The Top-Tier Alpha Refuses to Be Pretty Cannon Fodder - Chapter 5

The fish was on the hook.

At the entrance of the Lanhai Group, the handsome and refined Alpha had issued an invitation. Lu Yunli suppressed the smirk playing at the corners of his lips and nodded enthusiastically. “Professor Huo, you’ve solved a huge problem for my brother! He’ll be so happy when he finds out!”

As joy replaced his earlier “gloom,” the Omega before Huo Yan seemed to bloom like a flower—delicate and radiant. Huo Yan’s lips curved into a subtle smile.

“But,” Lu Yunli scratched his head, looking troubled, “I don’t think I have your contact information, Professor Huo.”

Huo Yan pulled out his phone. “I’ll add you.”

“Would that be… inappropriate?” Even as he spoke, Lu Yunli had already pulled up his QR code and thrust it toward Huo Yan.

“It’s fine.” Huo Yan scanned it.

Lu Yunli tapped the blinking red dot in his contacts and added him. Unlike his own kitten profile picture, Huo Yan’s photo was of himself in full military uniform.

“Wow, your profile picture is so handsome, Professor Huo!”

【520: Huo Yan’s Favorability +10】

Lu Yunli arched an eyebrow. Wait, that worked?

Huo Yan adjusted his glasses. “It was just a candid shot from a few years ago.”

“Mmm, Professor Huo is so kind and beautiful. I wish I could soul-swap with one of the students in the Electronic Engineering department just to be in your class!”

【520: Huo Yan’s Favorability +10】

So this cold, aloof General actually loves “rainbow farts” (flattery)! Lu Yunli had found the secret to farming Huo Yan’s points.

Just as he was about to launch another round of flattery, his collar was snatched from behind, and he was yanked back two steps.

【520: Host! It’s Qi Xi!】

Before the system could finish, Qi Xi’s furious voice exploded in Lu Yunli’s ear. “Lu Yunxing, what the hell are you doing?!”

Qi Xi! You’ve got some nerve! Lu Yunli, who had never been treated so rudely in his real life, felt his face turn a terrifying shade of iron-blue.

【520: Calm down, Host! Don’t go OOC!】

Lu Yunli took a deep breath. Standing close to the tall Alpha, he could smell the aggressive, brandy-scented pheromones thick in the air. This was a warning—the kind an Alpha only releases when competing for an Omega.

Qi Xi was warning Huo Yan to back off.

Stays out all night, keeps a “White Moonlight” in his heart, and claims not to love me—yet here he is, picking a fight with Huo Yan. What a waste. Lu Yunli sneered internally, his eyes drifting to the nape of Qi Xi’s neck. In the ABO world, an Alpha’s bite wouldn’t make another Alpha go into heat, but if he bit hard enough and deep enough, he could force the other into a state of “pseudo-heat.” He suddenly wanted to see this “abstinent” CEO crying and begging for mercy.

【520: Ahem, Host, Huo Yan is still watching.】

Lu Yunli reached up, unbuttoned his tight collar, and let his anger vanish. When he looked up, his eyes were swimming with unshed tears. “Brother Qi… I… I was just talking to Professor Huo.”

The thought of the Omega treating him coldly last night while smiling so sweetly at another Alpha sent a surge of unexplained irritation through Qi Xi. He tightened his grip on Lu Yunli’s arm. “Stop it. Don’t you dare cry!”

Lu Yunli flinched. A tear splashed onto the back of Qi Xi’s hand—burning and scalding.

“Junior,” Huo Yan stepped forward, grabbing Qi Xi’s arm with a voice like a blade. “Are you planning to strike your own Omega in front of me?”

Interfering busybody, Qi Xi thought. He looked at Huo Yan’s hand on his arm—hands famous in M State for their cold, porcelain-like beauty, especially when holding a gun. But all Qi Xi could think was: Did those fingers touch Lu Yunxing the same way? He wanted to break them one by one.

“President Qi!”

Xie Xingchi arrived. Qi Xi shook off Huo Yan’s hand and shoved Lu Yunli toward the secretary. “Take him back. Keep a close eye on him.”

The Protagonist Shou: Xie Xingchi

Lu Yunli stumbled and was caught. He looked back through a blur of tears into the face of a gentle-looking man, if you ignored the blatant hostility in his eyes.

【520: Ding-dong! Character unlocked: Xie Xingchi. Current Level: 4.】 【Lu Yunli: What’s his favorability toward me?】 【520: It’s exactly 0.】 【Lu Yunli: At least it’s not negative.】 【520: In the original book, his position was so secure that he viewed Lu Yunxing as a pathetic stray, not even worth hating.】

Fine. I’m a “loser” who can’t keep his Alpha. I get it.

Meanwhile, Xie Xingchi was fuming. His plan with Lin Zhi was supposed to be going smoothly, yet here was Qi Xi, fighting a General over this “idiot.” Xie Xingchi leaned into Lu Yunli’s ear. “This is Lanhai Group. Stop crying and embarrassing yourself. If you damage Brother Xi’s reputation, he’ll only hate you more.”

Xie Xingchi grabbed Lu Yunli’s arm. “Let’s go.”

Lu Yunli let out a louder sob. “Secretary Xie, you’re hurting me! How could you say I was ‘seducing’ Professor Huo?”

Huo Yan’s sharp gaze snapped toward them. Xie Xingchi froze. “Lu Yunxing, what are you talking about?!”

Lu Yunli sniffled. “I know I’m useless, but I came here for Brother Qi. Professor Huo was just being kind because I looked pitiful. Nothing happened! Don’t say such things!”

He’s inciting a war! Xie Xingchi realized. He grabbed Lu Yunli harder. “I didn’t say that!”

In the struggle, the sleeve of the Omega’s shirt slid up. Huo Yan’s eyes caught the red marks on the pale wrist—marks that looked like he had been bound.

Being from a high-society family, Huo Yan knew exactly what those marks meant. He looked at Qi Xi with pure mockery. “I didn’t realize that the boy who used to live in a rented shack has finally learned the ‘noble’ art of bullying Omegas.”

Qi Xi narrowed his eyes dangerously. He stepped between Huo Yan and Lu Yunli. “General Huo, do you think I’m dead?” He raised his voice for everyone to hear. “He, Lu Yunxing, is my Omega. I’m the only one who gets to bully him, the only one who gets to spoil him. Even if he dies, he’s my man. He has nothing to do with you.”

Huo Yan looked at the scene and sighed. “It seems President Qi is in no state to talk business.” He looked at Lu Yunli. “Xingxing, do you want to come with me?”

【520: Huo Yan’s Favorability +20】

Lu Yunli felt refreshed by the sound of the points racking up. He made a move to follow Huo Yan, but Qi Xi’s voice dropped to a low growl. “Lu Yunxing!”

【Lu Yunli: Sob… he’s so scary!】 【520: ……】

Lu Yunli stopped, biting his lip and shaking his head at Huo Yan. “Thank you, Professor Huo. You should leave now.”

【520: Huo Yan’s Favorability +5】 【Lu Yunli: So little? I guess flattery really is more effective.】

Since they were legally married, Huo Yan couldn’t just drag him away. He tapped his phone. “Don’t be afraid. If anyone bullies you, call me.”

Before Lu Yunli could respond, Qi Xi grabbed his arm. Ignoring Xie Xingchi, he dragged Lu Yunli toward the office building. He pulled him into the private elevator, straight to the 18th floor.

The office door was kicked open. Qi Xi threw him inside. Lu Yunli stumbled onto the sofa as the door slammed shut and the lock clicked.

He swallowed hard, pointing toward the door. “There’s still someone outside…”

In the next second, a massive shadow loomed over him. Qi Xi’s face was inches away, his eyes burning with an intense, dark possessiveness.

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