Chapter 50: I Want to Kiss Him [Knasch, 0%]
At the banquet, elegantly dressed male insects held champagne glasses, occasionally clinking them together, engaged in conversation. They were accompanied by female insects, some with one, some with multiple. The female insects stood by their Masters’ command, or knelt quietly at their feet, following their every move.
Among all the male insects, only Kano, beside He Yue, had no female insect with him.
“Lord Kano has brought a new face.” A male insect approached them, clinking his glass with Kano’s, and politely nodded at He Yue. He didn’t seem surprised by Kano’s lack of a female insect, as if it were a common occurrence.
Kano nodded and gestured towards He Yue. “This is my… very good friend, his name is He Yue.”
He Yue clinked his glass with the male insect and took a sip of the fruit juice Kano had specially ordered for him. After a few polite exchanges, they went their separate ways.
The music at the banquet was elegant, and every male insect moved with grace and composure, reminding He Yue of the ancient aristocratic circles of the human world. He leaned closer to Kano and whispered, “I’m not interested in male insects, can we skip the socializing?”
Kano’s smile faltered. The words “I’m not interested in male insects” were spoken casually, but they still stung.
“Alright, let’s go get something to eat.”
The hot food on the table was delicious, the desserts sweet but not cloying. The neatly arranged desserts were of various kinds, their cheesy aroma wafting through the air, whetting one’s appetite.
He Yue found a few tasty treats and placed them in Wien’s hand. “This is good, you should try it.”
“I want to eat too.” Kano said softly, holding an empty plate.
“Get it yourself,” He Yue didn’t indulge him. “My female insect isn’t allowed to take things from the table, that’s why I’m getting it for him.”
Wien bit into the sweet cake, a happy smile on his face. He had felt uncomfortable in front of Kano due to his female insect status, but now he felt that this status was actually quite good.
He could stay by his Master’s side forever as his accompanying female insect, rightfully and naturally protecting him.
Before the cake in his mouth had even melted, he saw Kano’s cold gaze directed at him.
He was all too familiar with this look.
The hostile, threatening gaze, tinged with jealousy because of his Master’s preferential treatment.
Now, Wien truly believed that Kano was genuinely in love with his Master.
Under Kano’s gaze, he put the remaining half of the cake He Yue had given him into his mouth.
The soft cake filled his mouth with a sweet fragrance, made even sweeter by the fact that He Yue had personally given it to him.
Wien saw Kano’s expression stiffen and smiled triumphantly. Since Kano was a male insect, he couldn’t resort to physical violence as he had with Koeyle, so he could only childishly and subtly flaunt the special treatment he received.
“What are you doing with my cake!” He Yue exclaimed, seeing Kano take the cake from his plate.
“You chose the good one.”
Kano quickly stuffed the stolen cake into his mouth.
Of course, since Kano was a male insect, he wouldn’t receive He Yue’s preferential treatment, but he could also do many things that Wien wouldn’t even dare to think of.
They seemed to complement each other, evenly matched.
“Cough, cough…”
The sound of a microphone being tested drew everyone’s attention. On the red-carpeted stage, a male insect in a high-end suit stood before a microphone, his voice calm and rhythmic as he began to speak.
The treasures presented were priceless, various tools intricately and exquisitely made. Masterless female insects, shackled, were auctioned off at exorbitant prices, their various body types and specially cultivated skills highly sought after.
“Are you interested in anything?” Kano asked.
He Yue glanced at the dazed, masterless female insects on the stage, not seeing any conquest value numbers above their heads, and shook his head. He took a bite of a new pastry, his attention not on the auction at all.
“I prefer the process of training them myself.”
This banquet was hosted by a famous male insect collector, his collection not only of high appraisal value, but also a good investment. Whether it was treasures or female insects, male insects with an invitation could buy them and resell them for a significant profit.
“Is Lord Kano planning to leave empty-handed today?” A male insect approached them, clinking his champagne glass with Kano’s.
Kano glanced at He Yue, who was engrossed in tasting the food, and smiled and nodded.
The male insect chuckled and flattered, “The quality of these female insects can’t even compare to one percent of what Lord Kano has trained.” He paused, then continued, “But Lord Kano has retired for many years, and we haven’t had the pleasure of admiring your works.”
Kano’s smile faded, and he lowered his eyes, taking a sip of his wine.
“The last item for auction is my own creation, a genetically modified female slave.”
The sound of a glass shattering drew everyone’s attention.
He Yue turned his head.
Kano’s champagne glass had shattered on the hard stone floor, the pale gold liquid spilling everywhere, reflecting the bright white lights above.
The banquet fell silent, only the elegant, soothing piano music seeming out of place.
Kano pursed his lips, and after a moment, he bowed slightly and said, “I apologize for disturbing everyone’s enjoyment. I accidentally dropped my glass. I will definitely apologize to the host with a gift another day.”
The male insect on stage quickly recovered and smoothed things over. “Lord Kano is too polite, it’s just a glass, nothing to worry about.” He gestured to a female insect beside him, and a staff member immediately came to clean up the broken glass.
The banquet continued as usual. This small incident, however, piqued He Yue’s interest in the stage.
The female insect on stage had a pair of white cat ears and a fluffy cat tail, her figure more slender than a normal female insect. She stood in a cage, her private parts covered by a sheer white veil, her identity and purpose obvious.
The male insect on stage explained that this female insect was a product of genetic fusion, her body much more sensitive than a normal female insect’s, her sole purpose being to serve male insects. She had, of course, undergone strict training and conditioning, ready for immediate use.
The male insect’s tone was proud, likely thinking he had captured the attention of all the male insects in the audience. And he was right; the bidding price had already multiplied several times and showed no signs of stopping.
Normally, Kano would have already been introducing and fawning over He Yue hundreds of times. But this time, he didn’t. His face was pale, his lips trembling, his hands gripping the edge of the dessert table, his forehead beaded with cold sweat.
A glass of warm water was placed in front of Kano.
“Are you alright?” He Yue asked.
This male insect looked like he was about to collapse.
Kano’s expression was tense, and he downed the entire glass of water in one gulp. He frowned, grabbed He Yue’s hand, his voice shaky. “Let’s go, let’s leave this place.”
“Is there anyone who wants to raise the bid?!”
The high-pitched voice came from the speakers.
As soon as the words were spoken, another sound of shattering glass was heard. A bullet shattered the stained-glass window of the banquet hall and flew straight towards He Yue.
“He Yue!” “Master, be careful!” [Host!]
Three voices rang out almost simultaneously.
He Yue grunted in pain and stumbled back. The blood from his left upper arm stained his white suit, the pain quickly spreading throughout his body. He clutched the bleeding wound, the sharp pain and his still-recovering body making him dizzy.
Kano quickly pulled him behind a nearby pillar, dodging the bullets that continued to fly into the hall.
The bullets came from one direction, shattering the glass cups on the tables and bringing down the crystal chandelier from the ceiling. Besides the first shot that hit He Yue, none of the other shots hit any insects.
The crowd was in chaos, their screams echoing through the hall. They scattered in all directions, some diving under tables, some running for the door… The terrified insects, their faces pale, had lost all semblance of dignity, even those in expensive suits looking far from elegant.
On the stage, the genetically modified female insect stood alone in the cage, looking down at the chaotic crowd with a detached expression.
Wien, risking being shot, quickly crouched and ran to a table, grabbing a few clean napkins. He ripped them into strips and was about to wrap them around He Yue’s shoulder.
“I’ll do it myself.”
Compared to the panicked crowd, He Yue was terrifyingly calm. He skillfully applied a simple bandage to stop the bleeding, quietly observing the direction the bullets were coming from.
The sniper was clearly not aiming to kill. He was firing randomly into the hall, just to disrupt the banquet. He had many choices, but he had deliberately chosen He Yue as a target, creating a non-fatal wound.
The damage was minimal, but the insult was immense.
“I need a gun, do either of you have one?”
Wien, a civilian military female, definitely didn’t. As for Kano…
He rolled up his pant leg and took out a small pistol from a holster strapped to his calf, handing it to He Yue.
“Lend me a few bullets.”
He Yue loaded the gun with one hand, leaning against the pillar, his eyes fixed on the direction the intermittent bullets were coming from.
Once a sniper fired, their position was exposed. The other party was so calm, so bold, continuing to harass the entire hall.
Truly, seeking death.
He Yue’s eyes turned cold, and he raised the gun with his right hand, leaning out and firing several shots in quick succession in the confirmed direction. The surge of adrenaline allowed him to ignore the pain and focus intently, his gaze sharp and cold, his movements calm and composed.
The blood on his shoulder didn’t make him look weak. The blood-stained white suit was like a beautiful, blood-red flower.
He Yue, having experienced countless dangerous situations at Castle, was experienced enough, and the silence that followed the gunshots proved his judgment was accurate. He stroked the slightly hot barrel of the gun, a ruthless smile on his face.
“I need to go meet my prize.”
“He Yue, your wound…”
He Yue glanced at the red stain that was still slowly spreading and said calmly, “It’s just a small wound, I won’t die. I know my body, I have it under control.”
[Host, you don’t know, you’re a male insect, not a human…]
He Yue completely ignored the system.
His intuition told him that the sniper’s provocation was related to the genetically modified female insect. And since the other party had already been hit by several of his shots, he had to go and meet his prize.
Wien followed behind He Yue, not saying a word of dissuasion. His Master’s gaze was firm, and he knew that once his Master had made up his mind, he, a mere little dog, couldn’t change it.
Just as they left the hall through a side door, He Yue heard the sound of another bullet shattering something in the hall.
The intermittent bullets were coming from the same place.
So arrogant… this sniper was ridiculously arrogant. He had exposed his position, been hit by He Yue, yet he didn’t even bother to move.
Curiosity and a competitive spirit, He Yue, who hadn’t been interested in anything all night, was now intrigued by this arrogant sniper.
The sniper was on a nearby building, not far from the banquet hall. He Yue pressed himself against the half-open door to the rooftop and gestured for Wien to be quiet.
The loaded gun was aimed at the figure on the edge of the rooftop, and he accurately shot the hand resting on the sniper rifle. Then, a second shot, a third…
Close-range shooting was a piece of cake for He Yue. He disabled the sniper’s arm and knocked the sniper rifle off the rooftop ledge.
The sniper remained kneeling, not retaliating, not running.
The hot muzzle of the gun was pressed against the back of his head. He Yue stood behind him and heard a mechanical male voice, altered by a voice changer.
“Master is so vengeful, I just accidentally hit your arm.”
He turned around, the gun now pressed against his forehead.
He was completely covered, a black hoodie pulled down to his eyebrows, a black mask covering the lower half of his face. Almost no skin was exposed, except for…
Those bright, light blue eyes.
There were unique patterns in his light blue pupils, which glowed faintly, like an artificial robot. If it weren’t for the blood dripping from his gloved hand, He Yue would have thought he was just a robot.
“You just missed. A little more accurate, and the bullet wouldn’t have been in my arm, but in my heart.”
“So what?”
He Yue pressed the gun forward.
“You owe me a life, little female insect.”
The sniper’s eyes curved into a smile, not at all nervous as he took the sniper rifle from the stand. His hand was clearly shot through, still bleeding, yet he picked up the gun as if nothing had happened.
Impossible.
He Yue was certain that his shot hadn’t missed, that it had gone straight through his palm.
The sniper’s tone was light as he raised the sniper rifle, the muzzle pressed against He Yue’s left chest, leaving a dent in the blood-stained suit.
He loaded the gun and placed his finger on the trigger.
“Does Master want to compare our speed?”
There was nothing to compare in this situation. With their guns pointed at each other’s vital spots, any shot would be fatal.
Wien stood behind the rooftop door, his heart pounding. He knew that rushing out now would be even more dangerous, possibly causing the female insect to fire in a panic, and he had been repeatedly told not to interfere…
Kano!
Wien quietly backed away and ran downstairs.
The male insect who was allowed to carry a gun, and who had reacted strangely to the mention of the genetically modified female insect! Wien despised this male insect who was competing with him for his Master, but he was certain that he was connected to this sniper.
He Yue and the female insect remained in a standoff, neither moving.
The air was filled with the smell of blood, perhaps from the sniper’s still-bleeding hand, or from the bloodstain on He Yue’s shoulder.
Suddenly, the light blue eyes flickered, like a signal light receiving a message. He paused, then lowered the sniper rifle.
“What a pity, the leader won’t let me shoot.”
He Yue frowned in confusion.
He had no pity for this sniper who had shot him. He had to collect the life he was owed, especially after being so arrogantly provoked.
Until, a number appeared above the female insect’s head.
[Knasch, 0%.]
(？)
He Yue laughed, annoyed.
When he met Koeyle, the system said it had misjudged the difficulty. What about this conquest target, who was holding a gun to his vital spot on their first meeting?
[…Host, I’m sorry.]
(…)
(I need a very small tracker.)
[Alright.]
He Yue nonchalantly slipped one hand into his pants pocket and felt a small particle. He lowered his gun, stroking it.
“Your eyes are beautiful. I’m thinking of collecting this life in installments.” Knasch blinked and chuckled. “I don’t recommend installments. I probably won’t see tomorrow’s sun, so I’ll owe Master half a life for the rest of my life.” He spoke of his own death so casually, as if it weren’t his own.
He Yue pressed the muzzle of his gun against his chin, forcing it up, leaving a deep dent in the soft flesh.
“Then try to live a few more days, and wait for me to collect the other half of the life you owe me.” “I’ll do my best.”
The small tracker stuck to Knasch’s chin, the pain of the gun pressing against him completely masking its presence.
He Yue leaned closer, moving the muzzle to his right chest, and placed his finger on the trigger without hesitation.
“This will only be a flesh wound. If Master wants half a life, you’ll have to do this.” Knasch moved the muzzle to his left chest.
“Why?” He Yue asked.
“Because this way, there’s a fifty-fifty chance of dying, a fifty-fifty chance of living. That’s half a life.” (Have female insects evolved to the point where they can survive a bullet to the heart?)
[…Probably, maybe, just him.]
The light blue eyes sparkled even more, and Knasch showed unprecedented excitement and anticipation in the face of possible death. The strange light in his eyes flickered, like two malfunctioning light bulbs.
“Compared to tomorrow, I’d rather die now.” Knasch’s voice rose with excitement. “Will Master be the one to finally kill me?” His dramatic tone was like a performance, a play with the theme of “madness,” and he was the immersed actor.
He placed his finger on He Yue’s finger, which was on the trigger, and pressed down.
The bullet fired, piercing his heart.
“Bang.” Knasch mimicked the sound of the gunshot with a smile.
Blood splattered, flying onto He Yue’s face.
“What a pity, it wasn’t you, Master.”
He bit his glove and pulled it off. His hand was stained with dried blood, but there was no gunshot wound.
The gunshot wound He Yue had inflicted on his palm had healed completely in such a short time.
Knasch shook his glove, and the bullet fell out.
The bullet clattered on the ground.
He wiped the blood from his palm, then gently wiped the blood droplets from He Yue’s pale face. His hand was cold, like a piece of iron.
“Master is also beautiful. It would be even better if you were the one who could kill me.” The decorative lights on the other buildings cast a colorful glow on his soft features, especially his high, small nose, leaving a shadow on one side.
Knasch’s eyes flickered.
Up close, he thought He Yue was even more beautiful than him.
He Yue’s mind was in a mess, partly from the shock of the situation, but more importantly, from the weakness of blood loss and the aftereffects of overusing his pheromones. The adrenaline had given him a final burst of energy, and after the excitement faded, he was overwhelmed by weakness.
He leaned forward slightly, his balance maintained by the gun pressed against Knasch’s left chest.
If it weren’t for this support, he would have collapsed.
Thus, when Knasch gently wiped the blood from his lips with his finger, he didn’t push him away.
The blood smeared across He Yue’s full lips, staining them a vibrant red. The blood wasn’t evenly applied, but against his pale face, the contrast was incredibly striking.
Knasch’s gaze lingered on He Yue’s lips for a long time. His eyes traced them, his thumb gently caressing the cool flesh.
This female insect, shot in the heart, his voice showed no signs of weakness. “It seems my death isn’t today. How wonderful, another day to live.” The blue eyes flickered.
“Damn it, another day to live.”
He spoke softly, but He Yue, who was close, heard him clearly. The gritted-teeth tone was so strange that He Yue even double-checked what he had said.
“If you want to die so badly, just jump from here. There are so many ways to die in this world, living is the tiring part.” He Yue gritted his teeth and stood up, leaning against the edge of the rooftop, fighting off a wave of dizziness.
Knasch put away his sniper rifle, stood up, and stretched.
“I’ve jumped off buildings fifty-seven times, hanged myself sixty-three times, drowned myself in the river thirteen times, shot myself in the heart twenty-one times…” He paused, looking at He Yue. “No, twenty-two times.”
Knasch didn’t continue, waving at He Yue. “See you again, Master. I hope that when I return the other half of the life I owe you, I can give you my whole life…” He hummed a cheerful tune and walked past He Yue.
His voice was cut short when he saw Kano approaching.
“Master!”
Wien ran over from behind Kano and caught the swaying He Yue.
“Don’t fall asleep, Master, I’m taking you to the hospital now.”
He Yue blinked, falling into Wien’s arms without a worry. The warmth of his body warmed his gradually cooling skin, and he relaxed, the gun slipping from his fingers and falling to the ground.
Wien’s heart ached, the red stain on the white suit piercing his eyes. As a little dog, he couldn’t go against his Master’s wishes. He had wanted to drag He Yue to the hospital from the beginning, but he could only follow his wishes, watching him torment himself.
He Yue was using his body as if he were human, completely underestimating the fact that a four-month-old male insect’s body couldn’t handle his usual recklessness.
Wien easily lifted He Yue into his arms.
Perhaps it was the aftereffects of pheromone depletion, or perhaps it was his current concern for He Yue’s physical condition, but he felt that his Master was so light he was almost floating.
A mecha key was tossed to him.
“Go to the Area A hospital and find Caines. Tell him my name.”
Kano’s extensive network of contacts made Wien’s heart tighten again. He didn’t have time to think, running off with He Yue as fast as he could.
After the sounds behind them had completely faded, Knasch chuckled and said, “You like him.”
Kano didn’t reply.
“Of course, such a beautiful male insect, it’s not surprising that both male and female insects like him.” Knasch had found his weakness, his smile widening as he saw Kano’s stiff expression. “No wonder the leader contacted me urgently, telling me to stay put and not to kill him. You were the one who urgently asked the leader to issue the order, right?”
“What mission did my brother give you? Why did you shoot him in the first place? Who ordered his death?” Kano asked urgently.
Knasch, seeing his anxiety, clapped his hands and laughed triumphantly. “It’s rare to see this expression on your face… You mean the leader… I don’t know the specific mission. The mission I received was to disrupt the banquet.”
He raised his sniper rifle, the wound on his hand pressing against Kano’s chest.
“I was surprised to see you in my scope, and I couldn’t wait to shoot you, looking forward to your death, even forgetting the leader’s warning. Who knew you would run so fast, making my bullet hit the male insect beside you.”
Knasch’s smile faded, his expression turning cold. “You were the one who should have died, he took a bullet for you.”
He saw Kano’s expression stiffen and scoffed. “But, I feel pretty good. He’s beautiful and calm, and he looks so cool and impressive when he shoots, so charming.”
He leaned closer to Kano. “When my blood fell on his pale lips, and I slowly smeared it with my finger, do you know what I was thinking?”
Kano gritted his teeth.
“I wanted to kiss him, I wanted to bite his pale lips red, to kiss him until he couldn’t breathe, to make his face flush from pale to red.”
Knasch chuckled. “Don’t you think it’s a great sense of accomplishment? I shot him, made him lose blood, made him pale and weak. Then I stained him with my blood, making him red and beautiful.”
Anger appeared on Kano’s face, and he grabbed Knasch’s collar, his voice low and menacing. “Are you crazy? You dare to touch him?”
“Why can’t I touch him?” Knasch’s smile didn’t reach his eyes, his lips curling into a smirk. “If they catch me, kill me, that would be for the best.”
“I enjoyed this transformation process as much as you did, my creator.”
