Chapter 73

Chapter 73

"Currently, there are five insect fatalities in this incident, with 146 critically injured and 73 with minor injuries. The number of missing… is two."

"As the final footage from the recorder shows, His Highness Fei Luo… ultimately offered himself as bait to lure away all the star beasts, including the S-Class star beast. Therefore, apart from the deaths of five C-class Military Females and the disappearance of one A-class command Military Female, all other Military Females involved in this incident are currently no longer in immediate danger."

Yes, out of danger.

Due to the insectkind's advanced medical technology, shortly after the star beasts departed, the nearest military unit to the Kalms Military Academy's warship arrived at the scene and immediately transported all the injured into medical capsules.

Many of the critically wounded Military Females, though unable to make full recoveries immediately even after being placed in the medical capsules, at least had their lives preserved, with the opportunity for further treatment at advanced medical centers later.

It can be said that, apart from those confirmed dead or missing before the troops arrived, all the insects from Kalms Military Academy who participated in the training exercise, despite suffering severe injuries, ultimately faced no major issues—except for…

Crack—

A premium mineral cup from the planet Alkand was gripped so tightly that cracks appeared. The liquid inside silently leaked out, soaking the dry tabletop. The translucent fluid left a stark dark stain, but—

None looked down.

Not even the Military Female who had crushed the cup paid attention to the shards in her palm. Instead, she continued staring at the now-frozen holographic display.

Unlike the scene at the beginning of the footage, the once well-equipped, imposing insect warship, which had seemed invincible even in the vastness of space, now had its midsection nearly severed in half. Countless pieces of metal and equipment floated freely, no longer restrained by the now-failing gravitational stabilizers.

This warship resembled a bar of soap dissolving in liquid. All the insectkind, both on and off the screen, watched as this "soap" gradually disintegrated, shattered, and ultimately vanished.

Because… it had become meaningless.

From the moment His Highness boarded the escape pod, from the moment he disappeared beyond the warship’s detection range, from the moment the entire ship could no longer locate him—this warship had perhaps already lost its reason for existence.

Fei Luo was missing.

After watching the entire footage, all the insectkind present could finally provide a definitive answer to the rampant speculation on the StarNet about His Highness’s disappearance.

They had finally confirmed the truth of His Highness’s disappearance and pieced together the events leading up to it.

Fists clenched, the senior Military Female with salt-and-pepper hair—the Legion Commander of the Second Army—felt his throat constrict despite having witnessed countless disappearances and casualties of young Military Females over the years.

Indeed, from the moment any insectkind enrolled in a military academy, regardless of which academy they attended, their specialization, or whether they held military status, they had to be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for the Alliance at any time.

This was the commitment every Military Female must embrace upon deciding to join a military academy. It was the responsibility they bore for wearing their uniforms.

And as long as they died for the Alliance, for the insectkind, the Insect God would claim their souls, the Alliance would remember their names, and their families would be cared for.

Military Females, whether decades ago or now, have always enjoyed superior treatment. Even as mere cadets, the funds allocated to them annually by the Alliance far exceeded those of any other institution.

So, young Highness, you mustn't grieve for the casualties of the Military Females.

Every insect’s life must one day reach the end of the universe. If they perished while protecting a male insect, no matter where their souls were lost in the cosmos, the Insect God would guide them to the hallowed resting grounds of all insectkind.

There, their souls would find eternity, and their contributions would be celebrated.

We will meet them again.

So, young Highness, you truly mustn't grieve.

You need not concern yourself with the safety of Military Females.

You need not stop in your tracks for them.

And you certainly need not sacrifice yourself for them.

After all, the future of the Alliance may balance on a knife's edge, or rest in the hands of male insects—but it has never depended on Military Females.

So, young Highness, you need not—and should not—have traded your life for the survival of this ship’s Military Females.

It was unworthy. Truly, unworthy.

Without lowering her gaze or shifting her focus, the Old Female Insect kept her eyes fixed on the holographic display as she slowly, slowly clenched her fists—then—

"General Zhousha, Fei Luo…"

What of Fei Luo?

Opening his mouth, the blunt Military Female who had worked alongside General Zhousha for decades seemed to want to say something but hesitated, unsure if he should.

Though they had watched the entire footage and understood the full circumstances of His Highness’s disappearance, the expressions of all the Military Females present remained grim.

Yes, the crowd that had been clamoring for explanations moments ago had now received them. Unfortunately, the answers were far from what they had expected.

After all, while His Highness Fei Luo was indeed missing, he had chosen—when he could have escaped safely alone—to serve as bait to lure away all the star beasts and protect the Military Females.

Such an outcome, such a choice—little wonder none of them had anticipated it. No wonder none of them could accept it.

Yes, they could not accept it.

How could they? What were they supposed to accept?

The escape pod Fei Luo had piloted had only one advantage: its speed in navigating space. It lacked heavy armaments, defenses capable of withstanding an S-Class star beast’s attacks, or anything beyond standard emergency provisions.

And yet, he had faced an S-Class star beast—a threat even A-Class Female Insects could do nothing against. What were the odds he was still alive now?

Fists clenched, he lowered his gaze.

No one dared to voice the final conclusion. No one wanted to. Just as now, all of them defaulted to labeling Fei Luo’s status as "missing" rather than…

Silence continued to spread.

At this moment, none demanded explanations. In fact, no one could provide any.

Even as the StarNet and reality alike roared with demands for the truth behind His Highness’s disappearance, the group that had arrived in haste—urging General Zhousha, His Highness’s biological mother, to explain—now fell into silence one after another.

How could they explain?

How could they possibly convey such a truth to the public?

……

Their downcast eyes were clouded with unspoken thoughts. These Military Females, who held most of the high-ranking military and political positions in the insectkind and had handled countless crisis situations, now stood paralyzed.

Or perhaps they knew what needed to be done next—what was best to do—but… how could they raise the matter with General Zhousha now?

"The public trust of the Alliance government cannot be eroded, and the impact of His Highness Fei Luo’s disappearance must not escalate further. In accordance with the Alliance’s Emergency Incident Protocol, General Zhousha, please hand over this footage to the Alliance’s Public Information Office so they can promptly issue an official statement regarding His Highness’s attack."

A low voice finally broke the silence.

The Senior Speaker gazed steadily at the stoic Legion Commander across from him. After a pause, he continued, expanding on his directive.

"Although there are no past handling protocols for the disappearance of His Highness the male insect, as a precaution and for the sake of the stability of the Alliance society, I suggest that both the administrative and military departments prepare in advance for the possibility that if His Highness cannot be found within three months, or if what we recover is only... His Highness's remains, the Alliance should have a public appeasement plan and a funeral plan for His Highness—"

"I object."

Before the Senior Speaker could finish his well-reasoned statement, the female insects listening had already involuntarily furrowed their brows.

Indeed, according to the Alliance's principle of prudent preparation for major incidents, whenever an event potentially threatening societal stability arises, both the administrative and military departments habitually prepare contingency plans in advance to ensure normal social order.

Yet, even though this is the standard procedure for all unexpected events, even though they too are considering whether to prepare for the worst-case scenario, and even though most of them, after watching the video, believe the chances of His Highness Fei Luo's survival are nearly nonexistent...

Even so, even if some things should be stated plainly and some preparations made in advance, not all insects can truly remain rational in doing so. Moreover, this time is somewhat different.

Have male insects encountered accidents before?

Yes, though up to now, the number of male insects involved in such incidents can be counted on one hand; they have indeed occurred.

Thus, the few female insects present who have handled other male insect incidents should, in theory, find the usual handling procedures for such events less difficult to accept compared to others.

But unfortunately, this time is indeed different.

Yes, different.

Silence. The female insects did not specify how it was different, perhaps because the difference lies not with them, but with the male insect involved this time.

After all, a male insect who chose to protect female insects at the cost of his own safety—up to now, perhaps those present have only ever encountered this one.

Yes, they have only seen this one so far.

And yet, it is precisely this one who met with misfortune.

Precisely him...

Throats tightened, vocal cords trembled. Some wanted to oppose the Senior Speaker's proposal, some wanted to suggest waiting a bit longer, not rushing into such worst-case preparations. But before the hesitant could voice these clearly irregular thoughts, the word "object" had already echoed through the hall.

And the one who uttered it was... Shang Ling.

Shang Ling of the Qi Mengtu family, the Shang Ling personally mentored by the Senior Speaker, who understands the intricacies of interests better than anyone, the Shang Ling who appears the most gentle but is in fact the coldest at heart.

How could it be him...

Author's Note:

Apologies, computer issues today, so it's a bit short [facepalm].