Chapter 38

Chapter 38

It seemed that the Ho family had an inherited genetic disorder.

Now, Lu Wei knew that it was a genetic illness peculiar to the Emperor Star's royal family. The Blue Star was also an immensely powerful combat race in the universe. Thus, their offspring, the Dog Emperor, suffered from an intensified version of this genetic disorder due to the incompatibility between the two strains.

His condition was more unbearable than those of previous monarchs, making him even more eccentric and unpredictable.

Lu Wei had unintentionally empathized with the emperor's ailment before. Apart from anything else, the pain was excruciating.

It was astounding how the Dog Emperor could endure such torment.

If their child inherited this condition, it would be sheer torture for the little one.

As he vented his frustration at this irresponsible father, Lu Wei asked, "What will happen when the child has an episode if he inherits it?"

The concerned expectant father lifted his worried mate onto the bed, pinning him down for a fierce kiss. "Our plump boy has his own destiny. Our planning won't make a difference."

Beautifully put, but in essence, it meant "we'll just have to leave it be."

Lu Wei genuinely wanted to punch him, his teeth itching with frustration.

Thoughts of the dual-personality baby stirred his compassion: "That child has to endure such episodes every day? Just pushing through?"

Inheriting both the dual personalities and the genetic illness from His Majesty the Dog.

What a tragic fate.

He started out with an extraordinary disadvantage.

Looking at Lu Wei, His Majesty the Dog seemed to find it perfectly reasonable: "Mm."

Lu Wei rolled his eyes at the culprit: "Easy for you to say."

The dog king replied, "You'll get used to it."

"For the first few years, when they're still young, medication can help," said His Majesty as he nuzzled against Lu Wei, speaking warmly against his neck, causing a flush to spread across the area. "But around seven or eight, it becomes unbearable, as they develop resistance to the medicine."

Lu Wei had been about to ask how the dog knew, but gazing into his eyes, he suddenly recalled.

His Majesty the Dog had gone through his youth like this.

Lu Wei gazed into his eyes and, as if possessed by a ghost, asked, "What about you back then?"

The Dog Emperor smiled. "Killing people."

"Anyone who displeased me."

Lu Wei: "…."

"Seven or eight years old?"

His Majesty the Dog nuzzled against his neck. "Mm."

Brother Earth suddenly realized where the massive communication gap between him and His Majesty the Dog had originated from.

At seven or eight, he was still picking vegetables with his friends in the fields of the countryside, while His Majesty the Dog was already involved in murderous plundering.

The Dog Emperor opened his eyes, his gaze shadowed. "How else could I shut those old men's mouths if I didn't really kill?"

"Not only should they be killed, but their heads should be hung at the city gate for three days and three nights. Their limbs should be sent as a dawn gift to them. That's the quickest way to quell the rumors."

Lu Wei: "Ugh—"

Earth Bro leaned against the bedside table, retching.

His Majesty the Dog stroked his back soothingly, "So delicate."

Lu Wei: "They're really seven years old?"

No, who wouldn't feel nauseous upon hearing this in a normal pregnancy scenario?

His Majesty the Dog narrowed his eyes, seemingly displeased, "Do I have a reason to lie to you?"

Earth Bro: "Damn it."

Lu Wei patted his chest, "Why do they need to be killed?"

His Majesty the Dog buried his face in Lu Wei's neck, "Of course, because they deserve it."

Lu Wei wasn't some saintly figure who would preach against killing or revenge; it was best to stay out of such matters unless one was in that person's shoes, after all, as such characters typically didn't survive long in stories.

However, he was also someone raised in a law-abiding society, and hearing such words still made him somewhat uncomfortable.

His Majesty the Dog's observational skills were keener than Lu Wei had expected. Lowering his eyelids to look at him, the dog asked, "Are you afraid of me?"

Lu Wei chuckled. "Afraid of you? I'd beat you to a pulp."

The fact that he'd impregnated His Majesty was already a charge he couldn't escape.

His Majesty the Dog laughed heartily.

Gently brushing aside the stray strands of hair on Lu Wei's forehead, the dog said, "My dear, I've been using a sword since I was very young, and yes, I have killed people."

"That old man said I shouldn't be born and tried to strangle me. In response, I pierced his chest immediately, and blood spurted out, splashing onto my hands. Before he died, he even laughed and said that even if I didn't die then, my life would still be a living hell later on."

Blood was warm, because the body heat hadn't dissipated yet.

And...

Perhaps it was due to his bloodline, but he didn't feel the slightest guilt or remorse for taking a life.

Instead, he felt novelty and excitement.

But he didn't share these thoughts with Lu Wei.

Recalling the legal education programs he had watched, Lu Wei commented, "Damn, that would count as self-defense."

Judge Luo declared him not guilty.

Amen.

His Majesty the Dog: Hahaha!

Supporting his chin with his paw, the canine monarch closed his eyes and said, "You'll get used to the episodes eventually. You can vent your frustrations by finding something on other planets."

By "something," he meant conquering an entire planet and making it a satellite of Emperor Star.

Lu Wei asked, "Will the condition worsen after reaching adulthood?"

The Dog Emperor narrowed his eyes. "Can't tell."

Well, living with this genetic condition had blurred the lines between pain and non-pain.

Lu Wei rubbed his stomach.

Poor child, you truly have it tough.

The Dog Emperor propped his head on one hand while poking at the pregnant belly with the other. "Just by looking at this plump little fellow, I can tell he's resilient. He won't die that easily."

Lu Wei pouted. "Don't say such things in front of him. He deserves his dignity too."

The unborn chubby baby: ...

Looking up at Lu Wei, the Dog Emperor said, "Good boy, your bloodline can neutralize the illness."

Lu Wei: !!

"Really?"

Dog Emperor: "I guessed."

Lu Wei deflated like a punctured balloon. "Then why the hell did you say anything?"

The Dog Emperor was indeed unsure, but his speculation carried a strong sense of certainty.

Considering their compatibility, the genetic disorder in the child in Lu Wei's womb shouldn't manifest so severely.

Yawning, the Dog Emperor said, "So that you'll lie down peacefully and shift your focus back to the chubby boy."

Lu Wei tugged at his hair. "Every time we have a serious conversation, you mess things up. If you do it again, I'll kick you out of family meetings."

The Dog Emperor's eyes curved into a smile. "Oh, really?"

Oh, oh, oh! You damn rooster who only crows when ordered to!

Each time Lu Wei got angry, this guy would casually respond with an "oh," leaving Lu Wei feeling frustrated, as if his punch had landed on cotton.

Lu Wei turned away. "You just make me furious whenever you talk!"

He turned away from that pesky creature and soothingly caressed his own pregnant belly, which made him feel a bit better.

The unemotional Dog Emperor forcefully turned Lu Wei's head back, "Stop looking at him, look at me."

Lu Wei retorted, "You're the one who's good-looking. What's there for an elder brother like me to see in you!"

The Dog Emperor propped his chin up, "You're the one who's good-looking."

Lu Wei: "...Do you have some kind of major illness?"

"It would be best if the plump youngster resembled you."

For someone like Lu Wei, he could, with some effort, learn to love someone because of their connection to him.

Lu Wei wished for it too.

Best if he's like him, bright and open-hearted, with striking good looks.

Yet, upon recollection of those two dreams, Lu Wei had a foreboding feeling that his wish might not come true.

After all, in both dreams, the child was more like His Canine Majesty.

Lu Wei asked, "What about someone like you?"

His Majesty the Dog wore an expression of obvious distaste, "Get rid of it."

Lu Wei was genuinely infuriated. "Do you think you can discard me just because you gave birth to me? You truly believe I won't cause any trouble if you don't discipline me for three days straight?"

Who did they think that child belonged to? He carried and birthed him with great effort!

Emperor Pup: "Oh."

At the sound of this "oh," Lu Wei's temper flared. "You still have some self-awareness, knowing that you're not likable."

The Emperor Pup gazed at him intently. "But you, my dear, like me."

Lu Wei: "I like you as much as a hammer likes nails!"

The Emperor Pup stroked his pregnant belly. "See, my dear likes me."

"..."

He wasn't joking; he was genuinely having a conversation with the life within him.

The canine monarch looked down from his high perch, "If you don't like me, you wouldn't even exist, do you understand?"

Lu Wei felt like hitting something.

Turning away, Lu Wei couldn't be bothered to communicate with this creature who only listened to what it wanted to hear.

Yet, the other party started cuddling and nuzzling him.

They were perfectly compatible, and their auras were already enticing enough. With Lu Wei being pregnant, he craved the comforting presence of his partner even more.

How could this be tolerated?

A shiver ran down Lu Wei's spine, "Y-You need to stay away from me."

The canine monarch instantly transformed into a gloomy octopus, "No."

"Keep your distance..." The scent was driving him crazy.

Already prone to certain reactions, pregnancy only made him more sensitive. Just this brief contact left him feeling weak all over.

Lu Wei had truly meant no harm, but the expression in Dog Emperor's eyes had turned stormy.

He couldn't bear to hear the word 'leave'.

"No," Dog Emperor bit down on the crook of his neck.

Earth Bro couldn't withstand such treatment. "Stop."

But would an ill-tempered Dog Emperor listen to his plea?

Fixing him with a dark, unblinking gaze, he said, "Don't say things like that again next time."

Lu Wei: That kind of thing... Damn, are you insane??

Lu Wei definitely hadn't intended to say those words.

Yet His Majesty the Dog was intent on holding on.

His eyes swirled with deep obsidian, an eerie black that seemed to stem from some unseen provocation.

But—was he truly innocent??

His Majesty's actions were fierce, as were his gaze.

Even the biting and kissing felt like some sort of intense activity, and Lu Wei really couldn't take it.

Damn it!!

Their mingling breaths soothed the baby greatly.

The expectant father soon drifted off to sleep.

The room was filled with scents that only they could detect.

Perhaps due to their close proximity, Lu Wei slept better than ever before, experiencing no insomnia at all this night.

The royal dog gazed at him for a moment before caressing his swollen belly.

It was warm there.

Not quite the same temperature as the blood that had splattered onto his hand.

Behind that palm was a crystallization connected to his and Lu Wei's bloodline.

Feeling the warmth cover it, the life inside seemed to stir.

"I'll really throw you away if you dare wake up my baby."

Whether the child understood or not, it indeed quieted down.

The royal dog continued to threaten, "Don't believe your mother, genetic defects can never truly adapt."

Genetic defects didn't have the concept of adaptation. The royal family of Emperor Star carried an incurable genetic illness, exacerbated by the conflict with the Blue Star lineage.

That genetic defect would torment its host incessantly.

Each episode brought a different kind of agony, one that couldn't be halted by external forces – there was no choice but to endure it.

His Majesty the Dog gently poked his abdomen. "You're done for."

Unless one had luck like his.

To encounter an otherworldly, one-of-a-kind soulmate who didn't exist on this planet.