Master of Masters 42

Chapter 42: The Bone Whip Breaks [Koeyle 75%]

He Yue placed the black noise-canceling earmuffs over Wien’s head and quickly burrowed under the covers.

The soft, comfortable earmuffs completely enveloped his ears, blocking out some of the noise. It was a rare comfort to find a moment of quiet amidst the howling wind, and anyone would feel uneasy in this seemingly apocalyptic environment.

He Yue shifted closer, resting his head on Wien’s arm.

The broad muscle was an excellent pillow, especially since Wien had deliberately relaxed his arm, preventing it from becoming too hard.

“Sleep.”

He Yue murmured, already drowsy.

Leaning against Wien, his warmth and soft touch helped him sleep better, even providing a sense of security in this apocalyptic atmosphere.

In his bedroom in the human world, He Yue had a life-sized brown teddy bear on his bed. He liked the feeling of the soft, comfortable cotton, the sense of fullness from hugging the large plushy helping him sleep.

Now, he had found an equivalent substitute in this other world, even in such harsh conditions.

The bedside lamp was still on, but He Yue was already fast asleep.

His long eyelashes fluttered, and he unconsciously nestled closer to Wien in his sleep.

Wien’s arm was numb, but he didn’t move a muscle. During his days working alone at the civilian research institute, he wouldn’t even dare to dream of such a scene.

He took off the earmuffs.

The sound of wind and snow hitting the windows was still too loud for him to sleep, but because they were so close, Wien could hear the faint sound of He Yue’s breathing, and the warm air against his skin, something he treasured immensely.

Under the dim light of the bedside lamp, Wien traced the contours of He Yue’s face with his eyes, memorizing every detail.

Like collecting material for future dreams.

He didn’t sleep a wink.

There was no news about the team dispatched to enter the nuclear hole, nor was there any news about Koeyle, who had been training for days. Both the official announcements and He Yue’s chat logs were eerily silent.

Amidst the howling wind and snow, flashing red and blue lights shone through the window.

He Yue looked up, puzzled, and saw a base transport vehicle, its roof flashing red and blue lights, slowly moving towards the house through the snow.

The blizzard was fierce, and the massive vehicle struggled through the deep snow, moving slowly, occasionally lifted by the wind, as if about to flip over.

“What is that?” He Yue pulled Wien closer, peering out the window.

As a civilian major, Wien was more familiar with base affairs. “It’s a base transport vehicle. Are they here to deliver supplies?”

They had almost run out of fresh produce for cooking, but the stockpiled nutrient solution was more than enough to last them a long time. The transport vehicle, with its flashing lights, seemed to be on a more urgent mission than just delivering supplies.

[Severe mental fluctuations detected in the conquest target, entering a pseudo-insectoidization state, danger and risk levels at 90%! Host, do not open the door, he is at risk of insectoidization and going berserk!]

(Koeyle?)

The system’s alarm was urgent, far more panicked than the slowly approaching transport vehicle.

(Pseudo-insectoidization state?)

[The precursor to insectoidization. Once he fully insectoidizes, there’s no saving him! He’s very dangerous, he will attack anyone indiscriminately in a berserk state! He’s also armed, Host, do not open the door!]

The person on the transport vehicle was probably Colonel Koeyle, who had disappeared for days, now returning in a berserk state.

(You’re saying I should give up on him?)

[He’s very dangerous!]

He Yue lowered his eyes, his expression unreadable.

(You said the same thing the first time we met.)

[…]

The system was momentarily speechless.

Its value calculations, mental power monitoring and analysis, and risk assessments were all based on specific standards and procedures.

(You know, besides him, who else in the insect race can lead a team of military females into the nuclear hole? He’s ranked first on the simulation training leaderboard, far surpassing the second place.)

[But the host will be in danger.]

The system’s mechanical voice lacked conviction.

It couldn’t understand He Yue. From the moment He Yue took on this mad dog of a colonel, it couldn’t predict his actions based on its calculations.

Every step of He Yue’s conquest, his methods and progress, were beyond the system’s predictions, beyond its usually accurate calculations.

(He’s my dog.)

[…]

Just like the first time He Yue interacted with the system, he had an absolute desire for control over what belonged to him, whether objects or toys.

He Yue could probably guess why Koeyle, who usually replied instantly, hadn’t sent any messages for so long.

After he decided to share part of the already short three months with Wien, after he stepped into the snow, Koeyle must have locked himself in the simulation training instances for every minute of every day.

Outside, several military females, wearing thick uniforms, dragged a figure, clearly taller than them, out of the transport vehicle, their boots sinking deep into the snow as they walked towards the house.

They knocked on the door.

[Host…]

The system made one last attempt.

(He’s my dog.)

He Yue reached for the door.

Wien quickly stepped in front of him, shielding him.

“The wind and snow are strong, Master, please stay behind me, be careful.”

The door opened, the biting wind and snow swirling inside. Wien stood in front, using his body to block the wind.

The wind, carrying snowflakes, blew into the room, the snowflakes quickly melting into water droplets upon contact with the warm air. He Yue peeked out from behind Wien, then quickly retreated as ice shards hit his face.

The noticeably taller female insect was bundled up in a thick coat with a hood that completely covered his head, even his eyes. He didn’t make a sound, his body swaying slightly as he walked inside after being released by the military females supporting him.

“Koeyle.” He Yue called out. The unfamiliar atmosphere almost made him think he had mistaken the insect for someone else, until the figure paused at the sound of his name.

Koeyle stopped, turning his head to locate the source of the voice, tilting his head slightly to peer out from under the hood, his confused gaze finding He Yue beside Wien.

The moment he looked up, the cracks on his face and neck, like fissures in dry earth, were clearly visible under the indoor light.

“How did you…”

Before He Yue could finish, an arm wrapped around him, pulling him back, a strong arm resting on his shoulder. His back bumped against a soft chest, and he didn’t feel any pain.

Koeyle looked up further, seeing Wien’s wary expression over He Yue’s shoulder.

“Thank you… for protecting Master.”

His voice was so hoarse that He Yue almost didn’t recognize it, raspy and broken, like metal scraping against metal.

He Yue was about to reach out when Wien pulled him back without a word.

Wien, having lived in the insect world far longer than He Yue, the transmigrator, immediately noticed the black, web-like patterns on Koeyle’s face.

It was clear: “pseudo-insectoidization state.”

Female insects with strong mental power had one last chance to recover at this stage, to avoid irreversible insectoidization. But this state was incredibly dangerous. A female insect on the verge of collapse, especially a highly combat-capable colonel, could do anything in a berserk state.

[Host, try using pheromones.]

The pheromones that Koeyle rejected, the pheromones that could control female insects…

This was the final tool for He Yue to complete this conquest mission, to completely break Koeyle’s resistance to pheromones, turning him into a slave to them.

He pondered for a moment.

The sound of the female colonel’s unsteady footsteps faded away as he walked away without looking back, descending the basement stairs step by step.

(I understand.)

“I’m going too.” Wien grabbed He Yue, who was heading towards the basement.

He had already tried to persuade him countless times, but He Yue was determined to go to the basement.

He Yue was holding a covered mug and the meter-long bone whip. The spikes on each bone segment dug into his shoulder, threatening to tear his clothes, making Wien anxious.

“What are you going there for?”

“If he truly reaches a point where he would harm Master, I will kill him before he can.”

He Yue chuckled softly, his eyebrows slightly raised in amusement, not at all like someone about to face a dangerous situation.

“He’s a superior officer.”

“So what?”

He Yue couldn’t refuse him and allowed him to follow.

The howling wind and snow could still be heard in the closed corridor of the basement, but the sound was distorted, more like a demonic growl.

He Yue had changed his clothes. His polished leather boots clicked against the cement floor, his tight leather pants outlining his long, slender legs, the deep V-neck of his black top revealing his collarbones, the fitted cut accentuating his broad shoulders and narrow waist. His long hair was tied low at the back.

He wore latex half-gloves, the tight material clinging to his fingers, leaving no gaps. The smooth latex surface gleamed, and he tugged at the cuffs, ensuring they covered his palms without restricting his wrist movements.

Everything about him was sexy and cruel.

He had never worn this outfit before, always trying to maintain a normal appearance in the studio, subtly integrating the concept of “Master” into Koeyle’s daily life.

But now, he didn’t need to.

He only needed to stand there, and any female insect who saw him would be instantly captivated, his identity clear and unmistakable.

The clicking of his boots against the floor stopped, and He Yue stood before the trembling Colonel Koeyle, huddled in the corner.

Koeyle was curled up, almost merging with the wall. His arms were wrapped tightly around himself, but he couldn’t regain his fading mental strength.

He had experienced the pseudo-insectoidization state, the precursor to insectoidization, before, but never to this extent, this difficult to control. The draining sensation was lifting all his senses, making him lose control, detached from reality.

This near-death state truly terrified the usually iron-blooded colonel.

He lifted his head slightly, peeking out from under his arms, the black web-like patterns still covering his face.

Against the light, his gaze locked onto He Yue, unable to look away.

The cold bone whip hanging around He Yue’s neck, the gleaming leather boots and pants, his slender fingers encased in latex gloves.

“Colonel, what do you choose? Pheromones?”

Koeyle shook his head violently at the trigger word.

He wasn’t fully conscious, but accepting soothing pheromones meant awakening the female insect’s instinctive dependence on them, and subconsciously, he still resisted fiercely.

He couldn’t be controlled, absolutely not.

This was the foundation of his rise to the rank of colonel, defying the high-ranking male insects at headquarters.

He Yue took off the bone whip that was casually draped around his neck, his right hand gripping the bone handle tightly.

He swung the whip, the whistling sound cutting through the air, the sharp spikes leaving deep marks on the cement floor.

“If not pheromones, then what do you choose?”

Koeyle’s body trembled, the floating sensation making him feel like he was in a dream.

His gaze was fixed on He Yue’s fingers.

The latex-covered fingers gripped the white bone handle, the black gloves and white bone a stark contrast.

He forced his voice to remain steady.

“I want you… I only want you…”

Besides soothing pheromones, the only thing that could overcome the draining sensation was real, bone-piercing pain. Physical pain could bring him back to his senses, pull his wandering soul back.

Only more agonizing injuries could make his stiff biological systems function again.

“Please… torment me until I can’t even move a finger…” His voice was also weak, as if he had used all his strength to utter those words.

A pleasant chuckle echoed through the basement, like a saving angel, or perhaps a tempting devil. Kindness and cruelty intertwined, just like He Yue himself, gentle yet ruthless.

“Alright.”

He Yue raised the bone whip high in the air. The segmented whip hung straight down, the most brutal tool in the entire studio.

“Then let’s get a little crazier, Colonel Koeyle.”

He smiled, a bright, unrestrained smile, his eyes filled with true madness.

The bone whip lashed out, landing squarely on Koeyle. The spikes instantly pierced his flesh, the sound echoing loudly in the empty basement.

Koeyle let out an uncontrollable roar, as if tearing his throat apart, tears streaming down his face.

The pain and wounds ignited his cooling body, his blood flow quickening, sending warmth to his stiff limbs, allowing him to move slightly.

The wounds were terrifyingly deep, worse than cuts from a knife.

The bone whip in He Yue’s hand was covered in blood, droplets forming and dripping from the center.

He didn’t show any pity, instead tilting his head and examining the wounds, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Thus, when he swung the whip again, he didn’t hold back his strength.

Blood splattered everywhere, some directly from the wounds, some flung from the whip. A few droplets landed on He Yue’s face, trickling down his smooth, delicate skin.

He didn’t wipe them away, instead taking two steps closer.

“How does it feel?” He Yue asked.

Koeyle finally regained some mobility, his burning body seemingly burning away the coldness of his fading mental strength.

He struggled to move, two long gashes stretching from his shoulders to his calves, slowly pushing himself forward from his curled-up position until his knees hit the ground.

He raised his chin, tears glistening in his eyes, even brighter under the basement’s ceiling light. More blood splattered on his face, mixing with his tears as they trickled down.

He smiled, a bloody, painful smile.

“Thank you… Master, for the reward.”

He Yue smiled faintly.

The air in the basement was thick with a frenzied aura, the stench of blood overwhelming. The howling blizzard outside, echoing down from the entrance, was like a symphony accompanying the scene before them.

Every cell in his body throbbed with excitement, wanting to scream.

The bone whip in He Yue’s hand came down mercilessly.

The tense muscles in his arm generated immense power, even the difficult-to-control bone whip obeying his will. His gaze was intense, his smile crazed and filled with pleasure. The surge of adrenaline made him excited, even frenzied, his strikes even more ruthless.

It had been a long time since he had wielded such a vicious weapon so freely, so recklessly.

His sadistic desires were fully satisfied, a level of enjoyment he had never experienced, even at Castle.

The gentle facade, the feigned kindness, all the carefully crafted acts and controlled techniques were gone, replaced by primal, instinctual, even savage cruelty.

He Yue swung the bone whip, the frequency increasing, the cries growing more frantic.

“Ahh…!”

Along with a loud boom from the basement entrance, and the colonel’s desperate cry, the soft tissue connecting the central bone segment of the whip in He Yue’s hand snapped with a crack. The end of the whip flew across the room, its spikes embedding themselves in the plastered wall.

The world seemed to return to its original calm after a violent storm.

There wasn’t a single unblemished spot on Koeyle’s body, his uniform jacket reduced to tattered shreds. He was covered in blood, the black web-like patterns on his face completely obscured by the crimson liquid.

His forehead rested on the ground, blood dripping from his wounds into the pool of blood beneath him.

He Yue’s body was covered in a thin layer of sweat from the intense activity, even his palms were damp beneath the gloves.

Still caught in the afterglow, he hadn’t fully recovered from the frenzy. He panted, his chest heaving, his collarbones faintly visible beneath his deep V-neck shirt.

He tossed the broken bone whip aside and knelt beside Koeyle.

“Colonel…”

His heart was still pounding from the excitement, the release as exhilarating as running freely after being under immense pressure.

He Yue took Koeyle’s blood-stained hand and placed it over his left chest, over his clothes.

The violent beating of his heart pounded against Koeyle’s palm.

“Do you feel it?”

It was his heart, racing from the intense play, pounding with excitement. He Yue was exhilarated, unprecedentedly so.

Koeyle struggled to look up, the pain making it difficult to even move a finger. He saw He Yue’s face, an expression he had never seen before, unadulterated excitement and pleasure.

“So good…” Koeyle’s voice was incredibly hoarse.

He Yue pressed down on the back of his hand, making his palm flush against his chest.

“Colonel, we’re both lunatics.”

He Yue bit the latex glove on his index finger, pulling it off with a sharp tug. His hand, damp with sweat, looked even paler and more beautiful now.

He lifted Koeyle’s ring finger, wiped away the bloodstains, and brought it to his lips, biting down hard on the base.

Koeyle couldn’t even cry out.

This small pain, compared to the pain of the broken bone whip, was negligible.

A bloody teeth mark appeared on Koeyle’s ring finger.

“Does it look good?” He Yue asked, his eyes smiling, his lips gently brushing against the bloody mark.

The teeth mark on his ring finger, oozing blood, resembled a blood-red ring.

Koeyle looked at his ring finger, his nose stinging. He bit his lip, forcing himself not to cry in this emotionally charged atmosphere.

He Yue stood up and retrieved the mug he had left aside. He opened the lid and placed it in front of Koeyle.

“You like this scent, I brought it for you.”

The mug was filled with shampoo. The moment he opened the lid, the refreshing floral scent spread through the blood-soaked room, strangely out of place.

Koeyle used his remaining strength to sob, tears streaming down his face. His scattered mind gradually refocused, soothed by the fresh scent. What good deed had he done to deserve meeting He Yue, his Master?

Koeyle couldn’t understand.

He slowly moved his hand, gently placing it on the back of He Yue’s. The bloody teeth mark on his ring finger felt like a shackle, binding him tightly.

“Master… I don’t like it just because the shampoo smells good…”

Koeyle’s voice was weak and low. His forehead was still pressed against the floor, and he didn’t even have the strength to lift his head.

“It’s because I smelled this scent on your hair… that’s why I like it so much…”

He Yue placed his hand over Koeyle’s and held it tightly. “I know.”

“And also…” Koeyle’s mind was hazy now, completely captivated, his words jumbled. “I didn’t intentionally ignore your messages… I only saw your message on my optical device when I was in the basement…”

“I didn’t expect you to message me… so, I didn’t leave the training… not even for a moment… I haven’t slept a wink these past few days…”

“I know.”

Koeyle moved his other hand with difficulty, covering the back of He Yue’s hand.

“And also… last time, because of the cold, you fainted… I was thinking, if I can’t destroy the Area A nuclear hole, I can’t even protect you…”

He Yue froze.

He hadn’t expected that Koeyle’s reason for pushing himself so hard during training was also because of him.

“You must… live well, live happily…”

He Yue gently stroked his head with his other hand.

“I will, don’t worry.”

“That’s good…”

Koeyle didn’t even have the strength to speak, unable to voice the thought buried deep within his heart.

Perhaps, even if he had the strength, he wouldn’t have the courage to say it.

He Yue gently lifted his hand and kissed the base of his blood-stained ring finger again.

“Don’t worry about the training, it’s alright to push yourself a little harder.”

Koeyle couldn’t discern the complex emotions behind his Master’s words, nor did he want to question or expect anything.

Just as he was thinking this, he heard He Yue’s gentle voice:

“It’s alright to push yourself harder, Colonel Koeyle, I’m here.”

Koeyle knew he was completely lost, and he should just surrender completely.

[Koeyle, 75%.]