Before they could even process the shocking scene, they saw Nathan Lockwood and Miles Sherman removing black wristbands.

The instructors from the First Military Academy were very satisfied with the expressions on the faces of the group of elite Alphas.

Unbelievable.

Dumbfounded.

It looked rather comical.

They certainly hadn’t been this dramatic back in their day.

Yes, they had thought Zoe Pierce would only be a shock to the Omegas. But now, she was a seismic shock to the Alphas as well.

Exceptional people are held in high regard wherever they go.

Once Nathan Lockwood and the others removed the weights, Zoe Pierce felt her entire body loosen up.

"Don’t push yourself. There’s still tomorrow and the day after," Nathan Lockwood said, stowing her gravity bands in his spatial inventory as he followed her still-unwavering gaze.

Zoe Pierce licked her lips. She could move freely now. Flexing her wrists, she said, "I just don’t like losing."

’It’s probably because I’ve persevered through every training session, making tangible progress I can see for myself.’

’And the secret I have to keep hidden has only deepened my fixation, fueling my desire to win.’

’Even without using my spiritual power, I can now defeat other Alphas on physical prowess alone.’

’This sense of satisfaction welling up from deep inside me is irresistible, even as my calves cramp and my body aches.’

Nathan Lockwood shot her a look. "You’ve already beaten a hundred people. How can you call that a loss?"

Zoe Pierce raised an eyebrow at him. "Can’t I aim for a flawless victory, without losing a single point?"

"When did you get so competitive?"

Nathan Lockwood and Miles Sherman sat on either side of her, watching Chase Shaw and Erin Xavier fight. "Don’t worry," Nathan said. "We won’t lose a single point."

"We’re a team, Zoe," he said. "No one wants you to carry us to victory all on your own."

Even setting aside his pursuit of her, they were still teammates.

Teammates were there to watch your back, people you could depend on.

Zoe Pierce rested her face on her arms, her cheeks still flushed. Her dark, curly lashes fluttered. Her voice came out muffled and a little soft. "I know."

’Otherwise, I wouldn’t be sitting here so quietly. I’d have already jumped up to join Erin and the others.’

She glanced up at the display screen. Just one look at the score was enough to tell her they would win today.

And sure enough, when all the matches were over by evening, their squad was victorious.

The only match that offered any real challenge was against Victor Vance’s team from the First Military Academy.

It was clear they had put a lot of work into their physical training since the joint examination. Before, they’d been helpless when Miles Sherman suppressed their spiritual power, but they had clearly grown stronger.

This time it was a true five-on-six battle, with all members participating.

After what had happened with the previous teams, no one dared to underestimate Zoe Pierce, especially not after seeing her remove her gravity bands.

It was as if her stamina hadn’t been depleted at all.

The fight was grueling.

Of all the teams they faced, this one lasted the longest; it took nearly twenty minutes just to eliminate one person.

But once that person was eliminated, their defeat was inevitable.

Zoe Pierce was finally feeling the full, draining effect of the gauntlet. So... tired...

The moment she stopped to rest, she couldn’t even lift a finger.

Moreover, because this was part of their specific training regimen, teams from the other military academies could use Treatment Devices, but they had to rely on their body’s natural recovery to overcome the exhaustion.

It was obvious to everyone that Zoe Pierce was the most exhausted of all.

Miles Sherman stood beside Zoe Pierce, his brow furrowed slightly as he looked down at her trembling body. "Can you walk?"

Zoe Pierce was about to say she was fine when she saw Nathan Lockwood turn around and bend his knees slightly. "Zoe Pierce, get on. I’ll carry you back."

She stared at Nathan Lockwood’s back, a little stunned.

’Ah...’

Her throat felt tight.

Everyone was watching. Right out in the open.

And yet he’d been so bold as to make the offer. Zoe Pierce could feel everyone’s eyes turn to them at his words. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

She was silent for only two seconds.

"Okay."

She draped her arms over his shoulders, and Zoe Pierce felt herself being hoisted up, her body pressing against Nathan Lockwood’s back.

Her fingertips tingled.

Aside from a slightly odd look from Miles Sherman and their other teammates, Director Quinn and Ryan Jacobs didn’t seem to find the scene strange at all.

In fact, one of them advised Zoe Pierce, "Make sure to relax your muscles when you get back, or you won’t recover by tomorrow."

With Zoe Pierce on his back, Nathan Lockwood replied, "Mm, we’ll remind her."

And so, the crowd watched as Nathan Lockwood walked away, carrying Zoe Pierce, whose face was buried so deeply in his back it was almost hidden from view. Miles Sherman and the rest of their team followed, with the instructors from the Federal Military Academy behind them, until they all disappeared from sight.

"Tch. Where on earth do you find an Omega like Zoe Pierce?" one of the Alphas who’d had his spirit broken today couldn’t help but complain once the group was out of sight.

’How can anyone be that strong?’

"I’m totally convinced. My wrist is killing me from fighting her today," said another, still rubbing the joint.

Then, one of them suddenly asked, "Have any of you ever carried the Omega on your team?"

The others looked awkward. One of them rolled his eyes. "Of course not. They don’t need me to carry them; their life is way too cushy."

They don’t do anything tiring, so what’s there to carry?

"But Nathan Lockwood just carried Zoe Pierce," someone said conspiratorially. "An Alpha, offering to carry an Omega."

His teammate sneered. "If you beat that many people today, I’d carry you, too."

"What are you even thinking? Stop spouting nonsense."

To most people, Nathan Lockwood carrying Zoe Pierce seemed perfectly normal. She was clearly at the end of her rope, unable to move.

"I’m just jealous, okay?" that person pouted. "The only time I’ve ever even been touched by an Omega was during a soothing. I’ve never had any other close contact."

His teammate continued his cold mockery. "Jealous of what? If those guys want an Omega, people would be lining up for them. If Zoe Pierce wanted an Alpha, believe me, the Intelligent Brain would probably crash from the traffic. Stop dreaming. We’re not in their league."

They’ve got the looks, they’ve got the money. Their hardware and software are both top-spec.

"You shouldn’t talk nonsense, either," a third person chided. "They’re just teammates. How are they supposed to act around each other if everyone assumes things?" This was a common problem between Alphas and Omegas—getting too close always made people read into things.

Still, everyone just assumed Miles Sherman and his friends treated Zoe Pierce with special regard simply because she was such a good teammate.

Even with how handsome the men were and how beautiful she was, no one thought much of it.

Seeing he couldn’t win the argument, the guy dropped it. He just thought Nathan Lockwood looked kind of cool carrying Zoe Pierce.

They looked good together, not awkward at all.

But he knew it wasn’t his place to say so, so he kept his mouth shut. He’d just watch quietly from the sidelines.

’When would he ever get to be that close to an Omega?’

’He thought it over and over. No chance.’

As for the people they were discussing...

Zoe Pierce and Nathan Lockwood.

’Under the stares of all the Federal Military Academy instructors,’ Zoe Pierce thought, ’Nathan Lockwood is probably the only person who could be this calm and composed.’