Chapter 85

Chapter 85

The Purple Starstone mine was not extensive, comprising ten mining zones, each with three tunnels.

The fifth mining zone was known for producing the finest Purple Starstone. Nuo Sen suggested visiting the area outside its tunnels, and after a brief consideration, Lu Cian agreed.

They had learned that Joseph had been sent to this planet for mining, though they didn't know which specific mine or zone he had been assigned to.

However, having successfully infiltrated, they were confident they would find him eventually.

In any case, gathering information wasn't Lu Cian's task; his role was merely to divert Nuo Sen's attention. Happy to relax, he treated the excursion as a casual outing.

When Lu Cian arrived at the fifth mining zone, a group of miners was just driving a cart loaded with raw Purple Starstone out of a tunnel, its rear compartment piled high with ore.

Nuo Sen immediately stepped protectively in front of Lu Cian, fearing that any loose stones might tumble from the cart and strike him.

"Be careful, Your Excellency! This place is far too unsafe!"

Nair Inan moved forward, blocking Nuo Sen’s line of sight. "Mr. Nuo Sen, we are perfectly capable of protecting our male consort. Your concern is unnecessary."

Nuo Sen eyed him with skepticism, his distrust evident—after all, the other party had failed to act swiftly enough earlier.

Lu Cian, too, found the situation somewhat ridiculous. They were standing at a safe distance from the cart, which was equipped with safety guards. Even if stones did fall, they wouldn’t roll this far.

He truly understood Nuo Sen’s anxiousness—the man was terrified that even a single hair on Lu Cian’s head might be harmed, lest he be held accountable.

Lu Cian couldn’t help but wonder: How had Nuo Sen, supposedly the acting overseer of this planet, become so timid?

Of course, Lu Cian and his companions had no way of knowing that Nuo Sen wasn’t just afraid of being sidelined or harassed by his superiors—he was also a scapegoat.

When higher-ups demanded shipments, they cared little for the workers’ conditions, arbitrarily setting quotas that subordinates had to meet. Nuo Sen often fell short.

And when he failed, he had to compensate out of his own pocket—truly a victim of circumstance.

Once the ore cart had moved far enough away, Nuo Sen didn’t allow Lu Cian to approach the mine tunnel any further. Instead, he connected to the internal surveillance feed.

"Your Excellency, we’ve already come close enough to the tunnel. There’s no need to take further risks. I’ve linked the surveillance feed—please feel free to observe."

Nuo Sen enlarged the screen and handed it to Lu Cian.

Having previously worked in the mines of Larenha Prison—though not in underground shafts, and without doing much labor himself—Lu Cian was genuinely curious about subterranean mining operations.

Before watching the feed, he had assumed that some high-tech method was employed. But upon closer inspection, he realized the workers were transforming their hands into insect-like claws to dig into the rock.

The sight of those claws scraping against the stone walls, emitting a harsh, tearing sound, sent shivers down his spine. He even felt a phantom pain in his own hands.

Unconsciously, he murmured, "They mine directly with their claws?"

Nuo Sen nodded. "Indeed. Gemstone ore is extremely hard. Mechanical excavation causes excessive damage and waste. But female insects are different—their physiques are strong, and their claws are sharp. Mining gemstone ore is relatively easy for them."

Lu Cian understood but pressed further, "Even so, wouldn’t their claws wear down?"

Nuo Sen replied, "Certainly, but a female insect’s claws are like ordinary nails—if they grow too long, they must be trimmed. A little extra wear isn’t an issue."

"Some of these miners are convicts. Since they don’t fight on the battlefield, overly sharp claws could lead to accidents."

Convicts wore suppression rings, but some possessed formidable mental strength that the rings couldn’t fully suppress. With their robust physiques and razor-sharp claws, wearing them down helped manage these unruly individuals.

Nuo Sen hadn’t expected Lu Cian to ask such questions after watching the mining feed and couldn’t help but study him more closely.

Lu Cian immediately straightened his expression. "I see. Then I needn't worry about their efficiency. But with claws that sharp, couldn’t they damage the ore?"

Nuo Sen quickly reassured him, "Your Excellency, rest assured—these workers are skilled. They won’t harm the ore."

"Besides, they wouldn’t dare deliberately damage it. If the extracted ore fails to meet standards or too much is ruined, they’ll be punished."

Lu Cian tilted his head, feigning interest. "What kind of punishment?"

Nuo Sen’s gaze flickered as he recalled past scenes of discipline. "Just a few lashes with a light whip, that sort of thing."

He had never been whipped himself, but the sight of bloodied flesh still haunted him.

The light whip was the simplest method for interrogating stubborn convicts—often, the simplest methods were the most brutal.

The act of whipping was easy, but the pain it inflicted was unbearable. Nuo Sen had heard that victims convulsed in agony yet couldn’t die from it.

Moreover, he knew many male consorts enjoyed whipping their female attendants and slaves—one of the reasons he had never considered marriage.

At this thought, Nuo Sen stole another glance at Lu Cian.

This male consort was the most handsome among the many public figures he had seen on the StarNet. He wondered if such a striking individual also harbored those terrifying proclivities.

The idea that this elegant male consort might enjoy whipping others shattered Nuo Sen’s idealized image.

Raised in luxury, why did male consorts develop such cruel habits?

Nuo Sen couldn’t comprehend it—many female insects didn't either.

But Lu Cian understood perfectly. It was no different from bored rich kids—surrounded by abundance yet spiritually hollow, craving novelty and excitement.

When one male insect took pleasure in whipping, others followed suit, either out of trend or fear of being left behind. Over generations, it became normalized.

Moreover, the imperial family—the ruling class of the insect race—had been synonymous with cruelty for generations. To reinforce their rule, they instilled these values in young male insects through education.

The corruption of the male insects of the insect race was a product of indoctrination and indulgence—they had been thoroughly spoiled and warped.

The topic of light whips was too gruesome, so Nuo Sen changed the subject. "Your Excellency, one of the tunnels just unearthed a fine piece of raw ore. Would you like to inspect it?"

Lu Cian’s attention shifted as intended. "Very well, let’s take a look."

Nuo Sen instructed the miners to bring out the newly excavated, high-quality specimen.

Once the stone was delivered, Nuo Sen carefully presented it.

Purple Starstone was indeed beautiful, but in its raw, unprocessed state, it appeared rather plain—freshly mined, dusty and dirty, its appeal diminished.

Only those familiar with ores could discern its true quality.

"Your Excellency, please take a look."

Lu Cian accepted the stone. It wasn’t large, so holding it posed no difficulty.

Yet Nuo Sen hovered nervously, as if fearing Lu Cian might drop it on his own foot.

At the same time, he gave disapproving looks at Nair Inan and the others. How could they let a distinguished male consort handle raw ore himself?

As his female slaves, they had no manners!

Lu Cian pretended to study the stone for a moment. His visit had never been about the Purple Starstone—this was all for show.

So Lu Cian tossed the raw stone back to Nuo Sen and said in a bored tone, "This raw stone is indeed quite ugly. Let's head back."

Nuo Sen: "What?"

Nuo Sen felt tricked.

Lu Cian took a few steps back and, seeing Nuo Sen still frozen in place, asked, "Do you plan to stay here?"

Only then did Nuo Sen come to his senses. Realizing the lord was finally considering returning, he was nearly moved to tears of joy.

How wonderful!

"Return, we'll return immediately! I'll arrange for the best chef here to prepare a grand feast for you, my lord!"

Nuo Sen rushed ahead enthusiastically, afraid the lord might change his mind midway.

Lu Cian followed behind. Before deciding to return, he had exchanged glances with Nair Inan to confirm their agents had quietly infiltrated the mining area. Only then did he agree to leave.

They had previously discussed whether to use Lu Cian's "male insect" identity to directly demand Nuo Sen locate a certain individual named Joseph.

But this approach would be too blatant. If Nuo Sen noticed anything amiss or if Lu Cian's identity were revealed, the losses would outweigh the gains.

Moreover, for a male insect to specifically request a certain female insect—if she were exceptionally beautiful, it might make sense. But as far as they knew, Joseph was a disheveled researcher, far older than Lu Cian. Seeking him out clearly wasn't for taking him as a female slave.

If Nuo Sen thought deeper, he might suspect Lu Cian was searching for a criminal female insect who had offended their employer—perhaps an adversary?

Handing Joseph over could be seen as leaking secrets or betraying their master for personal gain.

Thus, whether Nuo Sen thought too little or too much, he'd find it suspicious.

Of course, more likely, this simpleton wouldn't overthink it.

But given their false identities, caution was necessary.

During the journey back, Lu Cian and Nuo Sen exchanged idle chatter. Nuo Sen was clearly in high spirits, and the aircraft soon returned to the residential area.

"My lord, though our planet is humble, we have all the essentials. We've even hired a head chef from the home planet—I'm confident you won't be disappointed."

Lu Cian was genuinely intrigued by this chef. He hadn't yet tasted authentic insect cuisine prepared by a proper chef.

"Is that so? Then I must give it a proper tasting."

Nuo Sen smiled, observing the other's assured demeanor, clearly thought highly of this chef's skills.

Nuo Sen wasn't lying or boasting—this chef was indeed hired from the home planet, and even came from noble lineage.

Though nobles were plentiful on the home planet, this one's family had declined. To sustain his lavish lifestyle, he'd turned to cooking.

Despite being a chef, this one had a remarkably arrogant disposition.