smiling and gesturing at the camera. The scene looked incredibly heartwarming. Yuan Mingxiao watched him out of the corner of his eye, his tanned skin flushing slightly. He nervously moved closer, his arm circling Chen Wang’s shoulder. He did not dare touch him, instead making a peace sign.

Just as Chen Wang was unaware of anything amiss, a rumbling sound suddenly echoed from the distance. The two looked over in shock. A helicopter landed quickly nearby. A man wearing a cold black leather jacket stepped out aggressively. He tossed aside his headset, a faint, mocking smile on his lips that carried a hint of reckless malice.

Chen Wang’s pupils contracted sharply. He froze in place as if a nightmare had come true. He turned slowly to run, but a bodyguard lunged forward with practiced speed and hoisted Chen Wang onto his shoulder.

Yuan Mingxiao’s expression changed as he looked at Hua Yunlian. “Who are you?”

Before he could finish, another bodyguard punched him in the face. The professional, retired special forces operative moved with such speed that the man was knocked to the ground in an instant. Chen Wang struggled violently on the bodyguard’s shoulder. “Little Yuan!”

In the originally heartwarming video, an extremely discordant scene was added. The frivolous and handsome man approached with his hands in his pockets, a sneer on his face. He reached out with a long hand and picked up the phone that was still recording. He wickedly pointed it at Chen Wang’s terrified face, one hand stroking his cheek teasingly before forcibly tilting his chin up.

He tossed the phone carelessly onto the ground. The cold man said, enunciating every word, “Having a good time, are we?”

The expression on Hua Yunlian’s face told Chen Wang that he was finished. “How does it feel to be caught in the act by me, Brother?”

Crack. The phone screen shattered into pieces.