Chapter 37

Chapter 37

The next day, on the training grounds—

The training ground was as crowded as the day before, filled with Alphas and Betas eager to catch a glimpse of the Omega, Qiuqiu. They were curious about this Omega who, despite the comfort and safety of the Healing Division, chose the arduous path of the Combat Division.

The entrance was jam-packed, with a Husky Alpha securing an excellent vantage point early on. During the wait, he noticed a familiar Gorilla Alpha.

Intrigued, Fier made his way through the crowd towards him.

"Are you here to see Qiuqiu's wife too?" he asked.

The Gorilla Alpha paused, recognizing Fier's golden ribbon embroidered with Qiuqiu's name. Realization dawned on him quickly.

"Are you also a member of Qiuqiu's Knights?" the Gorilla Alpha asked excitedly, revealing a similar golden ribbon as he moved through the crowd.

"Of course, I was one of the first to join," Fier declared proudly.

In the crowd, there were more than just these two members of the organization. Nearly every few steps, an Alpha or Beta wearing the same scarf could be seen. When others cast curious glances, they showed no shame; instead, they stood taller, eager for the world to know they were Qiuqiu's “knights.”

When Qiuqiu appeared with Fier and others, the crowd erupted in overwhelming cheers and applause, fervently shouting his name, with some even calling him "Princess." Their faces turned red with excitement, stomping their feet, their eyes fixated only on him.

Fier, especially enthusiastic, waved his hands as if about to jump up, his blue eyes firmly locked on Qiuqiu, following only him.

A Beta, who came just for the spectacle and couldn't grasp this fanaticism, asked, "Why are they acting like they're overdosed on comforters? It's just an Omega, right?"

His companion replied with interest, “That's no ordinary Omega.”

The Beta raised an eyebrow, skeptical of this claim.

While the Omega named Qiuqiu was indeed strikingly handsome and unforgettable, he wondered if mere appearance could garner such genuine admiration in such a short time.

He found it incredible.

“Haven’t you noticed? Most of his supporters are from the Combat Division. You're from the Mechanical Division, so you might not understand. They've been waiting for decades and never had an Omega join their ranks. Now that they finally have one, can you blame them for cherishing him like a rare treasure?”

"Moreover, he refused Bai Tianxing's invitation yesterday, insisting on staying in the combat department. The Alphas went crazy after hearing the news. The school forum, which never crashed even during big events, went down last night and was only restored in the early morning."

A companion looked at the cheering Alphas, smiling meaningfully, "The beasts of the abyss rarely get a chance to smell the fragrance of flowers. Those who have glimpsed the dawn are not likely to let go easily."

The Beta, deep in thought, came back to reality to find the freshmen of the combat department already assembled, waiting for the instructor to start the lesson.

Anjian came earlier this time, swiftly navigating the path students cleared for him. As he passed Qiu Autumn, he quickly asked, “Are you alright?”

Qiu Autumn was momentarily taken aback before nodding.

His perception of Anjian was complicated. On one hand, Anjian was a strict enforcer of rules, cold and unforgiving; on the other, he showed a strong protective and responsible side towards Omegas.

Anjian was not an Alpha who could be simply described in a few words; he was a complex paradox.

After receiving Qiu Autumn’s response, Anjian, for some reason, felt relieved – deep down, he didn’t want this young Omega to despise him because of that incident.

As Anjian passed by Figo, he clearly saw the burning anger in the young Alpha’s eyes, his jaw clenched, fists balled, looking ready to launch an attack at any moment.

The Snow Wolf Alpha paused briefly, a subtle movement, but enough for most onlookers to notice. They instantly worried for Figo, fearing he might be torn apart by this S-class Alpha—

After all, if Anjian wished, he could easily do so.

Remembering that Figo had struck Anjian first yesterday – regardless of Anjian’s actions, officially, he was Figo’s instructor. At Dark Star Military Academy, unless it was a matter of life or death, students never had the right to offend their teachers.

Concerned, Qiu Autumn glanced at Figo, not afraid of Anjian striking first, but worried Figo might impulsively attack again.

Last time they were lucky to avoid serious consequences, but this time he wasn’t sure if Figo could escape unscathed.

Unexpectedly, Anjian did not punish Figo, and Figo managed to control his urge to avenge his captain.

The reason was simple: Anjian had promised Qiu Autumn not to pursue Figo’s mistake, and Figo, comforted by Qiu Autumn, didn’t want to cause him more worries.

Two Alphas, connected by one Omega, maintained an uneasy peace.

An Tianran resumed his stride, but before moving on, he said to Fier, “I know you hate me, but now is not the time. When you've grown enough to truly face me in battle, then we'll talk about revenge.”

Fier's fists clenched tightly in an instant, the veins on his neck and hands standing out, betraying his immense struggle.

He restrained himself repeatedly, suppressing the hatred-driven impulse in his heart, forcing himself to remain calm.

“Don't become a beast driven by emotions, Fier. Prove to Qiuqiu that you're an Alpha who can remain rational at all times.”

He kept reminding himself of this over and over again.

His eyes filled with spreading bloodshot lines, Fier glared at the composed An Tianran, gritting his teeth, “...One day.”

“One day, you will get what you deserve, and I will deliver the heaviest blow to you.”

An Tianran turned his head, giving a cold smirk at the tiger Alpha’s threat. He had heard such words many times before and remained utterly unperturbed.

“Then try it, I'll be waiting to see.”

Finishing his words, An Tianran quickly moved in front of all the students, sweeping his cold gaze across them, and raised his voice, “Yesterday was an accident. Most of you probably haven’t had the chance to familiarize yourselves with me yet. But that’s fine, you only need to remember, my students either fight hard in training or await death on the battlefield.”

An Tianran walked past the students, swiftly memorizing everyone’s face in the shortest time with maximum efficiency.

“And I won’t interfere with your decisions. Whether you can survive the brutal war, even make it to the end, depends entirely on your own choices!”

“Did you get that?!”

The students stood tall and shouted in unison, “Clear!”

“There are three principles in the Combat Division, no matter which batch. Even if you forget you can’t eat shit, you can’t forget these principles—”

An Tianran’s gaze was sharp, his presence like an unsheathed sword, his aura fully unleashed.

“1. A true man never bullies any Omega;”

“2. The Empire's honor is supreme. Unconditionally contribute everything to the Empire: your youth, health, love, even your life;”

“3. I will personally execute any student whose genetic illness manifests.”

“Did you get that?!”

The students hesitated briefly upon hearing the last rule, but still stood firm, their still maturing chests puffed out, declaring, “Clear!”

Qiuqiu remained silent, his gaze fixed on An Tianran, a glimmer of light flickering in his eyes.

“Since you chose to join the Combat Division, you must have prepared yourselves mentally before making this choice. I won’t waste words then; let’s get started.”

An Tianran, like a lion in his prime, surveyed his domain and subjects before returning to his original position.

The howling wind tousled his silver hair, lending him the air of a silver wolf battling in a snowy wilderness.

“The first lesson in the Combat Division isn’t about learning to control psychic power, mastering extraordinary abilities, acquiring advanced combat skills, or learning mecha piloting and strategic strikes.”

“There’s only one thing you need to learn—”

An Tianran’s eyes turned cold, but his lips curled into a chilling smile, causing the freshmen to tremble with fear.

“Battle.”

A battle driven purely by instinct, a fight for survival.

The author’s note: