Chapter 60

Perhaps Jing Chi had been silent for too long, or maybe his shock was simply too obvious.

Pei Rui’s earlier embarrassment gradually faded, replaced by a sense of reckless abandon.

He looked up, his lashes quivering slightly, his thin lips pressed together. Then he shoved the whip straight into Jing Chi’s hand.

“Male Lord, you do it.”

Jing Chi watched as the female insect closed his eyes, his lashes trembling nonstop, as if he were facing death with serene resolve.

He was merely curious—why on earth did Pei Rui think he had a taste for this?

Jing Chi’s gaze fell on the whip Pei Rui had handed him. It was lightweight and sleek, without any barbs—perfectly smooth.

If it struck the female insect’s skin, it would likely leave deep red welts, but nothing more than that. No real harm, just a toy for pleasure.

This insect certainly knew how to shop.

Jing Chi gripped the whip by its handle and pressed the slightly rigid base against Pei Rui’s chin, forcing the other to tilt his face upward.

With the motion, Pei Rui’s body tensed ever so slightly.

Jing Chi let out a soft chuckle, his tone teasing. “Not even brave enough to open your eyes and look at me?”

Only then did Pei Rui slowly open his eyes, meeting Jing Chi’s intent, scrutinizing gaze.

Seeing Jing Chi still fully dressed in his sleepwear while his own body lay completely exposed, Pei Rui felt a flush of heat spread through him.

“M-Male Lord.” Pei Rui stammered the words, uncertainty gnawing at him in the absence of any action.

Jing Chi arched a brow, his eyes shimmering with allure. He crooked a finger at Pei Rui.

The female insect leaned in obediently, and Jing Chi murmured softly, “I don’t like this sort of thing.”

Those words drained the color from Pei Rui’s already flushed face, adding a pallor beneath the red.

This was something Pei Rui had mustered all his courage for, even casting aside his pride—and now the male insect rejected it outright.

But in the next instant, Pei Rui felt himself lifted, his entire body pulled onto Jing Chi.

Jing Chi settled the female insect on his lap, his hands clasping the man’s lean waist. Their bare skin pressed together, sharing warmth through the thin fabric between them.

The sudden shift made Pei Rui instinctively wrap his arms around Jing Chi’s neck, drawing himself even closer into the male insect’s embrace.

Jing Chi’s fingertips trailed lightly over the female insect’s smooth, delicate back, sending an indescribable tingle through him.

Every spot Jing Chi touched seemed to lose sensation, leaving Pei Rui to lean weakly against him, biting his lip.

Jing Chi’s lips brushed Pei Rui’s earlobe, planting gentle kisses there, his voice husky and magnetic. “I prefer it direct. Besides, how could I bear to hurt you?”

He drew out the words with a seductive lilt, a deep desire simmering beneath his calm facade.

Hearing this, a fresh blush bloomed across Pei Rui’s handsome face. The thought that all his embarrassing efforts had been nothing but his own misguided initiative filled him with shame and awkwardness.

Yet the next moment, he had no room for such thoughts.

Jing Chi’s warm lips claimed his, the male insect’s breath enveloping him.

Pei Rui’s long, beautiful eyes grew misty under the deep kiss.

A faint pink flush spread over his jade-like skin.

Jing Chi’s lips nipped gently at Pei Rui’s neck, his kisses trailing downward, leaving pale red blossoms on the female insect’s cool white skin.

Soon after, the black bedframe sank deeply under their weight.

Sweat dripped from Jing Chi’s cheek onto Pei Rui’s chest.

His hands gripped the female insect’s waist tightly, while Pei Rui’s slender, pale fingers clutched the sheets, wrinkling them faintly.

At the same time, their Mental Silk Threads intertwined intimately.

The night stretched on, the sounds from the room echoing sporadically into the early hours.

With a muffled groan, Jing Chi pulled the female insect tightly into his arms.

Their skin pressed skin, hearts pounding fiercely against each other.

Jing Chi brushed aside the sweat-dampened strands of hair from the female insect’s forehead and pressed a soft kiss there. He whispered, “I’m so grateful you’re in my life.”

So fortunate that it’s always been you.

~~~

Time flew by, and the weekend arrived swiftly.

All the Empire’s major media outlets converged at the Royal Hotel.

But only the two largest were permitted inside.

Meanwhile, the guests included not just the Empire’s great nobles, but also high-ranking officials from the Military Department.

Insects who could shake the very foundations of the Empire had gathered here.

Of course, Pei Rui had received an invitation as well.

He couldn’t quite figure it out. After their nasty fallout with Benson last time, why had this senior figure gone out of his way to send invitations to both Jing Chi and him—and specifically stressed that Jing Chi had to attend the banquet?

For the moment, Pei Rui had no clue what the man’s true intentions were.

“Male Lord, are you going?” Pei Rui asked. “It’s no problem if you don’t want to. I can turn it down for you.”

Deep contemplation filled Pei Rui’s eyes. He had a nagging sense that something big was about to go down.

Jing Chi smiled, a glint of knowing depth in his gaze. “No worries. After all, I really want to witness such a rare spectacle firsthand.”

As if he would miss it. Without him there, today’s performance wouldn’t be nearly dramatic enough.

Besides, he preferred to savor Lantis’s look of shock, surprise, and terror up close and personal.

Just imagining it brought a rush of satisfaction.

Since Jing Chi wanted to go, Pei Rui didn’t stand in his way. He simply steeled his resolve: this time, he would protect his Male Lord no matter what.

At that moment, however, Jing Chi leaned in close to his ear. His tone carried genuine concern—or so it seemed—but there was an undercurrent of deliberate mischief as he murmured:

“By the way, does your waist still hurt? Last night’s position was a bit too much. Why don’t we try a different one next time?”

Excitement laced his voice by the final words.

Ever since getting a taste, Jing Chi had laid bare his true colors.

One had to admit, the female insects of this world boasted remarkable recovery powers. No matter how drained they were the night before, they bounced back good as new by morning.

Pei Rui’s expression turned awkward in an instant. Jing Chi’s words conjured up that familiar sour, swollen ache from last night, flooding his waist and abdomen once more.

He rubbed his forehead helplessly, fully aware of what Jing Chi was getting at.

But Pei Rui lacked his partner’s brazen nerve to discuss such intimacies in public.

He coughed lightly, embarrassed, tugged at Jing Chi’s arm, and whispered, “Male Lord, let’s save talk like that for home next time.”

Jing Chi smiled, his eyes crinkling with amusement. He neither agreed nor refused.

Royal Hotel.

The first-floor hall buzzed with noble insects and high-ranking military officers milling about.

Whispers rippled through the crowd now and then, everyone speculating on Benson’s motives for summoning them all.

If it was merely to confirm Lantis’s status, there was no need for all this fanfare.

The extravagance, if anything, hinted that today’s events ran far deeper.

When Jing Chi and Pei Rui stepped inside, a flurry of stares locked onto them.

“That must be Pei Rui’s Male Lord. Gotta say, he’s easy on the eyes.”

“Hah, didn’t General Pei once swear off male insects? Looks like age caught up, and now he’s settling for some no-name commoner to take the leftovers.”

“Who’d have guessed? After all the drama, he ends up mated to a plebeian male insect. Tsk tsk.”

They muttered as if in hushed tones, but made no effort to lower their voices. Jing Chi, standing nearby, caught every word crystal clear.

He frowned. Before he could march over and set those loose-lipped male insects straight, the hall lights dimmed abruptly.

A spotlight pierced the darkness, bathing the stage up front.

Several insect figures stood silhouetted there.

No doubt about it: Benson and Lantis, plus a few others.

Benson swept his gaze across the assembly, zeroing in on Jing Chi’s form tucked in the corner.

The one he’d hoped to see was here. Satisfaction curved his lips as he turned to face the crowd below and spoke measuredly:

“Thank you all for making time in your busy schedules to join us. I have a solemn announcement to make.”

Silence blanketed the hall as everyone held their breath for Benson’s next words.

Lantis smirked, smug triumph gleaming in his eyes. But in the next instant, Benson’s declaration shattered his composure.

“Lantis Victor is not my son.”

The words detonated like a bomb. The room erupted in chaos.

Every eye snapped to Lantis. No one had anticipated this twist.

“Consort Father, have you lost your mind?” Lantis’s face twisted unpleasantly, though he forced a rigid smile. “How could I not be your son?”

He reached for Benson’s hand, but the consort father sidestepped deftly.

Lantis clocked the unprecedented chill in Benson’s stare.

Had this insect uncovered those secrets?

Even so, what of it? That other male insect was long dead. Would Benson really blow everything up like this?

The Crown Prince seat would slip right into rival hands. Benson couldn’t possibly risk exposing him—not with stakes that high.

Benson eyed Lantis’s cocksure demeanor and saw right through his false security. With a mocking sneer, he pressed on:

“Here are the paternity tests: one between Lantis and me, and another between Lantis and my younger brother. They prove conclusively that Lantis is not my son—but my brother’s.”

He projected the documents onto the massive screen.

No one had anticipated that events would take such a turn—Lantis was actually Benson’s nephew.

But how had he become the Crown Prince?

These seasoned veterans who had navigated the cutthroat world of officialdom for many years immediately suspected a deliberate plot.

To muddy the royal bloodline was a crime of unimaginable audacity.

The surname Victor represented not only the imperial family but, more crucially, that one male insect named Victor.

If the Crown Prince was not his descendant, then his claim to the throne held no meaning whatsoever.

One insect spoke up indignantly. “They’ve got some nerve, fooling us for nearly twenty years! Empress, is our true Crown Prince still alive?”

Everyone’s immediate assumption was that the real Crown Prince had been murdered by Lantis and his father.

But to their surprise, Benson showed no sign of grief at these words. Instead, a joyful expression lit his face as he replied:

“Thanks to Adair’s blessing, I found our son just a few days ago. The boy looks just like Adair.”

Pei Rui listened calmly to the drama unfolding above him. The matter had little to do with him at first, but he couldn’t help feeling a spark of satisfaction upon hearing that Lantis was not the Crown Prince.

That satisfaction faded in an instant, however, and his expression grew rigid at Benson’s final words.

The insect who bore such a striking resemblance to His Majesty Adair—if he wasn’t mistaken, that could only be Jing Chi.

His gaze shifted to the male insect at his side.

Jing Chi met his eyes with a smile, showing no reaction whatsoever to the conversation overhead.

Pei Rui dismissed it as his imagination running wild.

But in the very next moment, Benson’s voice rang out with unmistakable clarity:

“The true son of myself and Adair—the Empire’s rightful Crown Prince—is here among us. His name is Jing Chi.”

The declaration hung in the air, and every insect in the room began scanning their neighbors, eager to spot this Jing Chi and see what he looked like.

Pei Rui, hearing that familiar name, froze in stunned silence.