I Really Didn't Intend to Pick Up the Black Lotus Omega - Chapter 1

Buzz, buzz…

The vibrating phone, pressed against the bathtub, sent barely perceptible ripples through the water.

The humid mist in the bathroom hung like a pale veil, casting a ghostly white pallor over the woman’s face. Her fair cheeks, glistening with droplets, glowed with a faint pink hue. Thick eyelashes drooped low, as if she were lost in an eternal, dreamless slumber.

Huff!

Suddenly, a sharp gasp shattered the silence, thick with stifling heat.

Yu Qing jolted awake from her dream, raising a hand to wipe her face. The oppressive heat felt suffocating, as if she couldn’t breathe.

Help me…

A tidal wave surged through the bathroom, water spilling across the floor.

Yu Qing stumbled, her head spinning, and struggled for what felt like an eternity to open the bathroom door.

In an instant, a rush of fresh air flooded in.

Exhausted, Yu Qing collapsed onto a small stool, gasping for breath, questioning her very existence.

What happened? I don’t remember taking a bath last night.

Who drew the water for me?

Who undressed me?

Who used the bath bomb I’d been saving…?

And… has this phone been vibrating for a really long time?

Yu Qing’s triple-layered question was repeatedly interrupted by her vibrating phone.

She glanced back at her phone, gritted her teeth, and answered, “Hello?”

“Miss Yu, we’ve finally reached you. We’ve noticed you’ve been inquiring about Beta Accident Insurance recently. Our company offers a plan…”

The unfamiliar voice carried the professional, fake smile of a salesperson, eager and enthusiastic.

But the moment Yu Qing heard the word “Beta,” she clutched her head.

At that moment, she felt the shame and absurdity of a novel’s setting bleeding into reality.

Yet this didn’t stop her from being petty about it. “Why am I a Beta? Why can’t I be an Alpha?!”

Perhaps the salesperson hadn’t anticipated such a question. A moment of silence hung in the air before the voice replied, “I’m sorry, Miss Yu. We’ve checked our records, and it appears you remained undifferentiated until adulthood. You are indeed a Beta.”

“Huh?” Yu Qing never expected such a serious answer. She immediately hung up the bizarre call.

Had she worked overtime until her brain broke, or had the world gone mad? Were insurance sales pitches really this absurd now?

How could they deliver lines about ABO settings with such unwavering seriousness?

Yu Qing was incredulous, but what shocked her even more was that her phone was acting strangely.

This wasn’t her phone.

How had she unlocked it just now?

And why were so many of the apps unfamiliar? None of the social media contacts contained names she recognized.

A chill ran down Yu Qing’s spine as she realized something was terribly wrong.

She frantically scrolled through the phone, only to discover another horrifying detail: when she checked the user profiles of the apps, she saw a silver “Beta” mark next to her name.

Beta…

Could this be the Beta she was thinking of?

Had she transmigrated to an ABO world?

Buzz.

A notification arrived, delivering the most damning evidence.

Municipal SMS Alert: Dear Ms. Yu Qing, your monthly Beta subsidy has been credited to your account. Please confirm receipt promptly…

“Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands… ten thousand.”

Staring at the glaring four zeros on the screen, Yu Qing slowly exhaled, “Holy sh1t.”

She had truly transmigrated to an ABO world.

Although Yu Qing had read many novels during her student days, she wasn’t very familiar with the ABO setting.

After all, every author had their own unique interpretations, so memorizing too much was pointless. She only bothered to remember a few basic concepts.

For example, Alphas and Omegas were mutually attracted by pheromones.

Betas, on the other hand, remained undifferentiated, lacking glands and unable to detect pheromones or be influenced by them.

In Yu Qing’s eyes, Betas were like clay that could be molded into any shape, diligent worker ants, or flavorless sponge cakes.

So no one had ever told her that Betas could earn so much money!

“See? I told you! In an ABO world, we Betas should be the ones getting the VIP treatment. Without us Betas, how would you Alphas and Omegas have your dramatic romances?” Yu Qing cradled her newfound wealth, naturally accepting her status as the most unremarkable Beta in this world.

After all, as a modern-day game developer, Yu Qing had to work herself to the bone with a grueling 996 schedule just to barely scrape together a monthly after-tax salary of ten thousand yuan this year.

In this world, her monthly allowance alone matched her previous salary. Who wouldn’t be bewildered by that?

Besides, as a newcomer to this strange land, Yu Qing had no System and wasn’t even sure if she’d transmigrated into a book. Being a Beta at least protected her from pheromone influence.

While she couldn’t experience the thrilling extremes of being an Alpha or Omega, being a Beta meant earning plenty of money. With hard work, financial freedom was within reach!

A cool breeze swept across the ground, leaving Yu Qing feeling refreshed and invigorated.

She walked lightly to the mirror, eager to admire her world-class beauty in this new world. To her surprise, the reflection showed a face identical to her original one.

Her almond-shaped eyes blinked, catching the mirror’s reflected light, bright and clear. They seemed filled with curiosity, yet also tinged with disappointment.

Yu Qing stared intently at the mirror, noticing that even the two moles beneath her eyes were still there.

While her original face was undeniably beautiful, she couldn’t help but feel a little let down. She’d come to the ABO world—couldn’t they at least give her a new face?

She had never been a dazzling beauty before.

“Petty,” Yu Qing muttered, touching her face and pouting at her reflection in the mirror.

Grumble~

Whether in agreement or as a reminder, Yu Qing’s stomach growled.

Looking down, she noticed her abdomen was flat, as if she hadn’t eaten in ages.

No wonder she had felt weak and dizzy earlier.

Soaking in a hot bath on an empty stomach—who wouldn’t feel faint?

The most important thing in the world is to eat well.

Having adjusted to her new identity, Yu Qing decided to venture out in search of food, while also checking out the local prices.

Please don’t tell me that ten thousand yuan isn’t much in this world!

As it turned out, prices in this world were roughly comparable to those in Yu Qing’s original world.

The aroma of grilled pineapple filled the air, and the meat, soaked in pineapple juice, sizzled with savory juices.

Yu Qing’s taste buds were thoroughly satisfied, and her wallet remained unscathed—the two-person barbecue set cost only 169 yuan.

“So far, the only difference between the two worlds seems to be the addition of the ABO setting,” Yu Qing murmured between bites of meat, her eyes still glued to the original owner’s basic information on her phone.

The original Yu Qing shared the same name, age (24), and occupation as the current Yu Qing—both worked for a game company.

However, the original Yu Qing had started working immediately after graduating from university and had already become a team leader. In contrast, the ABO world’s Yu Qing had just graduated from graduate school and was still a newcomer to the workforce, earning a monthly salary of 5,500 yuan.

Though she had to start over, her professional experience should help her avoid some pitfalls.

Moreover, she was grateful the original Yu Qing had pursued a graduate degree. Without it, her Beta government subsidy would have been only 5,000 yuan based on her undergraduate degree.

“Knowledge truly is wealth,” Yu Qing patted her full stomach contentedly after finishing her meal.

The night streets buzzed with activity. Lush summer foliage swallowed the streetlights, their scattered glow resembling stars fallen into the city.

Yu Qing leaned her cheek against her hand, admiring her new surroundings, when she noticed raindrops pattering against the window.

The reflection of her face on the glass registered a moment of confusion before she realized—

It was raining.

Yu Qing hadn’t brought an umbrella, but the barbecue restaurant provided her with a clear one.

Humming a cheerful tune, she strolled home with light steps.

The aroma of grilled meat wafted through the rain, the raindrops on the pavement glistening like rich oil—a bountiful hunt for the Beta.

Yu Qing’s first day in the new world had gone surprisingly well. The light rain had washed away the summer’s stifling heat, lifting her spirits.

Tomorrow’s a day off, she thought. I can sleep in, familiarize myself with the job, and then draft a three-year plan: promotion, raise, and reclaim my position as team leader.

“Exactly! That’s the plan!”

Zzzzt…

Yu Qing’s enthusiasm surged. A sudden flicker from a streetlamp at the alley’s entrance caught her eye.

She froze, instinctively glancing into the alley.

Rainwater pierced the intermittent light, breaking into fragmented frames, as if the scene were being disassembled.

Through sagging, aged power lines, discarded vintage furniture lay sprawled on the roadside—a scene resembling both ruins and a sanctuary.

Yu Qing stared at the sofa for a long time until she noticed a furry object dangling from the shadows, its thick, robust form hanging limply, like the listless tail of a sick puppy.

Lianlian.

The thought flashed through her mind, and her heart suddenly began to race.

It was Yu Qing’s dog from her original world—

A mixed-breed golden-edged Border Collie, abandoned due to severe illness.

On the evening of May 20th, the critically ill puppy had crawled with all her might toward Yu Qing, the only person who had stopped for her. From that moment on, they became each other’s only family.

Tragically, their time together lasted less than two years.

Just as Yu Qing finally had enough money to rent an apartment, just as she no longer had to leave Lianlian waiting on the damp balcony, Lianlian succumbed to congenital heart disease and left her…

Lianlian…

Clutching her umbrella, Yu Qing dashed into the alley, splashing water that soaked her skirt in shimmering layers, each ripple sparkling like starlight.

If this world’s version of me has only just started working, and if this world is structured similarly to my original one…

Then why can’t Lianlian still be alive in this world?

“Lianlian!”

Yu Qing’s voice rose with desperate urgency, her breath catching in ragged gasps. Holding the umbrella aloft, she yanked aside the tattered cardboard covering the sofa.

Light droplets danced through the air, tracing shimmering paths that peeled away fragments of light in the dim alley.

Heavy, labored breathing echoed through the rain, as if life itself were struggling desperately against the brink of death.

Yu Qing had expected to find a small dog identical to Lianlian.

Instead, she found a woman lying drenched beneath a soggy, tattered cardboard box.

Yu Qing froze.

The woman was pale and emaciated, her bones jutting out against the sofa’s back. Yet she was also incredibly delicate, her curled-up form appearing even smaller than Lianlian’s.

The thick, lifeless “tail” was her hair, hanging limply across her face. Her porcelain-white brows were furrowed in a tight knot, the unseen pain distorting her delicate features.

No light pierced the darkness. Raindrops pattered against Yu Qing’s umbrella. Though tiny and seemingly harmless, each drop that landed at her feet carried a metallic, bloody scent.

Could this be the woman’s scent…?

Yu Qing’s mind reeled. Had she stumbled into a murder scene?

She had only just arrived in this world and didn’t want to die so soon!

Panic surged through her. She frantically scanned the alley, her head swiveling left and right, terrified a killer might leap from the shadows and slit her throat.

Before Yu Qing could even think about fleeing to protect herself, she heard ragged breaths beside her.

“…Cough, cough.”

The metallic scent of bl00d intensified in the damp air. The Beta couldn’t detect the delicate fragrance of white tea flowers blooming amidst the crimson, but she gently tilted her umbrella toward Yu Qing.

“You…”

Then, amidst the swirling wind and rain, Yu Qing’s eyes met a pair of wavering, desperate eyes.

The woman’s exquisite face was deathly pale, her gaze unfocused and hopeless. Yet her baby-blue irises, like rare and precious gems, held Yu Qing captive, making escape impossible.

Animals typically have higher body temperatures than humans. Even when soaked by rain, a puppy’s paw would still feel warm against a knee.

But humans are different.

The rain had washed away all warmth from the woman’s body, leaving her hands bone-chillingly cold.

Her slender fingers clutched Yu Qing’s skirt, digging into the fabric, as if trying to burrow into her flesh.

She exhaled a warm breath, as if offering Yu Qing the last vestige of warmth from her body.

Save me.