Chapter 99: Embracing Single Life
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No one believed Shen Yao would die. They preferred to believe that Shen Yao was once again lying.
With the spreading wildfire, the three Alphas followed the rescue team through the jungle for a day and night, searching tirelessly. They found no trace indicating survival, yet no one gave up. They searched again and again, almost obsessively.
On the seventh day since Shen Yao’s disappearance, they were called back to the search headquarters. They were still wearing the same clothes as that day, bearing injuries and bloodstains on their hands. All the injuries were from digging through the soil, a reminder that persisted to this day.
The piece of white fabric that had been unearthed from the soil was sealed, a rose preserved among ashes.
The search team leader asked helplessly, “Are you calmer now?”
This should have been the last possession of the passenger on the plane. He didn’t know what relationship existed between the three Alphas in front of him.
But because of this piece of fabric, they fought like a pack of wild beasts at the scene, relentlessly. In the end, they had no choice but to administer full doses of tranquilizers to each of them.
Then they took the item away.
However, he never expected that when they saw the fabric, Guan Shu would be the first to react. He bumped into something beside him, then rushed forward without any consideration, as if he were grasping at the last straw.
In the instant he clenched it, a phantom appeared before Guan Shu’s eyes—a young and still somewhat inexperienced Shen Yao turning around with a smile.
Guan Shu hadn’t spoken for days, hadn’t had a drink of water. His cracked lips oozed blood:
“Shen Yao…”
“Bang!”
“Bang!”
Several muffled sounds followed, and the office instantly descended into chaos. Taking advantage of Guan Shu’s momentary distraction, Yan Zhixing forcefully extended his hand, grabbing hold of the other corner of the fabric.
“…Give it to me.”
However, Yan Zhixing continued to stare maniacally at the small piece of fabric, faintly carrying the fragrance of apricot blossoms and lingering with Shen Yao’s warmth.
It was the last thing Shen Yao left behind.
Though pinned down by Guan Shu, he refused to let go, stubbornly repeating, “I am Shen Yao’s Alpha. His belongings should all be taken by me…”
“Enough!”
His sudden rise in tone didn’t halt the frenzied dispute between the two Alphas. Xu Yibai also got up from the ground, his gaze fixated on the fabric. He pulled out a pre-prepared marriage certificate from his pocket and threw it on the ground, saying:
“I am his husband! I am the only one who can take his belongings! What the h*ll are you? You’re just a dumb*ss who still doesn’t understand that Shen Yao can’t be permanently marked!!”
Yan Zhixing’s pupils abruptly dilated, a buzz resonating in his brain as his heart seemed to plummet.
“What… did you say?”
The fact that Shen Yao couldn’t be permanently marked meant one thing—something he believed was their unique connection. But now, that connection has been completely severed.
He had become the least qualified person to take away this piece of fabric.
Just as Yan Zhixing’s phone, with only a sliver of battery left, suddenly rang, his finger inadvertently pressed the answer button and activated the speaker.
“Hello, this is the National Security Bureau. Is this Mr. Yan Zhixing?”
“…Yes.”
“We have completed the investigation into the plane crash. It was caused by a timed bomb placed on your plane. The perpetrator has been apprehended, and upon investigating the connections, he is your brother.”
“Please come to the National Security Bureau for cooperation… Click—”
The phone shut off due to low battery, the screen abruptly turning black, reflecting his bloodless face. Even when Guan Shu and Xu Yibai’s fists were pounding on him, he didn’t evade.
In an instant, emotions erupted. Guan Shu and Xu Yibai roared ferociously, questioning:
“Why didn’t you handle your own affairs?! Why? Enemies all over? With no capabilities, why did you want to take Shen Yao away? Can’t you even protect him?”
***
The helicopter’s rotor blades spun at a high frequency, as if slicing through the air. Looking down from the sky, all that could be seen was the jungle turned pitch-black by the wildfire.
Seated in the back, a person wore an airport ground crew uniform that was slightly oversized for him. He rolled up the sleeves to his elbows, revealing immaculate wrists.
As the helicopter descended into the distance, he removed the headphones and took off the cap on his head, revealing an exceedingly beautiful and exquisite face.
Shen Yao, who was supposed to have perished in the plane crash, was unscathed. His skin remained as fair as ever, untouched by a speck of dirt.
Walking down the steps, Shen Yao’s gaze immediately fell on the Alpha standing in front. The face didn’t make him feel unfamiliar; his memories held something related to it.
His steps gradually slowed down, and he politely inquired, “Should I call you General Guan or Uncle Guan?”
“Call me whichever you prefer.” Guan Yan’s gaze scrutinized his face, and he asked in return, “When did you remember?”
Shen Yao lightly furrowed his brows. He lifted his hand to press against his throbbing temple again. “No, I haven’t fully remembered everything. Many things are just vague fragments.”
But there was one crucial thing Shen Yao remembered—he wasn’t Yan Zhixing’s savior, and he actually wanted to kill Yan Zhixing. He had just switched sides midway as a ploy to gain trust.
Guan Yan didn’t say more. He gestured to the guard beside him, indicating, “Take him to the ferry. Make sure he reaches his intended destination safely before returning. Contact me immediately if there’s any issue.”
The guard saluted, saying, “Understood!”
“Thank you.” As Shen Yao turned to leave, he paused in his steps. “I won’t appear in front of Guan Shu again. With time passing, he will forget me and go on his own path.”
“No.” Guan Yan said, “I’m not saying I’m worried about that, but separating now is indeed the best choice.”
Going round and round, Shen Yao once again boarded a ferry headed for the island. Leaning comfortably against the deck railing, he broke the bread in his hand into small pieces and fed them to the seagulls that flew over.
The seagulls snatched the bread, fluttering their wings as they flew farther away. Shen Yao brushed off the crumbs from his hand.
Even though it was Yan Zhixing, all domestic security matters had to be handed over to the military. In theory, upon discovering the timed bomb on the plane, Guan Yan should have promptly informed Yan Zhixing.
But he didn’t. He even replaced the personnel on Yan Zhixing’s plane.
Before the plane took off, Shen Yao had changed into a uniform and left the plane destined to explode.
After all, perhaps death was truly the best farewell.
The ship sailed on the sea for an entire month, like a long journey, heading towards the end of the earth, drifting farther and farther on the sea.
Shen Yao finally saw the secluded and peaceful island, seemingly detached from human management.
As the ship was about to dock, Shen Yao took a needle from a prepared medical kit and injected it into his arm.
With the infusion of the medication, the sweet apricot blossom scent on him gradually dissipated, eventually completely vanishing into the air.
He now looked like an ordinary Beta.
“You need to understand the principle of ‘when things reach an extreme, they can only move in the opposite direction.’ If you want to hide your Omega identity, you must take this injection every three months without fail,” the guard reminded him. “Otherwise, even missing a single day can have unimaginable consequences. Don’t ever forget.”
“Alright, thank you.”
Shen Yao disembarked, politely raising his hand in farewell to the guard.
His luggage was minimal, and he headed toward the prepared residence.
The sea breeze carried a salty and humid scent. His aura was different from everyone else here. Every person who passed by couldn’t help but steal a glance at him, especially at his face.
His dwelling was by the sea, a row of neatly arranged houses with walls painted in various colors.
Shen Yao carefully checked each doorplate and suddenly noticed a door being forcefully opened. The sign hanging on it swayed a few times from the impact.
A teenage Alpha burst out from inside the house, running out while shouting back into the house, “I don’t want to stay on this island anymore!! There’s nothing interesting here! I do the same things every day!! See the same people!! I want to get out!”
The charging footsteps of the Alpha came to a sudden halt because he nearly collided with the face in front of him. Life on this island was mundane, and the Alpha teenager, who had never been to distant places, had never seen someone as beautiful as the person before him. When their eyes met, he couldn’t even utter a word.
“Hello, I’m Shen Min, a Beta,” Shen Yao introduced himself.
The teenager, who was initially full of anger, suddenly didn’t know where to put his hands. He had unique curly hair and a youthful face, yet he exuded a different kind of charm.
Due to living by the sea, his skin had been darkened by the sun’s UV rays, and his cheeks were now slightly flushed.
Shen Yao smiled lightly at the young Alpha. He gestured toward the house beside him. “What a coincidence, we’re neighbors.”
In just a few exchanged words, the Alpha was already following Shen Yao, lively and somewhat reserved, like a spirited yet shy puppy.
The Beta beside him was more beautiful than any Omega he had seen. His gait unconsciously synchronized with Shen Yao’s. In a hushed voice, he asked, “Did you come from outside? Isn’t the outside fun? Why did you come here?”
Shen Yao smiled, his eyes and brows curved. “This is my grandfather’s house. He bought it a long time ago but never had the chance to come. He passed away recently. Before he left, he said he loved this place, and it had always been his dream to live here temporarily.”
“Now I’m fulfilling his wish.”
The young Alpha’s mind took a few twists and turns to process the information. He quickly grasped the main point: living here for a while meant he wouldn’t leave soon.
“Yes! The island is great! I grew up here since I was a child! I can show you around!” The young Alpha retracted his earlier complaint about the island being boring. “So, can you stay a little longer…?”
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