Once they determined there was no more useful information in the antechamber, Zoe Pierce, Nathan Lockwood, and the others ventured deeper into the laboratory.

The journal made it clear that two different experiments had been conducted here.

There wasn’t a single clue regarding the human experiments on Betas.

All the data had been erased.

However, in the Xenobeast laboratory, Zoe and the others saw Xenobeast corpses steeping in nutrient solution, similar to the ones in the cave.

They were all deceased Xenobeasts.

Having been soaked in the preservative liquid for so long, they had become bleached and grotesque.

Zoe Pierce noticed the animal genes in these unknown Xenobeasts.

Fins, fish tails, pincers, shrimp tails...

Marine life already has its share of strange and bizarre appearances; combining them with these Xenobeasts only made them look even more unsettling.

Fortunately, after a thorough search, they could confirm that there were no living Xenobeasts.

Nor were there any that had escaped to live in the wild.

It was a truly lifeless laboratory.

Because of the orderly evacuation, only that one journal remained to provide any information. Everything else left behind were just pieces of equipment that couldn’t be taken.

And the dead Xenobeasts.

After finishing their complete tour, Zoe Pierce and her team returned upstairs.

The two Alphas had been guarding the elevator. Seeing the group come up, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

Zoe Pierce handed over a notebook. "Downstairs, this is the only thing with any information. Everything else has been cleared out."

"You can have people come search it."

The two Alphas immediately contacted Shelton Zane.

After a wait of about ten minutes, a large group of Alphas arrived and disembarked from their Mechas.

Zoe Pierce’s gaze met Milo Dawson’s.

He was walking at the very front, leading his squad.

They held each other’s gaze for a moment before Milo Dawson looked down.

The search began. They passed each other without exchanging a single word.

Zoe Pierce and her team found a place to rest outside. They had already searched the area meticulously with their spiritual power; it was impossible that they had missed anything.

The information left here was far less than what was on Planet B36.

Sure enough, after more than a dozen Alphas had been searching for nearly two more hours, everyone came out.

Zoe Pierce and her team looked over and could tell that no one’s expression was very good.

It seemed they hadn’t found anything useful either.

Those two Alphas walked over. "Thank you for your hard work. Captain Zane will come to meet with you all."

Of course, they had no objection.

After all, they had decided to go in first, and Nathan Lockwood had been recording the entire time since they entered.

In the end, they met aboard the Starship.

Shelton Zane shook Miles Sherman’s hand, a bitter smile on his face. "Neither laboratory had any clues."

It had been a completely voluntary evacuation. The Xenobeast corpses might have had some value, but compared to the journal they found, it was hardly worth anything.

The Federation wasn’t going to research marine-based Xenobeasts.

It was a dangerous topic. Even if it could lead to some additional discoveries about Xenobeasts, the immense risks made it a virtual certainty that it wouldn’t be pursued.

The Federation couldn’t possibly conduct experiments that even the Beta Terrorist Organization wouldn’t.

"The timeline in the journal should be significant," Miles Sherman said.

Shelton Zane sighed. "I’ve already sent a scan of the journal to the research department."

"As for when we’ll hear back, I can’t say for sure."

He paused, then smiled at Zoe Pierce and the others. "By the way, the Colonel said he wants to see you when you get back."

"You’ve worked hard on this mission. After you return, you’ll probably get a few days off."

Shelton Zane noticed that upon hearing the words "days off," the most interested person was, contrary to expectation, Aaron Xavier. His previously indifferent gaze suddenly lit up.

But the others seemed indifferent to the idea of a vacation.

Once it was confirmed that Zoe Pierce and her team had completed their mission hand-off, Shelton Zane led them into Colonel Hanson’s office on the Starship.

Several cups of hot tea were already placed on the table, and the long sofa was large enough for five people.

Zoe Pierce sat in the middle.

"I’ve brought you here to share some good news. You should be commended once you get back," Colonel Hanson said with a broad smile. "Please, just drink your tea. I think we know each other quite well by now."

That was true. Colonel Hanson had handled quite a few matters concerning the Beta Organization.

Based on the military ranks, once Colonel Hanson wrapped up this Beta Terrorist Organization matter, he would be promoted straight to the rank of General.

A thought flashed through Zoe’s mind as Colonel Hanson said with a smile, "Congratulations to the four of you. The Military has decided to bypass the rank of Lieutenant and directly award you the rank of Major."

His gaze wasn’t on Zoe Pierce, but rather on Miles Sherman and the others.

Even though Zoe Pierce had her own speculations about a promotion, she was still stunned by this decision.

Colonel Hanson couldn’t help but sigh in admiration. "The rank of Major before the age of twenty-five... even I’m envious."

It was already nearly impossible to achieve this rank at such a young age. And as the lifespan of Interstellans grew longer, the Military had become increasingly stingy with promotions.

Yet now, promotions were being granted to all five members of Zoe’s group.

He himself was in his forties and only a Colonel.

He was already considered a prodigy, but compared to Nathan Lockwood and the others, he was still a big step behind.

In his twenties, at least, he had only held the rank of Lieutenant.

Finally, Colonel Hanson’s gaze turned back to Zoe Pierce. He smiled slightly. "As for you, Zoe Pierce, this time you’ve surpassed the Alphas."

"The Military has decided to directly award you the rank of Colonel."

’Two ranks higher than Nathan Lockwood and the others... putting me on equal footing with Colonel Hanson himself.’

Zoe Pierce was even more stunned.

’This position is really a bit too high.’

"Because your gender and your abilities are both one of a kind." Seeming to notice Zoe Pierce’s surprise, Colonel Hanson explained, "You have even spurred on the overall reform for Omegas, and your contributions to the friendly match were immense."

This Omega, Zoe Pierce, was different.

She was a one-of-a-kind Omega, yet she possessed spiritual power that could completely match, or even crush, that of others.

There was no reason to give her a lower rank than a typical Alpha.

"This decision was deliberated and confirmed by the Military. For the friendly match, you were already considered to have made a major, outstanding contribution, worthy of a first-class merit. Subsequently, regarding the Beta Terrorist Organization, as victims yourselves, you actively cooperated with the investigation and made further outstanding contributions."

So, after these two rescue missions, the Military began to issue commendations.

"But haven’t the key members of the Beta Organization been caught yet?" Zoe Pierce asked.

She accepted the credit for the friendly match, but when it came to the Terrorist Organization, they still hadn’t found the key personnel. Most of the people they had caught were, in the end, just cannon fodder.

Colonel Hanson said, "We’ve already uncovered a lot of information. You’ve all done more than enough. For an ordinary person, a single one of these accomplishments would have earned a reward."

Nathan Lockwood spoke up at the right moment. "We have some new discoveries of our own that we hope the Military will consider."

Nathan Lockwood told Colonel Hanson about the theory he and Zoe Pierce had come up with back at the laboratory.

Colonel Hanson pondered for a moment. "This matter... I will report it to my superiors."

’A classic case of hiding in plain sight.’