Disi deliberately lowered his voice, but it sounded like muffled thunder as it exploded in Ling Yi’s eardrum.

After saying this, he retreated to his original position and relished the change in Ling Yi’s expression with amusement.

None of the guests chatting and drinking could have imagined that at this moment, someone at the banquet was thinking at lightning speed as he analyzed the feasibility of killing someone in front of the empire’s top elite troops.

Ling Yi suppressed the turmoil in his heart. Other than that initial moment, he seemed outwardly calm.

“How did you know?”

“Over the past few months, whether on the news or social media, your face has been everywhere I look. It would be difficult not to notice.”

“Do you expect me to believe that? Everyone here has seen me, so why haven’t they recognized me? Even people who spent time with me every day don’t recognize me as I am now.”

“It’s because they’re either too close to you or too far away. If they’re far away, they can’t see you clearly, and if they’re close, they’re blind.”

Lei Yue returned with a plate piled high with food. He noticed the person beside Ling Yi and the indescribable undercurrent between them, and was astonished.

“Sidi, you’re here too? How do you know each other?”

Disi smiled and replied: “I’m here to eat, do you mind? This friend and I hit it off at Grand Duke Sully’s ball. I never expected to run into him again here. What a coincidence.”

Then he explained to Ling Yi: “Lei Yue and I are classmates at the Royal Academy.”

Lei Yue placed the dishes on the table one by one. But when the table was nearly full, he realized that the most important main course was missing.

“Wait! I’ll go grab it and be right back!”

Even with this person’s new identity as a classmate of Li Yue, Ling Yi didn’t relax his guard.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone, including Lei Yue. We actually aren’t that close, and barely exchange a few words at school. He’s a big name on campus and I’m just a marginal figure.”

“What do you want?”

“I just want to be friends with you. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with the hero who fights for the common people?”

Disi gave him a friendly smile.

Lei Yue came back with the largest plate yet and placed it closest to Ling Yi.

Disi said with a laugh: “There are so many servants coming and going here, yet you’re still taking care of such a minor task yourself. It seems you care deeply about this distinguished guest.”

Lei Yue didn’t seem to hear him: “This is Wielan steak, my family chef’s specialty. Try it.”

Disi raised an eyebrow.

Ling Yi collected his thoughts and realized belatedly that Lei Yue had brought a wide variety of dishes, filling the entire table.

“You said you know your kitchen best, it turns out you brought the entire kitchen here?”

“I didn’t know what you would like, so I just grabbed a few more.”

Lei Yue felt that just bringing the dishes wasn’t enough, so he took a little bit of each and put it on the plate in front of Ling Yi.

In the end, he even helped slice Ling Yi’s steak into small portions so that he only had to focus on eating it, taking care of him in every way. 

Disi, also a guest, was completely left out.

Feeling a little unbalanced at the sight, Disi said: “Lei Yue, do you know who this is?”

Ling Yi’s hand shook, and the steak on his fork nearly fell.

He warned Disi with his eyes, but the other continued to speak: “He’s the little friend His Highness Oser values so much.”

He emphasized each word to make their weight clear.

“So what?” This was what Lei Yue least wanted to hear.

“You’re being so attentive. Aren’t you afraid His Highness Oser will get suspicious?”

“I’m a host taking care of his guest. What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing’s wrong, you’ve been very considerate. His Highness Oser will thank you,” Disi said, hiding his sharpness behind a veneer of gentility.

Ling Yi attempted to change the subject: “What’s the Royal Academy like? Are only royals and nobles allowed to attend?”

When Lei Yue heard this, he immediately put aside Disi’s unpleasantness.

“That’s true in theory, but many children of nobles are spoiled and need to be served even when it comes to eating or dressing. Because of this, the school allows each student to bring one more person with them.”

Ling Yi: “Are these people also considered to be formal students?”

Lei Yue nodded: “These people are pretty much all commoners. They also receive an education while taking care of the nobles’ daily needs, and many of them become successful after graduation, achieving a higher class status. Some families borrow money, give gifts, and seek out connections just to send their children there.”

Ling Yi just found it ironic: “The poor give money and gifts to the nobles. No wonder the poor get poorer and the rich get richer.”

Lei Yue asked him: “You’re studying at Luban, so do you plan to join the army after graduation?”

Ling Yi slowly chewed a piece of mushroom. He really liked the unique flavor.

“Well, even if I did have such a goal, it seems it won’t be easy to attain.”

“Exactly! Life in the army is rough. I’ve seen the daily life of my father and his comrades. Especially……especially for someone like you with a special situation, there will be a lot of inconveniences if you go to the front lines.”

Lei Yue seized the opportunity and said: “How about you come to the Royal Academy for further study?”

“Further study?”

“I haven’t used my quota yet. I can be your referral.”

He realized that this statement might lead to a misunderstanding, and added: “Since I was young, my father has attached great importance to cultivating my ability to take care of myself, so I don’t need a servant. You won’t have to take care of me…..but I can still take care of you if you need me.”

“Well…..”

Seeing his hesitation, Lei Yue pulled Disi – who had just now been making insinuations – into his advocacy camp: “Sidi, you say a few words too.”

Disi said with a smile: “At the Royal Academy, you can choose any subjects you like and experience hundreds of clubs and organizations. The school holds a variety of large-scale events every year, including sports competitions and overseas study tours. There’s nothing you can’t accomplish at the Royal Academy, unless your imagination is limited.”

Compared to Luban Military Academy, which was known for its strict discipline, what he described sounded like heaven. 

“The two of you together are like a Royal Academy recruitment ad. You’ve really convinced me.”

Lei Yue’s eyes lit up: “You can join our motorcycle club, and we can go racing together after classes!”

Ling Yi interrupted his fantasy: “But even if I want to go, I’ll have to ask His Highness Oser’s opinion first.”

“Is His Highness restricting your freedom?” Lei Yue’s expression turned ugly again.

Disi casually added another piece of mushroom to his plate. Ling Yi didn’t notice that the person feeding him had changed, and picked up the mushroom, bringing it to his mouth: “That’s not how it is…..”

Suddenly, someone grabbed his wrist and pulled him out of his seat, causing him to drop his fork.

When Ling Yi saw who it was, his face was awash with confusion: “Your Highness?”

Oser had seen Ling Yi and Disi together and rushed over, attracting many curious gazes. He swallowed the angry words that had risen in his throat.

“I didn’t expect you to make new friends so quickly.”

“You mean these two? They’re not new friends. I met this one at Grand Duke Sully’s ball, and you’ve seen the other person.”

Oser instantly recalled the fox-masked man who had been chatting and laughing with Ling Yi at the ball. Sure enough, it was that little fox.

Presently, the fox stood from his seat and offered Oser a polite nod, but Oser could tell by the curve of his mouth that he had ulterior motives.

He put a demonstrative arm around Ling Yi’s waist: “I was worried you would be bored, but I’m relieved that you have so many old friends by your side.”

Oser emphasized the word “old,” and Ling Yi could tell that he was jealous again.

“I’m not as popular as Your Highness. People have been toasting you ever since you came in, and I couldn’t even squeeze through the crowd to find you. I’m the one who was left on the sidelines,” he deliberately scolded.

Oser was somewhat mollified: “It seems I haven’t been taking good care of you. I’ll take you to see the spoils the marshal brought back this time.”

“Why do you make it sound like they’re tourist souvenirs? If I like them, can I take them?” Ling Yi joked.

“No need. Whatever you like, I’ll have Lei Cheng send it to the palace.”

He nodded haughtily to Disi and the other man and left with Ling Yi in his arms.

The two people left behind gazed after their departing backs, each with their own emotions.

Lei Yue was feeling down. Ling Yi had left his glass of wine without taking a sip, so he simply raised it up and drank it all in one gulp.

Oser pulled Ling Yi into a corner and dropped his enigmatic guise: “Don’t spend any more time with that guy just now. He doesn’t look like a good person.”

Ling Yi was amused: “There were two people just now. Which one are you referring to?”

“Then both of them.”

Ling Yi reached up to straighten Oser’s collar, which wasn’t even messy, and his knuckles brushed against his Adam’s apple.

“Your Highness, you should make a blacklist of all the people you take issue with, including Alphas, Omegas, Xi Lan…..”

“I’m afraid the paper won’t be big enough to hold them all.”

“Then make it into a book. Is a dictionary thick enough?”

Ling Yi was joking with Oser when he suddenly heard a scream from the banquet table.

Looking toward the source of the sound, Lei Yue, who had been fine half a minute ago, was lying motionless on the floor.

Ling Yi rushed over unthinkingly and found that Lei Yue’s eyes were closed and his lips were purple.

“He’s been poisoned! What did he eat just now?”

The person who’d screamed pointed at the shattered glass on the floor: “He drank that and then collapsed.”

When they heard he’d been poisoned, the crowd erupted.

They had consumed a lot of the drinks and food here. If it was a large-scale poisoning, they were in grave trouble. 

A man dressed as a military doctor arrived with a first aid kit. After examining Lei Yue’s condition, he injected him with a golden liquid.

“The toxin is under control for now. He needs to be sent to the hospital for gastric lavage immediately.”

Everyone immediately gathered around to send him to the hospital, and Ling Yi suddenly became vigilant: “No one move!”

Everyone was taken aback, and someone shouted at him: “He’s the Marshal’s son, will you take responsibility if you delay his treatment?”

Ling Yi remained calm and unmoved as he pointed out four people in the crowd one by one. Aside from the doctor, they were all soldiers who had arrived in the wake of the incident.

“You four take him to the hospital. The rest of you stay where you are.”

“Who are you, ah? Do you know who these people are? Why should they listen to your orders?”

“If you ignore his orders, will you ignore mine as well?” Oser’s commanding voice sounded, and the voices questioning him disappeared in an instant.

Oser said to the people Ling Yi had pointed out: “You leave first.”

The unconscious Lei Yue was quickly carried away.

Oser glanced at the people present one by one: “Who was here just now?”

Everyone looked at each other and pointed fingers randomly.

“I remember that he seemed to be here.”

“No I wasn’t! I ran over when I heard the shouting!”

Ling Yi crouched down and observed the liquid remaining in the glass fragments.

— The white wine produced on Croston’s own estate is refreshing and mellow, but be careful when drinking it. 

The belated arrival of Lei Cheng and his entourage added a greater sense of oppression to the scene. These backbones of the military were intimidating even when they weren’t angry, but when they did get angry, the people around felt like the ground they were walking on was a battlefield.

“Where is Lei Yue?”

“Reporting to the Marshal! He’s been sent to the Royal Medical College for emergency treatment!”

“First Legion, listen to my orders!”

“Yes, Sir!” In a uniform response, soldiers in all different locations stood at attention and answered in unison.

Lei Cheng strode out with haste: “While I’m away, all of you will obey His Highness Oser’s orders.”

“Yes!”

Lei Cheng departed in a gust of wind, and the highest-ranking officer left behind marched over to Oser and saluted.

“Your Highness Oser, please relay your instructions!”

“Someone poisoned the Marshal’s beloved son in his own home. This is a grave matter. In order to find the killer as soon as possible, I have no choice but to offend all of the guests present and trouble you to stay for questioning. Body searches are permitted if necessary. No one may leave until they have been completely cleared of suspicion.”

He took a step forward and whispered in the officer’s ear so that only the two of them could hear: “Screen the staff, particularly those with access to the food and drinks, as well as anyone associated with the Prime Minister.”

Upon hearing that those associated with Lu Hulun were to be investigated, the officer’s eyes flashed with confusion for a fraction of a second, but his military identity forced him to obey without question.

“As you command!”

“Have your men keep a close eye on them. Don’t give anyone a chance to commit suicide.”

Oser’s words signified that the poisoner might be someone ordered to take their own life before being interrogated, so the officer dared not take it lightly. “Understood!”

When His Highness Oser was the first to be searched, the rest of the crowd had no choice but to cooperate, no matter how reluctant they were.

After searching Oser, the officer said cautiously: “Your Highness, this is a matter of great importance, so your friend may also need to go through the necessary procedures.”

Ling Yi spoke up before Oser could: “No problem, I want to clear myself of suspicion as soon as possible. Please have one of your Omega subordinates search me.”

His statement was equivalent to publicly admitting his identity as an Omega. Before everyone could recover from the shock of Lei Yue’s poisoning, they were shocked by the news that the object of His Highness Oser’s affections was an Omega. Their pupils quivered.

“He’s an Omega? This person’s identity is unknown. An Omega in a romantic affair with His Highness Oser, who’s an Omega repellant? Doesn’t anyone think he’s suspicious?”

“From beginning to end, I saw only him with the Marshal’s son. He’s the most likely suspect in the poisoning.”

Ling Yi’s belongings were few, consisting of only his cell phone and the Omega pheromone suppression cuff, which further confirmed his identity.

He pretended not to hear what the others were saying about him, and whispered to Oser: “Your Highness, I suspect that I was the target of the poisoning. They must still be at the scene. I’d like to borrow your gun for self-defense.”

Oser gave him a deadpan look and said: “Guns are not child’s play.”

“Neither is my life. It’s not that I don’t trust your guards, but rather than entrusting my fate to others, I prefer to take control of it myself.”

After brief consideration, Ling Yi felt a hard metal object in his palm.

“Be careful. Don’t mess around.”

Ling Yi quickly concealed the gun and feigned casualness, distancing himself from Oser.

The guests left one by one after being cleared of suspicion. When it was the turn of “Sidi,” an 18th-tier noble, to be questioned, there were almost no guards left in the banquet hall.

There was nothing suspicious about him, so the officer recorded his detailed statement and allowed him to leave.

As Disi stepped out of the main hall, he felt something strange against his waist.

“Be silent. Go left, and then head straight.”

Disi paused for a moment, and after confirming that the thing pressed against him must be a gun, he followed the speaker’s instructions without a word.

The two walked one after another into the depths of the garden before the hostage-taker spoke: “You can turn around now.”

Disi turned around slowly, lowering his eyes toward the gun in Ling Yi’s hand.

“I don’t understand.”

He was calmer than an ordinary person should be. Ling Yi raised the gun and aimed the muzzle at his forehead.

“Tell me, who are you? What is your purpose? Why did you approach me?”

---

Consider donating via Kofi here.

Chapter 33 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 35