TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 50

Faced with Zhou Yanjun’s outraged roar, Lin Mingfei showed zero guilt, remaining as calm as a seasoned scoundrel.

“You’re the one being leashed, Zhou Yanjun,” Lin Mingfei said, deadpan. “If you can’t outrun the bike, well… guess you’re getting dragged along, Piggy Alaskan style.” He gestured toward Xia Tong, already raring to go on his bike, and continued confidently.

Shi Ya clapped. “Flawless reasoning.”

“You bastards!!” Zhou Yanjun roared in frustration as Lin Mingfei looped the spring rope around his waist, smirking the whole time.

“Hold your arms up. Suck in your stomach,” Lin Mingfei instructed, expertly fastening the rope.

“Even one loop feels tight,” Lin Mingfei observed, clicking the buckle into place. With a pleased clap, he declared, “Done! Let’s head out.”

“Yay!” Xia Tong cheered, about to pedal when Zhou Yanjun, screaming in rage, took off in a mad dash. Instantly, the mountain bike was dragged along at breakneck speed.

“Aaaah! Mommy!” Xia Tong yelled, clutching the handlebars for dear life as the pedals spun wildly, smacking his feet several times before he finally pulled them up to avoid further pain.

“That looks like it hurts…” Shi Ya winced sympathetically.

“Enough commentary. Let’s go.” Lin Mingfei laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. The group took off running after them.

It turned out that Lin Mingfei’s “mountain bike pig-pulling” plan was remarkably effective. For the first half of the 10 kilometers, Zhou Yanjun, burning with fury, dragged Xia Tong and his bike along in a mad sprint. By the second half, Zhou Yanjun’s energy waned, his speed slowed, and Xia Tong was finally able to reach the bike’s pedals. Fueled by a grudge, Xia Tong transformed into an avenging deity, pedaling with relentless determination and dragging the exhausted Zhou Yanjun through the remaining 10 kilometers.

The two of them, half dragging and half pulling each other, went the distance in a chaotic partnership. By 9 a.m., the group finally returned to the P-Team base. Zhou Yanjun and Xia Tong helped each other off the bike, looking like a pair of old lovers in their twilight years as they hobbled toward the building. Zhou Yanjun, panting so hard he barely recognized himself, muttered bitterly, “I didn’t realize you, little guy… hold such grudges!”

Xia Tong was also gasping for air. He seemed to want to defend himself but was too out of breath, managing only a soft, sheepish response: “I… I can’t let Zero down! I have to help you improve… together!”

“I don’t want to improve… I just want to be a salted fish!” Zhou Yanjun raged weakly, waving a hand as if dismissing the whole ordeal. “Forget it, I’m going to take a shower. I’m drenched.”

He had only taken a few steps when he stopped, a curious thought crossing his mind. “Hey, Xia Xiaotong.”

“Hm?” Xia Tong, eager to shower, paused at the stairs. “What’s up?”

“You were so close to me just now… you didn’t feel anything weird?”

“Weird? Not really!” Xia Tong shook his head innocently. “But you were a bit stinky! Did you eat durian?”

“…”

Zhou Yanjun’s face flushed slightly. Faced with Xia Tong’s innocent remark, he could only awkwardly go along with it. “Yeah, I ate durian.”

“You didn’t share it with me? Hmph, I don’t like you anymore!” Xia Tong pouted and mumbled to himself as he headed upstairs, leaving Zhou Yanjun standing there, dumbfounded.

When Lin Mingfei and Shi Ya returned moments later, they found Zhou Yanjun standing in a daze.

“What’s wrong with you?” Shi Ya asked, patting Zhou Yanjun on the shoulder with a teasing smile.

“Xia Tong… is he really an Omega?” Zhou Yanjun spun around, grabbing Shi Ya’s arm with a look of utter terror.

“Why wouldn’t he be?” Lin Mingfei said, narrowing his eyes.

“My inhibitor wristband got chipped earlier,” Zhou Yanjun said, holding up his arm. “And I was sweating buckets after that run! He was so close to me for so long, but he didn’t react at all! Well, except… he said he smelled durian. But if he could smell my pheromones, how could he not react?”

Shi Ya: “…”

The answer was clear—Lin Mingfei’s temporary mark on Xia Tong was working. As a high-tier Alpha, Lin Mingfei’s pheromones not only suppressed other Alphas but also granted the marked Omega resistance to pheromone exposure. It was like someone accustomed to fine dining; a plain snack would hardly entice them. And Zhou Yanjun’s pheromones were… well, akin to durian.

Zhou Yanjun remained in his state of existential crisis. “Is Xia Tong some kind of demon? Or… is there something wrong with him? This doesn’t make sense!”

The two Alphas exchanged glances, each hiding their thoughts. Shi Ya, clearly enjoying the chaos, smirked at Lin Mingfei as if to say, Let’s see how you explain this one.

Lin Mingfei, unperturbed, reached out and pinched Zhou Yanjun’s chubby cheek.

“Maybe it’s not him with the problem. What if you are the one with the issue?” Lin Mingfei said, spouting nonsense with a straight face. “Have you noticed lately—poor sleep, trouble waking up in the morning, eating a lot but still feeling hungry?”

“I have! That’s been happening!” Zhou Yanjun started to tremble under Lin Mingfei’s exaggerated description.

“Erratic routine, prone to irritability…”

“Yes, that too!”

“Overall, your energy levels seem to be declining.”

Shi Ya, always one for drama, added, “Honestly, you even seem a little… softer. Maybe you should get your Alpha hormones checked? Could be imbalanced… or early degeneration.”

“Early degeneration?! I haven’t even held an Omega’s hand yet!” Zhou Yanjun was aghast.

“You should take care of yourself while you’re still young,” Lin Mingfei said gravely, patting his shoulder. “For your future.”

Zhou Yanjun bought the lie completely, his original doubts forgotten. He stomped his foot in frustration. “Fine! I’m going to bed early tonight! Nobody stop me! I’ll get my Alpha confidence back!” With that, he stormed upstairs, his steps heavy with determination.

Lin Mingfei and Shi Ya shared a knowing smirk. Without a word, the two seasoned troublemakers headed to their rooms. After a quick wash, Lin Mingfei, dressed in a light T-shirt and pants, knocked on Xia Tong’s door. When no one answered, he heard a familiar voice calling from downstairs.

“Zero! I’m here!”

Lin Mingfei looked down to see Xia Tong in the dining area, smiling up at him. The little Omega was holding a cup of yogurt in one hand and a half-eaten sandwich in the other, looking content and carefree.

“Why are you down there all alone? Aren’t you going to rest in your room for a bit?” Lin Mingfei sighed softly as he walked down, his lips curling into a smile.

“I’m too excited,” Xia Tong said, taking a big bite of his sandwich, his cheeks puffed like a hamster’s. “I need to log into the game and reorganize my build! I just saw a guide for a sorcerer setup that looks really good…” Mid-sentence, he choked on his food, coughing uncontrollably.

Lin Mingfei quickly stepped forward, patting his back. His heart melted as he chuckled. “You’re so hardworking. Wait for me, and I’ll log in with you.”

“Really? Awesome!” Xia Tong, finally catching his breath, looked up at Lin Mingfei with a mix of excitement and wistfulness. “It’s been so long since we’ve gamed together!”

“Yeah, I’ve been busy with work lately… It’s always been Shi Ya and Zhou Yanjun playing with Xia Tong.” Lin Mingfei felt a twinge in his chest, a sour, tingling ache. He casually grabbed a slice of toast, holding it in his mouth, and tilted his head. “No time like the present, right?”

“Yay!” Xia Tong cheered, hopping and skipping over before clinging to Lin Mingfei’s arm like a child.

“Yes,” Lin Mingfei casually bit into a piece of toast and tilted his head nonchalantly. “I think it’s time to get started.”

“Yay!” Xia Tong cheered, bouncing with excitement. He rushed over and clung to Lin Mingfei’s arm like a little koala.

–

Ten minutes later, in the Wasteland Continent.

Xia Xiaotong logged into the game, followed shortly by Polaris_Zero.

It had been a while since Lin Mingfei had seen Xia Tong in-game. When their avatars met, he found himself feeling unexpectedly bashful.

“That special effects weapon looks pretty good,” Lin Mingfei remarked, clearing his throat awkwardly.

Xia Tong replied with his usual childlike honesty, “Zero, you look good!”

Lin Mingfei nearly choked with laughter, quickly changing the subject. “Send me that equipment guide you mentioned, and I’ll help you with the setup.”

“Okay, let me find it.” Xia Tong navigated to the forums and shared the guide.

The game versions were constantly updated, with tweaks to equipment attributes and class skills, so players needed the latest strategies. Xia Tong’s guide described a build optimized for critical hits and burst damage, based on a high-ranking Wizard player from the Shadow team. The setup sacrificed durability for massive offensive power.

“I saw Shadow’s MM Bean using a similar build,” Xia Tong said eagerly. “The damage was incredible!”

Lin Mingfei studied the guide intently, explaining how to evaluate equipment stats and use the game’s gear planner. Finally, he inspected Xia Tong’s current loadout and said, “Most of your gear can be swapped with what you already have. The levels are a bit lower, but the stats are close enough. Plus, you’ve got that special weapon. The only thing missing is the ‘Sentinel Cloak.’”

“The guide says it drops in the Siren’s Fjord dungeon. Does that mean I need to run it?” Xia Tong asked.

“Pretty much,” Lin Mingfei replied. “Siren’s Fjord is a popular dungeon right now, so you’ll have no problem finding a group. Just make sure you study the dungeon guide first.”

Xia Tong nodded obediently and began browsing the recruitment channel.

–

High-demand dungeons like Siren’s Fjord attracted competitive loot-seekers. To avoid disputes, party leaders often announced bidding rules for loot distribution before starting.

“Siren’s Fjord, 15-player raid, bidding starts at 5,000! 1,000 increments! No pay-to-win players—loot is fully auctioned!”
“Siren’s Fjord, 15-player raid, with Wizard and Elf clients. Looking for experienced runners! Pay split evenly!”

Xia Tong read the messages, then sneaked a glance at Lin Mingfei, hesitant to speak.

Lin Mingfei was busy reorganizing his inventory, intending to sell unused items for materials, but noticed Xia Tong’s shifty behavior.

“What’s up? Can’t find a group?” he asked curiously.

“No, not that…” Xia Tong hesitated, pointing to one post. “This one says bidding starts at 5,000. Is that okay?”

“Sure,” Lin Mingfei agreed, then paused as if realizing something. “Wait, do you not have enough money for the bid?”

Xia Tong was taken aback. “Uh…”

“Come here, open a trade window,” Lin Mingfei instructed.

Before Xia Tong could react, Lin Mingfei initiated a trade and sent him six figures’ worth of in-game gold.

“Oh my gosh, that’s so much!” Xia Tong exclaimed in disbelief.

“Bid as much as you need. If it’s not enough, message me—I’ll wait near the dungeon entrance to top you up,” Lin Mingfei said, his tone casual but resolute.

But instead of being reassured, Xia Tong looked even more forlorn, his wide, watery eyes filled with reluctance.

“You… you’re not coming with me?” he asked pitifully.

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