The Lost Omega Heiress is Pregnant with My Child - Chapter 28

So, Short on Money?

Shi Anzhi was slightly surprised.

“Why are you here?”

“Why can’t I be here?”

Helan Shuang was still smiling as she glanced behind Shi Anzhi. “Ji Tianheng invited many people to watch this boxing match. He must have sent an invitation to the Shen family as well.”

Shi Anzhi was cautious about revealing Shen Tingxue’s whereabouts and didn’t respond.

She remembered that Shen Tingxue’s morning itinerary hadn’t included a visit to the Crucible Club.

Helan Shuang scanned the area but didn’t catch sight of Shen Tingxue, confirming her suspicion. “Don’t tell me you’re just here to watch the excitement.”

She paused. “Is Tingxue treating you poorly? Are you that short on money?”

Hearing this, Shi Anzhi’s chest tightened slightly. “What kind of relationship do you think we have?”

Helan Shuang’s tone was nonchalant. “Just guessing. Don’t get angry.”

“Actually, I can tell you want to step into the ring, don’t you?”

Shi Anzhi blinked. She didn’t necessarily have to enter the ring, but having boxed before, she was instinctively drawn to the high-stakes challenge before her, unconsciously strategizing.

Just then, the next contestant stepped into the ring.

K11 was a half-mechanical monstrosity, so the organizers allowed challengers to carry non-explosive cold weapons, though all equipment had to pass official inspection before being permitted.

Even with some challengers wielding battle axes or specialized gloves, none lasted more than a few rounds.

Soon, the current challenger was carried away as the audience roared, “Get lost! Step down! Next!”

In the brief interlude, Shi Anzhi didn’t refute Helan Shuang.

Helan Shuang observed Shi Anzhi’s sturdy build thoughtfully. “You’re quite brave. Have you boxed before? What weapon do you usually use?”

If anything, she was asking knowingly.

“I’ve boxed.”

Shi Anzhi replied, “What I use isn’t exactly a proper weapon, it’s an alloy pipe.”

“An alloy pipe?”

Helan Shuang struggled to picture it. “Can I take a look?”

“…It’s at home.”

Helan Shuang let out a meaningful “Oh.” “At the Shen residence, huh.”

Shi Anzhi: …

The Alpha before her was clearly a woman of few words, but Helan Shuang had her own reasons for continuing the conversation. “What do you think of K11? Do you think the next person stands a chance?”

Shi Anzhi studied the match. The steel giant in the ring was basking in the cheers. “His fighting style is entirely programmed calculations. Machines can short-circuit or experience calculation delays. But human survival instinct doesn’t fail.”

Helan Shuang listened quietly, finding this Alpha rather intriguing. She cautioned, “Survival instinct alone definitely isn’t enough.”

Casually, Helan Shuang shared some insider information. “From what I know, K11 sacrificed its backup cooling system to maximize output. Its main heat vent is at the base of the neck, where the spine connects. If that spot is repeatedly struck, it could cause the core to overheat and force a reboot.”

Shi Anzhi hummed in agreement and added, “Its legs also seem to be a weak point.”

Helan Shuang nodded. “Yes, but few last long enough to target that area. K11’s emotional threshold is set very low, meaning it’s easily provoked. Once it enters a frenzied mode, its attack power doubles.”

Shi Anzhi listened to these words and began to look seriously at Helan Shuang. “Why are you telling me all this?”

Helan Shuang had no intention of hiding anything. She smiled brightly. “Because I plan to enter the arena. The more I understand, the less likely I am to get hurt.”

Shi Anzhi’s confusion deepened. “You’re going to enter…?”

If she remembered correctly, the Helan family held a fairly respectable position in the Special Zone during that gathering. Why would she need to take such a risk herself?

Helan Shuang’s smile faded slightly. “Yes. People like us are nothing more than pawns sacrificing ourselves for our families.”

She sighed. If Shi Anzhi and Shen Tingxue were “friends,” she might understand a little.

“But…” Helan Shuang’s tone shifted. “The Ji family has a rule: each weapon can only be bound to its owner and appear once. When I saw you, I thought maybe I wouldn’t have to enter the arena after all.”

Shi Anzhi narrowed her eyes slightly, waiting calmly for what came next.

Seeing that Shi Anzhi wasn’t too resistant, Helan Shuang unfastened the cylindrical object at her waist that looked like an ornament. She pressed a button on the side of the cylinder.

“Vrrrm.”

With a soft hum, a blade shimmering with an eerie blue light extended from the cylinder. The sword was about 1.2 meters long, with a semi-transparent blade that seemed to have blue matter flowing inside it, like stars.

It was a retractable lightsaber.

Helan Shuang stroked the hilt with a hint of tenderness. “This was a gift from my mother for my coming of age. When I first differentiated into an Omega, she hoped I wouldn’t become someone weak and easily bullied.”

She didn’t delve too much into personal matters. “The blade is composed of high-frequency vibrating particles, capable of easily slicing through conventional armor. But how it would fare against K11, I haven’t tested yet.”

Shi Anzhi gazed at this futuristic weapon, feeling a surge of excitement. Now that she was in the Special Zone, perhaps it was time for her to get a new weapon as well.

She also felt a slight nostalgia for that alloy pipe.

Helan Shuang asked, “Would you like to hold it?”

Shi Anzhi tentatively took the lightsaber. It felt much heavier in her hand than she had imagined.

Just then, the arena’s broadcast issued the final registration notice.

[“The King of Fists Challenge final registration period. Half an hour remaining. Repeating: final registration period…”]

As she felt the edge of the blade, Shi Anzhi understood Helan Shuang’s intention. “I never said I was going to enter.”

“Mm.”

Helan Shuang nodded unhurriedly, neither refuting nor arguing, but continued, “This boxing match isn’t that difficult. You just need to hold your ground gracefully for a few moves. Fate will favor you.”

Fate? What nonsense.

Shi Anzhi disliked beating around the bush and said bluntly, “If you want me to enter, you’ll have to give me a reason that puts my mind at ease.”

Helan Shuang glanced toward the luxurious private box on the top floor. “It’s simple. The machines are all controlled by people.”

“Have you ever fought in an underground match? If you have, you’d know that wins and losses are predetermined.”

“As for the reason, the Helan family isn’t short on money. Haven’t you ever thought about leaving Shen Tingxue?”

Meanwhile, in the luxurious private box on the top floor, many invited dignitaries had already gathered.

Ji Tianheng, as usual, was indulging in alcohol. With the lively atmosphere, she had already downed several glasses of brandy. For her, tonight was both a spectacle and a selection process.

K11 was the new collaboration between Tianheng Industries and the Li family.

Come to think of it, she and the Li family shared very similar views on the ultimate development of humanity. K11 represented the latest masterpiece of their technological path through top-tier cybernetics and combat AI, they had transformed an ordinary Alpha into an obedient killing machine.

Ji Tianheng had long disapproved of the Shen family’s genetic optimization route. In her eyes, the Shen family and the Governor’s Mansion’s mysterious “Super A Project” was both time-consuming and troublesome.

Sooner or later, it would fail.

She was hosting this fighting tournament to demonstrate to the entire empire that the Ji family remained the most powerful force.

Additionally, her private guard was in urgent need of expansion. She might as well use this public challenge to screen for talent anyone capable of posing a threat to K11 would be recruited into her private guard.

The Governor’s Mansion had repeatedly challenged her authority in the empire. Ji Tianheng had endured it again and again, and tonight’s spectacle was meant to serve as a warning to them. What was a governor, after all? If she wished, replacing one wouldn’t be difficult.

Tonight, she intended to use this grand event to thrust a new force into the public eye. You Lie, a detective from the Special Zone Central Police Department, was an excellent candidate. Born in the slums, obedient and sensible, with her support, he would become a strong contender in the next gubernatorial election.

You Lie would win this fight.

In the private box, Li Yuan, the eldest daughter of the Li family, was pouring wine for Ji Tianheng.

She was an Alpha, the true mastermind behind the Li family’s cybernetics project. Over a decade older than her younger sister, Li Mei, she was far more composed.

“Director Ji.”

Li Yuan had always treated Ji Tianheng with respect. “It seems our creation is performing quite well so far.”

“Passable.”

Ji Tianheng nodded faintly, a casual acknowledgment. “At the very least, it’s far more stable than the self-destructing genetic bombs from certain people’s labs.”

Li Yuan caught the sarcasm in Ji Tianheng’s words and understood the implied target, laughing heartily.

Li Mei, who had also come along today, didn’t grasp the meaning behind the remark. She was about to ask when her sister shot her a look, signaling her to keep quiet.

Pouting in displeasure, she listlessly glanced down at the arena. A bunch of people fighting to the death held no interest for her.

Her sister had found out about her conflict with Shen Tingxue at the gathering and revoked her access to the family lab, leaving her without any new toys to play with.

It made her grind her teeth in frustration…

Suddenly, her gaze sharpened as she spotted someone in the stands who looked strikingly like He Lanshuang. What was He Lanshuang doing here?

He Lanshuang seemed to be talking to a woman. From a distance, Li Mei thought irreverently, Flirting with some Alpha again?

Then, as the woman speaking to He Lanshuang turned her head, a jolt of recognition flashed through Li Mei’s mind. She had a vivid impression of Shi Anzhi’s face.

Wasn’t this the toy Alpha without pheromones that Shen Tingxue kept around?

Shen Tingxue had even called her a “friend” back then, how hypocritical.

Li Mei scrutinized the figure, confirming it was indeed Shi Anzhi, and a sly smile spread across her face.

She tugged at her sister’s sleeve. “Sister, is Tingxue here today?”

Li Yuan’s conversation with Ji Tianheng was abruptly interrupted. She glanced nervously at Ji Tianheng’s expression.

Fortunately, Ji Tianheng showed no obvious displeasure.

Qin Chuan, who had been eating fruit nearby, chimed in, “I sent an invitation to the Shen family. With such a grand event tonight, I was curious to see what kind of expression that old fox Shen Hong would make when he saw K11.”

Ji Tianheng sneered. “The Shen family is far too busy these days.”

Qin Chuan remarked, “As soon as his daughter was found, Shen Hong immediately tried to latch back onto the Governor’s mansion.”

One of the guests chimed in, “Just now, the Chief of Staff’s youngest daughter was born, and the Governor invited everyone to celebrate with a banquet at his mansion. I bet the entire Shen family is going to wag their tails at the Governor’s doorstep.”

Another person rolled their eyes and sneered, “A bunch of loyal dogs.”

Ji Tianheng scanned the faces in the private room. “Did all of you receive the Governor’s message?”

“I haven’t received anything.”

For a moment, no one in the room dared to speak.

The conflict between the Governor and Ji Tianheng had reached an irreconcilable point. Those present at the Crucible Club had all chosen to side with the Ji family.

Li Mei, overhearing the crowd mocking the Shen family, couldn’t help but smile with delight.

Breaking the silence, she interjected, “So Tingxue didn’t come? But her little pet is here, that Shi Anzhi. Tingxue has changed a lot since returning to the Special Zone. She’s getting engaged to the Governor’s family, yet she’s still keeping a dog around.”

Li Yuan felt uneasy hearing this.

Her younger sister had always been erratic and often spoke inappropriately, even in front of important figures.

The name caught Ji Tianheng’s attention.

She stood up and looked down.

The first time she’d noticed Shi Anzhi was at the R District’s Revelry Club, where this person, with barely detectable pheromones, had managed to defeat a strong Alpha.

Later, her subordinates reported that Shi Anzhi had appeared alongside the Shen family’s missing daughter. Ji Tianheng had then reviewed Shi Anzhi’s file again.

[Name: Shi Anzhi
Age: 25
Place of Birth: Unknown, no records in the Empire’s database.
Background: Orphan from a now-defunct welfare home in R District. The director is deceased. After the welfare home closed, Shi Anzhi lived in the slums, initially surviving by scavenging and odd jobs, later running a fruit shop.
Physiological Characteristics: Multiple scans from club entries and intelligence from border hospitals confirm pheromone levels below detectable thresholds. Suspected case of “Congenital Glandular Hypofunction Syndrome.”
Social Relations: …]

At the time, Ji Tianheng was dissatisfied and demanded a more detailed report, including information on Shi Anzhi’s parents and comprehensive pheromone test results. She needed to confirm whether the oceanic sensation she had felt was an illusion.

Now, her gaze fixed intently on Shi Anzhi, she watched as Shi Anzhi strode confidently and without hesitation toward the boxing match registration area, moving with purpose and energy.

This would be the perfect opportunity to obtain a blood sample from Shi Anzhi.

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