Chapter 74

Chapter 74

"What are you opposing?"

"I oppose all unnecessary contingency plans."

"Unnecessary?"

"Yes, Speaker, unnecessary."

Without hesitation or wavering, with the same calm determination he had always shown in his decisions, the black-haired female insect raised his eyes to meet the elder Speaker's gaze, his pupils dark and calm.

It must be said, the young female insect looked strikingly similar to his mother, especially now as they sat close together, making their similarities all the more apparent to the others.

After all, most female insects were combative and restless, with the younger ones particularly unable to stay still. Even those who preferred quiet were different from the black-haired female insect's restrained and introverted demeanor.

The Qi Mengtu family of the capital planet was the undisputed heart of the Alliance's Government Office.

Unlike other newly wealthy female insects who rose to prominence overnight or through their own efforts, and unlike other old aristocratic families that had experienced ups and downs, the Qi Mengtu family had participated in the formulation of most policies since the Alliance's founding, establishing an unshakable legend in insectkind.

As if blessed by the Insect God, no matter the circumstances of insectkind or the development of the Alliance, the Qi Mengtu family always stood firm in the currents of time, unshaken and continuing their family's legacy.

Their unassailable position, against the increasingly uncertain backdrop of the present, had undoubtedly aroused envy among countless female insects.

Some even claimed that the Qi Mengtu family was the most favored by the Insect God.

But in truth, the Qi Mengtu family was the least religious.

Yes, they did not believe in gods.

Although some members of the Qi Mengtu main branch were responsible for the grandest Insect God worship ceremonies, the first tenet of their family creed was to trust only their own minds and hands.

There was no such thing as long-lasting, unearned luck, nor was there any myth of eternal invincibility.

The Qi Mengtu family's ability to achieve these impossibilities for a time was not due to their piety toward the Insect God, but because they remained clear-headed.

Yes, every female insect of the Qi Mengtu family was required to stay clear-headed at all times.

They needed to clear-headedly recognize their family's future and potential downfall, understand what and who were most essential or useless to themselves and their family, and, most importantly, remain emotionally detached, always prioritizing the interests of the race in their actions.

Only then could the name Qi Mengtu truly endure.

And so far, it must be said, even if many members of the Qi Mengtu family still failed to meet this standard, at least every generation's chosen heir had excelled in this regard.

Yes, despite the distinction between the main and side branches in the Qi Mengtu family, and even though the main branch enjoyed inherently superior treatment, the selection of the heir was never influenced by this.

This was precisely why Shang Ling Qi Mengtu, who had been unanimously recognized as the heir long before adulthood due to his exceptional temperament and abilities, was all the more remarkable.

He had fulfilled everything his mother demanded—becoming the most suitable candidate for a principal mate in the eyes of most male insects on the capital planet, entering the Government Office in record time, and earning the support of most female insects within the family.

It must be said, the countless measures proposed by this female insect, personally mentored by Speaker Norman, had once left even members of other families in awe and wariness of his intellect.

Yet, precisely because of this, his current choice seemed all the more surprising to those around him.

This was, after all, the first time the father and son, who had always presented a united front to outsiders, openly expressed differing opinions.

This...

As their eyes met, the already silent hall of the Toras residence grew even more eerily quiet.

But, gazing into the young female insect's eyes—eyes that held both familiarity and strangeness—the elder Speaker neither grew angry nor took offense at his son's first open opposition. Instead, he calmly asked again:

"If no contingency plans are prepared in advance, can you take responsibility for all potential adverse consequences?"

Responsibility?

These words made the other insects present frown.

The reason they had hesitated to voice their opposition earlier was precisely because they couldn’t be sure they could bear the consequences of their dissent.

Once the truth of Fei Luo's disappearance was revealed, most insectkind in the Alliance would undoubtedly react strongly. Managing the fallout at that moment alone would be an overwhelming challenge.

If they didn’t prepare contingency plans now, and if His Highness Fei Luo truly... three months later... the ensuing repercussions would likely be beyond what even the most powerful families present could shoulder.

But...

"I can."

With a slight curve of his brows, though his eyes held no trace of amusement—dark as a cosmic black hole threatening to devour everything—the black-haired female insect's voice carried a faint, calculated levity.

"I am willing to take full responsibility for all matters related to this disappearance. Should any major oversight occur during this period, I will comply with the Alliance’s highest laws regarding disciplinary measures for government officials and accept all penalties."

"Whatever the penalty, I will accept it."

Accept it all...

For errors in political decisions, Alliance law stipulated penalties ranging from forced resignation to criminal detention, depending on severity.

Given the magnitude of this incident, if Shang Ling mishandled it later, even Speaker Norman might not be able to shield him from accountability.

Such a volatile situation, an event no one dared claim full responsibility for—yet this female insect, who had always understood the stakes, was willing to take it on?

This version of Shang Ling... was unlike the heir of the Qi Mengtu family they knew.

Silence. Though the Government Office's lead for this incident had been decided, the subsequent discussions about Fei Luo's disappearance remained subdued.

Yet, even as thoughts raced through some minds, the discussions were far from over.

While the Government Office's role in calming the public and stabilizing the Alliance had been settled, the military female's search-and-rescue operations were the true focus of today's meeting.

After all, even if hope was slim, even if the chances of finding Fei Luo were virtually nonexistent—they had to search.

Even if it required immense resources, even if the effort seemed futile—they had to search, no matter what.

No debate was needed; on this point, every insect present was in agreement.

But despite advanced technology, and despite many insects being capable of traversing space alone under normal circumstances, locating a male insect in an escape pod with all tracking devices disabled was another matter.

Apart from conducting a laborious, inefficient sweep starting from Fei Luo's last known location, no better strategy came to mind in the short term.

Frowning, the younger military females cautiously discussed various search plans. Yet, despite their formidable combat skills, their reliance on advanced technology left them struggling to propose viable solutions.

Fei Luo's escape pod had minimized energy wave emissions to maximize speed, and the vacuum of space caused any residual mental energy to dissipate quickly, leaving the female insects unable to trace his possible whereabouts through mental energy residue.

In short, even determining the likely direction or location for the search posed a challenge.

But even the tightest-sealed doors and windows leave tiny gaps.

Just as now, while the high-ranking but relatively inexperienced female insects pondered with furrowed brows, many elder female insects remained silent in tacit understanding.

Silence can mean having nothing to say, and other times from having a plan already in mind.

After all, in the earliest, largest, and most devastating war between the Insect race and the star beasts, these old female insects had witnessed firsthand how, despite the far less advanced technology of the time, a special clan within the Alliance had single-handedly managed the tracking and locating of star beasts across much of the border star systems.

Admittedly, this clan had once enjoyed boundless glory, but perhaps precisely because of this, they also suffered fierce retaliation from the star beasts.

Crucially, if their information was correct, due to the heavy casualties suffered by the clan, its main lineage had been reduced to a single branch. Thus, the clan had long established a rule that all descendants must strictly abide by:

That is... all members of the clan's main lineage are forbidden from approaching the border star systems of the Alliance for the rest of their lives.

This was the clan's principle, and their resolute determination never to repeat the past.

To this day, the main lineage of this clan had adhered to this rule very well. Even if some trade routes inevitably passed through the border star systems, the clan always delegated such tasks to its side branches.

As for the main lineage, especially the clan's heir... no, they had never set foot again in that star system soaked with their ancestors' blood.

So, was this young female insect who unexpectedly appeared here today merely making a token appearance due to an unavoidable invitation from the Turas family, or...

Considering one possibility, even these old female insects—who had seen many strange things and had just witnessed the current and future heads of the Qimengtu Family disagreeing—couldn't help but instinctively rejected their own speculation.

Impossible. How could it be?

Even if this incident involved His Highness Fei Luo, even if they had heard rumors of the clan's intention to welcome His Highness as their male partner, the current situation was completely different from before.

After all, even if they were now willing to break their principles and personally join the search, whether what they found would be a living His Highness Fei Luo or... his remains was already a mystery.

At this thought, the senior female insects couldn't help but mentally shook their heads.

But perhaps, since one unexpected event had already occurred today, another wouldn't be so strange.

"My Geshaluolin Family has recently developed several special search equipment, and members of my family with at least 80% pure bloodline possess a unique ability to sense and mark the energy patterns of different carbon-based lifeforms. Therefore, though I am not a member of the military's search unit, I wish to participate in this search mission."

His green eyes remained clear and gentle as ever. Since receiving the news of Fei Luo's disappearance, this female insect had disregarded the objections of his family and the firm opposition of his mother, making the solo journey from the distant Qiluoza Star System—where the Alliance's most important trade conference was being held—back to the Capital Planet. His voice was husky, yet distinct.

After speaking, Li Wei looked ahead at General Zhousha. Seeing the latter nod, he arched his brows slightly, the ghost of a smile appearing on his face.

Throughout his life, he had seemingly had many choices, yet in truth, he had never had any.

But at least this time, he wanted to follow his heart's choice.

No matter the outcome, no matter the process.

Fei Luo, you once said you grew up wandering barren planets, never truly integrating into the Insect race.

This time, I will bring you back.

Wherever you are, I will bring you back.

The Alliance Star Network, the network linking all Insect-kind.

Every day, every minute, every second, this vast network flashed with countless data and generated endless information.

This was an era of information explosion, a fast-paced age where any trending news would be replaced within days. Even if the Alliance Council Hall exploded, the discussion on the Star Network would likely last no more than a day or two.

Yet in such an era, on such a network, the name "Fei Luo" had remained atop the top searches for an exceptionally long time.

The fervor over the male insect's disappearance had not faded with time. Instead, the frequency of searches for "Fei Luo" on the Star Network had only increased day by day, spilling over from online to real life. Female insects had even begun congregating outside the Male Insect Management Committee offices and council halls on various planets.

They weren't seeking trouble—they simply demanded answers.

Yes, the truth.

Was His Highness Fei Luo really missing? Why had the Alliance yet to provide an explanation? Had something worse than disappearance happened to him? What was His Highness's current condition? Were the rumors of His Highness being attacked by an S-class star beast true?

Most importantly... where was His Highness Fei Luo? Even if he had disappeared, how could the Alliance's search teams still not have found him after so long? Was he truly unharmed? The online death rumors had to be false, right?

Frustration grew as questions went unanswered, growing heavier and deeper in the hearts of all insects.

Finally, as incidents of female insect unrest multiplied, some even turning violent, the Alliance Council Hall, the military, and the Male Insect Management Committee simultaneously released the full video record and official statement regarding Fei Luo's disappearance on the Star Network.

And then...

"Applications for private vessels to the border star systems have surged. Strict traffic control has been imposed, but many ships are reacting aggressively, with forced entries becoming more common. The Inspectorate of the star systems is working overtime to maintain order, and its responsible officers have requested additional reinforcements."

"Male insects across all star systems are organizing mass protests and demonstrations in support of His Highness Fei Luo, demanding the Alliance immediately honor him, dispatch more search teams, and hold the Kalms Military Academy accountable."

"Public spaces in all star systems have seen explosive outbreaks of prayer activities for His Highness Fei Luo, including flower offerings, candlelight vigils, hymns, and the construction of prayer steles. Such events have drawn participation from male insect highnesses, resulting in more incidents of fires, disturbances, and other accidents. To manage these and maintain social stability, local authorities have mandated the cancellation of all Insect race holidays and submitted requests to the Capital Planet's administrative offices."

"As of now, no organized self-harm groups have emerged, and all suspicious gatherings are under strict surveillance. Additionally, the vandalism at the Kalms Military Academy has gradually ceased following the release of the liability waiver letter left in His Highness Fei Luo's dormitory, and the situation is now under control."

From the moment the video record of Fei Luo's disappearance was officially released, endless reports flooded the Government Office.

Among them, Shang Ling's office was undoubtedly the busiest, with responsible officers from various departments and star systems awaiting his rulings on numerous issues.

To be frank, the Government Office staff were somewhat surprised that Shang Ling had been put in full charge of handling the Fei Luo disappearance incident.

It wasn't that they doubted his capability—his family background and track record spoke for themselves. If Shang Ling couldn't manage this crisis, no one else in the Government Office would dare claim they could.

Yes, all insects in the Government Office adored His Highness Fei Luo, and they had undoubtedly learned of his disappearance earlier than the public.

After understanding the full circumstances, many had been overwhelmed with grief, even losing their composure.

But precisely because even they struggled to accept the truth, precisely because they too had visited prayer sites after work, begging for His Highness's safety, they understood all too well how difficult this incident would be to manage.

After all, while the military defended against external threats, the Government Office was responsible for the Alliance's internal affairs.

Though the Alliance's matters were vast and each department had its focus, their overarching duty was to ensure the Alliance's prosperity and stability.

Yes, prosperity and stability were their guiding principles.

And that was exactly why the Fei Luo disappearance incident posed their greatest challenge. Mishandling it could plunge the entire Alliance into turmoil.

Given this, the Government Office staff had breathed a sigh of relief upon learning Shang Ling would personally oversee the matter.

Though they didn't know why Speaker Norman had assigned him the task, Shang Ling's competence, combined with the Speaker's backing, had significantly eased their burdens.

And indeed, Shang Ling had proven worthy of their trust, managing the crisis admirably. Though the incident's repercussions continued to spread, they remained under control—the best outcome possible under the circumstances.

However... while the Government Office could intervene in public behavior and sentiment, there were places even they couldn't reach—

"How is the psychological intervention progressing?"

"Not well. The school faculty have mostly resumed daily life, though work remains difficult. As for the students, their psychological assessment scores are almost universally failing, with many exhibiting self-blame and self-harm tendencies. The A-class students who interacted closely with His Highness Fei Luo will likely require extended psychological intervention."

If ordinary insects struggled to accept the uncertainty of Fei Luo's fate after watching the video, the new students who had witnessed the incident firsthand—who had failed to protect Fei Luo and had instead been saved by his sacrifice—were even less able to cope.

Moreover, unlike others, these students had faced an S-class star beast in combat. They understood its terrifying, insurmountable power better than anyone.

Against such a creature, even they had no hope of escaping.

But Philo, the Philo who ran endlessly during morning and evening drills, the Philo who still mostly focused on physical training in combat class, the Philo who was always too exhausted to walk after training—how could he face something like that alone? How dare he face something like that alone?

Now… how is he holding up? Is he injured? Is he scared? Could he have already…

After the Silk Flower Festival, the capital planet's weather was often gloomy, mostly damp and rainy.

It was as if the planet had exhausted all its energy to make the Silk Flowers bloom, leaving behind endless clouds, sunlight that couldn’t break through, incessant drizzle, and a heavy, stagnant air that seemed to spread across the entire planet.

And in this season of relentless rain, in this time when the whole planet seemed drained of spirit, a brown-haired female insect was sprinting desperately through the downpour.

Unlike ordinary institutions, the Kalms Military Academy, with its vast resources, had a mental health center whose building alone took up nearly half the area of a small campus.

Apart from the floors dedicated to diagnosis, treatment, and research, the lowest level of the psychological center’s building also housed an outdoor training field.

After all, this was a military academy’s medical center, and exercise itself was a recommended therapy for stress relief. Thus, it wasn’t uncommon for patients receiving treatment in the medical center to come down for a run or other training.

But that was under normal circumstances. Since it was an outdoor training field, after the Silk Flower Festival and the onset of the capital planet’s rainy season, the field was seldom used by others.

Seldom, but not never—like the female insect running in the rain right now.

"How long has he been running?"

"Seventeen hours. Ever since the medics freed him from restraints and unlocked the door, he’s been here."

"You didn’t stop him? Just let him keep running like this?"

"We tried. Couldn’t hold him back—several medical assistants got injured because of him. Later, the lead physician said to leave him be until he collapses. Let him run himself into the ground."

"...Sigh. This kind of pain can't be outrun in just a short while. I heard His Highness Philo was closest to him and another female insect at the academy, but this time, not only is His Highness missing, but even the other female insect has disappeared completely. With so much happening, what's running going to solve?"

"What else can we do? He's beyond reason…"

No stopping, no turning to look.

As if the insects occasionally passing by the training field were just shadows, as if he could only see the track ahead, the female insect with a long, indelible scar on his neck clenched his fists and kept running, alone and unstoppable.

Run—how could he not run?

If only they'd been faster, if only they hadn't been trapped, then Philo and Amber, then they…

Raindrops fell into his eyes. Even after running for over a dozen hours, even as his knee joints swelled red, the brown-haired female insect, eyes bloodshot and fists clenched, still drove himself forward relentlessly.

But what use was running now? No matter how fast or how long he ran, it was too late. Nothing would ever be enough.

Thud—

His severely worn knee joints finally gave out. His elbows scraped against the wet, hard track as he collapsed to his knees. Staring at his useless legs, his powerless hands, the open-air training field, filled with the sound of falling rain, finally echoed with heartbroken sobs.

Why was he so useless?

Why couldn’t he do anything?

Why… was he the only one left behind?

No one could answer the female insect’s questions, just as no one knew how to treat this group of female insects who, though they had returned alive to the capital planet, seemed unable to escape from the psychological medical center.

The capital planet’s unending rain had drenched more than just Philo.