Translator: Dj2203
Editor: Dj2203
Advance chapters available for patrons on Patreon. And a chapter can be sponsored by buying me a ko-fi.
After expressing his opinion, Yun Ming stopped paying attention to what was happening on social media.
He didn’t expect a response from Zhuang Li.
In his view, this person had accepted his marriage proposal for two reasons: first, because they shared the same ideals; and second, because they were in similar circumstances. Otherwise, they might never have been able to be together.
However, he was completely wrong.
Zhuang Li’s response came quickly and enthusiastically, like a cluster of blooming roses suddenly bursting into view.
In that instant, Yun Ming actually smelled the intoxicating fragrance of roses through the light screen. It was thick, sweet, and melted into his heart like honey, flowing through his blood and throughout his body, exuding a warm and languid feeling.
At this moment, Yun Ming’s heart, which was always in a state of frenzy, became as calm as the water in a hot spring.
He relaxed completely, leaned back in his chair, stared at a light on the ceiling, and smiled inexplicably.
His world was transformed by Zhuang Li’s appearance, changing from an empty and dull place into a wonderful and vibrant one. Yun Ming, who was detached from the world, began to feel a profound sense of acceptance and embrace.
He began to integrate into this world that he originally did not belong to.
He was so immersed in this wonderful feeling that he couldn’t extricate himself, silently savoring the words of love, and the fragrance at the tip of his nose became stronger and sweeter.
Having lived for over thirty years, he discovered for the first time how wonderful the world was.
Just then, Zhuang Li sent him a private message: “Come over here, I want to give you a check-up.”
Yun Ming, who had specially set up a notification sound for his fiancé, hurriedly opened his eyes, frantically read the message, then put on his coat and rushed to his destination in an airship, almost running a red light in the process.
Half an hour later, Yun Ming jogged into Zhuang Li’s laboratory, adjusting his military cap and tie as he walked, afraid that his appearance would be disheveled.
At the same time, Zhuang Li was also carefully styling his hair in front of a full-length mirror. He smoothed and smoothed the few curly hairs on his forehead until he achieved the ideal curve.
Yun Ming, who ran into the lab and witnessed this scene, was speechless.
At that moment, he couldn’t help but laugh, not because of Zhuang Li’s vanity, but because of this indescribable sense of familiarity. He almost couldn’t suppress his inner impulse and ran over to hug the other person tightly.
Zhuang Li spotted him through the mirror and said with a soft laugh, “You’ve come.”
The two looked at each other and then smiled knowingly, showing no signs of the awkwardness or unease that comes with meeting for the first time.
“Have you had a physical exam recently?” Zhuang Li turned around and asked the question that concerned him most.
“Yes, this is my medical examination report.” Yun Ming had nothing to hide and immediately projected the data onto the screen.
“My medical report just came out too.” Zhuang Li also projected his own report onto the screen.
The two reports were laid out side by side, and their situations were remarkably similar: both suffered from severe endocrine disorders and progressive organ failure. In this world, glands were organs of equal importance to the brain, secreting various hormones to ensure the normal functioning of the body.
Damage to glands often had fatal consequences.
Yun Ming had long accepted the reality of his impending death, so he never felt fear. But now, his fingertips trembled with fear, not for himself, but for the person beside him.
He thought of the culprit, Ouyang Mingtang, and a strong murderous intent surged in his calm heart.
However, in front of his fiancé, he showed no signs of these negative emotions. He simply held the other man’s hand tightly and said calmly, “Don’t be afraid, we’ll walk together from here.”
Zhuang Li squeezed his hand and said lightly, “Yes, we have a long way to go, I’m not afraid.”
Having learned about the human anatomy in this world, Zhuang Li had already devised a self-rescue plan, so he wasn’t worried about the so-called lifespan issue at all.
He was actually very interested in his lover’s anosmia.
“Can’t you smell anything?” he asked curiously.
“I can smell ordinary scents, but I can’t smell the scent emitted by glands,” Yun Ming answered honestly.
“You can’t smell any of the glands’ odor?” Zhuang Li walked to the room temperature cabinet, took out a test tube labeled with the three English letters “cjl”, placed it to his lover’s nose, and gently fanned the air at the opening of the tube.
“Can you smell this odor?”
Yun Ming sniffed carefully, then shook his head: “I can’t smell it.”
Zhuang Li took out a test tube labeled cjl-fragrans (osmanthus), placed it near his lover’s nose, and continued to fan it, “Can you smell this?”
“I can’t smell it.” Yun Ming shook his head again.
Zhuang Li took out a test tube labeled cjl-gardeniajasminoides (gardenia).
Yun Ming shook his head again.
After trying the scents of seven or eight different synthetic pheromones, Yun Ming shook his head each time, indicating that he was completely unaffected by pheromones.
Zhuang Li, with a keen sense of exploration, walked over to Yun Ming, gently sniffed his hair, and pondered, “It’s said that alphas and omegas with high compatibility can smell each other’s scent when they get close enough. I want to know what you smell like.”
Yun Ming’s eyes darkened, and he shook his head stiffly: “I have no scent. I was born disabled.”
“No, I think I can smell your scent.” Zhuang Li suddenly wrapped his arms around his neck, pressed his mouth and nose against the back of his neck, and whispered while breathing hot air: “I smell sulfur, rust, and metal, like a battlefield fighting inside your body.”
Yun Ming’s eyes darkened further.
These smells don’t sound pleasant. Are they the smells of gunpowder and blood he brought back from the border planet? If he had known this, he should have taken a shower before coming.
However, Zhuang Li hugged his lover’s neck tightly, took a deep breath, and murmured in ecstasy, “I like this scent. It’s strong and dangerous, like the embers after a volcanic eruption, like the surging lava. I’m about to be burned by it.”
He tilted his head slightly, revealing his face buried in his lover’s neck. The corners of his narrow eyes were tinged with a beautiful blush, like a drunken playboy, exuding a startling decadence and flamboyance.
He pressed his bright red lips against his lover’s already burning earlobe and whispered in a hoarse voice, “I love your scent.”
Yun Ming’s brain had been turned into mush by these sweet words.
Amidst the chaotic longing, he also caught a whiff of a strange fragrance emanating from his fiancé’s constantly opening and closing crimson lips. It was sweet, like fresh fruit; yet beautiful, like blooming flowers, layer upon layer blending together to release the spiciness of litsea cubeba[1] and the richness of resin.
This extremely sweet, mysterious, and spicy aroma evoked endless imagination, perfectly matching Yun Ming’s imagination of Zhuang Li.
“I love your scent too.” He pulled the young man who was clinging to him into his arms and replied in a hoarse voice.
Zhuang Li asked curiously, “What do I smell like?” He knew, of course, that he had no smell, but he had no doubt about his lover’s words.
There was a kind of ability called “synesthesia” that could connect a person’s senses of sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Even if the nose could not smell any odor, people could still conceive of an odor in their minds through what they see, taste, think, and imagine.
Zhuang Li could imagine the scent of his lover, and naturally he also wanted to know what he smelt like in the other person’s heart.
Yun Ming, his ears turning red, described the fragrance he had smelled.
Zhuang Li put his arm around his neck and whispered, “It sounds beautiful.”
Then, he extended his slender fingertips and gently traced the outline of his lover’s thin lips, slowly asking, “Do you want to know what it feels like when our scents blend together?”
Yun Ming stared intently at his fiancé, his Adam’s apple bobbing, but he remained silent. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to speak, but rather that he was too nervous to utter a sound.
“How do we integrate them?” After a long pause, he finally managed to utter a single sentence.
“Like this.” Zhuang Li slowly approached, gently took it in his mouth, pried open the gap between his teeth, and probed into the tip of his tongue…
The intense aroma released after peeling off the outer shell completely and unreservedly invaded Yun Ming’s mouth, causing his brain to explode with excitement. In an instant, he was drawn into this mesmerizing dream, intoxicated by the rich fragrance.
His blood boiled, his desires roared in his heart, and his dormant body burst forth with astonishing energy.
He suddenly tightened his arms, holding his fiancé tightly, and took the initiative, responding to the kiss passionately.
The scents of rust, sulfur, and metal slowly blended with fruit, floral, and woody aromas, creating an extremely aggressive fragrance, like a sharp knife piercing the heart, drawing out a handful of thick, fresh blood to water a rose, causing it to bloom in darkness and fire.
Yun Ming almost died from the intoxication of this deadly fragrance.
He finally understood what it felt like for an alpha to be crazy about their omega.
As Zhuang Li kissed his lover and stroked his hair, he chuckled and murmured between breaths, “Can you smell our scent? Hmm?”
His drawn-out, melodious tone acted like a catalyst, imbuing the fragrance with a drug-like allure.
Yun Ming had no time to answer. He just held his fiancé’s head and eagerly asked for the next kiss, and then the next.
With each breath, Zhuang Li would chuckle softly, driving his lover into an even deeper frenzy.
“I want to turn our scent into a perfume, and name it Sacred Union.” After the last kiss, Zhuang Li teased his lover by biting his earlobe.
Yun Ming, who had barely managed to maintain a sliver of clarity in his mind, suddenly descended into utter madness. He hoisted his fiancé onto his shoulder, strode into the lounge, and immediately began blending the perfume.
….
Meanwhile, Yun Ming’s Weibo post sparked a huge reaction online. The people of the empire were completely shocked to learn that their war god only had five years left to live!
This was truly the worst news imaginable. The Zerg had mutated once again; they had become bigger, taller, and stronger, while humanity’s evolutionary pace remained stagnant.
The empire’s ability to maintain an undefeated record on the battlefield was entirely due to Yun Ming’s leadership. If he were to die, and young generals had not yet matured, what would become of the empire?
The situation had become extremely serious.
Politically sensitive citizens were gripped by anxiety. Wu Yuhuai’s earlier Weibo post, which alluded to Zhuang Li’s impending death, was brought up again and relentlessly criticized.
[Without Commander Yun Ming fighting on the front lines despite his illness, what right will you have to talk about “not being able to live without glands”? You’d be dead already! You ignorant idiot!] This was a furious comment from an alpha.
He had gone from being a fan of Wu Yuhuai to disliking him.
Influenced by him, many alphas unfollowed Wu Yuhuai. While the public didn’t care about Zhuang Li’s life or death, they genuinely grieved for Yun Ming, who also suffered from the same illness.
However, within the empire’s leadership, the situation was entirely the opposite. Yu Guangzhong assembled a top-notch medical team, working day and night to research ways to prolong Zhuang Li’s life.
That seemingly indestructible syringe remained completely unknown to them. Even after exhausting all available testing methods, they were unable to analyze the molecular structure of the metal.
If Zhuang Li were to die, the Empire would lose its strongest fighting force for conquering the universe.
To put it bluntly, his value far surpassed that of Yun Ming.
….
Chen Jingliu, who knew nothing about Zhuang Li, visited Ouyang Mingtang in prison.
The two looked at each other through the glass window; one had a joyful expression, while the other remained calm and quiet.
“Yun Ming is born unable to smell pheromones, and he only has five years to live. After his death, the military will be in dire need of strong individuals like you, since people with 3S physiques are rare. If things go well, I should be able to secure a pardon for you,” Chen Jingliu said slowly.
Ouyang Mingtang was stunned for a while before he suddenly realized: “No wonder Yun Ming wanted to retire early.”
“Yes, so don’t worry, I’ll get you out soon,” Chen Jingliu earnestly instructed.
Ouyang Mingtang slammed his fist on the table and laughed heartily, then gritted his teeth and said, “I’m not in a hurry. After I get out, I’ll personally crush that bit*h Zhuang Li to death!”
Guys, ads are my only source of revenue, so please do not turn on the AdBlock when you are accessing this website…. Thank you, this would be a great help…
You can buy me a ko-fi and sponsor a chapter on: https://ko-fi.com/midnightrambles
Or become a Patron on: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=45665005
If you support me, I would be able to provide more chapters….
Previous • Table of Contents • Next
[1] Litsea cubeba is a species of evergreen tree in the family Lauraceae.
