Chapter 15 Embrace

Chapter 15: Embrace

Pulling himself together, Samuel sat up straight and began browsing the job recruitment websites again.

After several days of intensive internet use and the guidance Idris had provided at the hospital, Samuel had gained a decent understanding of insectoid society. Therefore, it didn't take him long to navigate similar websites.

While browsing, Samuel noticed many companies were hiring online streamers. He randomly clicked on a few job postings, and the work was pretty much the same—singing, dancing, gaming, casual chatting, etc., with the choice to show their face or not.

More importantly, there were no explicit gender requirements.

So, male insects could stream too? Or perhaps, he could stream while hiding his identity?

With that thought, Samuel immediately searched for the most popular entertainment platform.

After downloading the app and checking out the live streaming section, Samuel found the content quite diverse, with various categories like gaming, dance, knowledge, and crafts all thriving.

A quick scroll through the hot recommendations revealed that around 40% of the live streams at this time of morning were gaming; 20% were singing or dancing; the remaining 30% were hanging out and chatting with viewers, talking about all sorts of things—mechas, star beasts, birth rates, Prince Augus's return, the latest empire news and even tutorials on how to date male insects.

But the streamers on these channels were mostly female insects or sub-female insects.

After watching a few streams for a bit, Samuel realized that as long as there was something interesting, viewers would watch and even send gifts, which could probably be cashed out.

It looked like live streaming could be a way to make money, as long as he chose the right direction. Most importantly, it didn't require going outside, allowing him to wait for his brother's return at any time while also making it less likely his identity would be discovered. Especially the first point was a huge plus for Samuel.

After exiting the live streaming section, Samuel clicked into the video section, which mostly contained various edited videos. The videos varied in length, and there was all kinds of content—tutorials on crafts, film reviews, knowledge-sharing videos were everywhere. However, the most numerous and highest-viewed videos among them were all related to male insects.

Samuel: ...

The insectoids sure are obsessed with male insects.

Afterwards, Samuel browsed through different sections of the entertainment category, and finally, his gaze landed on the fiction section.

Locked up as a kid, besides drawing, he loved reading all kinds of storybooks and novels. With insectoid technology and entertainment so advanced, their fiction probably wasn't bad either.

Curious, Samuel clicked on the top-ranked recommended work in the fiction section, went in full of hope and came out frowning, glancing at the previously ignored title—"My Overbearing Male Master."

Samuel was speechless.

Looking at the next one, "108 Positions with My Male Master," he read less than a chapter before exiting again.

In disbelief, Samuel clicked on another one, and the content was largely similar. Page after page of male and female insects going at it in bed, male insects feeding female insects, male insects promising not to hit female insects, female insects gazing with deep affection, thanking them profusely. The two wouldn't speak more than a few sentences before going at it again in various places, moaning and groaning.

Seriously, is this even proper fiction?

This is a "martial arts film"!

The graphic descriptions got to him. Samuel buried his face in his knees, his ears stayed red for a while. If insectoid fiction was all like this, then he could do without this hobby!

Samuel's rising body temperature alerted 99. It stopped its household chores, swiftly performed a full-body scan on him, and only continued working after confirming no abnormalities.

Samuel had no idea.

Once he'd calmed down, Samuel lay on the sofa, swinging his feet as he thought. He wasn't good at singing, dancing, gaming, or cooking, and learning them now wasn't realistic. He needed to find something he knew about that was also popular among insectoids.

What's most popular among insectoids?

Remembering all those male insect videos.

Samuel stopped swinging his feet. Male insects!

Maybe share his life like the female insects on the Stellar Ring?

No, his background was complicated, and appearing on camera was too risky.

Then write fiction related to male insects?

Samuel clicked into the fiction section again and found that novels about male insects got tons of views. He thought maybe he should just try it. His savings would last a while anyway, and he could switch to something else if it didn't work out.

Spending a day browsing through various novels on the rankings, honestly, the top stories' style and plots were pretty much the same as those first few. The male insects were also like carbon copies—moody, money-hungry and lustful, lazy and good-for-nothing.

Not a single positive portrayal.

This didn't make sense. Generally, group images in literary works often have diverse expressions, but the male insects in insectoid fiction were almost identical, seemingly deliberately vilified.

This left Samuel very puzzled.

However, this also provided him with creative inspiration. Since the male insects in these novels were all portrayed with various misdeeds, he would do the opposite.

Now that he'd decided, Samuel quietly sighed in relief. He stretched his sore shoulders and turned to look out the window.

The sky was already darkening, and the sunset glow was about to fade completely.

Idris still hadn't returned.

"99, when will your Master return?" Samuel turned his head, gesturing for 99 to come to the sofa.

"Don't know~, 99 doesn't keep track of time." 99 slid over and casually handed Samuel a pink fruit. Throughout the day, 99 had managed both work and feeding, proving incredibly considerate.

"Thank you, 99~"

Suddenly being thanked, 99 felt quite embarrassed, saying in a pinched voice, "Your Excellency needn't be polite~ This is 99's job~ 99 is happy to serve Your Excellency~"

The robotic voice rose and fell dramatically, very...

Samuel was amused, collapsing onto the sofa back and laughing silently, nearly choking midway. 99, not understanding, laughed along with him. He couldn't stop laughing even more, until his face felt stiff from smiling.

After about a minute or two, the pair finally stopped. Samuel caught his breath to calm down, picked up the fruit, and sat up straight.

Not knowing when his brother would return, and glancing at the Stellar Ring where his sent message remained unanswered, he got up and walked towards the door.

99, remembering its Master's instructions, followed closely behind as they went outside.

The evening on the Imperial Capital Star was different from his hometown. There was no chirping of insects or birds, no hawking of vendors, and no old houses. The windless courtyard stood quiet, with flowers and plants standing upright, eerily silent.

A large hovercar stopped at the gate, and the door opened. Idris was about to step out when he looked up and saw the male insect sitting on the doorstep steps, nibbling on a fruit, bite after bite, with a lonely expression.

The surrounding air seemed to form an invisible high wall, separating him from the outside world. No one could pass through the wall to get close to him.

"Creak," the courtyard gate was pushed open.

The male insect looked up—their eyes met.

In that instant, the high wall shattered, the barrier dissolved. Samuel's face lit up with joy as he got up and ran towards the gate. The rushing air swept through his semi-long black hair and lifted the corners of his loose clothes, carrying that slender figure from far to near.

While Idris was still stunned, a cannonball, *thump*, crashed into his embrace. The female insect was shocked into a daze, his hands hanging at his sides, unsure whether to lift them or leave them be.

After a few seconds or perhaps longer, Idris lowered his eyes and asked, seemingly casually, "Why was Your Excellency sitting at the door?"

Wrapped in the familiar scent, Samuel felt unusually relaxed. "I was waiting for you, brother," he said, then habitually rested his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes.

The male's answer was straightforward, even carrying a hint of intimacy, as if it were the most natural thing.

Upon hearing this, Idris opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but his voice caught in his throat. He let out a faint sigh that dissipated into the air.

Waiting for him...

No male would ever willingly wait for a female.

And no bug had ever waited for him.

Since childhood, his mother had eyes only for his father, while his father's gaze was always fixed on the distant horizon. He grew up alone and left alone, and had long since stopped expecting anyone to wait for him.

But did he really... not need it?

He lowered his head to hide the emotion in his eyes, then raised his arm and slowly placed his hand on the male's shoulder.

A few seconds later—

He pulled away with restraint. With a tangled mix of emotions, he asked with a half-smile, "Is Your Excellency this affectionate with all females?"

Samuel blinked slowly. "Huh?"

Idris saw confusion cloud the male's dark eyes. Perhaps this was just the male's habit; he shouldn't have asked.

The male had waited for him, specifically. He should be grateful and accept it gladly, not question it.

Idris reined in his emotions and apologized. With a "clang," he reached out to open the door, politely inviting Samuel inside. He was once again the cold-faced major general, as if the earlier inquiry had never happened.

The sudden flurry of changes caught Samuel off guard. He tilted his head, staring at the half-open door, inexplicably feeling that his brother was angry.

Why?

Because he waited? Because he hugged him?

Or because he felt Samuel had overstepped.

While he pondered the reasons, Samuel kept his usual bright smile plastered on his face and thanked him.

"Click"—the door closed.

99 had intended to follow inside but "clanged" against the door. The little robot backed up, tried to force its way forward, and was blocked again.

"Master, 99 knows you're in there!"

"Open the door for 99! You've locked 99 outside!"

Author's Note:

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August X, 4056 Weekday X Cloudy

Shouldn't overthink.