Chapter 65

Chapter 65

The familiar Class-A Male Insect soothing venue—Philo was already quite accustomed to this place.

But as he stepped inside and took in today’s indoor decorations, he couldn’t help but feel his eyes light up.

Yes, *light up*.

Unlike the simple style he had seen during his first visit, or the natural or romantic styles preferred by other male insects, today’s decor could only be described as—*luxurious*!

Indeed, truly luxurious.

Gold-leafed walls, golden ornaments, diamonds, and gemstones—the entire venue was dazzling enough to hurt one's eyes. Even the dais inside seemed to be made of pure gold. The moment Philo entered, the sheer extravagance of the scene made his eyes gleam.

Turning his head, the silver-haired prince glanced at his chief aide, Leslie, and asked in a low voice,

"Which prince is overseeing today’s Psychic Stabilization? With a venue like this… is he sure he won’t find it too glaring?"

This question wasn’t the first time Prince Philo had raised it, but—

"Prince Qi Limei is in charge of today’s Psychic Stabilization. He has always favored this style."

With a light chuckle and a nod, the blonde female stood out even more prominently in such a venue.

Hearing this answer, Philo—who had been too busy and exhausted at the military academy to pay attention to the identity of today’s Class-A Male Insect performing the soothing—paused for a moment.

That name… sounded somewhat familiar.

However, before the silver-haired prince could ponder where he had heard it before, the chime signaling the start of the Psychic Stabilization soon rang out.

At the sound, all the insects in the venue instinctively straightened their expressions and postures, quietly awaiting the male insect’s arrival.

Time passed, second by second.

The chime marking the start of the soothing session had already sounded three times, yet strangely, even as the last echo faded, there was still no sign of footsteps at the venue’s entrance.

Standing on his designated platform, Philo tapped his fingers lightly on the table, glanced at Gore behind him, then at Leslie, who didn’t seem the least bit surprised. Finally, he remembered exactly who this "Prince Qi Limei" was.

Though, if it was this prince, his tardiness wasn’t exactly unexpected.

But being late was one thing—if today this prince decided to pull another last-minute escape…

Looking toward the front platform where several female insects stood, their expressions grim—especially the one in the center bearing the rank of Brigadier General—Philo frowned.

Thanks to his improved physiology and his experience observing other male insects’ soothing sessions, Philo’s control over his own psychic abilities might still be unstable, but his sensitivity to other insects’ psychic disturbances had grown significantly. Particularly those with highly volatile psychic domains.

And from what he could sense now, this unnamed Brigadier General’s psychic domain was as chaotic as a suppressed volcano on the verge of eruption, teetering on the brink of collapse, ready to erupt at any moment.

In that case…

"Philo, Prince Qi Limei might be delayed by something. I’ll go check outside." Gore stepped closer, his voice low.

Looking at him, Philo had no intention of stopping him, but—

"I’ll go with you."

Though Gore was an S-Class Female Insect and didn’t need to worry about a Class-A Male Insect harming him, the other party was still a male insect, and this was still the Male Insect Oversight Committee. If the two clashed, Gore would certainly face consequences.

Hearing Philo’s words, Leslie frowned and instinctively moved to dissuade him.

But before the blonde female could speak, the silver-haired prince and the blue-haired female insect had already risen and headed for the door. Seeing that it was too late to stop them, Leslie hesitated for a moment before quickly following.

The three didn’t wander aimlessly but went straight to the office of today’s duty officer at the Male Insect Oversight Committee. There, they received news that, while not entirely unexpected, was still disappointing.

"Prince Qi Limei had already entered the Male Insect Oversight Committee and was nearly at the soothing venue when he suddenly changed his mind and refused to go. He incapacitated all his attendants and ran off."

Yes, *ran off*.

He’d pulled this stunt before.

Taking a deep breath, Gore fixed his gaze on the officer before him, his voice low.

"Can the Male Insect Oversight Committee contact any other Class-A Male Insect princes on the homeworld right now?"

"Unlikely, for the time being. The Silk Flower Festival is approaching, and many Class-A Male Insect princes have already left for other planets. Among those eligible to perform Psychic Stabilization duties, only Prince Qi Limei—today’s assigned prince—remains on the homeworld."

Bowing apologetically, the officer added,

"Prince Du Dafei had already instructed that Prince Qi Limei’s aircraft not be allowed to land inside or near the Male Insect Oversight Committee premises, to prevent him from taking off again at the last minute."

"Therefore, Prince Qi Limei should still be somewhere within the Committee. General Gore, Prince Philo, if you could wait a little longer, we’ve already dispatched insects to search for Prince Qi Limei."

Indeed, given Qi Limei’s history, Du Dafei had not only ensured the Sakhov Family escorted their prince to the Committee on time but had also taken measures to prevent escape.

Unfortunately, since the male insect couldn’t leave the Committee, he had simply gone to ground inside it.

No matter what, it seemed Qi Limei was resolved to avoid his duties this time.

Hearing this and checking the time, Gore could almost guess the Sakhov Family’s prince’s game.

Even if the Committee’s female insects found him now, with the highest-ranking female present being only Class-A, it would be difficult to truly persuade him to perform his duty.

If the female insect awaiting soothing in the Class-A venue wasn’t in severe distress, they might have been able to overlook it this once, but…

"Philo, I’ll go help search. You wait here for now."

Unsurprisingly, the blue-haired female insect offered again.

Nodding, Philo didn’t stop him.

Watching as Gore swiftly turned and cast out his psychic senses to scan the surroundings, Philo paused only momentarily before heading out as well.

But unlike the others’ random search, the silver-haired prince seemed to have a clear destination.

Soon, the blonde female following close behind him came to a halt in front of a building.

This was… the male insect-exclusive outdoor baths?

Initially puzzled by why Philo had suddenly left, Leslie quickly realized upon seeing the structure.

If there was one place in the Male Insect Oversight Committee where female insects would never venture, this was undoubtedly it.

Even if Prince Du Dafei—currently engaged elsewhere—rushed over now, he would find it difficult to force a male insect out of the bathing area.

Aside from a male insect’s father, any other insect—even another male—would violate the Male Insect Protection Law by doing so.

Understanding the implications, Leslie quickly called out to Philo, who was already stepping inside.

"Your Highness, the bathhouse is an off-limits area. Forcing Prince Qi Limei to leave would be unwise. Moreover, even if Prince Qi Limei refuses to perform his soothing duties, it needn't concern you—"

"I'll be right out. If Gore arrives here later, Leslie, remember to stop him."

Ignoring his chief assistant's advice, the silver-haired Male Insect left a brief message before stepping straight into the bathhouse.

Unlike the opulent A-Class Psychic Soothing facility from earlier, the bathhouse had a standardized design, much like the other structures of the Male Insect Management Committee, prioritizing sophistication and safety.

However, since each Male Insect had their own private bath suite within the building, the interior decor varied significantly among them.

Thus, after connecting his wrist-com to the building's smart control system and verifying his identity, Philo easily located the icon representing the A-Class Male Insects' exclusive bathing chambers. Among them, one stood out—its design excessively lavish and dazzling.

Moreover, this particular chamber was currently in use, indicating that His Highness Qi Limei was likely inside.

*Splish, splash…*

Warm water, mixed with glittering gold flecks, cascaded gently from above, scattering radiant droplets that splashed not only onto the blond Male Insect but also onto the surrounding gilded bath tools.

The already spacious bath suite was further adorned with a floating floral drone that sprinkled golden droplets, while rare and peculiar items were scattered all around.

Cupping a handful of fragrant water, the strikingly handsome Male Insect hummed cheerfully, reveling in his relaxation.

"Who's the prettiest insect? I am the prettiest insect."

"Who's the richest insect? I am the richest insect."

"Who's the happiest insect? Tra la la, of course it's still—"

"Your Highness Qi Limei, His Highness Philo has requested entry. Do you grant permission?"

*Splash!*

The water in his hands abruptly fell back into the pool, and his rising melody came to an abrupt halt.

Turning his head, the Male Insect’s almond-shaped eyes narrowed in displeasure at the voice of the AI attendant by the door. Just as he was about to refuse without hesitation—

"Ugh, fine, let him in."

"Request approved. His Highness Philo, welcome."

The previously cold mechanical tone seemed to brighten slightly upon receiving consent.

Against this backdrop, the silver-haired Male Insect—his appearance a striking contrast to the blond—stepped calmly yet curiously into the space exclusively belonging to Qi Limei.

This was, in fact, the first time another Male Insect had entered here besides Qi Limei himself.

However—

"Philo, right? You’re here… don’t tell me you’re also trying to drag me into performing Psychic Soothing for those female insects?"

Without any pleasantries, the blond Male Insect asked bluntly, not even bothering to turn around.

In response, Philo glanced at the extravagant furnishings before replying honestly.

"Yes."

"Figures."

Laughing, the blond Male Insect tilted his head back, finally deigning to turn and look at the newcomer making waves.

After scrutinizing Philo’s face, his brows arched slightly, his gaze lingering with something akin to approval before he smirked.

"Do you think that just because we Male Insects enjoy privileges, we should also pay our dues?"

The question was sharp and incisive.

Equally unflinching, Philo’s amethyst eyes met the blond’s mocking gaze with calm directness.

As their eyes locked, Qi Limei’s smirk turned razor-sharp.

"Hey, Your Highness Philo."

"You’re drop-dead gorgeous, and I’d hate to see a pretty insect like you kick the bucket prematurely for no good reason. So, let me give you some advice."

"The Male Insect Management Committee’s waters run deeper than you think. We’re both A-Class Male Insects—if you don’t want to die too soon or too pointlessly, you’d better not foolishly follow that fossil Du Dafei’s example."

Admittedly, this was the first time since arriving in the insect race that Philo had heard a Male Insect refer to His Highness Du Dafei in such a manner.

After all, Du Dafei’s reputation was impeccable among both Male and Female Insects.

Rather than remain standing, Philo pulled up a jewel-inlaid chair beside the bath and sat down, observing the most attractive Male Insect he’d encountered since arriving in the capital.

"The waters run deeper? Are you referring to the fact that the lifespan of A-Class Male Insects is far shorter than the officially disclosed data?"

"…"

Silence.

A heavy, uneasy silence.

Qi Limei’s smirk remained iced over, his deliberately cryptic tone still lingering in the air—but his phoenix eyes had widened so much they nearly turned round.

*Heck—*

*How does this make sense?*

*Isn’t this guy supposed to be some wide-eyed, clueless backwater hick?*

*He only vaguely hinted at it, right? How did this guy just blurt out the key detail? Did Yi Jia Fa tell him?*

*No way!*

*That old fool is half-senile, and he’s from the previous generation—there’s no way he noticed this.*

"How do you know?!"

No longer in the mood for a leisurely soak, the blond Male Insect’s face was now etched with rare astonishment.

In response, Philo glanced at his chrono and replied softly,

"Your Highness Qi Limei, today a Female Insect Major urgently requires Psychic Soothing. Without it, she may suffer a Psychic Breakdown."

"In exchange, if you first provide preliminary soothing to the female insects in the Soothing Center, I’ll answer your question. Deal?"

*How about it?*

Originally assuming Philo was ignorant of the truth and thus so eager to push him into performing Psychic Soothing, Qi Limei now stared at the silver-haired Male Insect in complete disbelief.

*Wait—if you already know how severely Psychic Soothing affects Male Insects, why are you still trying to help those female insects?*

*Are you off your rocker?*

Glancing around—up, down, left, right—Qi Limei truly just couldn’t figure out Philo's thoughts.

As the one under scrutiny, Philo remained as calm as ever, patiently waiting for the other's response.

The two of them stared each other down in silence for a moment before, ultimately, Qi Limei stood up.

After all, if he’d tried any other approach—whether verbal humiliation, provocation, or even physical confrontation—Qi Limei would most likely have ignored him.

But of course, he’d gone and mentioned *that*.

Qi Limei scoffed. "Fine."

"I’d like to see just how you found out about this."

Author's Note:

Apologies, everyone. I had something come up today, so the update is a bit short. I’ll make it up to you all once I’ve handled things. [❤️]