The Top-Tier Alpha Refuses to Be Pretty Cannon Fodder - Chapter 33

The progress bar hit 80%.

Before Lu Yunli could ask any of the questions burning in his mind, his hand was seized by Qi Xi. He was dragged back into the room and tossed onto the bed. As the familiar shadow loomed over him, Lu Yunli’s neck began to throb with phantom pain, a vivid reminder of that unpleasant heat cycle back at the club.

He ground his teeth and tried to sit up, but Qi Xi pressed in from behind. Their fingers intertwined over the duvet. “Yunli, stop lying to me.”

A kiss landed on his gland, and the progress bar jumped to 85%.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Lu Yunli flipped over, staring up at the man. Qi Xi’s arms braced on either side of him, his brow furrowed. “What kind of trick is it this time?”

Lu Yunli looked deep into those dark, bottomless eyes. “Why… why did you call me Lu Yunli?”

Qi Xi pinched his chin, pulling him closer until their faces were inches apart. He stared at Lu Yunli for a long time before speaking. “Lu Yunli, the ‘twins’ story… it was all just a lie you spun to fool me.”

Lu Yunli: “The Lu family really has two brothers!”

Qi Xi’s fingers brushed tenderly across Lu Yunli’s face, his thumb finally resting on his crimson lips. “You still want to lie?”

Lu Yunli: “I swear on my conscience!”

“Your conscience was eaten by a dog long ago. Do you think I’d believe you?” The man before him was a complete stranger to the crying, pleading “rabbit” from moments ago. Qi Xi’s gaze darkened with anger. “I’m going to punish you, Yunli.”

Lu Yunli: “I’m not lying! There’s proof at the Lu ancestral home—”

Qi Xi was deaf to his words. He flipped Lu Yunli over. As the Alpha’s overwhelming pressure descended, Lu Yunli struggled to rise, but the dense pheromones turned his body to lead.

Progress: 90%.

Lu Yunli clutched the sheets, panic finally flickering in his eyes. “Wait, Qi Xi, calm down… let’s talk about this…”

Before he could finish, Qi Xi leaned down and pierced the gland with his sharp canines.

Damn it…

The Brandy pheromones invaded violently. Lu Yunli’s vision went black. His Oolong White Tea scent was drowned out by the liquor, and a soft pink flush crept over his skin like a ripening peach. It hurt like hell.

[System: Current punishment progress 100%. Task achieved. Scene ending.] [System: Closing scene…]

Lu Yunli was sick.

The system transported him back, and by nightfall, he was burning with a high fever. He managed a quick call to Rice before falling into a deep, unconscious sleep. He eventually woke to the sound of his phone ringing.

“Hello?” His voice was so raspy it startled him.

The person on the other end was silent for a second before wailing, “Li-bao! Did you go find another Alpha behind my back last night? Is that why you stood me up today?”

Lu Yunli rolled over lazily, his brow furrowed. “Vulnerability period (Heat).”

Sheng Yan: “So you found an Omega???”

Lu Yunli: “No.”

Sheng Yan: “You sound completely drained, Li-bao. I think you’re lying.”

Lu Yunli: “…”

He, the legendary Lu Yunli, who had thrived in the real world, had somehow managed to crash and burn while pretending to be an Omega. Worse, he’d been handled twice by the same Alpha. If word got out, he’d be the laughingstock of top-tier Alphas everywhere.

He narrowed his eyes, determined to take the secret to his grave. “It’s just a fever.”

[520: Ding! Sheng Yan’s favorability +10.]

Sheng Yan (worried): “Is it serious?”

“Small problem,” Lu Yunli sat up with effort. “But the shoot is off for today.”

“Forget the shoot, your health comes first! Where are you? I’m coming to see you.”

“I’m at…” Lu Yunli’s voice trailed off as he looked around the room. The familiar decor hit him like a physical blow. This was Tingyun Villa!!

Holy…

Sheng Yan: “Hello??”

Lu Yunli snapped back to reality. “I’m at the Lu ancestral home.” Since that place was nearly impossible to enter, Sheng Yan deflated. “Fine…”

[520: Ding! Sheng Yan’s favorability -5.]

Why did it drop again?! Lu Yunli quickly added, “I’ll be there tomorrow.”

[520: Ding! Sheng Yan’s favorability +5.]

Before he could even breathe, the door was pushed open. Qi Xi walked in.

Qi Xi: “You’re still sick. Where do you think you’re going?”

Lu Yunli froze. Sheng Yan caught the muffled, familiar voice on the other end. “Was that Qi Xi? Is he at the Lu home?”

“I have to go.” Lu Yunli hung up before Sheng Yan could say another word. He immediately called for 520 in his head.

[Lu Yunli: Did I not get out of the punishment?]

[520: Dear, this is reality.]

Reality… but he remembered being at the Lu home before he fell asleep. Rice must have “helped” him back here. He sent Rice a sharp message before questioning the system.

[Lu Yunli: What was that punishment about?]

[520: The scene you experienced was a ‘Glimpse into the Future’.]

[Lu Yunli: The future?]

[520: If you continue at your current pace, there is a risk that Lu Yunxing’s identity will be exposed after he retires.]

Lu Yunli narrowed his eyes. His plan was to have Lu Yunxing “retire” for health reasons while he remained as Lu Yunli. But if the system was right, that plan was compromised. It seemed the identity of “Lu Yunxing” needed to disappear more permanently.

Preferably by dying.

He was pulled from his thoughts as Qi Xi reached the bedside. Seeing the man’s hand reach out, Lu Yunli instinctively shrank back. His neck throbbed with a Pavlovian response.

The tiny flinch made Qi Xi pause. He remembered the way Xingxing had trembled in his arms at the club.

“Did I hurt you at the club?” Qi Xi sat on the edge of the bed, withdrawing his hand slightly. “Fang Yu said that for an Omega’s first mark, it’s normal to be uncomfortable. It’ll be better next time.”

Lu Yunli: “…”

I’m sorry, but for the record, it hurt the second time too!

Qi Xi handed the warm water to Lu Yunli. “Take your medicine.”

Lu Yunli stared at the glass in Qi Xi’s hand for a long while before finally reaching out to take both the medicine and the water. He toyed with the pills between his fingers, but he didn’t move to swallow them.

Cunning Alpha. Who knew what kind of medicine this actually was?

Qi Xi watched the “little Omega’s” beautiful fingers, and as if guessing his thoughts, he answered, “It’s for the fever. Xingxing, you’ve been burning up all night.”

Lu Yunli: “Brother Qi, wasn’t I at the Lu family’s ancestral home? How did I end up back here?”

Qi Xi continued: “I couldn’t find you after I got back. I heard you went to the ancestral home, so I picked you up and brought you back myself.”

Lu Yunli narrowed his eyes.

Qi Xi scratched his head and added: “An Omega’s heat cycle lasts seven days. A temporary mark is only… well, temporary. So Xingxing, you have to stay with me for these seven days. It’ll make you feel better. Look at you, you’ve already developed a fever because of the lack of pheromones.”

I have a fever, but it certainly isn’t because of that!

Lu Yunli twitched his lips. “And who exactly told you that?”

“A book!” Qi Xi looked like a big, goofy Samoyed showing off a prize. “Don’t worry. I might not understand Omegas perfectly yet, but I’ve been studying. I even asked Fang Yu for advice. I’ll make sure to feed you well and keep you healthy over these next few days!”

Lu Yunli: “…”

I’d really rather you didn’t.

He wanted to get as far away from this “silly dog” as possible. Lu Yunli tried to scoot to the side to maintain a safe distance, but Qi Xi’s hand landed on his waist, pulling him back.

“Xingxing, you can’t be too far from me. The books say that during heat, Omegas exhibit nesting behaviors. You’ll naturally prefer my pheromones right now.” Qi Xi wrapped his arms around him. “Does this feel better?”

Lu Yunli: “…”

What book? Tell me the name so I can go shred it right now!

A vein pulsed on Lu Yunli’s forehead. He took a deep breath and forced out a sentence. “But I can’t take the medicine like this…”

Qi Xi loosened his grip slightly. “Go ahead, take it.”

He let go, but he didn’t really let go. Fine, Lu Yunli would endure it. He swallowed the medicine, handed the glass back, and rubbed his eyes. “Brother Qi, I’m sleepy. Can I sleep a bit longer?”

Get out. Now.

Qi Xi reached out to feel the “little Omega’s” forehead. It was still alarmingly hot. “The fever hasn’t broken yet.” He set the glass on the nightstand and reached for the edge of the duvet.

Lu Yunli gripped the blanket warily. “What are you doing!”

Qi Xi: “Didn’t you say you were sleepy?”

Lu Yunli: “.”

Qi Xi: “I’ll sleep with you.”

Sleep with your [Bleep] mother…

Lu Yunli swallowed the “Get out” that was on the tip of his tongue. “Go outside.”

Qi Xi insisted: “But you’ll feel uncomfortable…”

I feel uncomfortable because you’re staying!

Lu Yunli: “Leave.”

Qi Xi’s gaze fell on Lu Yunli’s ears, which were tinged with a faint red. He paused to reflect. Could it be… he’s shy? After a moment of thought, Qi Xi stood up and pulled off his shirt.

Lu Yunli: “.”

While Lu Yunli’s eyes widened in shock, Qi Xi shoved the shirt into his hands. “Then sleep while holding this.”

Lu Yunli: “…”

I’m not an Omega!

Lu Yunli gripped the fabric tightly, but his eyes couldn’t help but drift over Qi Xi. He raised an eyebrow slightly. He looks good in clothes, but even better out of them. Eight-pack abs. Hmm, not a bad physique at all.

Qi Xi was about to leave, but he felt the “little Omega’s” intense, direct gaze on his body. It looked as though he was craving more. My wife wants me.

Qi Xi looked down at himself, then stepped forward, took Lu Yunli’s hand, and placed it directly on his abs. “You can touch them.”

Touch my ass…

Lu Yunli jerked his hand back. “Get out!”

The moment the word left his mouth, a bolt of electricity shot through him.

[Lu Yunli: I’m still sick!]

[520: Dear, your level isn’t high enough yet. You cannot go out of character!]

Now I’m really angry!

Lu Yunli ground his teeth, rolled over, and pulled the duvet over his head.

He really is shy, Qi Xi thought. He took one last look before pushing the door open and walking out. Once the door was shut, Lu Yunli let out a long breath.

A strong scent of Brandy pheromones suddenly filled his nose. He looked down and realized he had accidentally rolled Qi Xi’s T-shirt into the blankets with him. Just like in that false “punishment” scenario, his body and the bed were being saturated with the scent of Brandy.

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