The Beta Dominates Alphas

Chapter 170: Polluted Zone 35 (2)

The huge orca floated in the air, its sad whale song filling the Polluted Zone that was full of floating fluff. It sounded like a song to remember and comfort the spirits that had passed away.

Kestrel was surprised that Ren came back to this place with a team.

She knew this place was the worst memory Ren had, a super sad and painful memory he could never forget.

Even though Kestrel only saw bits of Ren’s sad memories, every time she came here, she remembered the faces of the people who died.

She thought of the young sisters died in each other’s hug, the boy who never got to give his love letter, and the dad who turned into a mutant statue. These people, who shouldn’t have died, seemed to come alive in her memories, making her feel really sad.

Kestrel wondered how Ren was brave enough to come back and face his worst memory.

"They’re trying to crushing this Polluted Zone. That’s brave," Olivia said, looking at the fight. "It looks like Ren is leading them."

The idea of "crushing" had become popular with alphas lately.

After some big events happened lately, more teams of alphas tried to defeat the Backbone in the Polluted Zones.

It was super hard to do, and only a few teams succeeded. But if they did, they could get land, stuff, money, and weapons, which made everyone happy.

The Backbone Kestrel saw had a big human face. It looked like a giant person with pale skin, covered in long, white, fluffy stuff. It looked like a mix of a human and a mushroom. Around it, spores grew from the ground, making tall toxic umbrellas above the alphas.

The fight looked like a weird and scary jungle. The people fighting looked small compared to the huge mushrooms. The spores released a gooey liquid that trapped people if they touched it.

The fight had been going on for a while. It was really intense, with both sides giving it their all. White umbrellas kept popping up, with gunshots lighting up the sky.

Many mushrooms were burned and lay on the ground. Most of the soldiers were stuck in the sticky stuff. But Ren was still fighting, his big sword deep in the fight, battling the damaged Backbone.

Ren’s sword shone bright red, cutting through the slimy mushrooms one by one. Every time he slashed, the big pillar things let out a scream that sounded like a person hurting.

White, gooey stuff fell from the sky, sticking to Ren everywhere. It almost covered him all over.

Even though he was covered in blood and hurt, he kept on fighting because he knew if he stopped, he would lose.

Kestrel was ready to jump in and help, but then Olivia said, "Don’t do it, Kestrel. I need to go," making an ’X’ with her hands. They had been teaming up a lot recently, so just one look between them told the other what they were thinking.

Olivia had some injuries. Kestrel was worried and wanted her to stay safe.

But Olivia said, "If I don’t help stay back, I’ll be embarrassed." Then a small panda appeared, did a little roll, and ran into the battle super fast.

Olivia shouted, "Don’t be scared of anything!"

Kestrel then looked at Nicole.

Nicole was from a rich and important family. Kestrel thought this was too dangerous for her, but before she could say anything, Nicole’s shiny snake was already following the panda and getting into the fight. She yelled, "Go get ’em, snake! Snakes aren’t scared of anything!"

It seemed like Nicole and Olivia had been hanging out a lot lately and were starting to act more like each other.

The backup team that Kestrel brought made a big difference in the fight.

Big bunches of spores melted away from the fire guns. The slimy mushrooms were cut, and people stuck in the goo were saved.

The big, soft, person-looking Backbone in the middle of all the fighting couldn’t stand anymore. With a sad sound, it fell over after all the explosions and smoke.

Ren was kneeling, looking really tired and hurt. His red sword was shaky but still helped him stay up. He looked up and saw Kestrel running to him.

He looked beaten up, and it seemed like he still wanted to fight. His heart felt really heavy and angry.

The sky was clearing up, and the messed-up place behind him was going away.

This place was falling apart. The sadness of all the people trapped inside and all the lost souls were finally free.

If anyone could understand how Ren felt right now, it was Kestrel.

Kestrel helped Ren stand up. His hand and sword were wrapped in a bloody cloth, and he was shaking a lot. But he still managed to give Kestrel a little smile.

Ren rested his head on Kestrel’s shoulder, his body shaking slightly, blood smeared on his smile.

"Why did you come?" he rasped out. He didn’t say any thanks.

Kestrel remembered their past together. She recalled the many adventures they’d shared, from Ren finding the key in Polluted Zone Five, to her rescuing him from danger, and their joint mission in the Erdtree’s Polluted Zone. Just a few months back, he had helped her recover her mother’s special item. Today, she was here for him.

The two had saved each other so many times that saying thank you seemed unnecessary. They shared a deep bond, always ready to help the other.

The damaged Polluted Zone now lay quiet. Worn-out troops were everywhere. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

A truck pulled up, and everyone scrambled aboard, eager to leave.

With two big teams crammed into one truck, it was a tight fit. They sat closely, treating each other’s wounds and discussing the recent victory.

It was a significant win. The people had reclaimed part of their world from the Polluted Zone.

In their world, life was challenging. Monsters and danger had pushed humans into small safe zones. Around the Tower, the threat was always present. Food was scarce, and regular folks lived with little hope.

But the teams, led by leaders like Ren and Kestrel, had been reclaiming the Polluted Zones. It felt like a small light shining in a very dark world, giving hope to many.

On the truck, Kestrel and Ren sat together. She heard whispers, with many praising Ren as a hero, a brave leader. They mentioned his multiple victories.

But Kestrel knew another side of Ren. He wasn’t always the strong, fearless leader. He had fears, felt pain, and faced challenges head-on, but deep down, he was caring and gentle.

Sitting next to her, Ren looked worn out. His lips were pale, stained with dried blood. The truck’s movements were rough, and Kestrel couldn’t help but keep looking at him.

Suddenly, an odd thought crossed Kestrel’s mind. She felt a strange urge to touch his face, perhaps pinch his chin. It felt like a playful memory from another time.

A thought popped into her mind: "This is my alpha, and I have to keep him safe." freeweɓnovel.cøm

There was a time when Kestrel had nothing special in her life. But now, she felt like she had so many things and people she cherished, kind of like collecting sweet candies. She wanted to hold onto them tightly and make sure no one could take them away.

"I’m so lucky to have met them," Kestrel thought.

"Captain Sloan," one of Ren’s friends whispered to him.

He made sure others couldn’t see, and quickly used hand signals to say: "Brandon sent a secret message. Something seems weird. Check it out."