I Transmigrated as the Protagonist and Was Kidnapped by the Villainous Omega - Chapter 31

Ling Yuexi was still deep in discussion with Shi Yunqi.

Su Cheng didn’t even need to guess—at this hour, the only one who’d come would be Hu Ziyuan.

She’s already this eager after just a short chat?

There was still so much she hadn’t explained to Tang Jin yet.

When she caught the hand signal, Su Cheng immediately fell silent. She simply raised the pendant hanging around her neck and pointed to Tang Jin’s mask, which hadn’t yet shrunk into a pendant. Then, she gave a subtle shake of her head.

The pendants of “Po Xiao” were symbols of their identities, and no two were the same.

It was said that Chao Feng was born of dragon and phoenix, so her pendant took the shape of wings.

Following that logic, Suanni’s mask, once miniaturized, would transform into a lion’s head.

The material was extremely rare and specially made. Once the mask was removed, a simple squeeze in the hand would cause it to shrink until it was no bigger than a thumb. When needed, one only had to raise the pendant in front of their face, and it would recognize its owner and unfold again.

One person, one mask.

Su Cheng’s movements were very discreet, but Tang Jin understood at once.

Her mask couldn’t shrink back.

Otherwise, how would they explain having two pendants of identical size and material?

This newly developed material was incredibly rare—only the top echelon of Longyu knew about it. There was no way Hong Xiu Zhao would think to connect the miniature pendants with the actual masks.

They exchanged a glance. Tang Jin had just enough time to hide the mask beneath the pillow when the wooden door creaked open.

Before the person even entered, the scent of rosemary had already wafted in. And then, a long, slender leg stepped into view, immediately catching the eyes of the two Alphas.

The woman wore a fitted black gown with a high slit, every curve of her body outlined to perfection. Her chest was full and proud and just barely hidden beneath a teasing fold of fabric. Her waist was so slender it could be wrapped in one hand, and her figure was sharp, fierce—an impossible blend of softness and strength.

Seductive, but not vulgar. A born enchantress.

She wore a smile that could topple kingdoms. Her beautiful eyes swept past Su Cheng and finally landed on Tang Jin.

“You’re awake…”

The voice was like a lover’s whisper by the ear, soft and sweet, like a stream trickling gently across the heart. It was tingly, numbing, so intoxicating it could pull someone under without warning…

Su Cheng instantly shuddered.

What the hell? Who is this?

Since when did Hong Xiu Zhao have such a gentle and sexy Omega?

“…You must be the second-in-command of Hong Xiu Zhao,” Tang Jin said slowly.

Though the woman’s outfit was completely different, that scent—her pheromones—was unforgettable.

Rosemary…

Just one whiff had been enough to knock her, an A-class Alpha, unconscious.

Tang Jin frowned slightly, instinctively holding her breath.

This woman was dangerous. Whether it was her scent or the feeling she gave off…

Hearing Tang Jin’s words, Su Cheng felt like she’d been struck by lightning. She stared at the woman in disbelief.

Second-in-command…

This—this was Hu Ziyuan?

They always said women dressed to please those they liked—but damn, wasn’t this a bit too much?

Should she roll out a red carpet for her nextime?

High heels, seriously? Where’d she even find them? And was that lipstick? Mixed by hand, no less?

And most importantly—it’s late autumn! How was she not cold dressed like that?

She was even freezing herself.

Nights in the mountains were chilly to begin with, and Hu Ziyuan was practically wearing nothing. The moment she stepped outside, the cold went straight to the bones.

But for beauty’s sake, what was a little cold? Hu Ziyuan thought.

A sexy Omega never backs down!

Shivering slightly, she rubbed her hands together outside the door, then took a deep breath. In the next second, her whole demeanor shifted. She pushed the door open with grace, and cast an elegant, composed glance around the room. The moment she saw Su Cheng’s stunned expression, a satisfied smile crept onto her face.

That’s more like it—blinded by my beauty, aren’t you?

“You’re awake…” she said, doing her best to press down the nervous flutter in her heart, eyes locked onto Tang Jin, searching every inch of her face for a reaction.

There was a flicker of amazement in Tang Jin’s gaze—so faint that it almost went unnoticed. But then her brows creased slightly, and she subtly leaned away.

Hu Ziyuan: ???

What kind of reaction was that? Was she… avoiding her?

“You—”

“Ahem. Okay, tone it down,” Su Cheng cut in, waving at her with a meaningful look. Then she turned to Tang Jin, explaining, “Don’t worry. Her pheromones are normal when she’s not using the needles. They won’t cause hallucinations.”

The whole room was saturated with rosemary. Tang Jin had nearly thought she was about to attack.

Su Cheng curled her lip. Honestly, this woman… taking full advantage of being the only healthy Alpha on the mountain, boldly releasing pheromones to seduce people.

So that’s what it was, Hu Ziyuan suddenly understood and discreetly reined it in a little.

“Come on, time to meet Ling Yuexi.” Su Cheng stepped forward to help Tang Jin up, exchanging a silent glance with her, like saying, stay sharp.

—

There was a larger meeting hall in the village.

But for today’s interrogation of a Dragon Domain  general, everyone had taken the time to clean the place up.

Still dressed in her crisp white uniform, Tang Jin calmly adjusted her hat. Her posture is straight as a blade. With a composed expression, she walked beside the two of them.

The handcuffs around her wrists made her look almost like a martyr walking to her execution.

As soon as the three stepped outside, they were surrounded.

People from the village, young and old alike, all glanced in their direction—some subtly, some not at all—every pair of eyes landing on Tang Jin.

“So that’s the Dragon Domain general. Heard she’s an A-rank Alpha.”

“Big deal. Didn’t our second-in-command still take her down?”

“She’s actually pretty good-looking.” A few young Omegas huddled together, whispering just loud enough to hear—until Hu Ziyuan shot them a look.

“What’s with Second-in-command today…”

“No idea. That glare just now was scary.”

“Tch, can’t you tell?” Elder Zhen Yuan, clearly tipsy, shook his head dramatically and called the others over with a whisper, “Spring’s coming!”

*****

No matter how you looked at her, she seemed like an ordinary person.

While the crowd sized up Tang Jin, she too was quietly observing them.

Every time Hong Xiu Zhao made a move, it was only ever the few core leaders. Even during raids, they used machines. She hadn’t expected the village to be hiding this many people.

With a flick of her eyes, Tang Jin’s heart was filled with suspicion.

I need to find a chance to talk to Chao Feng properly, she thought.

The rain had just passed, and the night air was even colder. A gust of wind blew through, and Su Cheng instinctively pulled her coat tighter, stealing a glance at the person in front.

Hu Ziyuan walked with her head high, striding elegantly down the mountain path in heels; her steps were steady and smooth. Her swaying waist added a subtle allure with every move.

Hu Ziyuan’s demeanor was significantly different from her usual demeanor, where she would jump up to smack someone upside the head.

Truly badass.

When an Omega got serious, even Su Cheng had to admit defeat.

She endured the cold as they walked to the hall, where Hu Ziyuan finally closed the door behind them. It was slightly warmer inside.

The room was brightly lit, with only three people present.

Like a queen on her throne, Ling Yuexi sat in the center, one leg crossed over the other. Her fingers tapped lightly against the armrest as she stared down, deep in thought.

Sitting beside her was Pupu. Across from them was Shi Yunqi, who paused her conversation as they entered. With a flick of her fan, she narrowed her peach blossom eyes and began examining Tang Jin.

Even as a prisoner, she stood calm and collected in the center of the room—unflinching and poised.

No wonder people liked her.

This was particularly true given her status as a rare A-rank Alpha.

Then her eyes shifted to the woman in the dress beside her, and her brows pinched.

“Tsk. Who is this? Doesn’t even know the rules.” She pointed at Hu Ziyuan, then waved Su Cheng over. “Take her out.”

“…” Hu Ziyuan’s smile froze. Her expression didn’t change, but her eyes were already glaring daggers. Her hands, resting quietly at her sides, slowly curled into fists.

Pfft. You’re done for, Su Cheng thought, lips twitching as she looked away.

Some people just didn’t know when to keep quiet.

“Hey, still pretending not to hear?” Completely unaware she’d said something wrong, Shi Yunqi pulled up her sleeves and walked over. “Whose little girl is this, dressed like that in this weather—hurry and—oh my god!”

She jumped back a full meter like she’d seen a ghost, with wide eyes. “Wait—you’re… you transitioned?!”

“I’ll transition your grandma!” Hu Ziyuan finally lost it. What the hell did he mean by transition?! Did this person seriously think she was an Alpha all along!?

“You damn Shi Yunqi, tired of living, aren’t you!” Gone was any pretense of ladylike grace—her expression twisted with fury as she lunged at Yun Qi. “Are you blind or what?! You couldn’t tell how soft and gentle of an Omega I am?!”

“This—I—I swear it’s not my fault!” Shi Yunqi scrambled away, shielding her head. Suddenly, she caught sight of someone snickering, and she yelled, “Cheng Su!” Why didn’t you say anything?!”

“Whoa, whoa—hold on!” Su Cheng darted away from his flailing hands. She’d only been halfway through enjoying the show, and now she was getting dragged into it out of nowhere. “What’s this got to do with me?!”

“This is your fault! You little troublemaker!”

“Pah! You instigator! You’re the blind one!”

“Shi Yunqi! Get back here!”

“Alright, alright, Sister Ziyuan, aren’t we supposed to be talking business?”

They were supposed to be interrogating the Dragon Domain’s general, but somehow, things had devolved into an internal brawl. The three of them were chasing each other around inside the hall.

“Excuse me, coming through.” Puff puffed out a quick apology to the Alpha and darted past her to intercept Hu Ziyuan.

“…?”

The big boss in the center, Ling Yuexi, was lazily watching the show. With four people now chasing each other around the meeting room, the once-serious atmosphere had turned into complete chaos.

What the hell is going on?

Catching the high heel that flew overhead, Tang Jin froze slightly, feeling a vague sense of disorientation.

She hadn’t expected much from the Hong Xiu Zhao, but… this was really unexpected.

And Chao Feng…

She had never seen her smile like that.

Watching her bicker and scuffle with the others, their words sharp but their eyes filled with warmth—

Was that also an act?

If Chao Feng hadn’t told her in advance, Tang Jin would’ve thought these people had been close friends for years.

After finally giving Shi Yunqi a proper beating, Hu Ziyuan let out a satisfied breath. All that fuss had warmed her right up. She casually pushed back her bangs and looked around the floor.

“…Where’s my shoe?”

“Here.” With her hands cuffed, Tang Jin had no choice but to hold out the high heel with both hands. “Here you go.”

That gentle voice, faintly scented with sandalwood, made Hu Ziyuan freeze. Her heart skipped a beat.

“…Thanks.” She ducked her head and took the shoe, her cheeks flushed bright red.

Crap, crap, she saw everything just now!

“You’re welcome.”

Shooting another glare at the still-whimpering Shi Yunqi, Hu Ziyuan slipped back into her high heels, restored her ladylike composure, and calmly walked to Ling Yuexi’s side.

“Alright, enough. Everyone sit down. Let’s get to business.” Finally, the main boss spoke.

Pupu helped Shi Yunqi to a seat, and Su Cheng casually found herself a chair too.

Ling Yuexi draped a mink coat over Hu Ziyuan’s shoulders and asked, “What’s your name?”

“…Tang Jin.”

“What’s your position in the Dragon Domain?”

Position?

Tang Jin hesitated. She wasn’t sure how much to reveal and instinctively glanced at Su Cheng for guidance.

Su Cheng, who had just received a friendly look from the enemy, exclaimed, “What the heck?!” Big sis, please don’t do this—everyone’s watching!!

Just make something up!

“Ahem, the boss is asking you, why are you looking at me?” Su Cheng couldn’t even blink under all those stares. She tried her best to improvise. “Just be honest. Like, how many people do you command, or are you the vanguard commander or something?”

Got it? Just make yourself sound important so they’ll think you’re useful and worth keeping alive.

Tang Jin nodded. She was smart—she could take a hint.

“I hold no official position.”

…Huh???

Wait, what!?

“Um, aren’t you from Dawn? An A-Class Alpha? There’s no way Qing Cang wouldn’t value you!” Su Cheng was starting to panic. What if Ling Yuexi thought Tang Jin was useless and just shot her on the spot?

Last time they broke into their base, she’d almost been killed…

Tang Jin lowered her eyes, carefully interpreting her words.

Did that mean she hadn’t said enough? Should she dig a little deeper?

Thinking back to the “just be honest” part, she figured it was fair.

She didn’t know any state secrets about the Dragon Domain anyway—whether she talked or not wouldn’t change much.

“It’s true I’m from Dawn Squad, but I’m merely a high-ranking foot soldier, like the rest. In truth, I hold no actual authority and am not trusted by Qing Cang. I only remain in Dawn because of my strength.”

“Sorry, but if you’re looking for confidential intel—I really don’t know anything.”

At the end, she even shot Su Cheng a subtle look: See? I didn’t sell you out.

Clunk—someone’s jaw might’ve just hit the floor.