Rumor Has It, That Omega Rocked the Stage Again! - Chapter 6

Mu Anming had always been arrogant and utterly spoiled, yet thanks to the Mu family pooling all their resources to cultivate him, he managed to scrape through the entrance requirements of the First Military Academy through sheer cramming.

Now a third-year student, Mu Anming spent his days carousing with a group of equally dissolute heirs, achieving nothing of note in school. Every semester, he repeatedly failed his exams, consistently landing on the list of academic probation.

To secure his graduation, he had enrolled in Mecha Repair, assuming that since the First Military Academy prioritized training combat personnel for the military department and placed great emphasis on mecha manufacturing, the repair program wouldn’t be too demanding. Unexpectedly, the academy required physical training for all majors, leaving him and his peers groaning in exhaustion.

Spotting Mu Li, Mu Anming swaggered over. “Well, if it isn’t Mu Li? Shouldn’t you be holed up at home? What brings you here? Did some Alpha dump you, so you’re scouting for a new one at the academy?”

Mu Li ignored him, pretending not to hear as she moved to walk past.

One of Mu Anming’s wastrel friends blocked her path, staring at Mu Li’s face with infatuation. “Anming, you know this beauty? Why don’t you introduce her to us?”

Mu Anming opened his mouth to respond but then remembered the deal struck with the Ji family when they helped settle his debts—they had agreed never to publicly disclose Mu Li’s relationship with Ji Yu. Besides, if this crowd learned of her ties to Ji Yu, they’d surely start fawning over Mu Li, which was the last thing he wanted.

“She’s just a distant cousin,” Mu Anming said dismissively. “We barely interact. Just greeting her since we ran into each other.”

“You never mentioned having such a stunning cousin before.”

Mu Anming hesitated, unwilling to reveal that they were half-siblings. The Federation upheld monogamy, and though many nobles kept mistresses, illegitimate children were looked down upon—especially among aristocratic circles.

If this truth came out, his past as the Mu family’s bastard would be exposed, making him a laughingstock among his peers. He couldn’t risk that.

Before he could think of a response, Mu Li spoke coolly, “We rarely interact. We just share the same surname. Excuse me, I have things to attend to.” She stepped around Gu Han, who stood blocking her way.

Gu Han, like Mu Anming, was a spoiled heir living off his family’s wealth.

As Mu Li tried to leave, Gu Han reached out to grab her, but she sidestepped effortlessly, leaving him stumbling forward and crashing to the ground.

Having grown tired of docile Omegas, Gu Han found Mu Li’s aloofness intriguing, only fueling his interest.

Just as he was about to insist, she stay, Mu Anming grabbed his shoulder and pulled him away. “Let her go. You know why we’re not close? She’s an ingrate—would rather rely on some Alpha than her own family. Probably just got dumped, so don’t bother with her. There are plenty of Omegas out there. Come on, let’s go check out the freshmen.”

Hearing this, Gu Han lost interest at the thought of Mu Li being passed around by multiple Alphas. Though he wasn’t picky, he disliked Omegas with too many Alpha connections. With a smirk, he followed Mu Anming away.

Mu Li arrived at her randomly assigned dormitory. For easier management, the academy had designated an entire building for Omegas. Given their small enrollment numbers, each had a single room. After settling in, she took a stroll around campus to familiarize herself with the surroundings.

The first day of school was uneventful, mainly serving as a period for new students to adapt to their new environment.

On the second day, they were to fill out their specialization preferences. Each freshman had one chance to declare their desired major, and each major had its own assessment method. Those who failed the assessment would be randomly assigned to underfilled programs.

The assessment methods varied by specialization. For instance, the Combat Command Department tested combat skills and mecha operation.

To save costs and time, the assessment was conducted through virtual combat. Virtual combat involved logging into StarNet for simulated battles. Participants connected to the assessment system via Mental Strength, engaging in realistic mecha duels where they would even feel genuine pain if struck.

New students were randomly grouped and assigned different scenarios. The more Zerg they eliminated within the allotted time, the higher their score. After three rounds, the top twenty highest-scoring candidates would be admitted.

The competition for the Combat Command Department was always the fiercest, and the number of eliminated candidates was the highest. Thus, applying carried significant risk—if rejected, one might end up in an unpopular specialization. Though even the least popular programs at First Military Academy guaranteed employment, the gap between reality and a freshman’s initial expectations could be jarring.

Before the competition, people around had already begun forming teams. After all, First Military Academy’s practical assessments had never been lenient. While they wouldn’t endanger the students, achieving a high score was no easy feat. Teaming up could greatly enhance a group’s strength—coordinated attacks and mutual defense among teammates would boost their final scores.

Some teams formed by testing each other’s abilities, grouping with stronger members to improve overall performance.

Most Omegas had been coddled since childhood, especially those who made it into First Military Academy—nearly all came from noble families, aiming to secure a partner early and arrange marriages for their families’ benefit. These Omegas had little ambition and were mostly there for the experience.

Some Alphas would team up with Omegas, hoping to find a partner by the end.

Thus, they had never faced real danger and shied away from the impending mecha combat. If they joined an Alpha’s team, someone would take care of the fighting for them. If they were lucky enough to encounter a chivalrous Alpha who let them land the final blow on their prey, even better.

From the start, Mu Li stood quietly in a corner, watching as small groups gradually formed. Of course, there were also many Alphas and Betas who disdained teamwork, confident in their own abilities to score well. But—this didn’t apply to Omegas.

Eventually, some noticed Mu Li’s presence. Some assumed she was shy and hesitant to approach others, but when teams invited her, she declined each time. Only then did the surrounding students realize—this Omega intended to go it alone!

Never had anyone heard of an Omega who could face such mecha simulation training head-on. According to the seniors from previous years, it simulated a Zerg battlefield—not to mention the intensity and brutality of the war, just the mucus, plasma, and corpses left behind by the Zerg after death were enough to overwhelm an Omega raised in a sheltered environment. All of it replicated the real conditions of border warfare.

At that moment, a kind-hearted Alpha approached to remind her, “Classmate, would you like to join a team? Although it’s a virtual battlefield, the Zerg and combat scenarios are 100% simulated, making it feel incredibly real. Sometimes, it’s better not to push yourself too hard. If you’re willing, many teams would gladly take you in.”

Mu Li smiled politely and nodded. “I don’t really know anyone here, and I’m used to handling things on my own. Thank you, though.”

The Alpha shook his head and returned to his team, and soon the news spread.

An Omega going solo? Was she planning to charge in and get herself killed immediately? Or just hide in a safe zone without earning any points? The onlookers were skeptical. Omegas typically leveraged their gender advantage, relying on the protection of Alphas and Betas to score points quickly and effortlessly. Why wouldn’t she take the easy way out?

When the freshmen were ready, they logged into StarNet. For fairness, the school provided standardized beginner training mechas. While their attack power and weapons were basic, their defense was twice as strong as ordinary civilian mechas—a precaution for the safety of the newcomers.

Injuries sustained in the virtual world wouldn’t affect the physical body, but virtual combat still consumed significant Mental Strength. Overexerting Mental Strength to block attacks could impact one’s real-world Mental Strength. Facing high-level Zerg, who also wielded powerful Mental Strength, could result in mental trauma—ranging from unconsciousness to severe cases like Ji Yu’s Mental Strength Disorder. Of course, no high-level Zerg appeared in the freshman training.

After entering the simulation and agreeing to the terms, the freshmen found themselves standing on a virtual battlefield in their true appearances. It was the distant border of a star system, where the military fought exposed in the void of space. The endless darkness was intermittently lit by explosions ahead. Swarms of Zerg fell, only to be replaced by endless reinforcements from behind.

Those who had formed teams quickly huddled together, guarding each other’s backs. The more delicate Omegas were usually shielded in the center, waiting for their teammates to carve a path forward. Once the team had secured enough points, they would leave the final blows on nearly defeated Zerg to the Omega to claim the last points.

Most teams planned to do just that—score what they could and retreat without lingering, saving their energy for the 1v1 duels later, which were the real test of skill. However, the school had long anticipated this strategy. After all, the rules had been in place for years, and anyone with prior experience or connections could easily figure out the optimal approach.

Before the freshmen could even form their attack formations, the Zerg charged straight at them, deliberately targeting clustered groups. Their goal was clear, to scatter the teams and raise the difficulty, forcing the newcomers to rely solely on their own abilities to survive and earn points.

The overwhelming Zerg offensive first eliminated the delicate Omegas and the pampered young masters who had entered relying solely on their innate high-level Mental Strength. The Omegas had no ability to resist at all—some only knew how to pilot a Mecha but couldn’t even locate its weapons or understand combat maneuvers.

As for those spoiled heirs who had been forced into the best programs, they were merely here for the spectacle. Even those with S-rank Mental Strength had never truly utilized it, let alone applied it to Mecha operation. Unsurprisingly, they were the first to be eliminated in this assessment.