Accidentally Provoked My Archenemy [ABO] - Chapter 6

After slamming the glass down on the table, Sang Yu sat in silence on the sofa, her expression dark and unreadable.

After an internal tug-of-war, her conscience—though battered and dulled—refused to be completely silenced. In the end, she poured herself another glass of water, took a deep breath, and headed upstairs with a grim face.

Truthfully, Cheng Yunan wasn’t entirely in the wrong.

No one in their right mind would be expected to show kindness to someone who had tormented and hurt them for years. Especially when she had been bullying him for several of those years.

Even rabbits bite when pushed—let alone someone like Cheng Yunan, who used to be a bona fide Alpha. He may have only been B-grade, but pride runs deep in Alphas. That kind of pride wouldn’t allow a person to be humiliated again and again.

And now, he’d been forcibly marked into an Omega…

As she tried to justify things to herself, Sang Yu finally managed to settle her emotions just before opening the bedroom door.

She had considered eliminating Cheng Yunan first—striking preemptively. But one, she didn’t know how that would affect the story’s progression. And two…

She simply couldn’t do it.

Before and after transmigrating into this world, Sang Yu had never taken a life.

She knew herself well. Even if her enemy stood before her, vulnerable and helpless, and even if she knew this person had tried to kill her before—and might do it again someday—she still wouldn’t take advantage of that moment.

As for the past? From the reader’s point of view, the “Sang Yu” in the original novel had been utterly ruthless and brutal, driving many of the male lead’s admirers half to death. But from the perspective of Sang Yu, who had actually lived through those events, the truth was much simpler.

It had been nothing more than a bunch of arrogant Alphas, desperate to impress the Omega they fancied—fighting for attention, glory, and validation.

Survival of the fittest.

That rule held true whether in her old life on Blue Star or her new one in the interstellar era. It was a natural law Sang Yu firmly believed in.

Besides, she had always stopped short of truly harming anyone. No deaths, no permanent injuries. While she did have a fondness for putting people in their place, her personality really didn’t match the villainess painted in the original text.

Hand resting on the door handle, she was just about to place her thumb on the scanner when she hesitated.

After a moment’s thought, she pulled her hand back and instead curled her fingers into a light knock.

Knock, knock.

“Cheng Yunan? Are you awake?”

Sang Yu leaned her head close to the door, listening. She had considered unlocking it and walking straight in, but then remembered—Cheng Yunan was now an Omega. That made barging in feel inappropriate.

So, knocking it was.

This was new for her. She strained to hear any movement, but the room remained eerily silent.

No response.

Her raised hand felt awkward—neither here nor there.

“Cheng Yunan?”

Was he still unconscious? Or was he in a dependency-induced daze? Had he… already left?

Frowning, she waited nearly a full minute. Then her patience ran out, and she opened the door.

“Cheng—”

She didn’t even finish saying his name before realizing the bed was empty—the small mound from earlier now flat.

Gone?

Sang Yu stepped lightly into the room, walked slowly to the bed, and placed the glass of water on the nightstand. Her gaze rested on the empty mattress, lost in thought.

What was she feeling? It was hard to say. But it all felt… ridiculous.

Had she seriously just felt sorry for Cheng Yunan?

Was he even pitiful?

Most Omegas, after being forcibly marked, went through a dependency period of at least three days. Even with medication, it would still take a full day.

But Cheng Yunan? He bounced back in half a day.

Was that… worthy of praise? The biggest villain in the original story really lived up to his name.

Annoyance flared. Standing there, Sang Yu suddenly reached out and touched the spot on the bed where he had been lying.

…Still warm?

That didn’t add up. She had low body temperature and hated heat, so she specifically chose fabrics and materials that cooled quickly. If Cheng Yuyan had left before she returned, the warmth should have faded by now.

But it couldn’t be that he left after she came back—she had been downstairs the entire time. She would’ve noticed any movement.

Besides, the Central Alliance had strict protective laws for Omegas. Why would he run away?

If anyone should be fleeing, it’s her.

Doubt rising again, she withdrew her hand and carefully scanned the room, from left to right.

No sign of him.

Sang Yu sat on the edge of the bed in frustration.

[After being marked, Omegas enter a temporary dependency period. During this time, aside from physical touch and companionship from their Alpha, Omegas can also find relief through objects that carry their

Alpha’s scent.]

[For example, personal belongings or worn clothing…]

As the memory surfaced, Sang Yu suddenly shot to her feet. Her eyes swept the room before landing on the black wooden wardrobe.

She strode over and yanked it open.

Upon seeing the mess inside, Sang Yu froze.

…She’d definitely overthought it.

It was a disaster zone. Even a dog wouldn’t crawl in there.

Just as she was about to close the door, a faint whiff of ebony wood scent reached her nose. Looking down, she spotted a pale ankle buried under the chaotic pile of clothes.

…Cheng Yunan?

Without hesitation, Sang Yu crouched down and shoved the clothes aside. Sure enough—there he was.

Still wearing that oversized white shirt, curled tightly into himself, head buried in the crook of his arm. His back was pressed against the wardrobe’s inner wall, Sang Yu’s clothes scattered all over him.

He looked exactly like a small, abandoned animal.

Something squeezed tight in Sang Yu’s chest.

“Cheng Yunan?”

“Can you hear me?”

She didn’t reach for him, just knelt there, gently repeating his name.

At first, there was no reaction. But after several tries, he finally lifted his head slightly, his breathing ragged and fast.

“You…”

Those swollen, tear-reddened eyes met hers—and Sang Yu’s voice caught in her throat.

Guilt washed over her.

But something still felt off.

She waved a hand in front of his eyes. No focus. No response to her voice either.

Like he couldn’t hear her.

She touched his forehead.

Burning hot.

—Shock response.

Omegas who remain in heat for too long can develop fevers. If left untreated, it leads to physical shock: temporary blindness and mental confusion.

Cheng Yunan was showing all the symptoms.

Sang Yu’s heart jumped. She regretted leaving him alone right after giving him a dose of suppressant—but regret wouldn’t help now. What mattered was getting him to the hospital.

Just as she was about to pull her hand away, Cheng Yunan grabbed it—pressing his face into her palm, entirely unconsciously.

“Cheng Yunan, I need to take you to the hospital.”

She pulled her hand back and moved to lift him, but the moment she did, he recoiled—shrinking deeper into the corner, sobbing under his breath.

…?

Sang Yu couldn’t figure it out, but it was clear: Cheng Yunan was now resisting her more than before. Every time she approached, he backed away, trembling harder the closer she got.

But he was already in a corner—he couldn’t go any farther.

Was it because… she pulled her hand away just now?

Sang Yu felt her head start to pound.

She was frustrated—but yelling wouldn’t help.

So instead, she tore off the pheromone suppressant patch on her neck and stepped back two paces.

A burst of strong, invasive hyacinth pheromones filled the wardrobe.

Suppressing her anger, Sang Yu softened her voice. She stretched out her hand gently, coaxing:

“Cheng Yunan.”

“Come here.”

“Come to me.”

As her pheromones filled the air, she watched Cheng Yunan’s tense body begin to relax. He slowly looked up—tear-streaked, trembling—and reached out to her.

Sang Yu let out a breath of relief and immediately moved forward to carry him.

She had never thought much of him before—never even looked him in the eye. Now, holding him in her arms, she realized just how light he really was.

Unconsciously, she held him a little tighter.

In return, he wrapped his arms around her neck—and tightened his grip.

“…Don’t go…”

“I won’t, I won’t,” Sang Yu said gently. Her mood brightened. She adjusted her hold to make him more comfortable and walked toward the hovercar.

“I’m taking you to the hospital.”

________________________________________

“You young people these days, I swear…”

“How could you forget something so important? A bit later and his glands would’ve been permanently damaged. Didn’t you notice how faint his scent has gotten?”

Cheng Yunan’s condition was serious, and the doctor assigned to him was a seasoned veteran—with a fiery temper.

He assumed Sang Yu and Cheng Yunan were partners and was furious that Sang Yu had just left her freshly marked Omega all alone.

Still in his white coat, he scolded her non-stop while looking over the test results and preparing medication.

All Sang Yu could do was nod and mutter, “Yes, yes,” and “My fault, my fault.”

Cheng Yunan’s pheromone was ebony wood—a scent Sang Yu had grown up around. It wasn’t particularly noticeable to her.

She truly hadn’t registered his condition earlier.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have taken so long to find him.

Thankfully, the doctor was quick with his work. He asked for details while scolding her, which made the reprimand slightly more bearable.

“Doctor, when… when will my partner regain consciousness?”

The doctor shot her a glare, still annoyed. “Not anytime soon. Thanks to you leaving him alone, he injected himself with several doses of Doya to suppress the dependency. Doesn’t even know the proper dosage.”

Sang Yu: …Could it be… that she had given him the wrong dosage?

She rubbed her nose awkwardly, too guilty to argue.

After a few more sharp words, the doctor seemed to ease up, like his fists had landed on soft cotton.

“He’s very weak. Recently differentiated?”

Sang Yu paused, then quickly nodded when she saw the doctor about to launch into another tirade.

The doctor nodded.

Makes sense—he’d seen late-blooming Omegas before. They were always fragile and drug-sensitive.

After a bit more thought, he handed Sang Yu a prescription form.

“Monitor him for another two hours. Then you can take him home.”

“Thank you, doctor.” Sang Yu carefully took the sheet. As she turned to leave, the doctor let out a cold snort behind her.

“If you’re going to be an Alpha, take proper care of your Omega.”

“Stop tormenting the poor man.”

Sang Yu: …Tormenting?