Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Interstellar Warship, Engage!

After a short while of playing, Lu Wei started feeling dizzy and lightheaded. His teammate, who was just a casual acquaintance, chattered on, "Lately, I've been both nauseous and unable to sleep well."

"Hey, maybe you should take some medicine for it."

Upon hearing that his teammate was experiencing the same symptoms, Lu Wei immediately responded, "I'm the same. I've been constantly feeling nauseous lately. I suspect it might be due to the nutrient solution."

Passing Teammate: "Oh, but I am pregnant."

Lu Wei: "…Huh?"

The congratulations from other passing teammates started trickling in.

The Passing Teammate continued to share the joys of pregnancy: "I'm nauseous almost four times a day. The doctor said it's common during the first two months. My partner was so worried they found a special medicine, but we saw on the Star Network that it might affect the fetus, so we're just enduring it for now ~~"

Starship battles were sensory games, different from those on Earth, which wouldn't cause radiation. Thus, pregnant women could play them with peace of mind.

The tone was obviously boastful, but the others congratulated him sincerely. "This medicine was specifically developed to alleviate morning sickness, so you don't need to worry too much."

Pregnant Bro spoke in a coquettish voice, "But my teammate at home won't let me eat it~"

Listening to his whiny tone, Lu Wei got goosebumps all over.

He still found it hard to accept the sight of men with big bellies.

Passerby A: "How did you get pregnant? My baby is already five years old and there's been no sign of a pregnancy."

Pregnant Bro: "It just happened out of nowhere."

Lu Wei: Is... it really possible to get pregnant randomly like that?

Lu Wei's pupils trembled. "It can't be that easy, right?"

Passerby A: "Of course not. I believe only those destined to have children can hit the jackpot, not just my baby, none of the couples around me have conceived either."

Passerby B: "Yes, you're really lucky."

Lu Wei nodded.

Indeed, getting pregnant wasn't that easy.

The pregnant man asked Lu Wei, "Then what's the reason for your nausea? It can't be pregnancy, right?"

Lu Wei replied, "Definitely not. He can't bear children."

The pregnant man was somewhat surprised. "Could it be that your husband has some noble blood in him? They say it's difficult for them to conceive~"

Lu Wei said, "Probably just distant relatives. Anyway, no child has been born in decades."

Passerby A: "Then it seems like you just have a bit of an issue with your stomach, young man."

Passerby B: "Flu has been rampant lately. You might have caught it."

Lu Wei was relieved. "Yes, yes."

This was not the first time Lu Wei was grateful that His Majesty the Dog couldn't bear offspring.

After finishing a game, he removed his headset, stretched lazily, and reached for a snack on the table, a routine he had long grown accustomed to.

Just then, His Majesty the Dog returned.

Chewing on a candy, Lu Wei said, "You really can't, can you? You can't bear offspring."

He finished one and grabbed another with a different flavor.

Although the food here was terrible, the snacks were decent.

Others might have found such remarks offensive, but Huo Jin felt no such offense.

His Majesty the Dog sat down beside him and spoke in a calm tone, "You really want a child that badly, huh?"

As he spoke, he placed his hand on Lu Wei's stomach and gently rubbed it. "It's quite challenging. There's no need to be too obsessed."

Lu Wei didn't bother retorting and instead asked eagerly, "So it's true, then?"

His Majesty the Dog yawned, picked him up, and held him in his embrace. "Yes."

Very well, very well.

Lu Wei was so ecstatic that he didn't even bother to struggle out of the emperor's embrace.

"You really like children that much?" The emperor recalled that the youth had mentioned this topic more than once, even muttering it in his sleep once.

Lu Wei's expression turned into an insincere smile at being accused unfairly, "Not at all."

The king of this country could only hear what he wanted to hear, "I don't particularly like them, but if you do, then that's fine."

Lu Wei: "So His Majesty doesn't want children? How coincidental."

The dog emperor: "They're so tiny, I feel like they'd die with just a slight squeeze."

Lu Wei: ...

It would be quite tragic for anyone to be reincarnated as his child.

Lu Wei said, "Perhaps when you have a child, your thoughts might change."

His Majesty the Dog looked at him with an expression that seemed to say, "You really want to bear my offspring."

Damn it, he shouldn't have said anything.

His Majesty lazily stroked Lu Wei's back and said, "Being born into the royal family isn't necessarily a good thing."

Lu Wei propped his chin on his knees and asked, "Why's that?"

The Dog Emperor gave him a sideways glance. "The too stupid ones don't survive."

Lu Wei: ? ? Is this dog hinting at me?

Lu Wei replied, "You'd better not look at me like that."

Once again, he had hit the king's funny bone.

But thinking about it, Lu Wei supposed it made sense. With so many eyes on you, life in the Royal City must be quite uncomfortable.

That was why His Majesty the Dog had learned to act crazy.

Indeed, literary madness never forsakes its devotees at any time.

"Hard work," Lu Wei sighed, reaching out to pat the king's head affectionately.

Instantly, the Canine King turned his face and fixed Lu Wei with an intense gaze, like a wolf eyeing its prey.

"Wait—"

In the next moment, he was scooped up into the Canine King's arms and placed on his lap.

The Canine King had a mischievous habit: he loved burying his head in Lu Wei's back, much like how one would pet a cat.

Startled, Lu Wei sprang up, flipping onto his back, locking eyes with the Canine King.

Those eyes were exceptionally dark, their depths unfathomable.

Lu Wei: ...This ominous feeling, as if something was about to happen.

Canine King: "If you want children, you'll have to put in more effort."

Lu Wei scolded, "You do your best then!"

"One person can't do it alone."

Damn, it's that damn rutting period again!

Lu Wei could clearly sense that the atmosphere between them was different, much more clingy.

He tried his best to protect his dignity, "You didn't take a shower, that won't work."

As he spoke, he opened the Star Network to search for the latest movies.

He selected 'Interstellar Showdown 3066'.

Sounds exciting, doesn't it?

In reality, it was about the protagonist's mundane daily life after failing to join the military, turning to the God of Peace and becoming a vegetarian who practiced Buddhism every day.

A digital impotence virus rated by a hundred thousand netizens as a fraudulent title.

Did he expect Lu Wei to choose a romantic or action movie for His Majesty the Dog? Absolutely not.

The winner of this battle for dominance would be none other than Lu Wei himself!

Pushing aside His Majesty the Dog with a rightful excuse, Lu Wei declared, "It's movie time."

The millions of online netizens hadn't led him astray. Lu Wei hadn't watched such a tedious and unbearable film that dragged on like an old lady's scarf in over a decade. He found himself dozing off after just half an hour.

Leaning back on the sofa, his head nodded slowly, on the verge of sleep.

The king gazed at him for a while before reaching out to touch his forehead.

Startled awake, Lu Wei looked at him in confusion.

His Majesty the Dog remained unperturbed, "I wasn't sleeping."

Just as Lu Wei was about to fall asleep again, he asked, "So you disturbed me for this?"

True to his name, the dog king replied, "You were sleeping soundly."

Lu Wei suppressed his anger. "…"

He almost forgot that His Majesty the Dog had such a twisted personality.

If it weren't for the fact that this bastard was the top leader here, he would have been beaten up eight hundred times already with that temperament.

Well, no one could beat him anyway. Damn.

Lu Wei said, "If you're not even sleepy watching this kind of movie, I guess you'd have to measure your sleeping pills in bottles."

His Majesty the Dog didn't respond but kept staring at him.

Lu Wei touched his face. "What, can't speak anymore?"

The king replied, "You have canines."

Lu Wei: ??

Right, this guy never listened to anyone anyway.

His Majesty the Dog seemed to be fixated on either his canines or something else, in any case, he wasn't bothering him anymore.

Soon, only the background sounds of the movie remained.

Lu Wei ignored him, folding his arms as his head naturally drooped down.

In the blink of an eye, he dozed off again.

Moments later, he was shaken awake by His Majesty the Dog, his gaze meeting that impeccable face.

Lu Wei: "..." He wanted to be angry but couldn't bring himself to with that face staring back at him!

Lu Wei took a deep breath. "He's already started his prayer ritual, and you still can't sleep?"

The lousy movie had reached the scene where the male protagonist was worshiping the God of Peace. There was an extended, inexplicable close-up of his praying and dialogue, even Superman would be yawning by now.

His Majesty the Dog commented, "You seem to be sleeping a lot lately."

Huo Jin was more perceptive than Lu Wei had imagined. Despite spending less time together during the day, he had noticed this change in him.

"Maybe I caught a cold." Lu Wei yawned. "But right now, I'm just plain sleepy."

His Majesty the Dog nibbled on his hand, leaving a mark behind.

"But I can't fall asleep."

Lu Wei put on a fake smile. "How about I try a folk remedy from my hometown on Your Majesty?"

It was clear that if he didn't let this dog sleep, he wouldn't get any rest either.

The king looked at him and nodded.

Lu Wei recalled how the adults in his small village used to lull children to sleep.

He reached out and tapped the dog's forehead, then pretended to grab something from the air, opening his hand and patting its head.

In a perfunctory manner, Lu Wei mimicked the lullaby: "Alright, I've already buried the sleep bug inside you. You'll fall asleep soon. If you don't, it will turn into a monster and eat your brain."

"..."

The canine sovereign didn't respond verbally but instead nestled its head on Lu Wei's lap.

Lu Wei felt a slight tremor through his knee and looked down to see...

...the sovereign laughing softly.

Lu Wei: "Damn, ungrateful brat, what's so funny?"

Thanks to this commotion, Lu Wei's mind had cleared, and he felt embarrassed by the childish gesture he had just made.

Well, now nobody was getting any sleep.

The movie continued playing, and the protagonist had now started writing prayers. The director, for some reason, chose to zoom in on the prayer book for a full twenty minutes. There was no purpose to it; the camera simply lingered on the scene without any voice-over or commentary.

It was incredibly abstract.

Ten thousand netizens had criticized it.

One could only say that the masses had keen eyes.

Lu Wei twitched the corners of his lips. "I realize now that I could give filming a try too."

There was no response for a moment.

He lowered his head to look.

What he saw was the sleeping face of His Canine Majesty and his even breathing.

"You bloody fell asleep?"

Frustrated, Lu Wei wanted to wake him up, but remembering that he was better off asleep, he swallowed his anger.

But if there was one thing you couldn't deny, it was that his face was still attractive.

As Lu Wei continued gazing at His Canine Majesty's face, he heard the terminal ring.

It was a three-dimensional call.

Lu Wei was familiar with this; once connected, it allowed direct visual contact with the caller in three dimensions.

Upon seeing the profile picture, Lu Wei immediately recognized who it was - a noble whom His Majesty the Dog held in high esteem. From Lu Wei's observation, this person didn't put on any airs and was truly an esteemed elder with great moral character.

The name seemed to be Delphi.

Lu Wei had initially intended to ignore it, but another three-dimensional call popped up.

Reluctantly, he answered on behalf of the monarch, informing the caller that His Majesty was occupied.

After connecting, a three-dimensional image materialized, revealing a kindly old man with a benevolent expression. "Your Majesty? I apologize for the disturbance, but there is indeed an urgent matter at hand."

A voice, somewhat aged.

Lu Wei lowered Huo Jin's head. "It's not him, it's me. I am Lu Wei."

No introduction was needed; the elderly man already knew who he was. He smiled and said, "Mr. Lu, nice to meet you."

Lu Wei scratched his head. "He's asleep. Should we wake him up?"

The old man's expression seemed a bit surprised. "His Majesty?"

From his perspective, he could see the king reclining with his eyes closed.

He was truly asleep.

The king, who had never slept well, was now slumbering soundly on his couch.

He still remembered how the youthful monarch had been cursed amidst a sea of blood to live a life of eternal solitude.

For nearly a century after ascending the throne, that prediction seemed to hold true.

With a belly full of frustration, Lu Wei declared, "If it's something important, we should wake him up!"

The elder smiled at him. "There's no need."

Perhaps fate hadn't been quite so cruel to him after all.