The sun rose over District 1, hitting the glass towers like a hammer on an anvil. But for Lin Xiao, the morning felt cold. Today was the first "Official" match of the Spring Split. It wasn't a practice match in a quiet room anymore. It was a live battle in the *Star-Light Arena*, the biggest stadium in the city.
"Are you ready, Rose?"
Lin Xiao jumped. He was standing in the hallway of the Black Vanguard house, clutching his bag. He had spent an hour in the shower, using so much scent-blocker that his skin felt numb. He had three masks in his pocket just in case one got sweaty.
Ye Shikai was standing there, leaning against the wall. He was wearing the formal team uniform: a crisp white shirt under the blue-and-white jacket, and black trousers that made his legs look incredibly long. He looked like a king ready for a coronation.
"I'm ready," Lin Xiao said, his voice muffled by his black mask.
"You're shaking," Ye Shikai noted. He stepped forward, his heavy boots clicking on the floor. He didn't stop until he was right in front of Lin Xiao. He reached out and adjusted the collar of Lin Xiao's jacket, his fingers brushing against the pale skin of the boy's neck.
Lin Xiao shivered. The "Alpha Pressure" from Ye Shikai was different today. It wasn't mean or scary. It felt... warm. Like a blanket.
"Don't look at the crowd," Ye Shikai whispered. His dark eyes were locked onto Lin Xiao's. "Don't listen to the cameras. Just look at the screen. And if you get scared... look at me. I'm your Captain. I'll carry the weight."
Lin Xiao nodded, unable to speak. For a second, he wanted to lean into that warmth. But he remembered he was an Omega in a den of wolves. He pulled away and started walking toward the garage.
The Arrival of the "Ghost"
The Star-Light Arena was a mountain of silver metal. Outside, thousands of fans were already screaming. They held up glowing signs that said "KING SHIKAI" and "BLACK VANGUARD NUMBER ONE."
But there were new signs today. Signs that said: "WHO IS ROSE?" and "THE MASKED GENIUS."
The team bus pulled into the underground tunnel. As the doors opened, a swarm of reporters ran forward, their cameras flashing like lightning.
"Captain Ye! Who is the new Mid-laner?"
"Is it true he's from District 13?"
"Why is he wearing a mask? Is he disfigured?"
Ye Shikai stepped out first. He didn't say a word, but his cold gaze made the reporters step back. He created a path, and Lin Xiao walked through it, his head down, his silver hair shimmering under the stadium lights.
To the fans watching on the big screens, Lin Xiao looked like a "Dreamy Ghost." He was small and elegant, moving with a grace that no Alpha possessed. The mystery made the crowd go wild.
"He looks so cool!" a girl in the front row screamed. "He looks like a fallen angel!"
Inside the locker room, the air was thick with the scent of other teams. There were dozens of Alphas from Team "Thunder-Bolt," their opponents for the day. They were a team known for their "Heavy Metal" style—lots of noise, lots of aggression, and very strong pheromones.
"So, this is the little flower?" the Captain of Thunder-Bolt laughed as they passed in the hallway. He was a giant Alpha named Rex. He intentionally bumped into Lin Xiao's shoulder, trying to knock him down.
Lin Xiao didn't fall. He spun with the hit, using the momentum to keep walking. He didn't even look back.
"Hey! I'm talking to you, brat!" Rex growled. He released a massive cloud of his scent—the smell of raw meat and iron.
Little Seven and Tiger both growled, their own Alpha instincts kicking in to protect their teammate. But Ye Shikai was faster. He stepped between Rex and Lin Xiao, his eyes turning into shards of ice.
"Rex," Ye Shikai said, his voice like a death threat. "Save your energy for the game. If you touch my Mid-laner again, I'll make sure you never play in this league again."
Rex turned pale. No one argued with the King. He muttered an insult and hurried away.
Under the Glowing Lights
The announcer's voice boomed through the stadium. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN... WELCOME THE BLACK VANGUARD!"
The lights went out. Suddenly, a soft glowing gold light erupted from the center of the stage. High-tech lasers traced the shape of a wolf in the air. Lin Xiao walked onto the stage behind Ye Shikai. The roar of the crowd was so loud it felt like a physical wall hitting him.
Thousands of people, Lin Xiao thought, his breath hitching. If they find out... if I fail...
He sat in his gaming chair. It was a professional throne, surrounded by glass walls to block out the noise. He put on his headset, and the world finally went quiet.
The "Pick and Ban" phase began.
"They banned the Frost Rose," Tiger swore. "Those cowards! They saw the replay from the cafe!"
"It doesn't matter," Ye Shikai said calmly. "Rose, what else can you play?"
Lin Xiao looked at the list of characters. He saw a character that no one played anymore. The Lunar Shadow. It was a character that moved in the dark, invisible to the enemy, but very hard to control.
"I'll take the Shadow," Lin Xiao said.
The crowd gasped. The commentators began to shout. "The Lunar Shadow?! No one has used that character in a pro match for two years! Is Rose crazy, or is he a god?"
The Shadow's Honor
The match started. Team Thunder-Bolt played like a pack of wild dogs. They chased Ye Shikai into the jungle, trying to kill the King early.
"I'm trapped!" Ye Shikai said. It was rare to hear the King sound pressed. Three players were surrounding him.
"Hold on," Lin Xiao said.
On the screen, the Lunar Shadow vanished. Lin Xiao's fingers were moving so fast the camera tracking his hands couldn't keep up.
Shift. Blink. Silence.
Lin Xiao didn't just walk into the fight; he appeared out of thin air. He used a "Double-Shadow" glitch—a move that required 500 APM—to hit all three enemies at once.
Slash! Slash!
"What just happened?!" the announcer yelled. "Rose just saved the Captain! He's dancing in the shadows!"
For the next thirty minutes, Lin Xiao was a nightmare. Every time Rex tried to start a fight, Lin Xiao was there to stop him. He was like a silent guardian, always one step ahead.
The "Alpha Pressure" from the Thunder-Bolt team was huge. The stadium smelled like a storm. But Lin Xiao was in his own world. He could feel the "soft glowing light" of the monitor reflecting in his eyes. He felt powerful. He felt alive.
Final Push.
"All together!" Ye Shikai commanded.
Team Black Vanguard moved like a single machine. Ye Shikai led the charge, Tiger and Cobra provided the fire, and Little Seven protected them. But the star was the Shadow.
Lin Xiao saw the enemy's base. He saw the "Core."
Ultimate: Night-Fall.
The entire map on the screen went dark for the enemy. They couldn't see anything. In the darkness, the Lunar Shadow struck.
"PENTA-KILL!"
"ACE!"
"VICTORY!"
The stadium exploded. People were jumping out of their seats. The name "ROSE" was being chanted by ten thousand voices.
The Price of Victory
Lin Xiao sat back, his chest heaving. He was exhausted. The adrenaline was fading, and the "heat" was returning. The stadium was too hot, and the Alpha pressure from the match had been too much.
"We did it," Little Seven cheered, hugging Tiger.
Ye Shikai stood up and walked over to Lin Xiao. He saw the boy's hands shaking on the desk. He saw the way Lin Xiao was leaning forward, trying to hide his face.
"Rose?" Ye Shikai asked, his voice full of concern.
He reached out to help Lin Xiao up, but as he got close, he stopped.
Even through the scent-blockers, even through the medical masks... there it was. The scent of a rose, but it wasn't frozen anymore. It was blooming. It was sweet, intoxicating, and full of "Heat."
Ye Shikai's eyes widened. His own Alpha instincts roared in his ears. He realized in that moment what the "Mystery" was.
The "Boy" he had scouted... the "Ghost" of District 13... was an Omega. And he was in Heat, right here, in front of ten thousand people and dozens of hungry Alphas.
Without a word, Ye Shikai grabbed his own large team jacket and threw it over Lin Xiao's head, covering him completely.
"Don't move," Ye Shikai whispered harshly.
He picked Lin Xiao up in his arms, carrying him like a bride.
"Captain?! What are you doing?" the reporters shouted as they rushed the stage. "Is Rose hurt? Why are you carrying him?"
"He collapsed from exhaustion!" Ye Shikai lied, his voice loud and commanding. "Get out of the way! If anyone touches him, I'll kill you!"
He ran through the tunnel, holding Lin Xiao close to his chest. He could feel the boy's hot breath against his neck. He could smell the rose scent getting stronger and stronger.
Ye Shikai's own heart was racing. He was the King of Alphas, and he was currently carrying a "hidden" Omega through a building full of enemies.
He burst into the private locker room and locked the door. He set Lin Xiao down on the bench and ripped off his own tie to use as a temporary bandage for his own self-control.
"Rose," Ye Shikai said, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and something else. "Look at me."
Lin Xiao pulled the jacket down, his mask falling off. His face was bright red, his eyes watery and dazed. His silver hair was a mess. He looked beautiful, fragile, and completely exposed.
"I... I'm sorry..." Lin Xiao whispered, his voice breaking. "I took the pills... I tried..."
Ye Shikai stared at him. He should have been angry. This was a scandal that could destroy the team. But as he looked at the "Rose" he had found in the trash, all he wanted to do was lock the door and never let anyone else see him again.
"The pills are gone, Xiao," Ye Shikai said, using the boy's real name for the first time. "But I'm here. And I don't let anyone touch what belongs to the King."
Outside, the fans were still screaming for "Rose." But inside the quiet room, the King and the Rose were finally alone.