The Strongest Alpha is Overwhelmingly Omega After Rebirth - Chapter 12

During the three-day National Day holiday, Lin Yan decided to bury his head in his studies. Seeing Ning Youji’s 1360 intelligence points had thoroughly ignited his competitive spirit. He believed that only by reaching Ning Youji’s heights could he protect the people he wanted to protect.

A knock sounded at his bedroom door. Lin Yan had just finished an advanced physics paper through gritted teeth and was currently zoning out. Opening the door, he saw Jiang Xue’s beaming face. Lin Yan rubbed his sore eyes, his voice carrying a hint of exhausted laziness. “What are you doing here?”

“Brother Lin, you haven’t played ball with me in ages.” Jiang Xue’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. “We finally have a holiday; it won’t hurt to give yourself half a day off, right?”

Lin Yan sat back at his desk. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t tempted. Asking a slacker to suddenly devote himself entirely to studying was truly a tall order. He looked at his math paper again, wavering in his decision. Just as he was about to refuse, Wen Jing came over from the kitchen. “Go out and play for a bit with Xiao Jiang. I will call you when dinner is ready.”

Given this timely nudge, Lin Yan decided to balance work and rest. Their residential compound had a basketball court, but they were used to playing at the Black Alley court. Before they even entered the court, they heard the sound of an argument coming from inside. The voices sounded quite familiar.

Jiang Xue patted Lin Yan’s shoulder and gestured toward the court. “Brother, isn’t that the ‘son’ you took in?”

The first person Lin Yan saw was not “Buzzcut,” but rather the youth standing next to him. The youth was tall, wearing a white T-shirt and black gym pants. It was an eternally simple look, yet this minimalist outfit highlighted his straight, long legs. Standing quietly to the side, his entire silhouette was exceptionally handsome, exuding a chilly, detached aura that felt out of place with his surroundings. Standing there, it was hard not to notice him.

“Hey, Brother Lin, isn’t that the Great Scholar Ning standing next to Buzzcut?” Jiang Xue said excitedly. “And my new roommate is there too.”

The two entered the court. Buzzcut turned around and happened to spot them. “Dad!” Buzzcut’s eyes lit up when he saw Lin Yan. “Dad, why are you here? I did not expect to run into you like this!”

Lin Yan walked over and gave him a smack on the head, feeling amused. “Call me ‘Brother.’ Stop shouting nonsense.”

Hearing the voice, Ning Youji looked over. Having not seen him for two days, the Omega’s skin looked even fairer. Perhaps due to the heat, the Omega had rolled up his sleeves, exposing his arms to the air. His physique was not at all like that of a fragile, ordinary Omega; he was taller than some Alphas and Betas, and his whole being radiated an aura that was difficult to tame.

A tall, thin figure stepped out from the opposing side. Judging by his loitering, arrogant manner, he was unsurprisingly the leader. The boy sized Lin Yan up, then raised an eyebrow at Buzzcut, speaking in a very cocky tone. “Lu Xiangshi, if you are looking for help, you should have better taste. Did you bring an Omega here because you are looking to get thrashed?”

Buzzcut’s real name was Lu Xiangshi. He and this boy had a history dating back to middle school. Today’s incident was essentially a catalyst for war, except Lu Xiangshi had not brought enough manpower. Lu Xiangshi rolled up his sleeves and said fiercely, “You shut the hell up and stop looking down on people. What is wrong with an Omega? An Omega can still kick your ass!”

Ever since his fight with Lin Yan, Lu Xiangshi had realized one thing: Omegas were actually the most terrifying creatures. Lin Yan ignored the provocation entirely and instead asked Lu Xiangshi, “What happened?”

“I was originally called here by a friend to play ball,” Lu Xiangshi said, sounding like a child complaining to his father, his voice full of grievance. “But who knew I would run into this idiot? He insisted this is his territory and even beat up my buddy. Hitting my brother is the final straw!”

Lin Yan glanced at the person behind Lu Xiangshi; he was indeed quite badly hurt. Standing nearby, Jiang Xue was unhappy to hear that the territory had become someone else’s. He rushed forward aggressively. “Since when did this place become yours? Did you not see the two English letters ‘LY’ written under that basketball hoop over there?”

Jiang Xue raised his chin proudly and rolled his eyes at the tall, thin boy, acting as if those letters were his own father’s name. “Do you even know what that means? Lin Yan. You have heard of Lin Yan, right?”

Lin Yan felt embarrassed. Having his cringeworthy middle-school history dug up made him want to pack Jiang Xue into a box and bury him on the spot. Because there were outsiders present, he subconsciously glanced at Ning Youji, only to find the corner of the other’s mouth slightly curved, with a hint of an unreadable smile in his eyes. He thought to himself, “Dammit!”

Upon hearing the name “Lin Yan,” the tall, thin boy did not react, but the onlookers started gossiping first. “The Number 1 High School Bully?” someone said. “I heard he took over this court after winning over a dozen games. No one dared to challenge him after that.”

“It is him! I had only heard of him; I finally get to see the real person today. I did not expect him to be an Omega.”

“Anyway, he is incredibly badass. Ordinary people do not dare offend him. People in Black Alley secretly call him Brother Yan.”

The tall, thin boy had not expected this development at all. As the new bully of Number 5 High School, he could not lose face here. He looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “So, you are here to back them up?”

“I have to protect my own underlings,” Lin Yan said nonchalantly. The implication was clear. He took the basketball from Jiang Xue’s hands and walked under the hoop. He bent down and rolled his pant legs up to his knees, revealing his pale calves, which were somewhat dazzling under the setting sun. He dribbled the ball a few times in place and noticed someone standing beside him out of the corner of his eye.

Lin Yan looked up to see who it was and curled his lips. “Why are you here?”

Ning Youji took the ball from his hand, spinning it easily on his index finger as it whirled obediently. “I just happened to pass by.”

“I really did not expect our Great Scholar to be so free,” Lin Yan teased. “If I could see the Great Scholar in a group fight one day, it would be quite a treat.” Ning Youji did not argue as he handed the ball back.

While taking off his jacket, Jiang Xue asked Li Xingming, “Roommate, you have known Ning Youji for a long time, right? How is he at basketball?”

Li Xingming glanced at him. “He is eighteen streets ahead of you.” Jiang Xue did not take it to heart. He refused to believe that someone could truly excel at both academics and sports. That would be way too disrespectful to slackers like them.

A battle for the basketball court was about to break out. The game officially began. Lin Yan and Ning Youji played as forward and guard, respectively. At the start, Lin Yan’s side served. He drove the ball straight toward the opponent’s hoop. Two students from Number 5 High School looked particularly tall and strong; they seemed to be specifically blocking his path.

Lin Yan clicked his tongue. Seeing that everyone else was being guarded, he found himself in a stalemate. His gaze shifted and landed on Ning Youji. Their eyes met in mid-air. Then, he saw Ning Youji make a feint, easily bypassing the person guarding him.

“Give it to me,” Ning Youji said. Lin Yan hesitated for a moment before skillfully evading his two defenders and passing the ball. Ning Youji caught it, leaped back for a jump shot, and flicked his wrist to launch the ball. The basketball traced a long arc through the air. It was a half-court shot. Everyone on the court stopped moving, staring at the ball as it crossed the half-court line.

The ball hit the ground with a crisp sound. It bounced a few more times due to inertia. Jiang Xue yelled excitedly, “Holy shit!” It went in. It was nothing but net. Lin Yan could not help but mutter, “Show-off.” But he had to admit, it was pretty cool.

As time passed, the score gap widened. They were playing a single-game knockout. By the second half, even though it was a team match, it somehow turned into a personal showdown between Lin Yan and Ning Youji. It was as if they were trying to see who could score more and who was more impressive.

The tall, thin boy barely touched the ball the entire game. He finally snapped. “Are you guys fucking kidding me? You are ignoring us too much!” Lin Yan and Ning Youji were playing so intensely that they completely ignored him.

The game ended after three periods. In the first period, Lin Yan scored 16 points. In the second period, Ning Youji scored 18 points. In the third period, Ning Youji scored 10 more points than Lin Yan. The final score was 68 to 12.

The tall, thin boy could not afford to lose any more face. He spoke up early to make a quick exit, saying to Lu Xiangshi, “The court is yours.”

“It was never yours to begin with,” Lu Xiangshi snorted. “Apologize to my brothers first.”

The tall boy glared. “Do not you fucking push your luck.” Before he could finish, he saw Lin Yan step forward. The boy restrained himself. The image of Lin Yan’s fierce play style flashed through his mind; his combat prowess was obvious. He turned around and kicked his underlings. “Hurry up and apologize!”

The group from Number 5 High School apologized and slunk away from the court. Lu Xiangshi also took his friends to the hospital. Li Xingming and Jiang Xue went to buy water. Ning Youji handed the ball to Lin Yan. “Your ball.”

Lin Yan caught it steadily and tilted his head to look at Ning Youji. He had to admit the person in front of him was excessively excellent. According to the rules of Black Alley, whoever beats the reigning champion owns the court. Lin Yan clenched his fist, pursed his lips, and said, “This court is yours now.” He had always been a good loser. If his skills were inferior, he would admit it frankly. He could not be a coward.

Ning Youji looked at him. In the sunset, the youth’s eyes were light-colored, like shining amber, his expression both serious and candid. With a soft chuckle, he placed the ball back in Lin Yan’s arms and suddenly asked, “Do you live nearby?”

Lin Yan’s arms were full with the ball; it was warm. His fingertips brushed against it, as if trying to cover the warmth or perhaps absorb it. Holding the two balls, Lin Yan gave a low acknowledgment.

Jiang Xue and Li Xingming returned from buying water. The former said, “Why is my Ning-ge so good at everything? I really did not expect Ning-ge to know how to play ball.” Li Xingming was speechless. Just a moment ago it was his Ning-ge, and now it had become Jiang Xue’s Ning-ge.

They played for a while longer until Lin Yan’s phone rang. It was his mother. After hanging up, Jiang Xue asked, “Is it your auntie?”

“Yes.” Lin Yan picked up the basketball, said goodbye to Ning Youji and Li Xingming, and left the court with Jiang Xue. Just as they stepped out, Li Xingming’s phone also rang; it was a call from his family. He asked, “Ning-ge, do you want to head back together?”

Ning Youji gestured for him to go first. Once he was alone on the court, he walked straight to the basketball hoop. The letters “LY” on the iron post were conspicuous and vibrant. He curled his lips and walked toward the opposite hoop. He picked up a small stone nearby and wrote his own initials, “NYJ,” on it. A court needs two hoops; both are indispensable. NYJ facing LY on the same court.

Just as Ning Youji was about to leave, Lin Yan came running back. “Good thing you have not left yet,” Lin Yan said, slightly out of breath. “We took the wrong ball.” Ning Youji looked at the ball in his hand and realized it indeed was not his.

As they left the court together, Lin Yan spoke first. “Do you live nearby too?” Having lived here for over a decade, he had never seen Ning Youji before, so he was naturally curious.

Ning Youji raised his brows slightly and explained patiently, “I just moved back last year. I used to be from the East District, but because of family matters, I went to the South District when I was very young.”

Lin Yan gave an acknowledgment and pointed in the direction he needed to go. “Then I will head off first.”

Ning Youji suddenly said, “I will walk you home.” Lin Yan froze and raised an eyebrow. He seemed to think he was joking, and he could not help but laugh. “I need someone to walk me?”

Ning Youji repeated, “I will walk you.” Lin Yan pursed his lips, about to say something. Suddenly, he caught a familiar scent in the air. The Alpha’s sandalwood pheromones brushed past lightly, yet it did not seem like they were released intentionally. Lin Yan instantly understood why he wanted to walk him. It was dark, and this was Black Alley. It was indeed a bit dangerous for an Omega to walk alone at night. He did not know what to say, and in the end, he did not refuse.

The two walked side by side through the alley. Perhaps because of the exercise, Lin Yan could smell a faint, dry woody fragrance from the other. It carried a hint of natural comfort. Suddenly, the system’s study mission flashed through his mind. He felt there was no better time to bring it up than now, especially after just playing a game together. The bond between boys is often forged on the battlefield.

He hesitated for a moment, his voice carrying a nearly imperceptible trace of uncertainty. “Ning-ge, I want to tell you something.”

Ning Youji paused. “Ning-ge?” He turned his head to see Lin Yan looking down, his fingers unconsciously playing with the zipper of his pocket. Ning Youji knew he was feeling embarrassed. “Go ahead.”

Lin Yan bit his lip and asked tentatively, “Besides me, have you ever tutored anyone else?”

“No,” Ning Youji answered simply. In the past, many people had come to ask him questions, but they were eventually scared off by his coldness and directness.

“That is perfect then.” Lin Yan had been plotting his little scheme for a while. “Do you want another opportunity like that? You know I value brotherhood. Now that I am growing, I want my brothers to grow too.” The more he spoke, the more he felt he was being quite noble. “I want to organize a study session. Ning-ge, would you mind helping me out?”

As he spoke, his light brown eyes sparkled, and his whole being was illuminated by the streetlights. Ning Youji never expected that the usually arrogant Number 1 High School bully would lower his voice to such an extent. After a moment of silence, he asked in a calm, orderly voice, “Is there any reward?”

Lin Yan was stunned, unable to gauge his attitude for a moment. He had prepared flattery if he agreed and excuses to win him over if he refused, but he never expected him to ask this. Lin Yan looked up at him. “What do you want?”

Ning Youji narrowed his eyes, saying meaningfully, “Let me hear you call me ‘Brother’ one more time.”

Lin Yan stood in silence. He thought to himself, “It is just ‘Brother,’ it is not like I have not said it before!” Steeling himself, he called out reluctantly, “Ning-ge.”

The corners of Ning Youji’s eyes curved upward. “I did not hear you clearly. One more time.”

Lin Yan glared at him fiercely. When he saw the smile on Ning Youji’s lips, he realized it immediately. He had been played!