As Lu Yunian stepped out, he saw Gu Zeyu leaning against the wall. Instead of rushing to embrace him and act like a spoiled child, Gu Zeyu stared intently for a long while. If not for his eyes still being coffee-colored, Lu Yunian might have rushed back to protect Gu Lulu from being snatched away.
A hint of unease crept into his heart, fearing Gu Zeyu had overheard the conversation in the hospital room. As Gu Zeyu approached, before Lu Yunian could figure out how to ask, Gu Zeyu reverted to his usual foolish demeanor, clutching Lu Yunian’s arm and saying, “I didn’t get lost. I just got tired and rested against the wall.”
“Did you come out especially to meet me? You really love me so much, Lu Yunian.” He stood on tiptoe, only managing to kiss Lu Yunian’s chin. The Omega obligingly lowered his head, allowing the kiss to land on his soft lips.
“You’re too tall. Maybe I should grow taller. It’s troublesome having you bend down every time I want to kiss you,” Gu Zeyu said earnestly, pressing his face against Lu Yunian’s arm.
“Don’t be silly. Adults don’t grow taller. Let’s go in and take our son home.” Lu Yunian patted Gu Zeyu’s cheek, allowing him to walk in half-leaning against him.
The Beta discovered that Gu Zeyu wasn’t difficult to get along with. Despite being on maternity leave, Lu Yunian, as a general, was constantly consulted on military matters. Gu Zeyu spent his days hovering around Gu Lulu’s crib, rushing out to call Shen Liansheng whenever the baby cried.
He was genuinely trying to be a good father, but he always mixed up the milk-to-water ratio when preparing formula and soaked the entire crib when changing diapers because he did not stick them well. Lu Yunian had tacitly allowed him to hold the baby, but Gu Zeyu’s clumsy attempts looked so precarious that even the Beta couldn’t bear to watch, gently suggesting it was better if he handled it.
During the postpartum period, Gu Lulu needed feeding every three hours at night. Though the Beta was extremely quiet when bringing the baby in, it always woke the sleeping Alpha. Each time, Gu Zeyu would groggily get up, wanting to help but realizing he could do nothing. After the baby left, he would silently turn away from the Omega and tightly hug his stuffed toy to sleep.
Lu Yunian was in a bad mood today. That afternoon, he had several VR conference meetings in the study, and his deputy brought unfavorable news. They heatedly discussed the resurgence of the Ghost Alpha Legion, which had been hidden for over a hundred years.
The leader of this Alpha legion was said to be an Omega. As Lu Yunian climbed to his position as the Imperial War Star, there were unofficial histories comparing the two. But the Ghost Legion had always been just a terrifying legend since Lu Yunian could remember. It was rumored to be a mutant ABO killing machine army that had appeared in several apocalyptic wars thousands of years ago.
A hundred years ago, a great god had dispersed all divine consciousness and perished together with the Ghost Legion’s Omega, allowing the rebirth of the Interstellar Alliance.
Such thorny news coming out while he was still in the nursing period and unable to command at the military frontline was undoubtedly a dilemma for the Omega. After the meeting, he asked the Beta about weaning precautions, but seeing Gu Lulu instinctively snuggle into his arms made him waver in his decision.
It felt terrible. No soft-hearted General could survive on the battlefield. Looking at the tiny bundle curled in his arms, Lu Yunian thought about what would happen to the clingy Gu Zeyu if he left for battle and didn’t return for three or five years.
Gu Zeyu came out from his shower smelling sweetly of lemon body wash. Gu Lulu had just finished feeding, and the Beta had taken him to the nursery to be lulled to sleep. Humming a nursery rhyme, Gu Zeyu trotted out of the bathroom. Seeing Lu Yunian sitting at the table, he ran behind him, hooked his arms around the Omega’s neck, and brazenly nibbled around his scent gland with his canines.
Gu Zeyu had been fixated on permanently marking his Omega and had boldly brought it up to Lu Yunian many times. Once, Lu Yunian had even agreed. His canines had pierced the scent gland, the weak pheromones slowly transmitting through the bloodstream, only to be interrupted by the baby’s cries.
Recalling this, Gu Zeyu bit down hard. Lu Yunian’s body shuddered, realizing the Alpha was trying to permanently mark him. He abruptly stood up. Gu Zeyu was knocked to the ground, tears falling like beans, feeling wronged. Lu Yunian wanted to help him up but remembered his plan to teach Gu Zeyu independence. He sternly commanded, “Get up.”
Gu Zeyu cried harder, days of pent-up grievances finally bursting forth like the Yellow River breaching its banks. But Lu Yunian grew increasingly impatient. Finally, unable to contain his emotions, he kicked Gu Zeyu’s calf with his boot. “Get up! Crying like that, how can you call yourself a father?”
Seeing Gu Zeyu refusing to get up, with the air filled with sour milk pheromones, Lu Yunian feared he might soften and comfort him if he stayed. With a grim face, he grabbed a blanket and walked out, saying, “From today on, we’ll sleep in separate rooms.”
After the Omega left, Gu Zeyu pulled up his pajama leg. There was a red mark on his pale calf. He trembled as he reached out to touch it, the pain bringing forth more involuntary tears.
“Let’s go, it hurts so much…” Gu Zeyu hugged his knees, talking to the air. “You’re right, Lu Yunian doesn’t like me at all.”
He had heard those words at the hospital entrance, had long known Lu Yunian disliked such a weak Alpha. Even though his intelligence had been gradually improving since his divine consciousness awakened, he willingly continued playing the fool because he liked Lu Yunian.
Pei Xiuran said everyone admires strength. Gu Zeyu wondered if Lu Yunian would like him if he let his divine consciousness control all his words and actions, embodying the abilities of an ancient god.
Gu Zeyu was never a king of the sea. He was an ancient deity with dormant divine consciousness, a god who had coexisted with heaven and earth since ancient times.
In the Northern Sea, there is a fish, called the Kun1鲲 (kūn) – fry (newly hatched fish) / legendary giant fish that could transform into a giant bird 鵬|鹏[Peng2]. The Kun is so enormous, its size is unknown, measuring thousands of li2千里 (qiān lǐ) – a thousand miles / a thousand li (i.e. 500 kilometers) / a long distance. When it transforms into a bird, it is called the Peng3I found this picture on Baidu:
. The Peng’s back spans an unknown number of thousands of li; when it flies in anger, its wings are like clouds hanging from the sky.
After part of his divine consciousness awakened, it entered a semi-dormant state due to weak power, while his human side continued to live carefree. But the two consciousnesses gradually began to coexist. The Divine Fish, step by step, led the Xiao Yu to understand how unworthy Lu Yunian was of his devotion.
“Let’s take the child away. These mortals’ power can’t protect him. He carries the Kun-Peng’s aura. The ghosts’ reappearance in the human world must be to find this child.”
“After all, a demigod’s body is most suitable for ghost transformation.” Gu Zeyu slowly stood up, half-suspended in the air. The Alpha’s potent pheromones filled the entire room. Next door, the crying child, sensing his father’s pheromones, gradually calmed and fell asleep.
Author’s Note:
Xiao Yu: Let’s leave quietly.
Divine Fish: Quietly? That doesn’t suit my status.
TL Notes
- 1鲲 (kūn) – fry (newly hatched fish) / legendary giant fish that could transform into a giant bird 鵬|鹏[Peng2]
- 2千里 (qiān lǐ) – a thousand miles / a thousand li (i.e. 500 kilometers) / a long distance
- 3I found this picture on Baidu:
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