Chapter 129

Chapter 129

Fan Weituo, now a lieutenant colonel on the verge of promotion to colonel, had a brilliant career ahead. Should he be tainted by the stain of treasonous consorting, he would face death, exile, or, if his Male Consort was benevolent enough, be ransomed.

But none of these outcomes were favorable. Even if he survived, he would be broken, or condemned to the living death of a bondservant.

For a proud and ambitious warrior-caste like Fan Weituo, becoming a bondservant was a fate worse than death.

Even if Fan Weituo was no longer blindly loyal to Male Consorts, he still had to consider his own future and remain vigilant. Otherwise, his only option would be to become a Space Pirate.

Yet, becoming a Space Pirate was no better than abandoning the Empire and defecting to the Federation. At least the Federation treated warrior-castes less brutally than the Empire did...

The moment this thought crossed his mind, Fan Weituo broke into a cold sweat.

Yet, once the seed of an idea was planted, it would inevitably take root, draw sustenance, and grow uncontrollably.

"Fan Weituo, what’s wrong with you lately? You keep pacing around the room every day—it’s making my head spin," Ximeno complained irritably.

Among the Insectfolk Lu Cian had brought along, there was one particularly skilled at designing games. Since Ximeno was bored on the ship, this individual had created several different games for him.

Ximeno eagerly dove right in the moment he got his hands on them.

Though they weren’t full-immersion, the graphics were exquisite, the production quality was high, and there was even a game about raising a young master. The cute cartoon designs were so adorable that not only did Ximeno love them, but many of the warrior-castes on the ship did too—even Fan Weituo got hooked for days.

But after the initial excitement of the games wore off, Fan Weituo was once again reminded of their dire situation.

They were barred from the bridge, their comms had no signal, and they had no idea where they were. Fan Weituo had a growing suspicion that wherever Nair Inan was taking them, it spelled trouble for them.

His dread mounted by the day, and unable to control his emotions, he paced restlessly in his room—until he finally annoyed Ximeno.

Fan Weituo shot Ximeno an apologetic look. "I’m sorry, Male Consort. Being confined in the room every day has made me restless."

Ximeno, who had once loved going out, now found staying in with his favorite games quite enjoyable. "If you’re bored, you can play games too," he suggested.

Fan Weituo wasn’t as laid-back as Ximeno. Unable to hold back any longer, he ventured, "Male Consort, since Lu Cian has been keeping us away from the bridge, aren’t you curious about where we are now?"

Ximeno didn’t even look up, still engrossed in his game. "What's the point? When we arrive, Lu Cian will come get us."

Fan Weituo pressed, "Male Consort, why don’t you go take a look in the bridge?"

Ximeno couldn't be bothered. "I don’t know how to fly a ship. What’s the point of going there?"

Frustrated, Fan Weituo laid his cards on the table. "Male Consort, I want to go see. Can you take me?"

At this, Ximeno finally looked up at him—then firmly shook his head. "No."

Fan Weituo was stunned. His Male Consort was usually so easygoing—why was he refusing so decisively this time? "Why not?"

Ximeno explained, "Lu Cian already knew you’d try to cause trouble, so he specifically told me to keep a close eye on you."

Fan Weituo: "..."

Dear Male Consort, you’re really about to be sold off and still help count the money!

Fan Weituo fumed inwardly. Just how much charm did that Lu Cian possess to have his Male Consort completely snowed like this?

Seeing that his Male Consort was no help, Fan Weituo gave up on persuasion and brooded on the couch instead. With no outlet for his anger, he opened a star war game and vented his frustration by wreaking havoc in the virtual world.

Perhaps out of spite toward Ximeno, Fan Weituo didn’t mute the game’s sound effects. The constant blaster fire and detonations were no different from an ear-splitting racket.

Yet despite Fan Weituo’s tantrum—acting out so disrespectfully—Ximeno remained oddly tolerant. In fact, he was rather pleased with himself for following Lu Cian’s orders so well.

When the ship was about to land, Lu Cian came to notify Ximeno. Finally freed from his confinement, Fan Weituo rushed to the bridge—only to nearly saw red at the sight of the star map on the screen.

He had known Nair Inan was up to no good, and that he had convinced Lu Cian to collude with his Male Consort to keep him trapped. But he hadn’t expected things to be this bad.

They had actually come to the Dodas Planet—how dare they!

Didn’t they know Dodas was the Empire’s prison planet?

Most of the Insectfolk on Dodas were "last remnants" of "traitorous" tribes. The Emperor, in his so-called mercy, had decreed that the sins of the tribal leaders should not extend to their people.

Though these tribesmen refused to renounce their heritage, still clinging to their clan honor and unwilling to repent, the Emperor, pitying their ignorance and delusion, had deigned to give them a chance at a new life.

Instead of imprisoning them, he had relocated them to a planet where they could start anew.

The Empire’s Insectfolk, unaware of the truth, praised the Emperor’s mercy, believing he was being extraordinarily kind to these stubborn rebels—who, in their eyes, were ungrateful and wicked for not appreciating his generosity.

But what the Insectfolk didn’t know was that the Emperor’s so-called "new life" was merely a gilded cage. Physical suffering was nothing compared to the psychological torment inflicted upon them.

Aside from the Male Consorts, who lived relatively comfortable lives, the warrior-castes wore inhibitor rings and were forced to watch recordings of their fellow tribesmen being tortured. Whenever they grew enraged and tried to fight back, the rings’ electric currents would render them powerless.

Dodas had Male Consorts, but their delicate constitutions couldn’t endure such suffering.

At first, many hot-headed young masters had endured the hardship before eventually regretting their defiance. Through the garrisoned troops, quite a few had left.

The Male Consorts who remained were those with unbreakable bonds to their tribes—iron-willed and steadfast, but few in number.

Most of them were older Male Consorts. The younger or middle-aged ones who stayed were usually of lower rank, knowing that leaving Dodas wouldn’t grant them a better life.

Nair Inan might be disappointed when he rescued these Insectfolk and saw their condition.

On the ship—

"Brother Nan, won’t we be recognized if we land so openly?"

Nair Inan: "It’s fine. This ship belongs to Ximeno."

Lu Cian nearly did a spit-take.

Who knew Brother Nan could be so savage when he opened his mouth?

No wonder they hadn’t taken the larger ship and had switched to this medium-sized one instead—they had planned to frame Ximeno from the start!

Lu Cian stroked his chin. He had actually considered the same idea before, feeling a bit guilty since Ximeno was his friend. After all, Ximeno had already been so good to him—it didn’t feel right to keep exploiting him.

He hadn’t brought it up, only to find out this ship had been Ximeno’s all along.

This was... Well, Lu Cian suddenly felt a perverse satisfaction at being on the same wavelength as Brother Nan.

Dodas rarely received visitors. The usual resupply vessels had been delayed due to the Empire’s war with the Star Beasts.

But that didn’t mean no Male Consorts ever visited Dodas out of boredom for kicks.

The female guard noticed a medium-sized spacecraft boldly piercing through the atmosphere and landing directly at the docking point. Combined with the spacecraft's peculiar aesthetic, she guessed it must be another curious young lord.

The captain of the guard team on Planet Dodas stood outside the spacecraft, respectfully welcoming the passengers aboard.

The first to step out of the spacecraft was naturally Ximeno.

Ximeno was a male, the most privileged caste, and of a higher rank than Lu Cian.

Naturally, Lu Cian followed beside Ximeno; slightly behind was Fan Weituo, and then came Nair Inan.

If not for Nair Inan's current conspicuous position as a "female slave," Lu Cian would have definitely let him walk first.

The captain saluted and said respectfully, "Good day, my lord."

Seeing the captain only salute him, Ximeno rolled his eyes impatiently. These guards were so unobservant—no wonder they were only good enough for guard duty.

"Are you blind? Can't you see there's a fellow male here with me?"

The captain was shocked. He tried to sense his presence and realized the insect next to this lord was indeed another sir. He quickly apologized, "My deepest apologies, my lords! I failed to recognize you—it's my fault. Please punish me!"

Ximeno disliked hitting insects—it was messy, bloody work, and tiring at that... among other inconveniences. His usual punishment was making them kneel.

However, Lu Cian wasn't the type to hold grudges. In the past, he had acted like a male to avoid exposure. Now, with his status and Ximeno as a foil, Lu Cian didn't mind playing the part of a good-natured male. It could even earn the goodwill of these female soldiers and put them at ease.

Lu Cian patted Ximeno's shoulder, telling him not to be so angry. "It's fine, just a small matter. No need to punish them."

Since Lu Cian spoke, Ximeno naturally agreed.

Avoiding punishment, the captain looked at Lu Cian with gratitude. He noticed this lord not only had a good temper but was also exceptionally handsome. His face flushed slightly, and he felt even more guilty for failing to recognize his identity earlier.

"My lords, this way please."

Males who visited Planet Dodas usually came to see these "rebels" and mock the miserable lives of the males here.

Males weren't exactly united in camaraderie—some enjoyed seeing others worse off than themselves, even taking pleasure in it.

Of course, some were just curious—about what these "rebels" looked like or why some males chose to stay.

The captain didn't know the purpose of these two, but he assumed they also wanted to see the males here.

"Would you gentlemen like to rest first or perhaps chat with the sirs here?"

The captain asked. Ximeno remained silent, but Lu Cian spoke up, "We're not here for the males."

Ximeno chimed in beside him, "Exactly! We're not here for the males—we're here for the females."