After Crossing Over, I Marked the Empress

Around 10 PM, Gu Junwan sprayed some freshener on herself.

After confirming the lingering pheromone scent was gone, she quietly left the hospital room.

Having been injured, Shen Han had dozed off after cuddling her Omega for a while.

Gu Junwan planned to get a good night’s rest in her own room.

But first, she needed to find Xu Zhao for a scent-blocking patch.

The skin on her nape where the Alpha had kissed still maintained an ambiguous warmth.

The reapplied blocking patch was already damp at the edges.

Though Gu Junwan wouldn’t need to worry about others smelling her pheromones once back in her room,

She needed to “cool down” herself.

Otherwise, she’d likely have trouble sleeping tonight.

The hospital had rest areas prepared for family members.

Divided into several tiers from ordinary to high-end based on price.

Naturally, Gu Junwan occupied the best suite.

The suite had two bedrooms and a living room, fully furnished with appliances.

Xu Zhao also stayed in the second bedroom of her Empress’s suite, for convenience and to avoid unnecessary extravagance.

As Gu Junwan entered the living room, she was still somewhat perplexed.

Her personal items were all in Xu Zhao’s bag.

She didn’t want to disturb her assistant’s rest, nor would she open someone else’s personal bag without permission.

Though she knew Xu Zhao’s bag contained mostly work items, it was a matter of principle.

Some things others might see as trivial were ingrained qualities Gu Junwan felt compelled to uphold.

‘Never mind, the hospital suite should have basic scent-blocking patches. I’ll make do with those tonight.’

Just as this thought crossed Gu Junwan’s mind, the kitchen door suddenly opened and Xu Zhao emerged wearing an apron.

“Your Majesty, you’re back. I’m just making noodles, would you like a bowl?”

Gu Junwan was indeed hungry, so she nodded in agreement.

“Great, just a few more minutes and it’ll be ready.”

Xu Zhao spoke while heading back to the kitchen.

“Xu Zhao, wait a moment.”

Hearing her Empress call, the Special Assistant immediately returned: “What is it? Do you need something, Your Majesty?”

Having worked for Gu Junwan for many years, Xu Zhao could generally tell from her Empress’s expression whether she had instructions or needed something.

Gu Junwan’s face remained as calm as ever, but her voice betrayed a hint of embarrassment.

“Could you get me a scent-blocking patch?”

At first, the Special Assistant didn’t react.

She quickly calculated the time in her head and asked curiously: “Your Majesty, your next heat is still far off.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Xu Zhao realized her foolishness.

Secretly observing her Empress’s slightly unnatural demeanor, she immediately smoothed over the awkward moment.

“But of course, that’s fine. Please wait a moment, Your Majesty. I’ll turn off the stove and get one for you.”

With that, Xu Zhao calmly went to the kitchen.

As soon as she stepped through the kitchen door, the previously composed Special Assistant began patting her chest to calm herself.

‘Her Majesty came straight from that Alpha’s room asking for a scent-blocking patch – isn’t it obvious they just had some intimate contact? How did my brain not make that connection immediately!’

After turning off the stove, Xu Zhao walked steadily back to the second bedroom to find what the Empress needed.

Entering the room, she immediately drew a sharp breath.

She thought: Wait! Wasn’t Shen Han suffering from internal bleeding? Shouldn’t she still be in pain? What on earth did she do to Her Majesty in that hospital room?

After getting the special scent-blocking patch, Gu Junwan was too embarrassed to let her assistant apply it and hurried back to her own room.

When she removed the patch from her nape, it was almost completely soaked through.

The lingering snow cedar scent rushed into the Omega’s nose, stirring another wave of heat in her heart.

Gu Junwan had never known an Omega could react this way after having their gland kissed by an Alpha.

She remembered when she first met Shen Han, the other couldn’t control her pheromones and did things far more intimate than this.

But she hadn’t reacted like this then.

‘To be so sensitive from just a slight touch, what if she bites through my gland in the future-‘

At this thought, Gu Junwan’s face, which had just regained its jade-like pallor, instantly flushed crimson again.

……

The Empress’s team didn’t stay long in the small city.

Near noon the next day, everyone began an orderly withdrawal.

Shen Han and Ning Xi’s injuries weren’t serious, so recuperating at the Fourth Jurisdiction’s base hospital would be fine.

The base hospital’s conditions were certainly better.

Upon returning to base, Gu Junwan immediately immersed herself in work.

She had many matters to handle, the most urgent being to uncover the mastermind behind this attack.

The foreign mercenaries were merely a blade for killing.

Who was wielding this knife? And who had opened the gates for these foreign armed forces? These were the key points Gu Junwan needed to investigate.

Ma Haoyu was given a few days off.

He took every opportunity to visit Shen Han and Ning Xi at the base hospital.

The small agent had been assigned the task of signal interference by Shen Han at the time.

Relatively speaking, it was much less dangerous than charging into battle directly.

So Ma Haoyu returned to the team unscathed.

The other sniper surnamed Li, though his life wasn’t in danger, had suffered some minor injuries from enemy fire.

Shen Han and Ning Xi shared a double room.

By now, both could move freely, but they weren’t allowed to leave the hospital yet, so they had no choice but to continue resting in their room.

When Ma Haoyu entered, Ning Xi immediately bounded over with a grin.

The small agent dug out two latest issues of magazines from his backpack and handed them to her, then went to peel fruit for them both.

Ning Xi hugged the magazine with a sexy Omega on the cover, reading with great interest, occasionally commenting aloud.

Shen Han and Ma Haoyu were used to their flirtatious comrade’s behavior.

Though Ning Xi changed girlfriends frequently, she never crossed certain lines.

Those Omegas she dated knew what kind of person she was, both parties willing, with no deception or coercion involved.

As Ning Xi flipped through the magazine, she suddenly remembered something important.

She tossed the magazine on the table and ran to sit next to Shen Han on the sofa.

Then she said sneakily: “Boss, can I ask you something?”

Shen Han moved away in disgust: “Let me be clear, I won’t do anything like last time when I accompanied you to meet a blind date!”

Ning Xi grinned: “Oh come on, that was a special situation! The girl’s brother brought a squad of bodyguards, I was nervous!”

“What if her brother was a sister complex with a bad temper? If he found out about all my ex-girlfriends and attacked me on the spot?”

“Hmph, so you know to be afraid? What is it this time?”

“Boss, look, we’ve made quite an achievement this time. I figure saving the Northern Commander is no small feat.”

“If the Empress wants to commend us again, could you help put in a word for a group photo?”

Hearing this, Shen Han raised an eyebrow: “You want a private photo with her?”

Ning Xi’s scalp tingled, and she waved her hands frantically: “No, no! I meant a group photo!”

“How could I want a private photo with sister-in-law? That’s absolutely not allowed!”

Whether due to her attitude or the “sister-in-law” comment, Shen Han’s expression immediately softened.

“I don’t know if this mission will be commended. After all, it’s our duty.”

“But if there really is some ‘little award’ or something, I can try to mention it. Though I can’t make any promises now, it depends on the situation.”

Hearing Shen Han’s response, Ning Xi beamed.

“That’s enough! If there’s no chance this time, I can always make up for it with extra photos at your wedding ceremony in the future.”

Hearing this, Shen Han’s ears immediately perked up.

She patted Ning Xi’s back, hurriedly saying: “Oh my, you really dare to say anything!”

Ma Haoyu sat on the sofa opposite them.

He looked up at his boss’s beaming expression and thought to himself:

‘Stop pretending. This is exactly what you most want to hear!’

After two more days of recuperation, Xu Zhao suddenly appeared in the hospital room.

She came to handle Shen Han’s discharge procedures and then take her to the Empress’s second office.

Watching her “hospital buddy” being taken away, Ning Xi could only look on longingly.

She knew her injuries were worse than Shen Han’s, so it wouldn’t work to make a fuss about being discharged. She didn’t dare speak up.

Of course, the main reason was that she didn’t dare provoke Special Assistant Xu.

Shen Han changed into a work uniform, put on her credentials, then followed Xu Zhao to the administrative office area.

She had been to Gu Junwan’s usual office before.

But today Xu Zhao took her to another location with even stricter access control.

Xu Zhao removed her glasses for an iris scan, then they entered a room that looked somewhat like a command center.

The entire front wall was a large screen.

Two or three meters from the screen was a long workstation with a row of military computers.

The other two sides of the room contained file cabinets, safes, desks, lamps, and other items.

For a moment, Shen Han felt like she had entered a secret military intelligence unit.

Though it wasn’t far off.

When they entered, Gu Junwan stood facing away from them by a file cabinet, reviewing paper documents.

Today the Empress wore a plaid suit with a white shirt underneath, her beautiful legs long and straight.

Just casually standing by the bookshelf, she exuded an unparalleled air of capability and nobility that was hard to look away from.

Hearing movement by the door, Gu Junwan slowly turned, her exquisite and beautiful face suddenly entering the two newcomers’ vision.

“You’re here?” The Omega’s voice was gentle and pleasant.

The Alpha standing by the door felt her ears grow hot. She lowered her gaze slightly, responding shyly and obediently: “Yes, I’m here.”

Special Assistant Xu: “……”

What’s going on? Can’t you speak normally anymore!