Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"You must be the fastest enrolled student in our school's history, and the only Omega in the combat department," Hans mused as he walked ahead.

Before meeting Queqiu, he had never imagined there could be such a beautiful Omega, let alone one who was both stunning and formidable.

Queqiu gently patted his pocket to comfort Maomao, responding, "Is arranging the dormitory next?"

Hans nodded, "The school's residential area is divided into three sections: Alpha dormitories, Beta dormitories, and Omega dormitories. Each area is reinforced with pheromone-blocking barriers to prevent any accidents."

As they spoke, they had already reached the residential area, with the Alpha dormitories being the first to greet them.

"There are the most Alpha students in the school, so they have the most dormitory buildings, housing four per room."

Queqiu looked up at the buildings in front of him, which were overall black and had a somewhat rough facade, as if they were put to use right after construction without any decorative finishes.

Then came the Beta dormitory area, identical to the Alpha section, but with fewer buildings in comparison.

They passed through the buildings of both areas, and despite it being class time with few students in the dorms, their presence still drew considerable attention.

Walking among a group of Alphas with various animal traits and ordinary Betas, Queqiu attracted countless gazes, despite Hans's efforts to maintain order.

Curious, admiring, fervent...

They were like devout followers witnessing a miracle, crazily yearning for the Omega's gaze to fall upon them.

Especially the Alphas.

Each Alpha's eyes brimmed with an insatiable desire.

Queqiu slightly furrowed his brows, not out of disgust at their looks, but from a sense of confusion.

Such gazes... they resembled plants on the brink of drought, as if they had never received a single drop of water since sprouting.

Queqiu even felt a sense of alarm; he wondered how long these Alphas had been tormented and repressed by their genetic conditions to exhibit such a pathological desire for Omegas.

Hans assumed Queqiu was uncomfortable with so much attention, as Omegas generally despised being watched by Alphas. He quickly said, "Don't mind them. Whenever a new Omega enrolls, these guys act like this. They're just too excited and don't know how to express it. They mean no harm."

Queqiu believed this. Not to mention the black hawk Alpha who let him pass immediately upon learning he was an Omega, the Alphas he had just met, though overly enthusiastic in their gazes, bore no ill will towards him.

"It's okay," Queqiu said indifferently.

Hans breathed a sigh of relief, finding this somewhat aloof Omega surprisingly easy to get along with, even better than any other Omega he had encountered.

As these Alphas eagerly focused on Queqiu, he observed them in return.

He noticed that each Alpha wore a black leather buckle collar around their neck, quite ordinary, similar to restraint straps used on dogs. Perhaps due to being too tight, many Alphas' Adam's apples bulged slightly, making it seem difficult to breathe just by looking at them.

Queqiu frowned, "What is this?"

Hans glanced at it and casually said, "Ah, this is a binding collar specially designed for Alphas. According to imperial law, every Alpha student entering school after adulthood must wear one."

"A binding collar?"

Hans explained, "This collar has a pheromone detection reactor the size of a rice grain near the Alpha gland. It detects both Alpha and Omega pheromones. If the reactor senses a high concentration of pheromones produced by the Alpha in the presence of an Omega, it releases a high-concentration blocking agent by penetrating the Alpha gland to prevent the Alpha from getting too excited and causing irreparable actions. Its effect is similar to suppressants but safer and less harmful."

Safe and harmless?

Queqiu looked at those wearing the binding collars. The harsh edges of the leather had caused many to develop thick calluses on their skin. Worse still, some had multiple plasters, underneath which were raw, possibly bleeding skin from the friction.

Beyond the physical pain they should not have to bear, the most significant aspect was wearing something akin to a dog collar as a human.

He didn't know how to react.

Should he feel sympathy or anger?

But those Alphas themselves seemed unconcerned, although they occasionally struggled for breath due to the tight collars and would hook their fingers under the leather edge for a fleeting moment of limited "freedom."

Queqiu looked at Hans and said, "But you're not wearing one."

Hans replied, "I wore a binding collar like this during my school years, for four years."

"It was very uncomfortable at first. Swallowing food became a difficult task. Forget about training, even sleeping at night was disrupted by sudden breathlessness, waking me from nightmares. But over time, I got used to it."

"Does it hurt?" Queqiu asked softly.

Hans didn't hear clearly, "What?"

Before this, no one had ever cared if the binding collar caused them harm. The Omega pointed to his neck and asked in a soft, youthful voice, "Does the gland hurt when the reactor pierces it to release the blocking agent?"

As Queqiu spoke, Hans subconsciously touched the back of his neck, feeling the uneven surface on what should have been smooth skin, and said with a bitter smile, "Of course it hurts, it's like being pricked by a needle. Moreover, when the body is happily releasing pheromones and is suddenly interrupted by a high concentration of the blocking agent, it causes a dizzying nausea, and then you can't sense the Omega's pheromones anymore."

"How to describe that feeling... um, it's like suddenly going blind and plunging into darkness while enjoying a beautiful view."

And such pain and panic were not a one-time thing. Alphas like Hans had to endure it countless times over four years.

What was an unbearable experience was casually described by Hans: "Through such repeated training, Alphas can ensure they won't act rashly even without the collar, eliminating the need to wear it. Untrained Alphas must inject suppressants throughout their lives, even during their rut."

Queqiu fell silent. He quietly followed Hans, inevitably thinking about the Alphas he had just seen wearing the binding collars.

They had shown visible excitement upon seeing him. Was this instinctive excitement shadowed by the pain Hans described?

Alphas naturally feel joy upon seeing an Omega, a happiness akin to a rose kissed by sunlight, bathed in rain, and caressed by a gentle breeze. It's an instinct written in their genes, an uncontrollable nature.

Such artificial desensitization training to suppress natural instincts, how is it different from training dogs, and how could it not lead to a high incidence of genetic diseases among Alphas?

They walked in silence, soon arriving at the last Omega dormitory area. Unlike the previous two, this area, although with the least number of buildings, was clearly more elaborate, its grandeur rivaling a castle, making the Alpha and Beta 'slums' pale in comparison.

Unlike the barrenness of the previous dorm areas, the Omega dorms were adorned with plants, mostly cacti, interspersed with a few daisies and other plants.

Unlike the nearly dead plants in the main city area, these were in a better state, at least not completely barren. However, compared to the lush vegetation Queqiu remembered, they still fell short.

Seeing the little Omega intently observing the plants, Hans showed a satisfied "I knew it" expression, "Indeed, Omegas tend to like plants a bit more."

Queqiu didn't argue, "Did the Omegas at the school plant these?"

"Yes, only Omegas can take such good care of delicate plants."

？

Are you serious?

Queqiu looked again following Hans's comment. Whether it was the frail cacti or the daisies with half-yellowed leaves, did any of it match what this crocodile Alpha was claiming?

Were these obviously malnourished plants well-cared-for? Or were the cacti and daisies delicate?

Faced with Hans's sparkling eyes and the brimming expectation in them, Queqiu genuinely didn't know how to respond.

Little Rose: “…”

"Well, you're right."

Satisfied, Hans continued, "Among all the students, Omegas are the rarest. So, don't be fooled by the small size of the Omega dorm area; in fact, even with single occupancy, it's never fully occupied."

Queqiu recalled what Yang Shu had mentioned before, that the entire Dark Star probably had only twenty to thirty young Omegas, all concentrated on Dark Star, making it a case of 'vast land with sparse population.'

Besides the obvious reduction in the number of dorm buildings, another noticeable change was the absence of Alphas and Betas who had been following them everywhere. Entering the Omega dorms, the area felt noticeably quieter.

Hans added, "The Omega dorm area, except for teachers, is off-limits to Alpha and Beta students. Even the maintenance staff needed for daily school life must be Betas. The transparent barriers you saw earlier in the other dorm areas serve to prevent the pheromones between Alphas and Omegas from reacting and causing pheromonal disturbances."

Queqiu quietly surveyed the lavish pink castle before him, naturally noticing the school's vigilant measures against Alpha students, akin to guarding against floods and wild beasts.

He looked again at Hans standing before him, a genuine Alpha himself, yet displaying not the slightest discontent while explaining school rules that were clearly targeting Alphas.

It was as if he had long grown accustomed to such regulations.

Rules that treated Alphas as expendables, Omegas as panaceas, and utterly disregarded Betas.

Queqiu slowly clenched his fists.

Maomao seemed to sense his unusual mood, nudging his soft head and antennae against the pocket, trying to offer some positive emotional support.

But this gesture only made Queqiu feel more distressed.

His thoughts involuntarily turned to Maomao.

Maomao, too, was an Alpha. When he came of age, would he also have to wear a dog collar, completely suppressing his nature, gradually molded into a consumable commodity?

Staring intensely at the ground, his normally sun-bright golden eyes were now clouded with gloom.

Hans, walking ahead, was oblivious to the little Omega's distress behind him, and kept talking nonstop: "We'll soon reach your room. You're the first new student to enroll this year, while your fellow Alphas are probably still queuing for genetic ranking tests."

But just as he finished speaking, a Beta hurriedly ran up behind them, panting and gasping, "Wait, wait a minute!!"

"The school's latest decision is to have Queqiu stay in the Alpha dormitory!"

At this, before Queqiu could react, Hans leapt up in excitement, his cheek scales flaring, "What?! An Omega in the Alpha dormitory?! What kind of absurdity are you talking about?!"

The Beta's head bobbed like a drum, "I don't know either, it's the school's decision."

"This is impossible! Have Principal Gess and Director Yan Weili lost their minds?"

Hans couldn't fathom the chaos that would ensue from placing an Omega in the Alpha dormitory. In his entire life, he had never heard of Alphas and Omegas being housed together!

It's no different from putting a plump, tender lamb into a den of ferocious wolves!

Even if Queqiu is an S-ranked Omega in the combat department, he is still an Omega at his core, naturally disadvantaged against Alphas. It's unthinkable to put him in such peril!

The Beta looked like he was about to cry, how could he know? He was just the messenger.

Queqiu, however, wasn't as agitated as Hans. He wasn't a true Omega, so it didn't matter where he stayed. Ironically, it seemed he, the Omega, needed to calm the frantic Alpha.

"It's okay, let's first hear what this teacher has to say."

After Queqiu spoke, Hans gradually calmed down but still fixed the Beta with a piercing gaze: "Explain, what exactly is going on?"

Grateful for Queqiu's intervention, the Beta steadied his breathing and said, "Principal Gess said that since Queqiu chose the combat department, he should be housed in the same area as other combat students according to the school's standard practice. It wouldn't be right to break the rule for one person. Moreover, it's beneficial for Queqiu to interact with Alpha students. Soldiers on the battlefield should trust and support each other, not be divided by Alpha and Omega statuses, creating barriers that could hinder cooperation and strategy in combat."

Queqiu could almost imagine the smile on Gess's face as he made this decision that was hard for everyone to accept.

Hans seemed surprised that the decision came from Principal Gess, his aggression deflating, "Principal Gess, huh... I thought it was Director Yan Weili, considering he..."

The messenger Beta shared the same thought as Hans.

Before Hans could fully grasp the situation, Queqiu was already addressing the Beta, "Thank you for rushing to inform us. We'll head to the Alpha dormitory area now."

The Beta was pleasantly surprised, as no Omega student had ever spoken to him so politely, let alone thanked him.

He quickly shook his head, "No problem, I'm just here to deliver the message. Do you need any help? I can accompany you."

Queqiu said, "I don't have any luggage, so I can just head over like this, no need to trouble you."

By this time, Hans had no choice but to accept the fact that Queqiu, an Omega, was being sent to the Alpha dormitory. His previously buoyant mood plummeted, and as he led the way, he no longer bore the confident posture he had at the start.

He was completely unaware that in just half a day's interaction with Queqiu, he had already thoroughly started to think from the other's perspective, resembling a worried father.

It was a subtle but rapid transformation.

He lamented dejectedly, "Sending an Omega to live in the Alpha dormitory, how did anyone come up with that? Not even ten years of genetic disease could lead to such a decision."

Queqiu, on the other hand, accepted the situation well, calmly following behind Hans.

Meanwhile, the Alphas who had seen Queqiu leave and return were plunged into deep confusion.

They were yet to realize that their everyday living space was about to welcome a delicate and adorable Omega, nor did they know that after enduring profound darkness, they were on the cusp of experiencing redemption and light.