Afterlife Department

"'alpha'…" Huo Ling was surprised.

Shou Ji nodded. "The alpha's pheromones can also be used to force the others into submission." He spoke. "That is, the omega, or another alpha." He said.

"You can also use it against another alpha?!" Shi Jiu was shocked.

"Yes." Shou Ji answered. "That is, if they have lower mental strength and spiritual strength than you. It is also more effective if they have worse physique than you." He said.

"'mental strength', 'spiritual strength'…?" they muttered.

"Oh. I forgot to tell you about this." Shou Ji slapped his forehead. "You can check first if the shop owner has filled it for us, or that he just left it blank." He said.

They nodded and checked their profile information. "… it's blank." They answered.

"I was careless…" Shou Ji sighed. "Actually, the mental strength, spiritual strength and physique are ranked from F to S, with F as the weakest and S is the strongest. Of course, it can also be SS, SSS, five S or SSS+." He spoke. "The shop owner also must have not asked us for our mental strength and spiritual strength since he didn't have the machine to test the mental strength and spiritual strength." He explained.

"So… we have to test our mental strength and spiritual strength now?" Huo Ling asked.

"It isn't that simple." Shou Ji shook his head. "We are on the Capital Star now, which the security is tighter." He looked at them. "If we want our mental strength and spiritual strength, as well as our physique, to be tested, we have to find a private hospital." He told them.

"But… we have already passed the space port and signed up for the Annual Challenge. Won't it pose a problem?" Yi Bing asked.

"If there were accidents, then it definitely would matter in the space port." Shou Ji answered. "Fortunately, it has been peaceful lately… then their security recently must be lax." He smiled. "As for the Annual Challenge, there are special cases where the participants would deliberately hide their mental strength and spiritual strength." He spoke.

"Really?! Why?" Shi Jiu asked. "That is allowed?" he added.

"Yes. As an element of surprise." Shou Ji answered.

Yi Bing looked at Shou Ji. "There is no way that they will let them participate without checking, right?" he asked. "There must be a way to check." He said.

Shou Ji chuckled. "You saw through me." He spoke.

"Chief…?!" Shi Jiu exclaimed as he looked at Shou Ji with widened eyes. He felt he has been played.

"That was just the initial registration." Shou Ji spoke.

"'initial registration'? So, there will be another registration after?" Shi Jiu asked.

Shou Ji nodded as an answer. "The initial registration is for estimating the number of participants." He spoke. "The final registration will be three days before the Annual Challenge starts, and the Chel Military Academy will be posting a form to be filled online. Then, there will be another registration, but a personal one, on the day of the competition." He explained.

"Then… there would be – " Shi Jiu muttered as he counted on his fingers. " – three days before the final registration online, right?! Then, shouldn't we have to have our mental strength and spiritual strength, as well as our physique, to be tested now?!" he asked.

"Indeed…" Shou Ji muttered.

"You already know the place, right?" Yi Bing asked.

Shou Ji grinned. "Of course." He answered.

Real Light Private Clinic.

"… didn't you say that it should be a hospital?" Huo Ling asked as they looked at the decent-looking building before them.

"It should be. But, it can also be a clinic for those who are too secretive~" Shou Ji smiled as he opened the door and walked inside.

"Won't this pose a problem on that day?!" Shi Jiu asked.

"It won't. Not anyone can build their private clinic, either." Shou Ji answered as they followed behind him.

"Good morning. How may I help you?" the girl in the reception desk spoke.

"I made an appointment with Dr. Reane." Shi Jiu answered.

This clinic has three doctors. Myer Reane is one of them.

"Oh. Please wait a moment." The girl spoke and immediately pressed something on the keyboard. Then, they heard something beeped. "The appointment has been confirmed by Dr. Reane. Please follow me." She said and then walked in front of them.

"This place is too quiet…" Shi Jiu whispered.

"That's why you should shut your mouth." Shou Ji told him.

Shi Jiu immediately covered his lips.

"Is it because the mental strength testing and spiritual strength testing shouldn't be interrupted?" Huo Ling asked.

"So sharp." Shou Ji smiled. "Yes. You're right. Mental strength testing and spiritual strength testing require full concentration. If interrupted, it may result to a disaster." He said.

"For example?" Shi Jiu curiously asked.

"For example, insanity." Shou Ji answered.

Shi Jiu nervously gulped. "Then… then what should we do later?" he asked and lowered his voice into a whisper. "This world is too advanced… what would our test results be later?" he asked him.

"It should be fine if we will have SSS+ mental strength and spiritual strength later." Shou Ji grinned.

"Why? Aren't we betas?" Huo Ling asked.

"Our secondary sex characteristic isn't affected by our mental strength and spiritual strength, but it affects our physique." Shou Ji spoke. "In fact, it is better for betas to have high mental strength and spiritual strength." He told them.

"Why?" Shi Jiu asked.

Before Shou Ji could answer, Yi Bing spoke. "Because betas won't be affected by pheromones thus they won't get distracted during the battles." He answered.

Shou Ji smiled and nodded.

"So that's it…" Huo Ling muttered and took down notes. "Betas are actually convenient…" he said.

"But, not always." Shou Ji spoke. "Because our secondary sex characteristic affects our physique, naturally, the betas' physical strength is limited. This is why, even though alphas are highly susceptible to pheromones, but they are more in-demand in the military than the betas." He explained.

"Oh… how sexist." Huo Ling frowned.

Shou Ji just laughed. "There is a downside in alphas, though. If they were affected by pheromones, their judgement would be clouded, they would feel agitated, and their mental strength and spiritual strength can harm others." He spoke. "And the stronger the alpha is, the more dangerous the situation is." He added.

"Oh… how scary." Huo Ling muttered in disdain.

"How does this mental strength and spiritual strength work?" Yi Bing asked.

"Oh. That's right." Shi Jiu muttered and remembered that Shou Ji hasn't explained this to them yet.

"The mental strength and spiritual strength are used to spiritually and mentally attack others while the pheromones are used to physically attack others, like their judgement and feelings, for example by making them feel fear." Shou Ji answered. "That is why omegas can also now fight back, since although they have weaker physique but they might have higher mental strength and spiritual strength." He added.

"This world is so magical…" Huo Ling can't help but say.

Shou Ji smiled. "It isn't… but it also is." He said. Although there are no magical powers here unlike the world where they come from – the Stable World, but it isn't wrong to say that this interstellar world is very magical, but through science!

"We're here." The girl who is walking ahead of them spoke.

The four of them didn't notice that they have already reached the farthest room. "Thank you." They spoke.

The girl nodded and bowed before she left. Meanwhile, the four of them looked at the nameplate – Dr. Myer Reane. Shou Ji, standing in front of them, knocked on the door.

"Enter." They heard a muffled voice spoke.

Shou Ji opened the door and entered. The three of them followed behind before they closed the door. They turned, only to be surprised to see a female middle-aged doctor. The name 'Myer' is actually a female name?! They thought and looked at Shou Ji who is silently smiling.

The doctor turned and saw the four of them. "What handsome young men!" she exclaimed and kindly smiled. "Shawn James…?" she spoke as she looked at them.

"That would be me." Shou Ji answered. This is the alias he used.

The doctor nodded. "Evan Glace?" she called.

"That's me." Yi Bing answered.

"Howee Jackson?" she looked at Huo Ling and Shi Jiu who are left.

Huo Ling smiled. "Hello, doctor." He spoke.

The doctor smiled back. "And Shane June?" she looked at Shi Jiu.

Shi Jiu nodded, looking awkward. This is the name that Shou Ji made up for him. As for Yi Bing and Huo Ling… Shi Jiu heard that they have used this name before in one of the worlds that they have been to. As he tried to recall, he heard Huo Ling was complaining to Yi Bing earlier about 'school', 'fiance', 'engaged', etc.. Since he can't understand what they are talking about, he just reviewed his profile and saw the name Shou Ji made for him.