Chapter 45

Chapter 45

On the way back, Queqiu calmed down a bit.

Undeniably, Dark Star was more dangerous than he had imagined. If he continued to use his canary leaves for the comfort agents, it would inevitably increase the risk of exposure. Mo'erfa was right; even to make this business more sustainable, he needed a more covert method.

But what exactly constitutes a "more covert method"?

Queqiu kept pondering this question.

Mo'erfa comforted, “At least our first attempt was a success, right? Don’t worry too much, we’ll find a way.”

“These nutrients may seem abundant, but they’ll deplete quickly when actually used, so we must find a safer way soon,” Queqiu said.

As they conversed, Queqiu and Mo'erfa had already returned to Dark Star Military Academy. Approaching the entrance, Mo'erfa transformed back into a caterpillar, as obediently nestled in Queqiu's pocket as before, indistinguishable from a cute caterpillar decoration or toy from a distance.

Queqiu patted Mo'erfa's head and casually looked up, his gaze inadvertently landing on the two stone trees at the school gate.

He stared blankly at them for several minutes, his mind wandering aimlessly, when suddenly an idea struck him: If using his own leaves increased the risk of exposure, why not switch to other plants for the comfort agent?

With this thought, his previous gloominess vanished, and he quickly headed to the Omega dormitory area.

Upon arrival, he found Bai Tianxing and the familiar Omegas gathered around a stone table, discussing something around a wilting daisy plant.

Queqiu slowed his pace.

“I watered this daisy with nutrient solution this morning, and it was fine. How did it suddenly wither?”

“It's such a pity; it even had a bud.”

“Could it be because the nutrient solution is of low quality?”

“That’s unlikely. The school provides us with high-grade nutrient solutions, so there shouldn’t be any quality issues.”

“Tianxing, can you tell what caused this?”

All eyes turned to Bai Tianxing, who thoughtfully stroked his chin, his head bobbing unconsciously, making the small star-shaped flowers atop his head sway.

“Hmm… Maybe it was overwatered? Look, the pot is soaked. We need to use less nutrient solution.”

Hearing this, the Omegas leaned in to observe and found it to be true, their admiration for Bai Tianxing growing.

Bai Tianxing, with a smug smile, noticed Queqiu's return and waved at him, “You’re back already? Was it more fun outside the school?”

Queqiu nodded and took a seat next to him at the stone table.

Upon seeing him, the previously disheartened Omegas instantly brightened up, eagerly inquiring about his well-being.

The Pothos Omega gently pinched Queqiu's soft cheek, "It's been so long, little Omega. I heard you've been busy with the combat unit lately, hardly coming to see us anymore."

The Turtle Back Bamboo Omega rubbed his head, "Last time in the combat simulation, you ranked first, teaching those muscle-brained Alphas a harsh lesson. You really made us Omegas proud!"

The other Omegas chattered noisily, with conversations revolving around Queqiu, overwhelming him with their excessive enthusiasm.

Queqiu sat there, allowing himself to be pinched and prodded, feeling somewhat drained yet touched by the Omegas' excitement.

Hmm... how to describe it...

They were like the old mountain demons and tree spirits he knew on Earth, always looking at this "young" canary of just a few thousand years with a kind gaze.

Seeing the Omegas getting carried away, Queqiu decided to divert the topic. Noticing the withered daisy on the table, he quickly asked, "What were you all discussing just now?"

Bai Tianxing replied, "Aixin's daisy, which he's been nurturing for a year, had developed a bud and was about to bloom. But when he watered it earlier, he found it suddenly withered. We were guessing the reasons."

Is that so?

Queqiu focused on the daisy with yellowing leaves and a rotten bud. He recalled Bai Tianxing's conclusion about over-watering but, after a closer inspection, doubted that was the main cause.

Suddenly, he reached for the daisy. Bai Tianxing watched helplessly, unable to stop him in time, "Hey, don’t—"

The Omegas, especially the Pothos Omega Aixin, tensed up, but unexpectedly, Queqiu's interest wasn't in the plant itself, but...

...in the soil in the pot?

Queqiu gently scooped a bit with his fingernail. Detecting no trace of spiritual energy, he frowned.

Bai Tianxing, rarely seeing him so expressive, couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"

"Do you always use this kind of soil for planting?" Queqiu inquired.

Bai Tianxing nodded, "Yes, this is high-quality soil from the Capital Star, shipped here. The soil quality is much better compared to Dark Star's, as Capital Star has a radiation shield covering the entire star region. You're asking about the soil, is there a problem with it?"

Queqiu had thought that Dark Star's inability to grow plants in abundance was due to its desert and barren landscapes and the star system radiation in the sunlight hindering plant growth. What he hadn't expected was that even the soil shipped from Capital Star lacked any trace of spiritual energy.

"If even the Capital Star is like this, it likely means that there's no suitable environment for plant growth throughout the Empire. No wonder, despite their efforts to preserve, plant resources remain scarce."

Addressing Bai Tianxing's question and the anxious glances of the Omegas, Queqiu nodded and explained, "These soils lack nutrients, making it impossible for the daisy's roots to absorb anything, leading to the exhaustion of its functions and subsequent wilting."

To make it easier for the Omegas to understand and to avoid exposing himself, Queqiu deliberately replaced 'spiritual energy' with 'nutrients'—effectively the same in this context.

"From what I recall, the plants in the Omega dormitory weren't in great shape when I first visited, indicating a long-standing lack of spiritual energy. Plants generally need minimal nutrients, but before blooming, they require a lot more. Simply watering them more won't suffice."

He then shook off the dust from his nails.

The Pothos Omega, upon hearing this, grabbed the flower pot and dashed to his room, saying quickly, "I'll change the soil and add more nutrients right now, maybe it can still revive!"

Bai Tianxing watched him leave, then turned back to Queqiu, puzzled, "Will that really work? Have you raised plants before?"

Raised plants?

Does being a thousand-year-old canary count?

Queqiu vaguely replied, "Yes, I have."

His visit to Bai Tianxing was to acquire some plant seeds to take home and hasten their growth with spiritual energy before extracting concentrated genetic fluid to make comfort agents.

He had his own seeds, but almost all were canary seeds, plants nonexistent in this world. Using them could expose him if noticed, leading to trouble.

"Seeds? I have some, but what do you need them for?"

Naturally, Queqiu couldn't reveal his true purpose in front of so many people. He found a reason that would please the Omegas.

"I thought, besides being a combat student, I'm also an Omega, so I want to try planting like you all."

As expected, this reason delighted the Omegas. They felt the little Omega was finally coming around and didn't probe further, instead generously offering their cherished flower seeds.

"Here are some daisy seeds!"

"And these are morning glory seeds!"

"Do you like sandflowers? They're the only flowers that survived on Dark Star after the planet's destruction. They've adapted to the desert environment and are easy for beginners to grow!"

"If you find starting with flowers too challenging, you might want to try cacti. They have a higher survival rate."

After receiving a variety of seed packets, Queqiu noticed the absence of fruit seeds. A glance at Bai Tianxing conveyed his confusion, and the latter understood immediately.

Bai Tianxing explained, "Fruit seeds aren't allowed for private cultivation, and besides..."

Surprisingly, the usually fearless Bai Tianxing seemed a bit embarrassed discussing this topic: "The difficulty of growing fruit is too high. Even if we were allowed, we’d hardly succeed. So, ahem, we just don't try."

Queqiu: "."

He had forgotten about this.

Indeed, considering the harsh ecological environment of this world, it's unrealistic to expect Omegas, who struggle even with simple daisies, to take on the more challenging task of fruit cultivation.

"So, we can't grow fruits privately and have to keep buying them?" Queqiu asked.

Bai Tianxing nodded and answered, "Only nobles have the rights and technology to cultivate fruits extensively. Unauthorized cultivation violates special Omega laws."

"What about making comfort agents privately?"

"That's within the allowed range. Most Omegas make their comfort agents, and many provided to the school are from us. In return, the school compensates us handsomely, which we use to buy fruits."

So, Queqiu realized, his method of trading comfort agents for nutrition liquid wasn’t much different from Omegas making comfort agents to buy fruits. It likely wouldn’t attract undue attention.

Queqiu felt somewhat relieved.

After careful consideration, Queqiu realized the intriguing survival rules of this world. Only healing Omegas with plant genes could privately cultivate rare flora, thus producing comfort agents needed by Alphas and Betas. Even nobles couldn’t bypass buying these agents from Omegas. Meanwhile, fruit cultivation was monopolized by nobles, controlling one of the Omega's lifelines and preventing them from being the absolute dominant party.

In the empire, nobles roughly equated to the military and the royal family in status, followed by Omegas, then Alphas, with Betas being the invisible lower class. They formed a perfect closed loop, each link interlocking, maintaining a delicate balance amidst instability.

Queqiu sensed that such a system couldn’t last long and would eventually lead to a complete collapse of the empire's order.

For now, however, Queqiu didn’t feel these issues concerned him directly. Although he could adapt and slowly integrate into this world, it didn’t mean he wanted to stay here forever.

“Thank you all. I’ll head back now,” Queqiu said, organizing the seeds given by the Omegas and preparing to leave.

Bai Tianxing stood up and offered, “Let me walk you out.”

On the way, Bai Tianxing explained, “Healing Omegas naturally have a stronger affinity for plants due to their plant genes, making cultivation easier. But even so, beginners often fail initially. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t succeed, especially since you are…”

He skipped certain words, then added, “If it doesn’t work out, don’t lose heart; it’s quite normal.”

Queqiu nodded, “Thank you for your kindness. I’ll give it a try.”

Looking around and seeing no one on their way out of the Omega dormitory area, Bai Tianxing spoke.

In a lowered voice, Bai Tianxing asked Queqiu, “You’ve been disguising as a Beta and now want to plant. Are you hiding something from me?”

“I just want to try making my own comfort agents,” Queqiu replied, blinking.

Bai Tianxing eyed him skeptically, “Is it really that simple?”

“Yes, it's just that simple,” Queqiu affirmed.

After speaking, Queqiu waved goodbye to Bai Tianxing and quickened his pace to leave.

Bai Tianxing, watching Queqiu's departing figure, tugged thoughtfully at the small white flowers in his hair.

He always felt Queqiu was mysterious, as if hiding something from him, but couldn't pinpoint the reason.

"Hmph, it's definitely not as simple as you say!"

Bai Tianxing's curiosity about Queqiu peaked at this moment, eager to uncover what the elusive little Omega was concealing.

*

Upon returning to his dorm, Queqiu locked himself in his room and neatly arranged the seeds received from the Omegas, sorting out the lifeless, dead seeds.

While Queqiu was engrossed in his task, Morfa, back in human form, sat opposite him and curiously asked, “Didn’t you say those soils lacked nutrients, making it impossible for plants to grow? Then why…”

Why go through the trouble of bringing the seeds back?

Queqiu, without looking up and focusing on his task, replied lightly, “I don't need conventional planting methods to make them sprout and grow; just a little spiritual energy will do.”

Hearing this, Morfa expressed concern, “Won't that consume a lot of spiritual energy?”

“Compared to the rewards I’ll get, the energy spent is not significant. Plus, I only need to use spiritual energy on a few seeds initially for experimentation. Once I have the correct ratios, the rest can be cultivated using conventional methods.”

“Conventional methods?” Morfa found Queqiu’s statement somewhat contradictory.

Queqiu patiently explained, “It means not using spiritual energy directly to germinate the seeds but infusing it into the soil, transforming it into a medium suitable for the seeds. This minimizes energy loss and allows the seeds to grow faster.”

Although not as rapid as directly stimulated seeds, those grown with this method would still develop quicker and be of better quality compared to plants grown in normal Earth environments.

After all, his spiritual energy, whether for the people or plants of this world, contains a rich vitality they all desperately crave.

Morfa finally understood his intention, and the thought of their small room soon brimming with greenery made him uncontrollably excited.

He moved closer to Queqiu, coquettishly asking, "Mom, can I sleep on the leaves?"

Queqiu sharply increased the distance between them, coldly denying his request, "No, you can’t."

If it weren’t for Morfa's revelation, he almost forgot that he was living with a caterpillar all the time.

Letting a caterpillar sleep on the leaves?

Wouldn't that be like inviting a rat into a granary, a case of setting a fox to guard the henhouse?

Morfa's disappointment was so profound that even his two small antennae drooped down, limply laying on his bangs.

He sighed, saying softly, “Morfa is no longer Mom’s favorite little dog. Even such a small wish can't be fulfilled.”

Queqiu: “...”

He ruthlessly exposed Morfa's true nature: “But you are not a little dog. You are just a caterpillar.”

“Who says so?” Morfa mimicked a puppy's nose-wrinkling gesture, persistently snuggling closer to Queqiu, “Woof woof~”

Queqiu, both amused and exasperated, pushed him away with one hand, “Stop it.”

“So, will Mom fulfill my little wish?”

What else could Queqiu say but resignedly, “Yes.”

Alpha immediately leaped up joyously. His excitement stemmed less from the wish being granted and more from the doting compliance of Queqiu to his every request.

In other words, it wasn’t the wish itself that mattered to Morfa, but the person willing to accept his wish.

Having achieved his desired outcome, Morfa finally settled down, obediently lying on the table, quietly watching Queqiu select the appropriate seeds.

Queqiu sorted the seeds by type and quality before asking Morfa, as he prepared to release his spiritual energy, “Which flower do you like?”

Without even blinking, Morfa kept his gaze fixed on Queqiu, earnestly responding, “My favorite is the canary.”

His serious tone caught Queqiu off-guard, leaving him momentarily stunned before realizing what Morfa meant.

For some reason, Queqiu's heart seemed to beat faster than before.

Lowering his head, Queqiu instinctively avoided Alpha's intense gaze, “Then I’ll cultivate the ShaSha flower.”

Morfa simply responded, “Hmm.”

Yet, his gaze remained unwavering.

Queqiu mentally braced himself, trying his best to ignore the piercing intensity of that gaze. He lifted his hand, his slender, pale fingers slowly glowing with golden light, as if liquid gold flowed from his fingertips.

With a shift in his gaze, the light obediently flowed towards the chosen ShaSha flower seeds, gently caressing them like a soft breeze or a mild drizzle.

The initially shriveled seeds gradually plumped up under the nourishment of Queqiu's spiritual energy, swelling up like little fat bellies.

Morfa watched motionlessly, even slowing his breathing, patiently awaiting the miracle of life.

After several seconds, having absorbed enough sustenance, the round seeds began to develop. A tiny crack appeared on the brownish-yellow surface, revealing a small point of tender yellow. It quivered tentatively, stretching out once it sensed no danger.

Then, it began to elongate, transforming from an insignificant dot into the shape of a young sprout.

Leaves sprouted one by one along the slender stem, growing rapidly; the higher they reached, the more the color shifted from yellow to green.

At the very top, between two narrow leaves, a small yellow bud had already emerged.

As the last of the golden light settled on the tip of the bud, the tightly closed flower finally began to slowly bloom, revealing four delicate, pale yellow petals, each only as big as a ping pong ball, resembling tiny stars fallen to the ground.

Morfa seemed entranced, his grayish-white eyes reflecting the image of the small, four-petaled yellow flower.

Queqiu delicately placed the ShaSha flower between the two small antennae atop Morfa's head.

"It's beautiful," Alpha looked up, trying to see the flower, "But Mama's blooms would be even more beautiful."

He thought he was flattering Queqiu, but to his surprise, Queqiu instantly turned cold, scooting back with a stern tone, "Morfa, show some respect to me."

Morfa was momentarily stunned, unable to comprehend why his comment had upset Queqiu—

Show more respect?

Had he said something inappropriate?!

Queqiu turned his head away, huffing slightly, repeating a phrase that seemed familiar to Morfa, "You don't understand the physiological structure of plants at all."

But if one looked closely, they would notice the tips of Queqiu’s ears, hidden behind his golden hair, had already unknowingly flushed a shade of red.

Author’s note:

Morfa is a new dog breed – Green Dog (Green Tea Puppy)

Queqiu's blushing//

This phrase is similar to complimenting Queqiu on his **being beautiful