This time, Manye Zhe had a very clear target, his gaze fixed entirely on that silver-haired alpha.
And in that alpha’s hand… wasn’t that a fully bloomed white rose?
This…
Manye Zhe’s nearly eternal poker face finally cracked, a rare expression threatening to split across his features.
Bai Wei—according to Manye Zhe’s memory—was supposed to be a delicate, cute little omega. He was so certain because, five years ago, he had stumbled upon a fragment of him image by chance.
The clip had been extremely blurry, just a fleeting flash. The screenshot captured from it was no better. Through the dim night, all he could make out was a long-haired beauty wearing a wide hood, holding a silvery-gray cat whose exact features were impossible to see. The hood was so wide it only revealed the lower half of a delicate, lovely face, with light-colored hair spilling over his shoulders. Maybe it was his icy pale skin that made his lips look impossibly red.
Small, beautiful, radiating an otherworldly charm—just one glance and Manye Zhe had been certain: Bai Wei was a stunning, adorable omega. Yet now, the white rose—the very symbol of their meeting—was in the hands of a male alpha. No matter how incredibly beautiful this alpha was, Manye Zhe didn’t want to accept it.
His gaze lingered on the white rose for a moment before he finally looked away.
He must be mistaken.
Damn—but the guy did have silver hair, just like in the image!
Ji Chenxi really didn’t want to meet a long-time online friend in a… less-than-elegant situation. Yet here he was, caught in a display of affection with another alpha.
He cast a glance at Chi Zhuo that was hard to read, but Chi Zhuo could tell he wasn’t happy. Moments ago, his eyes had sparkled like stars, and now the smile had faded considerably.
“You already recognized my online friend, and yet you still kissed me on purpose… are you trying to make me angry?” Ji Chenxi asked softly.
Chi Zhuo replied, “Yes. And no.”
In his predictions, the person who would show up should have been an omega. But now, the one in front of him was clearly an alpha—an alpha who could conceal his aura perfectly. The skill in hiding himself was flawless; otherwise, Ji Chenxi wouldn’t have needed Chi Zhuo to alert him.
“Your online friend doesn’t seem simple. For your safety… maybe I should stay with you instead.”
“I think right now, being with Brother Chi Zhuo is the real danger to my safety.”
With that, Ji Chenxi let go of Chi Zhuo’s neck and stood up, moving toward Manye Zhe. As he walked, he pulled out a silk handkerchief embroidered with a subtle rose pattern and wiped his lips and the inside of his wrist—the spots just kissed by Chi Zhuo. Without much thought, he tossed the handkerchief into a trash bin that could instantly destroy items.
His words were light, his movements calm, as if nothing just happened was even worth noticing.
Chi Zhuo, still standing frozen, tensed, clenching his hands so hard that a faint scent of blood began to seep from his palms.
Before the smell could spread, a suddenly materialized black mamba licked it away. The faint tequila pheromone that had just drifted from him was immediately covered by the damp, cold presence of the snake.
By the time Ji Chenxi approached with the white rose in hand, Manye Zhe had already shifted his gaze back to the newcomer.
A killer’s instincts told him instantly: this was no ordinary alpha.
The seemingly slender, tall figure could probably unleash a terrifying strength that didn’t match his frame at all. If he were an opponent… he would be a formidable one.
At roughly two meters’ distance, Manye Zhe gave a slight nod.
Third Prince Ji Chenxi—though no public images of the newly adult prince existed—was instantly recognizable to a professional killer. Just a glance was enough to confirm his identity.
Ji Chenxi held up the white rose in his hand and said the single, almost pointless word: “Bai Wei.”
It was the classic way to verify identity.
Manye Zhe responded with his signal: “The night is nice. Perfect for a walk.”
Ji Chenxi smiled politely. “Shall we walk together?”
Manye Zhe nodded, stepped aside to make room, and only began to follow once Ji Chenxi moved close to his side.
Ji Chenxi didn’t mind. Most killers didn’t like exposing their backs.
Moving slightly ahead, Ji Chenxi set up a layer of spiritual barrier and then transmitted his voice directly into the other’s mind: “You haven’t reunited with Que Qi yet?”
“I was supposed to come with her, but on the way here to find you, someone spilled wine on her clothes. She’s probably still changing.”
Ji Chenxi frowned. “Just an accident?”
“No. In a place like this, any servant who can’t even carry wine properly should be fired. This time, someone deliberately distracted Que Qi. I originally planned to wait for her to change before meeting you, but she probably wanted to see what they were up to… so she played along.”
“She’s a little vulnerable on her own.”
Ji Chenxi didn’t fully approve of Que Qi acting alone—this auction was a mix of all kinds of people.
“I took her situation into account,” the other replied. “Her spiritual body can block most dangers, and she has two hidden guards following her. She’ll be fine. Compared to that, I was more worried about you, Bai Wei—your spiritual body is just a big cat.”
Ji Chenxi: “…That’s a snow leopard.”
If his spiritual body counted as a big cat, then Que Qi’s would probably be… a little blue fish?
Externally, Lu Churan called her spiritual body a blue guppy. It really was a pretty little blue fish. But if her spiritual body were truly just a pet fish, there would be no way she could become a real heiress. The reason Lu Churan ultimately gained power was largely because her spiritual body was entirely offensive—a “beautiful shark.”
It was a creature that didn’t exist in reality: beautiful, enormous, like a sea spirit—but a carnivorous spirit, far more vicious than it was pretty.
Just judging by the spiritual body alone, unless someone was armed with heavy weapons or ranked above double-S, it would be almost impossible to harm Lu Churan.
“By the way,” Manye Zhe said, as if he’d suddenly remembered something, “Bai Wei… were you just kissing that person?”
Ji Chenxi blinked slowly, completely taken aback. He hadn’t expected that even though he’d clearly tried to change the subject, it would somehow be dragged back.
Before he could answer, Manye Zhe spoke again: “That person is the mamba. His influence runs deep.”
Ji Chenxi paused, thinking it over, and understood immediately: he was being warned to be cautious around Chi Zhuo.
“I thought you were going to ask how I could be so clingy with an alpha while kissing.”
Manye Zhe’s focus was weird. “You were clingy while kissing?!”
Though he looked calm, Manye Zhe’s mind was racing. Was it really that intense? Had he just not noticed?
Ji Chenxi couldn’t help but laugh. “No.”
After laughing, he added with a little sigh, “You’re really different from your online self.”
Online, Manye Zhe was chatty and playful. In real life… he has an eternal poker face.
Manye Zhe didn’t entirely agree. “I could’ve been more enthusiastic, but seeing you kissing… well, I just didn’t know how to react.”
“Do you really dislike him?” Manye Zhe asked again.
It was obvious who “him” referred to.
“Dislike? Why would you think that? The truth is, I don’t dislike him at all—I’m actually kind of interested.”
“You didn’t seem interested with what you did. I thought he was bullying you and was already thinking how to help you.”
“Did it really look that way?”
“Yeah.”
“But that’s exactly what I wanted it to look like,” Ji Chenxi said, laughing again.
“Why do you want it to look like that?” Manye Zhe asked, confused.
Before Ji Chenxi could respond, a soft, slightly sweet young female voice came from behind: “What’s so funny?”
Just hearing the voice, Ji Chenxi immediately knew who it was. He glanced back and met a gentle, beautiful face—one that stood out even among the many beauties of the Imperial Star In the Twelfth Fairy Star, almost no one would fail to recognize her.
Ji Chenxi nodded politely, a warm smile still on his lips. “Que Qi.”
Que Qi returned the gesture with a polite nod, and after a few steps forward she said, “Your Highness, Third Prince, hello. I apologize for being late on our first meeting.”
“Miss Lu, how could you say that? You, such a beautiful omega, came all this way to see me. The one being rude here is me.”
Manye Zhe couldn’t help but interject: “You two are really polite with each other.”
Ji Chenxi chuckled lightly and once again used his spiritual power to transmit his voice: “Miss Lu, did you encounter anything just now?”
The faint scent of the sea clung to Lu Churan, but Ji Chenxi’s senses were sharp. Even from a distance, he could tell she was using her spiritual body.
Connecting her spiritual power with his, Lu Churan transmitted her voice: “I ran into a few insignificant pests trying to extract information. Didn’t go too smoothly.”
Knowing Manye Zhe couldn’t hear their private conversation, she added directly to him: “I’ve already taken care of it.”
Manye Zhe nodded. Even without a direct explanation, he understood her meaning.
The three of them chatted casually, like ordinary online friends meeting in person, as they made their way toward their destination.
Being a member of the royal family, events held on the Imperial Star always had reserved spaces for them. Whether they showed up was one matter; whether the space was reserved was another. So, with their purpose clear, the three of them headed straight for the room where Ji Chenxi was supposed to be.
After arriving at the room, Ji Chenxi first used some tools to hack into the local network. Once he confirmed that no surveillance or listening devices had been planted in their private room, he still wasn’t fully at ease. He activated the outward jamming device and laid down a layer of spiritual power, then finally got to the point: “Que Qi, do you know who the people who lured you earlier were?”
“No idea. Those few had some skill, though. They probably discovered that the materials came from me for auction and might have even thought about kidnapping me directly. But I think it was more of a probe than anything else.”
Ji Chenxi hummed softly. “It’s probably just those few factions. We’ll be patient and play the long game—fish with a long line for the big catch.”
Lu Churan smiled. “But who would’ve guessed they were so impatient? The auction hasn’t even started and they already wanted to make a move on me.”
Ji Chenxi didn’t ask where those people had gone. Instead, he said, “The material you auctioned… was it about human research?”
“No, about miracle,” Lu Churan replied with a smile.
“Ares?”
“Yes.”
“Is the material real?” Ji Chenxi, having just read the log, was a little curious.
“Not entirely—half true, half fabricated. Morning Star derived it. At first glance, it looks real, but trying to put it into practice is pure fantasy. Auction materials never fully reveal their content. A few pages of half-true information are enough to fool people.”
Ji Chenxi glanced at the auction hall, suddenly darkened, all the lights aimed at the stage. “Indeed. Whether the material is real or fake, it can still lure the fish. The only worry is that only small fish or shrimp show up.”
“Even if only small fish and shrimp come, it’s enough to follow the thread. But with Morning Star’s skill and the content they’ve displayed publicly, I think we can attract some big fish. Probably quite a few factions will take the bait.”
Manye Zhe fell silent, a mix of disappointment and disillusionment washing over him. He had originally thought the cutest members of the group were Que Qi and Bai Wei. But after meeting Que Qi, he ended up assisting her in a series of covert attacks, revealing her ruthless side, and the beautiful omega’s cold efficiency was shocking. Meeting Bai Wei wasn’t much better—wrong gender aside, he was calm and composed enough to discuss all of this casually with Que Qi.
While talking with Que Qi, Ji Chenxi glanced at Manye Zhe beside him. “What’s wrong? You’ve been staring at me.”
Que Qi chuckled. “Don’t mind him. He’s probably disillusioned. He used to say Bai Wei was definitely the cutest in our group.”
Ji Chenxi couldn’t help but smile. He had always thought the cutest in their group was Manye Zhe himself.
Manye Zhe flicked a glance at Ji Chenxi’s smile. Bai Wei’s gender was off, but judging purely by appearance, he hadn’t guessed wrong.
Soon, the auction officially began. The opening items were nothing unusual: red coral from the deep sea, black pearls, or paintings left behind by famous artists. The most spectacular item, however, was a mineral rose made from a rare stone, touted as the “Everlasting True Love Rose.”
Every year there was some “everlasting” rose. After all, roses are a symbol of love, and anything associated with love could command insane markups.
But this rose was different. For one, its craftsmanship was lifelike. Most importantly, the ice-blue rose would change color when exposed to heat, gradually shifting from icy blue to teal, then warming into a flame-like red. During testing, only one side had been touched with a warmer, so this child-palm-sized rare mineral rose was half vivid red, half icy blue. Where the colors met, a gradient of orange, yellow, and green merged beautifully.
The mineral itself was crystal clear, and the gradient was stunning. Ji Chenxi’s interest piqued. When the price began climbing rapidly, he decided to place a bid.
Of course, Ji Chenxi didn’t shout the bid himself. He entered the number on a panel, and the system’s voice automatically announced it.
The precise, clear system voice called out the bid:
[Bidder No. 3, bid: 1,990,000]
The announcement caused a brief pause in the previously nonstop bidding updates.
Even Ji Chenxi noticed something strange. The Emperor would never attend the auction personally, so there was no reason to assign a dedicated bidder number. The numbers 1, 2, and 3 had never appeared before because they represented the three princes—excluding the Emperor, the most prestigious figures.
But now, with Bidder No. 3 appearing in what should have been a normal auction, it was obvious that the Third Prince himself was participating.
After more than a minute passed without any new bids, the beautiful alpha hosting the auction smiled brightly and asked proactively:
“One million nine hundred ninety thousand, anyone willing to raise the bid?”
“One million nine hundred ninety thousand, twice. We have one last chance! Interested bidders can raise the price again. This rare mineral was only found in a small piece, most of it used to craft this mineral rose. Miss it now, and who knows when another will appear?”
Her voice rose and fell with deliberate rhythm, her gestures guiding the crowd. As expected, the previously quiet auction began to stir again.
Nobles loved two words most: ‘rare’ and ‘unique’.
If something was merely rare, giving it to someone else wasn’t a big deal. But if a second rose like this might never appear… would those seeking to win an omega’s favor, or those who simply had more than enough money, really give up?
As the price climbed wildly past three million, Ji Chenxi already felt it wasn’t worth it.
A rare mineral sounded fancy, but it was still just a rock. How much had even been mined? No one knew. Maybe this rose was unique today, but tomorrow there could be orchids or peonies in its place.
Since someone had started bidding earlier, there was a brief peak in competition. By the time the price reached five million, bids had thinned out again. Each price had to be called once or twice, with the auctioneer coaxing the crowd about the rose’s rarity before the next bid appeared.
Seeing the price stabilizing, Ji Chenxi had no intention of bidding further. Manye Zhe asked, “Not interested anymore?”
“No, I still like it. But I feel the price isn’t worth it—the stone isn’t that big.”
Manye Zhe was silent for a moment, then said, “If you like it, I’ll buy it for you.”
Ji Chenxi laughed. “No need. I bid one million nine hundred ninety thousand because I think that’s all it’s really worth. Any higher, and it’s just not worth it.”
Lu Churan added, “Although I’d like to say liking it is more important, a newly mined rare mineral is only rare when it first appears. Once there’s a little more, its value drops like crazy.”
Manye Zhe was genuinely silent this time. Why did these two—both delicate and beautiful in appearance—see things even more clearly than he did when it came to value?
Just as the system voice was about to announce a final bid of six million four hundred thousand, a male bidder’s system voice cut in:
[Bidder No. 51, bid: 9,990,000]
Nine million nine hundred ninety thousand? That’s a number worthy of this rose, Ji Chenxi thought silently, wondering who this mad spender could be.
A small decorative item selling for that much! The beautiful auctioneer’s smile brightened further, her voice tinged with excitement. “Nine million nine hundred ninety thousand, anyone willing to raise?”
Ji Chenxi guessed that the person determined to win this mineral rose must have been embarrassed and furious. But upon hearing this bid, he still didn’t give up and called out ten million.
Ji Chenxi adjusted his posture, expecting the two to continue a slow bidding battle, buying some time. But the calm male system voice rang out again:
[Bidder No. 51, bid: 99,990,000]
Nearly one hundred million just for a small, slightly unique, pretty decoration. The entire hall fell silent. This person was insane.
As expected, the item ended up being won by Bidder No. 51.
Manye Zhe, probably realizing words couldn’t express his excitement, typed rapidly and showed Ji Chenxi a string of characters: [Whoa, is everyone on the Imperial Star just dripping with money?! This tiny thing nearly sold for a nine-digit sum in star currency!!!”]
From the barrage of exclamation marks, Ji Chenxi fully understood Manye Zhe’s excitement. After a moment of thought, he said, “Maybe that person really does love that mineral rose.”
Though he said it aloud, Ji Chenxi couldn’t help thinking that the person was just a foolish, rich dupe.
The rest of the auction went by quickly, with few items seeing the kind of crazy overbidding that the mineral rose had. When the auction reached the items they were actually fishing for, Ji Chenxi quickly hacked into the network again and began their true mission for the night—‘fishing’.
At first, Ji Chenxi didn’t track who was bidding. The experimental report had a lot of hype, and unrelated interested parties were also placing bids. But once the price started climbing steadily and the bids came mainly from those few numbers, Ji Chenxi activated tracking mode.
The auction numbers were randomized. Except for the first three, the rest had no special meaning, and there was even an extra layer of protection to safeguard clients’ privacy. But for Ji Chenxi, equipped with his precision tools, it was nothing.
Just as they were checking the bidders’ identities and digging deeper, someone knocked on the door.
Ji Chenxi’s eyes darkened as his fingers continued pounding in frantic commands, while Manye Zhe drew a thin, wing-like short knife from his waist.
Ji Chenxi exchanged a glance with the others. They ignored the knock at first, finishing copying all the data, then linked with Manye Zhe’s AI and transmitted it to him.
Then came the second knock. After three polite taps, Ji Chenxi had already compressed his equipment and opened the door.
His face held a trace of displeasure, though he asked politely, “What is it?”
He was clearly annoyed at being interrupted.
The servant knocking looked nervous and lowered his head. “Your Highness, the client who won this item specified that it should be sent to you. The manager feared you might leave early, so we brought it ahead of time.”
Ji Chenxi had been ready to be ambushed when opening the door. Who could have expected that the item he had been curious about not long ago would be delivered straight to him?
At that moment, the mineral rose—its color shifting with temperature—was glowing fully in the fiery red hue of warmth.
It was like a silent declaration of love.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
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