Rumor Has It, That Omega Rocked the Stage Again! - Chapter 26

As the date of the Mecha League approached, the entire Mecha Club was enveloped in an increasingly tense atmosphere, with no one daring to slack off even slightly.

Due to the Zerg’s renewed restlessness at the borders, Ji Yu left Capital Star a week before the competition.

“Mu Li, do you think the instructor will make it back in time to watch our match?” Ailina asked while packing her things.

Today was the day they would leave the school for the competition planet, Larka. The host of this year’s tournament was Boya Technological University, a school whose strength had remained consistently high, maintaining a top-three position for many years.

Mu Li shook her head, a slight frown crossing her face as if she had thought of something. “Even if she returns, she’ll only be in the special invitation seats. She won’t appear in public.”

“Are you… worried about the instructor?” Ailina guessed, sensing Mu Li’s thoughts.

“Yes. She’s been gone for several days, and we don’t know how things are on the front lines.”

“Though I’ve never been to the battlefield, I’ve heard the Zerg attack with extreme ferocity every time. Even if the Queen doesn’t come, they charge forward relentlessly.”

Kevin teased, “Alright, can’t you see Mu Li is worried? Don’t scare her or add to the trouble.”

Ailina stuck out her tongue and nodded, then glanced discreetly at Mu Li. Seeing that Mu Li’s expression hadn’t changed much, Ailina let out a quiet sigh of relief.

“Come on, Mu Li, maybe the instructor is out there right now, cutting through the Zerg forces like a storm. I remember a war correspondent once filmed a video—approved by the higher-ups and uploaded to StarNet—do you know how many people were screaming about wanting to marry the instructor?” Ailina successfully shifted the topic.

Chen Xiyuan chimed in, “Though the footage was bloody, the instructor’s presence was just too cool. Those terrifying Zerg were nothing in front of her.”

“And I heard it wasn’t just Omegas—plenty of Betas and even Alphas were crying and begging to marry her, to become the Marshal’s wife. What do you think about that…?” Ailina suddenly leaned in close, her face inches from Mu Li’s. Mu Li wasn’t worried about Ji Yu having other partners, but the sudden movement caught her off guard.

Crying and begging to marry Ji Yu? The image of Ji Yu surrounded by a crowd of Omegas—unable to fight or escape—made Mu Li burst into laughter.

Seeing Mu Li’s reaction, Ailina thought she had been genuinely upset and quickly reassured her, “Mu Li, you’re an SSS-Rank Omega. Who wouldn’t want to marry you and cherish you? You’re incredibly capable, and once we dominate the Mecha League, your suitors might line up all the way to the border where the instructor is stationed.”

A sudden thought struck Mu Li: Ji Yu didn’t like them, but she had never said she liked Mu Li either. And did Mu Li like Ji Yu? What exactly was “like”?

She had seen couples who stayed together through severe illness and men who abandoned their wives for wealth and status. They all claimed to love each other—but how could one prove what love truly was?

Once the five of them had packed their belongings, they followed a teacher from First Military Academy in charge of their group and set off on their journey.

After landing in a spaceship bearing the emblem of the First Military Academy, Mu Li and her team were immediately swarmed by reporters stationed at the competition grounds. This was the only moment during the entire event when the media could directly interact with the students. Every outlet employed their best tactics, hoping to identify each team’s unique characteristics from the very start to make predictions about the final results.

The five members of Mu Li’s team wore matching white uniforms adorned with the First Military Academy’s logo and insignia. Considering this year’s special team composition, three of the five members had suggested white as their color during the selection process. Ailina had explained their choice: “We’re lucky to have someone as stunning as Mu Li, an Omega, on our team. I want all the other teams to be green with envy!”

Since the uniforms were provided by the organizers in a semi-military style—with modified blazers as the outer layer—when Mu Li tried on the white version, her four teammates were genuinely dazzled by her appearance.

Mu Li still remembered how Ji Yu, upon returning to their apartment that day, had suggested changing their team’s color. Most other schools opted for darker shades like black, forest green, navy blue, or brown, making their white uniforms far too eye-catching—especially on Mu Li, who stood out the most.

What other reason could there be for wanting Mu Li to wear dull, unflattering colors? That day, Ji Yu had stubbornly insisted that white was “just too ugly.”

Unfortunately for Ji Yu, she couldn’t come up with a convincing argument, and Mu Li, who had always preferred white clothing, wasn’t about to change. What could they do? Indulge her, of course.

“Look, that’s the First Military Academy!” The moment Mu Li’s team stepped off the spaceship, they were surrounded, drawing the attention of reporters and other competing schools already present at the venue.

Bai Jingli, as the team captain, led the way, followed by Chen Xiyuan, Ailina, Kevin, and finally Mu Li.

“Oh my stars, the First Military Academy truly lives up to its reputation! Did they pick their team based on looks? Look at how uniformly tall they are. I bet one interstellar credit that they’ll take first place again this year.”

“Ahhh, same here! The guys are so handsome, and the girls are so cool—look at me, look at me!”

“Wait, hold on. Look at the last one. She seems a bit… out of place.”

“But her skin is so fair! Oh my stars, she’s gorgeous. Did all the beautiful people flock to the First Military Academy?”

“Is she a Beta? Has the Academy just given up and decided they’re so confident in winning that they’re fielding Betas now?”

At first glance, Mu Li’s appearance made everyone assume she was an Omega. But how could that be possible? While some Betas might barely meet the physical and skill requirements for such competitions, Omegas were entirely unsuited. Thus, everyone silently agreed that Mu Li must be a Beta.

Such explosive speculation naturally caught the reporters’ attention. As Bai Jingli led the team toward the registration area, journalists began firing questions along the way.

“Students, the First Military Academy has always dominated the championship. Do you feel any pressure?”

“Pressure is just another form of motivation, isn’t it?”

“What are your odds of winning this year?”

“We’ll do our best.”

“Other schools this year seem determined to redeem themselves after past defeats. How do you view this challenge?”

“May the best team win.”

Bai Jingli responded to the reporters’ standard questions with equally standard, diplomatic answers. Once the formalities were over, the journalists shifted their focus to other team members.

“This year’s team composition from the First Military Academy seems somewhat different. May I ask how you view your chances of winning the competition?”

Ailina turned to glance at Mu Li and said, “You mean her? She’s a freshman, and indeed not an Alpha.”

The reporters erupted at this statement. For such an important competition, the First Military Academy actually chose a freshman who wasn’t even an Alpha—were they being too arrogant, looking down on other schools? They all scrutinized Mu Li with probing gazes.

But Mu Li met their stares without flinching. Seeing the competitor’s attitude, everyone wondered: Could it be that the other four team members were so outstanding they could afford to bring such a beauty along for the challenge? While having such a teammate might be pleasing to the eye and boost morale, when did the First Military Academy’s strategy shift to this?

The reporters continued pressing for answers about Mu Li, but no further responses came as they arrived at the registration desk.

A young man nearby twirled his pen idly and remarked, “An Omega, how interesting. I’d like to see what the First Military Academy is up to. Last year when we faced Gu Chen’s team, we lost fair and square due to our own shortcomings. But…”

Truthfully, everyone shared the same question: But was that beautiful Omega really here to compete? While Omegas might be lovely to look at, as Alphas, they were certain—absolutely certain—they would never bow to mere beauty!