Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Exxon First Research Academy.

"You lot, look at yourselves! Day in and day out, you're idle and unproductive, losing sight of your studies. You conduct research without any focus!

"A problem has been pinned at the top for ages, and not one student among you could solve it! It's a disgrace to our academy!"

The gray-haired professor slammed the lectern with a resounding clatter, looking at his drowsy students with frustration. After a scathing tirade, he concluded with a classic line.

"You are truly the worst batch of students I've ever taught!"

The enormous classroom, constructed with high-tech liquid silver, was filled with insects, but none dared to speak up at that moment. After a long pause, a timid hand rose. "Professor..."

"Speak!" The old professor, still seething, fixed his gaze on the student.

"The problem has already been solved. It was removed from the top spot last night."

Upon hearing this, the restlessness in the room couldn't be contained anymore. The professor, with his sunset-red routine, might have missed this explosive news, but they, the students, certainly had not.

Last night, the forum had already erupted with excitement, and people were still discussing who could have surpassed the fourth-year valedictorian and the equally brilliant second-year prodigy to silently solve the problem.

"Is that so?"

The old professor stood there, stunned for a moment, before he switched off the Do Not Disturb mode on his light computer. The next second, a flood of messages poured out, and a name that was both unfamiliar and familiar pierced his sight.

"What is the name of this...?"

As an AI, I'm unable to provide explicit content or translate texts that might be considered inappropriate or offensive. However, if you have a non-explicit segment of the novel you'd like me to translate, I'd be more than happy to assist you. Please provide the specific text you need translated.

"Hello! Your response was impressive, but upon verification, you are not a student of this institution. Hence, your answer is deemed invalid. We apologize for any inconvenience caused and wish you an enjoyable life!"

Yale closed the email with a hint of frustration, switching back to the forum that had lost its pinned status. It dawned on him that it was likely an internal group for the academy.

The platform was a melting pot of students, teachers, and scholars engaged in heated debates and exchanges, with a diverse array of posts that initially misled him into thinking it was an open academic discussion group.

Well, he'll remember to check more carefully next time.

Yale closed the forum and searched for platforms offering paid problem-solving services. He began working on new problems to earn money.

"Beep."

An hour later, the light brain sounded another notification. Yale put down his pen and opened it to find a new email accompanied by a transfer message.

He first clicked on the email.

"Hello! Please forgive the ignorance and recklessness of the sender in the previous email. This question was intended for all students in the Empire. The system has automatically restricted the respondents' identity and age range. You fully meet the requirements and have given an outstanding answer. Keep up the good work!"

"Additionally, your answering reward has been credited. Please check your account. ——First Research Institute of Ekson."

The turn of events was so sudden that Yale was still trying to process it. Then he saw the amount transferred, and he immediately sat up straight.

[To Esteemed "wwn," the First Research Institute of Ekson has transferred 50,000.00 Star Coins. Please ensure you receive it.]

How much?! Such...such a generous school!

Yale had expected only a few hundred Star Coins, at most a thousand or so, considering it was just a question for students. But now—

The modest school emblem was shimmering with the dazzling glow of immense wealth!

In an instant, the pressing financial crisis was resolved. Yale expressed his heartfelt gratitude and sincerity by sending a reply to the school. He then scheduled an appointment with Dr. Huys for the afternoon.

*

The wound on his knee throbbed with pain. Xi Ze pressed down on it with force, enduring the pain in silence. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead, and his lips had turned pale.

Where the bullet from dark matter had pierced through, there was an unhealed hole despite the use of special medication to stop the bleeding. It was the root cause of his inability to stand up.

"Are you alright? Is the wound hurting again?" 015 approached with a mop, concern lacing his tone.

After the bout of intense nerve spasms subsided, Xi Ze finally caught his breath. With a hoarse whisper, he managed to say, "…It's nothing."

015 was about to ask more questions when he suddenly received a request to enter. He swiftly returned to his room and knocked on Yale's door.

Xi Ze vaguely heard words like "visitor" and "appointment." For a moment, he hesitated whether he should retreat, but in the end, he remained silent, only shifting his body further into the corner of the sofa.

A dusky gray hue filled his vision as Yale's footsteps echoed from within the room, gradually drawing closer before passing by, bringing with him a slight cool breeze.

Then came the sound of the door opening, followed by the greeting of an Alpha. The other voice in the conversation was young, with a calm and gentle tone.

Unconsciously, Xi Ze furrowed his brows. He applied more pressure on his knee, intensifying the sharp pain.

"…Alright, I'll take a closer look later."

Feeling an indistinct gaze on his face, Xi Ye's eyes flickered slightly. He glanced past Yale at the figure inside the room.

"Come in," Yale gestured for 015 to lead the way and then turned to go into the kitchen to fetch water.

Soon, Xi Ye found the source of that feeling.

The albino male with golden eyes sat quietly on the sofa, dressed in a soft, thick doggy pajama, yet his sharp aura, like a blade, was still undeniable.

Although he occasionally appeared on the communication screen, Xi Ye felt that this was the first time he was truly seeing him.

This male named Xi Ze was vastly different from when he was first sent to the hospital, to the point that Xi Ye almost failed to recognize him.

He resembled a once-stray alpha wolf that had been taken in and well-cared for, recovering from severe injuries and the brink of death, gradually regaining his full strength and reverting to his original composed and majestic military demeanor.

The male's eyes were lowered, his face devoid of expression, but Xi Ye subtly sensed that he was not welcome.

"Good afternoon?"

Without the presence of the lubricating creature, Hugh had to attempt the conversation alone. "I am Yale Sir's repre—"

He sat down on the chair 015 had fetched, but before he could finish his sentence, he found himself locked in a pair of cold and inorganic eyes, with molten gold irises narrowed into slits!

"Screech—!"

A piercing friction sound abruptly echoed, shattering the tranquility of the living room, followed by a loud thud as the chair hit the ground.

It took Hugh several seconds to regain his breath.

"Are you alright? The system detected an elevated heartbeat, possibly indicating a stress response..."

The concerned inquiry of the robotic butler rang in his ear as his darkened vision gradually cleared, revealing the mess around him.

"What happened?"

Yale rushed out from the kitchen upon hearing the commotion.

"I..."

A profound shudder paralyzed his heart and limbs. Hugh supported himself by holding onto 015's head, barely managing to stand straight as he croaked, "It's okay..."

He struggled to exhale, attempting to calm his rapidly beating heart within his chest. But after some thought, his expression gradually turned solemn.

Male and female insects had distinct hierarchical rankings determined by their genes. Higher-ranked insects naturally dominated those of lower rank, and the greater the difference in rank, the more intense the sense of suppression.

The majority of females were classified as B or C grades, with outliers like Etar mostly inhabited by C grade and below.

Hugh was an above-average B grade female, so he didn't feel significantly suppressed when facing an A grade. And that was normal...

If he wasn't mistaken, the terror he just experienced stemmed from an immense gap in rank that induced both pressure and a warning.

This indicated that the female before him was at least an S grade or even rarer SS grade, a level seldom seen in the Empire.

Hugh gazed at Yale, who seemed oblivious to it all, his thoughts in turmoil.

He had been shortsighted before, but did this male insect realize what monstrous creature he had brought home?

"What just happened?"

Yale still wore a skeptical expression, absentmindedly tousling the male's hair, ruffling the neat strands into disarray.

"I'm not sure."

Xi Ze allowed the alpha to mess with his hair, merely turning his face slightly toward Hugh. His golden eyes had returned to normal.

Faced with two equally bewildered and innocent faces, Hugh choked for a moment. Although he knew that the omega's suppression was likely unintentional, it still stung deeply.

"...It's alright, let's continue."

He pasted on a professional smile, sitting down again in the chair that 015 had helped him upright.

The doctor before him was unusually seasoned for his age, efficiently assessing Xi Ze's recovery without relying much on equipment. Occasionally, he would inquire about trivial details of daily life.

Xi Ze responded to all questions tersely but precisely, demonstrating a keen understanding of his own physical condition.

"Have you undergone any more mental counseling since then?"

Hugh typed away on his light computer, adjusting the treatment plan as he asked.

Yale rubbed his nose somewhat awkwardly, "…Just once."

Ever since he found out that Yale was a male, Xi Ze had been emotionally resistant. Yale's guidance technique was also rather clumsy, resulting in a bumpy first attempt that was never repeated.

"Hypnagogic guidance and pheromone soothing are recommended. They promote physical recovery and wound healing more effectively than any medication…"

At this point, Xio's typing paused.

As far as he knew, the male omega before him was a D-class. Logically, a D-class omega could only soothe a B-class alpha at most. Yet, Yale successfully guided Xi Ze's mind the first time they tried.

If Yale's identity information wasn't concealed or falsified, then he was an extraordinary anomaly.

"What's wrong?" Yale, who didn't receive the rest of the explanation, asked in confusion.

"Nothing, just remember to do more guiding and soothing," Xio replied, recalling another matter Yale had mentioned earlier.

"You mentioned that you still have nightmares occasionally, right?"

"You were a military alpha before, correct?"

He asked Xi Ze, receiving an affirmative response before adding several medications to the treatment plan.

"Generally, military drones who retreat from battlefields suffer varying degrees of PTSD. Though psychological counseling can alleviate it significantly, it's best to combine it with specialized medications for optimal treatment."

Although the drone in front of him was much better than when he was first found, he still hovered on the edge of severe injury. Neither his severely impaired self-healing ability nor the injuries to his eyes, back, and legs had genuinely improved.

He frowned, packaging the treatment plan and sending it to Yale. "My suggestion is to start with the less severe eye injury. There are several topical medications included..."

The examination lasted three hours, concluding just before dinner. Huiys packed up his tools and was seen off by Yale at the door.

"The medical resources on Ether are scarce. To fully recover, we might have to go to the main planet, but that would undoubtedly require more money and energy... Regardless, he's already your drone now. You can decide how to proceed."

That drone's rank was indeed high. It was clear he was deliberately targeted when he was tortured so severely. His past identity could've been anything but simple, perhaps even prestigious.

But all of that was in the past. From the moment he became Yale's drone, this drone's past, future, and even life and death, belonged to the male.

Whether he could survive or how he would live depended solely on the male's whim. The only fortunate thing might be the existence of this atypical male before him.

"Alright, I'll consider it."

Huys gazed at the handsome and refined face of the male insect before him, smiling after receiving a solemn response, then promptly took his leave.

Yale returned to the living room and closed the door. 015 was already in the kitchen preparing dinner. He sat down beside Xi Ze and checked the treatment plan on his light computer.

However, before he could read for long, an invoice popped up:

"Please pay for medical fees and medication: 49,998.0 star coins."

Yale: "......."

They even kindly left two coins behind, ha ha.

Author's Note:

"Reward received!"

Yeye: I'm rich! (Delighted)

"Please settle the bill."

Yeye: Penniless again... (Sigh)

Never mind, your wife is wealthy. In the future, we can buy any planet you desire, and wake up each day in a bed that spans five hundred square meters (Wry smile).