Erin Xavier wasn’t the only one staring at the crack in the door. Chase Shaw, squatting on the floor, and Nathan Lockwood and Miles Sherman, standing nearby, also found their gazes unconsciously drifting toward it.

The Beta female doctor paid them no mind, simply asking, "Has she been given an inhibitor?"

Erin Xavier rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. "She just got a shot, within the last two hours."

The Beta female doctor nodded and called to him, "Then you, come in with me for a moment. The rest of you can just stay outside."

She widened the gap for Erin Xavier to pass, completely ignoring the complex expressions that crossed the faces of the men outside upon hearing her words.

Chase Shaw, in particular, felt a splitting headache.

A dark fire smoldered in his chest, with no outlet for release.

While the others were completely focused on Zoe Pierce, Julian Chambers was watching the news broadcast.

This Xenobeast Tide was too fierce; it couldn’t be contained. On top of that, Alphas from the Entertainment District had been drafted to help, and now Planet B36’s news channels were in a complete mess.

Large crowds were choosing to evacuate. The interview footage was a chaotic mix of voices and sobs.

He hadn’t muted his Intelligent Brain, and the sound drew the attention of Miles Sherman next to him.

Only then did Miles find a moment to ask, "Do you guys have any leads?"

Nathan Lockwood forced thoughts of Erin Xavier from his mind, refusing to dwell on what might be happening inside the room. He raised his arm to reveal his Intelligent Brain and sent some photos to Miles Sherman.

The dead Beta lying in the lab was undoubtedly a jarring sight.

"On Planet B36, most Betas who can pilot Mechas do so through mental stimulation," Nathan Lockwood said, pointing to some experimental data. "They’re basically all young people around the age of twenty. The Energy Mines are used to connect to their spiritual power after it’s been stimulated."

Nathan Lockwood could tell at a glance that a Beta piloting a Mecha was a completely different matter from an Alpha using their spiritual power to do so.

This stimulated spiritual power was merely a state of mental hyperactivity, entirely different from the spiritual power Alphas used to battle Xenobeasts.

Using barely-stimulated spiritual power to control the new Mechas in the most rudimentary way came at a high price.

Just as Alphas are divided by Spiritual Power Level, the same was true for the stimulated spiritual power of Betas. Only those whose spiritual power was inherently sensitive could remain; those with low or less sensitive levels all went mad under the stimulation.

Miles Sherman saw some Mecha design drafts on Nathan Lockwood’s Intelligent Brain. Most were discarded drafts, clearly marked with the reasons for their rejection, but a small portion of the designs had been kept.

During the chase earlier, he had also noticed that the Mecha batch numbers were different, and the final products varied. Among the group of Mechas pursuing him, many of the pilots had different models.

Miles Sherman added, "That Wesley White’s real name is Arthur White. He wasn’t originally from Planet B36; he came here as an energy merchant."

"But given that he’s providing such a large amount of energy and consciously hiding it, I think he’s in on it." Only someone who knew what these Energy Mines were for would subconsciously conceal it.

Someone doing legitimate business usually wouldn’t hide it. In fact, they’d want everyone to know how well their business was doing.

But Arthur White was too low-key.

This was information Nathan Lockwood didn’t have. After hearing Miles Sherman describe their encounter and comparing it with the information he possessed, he said in a low voice, "Under the current circumstances, it’ll be very difficult to catch Arthur White on B36."

That was true. Assuming Arthur White knew everything, as a high-level figure, he certainly wouldn’t be easy to capture.

He mused for a moment, tapping his index finger on his Intelligent Brain. "Is it possible there’s another faction involved?"

Nathan Lockwood laid out his analysis piece by piece. "He’s an energy merchant, an outsider, and not very famous in Interstellar Space, yet he manages to fulfill Planet B36’s demands every time."

That would be incredibly difficult for an ordinary energy merchant.

Miles Sherman glanced at Julian Chambers, who was pretending to watch the news but was actually listening to their conversation. After a moment’s thought, he decided to share what they had heard from Shannon Stone.

When he heard that this was the reason Planet B36 had taken such a dangerous course of action, Julian Chambers was momentarily at a loss for words.

Facing Julian Chambers, Miles Sherman didn’t spell out their analysis, instead leaving Julian to think about it himself.

It seemed more like a series of unfortunate coincidences.

Planet B36’s plan had clearly undergone an unforeseen mutation during its execution.

「Inside the room.」

The moment Erin Xavier entered, he was hit by Zoe Pierce’s scent. The suppression patch he had managed to apply earlier had been torn off and thrown into a medical waste bin, leaving her fragrance unmasked once more.

The Beta female doctor pointed to the back of Zoe Pierce’s neck. "The temporary mark must be completed. Otherwise, her gland will remain in its current state."

"Her glandular hormones seem to have been affected by mental stress, causing the levels to spike. You need to complete the temporary mark first, then I’ll handle the rest."

After she spoke, she stood to the side, waiting for Erin Xavier. Seeing him hesitate, she urged, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up."

Erin Xavier, despite being an Alpha, was flustered by her command. Heeding the Beta female doctor’s words, he stepped toward Zoe Pierce on the hospital bed.

She was lying on her side, completely unconscious, her long, slender neck exposed.

He bent down halfway, not daring to caress her skin as he would when they were alone. Carefully, he bit down on her gland once more.

Soon, the incomplete mark was finished.

He didn’t dare to linger, pulling away quickly and straightening up. "Is that... all?"

His voice was slightly hoarse.

The Beta female doctor was completely oblivious to the romantic tension, utterly ignoring his restless, budding feelings. She only glanced at Zoe Pierce’s gland, noted that her pheromone levels had dropped after the temporary mark was complete, and said bluntly, "That’s it. It’s done. You can go now."

In her eyes, there was only the patient’s current condition; she had no time for a young man’s lovesick feelings.

Erin Xavier felt like he had been summoned in like a tool, only to be shooed away after completing the marking, with no time left for him to think.

When he actually heard her tell him to leave, his feet felt as if they were stuck in mud. ’I don’t want to go.’

But under the female Beta’s intense gaze, his usual sharp wit—or, rather, his tendency to argue back—was sealed behind his lips.

More obedient than when facing a teacher or an elder, he opened the door, stepped out, and closed it behind him.

The moment he stepped out, he interrupted the rhythm of the conversation between Miles Sherman and the others.

"How is Zoe?" No one asked Erin Xavier what he had done inside.

There was a tacit understanding, and the matter was left unspoken.

Erin Xavier had only been focused on Zoe Pierce’s gland; he hadn’t paid close attention to anything else. The question caught him off guard, and he could only say, "She’s still unconscious."

He had no idea how much longer it would be before she woke up.