Chapter 75

Chapter 75

The explosive news of Admiral Anton Edkara, the renowned First Army Commander, openly defecting swiftly disseminated throughout the galaxy, causing an immense sensation.

Reactions from various quarters remained uncertain, but the royal family promptly clarified their stance, issuing an immediate order for Hillze and Rachel to lead their forces in the endeavor to apprehend the culprits.

Right as the order was about to be issued to the military, the elderly Marshal intervened personally, publicly accusing Honorary Marshal Silzer Monte of high treason and deceiving the monarch!

The impeachment was immediately processed, and even the Emperor's orders were put on hold, plunging the situation into a chaotic and tense stalemate.

It was the depths of the night when Xi Ze received the summons, just after he had accompanied Yale back home – they hadn't even stepped through the door.

"Bai Lang! It's disastrous news…!"

Bai Lang arrived in a hurry, hovering car screeching to a halt at the entrance of the villa. He spewed out message after message, each seemingly urgent.

Xi Ze raised his hand to silence him and looked at the male omega standing at the doorway. Opening his mouth, he found himself momentarily speechless, eventually managing only a dry statement.

"…I'll be going then. Male Lord, get some rest early."

Indeed, this was a critical moment. Even if he didn't want to be too far from Yale, he might have no choice but to part ways temporarily.

The intelligent system had already turned on the lights in the room upon sensing the return of the insect at the door. The warm yellow glow seeped through the cracks, softly enveloping the male insect's figure.

He suddenly felt a reluctance to part, and the recent conflict hadn't been resolved yet. He wondered what state their next reunion would find them in. Hopefully, by then... the situation would have stabilized completely.

"So eager?"

Yale furrowed his brows, feeling a chill land on his face. Realizing belatedly what it was, he lifted his head to see the gradually falling snowflakes in the sky.

Recalling the forecast of a blizzard he had seen earlier that afternoon, he hastily threw out a "wait a moment" before swiftly opening the door and disappearing inside.

But soon, Yale reappeared, jogging out with a scarf in hand. He quickly wrapped it around Xi Ze's neck and tucked his tail securely into his coat.

Patting the fluffy scarf, he instructed the female insect, "Be careful."

Not knowing the specifics, Yale only mentioned the essentials without urging Xi Ze to return early. Otherwise, the naive female insect would truly stay up late to rush his work, all just to come back to him sooner.

That pure white scarf was soft and carried the male insect's unique caramel scent, blocking out the cold winds entirely, exuding warmth and reassurance.

Xi Ze reached out to touch the scarf, a subtle smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He leaned down to embrace Yale, brushing his nose against the other's earlobe, his voice low and husky.

"Remember to take care of yourself and maintain a healthy routine, my King. I'll be back soon."

Bai Lang, who was reporting on the side, had already silenced himself and taken a seat in the co-pilot's chair, awaiting their farewell before accompanying the Marshal to the battlefield.

"Let's go."

Without hesitation, Xi Ze took a few steps back, gesturing with his eyes for Yale to enter the house quickly. Then, he turned around and efficiently boarded the hovercar, speeding towards the distant military headquarters.

Outside, a snowstorm had seemingly begun without notice, the icy blades stinging exposed skin with each gust, causing a faint ache.

Yale stood by the door for a moment, somewhat entranced by the scene in the sky.

"Beep beep."

His wristcom suddenly flashed red. A beat behind, he snapped back to reality and opened the message from the female insectoid.

"Xi Ze: This time, I might be away for longer. I've left something specifically for you in the box on your bedside table. Feel free to look at it when you have some spare time, my King."

Yale appeared perplexed but still returned to the villa as instructed. He rummaged through a bedside drawer in the master bedroom and found a well-concealed small box.

"What's this?"

A... chip?

He pressed the chip against the side of his light computer, and instantly, a row of folders arranged by date popped up. Their contents were initially indiscernible.

Curious, Yale attempted to open the first video in the first folder.

"Hmm... Alpha Ruler..."

The screen was filled with a tender honey-colored hue, a body glistening with a light sheen of sweat, undulating rhythmically, occupying every corner of the video.

"?!?"

Yale quickly shut his eyes, yet the low, breathy whispers still lingered in his ears, muffled by a nasal tone and saturated with deep emotions, calling out his name repeatedly.

Someone had left behind such a thing... Was it meant for him to see these videos and think of them when they couldn't communicate in time?

With an expressionless face, he closed the optical brain, and only when the drone's voice faded did he realize that his cheeks were flushing in waves.

...This was troublesome.

*

"The Old Marshal must have had hidden informants within the palace, otherwise, he wouldn't have received news so promptly."

Bai Lang swiftly reported the current situation, divulging all the gathered information.

"However, his almost immediate decision to impeach you has also directly exposed this fact, and His Majesty will undoubtedly bear a grudge against him."

In truth, they hadn't expected the old Marshal to choose Security Chief Tuo so decisively, even under the nearly unforgivable charge of betraying the nation.

He had once again directed his firepower at his former student, just as he had done five years ago.

It was bitterly ironic.

For a moment, Bai Lang felt a heavy heart. But when he glanced into the rearview mirror and saw the Marshal wearing a soft white fur scarf that clashed yet harmonized with his crisp military uniform, that sense of melancholy quietly dissipated.

It didn't matter; it was all in the past now.

With Marshal Yale by his side, he wouldn't be content with just an empty title like Honorary Marshal; he aimed for the highest position of power.

Bai Lang composed himself and asked his superior for instructions, "What should we do now? Should we report to His Majesty first?"

Xi Ze opened his eyes soundlessly, a razor-sharp coldness flickering in their depths, "No, we'll head straight to the military headquarters."

Upon reaching the military headquarters at breakneck speed, they discovered that the base had already been placed on high alert. Armed soldiers had barricaded the entrance.

The newly appointed marshal's forces, the Second Legion, and the Third and Fourth Armies stood in tense opposition, with the old marshal, clad in his stern military uniform, standing at the forefront.

As Xi Ze leaped down from the hovercar, the tense atmosphere shifted, and all eyes turned to him as if he were a savior. Rachel sensed the relief that washed over the surrounding soldiers.

Xi Ze, in his crisp military attire, cut through the snow and wind, serving as an anchor of stability in the hearts of countless military members, a legendary invincible hero on the battlefield.

Even Marshal Huoer could sense a momentary chaos within the ranks behind him. Despite their protective gear, the fear that permeated from their very bones was undeniable.

He took a deep breath and inwardly cursed them as good-for-nothings.

Regardless of his thoughts, he was now at a point of no return, standing on the edge of a precipice. The only way out was to take a risky move and eliminate this greatest threat.

Xi Ze stood firmly a few meters away from the elderly Marshal, calmly meeting the hawk-like gaze with his own, nodding slightly as a greeting.

"Is there something you wish to say, Marshal?"

Marshal Huoer gazed at his former student, disappointment etched on his face as his lips trembled. "How did you become like this?"

Unwilling to engage in a meaningless exchange, Xi Ze responded expressionlessly, "Aren't you going to impeach me? Or are you retracting it?"

The military alpha opposite him was infuriated, his chest rising and falling deeply for a moment before his expression turned cold. He no longer wasted words.

"Marshal Monte, I am impeaching you for harming your comrades, deceiving the monarch, and attempting treason! The impeachment will be immediately processed, and during this time, you must undergo investigation. Don't even think about using this opportunity to clear your name!"

Upon hearing these words, the atmosphere in the entire base turned solemn. After all, impeachment was no small matter; it held supreme privilege, even above the monarch's orders.

Soldiers from the Third and Fourth Legions stepped forward to make the arrest, but the newly appointed Marshal, unyielding, stepped forward to shield his own. Xi Ze raised his hand to stop them.

"Very well, Marshal Huoer, I am now formally notifying you that you are sheltering a traitor, obstructing military orders, and attempting treason."

The standing alpha, though calm, radiated the sharpness of a blade slowly being drawn from its sheath, exuding an incomparably resolute aura.

Fixing his gaze on the subtle shift in Admiral Huoer's expression, he enunciated each word clearly, "The impeachment will be immediately processed. All actions during this period are nullified, and you have no authority to imprison me."

Silence reigned supreme in the base, disturbed only by the howling of wind and snow.

Xi Ze offered a faint smile.

He had meticulously maneuvered events to push Anto into betrayal, deceiving many insects caught in the web. Yet, when the truth was finally revealed, they all realized that the gun had been pointed at Admiral Huoer from the very beginning.

Or perhaps, it was aimed at the true position of Supreme Commander.

In his hands, he held countless shocking pieces of evidence, all dirt accumulated over the years within the military. Numerous insects, either willingly or unwillingly, had been involved in these heinous wrongdoings.

Those were mountains of irrefutable proof, the charges on their impending verdicts, and concurrently, the foundation of his own comeback.

What he had always sought was not revenge against a single enemy, but to uproot this mutated tree entirely, pruning away its decaying branches—

To break down and rebuild, never giving up until the end.

"You...!"

Marshal Huoer's face stiffened, and his gaze gradually darkened.

"Take care of yourself."

Xi Ze nodded at him and stepped back, gesturing for the New Marshal Force and the Second Army to follow him in an orderly retreat, smoothly extracting themselves from the tense standoff.

...

The situation escalated swiftly into a showdown between two major military factions, throwing the capital planet into chaos. The government institutions were partially paralyzed, and the media went wild trying to obtain firsthand information.

Yale was soon placed under military protection, but his freedom was not restricted. Instead, countless overt and covert watchful eyes followed him wherever he went, ensuring no mishaps occurred.

The villa was a safe zone, with tight surveillance confined to the outside. Sometimes, it was too quiet.

"..."

After tossing and turning in bed for a while, Yale still couldn't fall asleep.

The room was dim, illuminated only by the faint moonlight that silently poured in, accentuating the emptiness and loneliness of the space. The other half of the bed was cold, bearing a subtle trace of a bitter scent.

The drone had been absent for two full weeks. It seemed to be restricted in some way, as all communication attempts were futile, and there was no other means to send messages.

Yale pondered for a moment before getting up to retrieve the exclusive communicator the drone had left him from the bedside table. He'd heard it was the latest cutting-edge device with top-notch security and encryption.

However, after caressing the device's surface for a long while, he eventually put it back in its place.

Forget it. He didn't know what was happening on the other end, and calling blindly might only make things worse.

Lying back down on the bed, Yale gazed at the ceiling for a while. The drone's final message resurfaced in his mind, and he murmured to himself, "Am I really supposed to rely on those little videos for comfort?"

Blushing, he summoned the courage to open the folder of videos on his light computer. He had already watched the first one, which was the drone stroking its own tail. Now for... the second one.

"Gurgle... Gulp..."

A subtle sound of water instantly filled his ears. Although the screen's brightness was dimmed, the figure moving within was still discernible.

It was a semi-kneeling position with the drone's back to the camera. Its hand was reaching behind, and in this motion, taut arm muscles and smooth contours of the shoulder and back could be seen. The dips of its waist swayed rhythmically.

"!"

Yale instinctively turned to face away from the window, then, like a thief, pulled the covers over his head, resizing the screen to fit into a small, secluded corner.

The location seemed to be the master bedroom, but when was this recorded? The female had anticipated their long separation and thus prepared the video in advance?

It was still early morning...

The video was twenty minutes long. After watching for a bit, Yale could guess what was coming next, yet he was also curious about the contents of other clips, so he proceeded to the next one.

The first thing he saw was a shirt he often wore – a plain, unassuming design with a subtle touch of color, adorned by a small embroidered flower at the collar that made it uniquely recognizable.

The shirt was loose on him, but it would be tight on a female Zerg.

So Xi Ze held it up to his face, his slender fingers pressing against the fabric as if he were a beast sniffing at the scent. He pushed and prodded at the thin material.

"Male Lord..."

His body was sheathed in a fine layer of sweat, giving off an appearance of warmth, as if he were basking in a thick, honey-like glow under the sunlight, exuding a sweet and alluring aroma.

"Hmm... Ahh..."

A soft gasp echoed in his ears, more embarrassing than before, as if it wasn't just the shirt that had been innocently seduced, but also Yale himself, who was behind the screen.

This video was shorter than the previous ones, perhaps because the presence of the male insect had brought quicker solace and comfort, making him succumb effortlessly.

The shirt was left in ruins, crumpled and sprawled across the bed, as if it had been harshly ravaged... which, indeed, it had.

No wonder he hadn't seen it for the past two days; it had suffered such a fate and been concealed from sight.

"…!"

Yale felt suffocated under the covers and quickly pulled them down to take a deep breath. He touched his flushed cheeks, uncertain if it was due to the warmth or something else.

Glancing at the time, he realized it was late. Initially, he intended to restrain himself, switch off his optical brain, and go to sleep. However, after closing his eyes for a while, he couldn't resist scrolling through the remaining short videos.

Wow, how exhilarating.

Reaching the final folder, he found that the videos inside were only about a dozen seconds long, and their covers weren't pure black. They seemed more like casual snapshots.

Without overthinking, Yale attempted to play the first video.

"..."

The video was shrouded in darkness, with barely audible soft breathing audible. It seemed that the person recording was adjusting the brightness, as the shaky image soon stabilized and became clearer.

In the center of the screen, a sleeping profile came into focus, completely at ease. Disheveled hair sprawled across the pillow, with only fluttering eyelashes occasionally visible.

Yale recognized himself instantly.

"...You're asleep. So cute."

The video was only ten seconds long. In the last two seconds, Xi Ze couldn't resist reaching out to poke his face, a short, breathy chuckle escaping him.

It was this kind of content.

He paused for a moment before clicking on the next video.

This one was much brighter. The male insect seemed to be adjusting the camera, allowing for a close-up view of slender fingers and the familiar backdrop of the living room.

"Huuu hu hu hu—"

A tremendous roar echoed from the video, sounding strangely familiar. Before Yale could figure out the source of the noise, he heard his own voice.

"Xi Ze?!"

His hands instinctively tightened around the holographic computer as he hurried over. The camera shook before it finally steadied in the bathroom, where the whistling sound grew louder and more recognizable.

Wait, this seemed to be when he first arrived at the villa...

Sure enough, in the next second, his face appeared on screen, along with his familiar fluffy hairdo.

Yale recalled everything now.

Back then, the automatic dryer seemed to have malfunctioned, blasting the highest heat setting like a gale. It was as if he was being dried like wool, puffing up his hair to an absurd degree.

His hair was curly, fluffy, and wildly disheveled, making him look as if he had a cotton candy on his head. Coupled with his despairing expression, the sight was comically hilarious.

...Oh God, how did Xi Ze manage to preserve this embarrassing footage?

Both the Yale in the video and the present Yale covered their faces, feeling as if they had been hit by a boomerang from half a year ago right in the knees.

Lying flat for quite some time, he eventually managed to overlook this strange piece of his past and continued scrolling through the series of short videos with some difficulty.

They were all snippets of everyday life, all featuring him—napping, concentrating on work, savoring new desserts and dishes, and occasionally lounging on the couch.

There were around seven or eight such videos, casually captured on an optical brain without any particular order. It seemed they were misplaced, originally intended for a dedicated space.

"..."

As Yale watched, he suddenly felt a sense of detachment.

While living on Etar, he had long grown accustomed to his peculiar existence. He would wake up each day in a mundane manner, seeing dark circles in the mirror during his morning wash, looking weary with robotic movements.

His days were spent doing the same things as the day before, eating identical meals and taking the same medicine, then numbly lying down to induce sleep, only to repeat the cycle the following day.

He had been living like this for over a year, neither fully adapting nor truly habituating to it. He had assumed this would be his life until he could no longer bear it, at which point he would make the decision to end it all.

However, the version of himself in these videos was vastly different from his recollection. Like cotton fluffed up and sun-dried in warm sunlight, he appeared light and malleable, effortlessly drifting into various states of ease and relaxation. It was a previously unseen sense of leisure and liberation.

He never imagined he could exhibit such expressions—vibrant, lively, with a healthy glow and a soul that seemed full and free.

After a moment of silence, Yale tossed his optical computer aside and pulled the covers over his head.

He tried to sleep again but found himself even more alert. The unique scent of the omega lingered at the tip of his nose amidst the blankets, making the emptiness beside him feel all the colder.

...He shouldn't have watched those videos before bed; they only made it harder for him to fall asleep.

Those recordings didn't bring him comfort or a peaceful slumber; they only intensified his longing for the omega.

He had no idea what was happening now, but the best news was no news at all. There were no signs of conflict breaking out anywhere, which meant the omega should be safe from harm in places he couldn't see.

Yale wished this matter would end soon.

With that thought in mind, he dozed off under the covers, his consciousness slipping into a hazy sleep.

...

A few more days passed, and the Crown Prince conveyed precise insider information. The investigation had reached its midpoint, and the evidence they possessed turned out to be instrumental, bringing about a significant turning point in the situation.

In the days that followed, the lockdown seemed to ease slightly, allowing some news to leak to the media.

"Surprising Plot Twist! The Hidden Reason Behind Admiral Monte's Sudden Return..."

"Admiral Huoer Under Investigation, Black Operations Exposed?!"

"Two Admirals Accuse Each Other Over a Single Bug?! Dive into the Military's Untold Secrets!"

Yale sat in his laboratory chair, brows knitted as he scanned through the news on his brain-computer, overwhelmed by the barrage of sensational headlines. "What a mess."

He casually tapped on the gossip piece about the military secret, skimming through it quickly. The entire article merely reiterated one central theme:

Two brilliant students, once under the same mentor, had received contrasting treatment for unclear reasons and now found themselves on divergent paths.

True to the entertainment media's style, they swallowed the story whole without delving into the cause, filling a thousand words with shallow speculations.

Yale was aware that the old admiral had once been Xi Ze's teacher, and that their relationship had long soured. This time, they had utterly fallen out.

When he inquired about the reason for the mistreatment, the female insect seemed just as confused. After some thought, she could only whisper that perhaps their paths had simply diverged, leading to their estrangement.

Xi Ze's expression had been calm, but Yale's mental tendrils detected an underlying sadness that he tried to hide. Probably, he claimed not to care, but in truth, it still hurt.

"Your Highness? Are you ready?"

Adelaide gently knocked on the door, signaling Yale to come back to his senses.

He was dressed in a brand new white lab coat, with a micro-combiner clipped to his waist, and even wore gold-rimmed glasses for the first time, clearly well-prepared for this academic symposium.

"…I'm ready."

Yale closed his light computer, adjusted his collar, picked up his data files, and left the room alongside Adelaide.

This academic symposium was jointly organized by multiple universities, with a grand scale. Many respected elders of the industry were expected to attend, and even the Empire's Research Institute had been invited to observe and provide guidance.

"Beep beep."

Yale's light computer flashed twice with red light. His sharp ears twitched, and he immediately opened the message inbox, unintentionally coming across a reassuring message from his mate—

"Xi Ze: Everything is going smoothly. I'll be home soon."

As they walked, Adelaide noticed that Yale had disappeared. Turning around, he saw Yale standing by the door, engrossed in his light computer, replying to the message with a smile that betrayed his good mood.

"Your Highness?" He asked, slightly puzzled, raising his voice.

Upon hearing the sound, Yale closed his light brain and hurriedly caught up with him, a smile almost overflowing in his eyes as he spoke in a cheerful tone.

"Nothing, the exchange session is about to begin. Let's go."

Author's Note:

Devoted to leaving behind memorable videos (?)

Yeye, you little sneak, enjoying such a delicious meal so quietly (folded arms)