Chapter 71

Chapter 71

"Cocooning phase?!"

Queqiu's eyes widened in surprise, his cheeks slightly puffed, making him look even more like a bewildered little goldfish.

Morfa caught this expression, his gaze softening immeasurably, unable to resist pinching Queqiu's soft cheeks.

His fingertips gently caressed, reluctantly enjoying the cool, delicate touch. It was hard not to be distracted by such beauty.

Queqiu, not entirely pleased with this somewhat "presumptuous" action, pushed away Morfa's mischievous hand and asked again, "What exactly does this mean?"

Morfa regretfully withdrew his hand, explaining, "I thought my cocooning phase would be delayed much longer, but for some reason, it's come earlier than expected."

"Once I enter the cocooning phase, I'll undergo a biological evolution similar to a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly. I'll change from my current caterpillar state into a cocoon, my consciousness temporarily dormant, unable to respond to you like now. As for when I'll wake up, I'm not sure. But next time we meet, I should have transformed into a beautiful butterfly."

Queqiu quickly reviewed everything they had experienced in recent days. Apart from the recent conflict, there had been no other incidents. He speculated that Morfa's premature cocooning could be due to emotional upheaval.

Thinking of this possibility, guilt surfaced in Queqiu's eyes, and he soothingly stroked Morfa's antennae.

"If I hadn't avoided you and had talked things out properly, maybe it wouldn't have..."

Morfa interrupted him, leaning in closer: "Even I didn't anticipate my cocooning phase arriving so soon, how can you be blamed? Don't feel guilty, I would have entered this phase sooner or later—it's just come a bit earlier."

"And because it's come earlier, I can meet you sooner in my new form."

Comforted by Morfa's words, Queqiu felt somewhat relieved and asked, "What preparations are needed for your cocooning phase?"

Answering this question, Morfa's gaze deepened, his expression unchanged as he said, "There's nothing for you to do. The cocooning phase is like my hibernation, just sleeping for a while."

Queqiu frowned, instinctively doubting Morpha's words: "Really?"

"Of course, it's true," Morpha replied with a smile, playfully leaning close to Queqiu as he used to, "If you really want to do something for me, just keep me in your pocket, never leaving your side."

Saying this, he nuzzled Queqiu's shoulder with his head.

Queqiu glanced at him with a hint of resignation: "You're not like a butterfly, more like a clingy little dog."

"I’ve told you so many times before, haven’t I, Morpha? I am your cutest, most obedient little dog," Morpha lifted his head, blinking at Queqiu.

The previous barriers and distances between them vanished in that moment, returning to their original intimate relationship. Even the atmosphere, fresh from a chaotic temporary marking, had a hint of subtle flirtation.

"You said before that you liked me…"

Hearing Queqiu bring it up again, Morpha tensed, quickly embracing him, "Please don’t reject me, at least not now."

Before Queqiu could finish speaking, his words were swallowed by the Alpha's fear of abandonment. He couldn’t help but smile wryly, "I didn’t say I was going to reject you."

Morpha's eyes lit up from a state of dejection, showing an astonishing brightness. Could it be!

But before he could revel in his joy for a few seconds, he heard Queqiu continue, "But it doesn’t mean I want to accept you either."

Morpha's smile instantly fell, his unhappiness plainly written on his face.

Queqiu found Morpha's reaction amusing, like a squeaky toy. After a pause, he continued, "I’m not trying to string you along without a definitive answer. You know, I never thought of our relationship in a romantic way. I always imagined us as family forever, not lovers for life."

"I’ve never loved anyone the way you love me, nor have I learned how to discern who I truly love and want to spend my life with. Before giving you an answer, I think I need to find answers to these questions."

Queqiu looked at Morpha, his golden eyes holding only him, "I could easily say yes or outright refuse you. But I think I owe you more responsibility than that. Can you give me some time to think it over properly?"

Morpha replied without hesitation, "Of course, I’m willing to wait."

He took Queqiu’s delicate, fair wrist, pressing a sincere kiss on the cool back of his hand.

"No matter how long it takes, I am willing to wait."

As long as Queqiu hadn’t outright rejected him, it meant that there was still a great deal of hope. He didn’t mind waiting patiently for the ultimate happy ending, no matter how long it might take.

"Of course, I very much hope you would agree to me immediately. In fact, I've been longing for this day for a long time. But if it's you, I think, even if the process is excruciating, I'm willing to endure it; and the outcome will be all the sweeter because of this waiting."

The last of Queqiu's concerns gently settled down. He indeed wasn't ready to start a new relationship, and Morfa's unconditional accommodation was undoubtedly a relief.

"However, since I've been so considerate of mom, then..." Morfa's tone shifted playfully, "Can mom give a good little dog a reward for being obedient?"

Queqiu's heart, which had just relaxed, tensed up again: "A reward...?"

He had thought Morfa might take advantage and demand something excessive, but unexpectedly, Morfa simply lay beside him, then patted his strong arm, "The reward I want is to sleep face-to-face with you. I want to look at you more before I enter my cocooning phase."

"That way, mom won't have to worry about me forgetting you after emerging from the cocoon."

Morfa's eyes shone brightly as he looked at Queqiu, his silver pupils reflecting the clear moonlight, filled with anticipation.

Queqiu felt a sudden pang in his heart, as if struck by something. After a moment of surprise, he smiled softly.

Morfa said, "You're so beautiful."

Queqiu lay down, gently resting his head on Morfa's arm.

He couldn't help but ask, feeling something amiss, "Won't your arm be sore after being pressed on all night?"

Morfa, however, curled his arm and effortlessly pulled the slightly distant Omega into a tight embrace.

"Of course not. Because it knows that once mom agrees to be my Omega, it will be your pillow every night like this, and it will relish every moment of it."

Queqiu's nose was pressed against Morfa's chest, only centimeters away from his heart.

A blush spread across his cheeks and even his ears felt slightly hot as he whispered reproachfully, "What are you talking about..."

"You're so close to me, the scent of your rose pheromones is so fragrant."

Morfa's deep voice resonated right above his head. Since the temporary marking, Queqiu had become somewhat sensitive to such words. Hearing this, he raised his hand to touch the spot that had recently been tenderized.

But Morfa held Queqiu's hand, then buried his head in his shoulder, muffling his voice, "I didn't use much force, it's just a little swollen there."

Indeed, Queqiu didn't feel much pain. He didn't know how other Omegas felt when marked, but he thought Morfa, except for a bit of initial loss of control, seemed quite obedient overall.

So, hearing this, Queqiu let down his guard.

Queqiu didn’t sense anything amiss. They had slept like this before, and having just exchanged pheromones after the temporary marking, his trust in Morfa was at its peak. Relaxing his vigilance, the exhaustion from the day's expended energy soon enveloped him, and he quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Feeling the person in his arms stop moving, Morfa's unobstructed hand casually rested on Queqiu's waist, which was more pronounced due to lying on his side, and then held it tightly.

A mere tilt of his head gave a clear view of Queqiu's slightly swollen gland, still immature but unmistakably marked inside and out.

In reality, this was a typical marking posture, completely entrapping the Omega in the Alpha's embrace, leaving no room for resistance during the marking, forcing the Omega to submit to the Alpha's domineering possession.

Yet, Queqiu was completely unaware of this.

Morfa's lips curved up in pleasure, brushing lightly over Queqiu's forehead, stopping beside his ear to whisper softly, "The truly good one here is you."

He hugged Queqiu tightly, contentedly holding him in the quiet of the night, keeping his secret thoughts hidden in the recklessness of dreams.

The next day, at dawn.

Since arriving in this world, Queqiu had never slept as comfortably as he did last night. Wrapped in his blanket and still not fully awake, his speech carried a soft, muffled nasal tone.

"Morfa... get me my clothes, please."

Usually, within ten seconds of such a request, Morfa would have dressed him, but this time, after almost a minute, there was no response, not even the sound of clothes rubbing against the blanket as one got up.

Queqiu was momentarily dazed, then suddenly something struck him. He opened his eyes wide and sat up, only to find his side empty.

He reached out, touching the spot where Morfa should have been, now chillingly cold, indicating he had left some time ago.

Remembering their conversation from the previous night, Queqiu's eyes widened.

Could it be...

The cocooning phase?!

Queqiu threw off the blanket, and sure enough, Morfa was gone. In his place was a cocoon about the size of half a fist, glinting with a metallic silver sheen.

Recalling what Morfa had said about the cocooning phase, Queqiu tentatively called out his name a few times towards the silver cocoon, but as expected, there was no response.

So... had Morfa really entered his cocooning phase?

Queqiu was quite astonished. He carefully cradled the silver cocoon in his hands. Despite his mental preparation, he was surprised by the weight of the small object.

It was different from when he first met Morfa in the Gobi Desert. Back then, Morfa resembled a living white egg, warm to the touch.

But now, the silent silver cocoon in his palms felt more like a metallic ornament than a living entity, hardly seeming capable of birthing life.

Rather than a cocoon, it more resembled...

Queqiu, struck by a thought, summoned his magical machinery and assembled another "silver cocoon" mimicking the original.

He gazed at the two identical cocoons, lost in thought.

This indicated that the material composing the silver cocoon was identical to that used in his magical machinery, namely dense iron, the strongest substance in this world.

Queqiu couldn’t help but recall what Xiao Yue had told him. The royal family’s animal genes originated from a mutation of the king butterfly in dense iron. The shell of the silver cocoon before him was also made of dense iron. Therefore, without waiting for Morfa to emerge from the cocoon, he could now confirm that Morfa carried the bloodline of the empire’s royal family, belonging to the Imperial General Duan Chensen, whom he had seen only once on television.

Having finally received the answers that had long troubled him, Queqiu didn’t feel the anticipated aversion but rather a sense of relief.

"So you really are him..."

Reflecting on his memories of Duan Chensen, and remembering the oppressive aura that came through even the television screen, Queqiu couldn't reconcile that image with his perception of the obedient and occasionally mischievous Morfa, let alone connect it to the gloomy, clingy, and suspiciously sensitive Mao Mao.

To him, this Imperial General was undoubtedly the most familiar stranger.

Queqiu's feelings were incredibly complex at that moment.

Morfa had mentioned that once he entered the cocooning phase, his consciousness would fall into a deep sleep, but it was uncertain when he would awaken.

This meant that if Queqiu wanted to sever ties with him, now would be the best opportunity—by sending this silver cocoon out to Xiao Yue to be taken back to the capital star.

From then on, there would be no further connection between him and Morfa.

Once Morfa emerged from the cocoon, he would return to his predetermined path, resuming his role as the Imperial General.

Meanwhile, Queqiu would continue to wander Dark Star or other planets, searching for a way back.

Queqiu was genuinely considering this course of action.

But while contemplating this, Queqiu suddenly remembered their first meeting when Mao Mao, clutching the corner of his shirt, shyly yet expectantly said to him, "Mom, I'm not a caterpillar, I'm a beautiful butterfly~"

Or how Morfa affirmed again and again, "I am your only butterfly."

He recalled that both Mao Mao and Morfa, knowing he didn't like caterpillars, were always trying hard to transform themselves into beautiful butterflies.

"Also, a butterfly that I raised myself..." Queqiu stared at the silver cocoon in his palm, murmuring softly.

This was the butterfly he had nurtured, that had eaten his leaves, slept in his pocket, called him mom, and even temporarily marked him.

It was his butterfly.

A drop of golden liquid fell on the silver cocoon, silent, yet Queqiu heard a distinct "plop."

Dumbfounded, he raised his hand to his cheek, only then realizing he was crying.

What followed seemed only natural.

A dazzling burst of golden light erupted, not a mere trickle but as brilliant as the sun reborn.

Massive spiritual energy cascaded onto the silver cocoon, enveloping it entirely in radiant light.

The cocoon gradually absorbed the purest essence of Queqiu's life force, its hard shell slowly fading from metallic silver to white, surrounded by a warm glow.

Morfa once mentioned during their conversation about his evolution that each stage of the king butterfly's metamorphosis required a tremendous amount of energy. Yet, when Queqiu asked him what preparations were needed for his cocooning phase, Morfa had evasively brushed it off.

But Queqiu knew that the little caterpillar, which needed so much spiritual power just to break free from its shell, would definitely require more for its most crucial cocooning phase.

Morfa didn't want Queqiu to expend more energy on him.

Morfa had given him an S-level combat gene and magical machinery, and also pure, unconditional love. Queqiu thought, he too wanted to give something back to Morfa.

Regardless of what Morfa would become after emerging from the cocoon, Queqiu believed that he would always be his butterfly, belonging only to him.

The continuous expenditure of energy had almost depleted Queqiu's stored spiritual power. By the final stages of the transfer, he was even more exhausted than after healing over twenty Alphas the previous night. He didn't even have the chance to properly secure the silver cocoon before losing consciousness.

He fell lightly, like a wilting leaf.

The silver cocoon, now filled with spiritual energy, showed no signs of breaking open but became softer, emitting a faint, lustrous glow.

It rolled into Queqiu’s embrace, clinging tightly to the exhausted rose, striving to provide even a slight warmth.

That was all it could do for him now.

Time slowly passed, with unknown changes subtly occurring.

Silence prevailed until evening, when suddenly noise erupted outside the room.

Xufeng, stunned, stared at the tall Omega entering, too dazed to react, allowing the visitor to walk straight into the room without much notice.

“Where’s Queqiu? Where have you hidden him?!”

The newcomer called out Queqiu’s name as soon as he entered, prompting Xufeng to quickly regain his senses and follow.

“This is an Alpha dormitory, how did you get in?!”

Baitianxing, not even glancing at him, retorted, “Alpha dormitory? As if there’s anywhere on Dark Star, including this school, that I can’t go. Do I need permission from a D-grade Alpha like you?!”

Misunderstood, Xufeng tried to argue but blushed and stammered, “I, I didn’t mean that...”

Irritated, Baitianxing snapped, “Then what do you mean? Step aside, don’t block me!”

Xufeng, frightened but resolute, stood his ground, “What exactly are you planning to do?”

“I’m looking for Queqiu! Did you hide him?!”

Baitianxing sounded harsh, and Xufeng, mistaking his intent as harmful towards Queqiu, became even more reluctant to move, “He’s resting, don’t disturb him!”

To Baitianxing, the obstructive rabbit-eared Alpha seemed not only determined to prevent him but also evasive, apparently hiding something. The more Xufeng resisted, the less Baitianxing believed his explanations.

Seeing this, Baitianxing, out of desperation, pushed him away forcefully: "Get out of my way!"

Xufeng, not daring to retaliate against an Omega, could only let himself be pushed to the ground. Tang Butian, hearing the noise, came out of his room just in time to witness the scene.

Seeing his brother mistreated, Tang Butian didn't care about the rule against harming Omegas and, after helping Xufeng up, confronted Baitianxing: "Even if you are an Omega, you can't just barge into an Alpha dorm and attack an Alpha for no reason!"

Baitianxing, seeing they were together, scoffed: "No reason?! You've imprisoned a small Omega, forcing him to provide psychological counseling for those damned Alphas and Betas. Isn't that reason enough for me to demand an explanation?!"

Tang Butian and Xufeng were taken aback, exchanging puzzled looks: "Which small Omega are you talking about?"

"Stop playing dumb! Who else lives in the Alpha dorms besides Queqiu!" Baitianxing was furious.

He looked at Tang Butian and Xufeng disdainfully: "I warned him before. Alphas are all hypocrites with sweet words to deceive Omegas. Now I'm proven right, huh."

Tang Butian frowned, not understanding his accusation: "If you're talking about Queqiu, yes, he did provide counseling for the combat Alphas till late at night yesterday. But it was his choice, how is it coercion?!"

Xufeng added: "Not only did we not force him, but we also advised him against going. Your accusations are baseless."

Baitianxing, seeing them refute, got even angrier, his celestial pattern seemingly flaring up.

"Voluntary? Nonsense. What Omega would voluntarily counsel over twenty Alphas at once?! It's practically murder!"

"You Alphas are the epitome of hypocrisy, blatantly exploiting Omegas to their last drop of usefulness!"

Tang Butian and Xufeng, shocked, blurted in unison: "What?! Queqiu healed over twenty Alphas at once?!"

"So you do realize how damaging that is to an Omega," Baitianxing sneered, crossing his arms, "You have the nerve to talk about willingness."

But the next second, a clear, gentle voice came from behind them.

"They are not wrong. I did it voluntarily."

Tang Butian, Xufeng, and Baitianxing turned around abruptly, only to see a slightly frail Queqiu in a thin white shirt.

He leaned against the wall, his slender figure accentuated by the fluttering shirt. His chin was pointed, his complexion pale, fragile as moonlight that couldn't be grasped.

Author’s Note: