TPLTMOE - Chapter 4

There was likely more than one alpha among these interviewers. Even though everyone wore scent-blocking patches and used suppressant sprays to mask their pheromones, the interrogation-like intensity of the interview setting was enough to make an Omega nervous—heart pounding so fast it felt ready to explode.

Ling Ran forced himself to remain composed. He walked to the seat positioned directly across from Jiang Zhiyu and bowed politely to the panel, his voice sweet and soft.

"Good afternoon, esteemed interviewers. I am candidate number 17, Ling Ran."

The person seated beside Jiang Zhiyu had a gentle, refined face, with slightly long hair tucked neatly behind his ears. Just by appearance alone, he exuded the artistic temperament of a kind Omega.

Ling Ran recognized him—Yin Chu, the founder of Jiangzhou Entertainment News' exclusive broadcast segment. Once the star anchor of the entire news division, whenever Yin Chu reported, viewership ratings for that time slot would hit record highs.

But over the past two years, Yin Chu had gradually shifted to behind-the-scenes work, appearing less frequently as an on-air host.

"Ling Ran, is it?" Yin Chu gave him a warm smile. "Don't be nervous. There's a news script on the table—just read it aloud with your own interpretation."

The soothing, spring breeze-like voice eased Ling Ran's tension somewhat. Steadying himself, he tried to ignore the overwhelming presence of the man opposite him—his so-called "uncle"—and sat down, beginning to read in a polished news anchor's tone.

"Recently, a shocking case of an abducted Omega teenager has drawn widespread attention..."

The initially sweet and youthful Omega voice shed some of its naivety the moment he began the formal news broadcast.

Like the first ray of sunlight piercing through morning mist-warm, clear, rich with emotion, every rise and fall of his intonation perfectly measured—it effortlessly penetrated the listeners' hearts.

The interviewers grew more and more impressed, nodding frequently, their gazes shifting between Jiang Zhiyu and Yin Chu in the center. Yin Chu maintained a smile, but his fingers, resting on his lap, subtly tightened.

He had indeed dragged Jiang Zhiyu along to interview new candidates today, but throughout the previous dozen or so readings, the CEO hadn't spared a single glance.

Yet the moment this kid walked in, Jiang Zhiyu's eyes seemed glued to him.

Sure, he was fresh-faced and pretty—but didn't Jiang Zhiyu dislike Omegas?

After clinging to him for so many years, he had never once shown any interest. Could it be that he actually liked some brat who hadn't even grown all his hair yet?

"...Society should strengthen its attention and protection toward the Omega community, ensuring they receive appropriate support and assistance during their differentiation process."

After smoothly reading through the script, Ling Ran finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Today's interview was just a trial reading of the script. Thinking it was over, he prepared to stand up and leave.

But before he could rise, a deep, melodious voice sounded from across the table.

"Why do you want to join Jiangzhou?"

Ling Ran was momentarily stunned. Seeing the other interviewers exchange puzzled glances, he realized this must be an impromptu addition by Jiang Zhiyu—just to make things difficult for him.

How utterly despicable!

After thinking seriously for a few seconds, he answered, "Because Jiangzhou Entertainment genuinely takes journalism seriously. As the window for news dissemination, news anchors best convey the power and value of journalism."

His eyes were clear and bright, radiating youthful vitality as he spoke earnestly, "I want to work with Jiangzhou to guide public opinion correctly as much as possible, promoting social progress and justice."

His words left the interviewers momentarily speechless. They had never expected a fresh graduate to articulate such profound thoughts. Jiang Zhiyu's gaze was inscrutable, his emotions unreadable. With a slight parting of his thin lips, he threw out another killer question. "There are many people more ambitious and more outstanding than you," his deep eyes fixed on the young Omega before him. "What usable value do you think you possess? Why should Jiangzhou hire you?"

The question was somewhat harsh. Ling Ran, after all, was a sheltered flower yet to endure the harsh realities of society, and he took Jiang Zhiyu's words as an indirect rejection.

A wave of grievance washed over him. He lightly bit his lower lip, his beautiful dark peach-blossom eyes lowering as he struggled to formulate a response.

Yin Chu discreetly nudged Jiang Zhiyu's thigh under the table, signaling him to tone it down and watch his wording.

But Jiang Zhiyu seemed entirely focused on the young Omega, not even sparing Yin Chu a glance.

Finally, Ling Ran gathered his thoughts and answered softly, "I... I may not be the most outstanding or the best, but my teachers have praised my resilience. I'm confident I can persist longer in journalism than others. I..."

He was about to continue when an overwhelmingly pungent fishy odor suddenly exploded through the conference room.

One of the interviewers, who had been sitting upright moments ago, now collapsed onto the floor.

His rut had apparently arrived unexpectedly. All traces of elegance and composure vanished as his eyes turned blood-red, revealing an uncontrollable primal savagery. He had completely lost his rationality and restraint, reduced to a shell driven by instinctual desire.

The nauseating, acrid fishy scent was the high-level Alpha pheromones.

Both Ling Ran and Yin Chu, as Omegas, began to show signs of distress, their breathing growing erratic.

Yin Chu, being older and more experienced, was slightly better off.

Ling Ran was having a tough time. He had been teetering on the edge of his heat cycle, relying on suppressants to forcefully quell the rising fever within him. Now, he was clearly struggling to hold on.

The scent patch on the back of his neck was burning faintly, the gland beneath it scorching as if about to ignite.

The other alphas weren't faring much better either. Their bodies instinctively rejected the pheromones of other alphas, their skin prickling with pain wherever they made contact.

Only Jiang Zhiyu seemed unaffected. His expression remained calm as he said, "Pause the interviews. Deal with him first."

Two betas entered from outside—completely immune to pheromones—and doused the alpha in the middle of his rut with scent blockers before covering his head with an isolation bag. Only then did they escort him to the isolation room to cool down.

Once the man was gone, Ling Ran clenched his jaw and pushed himself up from the table with trembling hands.

His forehead was already glistening with sweat, his cheeks flushed with a hazy, feverish glow.

The restless, surging heat inside him was crashing against his control, leaving him panicked and unsure of what to do. His mind was too foggy to think straight, and he didn't even spare a farewell to the interviewers before stumbling toward the door.

Only one thought burned in his mind—

He absolutely could not go into heat here.

The stifling, fishy stench in the meeting room was quickly neutralized by the scent blockers, and everyone soon regained their composure.

Yin Chu's face still carried a faint blush, his eyes shimmering with an alluring charm. He glanced at Jiang Zhiyu, his admiration for this highest-tier enigma of society deepening even further.

Jiang Zhiyu seemed impervious to anyone's pheromones. Even when everyone else succumbed to their instincts, he remained coldly rational, looking down at the rest like insignificant ants.

If only this enigma would consider bonding with an Omega.

"Zhiyu," Yin Chu murmured, his body still weak as he leaned lightly against the man's strong arm. "I'm fine now. Let's continue."

Jiang Zhiyu gave a faint hum of acknowledgment.

The next interviewee was Qin Chengyue, but after the secretary called his name several times with no response, they moved on to the next candidate.

As Jiang Zhiyu listened to the smooth, practiced voice of Interviewee No. 19, an image suddenly surfaced in his mind—a delicate face, the corners of the eyes damp with tears.

"Regarding this incident, experts have pointed out that society's attention toward the Omega demographic remains insufficient. The next step—“

Before the interviewee could finish, the noble and striking CEO of Jiang Corporation abruptly stood up.

All eyes immediately turned to Jiang Zhiyu.

He merely lowered his gaze, leaning close to Yin Chu's ear to murmur, "I have something to attend to. Carry on without me."

Without waiting for a reply, he strode out of the meeting room.

***

Ling Ran's body burned fiercely, his soft, raven-black hair slightly damp with sweat, clinging to his forehead and the nape of his neck.

The waves of heat assaulting him from within were torturous. His breaths came heavy and labored, yet his chest still felt suffocated, as if weighed down by an immovable boulder, crushing him until he could barely breathe.

He slumped weakly onto the toilet in the innermost stall of the restroom. Fortunately, the cubicles here were fully enclosed, capable of blocking pheromones.

But he had already been induced into heat by that alpha's foul pheromones. What he needed now was his bag—and the suppressants inside it.

He tried to fish his phone from his pocket to call Qin Chengyue, but his fingers were too weak to muster even the slightest strength. Frustration pooled in his eyes, filling them with shimmering tears.

Suddenly, another wave of scorching, suffocating heat crashed over him, and Ling Ran's entire body trembled faintly.

He bit his lips hard, but it was no use. His slender back arched like a shrimp's shell, and with a forward slip, he slid right off the toilet, landing on his knees.

He should have collided with the cold partition door in front of him, but it was abruptly pulled open from the outside.

As a draft of cool, fresh air rushed in, Ling Ran tumbled straight into a firm, muscular embrace.

His knees still struck the floor, the pain instantly numbing his legs. A few small, helpless sobs escaped him before he could stop them.

Two large hands reached for his upper body, gripping him under the arms and effortlessly lifting him back onto the toilet. Then, with a sharp bang, the stall door was shut again.

Ling Ran's head hung weakly, his long, pale nape completely exposed to the air. Beneath the thin, fair skin, a tempting flush bloomed, and the small, delicate scent patch at the base of his neck had begun to swell slightly.

He felt a sudden pressure press against the back of his neck—his feverish, sensitive gland couldn't withstand even the slightest touch. The moment contact was made, it writhed desperately, as if trying to burst free from beneath the patch, silently begging for that hand to press against it without any barrier.

His slender frame shuddered violently, like delicate flowers battered by a storm. A fragile whimper escaped his throat, as if his tail had been stepped on—trapped, pitiful, unable to break free.

Ling Ran lifted his head in distress, his peach-blossom eyes glistening with tears, the rims flushed red. His misty gaze seemed to silently accuse, long lashes fluttering before tears spilled down in quick succession.

The hand at his nape loosened slightly, shifting to press a cool palm firmly over the scent patch. With just one hand, it easily gripped the soft nape, forcing the tearful little omega to lean closer.

Jiang Zhiyu stared deep into his eyes, piercing through him.

"Do you really enjoy going into heat in front of others?"

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