Chapter 109

Chapter 109

Just two days after the individual competition, the team competition was set to begin.

While Anfuran was entering the registration information for the Dark Star Military Academy’s team members, he asked Queqiu once again if he intended to continue competing.

“The honor from the individual competition is already sufficient. Even if you don’t participate in the team competition, the school won’t have any objections, and I personally would prefer you not to attend.” Considering Queqiu’s estrus being like a ticking time bomb, Anfuran didn’t want to risk it.

Queqiu asked, “If I don’t participate in the team competition, our team will be one person short. How can we compete with fully staffed teams when we are already at a disadvantage in terms of overall strength?”

Anfuran fell silent for a moment, clearly aware that Queqiu was the linchpin of the Dark Star Military Academy’s team. Without him, they would be left with only Figor and You Buwei, making it impossible to achieve a good ranking in the team competition.

Yet he insisted on prioritizing Qiu's health.

"I've said it before: victories and honors can be pursued again, but your impending estrous period is urgent. You've already delayed it for the military tournament; delaying further might cause you to enter your estrous period during the team matches, which would be terrible for you."

After thoughtful consideration, Qiu decided to join his teammates in the team matches.

"I've adapted to the pre-estrous phase and should be fine. Plus, during the individual matches, You Buwei gave up his chance at higher honors to support me, allowing me to advance smoothly to the semi-finals. I owe it to him to participate, not to mention the other team members who only have this one chance left; if missed, it's another four years of waiting, and the school might not have such a good lineup then."

Initially, Qiu's only plan upon arriving in this world was to return to Earth as soon as possible, not wanting to entangle with its inhabitants.

But after experiencing so many trials with them, Qiu's once emotionless heart gradually understood the preciousness of friendship.

He was no longer a loner but had many friends who cared about him and had won the affection and praise of many strangers.

In other words, Qiu, who was once a cold and detached creature, gradually developed human warmth. He would laugh with friends, turn back into a canary and hide away when sad, and occasionally felt anger, fear, and worry.

People who spent more time with him and understood him, like Anweiran, found Qiu's subtle changes somehow more charming, possessing an allure different from before.

"Since you've made up your mind, I won't persuade you further. The Dark Star Military Academy's team will be fully present at the team matches in two days."

Anweiran ultimately chose to respect Qiu's decision, or rather, he respected Qiu's willingness to sacrifice for others.

It's important to note that standing before him was the overall champion of the Empire Military School Interstellar Tournament's individual competition, the only S-class combat Omega.

He could easily go to the best hospital in the capital star for estrous period management, without worrying about the team matches, and without considering his teammates – a perfectly legitimate reason for an Omega, and no one would criticize such a decision.

But Qiu didn't.

He persisted in completing every match, whether it was the individual competition where he shone brilliantly or the team competition that symbolized the honor of every team member, never retreating because of his personal issues.

Many, far from reaching Qiu’s achievements, already stand in high places, basking in self-admiration, looking down on teammates still striving to climb;

Yet this little Omega, despite such great success, never became arrogant or complacent. He remained as he was, both in attitude towards teammates and daily conduct, exhibiting a mindset far beyond ordinary people.

Anweiran was somewhat moved, feeling that Qiu was so perfect in every aspect that he seemed almost unreal, making even gods feel ashamed in comparison.

*

Two days later, Yinla Sports Hall.

This was the only grand gathering of tens of thousands of military school teams besides the opening ceremony.

The participating teams were positioned according to their highest ranking in the individual competition, cramming tens of thousands of people into the venue. For the first time in history, the Dark Star Military Academy team, which always stood at the very back, was now in the center of the first row.

As countless cameras and gazes converged on them, Figo and others from the Dark Star Military Academy felt more nervous than at any other moment in their lives. Knowing they represented Dark Star and its military academy, Alphas and Betas stood straight, with solemn expressions, fearing any misstep might bring shame to their school and home star before the entire Empire.

Among them, Qiu and You Buwei were the most relaxed. The former's indifferent nature meant he rarely felt strong emotions towards anything, while the latter simply didn’t regard the military school tournament as a serious matter, naturally feeling no nervousness.

Behind them was the Empire's First Military Academy, whose students, unaccustomed to being second for years, found themselves awkwardly trying to hide behind the first few, silently praying not to be captured by the cameras and embarrass themselves in front of their seniors from previous tournaments.

In the past, Felix would have been the one most eager to hide himself. But now, he seemed to have shed his restlessness and arrogance. Even under the spotlight, he stood straight, allowing the cameras to focus intently on his face without even blinking.

His gaze was fixed on the small figure ahead, silently mouthing the name of the Omega in his heart.

And Felix wasn't the only one watching Qiu; countless eyes were fixed on him, including Dong Kui's somewhat dazed and fearful gaze.

Qiu’s pale cheeks flushed unnaturally. Even as he bit his lip, he couldn’t hold back the surge of emotions within him. His smooth forehead was dotted with sweat, as if even his perspiration carried the rich scent of pheromones.

Dong Kui unconsciously touched the back of his neck, feeling the gland there, softer and hotter than usual, even through the pheromone-blocking patch.

A teammate nudged Daniel with an elbow, sniffing around, “Did you spray some cologne today? I smell a floral fragrance.”

In the Empire, people generally dislike using perfume as it masks their natural pheromones, which play a role akin to animals marking their territory with scent.

However, for Alpha students at the military academy, who must wear restraining collars for four years and cannot use their pheromones, perfumes that resemble their pheromone scent offer a psychological substitute. Thus, using perfume is quite popular among them.

Daniel rolled his eyes, pushing away Santos, who was sniffing around him like a dog.

“You're a savannah lion Alpha, not a dog Alpha. Cut it out if your nose doesn’t work. I don’t wear perfume. And if I did, it would be sea salt, not floral scents.”

Santos was puzzled: “But I definitely smelled something sweet and faint. If not perfume, could it be pheromones from an Omega here?!”

Daniel was speechless, tightly grabbing Santos’s restraining collar, choking him.

“Pick a better time if you’re going into heat. This is a team competition, with thousands of Alphas. What Omega would recklessly release pheromones here? Isn’t your collar tight enough? Didn’t we just get new ones? How can it not control you?!”

After his rant, Daniel finally let go. Santos, the lion Alpha, coughed frantically, nearly strangled.

“Are you insane? This new collar hasn't even adjusted properly, and you almost killed me.”

“You're the one who's sick, thinking any random scent is Omega pheromones. Even if you did smell them, what can you do with that collar on?”

Santos, still shaken, agreed: “You’re right.”

Their quiet conversation jolted Dong Kui awake, horrified at the thought of such public humiliation he would soon face.

Dong Kui hung his head in despair, feeling physically and mentally tormented, the sour ache in his glands overshadowed by the psychological agony.

Tears welled in Dong Kui's eyes, but he dared not cry, shrinking himself as small as possible, not wanting anyone to notice him.

Due to the nature of the team competition, which is less combative, the event was not open for public viewing, leaving the spectator stands empty.

This slight relief consoled Dong Kui, his last hope in an otherwise hopeless situation.

However, the team competition would be broadcast live in high definition, with a mini-camera robot assigned to each participant to record their real-time actions.

The official channel of the Empire Military Academy League opened exclusive live rooms for each participating team, with viewers free to choose their viewing. In addition to this, there were several official camera positions to broadcast popular players and intense clashes between teams.

As soon as the official live room started, eager citizens of the Empire rushed to join. During the pre-match oath-taking ceremony of the tens of thousands of participating teams and hundreds of thousands of players, billions were already online, eagerly awaiting the start of the competition.

Naturally, as the overall champion of the Academy League individual competition, the first Omega to ever win, and the only S-class combat Omega in the Empire, Queqiu garnered the highest attention. Nearly two-thirds of the billions online were there for him, crowding his live room.

And the number of viewers kept climbing.

The League officials smartly placed Queqiu's live room in the second spot on the main channel, right after the official primary view.

After the oath, with the announcement of the supercomputing brain, the main arena of Yenla Stadium slowly transformed into a virtual environment resembling a small island in the sea.

"Welcome, dear viewers of the live room, to the team competition of the Empire Military Academy Interstellar Event. You can find details of the participating teams in the link below the official main camera live room. I will now read the competition rules and notices for both the viewers and the players preparing for the match."

The emotionless voice of the electronic system made the players alert. Although they already knew the rules, most listened intently to avoid missing anything.

"The maximum number of players per team in the team competition is seven, minimum four. Before the start, staff will attach electronic chips to track players' data; if hit by an opponent or voluntarily removed, it signifies elimination. If over half of a team withdraws, the whole team is considered eliminated. Nobody can enter or exit the simulated battlefield except those eliminated, the match ends, or they voluntarily quit."

"Winning conditions: Teams are divided into four groups, starting equidistantly from the island's center at east, south, west, and north entry points. The first to find the League flag and hold it for an hour wins. The second and third to do the same get the runner-up and third place respectively. After the top three are decided, the simulated battlefield closes, ending the team competition."

Initially, players laughed at these simple rules, akin to a grand game of hide and seek.

But the supercomputing brain hadn’t finished, and soon the laughing players grew serious.

"Note, once a team possesses the flag, the chips will reveal their location and status to other teams every ten minutes. First discovery doesn’t guarantee victory; you must hold it for an hour. If snatched mid-way and held by another team for an hour, that team wins."

Groans filled the arena.

He Mingri complained, “What kind of rule is this? It’s like telling others, ‘Here’s the flag, come and steal it!’”

Li Congyan adjusted his glasses, sighing, “It’s like being enemies with tens of thousands. Keeping the flag or even our lives is uncertain.”

Dole and Orfei also felt disheartened. They hoped for better in the team competition after personal rounds didn’t go well, but now it seemed even more unlikely.

Or rather, it seemed impossible.

Seeing the disheartened mood, Feige comforted, “It’s okay. We’ve already achieved great results, enough to make our school proud. We’ll give our best in the team competition and surely reap rewards.”

You Buwei glanced at Queqiu and tried to sling an arm around him, chuckling, “Why so gloomy? Don’t we still have our trump card? Our princess can single-handedly take on hundreds, no, thousands! Just follow him and we’ll coast to victory.”

Queqiu swiftly stepped back before You Buwei could touch him, causing the Alpha to stumble embarrassingly, nearly falling flat.

“Rather, once we get the flag, we should use you as bait to attract teams trying to snatch it. I think our chances of winning will be higher that way.” Queqiu joked with a deadpan expression, startling You Buwei, who quickly argued that he was too delicate for such a task.

Their banter dissolved the team's tension, and everyone laughed along, teasing You Buwei.

Queqiu didn’t join in, but he listened with interest.

Suddenly, he frowned, detecting an unusual scent.

Floral?

It was like the stuffy, slightly sweet aroma of sunflowers in bloom.

Turning, Queqiu cast a meaningful glance at Dongkui behind him, clearly noticing the other’s abnormal state.

Trembling, as if struggling to endure something.

Could it be... the onset of estrus?

Recalling the precautions An Weiwei had emphasized about estrus, despite being competitors, Queqiu's instinct to care for his own kind kicked in, and he called out to Dongkui.

“Are you alright? Do you feel unwell?”

His question drew attention, but the more people gathered, the more Dongkui trembled. Knowing it wasn’t yet time for the plan to unfold, and longing for Queqiu’s help, he could only suppress his helplessness, barely concealing his tears, “No, I’m fine…”

What pained him most was knowing Queqiu wanted to help, but he had to act against his own will, aiding Liuchangming and Jiekuili in their scheme.

Torn between enduring estrus and self-loathing for his complicity, Dongkui struggled.

How could such a wretched person like him deserve Queqiu’s concern?

He truly was, utterly despicable.

Prompted by Queqiu's initial concern, the Alphas from the Imperial First Military Academy noticed their teammate's unusual condition and quickly gathered around him, offering warmth and concern.

Daniel said with care, “If you're feeling really unwell, consider tearing off your chip and exiting the competition once it starts to rest. We’ve already lost face in the individual matches, missing one more in the team event won’t matter much.”

His words were well-intentioned but sounded a bit off.

Queqiu glanced at Daniel, who appeared unconcerned about his own bluntness, embodying a carefree attitude of one who has nothing left to lose.

Or, as if he was a pig unbothered by scalding water.

To Queqiu’s surprise, even the typically haughty Felix said, “If you can't endure, don’t force yourself. Even with just six of us, we can still win.”

This unexpected remark from Felix prompted Queqiu to give him a few extra glances.

Realizing the small Omega was observing him, Felix’s face flushed red. The proud, fiery-haired Alpha unexpectedly showed a hint of shyness, giving him an air of innocence.

But Dongkui was too preoccupied to notice.

Struggling to contain the abnormal sensations in his body, his active A-grade Omega glands swelled at the back of his neck, barely concealed by his hair. Despite the pheromone blocking patch, his glands continued to release a faintly sweet scent.

For now, the fragrance was subtle and went unnoticed.

Seeing Dongkui's determination, the others refrained from further comment, only advising him to withdraw from the match if it became unbearable.

Dongkui, fearing that speaking might reveal his agonizing urges, could only nod tearfully in acknowledgment.

As the arena transformed completely, the announcement from the supercomputer also rang out:

"I declare, the Empire Military School Interstellar Tournament Team Competition, begins now!"

With this emotionless electronic voice echoing through the main venue, both the contestants on-site and billions of viewers in the live broadcast were invigorated.

The contestants, full of pride and determination, stepped into the simulated battlefield, eagerly anticipating the upcoming battle for team honor.

Four beams of white light flashed at different entry points, signaling the closure of the simulated battlefield’s access tunnels. Meanwhile, unnoticed in a corner, an A-class Omega, after an intense internal struggle, finally trembled and peeled off the pheromone-blocking patch from his neck.

A tantalizingly sweet floral scent, capable of awakening any Alpha’s instinctual desires, drifted on the salty sea breeze, reaching every corner of the island. The restraining collar, meant to act as a barrier, remained eerily silent, without a hint of movement.

Qiu instinctively looked up at the sky, now covered with dark, thunderous clouds.

A sense of foreboding gradually welled up in his heart.

Li Congyan, standing nearby, was urged to use his ability named "Correct Choice." However, his expression changed during the urging, muttering to himself, "Team competition..."

"The incorrect choice..."

The Beta looked towards the distance, seemingly bewildered.

Over the roaring wind and surging waves of the sea, it appeared as if a chaotic upheaval was brewing.

Author's note: