Chapter 18

Chapter 18

After leaving the city gates, Yang kept glancing back at the cargo area, apologetically addressing Queqiu, "I hope I didn't scare you just now. I had no choice but to tell Lans you're an Omega. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to enter the city so smoothly today."

Queqiu shook his head, unbothered by the incident, "It's okay. You mentioned the numerous restrictions and rules of the main city for you. I couldn't let you or Duocao Street bear such a risk."

"Yang Shu sighed in relief and chuckled good-naturedly, 'It's normal for Lance to react like that. There are hardly any Omegas on Dark Star, even in the main city. And being an Alpha, his reaction to Omegas is more intense than us Betas.'"

"Queqiu nodded silently, understanding from his observations these past days that most Alphas, whether on the capital star or Dark Star, could never possess an Omega, let alone receive guidance and comfort for genetic diseases."

"Upon entering the main city, Queqiu immediately felt the stark contrast with the Gobi desert's desolation. Towering buildings, some hundreds of meters tall, rose from the ground, with even new structures built atop older ones. The exterior designs mostly had a technological style, giving the impression of being in a sci-fi movie, yet with an added touch of reality. When looking up, one could notice a transparent radiation shield encasing the entire main city under a dome."

"The harsh radiation from the sun was significantly diminished upon passing through the barrier, turning it into the gentle sunlight everyone in the Gobi longed for."

"The lower levels were filled with various shops, their fronts adorned with fluorescent signs. The ground bustled with stream-like pedestrian flow, while various vehicles hovered mid-air, even the traffic lights were holographic projections. People and vehicles occupied distinct spaces, significantly saving spatial costs and enhancing safety."

"Apart from these visible changes, Queqiu most acutely felt the absence of the ever-present dust storms of the Gobi. The thick, towering iron walls kept the fierce winds at bay, and the cheeks of every inhabitant, whether adult, child, Alpha, or Beta, glowed with a healthy blush, unlike the unhealthy deep red of the Duocao Street residents, constantly exposed to the elements."

People living in the main city area enjoy conveniences many times superior to those in the slums.

Most notably, in the main city area of Dark Star, there are actual plants!

Passing through the city, notable landmarks such as schools and hospitals, or buildings with political or commemorative significance, all displayed some cacti or stone trees, catching Qiu Autumn's eye.

Surprisingly, even though the sunlight in the main city area had been purified and contained little radiation, these plants, which should have been robust, appeared listless and wilted.

The cacti had soft spines, their normally plump leaves shriveled and yellowing; the stone trees were even worse, with bare branches and scarcely any leaves. And around these plants were heavily armed Alpha guards, not allowing ordinary people to come close. Many residents could only gaze from afar, reluctant to leave.

Although different from Qiu Autumn's impression of Earth, where trees lined the streets abundantly and were of various types, compared to the barren Gobi Desert with its endless sands, these plants were already an unattainable existence.

Qiu Autumn frowned imperceptibly, unsure if it was just Dark Star that had such a harsh living environment or if all planets were like this, unable to properly nurture even resilient plants like cacti.

Lost in thought, Yang Tree said with envy, "Across the entire Dark Star, apart from the main city area, there's no sight of plants. If not for this identity that allows entry into the city, I might, like most people in the Gobi, go through life until death without ever knowing what a tree looks like."

Like Duode, who could only rely on imagination to pretend he had seen flowers bloom; and many others who couldn't even imagine, as they hadn't heard Qiu Autumn describe those beautiful scenes.

Those living in the slums of the Gobi spend their lives accompanied by intense stellar radiation and violent sandstorms, never encountering a single blade of grass or a flower in their lifetime.

Queqiu remained silent, unsure of what to say.

As Yang Shu continued to drive, his dated desert flyer stood out among the sleek new vehicles, drawing curious stares. The uneasy gazes made Yang Shu perspire nervously as he pressed the accelerator, speeding up to escape the scrutiny.

Yang Shu's primary concern amidst the probing eyes wasn't embarrassment as usual, but relief that the high panels of the cargo area kept Queqiu hidden from these onlookers.

He was still apprehensive; parading a young Omega through Dark Star was like carrying a succulent rabbit into a wolf's den – once discovered, there would be no escape.

They passed through a deep alley, seemingly endless, starkly plain compared to the bustling streets, with no signboards, casting an ominous shadow, as if harboring a monstrous creature.

The entrance appeared dark and foreboding, like a lurking beast ready to pounce.

Queqiu's intuition tingled, sensing something unusual about the alley. He asked, “Street Chief, what's that alley we just passed?”

Yang Shu replied nonchalantly, “Oh, that's the underground black market of the main city. They trade everything there, especially nutritional fluids. Buyers and sellers alike, anyone with valuable goods can trade. Sometimes they hold auctions with smuggled items from other planets.”

Queqiu focused on the mention of "nutritional fluids," his interest visibly piqued.

He thought to himself about visiting the black market more often to acquire additional nutritional fluids to replenish his spiritual energy.

Shortly after leaving the vicinity of the black market, they reached their destination.

Stopping a distance from the military school, Yang Shu apologized, “My pass doesn't allow me to go further. Any deviation is reported to the administration office, causing trouble.”

Queqiu nodded understandingly, “It's okay. This is far enough. We'll meet again if there's a chance.”

He efficiently picked up Maomao and leapt effortlessly over the narrow railing, landing gracefully on the ground.

On landing, he bent his knees slightly before standing upright. He turned to Yang Shu and formally expressed his gratitude, “Thank you and everyone at Duocao Street for your kindness these past days. I hope Duocao Street thrives in the future.”

Yang Shu repeatedly acknowledged, his eyes unexpectedly moistening.

He turned away, casually wiping his eyes with his sleeve as if nothing had happened, but his choked voice betrayed his true emotions.

"You don't need to thank us; having the opportunity to interact with an Omega, even briefly, has been an honor for Duocao Street."

Yang Shu, unable to linger anywhere outside the relief station for long, hurriedly conveyed his thoughts within the allotted time: "No matter where you are, Omegas, whether healers or not, are precious. Queqiu, I know you're more empathetic and kinder than ordinary Omegas, but the main city and especially Dark Star Military School are not like Duocao Street. The crowd there is mixed, so you must protect yourself."

Concluding his words, he smiled sincerely: "I look forward to seeing you again in the future. Duocao Street will always welcome you."

After rushing these words, Yang Shu had to leave in his old flyer. Like a fatherly figure, he looked back repeatedly, unwilling to blink, as if trying to etch Queqiu's image deep in his memory.

Being plant-based, Queqiu rarely experienced intense emotions like extreme joy or sorrow. Even now, he felt a subtle, sour ache in his heart.

Maomao, clinging to Queqiu's clothes and nestled against his leg, sensed his mood dip and quickly shook his silver antennae, mustering a soft smile to cheer him up: "I'm still with you, Mom. Let's go register. Once we're enrolled, we can get the nutritional fluid you love."

Indeed, Maomao, a child with keen observation, noticed Queqiu's unusual liking for the bland, seemingly uninteresting nutritional fluid from the very first time he drank it.

Maomao's words quickly pulled Queqiu from his farewell blues. Nodding, he took the little one's hand, ready to register, when a practical concern struck him.

Looking down at Maomao, his joyful antennae swaying back and forth in step with their movements, Queqiu pondered...

The issue was...

He could register for Dark Star Military School, leveraging his Omega status for direct entry. But...

What about Maomao?

How should he handle Maomao's situation?

Author's note: