Chapter 14
Lu Jingning felt the stares of his classmates and internally rolled his eyes.
Looking at him again? Why are they looking at him again! All they do is look at him all the time! What? Have they never seen an Omega with so much Alpha-ness?
Jihan didn’t seem to notice the students’ hesitation, or rather, even he did, he didn’t seem to care. Scanning the circle, he asked, “Groups of five. Any volunteers?”
No one said a word, clearly no one wanted to become a test subject for the first round.
Jihan took out the attendance sheet straight away and called out a few names at random: “Miao Fen, Bu Yinghao, Ju Jing, Du Manning and Yao Kaiyu.”
The classrooms at the Imperial Navy University are somewhat unique in that, apart from the staircase where students are seated, a series of equipment on the lectern is retrieved by a robotic arm to reveal a large open space.
The few whose names were called stood in a circle in the middle of the clearing, all freshmen after all, standing wide-eyed and somewhat unsure of what to do next.
Jihan prompted, “No need to hold back. Just imagine the others as your opponents and concentrate on exploding your pheromones as much as you can. Let’s begin.”
The few people on the stage smiled and their hands clenched into fists one by one as the expressions on their faces gradually firmed up.
Among the five, there were two female and three male Alphas. Although they were all novices, they all had A-class pheromones, so when they burst out at full power at the same time, even though they were at a distance, the students in their seats could vaguely feel a strong sense of oppression. For a moment, all attention was completely drawn to the stage.
In order to leave a good impression during the first class, those on stage clearly exerted their utmost effort. They resisted the intimidation brought by each other’s pheromones while defiantly releasing their own, showcasing their own strength.
There were indeed differences in the physical constitution between males and females. Ju Jing and Du Manning, the two female Alphas, were the first to give in. They gasped for breath as they retreated from the area dominated by pheromones.
The remaining three continued to compete, but after a while, Miao Fen and Bu Yinghao were defeated one after another, leaving only Yao Kaiyu standing proudly on the stage. He then retracted his pheromones. He was drenched in sweat and revealed a relieved smile.
Jihan stood by the side, making notes throughout the process. After it ended, he looked around and gave individual feedback, “Ju Jing, your pheromone release is intense but lacks endurance, which may affect your future performance in mecha combat. On the other hand, Du Manning, you’re the opposite. Though your release is stable, the intensity is insufficient, making you susceptible to disadvantages in actual battles. Miao Fen, your pheromone fluctuations are too extreme. This intermittent release needs to be improved to avoid potential weaknesses. As for Bu Yinghao, you have relatively good control in all aspects, but being too balanced may not necessarily be an advantage; it indicates a lack of strength in various areas that need improvement. As for Yao Kaiyu…”
At this point, he paused slightly, then displayed an approving smile, “Both your control and inherent strength are excellent, making you the best one so far.”
After receiving the feedback, everyone silently noted their strengths and weaknesses.
After the demonstration of the first group, the remaining students now had a better idea of what to expect.
However, the collective pheromone release just now had truly fascinated everyone.
It was fortunate that everyone present were Alpha-class or higher . Otherwise, if it were students from other academies, for B-class or C-class, even at a distance, it would have been difficult for them to withstand such a powerful onslaught of pheromones.
As the only Omega in the room, everyone thought Lu Jingning would need to leave midway, but to their surprise, he remained composed even under such strong Alpha pheromones. Not only was he unaffected by their intensity, but he also leaned in next to Wen Xingchen, discussing and critiquing.
An Omega’s reception of Alpha pheromones was different after all, so those who were closer occasionally overheard their conversation that went like this:
“Du Manning’s pheromones don’t seem quite right. They have a sour smell, could it be body odor?”
“Ju Jing’s scent is more fragrant with a hint of bread flavor. Hmm, quite appetizing.”
“Wen Xingchen, it’s such a pity that you Alphas can’t smell. Bu Yinghao’s scent is like durian, right? Oh? Miao Fen’s scent doesn’t smell good, it’s a bit like garlic.”
“But Yao Kaiyu’s pheromones smell so good. It’s… hmm? It’s like a clear broth udon. Ah, I love this scent.”
Everyone’s eyelids twitched as they listened.
Bread, durian, garlic, and clear broth udon? Are you sure it’s the scent of pheromones and not your lunch menu?
An Omega actually openly expressed liking an Alpha’s pheromones in public. Can’t he show a little more dignity?!
While internally ranting, everyone subconsciously shifted their gaze towards Yao Kaiyu, feeling extremely disdainful.
Tsk, how can it be that Lu Jingning, an Omega like him, finds him pleasant?
Just wait, their scents will definitely be more pleasant!
As their minds were busy comparing one another, their attention was diverted. At that moment, no one noticed Lu Jingning leaning in next to Wen Xingchen, playfully sniffing his scent and licking his lips thoughtfully. “Wen Xingchen, when will it be your turn? I wonder what your pheromones smell like. Will they suit my taste?”
Wen Xingchen glanced at him and chuckled with interest. “You’ll find out soon, won’t you?”
Lu Jingning smiled, “I’m really looking forward to it.”
In any case, Wen Xingchen was the Alpha he considered the most suitable partner for future cooperation. Having a unique and comfortable working environment would be much more enjoyable than enduring the daily torment of being overwhelmed by unpleasant scents.
When Yao Kaiyu returned to his seat, he sensed the unusual gazes of others. Thinking it was due to receiving praise from the teacher, he didn’t think much of it. However, seeing Lu Jingning’s calm demeanor, his brows furrowed slightly.
Although they were at a distance, Yao Kaiyu had never encountered an Omega who acted as if nothing had happened after he fully released his pheromones. Lu Jingning’s nonchalant attitude left him feeling somewhat frustrated, even diluting the sense of accomplishment that Jihan’s praise for him.
After the first group had all returned to their positions, Jihan asked, “Any volunteers for the next group?”
This time, unlike before, five people rushed to the stage in an instant.
The number of students admitted to the Integrated Warfare Faculty each year was not large. Although it was considered its own faculty, there was actually only one major, divided into three classes, with each class having no more than twenty students.
By now, everyone had already realized that with Jihan’s method of grouping, there would be a total of four groups for the entire class. If they continued to passively wait for their names to be called, they would likely end up in the same group as Lu Jingning.
Although these Alpha freshmen didn’t think that an Omega’s pheromones would create much pressure in combat mode, they still had to consider how to control themselves.
Even outside of the estrus period, sometimes the spontaneous physiological reactions in the presence of an Omega are truly beyond one’s control. Lu Jingning couldn’t quite understand why these people were so eager to go up on stage, but he didn’t think too much about it. He turned to Wen Xingchen and asked, “When are you planning to go up?”
Wen Xingchen pondered for a moment and replied, “During the third batch?”
Lu Jingning nodded and said, “Alright, then I’ll go during the fourth batch.”
Jian Luan, who was sitting behind them, overheard their conversation. Since he didn’t manage to join the second batch, after intense consideration of the fierce battles, he reluctantly decided to wait until the end.
As an experienced person in matters of love and romance, he had quite a bit of experience with Omegas. He believed he shouldn’t (and dared not) have any improper thoughts about Lu Jingning, who was so incredibly audacious.
However, it would be different if he faced Wen Xingchen. Based on his understanding of Wen Xingchen, he feared that the confrontation might end before it even started.
The pheromone demonstration of the second batch went smoothly as well. The students with A-class pheromones displayed their skills based on their earlier observation but the actual power they showed were more or less the same.
By the time the third batch arrived, Wen Xingchen stood up from his chair.
Lu Jingning waved at him with a smile, “Good luck.”
Wen Xingchen replied, “Thank you.”
The demonstration began and ended in just three seconds.
Jihan: “…”
It ended too quickly, not even leaving enough time for him to take notes.
However, it was enough to see that there was a world of difference between S-class and A-class pheromones.
The several individuals who were defeated in seconds appeared dejected. However, it was not only them, even those sitting far away couldn’t help but have a pale complexion.
They had never experienced such a powerful sense of oppression before, as if an invisible hand tightly restrained their throats, leaving them no chance to catch their breath.
It was terrifyingly strong!
Those who had gone up in the previous two batches couldn’t help but feel fortunate that they had completed their demonstration earlier. Otherwise, after being overwhelmed by Wen Xingchen’s formidable pheromones, their subsequent performance would likely have been greatly affected.
With lingering fear in their hearts, when they looked at the last group of students waiting to go on stage, their expressions involuntarily carried a hint of sympathy.
It was evident that these Alpha individuals were deeply affected; their faces appeared much paler, and even as they stood up, their figures seemed somewhat unsteady.
If the Alpha individuals are affected to this extent, not to mention Lu Jingning, an Omega… Almost everyone had the same thought in their minds. However, when they looked at Lu Jingning, they were surprised to find that his face showed no signs of being affected. On the contrary, he appeared even more radiant and full of vitality than before. His eyes, in particular, seemed to be shining brightly, expressing a sense of joy and excitement.
Everyone: “???”
It wasn’t surprising that Lu Jingning felt so pleased. After personally experiencing it, he discovered that Wen Xingchen’s pheromones were unexpectedly pleasant! They didn’t have the slightest hint of greasiness like the pheromones of other Alphas. Instead, they were gentle and soft, emitting a captivating scent.
Just the thought of a future collaboration filled with warmth and comfort made his eyes involuntarily curve into crescent moons as he couldn’t help but smile.
This plan was a success!
When Wen Xingchen returned, there was still a lingering scent of his pheromones. He first observed Lu Jingning’s condition from a distance before walking over with relief and asking, “How do you feel?”
Lu Jingning didn’t hold back and gave a strong affirmation, “In love!”
Wen Xingchen was satisfied and responded, “That’s great.”
The brief exchange between the two resulted in a world-shattering shock for the eavesdroppers.
What does this mean? How did they suddenly fall in love?
Is it true that the distance between love among AO individuals is just a matter of pheromones?!
Jihan lightly tapped his laser pointer on his notebook, coughed softly twice, and brought everyone’s thoughts back, saying, “Next, the final batch.”
Lu Jingning stretched his joints lazily and stood up from his chair with a casual tone, “Ah, finally, it’s my turn!”
Author’s note: When you read this chapter, it means the drafts have been completely cleared, and Lao Jiang is on his way back.
T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
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What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
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Thank you soooo much for continuing translating!!! I really love this story
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Thank you for the update!!!❤Gosh, I’ve been waiting for this for so long!