Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The most despairing scenario is standing on the edge of an abyss with a brittle branch in hand that cracks under pressure. Hope flickers for a moment only to be cruelly extinguished, leaving no time for pleading or screams, no chance to reveal one's vulnerability.

As the male insect passed by, his cloak stirred up a gentle breeze, not even disturbing a butterfly, but it caused the soldier's eyes to widen in terror and his blood to freeze instantly.

He wanted to stand up, to continue pleading for the male's mercy, or even pierce through his chest to force the release of pheromones. But a weight as heavy as a thousand pounds pressed down on his back, rendering him unable to lift his head.

— The male's cold-heartedness wouldn't waver from a few desperate pleas. He could kill the male without hesitation, but ultimately, it would likely bring disaster upon all his comrades.

"…Cough… Noah… Ah…"

A faint, familiar voice penetrated the intense buzzing in his mind, yet the soldier remained in a daze, kneeling motionless on the spot.

It wasn't until a comrade wiped tears from his eyes and forcefully pushed his back that he came to, "It's Alvin, he's awake!"

The soldier on the sickbed looked weak and pale, his chest rising and falling barely perceptibly. No one could deny the grim reality that he was on the brink of death.

Yet, when his eyes cracked open, revealing the same gentle sapphire gaze as before, the insect felt reassured that he would pull through and continue fighting alongside them.

The military omega held his hand that hung limply by his side, barely daring to meet his gaze. His cracked lips trembled for a moment before he managed to rasp, "How do you feel now...?"

Alvin didn't respond. His eyes shifted slightly, looking towards the empty entrance of the hospital room. Even though he had been unconscious, he could vaguely sense what had occurred.

His expression was calm but couldn't hide his concern. He feared that his hot-tempered friend might have landed himself in trouble, jeopardizing his future and prospects because of him.

"Noah... don't act impulsively..."

He made an effort to firmly grasp his friend's hand, his voice hoarse and weak, "It's alright..."

Death was but a fleeting moment, and sacrificing oneself for the nation was the highest honor. Every soldier who stepped onto the battlefield was prepared for it; none had ever been cowards out of fear of death.

Though he didn't perish on the battlefield, to pass away in a warzone hospital, surrounded by comrades and a dear friend from years past, was a contented end to his journey.

*

Only when he had fully left that corridor, no longer sensing the myriad of watchful gazes, did Elaine feel a slight relaxation in the Zerg's body.

Did he still feel offended?

He forced a smile, suppressing the turmoil within him.

He was prepared to face the wrath of the Alpha, but the military Omegas in the infirmary were innocent; he had to protect them from this deception.

Initially, he planned to proceed cautiously, but Alvin's sudden illness disrupted his plans.

During their brief hours together, Yale's calm and affable demeanor had stirred an illusory hope within him.

It led him to mistakenly believe that perhaps, maybe, there might be a slight chance that the Alpha would be willing to share some of his pheromones.

But reality struck hard... it was indeed foolish to expect empathy from an Alpha.

In just a few seconds, Elaine recomposed his expression, his voice regaining its previous lighthearted tone.

"I am truly sorry, Sir, they are all just...

"Pheromone Collection Room, where is it?"

Elaine froze in surprise.

Yale turned his head, but his expression was not the disdain or resentment Elaine had anticipated.

His stark black-and-white eyes were clear and serene, with a hint of puzzlement rippling beneath their surface.

"An pheromone extraction room, aren't these standard in hospitals?"

In this current society where females outnumbered males, the demand for pheromones was substantial.

It was legally mandated that male insects donate their pheromones on a regular basis, making pheromone collection rooms an essential component in hospital construction plans.

Though it was rarely necessary.

"The military omega's injuries are severe. Simply emitting pheromones wouldn't be enough to alleviate his condition, I suppose. As for the specific treatment, I'm not knowledgeable in that area. It's best to leave the use and administration of pheromones to professional doctors."

Noticing Elaine's continued daze, he slightly bowed his head, revealing the suppressant patch on the back of his neck.

"I apologize for earlier. I'm unable to control the release of my pheromones with precision, especially with so many military omegas present in the ward..."

He attempted to convey his apology tactfully.

Yet the truth was that pheromones not only replenished an Omega's deficiencies but also inevitably carried a certain aphrodisiac effect.

And even if he could somehow remove that component, the pheromones themselves were incredibly alluring to Omegas.

Like an oasis in the desert, an insatiably thirsty traveler would find it impossible to control their instinctive actions. If he were to release his pheromones in front of so many military Omegas, he'd be torn apart.

"Y-You mean...!"

Finally, Elaine grasped the implications, his feigned light-heartedness blending with shock and ecstatic joy, distorting his expression.

"You're really willing to donate your pheromones?! That guy Hugh really didn't lie to me...!"

Overwhelmed by a mix of intense joy and relief, he was nearly breathless as he stammered in a low voice.

Upon realizing the hidden meaning behind the Alpha's words, he repeatedly bowed in apology.

"I'm truly sorry for putting you in this predicament...! So, sh-should we head to the extraction room now?"

Yale's eyes curved in a gentle smile, signaling for Elaine to lead the way.

"Let's go."

...

For the first time since its construction, the room that had always been sealed opened its doors to a genuine visitor. The doorplate attached to the entrance of the collection chamber had rusted due to years of neglect, and a thick layer of dust coated the hinges. When Elaine pushed it open with force, an earsplitting screech echoed, making him feel a bit embarrassed.

"I'm terribly sorry, sir. This place hasn't seen any insects in a long time, so it hasn't been cleaned regularly. I hope you can bear with it for a moment, please..."

Elaine gave a subtle signal to the female insect behind him, and immediately, a figure rushed in, turning on the air purification system at full capacity, swiftly sucking away the floating dust.

There were several senior doctors who had been summoned temporarily standing by the entrance. Seeing the male insect enter, they glanced at Elaine's expression and, feeling awkward, hurriedly squeezed in as well.

As the air was still being cleared of dust, Yale couldn't help but cough a few times. The doctors instantly turned to him with concern.

"I'm fine. You should go and operate the machinery. Time is of the essence, don't delay," Yale said calmly. His tone, however, inadvertently reminded the doctors of their timidness when they faced their strictest and most authoritative mentor during their internships. Reflexively, they straightened their backs, "Yes, sir! Just a moment, please!"

The pheromone collection device was a delicate mini-machine, securely encased in a protective shield, appearing almost brand new.

The doctors stood around the table, poised and alert as if facing an enemy, ready to handle any unexpected situations.

"Please extend one of your arms."

Elaine pulled out a slender tube, removing its cap to reveal a silver collecting tip.

Sitting on a small sofa, Yale instinctively extended his left hand, but then, realizing Elaine was about to roll up his sleeve, he withdrew it.

"Sorry, let's use my right hand."

The silver collector was attached to the inside of his wrist, glowing softly blue as the machine initialized, stretching slightly to form a bracelet-like grip.

"When I activate the collection button, just release your pheromones as usual. If you experience any discomfort during the process, please inform me promptly," Elaine instructed, worried that the male might abandon the procedure out of impatience.

Yale acknowledged with a soft hum, his eyes partially closed. Amidst the beeping of the machine, he recalled the injured military omega lying in the hospital bed, barely clinging to life, and pressed his lips together tightly.

With such severe injuries, he must require a significant amount of pheromones.

Closing his eyes, he manipulated his mental energy, circulating it within his body. He pressed gently on the spot at the nape of his neck where the gland lay dormant, warming it up before forcefully extracting a delicate caramel-like scent.

The aroma was guided by the bracelet, not leaking even the slightest bit as it was channeled entirely into the storage device, causing the tiny display screen to rapidly climb with numbers.

The machine operated diligently without any signs of malfunction, and the waiting doctors relaxed slightly, exchanging glances in silent communication.

"One wonders how much we can collect?"

"It's hard to say, it depends on the rank of the male. Males on this planet likely won't have a high rank."

"Perhaps around 10 milliliters. That could save one or two females, but for the most critically-ill military females, it would only be a temporary reprieve. And the quality needs to be high for it to be effective."

"What was the name of that military female again... Yes, Alvin. It might just buy him some more time. Didn't they mention having a way to procure supplies from the main planet...?"

"Focus!"

Elaine glanced around, and those doctors who had momentarily lost their concentration quickly averted their eyes, lowering their heads and focusing intently.

"Beep-beep—"

The Harvester emitted a warning, and in the next second, the bracelet on the male's wrist unclasped itself effortlessly.

Collection complete, yet the male insectoid still hadn't opened his eyes. His complexion appeared paler than a few minutes prior, with a slight crease between his brows, suggesting some discomfort.

"Are you alright?"

Bending low, Elaine whispered, her gaze sweeping across the male's face as she tried to assess his current condition.

Oddly enough, for male insects, releasing pheromones was as effortless as breathing, causing no harm to their bodies and bearing no adverse effects.

Yale pressed his fingertips against his brow, about to speak, when his words were abruptly interrupted by an exclamation:

"Damn it!!"

The startled voice blurted out an obscenity, nearly echoing within the somewhat spacious room.

After a few rustling sounds, a series of continuous gasps followed.

"Ah? Ah?! Am I seeing things?!"

"But how is that possible? Did the machine malfunction?!"

Elaine turned to face the group of doctors who were abnormally exhilarated, sensing an unusual atmosphere. Swallowing the urge to scold them, he asked, "What's going on?"

The doctor holding the collection vial was so excited that he could hardly speak. He rushed over and carefully presented the vial, "Y-Y-You look at this!!"

The massive collection vial was tightly sealed with a rare material, revealing only a small screen that displayed the concentration of pheromones.

What's happening? Could it be too little to register on the display?

"?!?!?"

When Elaine finally saw the digits clearly, his eyes widened abruptly, looking rather comical due to his astonishment.

Wait, no, what, actually??

He shot up abruptly, staring blankly at the doctor in front of him. After a long moment, he managed to croak, "...Did the machine break?"

The number on the collection flask read "5000ml," with a blinking red light indicating that it was full and required replacement.

Yet, a flask typically took the essence of over a hundred males to fill up. This implied that...

This male's rank was far higher than they had anticipated, and his generosity exceeded their expectations.

"What's wrong... Is the machine malfunctioning?"

Yale finally recovered from the dizziness, opening his eyes to see the stunned insects. Hearing Elaine's disbelieving whisper, he asked worriedly.

Although he still had some pheromones left to release, they were not as abundant as before.

Moreover, if the machine broke down, it would cause significant inconvenience and delay matters.

The doctors, who were still in a state of shock, snapped back to reality at the male's words, turning to face him simultaneously, which startled Yale.

He blinked slowly, "Do you need... another extraction?"

"Was it insufficient? I believe I have a bit more. We can try extracting again; I used quite a lot yesterday to soothe my female, so perhaps it hasn't replenished yet..."

A hint of helplessness graced his expression, his eyes, shimmering beneath fluttering eyelashes, were clear and translucent, his complexion slightly pale, but—

In the eyes of those doctors, he radiated a divine, angelic glow.

"No, no, no, no!"

One of the doctors, with reverence in his demeanor, regained his composure and promptly exclaimed, "That's enough, that's enough, thank you so much, truly!!"

Elaine stared at him, his eyes unknowingly reddened, his lips quivering for a moment before he firmly pressed them together.

He bowed deeply to the male insectoid before him, his voice hoarse.

"…I'm really… extremely grateful to you."

For Alvin, for the countless suffering military omegas struggling to survive, and for himself.

Yale fell silent for a moment, turning aside to decline the gratitude, "Take him there. That military omega named Alvin probably can't wait too long."

Watching them escort the pheromone carefully out the door, Yale pondered for a moment before suddenly adding, "Wait a moment."

*

A team of doctors suddenly rushed into the ward, urgently wheeling Alvin into the operating theater. The annoyed chief surgeon cleared all the obstructive military omegas away.

The red light outside the operating room illuminated, yet the noise from outside was still not completely silenced.

A senior doctor with gray hair frowned and instructed the omega nurse beside him, "Tell that gloomy one outside that Alvin still has a chance! He's not lost!"

The weary and drowsy military omega was roused awake by the commotion. With some effort, he opened his sea-blue eyes, looking at the grand scene before him in confusion.

He tried to clear his throat but his voice remained low and hoarse, barely audible, "Cough... What's... going on?"

"Save your strength, don't speak."

The doctor, well-trained, prepared for the surgery while sternly giving orders.

But noticing his confusion, the doctor added an explanation, "Don't worry, that male insectoid has donated 5,000 milliliters of pheromones. You'll be saved."

Alvin's chest rose and fell momentarily, his expression dazed. After a moment, he muttered softly, "Is that so..."

However, it was too early to say 'saved'. He knew his condition better than anyone. It wasn't just a lack of pheromones; he was reaching his limits.

Healing resources are scarce on the outskirts of the galaxy like Ethar; they shouldn't be wasted on him.

Regardless, Alvin was deeply grateful to the generous male insectoid. Countless military females would be saved by those five thousand milliliters – it was no exaggeration to liken it to an oasis that appeared in the midst of a desert.

Should I not make it through this, at least ask the doctor to convey my gratitude.

His Adam's apple bobbed, suppressing the metallic tang rising in his throat. "Cough... If..."

As if able to read his thoughts, the doctor shot him a withering glance.

"Shut up and believe me when I say there's hope. Don't you dare give up on yourself," he snapped.

He held a syringe between his fingers and placed it before Alvin. "Open your eyes wide and tell me what you see here."

The viscous red liquid within the syringe glimmered with a warm, bloody hue under the lamp's illumination.

Reflected in those deep blue eyes, it was like a faint ray of light shimmering upon an endless ocean.

Like... a glimmer of hope.

"This is the male's personal gift to you. His blood."

...

"You mean..."

Noah stared blankly at Elaine, whose eyes were shining brightly before him. A overwhelming sense of absurdity and disbelief washed over him due to the firm statement he had just heard:

"That male willingly donated 5,000 milliliters of his pheromones, and even his blood, to Alvin."

The news left all the military females stunned. They exchanged glances, still finding it hard to accept.

"Is it... really true?"

Elaine had jogged over and was still catching her breath as she paced back and forth in the corridor.

"Why would I joke about something so significant? I went out of my way to inform you after successfully settling the male!"

"Exactly! How could something this major be a lie?!!"

"By the gods – Thank the divine! Thank that male drone!"

Soon, they realized what had happened and began to cheer softly with excitement, pounding each other's chests and embracing tightly.

"The Colonel is saved... What are you in a daze for, Noah?!"

A military female clamped her arms around Noah's shoulders, shaking him vigorously until he barely regained his senses. His lips moved, but his throat swelled, leaving him speechless.

He buried his face in his palms, taking a deep breath as his entire body trembled.

"Holy crap, are you crying?!"

"I told you to apologize properly to that male drone. To be yelled at in the hospital room like that, it was already merciful of him not to take offense. Who would have thought he donated so much pheromones – Alvin owes his survival to them!"

"A single drop of a male drone's blood is worth millions of starcoins. We had no means of acquiring it on our own. The fact that he willingly donated... We must properly express our gratitude this time."

...

This astounding news swiftly swept through the entire hospital.

Doctors had special communication tools, and patients were often from the military, familiar with each other and sharing stories that evolved through whispers and retellings.

"Beep beep."

The optical brain flashed frantically. Xie Zhao glanced at the exhausted-looking military omega sitting across from him, apologized, and stepped away.

Xi Ze sat on the sofa opposite, his expression composed. Lowering his gaze after hearing the doctor leave, he tapped lightly on the wheelchair's armrest with his finger.

This psychological consultation was as unproductive as ever. The young psychiatrist seemed on the verge of being driven to despair by him.

It wasn't that he couldn't face his post-traumatic stress disorder. Still, he didn't know what he was apprehensive about.

After years of immersion in battlefields, most military omegas had some psychological issues.

As one of the best, while he still held his military rank, he'd been summoned for "tea" more times than he could count.

Yet, even the empire's top mental health experts were at a loss when it came to him.

Sophisticated linguistic persuasion didn't work, neither did medications or specialized treatments. Even the military court, with its barrage of mind-shattering tactics during months of relentless interrogation without sleep, failed to breach his defenses.

Xi Ze could clearly sense that the door had long since fused with the city walls over the years. The handle was loose, the hinges rusted, and it was layered in thick dust – so much so that even he couldn't open it anymore.

If it couldn't be opened, then so be it. It was his armor against attacks, and its impenetrability was perfect.

He had always believed this, until Yale attempted to heal his wounds.

The pretty little male insectoid scowled, trying to look fierce as he poked and prodded at Xi Ze's defenses, searching for an entrance.

But even his anger was restrained. That so-called "punishment" felt as light as a cloud or a snail's soft tentacles compared to the coercion and intimidation he had experienced before.

With just a casual reassurance, he was willingly sitting here, undergoing yet another round of psychological therapy, counting down the minutes until the male insectoid came to fetch him home.

…Home.

He savored this novel word, barely managing to suppress the tumultuous pounding in his chest, causing his fingers to involuntarily clench.

"Holy shit?! Is this for real?!"

A startled cry from the female doctor in the corner interrupted Xi Ze's reverie.

Following that was a flurry of typing, adequately conveying his astonishment, punctuated by countless expletives and exclamations of disbelief, causing a subtle flicker in Yale's eyes.

"What happened?"

By the time he had composed himself, Xi Ze had already suppressed his smile, his gaze fixated on the location of the female insect before him.

Xie Zhao, who had initially calmed down, was stirred up once more by the question.

"It's your Alpha! Let me tell you...!"

He recounted everything he had overheard, rich with emotion and vivid details, interspersed with bursts of awe and admiration.

"Really! This Alpha is too amazing, too miraculous! My God...

"Most Alphas with any capability are arrogantly unbearable, looking down on everyone. I never thought I'd witness such an Alpha in my lifetime! Is the ancestral tomb of the Xie family suddenly emitting green smoke? Ahhh!"

Xi Ze listened quietly throughout, seemingly also affected by Xie Zhao's excitement. The corners of his lips lifted slightly, and the gentle amusement in his eyes was impossible to hide.

He was not at all surprised by Yale's actions.

This sensation had unknowingly shattered his deeply ingrained perception of male insects, replacing it with a new benchmark, a principle named "Yale."

Before he could indulge in a soft chuckle, a thought spread like invasive weeds, swiftly taking root in his mind:

Male insects were gentle and tolerant to all.

He was no different from that military female, both survivors due to this compassion and generosity. There was...no distinction at all.

He was nothing special.

The thought crept like entwining vines around his heart, constricting the tender flesh until it swelled and ached with each pulsation.

Xi Ze's smile faded from the corners of his eyes, leaving his expression stricken with bewilderment.