Compared to Alphas, Betas were clearly friendlier toward Omegas.

But on the surface, everyone was all smiles, and it seemed like nothing was wrong. It was only in the minor details that their indifference became apparent.

If no one looked too closely, you wouldn’t think there was anything wrong.

But when one Beta after another reacted this way, it became very telling.

It was as if there was a fundamental divergence in values.

And Julian Chambers’s words highlighted this point perfectly.

"I feel like Planet B36 started changing back when the Xenobeast Tides were still happening. It’s just that over the years, it seems to have become more and more radical." Yes, Julian Chambers used the word "radical." "It’s like on this planet, being an Alpha or an Omega is some kind of sin."

They were oppressed from all sides. It was like this kid I know—his grades are excellent, but he never gets praised by his teachers.

On the other hand, the Betas always get praised no matter what. If they do poorly on a test, they’re comforted. If they do well and outperform an Alpha, they get even more encouragement.

But for that kid, the Alpha, doing well is just expected. If he does poorly, he’s considered to be giving up on himself.

Everything, good or bad, is considered his own fault.

And he himself doesn’t even know what he did wrong.

You get caught in a trap of self-justification. Nothing you say or do is any use. You can’t prove what you did wrong, because what even is "right"?

The rules and the referees are all in someone else’s hands.

Julian Chambers looked up and gave a bitter smile. "You probably don’t understand the feeling. It’s like... like the whole world is looking at you with strange eyes."

And even for someone as strong as an Alpha, at the end of the day, socially, you’re still just a person.

And any person who stays in an environment like that for too long is bound to feel suffocated and afraid.

He wiped his face harshly and continued, "I discovered something else. I found that the procurement of Energy Mine on Planet B36 is exceptionally frequent."

"These Energy Mine procurements are not officially announced. My family used to live near the transport route, and this started many years ago. Then, a few years back, our home was expropriated by the government, and we were moved away from that area. I secretly asked around, and almost all the residents along that route were forcibly relocated."

"Of course, they gave us enough money to live on, plus property in the city center."

Under those conditions, very few people would disagree.

"But, for all this Energy Mine being procured, I haven’t seen any large-scale infrastructure projects that would require it."

Energy Mine is mostly used in Mechas and some special-function mechanical equipment.

Before, he didn’t understand what this meant. But after he went to Siren Star and his knowledge grew day by day—after he’d looked at maps of his old neighborhood and learned some basic mechanical knowledge—he could sense that something was wrong.

But this feeling of wrongness was impossible to voice, because he had no proof.

"Actually, I also heard a rumor. It’s not that B36 doesn’t have Xenobeast Tides—the smaller ones are suppressed by people sent by the government."

From the moment Julian Chambers mentioned the Energy Mine, Zoe Pierce had been sitting ramrod straight. Now, at the mention of the Xenobeast Tide, she couldn’t help but speak up: "What are you implying?"

"That Planet B36 can suppress Xenobeast Tides on its own?"

"But based on what you’ve said, this place is so hostile to Alphas, and the percentage of Alphas in the birth rate is very low. It’s impossible for them to have that kind of manpower."

Julian Chambers nodded as well. "Yes, that’s what I couldn’t figure out either. Without Mechas, even fighter jets would rarely have that kind of combat power."

’What if it *is* Mechas?’

Zoe Pierce’s gaze met the others’ unconsciously.

Before they met her, Miles Sherman and the others would never have considered this possibility. But now, they had a living example right in front of them.

Zoe Pierce, an Omega, possessed spiritual power on par with an Alpha’s.

’What if the Betas have developed Mechas that Betas can pilot?’

Then, with Planet B36’s huge population advantage, they could even eliminate a medium-sized Xenobeast Tide.

But something like that would undoubtedly be a good thing.

Announcing it to the scientific community would be a discovery that would shock the entire Interstellar Space. There would be no need to hide it like this.

So, whether such Mechas actually existed was still a question mark.

"That’s pretty much everything I know so far." Julian Chambers finished slowly, leaning forward with his hands clasped together.

His gaze was fixed on a point in the air, the pads of his fingers rubbing restlessly against his nails, and he kept pursing his lips.

He was anxious, and a little lost. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Nathan Lockwood tapped his finger on the Intelligent Brain, and a holographic image, half a man’s height, appeared in front of Julian Chambers.

"Do you recognize this person?" It was the same photo he had shown Zoe Pierce before—the photo of Wesley White.

That hair color was too striking, too memorable. After seeing it, Julian Chambers glanced up at Nathan Lockwood. "I think I’ve seen him. I have some impression of that hair color."

He paused for a moment before saying, "So, has the military found anything?"

Nathan Lockwood switched the image to the potential hiding spot they had speculated about earlier. "Was your old house on this road?"

Any doubts Julian Chambers had were now completely dispelled.

The things Nathan Lockwood and his team were showing him were all real, not just fabricated out of thin air. It meant they had truly uncovered something.

He gave another affirmative nod.

At this moment, all their speculations finally had some evidence to back them up.

Zoe Pierce felt a knot of tension in her chest.

’She hadn’t expected that her simple desire to understand a mining accident would lead to all this—Betas secretly building Mechas, and apparently, quite a few other secrets involved.’

After listening to everything, it was Chase Shaw who spoke up. "Something’s not right. Based on these calculations, the demand for N781 Energy Mine is way too high."

All eyes turned to him as he continued, "In Mecha manufacturing, the demand for N781 Energy Mine isn’t large. But analyzing the sales volume, this amount is clearly excessive."

The sales volume he was referring to was the amount the Pierce Family had sold to Wesley White. They hadn’t noticed it before because N781 has a wide range of applications. But if they now confirmed the purpose was for Mechas, then the amount of N781 being used was absurdly high.

Logically speaking, if they had enough of the other materials, they could even build over ten thousand Mechas.

And he remembered that besides the Pierce Family, Wesley White had also purchased some Energy Mine from other sources. No matter how he checked the data, it was just absurd.

"It’s possible they’ve discovered another use for N781," Nathan Lockwood said, looking at Chase Shaw.

Chase Shaw mulled it over for a moment. "In machinery, N781 Energy Mine mostly serves as a lubricating agent for connections, ensuring the integrity of other metal joints. That’s why the usage amount isn’t high."