Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Yale lowered his gaze and saw a scarred hand.

The hand was bony, its fingertips stained with blood as it hooked onto the hem of his down jacket, instantly tainting the pristine white fabric with a dirty mark.

"Thud."

His heart softly collided within his chest, bringing a momentary stab of pain and numbness.

The male insectoid didn't lift its head to look at him nor did it cry out for help. It remained lying there, breathing faintly, as if pulling him was an unconscious action.

The grip was incredibly light. Yale could easily break free without exerting any effort; the finger would likely slip away on its own if he didn't move.

Yet, strangely, he found himself stopping in his tracks.

Suddenly, he didn't want to leave just like that.

"What are you looking at? Hurry up and leave! Mind your own business!"

The aggressive female insect, seemingly enraged, grumbled loudly and took a step forward, ready to attack Yale as well.

At that moment, a tall and imposing female insect emerged from the shadows, raising her hand to stop her hot-headed subordinate. She lifted an eyebrow and advised, "I suggest you reconsider, sir, and stay out of this."

It was clear that this female insect was the leader of the group, with a cold and stern expression, reminiscent of a retired soldier from the battlefield, exuding a fierce aura.

"Excuse me, may I have a word with him?"

Yale stepped forward into the lamplight, revealing his shadowed face, his voice calm but firm.

The leader assessed Yale from head to toe, studying his face for a moment before her eyes widened in surprise, "…Male insect?"

She could easily kick aside any nosy females, but males were a different story. They were delicate and troublesome; a mere scratch would prompt the Protection Association to bang on their door the next day, causing endless hassle.

As the leader's expression shifted, Yale had already crouched down, taking hold of the emaciated wrist, gently shaking it in an attempt to rouse the unconscious female insect on the ground.

However, the icy coldness of the wrist alarmed him. The female insect on the ground had a vacant expression, her unfocused gaze passing through Yale's face, staring at the sky. It seemed like a dire situation.

"You…"

Yale hesitated, not quite sure what to say, and even his decision to stay was a sudden whim.

Despite being impulsive, that thought consumed his entire mind, refusing to be dismissed no matter how hard he tried.

He wanted to take this male insect away with him.

"Do you still want to live?"

The male insect's glassy eyes flickered slightly, and his cracked lips parted, though no words escaped. It was as if a pent-up breath in his chest had suddenly been released, causing a barely perceptible sob.

That was a desire to live.

Looking at the male insect, Yale, with his heart pounding fiercely, answered on his behalf and resolved to face the consequences of his impulsiveness. He stood up, pulled out his optical brain, ready to scan and pay the fee. "How much is this male insect? I'll buy him."

Surprised that Yale was indeed serious about taking in a stray, the gang leader raised an eyebrow but waved dismissively.

"No, no, we're not selling anymore. We've been ordered to eliminate him, so it won't do to sell him."

"Behind us is the Exchange. Why not choose a well-behaved and handsome one inside instead of picking trash from a dumpster?"

"No other insect would know. Who would care about a dying slave?" Yale replied coldly, not backing down. "You can keep the money from selling him; there's no need to report it to the Exchange."

"Thanks, but no thanks." The male insect declined swiftly, his gaze turning sinister. "I may not be able to harm you as a male, but killing this slave is a simple task. Attack."

The last word was directed at his subordinates nearby.

Yale's expression turned frosty. Instinctively, he stepped forward to shield the slave, whispering, "Injury to a male is a severe crime. Think carefully before you act."

"Tsk, be gentle! Just avoid harming the male and break that slave's neck with a kick."

Even in his previous life, Yale had rarely encountered such brutality. The oppressive and terrifying atmosphere filled with violence made him press his lips together. He took a deep breath to calm his pounding chest.

"Sire, don't be reckless. Step aside quickly."

... Three.

"Cease your cries and proceed directly, approach from behind!"

...II.

"Wait, what sound is that?!"

A gentle humming resonated above his head, and Yale's expression relaxed. He murmured silently,

I.

Blinding red light erupted, catching both him and the startled female insect opposite in its glare. They looked up together to see a dark cannon barrel inches from their noses.

"Warning - Warning - Detection of attempted harm to a male. Activating Level One Punishment Protocol!"

In the blink of an eye, the gun-wielding machine completed its charge and unleashed a precise salvo at the females, effortlessly blasting through the rear wall with tremendous force.

"Shit, how can there be a city defense robot here! Run for it!"

The female leader gritted her teeth, unfolding her wings to take flight into the sky, dashing away towards the distant horizon.

The remaining drones followed suit. The spherical machine instantly split into several sub-units, dashing off in different directions at high speed. Within seconds, the alley fell eerily quiet.

Yale retrieved his hand from his parka pocket, revealing a pulsating red dot on his wrist's smart computer.

Swiftly dismissing the alarm page, he examined the condition of the drone at his feet.

Upon closer inspection, it became apparent that the drone wore a black collar around its neck, attached to a thick chain that was carelessly embedded in the muddy mixture of blood and dirt.

Those guys had treated him like an abject beast, subjecting him to torment.

Yale took a deep breath, forcing his anger down.

He intended to remove the restraint but was soon overwhelmed by a pungent smell of blood. Even in this frigid air that numbed the olfactory mucosa, the scent slowly assaulted his nasal passages like a tepid stream flowing past.

Only then did Yale notice the drone's legs contorted unnaturally, seemingly broken and bent. The bruise above its knee had darkened almost to black, while blood seeped from its waist and legs.

Damn it, staying here any longer would surely lead to limb necrosis. It would be a nightmare if amputation became necessary.

He activated his smart computer, dialed the emergency number for the nearest hospital, and sent his location. Suddenly, he remembered that ambulances didn't enter gray zones; they couldn't afford to wait here indefinitely.

"It has to be beyond this stretch."

Yale looked around. In such a chaotic black market alleyway, there might be a cart or something similar.

But when he needed something desperately, it was nowhere to be found; conversely, it appeared abundantly when not needed.

After searching for a while, he gave up when he sensed the coldness increasing in the male insect's body. He pondered and took off his down jacket, leaving only a thin sweater on.

A chilly wind blew past, causing Yale to shiver violently as his entire body froze.

...It was so cold.

He wrapped the warm jacket around the male insect and, after failing to zip it up, tied the sleeves together to cover the insect's body as best as he could.

Then, he squatted down, lifted the insect onto his back, and struggled to stand up with great difficulty.

But as if burned by that bit of warmth, or perhaps due to pressure on an injury, the male insect, who had been in a daze, suddenly started convulsing.

Yale, who had just regained his balance, staggered and nearly dropped the insect back to the ground.

"…Don't move!"

He gritted his teeth instinctively, unsure if the female had heard him, but at least she ceased her struggles.

The body on his back was as cold as ice, weighing heavily upon his shoulders. Struggling, he lifted the female slightly and proceeded towards the black market exit.

...

The snowfall intensified, with swirling white flakes silently descending under the dim streetlights.

Thin layers of snow accumulated on Yale's head, while the rest settled on the female on his back.

Their shadows merged beneath the lamplight, creating an illusion of a plump snowman shuffling along from a distance.

Yale was shorter than the female and had a slender build. As he walked with the female's knees in his hands, his long legs would occasionally slip, making the journey arduous.

"Huff..."

A puff of white mist escaped his lips, trapped within the fluffy scarf, exuding a damp warmth.

Yale adjusted the body slipping down his back, his arms aching and beads of sweat forming despite the biting cold.

The lifeless female insect's breath was barely audible, her limp arm swaying gently with each step. Fresh blood trickled down, pooling at her fingertips before dripping along the ground.

"Don't... don't you dare die on me."

His back was drenched in warmth, the blood having seeped through his down jacket and sweater.

Yale's Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he muttered softly, "You've held on this long, just bear with it a little longer."

He bit his tongue, forcing himself to detach from the chaos in his mind, holding his breath and quickening his pace towards the alley's exit.

"Beep-beep!"

The shrill wail of an ambulance echoed in the distance, shattering the tranquility of the street corner. It drew near rapidly.

Yale felt a sense of relief wash over him. He hurried his steps and ran out of the alley, coincidentally meeting the doctor stepping out of the hovering vehicle.

"Sir, did you call for the ambulance?"

"Come on, carefully place him on the stretcher, mind the wounds..."

The ambulance door slammed shut, then it soared into the air with a full charge, merging into the hovering rail network.

Inside, two seasoned doctors promptly attended to the injured drone, his heavily bloodied face too soiled to clean as he was immediately fitted with an oxygen mask and various medical devices.

Yale sat beside, trying to regulate his rapid breathing, his gaze fixed on the drone's face. Only when the situation stabilized did his tense shoulders relax.

He pressed his fingers against his forehead, leaning back into the seat with a hint of weariness.

In the corner, the young subordinate, an androgyne, lifted their head from the electronic screen, covertly observing Yale's profile, somewhat astonished.

Was this the legendary Sir Male?

Though they had heard tales before, this was the first time being so close.

The male before them was breathtakingly handsome, his eyes half-lidded in exhaustion, his brow furrowed. Half of his body was soaked in blood, the stark contrast between the deep red and paleness creating a striking visual impact. Simply sitting there, he exuded a heart-stopping allure.

The young male suppressed the thudding of his chest, unable to tear his gaze away.

When the distress signal from a male insectoid was received, chaos erupted briefly in the hospital. The director hastily dispatched two senior doctors, who rushed over with urgency, fearing that any delay might lead to irreversible consequences.

But... as the young male caught a glimpse of the ailing female on the stretcher, he couldn't help but curl his lip.

So it was all for treating a dying female slave?

He muttered under his breath, "What a waste of medical resources."

In the next moment, a chill ran down his neck, making him shiver. He suddenly found himself staring into a pair of deep black eyes.

Yale looked at him expressionlessly, a coldness spreading in his gaze, "What are you looking at? Abandoning your post at a critical moment, where is your professionalism?"

The accusatory tone made the young male feel wronged. He gritted his teeth and redirected his gaze back to the screen, simmering with resentment: It's just a D-class male insectoid, what's so high and mighty about him!

Those rumors must be false! Where's the supposed gentleness and beauty? Does he think he can scare someone to death with that cold demeanor? !

The doctor attending to the female insectoid sensed the tense atmosphere, furrowing his brow. He warned, "Focus, Nory."

With that, he turned to Yale and softened his tone to reassure him, "Don't worry, Sir. Your distress call was very timely, and the situation has been initially stabilized."

"The female Zerg has remarkable recuperative abilities. Once rescued, it's highly unlikely for them to pass away."

Yale withdrew his gaze, looking at the closed eyes of the female Zerg on the stretcher. His expression eased up eventually.

"That's good to hear."

Author's Note:

PS: A personal assumption:

The General's information, including his age and appearance, is kept classified as a symbol and emblem of the Empire's glory. He has never been seen in public media, and any images of him would be intercepted by AI systems, preventing their circulation. Hence, very few people are aware of his exact appearance.