Powerful Investment Chapter 2: Debt Collection

Chapter 2: Debt Collection

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

 

On the second floor of the IKW team’s building, in the youth training camp’s practice room, a group of sixteen- and seventeen-year-old Alpha boys sat in front of their computers, waiting for the team manager to arrive. They were the most elite among the nationwide recruits for IKW’s e-sports youth program.

In recent years, the original MOBA game Legend Reappearance has become wildly popular. Countless teenagers were eager to join training camps—especially this one, run by IKW, the reigning world champion team from the previous tournament.

At the time, over two hundred people had signed up just to meet IKW’s minimum standards. In the end, only twenty of the best of the best had been accepted. Once the training camp ended, keeping even one or two of them would already be considered a success.

The boys were in their most energetic and restless stage, unable to release their nervous energy. The room was in chaos, filled with chatter and the mixed Alpha pheromones that made the air feel thick and suffocating.

Outside the glass wall, Lu Yao watched the rowdy newcomers and frowned deeply, his brows almost knit together.

“What do you think of this batch of recruits?” Coach Po Xiao of the IKW team walked up beside him, holding a thermal mug with goji berries soaking in hot water.

“They’re just alright,” Lu Yao replied quietly.

After all, true genius players were rare. They didn’t just appear because you held a few training camps.

As a coach, Po Xiao had spent more time at the training camp than team captain Lu Yao, and his observations were more detailed. He understood the talent levels of this group well. Asking Lu Yao’s opinion again was more a sign of his unwillingness to give up hope than anything else.

Before he could respond, Lu Yao’s phone rang.

“Hmm? What is it?” Lu Yao’s voice was low and cool. As the face of Legend Reappearance and the player responsible for pushing Omega player participation past 45%, he was known not just for his sharply defined, striking features—but also for that voice.

Every time he livestreamed, his channel would be packed to the brim. Many Omega viewers who didn’t even play the game would tune in just to listen to him. More surprisingly, a good number of Alphas showed up on his tipping leaderboard, too.

“You saw who?” Lu Yao’s tone suddenly shifted, his speech picking up in urgency.

“What’s going on?” Po Xiao had been IKW’s coach for three years and had never seen Lu Yao this flustered.

Most esports players were young. The younger ones were impulsive and lacked patience. The more mature ones had steadier tempers but slower reflexes. In all these years, Lu Yao was the only young player he had met who had a calm temperament. Even now, at just twenty-one, Lu Yao stayed composed in tournaments—never panicked under pressure, never despaired in defeat, never got cocky in a winning streak.

He couldn’t imagine what someone might have said to provoke such a reaction.

Lu Yao hung up the call. His expression was tense, his voice rushed as he said, “Cover for me during tonight’s training session—I need to go out.”

Now that was odd, Po Xiao thought. Lu Yao’s family didn’t live in B City. If something had happened at home, he wouldn’t just be taking a single evening off. He lived and ate at the team base, and all his friends were there—he had no need to leave. In the three years he’d been with the team, Lu Yao had only ever left for holidays. He had never once taken personal time off.

“Go ahead. I’ll keep an eye on the replay session tonight.” Though concerned, Po Xiao readily agreed.

Lu Yao gave a nod and immediately headed downstairs toward the parking garage.

The call had been from Ke Yu, who said he had seen… Ji Jin.

Ji Jin.

Just hearing those two words made Lu Yao feel as though a thin blade had gently sliced across his heart—painful and itchy. His heartbeat quickened, and every cell in his body seemed to be screaming to chase after that person.

He had once been Lu Yao’s light. His god.

The roads were terribly jammed. By the time Lu Yao arrived at the spot Ke Yu mentioned, it was already past 8 p.m. The alley had no streetlights and was pitch-black. The overwhelming mix of pheromones in the air stung his eyes.

Only after he exited the alley did he see some light coming from the opposite side—a few dim bulbs in an old apartment complex.

Ke Yu had done some digging for Lu Yao and found out that Ji Jin lived on the second floor. With him was a toddler, about two years old.

Two years. It had been a little over three years since Ji Jin had retired.

Lu Yao repeated that fact to himself in his mind. Then, he took a deep breath and stepped into the narrow, dark stairwell.

—

Ji Jin had gone to the nearby convenience store after signing a contract. By the time he returned, Ji Xingxing had already woken up, half-asleep and rubbing his eyes. Upon hearing his father return, he managed to sit up groggily.

“Daddy!” Ji Xingxing called out in a soft, milky voice. “Wanna… hug Daddy!”

Ji Jin put down what he was holding and hurriedly picked up his son. Ji Xingxing had just woken up and was snuggling in his arms.

“Let’s drink your yogurt first, Xingxing. Daddy will make food, okay?” Ji Jin rummaged through the groceries he had just bought and found Ji Xingxing’s favorite yogurt. He opened one, inserted the straw, and brought it to his son’s lips.

Ji Xingxing’s eyes lit up when he saw the yogurt. He grabbed the bottle with both hands and took a big sip, puffing out his cheeks like two little buns.

“Daddy, you drink too!” Ji Xingxing handed the yogurt to Ji Jin, then whispered very softly, “Don’t cook… Xingxing is scared.”

His eyes were timid, afraid Ji Jin would scold him.

Even someone as thick-skinned as Ji Jin had some pride in front of his kid. They had only moved in half a month ago, and Ji Jin had already set off the smoke alarm twice. Each time, there was a loud bang that nearly scared Ji Xingxing out of his little soul.

It seemed cooking was a skill Ji Jin would never master in this life.

But they had to eat. Ji Jin could only pick through the vegetables he bought that day and throw together a salad, then boil some water to make instant noodles.

As for Ji Xingxing, Ji Jin had bought ready-made baby food that only needed to be heated. Still, even just boiling water made Xingxing anxious. He stared at the kettle like it was an enemy.

Ji Jin rubbed the little guy’s head. He was clearly just a kid, yet he worried like an adult. Ji Jin really had no idea who he took after.

Just then, a knock suddenly sounded at the door.

Ji Jin had no relatives in City B, only a few friends. He hadn’t told anyone about moving here. Who could be visiting at this hour?

Surely it wasn’t a debt collector? Ji Jin thought.

But sometimes bad predictions were more accurate than good ones. The moment he opened the door, he regretted it—

It really was someone here to “collect a debt.”

Standing outside the door was Lu Yao.

He hadn’t even stepped inside yet, but the plum wine scent of his pheromones had already rushed in like it had a will of its own, wrapping tightly around Ji Jin.

The shock on Ji Jin’s face was impossible to hide. He couldn’t believe that just two weeks after returning to the country, he had already been found by the one person he least wanted to see.

—”Why are you here?”
That sounded too defensive.
—”How did you know I live here?”
That came off a bit awkward too.

Ji Jin had seen his share of dramatic situations, but nothing made him more uncomfortable than this moment. He didn’t even know what to say.

And honestly, there wasn’t much to say anyway.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in, Ji Jin?” Lu Yao took a step forward, squeezing himself between the door and the wall. His movement was too sudden—Ji Jin didn’t have time to dodge. The space between them shrank, and Lu Yao’s words were suddenly being whispered directly into Ji Jin’s ear.

“Daddy!” Ji Xingxing, who had been sitting at the little table waiting patiently for dinner, got impatient when his father didn’t come back. He toddled over on his short little legs.

Not expecting someone else to be at the door, the child instinctively veered to the side and hid behind Ji Jin’s leg, hugging it tightly and peeking fearfully at the stranger.

Lu Yao hadn’t expected there to be a child inside. That one word—“Daddy”—struck him like a tidal wave. He instinctively stepped back.

Ji Jin had a kid now… and here he was, foolishly showing up uninvited. Lu Yao’s heart sank.

“Come in,” Ji Jin said. He had no idea what was going on in Lu Yao’s head. Holding Ji Xingxing in his arms, he stepped back to let him in.

Ji Xingxing, still unsure of what was happening, stayed quietly in his father’s arms, his wide black eyes peeking curiously at the newcomer.

It was summertime, and the room felt a bit stuffy. The ceiling light was dim, casting a dull glow over the already old and shabby apartment. There was only one small bed in the room. On the table beside it were the simple meals prepared for father and son.

Lu Yao glanced around and noticed there were no signs of a third person living there. Under the fridge by the bed were a few discarded boxes of Omega suppressant.

“Have a seat,” Ji Jin said, pointing to a small stool by the table. He was too broke for proper furniture—there was only a little stool, and he didn’t even consider how someone over 1.8 meters tall like Lu Yao might struggle to sit on it.

“That’s okay.” Lu Yao chose to remain standing. He continued looking around, cautiously probing: “When did you come back to the country?”

“Two weeks ago,” Ji Jin replied softly.

“Is that… is that your son?” Lu Yao glanced down at the empty suppressant boxes.

“Yeah, his name’s Ji Xingxing.” Ji Jin lowered his head and kissed the boy’s forehead. “Xingxing, say hello to Uncle.”

“H-hello, Uncle…” Ji Xingxing mumbled in a soft, kitten-like voice. He was too shy and scared to speak up properly.

Lu Yao barely managed a grunt in response. He didn’t even dare look at Ji Xingxing’s face.

Just then, another knock sounded at the door.

Ji Jin was wondering in his mind why so many people had come to see him today as he opened the door. Outside stood Wang Jie from across the hall, a gentle Omega who had given birth to a son just a few months ago. She especially liked Ji Xingxing, so she often brought food over.

This time, she had brought chicken soup with half a stewed chicken inside.

Ji Xingxing had a keen nose and ran out as soon as he smelled the scent.

“This is a free-range chicken from my home. It tastes best when stewed. Don’t always eat convenience food. You can handle it, but your Xingxing is at a stage where he really needs good nutrition,” Wang Jie said warmly. She glanced inside the door and happened to see Lu Yao.

Even though she was an Omega who had already been marked, she was still very sensitive to the scent of an Alpha.

“Wang Jie, do you have time? Could you watch Xingxing for a while?” Ji Jin looked back at Lu Yao and then asked Wang Jie.

Wang Jie looked at Lu Yao, then at Ji Jin, as if she guessed something, and quickly agreed.

Some matters still needed to be dealt with face to face, Ji Jin thought.

Especially with the one standing right in front of him.

After all, their bodies had shared the deepest and closest kind of connection.

Even though it had been three years since they parted, he still remembered the feeling of being fiercely claimed deep within his body by this Alpha before him.

 

Author’s note:

Little Lu: “Is this… your son?”

God Ji: “No, he’s your son.”

 

 

 

 

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