Top-Tier Omega: Chasing Alpha to the Crematorium – Chapter 46

Actually Quite Easy to Coax

Song Qingpei was completely bewildered. She had no idea what was happening.

She watched as Ming Yu carried Song Song and strode toward another hovering car. Song Qingpei instinctively tried to follow, but Ming Yu stopped her with a cold glare. Several tall bodyguards immediately blocked her path.

            

“What do you mean by this?” Song Qingpei frowned. “Didn’t we agree to pick up our daughter together? Why are you stopping me?”

Ming Yu’s thin lips parted, and she spat out four words: “Unclean. Impure.”

With that, she shut the car door.

            

Song Qingpei was so angry she nearly exploded.

She couldn’t understand Ming Yu’s inexplicable behavior at all. If she didn’t want her to see their daughter, she could have just said so — why make such a scene? Unfortunately, they were at the academy entrance, with too many parents picking up their children. She couldn’t make a scene, so she forced down her anger, returned to her own hovering car, and drove toward the villa.

But when she arrived at the villa entrance, she was blocked again.

            

Furious, Song Qingpei directly called Ming Yu’s light-terminal: “Ming Yu, what exactly are you trying to do?”

Ming Yu’s voice came cold through the connection: “Don’t you know what you did yourself?”

Song Qingpei was baffled: “I just repaired that mech called ‘Yuyue’ today. I didn’t do anything else! Wasn’t I sending you messages the whole time?”

            

Ming Yu gave a cold laugh, her tone mocking: “How considerate of you to find time to message me while you were with another Omega.”

“What’s wrong with you now?” Song Qingpei was completely confused. “I only had contact with Murong Ruixue today. There was no one else.”

Ming Yu gave another cold laugh, as if to say: You wanted someone else?

            

Song Qingpei was even more puzzled.

Testing Murong Ruixue was something she and Ming Yu had discussed together. Why had it suddenly become like this?

Just then, Song Song leaned toward the light-terminal, calling out in her milky voice: “Mama, hurry back! I want to see your model!”

            

“Nothing to see.” Ming Yu immediately cut Song Song off. “Tomorrow Mommy will take you to ride a real combat mech.”

But Song Song wasn’t having it. Her little mouth pursed: “Mommy can take me to ride a combat mech, but Mama’s combat mech can stay with me every day!”

Facing Song Song, Ming Yu couldn’t maintain her cold expression. She helplessly settled the child on her lap: “But…”

            

Song Song noticed that Song Qingpei’s face held no smile, and Ming Yu didn’t look happy either. She tilted her head: “Mommy, did you make Mama angry again? Are you fighting?”

Again…

Why, in Song Song’s eyes, was she always the one making Song Qingpei angry?

            

“No. It’s just that your mama is dirty and needs to go wash.” As Ming Yu spoke, her gaze turned cold as it landed on Song Qingpei.

Song Qingpei still didn’t understand what Ming Yu meant.

Just then, a car slowly pulled up at the entrance. A doctor in a white coat stepped out and said politely: “Hello. Admiral Ming asked me to examine your condition.”

            

Song Qingpei frowned, about to say “there’s nothing wrong with my body,” but as the words reached her lips, she suddenly thought of something. She looked at her hand, extended it toward the doctor, and said: “Today, I only have this one wound.”

The doctor scanned the wound with the light-terminal on his wrist and said: “There are residual Omega pheromones here. You’re very fortunate not to have been affected.”

Song Qingpei froze, thinking it over. So Ming Yu had smelled this earlier? Why hadn’t she sensed anything?

            

She quickly asked: “How did such a large amount of pheromones get there?”

The doctor explained: “It happens when there’s blood contact with the other person. But if the other person didn’t experience any discomfort either, then your blood didn’t contaminate them.”

“But why didn’t I notice anything myself?” Song Qingpei was puzzled.

            

Logically, with such a large amount of Omega pheromones, she should have at least felt some discomfort from being induced into a susceptible period.

The doctor smiled: “The scan shows you received a high-potency inhibitor within the last twelve hours. Combined with your… insensitivity to pheromones, you may not have reacted yet.”

Song Qingpei sensed that the doctor wanted to say: A person with pheromone dysfunction using inhibitors — how remarkable! But out of respect for certain people, he didn’t say it aloud.

            

Song Qingpei naturally didn’t press the issue. She was both angry and amused. Was Ming Yu actually jealous? But was Murong Ruixue’s action intentional or accidental? And what was her goal?

As she was thinking, sudden pain shot through the back of her hand. She looked down to find the doctor pressing a transparent octopus-like creature against her skin.

“Please bear with it, Miss Song. This creature can absorb Omega pheromones, but it will sting a bit,” the doctor said.

            

Sting a bit was an understatement. Song Qingpei felt as if every blood vessel were being drained of air. She wanted to move, but the creature had a paralyzing effect — her hand was weak and limp, unable to budge.

The octopus-like creature clung tightly to the back of her hand, as if greedily devouring something.

Fine beads of sweat covered Song Qingpei’s forehead. She clenched her jaw, struggling not to make a sound of pain.

            

When it was finally over, she felt hollowed out, exhausted to the bone. She could barely stand, swaying as she gripped the side of the car, gasping for breath.

Only when the doctor said it was done did he take the strange creature and leave.

After the doctor departed, the entrance gate opened.

            

As soon as Song Qingpei returned, Song Song jumped down from Ming Yu’s lap, calling out: “Mama, Mama!”

But Ming Yu caught her quickly, saying: “Wait until your mama has showered before going to her.”

Song Qingpei nodded, her voice weak: “The toy is in the car. I already used the pheromone removal spray. Wait a few minutes, then have Butler Su bring it out for Song Song.”

            

With that, she walked unsteadily upstairs, utterly drained.

She entered her room intending to shower, but when she saw the bed, her legs wouldn’t move. She collapsed onto it.

Ming Yu stayed downstairs with Song Song, but even after dinner, Song Qingpei still hadn’t come down.

            

Song Song kept clamoring to see the model.

Ming Yu said patiently: “Since your mama gave it to you, we should wait for her to come down so you can open it together.”

Song Song blinked her large eyes, full of curiosity: “Then can we just take a peek?”

            

Looking at her daughter’s hopeful expression, Ming Yu sighed: “Wait here. I’ll go call your mama.”

She had a bad feeling. When she opened the door, she found Song Qingpei collapsed on the bed.

Ming Yu rushed over and pulled at Song Qingpei urgently: “What’s wrong?”

            

The pull revealed that Song Qingpei was burning hot.

Ming Yu’s expression darkened. Had the earlier treatment not worked? Had Song Qingpei entered a susceptible period?

She hadn’t entered a susceptible period from Ming Yu’s pheromones, but she had from Murong Ruixue’s? Yet there was no scent of pheromones in the air. How strange.

            

As she hesitated, Song Qingpei felt the coolness of her hand. In her dazed state, she pulled Ming Yu down and held her tight.

“Song Qingpei, snap out of it. I’ll call a doctor for you.”

Ming Yu didn’t need Song Qingpei becoming sensitive because of someone else’s pheromones.

            

But Song Qingpei’s pheromones suddenly exploded, filling the room.

The powerful pheromone scent instantly triggered Ming Yu’s own pheromones. Ming Yu’s whole body went soft, and she couldn’t push Song Qingpei away at all.

Just then, a gentle knock came at the door: “Mommy, is Mama awake?”

            

Fortunately, she had locked the door when she came in — otherwise Song Song would have pushed right through.

Ming Yu gritted her teeth and, with a ruthless resolve, slapped Song Qingpei.

The slap brought Song Qingpei back to her senses for a moment. She immediately grabbed an inhibitor and rushed into the bathroom.

            

“Mm.” Ming Yu finally responded to Song Song. Her voice was hoarse as she struggled to sound normal: “Song Song, wait downstairs. Mama is getting dressed. She’ll be right down.”

Song Song obediently ran back downstairs.

Ming Yu herself was suffering — her body trembled from the pheromones that had been triggered.

            

When Song Qingpei came out of the shower and saw Ming Yu’s dark expression, guilt filled her heart. She apologized softly: “I was careless today. If this was Murong Ruixue testing me, how should we play this out next?”

When Ming Yu still didn’t respond, Song Qingpei walked closer and realized Ming Yu’s ears were bright red — she had clearly been triggered into heat by Song Qingpei’s pheromone leak.

“It’s my fault,” Song Qingpei said. “Let me help you…”

            

“No need.” Ming Yu cut her off, her tone rigid.

She forced herself to stand and walked unsteadily out of the room, returning to her own quarters. Her hands trembled as she picked up an inhibitor and injected herself.

She would not allow — absolutely would not allow — Song Qingpei to temporarily mark her after entering a susceptible period because of another Omega’s pheromones!

            

Murong Ruixue, I’m keeping score.

After a while, the heat in Ming Yu’s body gradually faded. She straightened her clothes and left her room.

By then, Song Song had already opened the model and was playing happily.

            

Not wanting to disturb her focus, Ming Yu and Song Qingpei watched from nearby.

Song Qingpei moved slightly closer to Ming Yu: “I was very careful today. I don’t know how, but through blood contact, she was able to leave pheromones inside my body.”

Ming Yu had also thought it over calmly after using the inhibitor, but she couldn’t figure it out either.

            

She shook her head: “I’ve never heard of blood transferring pheromones like this. Plenty of warriors from the star regions have received blood transfusions after blood loss, and this has never been a problem.”

“Could it be… that Murong Ruixue’s blood is special?” Song Qingpei could only think of that.

Ming Yu raised an eyebrow: “Aside from this, nothing else unusual? Tell me your schedule today.”

            

Song Qingpei recounted everything in detail — from researching the ‘Yuyue’ mech, to a simple lunch and continuing work. She thought for a moment: “Same as yesterday, nothing special. If she really did something, what’s her goal? Just to drive a wedge between us?”

Ming Yu frowned, unable to guess the reason either.

Thinking of Ming Yu’s earlier jealous reaction, Song Qingpei deliberately asked: “If she really succeeded in driving us apart, given Admiral Ming’s usual temperament, what would you do? Lock me in the Confinement Bay?”

            

At those words, Ming Yu’s face instantly went pale. She nearly snapped: “Do you have to keep bringing up the past? You know I wouldn’t now. I would never hurt you like that again. What will it take for you to believe me…”

Unexpectedly moved by her reaction, Song Qingpei paused and said helplessly: “That’s not what I meant. We’re doing this to make Murong Ruixue believe us, so…”

Ming Yu realized what had happened and let out a breath. A mocking mood surfaced: “So, you should be locked in the Confinement Bay right now.”

            

Song Qingpei pressed her lips together. She didn’t really want to go, looking at Ming Yu helplessly.

Ming Yu still held a grudge. She gave a cold laugh, raising an eyebrow imperceptibly. For a moment, they simply stared at each other.

Song Song turned her head in the middle of playing and saw the look passing between her parents.

            

Oh, this must be what her classmates talked about — that look where if you stare at each other, you have to kiss!

“Kiss, kiss, kiss!”

Song Song opened her mouth without making a sound, whispering and clapping her hands.

            

Both froze and turned to look at Song Song. The awkward atmosphere instantly shattered.

“Mama, Mommy, why are you looking at me? Kiss each other~”

Song Song called out innocently: “My school friends all say that if you stare for five seconds, you have to kiss~ If it’s longer than five seconds, it’s not true love!”

            

Ming Yu frowned. What are they teaching at that school?

She quickly walked over in three strides and scooped up Song Song, changing the subject: “Did anything fun happen at kindergarten today?”

Song Song nodded: “Our teacher eats children.”

            

Ming Yu frowned: “Eats children?” That sounded a bit bizarre.

“Yes.” Song Song nodded vigorously, then raised her arm: “My arm got all red from the teacher eating it.”

Seeing the red marks on Song Song’s arm, Ming Yu instantly radiated cold fury: “Let’s go ask the school what’s going on right now.”

            

“Concern makes one lose their head¹. Let’s ask what happened first.” Song Qingpei stopped Ming Yu, then turned to Song Song: “What other interesting things happened today?”

Ming Yu couldn’t understand how Song Qingpei could be so calm: “Why are you asking Song Song about this nonsense? She was bullied at school, and you’re still…”

“Ming Yu.” Song Qingpei sighed helplessly. “Did you forget who you are? What teacher would dare bully your daughter?”

            

She had a point, but Ming Yu insisted: “But Song Song is so young, she wouldn’t lie.”

Song Qingpei smiled: “But she does make things up.”

Ming Yu looked puzzled. This was outside her expertise — she had never raised a child before.

            

Sure enough, Song Song began: “We were eating octopus balls². My classmate said she’d seen a huge octopus, as big as a house, that eats people.”

“I said I hadn’t seen an octopus, but I’d seen mechs — mechs as big as several houses. Then I started gesturing and knocked over our bowls. Both our arms got bumped red.”

Hearing this, Ming Yu pressed her lips together, not expecting Song Song’s logic to work that way.

            

In that moment, she envied Song Qingpei’s understanding of Song Song. After Song Song finished, Song Qingpei asked a few more questions and quickly drew out the whole story.

It turned out the teacher had helped ‘blow on it’ to soothe the pain.

But because this teacher had a large mouth, a classmate said the teacher ate people, and Song Song had believed it.

            

After playing with the mech model and chattering excitedly, Song Song quickly grew tired.

She fell asleep in Ming Yu’s arms, mumbling: “Mama and Mommy didn’t kiss… when will Mama and Mommy kiss like other kids’ mamas and mommies… then I’ll have a little sister soon…”

Song Qingpei and Ming Yu both looked awkward.

            

Seeing that Song Song was deeply asleep, Song Qingpei said: “Let me carry her back.”

Ming Yu shook her head: “I’ll do it.”

But as soon as she stood, Song Song frowned uneasily in her sleep, squirming as if uncomfortable.

            

In the end, she had to be handed to Song Qingpei.

Ming Yu followed behind Song Qingpei, watching her place Song Song on the bed, adjust the pillow, and soothe her to sleep.

All of this should have been her doing. Those missing years seemed impossible to ever make up for.

            

After Song Qingpei finished settling Song Song, she turned to see Ming Yu lost in thought. Not wanting to disturb her, she headed back to her own room.

Ming Yu’s thoughts were complicated, and she didn’t react in time — she simply followed when Song Qingpei walked forward.

By the time she came back to herself, she was already in Song Qingpei’s room. She instantly felt awkward. Though her face didn’t show it, her breathing grew slightly uneven.

            

She had followed Song Qingpei to her room without thinking, completely defenseless.

Song Qingpei was also surprised: “Are you planning to shower in my room today too?”

“You’re overthinking it.” Ming Yu scoffed. “I have no intention of sharing a bathroom with someone contaminated by someone else’s pheromones.”

            

“Heh… then why are you watching me so closely? Are you jealous?”

Jealous? Ming Yu’s breath caught. She had to admit — she was jealous today.

Seeing her silence, Song Qingpei took it as confirmation. The Admiral might have a sharp tongue, but she never lied. Song Qingpei suddenly wanted to laugh.

            

“Heh, looks like we’ll have to make this fake relationship real.” Ming Yu turned and walked away, saying over her shoulder: “When you wake up tomorrow, I’ll have you sent to the Confinement Bay. We need plenty of people to see it, so Murong Ruixue thinks the wedge worked and makes her move.”

“…” Song Qingpei’s smile instantly faded, her face falling.

Once outside the door, Ming Yu let out a long breath, her expression complicated.

            

Tonight, she absolutely would not go find Song Qingpei. She had to teach her a lesson — Ming Yu tried to convince herself.

But early the next morning, when Song Qingpei woke, she instinctively lifted Ming Yu’s arm from her waist, which had been holding her tight.

She didn’t know when Ming Yu had come, but she seemed to have gotten used to it.

            

Like the days after Ming Yu had taken her daughter and left her, she had suffered through withdrawal for a long time. She didn’t know how it would be this time.

As soon as Song Qingpei moved, Ming Yu woke too. She turned away: “Lieutenant Lin will take you to the Confinement Bay shortly. It’s just for show. You know what to tell Murong Ruixue.”

After breakfast, Lieutenant Lin escorted Song Qingpei to the Confinement Bay. After scanning a virtual projection, she was secretly sent back home through a hidden passage.

            

When she returned, Butler Su told her that Ming Yu had taken the Little Miss to class.

“Class?” Song Qingpei frowned. “Today is a rest day. What class?”

Butler Su smiled faintly and explained: “Madam, children of the Ming family must begin comprehensive elite training from a young age. The Little Miss is nearly five now — she’s already behind.”

            

Song Qingpei knew elite families were demanding, but not this demanding: “What does she study?”

“Interstellar social etiquette, interstellar common language, formation enlightenment, mech enlightenment, music theory…”

“This much?” Song Qingpei was surprised. Many of these were things she didn’t even know.

            

Butler Su nodded: “At this level, children must accumulate knowledge early to prepare for inheriting family responsibilities or making their mark in interstellar society.”

Song Qingpei’s brow furrowed, her face full of worry: “But she’s still so young. How can she handle such a heavy load?”

Butler Su shook her head slightly, her eyes filled with emotion: “You may not know, but when the Miss first returned to the Ming family, she went through the same training. Because she completed her early education, she had to work harder than everyone else.”

            

“Born into the Ming family means enjoying the supreme glory the family brings — and accepting this harsh education.”

Song Qingpei fell silent. She knew how difficult Ming Yu’s path had been. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been implanted with a Mental Imprint. Behind today’s glory lay countless tears and sweat. But thinking of Song Song’s tender face, she still couldn’t bear it.

“Alright, Butler Su. I need some ingredients…”

            

She went into the kitchen herself, planning to make a rich dinner to reward Song Song.

But even after dinner time passed, Ming Yu and Song Song still hadn’t returned.

If she weren’t still supposedly “locked in the Confinement Bay,” she would have gone out to find them.

            

Finally, when her heart was nearly burnt with worry, Ming Yu returned carrying Song Song.

As soon as Song Song saw Song Qingpei, her eyes lit up. She ran over, crying: “Wuwu, Mama hold me! Song Song doesn’t want to rest anymore, Song Song wants to go to kindergarten!”

Song Qingpei quickly crouched down and hugged Song Song tight, soothing her: “Song Song, be good. Tell Mama, what’s wrong?”

            

“The classes are so hard, and I couldn’t play all day. Wuwu, so tired.”

Song Qingpei looked at Ming Yu, a hint of blame in her eyes: “Can’t we take this more gradually…”

“If she doesn’t suffer now, she’ll suffer more later. With her status, she must be trained early. If you plead for her now, she’ll only…” Ming Yu began.

            

“Ming Yu.” Song Qingpei suddenly interrupted her, her expression serious: “Have you realized that, without meaning to, you’re raising Song Song the same way your grandmother raised you? Ask yourself — were you ever truly happy as a child?”

Ming Yu’s eyes went wide with shock. She looked at Song Qingpei blankly: “I just didn’t want Song Song to suffer the way I did, so I…”

“I understand. But there’s no need to push Song Song so hard.”

            

Song Qingpei sighed, looking at the dazed Ming Yu, then switched to a lighter tone: “Besides, with such an amazing Mommy protecting her, what hardships could Song Song possibly face? You really don’t need to be so anxious.”

“Do you really think so?” Ming Yu seemed unable to recover from the blow.

“Of course. You’re the youngest Admiral in the Federation. Who could be more outstanding than you?”

            

With one sentence, Ming Yu’s lips curved into a smile.

Song Qingpei silently marveled. Actually quite easy to fool — no, easy to coax.

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