AMTPA Chapter 26

Caught off guard, Ji Chenxi, who had been bitten, grabbed the other’s neck and hissed coldly, “Let go.”

 

Chi Zhuo didn’t loosen his bite; if anything, he sank his teeth in deeper.

 

What had been just a trickle of blood at first now started flowing freely down Ji Chenxi’s neck.

 

Ji Chenxi drew a sharp breath. He knew just squeezing the man’s neck wouldn’t make him release. So he reached for Chi Zhuo’s jaw, fingers pressing hard, ready to force it open—or even dislocate it if he had to.

 

Before Ji Chenxi could get vicious, Chi Zhuo shifted all his weight against him. The sudden press of force sent Ji Chenxi, already on the leaner side, stumbling backward as his balance faltered.

 

A small bottle of inhibitor rolled away with a clatter as Chi Zhuo slammed Ji Chenxi to the ground.

 

He inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of Ji Chenxi’s blood—laced with pheromones—and for a moment, it calmed him.

 

But the calm didn’t last. The alpha beneath him started to struggle, and that brief peace shattered. A rush of anxiety hit again, sharp and greedy, driving him to bite deeper into the tender flesh of Ji Chenxi’s neck, craving more.

 

The sting from the sucking bite made Ji Chenxi hiss again.

 

Tonight, the sky was just right—dim moonlight, a dark, windy night perfect for killing.

 

Ji Chenxi fumbled for his dagger, the one he always carried. It was beautiful, almost decorative, but in his hand it became deadly. With a flick of his wrist, the thin, wing-like blade glinted coldly in the moonlight. Planning to strike at a safer spot to avoid splattering himself with blood, he froze when he suddenly felt someone licking his wound.

 

The warm, soft touch left Ji Chenxi momentarily dazed.

 

That brief hesitation was all Chi Zhuo needed. With his tongue, he cleaned up every drop of blood on Ji Chenxi’s neck. Then, freed from the torment of the heat, Chi Zhuo made his move. In a split second, he pinned down Ji Chenxi’s hand that had been holding the dagger.

 

Ji Chenxi still had his other hand free—the one that had been ready to grab Chi Zhuo’s jaw earlier—and this time, he didn’t hesitate. In an instant, a razor-thin blade of spiritual energy formed at his fingertips, shimmering like glass. More spikes of energy gathered in the air around them, ready to strike.

 

His intent was clear—he was ready to kill.

 

Everything he did was just too fast, but Chi Zhuo wasn’t slow either. Using clever leverage, he pinned Ji Chenxi’s other hand to the ground as well, while spiritual energy formed a protective barrier around him.

 

Before Chi Zhuo could even speak, a thin, sharp spike pierced through that barrier, aiming straight for his forehead.

 

Chi Zhuo tilted his head just in time to dodge it. But in that same moment, another spike broke through the barrier, heading for where he was now. Once again, Chi Zhuo maneuvered in a way so precise it was almost impossible, narrowly avoiding it, yet even in this dangerous position, the grip on Ji Chenxi didn’t loosen an inch.

 

Chi Zhuo’s eyes, cold and sharp as stars, locked onto Ji Chenxi’s. He asked softly, “Your Highness… how does it feel to be bitten?”

 

Ji Chenxi didn’t want to answer. He stayed silent.

 

Earlier, when he had spoken, Chi Zhuo had been flustered with anger. Now, with no response, Chi Zhuo wasn’t exactly feeling better.

 

“You looking like this… makes it feel like I’m the one bullying you,” Chi Zhuo sneered. “Maybe I should ask differently—Your Highness, you came back despite leaving once. Does that mean the humiliation you gave me wasn’t enough?”

 

He admitted that forcing a kiss on Ji Chenxi had been wrong. Being marked by Ji Chenxi was his own fault, a consequence of being tempted by beauty. But returning after leaving… and forcing another round of humiliation? That was pushing it.

 

“Humiliation?” Ji Chenxi’s face wasn’t any prettier, especially seeing that Chi Zhuo seemed even angrier than himself.

 

If he hadn’t come back this time, he’d already be on his second round of drinks.

 

Yet now, having gone out of his way to return, he was expected to take the blame for humiliating the other person?

 

“Your Highness… didn’t erasing the pheromone around me already count as humiliation?”

 

Ji Chenxi, who had been too lazy to even respond before, lifted his eyelids and spoke bluntly. “What nonsense are you talking about? How could anyone calm down if their pheromones weren’t suppressed during the susceptibility period? And didn’t I even bring you a suppression ring and inhibitors? You’re not seriously planning to spend your sensitive period here, are you? If that’s what you’re thinking, just forget I said anything.”

 

Now, with the scent of tequila covering him again, Ji Chenxi no longer reacted to it at all.

 

Chi Zhuo’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if trying to figure out whether this was the truth—or just another lie from the beautiful alpha.

 

Ji Chenxi clicked his tongue, growing impatient.

 

Chi Zhuo’s usually cold gaze softened a little. “I’m not in the right state right now. Completely leaving the pheromone behind makes me anxious.”

 

Ji Chenxi let out a light hum. Well, trying to do something nice and messing it up—typical.

 

“Let go,” Ji Chenxi ordered.

 

“Your Highness seems to have forgotten this is our second grudge. I’m already carrying your mark from before. Coming close to me now… it’s like a lamb walking straight into a tiger’s mouth.”

 

The ice in Ji Chenxi’s expression melted a bit at Chi Zhuo’s blunt words. He stared at him for a moment, then lifted the corner of his mouth into a faint smile. “So, Chi Zhuo… what exactly are you trying to do?”

 

“Of course… tit for tat.”

 

“Oh? You want to mark me.”

 

Chi Zhuo didn’t answer directly, but at that moment he truly wanted to mark this prickly, guarded person—to let his own pheromones completely saturate the other’s scent.

 

Usually, when an alpha hears another alpha wants to mark them, it sparks fury. Alpha pride isn’t to be trampled—being marked by another alpha is the ultimate humiliation, especially for someone like Ji Chenxi, barely eighteen.

 

But Ji Chenxi just smiled at Chi Zhuo’s silence. His narrow phoenix-like eyes seemed to hide tiny hooks, and that light glance carried endless teasing and provocation.

 

“If you dare… go ahead and try.”

 

He even deliberately exposed his neck. Long, fair, flawless—radiating irresistible allure.

 

Chi Zhuo’s instincts screamed that this wouldn’t be simple. Poison hidden in honey. Yet he couldn’t suppress the craving inside him.

 

He wanted it—whether marking, possessing, or just closeness—he wanted to be near.

 

As Chi Zhuo leaned in, Ji Chenxi let out a muffled chuckle and turned his head, dodging just enough to keep him from reaching the vulnerable glands at the back of his neck.

 

Chi Zhuo frowned slightly, pressing his body down to try and stop Ji Chenxi’s wriggling, when a voice as sweet as honey sounded in his ear.

 

“Chi Zhuo… seems like it hasn’t been long, yet you’ve already forgotten our meeting on the starship.”

 

Soft words, lightly laced with a smile.

 

Ji Chenxi’s lips were beautiful—rose-colored, full, the kind that just begged to be kissed—but the words spilling from them were cold and cutting.

 

“Scared? You could try saying something nice, flatter me a little. Maybe then I’ll let you die in one piece.”

 

Chi Zhuo’s sharply defined face only flickered at the mention of the starship, then returned to its usual calm, composed mask.

 

“Something nice? How about this—Your Highness would look absolutely beautiful when you are marked.”

 

Ji Chenxi couldn’t help but laugh again. “That counts. Of course it counts.”

 

Chi Zhuo wasn’t sure whether to believe him or not. But when he stubbornly tried to mark Ji Chenxi again, even though he’d been careful, a sudden, violent pain shot through the glands at the back of his neck.

 

The sting was sharp enough to make his whole body go limp, and he collapsed right on top of Ji Chenxi.

 

Ji Chenxi silently thanked his luck that their distance wasn’t too great; even with Chi Zhuo falling on him, the weight was still bearable.

 

He easily freed his hand from Chi Zhuo’s grip and asked lightly, “Do you still think I would look beautiful when marked? You probably won’t get to see that version of me. Honestly, compared to that, I think you look surprisingly perfect right now, Chi Zhuo.”

 

Chi Zhuo wanted to scoff, but the pain in his glands made speech almost impossible. Any sound he made now wouldn’t be sarcasm—it would be agony.

 

Sweating coldly, Chi Zhuo finally succumbed to the relentless, stinging pain, completely collapsing onto Ji Chenxi.

 

“So you see,” Ji Chenxi said, radiating lazy satisfaction even though he knew Chi Zhuo couldn’t hear him, “I still trust you a little. Otherwise, how could you have managed to bite my neck in this state?”

 

After flipping Chi Zhuo off him, Ji Chenxi got to his feet. The first thing he did was put away his dagger and brush the dust off his clothes.

 

No matter how much he brushed, he still felt filthy, and in the end, he had no choice but to accept the fact with a resigned shrug.

 

Squatting down to look at Chi Zhuo, Ji Chenxi considered whether to give him one last jab.

 

His neck was still aching; even without seeing it, he could guess the deep bite marks left behind.

 

Holding the dagger, Ji Chenxi made a small gesture in the air, comparing it to where he’d been bitten—then pressed the blade gently to Chi Zhuo’s neck, carving a rose-shaped cut matching the size of his own bite.

 

Blood welled up, and the rich scent of tequila once again made its presence known.

 

Ji Chenxi, who never let a grudge go unanswered, used up the last of the scent suppressor, wiping out every trace of Chi Zhuo’s pheromones before they could spread again.

 

Once everything was done, he didn’t bother to look back.

 

This time, he left without hesitation—no turning back.

 

After Ji Chenxi’s departure, Chi Zhuo’s fingers twitched. Gritting through pain that would be unbearable to most, he activated his personal light-brain.

 

At that same time, Su Yu, whose evening at the banquet was winding down, went to find his friend.

 

He ended up spotting him sitting alone on a set of steps.

 

The meticulous, cleanliness-obsessed prince was… sitting on the steps.

 

“What’s our Third Prince doing hiding out here all alone?”

 

“What else?” Ji Chenxi replied casually. “Sober up a bit, I guess.”

 

Su Yu laughed and flopped down beside him. “The moon looks pretty good tonight.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“The implication being… our prince isn’t here secretly meeting some little omega, right? I saw Bai Anran heading this way earlier, so I didn’t want to come look for you—didn’t want to ruin your little rendezvous. But just now, Nuan Nuan told me that Bai Anran’s mother wasn’t feeling well, and they’d both gone back.”

 

“I already said there’s nothing going on between me and Bai Anran,” Ji Chenxi said, his tone slightly more serious. “You can joke around in front of me all you want, but don’t say that outside.”

 

“Alright, alright, I get it—you’re not interested. Won’t say it again. But what’s that scent on you?”

 

Leaning lazily against the stone pillar, Ji Chenxi smiled. “Guess.”

 

“At first, it smells like sweet wine… a strong rose aroma, kind of like tequila mixed with rose syrup. Sweet, but not as pure as rose syrup. Did they serve anything like that at tonight’s banquet?”

 

“No, it wasn’t served. I just… improvised. The rose got a little squashed by the tequila.”

 

Su Yu laughed at how seriously Ji Chenxi made his joke. Then he added, “If you want to pair flowers, tequila actually goes better with jasmine. If you like something light, you could try that. My sister recommended it to me not long ago.”

 

Ji Chenxi gave a casual nod.

 

“But is that really just the wine? Smells a bit like pheromones,” Su Yu said, teasing again as he looked at him.

 

No wonder he didn’t want to talk about Bai Anran… so this must mean he already had someone special.

 

Seeing Ji Chenxi remain unreactive, Su Yu, half impressed by his composure, nudged his shoulder playfully. “I’m asking seriously—is that wine or pheromones?”

 

“Guess.”

 

“A beautiful omega’s pheromones,” Su Yu said immediately, giving voice to his true guess.

 

Ji Chenxi nodded decisively. With a self-satisfied, victorious smile, Su Yu beamed—only for Ji Chenxi to speak coldly and mercilessly: “Wrong.”

 

“What? No! I’m telling you, I can swear it’s definitely pheromones. Your Highness, don’t trick me!”

 

“Wrong is wrong.”

 

Su Yu turned to argue, but in that moment, his eyes caught a highly obvious bite mark on Ji Chenxi’s neck.

 

“The proof is still right there on your neck! What’s our little rose going to say to that? And… biting so fiercely? This beauty’s a little spicy! Which family’s omega is this?”

 

Ji Chenxi smiled and answered simply, “The Chi family.”

 

“The Chi family?”

 

“Wait, the Chi family?! The one I’m thinking of?!”

 

*

 

TL: Small change to the posting schedule — new chapters will be dropping every 2 days now!

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