Chapter 94

Chapter 94

＞＞＞StarNet＞＞＞Hot Discussions＞＞＞Galactic Domain＞＞＞

[The elimination round groupings for the individual competition are out, check to see if your favorite contestant made it]

Main Post: First off, congratulations to the 1,000 contestants who advanced from the group stage. Looking forward to their thrilling performances.

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1l: Claiming front row seats, most excited about Queqiu, hoping he sails smoothly through the elimination rounds.

2l: [Queqiu, Combat Omega, Upper Bracket] - It must be said, Queqiu really stands out among all the fierce Alphas and Betas.

3l: Initially, it was all for fun, but who would have thought that such a delicate, seemingly fragile Omega would actually advance to the elimination rounds?

4l: Reminder to the front row, Queqiu has now been promoted to everyone's favorite Omega. Think twice before criticizing him, otherwise, you might face a legion of zealous Alphas on a crusade.

5l: Hilarious, the Empire's Military School Tournament is a hotbed of excitement, with Queqiu alone claiming a lion's share, the Imperial First Military Academy taking a bit, and Felix somehow losing out, still owing four parts.

……

471l: What's going on with Dark Star Military Academy? Has everyone been possessed? Why did four of them advance to the elimination rounds, surpassing many established and powerful military school teams?

472l: Wow, I didn't realize until you mentioned it! Even the Imperial First Military Academy only has five contestants in the elimination rounds, but Dark Star Military Academy has four!

473l: Uh, I think I spoke too loudly before the competition. Who could have foreseen such an unusual tournament, with Combat Omegas emerging so prominently? It's no longer surprising that a so-called inferior military academy like Dark Star advances to the elimination rounds.

474l: A participation rate of six with four advancing to the next round, and you still label it as a subpar military academy? You won't even respectfully refer to it as the Dark Star First Military Academy. Some of your own prestigious academies might not even perform as well as Dark Star this year, so stop ridiculing them.

475l: Never imagined that Dark Star Military Academy, perennially ranked at the bottom, would have a chance to turn the tables.

……

888l: Upper bracket? That’s not very fortunate for Queqiu. A quick glance reveals several veterans from the previous tournament in the upper bracket, loaded with battle experience - it's practically a group of death.

889l: Damn, Queqiu's teammate, You Buwei, is also in the upper bracket! Just when we were praising Dark Star Military Academy, it turns out they have such lousy luck. Seems like they're headed for a group wipeout.

890l: Don't rush to conclusions. There are others with even worse luck. Of the five contestants from the Imperial First Military Academy who advanced to the elimination rounds, four are in the upper bracket... It's hard to say whether Dark Star Military Academy is lucky or unlucky.

891l: Did the rest of the First Military Academy sacrifice their luck for Felix? Lucky him, he’s alone in the lower bracket.

……

1265l: So, is Queqiu doomed? The upper bracket is truly a group of death, isn’t it?

1267l: To the person above, aren’t you aware that besides being known as a “Combat Artist,” Queqiu also has a “100% Face-Slapping” buff?

1268l: May I invite the victim, Felix, to the stage.

[A new betting thread, can Queqiu survive the curse of the group of death and advance to the top 100?]

Main Post: Please bet sensibly and surf the internet responsibly. Do not indulge in online gambling.

1l: Another cyber casino set up already? That's Imperial speed for you.

2l: Hold off on the bets for now. Have those who lost last time paid up? I've saved all the related betting threads, just waiting to see your live-streamed payoffs~

3l: Don’t even mention it, I lost my shirt and had to handwrite IDs all night. How could I know Queqiu would actually make it to the elimination rounds! This time, I'm definitely betting on him making the top 100!

4l: Hahaha, I won last time. I'm betting again on Queqiu making the top 100!

5l: According to the "losers always lose" rule, those who lost last time are bound to lose again. So, I'm betting against the third commenter; I bet Queqiu won't make the top 100!

……

412l: Wait, you guys are serious? Are so many people really thinking Queqiu will make the top 100? He's in the group of death!!!

413l: ...Right, I almost forgot about that. Honestly, even as an Alpha or Beta, Queqiu’s performance is already outstanding. But there are even stronger competitors, especially in the later stages. So, I don't think he can break through the group of death.

414l: Thinking too small. Queqiu himself has stepped up, suggesting you bet on his ten consecutive wins in the elimination rounds. Why are you still playing small?

415l: What?! My hubby suggests betting?! Then I must follow! If anyone can do ten straight wins, it’s him. If he doesn’t make the top 100, I'll format my star brain and delete dozens of gigabytes of his beautiful photos and battle videos from my live stream!

……

891l: ...I don't know whether to praise Queqiu for his confidence or call him arrogant. Ten straight wins in the eliminations?! Even Felix, an S-tier combat Alpha, wouldn’t dare claim that! Forget ten straight wins, it’s a stretch for Queqiu to even make the top 100. If he does, I'll dress as an Alpha and seduce my brother into an online romance for a month.

892l: Wow, are you sure you want to bet that big? Queqiu is quite strong; I even think he could win the championship. So, I'm betting on him making the top 100. If he doesn’t, I'll live stream myself eating ten lemons.

893l: Just to clarify, Felix and the other students from the Imperial First Military Academy start the elimination rounds with a three-point deduction, so they need thirteen consecutive wins to advance quickly. But eliminations are full of uncertainties; anyone could either win or lose ten in a row. Let’s see how Queqiu’s luck plays out.

After the group stage, the advancing competitors took a day off to recuperate before facing the individual elimination rounds.

Unlike the group stage with its single-round matches, the elimination round rules were more straightforward: the first to accumulate ten points advances. Theoretically, winning ten consecutive matches would guarantee advancement.

On the day of the competition, the thousand competitors from both halves of the draw gathered at the Yinla Sports Hall, anticipating the official start.

Due to the large number of participants, the main hall would be used for the first time as the competition venue.

During the draw phase, the holographic screens in the sports hall displayed information about all competitors. Notably, the first player listed was the only Omega among the thousand, Queqiu.

When his photo and name flashed on the big screen, even a brief appearance triggered excited screams from the audience. Listening closely, one could tell the Omega fans were the most enthusiastic.

Queqiu, waiting backstage with others for the match to begin, encountered an Omega fan.

This Omega, sporting a clover on his head and unlike the typical delicate Omegas in Queqiu's memory, seemed shy and timid.

The Omega stood with crossed arms, peeking out from behind a door. He scanned the busy rest area several times without finding anyone. Eventually, Queqiu noticed him and offered help, prompting a small, surprised smile from the Omega.

"Could you... sign something for me?"

He handed Queqiu a golden shirt and a green marker, a mix of anticipation and nervousness in his demeanor.

Queqiu nodded, spread out the shirt, shook the pen, and signed his name on the back.

After a moment's thought, he also drew a clover next to his signature, "Queqiu."

The sight left the already delighted Omega ecstatic. His black eyes sparkled like those of an excited puppy, his outstretched hands trembling slightly.

"Th-thank you so much!"

"No need to thank me," Queqiu said, channeling a hint of life-giving energy into his fingertips. As he returned the shirt, he brushed the Omega's wrist casually, feeding the small, frail clover with this symbolic essence of life.

Revitalized by the energy, the clover on the Omega's head perked up instantly, standing upright like a little windmill, its color deepening into a vibrant green.

After receiving the autograph, the clover-crowned Omega lingered, mustering courage, his handsome face flushing red, before whispering softly to Queqiu, “I really like you! You're an idol to many Omegas at our school!”

Queqiu was taken aback and then observed the clover-crowned Omega more closely.

He seemed quite young, perhaps only sixteen or seventeen, not yet an adult.

"Is that so? I'm honored," Queqiu responded.

The clover-crowned Omega blushed, then added, “We've seen many of your matches in our school's live streams, and they're all incredibly exciting. So, so I and my friends also dream of choosing the combat division after we come of age, to become warriors like you!”

“We don’t always need Alpha and Beta protection!”

Queqiu was unexpectedly moved by the shy Omega's words, his usual icy demeanor melting into a softer tone and expression.

“The combat division is tough and exhausting. Make sure you're fully prepared before deciding,” he advised, gently ruffling the clover on the Omega's head, his lips curling into a gentle smile. “If you prefer the healing division, that's fine too. Being naturally weaker than Alphas and Betas isn’t shameful. Those brave warriors also need protection from the ‘fragile’ Omegas in return.”

“But you chose the combat division, so I want to as well,” said the clover-crowned Omega, not fully grasping Queqiu's meaning.

“My choice to join the combat division was to show everyone that Omegas aren't limited to just healing roles. I wanted Omegas to freely choose their professions. If you and your friends are choosing the combat division just because you admire me and think it's a better way to prove yourselves, that contradicts my initial intention.”

Queqiu spoke at a measured pace, ensuring the Omega could understand: “Liking and choosing the combat division because of me is fine, but don’t feel obligated. Choose whatever you like, whatever you’re good at. I don’t want you to choose for the sake of being ‘correct’; that would actually be wrong.”

The clover-crowned Omega seemed to understand yet didn’t, nodding blankly.

Patting his shoulder, Queqiu said, “Alright, head back to the audience. My match is about to start. I'll put on a great show today, hope you and your friends enjoy it.”

Snapped out of his daze, the clover-crowned Omega nodded shyly, “Okay.”

Having taken a few steps away, the clover-crowned Omega suddenly turned around, mustering courage, waved vigorously at Queqiu, and shouted, “Go mama, we all believe in you! You can not only achieve ten consecutive wins in the elimination round, but also claim the final victory!”

The familiar address made Queqiu pause, prompting him to ask, “Why call me mama?”

The clover-crowned Omega shyly lowered his head, speaking rapidly, “Omegas are the mothers of the empire. We honor those who can lead Omegas as 'mama'."

He looked up earnestly at Queqiu, repeating, “Many, many Omegas support you. We all like you, mama.”

After speaking, he dashed away, faster than a fleeing rabbit.

Queqiu stood motionless, pondering the tenderly spoken “mama”, feeling an indescribable sensation well up inside him.

The same word, but the way Moerfa said it compared to the clover-crowned Omega was entirely different.

At that moment, he truly felt as if the little Omega in front of him was his own child.

It was a strange sensation, especially since he had always seen these small-plant-topped Omegas as his kin, amplifying this feeling tenfold.

The super star-brain’s warm-up announcements echoed from outside the rest room, but Queqiu was hardly listening, his mind occupied by the clover-crowned Omega’s call of “mama”.

Youbuwei, about to enter the stage, noticed Queqiu and stepped back to examine him closely, stroking his chin curiously, “Hmm… Why do I feel like you're radiating a kind of maternal glow? You resemble a Mother Earth character from mythological novels.”

His playful comments snapped Queqiu out of his reverie, though not without consequences.

Clutching his nose and grimacing in pain, Youbuwei complained, “Hey, there's no need to hit your teammate to prove you're not nurturing! My nose is naturally handsome; getting it fixed would be really expensive.”

Queqiu responded with just a cold snort, not even sparing him a glance.

Amidst their playful scuffle, they caught up with the pace of the other contestants entering the arena.

As they traversed the dark corridor and stepped into the vast and open main venue of the competition, they were utterly taken aback.

Everyone’s first impression could be summed up in one word: massive.

"How big was it?"

"Not just a thousand people, even ten thousand competing here at once would be more than enough!"

"The ground beneath wasn't just an ordinary arena anymore, it was vast like a theme park for competitions, where the edge of the arena was out of sight."

"And over a thousand meters away were the surrounding stands, crowded with people stretching outwards, with at least two to three hundred thousand spectators watching the competition."

"Even the nearest row of spectator stands needed the aid of a super-sized holographic screen to clearly see the details of the upcoming competition."

"As the contestants took their places in the arena, the audience erupted, loudly shouting the names of popular contenders in a show of support. Amid these overwhelming cheers, the name 'Que Qiu' rang out the clearest and loudest, reaching every contestant's ears despite the distance between the stands and the field."

Particularly when Queqiu's close-up appeared on the holographic screen, the cheers and screams of his supporters erupted like madness, filling the vast and crowded main hall with his name, making one wonder if they had stumbled into Queqiu's personal fan meeting instead of a military academy tournament.

Many contestants looked on with envy at this spectacle. This delicate and seemingly fragile Omega, even if standing in the most remote corner, would always be the focus of cameras and gazes, making him a unique visual centerpiece.

It was only when the super neural network's calm, emotionless electronic voice announced the start that the screaming and cheering subsided slightly.

"Welcome, spectators here and watching the livestream, to the elimination round of the Imperial Military School's Joint Star Tournament. The thousand contestants you see have come from various military schools and planets, having battled through tough group stages to make it here. Please give a warm round of applause for these thousand victors!"

Before the announcement had even finished, the audience erupted into a tsunami of applause, wave after wave crashing towards the contestants, almost threatening to sweep them into the sea.

The super neural network continued with the rules, "In the upcoming elimination round, out of these thousand contestants, the final hundred will be decided, who will then participate in the chase for the championship. Upon the sound of the whistle, the main hall's arena will simulate a grassland ecosystem. The thousand contestants will be deployed into the battlefield, divided into upper and lower halves. Contestants in the upper half will only compete against those in the upper half, and the same applies to the lower half. The system will match each contestant, who has an electronic chip, with their current opponent. The first to defeat their opponent will earn one point; after each match, the system will continue to match them with new opponents until they accumulate the required points. The first to accumulate ten points will advance to the top hundred."

"The entire competition will be livestreamed, with all contestants' scores displayed on the holographic screen. Audience members in the venue can use the control buttons in front of their seats to switch the livestream to 'the contestant I want to watch'; those watching on TV can click directly on the contestant's portrait to change the livestream angle. Contestants, please note, there will be no supply of materials during the match; if any contestant is too injured to continue, they can turn off their electronic chip at any time to forfeit and receive prompt medical treatment."

After hearing the rules, You Buwei glanced at Queqiu and said with a grin, "Isn't this just an upgraded version of our entrance exam? I didn't expect the capital star to play this game too."

"A real-life battle royale, quite thrilling."

"Oh God," You Buwei covered his electronic chip on his shoulder and closed his eyes in prayer, "Please bless me not to be matched with the princess."

Queqiu looked at him puzzled, "The elimination round is point-based, not single elimination. You'd have to lose ten matches in a row to be out."

As if realizing it just then, You Buwei smacked his forehead, "Right, even if we unfortunately face off and one of us loses, it's just a point deduction, not an elimination."

Youbuwei quickly corrected himself, “God, please ensure I do match up with Queqiu!”

Queqiu: “...”

I really don't understand you Alphas.

Just as they finished talking, a loud whistle echoed from nowhere, sounding across the seemingly endless wilderness.

The super star-brain announced the start of the match. The largest holographic screen flickered and soon displayed the names of the one thousand competitors along with their live-updating scores.

Amusingly, the scores of the five competitors from the Imperial First Military Academy uniformly started at "-3."

A sudden intense white light flashed across the venue. Queqiu instinctively closed his eyes, and upon reopening them, found himself in a vast grassland, where the wind swept the grass low.

The main venue had simulated an evening scene. The green grass reached up to Queqiu's knees, and a magnificent sunset was so close it seemed touchable.

The sunset had dipped below the horizon, yet the orange glow bathed the entire scene, including the sky, endless grasslands, and the beautiful Omega.

To the audience, it didn't feel like watching a brutal competition but rather a scene from an artistic film. It was a beauty they wouldn't see again outside of virtual media.

Grasslands symbolize flora, and Omega symbolize life.

When combined, they epitomize the deep longing ingrained in the genes of all Alphas and Betas.

But disasters, both natural and man-made, have robbed them of these beauties forever.

After the match, returning to reality meant facing cold concrete, tense relations with Omegas, and the nightmare of incurable diseases.

Author's note:

Another year has passed in the company of my dear readers.