SZAR Chapter 61

“Here — can we change this to female monarch?”

The moment he said it, everyone’s expression shifted.

Carey slightly opened his mouth in shock. Chu Dian raised an eyebrow in surprise.  Chu Jin furrowed his brow so tightly it looked like it might burst.

He looked at Chu Xiu, his face dark and heavy. “Brother… you want him to be a female monarch? Are you joking with me?”

In zerg society, female zergs have very few rights. A female monarch is the only married female who keeps most of her “human rights.”

They cannot be sold or transferred at will. If abused to death, the empire will investigate, but more importantly, they retain control over part of their property.

A female monarch, in a sense, has the ability to access and use family assets.

Chu Jin was arrogant, but he wasn’t stupid. In the relatively specialized field of finance, he had no right to challenge Yi Xi. How much of Yi Xi’s wealth the Chu family could seize depended entirely on timing. If they gave the head of the Stellar Group even a moment to maneuver, they would likely end up with only an empty shell of Yi Xi, while the core assets would have long been transferred away.

Chu Jin suddenly stood up from his chair. “No, I don’t agree!”

He was a B-rank male, naturally stronger than Chu Xiu. No matter how more arrogant Chu Xiu was outside, he became more obedient  in front of him. Chu Jin was already used to the sight of Chu Xiu lowering his posture the moment he spoke.

Chu Xiu calmly glanced at him.

He showed no impatience, no anger, just quietly flipped through the documents, radiating the composed air of a refined heir, which only made Chu Jin’s irritability and coarseness stand out more.

Chu Jin snapped, “What’s with that look of yours?!”

The younger master of the Chu family had never been treated this way before. As he spoke, he reached to grab Chu Xiu by the collar. “You f*cking—”

“Enough!” Chu Dian barked sharply.

The Chu family was a prominent household in the main star system; for the younger master to lash out at his elder brother in front of the Male Zerg Protection Association, cursing openly like that, it was outrageous.

Chu Dian rubbed his forehead and looked at Chu Xiu. Lately, his eldest son had inexplicably changed his demeanor, so calm and unreadable that even Chu Dian couldn’t figure him out. A bad feeling crept over him as he said in a low voice, “Xiao Xiu, just sign it. Yi Xi isn’t suitable to be your female monarch. We already agreed on this, didn’t we?”

Chu Xiu didn’t reply. He closed his pen, the click of the latch sounding unusually loud in the silent room, then tossed the folder onto the table. “Father, some things are not suitable to say in public. Xiao Jin and I need to talk alone somewhere.”

Chu Dian’s tense heart relaxed.

It seemed he finally understood why his eldest son was acting so strangely. It wasn’t sudden madness; it was dissatisfaction over the inheritance division.

Chu Jin was B-rank, so the bulk of the inheritance would naturally go to him. But Chu Xiu was still his son and considering how badly he had been injured, although it surprised Chu Dian that he survived the accident, now that he had, he didn’t mind giving him a little more money.

He nodded to Chu Jin: “You two go to a room and talk it out. Brothers shouldn’t hold grudges; make everything clear.”

Chu Jin raised an eyebrow and stood, leading Chu Xiu toward the second floor.

He intended to take him to his own room.

Chu Xiu had been tormented by Chu Jin many times as a child, even once being pressed face-down into a sink. He had an ingrained fear of Chu Jin’s room, and Chu Jin already had plans on how to coerce him into compliance.

He slammed the door shut, the lock clicking into place, then turned to Chu Xiu with a triumphant grin: “Brother, I advise you to think carefully. Father always sides with me. You don’t want to be kicked out of the Chu family, do you?”

Chu Xiu adjusted his cuffs and smiled politely: “Is that so?”

Then he raised his hand and punched Chu Jin square in the nose.

It was a full-strength punch, hard and fast. Chu Jin stumbled and fell to the floor, his face frozen in disbelief.

Chu Xiu hit him?

A mere F-rank nobody, and he actually dared to hit him?

Chu Xiu glanced at the door lock. Good, Chu Jin had shut it tight, no one could sneak in.

He turned back and grabbed Chu Jin by the collar. In the bartender world, there were always a few young colleagues who ran with the wrong crowd. Chu Xiu hadn’t done that himself, but he’d learned by watching, he knew exactly where to hit to hurt without leaving marks.

Chu Xiu pinned Chu Jin to the ground, locking him with his legs, then punched his ribs and lower abdomen. Chu Jin groaned and glared at him fiercely: “You…!”

Chu Xiu shoved a wad of paper into Chu Jin’s mouth.

He threw Chu Jin against the wall, delivering punches and slaps at a measured pace…precise as a chef slicing sashimi or a surgeon dissecting tissue. By the time Chu Xiu finally vented his anger, Chu Jin was dazed.

Slumped in the corner, eyes wide, Chu Xiu grabbed a napkin and wiped his hands: “What, still not satisfied? Want to run to Father and complain?”

“You!” Chu Jin blustered, though his voice was trembling: “If I go to Father, aren’t you afraid of being kicked out of the Chu family?”

Kicked out of the Chu family?

Chu Xiu couldn’t want that more.

If it weren’t for Carey, Chu Xiu probably would have left already.

Though he had only known this main female father for two days, Carey had warned Chu Xiu from the start to watch out for Chu Jin, and even pointed out the Chu family’s dark secrets, giving Chu Xiu room to maneuver. He was truly grateful to Carey.

Chu Jin pushed off the wall and stood up, face twisted with malice: “Just you wait, I’m going to tell Father right now!”

He walked around Chu Xiu and opened the door. Chu Xiu didn’t stop him at all, arms folded behind his back, and casually said, “If Father knew what you did to me, would he kick you out of the family?”

Chu Jin froze for a clear second.

After a moment, he flew into a rage. “What did I do to you? Don’t think that just because I pressed you to the water jar when you were a kid, Father would take your side!”

He stormed downstairs in anger.

Chu Xiu glanced around the bedroom and pulled three tiny, rice-grain-sized metal objects from his pocket, they were the latest model micro cameras.

Judging by Chu Jin’s behavior, he slipped one into the socket. The other two were meant for Chu Dian.

There was definitely something fishy about the original owner’s car accident.

The probability of a flying vehicle accident was already low; the chance of hitting a male zerg was extremely low, and the odds that this insect’s family happened to be extremely short of money, and also had an older brother of higher rank? Even smaller.

But just now, Chu Jin’s angry behavior didn’t look fake, and he was too flamboyant to hide anything. Chu Xiu believed that although he wanted Yi Xi’s fortune, it was more a possessive urge toward sudden windfall wealth; he was not the mastermind of the incident.

Among the Chu family’s household, only Chu Dian remained.

Although the original owner’s rank was trash, he was still a male zerg. Harming another male zerg was a serious crime; with a little maneuvering, Chu Dian could be ruined completely.

Chu Xiu sneaked into Chu Dian’s bedroom and installed one camera on the bed and one on the desk, then walked out as if nothing had happened.

The servants were all downstairs; the second floor was empty, and no one noticed him.

When Chu Xiu went downstairs, Chu Jin was lying next to Chu Dian, looking exhausted.

Chu Dian’s expression was extremely unnatural. When he saw Chu Xiu, his brows twitched slightly, but he quickly adjusted his face and smiled. “Xiao Xiu is here. Did you two talk things over? Come sign it.”

Chu Xiu didn’t even need to look; he already knew exactly what had happened downstairs.

It had definitely been his younger brother, whining and sniveling to complain, and he even mentioned Chu Xiu’s strange line: “If Father knew what you did to me.”

The younger brother didn’t know anything and just repeated it as a joke, insisting justice from his father. But the speaker’s words were innocent while the listener’s interpretation was deliberate. Chu Dian immediately connected it to the car accident he had orchestrated.

So, in the scumbag father’s mind, Chu Xiu had discovered there was something suspicious behind the accident, but wrongly blamed his brother, Chu Jin.

Although the scumbag father showed some favoritism toward his younger brother, it was only because he liked high-ranking male zergs, hardly any real affection. So he pretended not to notice and let Chu Xiu suspect Chu Jin. That way, if anything went wrong later, he could immediately clear himself.

Selfish, cruel, and ungrateful — just like Chu Xiu’s father in his previous life.

Chu Xiu coldly watched him act like a devoted father in front of the Male Zerg Protection Association, lifting a shy smile. He quickly signed the papers, then looked up at Chu Dian and tactfully said, “Father, can I go live outside? I’m scared staying here.”

He gave Chu Jin a pointed look.

Chu Jin: “You!”

Chu Dian hurriedly said, “It’s fine. Go ahead.”

In the scumbag father’s eyes, Chu Xiu had just found out the accident was caused by his brother, yet still cooperated and signed. He felt both relieved that Chu Xiu didn’t suspect him, and a little guilty.

Chu Xiu added, “I’m scared and want the main female father to stay with me.”

Chu Dian: “Let him stay with you!”

Chu Xiu: “The main female father scared me today too, so sudden that I choked. I want his controller.”

Chu Dian took the emerald ring off his finger. “Here, take it.”

Chu Xiu nodded in satisfaction.

After handling all these disgusting matters, he didn’t linger. He left the old castle together with the Male Zerg Protection Association.

When they reached the main gate, Chu Xiu suddenly stopped the staff who were about to leave. “Excuse me.”

Amid the surprised looks of the staff, he politely asked, “Excuse me, could I get another copy of the document? I just remembered I signed the previous one incorrectly.”

In the old castle, Chu Dian carefully put away the document and handed it to Chu Jin. “Keep it safe.”

He leaned back on the armrest, his tone filled with satisfaction. “The family problems are finally settled. Yi Xi’s wealth is so vast, I imagine it won’t be long before those families who looked down on us… hm, they’ll probably be begging us to come back.”

As Chu Dian spoke, he closed his eyes, an expression of rapture on his face, clearly already imagining the future.

“Fa-fa-father…” Chu Jin’s voice came out timidly.

Chu Dian was interrupted in his daydream and opened his eyes in displeasure. “Hm?”

Chu Jin’s voice trembled. “Look at this.”

Chu Dian’s gaze shifted downward. At the very bottom of the paper was a flamboyant, powerful signature, strong and bold, almost pressing through the paper, but it wasn’t Chu Xiu’s name. Instead, there were huge Chinese characters:

 [ In Your Dreams. ]

Chu Dian stared at the signature in disbelief. After a long moment, he suddenly pressed his hand to his chest and began coughing violently.

Chu Jin looked at him in horror. “Father!”

Chu Dian’s throat quivered, and a metallic scent suddenly rose. Then a warm stream ran down the corner of his lips.

He touched it with a finger, bringing it to his eyes, and saw bright, vivid red blood.

………………

West City, Whistle Bar, back VIP room.

Yi Xi sat upright in a sandalwood chair. Before him was a cup of fine Longjing tea, now cold.

He rested his hand against his forehead, exhausted. Secretary Lin opened the light-brain to check the time, worried. “Boss, it’s already been two hours.”

Two hours had passed since their agreed meeting time.

Since Yi Xi had last agreed to the date invitation, the young master of the Chu family had not sent a single message. Regarding the time and place Yi Xi had set, he neither agreed nor disagreed, as if he hadn’t even noticed.

Yi Xi rubbed his sore forehead. “Not coming… that’s actually a good thing.”

Even when a punishment is already set, one always hopes the sentence will be delayed a little longer.

Secretary Lin frowned with concern. “But if he doesn’t come, doesn’t that mean he’s very unsatisfied with you?”

Yi Xi smiled. “How could he possibly be satisfied with me?”

A female zerg who had rammed him into the hospital, how could a male zerg be satisfied?

Secretary Lin was silent, speechless.

After a pause, he asked again, “Then how long are we supposed to wait here?”

If the male zerg never came, did they have to stay here all night?

Yi Xi said, “Let’s wait a few more hours.”

If they left, it would be fine if the male zerg never came. But if he deliberately arrived late, and after a few hours found no one there… the thought of how enraged he would be made Yi Xi not want to think about it.

Secretary Lin stayed by his side and could only reply, “Yes.”

They waited until the sun had set and the city lights flickered on. The Longjing tea on the table was replaced pot after pot, but the male zerg never appeared.

Secretary Lin grew restless, while Yi Xi leaned back in his chair for a short nap. Just over three and a half hours past the scheduled time, Yi Xi’s light-brain suddenly vibrated.

He had turned down all meetings for this gathering. At this point, any notification appearing on his light-brain could only be related to the Chu family’s young master.

Yi Xi opened it and it wasn’t a notice about a change in the meeting time, but a message from the Male Zerg Protection Association:

【 Hello, your Male Lord, Chu Xiu, has signed the consent documents. The content is as follows. Please review. If there are any questions, please contact the Male Zerg Protection Association…】

Attached were several kilobytes of files.

He opened the attachments. The beginning contained nothing new, old, familiar clauses about property transfer and female zerg etiquette, which Yi Xi had already read countless times and argued with lawyers about.

He skimmed quickly, but when his cursor reached the last few lines, he suddenly froze in place.

Secretary Lin, always attentive to his boss, saw him pause and leaned closer. “What is it? Is there something wrong with the signed document?”

He raised his voice, excited. “All the clauses have been negotiated in court. If the male zerg adds any demands, we will never agree!”

Yi Xi shook his head. “No extra demands were added.”

At the spot where his cursor hovered, it clearly read: [ Identity: Female Monarch. ]