As a competent secretary, Justin Lewis was highly efficient. He quickly found the videos of Miles Sherman and his team’s mechas in action.

Comparing the mechas in the footage to the video Arthur White had sent, it was obvious they were a perfect match.

Justin Lewis saw it too and looked at Quentin Ford with some confusion, but he didn’t ask any questions. He knew that if Quentin Ford wanted to say something, he would do so voluntarily. If it was something he wasn’t meant to know, asking would be useless.

"What a coincidence." He looked up at Justin Lewis. "Help me check if Miles Sherman and his team went to Planet B36."

None of the other surveillance feeds captured them in person, only their mechas. This had to be a deliberate attempt to hide their presence.

He shared the same thought as the higher-ups on B36: they were definitely after something.

’So, have they planned this all out?’

Quentin Ford’s eyes grew cold. ’Have they found out something?’

’After all, they were the ones who discovered the Xenobeast Laboratory during the joint exam.’

’How could there be so many coincidences in the world?’

It seemed Quentin Ford had no intention of explaining. Justin Lewis lowered his gaze, his eyes falling to the back of the chair as he respectfully accepted the order.

*

「Imperial Palace.」

An Alpha in a crisp court knight’s uniform stood to the side, waiting.

The mecha match before them ended, and two tall figures leaped down from their mechas.

One of them was especially dazzling. He had blond hair, blue eyes, and skin as radiant as sunlight. His dark blue training suit perfectly showcased the muscle definition from his rigorous training. Seeing the visitor, he flashed a smile and strode over from the mecha training grounds.

"Frey, what brings you here?"

Even though he’d seen it a thousand times, Frey was still captivated by Bader Lehman’s charisma every single time.

He smiled faintly, took the tray from a nearby attendant’s hands, and brought it to the Alpha personally. "Your Highness, there’s news about the team the Federation is sending for the friendship match."

Bader took a towel and wiped the sweat from his brow. He raised a smiling eyebrow. "Oh? They must be formidable, otherwise it wouldn’t be worth you making the trip."

"The Empire’s glory will shine eternal," Frey said.

The man who had been sparring with Bader walked over. "Anything special?"

Frey glanced at Renato, who was on the Third Prince’s squad. "There’s nothing particularly special about the squad itself—it’s an S-Class team. However, there’s an issue regarding their Omega that requires your instruction."

Bader’s gaze slid over. "An Omega?"

’Now that’s something new.’

Indeed, no one had expected the wild card to be an Omega.

"According to intel from the Federation, the Omega being sent to the Empire for the friendship match is different from others. She has some self-defense skills and has already eliminated seven or eight other Omegas."

If Zoe Pierce heard that number, even she would think it was an exaggeration.

’There weren’t that many.’

But Bader’s expression grew uncharacteristically serious. Faster than anyone else, he understood the impact an Omega with Attack Power could have on a team.

"If she eliminates the Omega on our team, she’ll have effectively cut off our support."

Frey nodded. "Yes. Moreover, all information about this Omega from the Federation has recently gone dark. It’s unclear how much her skills will have improved in a few months."

In any case, the Omega the Empire had previously chosen was no longer suitable.

Or rather, to become suitable, she would have to endure a great deal of hardship to adapt.

"Is the Federation that harsh with their Omegas?" Renato chimed in. He had black hair, but also a pair of clear blue eyes, and now he asked with some curiosity.

"I don’t think so," Frey said. "Perhaps she’s a secret weapon prepared specifically to face the Empire."

Renato shrugged. "I don’t think Anna could handle that kind of training."

Which high-ranking Omega wasn’t raised in comfort? How could she possibly endure such hardship?

"It seems the Federation has already normalized training for their Omegas."

Even if they were allied nations on the surface, there were still plenty of open and secret rivalries. Regarding matters with the Federation, besides the signing of the peace treaty, the most urgent task at hand was preparing for the friendship match in a few months.

Although it was called a friendship match, both sides knew it was a grand spectacle broadcast to all their citizens.

The loser would be nailed to the pillar of shame.

Bader swirled the cup in his hand with a smile. "In that case, we’ll have to select a new Omega."

’Things just got a lot more complicated.’

This was precisely why Frey had come to report; none of them wanted to lose.

"Is it possible the Federation leaked this information on purpose?" Renato asked, a bit suspicious.

The glass was cool and clear. Bader set it down on the table. "Whether the information is real or fake, they’ve already sent the message. If we’re caught unprepared, we’ll be a real laughingstock."

’Are we supposed to get up on stage and declare that our Omega is battle-hardened?’

’Now *that* would be ridiculous.’

This kind of information was a subtle way of telling your opponent what you were preparing. The necessary courtesy and obligation to inform were thus fulfilled. Whether one chose to believe it was another matter entirely.

Bader believed it. Frey believed it.

"Announce this news at the academies. Also, let Anna know, so she doesn’t get angry." Suddenly being replaced by an unfamiliar Omega wouldn’t make anyone happy, especially since it takes time to build synergy.

Bader continued, "Screen for willing candidates. If Anna is willing to undergo the training, that would be for the best, of course."

"But in the end, we still choose the best, understand?" Bader’s smile faded slightly. "A useless Omega is not an option."

He looked at Frey. "Do you have any information on that Omega? Let me see."

’I’m a little curious.’

Frey had copied a video of Zoe Pierce that someone in the Federation had clipped.

Even though the hype around Zoe Pierce had died down recently, a personal fan page had been set up. Many of her fans had clipped and recorded her most dazzling moments from the joint exam to watch over and over.

The camera angles and clips had been professionally edited, specifically to highlight both her beauty and her fierce, stylish presence.

It’s human nature to be drawn to the strong, and Zoe Pierce’s looks, combined with her gender, undoubtedly made her a focal point of public discussion. Those who still consistently visited her personal fan page were, without exception, her truest fans.

They were still waiting, waiting for Zoe Pierce to reappear before them in an even more extraordinary fashion. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

She had, without realizing it, refined her fanbase. Those who remained were her "career fans"—fans focused on her achievements.

The video played quickly. It was a fast-cut combat montage of Zoe Pierce, set to up-tempo music.

After watching the video, Bader scrolled through a few photos of Zoe Pierce.

The young woman’s expression while fighting was different from the one she had when facing the Alphas on her team.

’She unexpectedly has the kind of face that could get whatever it wanted without even trying.’

’And the fact that she could partner with an S-Class squad proved that her Comfort Level was very high.’

’When relaxed, her faint smile was ethereally captivating. But the crisp efficiency with which she eliminated her enemies possessed a fierce, heroic beauty.’

’The two types of beauty were completely different, yet they miraculously merged into one.’