The Dimension Base was born during the empire’s most precarious era when usurpers stirred restlessly atop its crumbling foundations like eggs balanced on a precipice.
Created for this very purpose, it emerged already stained with the blood of western rebels and was once hailed as the cradle for nurturing future interstellar leaders.
Yet within mere decades, it degenerated into a playground for privileged heirs.
For nearly ten years, commoner enrollment rates stood at zero.
These second-generation elites, resting on their ancestors’ laurels, upheld this seemingly “unbreakable” rule, monopolizing this rotting yet colossal imperial cradle until it became an exclusive hatchery for the powerful.
Until this year, when one man shattered this ironclad tradition Pei Baisheng, a lowborn.
Rumors claimed Pei Baisheng was the bastard child of a Beta from the previous Pei family head’s household.
Out of pity, the family head’s Omega had allowed the Beta to give birth.
By sheer coincidence, Pei Baisheng shared the exact age with the Pei family’s legitimate second young master.
Few in the empire didn’t know Pei Ningyu this gilded second heir of the Pei family, whose years of pampering had forged a temperament both capricious and tyrannical.
Pei Ningyu was no cowardly bully who only preyed on the weak.
In this regard, he was remarkably egalitarian whether commoner or noble, none seemed worthy of his regard.
Once, after kicking the imperial eldest daughter’s only son into the ICU, he dominated interstellar news feeds. Despite the onslaught of public opinion and the royal family’s condemnation, the Pei family shielded him effortlessly. The next day, he reappeared at the base completely unscathed.
Had Pei Baisheng the misfortune of crossing paths with Pei Ningyu, what spectacle might unfold? The entire base waited with bated breath for the show.
–
Dimension Base.
Most structures were clad in aerospace-grade aluminum alloy and ultra-resilient polymers, materials capable of withstanding the void’s extreme cold and radiation. At dawn and dusk, their silver surfaces gilded with sunlight, radiating solemn mystique.
Inside Training Room Six, rows of energy lamps and power towers emitted a steady azure glow. The air carried faint traces of ozone and machine oil. To the right, a massive projector displayed starship simulation footage, while the central arena was reserved for mech combat drills.
Pei Ningyu stood at the forefront, his alabaster skin translucent under the lights veins visible beneath its porcelain surface. Raven hair, vermilion lips, and piercing eyes framed by sharp angles, his entire bearing exuded a cutting arrogance. This was a face born to repel intimacy.
A far cry from the hardened warriors forged in their blood-and-grit training camp. Of course everyone knew such unbridled hauteur and ambition could only be cultivated by generations of accumulated privilege at a family’s zenith.
Clad in simple black combat gear cinched with a leather belt, his polished boots gleamed like obsidian.
This was the most common attire at the base. Practical and time-saving, over half the personnel dressed this way. Yet from the moment Pei Ningyu entered the training room, he could feel intermittent gazes landing on him.
These people weren’t focusing on training at all!
A few others weren’t as blatant, pretending to train while their distracted minds caused their mental links with the mechs to sever abruptly. The power engine modules flickered briefly before shutting down completely.
After all this training, they still lose connection?
Witnessing this, irritation surged through Pei Ningyu. His normally arrogant, sharply beautiful face gradually darkened with anger and displeasure.
He rarely visited the training facilities. With major exams approaching, he hadn’t expected his team to still be filled with incompetents who couldn’t even maintain basic mech control.
Pei Ningyu’s thin lips pressed into a tight line, his expression turning frosty. Just as he was about to erupt, an interruption came.
Gu Shize draped an arm over Pei Ningyu’s shoulder from behind, breathing warmly against his ear with snake-like intimacy, practically clinging to him: “Ningyu, come stay at my place for a few days. It’s been so long.”
Having grown up together, even though Gu Shize now stood half a head taller, he still interacted with Pei Ningyu using the same childish mannerisms from their youth.
Gu Shize always reminded Pei Ningyu of the Bernese Mountain Dog his grandfather kept – the tail-wagging enthusiasm was identical.
Pei Ningyu’s dark eyes shifted focus to Gu Shize. The interruption dissipated his building rage toward those idiots. Had it been anyone else, they’d already be sporting a bright red handprint.
A flicker of disdain and annoyance passed through Pei Ningyu’s eyes, but he merely removed Gu Shize’s hand from his shoulder, his voice low: “Don’t touch me randomly.”
Gu Shize knew Pei Ningyu’s bad moods could easily turn on him, but he feared Pei Ningyu’s indifference more. In this regard, he charged forward like an oblivious youth – no one else dared approach Pei Ningyu during his foul moods.
He took pride in Pei Ningyu’s special tolerance for him. Aware of Pei Ningyu’s recent irritability, he tried to lighten the mood while carefully selecting topics he knew would engage him.
Knowing Pei Ningyu resented his brother’s strict control, Gu Shize deliberately provoked: “Your brother complained yesterday about you becoming more distant as you grow up. I defended you, and this is how you treat me?”
The strained relationship between Pei Ningyu and his elder brother was common knowledge.
“My brother?” Pei Ningyu’s brows indeed furrowed as he lifted his gaze sharply. “Why was he contacting you?”
Gu Shize had fabricated the story entirely. Seeing he’d successfully hooked Pei Ningyu’s interest, and still smarting from the earlier rejection, he played hard to get, raising an eyebrow: “Is that how you ask for information, Ningyu?”
Pei Ningyu narrowed his eyes, his ink-black lashes sweeping downward as he unfastened his wristwatch and tossed it into Gu Shize’s lap. Never one to soften his harsh tone, he demanded: “Hurry up.”
Gu Shize felt something hard bump against his chest. He exaggeratedly cried out “Ouch!” and seized the watch in his palm, clutching his chest as if Pei Ningyu had actually harmed him. Sensing Pei Ningyu’s unique tolerance for him, he smiled ambiguously, “You still remember I’ve been eyeing this antique watch of yours…”
Pei Ningyu had little patience. “Speak!” he interrupted.
With his naturally deep-set eyes, high nose bridge, and thin lips, Gu Shize’s usual casual demeanor vanished. Though the lie had been casually fabricated, he knew Pei Ningyu wouldn’t actually ask Pei Xu he was quite brazen about it, his expression uncharacteristically serious.
Gu Shize blurted out, “Your brother actually asked me if you’ve taken a liking to some omega.”
At the mention of omegas, the alphas in the training room burst into laughter in unison. Centered around Pei Ningyu, the young men training in Room Six mostly belonged to the same privileged circle scions of military families, many connected by marriage or generations-old friendships.
Of course, none were paragons of virtue.
Each was a spoiled young master from their respective households, forming a tight-knit group around Pei Ningyu in the base. As for others? These young lords usually held their noses so high they wouldn’t deign to interact.
Suddenly all eyes turned toward Pei Ningyu. Fang Hongwen, lounging nearby, chimed in: “Hilarious. So what if you have? A-Yu, is your brother really going to police who you befriend too?”
Pei Ningyu shot Fang Hongwen a warning glance. Though a faint smile lingered on his lips, a flash of dark, vicious beauty flickered across his face as he slowly enunciated, “…Hasn’t he always been like that?”
Leveraging his position as both elder brother and head of the Pei family, he constantly restrained him and recently, it had become increasingly irritating.
Mention of his brother stirred something unreadable in Pei Ningyu’s eyes, an icy inscrutability settling over him.
“Speaking of which,” Gu Shize’s gaze traced over Pei Ningyu’s shadowed expression, attempting to soothe this paradoxically honeyed yet corrosive presence, his tone carrying unconscious caution, “why have you been in such a bad mood lately? Share with us.”
Only Gu Shize would dare voice such a question.
But with the ice broken, others grew bold after all, Gu Shize would bear the brunt of any reprimand. Two more approached…
Pei Ningyu had always been their focal point. The slightest ripple in his demeanor invited their prying eyes. Any matter concerning him left them itching to uncover the details.
Where this relentless curiosity sprang from was a mystery.
Previously, they’d only cared about their own decadent trifles.
The alphas’ stares bore into Pei Ningyu, desperate to catch any flicker of emotion. Yet his features remained as sharply cold as ever that beautiful face eternally disdained to share either troubles or joys with them. It bred frustration, but they were powerless to change it.
These usually arrogant nobles who wouldn’t even glance at others in the base now spoke with almost coquettish tones: “Ningyu, if you don’t tell us, you’re really not being a good friend.”
“Tell us and we’ll help you work through it.”
“Yeah.”
They eagerly awaited those pale pink lips to say something, to share with them, even seek their help, craving to be of assistance.
Unfortunately, those pale thin lips parted as Pei Ningyu exhaled, pushing away the two who had gotten too close, coldly uttering three words: “It’s nothing.”
Rejected again, they all likely felt the resentment bubbling up within them. The hot-blooded young alphas’ pheromones fluctuated violently, silently expressing their dissatisfaction in the confined training room.
But they weren’t Gu Shize. If they made mistakes, Pei Ningyu wouldn’t tolerate them.
Releasing pheromones was the only way they dared express their displeasure toward Pei Ningyu, because they all knew perfectly well that Pei Ningyu hadn’t presented yet and couldn’t sense pheromones.
This time, perhaps noticing their distraction, Pei Ningyu suddenly spoke again: “It’s all because of Pei Xu.”
Pei Xu again.
What kind of brother…
Hearing Pei Ningyu’s words, the alphas’ eyes immediately brightened. Faced with this minor complaint, they spontaneously used the most malicious thoughts to attack Pei Xu, competing to provide emotional support to Pei Ningyu.
“Even if military affairs are difficult lately, General Pei shouldn’t take his temper out randomly…”
“Ningyu, don’t mind that mad dog.”
Pei Ningyu continued:”.He insisted on sending away the two betas in my room.”
The alphas’ curses against Pei Xu abruptly stopped.
“.” A long silence answered Pei Ningyu.
Even Gu Shize and Fang Hongwen, who were closest to Pei Ningyu, unusually didn’t respond. After a while, they asked in strange tones: “You had two betas?”
Pei Ningyu immediately turned his head, his gloomy gaze sharply piercing Gu Shize: “Don’t tell me you don’t?”
How could they possibly have any.
They knew exactly what betas were for.
For families like theirs, marriage arrangements were serious matters, and before that, their families strictly guarded against their energetic alpha tendencies.
And betas? They were precisely for those kinds of activities.
That Pei Xu, who normally monitored Pei Ningyu’s every move, actually allowed him to keep two betas at home was somewhat unbelievable.
But then again, with Pei Ningyu’s personality, what he wanted he usually got, even against his strict older brother Pei Xu.
Judging by Pei Ningyu’s expression, he seemed quite fond of those two betas.
The alphas felt indescribably complex, watching the clearly displeased Pei Ningyu upset about his betas being sent away, unusually finding the situation lacking in amusement.
Pei Ningyu glanced sideways at them and raised an eyebrow: “You’re not going to tell me you agree with what my brother did, are you?”
In the past, the alphas would have happily joined Pei Ningyu in bashing Pei Xu, but no one was willing to speak on this topic, only offering vague murmurs.
“Your brother means well. Doing such things before differentiation isn’t good for your health.”
Fang Hongwen sighed helplessly, “Betas are all good at lying. Ningyu, look at you getting angry with your brother over two betas. Was it really necessary?”
Pei Ningyu thought he must have misheard. Never in his life had he heard Fang Hongwen say anything positive about Pei Xu.
“They’re just things. Whether they’re lost or dead, once you’ve differentiated and the family has arranged an omega for you, you can play around however you like.”
Pei Ningyu had brought this up expecting them to join him in cursing Pei Xu, but no one backed him up. Frustrated, he swept the loose strands of hair from his forehead back.
“Not letting me touch omegas is one thing, but betas too? What a pain.” His tone shifted abruptly as he turned to Gu Shize with a thoughtful look. “Shize, haven’t you already differentiated into an alpha? Why aren’t you engaged yet?”
Gu Shize met Pei Ningyu’s curious gaze but quickly averted his eyes, his expression tightening slightly.
“It’s under consideration,” he deflected vaguely, unwilling to discuss such private matters with Pei Ningyu.
Casually, he added, “Actually, your brother forbidding you from being with betas isn’t just about your health. Your family has had… unfortunate experiences with betas before.”
Pei Ningyu barely reacted, his disinterest evident. “What do you mean?”
The moment the words left his mouth, Gu Shize regretted them. He studied Pei Ningyu’s face, gauging his reaction, and abruptly stopped himself.
It wasn’t that he feared angering Pei Ningyu he knew the boy thrived on stirring trouble. He simply didn’t want to drag him into unnecessary conflicts. Unlike others who pandered to Pei Ningyu by indulging his reckless tendencies, Gu Shize refused to push him toward disaster.
The last incident, where Pei Ningyu had kicked the Crown Princess’s only son into the ICU, still haunted him. The plasma whip scars on Pei Ningyu’s body had taken nearly half a month to heal, leaving behind hideous marks Pei Xu’s discipline was truly merciless.
To his surprise, someone else immediately seized the opportunity and blurted out, “Haven’t you heard of Pei Baisheng?”
“Rumor has it he’s enlisted recently. The internet’s buzzing about him.”
“The media’s calling him something ridiculous ‘the commoner genius who rose above the elite.’ What a joke.”
Pei Ningyu’s interest was piqued. “Who?”
The name meant nothing to him.
A “Pei.”
But unfamiliar.
Who could it be?
The speaker, suddenly aware of the heavy silence around them, hesitated.
Pei Ningyu pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, thinking hard but drawing no conclusions. Already irritated, their evasiveness only fueled his impatience. “Spit it out.”
Yet when given the chance, the alphas wavered.
The young men exchanged uneasy glances, none daring to be the first to speak. Revealing the truth risked provoking Pei Ningyu after all, it involved his family’s dirty laundry.
But as Pei Ningyu’s patience wore dangerously thin, they reluctantly pushed one forward to explain.
“Your father’s bastard. Born from a beta.”
Pei Ningyu’s expression remained cold, his gaze icy as it locked onto the speaker.
Seeing Pei Ningyu’s unchanged expression, the man continued, “In families like ours, betas never get the chance to bear their own children. But back then, that beta got pregnant before entering your household. Counting the months ten months of pregnancy she conveniently gave birth just two days before you were born.”
“That beta had it all planned from the start, targeting Uncle Pei from the very beginning. Who knows what tricks she used to bypass contraceptive measures.”
“Your brother is probably worried about history repeating itself he’s just looking out for you. Betas are born schemers, willing to do anything for personal gain. They’re inherently lowborn. Ningyu, your brother just doesn’t want you getting fooled by a beta.”
Pei Ningyu sensed something off in those idle remarks.
A beta like that?
A beta who could outmaneuver his father?
His father, hailed as the Empire’s Iron Throat, was someone even seasoned alpha officers had to rehearse their speeches multiple times just to keep their voices steady in his presence.
Lowering his gaze, Pei Ningyu found the idea utterly absurd.
The two betas in his household the only two he’d ever seen were nothing but meek, docile lambs.
Dazed by drugs, even in rare moments of clarity, they’d collapse in overstimulation. Powerless against alphas, they could only cover their eyes in despair, signaling submission.
Wasn’t that what betas were? Puppets, helpless and compliant.
The very notion of “resistance” was incompatible with betas.
Pei Ningyu had never encountered a beta with independent thought. The idea struck him as laughable and preposterous: “Since when do beta pigs get to choose their masters?”
“Beta pigs” was an old imperial slur for betas, mostly used by lower-class alphas. Noble alphas, though sharing the sentiment that “betas aren’t human, just livestock,” typically avoided such crude phrasing.
Yet when Pei Ningyu said it, none of the young alpha nobles found it vulgar. One chuckled, “Ningyu, don’t dwell on it. We’ve trained enough today let’s unwind.”
