Picking Up An Alpha On Garbage Star - Chapter 31 Lingering Illness

In the aftermath of being dismissed to their respective rooms for rest by Commander Xie Yu, the three captains were summoned back to the conference room for a serious meeting. This time, the focus was on the issue of military discipline.

Previously, Xie Yu hadn’t thought much about it. It was only after Zuo Jiwen made a round of the command room that he realized the importance of addressing this matter. While engaging in interstellar piracy before, the crew might not have understood why higher-ups made certain decisions, but they were clear that their combat objective was the interstellar pirates. However, now that Xie Yu had decided to align with Pei An Station, the future battles might not be as straightforward. They could find themselves facing the Fifth Corps someday. In such a situation, would the entire army unquestioningly follow his orders?

Xie Yu needed his army to stand united with him. To achieve this, he couldn’t afford any doubts about his commands, especially during critical moments where he couldn’t rely on phrases like “Soldiers obey orders as their duty” to force compliance.

He had to make it clear to everyone what his goals were. For this, he needed to do some groundwork.

This urgency led him to call for a meeting with Pang Li and the others. If more captains were available, he would have included them too, even if it meant holding an online meeting. Xie Yu wanted a thorough discussion.

As Xie Yu headed to the meeting, Pei An had nothing to do and sought Lika’s help to explore the Dark God. Lika, enthusiastic about the task, not only acted as a guide but also subtly praised Xie Yu during the tour to leave a positive impression on Pei An.

Unfortunately, Pei An’s first discovery about Xie Yu wasn’t his romantic history but his culinary skills, specifically his ability to cater to Pei An’s taste.

While walking, Pei An remained quiet, occasionally responding to Lika. When it came to Dark God-related matters, he would actively engage in the conversation.

“Mr. Pei, the restaurant on our Dark God is just ahead. Officers can order meals there. However, it’s past dinner time now, and the restaurant is empty. You can visit with Commander tomorrow for breakfast or lunch,” Lika suggested, intending to save the restaurant tour for Xie Yu and Pei An.

However, they heard voices coming from the supposedly vacant restaurant. At first, the conversation was quiet, but as they approached, righteous indignation filled the air.

“Mr. Pei, please take a short break. I’ll check what’s going on,” Lika said, puzzled by why officers were gathering in the restaurant instead of resting or training.

Entering the dimly lit restaurant, Lika turned on the lights. The officers, caught off guard, stood up and saluted her.

As Lika surveyed the room, her gaze landed on Zuo Jiwen. Frowning, she randomly chose an officer to question, “What are you all doing here?”

The chosen officer stammered, “N-nothing…”

“Nothing?” Lika suddenly raised her voice, “Are you telling me you didn’t have dinner tonight? Who are you speaking so softly for? Speak up!”

The officers, startled by Lika’s outburst, straightened up.

“Speak!” Lika demanded.

“Report!” the unfortunate officer finally spoke, “Zuo Jiwen called us here. He said… he said Commander’s actions are unruly! He wanted to get 22 tubes of VC+ healing gel without a legitimate purpose!”

Pei An’s eyebrows twitched. Twenty-two tubes – Xie Yu had taken those for the eleven omegas. Xie Yu intended to ensure they all underwent surgery, giving them a chance to live a proper life after the operation.

Lika pushed people aside and pulled out Zuo Jiwen by the collar. “Chewing the roots behind someone’s back, Zuo Jiwen, who taught you? It’s clearly stated in the regulations of our 258th Legion: no privately discussing comrades, no casual criticism of comrades. Haven’t you memorized the regulations?”

Zuo Jiwen, trembling, stammered, “I-I knew! Can the commander just take supplies as he pleases?”

“Excuse me.” Pei An knocked on the wall and entered the dining room.

Lika released Zuo Jiwen, walked towards Pei An, and apologized, “Sorry, Mr. Pei, for the disturbance.”

Pei An: “No problem, where there are people, there will naturally be gossip.”

But that doesn’t mean allowing gossip to spread unchecked.

Pei An approached, nodded to all the officers present, and then began questioning: “If Xie Yu asks for a box of firearms and ammunition for logistics, would you ask why?”

The officers instinctively shook their heads.

“If Xie Yu wants to use a fighter jet or a small ship, would you ask why?”

Still shaking their heads.

“Isn’t that right?” Pei An shrugged. “You don’t ask why Xie Yu takes firearms and ammunition, you don’t ask why he uses a fighter jet or a small ship, but you question why he takes healing gel?”

The officers were puzzled. Indeed, why did they interfere with the commander’s decisions?

Pei An continued, “This gentleman, unnamed, why do you investigate and make a big deal out of it? In this nearly deserted dining room at night, are you concerned that if Xie Yu uses healing gel, there won’t be enough for you?”

Lika, holding back a smile, said, “Mr. Pei, you might not know, he is the former logistics leader of the Divine Ghost. The frontline is handled by his subordinates here.”

Zuo Jiwen remained silent, surprisingly dumbfounded when held accountable.

Pei An blinked, puzzled. “This unnamed gentleman, is my face disfigured? Why are you acting like this?”

Zuo Jiwen finally snapped out of it, his face filled with surprise. “You look so much like Pei Ruyu; you must be his child, right?”

With that, Zuo Jiwen tried to reach out to grab Pei An, but Pei An evaded.

After today’s incident, Pei An wouldn’t assume that knowing his father meant being friends.

Pei An refused contact, and it didn’t affect Zuo Jiwen’s self-admiration. “Your name is An Mondray, right? In terms of seniority, you should call me uncle. I am your father’s classmate.”

Upon hearing the name “Mondray,” Pei An felt disgusted and stepped back several steps. “Enough with this Mondray or not. It’s ominous. My surname is Pei.”

Seeing this, Zuo Jiwen took on an elder’s posture. “You’re just a child. I won’t argue with you. But you can’t avoid going home. There’s no lasting grudge between father and son. Go home, make peace with your father, and the Mondray family will be yours.”

Several officers were stunned. They rarely interacted with Zuo Jiwen and never saw him behave like this.

Pei An pounced, gripping Zuo Jiwen’s clothing and pressing him to the ground so fast that even Lika couldn’t react.

“No lasting grudge?” Pei An was furious, his psychic power surged uncontrollably, immobilizing Zuo Jiwen. “The blood debt of killing my father is not to be shared with the heavens. Sooner or later, I will make the murderer pay.”

Pei An didn’t intend to kill Zuo Jiwen, so he didn’t block his nose and mouth, leaving a passage for breathing.

“Why would your father kill mine?” Zuo Jiwen kept insisting that he was Pei Ruyu’s classmate but didn’t say a word in defense of Pei Ruyu. “Even if he did, it must be a misunderstanding. It has nothing to do with you; your father is just in a bad mood, unrelated to you.”

“Misunderstanding?” Pei An’s eyes teared up instantly, and his psychic power surged, keeping Zuo Jiwen motionless. He slapped Zuo Jiwen’s face uncontrollably.

The calming pheromones that Xie Yu had pacified were once again in chaos. Lika, smelling the omega pheromones, immediately expelled the officers and locked the door, then hurriedly contacted Xie Yu. Xie Yu answered promptly, and Lika exclaimed, “Commander, run! Something big is happening!”

Without saying a word, Xie Yu hung up and rushed over.

Lika leaned against the wall, looking exhausted. “What a mess… How unfortunate is Pei An to encounter two idiots on the same day.”

Xie Yu arrived shortly after. “What happened? Where’s Pei An?”

Lika pushed the door open. “We’ll talk about it after finding out how Mr. Pei is.”

Xie Yu rushed in and saw Pei An tightly restraining Zuo Jiwen, raising and lowering his hand forcefully.

Xie Yu didn’t care about Zuo Jiwen’s condition; he held Pei An, carrying him away from Zuo Jiwen. At the same time, he shielded Zuo Jiwen from Pei An’s view, preventing him from seeing Zuo Jiwen lying on the ground, barely alive.

“Pei An, I’m Xie Yu.” Xie Yu hugged him, soothing with pheromones. “It’s okay now, it’s okay.”

Pei An clutched Xie Yu’s clothes, tears uncontrollably streaming down.

He didn’t want it to be like this, really didn’t, but when Zuo Jiwen’s words entered his mind, it felt like his whole body was about to explode.

Zuo Jiwen was just someone he didn’t know, not familiar with his father, so why say such things? Why him!

“Pei An, you don’t have to hold back. Only I’m here, and no one else will know you’re crying.” Xie Yu tightened his embrace, comforting Pei An.

Pei An cried out, not wailing, just choking. His status didn’t allow him to sob loudly; crying out was enough, more than enough.

Fourteen years ago, out of over seven thousand people on the Bright Goddess ship, only a few hundred survived. Most were minors like Li Chengrui, like Xiao Xue, like Yan Yue…

Like Pei An.

These survivors, burdened with the hatred of murders of their parents, siblings, and friends, didn’t know where to go.

Pei An, residing in a twelve-year-old body, with the soul of a twenty-year-old adult, gathered these people and established an organization called “Stellar.”

Initially, Stellar was solely driven by revenge.

But the enemies were too powerful and numerous. They realized revenge alone wasn’t enough.

For their common goal, everyone worked tirelessly, facing numerous challenges.

“Xie Yu, do you know about the disappearance of the Bright Goddess ship fourteen years ago?” Pei An cried enough, red-eyed, looking at Xie Yu.

Xie Yu nodded; he was aware. To be precise, fourteen years ago, the Bright Goddess ship disappeared, and anyone in a high position couldn’t be unaware.

“The Bright Goddess ship had a total of 7,105 personnel. 6,632 were killed, and the remaining survived until now. I am one of them.”

Xie Yu’s heart skipped a beat. “Pei An, it’s not just survival. You, and the others who survived, carry the hope of over six thousand people. You are the hope.”

Pei An buried himself in Xie Yu’s embrace, rubbing against him, wiping away the scattered tear marks.

Xie Yu’s pheromones were effective; the chaotic pheromones wandering in his body gradually settled.

“Xie Yu, tomorrow I’ll take you to see the Bright Goddess ship.” As an exchange, you shared your past, now it’s my turn.

“Okay, can we go back and rest now?” Xie Yu asked softly.

Pei An: “Can you carry me? I’m out of energy.”

Encountering two idiots, especially the kind that infuriates oneself to the core, in a single day is not something a person should, or at least can, endure. Pei An is so unlucky that he’s truly exhausted now, both physically and mentally, not even wanting to move his fingers.

“Sure, I’ll carry you.” Xie Yu adjusted his position, crouched down, and at the same time, supported Pei An with his hands.

Pei An climbed onto Xie Yu’s back, arms wrapped around Xie Yu’s neck.

In the early days of his rebirth, struggling to adapt to this body, Pei An found it difficult to move. Even his father had carried him back then, a scientific researcher who spent most of his time in the lab, yet, being an omega, he had considerable strength, making carrying Pei An secure and steady.

“Xie Yu, thank you. You’ve brought back the feeling of my dad.”

Xie Yu remained silent, instructing Lika to detain Zuo Jiwen, treating him the same as Sheila Mondre, with a pair of silver handcuffs.

“Make sure the robots eliminate the pheromone scent in the restaurant thoroughly. Leave no trace.”

“Yes.” Lika asked, “Commander, should I write down the details and send them to your AI, or…?”

Those officers had already been strictly ordered by Lika to keep quiet. Now, her task was to explain the whole incident to Xie Yu.

“After I settle Pei An, come to the command room, and tell me everything, word by word.” He was curious to see how Zuo Jiwen had managed to provoke Pei An like this.

Pei An fell asleep on his back within a minute, and Xie Yu needed to take care of him. Pei An has been through a tough period, facing challenges from Fan Wen and dealing with underhanded tactics. To keep his omega status a secret, he was reluctant to take extra suppressants and only managed with a temporary mark, seizing administrative power and preparing for the upcoming confrontation. Xie Yu thought that seeing the Bright Goddess ship might lift Pei An’s spirits, but then two people emerged to touch the scar that hadn’t healed in over a decade.

Xie Yu carried Pei An back to the room and fetched a towel to wipe his face. Unsure if Pei An would accept a stranger helping him change clothes, Xie Yu didn’t call a male omega for assistance, and doing it himself was out of the question. He left Pei An to deal with it for the night.

“Pei An, you’ve been through a lot.” Xie Yu gave him a final face wipe.

Fourteen years ago, Pei An was just twelve, the age of transitioning to middle school. He didn’t play with kids his age; even the affectionate family left him. Yet, he held onto the desire to survive with hundreds of others.

Pei An, despite being younger than many, always made people overlook this fact. Capable, powerful, kind—his slender body supported the weight he shouldn’t have had to bear. Even during his ** period, a time when omegas need care and rest the most, Pei An endured it so arduously.

“Pei An, you’re truly remarkable.” Xie Yu tucked him into bed, left the room, leaving his jacket that he wore today. Pei An could sleep with the scent of his pheromones.

Perhaps, he could get a good night’s sleep.

Xie Yu went to the command room, and Lika arrived to clean up before him.

“Tell me, what happened?”

“I originally took Mr. Pei for a tour of the Pluto. However, passing by the restaurant, I overheard Zuo Jiwen badmouthing you behind your back. Mr. Pei defended you by entering the restaurant, only to find out that Zuo Jiwen recognized Mr. Pei’s father.” Lika scratched her head. “Commander, do you know who Mr. Pei’s father is?”

Xie Yu shook his head. “He was a research expert on the Bright Goddess ship, belonging to the Mondre family. I never had any contact with him, and my father and his team should know more.” If he knew Pei Ru Yu, he would have recognized Pei An long ago. Besides, fourteen years ago, he was just a high school student, not knowing many people under his father’s command.

“Anyway, Zuo Jiwen has a sharp tongue. It’s not only about badmouthing you behind your back. After recognizing Mr. Pei, he started lecturing.” Lika vividly replayed the scene, couldn’t help but spit. “I used to think Zuo Jiwen was just old-fashioned and reserved, but today, oh boy, I’ve seen it all. Saint indeed!”

Zuo Jiwen was eager to spread the news after being stripped of his position today, harboring ill intentions. To prevent him from becoming a threat, it’s better to silence him for the rest of his life.

“That Zuo Jiwen’s mouth is a source of trouble. Let’s make sure he never opens it again.” Xie Yu said coldly.

Pei An, after hearing Zuo Jiwen’s shameless accusations, was understandably angry. Omegas during their ** period couldn’t withstand such emotional fluctuations. If it happened frequently, it would have a significant impact on their health.

Since Zuo Jiwen had lost his position today and couldn’t wait to spread rumors everywhere, Xie Yu decided to nip the problem in the bud. To completely eliminate the chance of Zuo Jiwen becoming a threat, it was best for him to remain silent for the rest of his life.

“As for that Mondre family member, what about him? Shall we handle him together?”

“Keep Sheila Mondre for now, we’ll decide later when she’s no longer useful.”

Lika acknowledged and went to arrange the future paths for these two individuals.

Xie Yu stayed alone in the command room for a long time, just sitting there without doing anything. Finally, due to growing concerns about Pei An, he closed the command room door and headed towards their room.

What if Pei An gets thirsty in the middle of the night? What if the pheromones run out? What if Pei An has a nightmare and feels uncomfortable? The more Xie Yu thought about it, the more anxious he became. He couldn’t stay in the command room any longer, quickly returning to the room.

He entered quietly without turning on the lights, relying on his excellent vision to thoroughly check Pei An, ensuring he was unharmed. Only then did he feel somewhat relieved.

Leaving the room wasn’t an option. Xie Yu settled into a chair, luckily it was soft and large enough, making it feasible to spend the night. Watching over Pei An, he couldn’t help but worry.

As Pei An fell into a deep sleep, Xie Yu found himself immersed in a dream named “Pei An.”

A colossal warship floated in the vastness of space, surrounded by absolute silence.

Pei An’s sleep seemed uneasy; in the process, the necklace that always adorned his neck slid off. The red crystal emitted a faint glow, quite eye-catching in the dark environment.

Xie Yu stared intently, focusing on the necklace Pei An wore.

A red flower with five petals, remarkably similar to the apron Pei An had painted for him.

Ah, tomorrow he should wake up early, return to the command room after washing up, and then come to wake Pei An for breakfast. Although the variety of food in the military might not be abundant, compared to tasteless nutritional supplements, Pei An would probably prefer the restaurant’s breakfast.

He needed to hurry, wash up, and return as soon as possible to greet Pei An with a “Good morning.”

Pei An, good morning.

Author’s note:

If you tend to associate 258 with “Love Me,” you can search for 258 Squadron.