Chapter 15: All Sides
Dr. Ethan quickly pulled up Shen Qingzhu’s file and the boy’s profile picture immediately caught his eyes.
A young man with elegant features, bright emerald eyes, fair skin, and long, curly hair. From his face, Dr. Ethan could see traces of both Shen Xian and Ethel.
The realization that the missing child of Shen Xian and Ethel was alive and well made his eyes sting. Shen Xian was once Dr. Ethan’s beloved student, a genius in Omega pheromone research. So when Shen Xian’s accident happened, he was one of the people who grieved the hardest.
Dr. Ethan took a long drink of honey tea, forcing down the lump in his throat before he continued to read the detailed report. But he became emotional again after reading Shen Qingzhu’s background. Despite hardships, the boy passed many difficult courses and certification tests. It was clear Shen Qingzhu had inherited his father’s extraordinary talent for pheromone research. There was no doubt that Shen Qingzhu was also a prodigy.
Dr. Ethan wanted to find out if Shen Qingzhu was just an average prodigy, or if Shen Qingzhu was a genius who could bring extraordinary innovation. So he decided to test him.
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Shen Qingzhu was back in his hotel room after he finished his meeting with Changning.
Changning didn’t immediately agree to collaborate on the SSS-level Omega suppressor he presented, even with a good impression. Changning explained he needed time to study and test it first.
Shen Qingzhu agreed. He understood that until now, there didn’t exist an effective inhibitor for S-SSS level Omegas. Moreover, a barely eighteen year old Alpha who hadn’t even gone to college presenting such a formula would naturally raise doubts.
He even saw Changning was tempted to ask if the formula was made by Shen Xian.
Although he was aware of these obstacles, Shen Qingzhu was in a hurry to help as many Omegas as he could as soon as possible. As a 3S Omega himself in his previous world, Shen Qingzhu knew how agonizing heat cycles were. They were periods of unbearable pain and relentless craving, and the most vulnerable time to be targeted by greedy Alphas.
He had once overhead an Alpha sneer:
“Who cares if he’s the only 3S level Omega? Once I mark him, he’ll never escape him. His wealth, fame, and achievements will all become mine. And he’s a beauty too, talk about a complete win. You can try chasing him too, one of us Alphas has got to take him down haha.”
Even after all this time, Shen Qingzhu could still hear that Alpha’s tone dripping with entitlement and cruelty. To Alphas, Omegas weren’t people at all, but luxury items to satisfy their vanity.
Why was it more likely to meet an Omega who’d been unwillingly marked? Why did more Omegas live in twisted cages they could never escape from than not?
Shen Qingzhu was disgusted and his heart filled with bitterness.
In the Empire, one in ten thousand Omegas were S-SSS level. The proportion seemed small, but behind each number was a life.
Shen Qingzhu never wanted to look away from any of them. He was determined to help those in pain, and break the invisible chains that bound Omegas so every Omega had the right to choose their own destiny. His determination burned like a unrelenting fire inside of him, driving him into the field of pheromone research.
Since he already had the formula to help other Omegas, he had no reason to delay. If the inhibitor was completed even one day sooner, one more Omega might be able to live freely.
But how long would it take for Changning to produce results?
If only I could get into the lab myself, Shen Qingzhu thought. Many ingredients weren’t even developed yet, but working backward knowing the result would be far faster than starting from scratch.
So… it seemed he needed to secure the university’s top position first.
Zhujian suddenly stated: “Master, Imperial University has unlocked new courses for you.”
Shen Qingzhu checked and saw the new courses were intermediate certification classes, equivalent to fourth to sixth-year coursework.
Imperial University’s degree program lasted anywhere from five to ten years. It was possible for students to earn enough credits to graduate early, the shortest possible completing in one year. Ten years was the upper limit, allowing students to attend any lecture they found interesting, and students could study multiple subjects.
Shen Qingzhu noted that the evaluation criteria for the Pheromone Research Department’s top student award required a minimum of passing seven beginner-level certifications, all of which Shen Qingzhu had already passed.
These intermediate classes required in-person or holographic lab sessions that usually weren’t available right now to incoming students because the semester hadn’t started.
Curious as to why these classes were unlocked all of a sudden, Shen Qingzhu put on his holo-glasses and logged in to start class.
Shen Qingzhu thought if he passed these intermediate certification exams, then the department might agree to grant him some extra privileges.
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While Shen Qingzhu buried himself in studying, far away on Imperial Star, someone was staring intently as his file.
AI Huangyu reported: “Master, verification complete. The orphan ‘Qing’ from C-07 and ‘Shen Qingzhu’ currently at Station B-11 are the same person.” t/n huang yu = phoenix feather
Ji Wushuang looked at the two distinct photos, one of Qing and one of Shen Qingzhu with a complicated expression. After a long pause, he sighed and said with pity: “This child must have suffered greatly.”
The reason why he was looking at Shen Qingzhu’s file was because for the first time in twelve years, Shen Xian and Ethel’s child’s account showed a new transaction activity. And Shen Qingzhu’s account merged with another one under the name of Qing.
In the empire, every citizen was assigned a unique DNA-linked account at birth, which was proof of their citizenship and identity.
After Shen Xian and Ethel’s accident, Ji Wushuang had scoured every survivor record from the escape pods but never found the child. Later, many search parties over the years had always failed.
“C-07…” Ju Wushuang murmured, “The last governor was the Cole family, wasn’t it?”
Huangyu replied: “Yes.”
Ji Wushuang understood. Shen Qingzhu’s disappearance must have been the dirty work of the Coles. Thinking about this, Ji Wushuang’s anger flared.
Thankfully the Cole family got their karma, otherwise the boy might never have escaped C-07.
He looked at Shen Qingzhu’s photo warmly. He could tell from the boy’s gentle features that he must be a good child.
Ji Wushuang asked: “Did the Royal Omega Academy send me an invitation recently?”
Huangyu checked: “Yes. Half a year ago, the Royal Omega Academy invited you to visit Unistar and serve as the Vice Dean.”
Ji Wushuang replied: “Tell them I’ve accepted.”
Having finally found his old friend’s child, Ji Wushuang wanted to meet him in person.
Huangyu asked: “Will you inform Young Master Mingxue that Shen Qingzhu has been found?”
Ji Wushuang raised an eyebrow. He recalled how Ji Mingxue promised to help him look for Shen Qingzhu on Unistar.
His gaze focused on the face on the project holographic that was beautiful, gentle, and eye-catching. He said meaningfully: “...Don’t tell him yet.”
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[Imperial Star-Ida Mountain-Jade Palace]
In a palace of extravagant excess granted by the Emperor to his favored consort and the First Prince, there were flocks of attendants, wine as sweet as honey, and endless nights of feasts and indulgence.
Near midnight, the drunken First Prince was flirting with an Omega when someone suddenly rushed in to summon him urgently.
The First Prince’s temper had always been like a short fuse. The moment he stepped away from the banquet, his expression turned ugly and he said to the subordinate: “Arthur, you’d better say something important.”
Arthur wiped the sweat from his wrinkled forehead and said quietly: “Your Highness, a message came from Planet C-07 from the Muffin family. They’ve run into trouble and can no longer serve as the planet’s governors.”
“What did you say?!” The First Prince shouted and his gaze turned vicious: “It’s Ji Mingxue again, isn’t it!”
Arthur opened his mouth, wanting to explain that this incident had nothing to do with the Crown Prince, but he knew the First Prince wouldn’t listen.
The First Prince was already muttering angrily: “I need to find a way to stop Ji Mingxue from ruining my things again.”
After a bit, he suddenly let out a smile: “If I remember correctly, Ji Mingxue recently differentiated as an Omega, didn’t he?”
“And he’s going to Imperial University? Go check if he’s enrolling. If he’s going to Unistar, then I should send him a proper gift.”
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A day later, Shen Qingzhu packed his luggage and boarded a luxury starship, settling in the first class cabin bound for Unistar.