Chapter 56

Chapter 56

The new planet's environment was tolerable, with no extreme weather conditions like scorching heat or bitter cold, nor particle storms or electromagnetic radiation. They could survive just fine wearing ordinary clothes.

The insectoid protective suits came in only one style—drab in color and ugly in design. Once they developed the planet, they would need to consider its city appearance.

Currently, there weren't many insects, but that didn’t mean it would stay that way. If they all looked disheveled, outsiders wouldn’t want to settle on their new planet.

Lu Cian noticed the Shelley Clan members harbored hatred and resentment toward male insects due to their past experiences. However, time was the best remedy for healing wounds. Reproduction was inevitable, and male insects were indispensable.

If male insects came to settle on the new planet, even if the female insects didn’t wear normal clothes, the fussy male insects would still want to dress nicely. Starting preparations now made sense.

With food and clothing handled, they still needed to build houses.

Originally, after leading several teams to finish planting fields, Lu Cian had planned to construct houses. The problem was, he didn’t know how to make bricks or work with reinforced concrete.

Later, Lu Cian realized he was stuck in a mental trap. The insectoid civilization was far more advanced than Earth. Who needed reinforced concrete? With the right technology, even waste and debris could be turned into sturdy fortresses.

Of course, he couldn’t oversee the construction of such houses—he didn't understand the process.

But not understanding wasn’t an issue. He could still help design the layouts.

Lu Cian browsed the star network and found something remarkable in the shopping app: mechanical insects that resembled spiders.

By inputting blueprints and parameters, these mechanical spiders could autonomously build houses as long as the materials were prepared. Their work was fast and reliable.

Lu Cian noted down the items they needed to purchase, planning to hand the list to his newly recruited subordinates for procurement later.

Wawen took the list and tsked approvingly, marveling at how their Heir Apparent had such sharp eyes. He wasn't deadweight—he was a meticulous little steward.

"Our little Lu is so capable! Look how thorough this list is. Which insect would be lucky enough to snatch him up in the future?" Wawen deliberately exclaimed loudly.

Lu Cian ignored him. Wawen wasn’t a bad insect at heart—just had a sharp tongue. He loved contradicting others for no apparent reason.

Seeing no rebuttal, Wawen found his soliloquy rather dull. Still, he muttered under his breath, "Maybe it’ll be an internal match..."

These days, female-female pairings were incredibly common.

Male insects were extremely scarce. Unless every male insect married over a hundred female insects, many would inevitably remain single.

Some female insects never even encountered a real male insect in their lifetime, only getting by just looking at online pictures shared by others.

Female insects pairing up among themselves was completely normal.

Had Wawen voiced this aloud, Lu Cian would’ve been choked with frustration. Why did he *have* to find a partner? Couldn’t he just live alone?

...

Two days later, Nair Inan finally completed a gadget that could infiltrate the suppression ring’s tracking system.

By implanting a chip the size of a button into the suppression ring, Nair Inan could alter the location data of the five female slaves whenever he wished.

With that matter settled, Nair Inan felt pleased. Their supplies were nearly gathered, and before leaving, he decided to accompany Lu Cian for an outing.

Lu Cian was happy to go out, but he hadn’t expected to witness something so horrific.

"What are you doing? Why are you beating him?" Lu Cian hadn’t intended to interfere, but the insect on the ground seemed close to death, so he couldn’t hold back.

The assailant, a young male with an outlandishly dyed hairstyle, looked up. "Who the hell are you? Daring to meddle in my business?"

The youth had refined features, but his arrogant and vicious expression ruined his otherwise pleasant face.

Initially, the young male had planned to attack whoever dared interfere, but upon seeing Lu Cian’s appearance, he became intrigued.

Since when did such a good-looking insect come to Trolta Planet?

Such a soft, pretty little female insect—flogging one must be thrilling!

Tears and pitiful looks paired with lash marks and bright red blood...

Pifute grew exhilarated just imagining the scene, he grew overexcited.

When male insects were agitated, their pheromones instinctively leaked out.

Instantly, a disinfectant stench flooded the entire street.

Lu Cian, standing closest, was hit with the full force of the odor, making a disgusted face.

It wasn’t an exaggeration—this disinfectant smell was worse than bleach, with a weird, rotten edge.

Covering his nose, Lu Cian blurted out, "It stinks!"

Apart from the two male insects, everyone else present was female, with highly sensitive senses of smell. Lu Cian saw Wawen’s face scrunch up as if he were about to vomit. The others controlled themselves better, but they didn’t look great either.

Even Nair Inan, known for his perfect self-control, was frowning, clearly uncomfortable.

Lu Cian had forgotten—Nair Inan was likely the highest-ranking female insect here, making him the most affected.

Lu Cian quickly raised his hand to cover Nair Inan’s nose and mouth, then snapped at Pifute. "Are you blind? Can’t you see I’m a male insect too? Is this a challenge?"

Releasing pheromones toward another male insect was a direct challenge. In such cases, no male insect would tolerate it—many would start throwing punches immediately.

The Male Protection Association kept out of these disputes.

If a male insect foolishly provoked another, and both were high-status male insects, the association couldn’t intervene.

The stench irritated him, and Lu Cian’s temper flared. His emotions surged, triggering the minty scent from the device hidden under his clothes.

This scent was far more pleasant than the disinfectant stink. Even Pifute’s concubines briefly seemed entranced by the aroma.

Their male consort’s pheromones might reek, but his high rank ensured they effectively calmed the storms in their Mental Seas.

The handsome male opposite them had invigorating pheromones, but their calming effect was weak. The concubines soon regained their focus.

No matter how attractive or fragrant the other male was, it wasn't their concern. They were bound to serve their own male consort.

Learning the other was also a male insect, Pifute’s expression darkened further. The whiff of Lu Cian’s pheromones made him grimace.

When a male insect released pheromones toward females, it showed interest.

Directly emitting pheromones was flirtatious at best, harassing at worst—a rogue move.

But in insectoid society, catching a male insect’s attention was a tremendous blessing. What female would be foolish enough to refuse?

However, male insects releasing pheromones toward other males meant war.

If someone slapped you across the face, arrogant and hot-tempered male insects wouldn't take that insult quietly.

As expected, Lu Cian could tell at a glance that Pifute wasn’t the type to back down peacefully.

Sure enough, Pifute snapped the moment Lu Cian released his pheromones.

Want a fight?

Fine, bring it on!

Fights between male insects are different from those with females. Female fights are brutal, flesh and blood flying everywhere.

But among male insects, it's a gentlemen's agreement—they only clash with psychic energy, never physically.

Without any warning, Pifute snapped a psychic whip.

His psychic energy was B-grade, coiled into a chopstick-thick tendril. If this mental whip struck squarely without the opponent raising a psychic defense, the male insect would either be severely injured or knocked unconscious.

Pifute still had some restraint. Male insects could fight, could lose their tempers, but unlike whipping females, they absolutely couldn’t kill another. Otherwise, even as a male insect, he’d end up in prison, doing time.

Pifute was furious, but no matter how angry he was, he wouldn’t kill another male insect—especially not in public. That was a crime he couldn’t bear.

Was Lu Cian the type to take a beating passively?

Of course not. But he wasn’t even one of them!

A counterfeit male with no psychic energy at all—he not only lacked it, he didn’t even understand what this intangible, invisible psychic energy was.

Seeing Pifute’s shit-eating grin, Lu Cian wanted to punch him. But since the other hadn’t struck first, throwing hands first would make him the instigator.

His father had taught him: real men talk it out, unless the other strikes first.

"Look who's talking! What house do you belong to, daring to insult me? Do you even know who I am?" Pifute snarled, trying to distract Lu Cian while releasing his psychic energy.

Lu Cian nearly laughed in his face. As if he’d never played the entitled brat before. Who cared what family Pifute was from? Even if his family’s influence rivaled the royal house, that didn't make him special—just a spoiled brat acting tough.

Lu Cian remained oblivious, but Nair Inan detected the rival male’s psychic energy.

Pifute’s psychic energy shot straight toward Lu Cian’s head. If Lu Cian had truly been a male insect, caught off guard, he’d be a vegetable.

What a cheap shot!

Normally, a female insect’s psychic energy couldn’t directly clash with a male’s. Male insects could calm a female’s psyche, like felines encountering silvervine—male psychic energy was practically a female’s natural weakness.

But if the level gap was too wide, the effect would be greatly diminished.

Pifute was B-grade, but Nair Inan was SS-grade.

An overwhelming level difference—a total mismatch.

Nair Inan didn’t hold back. He countered in a flash.

It happened too fast. Pifute didn’t even realize whether it was the male insect who struck. Suddenly, his head throbbed as if he’d been slapped hard, his ears ringing.

When the pain finally subsided, his face burned.

He’d tried to ambush them, only to be utterly crushed. How was this possible?!

Pifute couldn’t accept it. Red-faced with humiliation, he lost it.