Picking Up An Alpha On Garbage Star - Chapter 56

Pei An stayed quietly for seven days, only going between the lab, the dining hall, and his bedroom. He hadn’t gone anywhere else, and even his visits to the dining hall were because Lika dragged him there.

 

“Mr. Pei, the commander gave me strict orders before returning to the central star. He told me to make sure you eat three proper meals a day and get plenty of rest. If you don’t cooperate, and he finds out you’ve lost weight and look exhausted, he’ll definitely give me a hard time!”

 

Lika’s reasoning was too sound for Pei An to refuse. Besides, when he got busy and lost track of time, Lika would quietly appear in his lab to remind him to eat and rest.

 

Under Lika’s diligent supervision, seven days passed, and he finally met up with Lin Bieyan.

 

The proposal Xie Yu had submitted to the military to intensify the crackdown on interstellar pirates had been approved. After receiving orders from the military, the eight armies would mobilize and no longer just patrol the sectors, flying around aimlessly.

 

However, since most of the troops would be dispatched to deal with the pirates, Xie Yu couldn’t assign many people to Pei An. Among those available, Lin Bieyan had the longest military service and a background in command from the military academy. Together with Lika, Pei An had enough help.

 

Now that the eight armies were mobilizing, using the Liaoyuan as a command ship would be too conspicuous. For safety’s sake, Pei An moved from the Liaoyuan to the Changyuan.

 

They were now traveling to the base aboard the Changyuan.

 

“Mr. Pei, I’m sorry I can’t give you a proper welcome. The Eighth Army came looking for us, and I have to deal with them first,” Lin Bieyan apologized as she met Pei An at the spaceport.

 

“What’s our relationship with the Eighth Army?” Pei An hadn’t yet grasped the dynamics among the eight armies.

 

Lin Bieyan was pleased with Pei An’s use of “our,” and she smiled broadly. “The Eighth Army is the most neutral, essentially a direct subordinate of the military department. They don’t get involved in internal conflicts.”

 

So, they weren’t close, but it was better than the Fifth and Seventh Armies.

 

Pei An asked, “Why did the Eighth Army come to us specifically?” It couldn’t be just to exchange pleasantries.

 

Lin Bieyan replied, “Antonio from the Eighth Army came, saying he wanted to borrow some sedatives.”

 

“Sedatives? For mental instability?” Pei An thought, this was a field he was very familiar with.

 

“Exactly. Antonio said many of his soldiers are suffering from mental instability and they’re running low on sedatives, so they came to borrow some from us,” Lin Bieyan answered.

 

Pei An was thoughtful.

 

If alpha soldiers were affected by pheromones, it was indeed possible for them to suffer from mental instability. This condition could be severe, causing intense suffering, especially for those with strong mental abilities. In such cases, no form of comfort would work. The only effective method so far was to have an omega with high mental abilities perform mental soothing for the afflicted alphas.

 

Once someone developed mental instability, it was like having frequent susceptibility periods, which were very painful for alphas.

 

However, mental instability wasn’t easily contracted, and it wasn’t a contagious disease. How many people did Antonio have suffering from mental instability that they ran out of sedatives?

 

“I’ll go with you to see Antonio. I feel there’s more to this,” Pei An frowned, feeling a sense of familiarity with the situation.

 

Lin Bieyan trusted Pei An’s intuition. Pei An had quickly identified the issues with KM-008, something many had missed. This demonstrated his attention to detail.

 

They arranged a meeting room to receive Antonio at the 258th Regiment’s base.

 

Antonio, a major, saluted Lika and Lin Bieyan, both colonels, upon entering the meeting room.

 

“Colonel Lika, Colonel Lin Bieyan,” Antonio said, his spirit looking a bit drained.

 

“Major Antonio, please sit,” Lin Bieyan gestured for him to sit.

 

As Antonio sat down, he noticed another person in the room who wasn’t in uniform, indicating they weren’t military personnel.

 

“And this is?” Antonio asked.

 

“Major Antonio, I’m Pei, the chief technical officer of the 258th Regiment,” Pei An briefly introduced himself.

 

“Oh, Mr. Pei, hello,” Antonio had heard about Xie Yu hiring a top-notch technician at a high price and now realized it wasn’t just a rumor.

 

“Colonels, you understand our situation. As long as you’re willing to lend us the sedatives, we can discuss any terms,” Antonio said, looking weary from his efforts.

 

Neither Lika nor Lin Bieyan spoke. Pei An said, “Frankly, Major, I don’t think simply using sedatives is the best approach until we understand the specifics. Overuse of sedatives isn’t good.”

 

Antonio was taken aback. “Mr. Pei, what do you mean?”

 

Pei An leaned forward, his posture becoming more serious. “I heard a bit about your situation from Colonel Lin. Doesn’t it seem suspicious to you that so many people are experiencing mental instability at the same time, Major?”

 

Antonio didn’t rush to refute him but frowned deeply.

 

He seems to be receptive.

 

Pei An continued, “If you still had sedatives in stock, you wouldn’t have come all this way to the 258th Regiment to borrow them. Consuming this many sedatives—is that normal, Major?”

 

Antonio nervously clutched his military pants. “It’s definitely not normal. I’ve seen patients with mental instability before, and it doesn’t seem the same as what my men are experiencing.”

 

Pei An asked, “Who diagnosed the mental instability? A doctor?”

 

A cold sweat broke out on Antonio’s back.

 

When cases of mental instability first appeared in his unit, he considered sending them to the hospital. Even if they couldn’t be cured, it would be better than the current situation. However, someone advised him that if he sent so many soldiers with mental instability to the hospital at once, the military would hold him accountable, and he would be finished. They told him not to send them and just use sedatives for now.

 

Antonio wasn’t particularly outstanding and had struggled to reach the rank of major. He didn’t want to lose his rank, so he followed that person’s advice, refraining from sending the soldiers to the hospital and administering sedatives instead.

 

Initially, after taking the sedatives, the soldiers calmed down and even felt their condition improving. Antonio thought the issue was resolved. But the soldiers relapsed, and after taking sedatives again, they improved, only to relapse soon after.

 

This cycle repeated itself, with sedatives failing to suppress the symptoms. The soldiers developed a strong psychological dependence on the sedatives, frantically seeking them each time they relapsed.

 

“I couldn’t supply enough sedatives, which is why I came to borrow some. I couldn’t bear to see them suffer like this,” Antonio said regretfully.

 

“If you couldn’t bear it, you shouldn’t have listened to such foolish advice. You should have sent those soldiers to the hospital,” Pei An couldn’t help but chide.

 

Antonio opened his mouth but didn’t dare to refute, because what Pei An said was true.

 

He had delayed everyone’s treatment for his own benefit. He was at fault.

 

“It’s all my fault. I sincerely hope you can lend me some sedatives,” Antonio said.

 

Pei An understood why Antonio was deceived. How could such a grown man be so gullible?

 

“Major Antonio, I must remind you that sedatives, while harmful in large quantities, are not addictive,” Pei An said, rubbing his temples. “Colonel Lin, please gather the base’s doctors.”

 

Pei An then said to Antonio, “Major Antonio, I think those soldiers with mental instability need urine and blood tests.”

 

Antonio looked despondent. “Okay, thank you for your help.”

 

The more Pei An listened, the more he suspected that Antonio’s men had accidentally consumed drugs. Only drugs would be addictive; sedatives definitely wouldn’t.

 

Antonio ordered his men to be brought in for testing. He was filled with anxiety as he watched the base’s doctors prepare the collection tubes.

 

He approached Pei An.

 

“Mr. Pei, can you give me some guidance? My mind isn’t sharp enough for these complexities.”

 

Pei An: “…” If it were Xie Yu, he would have started planning to catch the culprits already. Antonio didn’t even know what to do.

 

Clearly, Xie Yu is much more capable.

 

“That person who advised you not to send them to the hospital—you need to catch him. Mental instability is a life-threatening issue. Who would suggest not sending them to the hospital?” Pei An reminded him.

 

Antonio hesitated. “But he’s from our regiment, and he’s a captain. I can’t just arrest him.”

 

Pei An sighed. Why is Antonio still considering this in such a situation?

 

“These people are all waiting for their tests, some in a manic state. Shouldn’t that person be held accountable for them? What’s stopping you from arresting him?”

 

Antonio watched as his comrades lined up to collect urine samples and have their blood drawn, feeling deeply troubled. However, the thought of arresting a fellow soldier, especially a captain from the same regiment, was daunting.

 

Pei An’s assessment of Antonio was that he was indecisive.

 

“If you don’t want to arrest him, can you at least tell me who he is?” Pei An couldn’t stand Antonio’s dithering any longer.

 

Under Pei An’s impatient gaze, which looked ready to strike, Antonio disclosed the man’s name: “His name is Daiki Nakashima.”

 

Pei An glanced at Lika, who immediately whispered in his ear, “Daiki Nakashima is from the 134th Regiment under the 8th Corps. If I remember correctly, the patrol area of the 134th Regiment is not far from ours.”

 

In other words, they could take action.

 

“Send a message to Daiki Nakashima and arrange a meeting,” Pei An commanded, tired of Antonio’s hesitation. “You arrange the meeting, I’ll handle the arrest. Think about what your comrades are suffering, and don’t refuse or back out.”

 

Antonio shrank back. Why did he feel that this Technical Chief Pei was even fiercer than Xie Yu?

 

No wonder he could get along with Xie Yu—they were both extremely intimidating.

 

Nevertheless, Antonio followed Pei An’s instructions and messaged Daiki Nakashima to set up a meeting.

 

“In addition, gather all the used sedative syringes and packaging and hand them over to the doctors,” Pei An said sternly. “Not a single one can be missed.”

 

Antonio looked confused. “Why?”

 

Pei An felt a surge of frustration. He had never encountered someone as foolish as Antonio.

 

Lika quickly intervened, “Mr. Pei, calm down. If you need to take action, call me. Don’t do it yourself.”

 

She thought, God help us. If the commander knew that Chief Pei was driven mad by Antonio the moment he arrived at the base, would he go to the commander of the 8th Corps and have Antonio retrained?

 

“You handle this person. I’ll go check on the doctors,” Pei An said. Dealing with a naive Antonio was a waste of time; he was more concerned about the soldiers’ health.

 

Naivety might be a good quality, but not for a soldier.

 

Antonio would be better suited to running a flower shop or a bookstore.

 

Pei An took a deep breath and headed towards the testing area.

 

Antonio asked, “Colonel Lika, what’s wrong with Mr. Pei?”

 

Lika covered her face, thinking, What’s wrong? You almost drove him mad.

 

This was probably Pei An’s first time dealing with someone so naive that it was disarming.

 

“Major Antonio, Chief Pei asked you to collect the syringes and packaging to investigate the real cause of your comrades’ illness. Since Chief Pei ordered urine and blood tests, it means they are not suffering from mental instability,” Lika explained patiently. “If you can’t do it, get some help. Don’t take your comrades’ lives lightly.”

 

As Pei An approached, he saw someone having a fit, extremely agitated, trembling with excitement, pupils dilated, muttering “sedatives.”

 

It was almost certain they had taken drugs.

 

“Quick, hold him down!” Someone tried to restrain the person, but he was so agitated that he didn’t recognize anyone, attacking his comrades. The ones trying to hold him down didn’t dare use too much force and got injured in the process.

 

“Don’t just hold him down! Tie him up!”

 

At Pei An’s command, the soldiers from the 258th Regiment, who had followed him, sprang into action. They dragged the agitated man out without holding back, forcefully tying his hands behind his back with his own belt.

 

Others having fits were dealt with similarly.

 

“Who are you? Why are you treating us like this?” The soldiers waiting in line started to protest.

 

Pei An wasn’t wearing a uniform and had no insignia, so the soldiers, all from the military, saw their comrades being tied up and demanded an explanation.

 

Three gunshots rang out.

 

The crowd fell silent.

 

“What are you trying to do?” Lin Bieyan, holding a gun, looked visibly upset. “Have you forgotten all about military discipline and regulations?”

 

Lin Bieyan was a genuine colonel, two ranks above Antonio. Instantly, the soldiers quieted down.

 

“Mr. Pei, are you alright?” Lin Bieyan knew of Pei An’s technical prowess but had never witnessed his combat skills, unaware that Pei An could take on a group by himself.

 

“I’m fine,” Pei An said, his gaze fixed on the frenzied, delirious soldiers. “They’re the ones with a problem.”

 

Antonio ran over, hastily apologizing to Pei An. If his men had acted impulsively and offended Pei An, they would be in serious trouble.

 

“You don’t need to apologize to me; they’re not my soldiers.” Pei An bypassed Antonio and addressed the soldiers directly, “If you don’t want to die, follow my orders. If you want to die, I won’t stop you—just don’t die here.”

 

Pei An’s cold tone made the soldiers calm down.

 

The doctors drawing blood witnessed the entire scene, their eyes widening behind their masks. They even punctured the skin a bit harder than usual. Who dared to cause trouble on the 258th Regiment’s base?

 

Knowing they were in the wrong, the soldiers fell silent, going about their tasks quietly.

 

Pei An ignored them and checked on the bound soldiers.

 

“Please, just one sedative!” Even tied up and guarded, the man couldn’t control himself, his eyes red.

 

“Mr. Pei, what should we do now?” Lin Bieyan asked worriedly. These were Imperial soldiers, after all, and no one wanted to see them like this.

 

“After the tests, isolate all of them separately. Post guards, and if anyone has an episode, tie them up immediately. Gag them if necessary to prevent them from biting their tongues,” Pei An instructed firmly.

 

People addicted to drugs crave them desperately, only finding relief through consumption. But their dependence grows stronger with each use, making detoxification increasingly difficult. There’s no easy way to quit drugs; it must be done forcibly.

 

“Antonio, you and Lika handle this. First, take care of the two tasks I mentioned: arrest Daiki Nakashima and examine the sedative residues.”

 

Lin Bieyan agreed and let Pei An attend to other matters.

 

Pei An initially wanted to help Antonio, but Antonio’s personality made it clear he wasn’t suited for the military.

 

Most soldiers in the military were decisive and efficient, just like their commanders. Pei An was clearly of the same mold. No wonder he and Xie Yu got along—they shared mutually attractive traits.

 

Pei An had the drug-addicted soldiers taken away and followed them.

 

“Do you have the ropes?” Pei An asked, standing outside a steel-barred cell, watching the suffering soldiers.

 

“Yes, should we tie them to the chairs?” A soldier understood Pei An’s intention.

 

Pei An nodded, “Tie them securely. They’ll be like this for a while, so don’t let them break free. Gag them too.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

Xie Yu’s trusted troops worked quickly, tying the men to chairs regardless of their struggles. They gagged them with towels, as resources were limited.

 

“Once the tests are complete, isolate everyone. If anyone has an episode, tie them up immediately,” Pei An ordered.

 

“Understood!”

 

“Will they get better?” A worried soldier peered through the bars, fearing they would always be like this.

 

“They will get better. This is their treatment,” Pei An assured.

 

The soldiers didn’t understand much about this field, but they trusted that anyone given significant responsibilities by their commander must be very capable. All they needed to do was trust and follow orders.

 

Pei An stood there quietly, watching the men inside whimper. The process of withdrawal couldn’t afford any softness, even if their parents were here today, they could only watch from outside.

 

“Keep a close eye on them. I’m going to find your colonel.” Pei An had other tasks to handle and didn’t linger long. With the soldiers guarding him, he went to find Lin Bieyan.

 

Earlier, he had led a team to inspect part of the military equipment. Now that he was at the main base of the 258th Regiment, he needed to get to work arranging upgrades and maintenance for everything that could be refurbished or needed replacement.

 

“Take an inventory of everything, even down to the smallest drone. Once the inventory is complete, start the maintenance work. The fleets outside should come back in batches for a thorough inspection.”

 

Pei An valued the quality of military equipment highly. Interstellar warfare wasn’t about throwing men at the problem; whoever had the superior weapons was the real boss. To improve combat effectiveness and minimize losses and casualties, maintenance was essential.

 

“We’ll start with the 258th Regiment. Once their maintenance is done, we’ll bring in the nearby 3rd Corps and the 1st Corps for inspections as well.”

 

Lin Bieyan was momentarily stunned. “The 1st Corps?”

 

“Yes, the 1st Corps is our friendly, cooperative brother unit. We can’t forget them.”

 

Pei An figured he might need the 1st Corps’ help someday. Even with the access codes provided by Gu Yuan, he couldn’t afford to skimp on his support. If he neglected them, they might harbor resentment, no matter their loyalty to Gu Yuan. To eliminate any hard feelings, they needed to see his goodwill.

 

There should be mutual benefits, not just one-sided demands.

 

“No problem, I’ll make the arrangements,” Lin Bieyan agreed.

 

“Mr. Pei, why don’t you take a rest?” Lin Bieyan suggested, noting the time. Pei An and his team were supposed to rest upon landing, given the different time zones, but they had been busy since arrival.

 

Pei An waved his hand dismissively. “I’m not tired, and I wouldn’t be able to sleep.”

 

The situation in the Light Empire was far more complicated than his last assessment, and he was worried about Xie Yu.

 

Lin Bieyan noticed Pei An’s concern and tried to reassure him. “Mr. Pei, the commander is the heir of the 3rd Corps. He’s incredibly capable; there’s no need to worry.”

 

Pei An smiled slightly. “Knowing he’s capable is one thing; worrying is another.”

 

If only he could contact Xie Yu at any time, they could talk daily, and he would feel more at ease.

 

Xie Yu had a lot on his plate upon returning to the central star. He needed to find out who had tricked him into leaving, only to try to kill him, and he had to contend with his old rival, the 5th Corps. Tackling the star pirates was another major task, and then there was the issue of distant star autonomy.

 

Additionally, Xie Yu was also helping him gather information about Pei Ruyu.

 

Xie Yu was likely incredibly busy.

 

Lin Bieyan noticed the smile playing at Pei An’s lips, guessing he was thinking about the commander.

 

Ah, young love.

 

“We cleaned up the commander’s room for you. Will you be alright staying there?” Lin Bieyan asked.

 

Pei An’s smile widened. “More than alright.”

 

He loved the idea.