Chapter 20

Bai Ruonian stood quietly in place, ignoring the myriad looks cast his way from all around—the scrutinizing, the contemptuous, the muttered doubts, even the angry ones. That lack of understanding and the malice, like fine dust, settled on his mind. Initially, it was indeed a little disheartening.

But after making a call and hearing his Master’s voice, those feelings miraculously vanished like smoke.

What did they know?

His Master would always stand by his side. He straightened his back and stood firm in the eye of the storm.

Seeing Bai Ruonian just standing there after the call, the shopkeeper couldn’t resist jeering again, “Weren’t you in a hurry to get it tested? What’s the use of standing around like an idiot?”

Bai Ruonian stood there quietly, tilting his head. “I found it. Just waiting for someone to come.”

Whispers filled the air around him.

“Tsk tsk, throwing away a million Star Coins just to prove a point?”

“This Omega’s brain doesn’t seem too clear…”

“So what exactly is his background, to be able to produce a million? He’s no ordinary guy either.”

When Bai Ruonian’s “bluffing” yielded not even a shadow of a person for a long while, the shopkeeper’s earlier unease, intimidated by the boy’s certain attitude, completely dissipated. He waved his hand dismissively, shooing him away. “Get lost, hurry up, don’t hinder my business…”

Yet, the words of dismissal hadn’t even fully faded when several small dots appeared in the distance, accompanied by the roar of engines. They grew closer and larger.

Powerful air currents kicked up dust that filled the sky, making it hard for anyone to open their eyes.

The bustling, chattering scene suddenly fell silent.

Those were actually several armored shuttles.

Their lines were cold and hard, painted with the dark insignia of the Imperial Military Command—unmistakably, they belonged to the military.

The dark emblem signified they were part of the mysterious 10th Division.

The 10th Division was always responsible for special operations and combat, normally elusive as dragons, never showing their tails. Today…

Everyone present felt a surge of panic.

“What’s happening?”

“Holy crap, why are people from the military here?”

“What’s going on?”

“This little omega… the people he was waiting for are from the military?!”

The shopkeeper, arrogant just moments before, now looked uneasy and uncertain, his gaze subconsciously shifting to the silver-haired youth still standing quietly in the center of the scene.

A co… coincidence, right?

How could an Omega have any connection to the military?

Just as he clung to that sliver of hope, the hatch door of the shuttle burst open. The young officer at the front, the moment he disembarked and his feet hit the ground, his gaze fell like a freezing searchlight, fixating on the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper forced an ingratiating smile, clearing his dry throat. He was about to step forward and say something when he saw the young officer’s gaze shift. The moment it landed on Bai Ruonian, the layer of frost on the officer’s face instantly melted. He even put on an exceedingly natural smile, one that spoke of familiarity, and strode over to the little Omega.

It was over.

The omega really had summoned them.

It was hard to imagine an Omega being connected to the Alpha-filled Military Command, let alone using military personnel as his personal bodyguards.

Song Hanshan reached Bai Ruonian in a few large strides, his smile bright and cheerful. “Little Bai, I’m not late, am I?”

He stepped aside to reveal the people behind him: several individuals in dark gray uniforms, stern-faced, with a double-helix and shield emblem on their chests. “The Boss told me to bring colleagues from the Genetic Defense Department.”

Bai Ruonian carefully glanced behind Song Hanshan.

Hehe, his Master hadn’t come. If his Master wasn’t here, there was no one to scold him.

Song Hanshan chuckled. “You’re not looking for our Major General?”

Bai Ruonian shook his head like a rattle drum. He was already feeling guilty. Not seeing his Master right now was perfect, as he still hadn’t come up with an excuse for sneaking away from Ji Shiyu’s place.

Song Hanshan, knowing exactly what he was thinking, deliberately teased him.

“The General Hospital already called and reported you to the Boss, you know. You’re going to be in big trouble when you get back.”

Bai Ruonian shrank his neck back.

The little Omega, already so small, looked absolutely adorable when he scrunched up like that.

“Then… is he angry?” he asked.

“How am I supposed to read our Boss’s mood?”

Song Hanshan was intentionally being evasive. He’d never admit that when Ji Shiyu had called to complain, Lu Mingjin hadn’t even raised an eyebrow.

At that moment, the shopkeeper tactlessly approached, trying to ingratiate himself.

“Sir, you must be mistaken. This is a private sale, it shouldn’t concern the Military Command.”

Song Hanshan finally seemed to notice him. He put away the casual ease he’d had when speaking with Bai Ruonian and glanced at the shopkeeper.

“The circulation, use, and illegal experimentation of drugs involving gene sequence editing or mental power induction and enhancement falls under the jurisdiction of the Military Command.”

An official from the Genetic Defense Department stepped forward from behind him. “Blue Snowflake is an endangered plant. Improper extraction has hallucinogenic effects. In accordance with the Imperial Drug Act, the illegal sale of mental power-related drugs warrants exile to the NGC-2276 mining asteroid. Take him away.”

The shopkeeper hurriedly said, “But look, we have a special Collection Permit approved by the Capital Planet Governor’s office. Our paperwork is in order.”

He presented the collection permit. The Genetic Defense Department official took it in, expressionless, and confiscated it without a second thought.

“This is a Collection Permit. ‘Collect,’ that’s for collecting. Where would you go to collect from?”

The all-powerful Collection Permit had failed him today. The man was dumbfounded. Lowering his voice, he said, “This was specially approved by the Capital Planet Governor…”

“So?”

Choked by this reaction, and seeing that the official wasn’t buying it at all, the shopkeeper panicked. In his desperation, he abandoned caution, lowering his voice even more with a hint of veiled threat and a recitation of his backing.

“To be honest, I… I’m the Capital Planet Governor’s brother-in-law…. Can you cut me some slack?”

The Genetic Defense Department official paid him no mind and was about to order his men to seize him.

Song Hanshan interrupted, leaning in with a smile. “As long as the ingredient is or isn’t in there, right?”

Seeing Song Hanshan’s demeanor, the shopkeeper suddenly felt assured, convinced that the Governor’s status would protect him. His confidence returned, and his spine straightened.

He whispered, “No, there’s absolutely no Blue Snowflake in it. It’s just common plant powder with some added fragrance…”

But before he could finish, Song Hanshan announced loudly, “Good, a confession without coercion. Take him away!”

Selling counterfeit drugs, and being the Governor’s brother-in-law—all the more reason to be taken in.

At his command, several soldiers stepped forward and pinned the man down. In the blink of an eye, he was pressed to the ground.

Pinned to the ground, the shopkeeper was on the verge of tears, looking at the silver-haired Omega standing not far away.

He never would have imagined that an Omega could bring a plague of such trouble upon him.

Song Hanshan directed his men to escort the shopkeeper to the shuttle. He walked over to Bai Ruonian and flashed a grin. “Selling gene drugs, and the Governor’s brother-in-law at that. Little Bai, you really—”

Bai Ruonian’s eyes sparkled at the praise, and he raised his chin proudly. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he asked, “Mas—… This won’t cause trouble for him, will it?”

“How could it?” Song Hanshan gave a mysteriously smug smile. “We were just fretting over having no leverage to break into the Capital Star.”

A small sense of pride welled up in Bai Ruonian’s heart. Then he recalled something else and looked towards the other people present.

Some of those who had already made purchases had ashen faces, their lips trembling, wanting to ask but not daring to.

“What about the people who bought things? Can they get their money back?”

He noticed Uncle Cao’s hand gripping his money tightly, shaking. A hundred thousand Star Coins couldn’t be a small sum.

Bai Ruonian’s voice was clear, clean, and distinct, striking everyone’s hearts like the sound of a chiming stone.

It made everyone present feel a twinge of guilt.

At the start, it was they who had mocked him.

Song Hanshan’s gaze towards him underwent a subtle shift. He’d previously thought Bai Ruonian was a money-grubber—wanting Blue Snowflake one minute, spending a million without blinking the next. He never expected it was all for others from the very beginning.

He wondered how the Boss would react if he knew.

Would he still treat him as a spy?

“Before we came, Major General Lu said that if the illegal drug sales turned out to be true, he would have the money refunded to everyone.”

He beamed at Bai Ruonian. “Including your one million.”

Bai Ruonian’s eyes sparkled. “Really??”

“If he said it himself, how could it be false? Even if this guy has no money, we’ll squeeze it out of him to pay back the refunds, don’t you worry.”

With the shopkeeper—his face full of regrets and misery—secured, Song Hanshan departed under the roar of the military shuttle’s engines, watched by countless complex gazes.

Left behind was a crowd waking from a dream, a mix of shock, relief, and lingering fear. The way they looked at Bai Ruonian was growing complicated, too.

No one had expected an Omega to have that kind of courage, or that after being mobbed, he could put aside all grudges and speak up for them.

At this moment, Bai Ruonian was in quite high spirits.

It wasn’t just that the huge sum he’d swiped could be refunded, meaning his Master probably wouldn’t lecture him about it. It was also the fact that everyone’s money could be returned.

From within the crowd, a few of the loudest hecklers from earlier approached Bai Ruonian. He looked at them warily, thinking they wanted to hit him, and was about to step back.

The leader among them, an Alpha, glanced at him awkwardly. “If it wasn’t for you stopping us back then…”

He struggled to continue, just nervously rubbing the bills in his pocket.

“As long as you weren’t scammed, that’s good. Even if you were, don’t worry, you’ll get the refund.”

There was nothing his Master promised that he didn’t deliver.

Bai Ruonian grinned, showing his canines. Just then, someone tugged at his sleeve. He looked down to see Old Cao’s quiet daughter.

The little girl looked up, her big eyes blinking. “Thank you… really…”

Bai Ruonian’s heart was beating rapidly now, though he didn’t know exactly why. He was happy, but this happiness was different from when he was a cat.

This was the first time he, as a person, had done something.

A gentle summer breeze blew over him. Bai Ruonian closed his eyes comfortably. Being human… wasn’t so bad after all, he thought.

At that moment, two people stepped out of the crowd. An old man spoke first. “I was originally going to buy some and go get it tested with you. I really thought Blue Snowflake had appeared on the market. Look at me, getting old and foolish. Today, I truly must thank you both.”

Both old men had expressions full of warmth and geniality. They then looked towards the young woman who had first spoken up for Bai Ruonian.

“Rui Rui, is it? Failing your exams, but surprisingly quite righteous.”

The girl was a bit embarrassed. “I’m in the Combat Department, but I didn’t have that kind of courage. The most I could do was say a few words. It was all him.”

She looked at Bai Ruonian beside her and took the initiative to extend a hand. “My name is Rui Rui, a second-year student in the Combat Department at Imperial Academy.”

Bai Ruonian shook it, showing his canines in a smile. “Hello.”

Then he looked at the two in front of him, a little puzzled as to who they were. They didn’t introduce themselves, but continued talking warmly, as if they were old family friends.

“You’re really quite something, child. What’s your name? How old are you?”

“Bai Ruonian. I’m 18 this year… I think.”

He wasn’t really sure himself exactly how old he was.

Hearing his age, the old man laughed heartily. “Just the right age for the Imperial Academy exams. Are you still in high school?”

Bai Ruonian paused, remembering that his original self seemed to have already taken the exams. And failed.

He blinked. “Imperial Academy… what is that?”