Chapter 9

Chapter 9

His voice overlapped with Hugh's.

This was highly unusual, as if this question was an undeniable fact, more significant and urgent than anything else.

Yale's eyes never left the male before him, locked onto the insectoid's gaze.

The scattered thoughts of his "human" mind finally aligned with the insectoid society, forcing him to confront the issues he had intentionally or unintentionally avoided.

A dying beast would unleash an unprecedented will to survive, and those who managed to be rescued with a sliver of hope for survival were even more so.

The former displayed a fierce determination, while the latter often bent their spines, gritting their teeth to endure excruciating pain just to live on.

Some self-righteous individuals despised such transformation, and while universal values could comprehend it, they held a subtle contempt. However, those accusatory fingers couldn't reach this small cabin from another dimension.

In the insectoid society, it was entirely normal for a male to dominate his own slave. The female might suffer greatly, but no one cared, making it worse than in the "human world"—

This was a moral desert island in every sense of the word.

He had the right to do anything he desired with the omega, legally, morally, and rightfully so.

"I understand. If you wish, let's proceed straightforwardly."

His scorching breath dampened the fabric, like tiny needles piercing through Yale's immersive dark fantasy.

Xi Ze had already climbed out of the covers, kneeling at his feet, seemingly oblivious to the pain as his knees hit the cold ground.

Yale recalled the gruesome gash that prevented him from standing upright.

Xi Ze was like a newborn, yet also akin to a deity from Greek mythology, every contour exuding vitality and beauty. His molten-gold eyes were like deep pools ablaze with icy emerald flames.

—The fallen god, now mired in filth, his wounds, blood, suffering, and adversity added a unique allure to his beauty, almost breathtaking.

Yale had thought he found hope, only to realize he'd descended into an even deeper abyss, pleading for survival by bargaining with the ruler of this inferno.

"Is it possible? My lord, enjoy yourself, and I'll secure the resources to live on."

The omega's voice was raspy, carrying an eerily calm desperation.

A fair exchange, with no debts left unpaid—

Yale caressed the soft white hair of the male, feeling a slight tremble beneath his touch.

"No."

He narrowed his eyes, his voice soft yet resolute, almost like a vow.

"I won't touch you."

He did have feelings for the male, otherwise he wouldn't have been captivated by the first advertisement and found himself thinking about it often until he eventually brought the male home.

But liking someone was one thing, acting on it was another.

If he were to selfishly impose his desires upon the male, using survival resources to satisfy his own lust, he would be no different from an animal.

He was human, and he could never forget that.

Yale furrowed his brow, saying in a grave tone, "Regardless of whether I'm a male or female, what I said initially remains unchanged."

He gently pushed Xi Ze's shoulder, urging him to lie back in bed, "Let me take care of you first. We can talk about the rest when you're better."

Yet, recalling whatHughes had said to the dying female insect, he realized that recovery wasn't a good excuse to avoid sharing a bed.

"There was no particular reason for saving you and bringing you back. It was pure impulse."

"I do like you, but not in that way… to share a bed."

Yale struggled to express his feelings, unable to find the right words. Saying he wanted to raise a snow leopard sounded rather silly.

"So let's just be roommate buddies. If anything, you can pay double the rent later."

Xi Ze's vision was shrouded in darkness.

The voice beside him was calm and soothing, carrying a hint of gentle distress, devoid of the arrogance, coldness, or hysteria of the male insects in his memory.

The insect before him remained emotionally stable throughout, effortlessly defusing the tension.

However, Xi Ze still chose to trust his understanding of the inherent nature of male insects over the deceptive tranquility before him.

In a warm and comfortable environment, vulnerability is inevitable, and he'd rather be on guard from the start, enduring pain than be caught off guard when his weakness is exposed.

"I'll play the role of your toy well, I promise not to bore you."

The female tried to force a smile, like an inexperienced but diligent server striving to please.

As he said, he was a good actor. Within a few blinks, the smile became visibly more appealing.

"You can chain me to the headboard, do as you wish, use me all day long if you want. You can dress me up in erotic lingerie, it might make things more amusing. Maybe you'd like..."

He enumerated the typical activities of dominant males, presenting himself like a clearance item being sold off in a supermarket.

Perhaps it was even worse than that, for even expired goods require payment, while he was almost given away for free.

Without waiting for Yale's response, he gritted his teeth and smiled, "I'm willing to play along with you."

Although to Yale, it sounded more like, "I'm willing to kill you."

The silence that had plagued the female earlier vanished, as if his throat would be crushed the moment he stopped talking. An invisible shadow seemed to be engulfing him.

Yale sensed an aura of unease and fear.

It was not dependent on the strength or will of the omega; it stemmed from the objective possibility of violation and harm.

He took a deep breath, involuntarily furrowing his brow as his slender fingers tapped gently on his knee.

This wouldn't do.

They couldn't communicate like this.

But he couldn't expect an omega's mindset to change overnight.

It would be akin to forcing a stray puppy with a broken bone from a beating to love a massive chew toy that resembled a weapon - too much to ask of him.

"Alright then."

After a moment of deliberation, Yale interrupted Xi Ze's words, carefully choosing his phrasing.

"I do want to play. You... obey my commands and entertain me, and I'll give you what you desire."

He emphasized the words "obey my command."

"I don't enjoy bloody games. If you kneel any longer and your knees start bleeding, you'll sleep on the floor tonight."

Yale settled back onto the sofa, gently stepping on the inner side of the female's large thigh with his plush slippers, cajoling and threatening in one move.

The female's eyelashes fluttered, his breathing hitched slightly. The arm hanging by his side tensed and then relaxed, resembling an oyster trying to close while forcing itself open.

Yale paused as well. Through the thin sole of the soft slipper, the heat and firmness of the muscular body transmitted to the soles of his feet, making him curl his toes uncomfortably.

"…Yes." Xi Ze's body tensed, adjusting his position to sit back on the bed.

His spine arched slightly, his abdomen forming a graceful and neat line. Yale took a second look and discovered the source of the familiarity.

This was the defensive posture the female had taken before enduring the brutal beating during the live broadcast of the previous slave exchange. It allowed him to curl up into a ball at any moment, protecting his vulnerable abdomen and vital organs.

Yale's gaze darkened slightly, rubbing his fingertips. He still resisted the urge to touch Xi Ze's head again and instead picked up the now-warm glass of milk.

Xi Ze waited for a long time but didn't receive the usual kicks or lashes. Instead, he heard the male order, "Open your mouth."

Oral play could be quite versatile, but it was also a vulnerable area that could easily get hurt. He swallowed, slightly parting his lips.

The warm glass cup pressed against his lips.

"Drink your milk."

"..."

The cup was transparent, allowing Yale to see him sip the milk cautiously. His soft lips were stained with a hint of creamy white, and every now and then, his tongue would dart out.

It felt as if he was indeed taking care of a large snow leopard, delicately licking milk from a bowl.

Lost in thought for a moment, Yale found the milk in the cup running low before he could drink more. The male insectoid didn't dare to prompt him, so he silently reached for it.

Yale came back to his senses and noticed the milk stains circling the male's face, causing him to feel a subtle guilt. "...You should hold the cup and drink it yourself."

After finishing, he wiped his face and, with 015's assistance, went through the process of grooming. By the time they were done, it was almost eleven o'clock.

Yale's biological clock made him feel drowsy, and he no longer had the energy to put on an act.

He yawned thrice, his physiological tears clustering his long eyelashes together, the corners of his eyes reddening slightly. His voice, immersed in the tranquil night, was somewhat muffled.

"Living beings aren't allowed to sleep less than eight hours at home... Get some rest, understand?"

The quietly obedient female insect suddenly paused, his expression turning peculiar. He lifted his gaze and looked over with a hoarse, hesitant voice.

"Why...?"

Yale, struggling to gather his energy, met the female insect's gaze for a moment but failed to grasp what Xi Ze was asking. "Why what?"

Then, he watched helplessly as the female insect gritted his teeth soundlessly, his expression turning stiff with a hint of playful anger.

"What's wrong?"

Completely confused, Yale tried to offer the milk to him again, only to be refused as the other turned his head away.

His drowsiness faded a bit as he gazed blankly at the side profile of the female insect.

Wait... Yale suddenly realized that he had made a wrong decision just now.

Their issues were far from resolved; he had hastily swept them under the rug just to soothe the Omega.

He was not a skilled actor, and it didn't take long for his facade to crumble, revealing his true emotions to the Omega.

Yet, this was not an opportune moment for negotiation or communication.

Both of them were weary and exhausted, which could easily escalate misunderstandings and conflicts. Besides, staying up late would hinder the healing process of their wounds.

Yale rubbed his temples, where a dull ache had begun to form, and whispered, "Can we talk about it another time? Let's sleep now."

This answer clearly did not satisfy Xi Ze, but he seemed to acknowledge that he had no right to object.

After a moment of silence, the Omega reluctantly nestled himself under the covers.

"Goodnight," Yale murmured.

Receiving no reply, he switched off the lights in the living room and retreated to his own room.

...

After tossing and turning in bed for a while, his drowsiness gradually dissipated.

Yale gazed at the ceiling in a trance before turning on his light computer and inputting keywords such as "Femslave Collar."

Back then, he had only glanced over its description, apparently overlooking many details.

"Each femslave is fitted with a collar for convenient management and discipline by their male counterpart. It only requires the recognition of the male's fingerprint to record information."

"The male can verbally command the collar to administer electric shocks, induce suffocation, inject toxins, or force estrus..."

"Each collar has a unique key, symbolizing that the femslave's life now belongs solely to that one male. Neither transfer nor abandonment can alter this fact."

"Unless the dominant male willingly unlocks the collar with the key, any unauthorized damage to the collar is considered illegal..."

"Statistics show that 99% of femslaves live their entire lives with this identity, with very few ever advancing to become female servants or regaining their freedom."

"PS: The collar can only recognize the male's identity information. Without male verification, it functions as a standard disciplinary collar."

Now it all made sense. Yale felt a moment of realization, no wonder the femslaves were so upset.

With a subtle movement of his fingers, he continued searching for information on the submissive collar for mates.

A soft blue glow reflected in his eyes as countless entries opened and closed, like an overwhelming torrent of information flowing like a river.

It didn't cease until the first light of dawn appeared.

Author's Note:

Yeye: A person who tends to avoid conflicts qwq