The rain in District 13 never felt clean. It felt like grey ink washing over the rusted metal buildings. Lin Xiao ran through the dark alleys, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. Every time he breathed out, he could smell it—that sweet, cold scent of a blooming rose.
The pills, he thought, his heart thumping like a drum. The pills are wearing off too fast.
He reached his "home." It was not a real house. It was a large metal shipping container hidden behind a pile of old car parts. Inside, it was small and cold. He had a sleeping bag on the floor and a small desk with his most prized possession: a hand-made computer built from scrapped parts.
Lin Xiao locked the heavy metal door and leaned against it. He was shaking. He reached into a hidden box under his desk and pulled out a small plastic bottle. He swallowed two more yellow pills without any water. They tasted like bitter dirt, but they were his only protection.
Slowly, the sweet rose smell began to fade. The "heat" in his body turned back into a dull chill. He was safe for now.
He sat down at his computer. The screen flickered to life. Suddenly, a bright gold notification popped up. It was an official message from the *Aethelgard* Global League.
"MESSAGE FROM: TEAM BLACK VANGUARD (KINGDOM)."
Lin Xiao's eyes widened. *Team Kingdom?* That was the number one team in the world. They lived in District 1. They were all high-ranking Alphas. Why would they message a "trash-pit" player like him?
He clicked the message.
"Dear Player [ROSE],
Our Captain, Ye Shikai, has watched your match. He believes you have the skill to play in the Professional League. We want to offer you a try-out. If you pass, you will receive a contract for 5 million credits and a private room in our headquarters.
A car will wait for you at the District Border at 8:00 AM tomorrow. Do not be late."
Five million credits? Lin Xiao looked at his small, cold metal box. With that much money, he could buy the best medicine in the world. He could eat real food, not just cheap nutrient jelly. He could finally be free.
But he was an Omega. If he went to District 1, he would be surrounded by the strongest Alphas in the world. Could he really hide his identity while playing on the same stage as the "King," Ye Shikai?
"I have to try," Lin Xiao whispered to the empty room. "I want to show the world that a Rose can grow anywhere."
The Border of Two Worlds
The next morning, the sun was trying to shine through the smog. Lin Xiao stood at the tall silver fence that separated the Trash-Pit from the Rich District. He wore his cleanest hoodie and two medical masks to hide his face and any scent.
A sleek, black car with tinted windows pulled up. On the door was a gold logo of a *Black Wolf* wearing a crown. This was the symbol of Team Kingdom.
The window rolled down. A man in a suit looked at Lin Xiao.
"Are you Rose?" the man asked. He was an Alpha, and his voice was very deep.
Lin Xiao nodded. "Yes."
"Get in."
The inside of the car was like a different planet. The seats were soft leather, and the air was cool and smelled like expensive wood. Lin Xiao sat as far away from the driver as possible. He kept his head down, his silver hair covering his eyes.
As the car drove through the gates into District 1, Lin Xiao gasped. The buildings were made of glass and reached the clouds. There were trees with green leaves and flowers that actually smelled like flowers. It was so beautiful it looked like a dream.
Finally, the car stopped in front of a giant black tower. This was the Black Vanguard Headquarters.
Meeting the King
Lin Xiao was led into a giant elevator. It went up and up until his ears popped. When the doors opened, he stepped into a room that looked like a spaceship. There were rows of the most expensive gaming computers in the world.
In the center of the room, a man was standing with his back to the door. He was very tall, with broad shoulders and a powerful back. He wore a blue-and-white team jacket.
This was *Ye Shikai*.
He turned around. His face was perfectly handsome, but his eyes were like cold black stones. When he looked at Lin Xiao, the air in the room seemed to get heavy. This was "Alpha Pressure."
Lin Xiao felt his knees tremble. His Omega biology wanted to bow down to this powerful man. But Lin Xiao clamped his teeth shut. He stood tall. He looked at Ye Shikai right in the eye.
Ye Shikai's eyebrows went up. Most people couldn't even stand up straight when he looked at them like that. But this small, masked boy didn't move.
"You're smaller than I thought," Ye Shikai said. His voice was like a low rumble of thunder.
"Does size matter in the game?" Lin Xiao asked back. His voice was a bit shaky, but he sounded brave.
Ye Shikai walked toward him. He stopped just a few inches away. He was so tall that Lin Xiao only reached his chest. Ye Shikai leaned down, his nose moving slightly near Lin Xiao's neck.
Lin Xiao held his breath. *Please don't smell me. Please don't smell me.*
"You smell like... nothing," Ye Shikai said, his voice dropping low. "Most people here smell like sweat or fear. But you are like a blank wall. Why do you hide yourself so much, Rose?"
"I'm here to play, not to make friends," Lin Xiao replied.
Ye Shikai let out a small, dark laugh. "I like your spirit. But talk is cheap. Sit down. If you can beat our best trainee in a 1v1 match, I will give you the contract."
The Trial of the Wolf
Lin Xiao sat down at a computer that cost more than his entire life. The keyboard felt like silk under his fingers.
His opponent was a big, muscular Alpha named Tiger. Tiger was a top-tier player who was known for being very mean.
"I'm going to make you cry, little kid," Tiger laughed, cracking his knuckles. He released a wave of his Alpha scent—it smelled like spicy peppers and anger.
Lin Xiao didn't even look at him. He put on his headset. He chose his character: *The Frost Rose.*
The match started.
Tiger played very aggressively. He used his big Berserker character to jump at Lin Xiao again and again. He wanted to scare Lin Xiao. He wanted to win with brute force.
But Lin Xiao was calm. He was like a leaf floating on a river. He moved the Frost Rose with such grace that Tiger's axe never hit anything but air.
*Click-click-click.*
Lin Xiao's APM started to rise.
Ye Shikai stood behind Lin Xiao, watching the screen. His eyes were focused on Lin Xiao's hands. He had never seen fingers move that fast. They looked like white flashes of light.
Suddenly, Lin Xiao saw a tiny mistake in Tiger's movement.
"Now," Lin Xiao whispered.
He pressed his ultimate key. A **soft glowing gold light** filled the room. The Frost Rose spun into a beautiful dance of death. In a split second, Tiger's health bar went from 100% to zero.
"VICTORY!" the screen shouted.
Tiger stared at the screen, his mouth open. "I... I lost? How? He's just a kid!"
Ye Shikai stepped forward. He put a large, warm hand on Lin Xiao's shoulder. Lin Xiao jumped at the touch. The heat from Ye Shikai's hand felt like electricity through his hoodie.
"You win," Ye Shikai said. He looked at Tiger. "Get out. You need to practice another ten hours today."
Tiger ran away, embarrassed.
Ye Shikai turned back to Lin Xiao. He pulled a thick piece of paper from his pocket. It was the contract.
"Sign this," Ye Shikai said. "You will be our new Mid-laner. You will live here, in the room next to mine. You will eat with me, and you will practice with me."
Lin Xiao looked at the paper. This was it. The 5 million credits. The chance to change his life.
"One condition," Lin Xiao said, looking up at the King. "I keep my mask on. And no one enters my room without my permission. Ever."
Ye Shikai narrowed his eyes. He felt like he was hunting a very clever animal. He wanted to know why this boy was so afraid. But he also wanted to win the World Championship, and he knew he needed this Rose to do it.
"Deal," Ye Shikai said. "Welcome to the Black Vanguard, Rose."
As Lin Xiao signed his name, he felt a strange shiver. He was now the only Omega in a house full of wolves. The "Honor of Rose" had just begun, and the stakes were higher than ever.