Chapter 78

First, waves of questions erupted in academic circles.

“My mentor posted on Douyin! I thought it was a new research report—what’s this?”

“Professor XX hasn’t been on Douyin in years. Is this some propaganda task?”

“Why is this history bigshot reposting a group photo from the University Arena Competition? Does he have a junior relative in it?”

“Why are all these professors reposting this? Who’s behind it?”

“Could it be some bigwig’s kid?”

“Wait, these are Omegas!”

“Why are there Omegas in the arena competition?!”

…

The reposts from a circle of academic heavyweights spurred their students to share them too, spreading rapidly through departmental groups, classmates, and social circles.

“Omegas fighting in the arena competition? Brawling?”

“Which rich kid went up there to steal the spotlight?”

“Wrong direction for that, isn’t it? Since when do young masters who are Omegas farm popularity in the arena?”

“Tch, guess they didn’t have anything else worthwhile to show.”

“If they’d studied even a bit harder, they wouldn’t have switched to this track. Pure spectacle.”

…

Mu Chenxing’s post kept racking up reposts and views nonstop, but he paid it little mind.

He was competing in the third round by then.

Nearly half of the entrants in the third round were from their school, so this round meant infighting among their own.

Besides him, all the third-year Omegas he’d brought along had been eliminated.

The two with the best shot at advancing—Li Duoduo and Xiao Xiao—drew Fu Yuefeng and Mu Chenxing, respectively.

What could they do?

Fu Yuefeng had planned to go easy, but the moment the countdown ended, Li Duoduo strode cleanly out of the boundary line and conceded.

The crowd of classmates banged chair backs, clapped, and whistled, hooting wildly.

Fu Yuefeng fidgeted coyly. “Duoduo, you’re just… like this? I’ll treat you right from now on.”

Li Duoduo rolled his eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself. If I could beat you, you’d be flat on your back today.”

Fu Yuefeng: “…”

Xiao Xiao followed suit in the next match.

He said to Mu Chenxing, “Bro, we’re just here to grind some experience. Don’t waste your stamina on me.”

Then he grabbed Mu Chenxing’s hand, smacked it against his own abdomen, yelled as he let go, staggered two steps, and flopped dramatically outside the boundary line. “Such heavy force—I can’t stand! I concede!”

The classmates holding up holo-screens to film them burst out laughing.

Mu Chenxing: “…Who told you to enroll in the Military Academy? You should’ve gone to film school.”

Xiao Xiao: “Nah, the aviation system needs talent like me.”

Mu Chenxing was speechless.

The crowd kept cracking up.

In this round of the Preliminary Selection, few contestants came from other schools—most were theirs—and their side was the loudest by far.

Even so, this round still knocked out a batch of their entrants.

But it was already pretty good.

After all, only fifty spots advanced to the Planetary Tournament, and their school snagged thirty-one. The remaining nineteen went to the other two military academies.

The Planetary Tournament would be held over winter break, back-to-back with the finals. Once the Preliminary Selection wrapped, everyone headed home for finals week.

The Nursing Major seniors had clinical internships in the second half of their fourth year, so this exam was their last proper standardized test of college.

Mu Chenxing had stepped down as Association president at the end of last semester and rarely went there anymore. He’d mostly caught up on elementary and middle school material, selectively covered some high school topics, and now just needed to prep for exams while keeping up training.

Compared to his freshman year, he had it easy now.

If he was relaxed, his roommates—who’d grinded their way to top-of-class status—had it even easier.

They even had time to pack luggage, ready to grab their bags and go once exams ended. Next semester was just waiting for internship assignments; even if they came back to school, they wouldn’t stay long.

Mu Chenxing packed too, planning to ship some ahead to Luo Chen’s place.

The house Pei Yao had transferred to him? He’d cleaned it out thoroughly.

He didn’t know where his internship would land, but after it ended, he’d likely head to the military district. No chance to stay there short-term, so he tidied it up. If they broke up after graduation, he could hand it back to Pei Yao with some extra rent; if not, it wouldn’t hurt.

The third- and second-year Omegas he’d mentored, plus Alphas from various majors who’d trained with him over the years, all sought him out for farewell meals to celebrate his graduation and the matches.

All genuine bonds—he couldn’t bear to turn any down. Lucky for him, as an Omega, Omega gatherings didn’t involve binge-drinking, and Alpha ones didn’t dare force it on him. So he handled the round of parties easily.

He just ate a ton, so he ramped up extra training to avoid piling on fat—extra weight would hurt his performance.

Then there was Zhang Yunli. All sixty-four founding members of the Omega Growth Association were graduating next semester. He’d roped Mu Chenxing into organizing a group dinner, where his graduation speech brought tears on the spot, setting off a chain reaction of sobbing among the members.

The two weeks after the Preliminary Selection flew by like time was accelerated.

Exams ended, seniors shipped luggage, delivery drones buzzed noisily for two or three days, and the dorms went quiet.

Mu Chenxing saw off his teary-eyed trio of roommates and stayed behind for the matches.

Subtracting interstellar travel time, they had five days before the tournament. Yuan Hong drilled their thirty-one survivors relentlessly, as if he could elevate their condition a whole level in that span.

Five days? No one expected real progress—just holding steady.

But one guy improved at breakneck speed, faster than in the past year combined.

Everyone knew it was because he’d just come off his Heat Period—his body was in prime shape.

The clueless would’ve thought he’d doped.

The others itched with envy.

“You really an Omega?”

“Not an Alpha pretending to be Omega, are you?”

“Don’t say, with Star Bro’s height, he really matches a regular Alpha. Maybe he is one.”

Suspicious stares landed on Mu Chenxing as he did stretches.

He kept moving. “How many Alphas from our school have I beaten? They didn’t spread rumors—can’t you guys handle losing?”

“Grass, who’s sore about losing?”

“I haven’t lost yet!”

“Me neither… I can still hang in there.”

“I too—at least a draw!”

Mu Chenxing: “Plenty of days till the matches. Give it a few, and you won’t even draw.”

“What ‘few days’? Training ends today— we ship out tomorrow morning.”

“The next few days are travel. You gonna train en route?”

Mu Chenxing finished his leg stretches and stood. “Why not? Nothing to do on the ship but train.”

The Alphas: “…”

“Not gonna lie, that’s you!”

“Fine, I’ll grind hard too!”

“No way I’m losing to you!”

“I don’t wanna lose to an Omega either!”

“…Can we have some pride? Unite against outsiders first, then do internal cuts!”

“Not up to us.”

“All random matchups. AI randomness even publishes its logic—no cheating.”

“We might draw each other round one.”

…Mu Chenxing jumped in place a few times, confirmed he was loose, and waved them off. Too lazy for more chit-chat. “I’m out. See you tomorrow.”

He grabbed dinner alone, then strolled back to the dorms. The vast dorm district was mostly dark, just a few lights scattered here and there.

Mu Chenxing ambled into his room and shut the door. His wristband buzzed.

Pei Yao. Just a peeking-head emoji.

Mu Chenxing hesitated, then replied: ?

Pei Yao: Heard you’re heading to Gamma Star for the matches?

Mu Chenxing: Yeah. Principal Fu say that?

Pei Yao: Yep.

Pei Yao: Good luck in the matches [kiss.jpg]

Mu Chenxing: Thanks.

Pei Yao: Baby’s so cold~ [handkerchief bite, hip sway.gif]

Pei Yao: Don’t tell me some hotshot at school outdid me and stole your heart? [handkerchief bite, hip sway.gif]

Mu Chenxing: …Don’t you know if anyone’s better than you?

A once-in-a-millennium prodigy Admiral in his thirties—how could anyone compare?

Pei Yao: I want my baby saying I’m the best [carrot twist.gif]

Mu Chenxing: Yeah yeah, you’re the best! Number one in the Alliance!

No reply this time.

Mu Chenxing stared at the holo-screen, waiting a good while before one came through.

Pei Yao: Humble brag—claiming first gets you beat [shy.jpg]

Mu Chenxing sent: Got it.

Then silence.

Mu Chenxing scanned the vapid exchange again and kicked the bed frame in frustration.

This had been their chats for the past two years.

His fault. Pei Yao’s too.

Long distance didn’t just sap shared topics—it eroded confidence in the future.

Back when he was a freshman, Pei Yao doting made sense.

But now he was a senior, and Pei Yao was still just doting.

He wasn’t some kid. He was a grown man.

Pei Yao only tossed flirty lines, only cooed sweet nothings. Never discussed the future, never anything substantial. Even from the military district, couldn’t they chat work or life?

Nope.

Not a word.

Pei Yao just saw him as an Omega. Sure, decent stamina, decent moves—but just decent.

At core, just a needy Omega to pamper.

It all piled up, turning Pei Yao’s flirtiness into his own iciness.

Let him wait!

If Pei Yao had the guts not to pull him into his military district, then…

…

Next day, Mu Chenxing stuck to routine: up with his alarm, an hour and a half training, shower and pack back in the dorm, arriving at muster before ten.

This trip—from Stellar System Tournament to Alliance Grand Finals—was in another system, with an awards ceremony after. So besides coaching staff and Beta medics, Principal Fu Mingyuan, a vice principal, and several leaders with aides tagged along.

Mu Chenxing showed with luggage, and someone ruffled his hair.

“Why wash your hair this late?” The familiar voice asked.

Mu Chenxing whipped around, surprised. “Teacher Zhang? What are you doing here?”

Zhang Yunli grinned. “One of the med escorts.”

Mu Chenxing glanced at Fu Mingyuan listening to an aide’s report nearby, then whispered, “Abusing power for a joyride? Sneaking around with the principal?”

…Zhang Yunli smacked his head. “Watch your mouth. Taking lead medic is me stooping to this level.”

Mu Chenxing muttered, “You don’t even have surgical certs.”

Zhang Yunli: “Kid… If it needs surgery, you go to a hospital. Even hospital surgeons wouldn’t operate roadside!”

Mu Chenxing: .

Fair point.

Zhang Yunli: “Still haven’t said why you washed your hair now.”

“Sweaty from morning training. Showered while at it.”

Zhang Yunli: “…”

With students still trickling in, he lowered his voice. “Heard the finals moved to Changhong Star.”

Mu Chenxing rubbed his chin. “Rings a bell.”

Zhang Yunli: “…You dummy? It’s the transfer hub closest to the Northern Military District.”

Mu Chenxing paused, then asked straight: “So, military district folks coming?”

“Yeah.” Zhang Yunli whispered again. “Heard they invited that one as referee.”

Mu Chenxing: “…Oh.”

Zhang Yunli frowned. “You unhappy?”

“Nah.” Mu Chenxing thought. “Not thrilled either.”

He was stewing right now—meeting might spark a fight. He hated fighting.

Zhang Yunli fretted: “You two…”

Mu Chenxing snapped out of it. “Relax, not broken up yet.”

Though it felt close.

Zhang Yunli hesitated. “Your principal said he—”

“Roll call.” Mu Chenxing cut in. “Teacher Zhang, gotta line up.”

“…Okay.”