Chapter 67

Chapter 67

Figo felt as though he had been in a very long dream.

In that dream, he seemed to be falling into an endless abyss of darkness, unable to see anything clearly despite his eyes being wide open.

His body kept falling; the sound of the wind rushing past his ears while descending continuously assaulted his eardrums, so incessant that it was the only sound he could hear.

Figo didn't even know which way was up or down. Like a person swept away by a flood, he instinctively reached out, trying to grasp a lifeline.

He didn't want to plummet into an abyss with no end.

But at the same time, along with the immense fear and the unknown darkness, came an inexplicable weariness in his soul, and intense pain within his body.

Figo felt as if he was being torn into many pieces by an unknown force during his fall, each piece tugging at his being, almost tearing him apart.

It hurt so much...

So tired...

This must be what it feels like at death's door.

He strained to open his eyes, fighting against the pain and fatigue trying to drag him into hell, but it was just a futile struggle at the brink of death.

His eyelids grew heavier and slowly closed; his raised hand lost strength and gradually fell.

In the abyss of his descent, there seemed to be a distant, deep voice slowly calling to him, "Come... come..."

"Surrender your soul to me, let me lead you to a greater evolution... Together, we will gain unimaginable power."

"Come..."

In that moment, Figo thought hazily that he might truly be unable to hold on any longer.

But just as he teetered on the edge of despair, a faint glimmer of light suddenly appeared above him—

Then, Figo heard a voice, clear and melodious like a heavenly chant.

"Little tiger, trust me."

Who was that?

Figo wanted to close his eyes completely, to cease his futile resistance, but that voice remained etched in his mind, inescapable.

He struggled to recall the owner of the voice, but his brain, deeply comatose, made it impossible to think effectively. He could only instinctively follow the faint light and that weak yet resolute call.

What started as a mere speck of light in the absolute darkness of the abyss began to take root like a seed in soil, spreading rapidly, until it was almost within Figo's reach.

Even though he was too exhausted to blink again, he mustered his last ounce of strength, tremblingly reaching out towards the golden light—

A little closer, just a little more, and he would be able to touch the light.

Holding onto this belief, Figo, not knowing where he found the courage and strength, leapt with all his might into the brilliant light that shone ever more resplendently in the darkness.

An incredibly pure and warm liquid instantly enveloped him, creating an indescribable sense of safety, like returning to the womb of a mother. With each breath, he could feel the vitality and strength emanating from the maternal source.

The excruciating pain that seemed to originate from his bones vanished in an instant, the weariness extending from his soul dissipated, and the unfathomable darkness and despair were dispelled by this gentle light.

His world, since the emergence of this light, had finally become bright again.

Figo's lost strength gradually returned, and his consciousness cleared.

His tiger ears twitched involuntarily, followed by the eyelids of the Tiger Alpha moving.

Figo struggled to open his eyes, first greeted by a river of golden light formed by converging stars. Then, he saw someone he thought he might never see again.

"Queqiu?!" Figo woke up abruptly, his eyes widening in disbelief at the miraculous scene before him.

"Is it really you?" His voice was so shaky with excitement that he could barely form a complete sentence.

"It's me."

Queqiu nodded, the golden light streaming from his fingertips gradually retracting.

Figo remained stunned for several minutes or even longer. He stared blankly at Queqiu, his mind a blank slate. Though he had a million things to say, in this moment, he was overwhelmed with emotion, leaving him speechless.

In times like these, words seemed so inadequate, unable to convey the intense emotions in his heart.

Queqiu smiled at him. The typically aloof Omega, who often seemed as emotionless as a robot, had a devastating impact when he smiled.

Thus, Figo's brain, true to form, went offline for a few more minutes.

He took a long time to calm himself, barely managing to stabilize his emotions a little. Then, a question occurred to him:

"What are you doing in the treatment room?!"

After blurting out the question, Figo seemed to realize it himself, belatedly asking again: Yeah, why would Queqiu be in a place like this?

As if thinking of something unpleasant, Figo momentarily forgot his joy. He sat up abruptly, anxiously pulling Queqiu close to examine him thoroughly from head to toe, inside and out.

Queqiu watched Figo's overly cautious behavior with a mix of amusement and exasperation: anyone who didn't know better might think that it was he, not Figo, who had suffered a genetic disease outbreak.

"Don't scare yourself; of course, I'm fine," Queqiu hurriedly explained to alleviate Figo's fears. "After you were taken away by the school inspection team, I went to see Instructor An and learned that besides you, several other first-year combat students were also taken away. Due to the shortage of healing Omegas willing to take shifts, I was worried your conditions would worsen without timely treatment. So, I sought permission from the principal to enter the treatment room to treat you all, which is why I'm here now."

Figo was stunned, completely unaware that so much had happened during the hours he was unconscious.

But then he frowned and said, "Why would you do something so foolish? You're not a healing Omega, and being in close contact with Alphas and Betas experiencing genetic disease outbreaks is risky enough, let alone in a treatment room."

Queqiu replied, "I couldn't just stand by and watch you suffer. This was my decision, and no one forced me. Plus, I had made all the mental preparations before coming."

Despite Queqiu's assurances, Figo still disagreed with his actions: "This isn't something you should have to do. If you get hurt treating us, I'd never forgive myself, even if I made it through this ordeal."

Not wanting to burden the recently recovered Figo with heavy topics, Queqiu gently stroked the Alpha's resilient tiger ears, comforting him: "Just like you wouldn't want me to come to harm trying to save you, I couldn't bear to see you abandoned here without care. And I came because I was sure I could do it, so you really don't need to worry so much."

As he spoke, Queqiu stood up and stepped back a few paces, allowing Figo to see him more clearly: "See, I'm perfectly fine. We'll all get out of here safely."

"Try to relax a bit, okay?"

Figo felt a lump in his throat, nearly on the verge of tears. He didn't know what Queqiu had done or what sacrifices he had made to pull him back from the brink of death. All he knew was that this small-statured Omega had moved him deeply, time and time again.

Queqiu was so kind that Figo almost felt he was not real but part of a beautiful dream he didn't want to wake from.

But years of harsh experiences had taught him that, especially in a place like the Dark Star, under the rule of the Empire, even a utopia of fantasy couldn't possibly have someone like Queqiu.

This beautiful, kind-hearted Omega in front of him was more utopian than Utopia itself, more fantastical than fantasy.

His arrival should be considered an honor for this world.

"I don't even know how to thank you..." he said, lowering his head, feeling both cherished and guilty. "You're like a Goddess of Life, bestowing upon me endless gifts, yet never asking for anything in return..."

Queqiu softly replied, "You've already given me so much, invisible but immensely precious."

As he spoke, he took a small, light yellow flower from his pocket and gently placed it on Figo's knee.

"This, this is..."

Figo was stunned, his breath halting in that instant.

Queqiu explained, "This is a Shasha flower. A Beta once told me that almost no plant can survive in the Gobi of Dark Star, only the resilient Shasha flower. When I left, he gave me a 'Shasha flower'."

And now, he was passing this flower to Figo.

"I know Alphas are born to be war machines, bearing the brunt of the Empire's border defenses, only to suffer from diseases and shortened lifespans. In my eyes, you are like the Shasha flowers, rooting in the most barren lands, yet able to bloom beautifully."

"I've never... never seen anything like this..."

Figo's voice choked with emotion, tears nearly escaping. He cradled the small flower, smaller than half his palm, like a precious treasure, pressing his cheek against its delicate petals, inhaling its faint, almost imperceptible fragrance.

This small, unassuming flower was, in his eyes, the most beautiful thing in the entire universe.

And most importantly, it was his Shasha flower; given to him by Queqiu, owned by him.

Figo kissed the petals deeply, feeling the life of a flower from bloom to fall.

In this moment, Figo felt there was no one in the world happier than him.

Anyone would be moved by such a sincere moment, and Queqiu was no exception. A glimmer of relief appeared in his usually stoic golden eyes. After giving Figo a moment to compose himself, he said, "Your condition has been stabilized. As long as you don't undergo any major stress in the near future, you should be fine. Before coming here, I spoke with Instructor An. When dawn breaks, I’ll have Xiao Feng and Tang Butian bring some of the soothing agents I made. With the help of these agents, I believe your condition will continue to improve."

Before Figo could fully express his joy, he sensed something amiss.

He quickly raised his head and asked, "What about you?"

Queqiu replied, "I will continue to help more Alphas, just like I helped you."

Author's note: