Chapter 53 Nesting

Chapter 53: The Search

At this moment, at the entrance of the mansion, Admiral Lawrence shot Admiral Hoyle a dark glance and spoke coldly, "It seems you're not planning to let me search the mansion?"

Admiral Hoyle replied, "Of course not. You have the Emperor's search warrant; you're free to search."

He sighed, rubbing his temples, "It's just that my wayward child hasn't woken up yet, and the house is a mess, nothing has been tidied up. It wouldn't look good if you saw it. After all, he is still a prince. If the recorder catches anything, it could tarnish the royal dignity."

Admiral Lawrence was here to search, but he couldn't make baseless claims without evidence. He wore a law enforcement recorder clipped to his chest. When the trial opens, the video from the recorder will be submitted as evidence for review.

Admiral Lawrence glanced at him sideways, "Still in bed at this hour?"

Admiral Hoyle smiled, "He had a little spat with Lanen yesterday. That child is spoiled and sleeps in."

He led Admiral Lawrence to the hall, signaling the servants to bring coffee and wine, "Please have a seat; I've already sent a servant to wake him."

The child had just passed away, and Admiral Lawrence's expression was grim, "Fine, I'll wait two minutes. If anything is found, your harboring of criminals—"

"So loud." Before he could finish, someone lazily yawned, and a clear voice interjected, "So early in the morning, why all the noise? Can't let a person sleep... Father?"

Both turned to see a handsome young man standing at the edge of the living room corridor. Dressed in loose, casual attire, looking relaxed and nonchalant, his dark eyes half-closed, leaning against the wall, looking displeased towards the living room.

Admiral Hoyle reprimanded, "This is Admiral Lawrence."

He turned to Lawrence, apologizing, "The child is a bit indulged, please excuse him."

Lin You plopped down on the living room sofa, his hair a mess, embodying the role of a disrespectful playboy to the fullest. He casually addressed Admiral Lawrence, "What brings you here, Admiral?"

In military seniority, Lawrence outranked Hoyle, but he couldn't outrank Lin You, a prince. He just stiffly said, "The Crown Prince was murdered, and your servant Lanen is a prime suspect. I need to investigate."

Lin You hummed, curiously asking, "Lanen? He's hooked on pheromones, can't even leave my mansion, and he assassinated the Crown Prince?"

Lawrence: "Whether he did it or not, I'll find out after investigating."

Lin You casually said, "Alright, what's your plan for the investigation?"

His tone was flippant, seemingly unafraid. Lawrence's brow twitched, "The Crown Prince's guards injured his back. Call Lanen, have him strip, and I'll take a look; then it'll be clear."

"Have him strip for you to look?" Lin You's tone was strange, then he raised an eyebrow, "That won't do."

He played the role of a capricious Zerg prince to the extreme, arrogantly saying, "Lanen is mine now. I don't like others eyeing my belongings."

66 clapped for him, "Su Zhu, you're acting quite well."

Third Prince Lin You's strong possessiveness was well-known to Admiral Lawrence. Ever since his coming-of-age ceremony, White had been beaten up by Lin You for being flippant. Hearing him say this, Lawrence wasn't surprised.

Lawrence was displeased, snorted coldly, "Third Prince, I carry the Empire's investigation order with me. Are you going to obstruct?"

Lin You didn't care, tsked, "What's the Empire's investigation order? When I go back to the palace to see my father, and my father personally issues an order, then I'll recognize the investigation..."

His father was the Zerg Emperor.

"Alright, Youyou!" Admiral Hoyle pressed his temple, seemingly with a headache, turned to Lawrence, apologizing, "Sorry for the spectacle, this child has a bad temper, I'll scold him later."

Lawrence sneered, "Third Prince's temper really needs to be taught a lesson, not even putting the Empire's investigation order in his eyes..."

Lin You sneered at the same time, "I just don't put it in my eyes, what can you do..."

"Enough!"

As the tension grew thicker, Admiral Hoyle quickly intervened to mediate: "How about this, Admiral, Lin You, let's each take a step back, shall we?"

He looked at Lin You: "The Admiral has a search warrant, so we still need to take a look."

He then turned to Lawrence: "But Lanen is in the prince's bedroom, still disheveled, covered in kiss marks. The room is saturated with the scent of male pheromones, so it's really not suitable for you to enter."

After persuading both sides, Hoyle said: "How about this, let Lin You take the law enforcement camera inside. Tell him what you want to see, and he'll capture it for you to view remotely, alright?"

"..."

Lin You reluctantly agreed, "Fine."

Admiral Lawrence stayed silent, his eyes shadowed and brooding.

Seeing this, Hoyle's tone also cooled down, with a touch of warning: "Admiral, I need to remind you that Lin You is also a contender for the throne."

With the eldest prince dead, only Lin You and the second prince remain. The second prince's kin are nowhere near as influential as Admiral Hoyle, and once Lin You ascends as emperor, Lawrence couldn't risk offending him.

"..."

As a married female, Lanen is now drenched in Lin You's pheromones, so it's indeed inappropriate for Lawrence to enter.

Lawrence clutched the recorder on his chest, his expression unreadable. This device is the empire's most advanced recording instrument, with high frame rates and high-definition, directly linked to his computer, with a built-in analyzer. It's not something that can be tricked by minor misalignments or concealments.

Moreover, from receiving the investigation order to rushing to the prince's residence, it was less than an hour, so there was no time for preparation.

Lawrence nodded, "Alright."

So Lin You deftly grabbed the law enforcement camera and headed inside.

He flicked on the light, set the device on the table, and adjusted its position slightly, then sat on the bed's edge and gently pulled the general out.

Lanen was badly injured, slipping in and out of consciousness. He was cradled in Lin You's arms, hazily seeing the recorder across from him, his pupils suddenly contracting, his back instantly tensing.

Once the recorder captured his back, nothing could be explained clearly. The charge of harming the heir apparent would be unavoidable for Lin You, and Admiral Lawrence would not let him off easily. The Collet Family would also face a catastrophic disaster.

The tense muscles caused the wounds to tear again, and the blood seeped through the bandages.

Lin You raised his hand, his fingertips touching a wet patch.

The general was still feverish, leaning against Lin You, his body unconsciously tensing, whether from illness or worry.

Lin You kissed Lanen's earlobe, soothingly stroked his silver-white hair, like comforting a sick animal, and whispered: "Don't be afraid, trust me."

"...Okay."

Lanen had no strength, his muscles weak, leaning against Lin You like a ragdoll, his chin resting on Lin You's shoulder, only held up by Lin You's arm around his waist, his blue eyes also losing their luster, looking extremely weak.

Fortunately, females addicted to pheromones also look like this after lovemaking.

Lin You raised his voice: "Admiral, what do you want to see?"

Admiral Lawrence's gaze lingered on Lanen's face, with no signs of replacement or forgery, his voice cold: "Turn him around, let me see his back."

Lin You cooperatively adjusted the position, turning the general's back towards the law enforcement camera. During this, Lanen grew increasingly uneasy—no matter how you looked at it, this room was just a simple bedroom, with no hidden mechanisms or props to deceive the law enforcement camera. Reason told him that if Lin You said there was a way, there probably was, but his body couldn't help but tense up.

Lin You frowned slightly.

Being too tense was bad for the wounds, so he released soothing pheromones, the scent of citrus filling the bedroom, the warmth of his body transferring through the skin.

Lin You's fingers brushed against the buttons of the pajamas and then deftly undid them.

In the living room, Admiral Hoyle and Admiral Lawrence both held their breath in anticipation.

Although Lin You had instructed Admiral Hoyle to provide cover for him, the situation had come too suddenly, and Hoyle was not entirely sure what method Lin You had in mind. He assisted in the cover-up, but internally, he was somewhat uncertain.

On the monitor, Lin You pulled the clothes back, revealing Lanen's pale skin, which immediately erupted in goosebumps.

His back was unmarked, save for a few faint kiss marks.

Admiral Hoyle exhaled a long sigh of relief, while Admiral Lawrence's eyebrows twitched noticeably.

In the bedroom, Lanen clung tightly to Lin You, as if this was the only way he could grasp a sliver of security.

He couldn't see the monitor's display, but the wound on his back was undeniably real. As the blanket fell, so did the clothes, exposing the wound to the air, tingling slightly with pain. He felt like a clam forcibly pried from its shell, stripped of all defenses, left to meekly expose his back, awaiting the inevitable judgment.

Admiral Lawrence commanded coldly, "Third Prince, please examine the skin on his back."

Although no wounds had been found so far, if something had been used to cover them, the texture would definitely differ from skin. Once analyzed, it would be revealed.

Lin You maintained an air of indifference. He reached out and precisely located a patch of unblemished skin amidst extensive abrasions, gently kneading it.

Lanen froze, his shoulder blades quivering uncontrollably.

A chill ran down his back, but amidst the pervasive dull pain, only one spot burned with intensity. Lin You, demonstrating for Lawrence, kneaded forcefully, as if shaping clay.

This method inevitably aggravated other wounds, though the pain was minimal. Coupled with the itchiness of the scabbing wounds, it morphed into a pervasive, undeniable numbness.

Lin You swiftly noticed Lanen's trembling, nuzzled his cheek, and whispered softly, "What's wrong?"

"..."

The air was thick with the citrus scent of pheromones. Though Lanen and Lin You had been apart for a week, his body felt as if it had been starved for an eternity. His skin ached for touch, his body longed for connection, but he couldn't articulate this peculiar sensation under surveillance. After a brief hesitation, he murmured vaguely, "...Cold."

Thus, Lin You embraced him even more tightly.

The Third Prince glanced up at the monitor, displeased, "Have you seen enough? If so, I'll cover him. He's cold."

At these words, not only did Hoyle and Lawrence hesitate, but even Lanen was taken aback.

Females were never considered fragile, and Lanen was no exception. He had endured gunfire and explosions, where bleeding and broken bones were mere inconveniences. Yet, when he offhandedly mentioned feeling cold, Lin You showed concern.

Beneath him lay a soft blanket, before him was a firm embrace, its warmth both comforting and intoxicating. The Third Prince's arms gently encircled him, forming a warm sanctuary.

This was a protective stance, as if declaring: I will not allow anyone to harm him again.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Lin You, being a prince, had the privilege to be willful. He didn't wait for Lawrence's consent, rebuttoned Lanen's pajamas, tucked the general into the blanket, kissed those stunned blue eyes, got out of bed, picked up the monitor, and turned it off without further ado.

In a place no one could see, he mouthed to 66, "Well done."

66 responded with a "Yay" emoji, proudly saying, "Of course, I'm a high-tech system from a higher-dimensional civilization."

Having already infiltrated the security system of the military's most advanced spacecraft, hacking a small monitor, altering inappropriate images, and turning the wound on the back into kiss marks was a simple task for 66.

Lin You grabbed the monitor and tossed it into Lawrence's arms, "Admiral, it's been verified. Can you leave now?"

Lawrence was initially about eighty percent suspicious of Lanen, but the footage from the enforcement camera was irrefutable evidence—there were indeed no scars on his back.

Lawrence: "Can I search the other rooms?"

Lin You shrugged: "Go ahead."

He yawned and headed back to the master bedroom: "Just keep it down; I need to get some more sleep."

Admiral Lawrence searched the mansion once more but came up empty-handed.

Admiral Hoyle saw them off with a forced smile and firmly closed the door of the prince's mansion.

Meanwhile, Lin You slid back under the covers next to Lanen.

After a long separation and dealing with all this trouble, Lin You seemed worn out. He felt Lanen's forehead and noticed he was still running a fever, so he softly said, "I'll summon a doctor to check on you."

Lanen shook his head: "No, every extra person we involve now increases the risk."

Lin You: "Don't worry, they're all my father's trusted men. They've checked on you before when you were ill, but if you're not comfortable, we can call Devin."

Devin was also an army doctor with the Third Army.

He rang the bedside call button.

Half an hour later, Devin showed up in the room.

Seeing the general resting quietly in bed, Devin's eyes welled up, but in front of the third prince, he couldn't show it. He quickly lowered his gaze to hide his emotions and hooked up the monitors to Lanen.

After examining him, he let out a small sigh: "General, your condition isn't great. The blood loss and injuries will take months to heal, and besides that, your wings are especially badly damaged."

In the aircraft, Lanen had extended his wings to steady himself, and Lin You could still picture those silver-white wings.

Lanen wasn't surprised and remained expressionless, just asking, "What should we do then?"

Devin: "We'll keep an eye on the healing process for now, use antibiotics to prevent infection, but if the condition doesn't improve..." He observed Lanen's expression and said softly, "...we may need to amputate."

Lin You tightly held his hand.

Lanen patted him to comfort him: "It's okay, it's no big deal."

He spoke lightly: "Let's observe for now, and if necessary, we'll amputate."

Having braced for death, just being alive now is a stroke of luck.

Lin You wanted to ask more about the wings, but Lanen brushed it off. Compared to the damaged wings, he was clearly more concerned about another issue: "Devin, how did my aircraft get back?"

His earliest memory was of the vast, desolate universe, and when he opened his eyes, he was in the clean prince's mansion. If Lin You hadn't been right in front of him, it would have seemed like a dream before death.

Devin: "?"

He was surprised: "Wasn't it you who flew it? I checked the recorder, there were some evasive maneuvers that were particularly impressive. I thought you were really skilled, even after losing so much blood, you could still perform such amazing maneuvers."

Lin You: "."

Lanen frowned: "No, I had already lost consciousness by then."

Devin: "But I've checked that aircraft, and there are only traces of your use. If it wasn't you, who else could it be? Could there have been a ghost in the cockpit?"

Lin You hesitated, '...'

Lanen mused aloud: "Strange."

He thought for a moment but couldn't figure it out, then turned to Lin You: "By the way, Your Highness, how did you trick the law enforcement device just now?"

"..."

Two tough questions came one after another, making Lin You feel uneasy. He looked around and suddenly stood up: "Well, um... it's a secret, I can't say for now... um, Lanen, what would you like for dinner? I'll go instruct the kitchen to prepare."

Lanen didn't push further, just mentioned two dishes, and Lin You strode out.

The AI assistant 66 floated nearby, guiltily wiping sweat: "Did he notice?"

Lin You also wiped sweat: "I don't know."

The major general is sharp; maybe he sensed something.

Lin You hadn't decided on how to explain yet, and hurriedly went to the small kitchen. After telling the servants to prepare the food, he returned to the bedroom with milk and paused at the door.

The room was quiet; Lanen seemed asleep.

His face was buried in the pillow, his expression peaceful and relaxed, as if in a sweet dream.

Lin You just put down the tray: "Let him sleep; we'll call him for dinner."

But by dinner, Lanen still hadn't woken up.

He kept sleeping peacefully, the scent of Iris pheromones faintly spreading, fresh and clean.

Lin You tried to shake him, but no matter how he called, Lanen didn't wake up.

So in the evening, Devin was called back to the prince's residence.

The military doctor, carrying his equipment, circled Lanen three times, looked around, and finally concluded seriously: "Your Highness, the major general has entered the nesting period."

Lin You was stunned: "Nesting?"

Devin: "This is an ancient Zerg habit. When the body is severely injured and can't heal itself, they will sleep in the nest to repair the damaged body. When the major general wakes up, his wings should be healed."

Lin You sighed in relief: "That's great news."

Devin looked at him and Lanen, hesitating to speak.

Lin You: "Are there any other precautions?"

Devin: "No, just wait for the major general to wake up... but"

"But?"

"...but nowadays, few female Zerg nest. During this time, their bodies are exceptionally fragile, and unless the females feel absolutely safe, they will not nest."

Devin's expression was unreadable.

—Absolutely safe? When would a female feel absolutely safe?

Lanen grew up in the Collet Family, maintaining the strictest etiquette, later entered the Third Army to bathe in blood and fire, and walked on thin ice in the power struggles. He never relaxed for a moment, always wearing a mask, the noble etiquette was his best disguise, but now, in the prince's residence, beside a proud male, he feels absolutely safe?

"..."

Lin You was unaware of the complexities in Devin's mind, merely smoothing out the overly long hair of the major general: "When will he wake up?"

Devin pondered: "According to the ancient customs of the Zerg, it might take about three to five months."

Lin You: "Three to five months..."

For a couple deeply in love, this was indeed an unbearably long time.

He looked up towards the window, at the end of which stood the majestic palace of the Zerg's main planet. On clear days, one could see the clustered buildings within the palace grounds from here, with their pointed towers soaring into the clouds, adorned with intricate carvings, and large, colorful stained glass windows interspersed among them. It was the largest and most complex architectural complex on the main planet, the epicenter of all imperial power shifts.

Lin You recalled the descriptions from the original text, thought about the time of the Old Insect Emperor's death, the fate of the third prince in the original story, and the details he had uncovered recently, and let out a long sigh.

"Wake up soon," Lin You touched Lanen's cheek, murmured: "Otherwise, you might miss my enthronement and coronation ceremony."

—If his Consort were not present on the day of the coronation, Lin You would be heartbroken.