Xia Zhi glanced at Lucas.
As an Omega, he could clearly sense the pheromones radiating from the other man. They were filled with pressure and hostility.
…Why did he feel like he was being targeted?
But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that. Xia Zhi pulled over a chair, brought the equipment over, and began examining Luo Ran.
“There’s nothing seriously wrong with Ranran’s body, but…” Xia Zhi furrowed his brows. “The other matters might not be so simple.”
Xia Zhi injected Luo Ran with several doses of medication. Lucas recognized that one of them was a sedative.
Xia Zhi explained, “Ranran is like this because he came into contact with drugs.”
Lucas’s gaze sharpened.
Xia Zhi continued, “Don’t worry, General. It’s not an actual narcotic, just a drug used to ‘enhance pleasure.’ It isn’t addictive.”
“This drug can directly make a person lose their strength. In the case of an Omega, it can also force them into heat. However, it only affects Betas and Omegas. Alphas generally have powerful, sharp mental strength, so they won’t be affected. After all, this drug is a weakening agent.”
It was only because Luo Ran possessed 3S-level pheromones that he could still control himself and keep from going into heat. If his level had been lower, he would have already been clinging to an Alpha and begging for relief.
“The problem is that this drug has already been banned in the Empire. Nowadays, only space pirates use it for fun. After all, this kind of thing is child’s play to them. They have plenty of drugs aboard their battleships.”
Lucas naturally understood what Xia Zhi was getting at.
An Alpha only had to come into contact with a Beta or Omega to get this drug onto their body, or it could be spread directly through the air and take effect after being inhaled. Since it had appeared at the banquet, that meant… an Alpha had brought it inside and then Luo Ran had come into contact with it.
After all, no one would have expected something like this, and Luo Ran couldn’t possibly have been on guard against it.
Xia Zhi frowned. “The main issue now isn’t the drug itself, but… why does someone have access to something that only space pirates should possess? There may be space pirate informants in the capital, or space pirates may have infiltrated the Empire.”
But that didn’t make sense. Lucas’s military had always maintained strict security checks. All entrances into the Empire and the border regions were heavily guarded. Normally, it would be extremely difficult for space pirates to sneak in, and there was no way Lucas and his men would be completely unaware of it. Besides, with the Luobing people coming and going recently, security had become even tighter.
Unless… there was an inside accomplice.
Lucas’s expression darkened. “That’s not the only issue.”
There was also the fact that someone had tried to use this drug on Luo Ran.
Xia Zhi suddenly felt the atmosphere in the room grow oppressive. Seeing Lucas sitting silently to one side, watching Luo Ran, he changed the subject. “Besides feeling weak all over, does Ranran have any other symptoms?”
“His face is very red, and his breathing is rapid,” Lucas said with a frown. “But he’s not an Omega.”
“Ah…” Xia Zhi rolled his eyes and smiled brightly. “Ranran is having an allergic reaction to the drug. These are all symptoms of an allergy. Is his whole body red too?”
Lucas nodded.
“Then…” Lucas asked, “When he had claustrophobia before, his whole body was red as well.”
“That was because he was having trouble breathing and was nervous. Ranran gets like that whenever he’s anxious.” Xia Zhi smiled brightly, lying through his teeth.
“You seem to know him quite well.” Lucas raised an eyebrow at Xia Zhi.
Xia Zhi was furiously rolling his eyes inwardly. Ever since Lucas had walked through the door, he’d been looking him up and down, even wearing an expression that seemed to say, Is that all? That’s all? He hadn’t bothered to hide his wariness and scrutiny in the slightest.
As if he were afraid Xia Zhi would steal his Secretary Luo.
Good grief.
Xia Zhi decided to remind this lion, whose brain had been clouded by years of accumulated jealousy, that he was old enough to be the two of them’s father. He smiled and said, “General, we’ve met before. You were still young back then. Do you remember?”
Lucas paused. “Mm.”
Back then, Xia Zhi and Shen Xiluo had both served as doctors to the former General, who was also Lucas’s uncle, accompanying him on campaigns everywhere. Although Lucas hadn’t interacted much with the two doctors, he did remember them.
The two were about to say something else when Luo Ran slowly regained consciousness. He looked around in confusion.
“Xia Xia…?”
“Ah, I’m here.” Xia Zhi rubbed Luo Ran’s shoulder and smiled. “You’re not—”
“You’re fine!” Lucas’s voice rang out, firm and thunderous.
Xia Zhi: “…”
Luo Ran was startled. He turned his head and only then noticed that Lucas was there too.
“General…”
Luo Ran braced himself against the sofa to sit up. Xia Zhi instinctively reached out to help him, but in the next instant, another hand suddenly and forcefully entered the picture, grabbing Xia Zhi’s hand.
The two men’s hands froze in midair.
Luo Ran was utterly baffled. He sat up on his own, smoothed his somewhat messy hair and collar, and asked, “How long was I unconscious?”
Xia Zhi: “Not—”
Lucas: “Not long! Half an hour.”
Xia Zhi: “…”
Luo Ran: “…”
Luo Ran instinctively glanced at Xia Zhi.
What was going on?
Had he just taken a nap and woken up to find Lucas swallowing explosives?
Xia Zhi said helplessly, “Since Ranran is all right…”
Lucas cut in, “Then I’ll take him back.”
As he spoke, Lucas pulled Luo Ran to his feet. After receiving his medication, Luo Ran left Xia Zhi’s home with Lucas.
Xia Zhi opened his mouth, then closed it again, feeling somewhat helpless.
He had originally intended to discuss something private with Luo Ran in person, but contacting him through their terminals would work just as well.
Inside the aircraft, Luo Ran received a message from Xia Zhi.