SZAR Chapter 42

A male zerg appeared on the desolate planet.

A high-ranking male zerg appeared at the planet’s hospital.

A high-ranking male zerg appeared at the planet’s hospital, had a gun pressed to his head, and was threatened with being thrown into prison to “experience female–female coupling.”

The female soldiers: “……”

They wished they could go back a few minutes and shoot their foolish, blabbering selves. A male zerg of Chu Ci’s rank, offended like this, could easily have handed them all over to the Male Zerg Protection Association and made them pay a hundred or a thousand times over!

A few of the soldiers trembled, standing like schoolchildren in front of Chu Ci’s craft, hands clutching it nervously: “…Y-Y-Y-You-Your Excellency, we know we were wrong… could you please let us go?”

Chu Ci had no intention of wasting time quarreling with them. Every extra minute delayed reaching Nuo Wei meant an added risk for him.

He leapt from the craft, his ash-gray coat slicing a narrow arc through the air: “Report to your commanding officer. I need to see my female.”

“O-Okay, okay, please go ahead, please go ahead.”

Seeing that Chu Ci had no interest in pressing the matter further, the soldier females quickly let him through, bowing and nodding constantly, and hurriedly handled his entry procedures.

In the distance, the staff member’s eyes went wide.

He had just sent a message, still on the message screen of his light-brain, addressed to his direct superior, Secretary Lin:

⟦ Boss! Bad news! The technical expert you sent just got caught! He insisted on charging the military hospital’s checkpoint. The soldiers said he might be thrown into female–female intimacy at the hospital! What do we do? Should we save him? ⟧

Secretary Lin was in a meeting, brain fuzzy, and replied: ⟦ Ah… what’s happening? ⟧

Chu Ci is an A-rank male zerg, with a rank even above a Major General. Who in their right mind would dare detain him? Looking for death, basically.

The light-brain beeped, pulling the staff member back to the present. He glanced at Secretary Lin’s reply, then at Chu Ci striding ahead: “……”

He typed blankly: ⟦ It’s fine. ⟧

Secretary Lin: “?”

A few of the female soldiers led Chu Ci through the narrow corridors. The air smelled sweetly metallic with blood. Once his male status was confirmed, the formalities were handled quickly. Soon, staff guided Chu Ci to a small single hospital room. The patient chart on the door read Nuo Wei’s name. Just as the staff member was about to knock, Chu Ci waved him off.

A sudden rush of emotion welled up in him, something like “the closer to home, the stronger the feeling.”

Nuo Wei was inside the room, separated by a thick iron door. They’d only been apart for less than half a year; the begonia hadn’t even had time to bloom and fall three seasons over, yet Chu Ci felt as if they had been separated for an eternity.

He reached out and flipped through the medical chart.

So many entries, so dense, one after another. He didn’t need to count; he already knew how much Nuo Wei had suffered in the past few days.

His heart ached in the same dense, persistent way, slight but constant, like ants nibbling at him.

Chu Ci placed his hand on the doorknob and gently pulled it open. The medical staff were about to inform Nuo Wei that his male had arrived, but Chu Ci raised a finger and let out a barely audible “shh.”

Nuo Wei leaned against the bed, eyes closed, seemingly asleep.

Chu Ci closed the iron door behind him and locked it, keeping the staff outside. He moved quietly to sit beside Nuo Wei.

Nuo Wei brushed slightly against Chu Ci, sensing the familiar presence. Unconsciously, he leaned closer, then tilted his head to rest on Chu Ci’s shoulder, burying his face against his shoulder blade.

Like a cat indulging in catnip.

Chu Ci’s hand hovered over Nuo Wei’s shoulder, gently combing through the tangles in his long hair, one strand at a time.

Before coming here, Chu Ci had imagined their reunion many times. He pictured himself on the starship, frustrated and itching with anger, with no signal to check his messages, watching Nuo Wei’s messages come in slowly.

What do you mean, ‘if the Male Zerg Protection Association calls you’?

What do you mean, ‘please take the call’?

Of course, Nuo Wei knew the Male Zerg Protection Association would try to reach Chu Ci, and he knew why, they only wanted to deal with useless female monarchs and assign new female attendants. Chu Ci would usually ignore such messages entirely, yet in this situation, Nuo Wei still asked him to pick up the call?

Chu Ci ground his teeth. This silly Nuo Wei just wouldn’t learn. Before the expedition, he had the nerve to leap over and kiss him, even begged him to ignore the Male Zerg Protection Association, then, after just six months, he pulled back again?

He had planned for their reunion. First, he would pin Nuo Wei down and scold him for sending that message. Nuo Wei would stammer and be unable to answer. Then he would tease him, scare him while he was flustered, ask if he didn’t want to be a female monarch anymore, and if not, he’d give him to someone else. Then, when Nuo Wei was bewildered, he’d smile and say, “I was just teasing you.”

But now that he was actually here, with Nuo Wei leaning against him and sleeping, all those plans had failed.

Six months apart, and his female monarch had become too worn down.

Out on the foreign battlefield, exposed to wind and rain, with irregular routines and meals, heavy missions, and physical injuries, Nuo Wei’s eyes were rimmed with dark bruises. His long, silky hair hung loosely. He leaned against Chu Ci, tired but clinging and affectionate, like a weary bird finally returned to its nest.

In this state, how could Chu Ci scold him, tease him, or play little tricks on him?

He couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Sitting like this was uncomfortable, so Chu Ci put two cushions under Nuo Wei and adjusted him into a lying position. But Nuo Wei still slept restlessly, shifting closer to Chu Ci, clutching at his coat, mumbling softly in his sleep.

Chu Ci leaned down and listened closely.

Nuo Wei was saying: “I don’t know.”

Over and over, he repeated it. At first he said, “No,” then “Not,” interspersed with several “I don’t know”s. At the end, he whispered, “Don’t.”

Chu Ci rarely heard him say “don’t.” Only in certain moments, when Chu Ci had teased him too far, would Nuo Wei speak up. He understood that Chu Ci wouldn’t be upset at that time, so he could safely say “don’t.”

At all other times, in front of Chu Ci, he was the most proper female monarch, meticulously following every request. In front of Erwen, he was the most capable subordinate, flawlessly executing every mission. Even when he wanted Chu Ci to ignore the Male Zerg Protection Association’s calls, his words were subtle, suggesting “negotiable” and “room to maneuver.” Chu Ci had never once heard him plainly say, “I don’t want,” “I won’t,” or “I refuse.”

As he ran his fingers through Nuo Wei’s long hair, lost in thought, the medical staff pushed the door open. They meant to speak, but fell silent under Chu Ci’s cold, commanding gaze. Finally, they made two hand gestures, asking, “Could you step outside with me for a moment?”

They were here to inform him that the investigation team had summoned Nuo Wei to cooperate and that the Major General needed to go over.

Chu Ci, mindful of protocol, nodded but noticed that Nuo Wei was still asleep and sleeping very restlessly. He tried to negotiate: “Is it something urgent? Could he sleep a little longer?”

Faced with a polite, high-ranking male, few female zergs would dare refuse. The staff scratched their heads in embarrassment: “Actually, there’s nothing new to ask. They already asked two hours ago, but the investigation team couldn’t decline.”

Chu Ci’s brow twitched. “Two hours ago? Then why ask again now?”

What could be so urgent that it couldn’t be asked two hours ago, yet must be asked now?

The staff forced a smile. “I don’t know either.”

A phrase slowly rose in Chu Ci’s mind: repeated interrogation.

It’s a common modern technique: the suspect is made to repeat what they’ve already said, again and again, under constant pressure, with subtle nudges like “You didn’t say it like that before”, “We got new information”, or “Your comrades said something different”, all meant to crack the suspect’s mental defenses and force the truth out.

Chu Ci asked, “Do they think Nuo Wei lied?”

The staff didn’t dare answer directly and chuckled nervously: “You must be joking, sir.”

Chu Ci understood.

For a suspected traitor closely connected to a fugitive admiral, such methods might be justified, but applying them to his female monarch was completely unacceptable.

He stood, took his coat, buttoned it meticulously, and adjusted his appearance slightly in the mirror. “Nuo Wei is asleep. It’s inconvenient for him to go. I am his male lord; I will go instead.”

The medical staff looked at him in astonishment. “Sir, that doesn’t comply with regulations.”

Just kidding, this was an A-rank male. Who in their right mind would have the guts to interrogate him?

Chu Ci clearly didn’t give him a choice. He strode past, and the medical staff had no option but to follow closely, giving directions: “Slow down… right turn… yes, yes, that iron door.”

He pushed the door open, glanced at the three investigators across the room, and sat in the interrogation chair. His gaze dropped to the two dangling handcuffs. He put his hands on them and asked, “Should we lock these?”

The cuffs, designed to prevent female zergs from struggling or escaping, were made of solid steel, weighing seven or eight pounds, and had no leather padding. The staff glanced at the exposed wrist of the male before them. Locking this on him could easily damage his bones. The next day, the male could drag the staff and investigators back to the main star for questioning.

He smiled wryly: “No need, no need. Of course not.”

Matthew obviously didn’t understand what was happening. He had summoned Nuo Wei, yet another tall, handsome male appeared. He asked cautiously, “Sir… who are you?”

Chu Ci said, “I am Nuo Wei’s male lord.”

The medical staff wiped sweat from their brows, terrified Matthew might say something foolish. Behind Chu Ci, they flashed a big “A” gesture:

This is an A-grade male. Be careful!

Matthew and the other two investigators exchanged glances, hesitating.

An A-rank male, here on this forsaken planet under martial law… how is this possible?

Chu Ci said, “I’m here to see my female monarch.”

He looked up at Matthew. “I know your mission is urgent, but Nuo Wei’s mental sea is unstable. He can’t handle any stimulation. He’s still an Imperial Major, wearing shoulder insignia, and hasn’t been formally convicted. Let me stabilize him first, then you can continue your questions. How about that?”

In truth, Matthew and the others were desperate, pressed by investigation deadlines. Normally, they had no right to stress a Major General with a critical mental sea. Confronted by Chu Ci’s authority, they could only grit their teeth and accept.

“Of course, of course. You’re right”

They flattered Chu Ci a little, then reminded him, “Public anger online is intense, and our superiors have issued a final warning. Nuo Wei can’t be lie-detected by normal methods. Sir, if the investigation doesn’t reach results before the deadline, he’ll still have to face the Central lie detector.”

Chu Ci paused, then nodded. “I know.”

He knew, none of that would happen.

The medical staff escorted the esteemed sir back, sneaking glances at Chu Ci along the way. They couldn’t help but feel this male was extraordinary.

An A-rank male traveling thousands of light-years to a forsaken planet, just to shield his female monarch whose rank had dropped from the investigator’s interrogations?

They felt a little dazed. Leading Chu Ci to the ward door, they noticed that in their rush earlier, the main door hadn’t fully closed. A thin slit remained.

Chu Ci placed his hand on the iron door, but didn’t push.

Inside, Nuo Wei spoke.

He held the old intercom, his voice hoarse: “Hello… is there any new message for me?”

After five seconds, he asked again: “Please confirm… has my male master Chu Ci sent me any messages?”

This silence felt especially long. Only after a very long time did Nuo Wei say, “Okay… I understand.”

He set the old intercom gently on the metal bedside table, producing a soft clink, then sat on the edge of the bed, staring silently at the narrow window.

Without a light brain, without a voice, inside this cold cement room, the only activity left was to stare at the gray skies of Pamir.

The medical staff glanced back. Chu Ci still pressed his hand against the metal door, motionless, expressionless. The atmosphere hung heavy, like storm clouds before a downpour.

After a moment, he spoke. His voice was cold and flat, like still water, but beneath it, a boundless storm seemed to stir, as if it could drag anyone down, entangling them into a dark, airless abyss.

Chu Ci asked, “Do you want to know if I answered the call from the Male Zerg Protection Association?”

“Then ask me now.”