Chapter 36: He Really Would Give Him Anything
Koeyle, still holding He Yue’s calf, looked up, carefully studying his eyes, trying to discern the truth behind his words. He couldn’t find any clues; those gentle eyes seemed to be clouded with mist, their clear pupils reflecting his image like flowers in a fog, their emotions unreadable.
He gave up on trying to understand He Yue’s true thoughts, resting his head against his knee, his hands rhythmically massaging He Yue’s calf.
“What are you doing?” He Yue asked.
Koeyle’s hold on his leg and the strength and speed of his massage were deliberate. He knew that as a male insect, He Yue’s pain receptors were probably more sensitive, so he used much less force than he would when massaging his own muscles.
“After walking around the room for two hours, Master must be tired, right?” He said, his eyes downcast, his hands still working.
He Yue had indeed walked around the room several times and his legs were a bit sore when he sat down. The slightly aching calf muscles felt comfortable under Koeyle’s massage, almost magically relaxing his entire body. He occasionally let out soft moans as certain pressure points were stimulated, his hand gently stroking Koeyle’s hair, like petting a dog.
The dog was unusually docile and affectionate, resting his head on his leg, his mind focused on making his Master more comfortable.
“Are you going to training tomorrow?” He Yue asked.
Koeyle shook his head. “Recovering is the most important thing. Excessively straining my body without results is a waste of time.” This logic was simple, but the stubborn colonel needed He Yue’s guidance to truly understand it.
“Good boy.” He Yue leaned in and pinched his earlobe as a reward, the hair falling across his face tickling him.
The strands of hair brushed against his nose, slightly itchy. Koeyle scratched his nose, seemingly catching a faint scent from He Yue’s hair, not as pungent as perfume, but a refreshing fragrance.
Was this He Yue’s pheromones?
Koeyle reached out and brought the ends of He Yue’s hair to his nose.
“What’s wrong?” He Yue asked.
“There’s a floral scent on your hair. Is it Master’s pheromones?”
This was the first time they had openly discussed pheromones, something Koeyle had completely rejected due to the backlash from his genetic imprint.
He Yue paused, lifting a strand of hair and sniffing it carefully. A faint floral scent, almost imperceptible unless one was very close.
He didn’t confirm or deny, instead asking, “Why do you think it’s pheromones? Are you feeling uncomfortable?”
Koeyle immediately shook his head. The scent wasn’t cloying at all, nor did it make him feel hot all over or force him into a heat cycle, as described in the textbooks.
“It’s a very pleasant scent, like flowers covered in morning dew, bathed in sunlight.” This image appeared in his mind, as if his Master was the small flower in the scene.
He Yue chuckled and replied, “The shampoo the colonel bought does smell quite nice.”
“The shampoo is indeed quite good.”
Koeyle’s feelings were complex. He was relieved that the pleasant scent on He Yue wasn’t the pheromones that would make him lose control, yet he also hoped that pheromone rejection wouldn’t happen with his Master.
He didn’t want to reject He Yue’s pheromones.
He wanted to accept them.
Or even, possess them.
This thought made him shudder slightly, attracting He Yue’s attention.
“What’s wrong?” The female colonel resting his head on his lap suddenly trembled, the thin chain falling to the floor with a clatter.
Koeyle’s expression stiffened, but he forced a smile. “I, I thought it was Master’s pheromones.” His eyes were filled with panic, his hand around He Yue’s leg clenching into a fist.
How could he have such a thought?
Koeyle’s heart pounded.
He had achieved his special pheromone rejection by relying on his willpower to endure the painful backlash of the imprint and the injuries from the nuclear hole, time and time again, without being bound by pheromones. It was also because of this that he had broken free from the control of the male insects at headquarters and climbed to the high rank of colonel.
“What are you thinking about?” He Yue asked, seeing that his well-trained dog could no longer hide his thoughts, his every emotion written on his face, a sense of accomplishment welling up within him.
Koeyle’s voice was muffled as he repeated, “I thought it was Master’s pheromones.”
“It’s not. I told you, I don’t need pheromones to tame you. I won’t use them, ever, I promise.”
He Yue extended his hand, inviting Koeyle to hold it. His gaze was sincere and firm, yet gentle and warm, like the refreshing scent of his hair.
But this only made the colonel even more anxious.
Koeyle didn’t move, his conflicting emotions pulling him in different directions. He knew He Yue hadn’t understood his deeper meaning. Rationally, he couldn’t be controlled by pheromones, becoming a slave to them at the base. But emotionally, he didn’t want to reject anything about He Yue.
He wanted to possess, and be possessed.
Under He Yue’s gaze, Koeyle picked up the fallen end of the thin chain and wrapped it around He Yue’s outstretched hand, loop after loop. The slender metal chain complemented He Yue’s pale hand, the remaining length coiled in his palm.
Koeyle then placed his own hand over He Yue’s, their palms pressed together, separated by the thin chain.
“Anything is fine.” Koeyle’s voice was very soft, as if floating in the air.
“What?”
Koeyle took a deep breath, his fingers curling around He Yue’s hand.
“If Master wants to use pheromones, that’s fine too.”
He Yue’s gaze sharpened, confirming that these words had indeed come from Koeyle’s mouth. He patted Koeyle’s head with his other hand. “Don’t worry, I always keep my promises.”
His “comfort” only deepened Koeyle’s unease.
Koeyle turned his head away, his gaze unfocused. He closed his eyes, his mind in turmoil.
He realized he had gradually forgotten his initial purpose for approaching He Yue. Now, finally, reminded by He Yue, either intentionally or unintentionally, he remembered his once unwavering goal.
That firm goal, at some point, had become equal to, even inseparable from, everything He Yue could offer him.
He Yue covered his eyes with his free hand and pulled him closer, Koeyle’s back against his chest.
“What mischief is my little dog thinking about? Not even telling me.”
Koeyle’s eyelashes brushed against He Yue’s palm as he blinked. Whether he opened his eyes or closed them, he couldn’t see anything.
He had never felt so lost in darkness, unable to discern his direction.
Such a gentle voice.
Koeyle thought of an inappropriate adjective.
“If you don’t speak, I’m going to whip you.” He Yue whispered in his ear.
Koeyle’s other hand reached for the back of He Yue’s hand, feeling the smooth skin and the thin chain between them.
“I’m thinking, what does Master’s pheromone smell like?”
——
He Yue, who hadn’t gone out for a long time, finally decided to leave the house. The snow today was lighter than usual, the wind gentle, the wind chimes at the door swaying slightly, producing a pleasant sound.
His long hair, tucked under the scarf, was uncomfortable, so he tied it into a high ponytail before going out, looking neat and adding a touch of heroism. With every turn of his head, the high ponytail swayed slightly.
“Let’s go.” He Yue snapped his fingers in front of Koeyle, who was staring at him, mesmerized.
Today was the day Koeyle’s injuries had fully healed, and he planned to go to the training ground for rehabilitation. He Yue had brought up the shooting range visit he had promised earlier, and that was their reason for going out.
Snowflakes drifted down, much lighter than the past few days. The signal from the Area A reconnaissance team hadn’t been lost yet, and with the current weather conditions, it was likely that the situation inside was relatively stable.
He Yue looked up at the transparent umbrella above him, the accumulating snow on its surface, and said helplessly, “With this light snowfall, just shaking it off when we go inside will be enough.”
Koeyle, holding the umbrella, insisted, “It’s different. Snowflakes on your face are cold, and Master doesn’t like wearing a mask when going out.”
He Yue didn’t bother arguing, adjusting his cashmere scarf and walking forward.
Many military females were already training at the training ground. The indoor facilities included not just a shooting range, but also other simple equipment and VR simulation training.
He Yue put on protective goggles at Koeyle’s insistence, but tossed the earmuffs back to him when he tried to put them on him.
“Master, it’s your first time here. The gunshots are too loud and bad for your ears.”
“You don’t understand. If I can’t hear the mechanical sounds of loading and changing magazines, there’s no point in coming to the shooting range.”
Koeyle’s heart softened at his Master’s childish insistence and silently attached a silencer to He Yue’s gun. He strongly recommended He Yue choose the new laser pistol, which was lighter and had less recoil.
“The explosive feeling of a firearm, that’s the real atmosphere of shooting.” He Yue held onto the pistol, refusing to let go no matter what Koeyle said. Of course, another reason was that this type of gun felt familiar and more satisfying to use.
The other military females training nearby couldn’t help but stare, their gazes fixed on the beautiful male insect with a high ponytail insisting on using the powerful, high-recoil, old-fashioned firearm, and the usually stern and even fierce Colonel coaxing and indulging him, yet seemingly helpless.
The contrast was too stark, and many military females gathered around.
Koeyle didn’t want his beautiful and impressive Master to be ogled by other military females, yet he secretly enjoyed being the only one standing beside He Yue. He placed his hand under He Yue’s, worried that his slender wrists, with their prominent bones, wouldn’t be able to handle the powerful gun.
In the next second, He Yue slapped his hand away.
“Don’t disturb me.”
Koeyle, defeated, could only stand silently beside him.
The entire shooting range fell silent, the sound of gunfire ceasing, all eyes fixed on the gun in He Yue’s hand.
He had become the center of attention. Holding the pistol with both hands, his sleeveless black shirt revealing his collarbones and the thin layer of muscle on his arms, the overhead lights making his skin look even more flawless, the end of his high ponytail occasionally drawing the onlookers’ gazes to his lower back.
His cold, sharp eyes locked onto the distant target, skillfully loading the bullets, firing ten shots in quick succession. Before the other female insects could even react, he lowered his head, his ponytail swaying slightly, his movements as he changed the magazine incredibly smooth.
Then, under their astonished gazes, He Yue raised the pistol with his left hand.
Another ten shots, the empty casings falling to the ground, a wisp of white smoke rising from the muzzle. He Yue lowered his hand, removed his goggles, and confidently pressed a button beside him.
The target carrier moved forward, bringing the paper targets, bearing He Yue’s results, closer.
There were nine targets on the large paper target, each with rings from 0 to 10. He Yue’s shots were all clustered in the center target, concentrated between the seven and ten rings. Even in the entire A area base, even in the entire insect race, very few could achieve such results.
He Yue picked up an empty casing from the platform, placed it in Koeyle’s hand, and met his surprised gaze.
“How was my performance, Colonel Koeyle?”
“Excellent. The brats under my command should be ashamed of themselves.”
He Yue turned around and saw countless looks of surprise, envy, and admiration. He was used to such gazes, and since this was a score even the entire A area base couldn’t achieve, he felt a sense of satisfaction.
A military female in the front row was pushed forward by the insects behind her, stumbling a step closer to He Yue. “Master, may I take an empty casing as a souvenir?”
“Of course.” He Yue nodded in agreement.
“Master, I want one too!”
“Me too, me too!”
“Me, me, me, I want one too…”
…
Seeing the military female who had been pushed forward obtain an empty casing, the military females behind her immediately clamored, their voices rising in excitement.
He Yue pointed to the empty casings at his feet. “Come on, whoever grabs one gets to keep it.”
Instantly, the military females surged forward, scrambling for the casings at He Yue’s feet. Koeyle quickly wrapped his arm around He Yue’s waist, pulling him to the side, preventing him from being knocked over by the group of robust female insects.
But He Yue bumped squarely into Koeyle’s chest, his waist held tightly. His nose pressed against Koeyle’s pectoral muscles, his entire body enveloped in his embrace. With the significant size difference, he looked like he was nestled in Koeyle’s arms.
“Are you scared?” Koeyle asked, immensely satisfied with holding his Master in his arms, his heart pounding. He held He Yue’s waist with one hand, his other arm wrapping around his back, protecting his head.
The high ponytail brushed against the back of his hand with every movement.
He Yue glanced back at the scrambling female insects. One of them held two casings high in the air, being chased and scolded by the others.
“I’m not scared, I just think they’re quite amusing.”
“Anyone can see Master’s charm.” His voice was slightly muffled as he clutched the empty casing He Yue had given him, his feelings complex.
Only the casing in his hand was given to him personally by He Yue, different from those snatched by the other female insects. However, the fact that so many female insects were scrambling for them showed He Yue’s popularity.
He was so sought after that any female insect would fight to be his.
He tightened his grip on He Yue’s waist, his arm easily encircling his slender waist. He rested his chin on He Yue’s head, his voice muffled. “They either have accompanying male insects, or have or had Masters.”
His tone was incredibly sour. “I don’t.”
“You don’t?” He Yue straightened up, placing his hands on Koeyle’s chest, and raised an eyebrow.
Koeyle blinked, unable to suppress the upturn of his lips. “Master, you are my…”
“Then what’s in the ice block in your basement?”
Koeyle froze, his smile plastered on his face. “That doesn’t count.”
“Why not?”
Koeyle frowned and looked away, biting his lip. “It can’t count.”
He Yue asked knowingly, “Isn’t that your accompanying male insect?”
“It’s different. We didn’t bond, and there was no mental imprint. He only lived for five seconds. I haven’t had a Master.” Koeyle’s voice was urgent, rising several pitches. “I’m not like them, I’m clean!”
He Yue stared at him, stunned.
[Bonding occurs when, during sex, you reach the deepest point of the imprint point and inject pheromones there, engraving a mental imprint on the female insect.] The system offered a timely explanation.
(I know.)
Seeing He Yue’s silence, Koeyle panicked visibly. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have shouted, I was too excited, I was wrong, Master…”
He Yue’s expression was unreadable, and Koeyle didn’t know if he was angry.
“I… I didn’t mean to, I just… Master is my first, I’ve never had intimate contact with any other male insect, I even reject male insect pheromones… really…” He explained frantically, his speech jumbled under He Yue’s gaze.
Then, he heard He Yue’s laughter. Realizing He Yue wasn’t angry, he breathed a sigh of relief, feigning a pitiful look. “Master is scaring me again…”
“I already knew about these things, you don’t need to worry.”
He Yue leaned back against Koeyle, held securely in his embrace. Perhaps it was due to the male insect’s unique physique, but He Yue rarely felt so relaxed and comfortable being held.
He placed his hand on Koeyle’s chin, his eyes blinking, his eyelashes fluttering.
“Colonel, I want to play with guns again.”
Koeyle’s mind exploded like fireworks. His heart pounded; he couldn’t resist He Yue’s seemingly coquettish request.
He really would give him anything.
“Alright, anything you want.” Koeyle held his waist with one hand, his other hand covering He Yue’s. “But you have to wear wrist guards.”
He Yue still found these protective measures cumbersome, but agreed under Koeyle’s insistence.
The various firearms ignited his passion for their mechanical nature, and he ran around the shooting range, having a blast. His high ponytail swayed as he moved, full of energy.
Every time he fired, the other female insects would stop and watch his performance.
Whether it was his posture or technique, He Yue had unknowingly become their teacher, setting a perfect example. The military females watched him with unprecedented focus, more attentive than during formal technique lessons, and their own skills improved considerably.
Every time He Yue moved to a new target, female insects would scramble for the empty casings on the ground. He had only come to the training ground once, but a story about the sharpshooting male insect would probably circulate here for a long time.
He Yue put down the gun, stretched, and rotated his slightly sore wrists. He extended his hand towards Koeyle, who immediately understood, taking his hand and gently massaging his wrists.
“Aren’t you going to train, Colonel? Why are you always following me?”
“I’ll wait until Master is tired. That way, if you accidentally injure yourself, I’ll know immediately.”
He Yue nodded. “I’m tired now. I want to watch you train.”
“Alright, follow me.”
Koeyle changed his clothes and stood in the personal training room, facing a bright screen. He was wearing a black bodysuit, small spheres attached to his joints for motion capture.
There were many training levels, mostly simulations of known nuclear holes, recreated as virtual instances. Koeyle’s name appeared at the top of the leaderboard for every instance, with the best completion time.
He was truly dedicated. Before He Yue appeared, Koeyle had dedicated most of his life to his work.
He Yue stayed in the observation room, along with a few other military females taking notes and studying. They stared intently at Koeyle, their faces filled with admiration.
The observation room door opened halfway, and He Yue heard voices behind him.
“This is Colonel Koeyle’s training observation room. Please record the colonel’s data today.”
“Alright, I understand.”
He Yue turned around, his gaze meeting Wien’s as he entered.
Wien froze in surprise, rubbing his eyes. He made sure he wasn’t dreaming, the surprise in his eyes turning into excitement and joy.
“Master…!”
Wien suppressed the urge to rush over and hug He Yue, instead walking quickly towards him. “Master, long time no see, I…” His voice trembled, his eyes slightly reddened. “I missed you very much.”
He Yue gently patted his face, smiling warmly. “Long time no see, Major Wien.”
Wien was wearing his full major’s uniform, the embroidered epaulettes and shoulder pads making his already broad shoulders look even more imposing, not at all like a civilian military female.
“Why are you here?” He Yue asked.
“I’m assigned here to record Colonel Koeyle’s training data. What about you, Master?” His gaze fell on the wrist guards. “Is Master’s wrist injured?”
“No, I just came to play with guns, the wrist guards are just a precaution.”
Wien’s eyes were filled with admiration. “I just heard them say that an incredibly skilled male insect came to the training ground. So it was you, Master. What a pity, if I had come earlier, I could have seen Master shooting with your high ponytail.”
He Yue, pleased by his flattery, brought his ponytail forward, holding it in one hand. “Do I look good with my hair tied up?”
“You look amazing. It’s very different from when your hair is down, like a completely different person.”
Wien was about to reach for his hair when the observation room’s connection switch beeped. He turned and looked through the glass at the personal training room, his gaze meeting Koeyle’s.
“Hey, the colonel started the training early. The data acquisition equipment isn’t connected yet.” A female insect hurriedly pressed the buttons on the equipment.
Wien retracted his hand and walked over to the equipment. “I’ll adjust it.” His face darkened as he glared at Koeyle in the training room.
“Alright, thank you for your hard work, sir.”
He Yue looked at Koeyle in the training room, seeing him frowning, feigning a pitiful look, like a neglected puppy wagging its tail.
He Yue looked at the busy Wien, then at Koeyle in the training room, and shook his head helplessly.
How did these two run into each other…
