Chapter 18
With Yu Changning providing one-on-one sparring, Chu Yunmiao spent this vacation even more diligently than she did on normal school days.
In the blink of an eye, it was the last day of the break. Yu Changning had already adjusted the next stage of Chu Yunmiao’s training plan according to her specific condition. Chu Yunmiao had looked over the training schedule in advance and found it even more comprehensive than she had originally expected; she couldn’t help silently praising Yu Changning’s professionalism.
But Yu Changning still had some doubts.
“Why is your strength coefficient only 0.8?” The young instructor’s brow was tightly furrowed. “Before or after your secondary differentiation, did your body suffer any damage?”
Chu Yunmiao’s expression stiffened a little. “N-no...”
She forced herself to stay calm and found an excuse. “Maybe I’m just naturally not great in that area.”
Yu Changning shook her head. “This coefficient is at the very bottom for the Alpha group. It would make sense on an ordinary Alpha, but on you...” She studied Chu Yunmiao with open scrutiny. “You’re the Empire’s top Alpha. How could your physical data be this strange?”
She even asked, “I’ll arrange a private physical examination for you. Which day next month are you free?”
At that, the Imperial Crown Princess’s scalp prickled.
She hurriedly waved the idea away. “No need. The Imperial Palace does routine checkups every six months; there’s no need to arrange a private one, right?
“0.8 is a little low, but it’s still within the normal range, isn’t it? I think there’s nothing wrong.”
Yu Changning clearly wanted to say more, but before she could, the light-brain terminal on her wrist vibrated.
She stood up and said to Chu Yunmiao, “Wait a moment,” then left to answer the communication.
Five minutes later, she returned to the training room with a rather unpleasant expression.
For some reason, Chu Yunmiao’s heart gave a sudden lurch. “What’s wrong?”
Yu Changning looked at her, then after a moment shook her head. “Nothing.”
She picked up her things. “Something came up at school; I have to rush back to the office. Go back to your dorm and rest early. Classes resume tomorrow, so make sure you keep your energy up.”
Chu Yunmiao took a deep breath and nodded. “Mm.”
That night, the Imperial Crown Princess slept poorly.
The first morning after the break was all cultural theory classes. An older male professor stood at the podium, repeating the key points of the lecture over and over. Normally, that slow, heavy tone would have been enough to put half the Alpha students in the class to sleep on the spot.
But today was a little different.
Maybe because she hadn’t slept well last night, Chu Yunmiao couldn’t focus very effectively. Lin Mo sat in the seat beside her, making one irritating noise after another like a monkey trapped in a cage. More than ten minutes passed; the old professor’s slides had already advanced seven or eight pages, while the Crown Princess’s class notes still contained only a few lonely words.
Chu Yunmiao rubbed her nose and couldn’t help sneezing.
It was the seventeenth one this period.
The old professor wasn’t strict about classroom discipline. He didn’t much care whether the students listened carefully, but Chu Yunmiao, a good student, sneezing nonstop in class made him feel a little concerned.
He rarely paused to ask, “Class monitor, what’s wrong? Are you sick? Do you need to go to the Infirmary and have a look?”
Since she had been called on, Chu Yunmiao stood and politely declined. “Ah, it’s fine. Thank you for your concern, sir. I’m okay.”
The old professor glanced out the window. “It’s getting cooler. You train hard; catching a cold would be troublesome.”
Chu Yunmiao smiled. “I’ll be careful. Please continue.”
With that, she sat back down.
Lin Mo next to her finally settled down a little and looked at her with concern. Chu Yunmiao quietly shook her head to show that she was fine.
It was hard enough waiting until class ended, and Lin Mo immediately leaned over.
“Class monitor, what’s wrong with you? The moment I got to class, I felt like you were acting strange today. My God, this is the first time I’ve ever seen you spacing out in class too.”
As soon as she came close, Chu Yunmiao couldn’t hold it back at all and sneezed several times in a row.
“Achoo! Achoo! Achoo—”
Lin Mo froze, then quickly backed away.
“What’s going on? Am I a virus?”
Chu Yunmiao’s face was red from sneezing. She rubbed her nose, equally puzzled. “Did you use something new? Is there some kind of allergen?”
“No...” Lin Mo looked wronged.
Chu Yunmiao waved it off. “Forget it.”
She arranged things on her own. “Maybe I just didn’t sleep well last night. If I’m still not better this afternoon, I’ll go to the Infirmary and get checked.”
Only then did Lin Mo relax a little and comfort her. “Mm, don’t worry. It’ll be fine.
“A little cold can’t do anything to us Alphas.”
No one else in the class was affected; only Chu Yunmiao felt unwell. She tried to shift her attention and not think too much about it, but she still had a faint, ominous premonition.
Sure enough, when afternoon came and Yu Changning arrived in front of them without announcing the start of training as usual, Chu Yunmiao knew her sixth sense had been right.
“Recently, a class of enticing perfumes has appeared on the market. They contain ingredients similar to Omega pheromones; the latest research shows that these substances can also affect Alphas.” Yu Changning’s expression was extremely serious. “The school has investigated, and this kind of perfume has already entered our campus. If it isn’t controlled properly, it is very likely to trigger a sudden heat/estrus period in Alphas.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the group erupted into an uproar.
An Alpha heat period was similar to an Omega heat cycle; generally speaking, an Alpha’s heat would only be triggered by Omega pheromones. According to Yu Changning, if some perfume had indeed been mixed with something similar to Omega pheromones, then it really could trigger an Alpha’s heat.
The others were only discussing the matter itself, but Chu Yunmiao suddenly thought of the vacation a few days ago, and the scent from Fang Juanyu that had made her uncomfortable...
The Imperial Crown Princess’s face suddenly went pale.
One had to know that Omega pheromones could lure an Alpha into heat. Likewise, once an Alpha entered heat, the pheromones they released would increase as well, and that would in turn lure nearby Omegas into a heat cycle.
And right now, the place she was in...
Was almost entirely full of young, vigorous Alphas.
After observing everyone’s reactions, Yu Changning suddenly clapped her hands once, drawing everyone’s attention back.
“Now, anyone who believes they may be connected to this matter, step out immediately and cooperate with the school investigation.”
Class 1 stirred for a moment; several people really did leave the formation.
Lin Mo couldn’t help herself either. She moved to Chu Yunmiao’s side. “Class monitor, that day at Fang Juanlin and Fang Juanyu’s birthday party, do you remember? W-we should step out.”
Chu Yunmiao’s head was spinning; before she could resist, Lin Mo had already pulled her out of line.
When she came back to her senses, she happened to meet Yu Changning’s sharp gaze, and she reflexively shivered.
Yu Changning’s brows were tightly knit.
“The rest of you, continue training as planned. The rest of you come with me.”
The others replied, “Yes.”
Chu Yunmiao had no choice but to take a deep breath and force herself to stay calm as she followed behind Lin Mo and the others, leaving the training ground with Yu Changning.