Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Since it was training time, there weren't many Alphas in the dormitory area. They didn't dare get too close to Queqiu, only watching him from a distance, sneakily glancing at him, fearful that their intrusive gaze would disturb the timid Omega.

Seeing Queqiu return, not a single Alpha guessed he was coming back because he was moving into their dormitory. They assumed he might need to go out to buy some items, and some even volunteered to help him move his belongings for free.

But those Alphas who had this idea didn't act on it; just voicing it out led to merciless teasing from their companions.

"Look at yourself, big and clumsy. Rushing up there, you'd probably scare the Omega away before you even speak."

"He always has a teacher accompanying him, what would he need your help for?"

"We should just stay back here and watch from a distance, Omegas are very timid after all."

The chagrined chimpanzee-like Alpha, teased by his peers, awkwardly scratched his rough hair and tucked his large frame further back, seemingly afraid he might indeed frighten the Omega.

So, when Hans led Queqiu towards a certain Alpha dormitory building, the watching Alphas were taken aback, and the student managers of that dorm were left exchanging bewildered looks.

After an awkward silence of looking at each other, a red-haired fox Alpha stepped forward.

"Um, excuse me... do you need any help?" the red fox Alpha asked cautiously.

Hans, exuding an aura that screamed 'don't mess with me', said with deep resentment, "Are you in charge of this dorm? Arrange a room in this building for the Omega behind me. He's not staying in the Omega dorms; he's moving into the Alpha dormitory."

The red fox Alpha was instantly stunned, his flame-like ears frozen midair, his brown beastly eyes filled with disbelief.

The Alphas around him mirrored his expression, standing dumbfounded, unable to react.

Hans, growing impatient, urged, "What are you waiting for? Get moving!"

He couldn't help but internally complain: Really, what luck these Alpha brats have to be in such close proximity to an Omega, it's enough to make anyone jealous.

Prodded by Hans, the red fox Alpha somewhat regained his senses, but couldn't contain his immense surprise, excitedly questioning, "Really?! How is this possible?!"

He murmured softly, "How can an Omega move into an Alpha's dormitory..."

They usually don't even want to get too close to Alphas.

"Am I dreaming? Or did I hear wrong..."

Seeing his excitement, Hans felt extremely annoyed and rolled his eyes, repeating, "You heard right, this Omega is moving into the Alpha dormitory. Please arrange a room for him."

Even after repeated confirmation, the red fox Alpha still found it hard to believe: "Do Principal Gess and the others know about this?"

Hans clicked his tongue, "If this wasn't an order from Principal Gess, do you think I'd dare bring an Omega into the Alpha dormitory?"

Although it sounded like a rhetorical question, it indeed convinced the red fox Alpha.

Now, he had no choice but to believe that this Alpha dormitory, which had never seen an Omega set foot in, was about to welcome such a beautiful and delicate little Omega!

"By the Goddess of Life! This was a divine blessing! An irreplicable miracle!"

"After confirming it wasn’t a mistake, the elated red fox Alpha nearly wagged his tail off, following Hans and Queqiu eagerly, struggling to contain his ecstasy, trying to appear composed."

"'H-hello, I’m Orfe, a red fox Alpha.' Other than in medical sessions, Orfe had never spoken to an Omega this closely, his face turning beet red, his words stuttering."

"In fact, even in medical sessions, Omegas rarely engaged in conversation with Alphas, wanting to quickly finish the energy-draining and tedious task."

"So, Orfe hadn’t expected a response from the beautiful Omega before him."

"This excessively cute little Omega nodded at him, speaking in a voice as soft as cotton candy, 'Hello, I’m Queqiu.'"

"Even this brief introduction thrilled Orfe immensely."

"He covered his blushingly red face with his large red ears, each breath he exhaled unusually hot. Orfe felt his heart pounding fiercely, as if it would leap out of his chest at any moment."

"Ah, to be acknowledged by an Omega..."

"It was... the happiest moment of his life."

"In his bliss, Orfe reflexively covered his nape, anticipating the sharp needle to pierce his most vulnerable spot, injecting the painfully cold liquid into his gland, blocking the pleasurable pheromones from the Omega."

"He closed his eyes, patiently waiting for a few seconds."

"Having been subdued by the inhibitor collar so many times, Orfe had grown accustomed to anticipating the injection of the blocking agent."

"But the expected pain didn’t come. Instead, when he opened his eyes in confusion, he saw the Omega with a look of concern, asking softly, 'What’s wrong? Are you okay?'"

"Orfe was stunned, his fiery red and fluffy tail ceased its wagging, staring at the beautiful Omega before him."

"Although the Omega’s expression was somewhat indifferent, Orfe still genuinely felt the sincere concern from the other."

"Seeing no response, Queqiu thought the discomfort from the collar was distracting Orfe, so he pointed to the Alpha's neck, repeating patiently, 'Does your neck hurt?'"

"Orfe reflexively answered, 'No, it doesn’t hurt...'"

"After saying this, he belatedly realized that he truly hadn’t felt the pain of the blocking agent’s injection, nor the nausea and dizziness that usually followed forced suppression."

"Now Orfe was thoroughly confused. What was happening?"

"Could it be that the inhibitor collar malfunctioned?"

"'Strange...' Orfe muttered."

"Queqiu looked puzzled, 'What’s wrong?'"

"Orfe replied truthfully, 'Usually, if I get too close to an Omega and my pheromone levels spike rapidly, the inhibitor collar would activate immediately, injecting a blocking agent to suppress pheromone production. But just now, I was close to you for so long, and the collar didn’t trigger. This has never happened before.'"

"Not only did Queqiu stop, but Hans also halted in his tracks, frowning, 'Could the collar be malfunctioning? You need to apply for a new one quickly. Deliberate delay or failing to report can violate Imperial law.'"

"'But I don’t feel like the inhibitor collar is broken,' Orfe said, somewhat distressed."

"Queqiu pondered for a moment, then honestly said, 'Maybe it’s not the collar, but rather, it’s me.'"

"Hans and Orfe both looked at him, puzzled about how the inhibitor collar’s issue could be related to an Omega."

"Queqiu explained, 'I am a defective Omega, without plant genes and no healing abilities. Most importantly, my pheromones can’t be detected by Alphas, so the inhibitor collar didn’t activate.'"

"Orfe was shocked to learn that the Omega before him was defective, feeling more sympathy than surprise."

"Ordinary Omegas, even if not healers, could at least release and sense Alphas' pheromones, like whales on Earth using unique frequencies to sense each other’s presence, avoiding boundless loneliness in the vast ocean."

"But Queqiu was less than an ordinary Omega. Unable to release or sense pheromones, he was forever unable to have his frequency perceived or responded to by others, completely ostracized from his kind, deprived of the joy born from the mingling of Alpha and Omega pheromones."

"Wasn’t that unbearably lonely?"

"Orfe couldn’t fathom the loneliness Queqiu endured, just as Queqiu couldn’t imagine the pain borne by Alphas forced to wear inhibitor collars."

"Orfe looked down sadly, his fiery red ears and tail drooping, 'I'm sorry, I didn’t know...'"

"Even Mao Mao, nestled in Queqiu's pocket, slumped against the fabric after hearing their conversation, his two antennae listlessly swaying."

“momo……”

"‘Mama can’t sense my pheromones anymore…'"

"Unaware of Mao Mao’s small movement, Queqiu responded to Orfe’s apology with a shake of his head."

"Queqiu reassured, 'It’s okay, this is better. Now my companions won’t have to worry about the inhibitor collars restricting them during training for being too close to an Omega.'"

"Since he wasn’t a true Omega, revealing the truth didn’t feel like exposing a wound to him."

"Orfe, aiming to change the subject, casually asked, 'Companions? Training?'"

"Before Queqiu could respond, Hans interjected, 'He chose the combat department, so Principal Geb requested he move to the Alpha dormitory.'"

"'Combat department?!' Orfe was shocked once again."

"He looked at Queqiu in disbelief, scrutinizing him from head to toe, still finding it hard to believe that such a delicate and small Omega had chosen the combat department, a challenge even for many Alphas."

"'You’re only as tall as my shoulders!' The red fox Alpha, already short among the well-nourished Alphas and not much taller than a typical Omega, now towered a whole head above Queqiu!"

"He couldn’t fathom how such an Omega would choose the combat department!"

"Hans spread his hands, giving Queqiu a look as if to say, 'See, I told you anyone would be shocked by your choice.'"

"Queqiu, slightly exasperated, stated, 'Height and physical strength don’t affect my choice. No one decreed that Omegas can’t choose the combat department.'"

"As they spoke, the trio had unknowingly arrived at their destination."

"Orfe put aside his surprise, approached the palm-sized screen on the door, tinkered with it for a bit, then turned to Queqiu, 'This is the first dormitory for the new batch of combat department students, a four-person room. Your three roommates will probably move in tomorrow. You can now register in the identification system and then go in to pick your bed. The dormitory is already equipped with necessities like mattresses and sheets. For any personal daily items you need, just let me know, and I’ll help you procure them.'"

"Orfe explained the necessary details clearly, and Queqiu nodded, 'Thank you.'"

"Just as Orfe was acting more formal, Queqiu’s 'Thank you' had him reverting to his bashful self, his fluffy big ears covering his eyes as he stuttered, 'No, no problem, serving an Omega is my, uh, honor.'"

"Hans, unable to bear Orfe’s fawning over the naïve Omega, grabbed his ear and dragged him away, 'Okay, that’s enough, don’t disturb the Omega’s rest. Don’t you have classes this afternoon?! Come on, let’s go!'"

Hans firmly led Orfe away, and after watching them go, Qiu Autumn turned and entered the dormitory.

Though it was a four-person dormitory, it differed from traditional dorms. The Dark Star Military Academy’s dormitories were quite spacious. To Qiu Autumn’s surprise, each student had their own independent small suite within the four-person shared space, resembling a four-bedroom apartment more than a common dormitory.

Initially, Qiu Autumn thought the Alpha dormitory building's plain exterior hinted at subpar living conditions, but the accommodations turned out to be quite decent.

Seeing this, Qiu Autumn understood why, despite the Empire’s clear distinction between Alphas and Omegas, Geb dared to let an Omega live in an Alpha dormitory—the layout was practically no different from single dorms.

He carefully selected a room, finally choosing the one furthest inside with a large balcony.

After moving in, Qiu Autumn discovered that Orfe was right; the school had prepared all the essentials for daily life, allowing for immediate occupancy.

Even the school uniforms for different seasons were neatly folded and stored in the wardrobe.

However...

Qiu Autumn tried on a set of autumn uniforms, only to find that their size was somewhat challenging for him.

He thought back to the Alphas he had encountered along the way; likely due to their mixed animal genes, they were all tall and well-built. Even Orfe, who was relatively short, stood a full head taller than him, and their body frames were vastly different.

Queqiu glanced at her slender, snow-white ankles peeking out, so fragile as if they would shatter upon the slightest touch, no wonder Yan Weili was so adamantly against her choosing a combat-oriented path.

He neatly folded his school uniform and put it back, planning to exchange it for the smallest size available from Orfe later.

Just then, Maomao in his pocket suddenly clung to the cloth, poking its silver-white little head out, its two antennae swaying with his movements.

“momo！”

Mommy!

Queqiu lowered his head and gently tapped Maomao's tiny head with his index finger, "Do you want to come out?"

“momo！”

Yes!

Receiving an affirmative response, Queqiu extended his right hand near his pocket, letting Maomao slowly crawl into his soft palm, before carefully transferring it to the bed.

During this brief process, he recalled the recent incident in the testing room.

Gess seemed to distrust him, hence wanted to see his S-class ability. But at that time, Queqiu had just learned about his so-called S-class combat gene and couldn't provide a reasonable explanation for Gess's skepticism.

Fortunately, Maomao informed Queqiu in the nick of time about the origins of the combat gene and magical machinery, allowing him to barely pass the test under such circumstances without raising too much suspicion.

There were no issues with the gene level tests conducted on the Elibiz ship, nor in the Dark Star Academy's testing room. The problem arose after leaving the Elibiz ship, from the half eggshell of Maomao that Queqiu consumed.

The eggshell contained not only abundant spiritual energy but also the combat gene belonging to Alpha. As Queqiu absorbed the spiritual energy, he also assimilated this combat gene, simultaneously developing an S-class ability—magical machinery.

Previously unaware of this, Queqiu had no defenses against it, resulting in the Dark Star's gene detection equipment discovering the mixed combat genes in his body without any intervention.

But strictly speaking, this gene isn't actually his; it belongs to Maomao.

At the time, due to the urgent situation and fearing Maomao's discovery, Queqiu didn't dare to ask more questions. Only now, in absolute safety, could he finally communicate properly with Maomao.

"By eating half of your eggshell, I haven't taken something that rightfully belongs to you, have I?"

Maomao shook its head, its soft antennae swaying, "Momo~"

To grow faster, it's indeed necessary to replenish nutrients. But my mother already gave me enough energy when I hatched, so even if it's something very important to me, I'd give it all to my mother if she needs it.

In Maomao's limited memory, it seems he was forced to come to Dark Star. At that critical time of hatching, he needed a lot of nutrition and energy. But the Gobi Desert of Dark Star, with nothing but raging winds and barren sands, obviously couldn't provide what Maomao needed. Just as life was about to wither away, it was Queqiu's arrival that provided energy akin to the source of life, allowing him to survive in such desperate straits.

For Maomao, Queqiu is the person who gave him life and the only one he needs to protect in this life.

"So the half of the eggshell I ate does affect your growth..." Queqiu murmured softly.

Just a nutrient-rich eggshell, half of which I consumed, gave me a powerful S-class ability; I can't imagine how high Maomao's innate potential as an Alpha would have been.

Sensing his mother's mood seemed a bit down, Maomao "heave-hoed" his way over, rubbing Queqiu's palm with his antennae.

“momo。”

Without that half of the eggshell, I would still become a beautiful butterfly; but without my mother, the butterfly would have died in the eggshell long ago.

So, don't feel sorry about it. If possible, I would willingly offer my life to you.

Feeling the little guy's comforting presence, Queqiu's mood gradually lifted. He gently held Maomao in his palm, lifting it to his eyes to meet those grey, beady eyes.

"What do you remember?"

Things like your family background, parents, and so on.

Queqiu, having been in this world for quite a while, observed that whether one is an Alpha or Omega, the higher the gene level, the more likely they are to be of noble birth.

Maomao, presumably a high-level combat Alpha, thus has a high chance of originating from a noble family.

Upon hearing Queqiu's words, Maomao tried hard to recall, searching inch by inch through its memories. During this process, its pair of grey beady eyes uncontrollably widened, amusingly so.

“momo……”

It couldn't remember...

Memories of the past seemed utterly blurred. The mind was like stacked transparent boxes, obscured by frosted glass, impossible to see clearly. Only when triggered by certain events or scenes would fragmented recollections surface.

The only certainty was that life before meeting Queqiu must have been oppressive, painful, and dull.

It likely never knew what happiness felt like, and the world was a silent, decaying shade of grey.

But after meeting Queqiu, that monochrome world suddenly blossomed like a spring breeze overnight, becoming vivid and colorful.

The lonely butterfly, upon finding its own little rose, truly experienced what real warmth and happiness were.

Maomao affectionately nuzzled Queqiu's wrist, obediently lying in his palm, occasionally flicking its tail.

Queqiu felt the cool, ticklish sensation from his palm, a corner of his heart moved by this wholehearted dependence. He gently stroked the little creature's antennae, thinking if Maomao really couldn't remember, then so be it. Regardless of Maomao's background, for now, it had only him to rely on.

He had promised never to abandon Maomao, no matter what.

Moreover, Maomao had given everything it could unreservedly to him. Queqiu didn't want to categorize it with others or keep secrets anymore. After much thought, he chose to be completely honest.

"Do you remember the rose I once told you and Dodd about?" Queqiu asked.

Maomao suddenly lifted its head, its beady eyes intently focused on him.

It seemed to realize something, its eyes unblinkingly fixed.

Qiu Autumn seldom smiled, but at this moment, he slightly curled his lips. The beauty that bloomed in that instant surpassed the most stunning scenery Maomao had ever seen in his life.

That splendor was akin to a night-blooming cereus unfolding gracefully under the bright moonlight.

Then, Maomao's eyes widened in sheer amazement—

The breathtakingly beautiful Omega lifted his left hand, palm facing upward, as pure golden specks of light began to emanate from around him, swirling together into a shimmering stream of stars.

Where the golden river flowed, tender green sprouts leisurely emerged from the snow-white tips of the Omega's fingers. Stretching languidly, the fresh buds rapidly grew upwards, entwined with a firefly-like, dark green luminescence.

Maomao seemed to hear the sound of life growing, like a small seed symbolizing hope, breaking through the soil to sprout.

The golden specks interlaced with the dark green glow, casting a radiant aura around Qiu Autumn. The room quickly filled with lush, vibrant leaves and branches, undulating gently as if caressed by an unseen breeze.

Sunlight, purified by the radiation barrier, danced through the white curtains, seeming to tenderly kiss the verdant expanse within the room.

For a moment, the room was a haven of golden green, rich in foliage.

Amidst this, Qiu Autumn, surrounded by a halo of cloud-like golden light, had pupils subtly shaped like a rose.

The sun's rays seemed almost too timid to intrude, merely brushing his deep collarbones. Above that, his pale pink lips stood out like cherry blossoms amidst the stunning radiance of his features.

Qiu Autumn's eyelashes drooped, casting shadows on his fair complexion, his expression tinged with a divine sense of compassion.

This was a scene Maomao had never witnessed before.

Not even in the vast legacy of memories he inherited had such a sight appeared.

Neither the vibrant, lush leaves teeming with life nor the Omega before him, whose beauty transcended mere words, had ever been seen before.

He was almost mesmerized, until a familiar voice, clear as a spring, brought him back to reality.

"I am not the Omega you think, carrying plant genes. As you see, my very being is a plant."

In Maomao's mind, unbidden, arose the image of the sea of flowers Qiu Autumn had described in the hot stone house to him and that foolish Beta.

He was referring to the canary rose. In bloom, its creamy golden petals resemble the sun hung upon branches, bringing the most fervent and romantic warmth to the world.

“momo……？”

Maomao cautiously asked, "Is it the canary rose?"

Queqiu gently nodded in affirmation.

He stroked a lush green branch that had leaned in, speaking softly, "But now, I have yet to nurture any buds, so all you see are the leaves."

But even these leaves were unlike any Maomao had ever seen, so lush and vibrant, a shade of green no genius artist could ever replicate.

In his hazy memory, colors were mostly the piercing white of cold glaciers; or the arid yellow of deserts so barren that even the hardiest plants couldn't survive; or the void-like black, a terrifying silence enveloping the universe.

And... blood red. A hue representing corpses, hunger, madness, war, and plunder.

Even the scant memories of green and life felt lifeless and dull.

The plants in those memories were nothing like the vibrant canary rose before him, akin to tamed wild beasts that, once robbed of their freedom, lay listlessly in cages for human amusement.

Moreover, Maomao astonishingly realized that while Queqiu always emanated a soothing aura, it became even more pronounced after manifesting his true form, almost tangible in its intensity.

Each leaf, whether light or dark green, was enveloped in a lustrous dark green halo. Just a glance seemed to relax even the most strained mind, as if soothing it into serenity.

Maomao's beady eyes widened to their fullest, disbelieving yet almost addictively relishing the sensation of mental relaxation, as if walking on clouds.

After experiencing this relief, another desire quietly crept up.

Maomao hesitated, almost unwilling to acknowledge it.

That desire...

Was actually...

Hunger.

“momo……”

I really want to eat...

The leaves, brimming with immense energy, possess a natural, irresistible allure for Maomao.

This dream-like murmur jolted Queqiu into realization. Maomao's original form was so endearing, so unlike the common perception of caterpillars, that he almost forgot what Maomao truly was.

Almost instinctively, Queqiu thought of moving his branches to shoo Maomao away, just as he would with earth's caterpillars nibbling on his leaves.

Hold back... this is Maomao...

Forcing himself to calm down, he watched the little creature drool with longing yet remain obediently still in his palm, softening his heart unwittingly.

Maomao's behavior reminded Queqiu of himself, wanting to eat spiritual energy. After much internal struggle, he reluctantly plucked five or six tender green leaves and placed them on the table, then retracted his true form.

As the specks of light faded, the dormitory returned to its original state, as if nothing had happened.

Setting Maomao down, Queqiu tapped its little antennae, "Go ahead and eat, consider it a reciprocal gesture."

Maomao, still dazed and confused, seemed not to have fully grasped what had happened. After a woozy glance around, it finally noticed the energy-rich leaves before it.

Tentatively, Maomao picked up a leaf. Its fresh fragrance instantly filled its senses, fully awakening its craving. Beyond the instinctual need to feed ingrained in its genes, there was an innate longing for the energy within the leaves.

Contrary to Queqiu's expectations, Maomao, after picking up a leaf, chose not to eat it immediately but instead laboriously crawled to his hand, gently placing the leaf on his palm.

Rubbing against his fingertips, Maomao spoke with a hint of sorrow, "Momo..."

Maomao initially thought the leaves were part of Queqiu that had fallen off and asked if he was in pain.

Queqiu paused for a moment, then a warm current surged in his heart upon realizing Maomao's concern.

"I'm not hurt," he said, slightly curving his lips, "I have billions of leaves; these are just a few from the vast forest."

This wasn't merely to placate Maomao. Queqiu had cultivated for thousands of years and, although he usually appeared as a slightly larger canary, his true form could encompass an entire mountain. To him, these few leaves really didn't amount to much.

The only real loss was the spiritual energy attached to the leaves, as replenishing it in this world was not an easy task.

Reassured by Queqiu's repeated assurances, Maomao began to boldly feast on the energy-rich leaves, happily wagging its antennae as it ate.

He swore he had never tasted anything so delicious!

It wasn't just the sweet and juicy flavor; most importantly, it was the energy that every Alpha found irresistible. Besides replenishing daily expended mental energy, it also helped clear accumulated impurities in the mental meridians, equivalent to receiving a session of mental guidance from a B-level healing Omega.

Even the best mental soothers in his memory, renowned for alleviating genetic diseases, couldn't match the effect of half a leaf from Queqiu.

"You're the first caterpillar to have ever eaten my leaves," Queqiu murmured softly, gently nudging Maomao, who was engrossed in eating.

Even when nudged over, Maomao continued to cling tightly to the leaf, several times its own size, unwilling to let go.

Queqiu found this amusing and watched Maomao eat for a while. After ensuring there were no adverse reactions from eating the leaves, he prepared to wash up and sleep.

What Queqiu hadn't expected was that the dormitory at the Dark Star Military Academy not only had four separate rooms but also two bathrooms. Conveniently, one was located right next to his room on the right-hand side.

Upon entering, he was surprised to find even a bathtub, sized generously due to the generally tall stature of both Alphas and Betas in this world.

Queqiu estimated that the bathtub could comfortably fit not just himself but two more people.

Since entering the school, his mood, which had been clouded, finally improved a bit in this moment. He patiently waited for the tub to fill, planning to relax and soak in a bath.

Meanwhile, outside the bathroom, in an unnoticed corner, Maomao was undergoing a dramatic transformation.

Before leaving, Queqiu had placed all the leaves on the table, within Maomao's easy reach.

Maomao couldn't control its instinct to feed. Without Queqiu's watchful presence, there were no longer any restrictions. The primal urge, stemming from its bloodline, was furiously compelling it to devour everything possible.

The leaves, brimming with pure energy, constantly fueled the desire in its blood. Maomao's reason warned that eating too much at once would be overwhelming, but that terrible instinct, like a demon enticing one to fall and corrupt, whispered repeatedly in its ear:

Devour them, devour everything!

You need this energy! Devour! Devour! Devour!

Don't stop for a moment!

Unable to control itself, every cell in Maomao's body screamed with hunger, demanding satisfaction. It became a gluttonous beast, insatiable, ceaselessly consuming the energy-laden leaves, even desiring to engulf the true owner of this energy.

After an indeterminate time, that terrifying, insatiable instinct finally subsided as the needed energy in its body rapidly increased. Only after the frenzy did Maomao gradually calm down.

Yet this calm seemed only temporarily suppressed, still lurking in the shadows, ready to seize control of the body again at any opportunity.

By the time Queqiu finished his bath and came out, the leaves were gone from the table, and Maomao lay quietly on the surface, motionless.

"Didn't realize you were such a little foodie," Queqiu lightly tapped Maomao's bulging belly, wondering how much it had eaten to become so full.

Usually, a simple stroke from him was enough to wake Maomao up from even the deepest sleep, demanding cuddles and caresses. But now, it lay still, as if drunk, dazed from overeating.

But Maomao was breathing steadily, appearing only to be asleep, with no other anomalies.

Queqiu, not overly worried, wiped Maomao down with a wet tissue and placed it beside his pillow, then drifted off to sleep alongside the little creature.

Unseen by Queqiu, Maomao slowly opened its eyes, emitting a faint, cool silver glow, undergoing a significant transformation.