Omega Taming the Black Moonlight - Chapter 4

Many years later—or perhaps just a month or two—when Ji Yilian reflected on her past self, she would finally understand:

Yan Liu had bewitched her.

She had taken away all the attention and affection Ji Yilian had received since childhood, and from that moment onward, she began to reclaim everything, with interest.

Yan Liu had been by Ji Yilian’s side her entire life, like the familiar, worn-out roof of an old house.

The roof had been there since Ji Yilian’s birth.

It wasn’t luxurious, particularly warm, or stylish in any way.

It simply reminded her that she at least had somewhere to take shelter.

But people grow and move forward. The roof that had been essential at birth gradually became less important, eventually turning into a hindrance that required her to look back.

Was there any point in looking back?

Ji Yilian knew perfectly well that Yan Liu was fundamentally unsuited to stay by her side.

This person lacks ambition and is far too subservient.

Perhaps it was from the moment Ji Yilian repeatedly rejected Yan Liu’s gifts, yet the other woman continued to gaze at her with a fawning, pale expression, as if terrified of failing to prove her worth and being rejected or abandoned. It was then that Ji Yilian truly understood this truth.

Yan Liu was different from her.

Some people need to give in order to prove their own existence.

Yan Liu lacked vitality; her life force had been lost during the years she spent as an orphan.

Ji Yilian saw all this very clearly and understood that she had always been the one being “provided for.”

But this seemed to be what Yan Liu wanted. She had no desire to change anyone’s mind—it was too exhausting.

—”Yi Yi, this is the new Talent Potion the Alliance issued. Drink more.”

—”Aren’t you going to have any?”

—”Me? Well, I probably don’t have much talent anyway. You should have it all. I… I’m also afraid of drinking the potion and not awakening a Spiritual Body. It’s better not to leave myself room for disappointment and waste it.”

Such conversations had occurred countless times.

Over time, Ji Yilian stopped arguing.

From a very young age, Ji Yilian had understood the cruelty of the law of the jungle. She knew that Yan Liu’s mindset meant she had never truly been independent, instead parasitizing on others’ expectations of her.

This wasn’t right.

Ji Yilian didn’t need Yan Liu’s financial support, contrary to what Yan Liu believed.

But she couldn’t explain this to Yan Liu face-to-face.

Yan Liu was like a snail: stubbornly clinging to her shell in some ways, yet so fragile in others that the slightest touch could shatter her.

Every day, the snail insisted on carrying her shell, but it could be crushed with a single step.

Ji Yilian saw this with unwavering clarity.

She had always believed she could maintain this clarity for life.

But then… Yan Liu changed.

She had boldly taken the Awakened Spirit Body Potion before the Arena Competition began.

With countless Hummingbird drones broadcasting her every move, she showed no fear or hesitation. Instead, she glared defiantly at the cameras, smiled at the world, and delivered that rebellious competition declaration:

“Aren’t omegas supposed to rely on Alphas?”

A newly awakened Omega, devoid of the submissive gentleness and refined elegance expected of her kind, she was resilient, unconventional, even a little mischievous.

Ji Yilian felt disoriented. Was this truly Yan Liu’s true nature?

Had she never truly understood Yan Liu?

The thought had barely formed when Ji Yilian noticed Yan Liu’s gaze fixed on her.

Was she hoping to team up with me?

Ji Yilian couldn’t recall how she had been driven by instinct, step by step, to approach the girl and, in front of the Hummingbird Live audience, declare her intention to team up.

The arrow has already left the bow.

Ji Yilian’s gaze hardened slightly, yet she felt a sense of relief.

“Hmm?” she asked.

Yan Liu met her gaze for a moment, then suddenly smiled, brushing her bangs aside. Her almond-shaped eyes, usually so endearing, seemed to hold something new, something elusive, as she looked at Ji Yilian.

“No, Ji Yilian.”

“I’d rather team up with Bess than you.”

The girl who had followed Ji Yilian since childhood now seemed distant and polite, even deliberately creating space between them.

“If I teamed up with you here today, wouldn’t people think I was overestimating myself, dragging down the Alliance’s top genius? Your fan club would tear me to shreds.”

Yan Liu’s expression was ambiguous, neither smiling nor frowning, yet she effortlessly brushed aside the team invitation.

Ji Yilian’s eyes narrowed slightly, her lips pressing together in a barely perceptible line. To the naked eye, her reaction was almost imperceptible.

Only Ji Yilian herself knew the sudden weightlessness in her heart.

It felt as if Yan Liu’s rejection had instantly rendered the world absurd.

Before, everything had been too perfect, too flawless, too false. Now, with its imperfections, it felt real.

This jarring mix of falsehood and reality crashed against her usually placid heart.

As she lowered her gaze, captured by the Hummingbird cameras, viewers couldn’t help but be captivated by her beauty.

Who said a genius couldn’t also be a peerless beauty?

Especially someone like Ji Yilian.

Her exceptionally smooth black hair and deep, dark eyes radiated an ancient Eastern mystique. Combined with her rare smiles, her striking features carried an aloofness that made her seem unapproachable.

Even after being rejected, Yan Liu showed no visible emotional reaction. She simply stood there quietly, her stillness tugging at the heartstrings and prompting speculation about the landscapes contained within the mind of a genius.

Powerful people seem immune to external distractions, their inner worlds undisturbed by the mundane.

Like the genius Ji Yilian, who remained relentlessly focused on her path to the future, never allowing herself to be delayed or distracted by fleeting scenery.

Yan Liu’s rejection resonated with the audience, instantly earning her greater respect.

“I was worried she’d be foolish enough to accept Ji Yilian’s offer. Thank goodness she has some sense after all.”

“Ji Yilian is aiming for first place. How could she team up with a fragile Omega whose Spiritual Power level is unknown?”

“Hey, you’re going to hurt Bess’s feelings! She’s still ranked seventh. Aren’t you worried Yan Liu might drag her down?”

“Don’t worry. Bess threw the match last year because of an Omega, which is how she ended up in seventh place. We’re not surprised at all—the girl’s a sucker for pretty faces.”

“As expected, Bess is just smitten with Yan Liu’s looks! Speaking of which, Yan Liu is a rare type of Omega—don’t you think she has a unique aura? Wow, when she glanced at the camera just now, my heart skipped a beat! Have you ever seen a little stray cat in the rain, watching you through a fence? It’ll meow at you, but the moment you approach, it’ll dart away. That’s exactly the feeling I got.”

“Hold on, you’re getting off topic. Am I the only one who thinks Ji Yilian is acting differently toward Yan Liu? Someone like her never proactively teams up with anyone. There’s definitely something fishy going on between them.”

“Heh, you just don’t understand. Ji Yilian and Yan Liu used to be neighbors—both orphans. It’s normal for them to have some history. You heard it yourself earlier: Ji Yilian was worried Yan Liu wouldn’t find a team, fail the competition, and get expelled from the Academy. That’s why she offered to help. Don’t let your imaginations run wild—they’re from completely different worlds. There’s no way anything could happen between them.”

Viewers watching the Arena Competition live stream had already erupted into heated debates in the live chat, sparked by Ji Yilian’s recent actions.

As one of the parties involved, Ji Yilian was oblivious to everything around her. She stood motionless, her heart sinking as she recalled the girl who had once gazed at her with unwavering devotion, now delivering such a decisive and swift rejection. It felt as though she had lost something precious.

“Bess… can I still accept your team-up invitation from earlier?”

Yan Liu brushed past Ji Yilian like a gentle breeze, her passing even lifting a few strands of Ji Yilian’s hair. Yet the source of this breeze was already moving toward someone else.

Bess was stunned, standing there unusually flustered. She glanced at Ji Yilian’s stiffening back, then at Yan Liu, who was now within arm’s reach. Out of the corner of her eye, she could even sense the audience’s intrigued gazes and the Hummingbird cameras focused on them.

Her brain felt like it was about to explode—her CPU couldn’t handle this!

This… she snatched the Omega right out of Ji Yilian’s hands!

Isn’t she just too amazing?!

Bess, who had never once surpassed Ji Yilian, found her thoughts spiraling into strange territory.

Ji Yilian invited Yan Liu to team up, but Yan Liu refused. Yet Yan Liu was willing to team up with her…

Does this mean I’m better than Ji Yilian?

Yan Liu! She really is the Little Sweet O I’ve been eyeing. I knew I had good taste!