After her shower.

Zoe Pierce obediently picked up her Intelligent Brain.

Nathan Lockwood had already tried to contact her earlier. The moment she sent a single word, a video call popped up from his end.

The instant she accepted, the Intelligent Brain projected the man’s image.

A nearly life-sized projection of his face appeared before her. If not for the blue light of the surrounding screen, the sense of realism would have been even stronger.

"Zoe Pierce, put on a jacket."

Nathan Lockwood hadn’t expected those to be the first words out of his mouth, but Zoe Pierce was wearing a silk slip dress. While it wasn’t form-fitting, her beautiful collarbones and the delicate curve of her chest were in plain sight.

He couldn’t handle seeing that just yet.

Zoe glanced down. She was sure the dress wasn’t revealing anything, but since Nathan said so, she pulled the blanket up over herself.

Only her neck and head were visible; the rest was covered.

"Didn’t we say we shouldn’t contact each other?" Zoe had thought tonight would be like any other—that she’d just curl up in her blankets and go to sleep after her shower.

The projected Nathan Lockwood was wearing a simple, loose-fitting T-shirt, looking more casual than usual.

Hearing this, he propped his chin on his hand and looked at her. "There won’t be any mechanical eyes in the dorms."

He wasn’t talking about her current hotel, but the place where they would be training.

Nathan just wasn’t sure what the training would entail—whether they would be camping in a forest or something else.

If there were dorms, he wouldn’t have to worry about contacting Zoe Pierce.

If they were camping, he could only have simple chats with her on the Intelligent Brain.

There wasn’t much time left for days like this.

"After the training camp is over, is there anywhere you want to go?" Nathan asked, looking at Zoe, who was already showing signs of fatigue.

Zoe shook her head. In a way, her life was rather dull. Every day, she thought of nothing but getting stronger.

"I’ll probably be exhausted. I’ll just want to rest at home." As the days ticked by, it was hard for Zoe not to care about the outcome of the Friendship Match.

Everyone was looking forward to it.

She sighed softly and urged Nathan, "You should focus on your training."

"..."

Nathan couldn’t help but chuckle. It was rare to see her acting so mature and serious. "Alright."

Zoe wasn’t joking with Nathan. She lifted her bright, dark eyes, her cheek resting on her arm. "Nathan Lockwood, I want to win."

They had both sacrificed so much for this match.

Both with their Mechas and their bodies.

"I know. Don’t worry." If Zoe were there with him, Nathan would have probably stroked her long hair. "We will win."

Zoe hummed in agreement and burrowed completely under the covers.

On the projection from the Intelligent Brain, all that was left was a small lump in the blankets.

"Nathan Lockwood... I’m sleepy..." her voice was muffled.

Nathan’s voice was husky. "Have the Intelligent Brain turn off the lights for you. Then close your eyes and sleep."

Zoe did as he said. The projection switched to a one-way feed; her side went completely dark. She could hear Nathan’s voice but could no longer see his face.

She chatted idly with him with her eyes closed. She wasn’t sure how much time passed before sleepiness washed over her, making it impossible to muster the energy to speak, and she drifted off.

...

Thanks to the media’s spin, the story of what happened on Planet F187 was soon broadcast across the entire network.

The headlines used Zoe Pierce, Miles Sherman, and the others as a hook, naturally piquing everyone’s curiosity—especially since it was good news.

It was a special feature project, covering everything from interviews with a few of the victims, to an environmental report on Planet F187, and finally to the donations made by Zoe Pierce, Nathan Lockwood, and the others. Everything was laid out clearly.

Finally, it casually mentioned that the group was in training for the Friendship Match.

This completely satisfied everyone’s curiosity about their sudden disappearance and reappearance.

When fans of the team saw their donations, they too made generous contributions. In a short period, Planet F187 received several huge donations.

Although the funds hadn’t yet been used for reconstruction, the government’s attention toward Planet F187 had visibly and sharply increased.

「In the councilman’s office.」

Quentin Ford finished signing and handed the document to Justin Lewis.

Justin Lewis secured the document. "Next is a conference with the Omega Association regarding the matter of Beta doctors. It’s in about ten minutes."

Quentin Ford grunted in acknowledgment. "Have you seen the news, Justin?"

Justin Lewis naturally kept a constant watch on the latest news, but he didn’t know what Quentin Ford wanted to hear about specifically, so he glanced up in confusion.

Quentin Ford said, "The news about F187."

Justin Lewis immediately picked up the thread. "I have. It’s been a huge story the past two days. Some media outlets even wanted to interview Zoe Pierce and her team, but they can’t get in touch with anyone from the Federal Military Academy now. They’ve already started their training camp."

Quentin Ford took a sip of water, his fingers stroking the cup as he sighed. "Justin, for a moment, I wondered if I’m getting old. I’m actually a little envious."

"I’m envious that the Omegas produced a Zoe Pierce, someone who can win everyone’s affection so effortlessly."

It was like giving a tiger wings.

He wasn’t particularly concerned about Miles Sherman and the other S-Class Alphas.

Perhaps it was because they had always been in the spotlight. Zoe Pierce, on the other hand, had started from nothing, slowly climbing her way up on her own and winning everyone’s admiration.

"Sir, you are the hope of the Betas as well. You’ve done so much for us," Justin Lewis said from the heart. If that weren’t the case, he wouldn’t serve so willingly—nor would the other Betas be so devoted.

Quentin Ford shook his head and smiled. "It’s different. Just you wait. This little bit of fame is only the beginning for Zoe Pierce."

"Back when you said she would be a dark horse, I didn’t pay much mind. I never expected this. The younger generation is truly formidable."

Justin Lewis was silent for a moment before saying, "Sir, Zoe Pierce can’t compare to everything you’ve accomplished."

Quentin Ford stood up and paced to ease his tired body. "Justin, I am a little jealous."

"If only Zoe Pierce were a Beta," he sighed softly. "Zoe Pierce, all on her own, is leading the Omegas down a new path. But we haven’t."

"All this back-and-forth with the Omega Association, in the end, it’s just about implementing Beta doctors in the treatment of their Omegas, isn’t it? Justin, we Betas aren’t just meant to be doctors."

"We can do so much more." Quentin Ford clasped his hands behind his back. "We hold eighty percent of all jobs in society, yet the most elite positions—those that hold the pinnacle of knowledge and power in all of Interstellar Space—not a single one belongs to us."

"We Betas... we’re missing an iconic figure."

Yet, as he looked around, he couldn’t see a single one.

All they could do was hide in the shadows and watch the glamour on stage.

"Everyone loves them, whether they’re a Beta, an Alpha, or an Omega," Quentin Ford said. "How nice for them."

Justin Lewis was speechless for a long time.

He saw Quentin Ford’s back stoop. At that moment, the usually refined and elegant man looked world-weary.

It felt as if something was caught in his throat that he couldn’t swallow. He pressed his lips together in silence.

"Justin, we have to work even harder, or we’ll be left behind again." The man’s mood shifted quickly. Within a minute, he had straightened up again, looking at Justin Lewis with a smile. "I suppose I said some things you didn’t want to hear."

"Sorry to trouble you, making you listen to my complaints."