Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"According to reliable information from the front lines, the fleet led by His Highness, the Crown Prince, has already crossed over to the Empire's borders and should arrive at the capital star by tomorrow morning."

"Do I need to remind you again? In the military, you should refer to him as General. He doesn't like being addressed as His Highness in military contexts."

The conversation of two middle-aged men entered Queqiu's ears unabashedly. They stopped their casual talk as soon as they noticed someone entering.

Queqiu narrowed his eyes, silently observing them. The taller one among them was the captain of this ship, He Jieming.

He didn't have as obvious animalistic features as Jin Li, but the fine scales that spread from his side face to his neck, reflecting a sinister cold light under the lighting, made it easy to guess he was a serpent Alpha.

The second in command was an unremarkable Beta.

Both the captain and his deputy looked at the Omega sandwiched between Jin Li and Felix, their eyes simultaneously flashing with a hint of astonishment.

However, this astonishment did not last long. For the captain of the Ailbizi, an untested Omega, despite their superior appearance, was less intriguing than whether they had plant-based genetics or were of a high rank.

"Do you see the genetic testing device in front of you?"

Queqiu followed Captain He Jieming's gaze towards the large machine directly in front of him.

Entirely silver, exuding a cold, high-tech aura, it matched the room's color scheme and was so large that it seemed to barely fit in the spacious room.

Or rather, the chamber itself was a huge testing device.

The main body was divided into two parts: a mechanical chair at the bottom for sitting, and a column resembling a test tube above. If activated, a soft blue laser would emanate from the tube; at the base, connecting to the floor, were five buzzing electric currents, each linked to different control consoles.

Queqiu glanced discreetly, noticing each control console manned by an Alpha, with blue electronic screens rapidly scrolling through strings of precise numbers.

Noticing the Omega's gaze, He Jieming explained rather brusquely: "You just need to sit there, and the device will determine your rank by extracting your pheromones."

Queqiu looked at the "test tube," currently inactive and emitting a silent white light.

"What is this?"

"A visual equivalent exchange display. After extracting the pheromones, the device analyzes the subject's genetic rank and expresses it more intuitively through this display. Alphas usually display red, indicating combat ability, and Omegas green, indicating healing ability. The deeper the color, the higher the rank. The final detailed report will be produced by the connected console."

"It's the same for Betas, except that blood is extracted instead of pheromones. Besides, most Betas are ordinary people, only a top few possess some combat ability."

After explaining in one breath, He Jieming realized why he was answering such an apparently low-ranked Omega's questions and quickly added: "Alright, your questions are pointless; everything will be clear soon enough."

Even Queqiu, who had only become human a couple of days ago, could sense the impatience in He Jieming's tone.

Queqiu paused, guessing why he was being treated with such disdain.

After sitting on the cold chair, he instinctively touched the nape of his neck, feeling its chill.

It should be where this world's gland is located, yet there was no trace of the so-called pheromones leaking out.

This likely led the captain to conclude he couldn't be a high-ranked Omega, hence the attitude.

The genetic rank testing began promptly.

Queqiu was mentally prepared for any outcome, ready to accept whatever results came his way.

As the captain of the Ailbizi, tasked with identifying high-ranked Omegas lost in the empire, He Jieming had seen this scenario many times and didn't think much of it.

The other staff maintained a business-like, detached demeanor.

In contrast, Jin Li, whom Queqiu had recently met, was secretly anxious for him. He stealthily observed Felix leaning against the door, hoping Queqiu would test well but fearing that it might lead to him falling into Felix's clutches.

"Stay still in the chair; the test will start shortly."

He Jieming turned and walked to the control panel, pressing a silver button.

Queqiu felt a slight prick at the nape of his neck, but it was fleeting, and the pain quickly vanished.

A mechanical arm operated a syringe, extracting pale red blood into a vial, labeling it with temporary identification before sending it into the testing chamber.

An emotionless electronic voice followed: "Specimen number 2237, untested Omega Queqiu, pheromone extraction complete, preparing for genetic analysis."

"Genetic analysis initiated, countdown commencing ten, nine, eight, seven…"

The staff in the testing room were already accustomed to such scenarios, including Felix. None of them paid much attention to Qiuqiu's gene level test.

After all, based on their extensive experience, this Omega in front of them, whose pheromones were so weak they were almost imperceptible and who showed no sign of any plant scent, was at best a D-level Omega.

Omegas, compared to the most populous Betas or the relatively fewer Alphas, were indeed rarer. In some remote and undeveloped planets, there might not be many Omegas at all. However, across the empire, especially in the capital star and its neighboring developed planets, D-level Omegas, while not as common as dust, weren't considered especially rare or valuable, unlike high-level Omegas.

“Five, four, three, two…”

As the countdown was about to end, another Omega entered the testing room.

“One. Countdown complete.”

“Omega number 2237, Qiuqiu, gene analysis completed. Gene level—”

“Beep! Beep! Beep!”

The usual calm electronic voice was replaced by a sharp telegraph sound, the piercing frequency instantly drawing everyone's attention. Even the Omega who had just entered involuntarily looked towards the testing machine.

Qiuqiu was seated. He couldn't raise his head to see the display’s color, but now he didn't need to. The light emitted by the testing machine turned the entire silver-white cabin into a tender yellow hue.

He only needed to look straight at the wall to easily see the color displayed by the machine due to his results.

The Alphas operating the consoles all stopped their work, staring in disbelief at the laser display.

“This is…”

“C-level?”

"It looks like the color is deepening..."

Jin Li watched the laser display anxiously. It resembled a graduated test tube, initially only one-fifth of its bottom showing a tender yellow. Then the light rapidly filled up the tube like water.

And the tender yellow turned into light green!

The transition of colors was like the gradual growth of a plant, similar to how pale yellow sprouts slowly turn into tender green leaves.

The murmurs grew louder, this result even more astonishing than before.

"B-level!"

"What? No way!"

"An Omega from a desert planet is B-level?!"

"Wait, the display turned green!!"

"A-level! It’s A-level!"

Someone from the staff suddenly shouted this, and He Jie Ming whirled around, staring intently at the testing device!

A-level?

An Omega, showing no signs of any plant-based genes and barely perceptible pheromones, is A-level?!

His hands, resting on the control panel, trembled violently with excitement, a tumultuous euphoria he couldn’t suppress rising within him.

Considering the rarity of Omegas, the difficulty of finding high-level healers among them was akin to climbing to the heavens. In the capital star, open only to Alphas of A-level and above, any Omega reaching B-level would be granted a residence permit and protected by the empire. Not to mention the Elibiz, even at the Empire's premier military academy, known for its geniuses, A-level healing Omegas could be counted on one hand.

So, if Qiuqiu really is an A-level healing Omega, how could He Jie Ming not be thrilled!

This could add a significant achievement to his military honors!

Even the usually nonchalant Felix became serious, quickening his pace into the testing room.

An A-level healing Omega…

He lowered his gaze, realizing that if this was true, Qiuqiu would hold an even higher status than his current one.

And his recent offensive behavior was enough to be recorded in the files of the Empire's First Military Academy as an offense against an A-level healing Omega, ruining any chance of joining the army as an outstanding graduate.

Qiuqiu blinked, not understanding why these humans had changed their attitude towards him so suddenly.

But what he did know was that the wall of the testing room was continuously deepening in color, reflected by the laser display.

Someone inhaled sharply, their voice trembling with disbelief, "S-level..."

"S-level???"

"By the Goddess of Life, by the Goddess of Light, am I seeing this right!"

"God, look at the color of the testing device!"

"It's turned dark green!"

In just a few seconds, the laser column grew rapidly like a sapling turning into a towering tree, lush with branches and shaded in dark green.

Everyone present was wide-eyed and open-mouthed, staring at the display for a long time in shock, and then slowly turned their necks, looking at Qiuqiu with an extremely fervent gaze.

Qiuqiu: "..."

Why are they all staring at me like this?

He was just a newcomer who hadn’t figured out the situation yet and didn't understand why things had turned out this way.

S-level?

“No, it can’t be…” the newly arrived Omega muttered in disbelief.

It wasn't just him who couldn’t believe it.

Everyone present couldn’t believe it.

An S-level healing Omega, what does that even mean?

It's a genetic level that only royalty, nobility, and the top talents of the Imperial Military Academy could possibly possess.

It's a level recorded in only thirteen individuals in the data published by the Imperial Genetics Institute over the last thirty years.

This meant that if the Omega undergoing the gene level test was truly an S-level healing Omega, it was almost like hitting a jackpot worth several hundred million.

And not just once, but ten times in a row!

How could those present not be thrilled!!

And the value of an S-level healing Omega was far more than just a few billion!!!

They were truly, the priceless treasures of the Empire.

Even calling them "the Light of the Empire" wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

No longer showing their earlier disdain, He Jie Ming and the others all rushed to the testing machine, looking nervously and eagerly at the Omega in the testing chamber.

The overly devout gazes made Qiuqiu’s scalp tingle.

Being stared at like this...

It's worse than being ignored as before.

Jinli had been scared witless; his greatest dream in life had been to accumulate enough military honors for a glorious retirement, marry a beautiful Omega, and enjoy a peaceful, happy life with a wife and children. Even if the Omega wasn't of the non-plant type, even if they had no healing abilities, he would have been content.

But now, sitting in front of him might be an S-level healing Omega.

A presence he never expected to encounter in his lifetime.

Yet, they had genuinely talked and interacted before.

Jinli's brain was dizzied by this sudden surprise, his golden tail spinning like a propeller.

But as the initial dizziness from the overwhelming surprise subsided, He Jieming gradually realized something was off.

Based on current experience, S-level was the highest grade for an Omega. He had served on the Ailebizhao for many years and had only detected up to A-level Omegas.

Whether S-level or A-level, He Jieming had never heard of an Omega whose detector showed such a prolonged energy display.

That color...

It was continuing to deepen, almost breaking the detector's overflow point.

Pale yellow, light green, deep green, dark green—

The "water" in the "test tube" was still rapidly increasing.

The detector emitted a beeping sound similar to before, but this time it was more urgent, accompanied by the rapid climbing of light, bringing an intense nervousness that seemed to rise from within everyone's bones.

"Beep————"

After a prolonged alarm sound, the soaring energy laser touched the overflow point. If it continued to increase, the display would unsurprisingly become scrap metal. Yet, the energy laser in the display kept increasing relentlessly, like a wild grass struggling to push its green sprouts through the rocks.

The overflow point and the energy laser were at a stalemate under the witness of everyone present. The energy persisted for a long time but suddenly lost its momentum to break through.

The rich, nearly ink-black green color swiftly dissipated, then rapidly fell and receded to a point where it was invisible. The alarm-pulling detector also returned to calm at this moment.

The calm was so profound, it was as if nothing had ever happened.

Amidst the stunned silence, Queqiu slowly stood up from the icy chair.

“Is my test over?”

His gaze swept evenly around the room, finally resting on He Jieming’s face, which was animated with excitement, scales flickering continuously.

“What level am I?”

Author's note:

Imperial First Military Academy Anonymous Forum:

1l: Will there be more sweet and soft little Omegas enrolling this year? (star-eyed)

2l: Last year we had two A-levels, that must have been the happiest batch ever TT

3l: Wuuu, even as a Beta I want to experience that qaq

4l: Who's daydreaming about Omega wives again? It’s me, an Alpha without an Omega wife is just a waste, whining

………

100024l: Which idiot sent my S-level wife to Dark Star?! I want your son, your entire family, and you to walk around the Imperial First Military Academy after school!

……

23504l: Step on the brakes, He Jieming! Liberate Dark Star! Bring back my wife!