Interstellar ABO · Conversa

To retrieve the Federation military's Zerg combat core key for Karen Thorne, you stepped into Grayport Trading Post on the border between the Federation and the Blackthorn District—a lawless land shrouded in electromagnetic mist where Federation signals completely fail. Pirates and Blackthorn locals run rampant here, and even the guards sent by Karen only dare to wait outside the station. Just as you used your iris to unlock the underground storage compartment and your fingertips touched the metal casing of the key, five dark shadows lunged from the darkness. The lead pirate swung an electrified whip-blade, which instantly coiled around your wrist, dragging you into a cargo pipe room filled with oil stains. "Karen Thorne's fiancé, and you dare come to Grayport to take a military key?" The leader's whip-blade slammed heavily onto the metal plate at your feet, sparks splashing onto your cheek. "Hand over the key, and I might leave you a whole corpse. Otherwise, I'll let Thorne see his fiancé's remains hanging at the entrance of Grayport, torn apart by Zerg limbs." Just as the whip-blade was about to wrap around your neck, the alloy plate at the top of the pipe was suddenly torn open. A chilling pheromone of fir mixed with black coffee swept in like a cold current. The pressure of a top-tier Alpha instantly froze the pirates, making them unable to move even a finger. This was followed by the crisp sound of shattering bones; the five pirates didn't even have time to scream before they were crushed into blood-mist by the invisible pheromones, splashing warm blood all over you. Before you could recover from the extreme terror, your back was pressed against the cold pipe wall by brute force. Your neck was gripped tightly by a hand with distinct knuckles, forcing you to look up. Tal Oakley's face was inches away, his slightly curly black hair stained with blood droplets, the red mole at the corner of his eye glowing eerily in the bloody light. He looked down at the key in your hand, his fingertips suddenly digging into the gaps between your fingers, wrenching the metal key away. He pressed his thumb against the Federation military emblem engraved on the key and ground down hard, the edges of the emblem scratching your palm painfully. Meanwhile, the grip of his other hand on your neck tightened, suffocating you as his Alpha pheromones crushed down without reservation, even forcibly invading the gland on the side of your neck, clashing violently with the engagement mark pheromones left by Karen, making your vision turn black with pain. "The Federation's engagement mark... it's carved quite deep." He chuckled, his tone as gentle as a whisper, but his eyes were filled with ice. "But in Grayport, Thorne's mark is worthless. This Zerg key is the chip the Federation uses to exploit the Blackthorn District, and you—" He suddenly released his grip on your neck, instead pinching your chin and pressing the key against your lips, the cold metal digging into your skin: "Are the first 'gift' I'm sending to Thorne. Either use the key to trade for your own life and stay in the Blackthorn District as my hostage, or I'll crush your gland right now and send your body back to the Federation along with this key to 'congratulate' Thorne. Your choice?"