After Marking the Omega Officer Who Was Pretending to Be an Alpha - Chapter 9

From Ren Qiruo, Shao Enzhuo learned that the Capital of Hope was made up of three parts in total: the main city, the City of Light; the four outer cities; and the twelve districts on the perimeter.

The four outer cities were the Northern Outer City, Eastern Outer City, Southern Outer City, and Western Outer City. At the center enclosed by the high walls of the four outer cities was the main city of the Capital of Hope—the City of Light.

There was a river channel that had been artificially dug over many years surrounding the high walls of the four outer cities. There were only four bridges over the river, and these four bridges connected to the gates of the four outer cities. If people outside the city wanted to enter the four outer cities, they could only walk across the corresponding northern, eastern, southern, and western bridges.

Aside from that, there were the twelve districts.

After leaving the four outer cities, one would pass through a forest with mountains and water before reaching the twelve districts.

The twelve perimeter districts outside the four outer cities were, respectively, District H-41, District O-42, and District P-43 under the jurisdiction of the Northern Outer City; District E-44, District A-31, and District N-32 under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Outer City; District D-33, District L-51, and District I-52 under the jurisdiction of the Southern Outer City; and District G-53, District H-54, and District T-55 under the jurisdiction of the Western Outer City.

The twelve districts were separated and connected by high walls, forming a massive ring. This ring encircled the City of Light and the four outer cities within it, forming a protective circle.

In this way, it provided absolute protection.

The area Shao Enzhuo was currently in was one of the twelve districts—District P-43.

“The Hope Organization already existed when the apocalypse first began. It’s said that at the very beginning, there was only the main city, the City of Light. Later, it slowly expanded to the four outer cities, and after that, it expanded to the twelve districts,” Ren Qiruo said meticulously, linking arms with Shao Enzhuo as she told her everything she knew. “The Capital of Hope was built step by step by the Hope Organization leading the survivors.”

Shao Enzhuo fell into deep thought.

“After the main city, the City of Light, was established, the headquarters of the Hope Organization came into being—the Watchtower,” Ren Qiruo continued. “And the person who governs the entire Watchtower and the Hope Organization is called the Watchtower’s Main God by us.”

Shao Enzhuo repeated, “The Watchtower’s Main God?”

Ren Qiruo said, “Mm.”

Shao Enzhuo asked, “Why are they called the Main God?”

“Actually, at the beginning of the apocalypse, the people of the Hope Organization were called survivor volunteers. They were all volunteers willing to sacrifice their lives for the humans who had survived and for saving the world,” Ren Qiruo said. “At that time, it was the first-generation Main God who led the survivor volunteers to protect the humans who had survived in the desperate apocalypse and establish the main city, the City of Light.”

She looked into the distance and slightly raised the corners of her lips. Bright light flickered in her eyes. “That person was like a god who saved the survivors, so we revere them as the Main God.”

Shao Enzhuo fell into thought.

“Ever since the first-generation Main God passed away, the title of Main God was passed down, and the Watchtower and Hope Organization were also passed down,” Ren Qiruo said. “The current Watchtower has already been passed down to the twenty-sixth-generation Main God.”

“Then how did the first-generation Main God lead the survivor volunteers to build the City of Light?” Shao Enzhuo truly found it hard to imagine being able to defend a pure land under circumstances where walking corpses roamed everywhere. “Was this person really that amazing?”

“Ever since I was born into this world, the Capital of Hope had already existed for more than two hundred years. I’m not very clear on the specific details, and neither my mom nor my stepmother know much either,” Ren Qiruo said, touching her chin as she thought seriously. “The power of the first-generation Main God may be something we can’t imagine.”

Perhaps the first-generation Main God really had been that incredible.

Shao Enzhuo thought to herself.

Ren Qiruo looked at Shao Enzhuo beside her, who had lowered her head. Her gaze wandered over Shao Enzhuo’s beautifully shaped, exquisitely curved side profile. Shao Enzhuo’s lashes were curled like a fan, thick and long. Her nose bridge was delicate and straight, and her lips were red, neither too thin nor too full. Ren Qiruo could not help sighing inwardly that Shao Enzhuo was so beautiful.

She stared at Shao Enzhuo’s side profile for a while, then slowly spoke in a gentle voice. “Ah Zhuo, you could say that without the Hope Organization, there would be no us today.”

Shao Enzhuo neither agreed nor disagreed.

Ren Qiruo said, “Hope and light.”

When Shao Enzhuo heard this sentence, she raised her head slightly and met Ren Qiruo’s gaze. “Hope and light?”

“The names of the twelve districts are made up from the separated letters of ‘Hope and light,’” Ren Qiruo said, withdrawing her gaze from Shao Enzhuo’s face. “It symbolizes hope and light.”

Hope and light.

—Hope and light.

When Shao Enzhuo had first heard the names of the twelve districts, she had wondered why they were named that way. So it was because of hope and light. She pressed her lips together and silently repeated it in her heart.

“Hope and light.”

That was right. It was indeed so.

Before knowing there were other places, Shao Enzhuo had always thought that the place she was currently in was the entirety of the Capital of Hope. She had not expected the Capital of Hope to be divided into so many parts. If things were truly as Ren Qiruo said, then the structure of the Capital of Hope was much larger than she had imagined.

To be able to accomplish this in such a desperate situation, with walking corpses running rampant and no way out, was truly remarkable. Objectively speaking, the Hope Organization was indeed humanity’s hero.

Without the Hope Organization, there would be no Capital of Hope.

It was truly fortunate that the surviving humans had the Capital of Hope as a homeland they could rely on. The reason humanity could continue was, for the most part, thanks to the Hope Organization. But it also could not be separated from the joint efforts of the survivors.

Everyone shared the same fate.

In the end, humanity had saved itself.

To humanity, and to this cruel world, the Hope Organization was undoubtedly great. Hearing the word “hope” would make people think of light. Everyone yearned for hope and light in their hearts, and everyone hoped to rebuild the beautiful homeland of the past.

The Hope Organization’s starting point was not wrong.

But…

Everything Shao Enzhuo had seen and heard since coming here revealed the extremity and cruelty of the Hope Organization. Humans in the apocalypse had no control over themselves. She knew very well that this world certainly could not avoid sacrifice, but sacrifice had to have meaning.

In an instant,

a flash of inspiration crossed Shao Enzhuo’s mind, and she blurted out,

“Contradiction.”

Ren Qiruo froze. “What contradiction?”

The Hope Organization wanted to protect humanity, save the world, and rebuild their homeland. That starting point, compared with the things the Hope Organization did, gave Shao Enzhuo an especially contradictory feeling.

Whether it was the adjudicators at the Punishment Grounds calling runaway vanguards criminals and traitors before killing them in public, or forcing Omegas to wear restriction rings and wait to be assigned, or the fact that all vanguards who failed the vanguard assessment would die—Shao Enzhuo could not understand the meaning behind any of these things.

Or perhaps there had never been any meaning at all.

Then why exactly did the Hope Organization do this?

Could it be that the inside of the Watchtower had changed? Could it be that the current Watchtower had already gone against the will and original intention of the first-generation Main God? Were they using the Hope Organization founded by the first-generation Main God to do things that seemed perfectly normal on the surface, but had actually gone completely against its purpose?

Seeing Shao Enzhuo looking absorbed in thought, Ren Qiruo stretched out her hand and waved it in front of Shao Enzhuo’s eyes. “Ah Zhuo, what are you thinking about so deeply?”

Shao Enzhuo came back to herself and smiled lightly.

“Nothing. Just thinking casually.”

Ren Qiruo looked at the buildings that were getting closer and closer to the city center and slowly said, “I once heard my mom say that in the early days after the City of Light was established, whether someone was an Alpha, Omega, or Beta, they could all join the Hope Organization and leave the city to clear out walking corpses. But later, somehow, only Alphas were qualified to join the Hope Organization.”

So in the past, Omegas and Betas could also join the Hope Organization…

“Why did Omegas and Betas become unqualified to join the Hope Organization later?” Shao Enzhuo frowned slightly and asked in confusion. “Did something happen?”

Ren Qiruo shook her head. “I don’t know…”

Shao Enzhuo asked, “Was the first-generation Main God an Alpha?”

Ren Qiruo said, “Yes.”

Shao Enzhuo immediately felt that her mind was a mess.

From the moment she transmigrated into the Capital of Hope, she had been unable to understand what kind of world this truly was. Now that a large amount of information had flooded into her mind, she found it somewhat difficult to digest all at once.

She was truly mentally exhausted.

The two passed through the street and entered a large square.

The buildings around the square looked much grander and more refined than the houses in the old streets and alleys. They were somewhat like the antique-style storefronts Shao Enzhuo had seen in the real world. Some shops sold steamed buns, mantou, and porridge; some sold grain, fruits, and vegetables; and some sold toys made of wood. There were more people here than any place they had passed along the way. Quite a few people gathered together to play chess and chat, and peaceful smiles hung on everyone’s faces.

Looking ahead,

there was a large fountain in the center of the square. The humanoid statue standing in the middle of the fountain was tall and majestic. At a glance, it looked extremely magnificent, giving off a solemn and sacred feeling.

It was a humanoid statue wearing a long robe with a hood. The statue’s entire face, including its eyes, was covered by a mask, making it impossible to see its face. It was very mysterious.

There were also two rifles strapped to its back.

From the overall appearance of the statue, it was impossible to tell whether it was male or female.

Shao Enzhuo examined the humanoid statue and asked Ren Qiruo curiously, “Qiruo, what statue is this?”

“This is the statue of the first-generation Main God,” Ren Qiruo said, looking at the humanoid statue with great excitement. She admired the first-generation Main God very much. “It’s said that this was how the first-generation Main God dressed.”

“I didn’t expect the first-generation Main God to wrap themselves up so tightly,” Shao Enzhuo said, continuing to examine the statue. “Was the first-generation Main God a male Alpha or a female Alpha?”

Ren Qiruo said, “It’s said to have been a male Alpha.”

Shao Enzhuo said, “Oh…”

“This is the city center of our district,” Ren Qiruo said, looking around before turning to Shao Enzhuo. “Ah Zhuo, do you have any impression of it?”

Shao Enzhuo answered honestly, “No…”

“It’s fine if you don’t remember. I’ll bring you around more in the future, and you’ll remember,” Ren Qiruo said with a smile, holding Shao Enzhuo’s arm more tightly. “Didn’t you want to do a genetic test? Come on, I’ll take you to the Science and Technology Hall now.”

Shao Enzhuo obediently followed Ren Qiruo. “Okay.”

The two walked toward the Science and Technology Hall.

The Science and Technology Hall looked more ornate and elegant than the buildings around the square. However, before they even reached it, Shao Enzhuo saw a very familiar person from afar.

—Shao Lanzhi.

Shao Lanzhi was standing beside a stone sculpture at the entrance of the Science and Technology Hall, looking left and right. Her expression was tense, and she looked very anxious. Shao Enzhuo called out and hurriedly ran over.

“Grandma.”

Seeing this, Ren Qiruo quickened her steps and ran after her.

“Hey, Ah Zhuo, wait for me!”

Shao Enzhuo ran to Shao Lanzhi and steadied her disordered breathing before asking, “Grandma, why did you come here?”

The moment Shao Lanzhi saw Shao Enzhuo, the worry on her face instantly vanished, and her suspended heart finally settled. She said excitedly to Shao Enzhuo, “Zhuozhuo, look at Grandma’s memory. Grandma forgot to give you your identity plate. Grandma came to bring it to you.”

She paused, then stuffed the identity plate in her hand into Shao Enzhuo’s hand. “I asked the guards at the Science and Technology Hall whether a female Beta named Shao Enzhuo had come here for a genetic test. They said no. Since you lost your memory, I thought you probably hadn’t arrived yet, so I kept waiting at the entrance for you.”

“Sorry, Grandma,” Shao Enzhuo said, looking at the kind and gentle Shao Lanzhi. Guilt could not help rising in her heart. “I made you wait so long.”

“As long as you’re fine, Grandma can feel at ease,” Shao Lanzhi said. Her gaze suddenly fell on the pure and pretty young girl beside Shao Enzhuo. “Zhuozhuo, who is this young lady?”

“She’s a friend I just met today,” Shao Enzhuo said, glancing at Ren Qiruo. “Her name is Ren Qiruo.”

“Hello, Grandma~” Ren Qiruo’s brows and eyes curved as she smiled sweetly at Shao Lanzhi. “My name is Ren Qiruo.”

Seeing Ren Qiruo’s sweet and lovely smile, Shao Lanzhi could not help smiling along with her. “Hello, Ruoruo.”

After greeting her, she hurriedly said to Shao Enzhuo, “Zhuozhuo, go do your genetic test now. Grandma still has to go to the shoe shop to stitch shoes, so I won’t accompany you. Grandma will go first.”

“Okay, Grandma,” Shao Enzhuo said. “Be careful on the road. Grandma, I’ll go home early.”

Shao Lanzhi nodded, then turned and left.

Shao Enzhuo watched Shao Lanzhi slowly walk away step by step until she disappeared from sight. Then she lowered her head and carefully examined the identity plate in her hand. The identity plate was a hard gray paper card with black writing on it. Printed on it were her grayish-white portrait and name, as well as the district where she was born and a string of numbers.

And her gender.

This identity plate was a little like the business cards Shao Enzhuo had seen in the real world. It was probably the ID card of this world. After looking over the identity plate, she walked into the Science and Technology Hall.

—

About half an hour later,

Shao Enzhuo walked out of the Science and Technology Hall entrance holding her genetic test report. The genetic test report clearly showed that she would differentiate into an Alpha at the age of eighteen.

Even though she had already known this was an established fact,

her feelings were still complicated.

“Ah Zhuo.”

Ren Qiruo’s voice came from beside her.

Shao Enzhuo looked at Ren Qiruo. “Mm?”

Ren Qiruo’s gaze fell on the genetic test report in Shao Enzhuo’s hand. Then she spoke with great envy and a little emotion. “I’m so envious that you’ll differentiate into an Alpha.”

Shao Enzhuo was slightly stunned.

“If only I could differentiate into an Alpha like you.” The light in Ren Qiruo’s eyes gradually dimmed, and her expression was very lonely. “Unfortunately, I’ll only be a Beta in this life.”

Shao Enzhuo had not expected Ren Qiruo to want to differentiate into an Alpha.

“Qiruo, do you want to join the Hope Organization?”

“Mm.”

Ren Qiruo looked straight into Shao Enzhuo’s eyes and nodded with great certainty. “I want to join the Hope Organization. Ever since I was little, I’ve wanted to join the Hope Organization and become a vanguard. But as a Beta, I will never be qualified to join the Hope Organization.”

She raised her head and looked toward the blue sky and white clouds in the distance. Her calm tone was full of helplessness and regret. “I don’t want to spend my entire life in the Capital of Hope like this. I really want to leave the Capital of Hope and see what the outside world is like.”

“My mom once told me that the world and cities outside are beautiful and magnificent. Even if those cities have already been abandoned, become ruins, become relics, covered in weathering and devastation, they are still grand and magnificent beyond what we can imagine. If there were no walking corpses, our homeland would definitely be especially beautiful. I want to protect this world with my life like my mom did. I want to go out and personally see the scenery my mom once saw. I want to fulfill the wish my mom couldn’t fulfill. I want to live this life full of meaning, so that I won’t have come here for nothing.”

As soon as she finished speaking,

Ren Qiruo smiled and looked at Shao Enzhuo. “Isn’t that right?”

Shao Enzhuo stared at Ren Qiruo’s pure and sweet smiling face for a long time, unable to say anything. She was deeply shaken by Ren Qiruo’s words. She had not expected Ren Qiruo’s aspiration to be so great that she was actually willing to protect this world with her life.

To live this life full of meaning…

So that she would not have come here for nothing…

Shao Enzhuo could not help thinking of herself, who was about to differentiate into an Alpha. Did she have the courage to face life and death? Did she have the courage to use her own life to protect this unfamiliar world…

“Alright, let’s not talk about this unhappy topic. Let’s talk about something happy instead.” Ren Qiruo affectionately linked arms with Shao Enzhuo and walked forward with a smile, as if the person who had been regretful just a second ago had not been her. “In a few days, the grain protectors from the City Guard Department will go to the farmers’ market to distribute relief grain. When the time comes, let’s go to the farmers’ market together to collect relief grain, okay?”

She paused, then continued, “I heard that our district’s new commander will go to the farmers’ market with the station officer to distribute relief grain then.”

Shao Enzhuo asked, “New commander? Station officer?”

“I forgot to tell you, Ah Zhuo. Every district has one commander and one station officer. The commander manages the entire Reconnaissance Department, while the station officer manages the entire City Guard Department. Since the commander leads the vanguards out of the city to clear out walking corpses, the commander’s status is usually higher than the station officer’s,” Ren Qiruo said. Ever since she learned that District P-43 would have a new commander, she had been looking forward to it. “It’s said that our district’s new commander is extremely outstanding and powerful. She’s only twenty-four years old and is the youngest among the twelve commanders.”

Shao Enzhuo asked, “Is she that impressive?”

“The new commander is a female Alpha,” Ren Qiruo said, vaguely remembering the new commander’s name. “I think her surname was Han… Han something… Han… Han Yilü!”

Shao Enzhuo repeated, “Han Yilü?”

“Yes,” Ren Qiruo said, finally remembering completely. “Her name is Han Yilü.”