SZAR Chapter 112

Many years later, whenever Sylph recalled this moment, he would think of the suffocating awkwardness and social death he felt.

He stood there, frozen, holding the male zerg’s hand and maintaining the hand-kissing posture, his emerald eyes flickering with confusion. It took him a long moment to find his voice.

“Lock!?”

Though Lock’s appearance had slightly changed after his second awakening, his delicate, beautiful features remained. Now, he looked over at Sylph with a hint of awkwardness, tugging his hand back uneasily.

“Professor… even though… could you please let go of me first?”

Sylph quickly pulled his hand away. The usually unshakable, composed, and elegant figure, who had weathered storms and faced disasters without changing expression, reacted as if scalded, all his usual grace and warmth gone in an instant, and he exclaimed,

“How… how are you a male zerg?!”

Qu Xia lowered his gaze obediently. “I’ve actually been a male zerg all along.”

Before Sylph could question him further, he stepped back and shoved the egg in his arms into Sylph’s, urgently saying, “Don’t think about that right now! Take this!”

Sylph: “?!”

Qu Xia suddenly raised his voice, incredulous: “The rumors… are true? You went to the desolate star, and… you even have an egg?”

In Sylph’s eyes, Qu Xia had always been a well-behaved kid, an underage little cutie. But after just a few months, not only had he appeared on the desolate star, he had also moved at lightning speed with a female zerg, resulting in… an egg?

“No, no, no! It’s not like that.” Qu Xia hurriedly waved his hands and shoved a set of earphones into Sylph’s ears.

“Professor, listen to this.”

Sylph had no patience for earphones. He immediately demanded, “You’re still unmarried! Where’s the egg’s female father? You let them lay an egg and then came straight back, without even giving it a proper status?”

Pain and indignation flashed in Sylph’s eyes. He despised male zergs who started relationships recklessly and abandoned them, those who were lustful and promiscuous. He had vowed never to marry because of it. And now, Lock, a child he had cared for so much, had apparently fallen into the same pattern.

Then he froze.

Through the earphones came Erwen’s voice. The admiral cut in, his tone a little tired: “Sylph, it’s me. Just listen first.”

Sylph: “?!”

He looked down at the egg in his arms, nearly letting it slip, and exclaimed in shock: “Erwen?”

Qu Xia rubbed his forehead. “The border was too strict, with wanted notices everywhere. Using the admiral’s identity directly wouldn’t work, so I used that technique from our lab, combined mental waves with the egg, and brought the admiral back this way.”

Sylph: “……”

He sat silently, clutching the egg. Knowing that his stern, strict old friend was trapped inside, he felt it was a hot potato— couldn’t let go and couldn’t hold it comfortably.

Qu Xia opened the door and waved to the attendants to bring a soft cushion, placing the egg securely on it. Only then did Sylph slump into a chair like someone sleepwalking.

He stared at the egg, his confusion almost tangible: “What on earth is going on?”

Qu Xia told the whole story: his first encounter with Erwen on the junk planet, the way he changed his appearance to return to the capital star, his infiltration into the royal database at Laboratory D767, and his status as a prince.

Of course, he slightly embellished the part about apprenticing under Sylph. He didn’t mention that he was so poor he couldn’t even afford food, which had forced him to rely on Sylph; instead, he said he admired Sylph’s academic achievements and had resolved to train under him.

Sylph’s beautiful eyes widened more and more, and finally he fell silent. After a long pause, Erwen spoke first: “Sylph, I risked coming back to find you because of the matter of the crown prince’s succession.”

At the mention of serious matters, Sylph’s expression became serious too.

He exhaled slowly: “The emperor’s health is not good. His body is exhausted, the lamp is nearly burned out, life is at its end. If we want to change things, it must be done within these few months, before the council meets.”

The empire was not purely an absolute monarchy. Before ascending the throne, the emperor had to be reviewed by the council. From now until the council convened, there was still room for change.

Sylph and Erwen spoke in detail, while Qu Xia could only grasp the general meaning. He neither understood the structure of imperial power nor knew the unfamiliar noble families. As they conversed, he zoned out, browsing his light-brain.

The interface was still on the matching system. Erwen had previously compiled a list of people to contact, trusted allies and unmarried military personnel. Qu Xia sent out invitations one by one. For a while, the ringing sounds never stopped, and the Male Zerg Protection Association’s backend received notifications.

The staff thought: “This little male insect is on top of things.”

In just one day, he had sent over a dozen match invitations. It seemed the male zerg wasn’t emotionally attached to the egg’s female father.

They nodded in approval: “Indeed, this is how a male zerg should behave.”

At the hotel, Qu Xia sent dozens more messages before stopping on the homepage, staring blankly.

On the webpage, Erwen’s name was also visible, but the date invitation interface was grayed out, probably the Male Zerg Protection Association hadn’t updated the list in time.

The admiral was the golden bachelor of the zerg race. Although his age and marital status might not attract high-ranking males, his vast wealth and exalted position would still draw lower-ranking males like moths to a flame. Qu Xia secretly clicked in, checking the backend for the admiral’s historical invitation count.

1,719.

That meant 1,719 male zergs had previously sent him invitations.

Qu Xia felt a little jealous. He scrolled down further and saw the number of successful responses:

0

Indeed, Erwen hadn’t accepted a single male zerg’s request.

Qu Xia’s face lit up with a smile, but two seconds later, he gritted his teeth, thinking, ‘This is really tough.’

1,719 male insects couldn’t succeed, could he really do it?

A sudden unease crept in. If a date invitation failed, he would have no face to meet Erwen or the others, and would have to slink back to the garbage star in disgrace.

At this moment, Erwen’s conversation was nearly over. Sylph received intelligence regarding the Crown Prince’s treason. He copied a portion from Qu Xia’s light-brain and said cautiously: “I’ll cautiously test the waters with the family elders in the council. But as you know, the prince has been managing this for years; most of the council are his people. Intervening through the council isn’t very realistic.”

Erwen nodded, and the egg wobbled up and down with him. “I understand.”

They weighed the pros and cons and settled everything. Sylph was about to take his leave. He looked at Qu Xia: “Dating is a good cover. If there’s anything else, you can contact me this way too.”

It’s normal for a male insect to go on several dates before revealing who the female is

Sylph reminded him, “Soon the Male Zerg Protection Association will send you a dating survey. Remember to mark it highly, so future dates will be fully legitimate.”

Through the earpiece came Erwen’s cold voice: “It’s a meeting under the pretense of a date.”

Sylph paused, then gave a sly smile and went along: “Yes, yes, a meeting under the pretense of a date.”

His tone carried teasing, but Erwen didn’t reply.

There was only one earpiece, so Qu Xia couldn’t hear Erwen. Hearing Sylph, he looked at him blankly, and just nodded.

The Male Zerg Protection Association’s timing was precise. Before Sylph even left, Qu Xia had already received the survey.

Opening the form, he felt slightly embarrassed. Every detail was listed, satisfaction with the date, the female’s appearance, demeanor and manners, politeness, who paid the bill, and so on. Qu Xia had to judge Sylph’s clothing and looks face-to-face, it felt excessive. He closed his eyes and selected five stars for everything, then sent it back to the association.

The instant he hit send, another email arrived.

Sylph also turned his head to look.

This email was different from the one from the Male Zerg Protection Association. Its golden-red seal bore a cover illustration of roses entwined with thorns. Qu Xia checked the sender and widened his eyes slightly.

[ Royal Family ]

Sylph propped his chin on his hand. “The prince has been trying to win people over recently. He’s invited two S-rank males to a banquet, then a bunch of A-class… Oh, Erwen, your Nuo Wei’s male lord is among them. He’s S-rank. Did you know?”

Erwen’s calm voice came through the earpiece: “I know.”

He sounded utterly unsurprised. “Most of the other males are already married, or are nobles and naturally have their own factions. Qu Xia has just returned and is a high-ranking male with no roots. It’s only natural that the prince wants to recruit him.”

Qu Xia nodded in a daze.

He didn’t like that Prince. The man’s overbearing demeanor gave him a strong sense of pressure. Yet as a newly arrived male on the main planet, it would be very strange not to accept a royal invitation. That would raise suspicions among those paying attention. So, whether he liked it or not, he had to attend this banquet.

Two days later, after two more dates, Qu Xia used the funds from the Male Zerg Protection Association to commission a set of clothes with intricate lace, and rode to the palace.

He sat stiffly in the carriage. This time felt completely different from the last visit. Before, he had come to mooch a meal; now he had to face the prince directly.

The banquet didn’t just invite him. There were other A-rank males as well. Servants led him to the main table. The prince arrived fashionably late, followed by the foolish crown prince. Both wore crimson robes embroidered with thorned rose patterns in gold thread, exuding grandeur, solemnity, and dazzlingly luxurious.

Seeing the prince approach, Qu Xia straightened his back.

Fortunately, he held no power or influence; the prince’s invitation was casual. The prince politely greeted the crowd but paid him little attention.

Qu Xia exhaled in relief.

The banquet was suffocating. Halfway through, Qu Xia made an excuse to leave and crouched in a corner of the garden bushes to scroll through his light-brain, brushing for half an hour straight.

Just as his legs went numb and he wanted to shift positions, Qu Xia froze in alarm. He lowered his body completely, hiding in the bushes.

He heard erratic footsteps.

Someone seemed to be staggering toward him, accompanied by broken, ragged breathing. Qu Xia didn’t dare move and heard the approaching figure muttering teeth-gritting curses.

“Damn it… it’s happening more often… at this rate, I’ll get exposed…”

“Too dangerous… just a little closer…”

Qu Xia held his breath and calmed himself. The name sounded vaguely familiar, and the figure drew closer. Through the obscuring branches of the bushes, he glimpsed a flash of crimson robes, the intricate golden threads gleaming in the moonlight.

Then came the anxious voice of a servant: “Your Highness, the doctor said you mustn’t take any more medicine, one more dose and something will go wrong!”

At the same time, a faint waft of pheromones drifted toward him. Qu Xia’s throat turned slightly bitter, as if affected by it.

His view was blocked by leaves, so he couldn’t see clearly.

Once the two staggered past the garden, he poked his head out of the bushes and dashed back into the banquet.

The atmosphere in the hall was livelier than before. Males clinked glasses, some even tugging at servants’ hands to pull them onto their laps. The hall buzzed with merry energy. A drunk male raised his glass toward Qu Xia from afar: “Hey buddy, not drinking?”

Being unmarried and single, the females present were well aware of his status. Several servants intentionally edged closer to Qu Xia, but he couldn’t handle the attention and sidestepped politely: “Thanks, thanks, I won’t drink.”

He scanned the room. The prince and the crown prince were nowhere to be seen.

Qu Xia lowered his voice and asked a nearby drunken male, “Where are the two Princes?”

The drunk squinted, half-asleep: “Ah, they both hurried off just now… what’s going on?”

Qu Xia shook his head.

For the rest of the banquet, neither the prince nor the crown prince appeared. Qu Xia felt like he was sitting on pins and needles amid the debauchery of the feast. When the time was right, he bolted out of the palace.

Once the aircraft left the palace and returned to his newly assigned villa, Qu Xia tiptoed into his bedroom, cradled the egg, and carefully listened to the sound in the earpiece.

Ever since becoming an egg, Erwen had been like a baby, sleepy all the time, often trailing off mid-word until silence fell. At this late hour, deep in the night, he should already be asleep.

Qu Xia was utterly exhausted. He changed clothes and roughly cleaned himself, then, as usual, tried to pull the egg into his arms to sleep. But suddenly, the egg rolled right out of his embrace.

Erwen’s resistance was so obvious that Qu Xia froze for a moment.

A head full of question marks: “What’s wrong?”

A calm, unflustered voice came from the earpiece.

Erwen said succinctly, “Your scent.”

There was an unpleasant smell on the male, intrusive, sharp, penetrating straight through the egg shell’s tiny pores, making even the normally composed Erwen dizzy and deeply annoyed.

Qu Xia bent down to sniff and realized it.

Ah, it was the pheromones from the females at the banquet.