Chapter 32: Provoking Master’s Anger [Koeyle, 49%]…
“I thought Master would use pheromones.” Koeyle stared at his neatly bandaged arm, his voice muffled. He felt as if the layers of bandages weren’t just wrapped around his arm, but tightly bound his heart as well.
He Yue had wrapped his arm securely, finishing with a knot at his wrist. “Aren’t you averse to male insect pheromones?” he asked.
Koeyle nodded. “Yes, I am, but the instinctive suppression of pheromones, perhaps also…”
Before he could finish, He Yue poked his forehead, feigning mystery. “Don’t try to guess my thoughts.”
The more he said this, the richer Koeyle’s imagination became. He didn’t know why He Yue hadn’t simply used male insect pheromones to tame him, but the deep, long wound on his arm, soothed by the ointment, no longer burned, and the risk of infection was gone.
He felt warm and grateful.
He Yue had no obligation to care for him, and as a female insect, he wasn’t entitled to a male insect’s care.
“Thank you, Master,” he unconsciously clenched his fists, suppressing the tremor in his heart. “Truly, thank you.”
He Yue patted his head and burrowed back under the covers. He smoothed his hair, lying on his side, one hand pressed against his cheek.
He was curious about the unknown nuclear hole, especially why those terrifying tentacles had appeared.
“Do you often go inside nuclear holes?” He Yue asked.
“Yes, initially in the reconnaissance team, I was always one of the first to enter. After being promoted, I usually lead the final assault team during every nuclear hole crisis.”
He Yue, drowsy, his mind sluggish, asked casually, “Are there tentacles that attack insects inside, like this time?”
“No, it’s different every time. This is the first time I’ve encountered tentacles like these.”
As he spoke, Koeyle recalled the moment He Yue fired the gun, the image of the sharpshooter standing in the wind and snow, taking down tentacles one by one, overlapping with the harmless male insect before him, now drowsy.
The throbbing in his heart intensified, and he sighed. “Master’s marksmanship is superb, truly unexpected.”
“Will the colonel take me to the shooting range sometime?”
Koeyle froze for a moment, then immediately agreed.
He Yue, reassured, dangled his hand over the edge of the bed, swinging it idly. “Do you enter the nuclear hole every time?”
“Almost every time, without fail,” Koeyle recalled. “There’s everything inside. Sometimes, there are giant beasts, and after killing them, the nuclear hole disappears on its own. Sometimes, there are puzzles related to time or space, but there’s always a way to solve them…”
He Yue yawned during Koeyle’s narration, rubbing his watery eyes. His voice was hazy with sleep. “Your voice is so soothing…”
Perhaps he was too tired, listening to Koeyle’s calm, monotonous narration, it reminded him of some incredibly boring lectures, so he didn’t really absorb the content of Koeyle’s words.
He lay on his pillow, one hand dangling off the bed, his eyes half-closed.
Koeyle moved closer, his knees almost touching the edge of the bed. He Yue, lying quietly on the bed, had sheathed all his sharpness, devoid of any hostility, his stretching resembling a lazy cat.
This contrast was utterly fatal. A powerful person showing even a slight vulnerability was like a fierce beast, feeling safe enough to extend a friendly paw towards the person beside them.
Koeyle’s imagination ran wild, ripples spreading through his heart.
“If I talk a little longer, Master will be able to sleep well.”
He Yue smiled faintly, his voice soft and languid. “Then wait until I fall asleep before you leave.”
Even though Koeyle knew his Master was just drowsy and not acting coquettishly, he was still captivated by that voice.
“Alright,” Koeyle agreed, continuing to talk about the nuclear hole as if telling a story. “The first time I entered a nuclear hole, I was still a reconnaissance military female, along with a few experienced veterans. There were many strange monsters inside, their bodies dozens of times larger than ours…”
He paused, then continued, “That time, we barely escaped, and many of the seniors I went with died. I almost lost my life too, losing an arm and a leg. The backlash that time was the most severe. I saw insect patterns appearing on my skin, just a step away from insectoidization…”
The deeply ingrained memory made his body tremble involuntarily, and Koeyle stopped, as if waking from a dream. He didn’t know why he had so naturally spoken about his most painful experience. At least before meeting He Yue, he had never mentioned it to anyone.
He was met with He Yue’s steady breathing.
Thankfully, he didn’t hear…
Koeyle breathed a sigh of relief, staring at He Yue’s sleeping face for a while, his racing heart, stirred by the painful memory, gradually calming down.
He knelt quietly by the bed, motionless, his breathing slow and shallow, afraid of disturbing He Yue’s sleep.
He Yue, sound asleep, had completely shed his hard shell. His breathing was steady and rhythmic, his long eyelashes occasionally fluttering, casting shadows beneath his eyes. Strands of hair fell across his face, his long hair spread messily on the pillow.
Koeyle’s gaze was fixed on He Yue, unable to look away.
How could such a meticulous, gentle, yet terrifying male insect exist in this world?
Koeyle carefully took He Yue’s hand, which was dangling off the bed, and gently stroked the back of it with his fingers.
He only dared to be so bold when He Yue was asleep. Normally, even touching a male insect’s body without permission was something he, as a female insect, wasn’t entitled to do.
A strange emotion broke through the thick soil, growing wildly and freely like a spring sprout.
“Thank you, Master.”
Gratitude, or perhaps more than just gratitude.
He lifted He Yue’s hand and placed a reverent kiss on the back of it. Just a fleeting touch, then he quickly withdrew, as if guilty.
Koeyle placed He Yue’s hand back under the covers, carefully tucking him in and brushing the stray hairs away from his face.
“Sweet dreams.”
He quietly left He Yue’s bedroom, his gait still awkward from kneeling for so long. The sound of the closing door was very soft, not enough to disturb He Yue’s sleep.
——
The sudden appearance of the nuclear hole had indeed sparked heated discussions throughout the insect race. Area A and Area C were both enveloped in freezing temperatures.
But Area A was in much better condition than Area C. Every time a small tentacle emerged from the edge of the new nuclear hole in Area A, it was immediately shot down by the military females stationed around it. The nuclear hole seemed to be held in check, showing no signs of movement.
However, the area around the nuclear hole was covered in solidified, dark red blood clots, the air thick with the stench of blood, and few insects dared to approach.
He Yue sat in the living room, browsing the insect news on his optical device, looking for amusing comments in the comments section to relax.
The unprecedented event had aroused public curiosity, but also brought new hope to the current predicament.
A pop-up message from an unknown sender made He Yue switch interfaces.
[Hello, sir.]
Female insects didn’t address male insects as “sir”… He Yue understood, but didn’t point it out, composing a message: [Hello, I’ve seen your craftsmanship through Kano. Are you interested in making a custom item for me?]
[Can you send me a design?]
He Yue sent the design he had drawn, but didn’t receive a reply for a long time. He switched back to the news interface and browsed for a while before finally receiving a simple [Okay] from the other party.
There weren’t many trainers at Castle interested in crafting items, and He Yue vaguely remembered their code names, but he hadn’t bothered to learn their true identities outside the club.
He couldn’t guess who this person was based on just a few words.
A news notification with a red, bolded headline popped up on his optical device, an official announcement from the authorities to all insects in the insect race.
“The nuclear hole that suddenly appeared in Area A has been confirmed to be of the same origin as the one in Area C, but its energy fluctuation intensity is far less than that of the central nuclear hole. Area A base will prioritize sending a reconnaissance team to investigate. We hope…”
He Yue wasn’t interested in reading the rest of the clichés.
Light snow was falling outside, the snowflakes forming beautiful patterns on the window.
He Yue stared blankly at the falling snow, fiddling with the candle he had bought from the young female insect earlier, his thoughts wandering.
Perhaps he could find a good opportunity for conquest in this.
He Yue brought this up to Koeyle that evening, offering to give him a long break from the special training. He Yue’s reasoning was simple and straightforward: the nuclear hole crisis in Area A was more important. He didn’t want to experience the destruction of the insect race so soon after transmigrating.
“I can give you a long break so you can get through these three months faster. You must be overjoyed, right?” He Yue said teasingly, a smirk playing on his lips. “However, the hardship you’ll face in the special training won’t be any easier than what you get from me.”
Unexpectedly, He Yue didn’t hear any thanks from Koeyle.
Koeyle’s expression was grim, his exhaustion evident, his whole demeanor dejected like a wilting sapling.
He Yue patted Koeyle’s shoulder. “Cheer up, Colonel Koeyle.”
“These minor injuries from Master won’t affect the special training.”
He Yue was slightly surprised by his unusual reaction. “You’re even limping. I don’t want you blaming your declining performance in the special training on me.”
“I won’t.” Koeyle immediately replied, his tone urgent.
He Yue waved his hand. “None of the reconnaissance military females sent to the Area C nuclear hole have come back alive. This time is more serious than ever before. You also said that as a military colonel, you can’t avoid dealing with every nuclear hole crisis.”
“No, I understand that…”
He Yue’s words were like an invisible weight, making his face even paler.
Koeyle leaned against the wall, feeling slightly dizzy. He took a few deep breaths, trying to relieve the tightness in his chest, but to no avail.
His mind was buzzing.
Had he done something wrong?
Had he angered his Master?
Having endured both the special training and the high-level meetings, Koeyle had almost exhausted all his willpower by the time he returned home. His steps were unsteady, as if he were walking on air.
His pent-up emotions found no outlet, and he felt slightly better upon seeing He Yue. He had never felt such a desperate need for someone to pull him back from this dreamlike state into the harsh reality.
Anything would do, pain, insults, reprimands, or commands.
He was looking forward to tonight’s session with He Yue in the studio more than usual.
“Train hard, Colonel Koeyle.” He Yue patted his shoulder again and turned to go upstairs.
Koeyle steadied his voice and called out to He Yue. “What about the restraints? Don’t I need to wear them either?”
He Yue stopped. “I almost forgot about that. Don’t forget to get them.” A small metal key was tossed down from upstairs, landing at Koeyle’s feet.
The crisp sound was like a glass bottle shattering.
Koeyle bent down, picked up the key, and clenched it tightly in his hand. The hard metal dug painfully into his palm, but he didn’t find any satisfaction in the slight pain.
When had it become like this?
Every night in his memory became incredibly clear, even the face he had gazed at in his muddled consciousness, he remembered vividly. The contours of He Yue’s face under the studio lights, his mocking and playful gaze, and the distinct sensations of pain on his body, every memory made his heart itch.
Or perhaps, he had always been like this.
Koeyle recalled He Yue’s voice, gentle and steady, full of charm. Those harsh words, unprecedentedly, made him yearn.
Was it last night, or the night before, that his performance had been so poor?
Once the self-doubt started, it eroded Koeyle’s defenses like a tide, relentless.
At night, Koeyle sat on his bed, lost in thought, unable to sleep. The key and the restraints were on the table, the silver lock gleaming under the light, exceptionally conspicuous.
The feeling of being unrestrained was liberating, but Koeyle felt empty inside. He wanted to fill the void, but besides his ragged breathing, nothing filled the emptiness.
This emptiness wasn’t just physical, but a hollowness that started from his heart and spread throughout his entire being.
This emptiness was more unbearable than the backlash of the imprint.
Master, why…
He Yue’s reasoning was convincing, and Koeyle, who had refuted him, was labeled as negative. But he knew better than anyone that what he needed now wasn’t high-intensity training, but…
Thorough, intense, deep, unprecedented pain.
This feeling was like ants gnawing at his skin and heart, the dense itching and tingling making his breathing heavy. Koeyle had seen such descriptions in educational books, describing the state of female insects receiving male insect pheromones and entering their heat cycle, either actively or passively. It was exactly like what he was feeling now.
He touched his body, every place He Yue had forbidden him from touching, one by one.
[Koeyle, 43%.]
He Yue, enjoying his free time, was listening to soothing classical music, shaping his relief sculpture with a small spatula, when he suddenly heard the system’s prompt.
What was this insect thinking about now?
[Koeyle, 44%.]
He Yue paused.
[Koeyle, 45%.]
The system’s voice rang out for the third time, and He Yue put down the spatula.
The reports came one after another, three times in a row, without pause.
(System, are you malfunctioning?)
[Host, this is a normal conquest progress report.]
He Yue had never encountered this situation since he started the conquest. Although the value increase each time wasn’t much, there was almost no interval.
[Koeyle, 46%.]
Just as he was thinking, the system reported the progress for the fourth time.
(System, check the conquest target’s mental power.)
[Mental fluctuations detected in the conquest target, but within safe range.] They had been playing in the studio for so long, and the value hadn’t budged. Today, nothing happened, so why was it constantly increasing?
Koeyle did seem a bit off just now; he looked very tired, even excessively so.
He Yue took off his mask and apron, hung them on the wooden chair, and jumped down. He was truly curious what this guy was doing behind his back. Even if it was just wishful thinking and self-conquest, the value shouldn’t be increasing continuously.
He walked to Koeyle’s door and was about to knock when he suddenly remembered he was here for a surprise inspection, so he decided to gently turn the doorknob instead.
Koeyle’s door wasn’t locked. As he opened the door a crack, the sounds from inside drifted out.
He Yue’s expression darkened, turning cold and terrifying.
How could his well-trained puppy be secretly pleasuring himself behind his back?
This was a grave offense, second only to betrayal and infidelity. There were many prey who couldn’t control their hands, especially with the training equipment provided by the trainer, always trying to break the rules.
But He Yue didn’t think this should happen with Koeyle.
He was terrifyingly calm when angered, but everyone at Castle knew that this calm was the calm before the storm, a hundred times more terrifying than those who flew into a rage.
If it were anyone else, they would have kicked open the door, grabbed the disobedient female insect’s hair, dragged him to the studio, and dealt with this mistake. But He Yue habitually let his calm reason take precedence over his anger.
He was truly puzzled. This female colonel was disobeying his orders while simultaneously increasing his submission value.
[Koeyle, 47%.]
(…You’re annoying.)
The system didn’t dare to speak further, but the progress reports were beyond its control. It could only pray that Koeyle’s value wouldn’t continue to rise and further provoke He Yue.
He Yue didn’t hear the final cry of release from inside, but instead, the sounds gradually turned into suppressed sobs. He peered through the crack in the door and saw Koeyle with his head buried in the pillow.
The sobs were pained and restrained, muffled by the pillow.
[Koeyle, 48%.]
(…)
For the first time, the system wished it could just shut down, even stopping the progress reports.
The pained sobs irritated He Yue, making him frown.
He scoffed, took a step back, and gently closed the door.
The already faint sobs were completely blocked by the door, the corridor eerily quiet. The system remained silent for a long time, and the constantly increasing value finally stopped.
If Koeyle was truly enjoying the thrill of breaking his rules, He Yue would have barged in without hesitation and dragged the puppy out for questioning. But if what He Yue heard was pain…
He would let this pain torment the disobedient little dog.
(System, are his mental fluctuations within the normal range?)
[Yes, they are.]
He Yue filled the bathtub and settled in for a comfortable bath. He was curious how this puppy, after a night of painful struggle, would face him tomorrow.
[Koeyle, 49%.]
This was the last report of the night. No more sounds from the system disturbed He Yue’s sleep.
There was only a wall between them. One closed his eyes, peacefully enjoying the sweetness of sleep.
While on the other side, the exhausted colonel curled up on the bed, hugging the soft pillow, as if this could somehow fill the emptiness within him.
——
He Yue woke up late, coming downstairs when the sun was already high in the sky, and saw Koeyle, unusually, still at home.
He was sitting at his usual spot at the dining table, a carefully prepared breakfast laid out before him. Except for his uniform jacket, he was neatly dressed, his clothes ironed and crisp, showing no signs of dishevelment.
If not for his red and swollen eyes.
“Good morning, Master.”
Koeyle lowered his head, avoiding He Yue’s gaze, and pulled out the chair beside the dining table for him.
“The breakfast is a bit cold, I’ll reheat it.” His voice was hoarse, clearly something was wrong.
He Yue’s gaze fell on his face, and he saw Koeyle avert his eyes guiltily.
What was he pretending for? Skipping his special training to stay home this late, just to show him this pitiful look?
This act of seeking sympathy only made He Yue rebellious. He chewed his breakfast slowly, not asking a single question.
Koeyle’s eyes were bloodshot, his eyelids red and swollen.
This made it difficult for He Yue to tell if he was feeling lost or confused.
From beginning to end, Koeyle just stood quietly at the side, his gaze fixed on He Yue. But the moment He Yue looked at him, he would immediately lower his head and avert his gaze.
This guy…
“What are you still standing there for? Aren’t you going to training?” He Yue asked.
Koeyle replied in a hoarse voice, “There’s no rush today. I’ll wait for Master to finish breakfast and clear the table before I go.”
“As you wish.”
Koeyle didn’t mention anything else. He quietly waited for He Yue to finish eating, then cleared the table and took the dishes to the kitchen. After finishing all the chores, he slowly walked towards the door, picking up his uniform jacket from the sofa.
“Stop.”
This command was like music to Koeyle’s ears.
He Yue walked up to him and pulled up the hem of his neatly tucked shirt.
The black elastic band was tightly wrapped around his waist. The restraint belt that He Yue had ordered him to unlock and put away was now securely fastened on him.
“You’re quite something, Colonel Koeyle.”
The icy tone pierced Koeyle like icicles.
Using mistakes to earn punishment, this was Koeyle’s method, the most direct way to obtain the unforgettable pain he craved from He Yue.
