Master of Masters 71

Chapter 71: Hold It [Arnis, 60%]

The feeling of skin against skin could dispel many unpleasant emotions, especially this firm, warm, and secure embrace.

He Yue leaned his head on Wien’s shoulder, his arms resting lightly on his waist. Although the forceful outburst was cathartic, the rejection of the art exhibition still left him feeling dejected.

So unfair…

The colorful and fragrant dishes on the table gradually cooled, the extravagant spread exuding an air of decadence and decay. This world, like Castle, was far from being a clear-cut case of good and evil.

Wien, seeing him lost in thought, hugged his waist tighter, his heart aching, one hand gently stroking his head.

“I’ll take care of it, Master doesn’t need to worry.” He was filled with regret, annoyed at himself for agreeing to his colleague’s suggestion to bring his Master to this dinner. If He Yue hadn’t come, he might have been able to get away with it.

He Yue’s voice was faint, his tone emotionless. “Don’t go begging him, doggy.” He wouldn’t allow that slutty insect to humiliate his dog; this dignity, he would not let it fall.

“I won’t. I won’t let the insect who bullied Master get away with it.” Wien comforted him softly. “I’ll arrange for a non-profit art exhibition, Master can rest assured. Not just one, but many. As long as Master wants to hold one, I’ll arrange it.”

He gently brushed his fingers against He Yue’s cheek. “Master only needs to do what you like, paint with peace of mind, and not worry about anything.”

He Yue, tickled by the touch, buried his head in Wien’s embrace, pressing himself completely against him. He didn’t speak, but tightened his arms around Wien’s waist.

Don’t have to worry about anything…

He Yue closed his eyes peacefully, a faint smile on his lips.

To be able to say such things, it could only be Wien.

Whether in the human world or the insect world, the only one who could comfort He Yue like this was this foolish accompanying female insect, right?

He didn’t have to worry about the conquest mission either. As long as He Yue kept Wien by his side, he wouldn’t have to worry, and his value would slowly rise. He also didn’t have to worry about trivial matters; Wien would always take care of everything for him, protecting him carefully.

As for what Wien wanted, it was just…

“You’re amazing, my good doggy.”

[Wien, 73%.]

He Yue’s muffled voice, buried in his chest, was soft and dependent.

After the system’s prompt, the embrace warmed up.

A single sentence from He Yue could make this embrace warm up.

He heard a rapid heartbeat.

A heartbeat from a heart that belonged entirely to him.

In the study on the first floor, a fox and a dog were working on a mountain of documents. Wien casually mentioned the matter with Oried, and the fox’s anger was instantly ignited.

“What did you say! Oried!! That slutty insect, I’m going to kill him!!”

Wien grabbed the fox’s tail, preventing Knasch from running upstairs. He placed his index finger on his lips. “Be quiet, Master is painting upstairs.”

The fox, hearing Wien’s account, bristled, and was about to go get his gun and start shooting. Just hearing Wien’s watered-down version of the story made him feel that his Master had been greatly wronged, and he wanted to go and blow that slutty insect’s head off immediately.

He had no time for meticulous thinking or calm deliberation, his only thought was to kill.

“How can you tolerate Master being wronged like this? You should have slapped him on the spot! I’m so angry, can you take me with you next time? If you don’t dare to slap him, I will. I’ll slap him until his face is so swollen his female insect won’t recognize him!”

The fox lowered his voice, but couldn’t suppress his anger, his tone urgent and irritable.

Wien was also annoyed, but he was much calmer than Knasch. He flipped through the proposal again and again, methodically dealing with the art exhibition matters.

“You think I don’t want to?” Wien searched for information on his optical device. “That slutty insect is the Speaker. What happens after you slap him? He has so many female insects, what if they hurt Master?”

The fox calmed down a bit and sat down on the chair, his ears drooping dejectedly. “So we’re just going to let it go?”

“Of course not, I’ll think of a way.”

His position as a civilian lieutenant colonel wasn’t enough to investigate Oried’s financial records, but Wien wasn’t going to give up. He would secretly gather all the information and then help his Master get his revenge in one fell swoop.

He had always been patient. Whether it was climbing the ranks to get the lieutenant colonel’s epaulette, or researching a project to grow fluffy ears, wasn’t it always a matter of accumulating strength and then striking?

“What do you need me to do?” Knasch perked up, his ears twitching.

Wien slapped a stack of documents on the table in front of him.

“You’re not getting out of this.”

The fox felt he had fallen into a trap, but he couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong. He reluctantly took the documents and silently started working.

A non-profit exhibition required even more consideration of costs. According to the regulations, such an exhibition couldn’t take a single penny from the audience, and even donations had to be reported and approved. Even so, Wien didn’t want the exhibition to look shabby. As his Master’s first art exhibition, it had to be grand and magnificent for all insects to see.

The better it was, the more it would slap Oried in the face.

“Isn’t the money from the auction enough?” Knasch asked.

“It’s enough, even for this venue in the city center. It’s a subsidiary of Yiai Group, with a listed company as a guarantee, so it’s more reliable. The deposit is a bit expensive, but it will be refunded after the exhibition.”

Wien finally confirmed this venue and sent an offer email to the other party.

The reply was quick. There were no new requirements, and they agreed to Wien’s price reduction, only stating in the notes that the venue hadn’t been used for a long time, many parts were in disrepair, and Wien would be responsible for the renovation, and they would send someone to inspect it before the opening.

This request was quite reasonable, and Wien agreed.

Wien rubbed his sore eyes and sent the final confirmed electronic contract to the designated email address of the Yiai Group branch. He patted the fox’s shoulder, his excitement unconcealed. “I’m going to the Yiai Group branch to sign the contract tomorrow.”

Knasch lay on the study table, his fox fur, which he hadn’t had time to groom, messy, not at all in line with his usually exquisite image.

“Finally…” The fox, who had been helping Wien with the miscellaneous tasks, was exhausted, his eyes bloodshot.

The study door opened, and He Yue poked his head in. His eyes were smudged with paint from his focused work, a small red patch under his eye, strangely harmonious with his delicate features, like a mark a seductive demon would have.

Wien rushed over first, unable to resist gently wiping the paint from under his eye. “Master? It’s so late, why aren’t you asleep yet?”

The dried red paint clung tightly to his delicate skin, and Wien’s fingertip felt a hard texture against his skin.

He Yue’s gaze glanced back, and he saw the mountain of documents and a fox with a drooping tail, completely exhausted.

“Thank you for your hard work…” He Yue raised his hand and patted his head. “I’m hungry, do you want to eat some late-night snacks? As a pre-celebration for the successful art exhibition.”

The fox, hearing the mention of late-night snacks, wagged his tail and perked up.

“Yes,” Wien replied. “We will definitely be successful.”

The exhausted fox was fully revived, jumping up from his chair and running to He Yue’s side, wagging his tail happily. “Yay! Late-night snacks!”

He Yue found him amusing, his smile bright and captivating, and he exaggerated his tone, repeating,

“Yay, late-night snacks.”

Wien found He Yue’s imitation of the fox incredibly endearing, and he dodged the fox’s gaze, wrapping his arm around his shoulder, as if holding him in his arms, and also said, “Yay, late-night snacks.”

The fox slapped Wien’s arm, his fox fur bristling.

“It’s one thing for Master to imitate me, but why are you, a dog, imitating me!!”

The atmosphere was very good. Wien and the fox competed to serve He Yue, or to pour him wine. They didn’t have to worry about anything at home, and even if they got drunk, they could just fall asleep on the sofa.

The delicious barbecue takeout was steaming hot, the wheat-colored beer bubbling. The red paint on He Yue’s face was even more vibrant against his flushed cheeks, and he swayed unsteadily, falling into Wien’s arms.

No matter if it was Wien or Knasch beside him, they would definitely catch him.

He Yue’s eyes were half-closed, his eyelids growing heavier as he drifted off to sleep.

Had he ever lived so comfortably?

He Yue was a bit drunk.

So this was what it was like to be a Master, without any restrictions, able to accept all the devotion and sincerity. In this insect world, he didn’t even have to abide by the rules of Castle.

They were all looking forward to the grand art exhibition. Even after all the hardship, it had to be a grand event, held in the city center.

Yiai Group was very efficient, their procedures strict but not cumbersome. Wien quickly signed the contract and got the key to the venue.

“This venue has rarely held exhibitions since Speaker Oried took office…” The female insect leading them on a tour of the venue sighed, his regretful expression replaced by one of anticipation. “No one has ever been willing to spend so much money on a non-profit art exhibition. I wish you all the best.”

He Yue, wearing a mask, smiled and nodded, his voice muffled. “Thank you, we will be successful.”

He was in a good mood, his human habits deeply ingrained, and he was very polite to the strange female insect. His elegant and casual demeanor, concealing his madness, was like a spring breeze, and his eyes, visible above the mask, added to his mystery, making the mask look like a veil.

The female insect’s gaze lingered on He Yue’s eyes for a few seconds, and he bowed repeatedly. “If you need any help, please let me know, I will do my best.”

Wien was already used to his Master’s charm and secretly pinched the fox’s tail. The fox and the dog exchanged a look, and the fox immediately took He Yue’s arm and led him deeper into the venue.

“Master, let’s go take a look inside.” The fox said, giving a thumbs-up behind his back, his tail wrapping around He Yue’s waist.

From behind, they heard Wien asking the female insect about reliable renovation companies, and He Yue was amused by their coordination, following the fox inside. He was well aware of the fox and the dog’s intentions, but he didn’t point it out.

The venue was uncleaned, having been closed for many years, with signs of aging everywhere. There was a lot of cleaning and decoration to be done, but they were all very motivated.

He Yue got the floor plan from the venue rental company and began to design the interior and the placement of the paintings.

The venue was very spacious, with three floors, more than enough to display the paintings. He Yue designed different sections, gave each section a name, numbered his paintings, and designated a location for each one.

The five paintings from the auction were placed at the entrance on the first floor to attract the most attention. The other sections were also determined, and the location of each painting was carefully considered by He Yue.

It had been a long time since he had been so invested in an art exhibition.

He Yue handed the design to Wien and stretched.

The stretch was incredibly satisfying, and He Yue heard his bones crack. He moved his stiff shoulder joints, and as expected, he heard more cracking, loud enough for Wien to hear.

“I’ll give Master a massage.” Wien volunteered.

A white shadow flashed past He Yue, and the fox, who had caught the keyword, appeared out of nowhere. He wagged his tail and said earnestly, “I can do it too! Master, I’m super good at massaging and relaxing muscles in the organization!”

“I go to the gym often, I’m very skilled.”

These two…

When it came to competing for an opportunity with their Master, they started baring their teeth and fighting again.

He Yue ruffled the soft, supple fox ears and chuckled. “Don’t fight, one on each side.”

They, of course, obeyed their Master, calming down and taking good care of him. When they looked up at each other, they would still glare, but their hands were not at all clumsy.

He Yue’s hair was tied up high, a few stray strands falling by his ears. His pale, slender neck was a tempting sight for anyone, let alone the deeply in love Wien and Knasch.

Their hands were on He Yue’s neck, gently massaging the stiff muscles, their bent fingers leaving red marks as they pressed. The massage on his shoulders and neck was very effective, thanks to the appropriate strength and skill of the two experienced female insects.

The stiff muscles were being worked on, and the process of relaxing was both sore and incredibly pleasant.

He Yue frowned and let out a soft moan.

“You two… hoo… be gentle…”

His voice was laced with a breathy moan that could easily be misunderstood, and his furrowed brow made him look like he was in pain. The words, which could be easily misinterpreted, coupled with his soft, pained voice, sparked many fantasies.

The two female insects on either side of him both paused, looking at each other.

I shouldn’t be too forceful, Master will be in pain…

They both thought.

But, I really want to, be a little more forceful.

This thought was also surprisingly consistent.

Once the evil thought appeared, it couldn’t be suppressed. Knasch was the first to use more force, and as expected, a deeper red mark appeared on He Yue’s neck, eliciting a muffled sob.

His eyes, filled with tears from the pain, looked at the culprit with a wronged expression.

“Does the bad fox want a whipping?” He Yue reached out to hit the fox.

The fox didn’t dodge, and even enjoyed the fist landing on him, taking it all as his Master’s reward. He endured the punches, his mouth pleading for mercy. “Master, I was wrong, isn’t a massage supposed to be a bit forceful to be effective… ah! I, I was wrong, I’ll be gentler.”

After dealing with the mischievous fox, He Yue sat up straight again and pushed the approaching fox aside. “Get away, kneel beside me.”

The fox, who had brought this upon himself, slid off the sofa and knelt on the floor, hugging He Yue’s calf, obediently admitting his mistake.

The “heavy responsibility” of the massage now fell on Wien. He suppressed his primal desire to hurt his Master and massaged his shoulders and neck with appropriate strength.

At first, He Yue felt sore and uncomfortable, but then it slowly became comfortable, and he began to indulge in the sensation. His stiff muscles relaxed and softened, his shoulders and neck red from the massage, and a shiver ran through him when Wien’s warm palm touched his skin.

Wien, of course, took the opportunity to touch him a few more times, but He Yue, soothed by his care, ignored the insignificant caresses.

“The doggy is better.” He Yue reached out and stroked Wien’s face.

The fox, hugging his calf, was immediately displeased, wagging his tail anxiously, trying to get some benefit. He rested his chin on his hands, leaning against He Yue’s knee, wagging his fluffy tail, a pitiful look on his face.

“Master, I was wrong…”

He Yue was captivated by his tail and hugged the wagging fox tail, leaning back against Wien. “Still trying to bully me, you’ll be punished tonight.”

“Yay, can I spend tonight with Master too?” The fox’s ears perked up in excitement, his bright azure eyes like he had just seen a delicious meal.

“Are you so excited about being punished?” He Yue gripped the fox’s tail tightly and kicked the base of it. “Are you a slutty fox?”

“As long as it’s from Master, no matter how much it hurts, it’s a reward.”

The smooth-talking fox had already coaxed away He Yue’s slight displeasure. His excitement was palpable, and he had completely forgotten how he had cried his eyes out under He Yue’s whip every time.

The scars wouldn’t last, and the fox had already forgotten the pain.

A few staff members from Yiai Group came for a routine inspection before the art exhibition and, after a quick look around the venue, signed the acceptance documents. The cleaning and decoration were all handled by Yiai Group’s own subsidiaries, which was both cheap and convenient. They were inspecting their own work, and even if there were some minor issues, they wouldn’t bring them up.

The art exhibition opened as scheduled, and the crowd in front of the paintings was so dense they were almost pressed together. The area in front of the paintings from the auction was the most crowded, and the shorter insects were pushed to the back, unable to even see the paintings.

The two open floors of the venue couldn’t contain the enthusiasm of the insect viewers, and Wien, who was in charge of maintaining order, had to control the number of people entering the venue and repeatedly remind the assigned bodyguards to ensure everyone’s safety, his forehead covered in sweat.

He Yue leaned against an empty space by the stairs, listening to the lively discussions, looking at the crowded public, his nose stinging slightly.

He could always hear sincere praise.

Whether the insects could understand the deep meaning of the paintings or not, they could all find their own interpretation in them. The charm of art was universal, and as long as a civilization flourished, the resonance and collision in the spiritual and cultural fields would always be the most soul-stirring.

This collision was also the meaning of the exhibition.

For He Yue, the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment was not just from the praise.

The paintings from another world had overcome many obstacles and were now displayed to the public in a non-profit manner, creating ripples in this world where power suppressed cultural development. Any insect who wanted to come and see could do so.

He Yue suddenly felt that being non-profit was a blessing in disguise.

Knasch took the opportunity to get close to his Master, and He Yue grabbed his fluffy tail.

“Master, everyone loves your works.”

The art of the human world was indeed a dimensional blow to this civilization, which was advanced in natural technology but lacking in spiritual culture. Moreover, He Yue’s paintings had been highly praised even in human society.

“Fox, I really like this art exhibition…”

The fox’s heart softened at his moved words, and all the effort he had put into this exhibition was worth it. In fact, the fox wanted to do more for his Master.

“There will be many more art exhibitions, the fox will definitely work hard to hold them for Master.” Knasch blurted out. No matter how many difficulties there were in the future, he was determined to do it.

Even if it meant going against that Speaker, even if it meant taking up a gun and stepping back into the darkness.

He Yue smiled. At this moment, in front of the fox, he had no hard shell of defense, only his true, secure self. His genuine happy smile had no aggression, no powerful, oppressive aura.

It just made one’s heart melt.

He repeated with a smile, “There will be many more art exhibitions.”

As evening fell, they had to close the doors and begin checking the paintings for any damage, cleaning up the venue, and doing a thorough cleaning. Wien and Knasch wouldn’t let He Yue help, insisting on pulling him to a resting place and making him sit down.

Except for a few paintings from the auction that had been touched at the edges, all the other paintings were undamaged. The edges of the paintings had originally been nailed to the wooden frames, but now there were obvious signs of tearing, the edges frayed.

“This is too much! Where’s the surveillance? I’m going to find the insect who did this and teach them a lesson, what kind of quality is this!” The fox was indignant, clamoring to find the culprit.

These few paintings were framed by the auction house, not as securely as He Yue had done, and without a layer of glue, they had come loose. Thankfully, the center of the canvas was undamaged, and they could be re-nailed, so it wasn’t a big deal.

He Yue was in a good mood today and didn’t want to dwell on this minor incident. He patted the fox’s head to calm the bristling fur. “It’s just a small problem, we can re-nail them and send them back to the president.”

After everything was taken care of, Wien and Knasch lay on the clean hall floor, their eyes glazed over with exhaustion.

He Yue walked over and knelt beside them.

He stroked Wien’s head. “Good doggy.”

He ruffled the fox’s ears. “The fox is also good.”

A knock came at the closed venue door, and He Yue was the first to get up and open it.

“The exhibition for today is over, please come back next time.” He Yue replied politely.

A tall female insect stood before him, his formal suit making him look even more serious, the high-end suit perfectly tailored, not a single wrinkle, the expensive fabric having a good texture. His hair was slightly messy, and he was panting, looking travel-worn. His sharp eyes were deep and piercing, exuding a mature, elite aura.

“Sorry to bother you, I just rushed here from out of town for the art exhibition. I’d like to see the paintings I bought and the artist, if I may.”

He steadied his breathing, his voice calm.

His deep, dark eyes showed no emotion, everything as calm and composed as his appearance.

[Arnis, 60%.]

(……?)

His composed, distant demeanor, yet his value was higher than Wien’s on their first meeting.

(It seems, things have gotten interesting.)

He Yue concealed his excitement, a faint smile playing on his lips as he stepped aside.

“Please come in.”