SZAR Chapter 93

That morning, Professor Sylph sent Qu Xia a suit.

Sylph was always socially adept. Knowing that this student from the Pamir Star System came from a poor family and might feel embarrassed without a proper suit, he overnighted one to him, taking care not to bruise the boy’s fragile pride.

Qu Xia tried it on in front of the mirror. The one-size-fits-all suit was slightly large, and since he hadn’t undergone his second awakening yet, he looked tiny inside it.

Too late to change it now, he hurried out and took a public aircraft toward Sylph’s home.

The professor, born into nobility, lived in a private villa beside the school. He had wide social connections, with a constant stream of guests coming and going; countless luxurious flyers left long trails of light across the sky. Qu Xia presented his credentials to a servant, who led him to a secluded spot in the courtyard and said, “Professor Sylph is receiving guests. Please wait here.”

The servant was clearly busy and, after a polite greeting, left Qu Xia there.

Qu Xia didn’t feel slighted, he never liked fuss anyway. Quietly, he ate a blueberry cake. Gradually, more guests arrived. Soon, a boy around his age sat nearby and extended a hand.

“Hello, are you the new freshman student of the professor?”

“I’m Dart,” he introduced himself. “One of Professor Sylph’s students.”

Qu Xia shook Dart’s hand. Sylph had anticipated that Qu Xia would be alone and thoughtfully sent a student over to keep him company.

Dart, tasked with observing his new junior, probed with questions ranging from basic physics to mental sea experiments. Qu Xia played the part of a talented rookie perfectly, offering several insightful perspectives. Dart nodded repeatedly, almost ready to officially acknowledge him as a junior brother.

Putting an arm around Qu Xia, Dart spoke familiarly, “Brother, you made the absolute right choice picking Professor Sylph. He has the largest research funding here, a dozen cross-disciplinary projects, but that’s not even the most important thing. You know what is?”

Dart leaned in with a grin and winked, “Professor Sylph has a close connection with Admiral Erwen.”

He paused, expecting Qu Xia’s astonishment. Admiral Erwen was an idol among interstellar females, an admiral with multiple undefeated campaigns, the most popular female of all.

Qu Xia calmly forked a piece of cake. “Who’s Erwen?”

Dart: “……”

He made an exaggerated face. “You’ve never heard of Admiral Erwen? He’s the ultimate goal for us female zergs! The youngest Admiral in the Empire, unmatched in presence, strikingly handsome, and with an incredibly well-built muscular body!”

Qu Xia replied perfunctorily, “Wow, that’s impressive.”

A well-built muscular body? Could it really compare to that of his own housekeeper?

Thinking of the housekeeper, Qu Xia felt a pang of worry.

Military movements were strictly confidential, and they’d deployed heavy weapons right away. Qu Xia even felt the ground tremble during the exam, as if the entire garbage planet was shivering under some colossal force. He wasn’t sure if the housekeeper had been rescued.

Qu Xia asked, “I heard the military sent a large force to Pamir. Were they going to rescue someone?”

Dart scratched his head. “I don’t know about that.”

Seeing Qu Xia lower his head to eat his cake again, Dart scolded, “Do you realize what it means that Professor Sylph knows Admiral Erwen?”

Qu Xia asked, “What does it mean?”

“It means our research can get full support from the military, and we might even get close to Asmiral Erwen!” Dart shook his head in frustration at Qu Xia’s indifference.

“And,” Dart lowered his voice and leaned toward Qu Xia’s ear, “I heard from Professor Sylph that Admiral Erwen’s social service points are probably running low.”

In the zerg society, merit consisted of combat achievements and social service points. Erwen’s combat record was obviously exceptional, but social service points could only be gained through arranged meetings, marriage, laying eggs, or charitable acts like adopting minors. Erwen had previously adopted his nephew Nuo Wei, which barely balanced the ledger. Later, when Nuo Wei came of age, Erwen continually refused matchmaking or pairing, and every time a male zerg invited him, he had to offset it with combat achievements and service points.

Qu Xia paused mid-bite, confused.

What did Erwen running low on social service points have to do with them?

Dart tapped him on the shoulder. “Idiot! Admiral Erwen definitely won’t get married or have an arranged match. Most likely, he’ll adopt a minor or a prodigy and become their guardian!”

Qu Xia blinked. “…?”

And…?

He couldn’t comprehend Dart’s fervent obsession. Qu Xia was a researcher, not military personnel. When it came to female zergs, the only thing he might be curious about was their muscle tone, beyond that, he didn’t care. Just as Dart, exasperated, tried to reach for Qu Xia’s cake, the murmurs around them grew louder.

Someone nearby said, “Their Highness the Prince and the Crown Prince have arrived.”

Qu Xia set down his fork and looked toward the entrance. Two strikingly similar figures walked in, one after the other, both with pale golden hair, blue eyes, and exquisite features, yet their demeanors were very different. The first carried himself upright, chin raised high in pride; the second lowered his gaze, appearing timid and deferential.

They wore elaborate, retro-style court robes, patterned with intricate designs. The fabric fell smoothly, seemingly threaded with gold, shimmering faintly from afar.

Qu Xia’s pupils contracted slightly.

Suddenly, his throat went dry. He tugged at Dart’s sleeve and asked, “The insignia on their shoulders?”

Dart glanced and smiled. “Don’t you recognize it? That’s the royal symbol, the Sword and the Iris, representing fiery authority.”

In the garden on the first floor, Sylph stepped forward, kneeled, and said with a smile, “Your Highness, Crown Prince, it’s early of you to arrive.”

The prince waved slightly. “Admiral Erwen returned victorious. Though there were minor complications along the way, the outcome was favorable. On behalf of the royal family, it is only proper that I come.”

The iris emblem on his shoulder gleamed brilliantly.

Qu Xia pressed a hand to his forehead, slightly dizzy.

The pattern on the metal seal left by the original owner, Lock, was exactly the same as the insignia on these two princes!

Qu Xia paused, and an involuntary thought arose, maybe it was time to leave.

He was a frail, paper-pushing type, more at home in a lab than anywhere else. All he wanted was quiet research. Power and wealth didn’t interest him; outside his work, he was lazy, incapable of scheming and with no desire to get involved with the royal family.

Qu Xia, though socially inept, wasn’t stupid. He simply didn’t want to waste mental energy on courtly niceties. Sylph’s banquet was more than just a gathering: with top military officials present, as well as imperial princes and Admiral Erwen, the professor’s identity here was clearly tangled with the royal family.

If Qu Xia officially became his student, the risk of exposing his own identity skyrocketed, and that was the last thing he wanted.

After a moment’s hesitation, Qu Xia set down his fork. “Dart, tell Professor Sylph I’ve got something urgent and may need to leave early.”

Dart looked utterly confused. “Something urgent? Eh? Wait, are you actually leaving?”

Qu Xia thought that if he didn’t leave now, he’d be stuck staying the night at Sylph’s place. Tomorrow, he’d have to switch advisors, too much of a scumbag move.

He grabbed his small bag and headed for the stairs. As he passed the landing, he glanced upward, and froze.

Qu Xia’s lips moved slightly as he unconsciously climbed the stairs.

Leaning against the railing upstairs was his housekeeper.

Erwen’s eyes were still bandaged in white; silver-gray hair fell loosely around his shoulders. He wore a richly crafted outfit, a matching fur-lined cloak embroidered with silver thread, with scattered gems along the hem, staring out across the balcony.

Qu Xia followed his gaze. If Erwen’s eyes were open, the moon would be reflected in them.

After searching the StarNet for ages with no word, Qu Xia hadn’t expected to find him here at Sylph’s banquet. Deciding to say something, he stepped forward.

After all, this was the zerg he’d rescued from ruthless gangsters, the one he had cut his own palm for. Qu Xia had to check on his condition and confirm the results of the pheromone treatment.

Just as Qu Xia reached the third floor, Erwen heard the footsteps.

The admiral glanced back and nodded politely. “This gentleman?”

His demeanor was refined, courteous but distant, polite, yet detached. Nothing like the quiet, taciturn housekeeper Qu Xia knew; it was as if a thin mask of civility had been pasted over him, ready for anyone who came.

Qu Xia felt an unexpected unease.

Though his housekeeper often sighed, furrowed his brows like a river, and pressed him down to apply medicine, he seemed more vivid, more alive than the one standing before him now.

“It’s nothing, Sir,” Qu Xia said. “I took a wrong turn, I’ll leave right away.”

Having abandoned the identity of the gang’s strategist, Qu Xia had used a voice modulator and wasn’t worried about Erwen recognizing him. He quickly scanned the housekeeper’s face: still pale, but the lips had color, he seemed fine. Qu Xia pretended to be merely passing by, planning to retreat down the stairs.

But barely two steps down, someone else appeared from below.

Sylph saw Qu Xia and was briefly surprised, then broke into a wide smile.

He draped a hand over Qu Xia’s shoulder and laughed, “What are you doing here?”

Having seen Qu Xia’s photo, Sylph immediately recognized him. In the mostly tall empire of the zergs, Qu Xia’s delicate, refined appearance stood out.

Qu Xia inwardly groaned, this wasn’t good.

The host of the banquet had arrived; there was no easy way to leave now.

Sylph led Qu Xia straight to Erwen, smiling warmly. “You two are fated to meet. I was just about to introduce this child to you, and he wandered right here on his own.”

He turned to Qu Xia. “Go on, greet him.”

Qu Xia, unsure, said stiffly, “Sir, I’m Locke. Nice to meet you.”

His housekeeper, Erwen, nodded slightly and extended a hand, smiling. “Hello. I’m Erwen.”

Erwen?

That name sounded… familiar.

Qu Xia’s smile froze in place.

???

Erwen… isn’t this the legendary Admiral himself?

Qu Xia’s breath caught.

So… he’d made the Empire’s top admiral cook for him for half a month, and even dragged him out to pick through trash?

Former… gang strategist… refugee on a junk planet… had bullied the general… and now, facing the royal family, Qu Xia thought: ‘…Heavens, help me!’