Chapter 80

Chapter 80

At the sound of that icy voice that made every bug present feel their hearts tighten, Chubby little Mei Mei suddenly looked up. Seeing the familiar figure rapidly approaching him from not far away, Mei Mei's eyes instantly lit up as he shouted excitedly.

"Dad! Dad!"

Like a little cannonball, Mei Mei charged forward, his short little legs going "thump thump," straight into Kaisisen's arms, where he was caught securely.

Kaisisen hugged the little chubby one tightly, carefully checking him over from head to toe. When he discovered the shocking, angry bruises on the little one's eye and knee—bruises that hadn't been there just moments ago—the rage surging in Kaisisen's chest nearly became tangible.

A battle-hardened military drone who could face the most horrifying wounds on the battlefield without flinching now stared at his child's injuries with panic in his eyes. His fingers trembled slightly, not even daring to touch. "Does it hurt, Mei Mei?"

Leaning against his dad, feeling safe in his broad embrace and anxious care, the brave Little Hero Mei Mei suddenly seemed to find his rock. All the fear and hurt in his heart came flooding out at once. The little guy's eyes turned red, and he burst into loud sobs.

Big tears streamed down from Mei Mei's bruised eye. Mei Mei hiccuped between sobs as he tattled, "Dad, Dad, why'd you come so late? Bad kid stole my cake, big meanie stole my cake too, and he was mean to Mei Mei, bad..."

Kaisisen held the little chubby one close, carefully wiping the tears from his cheeks. Listening to the child's muffled, aggrieved little baby voice, his heart felt like it was being squeezed—sore and swollen all at once.

Kaisisen held the little chubby bundle close, his throat tight. His mouth opened and closed. It took him a long moment before he hoarsely apologized, "I'm sorry, Mei Mei. It's Dad's fault. Dad came too late."

The tall female's face was filled with undisguised guilt and heartache.

After Little Meimei entered the castle, Kaisisen watched for a while at first. Then, seeing that Mei Mei was having fun, he couldn't resist sending a series of videos and photos he'd just taken of the little one to Nevi. After all, this was his first time bringing his child out to play as a dad.

Before leaving that morning, he had also added Nevi on his usual communication number, but this time not as a stranger from the internet, but as his partner.

He chatted with Nevi for quite a while and asked how Bai Bai was doing.

By the time Kaisisen finally remembered Mei Mei, he realized with a jolt that the little chubby one hadn't come running to call him "Dad" in his cheerful little voice for a long time.

Guided by the caregiver bug, Kaisisen hurried anxiously toward the open area. Before he even got close, he could see the scene that made his eyes burn with fury.

Without a moment's hesitation, Kaisisen used his pressure to crush that piece of trash—who had tried to lay hands on his child—into the ground.

Kaisisen ignored the fearful, uncertain gazes of the surrounding bugs and, as if they were the only ones there, soothed the little chubby bundle in his arms. Only after the child in his arms finally stopped sobbing did Kaisisen slowly, unhurriedly, stroll over to stand before Oren.

Kaisisen eased up on his pressure slightly. Oren, his face flushed, finally seemed able to move again. He gasped for air in big gulps, looking up at the expressionless female, his eyes filled with terror.

Oren was just an ordinary C+ drone. The bug before him, who could release and retract his pressure at will, was definitely no lower than A-rank, and the terrifying aura radiating from this bug was enough to make any bug's heart tremble.

Just who was this bug?

Oren's heart quaked. He wasn't stupid. Propping himself up on his elbows, he was about to lower his head and apologize when his gaze suddenly froze.

He stared hard at the utterly ordinary department-store leather boots on Kaisisen's feet, and the apology died in his throat.

If this bug really had status and connections, how could he be wearing clothes and shoes like this?

This bug was probably just an off-world security guard or a retired military drone.

Oren suddenly raised his head and looked Kaisisen up and down. After confirming there wasn't a single expensive luxury item on him, he clenched his fists. An overwhelming sense of absurdity and humiliation washed over him.

He barely dared to look at the contemptuous, mocking looks the surrounding bugs were giving him.

Blood rushed to his head, and rage instantly clouded his mind.

He glared venomously at the bug before him and shrieked, "You worthless bug! How dare you—you actually used your pressure on me! Aaaah! I won't let this go! I'm calling the cops! Get out of this mall now! I'll tell my uncle to blacklist you! You damned stinking bug!"

Oren ranted and cursed, hysterical and incoherent.

Kaisisen simply covered Mei Mei's ears and watched Oren's tantrum with cold calm. Finally, he let out a derisive snort and repeated in an unreadable tone, "You're going to have me blacklisted? Who's your uncle? Who gave him that authority?"

Kaisisen's tone was light, but the weight behind it was immense.

Kaisisen looked at Oren like one would look at a buffoon—an insignificant ant. But the caregiver bugs nearby all changed expressions.

One caregiver bug, moved by compassion, approached Kaisisen and whispered a warning, "Sir, you should take your child and leave quickly. He's just a minor supervisor here—he doesn't have much power himself, but they say his uncle is high up in the mall's management. Offending him won't do you any favors..."

Although Kaisisen had been cold and sharp from the moment he appeared, using his pressure to crush bugs without a word and looking extremely fierce, none of the bugs present truly feared or hated him.

They could all see how much he cared for his child. He had acted out of desperation to save his kid, and honestly, Kaisisen's actions had secretly pleased the crowd.

Oren was exactly the kind of scum who deserved to be taught a lesson.

But hateful as Oren was, he did have connections. A bug who could reach the upper management of a chain mall like this wasn't someone you wanted to provoke.

Kaisisen looked at the caregiver bug beside him with slight surprise. Seeing the bug's timid, fearful expression, he softened his voice and said politely, "Thank you for the warning. I understand."

Seeing Kaisisen ignore him, Oren started squawking again. Kaisisen frowned, genuinely annoyed, and increased his pressure once more. Oren, silenced again, was cut off mid-sentence, though his bloodshot eyes burned with hatred.

Kaisisen was angry, but he truly didn't want to talk to such a bug, so he pulled out his comm device and prepared to call the manager.

But no sooner had the call connected than the manager's flustered figure appeared in Kaisisen's sight.

"Boss Sen..."

The manager's voice wasn't loud, but every bug present heard it. The caregiver bugs and Oren, still lying on the ground, were instantly stunned.

The portly, panting middle-aged manager had barely gotten close when he saw the angry, obvious bruises on the little young master's face in Kaisisen's arms. His world spun, and he felt as if he'd been plunged into an ice pit.

Pale-faced, he looked at Kaisisen. "Boss Sen, the young master is injured. I'll have a medic bug come over right away!"

With that, the manager immediately called for the mall's on-site medic bug. Then his gaze landed on Oren, still lying on the ground not far away, and he wished he could tear the bug limb from limb.

Of course he knew this bug—Oren was his distant relative, someone he barely had contact with on a normal day. He really hadn't expected that this guy, who usually seemed so well-behaved, would cause such a huge incident the one time Boss Sen finally came to visit.

"Boss Sen, did this guy's kid hurt yours? Little kids roughhousing and losing control is inevitable. At the end of the day, it's the caregiver bug's fault. I'll thoroughly investigate and hold those responsible accountable. And Oren—I guarantee he'll never bring his kid here again. I'll also suspend him and make him reflect on his actions!"

The manager still didn't know what Oren had said earlier, so he nervously made his arrangements. As a seasoned operator, he instinctively downplayed the severity, shifting the blame and trying to make the caregiver bugs the scapegoats.

Though their relationship wasn't close, they were still relatives, so the manager gave Oren some leeway and was unwilling to fire him.

Not having had time to learn the full story, he assumed it was just roughhousing between the kids. The injuries to Boss Sen's child were certainly alarming, but Oren's kid didn't look lightly hurt either.

He believed this was already enough.

But Kaisisen said nothing. He simply stared at the manager, his gaze dark and obscure, like an unfathomable deep pool that made any bug shudder.

Under the weight of that gaze, the manager felt as though all his schemes and intentions were laid completely bare.

Sweat beaded on the manager's forehead. His heart felt hollow, and he didn't dare meet Kaisisen's eyes.

"He's your relative, isn't he." Kaisisen stated flatly.

The already trembling manager shuddered all over, while Oren, lying on the ground not far away with a face full of terror and disbelief, couldn't stop shaking.

Impossible. How could this be?!

He really couldn't wrap his head around why such a powerful, influential bug dressed so plainly every day.

"Hah, since when did you get the nerve to put bugs on the blacklist whenever you feel like it? It's been a while since I last came—you haven't forgotten whose mall this is, have you?" Kaisisen said mercilessly.

Right now, with all his pent-up rage over his cub's injuries and nowhere to let it out, he naturally turned his fury on the manager when he heard his excuses.

This chain mall was just one of the run-of-the-mill properties he'd inherited from his late father when he came of age.

His father had also come from a top-tier noble family and owned a ton of assets. After his father passed, the family didn't take the assets back—they were split into three equal shares among the three brothers.

Needless to say, even if the three brothers never lifted a finger, they'd be set for life several times over.

Kaisisen's properties had always been handled by dedicated bugs on a regular schedule; he rarely bothered with them.

Now, hearing Kaisisen's questioning, the mall manager completely panicked. He didn't fully get what Kaisisen meant, but he instantly realized Oren must have said something inflammatory before he got there. Right then, he deeply regretted ever letting Oren into the mall, but he had no time to worry about Oren anymore.

The manager's lips trembled as he bowed and desperately tried to offer weak explanations: "No, no, Boss Sen, there's gotta be some misunderstanding here. How could I ever dare..."

But Kaisisen was done listening. Under the manager's despairing gaze, he made a call and summoned two of his dedicated property managers to take over the mall.

He ordered them to do a thorough sweep of the mall and root out vermin like the manager and Oren.

Kaisisen's presence was in full force as he handled things methodically, unaware that the chubby little bundle in his arms was looking up at him with sparkling eyes, his face full of admiration and clinginess.

Daddy is a big hero, he's seriously so amazing!

The two dedicated bugs arrived quickly, bringing several big, burly security guards with them, and swiftly took over the scene and everything that followed.

Meanwhile, Kaisisen held the chubby little one's hands to keep him still while the medic bug applied medicine to his wounds.

Looking at the bruises on the little one's face, arms, and even his belly under his clothes, Kaisisen's expression got darker and darker.

Heavy guilt and self-blame weighed on him, bowing his shoulders.

A cub under a year old couldn't use the rapid-healing medical machines. With injuries like these, even for a little female, it would take several days to fully recover.

But the carefree little chubby bundle, once the medic bug was done, excitedly threw himself into Kaisisen's arms.

"Daddy, Daddy, you're awesome! You chased away the bad bug and the bad cub—you're a big hero!"

Seeing that little bully cub looking all deflated, head hanging low as he followed his equally miserable bad bug parent away, Little Meimei was so happy he could jump for joy!

In that moment, his daddy's towering figure seemed to perfectly merge with Maka's image from the cartoons.

From now on, his daddy was his hero!

Kaisisen was stunned.

By then, the other little cubs who'd gotten their medicine came chattering over and gathered around. "Mei Mei, is this your daddy? Your daddy's so cool!" "Mei Mei, the big bad bug and little bad cub are gone! We don't have to be scared of them anymore!" "Mei Mei, your daddy is a big hero, just like Maka! He chased away the big bad bug!"

...

The cubs' innocent, childish words were so cute. Mei Mei, surrounded in the middle, was so excited his cheeks turned red. He puffed out his little chest and announced proudly, "This is my daddy! Daddy's a big hero! I love Daddy the most!"

Kaisisen felt his heart deeply touched, softening more than he could believe. The corners of his mouth lifted into a faint smile, and the ferocity and coldness around him vanished without a trace, as if it had all been an illusion.

Kaisisen held his chubby little one close, pressing a gentle, precious kiss to Mei Mei's hair, and said seriously, "Mei Mei is a little hero. Mei Mei was so brave and so good today!"

Seeing the sheer joy on his cub's face, how could Kaisisen possibly scold Mei Mei anymore? He just praised him with the utmost tenderness, flattering Mei Mei until his little wings nearly popped out.

Mei Mei generously shared the leftover candies and pastries from his bag with the other little cubs, and they made plans to play again next time. Kaisisen, in turn, politely added the contact numbers of the cubs' families.

Meanwhile, in Kaisisen's small group chat with his friends, the flashy couple, unable to find Kaisisen and Mei Mei anywhere, were about to lose it.

Amid the little cubs' reluctant goodbyes, Kaisisen held Mei Mei and quickly left.

After Kaisisen and Mei Mei had completely left, the cubs' families clutched their light devices, still dazed and confused.

One bug exclaimed in awe, "So that's Boss Sen of the mall? He looks really young, and he's got such presence—really accomplished for his age. I didn't dare say a word the whole time..."

Another family member said mysteriously, "Hey, this mall is nothing to him. Do you know his last name?"

The others all looked curious.

The refined-looking female lowered his voice and said, "My husband works at a restaurant under his name. I was lucky enough to see him once at an anniversary celebration. His last name is Haimulun."

At those words, the bugs who'd been eavesdropping all gasped.

The prestige of the Haimulun family—any bug living in the capital star with even a little understanding of politics knew of the Haimuluns.

They were the ever-enduring evergreen of the political arena, royalists deeply trusted by the imperial family.

Just as these bugs were marveling in curiosity, a gentle voice suddenly spoke up.

"Gentlemen, hello."

The crowd turned to see a refined, scholarly-looking female with gold-rimmed glasses and a briefcase standing behind them.

Under their puzzled looks, the refined female said calmly, "I'm Boss Sen's subordinate. I apologize for the scare you all had today. This is a small token of Boss Sen's appreciation—please accept it."

With that, the refined female handed out exquisite envelopes to each bug present. All the little cubs' families and the caregiver bugs received one, except for the families of the older cubs who'd participated in bullying Mei Mei.

The refined female also solemnly conveyed Kaisisen's thanks on his behalf, then called over the few caregiver bugs amid their delighted looks.

Just then, one family member let out an undignified gasp.

He stared in shock at the contents of the envelope—inside lay a lifetime membership card to the mall and a shopping card worth three hundred thousand.

For reference, the average monthly income of an ordinary working-class bug in the capital star was around eight thousand.

This "small token" was truly a lavish gesture.

Clutching the envelopes in their hands, many family members sat in stunned silence, finally gaining some tangible sense of just what kind of existence their cubs had made friends with.

It felt almost like a dream.

Back at home, Nevi, unaware of everything that had happened at the mall, finally found time to reply to Kaisisen after their earlier conversation.

*

He felt a pang of guilt looking at Kaisisen's frantic messages and calls, his heart uneasy.

Yesterday had been so chaotic—with the cub's disappearance and Aesop's return, he'd completely forgotten about Kaisisen.

Nevi: Kaisisen, I'm so so sorry! Yesterday the cubs had a bit of an incident, but thankfully it was just a false alarm—everything's fine now! Sorry I forgot to reply to your messages and made you worry! TT

Nevi: Oh! And I have good news for Ah Sen! I'm really, really happy—my husband is back! Ah Sen, when are you free? Let's arrange a time to meet, shall we? You're a very, very important friend to me, and my husband is a wonderful, gentle bug. I'd love to introduce you two! ^^

After sending the message, Nevi waited for a moment in high spirits, but unlike his usual lightning-fast replies, Kaisisen did not respond promptly this time.

Nevi felt a bit let down—maybe Kaisisen was busy.

Just then, Little Blue suddenly came over.

"Mr. Nevi, this is the optical brain that just buzzed in the clothes Mr. Aesop took off last night. Would you like to take a look?"

With that, Little Blue handed the glowing optical brain to Nevi.

A look of confusion crossed Nevi's pretty face. Aesop had taken his optical brain when he went out, so why was there another one here?

He took it without thinking, but when he caught a glimpse of the message pop-up on the screen, his eyes widened and his hand went limp.

The optical brain fell straight to the ground.

'Nevi: By the way! I have some good news to tell Asen! I...'

*

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Author's note: Here we go, here we go—so embarrassing!