The Only Ultimate Alpha in the Universe - Chapter 3

Xiao Sa had no way of knowing exactly what kind of “good deed” the translator had performed, but even a blind person could see that the blonde officer was on the verge of an explosion.

The expressions of Adjutant Carlo and the guards behind him shifted instantly. They were filled with tension, fearing their commander might draw his sidearm and execute the man in a fit of rage. After all, they were the Imperial Regular Army; accidentally killing an innocent hostage would be a stain on their military image.

Fortunately, Landis did not actually lose his temper, nor did he draw his weapon. He simply kept his scrutinizing gaze fixed on Xiao Sa.

The latter, however, lacked any sense of having just brushed past the god of death. Instead, he turned his attention to the fierce black lion standing nearby.

It seems that unhelpful translator is useless now…

Xiao Sa simply removed the earpiece. Then, to everyone’s utter surprise, he leaned forward and reached out toward the crown of the black lion’s head.

Landis’s brow furrowed instantly. Carlo flinched, nearly crying out in alarm.

That was the Admiral’s S-rank Spiritual Body. Not only was its combat power formidable, but its vigilance and aggression were also incredibly high. Forget an outsider trying to pet its head—even getting slightly too close usually resulted in being swatted unconscious at best. Even Landis’s own adjutant and security detail tended to give it a wide berth.

Before Xiao Sa’s hand could make contact, his wrist was seized in a firm grip.

Landis held him tightly, saying coldly, “What do you think you’re doing?”

Xiao Sa didn’t struggle. He gave the man a faint glance as a light scent of alcohol began to radiate from his body. Following the direction of his fingers, the scent instantly enveloped the black lion.

When Xiao Sa first reached out, Black Flame had begun to bare its teeth, its pupils shrinking to needle-points, every muscle coiled and ready to pounce.

But now, it was suddenly surrounded by dense pheromones. The hazy, tipsy aroma of tequila continuously licked at the lion’s large nose, carrying a hint of fresh greenery and an indescribable, subtle sweetness.

Humans in the Starry Sea Sector do not have glands in the back of their necks. Aside from their natural body odor, they emit almost no pheromones. Only their Spiritual Bodies possess the ability to emit and receive pheromones, relaying those signals to their masters.

Normally, when Spiritual Bodies fight alongside their masters, they aren’t affected by an enemy’s pheromones. As long as the master hasn’t mutated due to spiritual pollution, the pets can execute orders perfectly.

Never in their wildest dreams did they expect an “alien outlier” like Xiao Sa to appear, carrying the potent pheromones of a Top-tier Alpha.

In the span of a single breath, Black Flame was caught completely off guard. Its constricted pupils dilated and rounded once more. Like a cat catching the scent of premium catnip, it was intensely attracted. It moved toward Xiao Sa involuntarily, offering its large, furry head into the man’s palm.

The black lion narrowed its eyes in enjoyment, rubbing hard against Xiao Sa’s hand while its thick, long tail swished back and forth behind it.

Awoo, smells so good, I love it. Give me more, meow!

Forget the guards; even Landis, the beast’s master, was utterly shocked.

What was happening?

From their perspective, Xiao Sa had done nothing but reach out to the lion. This infamous harbinger of death had immediately dropped all hostility and was now wagging its tail like a pet cat, acting spoiled.

Carlo was full of disbelief. The interrogator who had previously taken Xiao Sa’s statement kept shooting him meaningful looks, clearly saying: See? My long-tailed cat’s judgment was spot on! Not an exaggeration at all!

Landis was clearly the one most impacted. Every sensory perception of his Spiritual Body was transmitted accurately to him through their mental link. This connection was profound and mystical; it was impossible to distort or deceive.

At this very moment, the feelings transmitted by Black Flame were full of pleasure and relaxation—as if it were treading on soft white clouds or soaking in a warm, cozy hot spring. It was only a step away from lying down and rolling over.

The last time Landis had felt anything remotely similar was when the Royal Spiritual Healer on Central Star had specially combed through his mental sea.

Landis’s frown deepened. His chest rose and fell rapidly as a very strange sensation began to rise secretly within his own body, clearly influenced by the black lion. He stared deathly at Xiao Sa. He knew he should be more vigilant toward this suspicious element, yet an inexplicable attraction radiated from the man, coaxing him to draw closer.

This feeling was elusive and entirely alien. It was completely beyond his control.

Landis disliked anything he couldn’t control. He abruptly retreated half a step and glared fiercely at the black lion, which had lost all its dignity. “Black Flame!”

Only after receiving the warning did the Spiritual Body reluctantly pull its head back. it retreated behind its master, stiffening its neck to try and maintain a serious posture. However, its round eyes couldn’t help but steal glances at Xiao Sa every few seconds.

Xiao Sa took in the whole scene and found it quite amusing. The behavior of humans in this star sector didn’t seem drastically different from his home planet, but their “combat pets” were far more straightforward with their emotions, lacking the human ability to feign or hide.

Xiao Sa was about to try a bit harder to use the lion as a breakthrough point, but Landis didn’t give him another chance.

Landis stood his ground, narrowing his eyes at Xiao Sa. No one knew what he was thinking. After a moment of silence, he finally gave up on the “chicken and duck” interrogation and strode out with his Spiritual Body.

The interrogator whispered into Adjutant Carlo’s ear, “That’s the first time I’ve ever seen the Commander give up before getting interrogation results…”

Carlo followed a short distance behind Landis, correcting the soldier in a low voice: “How can you call that ‘giving up’?”

The interrogator nodded. “Right. It should be called a ‘tactical retreat’.”

Carlo: “…”

The Commander’s quarters of the Third Legion were spacious and luxurious. Adjutant Carlo stepped across the beige plush rug, passed the central 3D holographic star map, and stopped before a dark red desk.

Admiral Landis sat in a brown, handmade leather chair. On the wall behind him hung the gold-striped Star-Glory flag, the symbol of the Dawn Empire. Spread out before him was a dossier regarding Broken Peak’s betrayal of the Empire.

His gaze, however, wasn’t on the files. He was thinking of that strange man in the isolation ward who had just “confessed his love.” While it was safe to conclude the man wasn’t an accomplice of the pirates, what was with Black Flame’s abnormal behavior? And that subtle sense of intoxication…

It was simply nonsensical.

The mere thought of Xiao Sa brought a wave of inexplicable irritability to Landis, which in turn caused Black Flame to start pacing restlessly in circles in the corner.

Carlo asked, “Commander, shall we continue the pursuit of the Broken Peak pirate group?”

Landis forced down his agitation and shook his head. “No. They are already severely depleted, and I have no desire to be utterly ruthless. We’ll leave them be for now; they might be useful in the future. We’ve been away from Central Star for too long; it’s time to return to Military Headquarters.”

Carlo didn’t question his superior’s orders. He only asked, “The Royal Family is pressing for answers. How shall we respond?”

Landis sneered. “Send the prisoners we captured and that Star-class warship they left behind to Central Star. Broken Peak’s Spiritual Body is destroyed; he won’t live long.”

Carlo asked tentatively, “And the kidnapped hostage we rescued… what do you plan to do with him?”

Landis paused, showing a clear trace of hesitation, before finally saying, “That man has secrets. Bring him back to Central Star and verify his identity thoroughly.”

Black Flame was still circling in the corner, occasionally shaking its head and pawing at the floor. It looked extremely restless, its nose wrinkling before it finally let out a low, mournful growl.

Landis glanced at it, frowning as he pressed his temple. Master and pet were mentally linked; Black Flame’s manic state felt like a dull knife churning in his mental sea, causing a throbbing ache in his head.

He pulled a bottle of suppressant from his drawer, opened the safety catch, and efficiently rolled up his sleeve to inject it into his forearm. Only after the entire vial of high-grade suppressant was empty did he close his eyes and lean back against the leather chair. His brow, however, remained tense. Beside him, Black Flame finally stopped growling, but it still appeared restless.

Carlo watched Landis, then stole a glance at Black Flame. He spoke with concern: “Commander, has the spiritual pollution you suffered on the last Xenomorph battlefield worsened again? Even the highest-grade suppressants aren’t working?”

Landis opened his eyes and rubbed his temples, looking weary. “If one injection isn’t enough, three can suppress it. I just don’t know why my condition feels a bit off today.”

“Three injections a day?” Carlo said urgently. “That stuff only treats the symptoms, not the cause, and the side effects are massive! Once a week is already considered a lot, how can you take three a day!”

Landis frowned. “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”

Carlo was still fraught with worry. “Commander, in your condition, I’m afraid you are already on the verge of Erosion. If it progresses to genetic collapse, it will be too late for everything. You should return to Central Star immediately for a comprehensive exam and apply to the Royal Association for a Senior Spiritual Healer.”

At the mention of the Royal Association, Landis scoffed. “A bunch of useless gluttons pampered by the Royal Family. If they were of any use, the military wouldn’t lose so many soldiers to Erosion every year.”

Carlo, feeling helpless, continued his attempt to persuade: “The best way is still to accept a marriage match from the central AI, Heino.”

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