Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Unlike the Psychic Soothing of other A-Class Male Insects, especially those of older male insects, His Highness Qi Limei, whose psychic rank is the closest to A+ among A-Class Male Insects, deliberately reduced the intensity and duration of his psychic output.

But—

The bloodshot veins around his gradually reddening pupils began to fade. The unconscious bulging veins also slowly receded beneath his skin.

His furrowed brows relaxed, and the female insect major-general, who had practically been dragged into the Male Insect Management Committee, finally bowed gratefully to His Highness Qi Limei before calmly exiting the Psychic Soothing venue.

At this moment, many female insects exhibited the same relieved demeanor.

Though they knew the male insect had deliberately arrived late and had been reluctant throughout the process, all the female insects who received Psychic Soothing still lowered their heads in respectful gratitude.

However, while most female insects in the venue looked up gratefully at Qi Limei on the high platform, a few pairs of eyes lingered on another figure.

Staring at His Highness Philo, whether it was the members of the Male Insect Management Committee who knew Qi Limei better or Gore, who had failed to locate Qi Limei earlier, all wore complex expressions as they observed the Silver-Haired Male Insect.

Earlier, despite their frantic search for His Highness Qi Limei—though Gore’s psychic energy had quickly pinpointed his location—they had been helpless when faced with the male insect inside the bathhouse, even as the female insects in the Psychic Soothing venue neared near-violent distress.

They had already considered asking other B-Class Male Insects from the committee to attempt a brief soothing, but no one expected that, at the last moment, the reluctant Blond Male Insect would voluntarily follow Philo out.

Yes, voluntarily.

Without oversight from the Male Insect Management Committee or urging from his sire.

This male insect, who had always gone to great lengths to shirk his Psychic Soothing responsibilities, had hidden in the bathing area today—yet he had ultimately emerged on his own and even agreed to perform Psychic Soothing on the female insects.

This was completely out of character for His Highness Qi Limei. Thus, it was likely because of… Glancing at Philo, the committee members exchanged meaningful glances.

Though they could guess that His Highness Philo had persuaded His Highness Qi Limei, what truly baffled them was how he had managed it.

After all, Qi Limei was an A-Class Male Insect. Even if Philo was also a male insect, Qi Limei wouldn't have deferred to him. Beyond leveraging their shared status, they couldn’t fathom what other method His Highness Philo had used to convince him.

With this in mind, the insects once again turned their gazes toward the Silver-Haired Male Insect.

However, the male insect, sensing the stares from behind, seemed unusually disinclined to acknowledge them.

Soon, Qi Limei’s abbreviated Psychic Soothing session concluded.

Ignoring all the insects—whether those bowing to him or those watching him nervously—Qi Limei simply arched an eyebrow at Philo and said,

"Well, I did what you asked. Now it’s your turn."

His turn?

Did he mean His Highness Philo?

Had Philo promised Qi Limei some outlandish condition in exchange for his compliance?

At this thought, the chairman of the Male Insect Management Committee—who had already notified His Highness Du Dafei but was still awaiting his delayed arrival—moved to intervene in their conversation. But Philo spoke first.

"Let’s talk somewhere else."

"Fine."

"Wait—"

For the first time since Philo had led Qi Limei out of the bathhouse, the blue-haired female insect, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.

Gazing at the visibly impatient Qi Limei, the female insect—with deep blue hair and eyes—had an expression as inscrutable as the deep sea, her gaze as calm as the ocean’s surface yet concealing turbulent undercurrents.

Unlike other female insects, Gore was exceptional in the eyes of all male insects.

This uniqueness wasn’t just due to her lineage, background, or psychic rank, but because she was one who genuinely prioritized the collective interests of the Insect Alliance above her own.

In short, while Gore also respected male insects, her respect was conditional—reserved only for those who dutifully fulfilled their obligations and upheld the Alliance’s interests.

Thus, for Qi Limei at least, no matter how striking Gore’s appearance, how high her psychic rank, or how prestigious her background, she would never be a candidate for his primary mate.

After all, she was a female insect with a heart too hard, too cold.

Like polar ice beneath the sea, what mattered most to her was always the Alliance she had sworn to protect, her supreme principles, and her unyielding moral code.

Such a female insect might make a good friend, colleague, or leader… but never a primary mate.

But was that truly the case?

"Should I come with you?"

Looking at Philo—at the Silver-Haired Male Insect who had somehow persuaded Qi Limei—Gore offered to join them.

Hearing this, Qi Limei’s lips curled slightly as he observed the rare show of emotion in the female insect’s usually icy eyes. Before Philo could respond, he answered first.

"Sure, I don’t mind."

"In fact, anyone who wants to listen can come along."

Then, sweeping his gaze over the surrounding insects, the Blond Male Insect’s eyes gleamed with barely concealed spite.

But the more he acted this way, the more worried the onlookers became, their concerned eyes fixed on Philo.

Among them, Leslie was the first to speak immediately.

"Your Highness, I’ll join as well."

"Your Highnesses, if it’s convenient, I’d also like to listen."

"Your Highness, me too."

"Your Highness—"

"No."

Before the committee’s female insects could finish voicing their requests, the Silver-Haired Male Insect turned, his expression uncommonly severe.

"No one is to follow. No one is to listen."

Then, he met the gaze of the blue-haired female insect who had remained by his side and repeated,

"Gore, that includes you."

This was no joke, no casual dismissal.

The intensity in the Silver-Haired Male Insect’s gaze was unmistakable.

Her breath caught slightly, the blue-haired female insect’s eyes darkened—clearly disagreeing.

Yet, under the weight of those violet eyes, she finally lowered her gaze and said no more.

Seeing this, Qi Limei let out a scoff, crossing his arms as he walked forward casually.

"You're really too good to these female insects."

What... did that mean?

Exchanging glances, the female insects clearly didn’t understand.

But they followed Qi Limei.

At this moment, it seemed Philo no longer wanted to explain anything either.

Leaving all the female insects waiting outside, inside Qi Limei’s personal chambers, Philo entered and dropped casually into an overstuffed chair.

But before he could even get a good look at the size and glitter of the gemstones embedded in the armrests, the golden-haired female insect snapped impatiently.

"Hey, hurry up and talk. Don’t waste my time dawdling. How exactly did you find out that the A-Class Male Insect lifespan announced by the Male Insect Management Committee was doctored?"

After speaking, Qi Limei crowded closer to Philo and asked suspiciously,

"Could it be that old fool Du Dafei told you? But that doesn’t make sense—when he realized I knew the truth, he even threatened me to keep my mouth shut. There’s no way he’d willingly tell you. Or are you—"

Before the blond male insect could offer more wild theories, Philo, having surveyed the opulent surroundings, looked directly at him and said,

"I guessed."

"..."

A difficult problem, one that piqued your interest, one you were desperate to solve. Sometimes, the answer itself might not be as important—after all, the process of solving it could be fascinating enough.

Just like Qi Limei, who, in his quest for answers, had even gone so far as to use his own psychic power to perform Psychic Soothing on a female insect.

And precisely because of this process, the male insect, already consumed by curiosity, was eagerly awaiting the final answer.

But—

Guessed?

Hahaha, guessed.

He said he guessed!

Tilting his head back, the blond male insect’s smile deepened, as if amused by this answer. But the next moment—

*Bang!*

The sound of a gilded ornament crashing to the floor rang out. Though gold was soft, its weight was undeniable.

Thus, watching the shattered crystal scatter across the floor, Philo lifted his gaze, unsurprised by the male insect’s reaction.

"Are you messing with me?!"

His brows darkening, the blond male insect’s expression turned vicious, all traces of his earlier amusement gone.

Facing this version of Qi Limei, Philo remained unmoved and unruffled, calmly continuing his explanation.

"One of the privileges of male insects in the Male Insect Management Committee is access to their internal network, where all registered male insects—including those who have passed—are listed."

"And as A-Class Male Insects, we have an additional privilege: access to the basic information of all male insects on that list, including their names, ages, ranks... and birth dates."

Yes, only birth dates—no death dates.

Even though the Alliance claimed it was to prevent social unrest by sealing off such information, the fact that even male insects—especially High-level male insects who could clearly feel their own decline with each use of psychic energy—were kept in the dark seemed excessive.

Moreover, if the Male Insect Management Committee had already bluntly informed adult male insects about the cost of Psychic Soothing, then hiding this particular piece of information seemed entirely unnecessary.

"Excluding Low-class Male Insects, even if we only calculate the birth dates of A-Class Male Insects and cross-reference them with the years their social activities ceased, along with the corresponding data provided by the Male Insect Management Committee on their internal network, it’s not hard to spot discrepancies."

"Not to mention, the data the Committee provided was outdated by years. Given the current, much lower birth rate of male insects and the widening gender imbalance ratio among our kind, we can calculate the potential lifespan cost of each Psychic Soothing session using historical data and formulas..."

While Philo admittedly wasn’t well-versed in astrophysics, as a scientifically-trained mind, he still understood statistical analysis.

Reasoning this way, the silver-haired male insect patiently explained his reasoning in the simplest terms possible. Unfortunately, while Philo spoke earnestly, Qi Limei listened with growing...

What in the world?

Staring at this uncommonly attractive silver-haired male insect before him, the blond male insect truly couldn’t comprehend what he was so seriously trying to explain.

It sounded... scientific enough, with all these formulas and numbers—quite convincing, really.

But—

Was he hearing this right? This guy was saying he’d deduced this conclusion purely by compiling fragmented data?

Since when were male insects able to accomplish something like this?

Wasn’t this the kind of thing Tech Insects specialized in?

Just how was this guy’s mind structured?

His eyes widening, his anger gradually subsiding, Qi Limei instead stared at Philo with a strange, unreadable expression.

Meeting his gaze, Philo wrapped up his explanation.

"Given the current gender ratio and the Military Female Insects recruitment expansion, if A-Class Male Insects fully perform every Psychic Soothing duty, their projected lifespan is about fifty years."

Admittedly, compared to the earlier flood of statistics, this concise conclusion was much easier to digest.

Sinking back into his seat, the blond male insect ignored the shattered crystal at his feet, casually picking up a glass from the nearby bar.

Most insects had a fondness for alcohol—male insects especially, and Qi Limei most of all.

Like the drink in his hand: clear and transparent, gleaming with deep amber tones. When swirled, the liquid clinging to the glass seemed as luxurious as molten gold.

Such fine, expensive liquor would surely delight anyone who drank it.

Throwing his head back, the blond male insect drained the glass—worth tens of thousands of stellar credits—in one go. Soon, his pale complexion began to flush faintly, mirroring the hue of the alcohol.

The liquor burned through his veins, the drink stoking his emotions.

Curling his lips, the blond male insect bared his teeth in a grin, muttering the last words the silver-haired male insect had spoken.

"Fifty years..."

"Fifty years."

"Hahahaha, fifty years."

His beautiful eyes nearly glistening with mirthful tears, as if he’d heard some uproarious joke or learned some absurd revelation, the male insect’s golden pupils constricted and expanded before at last—

The glass was shattered, the bar overturned, and the Blond Insect turned to glare at Philo, fists clenched.

"By what right?!"

"Just because I've enjoyed these luxuries? But did they ever give me a choice?"

"Those damned bloodsuckers—they bred us like cattle, and now they have the gall to come and exploit us with self-righteous fury. Do they really think we should just accept their arrangements without question?!"

Squinting, Qi Limei snorted derisively.

"If I had a choice, I’d rather not have these so-called privileges. But did they ever give me one?"

"At the end of the day, I’m just afraid of death. I just want to live. What do I care if those damned females die? I never begged for their privileges—if they have the guts, they can take them all back!"

Yes, the fate of male insects was decided at birth.

The female insects had raised the males since their childhood, so they could serve their purpose upon adulthood. This exchange might seem fair to most of the insect race, but there would always be some male insects unwilling to accept this exchange.

Looking at Qi Limei, at this rebellious male, Philo remained silent, simply watching him calmly.

Meeting Philo’s gaze, the Blond Insect curled his lips and retorted instead.

"What, you think there’s something wrong with my way of thinking too? That I’m too selfish?"

Selfish?

Perhaps. Compared to other male insects who, to varying degrees, considered the bigger picture, the Blond Insect’s thoughts were undeniably self-serving.

But—

"Our society is an extreme one."

Looking at Qi Limei, at this male insect scorned by most, Philo’s voice was soft, his words unhurried, as if carefully considering how to answer.

"In such a social environment, nearly every insect has their own inescapable realities. When it comes to the choice of life, I respect sacrifice, but I also understand survival."

Yes, the choice to sacrifice for the collective was admirable, but some male insects simply wanted to live—a basic instinct most intelligent creatures could comprehend.

Hearing this answer, the Blond Insect’s eyes flickered with surprise, his emotions calming slightly at the subtle show of understanding in Philo’s words.

But then—

"However..." The Silver-Haired Male Insect’s gaze darkened, his words seemingly unfinished.

Under the Blond Insect’s waiting gaze, Philo paused before continuing.

"This is an extreme society, but at the same time, the insect race is now facing an extreme era."

"In times of peace, perhaps a choice like yours, Your Highness, wouldn’t matter little. But while reviewing data on male insects, I also examined the military females' recent combat reports and the conditions of female insects seeking Psychic Soothing."

"Currently, the proportion of high-level Military Females is declining sharply—just like the lifespan of male insects—though this has not been publicly announced. This has led to a significant increase in the casualty rate on the border planets."

"Though I haven’t yet found records on the number and movements of Star Beasts in the border star systems, Your Highness, what male insects should resent most is not the female insects, but the external enemy."

After all, the chaos in the female insects’ mental domains wasn’t caused by anything unrelated to male insects. And if Star Beasts ever breached the border star systems, it would mean real catastrophe for all our kind.

Thus, though it might seem unfairly harsh to high-level male insects, the Alliance currently had no other choice.

Finishing his words, Philo softened his voice slightly as he watched the Blond Insect’s expression grow colder—as if speaking more to himself than to the other.

"Shared sacrifice for home and nation."

"To still be able to protect one’s nation, one’s home… perhaps that is already..."

Perhaps what?

Qi Limei didn’t listen further, and Philo didn’t continue.

Staring at the Silver-Haired Male Insect before him, the Blond Insect clenched his fists, his eyes regaining their initial cold mask.

He had thought this was an insect like him.

After all, in terms of psychic level, the two of them were the closest among male insects.

In fact, it was precisely because of his high psychic awareness that Qi Limei had quickly realized something was wrong after doing Psychic Soothing work for a few years.

Du Dafei had tried to deceive him, but in the end, failed.

And so far, apart from Philo, Qi Limei hadn’t found any other male insects of their generation who knew the truth. The moment he discovered it, the Alliance had slapped him with a top-level gag order.

When called in for reprimand, Qi Limei had sneered but accepted the order without resistance.

After all, whether others knew or not didn't concern him.

But he hadn’t expected another young male insect to figure it out so quickly.

Gazing at Philo, Qi Limei’s eyes darkened.

Unlike himself, this insect was in a position to challenge the Male Insect Management Committee—after all, he had never been raised on females' support.

But now, it seemed this one was...

"Since you already know the truth, are you really going to willingly give your life for those female insects’ lives?"

Ignoring Philo’s earlier lecture, the Blond Insect got straight to his final and most urgent question.

And this question...

Meeting Qi Limei’s gaze, Philo’s expression remained unchanged.

"As long as I remain Philo Tulas, I am willing."

"But Your Highness, this isn’t about trading one’s life for female insects’ lives. Every male and female insect involved in this process is giving part of their lives for the survival of the entire insect race."

High-level male insects saw their lifespans cut short, but high-level Military Females on the battlefield suffered heavy losses—those who survived faced constant agony from mental domain chaos.

The Alliance's prosperity relied entirely on those who shouldered the burden.

Hearing this, Qi Limei had heard enough to understand the choice of this male insect from the Tulas family.

Heh. The Alliance really had found themselves a martyr.

With a cold laugh, the Blond Insect said nothing more, only muttering.

"How noble of you."

Selfless...

Hearing this, the Silver-Haired Male Insect clenched his fist, but looked away.

Philo was indeed selfless toward the insect race.

But he was not.

He never was.

This private exchange between the two male insects was brief.

Yet, whether it was the crowd of insects waiting outside or Du Dafei, who had finally received the news and was rushing to the Committee, time seemed to crawl for everyone.

Fortunately, when Gore glanced at his communicator for the third time, the door to the males' lounge finally opened.

Turning around, the blue-haired female insect instantly found the silver-haired male's gaze.

Their gazes met, and Philo smiled, seeming unchanged from before he had entered.

But recalling Qi Limei's earlier words, the Committee representative, who had received a message from His Highness Du Dafei, approached to ask whether Philo had anything he needed to convey to them.

The insect who asked this clearly assumed Philo would have something to say.

But—

"Nothing. That should wrap things up for today, so I'll take my leave now."

He said nothing.

Left no words behind.

Nodding, Philo strode straight out of the Male Insect Management Committee, Gore following—

But as the silver-haired male insect was about to board his aircraft on the steps, a pair of rough hands seized his slender wrist.

Their eyes met, and the blue eyes seemed to deepen. Staring at Philo, Gore, overstepping for the first time, asked,

"Philo."

"Are you in trouble?"