Chapter 18: The Glands
Shen Qingzhu stepped out of the Hypermarket and saw the area was already swarming with robots and private guards clad in black “Dragon Knight” uniforms. The person inside was clearly not ordinary.
Shen Qingzhu immediately raised a hand in a “stop” gesture toward the approaching Dragon Knights, signaling them not to come closer, and displayed a message:
[I administered a suppressant to the Alpha inside who is unconscious. Please check whether he is allergic.
Also, it seems I’m entering my receptivity period and urgently need treatment.
Here is my Academy Star ID. If a statement is required, it will have to wait until I return to normal.]
The guards paused, and upon noticing the pheromone suppression ring on Shen Qingzhu’s neck was flashing a warning, one of them stepped forward and quickly scanned his Academy Star ID. He offered politely: “Do you require our assistance?”
Shen Qingzhu shook his head, and subconsciously took a step further away .
The guard didn’t push it and let Shen Qingzhu go.
Shen Qingzhu immediately activated the power system in his suit and rushed toward Imperial University. He could feel his body temperature rising, and a sharp tingling began to spread across the back of his neck.
Shen Qingzhu: [Zhujian, contact Professor Ethan for me.]
Luckily, Professor Ethan picked up quickly: “Qingzhu? Have you arrived at Academy Star already? Was the space elevator okay?”
Shen Qingzhu smiled: “I arrived safely, thanks for your concern. But Professor Ethan, I need your help right now.”
Professor Ethan: “What? Of course, how can I help you?”
Shen Qingzhu: “Professor, it seems my susceptibility period has started. I need to use the pheromone resistance training room.”
Startled, Professor Ethan sat upright in his chair. He checked the system for any available rooms and quickly gave Shen Qingzhu access, asking simultaneously: “Where are you now? Have you taken a suppressant?”
Shen Qingzhu’s jaw was tight, and sweat slid down his brow, but his voice remained calm: “I’m on my way to Imperial University. I should arrive in about an hour. I’ve taken a suppressant already, but… commercial suppressants barely affect me.”
Professor Ethan guessed nervously: “Your gene level… is it very high? S-level?”
Shen Qingzhu’s gentle demeanor often left Professor Ethan forgetting he was an Alpha, and his rank was never relevant in their discussion.
Shen Qingzhu smiled bitterly. “I’m afraid it’s higher than S-level.”
Professor Ethan: !
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At the same time, several Dragon Knights clustered around their leader, whispering: “Lord Nolan, why did you let that kid leave so easily?”
Nolan frowned. “Don’t speculate, this is the prince’s order” he said sternly.
Moments later, Ji Mingxue, clad in light-gold protective armor, emerged briskly. Without a glance at the unconscious Alpha behind him, he told Nolan: “Contact the Dean of the Mecha Academy. Let him move the competition for the chief of the new students to today.”
Nolan hesitated: “But Your Highness, you should rest. Your condition hasn’t recovered completely yet.”
Ji Mingxue remained firm: “Go arrange it.”
Originally, the competition was scheduled for tomorrow, but Ji Mingxue was full of pent up energy right now and he needed to release it.
Between facing the Dean or facing a 1v1 challenge with Ji Mingxue, Nolan chose to contact the Dean.
Ji Mingxue glanced at the still-unconscious Alpha and coldly ordered: “Handle him. Dig out everything you can!”
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An hour later, Shen Qingzhu arrived at Imperial University. Following the navigation from Professor Ethan, he found the training room and locked himself inside, activating full isolation mode.
Shen Qingzhu peeled off the protective suit, revealing his sweat-soaked body. After a quick shower, he sat on the bed and attached the monitoring devices to his skin.
The Alpha pheromone level in the room rose rapidly, and a fresh, cool bamboo scent spread through the air.
The monitor beeped. [Warning: Temperature 39.8°C, heart rate 213 bpm, blood pressure 197/144 mmHg, pheromone concentration 7123 kl/m², entering susceptible–heat threshold.]
Shen Qingzhu gritted his teeth. “I don’t like the term ‘heat.’ Change it to ‘fever.’”
[Understood. You are at the susceptible–fever threshold. Please take relief measures promptly.]
Leaning against the cold wall, Shen Qingzhu contacted Professor Ethan.
Professor Ethan asked with worry: “How are you feeling? I see the room is in use.”
Shen Qingzhu replied honestly: “I’m not feeling well, but I can endure it. This is my first susceptible period so it feels… different.”
Professor Ethan chuckled a little, but remained concerned: “I’ve informed Professor Li Jin. He says he’s on his way. Relax your breathing and muscles. This is just a normal physiological process.”
Professor Li Jin specialized in Alpha pheromones, like how Professor Ethan specialized in Omega pheromones.
Although Shen Qingzhu felt like his blood was burning, his brain was still clear. Shen Qingzhu, with Zhujian’s help, illuminated his upper gums. He took a soft cotton swab and poked the soft, swollen flesh. A sharp, tingling sensation shot through his brain, and a tiny drop of clear fluid appeared on his pointed canine.
The scent of snow and bamboo intensified.
[Pheromone concentration 7762 kl/m².]
Shen Qingzhu put down the swab and rubbed his tingling cheek.
After differentiating into an Alpha, pheromone glands develop on both sides of the upper gums. When an Alpha marks an Omega, they secrete their pheromones through their canines into the Omega’s glands.
Zhujian asked: “Why did your susceptibility period start so suddenly? Is it because of that Omega?”
The other’s golden eyes flashed in Shen Qingzhu’s mind, and his glands burned hotter. He rubbed his face: “I didn’t even see his face clearly, but our pheromones must match extremely well. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have entered susceptibility fully when I was alredy fully armed.”
Thinking of this, he felt helpless. This was his first time experiencing this level of strong attraction purely due to pheromones.
This sort of thing was completely unpredictable. Had he not controlled himself so strictly, things could have gone horribly wrong.
“...I should avoid that Omega in the future,” Shen Qingzhu muttered, pressing an ice pack to his forehead.
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The student forum of Unistar was buzzing with excitement. Apart from a post about the “peerless beauty,” another post was gaining attention: [Help! Who can control this Omega! The Mecha Academy is going to be destroyed QAQ!!!]