After Being Forcibly Marked By My Fiancé’S Best Friend Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The room door creaked open.

Yin Zhuo pushed the door in and kicked the person lying on the floor. Lian Xu, tightly wrapped in a blanket, did not move.

“Stop playing dead, get up and eat.” Though he said ‘eat,’ it was actually just nutrient paste. It was only meant to keep the Omega’s bodily functions running normally; whether he was healthy or not was irrelevant to Yin Zhuo.

In his eyes, Lian Xu was a useless accessory. Battlefields had no use for a pretty face; at best, he was just a number. The fact that Lian Xu returned unharmed from the Lakalā operation was unbelievable to him.

The person on the floor remained still for a long time. Yin Zhuo couldn’t help but frown, half-crouching down to check Lian Xu’s condition. Seeing the Omega’s eyes tightly shut, trembling inside the blanket, his heart skipped a beat.

“Lian Xu! Open your eyes!”

No matter how he called, Lian Xu didn’t react. Yin Zhuo cursed under his breath, reaching out to gently touch his forehead. It was burning hot, like freshly boiled water.

Yin Zhuo hated physical contact with Lian Xu, but he couldn’t let a medical officer come to this room to treat him. He had no choice but to grit his teeth, pick the person up, and dump him onto the sofa, then contact the base’s medical officer to treat the Omega.

The medical officer rushed over immediately after receiving the message. He was currently looking down, examining the Omega on the sofa with a worried expression.

“Team Leader Lian’s pheromones are unstable, and he caught a slight fever from the rain. I’ll prescribe some medicine for Team Leader Lian first. It would be best if… Prime Minister, you released some soothing pheromones. That would help him feel better.”

Yin Zhuo hummed softly, seemingly taking it in, but in reality, he didn’t care at all.

The medical officer originally wanted to tell Yin Zhuo that it would be best to take the Omega for a pheromone check once he woke up, but seeing that gloomy face, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

The last time he dared to remind the Prime Minister, he was chased out.

Presumably, this time would be the same; the Prime Minister likely wouldn’t follow medical advice.

Yin Zhuo saw his hesitation and impatiently urged him to leave: “If there’s nothing else, go back. I will take care of him.”

Just as the medical officer reached the door, Yin Zhuo called out to him: “Don’t let my father know about this.”

The medical officer nodded, leaving nervously.

Yin Zhuo fed Lian Xu the medicine and didn’t throw him back into the dark room, letting him sleep on the sofa for the night instead.

The medicine prescribed by the medical officer was a specialized treatment for Omegas. After a night’s sleep, Lian Xu’s body had mostly recovered. When he woke up, the first thing he saw was Yin Zhuo’s resentful, deathly pale face.

It couldn’t have been more unlucky.

Lian Xu felt he would have been better off staying unconscious.

Seeing that his body had returned to normal, Yin Zhuo mercilessly locked him back up. The fever was gone, but the heat cycle hadn’t passed yet, so he couldn’t come out for now.

“Be good, stay in there for a few more days,” Yin Zhuo said in a surprisingly gentle tone.

Before the door closed, Lian Xu looked back at him. He thought the sun must have risen in the west; Yin Zhuo was actually speaking like a human.

Yin Zhuo stared at the Omega’s bright eyes and was momentarily stunned.

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s disgusting.”

Lian Xu: “…”

Insane.

He was wrong. Yin Zhuo wasn’t human at all, so how could he speak like one?

After locking the door, Yin Zhuo left quickly, as if fleeing a disaster.

Lian Xu stayed in the dark, cold room for four more days until his heat cycle passed. During this time, Yin Zhuo delivered water and nutrient paste at fixed times every day. He Yu was busy training cadets and didn’t have time to bother him again.

After his confinement was lifted, Lian Xu felt light. Although he slept on the floor every day and the room was cold, it was better than sleeping on the floor beside Yin Zhuo’s bed.

Lian Xu submitted an application to return to the training ground, just in time for the weekly simulation assessment.

As the chief instructor, He Yu could not directly interfere with the cadet assessment. This task naturally fell to Lian Xu, who needed to supervise every assessment item and record the results. He had to ensure that every cadet performed to their true ability, and then formulate subsequent training plans in batches based on their assessment results.

“Long time no see.” He Yu stood next to the pheromone threshold tester. Seeing Lian Xu, who had lost weight, he couldn’t help but lean in to greet him. He subtly reached his fingers behind him and hooked his belt.

Lian Xu glanced at him indifferently, moving back to maintain distance.

“First group, begin,” Lian Xu said sternly.

He Yu smiled, reaching his arm across Lian Xu’s chest to pick up the cadet roster from the nearby instrument. Whether intentional or accidental, as he withdrew his hand, the edge of the roster brushed against the Omega’s clothing, and the fingers hidden beneath lightly grazed his chest.

“Qu Baijing.”

He Yu called the name as if nothing happened. Lian Xu’s peripheral vision caught the restless Alpha, and his expression subtly changed.

“Here!” The called cadet stepped out from the middle of the line, walking to the instrument with a smile.

He Yu remembered this Omega; he was the second-ranked cadet who wanted to challenge him in the cafeteria that day.

“Instructor He, I’m ready!” The Omega clearly hadn’t given up on He Yu, somewhat presumptuously ignoring the chief examiner of this assessment and winking at the person who called his name.

“Why tell me? I’m only responsible for leading the team.” The implication was that he should report to the chief examiner, Lian Xu. He then quietly glanced at Lian Xu. Seeing no emotional change on the Omega’s face, he smiled and said, “Team Leader Lian, may we start?”

Hearing this, Qu Baijing restrained his smile and turned to Lian Xu: “Team Leader Lian, I’m ready.”

Lian Xu nodded slightly, not taking his disrespect to heart. He had endured too many cold shoulders and too much doubt; he was long used to this situation. Especially with He Yu present, it was obvious who the cadets preferred to respect and trust.

However, the Omega’s voice sounded somewhat familiar, making him pay closer attention.

The Alpha, who had been watching Lian Xu, suddenly froze, looking uncertainly at the other’s slightly gloomy expression. The hand holding the roster unconsciously tightened.

Lian Xu’s look—was he angry again?

But he hadn’t said anything to the Omega, so that shouldn’t be the case.

Just as he was thinking, the instrument beeped, signaling the end of the test.

The screen flashed a red S.

A red S meant extremely unstable pheromones.

Pheromone thresholds were divided into three levels: green stable A, yellow slight fluctuation B, and red dangerous S.

Qu Baijing’s pheromone fluctuation reached the dangerous S level, which was quite rare in the Star Tower. When the pheromone threshold reached S, two extreme situations could occur. One was possessing super explosive power, and the other was the opposite: both Omegas and Alphas would enter a state of frenzy and lose self-control.

The vast majority of officers with an S threshold exhibited the former, leading people to mistakenly believe that reaching an S threshold provided them with greater power. As a result, some people would deliberately pursue an S threshold during training to make themselves stronger.

They ignored the danger that the S threshold brought.

The cadets collectively gasped.

“Baijing, your pheromone threshold is actually S! No wonder you’re so amazing!”

Qu Baijing lifted his head and smiled proudly: “I didn’t even know I was S; I thought it was A!”

The cadets, who had just been envious, now looked at Qu Baijing with stiff expressions: “What is he saying? He didn’t know his pheromone threshold was S?”

An A threshold was the most stable and common. Previous instructors all believed that A was the best state for officer training. At the very least, it should be B, ensuring one wouldn’t become uncontrollable due to sudden circumstances.

To prevent officers from having unexpected incidents during training or on the battlefield, the Star Tower prepared pheromone threshold tests for every cadet. The purpose was to filter out those unsuitable for military bases.

An Omega with a high-risk factor like Qu Baijing should have been eliminated during the pre-base test, or required a secondary test and assessment, instead of entering the base directly.

Lian Xu didn’t know how he managed to enter the base smoothly and become an official officer, but he suspected someone had tampered with the process.

He Yu stared intently at the letter on the instrument.

“Qu Baijing’s pheromone threshold test is unqualified. Next,” Lian Xu announced the result without hesitation.

Qu Baijing suddenly looked up: “Why??”

He was an S! The rarest, most exceptional Omega! Why was his test declared unqualified?

Lian Xu rubbed his thumb and said lightly: “How much do you remember about the last item in the Star Tower Assessment Guide Appendix, ‘Pheromone Threshold Danger Explanation’?”

Qu Baijing’s face went pale. How was he supposed to know what was written in the assessment guide appendix? Who would read the useless appendix? Wasn’t it enough just to memorize the Star Tower regulations?

“I don’t… I don’t know,” he answered truthfully. “The assessment only requires us to remember every item in the Star Tower regulations, and there’s no rule that we must understand the assessment guide!”

Lian Xu frowned imperceptibly. That was true.

However, he remembered that the first class at Star Tower Academy was a detailed explanation of the assessment guide. During the final assessment, the examiner would also remind cadets to proactively take the pheromone threshold test, and if the threshold reached S, they needed to report it to the academy and postpone the assessment.

Furthermore, to prevent people from cheating their way in, a specialized pheromone threshold test was conducted before entering the base. Despite this double insurance, Qu Baijing still managed to slip through the cracks.

So Lian Xu asked him: “Then do you know that accepted cadets are retested for their pheromone threshold before entering the base, and cadets whose threshold reaches S are not allowed to enter the base without permission?”

“This… I…” Qu Baijing was speechless. His gaze unconsciously shifted to He Yu, hoping for help. “Instructor, I…”

He Yu looked at him expressionlessly, saying nothing. The meaning was clear: if Team Leader Lian said you were unqualified, you were unqualified. Looking at anyone else was useless.

Lian Xu noticed Qu Baijing’s small action, following his line of sight to He Yu. The two were caught exchanging glances. No wonder the Omega’s voice sounded familiar; so it was him.

“What, Instructor He, do you have something to say?”

He Yu was called out for no reason and was somewhat displeased.

“No, I wouldn’t dare.”

Lian Xu glared at him. Wouldn’t dare, or didn’t know what to say?

However, the matter of Qu Baijing concealing his pheromone threshold to enter the base wasn’t over yet. Now was not the time to clash with He Yu.

Lian Xu turned back to Qu Baijing: “Are you planning to confess and receive leniency, or be stripped of your military status and leave the Star Tower?”

Everyone gasped, not expecting the consequences of concealing the pheromone threshold to be so severe!

Qu Baijing had worked hard for three years after being accepted into the Star Tower Academy, enduring many hardships to finally achieve his wish of entering the Star Tower military base and becoming an official officer. He could finally hold his head high in front of his family and move closer to the person he liked. But Lian Xu wanted to expel him from the Star Tower just because he concealed his pheromone threshold. Why?

Besides, it wasn’t entirely his fault.

“I didn’t conceal anything.”

Lian Xu licked his back molars, surprised that the other party was so stubborn.

“Qu Baijing, Omega, 18 years old, overall score 92 points, one of the outstanding graduates of Star Tower Academy, Mech piloting assessment level B. Am I correct?”

Qu Baijing didn’t expect Lian Xu to remember so clearly, even knowing his exact score.

“Yes…”

“Half a month ago, the military base conducted a pheromone threshold test for new cadets. Your test result was A, correct?”

Qu Baijing clearly remembered that the threshold displayed on the instrument after his test was S, not A, but the final announced result stated A.

“Yes!” He looked up at Lian Xu, his eyes slightly red at the corners. “The test result was A, and the score announced on the Star Net was also A! Even if it was wrong, it was the problem with the test result at the time, or perhaps the instrument you are using now is faulty!”

He didn’t feel he had done anything wrong.

“Fine, since you say it’s the instrument’s problem, I will test it myself.”

This machine was the latest Phase One model, with twice the accuracy of the one they used back then, so there was naturally no problem. However, to convince the cadets that the instrument was not faulty, Lian Xu felt it necessary to prove it to them personally.

Qu Baijing, however, gave a cold laugh. Was that all?

“If Team Leader Lian misunderstood me, shouldn’t you apologize to me?”

Lian Xu was silent for two seconds, seemingly contemplating something. Before he could speak, He Yu stepped past him and stood in front of the instrument.

“Star Tower officers undergo pheromone threshold testing every year. The last test was a month ago, and the result was A,” He Yu said, looking back at Qu Baijing. “If my threshold is measured as A again, it proves the instrument is not faulty.”

Lian Xu: “…”

Show-off.

There was no test a month ago; the war was too intense. He stared at He Yu, his scorching gaze seemingly saying: “Go ahead and show off. If it’s not A, won’t you confirm the instrument is faulty? Then there will be no way to clean up this mess!”

He Yu smiled calmly at Lian Xu.

Lian Xu nearly fainted from anger.

His pheromone threshold was S, and it hadn’t changed in all these years. In contrast, He Yu’s pheromones often fluctuated; there was no guarantee it would be A today.

But He Yu looked completely unconcerned.

Qu Baijing also somewhat didn’t want He Yu to step up. Lian Xu was the one who raised the doubt; he should be the one to test.

“Isn’t this a bit too lax…” someone whispered.

“Or you go? You dare to question Team Leader Lian’s words? Are you crazy?”

Some questioned, while others supported.

Faced with the cadets’ concerns about the lack of rigor, there seemed to be no good solution at the moment. No matter who tested, there was a possibility of cheating, as Qu Baijing was a cautionary example. The cadets’ test results might be fabricated, and the instructors and team leaders’ past results were unknown to the cadets, so they couldn’t be completely convinced.

Everyone fell silent.

Qu Baijing smiled smugly, seeing that his goal had been achieved.