Chapter 40
The joint exchange competition at the military academy is divided into three parts. Following the usual procedure, the first day of the competition consists of practical combat, followed by mecha warfare and team confrontation. Finally, the ranking is determined based on the total points earned by each school.
On the evening they arrived at Heavy Cloud Defense University, Jihan took everyone out for dinner, claiming it was to relax before the competition, but it was also a final mobilization.
Everyone’s spirits were high, especially after the provocation they received from the students of Silver Star Interstellar University during the day; they were eager to defeat them.
Although Lu Jingning was not on the predetermined list for the practical combat, he was itching to participate. He could only pat Cen Junfeng on the shoulder and instruct him, “Cen Junfeng, make sure to smash the heads of those Silver Star guys when you’re in the arena, no mercy!”
Cen Junfeng, unfamiliar with being so close to an Omega, awkwardly freed himself from Lu Jingning’s arm and said with a hint of frustration, “You don’t need to tell me. I know!”
Lu Jingning was dissatisfied with his attitude. “Hey, why are you acting like a sissy? What are you afraid of, scared I’ll eat you?”
Cen Junfeng almost spat out blood. “Can’t you be more reserved about our relationship as an Alpha and Omega? Can’t an Omega like you be more restrained?!”
Lu Jingning immediately knew that Cen Junfeng’s straightforwardness was acting up again. Annoyed, he got even closer, hooking his hand around Cen Junfeng’s neck, almost breathing directly onto his face, and half-jokingly said, “It’s the modern era, what’s the point of being reserved? Are you so shy? Are you afraid I’ll devour you?”
The people around burst into laughter at his words.
Cen Junfeng could feel his heart almost bursting out of his chest. Dazed by the smell of alcohol, he was feeling a bit dizzy. He sought help in a somewhat frightened tone, “Could someone please control him? I think he might be drunk!”
“Who says I’m drunk? I’m perfectly fine!” Lu Jingning, unhappy with his words, was about to teach this straightforward Alpha a lesson in real Alpha and Omega dynamics when he suddenly felt his body being lifted by someone from behind without a sound.
With this unexpected force, he naturally fell back into a wide embrace, and a soft voice came from above, “Stop making a fuss.”
Looking up, he met the deep black eyes of Wen Xingchen. Lu Jingning squinted slightly, realizing a bit too late what was happening, and then he smiled, “Lao Wen, when did you learn shadow clone jutsu? Hey, how come one clone turned into three?”
Wen Xingchen: “…”
Bing Yunlin looked over, “He’s definitely drunk. You should take him back to rest.”
Wen Ye reminded, “Tomorrow is the practical combat competition. Lu Jingning doesn’t need to participate, but the rest of you should be careful not to drink too much.”
The others protested, “We didn’t drink that much!”
Knowing Lu Jingning’s drinking habits, it would be a miracle if he didn’t get drunk!
Cen Junfeng watched Lu Jingning and relaxed, unbuttoning a few buttons of his shirt. It was just too hot!
Lu Jingning continued to act up on the way back, halfway through he suddenly reached out and hugged Wen Xingchen’s neck, and his hot breath almost brushed against his skin.
He sniffed gently, sincerely saying, “Wen Xingchen, your scent is really nice.”
Then he added, “Much better than that guy, Cen Junfeng.”
Wen Xingchen coldly smiled, “I thought you liked him.”
Lu Jingning shook his head almost without hesitation, “He’s just a straight-Alpha cancer with an ass for a brain. Liking him is impossible, completely impossible. Not beating him is already me being considerate.”
Wen Xingchen stared at the face in front of him for a moment, his mocking gaze softened slightly.
Fortunately, the scent of information hormones was still stable this time, and although Lu Jingning was drunk, the masking effect prevented it from spilling out uncontrollably like last time.
Wen Xingchen’s gaze stayed on Lu Jingning’s face for a while before he reached out and pulled him back into position, firmly holding him down, “Walk properly, don’t move around.”
Lu Jingning was about to rub against Wen Xingchen when he heard his displeased tone and reluctantly murmured, feeling the warmth coming through their clothes, “Fine, fine, I won’t move.”
The faint scent of mint smoke lingered in the air, making him comfortable, and he just wanted to sleep well.
The rest area’s rooms were arranged for two people, but because Lu Jingning was the only Omega on the team, they made an exception and gave him a separate room.
Wen Xingchen assisted Lu Jingning into the room and unceremoniously threw him onto the bed.
Lu Jingning let out a soft hum but showed no response, naturally turning over and hugging the sheets tightly to his chest.
In this position, it seemed as if he wanted to bury himself entirely inside.
Wen Xingchen stood silently at the bedside for a moment before walking over and lightly patting Lu Jingning’s back, “Don’t sleep yet, take a shower first.”
Lu Jingning’s muffled voice came from inside the sheets, “Don’t wanna, sleep, stop bothering me.”
“…” Wen Xingchen paused for a moment, then lifted the covers without ceremony, “Wash up before you sleep. Do you plan to go to the competition venue tomorrow reeking of alcohol?”
Lu Jingning, blinded by the sudden brightness, covered his face with his hand, showing that he had no intention of dealing with the situation, “Go away!”
Wen Xingchen, noticing the lingering scent of another Alpha on Lu Jingning, could not help but feel a bit annoyed. Although the scent was very faint, with his acute senses, he could still clearly perceive the smell of Cen Junfeng.
Perhaps due to the temporary bonding mark, even such casual contact still made him feel like his territory was being invaded. Claiming to wash away the smell of alcohol was just an excuse; it was this other Alpha’s scent that truly bothered him.
Without saying anything, Wen Xingchen reached out and pulled Lu Jingning up from the bed, half-smiling, half-sarcastic, “If you really don’t want to move, I have a suggestion.”
Lu Jingning subconsciously grabbed his hand and gently rubbed it twice before blurting out in a daze, “Hmm? Tell me.”
Wen Xingchen paused for a moment, then leaned in slightly, smiling faintly, “How about I help you wash up?”
Lu Jingning: “…”
He fell silent for a moment, then nodded happily, “Okay, you wash me up!”
Wen Xingchen: “…”
After that, he lifted Lu Jingning and carried him into the bathroom.
Opening the glass door of the shower room, Wen Xingchen promptly placed Lu Jingning on the floor and turned on the showerhead. As the warm water cascaded down from above, he turned around and walked out.
A calm voice came through from behind the bathroom door, “I can only help you up to this point. From here on, you’re on your own.”
Lu Jingning was suddenly drenched by the water, dispersing a good deal of the hazy drunkenness. Despite feeling a bit dazed, he realized that in this situation, he had no choice but to wash up; he even considered storming out to find someone to fight with.
“Darn it, what kind of lousy room service is this? Absolutely terrible!”
…
The next day, Lu Jingning arrived at the competition venue almost with a face full of dissatisfaction. His expression turned even worse when he saw Wen Xingchen. He walked past without even acknowledging him or saying hello.
Wen Ye noticed the difference in their attitudes and couldn’t help glancing at Wen Xingchen, who appeared unfazed. He asked, “Did you have a fight?”
In his mind, after what happened on the mothership, he considered Lu Jingning half a part of the Wen family. With this understanding of his younger brother, he rarely paid much attention to these things.
Wen Xingchen replied calmly, “Nothing much, the kid is just in a bad mood.”
Wen Ye glanced at Lu Jingning’s expression and thought, “Looks like he’s really angry.”
After confirming that everyone had gathered, Jihan led the exchange team into the Heavy Cloud Sports Arena, where today’s event was the practical combat, which was still a team competition in strict terms.
According to the rules, each school could select three participants. The draw would decide the order of matches, with A facing B, B facing C, C facing D, and D facing A, proceeding with two-on-two battles. The winners would keep their spots and wait for the next round, while the losers would be directly eliminated. Each victory would earn one point, and a school whose three participants were all eliminated would be knocked out. The practical combat competition would only officially end after the final round determined the ultimate winner.
Under such rules, both individual strength and team composition were severe tests, and luck in the draw significantly influenced the final result. As a result, all schools attached tremendous importance to this aspect.
As per the initial discussion, the most favorable position was to be the last to participate in Group D. If lucky, they could preserve their strength better in this round-robin format.
After the two commentators on the platform finished explaining the specific rules, the much-awaited draw was about to begin.
Normally, the team captains would participate in this process, but Wen Ye proposed, “Let someone else do it.”
Seeing that Wen Ye was not going up, and considering the importance of the matter, no one volunteered right away.
Finally, Cen Junfeng spoke up first, “How about we let Lu Jingning do it?”
This suggestion was met with approval from others, thinking it was a good idea.
However, today, Lu Jingning, who usually loved attention, seemed disinterested. He nonchalantly said, “Not interested, I won’t go. Let whoever wants to go, go.”
Cen Junfeng looked at him strangely, “Didn’t you say you wanted to be the most dazzling Omega on the field? Why don’t you want to go now? Tell me honestly, are you doing this on purpose against me?”
Lu Jingning retorted, “Rest assured, you’re not important enough to be the target of my actions. But if you insist on thinking that way, I don’t mind.”
Cen Junfeng was so exasperated that his nose twitched, “You’re definitely doing this to oppose me!”
Bing Yunlin looked at their dispute and smiled as he turned to Wen Xingchen, “Don’t you have anything to say?”
Wen Xingchen initially had no intention of participating but, under Bing Yunlin’s gaze, he spoke calmly, “The draw ceremony is often the time to boost morale. As a crucial member of our exchange team, it would be regrettable not to let everyone admire the grand appearance of an amazing Omega at this moment. Don’t you think so?”
Originally determined, Lu Jingning suddenly turned around and glanced at him, “Are you serious?”
Cen Junfeng: “…”
Is that even a question? No matter how you interpret those words, they sound like a joke!
Yet, Wen Xingchen smiled faintly, “From the bottom of my heart.”
Lu Jingning was lightly flattered by his flattery, and some of the dissatisfaction from being randomly drenched the night before dissipated.
After some thought, he nodded in agreement, “You make a lot of sense. I suddenly feel that only I can shoulder this heavy responsibility!”
Cen Junfeng: “…”
He never imagined that this bullshit method would work. He had gained some knowledge today!
T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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