Chapter 30 Starting Broadcast

Chapter 30: The Broadcast Begins

Bang bang bang!

A rapid, urgent banging yanked Samuel from his dreams. He closed his eyes to soothe his headache, then sat up, kicked off the covers, slipped on his slippers, and headed for the door.

Opening it, he found 99 standing there, his red beady eyes flashing with anxiety. "Your Excellency! You're finally awake! I couldn't see you for so long, 99 was almost scared to death! Wuwuwu."

Seeing the little metal fellow so frantic it seemed about to leak oil, Samuel bent down and patted its round head. "I'm fine, I just slept too soundly and didn't hear you knocking. Don't be scared."

"Mhm mhm!" 99, delighted by the head pats, happily wiggled his metal claws, looking quite adorable.

Charmed, Samuel pinched 99's wiggling little claw and, looking towards the neighboring room, asked, "99, has brother come back yet?"

"Master hasn't returned yet," 99 replied. "Your Excellency, would you like a meal? 99 will prepare it."

"Mhm, go ahead."

After breakfast, Samuel curled up on the balcony, resting his chin on his knees, staring fixedly at the message dialog on his Stellar Ring, motionless.

The shadows gradually shifted, the projections on the floor growing longer and longer as the sunlight intensified. The messages sent in the dialog remained unread.

Samuel could no longer hold back. He raised his hand to press the call button, withdrew it halfway, repeated this two or three times, and finally initiated the call. It went unanswered.

After the call automatically disconnected, Samuel lay back on the rattan chair, sketched, and then stared at it, lost in thought. Seeing it was almost time for his scheduled broadcast, he finally got up and returned to the bedroom.

Sitting down and starting the stream, Samuel initially thought that on the first weekday after the break, not many insects would be waiting for the broadcast. To his surprise, within minutes, the comment section was already flooded.

"So early today!!"

"Wuwuwu! The Streamer is finally live! If you hadn't come, this insect would have starved to death!"

"Ugh, has the one upstairs lost their mind? What's with the cutesy talk!"

"Ahhh! Let me see who's here! What! It's the great Lin An? (Leaps up) (Turns feral) (Swinging through vines) (Snatches the streamer's brain) (Shouts loudly) (Pours out inspiration) (Devours the deliciousness) (Spiritual corruption)"

"Another one's gone mad. Someone, take them away!"

Scrolling past the screen full of tantrums, threats, and pleas, Samuel's mouth twitched involuntarily.

After a few days apart, how had these net insects become even more unhinged?

Astonished, Samuel couldn't help but take another look. He decisively followed his usual routine and turned off the bullet comments and comment section, then began typing.

[...

Perhaps to change my illiterate nature, one day Felix started reading with me. Of course, I was unwilling, but Felix said there would be a reward. Staring at Felix's crimson lips, I found myself nodding in agreement.

After reading for a long time, I realized books weren't so bad. Especially reading with Felix, it was even more delightful.

However, Felix's books seemed to be something that couldn't be discovered by other insects, so we could only read them in secret.

We read those books for a long time, finally reaching the last one during this winter while Felix was recovering from his injuries.

We had planned to finish it in one go by the fireplace, but a sudden change occurred—the military male insect who had gravely injured Felix submitted another application. He requested Felix's reception, and the Manager approved it.

Upon hearing the news, I felt a chill run through my body. I remembered the horrific state Felix was in after that violent exchange. I begged Felix not to go, but once an application was approved, it couldn't be withdrawn.

Unless... a male insect was willing to substitute.

So, I told Felix, I would go.

During Felix's recovery period, I had already received many female insects on his behalf—some for mental soothing, occasionally for pheromone reception as well.

I just kept it hidden from Felix, not daring to let him know.

Felix got angry with me for the first time. He refused my proposal. We had the most severe argument in our history. By the end, Felix held me close, murmuring, I don't want them touching you.

But I didn't want them touching Felix again either. I stubbornly refused to back down. Perhaps because he truly had no other choice, Felix agreed. Before leaving, he demanded a kiss. After that, I lost consciousness.

When I woke, it had been snowing all night, and it hadn't stopped. I walked barefoot to the window. Snowflakes fell chaotically like paper money, layer upon layer.

I glanced towards the door. There were no footprints in front of it. The boundless white made my heart tremble with fear.

Felix hadn't come to wait for me this morning.]

"What's 'paper money'? Does any insect know?"

"Something's off! Ninety out of a hundred points says something's wrong!"

"Streamer, we just had two sweet segments, please don't start trouble!!"

[...

When I ran to the neighboring house, it was filled with insects. Felix wasn't among them. Frantically, I grabbed every insect and asked, but the male insects who knew me all looked at me with sorrow, saying nothing.

I sensed something, took half a step back, then turned and ran upstairs. The Manager stopped me. For once, his eyes held a trace of pity. He said to me, don't go.

How could I not go? Felix was waiting for me.

I broke free from the Manager and ran to the second-floor bedroom. I stopped at the door. Felix rarely allowed me near the bedroom. Every time I came, he would always steer me away from here.

I was waiting for Felix to pull me away.

But no one came out.

I pushed the door open. A thick mix of pheromones and the scent of blood assaulted me. Following the smell to the bedside, I saw the bed covered in the kapok flowers Felix loved—large and small blossoms, crowded together, hanging from the bed curtains and skirts, a riot of color, extraordinarily lively.

The sight before me horrified me, freezing me in place. It took a long time to regain my senses. There was no one in the room. I thought, Felix must be hiding.

Really, Felix is such a grown insect, how could he still act like a larva, playing this kind of joke on me.

It's too much.]

"????"

[...

I couldn't find Felix.

I lost my beloved insect.

...]

"Did His Excellency Felix die?"

"Ahhh! Streamer! You have no heart! How could you write the death of such a wonderful His Excellency Felix! Wuwuwu!"

"Holy shit! Streamer, you wrote about a male insect's suicide before, and now you're writing about a male insect being tortured to death! Do you not want to live anymore?!"

"Interesting! Streamer, I... this insect am growing to like you more and more!"

"User 'HatesPurpleMelons' gifted the streamer 10 Star Ships!"

"User 'YS' gifted the streamer 20 Explorer Battleships!"

"User 'BunnyBug' gifted the streamer 5 Hovercars!"

[On Planet K48, male insects have no burial grounds. No insect wishes to be born here, grow up here, and be laid to rest here, imprisoned forever in this beautiful, warm cage.

Whenever a male insect dies, all his spiritual energy is automatically released, transforming into a fluorescent glow that soars into the heavens.

Felix said that if one day he were to leave, he would necessarily become a star, suspended above me. Then, whenever I look up at the night sky, I would see him and never forget him.

Yet, Felix, with so many stars overhead, you left without saying goodbye. How am I supposed to recognize you?

...

Felix's departure plunged me into an irreversible period of mental breakdown. I began to lose control, having unexplained outbursts of anger. After each outburst, I would either spike a fever or fall into an intermittent coma.

The Manager was deeply concerned, though not for my sake, but for that of the high-ranking military female insects.

S-rank male insects were already scarce on Planet K48. With one now gone, if I were to die as well, there would be at least 40 fewer grooming sessions available per month. This would be a significant loss for the insect planet.

The Manager would not allow this situation to occur. So, after I regained consciousness during one of my lucid moments, he told me that Felix had left a message for me before he departed.

He said Felix hoped I would live. He also said that if given the chance, Felix wished for me to see the world beyond Planet K48 on his behalf.

I listened, eyes downcast, knowing full well he was lying. But I also knew he was right—Felix did want me to live.

His wish was my command.

However, I still couldn't forget the military female insect who had harmed Felix.

I asked the Manager what that insect's name was.

The Manager hesitated for a moment before replying, "His name is Dmitri, General of the Seventh Legion of the Insect Race, an SS-rank military female insect."

I nodded, committing the name to memory.

I thought, I need to recover quickly, at least superficially enough to be able to receive military female insects again.]

"Your Excellency, why are you asking for the military female insect's name? For revenge?"

"It should be quite difficult for a male insect to kill a military female insect, right? And in this story, male insects don't seem to have much status."

"Precisely because they lack status, they can recklessly approach Your Excellency. Thinking about it is kind of a thrill! No, I can't take it anymore, send me to this planet!"

"Hmph."

[...

Felix didn't leave many belongings behind. I suppose I count as one, and then there's the house.

I applied to move next door and moved into Felix's bedroom. Only this way could I fall asleep amidst his lingering scent.

It took me one month to nurse myself back to peak condition. The Manager was pleased with my unprecedented level of cooperation.

In the first spring after Felix's departure, I resumed receiving military female insects. Only this time, it wasn't just spiritual grooming; it also included pheromone receptions at half the usual intensity.

I asked the Manager why pheromone receptions hadn't been scheduled before.

The Manager smiled as he looked me over and said, "Don't you already have the answer?"

I clenched my hands, not daring to meet his gaze.

I did have an answer, but I didn't understand why he had agreed to it.

The Manager seemed to read my thoughts. He shrugged indifferently and smiled, saying, "Well, it's not like there's any harm in it."

Indeed, when tools develop affection for each other, it doesn't impair their utility; in fact, it can squeeze even more value out of them. Why not?

However, the Manager hadn't anticipated that the military female insect would lose control, nor had he anticipated the profound impact Felix had on me.

Fortunately, they managed to keep one of the two male insects. Therefore, he has been exceptionally lenient with me lately. Taking advantage of this remaining goodwill, I requested to receive Dmitri on a long-term basis.

The Manager scrutinized me with a half-smile for a long while before finally nodding in agreement.

Having achieved my goal, I walked back through the biting cold to Felix's bedroom. In a half-dreaming state, I felt as if I had traveled back to the time I was locked up during my secondary differentiation.

I saw Felix standing at the door, his brow slightly weary, his lips pale. When he noticed me looking, he unconsciously pulled down his sleeves. Through the gap, I saw red ligature marks on his wrists.

I gazed at Felix, a thousand words swirling on the tip of my tongue, yet stuck in my throat. Separated by the worlds of light and shadow, Felix and I looked at each other from afar.

The 18-year-old Felix, so pure, gentle, and perfect.

At any point in my life, I have been unworthy of him.]

"Belongings... such a sorrowful way to put it."

"So, back then, Your Excellency Lunxi was released because Your Excellency Philetus helped him complete the pheromone receptions?"

"Not just that, judging by the implication, it probably continued afterwards too."

"Wahhh, Your Excellency Philetus is so admirable! Why are all the good insects in novels?!"

"The two Excellencies are just too perfect to analyze!"

"Merely mutual solace within a cage."

"If someone loved me with such single-minded devotion, I wouldn't mind if they weren't a female insect. We all have what we need anyway. (Smile)"

"That makes sense."

"????"

"Your Excellency?"

"Ahhh! Streamer, look what you've done! Now the Excellencies are going to seek out other Excellencies! What's left for us military female insects? Wailing..."

"Simple, go find a military female insect. There's not much difference anyway... (egging on)"

Samuel, who had just opened the comment section intending to take a break: ...

Have the male insects turned dark?

Why does their mental state seem so concerning?

-----------------------

Author's Note: Did you like the second story, my dear readers? [Let me see]

Lately, my mind is filled only with your comments. Do you find it bothersome when I reply in the comment section? [Pitiful]