Afterlife Department

"That's right." Shou Ji nodded as he ordered the housekeeper robot to brew them tea.

Tea leaves are one of the things that he ordered online earlier, and it is very, very expensive. This is because the earth was destroyed many years ago and only a few things were saved and carefully kept by the evolved humans as a part of the history, and also their culture, and one of those things are tea leaves. The evolved humans also tried to recreate the crops from the earth for them to keep their memories of their mother planet.

Since the tea leaves have become rare, it was priced very high. But, who are the grim reapers? They can recreate the currency of this world so money isn't a problem for them. They can live in luxury. And since Shou Ji ordered online, they had the shop owner also deposit money in the bank accounts he have made for the four them. Of course, they paid him with cold cash, along with their payment for forging their identities. The shop owner was very happy and wishes for future cooperation with them, which is yet to be seen.

Shi Jiu clicked his tongue. "This sure is nasty." He said. The newly graduates can't find a job just because they lost a match… tch. Such injustice. He thought.

Huo Ling nodded in agreement. "This is really unfair for the students." He can't help but say.

But, Yi Bing thought otherwise. "Since they already know about this, then shouldn't they have already prepared themselves in order to not lose?" he asked.

They all looked at him. They fell silent. ... well, he has a point. They thought.

"Also, reputation has always been a liability." Yi Bing continued. "Your reputation represents yourself. If your reputation is good, then that means you are good." He told them.

Huo Ling beg to differ. "What if their reputation was smeared?" he asked.

"Then, they have to clean their reputation." Yi Bing answered.

"And if they lost their chance to land a job because their reputation was smeared?" Huo Ling asked.

"Then that means that the job isn't for them." Yi Bing said.

Huo Ling frowned. "What if their opponent happens to be a very strong who just missed the opportunity to enlist in the military academy?" he asked. "Does the graduating student have to carry this lost match and bring it with him outside the academy, for all his life?" he frowned.

"Since their strength isn't enough, they should find a job appropriate with their strength level." Yi Bing answered.

The discussion ends here. Next, Shou Ji showed them the weapons in this world, and then showed to them the list of the weapons permitted in the Annual Challenge.

"Shou Ji." Yi Bing spoke after Shou Ji was done speaking about the interstellar weapons. He also added about the spaceships and the other planets, as well as the other beings in different galaxies for them to become more familiar with this world.

"Yes?" Shou Ji answered and turned.

"What about these pheromones?" Yi Bing asked. "How do they work against an opponent?" he said.

Shou Ji's brows raised. Huo Ling started. He has almost forgotten about the pheromones! He was too careless! He thought and wrote down on his note to always check the world's information and the key information.

"Right… there's these pheromones." Shi Jiu muttered. "The shop owner didn't seem to ask us whether we are alpha, beta or omega?" he said.

"We were in a hurry to leave for the Capital Star that we didn't check the information made by the shop owner for us." Yi Bing spoke.

Because travelling between galaxies can take even a year, the fastest way to travel is through the wormholes. And the fastest time to reach the Capital Star from that planet is three months – just almost in time for the Chel Military Academy's Annual Challenge to start. Although it was three months, but while the spaceship is inside the wormhole, they would feel that it happened in just a blink of an eye and then they are in another galaxy.

"Let's now check our identities then." Huo Ling spoke and they all immediately opened their light brains to see their profiles. "Beta." He muttered.

"I am also a beta." Shi Jiu spoke.

Shou Ji nodded. "Also a beta." He said.

"Beta." Yi Bing spoke

They all looked at each other before their gazes fell on Shou Ji.

"Alpha, beta and omega are the secondary sex characteristic." Shou Ji started. "They are determined through the pheromones which are stored in our gland from when we were born. But – " he spoke. " – as we grew up, the glands can also change. So, when one reaches the adulthood, that is the age of twenty – an age when one's gland is fully matured, one awakens and then their secondary sex is determined." He explained. "As for the awakening, and how the secondary sex is determined, it is because the person would emit pheromones when he awakens. And this is very dangerous." He said as his face turned serious.

"'dangerous'? Why?" Shi Jiu asked.

Shou Ji turned. "This is dangerous, well, only for the alphas and omegas, since the betas don't have any reaction or any effect on others when they emit pheromones." He spoke. "The betas sometimes were also called 'pheromone-less' people." He added.

Huo Ling's expression looked thoughtful. "The betas won't have any effect on the others, or react to the others' pheromones… is this because their pheromones actually have immunity to the alphas' and omegas' pheromones?" he asked.

Shou Ji smiled. "Smart." He spoke. "That's right." He answered.

"So, we only have to be wary of the alphas and omegas?" Yi Bing asked.

Shou Ji nodded as an answer. "The alphas are the strongest while the omegas are the weakest." He continued. "The pheromones, as you can already guess, have changed the physique of the humans, so the alphas became the strongest and the omegas became the weakest, not to mention their reproductive organs, too." He spoke.

"Omegas can give… even if they are males?" Huo Ling said as he recalled the information he has read in the library before about this world. Shou Ji's explanation though is more detailed.

"Yes. Since their pheromones also made their body contain a uterus which is fit for pregnancy." Shou Ji answered before he made a pause. "Though, because the humans of today have now evolved, I am not really clear about their reproduction process." He shrugged.

The corner of Huo Ling's lip twitched. "I am not too interested in this area." He said.

Shou Ji chuckled. "Well, before, the omegas were once called the 'defectives', since the evolution of the humans is supposed to make them stronger for them to be able to fight against the invaders from the galaxy." He continued. "But, the omegas were created, then… too weak." He heaved a sigh. "Fortunately, today, the omegas are respected and not just seen as birthing 'machines' due to their pheromones that are able to seduce… They are actually become more dexterous, more intelligent and more meticulous in work. So, most of them are professional businessmen, politicians, etc." he said.

They nodded in understanding and felt sympathetic and also happy for the omegas.

"How about the alphas?" Shi Jiu asked.

"Since they all have strong bodies, most of them are enlisted in the military." Shou Ji answered. "Contrary to the pheromone of the omegas which is able attract, the pheromone of the alphas is to repel. It is used for suppression, to threaten their opponents, unlike the omegas who can seduce someone." He explained.

"So, to counter them, we only have to not smell their pheromone?" Yi Bing asked.

"That is one way." Shou Ji answered.

"There are other ways?" Huo Ling asked.

"Pheromones can also stick to your skin, so you would still be affected." Shou Ji spoke. "The other way to counter the pheromones is to use inhibitors." He told them.

"Inhibitors…"

"As the name implies, it inhibits the pheromones. Most omegas use this to avoid being… ehem, by the others, most especially when they awaken." Shou Ji spoke. "Alphas also used this to avoid being attracted to the omegas, since pheromones are very sensitive, especially if they have higher matching rate." He explained.

"'higher matching rate'?" Yi Bing asked.

"This refers to the compatibility of their pheromones." Shou Ji answered. "There is one more for you to know: marking." He told them.

"'marking'?" Shi Jiu muttered.

"'marking' refers to when the alpha marks an omega, that is like branding the omega as his." Shou Ji explained. "Once the pheromones of the alpha and omega combines, the omega's pheromone will be suppressed and be mixed with of their alpha's, showing that he was marked." He explained. "And the higher the compatibility of their pheromones, the more pleasurable their… ehem…" he coughed and blushed.

Their expressions changed and they looked away.

"Anyway, since we are going to the Chel Military Academy, we will only meet alphas and betas there." Shou Ji spoke.

"… Shou Ji, may I ask what are you before?" Huo Ling asked.

"Oh. I was an alpha.." Shou Ji answered.