Chapter 44

Yes, this was the conclusion Pei Rui had reached after much deliberation.

He didn’t want to give up—those two words didn’t exist in his dictionary.

No matter what it was, he preferred to keep it firmly under his control.

Though they couldn’t truly be together, he figured it would be enough to keep the insect by his side.

With that thought, the faint excitement from moments ago faded away, and the man’s eyes darkened slightly.

After all, Pei Rui knew the agony of a Mental Power Outburst without a Male Insect’s soothing. He could choose to endure it alone himself, but he didn’t want Jing Chi to suffer through it too. So he resolved to bury this flicker of attraction deep in his heart.

Watching Pei Rui maintain his calm, indifferent expression—as if the words had slipped out casually, merely a simple question—Jing Chi could tell he had hidden his difficult choices well. Yet beneath that insect’s serene facade, something seemed suppressed.

Jing Chi’s eyes darted playfully. Instead of answering right away, he asked offhandedly, “I didn’t do anything strange last night, did I? My neck hurts, and my head feels all fuzzy.”

As he spoke, he reached up to rub his neck. Then he lifted his gaze, deliberately skipping over Pei Rui’s eyes before letting it linger on his lips for a moment.

Under normal circumstances, this wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow. But after yesterday’s events, Pei Rui was clearly on edge.

As if hypersensitive to Jing Chi’s stare, he quickly turned his head away, dodging that gaze which felt almost scorching. Out of Jing Chi’s sight, he pursed his lips uncomfortably, cleared his throat lightly, and said, “No. Er, no.” His confidence started off a bit shaky but quickly grew solid.

But the more assured this insect sounded, the more Jing Chi knew something was amiss.

Was Pei Rui feeling shy? The thought made Jing Chi chuckle inwardly.

The word didn’t quite fit a Female Insect, but it was the only one that sprang to mind.

Jing Chi’s lips curved in a knowing smile. He let out a meaningful “Oh” and dropped the matter.

Instead, he circled back to Pei Rui’s original question and turned it around. “Do you want me to leave with you?”

He blinked, fixing his gaze on the insect across from him, curious to hear his answer.

Of course, he already knew Pei Rui’s inner thoughts. With this insect’s personality, he wouldn’t have brought it up otherwise. But some things were better heard straight from the source.

Pei Rui froze for a moment, caught off guard by the counterquestion. In an instant, he lost the upper hand.

The words were right on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t bring himself to say them.

Thinking back to his usual decisive, thunderous style, Pei Rui was at a loss for words at his own hesitation. He felt utterly pinned down by Jing Chi, and this sense of losing control grated on him.

As if he’d suddenly seen the light, Pei Rui let out a cold snort. He reverted to his sharp, inscrutable demeanor and slowly spat out three words: “Up to you.” With that, he turned and walked away.

Good—he’d learned to strike back.

Jing Chi watched his retreating back and smiled.

Teasing him like this was even more entertaining.

True to Pei Rui’s expectations, Reis arrived that very morning.

The starship’s docking unleashed a deafening roar. This place hadn’t seen any insects in ages, so the sudden arrival of such a lavish vessel drew everyone’s curiosity.

They watched as the Military Females disembarked from the starship, clad in uniforms that marked their status, their chest badges proclaiming their elite standing.

It also screamed that they didn’t belong here at all.

Following the coordinates Pei Rui had preset, Reis led his personal guards straight to Jing Chi’s rundown shack.

The moment he stepped inside and spotted that tall, upright figure, he didn’t hesitate. He threw open his arms and pulled him into a bear hug, slapping his back twice with resounding thwacks. Snot and tears streaming, he wailed, “General, you have no idea how worried I’ve been about you!”

Jing Chi felt like those slaps had nearly given him internal injuries. They packed real force—was this the strength of a Military Female?

He realized that Pei Rui must have been holding back against him all this time.

Jing Chi felt helpless and couldn’t wrench free.

Pei Rui, who had just emerged, saw Reis clinging to Jing Chi with the youth’s face flushed bright red. His own expression darkened, and his fists began to itch.

“Reis, let go,” he commanded coldly.

“Huh?” Reis blinked in confusion. “General, why’s your voice coming from behind my back?”

“Because you hugged the wrong insect,” Pei Rui ground out helplessly through clenched teeth.

Seeing the insect still wouldn’t release his grip, he strode forward and yanked Reis away from Jing Chi.

Freed at last, Jing Chi coughed several times in a row. His face was beet red—not from embarrassment, but from being squeezed so hard.

It was all because this Female Insect had hugged too tightly.

“You okay?” Pei Rui asked.

Jing Chi waved him off.

Reis only then realized that he had hugged the wrong insect. He scratched his head awkwardly and added, “Oh, I thought you’d lost weight after getting injured, so you felt all skinny and bony when I picked you up. Turns out I grabbed the wrong one, haha!”

Now it was Jing Chi’s turn to scowl.

Was he skinny? Bony? His build was perfect, thank you very much.

Catching Pei Rui’s sharp glare, Reis finally shut his mouth. But his chattering nature couldn’t stay quiet for long—less than two minutes later, he was talking again.

“So this is the insect who saved the General?” Reis’s eyes sparkled with gossip and eagerness.

For all his brashness, Reis could be surprisingly perceptive at times. He had clearly picked up on Pei Rui’s unusual attitude.

Had their General and this little Male Insect acted out some Desolate Star romance?

Did their General finally not hate Male Insects anymore?

But then he noticed the Insect Mark on Jing Chi’s neck, and his excitement vanished in an instant.

Of course. He was overthinking it. How naive of him.

Reis cared so much about Pei Rui’s love life because he knew just how much suffering Pei Rui had endured. He didn’t want to see him keep going like that.

As Pei Rui’s Deputy General—and the same age as him—Reis had found his Male Lord back when he was twenty.

After reaching adulthood, every year brought a Mental Power Outburst. Without a Male Insect’s help, one had to grit their teeth and endure it alone.

Reis had barely survived just two years of those outbursts. Yet Pei Rui had powered through eight full years.

The consequence of going without a Male Insect for so long? When a Female Insect finally couldn’t hold out any longer, their Mental Power would collapse entirely, stripping away any semblance of normal consciousness.

As the Empire’s Supreme General, Pei Rui was the idol of every Female Insect. Every Military Female dreamed of becoming like him—including Reis. He couldn’t bear to watch Pei Rui fall, couldn’t stand to see a star among their kind extinguished like that.

Jing Chi watched Reis’s face cycle from joy to sorrow and had no idea what was going through the guy’s head. Still, he introduced himself. “I’m Jing Chi.”

He smiled and nodded.

With the whirlwind in his mind finally settling, Reis returned to normal—and finally noticed Jing Chi’s looks, which rivaled their General’s.

He let out a low whistle. Good-looking insects really did attract other good-looking ones.

Then he introduced himself to Jing Chi. “I’m Reis, the General’s Deputy General. Thank you for taking care of him these past few days. Is there any reward you need? Something to show our gratitude.”

Reis’s expression was sincere, though a hint of worry lingered—he dreaded Jing Chi asking for something outrageous that might get him slapped down.

Jing Chi raised an eyebrow, glanced at Pei Rui, and said, “Take me with you when you leave this place.”

Though he was speaking to Reis, his eyes stayed fixed on Pei Rui.

As if to say: That’s my answer.

Pei Rui’s gaze flickered, the corner of his mouth twitching upward despite himself. He quickly smoothed it away.

Reis, however, frowned in dilemma. Their General was all about strict boundaries and protocol—he’d never allow some random Female Insect onto their warship.

Not when it was packed with military secrets.

And this insect’s background was a total unknown. What if he was a spy or some dangerous element? With the General’s “better safe than sorry” mindset—kill a thousand innocents rather than let one guilty slip—he’d eliminate any uncertainty before it could take root.

Reis hesitated, a touch of embarrassment in his voice. “That might not be—”

But the next second, Pei Rui cut him off. “Understood. Let’s go,” he said coolly.

Then he strode out ahead.

Reis: ???

General, what happened to your principles?

He opened his mouth, then swallowed his words whole.

Jing Chi acted like he hadn’t noticed a thing. He flashed Reis a smile, nodded, and followed Pei Rui out.

That left Reis alone in the room, his heart shattering into pieces.

So he was the only one feeling awkward?

Reis shook his head sharply and hurried after them.

But one thing was crystal clear now: this Jing Chi wasn’t just any Female Insect.

To get their Iron-Faced General to bend the rules like that? He was one of a kind.

~~~

In the Underground Fighting Arena, the dazed Male Insect finally came to.

Edmond felt pain wracking his entire body—even his lower half throbbed faintly.

It was like he’d been beaten to a pulp by a pack of insects. A thorough thrashing.

“Young Master, you’re finally awake.”

The Female Insect’s voice trembled. He hadn’t thought those two would actually dare lay hands on Edmond.

After Jing Chi and Pei Rui had left the night before, the Female Insect—Noah—had stood guard outside all night. It was Edmond’s habit: after venting, he liked to savor that time alone.

But it wasn’t until the next morning, when the male insect still hadn’t emerged, that Noah realized something was amiss.

He rushed into the room and found the male insect in a disheveled state, completely naked with whip marks crisscrossing his body. Noah knew he was in deep trouble.

Edmond stared at the injuries on his body. His last memory was of Jing Chi’s handsome face. His expression twisted into something savage in an instant.

“Was it them? It had to be them. Who else could it be?”

He had never slipped up before, yet he’d taken a massive fall this time.

“Send insects to drag them here right now,” he snarled. “They dared to cross me on this Desolate Star. Bring them back to me at once.” Rage contorted his features; he wanted nothing more than to tear Jing Chi and the others limb from limb.

Noah hurriedly agreed.

When he returned, however, the news he brought was grim: “Young Master and the others have already left.”

The female insect knelt on the ground, trembling uncontrollably. He knew he’d botched it again.

Edmond, furious, overturned the table. In his rage, he accidentally tugged at his wounds. His face contorted in agony as he demanded, “How could they have left? Starships only depart at the beginning of the month, and it’s nowhere near time yet.”

The female insect kept his head bowed, stammering, “It seems… they left on a military starship.”

“A military starship? Empire military insects.” Edmond seethed with unwillingness, his eyes brimming with resentment. If he were from the Main Star, he wouldn’t fear even the military females—harming a male insect was a grave crime, after all. But here on the Desolate Star, he couldn’t afford to provoke them.

Fuming, he could only grit out, “Don’t let me cross paths with them again.”

His gaze then shifted to the female insect before him. A sinister smile curled his lips.

“Noah,” he said softly, “we may not have found them, but wasn’t your negligence the biggest factor in what happened to me yesterday?”

The female insect froze at those words, his face draining to a pallid gray.

~~~

Aboard the military starship.

Jing Chi and Pei Rui sat facing each other.

The other military females kept a respectful five meters from Pei Rui of their own accord. Only Reis, undaunted, sidled up with his usual thick skin.

Pei Rui’s attitude only piqued Reis’s curiosity about Jing Chi even further.

He began peppering Jing Chi with questions.

Pei Rui fixed Reis with a cold stare, silently willing him to leave.

It had no effect whatsoever.

Pei Rui rubbed his forehead in exasperation, annoyed by Reis for the first time.

Undeterred, Reis regaled Jing Chi with tales of Pei Rui’s illustrious exploits.

“You know our General? He was always top of the class at the Military Academy. He hit the battlefield at eighteen and, at twenty, led us to repel that Alien Beast Tide. These past few years, he’s commanded over a dozen campaigns large and small—undefeated every time. And at twenty-six, he became the Empire’s youngest general.”

Pride swelled on Reis’s face as he spoke, as if he’d accomplished these feats himself.

Then, his expression shifted slyly. He stole a couple of glances at Pei Rui before leaning in to whisper to Jing Chi, “I’ll let you in on a little secret. The General wasn’t always like this. Back when we were just regular academy cadets, you should’ve seen how he drove the instructors up the wall…”

Jing Chi listened raptly as Reis spun his vivid yarns.

From those stories, he could easily envision a youthful, inexperienced Pei Rui—far less composed than the man before him now, but brimming with vibrant energy.

That Pei Rui had burned with the fiery spirit of adolescence. He’d skipped classes with his classmates and pulled pranks on the instructors. But as Pei Rui matured, those traits had faded bit by bit into the river of time.

Now, at twenty-six, Pei Rui wielded supreme authority and glory. Mature and unflappable, steady and restrained, he faced peril without flinching.

Yet no insect was born that way. Along his path, Pei Rui must have sacrificed much—including the boy he’d once been.

Reis’s tales were all amusing anecdotes, but they left a bittersweet ache in Jing Chi’s chest.

He felt a pang of heartache.