Chapter 50: Golden App
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Because all scents were purified by them in some way, even the faintest scent of pheromones became apparent.
An Lan didn’t know how to describe this scent—it felt like tiny needles pricking his olfactory nerves one by one. An Lan couldn’t recall smelling this kind of pheromone, but he did smell it while awake. So, he would remember it.
One day, as long as he encountered this person again, An Lan had a high probability of recognizing him.
After drinking a few sips, the person closed the bottle and placed it aside. Without saying a word, he left the room.
Although this man didn’t say a word, An Lan could feel that this was a tightly managed organization. Finding an opportunity to leave here would be quite difficult. An Lan couldn’t even predict how many people were guarding this place. Moreover, based on their style of action, they probably wouldn’t leave any gaps for him to escape.
A voice sounded again.
“To be honest, this isn’t the first time we’ve ‘invited’ someone here, but you’re the quietest one.”
An Lan remained silent. Speaking less would avoid stimulating his emotions.
If these people wanted his life or to harm him, they wouldn’t go through the trouble of using restraints.
Perhaps noticing An Lan’s continued silence, the person chuckled slightly, finally getting to the point.
“When you were asleep, we took a sample of your blood.”
Blood sample?
An Lan had initially speculated that his recent closeness with Gu Liyu and the others might have dragged him into the internal conflicts of the alpha elite families, causing this kidnapping. But with the mention of a blood sample, the first thing that flashed into An Lan’s mind was Eve’s apple!
“The concentration of pheromones unique to you is really low. This makes you unable to resist the three times higher concentration of Eve’s apple. In theory, even if you don’t die from a rapid heartbeat, you would still differentiate into an inferior omega.”
The person’s voice carried a mocking tone, as if manipulating someone else’s life, even their existence, with drugs, was just a game to him.
This disgusted An Lan.
“But you survived and continue to differentiate into an alpha. We’ve considered many possibilities, even infiltrated the hospital system where you were treated and pulled up your medical records. It turns out there was another high-quality alpha who saved you.”
An Lan was shocked. Who were these people? They could even access hospital records.
More importantly, they had been watching him silently. Now, they suddenly acted. What was the reason?
“An Lan, who is that high-quality alpha?” the person asked.
An Lan was momentarily stunned. So, their goal wasn’t only him; it also involved the person who saved him. What was going on?
“I don’t know,” An Lan replied.
A light laughter followed, accompanied by the transmission of radio waves with a “scratchy” sound, as if sandpaper were repeatedly grinding against his heart, and the valve might rupture at any moment, letting blood permeate recklessly.
This person’s voice was laced with horror.
“Don’t worry, we won’t harm him. We just want to cooperate with him.”
“Cooperate? Cooperate in what?” An Lan’s fists clenched subconsciously.
Regardless of who that person was, he saved An Lan and even went so far as to provide a blood sample to maintain An Lan’s normal differentiation. An Lan wanted to protect him and definitely didn’t want to drag him into such a dangerous situation.
“Of course, to make his dreams come true.”
An Lan coldly smiled, “You don’t even know who he is, how can you know what his dreams are?”
“We’re all alphas. Mouths may lie, but pheromones don’t. The concentration of aplus left in your body when he first marked you was several times that of a normal alpha entering the susceptible period. You must have looked very tempting at that time.”
The last sentence was drawn out, carrying a malicious mockery and speculation.
But An Lan’s heart turned cold. This person knew everything, even the doctor’s speculations about him at that time.
The doctor said that this alpha had a strong possessiveness and protectiveness towards An Lan, so the high concentration of aplus, while neutralizing the Eve’s apple, led An Lan to differentiate into an omega. Aplus was the manifestation of an alpha’s instinctive will and a physiological language that couldn’t lie.
This alpha had an intense desire to mark An Lan.
“Actually, you don’t need to say anything. We’ll find him for you.”
Another light laughter followed, and then the entire room fell into silence. All An Lan could hear was his own heartbeat.
So, their target wasn’t him; it was the alpha who could change his differentiation with sheer will.
He was just bait. This organization wanted that alpha!
D*mn it!
An Lan leaned back, banging the back of his head against the chair.
He needed to find a way to leave. This wasn’t just about himself; it also involved the person who saved him.
Meanwhile, a young man arrived at the city bureau. A small meeting room was already filled with people, all waiting for his arrival.
“Big brother,” Gu Liyu nodded towards him.
Gu Qingchuan was still wearing the white coat from the research lab, with a work badge hanging on his chest. He had similar features to Gu Liyu, but while Gu Liyu appeared stern with a youthful aura, Gu Qingchuan exuded mature charm, making him more adaptable and affable.
He exhaled and said to the three young people standing outside the door, “Come in. I’ve informed the city bureau. If An Lan is really in trouble because of the Eve’s apple, there are some things you three must know. Keeping you in the dark won’t benefit finding An Lan.”
“Thank you, Big Brother Gu.” Xu Xingran and Xiao Chen expressed their gratitude.
If it weren’t for Gu Qingchuan, the three of them would have been completely in the dark about the content of this meeting. Moreover, the organization producing Eve’s apple was tightly knit and deeply rooted. To uproot it completely, it would be a prolonged and potentially fruitless effort without the cooperation of the three major families.
The three young people entered the meeting room and took seats at the far end.
All pleasantries and introductions were skipped. After Gu Qingchuan came in, he directly opened the files.
“All of you present here have been working in the field of combating the trafficking and manufacturing of Eve’s apple for many years. Although this substance isn’t a drug, its influence is no less than the most powerful narcotics. While drugs can ruin an individual, Eve’s apple can manipulate the lives and even destinies of the next generation.”
The entire meeting room fell silent.
Although Gu Qingchuan was young and he was currently only a doctoral candidate, working in the city’s official research lab studying Eve’s apple, as the chief assistant to Professor Chen, the head of the lab currently overseas for academic exchange, Gu Qingchuan’s insights into Eve’s apple were authoritative. He was here to provide explanations in place of Professor Chen.
“Based on our research on the samples sent by the police and our study of Eve’s apple, we have classified the known varieties into three types. The first type is the most basic and visually straightforward, called ‘Green Apple.’ It affects omega’s senses, magnifying their estrus period, and even omegas who have already been fully marked may break their spousal marks and submit to other alphas.”
When “Green Apple” appeared, it caused a major sensation in society.
With the progress of the times and the development of biotechnology, if a pair of AO spouses truly reached the end of their marriage, they could terminate their physiological covenant through proper procedures. However, “Green Apple” could forcibly destroy this covenant and even compel omegas who already had a spouse to be possessed by other alphas.
It was quite terrifying.
“The second type is an upgraded version of ‘Green Apple,’ the kind used on An Lan.”
When he mentioned this, Gu Qingchuan felt the intense gazes of the three young alphas, almost as if they could penetrate his brain.
“Everyone knows that the current society is unbalanced, with a limited number of omegas. The rights and marriages of omegas are protected by law. Many alphas, particularly those with power and wealth, don’t have many opportunities to find a compatible omega. Moreover, once the desire gate opens, if one omega isn’t enough, they want two, three, or even more. This dream of having three thousand beautiful women at their beck and call gave rise to the ‘Silver Apple.’ Long-term use of the ‘Silver Apple’ can turn betas into omegas, with a success rate of about five percent.”
Everyone fell silent. A five percent success rate might seem low, but considering that with a hundred betas as test subjects, five omegas could be produced.
Gu Qingchuan continued to explain, “But An Lan’s situation is special. He was in the process of differentiating into an alpha at that time, not a pure beta. The police once sent An Lan’s blood sample to us for research, and our conclusion was…”
Gu Qingchuan’s gaze fell on the three young people at the back. Even though they were seven or eight meters away from Gu Qingchuan, he could feel how nervous they were.
“If An Lan really differentiates into an omega, he will be an extremely high-quality omega. It’s precisely because of this that the police have kept the information sealed, ensuring that he smoothly completes his differentiation period and to prevent him from being targeted by ‘Eden.'”
“Eden” is the nickname of the organization that produces Eve’s apple.
Xu Xingran’s eyes slowly widened, completely incredulous. “Mr. Gu… Did you just say a high-quality omega, not an inferiority omega?”
Gu Qingchuan nodded.
“According to our research, it’s determined by his unique differentiation period. At that time, he was in the process of differentiating into an alpha, which means his physical fitness, body qualities, and brain were all in the developmental stage, especially his physical resilience was much stronger than many omegas. And this kind of development is irreversible, just like a body that has grown taller won’t become shorter due to An Lan’s transformation into an omega. The super-strong senses he developed towards becoming an alpha won’t regress either. We make a bold assumption — if he differentiates into an omega, his pheromones would have an irresistibly attractive effect on young alphas without a covenant partner.”
Xiao Chen was stunned, obviously experiencing a strong impact on his understanding of the world. “Although I find him very pleasing to the eye, I never thought… he would become an omega… It’s already good now, no need…”
“No need for what?” Gu Qingchuan asked.
“No need to become… a heartthrob.”
After Xiao Chen spoke, the others in the meeting room coughed involuntarily.
“But, to complete this differentiation, ‘Silver Apple’ can’t do it. ‘Silver Apple’ can only affect An Lan, and ‘Eden’ needs a high-quality alpha with a high concentration of aplus to accomplish the transformation. Until now, no research institution has been able to mass-produce and preserve aplus, and each alpha’s aplus carries genetic encoding, making it non-replicable. When ‘Eden’ discovered An Lan’s uniqueness, he had already accepted this alpha’s aplus, meaning his body had received this alpha’s aplus.”
Xu Xingran’s eyes narrowed, and he gritted his teeth. “So… Eden is looking for this alpha… wanting to refine his aplus, completing An Lan’s transformation into an omega. Because all the research is just theoretical, only when An Lan becomes an omega does it mean that ‘Silver Apple’ of Eden has succeeded?”
Gu Qingchuan clapped his hands. “Yes, exactly. All theories must be proven by practice. And this alpha’s aplus is ‘Eden’s’ ultimate goal, as well as their third-generation forbidden drug — Golden Apple. If An Lan’s case is successful, elite alphas will be able to customize their partners. Think about it, these alphas can choose a pre-Alpha undergoing differentiation. Just give them ‘Silver Apple,’ and then use the alpha’s aplus to guide and complete the differentiation into omega. They will have charming and high-quality omega partners.”
As he finished speaking, the entire meeting room erupted in a buzz.
This would bring about a revolutionary change in their world. Ethics would be overturned, and even the various alpha families would probably cooperate with ‘Eden.’ At that time, ‘Eden’s’ influence would be able to penetrate forcefully, with nothing to stop them.
“Everyone, please be quiet and let me finish,” Gu Qingchuan tapped the table with force, drawing the attention of everyone.
Instantly, all eyes were on him.
“The only consolation we have now is that it’s not possible to randomly pick an alpha, and their aplus will have this kind of strength and concentration. Currently, only high-quality alphas can achieve this. But I won’t deny that once An Lan’s case is successful, ‘Eden’ will be able to solve the gene encoding and preservation issues of aplus, making a special case become universal.”
The captain’s mood was extremely heavy. He initially thought he would be dealing with a simple student kidnapping case, but he never expected the situation to be so complex.
“What should we do next?” The captain looked at Gu Qingchuan. “You’ve been dealing with ‘Eden’ both overtly and covertly for a long time. You should be familiar with their methods and objectives. If you have any suggestions, please enlighten us.”
“Eden has always been meticulous in their operations. Normally, they wouldn’t abduct An Lan while he’s shopping. Normally, they would carry out their plans discreetly, making those around An Lan believe he left for normal reasons. By the time they realize An Lan is truly missing, it’s already too late to search. But this time, they chose to take him away when there were classmates waiting for An Lan. This implies… Eden wants An Lan’s classmates to find him.”
Gu Qingchuan looked at Xu Xingran, Gu Liyu, and Xiao Chen.
“So, the target is us?” Xiao Chen pointed to himself.
“Yes, the target is us,” Xu Xingran said, patting Xiao Chen on the shoulder.
The captain immediately said, “Then we must assign someone to protect these three students.”
“No need for protection, and we can’t be protected.”
Gu Liyu, who hadn’t spoken until now, finally spoke up.
“What? Knowing that Eden is targeting you, and you actually say not to protect you?”
“If you protect us, we won’t have the opportunity to contact people from Eden, and Eden won’t have a way to ‘invite’ us. With no interaction, there’s no chance to catch Eden,” Gu Liyu explained.
“That’s right. Eden’s goal is the perfect template of an omega. An Lan is their bait, and we are also the police’s bait,” Xu Xingran added.
“If any of you kids have an accident, it will be a huge deal…” The captain’s words were cut off by Xiao Chen.
“It doesn’t include me. If something big happens to me, certain people will probably laugh until they can’t sleep at night.”
Gu Qingchuan, while organizing his materials, said, “All the information our research institution has is already sent to the city bureau. If there’s any need for professional knowledge, you can directly contact my institute or call me. I hope you all can rescue An Lan as soon as possible. Good luck to everyone.”
Walking out of the meeting room, Gu Qingchuan stopped Gu Liyu.
“Brother, what’s the matter?” Gu Liyu asked.
Gu Qingchuan gave Gu Liyu a hug and gently patted his cousin’s back. “No matter when or where, don’t lose your rationality. Since Eden wants a perfect example of an omega, they won’t harm An Lan’s life. Do you remember the principles of our Gu family’s actions?”
“Remember. Always prepared.”
“Mmm.” Gu Qingchuan nodded, taking his white coat from Gu Liyu and leaving with his laptop.
Xu Xingran’s family sent a driver to pick him up, but he dismissed the driver and drove himself, signaling Gu Liyu and Xiao Chen to join him.
“I’ll visit An Lan’s home. His parents must be worried right now,” Xu Xingran said.
“Of course. Uncle and Aunt… are really nice people,” Xiao Chen replied.
“So, from now on, no matter who bit An Lan in the KTV, we must remember one thing,” Xu Xingran said.
Xiao Chen and Gu Liyu in the backseat both looked over.
“What?”
“The truth doesn’t matter; just remember… unless An Lan comes back safely, we are the ones who bit him,” Xu Xingran glanced coldly at the rearview mirror. “This way, Eden won’t be able to determine the target. They’ll have to contact each of us individually.”
Only by contacting Eden’s people would they have a chance to save An Lan.
“I understand,” Xiao Chen nodded.
Gu Liyu lowered his eyes and replied, “Yes.”
At this moment, An Lan was blindfolded and unaware of how long he had been trapped.
He hadn’t had dinner, and his stomach growled.
Because he couldn’t move after sitting for too long, his feet were numb.
At this moment, the voice of that person came again.
“It seems our guest is hungry. It’s my negligence; I forgot you didn’t get to eat your spicy hot pot tonight.”
An Lan swallowed saliva; he needed to eat to regain strength. He also needed to take in glucose to keep his brain functioning, including relying on nutrition for his keen senses.
The door opened again, and judging by the footsteps, it was the same person who had given An Lan water before.
They remained silent and simply opened the food container, scooping up the meal and bringing it to An Lan’s mouth.
The taste of the food was mild, but it was nutritionally balanced, probably a nutritious meal for experimental subjects.
An Lan finished the meal, soothing his empty stomach. However, being immobilized for so long made his limbs uncomfortable due to poor blood circulation.
The person gave another command, “Take our guest up and walk a few laps. He’s crucial, and we can’t afford to let him deteriorate.”
So, An Lan’s restraints on his hands and ankles were opened, and the key to unlock them was with that person.
They took him by the right arm, intending to lift him up. However, An Lan, who hadn’t moved for so long, found his legs numb. He almost fell to the ground, but the person quickly lifted him up.
A soft laughter followed through the airwaves.
“Falling flat on the ground doesn’t look good. Your little lover would feel heartbroken if he saw that.”
The term “little lover” once again confirmed An Lan’s suspicion that the organization’s target was probably Xu Xingran and the others.
An Lan remained silent, allowing the person to lift him for a while until he finally stood steadily. An Lan took a step, pretending he hadn’t found his balance and almost fell again. Before he could touch the ground, the person pulled him up.
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