Chapter 30: A Wolf’s Ambition, Cosmic Meteor.

Shao Ye snapped back into awareness.

How the hell did he forget that he didn’t have any damn pheromones?

It was supposed to be the critical time for Lu Zhanxing, when he was in his sensitive phase, desperately needing pheromone comfort. And yet, here he was, unable to do a damn thing for him.

But Lu Zhanxing still loved him.

No stupid Alpha and Omega crap, no bullshit about high compatibility pheromones.

It was just… simple, raw love. Nothing more, nothing less.

Pure. No hidden agendas.

Shao Ye felt something hot, almost too hot to bear, leaking out of his eyes.

His grip on Lu Zhanxing’s hand tightened as his voice broke, hoarse and barely recognizable.

“Lu Zhanxing… Lu-ge… Can you wake up, please?” Shao Ye choked, the desperation in his voice cutting through. “I’m scared. I need you. Please, don’t leave me.”

He was crying, his body trembling, feeling weaker by the second when the alarm on Ye Li’s system blared.

Lu Zhanxing was showing new symptoms.

Shao Ye snapped out of his haze and immediately pulled himself together. “Ye Li, what’s going on?”

“Commander Lu… He’s entering his sensitive phase again,” Ye Li responded.

Even the AI, emotionless and robotic, sounded almost resigned, as though it had given up on helping.

“There’s no special suppressant for Commander Lu here. The rescue team is still on their way. If his symptoms aren’t managed soon, and considering his current injuries… I’m afraid it’s too late.”

Shao Ye froze, a single tear still clinging to his long lashes.

Even unconscious, Lu Zhanxing’s face contorted in pain. His once flushed complexion drained to a deathly pale, the veins in his forehead bulging, and sweat beading at his temples.

Shao Ye couldn’t stop shaking.

This kind of despair? He’d never known it before.

Fear, cold and suffocating, swallowed him whole, wrapping around his throat like a noose.

His mind was a blur, memories crashing through like a violent storm. Then, he remembered something Lu Zhanxing had said in the dungeon.

His pheromones, in his fluids, could ease the damn sensitive phase.

Without thinking, Shaoye leaned in and kissed him.

Lu Zhanxing’s body stiffened, but the agony on his face seemed to ease just a little.

The so-called “comfort” he was offering felt like a drop in the ocean, useless, a faint ripple that vanished without a trace. It didn’t do a damn thing to ease the storm brewing inside him, not even close.

Yet, Ye Li didn’t hold back from reminding Shao Ye of this harsh truth.

All of it was pointless. There was no saving him.

“What the hell am I supposed to do then?” Shao Ye’s voice was thick with despair. “How the hell do I save him, even just ease his pain for a moment...?” The weight of helplessness crushed him.

Barely moments ago, he’d finally made up his mind about his feelings, only to face the brutal reality of possibly losing his lover. He was on the edge of breaking.

Then, out of nowhere, an idea struck him—something from that damn biology class.

Lifelong Marking!

It would end the hellish phase of an Alpha’s sensitivity period.

Shao Ye didn’t waste a second.

He clenched his jaw, steeling himself. No more hesitation. He was all in.

“I’m serious now, Ye Li. Don’t let anyone in.”

Ye Li’s flickered with understanding. He shut the treatment room door, leaving the others outside, none the wiser about Lu Zhanxing’s critical state.

Shao Ye’s breaths came faster, his hands shaking uncontrollably as he started undoing his shirt buttons, one by one.

The fabric slipped from his body, piece by piece, as he slowly moved toward Lu Zhanxing’s bed.

Just yesterday, Shao Ye would’ve sworn on everything he held dear that he was a staunch, straight-as-an-arrow kind of guy. Hell, he would’ve rather died than do anything close to this, let alone that with Lu Zhanxing.

But now? Now he was willingly walking into the fire. He was ready to fulfill his role as a husband.

Looking down at the still form of Lu Zhanxing, his voice softened with a tenderness he never thought he’d show, “Zhanxing, you promised me… that you wouldn’t mark me until I was ready.”

“Well... I’m ready now.”

“Mark me. Leave your mark on me—one that only belongs to you…”

It felt like a fighter jet gliding through the vast unknown of space, inching toward a forbidden zone that no one had ever dared to enter. The darkness around them was thick, suffocating, but strangely inviting, welcoming this uninvited guest.

Sinking into the stars, merging with them, the wildness was undeniable—but underneath it all was a fierce, unexpected tenderness that surged forward, raw and unrelenting.

It was enough to make you lose yourself, to fall willingly into the abyss, wanting nothing more than to embrace the warmth of the moment.

Far in the distance, a few stars flickered, their dim light a silent celebration, like the burning, unspoken love that echoed through the universe.

Meanwhile, the fighter jet broke free from its civilian boundaries, reconnecting with the outer world.

The special forces team soon received the latest military update.

“The rebel leader is dead. Enigma has taken control, becoming the new leader of the rebels!”

The news featured a bloody image of Shao Lan, the rebel leader, standing over the corpse of his predecessor. His cold, ruthless expression was void of any human emotion, as if he were a living, breathing glacier, untouchable and merciless.

The photo of the former rebel leader’s body was nothing short of horrifying. It was beyond words, a grotesque scene that would make even the most hardened killers turn pale.

The team was silent. No one could fathom the sheer terror that Enigma must’ve radiated. She had just escaped Bai Boss’s underwater lab hours ago, and already, she’d wiped out the rebel’s top dog.

It was clear just how much power she wielded. Bai Boss and the rebels had created a monster, only to have it turn on them.

Suddenly, the radar beeped. A fleet of space warships was approaching.

“Rescue’s here?!” someone asked hopefully. But then panic hit their faces, “No, wait. That’s not rescue…”

Within moments, their small fighter jet was surrounded by several large military ships—the rebels’ armed fleet.

Everyone felt the crushing weight of despair. There was no escaping this.

Then, a communication request came through from the rebel fleet.

Li Rui panicked, “What now? Gonna ask for our last words before killing us?”

Lai Xuelan grabbed the comms device from his hand and answered.

The cold voice of Enigma—Shao Lan—came through, “Hand over Shao Ye.”

Lai Xuelan’s eyes narrowed. She snapped, “Shao Ye is our commander’s Omega and one of us. We’d rather die together than hand him over to you heartless monsters.”

On the other end, Shao Lan closed her eyes for a brief moment, taking a slow breath. “I only want him. Hand him over, and I’ll let you all go.”

The team hesitated.

Shao Ye was, after all, her brother. She wouldn’t do anything to him, right?

But their leader’s condition was dire. If they didn’t act fast, they were all as good as dead.

Just then, the door to the medical room opened.

Shao Ye walked out, still breathing heavily, his steps unsteady, his face flushed and covered in a thin sheen of sweat. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days.

Lai Xuelan’s face faltered. “Shao Ye, are you alright?”

Shao Ye quickly avoided her gaze, focusing on the screen where Shao Lan awaited. “I’ll come with you.”

Shao Ye’s words hit the group like a punch in the gut. They’d expected him to stay with Lu Zhanxing, to stand by his side during this critical time. But instead, he was agreeing without hesitation, without a second thought.

He didn’t even look at them as he continued, “I’ll go with you. But you promise me they’ll make it back to the Imperial Capital safely, and the rebels will cease fire and pull out of the 8th star system.”

Before Shao Lan could respond, one of his officers began to protest, “Commander, this isn’t—”

Before he could finish, his body went into spasms. His face contorted horribly as his eyes literally exploded out of his skull, and then, with a sickening crack, he snapped his own neck and collapsed to the floor.

And that was the kind of power Shao Lan had at her disposal.

Seeing the mess, no one in the rebel army dared to say a damn thing.

Over here, Shao Ye and the crew were frozen in place, staring at the nightmare unfolding before them.

That Enigma pheromone suppressor?

It was terrifying enough on its own, but then you throw in that goddamn mind control?

It was like the devil himself had just walked out of hell, no exaggeration.

The brutality, the bloodlust? It was beyond human—this was a demon straight out of the lowest pits of hell, nothing more, nothing less.

No one dared to oppose it. Shao Lan, cool as ice, shrugged and said, "Sure."

And just like that, the rebel fleet opened a transmission channel and linked up with Shao Ye's fighter jets.

Shao Ye shot one last glance at the medical bay, took a deep breath, and turned to step onto the transport.

Shao Lan? She kept her word, pulled back the troops.

Hell, she even sent fuel to their fighter jets. The special forces team, lucky to be alive, couldn’t care less about anything else. They scrambled to get Lu Zhanxing to the Imperial City for treatment.

Shao Ye stepped onto the rebel ship, and his sister was already there waiting by the door.

The surroundings were nothing but cold metal walls and flashing lights, giving off this suffocating, oppressive vibe.

When she saw him, for the first time in ages, there was a flicker of life in her eyes.

She moved like she was about to rush over to him, but then, as if scared of something, her foot hesitated and pulled back.

She just stood there, staring at him. No words.

Inside, Shao Ye was a mess. When he saw her, he didn’t know whether he hated her more or loved her more.

But who the hell was he to blame her?

He’d disappeared when she needed him most—no support, no guidance.

And all the shit she went through in that lab, those months of torment.

She’d survived things no one else could. Experiments that killed others, but she pulled through. Why? Because she wanted to see him again.

Her appearance now? It wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t his fault either.

If there was any blame to go around, it was on fate—fate that toyed with them both.

With everything settled in his mind, Shao Ye forced out a weak smile and waved at her. "Ah Lan… come here."

Her eyes lit up, and tears welled up almost instantly.

She dropped her cold, terrifying armor and rushed into his arms, like a young girl desperate for the brother she'd missed.

"Brother... you’re finally back."