The Top-Tier Alpha Is Lured and Captured by a Green Tea Merman - Chapter 2

Xie Yu stared directly at him, completely undeterred.

The two remained in a deadlock for a long time before Pei Yan finally backed down. What would killing him even accomplish?

The deed was done. His current mark could no longer be washed away. Aside from making his own periods of… heat agonizingly painful, killing the man would serve no purpose. It was better to find a way to deal with the situation.

Maintaining his aim with the gun, Pei Yan said sternly, “From this day forward, you belong only to me. You must be loyal to me forever and never betray me. Otherwise, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth to kill you. Do you hear me?”

Xie Yu reached out, grasping the muzzle of the gun and shifting it to rest over his heart. He flashed a captivating, dazzling smile. “I, Xie Yu, have always belonged to you, Brother.”

Once they had reached an understanding, Pei Yan felt the weight lift slightly from his chest. He holstered his gun and asked, “Does your Mermaid Race have some kind of master-servant contract? You know, the kind where once signed, the servant can’t resist or disobey the master?”

Xie Yu arched an eyebrow. “Brother, do you wish to sign a master-servant contract with me?”

Pei Yan grew interested. “Does such a thing really exist?”

He had only asked on a whim. Even if it did exist, he wouldn’t actually sign it—who knew if this fish had malicious intentions? To put it bluntly, he didn’t trust this non-human creature.

Xie Yu nodded. Catching Pei Yan off guard, he suddenly leaned in close and covered Pei Yan’s hand with both of his own. He closed his eyes devoutly as a blue water-ripple mark gradually manifested on his forehead.

Pei Yan felt a faint, burning heat in his heart and the palm of his hand.

Immediately after, Xie Yu opened his eyes and spread Pei Yan’s palm open. An identical blue water-ripple mark had appeared there.

“There, the contract is complete.”

Shocked that Xie Yu had signed it so readily, Pei Yan stammered, “That fast?”

There couldn’t be a catch, right?

Xie Yu held his hand, his eyes brimming with a smile as he asked, “How else did Brother think it would be done?”

Pei Yan was too embarrassed to say it out loud. He had thought it would involve the fusion of their blood—perhaps biting a lip and sharing a kiss or something of that nature.

Not wanting to dwell on the topic, Pei Yan said, “From now on, you’ll stay with me in my house. As long as you behave yourself, I won’t make things difficult for you.”

Xie Yu, naturally, had no objections.

Pei Yan drove him back to his home. The butler hurried out to meet them. “Young Master, you’re back. Mr. Lin called today to ask how you’ve been lately.”

The “Mr. Lin” the butler referred to was his Omega father, Lin Qingyu. Ever since his mark had been cleansed, Pei Yan had sent him to a manor to recuperate. As an Alpha, Pei Yan naturally carried the scent unique to Alphas, which would not be conducive to Lin Qingyu’s recovery if they lived together.

Upon hearing Lin Qingyu’s name, a touch of tenderness appeared in Pei Yan’s eyes. “I’ll go visit him in a few days.”

“Very well, Young Master. And this gentleman is…?”

Pei Yan hesitated for a moment before saying, “A… friend of mine. Prepare a room for him. Actually, never mind—just put him in the room next to mine for now.”

“…Understood, Young Master.”

Though the butler was momentarily stunned, he maintained his professional composure and didn’t pry further, simply nodding in agreement.

“Then I shall have lunch prepared immediately. Is there anything specific you would like to eat today, Young Master?”

Pei Yan thought for a moment, then turned to Xie Yu. “Do you have any dietary restrictions?” Fearing he wouldn’t understand, he rephrased: “Is there anything you don’t eat?”

Xie Yu shook his head. “No.”

Pei Yan: “Then just the usual. Oh, and don’t make any fish today.”

After finishing their meal, Pei Yan turned on the television and sat on the sofa with Xie Yu. At that moment, a man dressed in black barged inside. The butler looked at Pei Yan with an apologetic expression.

“Young Master…”

Upon seeing the visitor, Pei Yan’s face instantly darkened, his unwelcome attitude completely undisguised. This man was the secretary—and right-hand man—of his Alpha father, Pei Li.

Ignoring Pei Yan’s hostility, the man in black spoke with a tone that was respectful yet forceful: “Young Master, Mr. Pei requests your presence.”

Pei Yan’s lips thinned into a straight line. He stood up without a word.

Xie Yu instinctively followed, but Pei Yan pressed a hand onto his shoulder to keep him seated. “Stay at home. I’ll be back soon.”

Xie Yu hummed in response, his eyes shifting to cast a cold, indifferent glance at the man in black.

In an instant, the man in black’s chest heaved violently. He felt as though he were being tightly constricted by something invisible, the pressure intensifying within his limited space. His breathing grew heavy and suppressed, making him feel as if his body might explode at any second.

The agony vanished as quickly as it had arrived, lasting only a few seconds as if it were a mere hallucination. However, the lingering physiological terror told him it had been very real.

The man in black felt a surge of palpitations. As an S-class Alpha who had been through rigorous selection to become the secretary to the Imperial Commander-in-Chief, he had just been rendered completely powerless! What kind of mental strength was this—to be able to exert absolute suppression on him alone without affecting anyone else?

He shifted his gaze toward the only unfamiliar face in the room. Could it be him?

But a second later, the man dismissed the thought. The way Xie Yu looked at Pei Yan was full of dependence; that wasn’t an expression an Alpha would show. He had to be an Omega.

That was the man’s conclusion. Could it be that Pei Yan’s mental strength has increased? He would have to report this to Mr. Pei.

Pei Yan ignored the man’s “invitation” and drove his own car. The two of them drove one after the other into the main Pei residence.

The man in black knocked on the study door and stood silently by the entrance, waiting for the command. It wasn’t until a steady voice from within said “Enter” that he opened the door for Pei Yan.

Pei Yan walked inside and saw a file folder on the low table, clearly placed there for his benefit. He opened the folder and pulled out a stack of photos. The subjects were none other than himself and Xie Yu from the previous night. The photographer was highly skilled; every shot made them look incredibly intimate.

Pei Yan said coldly, “You called me here just for this?”

Pei Li set down his documents and leaned back against his chair, exuding the natural aura of a high-ranking official. “I don’t care who he is or what your relationship is. I need you to handle your business with him quickly.”

“Give me a reason.”

“The Little Highness will be returning soon. You should go and interact with him more.”

Pei Yan found it laughable. “What, you want me to enter a political marriage? I believe the Imperial Commander-in-Chief has no authority to interfere in the private affairs of a member of the Alliance.”

“But you are still my son.”

“But I belong to the Alliance.”

Pei Li narrowed his eyes slightly. “Are you defying me?”

“I am simply stating facts. Since its founding, the Alliance and the Empire have been separate entities; both sides agreed not to interfere with one another. I am already under scrutiny because of my relationship with you, the Imperial Commander. If the other systems in the Alliance think you are trying to collude internally and externally, it will surely be detrimental to your status and reputation.”

Instead of getting angry, Pei Li laughed softly and said, “I heard you took Lin Qingyu to have his mark washed and sent him to a manor to recuperate? It’s a nice place—mountains, water. By the way, he seems to have taken in a stray dog, hasn’t he?”

Pei Yan snapped his head up, a rising fire of rage in the depths of his eyes. “You’re spying on us!”

Pei Li took a sip of tea and said calmly, “I told you that you cannot escape my grasp. I’ve simply been turning a blind eye to your little schemes. If I wished, I could have him seized immediately and marked again.”

Pei Li emphasized those last two words slowly, as if intentionally provoking Pei Yan. It clearly worked; Lin Qingyu was the person Pei Yan cared for most, and thus, his weakness.

Pei Yan lunged toward the desk in a fury, bracing his hands on the surface as he leaned over toward Pei Li. A storm brewed in his eyes, looking as if there were a blood feud between them.

He hissed through gritted teeth, “Don’t you dare!”

Pei Li lifted his eyelids and watched him quietly. He was waiting for Pei Yan to bow his head.

Pei Yan took a heavy breath and said, “Fine. I’ll go. But I hope the Commander-in-Chief also minds his own business.”

The conversation ended with Pei Yan’s compromise. His current power was still insufficient. He walked out of the study and punched the wall in frustration. A bloody print appeared instantly, but Pei Yan didn’t even blink as if he felt no pain. He left the main residence immediately.

The man in black entered the study and recounted everything that had happened at the other house.

Pei Li didn’t stop processing his paperwork. “Are you certain?”

The man replied respectfully, “Quite certain, sir.”

Pei Li replied coldly, “Then find a time to test it.”

When Pei Yan drove home, the butler greeted him with concern. “Young Master, are you alright?” Noticing the injury on his knuckles, his heart tightened. “I’ll go get the first aid kit.”

Pei Yan felt exhausted. “No need. I’m going upstairs to rest for a bit.”

Xie Yu watched Pei Yan’s retreating back, then turned to the butler. “Uncle Xu, I’ll go.”

After an hour of chatting with the enthusiastic staff, he had already become well-acquainted with them, even learning their names and family details.

“But…” The butler hesitated, but eventually handed the medical kit to Xie Yu. “Then please, Xiao Yu, help the Young Master apply some medicine.”

Xie Yu took it and headed upstairs under the expectant gazes of the staff.

The door was unlocked. Xie Yu opened it quietly and closed it behind him. He set the kit on a table and tiptoed toward Pei Yan’s bed. Pei Yan was lying there with one hand over his eyes, appearing to be asleep.

Xie Yu crouched down, stuck out his tongue, and began to lick the injured area.

Sensing something wet sweeping over his wound, Pei Yan jolted. He pulled his hand back, sat up, and glared at the innocent-looking Xie Yu, who still had his tongue out.

“Holy—! What are you doing?”

Did this fish see blood and trigger some predatory instinct to eat me?

Xie Yu asked confusedly, “Treating your wound.”

Pei Yan was utterly bewildered. “Why are you using your tongue for that?”

“That’s how we Merpeople heal ourselves. It makes it recover faster.”

Pei Yan stared at him. “That might be a treatment method for your kind, but for humans…”

He trailed off as he looked down at his knuckles. The words died in his throat because the wound that had just been licked was already healed and scabbed over, showing no sign of the fresh injury from moments ago.

Xie Yu wore an expression that clearly said, “See? I told you. Praise me, praise me!”

Pei Yan: “…”

He truly hadn’t expected the Mermaid’s healing ability to be this potent. Perhaps he could have Xie Yu help Lin Qingyu. But then he remembered that the method involved licking, and the thought vanished instantly. Lin Qingyu would never agree to it. He wondered if there were other ways to treat someone…

While Pei Yan was lost in thought, Xie Yu suddenly crawled onto the bed. Snapping back to reality, Pei Yan backed away warily. “What are you doing now?”

Xie Yu quickly grabbed his ankle to pull himself closer, looking at him with eyes so pure they couldn’t be any simpler. “Continuing the treatment. Or did Brother think I was going to do something else?”

Pei Yan: “…”

He felt like the two of them were definitely not thinking about the same “something else.”