Chapter 3

Amid 777's roar, a high-quality baseball cap without a single logo and a mask appeared in Qin Su's hand.

The life countdown in the upper right corner dropped from 189 minutes and 27 seconds to 44 minutes and 20 seconds.

Looking at the rather inauspicious number "44," Qin Su put on the mask and baseball cap with one hand and said decisively, "Redeem one black Alpha Pheromone Blocker Patch."

According to his roommate Jiang Lu, Alphas and Omegas gained popularity most easily in the comic.

Considering his height and personality, among other factors, Qin Su decided to disguise himself as an Alpha to gain popularity in the comic.

This was an ABO world, where Alphas and Omegas made up a large proportion of the population. Pheromone Blocker Patches were probably everyday items, like Band-Aids, so their "price" shouldn't be too high.

777: [...Friendly reminder: you don't even have pheromones.]

"That doesn't matter." Qin Su's voice was calm.

[???] After watching its new host make his already meager life points even worse with that series of actions, 777 gave up on saving him and delivered a numb prompt:

[Alpha pheromone-blocking patch x1. Price: ten minutes of life.]

Qin Su kept it brief. "Redeem."

Seeing his life points jump to 34 minutes and 16 seconds, Qin Su felt satisfied.

Soon, a square black Pheromone Blocker Patch appeared in Qin Su's hand.

Following the new-student enrollment information, Qin Su stuck the patch in the appropriate spot on the back of his neck.

Qin Su was used to people judging others by their clothes and showing respect to the outfit before the person wearing it.

Based on his roommate's description of the comic, people in this ABO world had an innate sense of "worship" toward Alphas and Omegas. He hadn't forgotten that he could also harvest "popularity points" in the comic world.

He could lack pheromones, but other people couldn't be allowed to think he did.

On one hand, it would create the illusion for the people of the comic world that he was a "meticulous and self-controlled Alpha." On the other, it would nip the fact that he had no pheromones in the bud.

After all... by ordinary logic, a person only needed a Pheromone Blocker Patch if their pheromones could leak.

With a Pheromone Blocker Patch on, even if people couldn't smell the slightest trace of his pheromones in a crowd, they would subconsciously assume it was normal.

Besides, he also needed to disguise himself as an Alpha in public to test how popularity points in the comic world could increase his "life points."

With his new strong look ready, Qin Su followed the data transmitted by the system and strode straight into the train waiting hall, which wound through the air several thousand meters above the ground.

Almost as soon as the metal doors sensed him and slid open, Qin Su analyzed the best route through at top speed:

The route with the shortest average height.

That way, as he passed through, he would stand out like a crane among chickens, allowing more people to see the Alpha pheromone-blocking patch on the back of his neck.

To put it plainly—

He wanted to be the center of attention.

The Fourth Military Academy covered an enormous area, connected by maglev trains. With new students enrolling, the waiting hall was packed with them.

Even in an ABO world, Qin Su's height of 190 centimeters wasn't rare, but it wasn't common either.

Not to mention that Qin Su was dressed in cool, striking black from head to toe, radiating a cold, forbidding aura. He looked cool and cocky, and was exceptionally eye-catching.

Almost the moment Qin Su appeared in the train waiting hall, he attracted the attention of numerous new students.

Their gazes were drawn to Qin Su. The next maglev train would arrive in five seconds, and quiet discussion broke out in the waiting hall.

"Babe, look!"

"Stop pinching my arm. I'm already looking..."

"...He's so tall. That's an Alpha pheromone patch on the back of his neck. He really is an Alpha!"

"What's his major? I can't see his face, but he looks handsome. Sure enough, being handsome is a feeling."

"Curious? Go ask him."

"On second thought, forget it... I'm a coward. But we could sneak closer and see his ID when he scans it to get on the train. I'll remember the first half, and you remember the second."

There were many restricted areas in the military academy. To prevent students from entering them, every student had to scan their ID to use the train.

Even across different planets, each ID was unique throughout the Federation.

As a result, most people's ID numbers were extremely long and difficult to remember in a short time.

"Genius! Keep your eyes peeled. As soon as he picks an entrance, we'll make a run for it!"

These two Betas weren't the only ones with the same idea.

"Tsk, look at you all, acting like you've never seen the world. He's just an Alpha. What's so great about that? Aren't I an Alpha too?"

"Ew, I hope you know that not all Alphas are the same. Look at him, voluntarily wearing a Pheromone Blocker Patch in public. Unlike you, who thinks being an Alpha makes you the greatest person in the world and wants everyone to know you're an Alpha. Your rut is almost here, but you still won't behave. You go around giving off your scent like a puppy marking its territory, and you're not even afraid of causing a disturbance. Such a damn show-off."

"What would a Beta like you know? Pheromone Blocker Patches are so uncomfortable!"

Qin Su: "..."

To be honest, he was also being strong.

Looking straight ahead, Qin Su observed everyone's expressions through the reflective silver metal floor and walls. A system notification sounded in his mind.

[Comic world natives' favorability +90. Life +9 minutes. Current life points: 57 minutes.]

...

[Comic world natives' favorability +130. Life +13 minutes.]

...

[...]

A baseball cap, mask, and Pheromone Blocker Patch could actually be used like this!

777, whose silence was deafening, quietly pulled out a notebook and began furiously recording Qin Su's every word and action, intending to pass this precious "guide" on to its next host someday.

Qin Su: "..."

He got it. Ten favorability points equaled one minute of life.

Having gotten his answer, Qin Su timed it perfectly. Almost the instant the train arrived, he was standing right in front of the open train.

Although he had already read about how to ride the train in the new-student enrollment information, this was Qin Su's first time actually riding an interstellar train. To make sure he didn't make a mistake in public and wouldn't have to spend too long in line during the trip, he deliberately chose an entrance with only one new student in front of him.

Almost the moment Qin Su came to a stop, several new students voluntarily and quickly lined up behind him, keeping some distance.

Accustomed to keeping his distance from others, Qin Su stopped of his own accord two paces behind the new student in front of him.

The sight once again set people whispering.

"The one standing in front of him is an Omega, right? What a gentleman."

"Don't you think that's a little too distant and cold?"

"I'd rather have that kind of cold distance than have an Alpha use his height to deliberately take advantage of me every time I ride the train. And since he's an Alpha, I can't even beat him in a fight. It's so annoying."

"Couldn't agree more. Speaking of which, even though he's taking the initiative to maintain a polite, safe distance, he's still so intimidating without using his pheromones... If I imagine myself as the Omega standing in front of him right now, I'd still be really nervous."

"I'm jealous of the students who snagged the spots behind him. They'll get to see his ID number!"

The new students who had secured spots behind Qin Su concentrated and held their breath, ready to memorize his ID during the brief moment it flashed by.

Sensing the pressure from the Alpha behind him, the male Omega at the front swallowed silently and unconsciously straightened his back. The moment the train doors opened, he hurried to the scanner on the door and quickly boarded after a beep confirmed his identity.

Using the brim of his baseball cap as cover, Qin Su discreetly observed the entire process before walking to the spot where the previous student had stood.

Beep—

After a soft beep, Qin Su saw the ID "QS," glowing an eerie green, flash for an instant. Then he stepped naturally onto the train.

Every movement looked thoroughly practiced.

There was absolutely no way, absolutely no way anyone could tell that this outsider was riding an interstellar train for the first time.

The Betas standing behind Qin Su widened their eyes the instant his ID flashed by.

"..."

Bad news: their discussion just now had been for nothing.

Good news: they had memorized his ID.

After boarding the train, Qin Su didn't hear any footsteps or the sound of ID scans behind him.

Taking the opportunity to turn around, Qin Su looked through the open train doors and saw that the new students behind him had been surrounded by a crowd.

Qin Su: "?"

Although curious, Qin Su suppressed his curiosity and didn't linger. Following the new-student enrollment guide, he headed for the carriage he needed to reach his dormitory.

Once Qin Su disappeared from sight, a crowd gathered around the new students who had been standing behind him.

"Did you see his ID?!"

"...With so many ones, it would've been hard not to."

"What ones? Oh, stop wasting time and tell us! What exactly is his ID?"

"QS," the Beta who had stood behind Qin Su recited everything he had seen.

As soon as he finished, several people in the crowd gasped.

"What a nice ID..."

"What?! Really?"

"Did you see it right?"

"You've got to be kidding!"

"It's truer than real gold." The Beta was speechless. "What would I gain from lying to you?"

Everyone: "..."

True. It was everyone's first day at the academy, and they'd hardly had any contact with one another before.

"Right, what are your IDs? Mine is this..." The Beta speaking opened his Optical Brain, revealing a string of numbers.

Everyone's identity ID was bound to them, so there was no need to worry about others knowing their ID number.

"Mine."

"Mine is..."

The new students all called out their IDs, trying to find a "nice number."

A minute passed, and they discovered that their IDs were longer than their lives.

"..."

Great. Having confirmed it, everyone exchanged weary smiles.

As expected of them. It was bad enough that their IDs were longer than their lives, but even the numbers were utterly unremarkable.

"We're NPCs in this world, aren't we?"

"That's right. We NPCs are all like this."

"Boo-hoo-hoo, stop. It's so pitiful I want to cry."

"See him? Over there... that Alpha!"

"Shh, keep your voice down. I saw him ages ago."

"I wonder if I'd succeed if I asked for his Optical Brain contact information?"

On the train, Qin Su discovered a serious problem through the quiet conversations around him.

Optical Brain?

Qin Su: "..."

He didn't have one at all.

However—

What you feared most usually came to pass.

The thought I hope they keep hesitating and don't come over had barely crossed his mind when Qin Su caught sight of the two new students who had been speaking quietly. As though they had suddenly gathered their courage, they started walking toward him.

The next moment, Qin Su heard a nervous voice.

"Hello, um... my name is Ji'en. M-may I..." The Omega clenched a hand at his side. "Could I have a spot on your Optical Brain's friends list?"