SGT CH185

Tianjia: The Little Cake Runs Away 4

◎The Tianjia Emperor personally leads the expedition◎

The Tianjia Emperor did not publicly announce the news of the Imperial Consort’s departure.

Under his arrangements, the attendants who knew kept their mouths tightly sealed.

He was willing to let the Imperial Consort leave, yet he could not put his mind at ease regarding the Imperial Consort’s safety.

Out of personal selfishness, he arranged for Tianjia operatives to secretly investigate the Imperial Consort’s whereabouts under the guise of searching for the Foreign Minister’s Male Monarch.

The shuttle the Imperial Consort boarded had vanished in the skies above the Imperial Capital, entering a spatial wormhole.

It was not a hyperspace jump achieved through technological means, but a spatial wormhole constructed by forcefully tearing open the void through innate capability.

The Tianjia Emperor replayed that scene repeatedly.

Even knowing the Imperial Consort possessed exceptional talent, he was still stunned by the scene in the footage.

Tianjia capable of tearing open space through their own strength were exceedingly rare, and those capable of constructing a directional spatial wormhole with it were even fewer.

He counted as one.

Today, in the footage of his Imperial Consort’s departure, he saw the second.

Perhaps the Imperial Consort was right.

A Tianjia possessing such immense capability should be in the military, on the battlefield, rather than inside his harem.

That was why, after marriage, the Imperial Consort did not love him, resisted him, and loathed him.

If possible, the Tianjia Emperor wished he could return to the past.

In the Mercury Fortress on the front lines, an undercover military female Major General, and a male mental groomer who held good feelings toward him.

The Tianjia Emperor was willing to be an ordinary Major General for a lifetime, accompanying his beloved male.

However, a male would eventually reach adulthood, eventually return to the Imperial Capital to undergo physiological awakening, and eventually be matched with a female.

He had to fight for marriage rights with Mu Si.

Going in circles, everything returned to the starting point.

There was simply no solution between them.

As long as the regulations where males were managed by the Male Nurturing Association and had to marry females upon reaching adulthood still existed, the conflict between him and the Imperial Consort could never be reconciled.

…

Because it was not a traceable hyperspace jump, but a far more elusive spatial wormhole, the difficulty of the search increased dramatically.

Based on the Imperial Consort’s capabilities and his urgent desire to get far away from him, the Tianjia Emperor instructed his subordinates to search directly near the imperial border and beyond the empire.

This quickly yielded results.

In the open sea adjacent to the imperial border, a modified shuttle had appeared, bearing the same model as the one the Foreign Minister’s Male Monarch took when he vanished.

Yet this shuttle had lost its trace three days ago.

Accompanying this was another piece of terrible news.

A Zerg fleet had once passed through that sector of the star sea.

The Tianjia Emperor’s heart sank.

He immediately ordered the military intelligence department to intercept communications from the Zerg fleet.

At the same time, he set out personally, heading toward the open sea.

Military intelligence soon reported back that the Zerg fleet had captured two Tianjia males and was preparing to transport them back to their empire.

Upon receiving the message, the Tianjia Emperor had already boarded the warship departing the empire.

Looking at the message displayed on the virtual screen, his brows furrowed tightly, his gaze exceedingly complex.

The Zerg treated males far more gently, and Zerg males enjoyed an extremely high degree of freedom.

The Imperial Consort wanted freedom.

Perhaps letting the Imperial Consort live within the Zerg was a better choice.

However…

No.

He could not rest easy.

How could he ever feel reassured handing his own male over to an enemy nation?

Gazing at the unfurled star chart, the Tianjia Emperor’s eyes turned crimson.

·

Inside the Zerg warship.

Mu Si inexplicably sensed a wave of chill.

The back of his neck felt cold, as though he had been targeted by some powerful predator.

He looked back over his shoulder, only seeing the gorgeous starry river outside the window of the psychological consultation room.

“It is very beautiful, isn’t it?”

The sub-Female doctor sitting across from him said:

“The Silver Moon Constellation nebula is a grand spectacle in this stretch of the open sea, having existed here for thousands of years. Some relatively artistic races endowed it with meanings such as ‘guardianship,’ ‘eternal blessing,’ and ‘the descent of love.'”

“Do Zergs believe in these things too?”

Mu Si had thought that Zergs were just like the Tianjia, both being cold, warlike races devoid of romantic sensibility. Of course, this only referred to females.

The sub-Female did not conceal it either.

“The military females in the fleet did not believe it originally, but do not males all like these kinds of romantic things?”

Therefore, to please the two males aboard the ship, they deliberately selected this route among numerous flight paths to view the nebula.

“The military females have always wanted to apologize to both of you. Recklessly damaging your shuttle back then almost caused you to be pulled into outer space, which frightened you both.”

The sub-Female doctor continued, “They originally wanted to apologize to you in person, but your psychological conditions are not suitable for contact with too many unfamiliar females. His Royal Highness the Second Prince subsequently issued an order forbidding them from disturbing you.”

“…”

Mu Si could feel the deliberate goodwill released by the Zerg.

He also understood their intent.

It was simply wanting him and Joshua to join the Zerg.

A-grade males were precious resources wherever they went.

The Zerg would never let them go.

This friendly attitude was indeed very easy to lower one’s guard against.

Especially for Tianjia males who lived severely repressed lives within their own race, this was an extremely tempting hallucinogen.

Yet Mu Si could not agree.

“Apologies… I feel a bit tired. Is today’s consultation finished?”

“Of course, you may conclude it whenever you wish.”

The sub-Female doctor stood up, pulled open the door to the consultation room for the male, and saw him off.

Mu Si was already very familiar with the path from the psychological consultation room to their quarters. Declining the doctor’s escort, he walked back alone.

Perhaps because higher-ranking military females had given special instructions, no military females normally passed along this corridor, allowing Mu Si to walk with reassurance.

Yet when turning the corner and seeing that black-haired, purple-eyed female officer standing in the middle of the corridor, Mu Si knew he had relaxed far too early.

The Second Prince’s hair and eye colors were inherited from that Zerg Emperor, but his facial features and contours closely resembled the Zerg Marshal. Because of the deeper shade of his hair and pupils, he did not appear flashy or dazzling, but rather more composed, cool, and restrained, making it difficult for bugs to decipher his thoughts.

Mu Si deeply regretted not letting the sub-Female doctor accompany him.

Even if the doctor had followed, it would not have helped. If the Second Prince wished to do anything to him, could a doctor even stop him?

Mu Si halted his steps, his nerves taut, waiting for this noble royal prince to state his intentions.

Mu Li’an’s gaze subconsciously settled on the male’s face.

They were truly too similar.

If one were to speak strictly, their facial features actually bore considerable differences, and their completely contrasting auras magnified these differences even further.

One was dazzling like a star, while the other was like tranquil moonlight.

The differences were clearly so vast that not a single military female aboard the ship thought this Tianjia male resembled the noble Zerg Prince.

Yet he inexplicably felt that they were like the very same male. Just like… two sides of a single entity.

Seeing the Second Prince staring at his face in a daze, slight confusion arose in Mu Si’s heart.

The other party seemed to be looking at him, yet also looking through him at another bug.

…A stand-in?

Mu Si’s brows knitted slightly, his mood somewhat complicated.

Reasonably speaking, encountering such a thing should make him feel disgusted and angry.

Yet for some reason, he simply could not bring himself to be angry, without even many negative feelings.

Probably because… the look the Second Prince directed at him was very clean, and the intimacy seeping through was the very friendly sort.

Thus, Mu Si spoke first:

“Does Your Highness need something from me?”

The Second Prince appearing here was clearly waiting for him on purpose; Mu Si was not so oblivious as to miss that.

Even the timbre of his voice was very similar.

Mu Li’an thought to himself.

Only gentler.

Like flowing water, making a bug feel exceptionally comfortable.

The Second Prince added silently in his heart: not that he meant his imperial gege wasn’t gentle.

Although that word did not match his imperial gege at all, he believed his imperial gege was fundamentally a gentle bug deep down, just not showing it openly.

Striving to assure himself in his heart that he was not being disrespectful to his imperial gege, Mu Li’an spoke:

“The doctor mentioned that your mental state was not very good. I wanted to come and see… if there is anything I can do to help you.”

The military female before him had concerned eyes carrying a faint, subtle sense of warmth. Mu Si found it difficult to maintain a cold face.

Yet his situation could not be revealed to outsiders.

Mu Si could only say, “Thank you for Your Highness’s concern, I am doing well.”

The military doctor had already reported everything to the Second Prince.

Mu Li’an knew very well that this male was not as ‘normal’ as he appeared on the surface.

Tianjia males were the exact opposite of Zerg males.

When Zerg males had psychological issues, they would erupt outward, choosing to harm the bugs around them.

Tianjia males, on the other hand, only repressed themselves, choosing to harm their own bodies.

Such males often closed off their hearts and resisted treatment, making them very difficult to heal.

According to the doctor, while the male appeared cooperative with treatment, he only revealed minor daily trivialities; what he truly cared about, he refused to disclose in the slightest.

Even from these minor details, one could discern what kind of twisted environment Tianjia males lived in.

Pristine white rooms and garments, nutrient solutions measured down to the milligram, lifelong collars…

Mu Li’an’s gaze fell on the silver-white collar around the male’s neck, a hint of pity and self-reproach surfacing in his eyes.

“The equipment department developed a new mental inhibitor. Your Excellency may switch out the collar.”

Mu Li’an retrieved a silver-white case, offering it before the male.

Mu Si took it and opened the case. Inside was… a silver earring dangling with an emerald.

Mu Si picked up the earring, asking:

“Are you certain? Letting me replace it with this inhibitor?”

An A-grade collar inhibitor was already ineffective against him.

If swapped for this earring… he only needed to rip the earring off, and its effect would drop to zero.

Merely shedding a drop of blood, not even hurting much.

Mu Li’an nodded.

He had not overlooked this issue, having considered various other styles of inhibitors as well.

Yet whether necklaces, bracelets, or rings… all carried unmistakable connotations of restraint and captivity.

Only an earring lacked those connotations.

Mu Si glanced at the earring that matched his eye color, then looked at the Second Prince, ultimately accepting his goodwill.

The Second Prince unlocked the collar for him using a secret code.

Mu Si put on the earring as well.

The silver earring set with emerald dangled from the male’s left ear, swaying slightly with the tilt of his head, stunningly beautiful to behold.

“It suits you very well,” Mu Li’an said subconsciously.

He immediately realized the impropriety of his words. When the male looked up at him, he hurriedly amended:

“I mean… once we arrive in the Zerg Empire, it can be taken off.”

Although an earring carried far less of a restrictive feeling.

The fundamental nature of a mental inhibitor remained restraint.

Thinking of this, Mu Li’an’s mood turned slightly somber.

He did not wish to confine the male before him, yet he had no choice.

He seemingly liberated the male from captivity, yet personally placed another layer of shackles upon him.

Mu Li’an lowered his eyelashes, his noble purple eyes turning melancholic.

Mu Si felt somewhat surprised.

The imperial military female before him was genuinely feeling sad on his behalf.

This Second Prince of the Zerg was truly, just as rumors claimed, an exceedingly upright bug.

Mu Si raised a hand to touch the earring. Although it was still an inhibitor, he was not so dense as to overlook the Second Prince’s good intentions.

Mu Si smiled at him, saying, “It doesn’t matter.”

Mu Li’an breathed a sigh of relief.

Then he heard the male before him ask:

“Can you tell me about that Male Zerg?”

“Wh-what?” Mu Li’an panicked instinctively amidst his confusion.

“The bug you are looking at through me.”

Mu Si rested his hand against his chin, tilting his face slightly, and said:

“I look very much like him, don’t I?”

Having his secretly hidden thoughts pierced, Mu Li’an instinctively wanted to flee.

Yet his feet remained rooted to the spot.

The male slightly lifted his chin, the corners of his eyes tilted up, looking at him in a manner that felt identical to his imperial gege issuing commands to him.

If he did not listen obediently, he would be dragged to the combat room for a beating.

Actually, he could beat his imperial gege in a fight now.

However, the memory of being pinned and beaten by his male imperial gege in the mecha field he took pride in during childhood was far too deeply etched.

He cowered on pure instinct.

A female beating a male was not honorable, and losing to one was even more humiliating.

After a long pause, Mu Li’an finally said, “It is my… royal gege.”

Mu Si raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Apologies, I did not mean to offend,” Mu Li’an said. “It is just… the feeling you two give me is far too similar.”

That sense of bloodline-like familiarity and suppressing presence.

Of course, Mu Li’an had reviewed the male’s physical data.

They did not share any blood relation.

Mu Si’s expression turned peculiar. Pondering for a moment, he asked:

“So, you are treating me as your gege?”

Mu Li’an’s face flushed crimson instantly, “I apologize, I, I…”

He looked as though he wished he could immediately revert to his true form, breach the hull of the warship, and escape outside.

Mu Si thought about it; if the Second Prince truly smashed a hole through the warship, the only one dying would be himself.

Therefore, he kindly spared the Second Prince.

“It’s fine, although…” you are older than me.

“Still…” if you insist on acknowledging me as your gege.

“It’s not entirely out of the question.”

Right as they were talking, red alarm lights suddenly flared within the warship, sirens wailing loudly.

Mu Li’an’s expression hardened instantly. Stepping to the male’s side, he shielded him in a protective posture, saying:

“Your Excellency, I will escort you back to your quarters.”

“No need, I know the way…”

Mu Si was still pondering the alarm sirens, saying:

“There must be an urgent matter, please attend to your duties first.”

The Second Prince still insisted on escorting Mu Si back to his quarters before departing.

Inside the room, Joshua had also heard the sirens, frantically about to search for Mu Si in anxiety.

Seeing him return, he hurriedly grabbed his hand.

“Mu Mu, thank goodness you’re alright… What happened? Is the Zerg fleet under attack?”

From the moment the sirens sounded, the room’s viewports had automatically sealed, preventing them from seeing the outside.

“Don’t be afraid, it’s fine. There aren’t many factions in the universe capable of contending with a Zerg fleet.”

Mu Si comforted Joshua, yet his expression was not good.

Lifting a hand to grasp his earring, enduring the mental limitation of the A-grade inhibitor, he released his psychic power outward to investigate.

He “saw”… massive, ice-cold Tianjia warships.

In terms of numbers, the Zerg warships actually held the advantage.

However, atop that Tianjia flagship hung the Blood Moon Imperial Standard of the supreme commander of the Tianjia Empire, the Tianjia Emperor, X.

The Tianjia Emperor was personally leading the expedition.