Chapter 32
Chapter 32
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Seizing Bi'an
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Gemini Empire currently possesses twelve 3S mechs. Seven are still being outfitted, leaving only five formally deployed for service.
Among those five active mechs, White Tiger boasts the sturdiest defenses, Gryphon packs the heaviest firepower, Fire Leopard has the highest mobility, Qilin features the most advanced AI, and Bi'an is the most loyal to its master, sharing the deepest mental link.
Mech pilots control their machines in two main ways: pure manual mechanical operation, which is standard for anything below S-class; or mental operation, which S-class and above have all but abandoned manual cockpits for.
Mental operation is only possible with a physical connection between the mech's neural network and the pilot. Bi'an's loyalty shines in that even a mere brush against Heinrich's pinky finger puts it on full standby alert.
Gavin, however, is a shameless cheater: he can control mechs without any physical connection at all—practically no different from snatching a village girl.
“Bi'an!”
Heinrich lunged forward. His fingertip beat Gavin's by a mere 0.01 seconds, brushing the edge of the black bracelet!
—Saved!
Bi'an latched tightly onto its master's palm. Just as it began shifting into combat knife form, Gavin yanked back his hand and bit down hard.
In an instant, even Heinrich didn't react. Gavin's momentum carried him past, and as they brushed shoulders, he smeared his bleeding finger heavily across Bi'an!
Too... too shameless...
Bi'an roared uncontrollably. It felt two opposing forces surging into its mental lock simultaneously, nearly causing it to slip from its master's hand—but it was, after all, the empire's most loyal mech. Its virtual mental lock was universe-class engineering. Its autonomous AI program kicked in, flipping the bracelet to wipe the blood onto its master's sleeve!
Heinrich: “...”
Heinrich's mouth twitched silently twice.
The five-dimensional alloy surface was mirror-smooth. One wipe and the blood was smeared right onto his sleeve. Heinrich was hit with a thick, alluring pheromone scent—mixed with an irresistible tang of stimulation and sweet blood. Blood rushed south through his body at once, nearly hardening him right there.
At the same time, Gavin halted. He snatched a dinner knife from the booth table. “Ding!” With a crisp ring, Bi'an morphed into a black combat knife and slashed down, cleaving the dinner knife in half without pause!
Gavin reacted swiftly too, yanking back just before the blade touched him and retreating to the booth window. He hadn't yet decided on a weapon to block with when the emperor shot forward, reaching out. Gavin dodged sideways in a flash.
Everything happened in a blaze. Gavin had just steadied himself when—BOOM!—an enormous crash echoed as Heinrich's claw shattered the entire glass pane and window frame to pieces!
“...”
In that instant, Gavin had only one thought: Should I eat it?
Heinrich had violently dismantled the window. He shook his hand and lunged for Gavin again. Winning the match was no longer on his mind—thanks to that sleeve full of blood, his head was now filled with one obsession: grab this Omega! Strip him bare! Claim him by force! Teach him a lesson!
Another earth-shaking BOOM. Gavin seized the window frame and leaped out. The black combat knife whistled past his nose.
Pitting a naked fist against a 3S universe-class weapon was way too unfair. Gavin was just about to call him out when Heinrich smirked coldly and casually reverted Bi'an to bracelet form.
Hand-to-hand combat!
Gavin was slightly caught off guard. Heinrich was already pouncing like a hawk, his hand flashing toward Gavin's throat!
Heinrich's logic was easy to follow: First, no Alpha pursuing an Omega would ever use a weapon. Even for those military types with killer instincts who got aggressive during ruts, it stopped at hands-on—drawing a blade or firing a gun meant heavy prison time for sure.
Second, Heinrich had supreme confidence in his own skills—emperor or not, he'd once been Celia's personal guard!
Out of the Radiant Legion's million troops, only thirteen could claim the marshal's personal guard spot. That wasn't a seat for just anyone. Whoever sat there was a top-tier powerhouse who dominated their era.
With a dull whoosh, both flipped through the window, crashing down from the second floor. It wasn't high—six or seven meters at most. Heinrich landed in a half-kneel with a smack, his body like a bow bent to its limit, rebounding instantly toward Gavin!
Gavin truly had no time to dodge. He'd just hit the ground, balance unsteady, and watched Heinrich's fingers close in on his face—
But at that moment, a shocked voice called from behind: “Gavin?!”
Heinrich glanced up. His muscles tensed instantly. It was those two punk Alphas!
Claire, Dean, and several royal technicians stood there dumbfounded, every face frozen in utter horror.
Heinrich instantly recalled snatching the Omega from these two brats just half an hour ago. If he fought now in front of them, wouldn't it scream that he couldn't handle this Omega?
In that instant, the emperor reacted divinely. His wrist flipped, wrenching his grab away from Gavin's throat. He swept an arm around Gavin's shoulder and growled, “You—”
Smack! With crisp efficiency, Gavin seized Heinrich's hand, twisted, and locked his entire arm behind his back.
“I win,” Gavin said with a smile.
Heinrich: “...”
The emperor's sole thought in that moment: Rip Gavin's clothes off right in front of those two punks and fuck him till he cries.
“Y-Your... Majesty...?” one royal technician stammered.
Gavin released Heinrich and dusted his hands.
“Can I advance to the semifinals now?”
Heinrich rose, slowly straightening his collar. His expression was a storm about to break—silent, but the killing intent pooling in his ice-blue eyes was enough to make the technicians tremble.
Mech pilots tend to have stronger nerves, but even Dean and Claire faltered, instinctively stepping back half a pace.
“You've misunderstood me,” Heinrich turned to Gavin, voice icy. “I never intended—”
To disqualify Gavin or revoke the Royal Military Academy's eligibility.
It was obvious: The emperor wanted the Royal Military Academy to lose, but not like this.
He wanted Phoenix under his control, but without giving anyone ammunition against him. If the Royal Academy fought to exhaustion and fell, it was just a matter of skill—no one could utter a word against the emperor. Any rigging shouldn't happen in the prelims; save it for the finals, when only the Royal Military Academy and Interstellar Military Academy remained.
Until then, unless they lost on their own merits, they absolutely could not be booted by the emperor for something absurd like “putting a fragile Omega in danger.”
Heinrich's plan was to crush Gavin thoroughly, make him submit, and let him fully grasp his power to possess and dispose of him at will. Then show some tenderness, win him over, and make him realize that as a prime, rugged Alpha, he was the undisputed top choice for any Omega.
If Celia were still a Beta, this wouldn't fly—Heinrich wouldn't have the guts. But heaven had mercifully turned him Omega, so this approach had a solid sixty to seventy percent shot—
Provided those two blind academy punks hadn't interrupted.
“I stopped you from competing earlier only out of concern for your safety. But if you're dead set on it, out of respect for you, I still—”
Heinrich paused perfectly, jawline hardening imposingly.
His ice-blue eyes fixed on Gavin from above, like a majestic king.
Gavin stared silently back, a long row of ellipses floating over his head.
Everyone around held their breath in tension, the air tightening in the silence. Just as they all instinctively held still, someone coughed lightly from behind: “Your Majesty...”
Gavin looked up, peering over Heinrich's shoulder.
It was the captain of the emperor's guard detail. He snapped a salute. Heinrich turned too, unangered by the interruption—merely surprised. “What is it?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” The captain bowed deeply. “I came to report: We've captured the culprit who raised gold-devouring bugs and tried to assassinate you.”