Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Nair Inan was indeed taken aback; for a female zerg, the absence of a reproductive sac was an absolute catastrophe.

Even if Nair Inan had no intention of seeking a male zerg, the revelation that the other couldn't lay eggs left him somewhat disoriented.

Reproduction was paramount for female zergs. Even if marriage to a male zerg wasn't an option, artificial gamete pairing could still provide a female offspring.

However, Nair Inan remained somewhat skeptical—not that he doubted Lu Cian’s honesty, but he suspected Lu Cian might not be fully aware of his own physical condition, and perhaps things weren't as dire as he imagined.

Nair Inan still wanted to help. Fearing Lu Cian’s strong aversion, he pointed to Lu Cian’s lower abdomen and said, "I'll only scan this specific area. Perhaps the situation isn't as bad as you think, and there might still be a chance for remedy."

Lu Cian, unable to refuse and fearing further rejection might arouse suspicion, reluctantly nodded. Yet, he secretly hoped the scan would reveal nothing.

*My body, please cooperate! If they discover my anatomy is different from a zerg’s, I’m finished!*

Nair Inan activated the device to examine Lu Cian. After a thorough check, even utilizing the penetrative analysis function, he confirmed that Lu Cian indeed lacked a reproductive sac.

It wasn't underdeveloped, nor was its function degraded; it was simply nonexistent.

Nair Inan sighed, admitting that he truly had no way to treat such a condition.

Lu Cian feigned sorrow. "Alas, I told you not to check. Now that the results are disheartening, I’ll just have to grieve all over again."

Inside, however, he was overjoyed and immensely relieved. *Thank goodness Brother Nan’s instrument isn't that advanced. If it were like an X-ray that could reveal my entire body, my alien nature would be exposed!*

Feeling responsible for the situation, Nair Inan struggled to find words of comfort. After a long hesitation, he finally managed to utter, "I’m sorry."

Lu Cian lowered his head to hide his smile and waved his hand dismissively. "It’s fine. I’m used to it."

Seeing this, Nair Inan felt even more guilty and added, "How about I check your wing sac? Perhaps there’s a way to resolve that issue."

Lu Cian’s heart skipped a beat. *Again?! A few more checks, and my cover will be blown!*

Noticing Lu Cian’s resistance, Nair Inan reassured him, "Don’t worry, I won’t use any instruments. I’ll just take a look."

Only then did Lu Cian relax.

He took off his shirt, revealing a smooth back. Though Lu Cian appeared slender, he possessed lean musculature.

In his original world, he had exercised daily, albeit not intensely. Since arriving in the zerg world, he had been engaged in strenuous labor every day, which had not diminished his muscles but rather made them even more robust.

Lu Cian was quite proud of his muscles; with a little flexing, he could even reveal a six-pack. However, Nair Inan’s expression darkened as he gazed at the smooth back.

Lu Cian had previously had a tattoo on his back, which he had used to pass off as zerg markings.

But that tattoo wasn't real; it was a temporary herbal decal. Although it was relatively long-lasting and waterproof, it wasn't permanent.

Lu Cian had completely forgotten about it and had no idea when the tattoo had faded.

Nair Inan spoke in a low voice, "Why don’t you have zerg markings?"

Hearing this, Lu Cian looked back and realized the fake tattoo had completely vanished. Unconcerned, he replied, "Isn't that normal? I’m physically impaired—no wing sacs, no reproductive sac, and of course, no zerg markings either."

"Brother Nan, if you keep asking, I’ll get sick of repeating myself."

Lu Cian continued to play the victim. "Ah, I was born on a wasteland planet. Do you know what that place is like? Full of radiation and radioactive substances everywhere. Just surviving was a miracle. Being deformed like this wasn’t my choice."

But Nair Inan remained skeptical, his thoughts unaffected by Lu Cian’s plea for sympathy.

Lacking wing sacs and a reproductive sac could perhaps be attributed to extreme deformity, but having no zerg markings at all was simply unbelievable.

He had never heard of such a case—a deformed female zerg without markings.

If these issues had been discovered when Lu Cian was imprisoned, he might have been mistaken for a male zerg with pheromone release disorder. But since he had been imprisoned, he must have already been confirmed as female, right?

Blood tests required approval from higher authorities. Given the zerg race’s advanced cloning technology, unauthorized blood collection was prohibited to prevent unauthorized replication.

Nair Inan had also never heard of any prisoner undergoing a blood test to confirm their gender.

Recalling how Lu Cian had ended up by his side, Nair Inan suddenly grew suspicious—was Lu Cian a spy sent by the enemy?

Seeing Brother Nan’s grim expression, Lu Cian feared his alien identity was about to be exposed.

"I used to have zerg markings! My cellmate Blair and a prison guard named Rocco both saw them with their own eyes. I was just joking earlier—I actually don't know why my zerg markings suddenly disappeared."

"Brother Nan, do you think I might be sick since my markings vanished suddenly?"

His expression seemed genuine, easing Nair Inan’s doubts slightly. Just as Nair Inan was about to speak, Lu Cian suddenly exclaimed as if struck by inspiration, "I remember now! It must be related to those space pirates!"

"When they kidnapped me, they realized I was a deformed zerg with a useless physique and couldn’t sell me for much. Later, they fed me something that made my stomach ache all night until I passed out. When I woke up, I found myself lying on the streets of Larenha."

"Those despicable space pirates ruined my life! Not only did they tear me away from my peaceful home, but I was also arrested as a stowaway. What a cruel twist of fate!"

Lu Cian continued to ramble, "My life has been so miserable. Born on a wasteland planet, going without enough to eat or wear. My mother and older brother barely scraped by, but after they died one after another, I was left to fend for myself—only to be kidnapped by space pirates…"

Although repeatedly lamenting his tragic past and being abducted by space pirates might annoy others, Lu Cian’s experiences were indeed genuinely tragic.

Seeing him so distressed, Nair Inan wondered if he was being overly cautious, like someone who, once bitten by a snake, fears a well rope for ten years, leading to such a mistaken impression.

"Don’t worry. I’m not like those space pirates. As long as I’m alive, I’ll ensure your safety."

Lu Cian immediately nodded, his face filled with gratitude. "Brother Nan, you’re truly a good zerg!"

*As long as you don’t try to expose me, I’ll cook for you for a lifetime!*

As for why Nair Inan didn't suspect Lu Cian was a male zerg, it was because all male zergs possessed pheromones and mental energy.

Even male zergs with pheromone release disorder could still occasionally release pheromones.

Lu Cian had neither. He could only be a deformed female zerg.

A few days later, the spaceship finally docked.

"Young Master, most of this planet is desert. Our temporary base is in the desert. The spaceship is too heavy and might sink into the sand, so we can only dock on solid ground. We’ll have to walk the rest of the way."

Nair Inan nodded, instructing the four zergs to lead the way.

However, after the hatch opened, Nair Inan remembered something. He took out an environmental suit for Lu Cian to wear, and gave him a few spares, before urging him to leave.

The zergs jumped onto the scorching sand, breathing in the hot air, and finally felt the stifling mood from being cooped up in the spaceship ease considerably.

"Why is it so hot?"

A wave of heat hit Lu Cian the moment he stepped out, making him immediately retreat back into the spaceship, only to be pushed out again by Nair Inan from behind.

"Brother Nan, it’s way too hot! I feel like I’m being cooked alive!"

Lu Cian felt the scorching heat everywhere, constantly trying to seep through the gaps in his environmental suit, as if to slow-cook him entirely.

Nair Inan reassured him, "Don’t worry, you’re wearing an environmental suit. You won’t cook through."

Wawen, seeing the environmental suit on Lu Cian, chuckled, "Look how thoughtful our Young Master is! He even prepared an environmental suit in advance. I completely forgot that little Lu has delicate skin and can’t stand this high temperature…"

After half a month of familiarity, Wawen had already started casually calling him "little Lu," as everyone on the spaceship was older than Lu Cian.

"You talk too much," Damon pulled Wawen away, preventing him from saying anything further.

Although they had observed the Young Master’s interactions with Mr. Lu on the spaceship, Damon was still wary of Wawen saying something inappropriate.

The Young Master was usually aloof and stern with his subordinates, often reprimanding them for speaking too much. Yet, he seemed unusually "indulgent" toward Mr. Lu.

It was hard not to suspect there was something beyond friendship between them, especially since the Young Master detested male zergs, and same-sex relationships among females were already legally recognized.

After walking for a while, they hadn’t even covered a third of the distance to the base when Lu Cian couldn’t go any further.

Compared to the other female zergs, Lu Cian was truly weak. The other five female zergs weren’t even breathing heavily, while he not only couldn’t walk anymore but had also been baked in the high temperature for several hours, his skin turning red and even blistering in some places.

Wawen, standing far away, saw it clearly and could hardly believe it. "Damon, little Lu is really weak—even weaker than a hatchling in our clan."

Though Damon didn’t speak, he silently agreed. He had never seen such a weak female zerg. If the Shelley Clan were still around, a civilian zerg this weak would have been directly abandoned in the mountains to fend for themselves, forbidden to return until they developed a strong physique.

The other two also noticed, but Yannick, with his fiery temper, was already irritable from the heat and usually restrained himself in front of the Young Master to avoid cursing and getting scolded.

As for Fletcher, he was simple and honest, with few thoughts of his own. Having eaten Lu Cian’s cooking, he naturally kept quiet, not one to bite the hand that feeds him.

Wawen was puzzled. "Damon, what is the Young Master thinking? Why insist on bringing little Lu along? He’s not even from our Shelley Clan."

Damon replied, "Haven’t you eaten plenty of his meat pies and steaks? His cooking is truly excellent."