The scene of the male Zerg guiding the eggs to hatch never ceases to amaze no matter how many times it’s witnessed. When one egg after another breaks open, and the little female cubs with dark markings on their faces poke their heads out, any dissatisfaction towards the male Zerg seems to dissipate.
Quan Fe shifted his gaze downward, looking at the little male cub in his arms who was staring intently at the eggs. Would he also one day guide the birth of thousands upon thousands of lives?
“Would Wei’an like to hold a cub?” Papar Louke, exhausted and sitting on the ground, casually plucked a female cub gnawing on an eggshell and waved toward Wei’an.
The female cub bared its teeth fiercely when it was disturbed from chewing the eggshell. However, upon realizing that the one who disturbed him was a male Zerg, it immediately became docile, letting itself be held like a rag.
“Yes~” Wei’an slid down from his brother’s arms and carefully placed the large white egg in Quan Fe’s embrace. He then reminded him with concern, “Brother, keep it safe~”
Seeing Quan Fe nod, Wei’an finally turned around and dashed over to Papar Louke.
“Hold.” Papar Louke stuffed the female cub into his arms.
Wei’an’s whole body sank when a female cub was suddenly thrust into his arms. He staggered from side to side and hugged the cub with all his strength. After a futile struggle in trying to maintain balance, Wei’an still ended up plopping down on the ground. “Oh no~”
Embarrassed, he glanced at the little female cub in his arms and then turned his head to look for help from Alhandra, calling out, “Male Father~”
Alhandra, who had anticipated this scene, stepped forward, gently lifting the female cub from Wei’an’s arms and placing it back into its shell. Then, he turned to Wei’an with a smile.
Wei’an was able to hold the big white egg because the egg stopped developing not long after it was born, and its weight was different from the female cubs that had stayed in the egg for enough time to break out of the shell.
Feeling even more embarrassed by Alhandra’s laugh, Wei’an quickly got up from the ground and rushed forward, hugging his calf and burying his head on it. His milky voice came out muffled, “Male Father, don’t laugh at me~”
Unable to resist any longer, Papar Louke, who had been itching to move, managed to get up from the ground and scooped Wei’an into his arms. “Next comes the process where parents pick up their cubs. Let’s go.”
With that, he carried Wei’an away in a hurry, as if afraid Alhandra would snatch him back.
Naturally, Papar Louke had male cubs of his own at home. Aside from his nine-year-old son, there was a mischievous four-year-old male cub who was just as unruly as the little tyrant Alhandra had once been.
Every time he saw him, he felt a headache coming on. Wei’an, however, was soft, sweet, and much more likable.
Wei’an sat obediently in Papar Louke’s arms, occasionally poking his head out to check if his brother and male father were keeping up. When they lagged behind, he would raise his little hand and call out, “Hurry up, Wei’an can’t see you anymore~”
Ever since Wei’an had been frightened by Cen Sui last time, he would become anxious whenever he couldn’t see his brother, male father, or female father.
Because of this, Cen Sui had been sent to the treatment cabin several times. Feeling guilty, he endured it without complaint. Every time he saw Wei’an’s unease, he even felt remorseful.
This made him sigh that he was becoming less and less like his previous personality. It was really rare that he would feel guilty for such a trivial matter with his indifferent and bad character!
Sometimes, he wondered if this change was a result of the natural instinct of female Zerg, who couldn’t bear to see a male Zerg harmed in front of them.
Male Zergs were rare. Even at his status, opportunities to see them were few, and seeing them hurt or upset was even rarer.
Wei’an was the only little male Zerg Cen Sui had ever seen cry and look sad in front of him. Every time, it tugged at something inside him, which led him to apologize repeatedly. Otherwise, he would have let it go after the first rejection.
With that in mind, Cen Sui couldn’t help but acknowledge that female Zergs were indeed wrapped around the fingers of male Zergs!
Just as he was mulling over this, Wei’an’s eager gaze urging them to move faster caught his attention again, and he subconsciously quickened his pace.
Outside the egg nursery, the waiting female Zergs quickly and orderly entered the building when informed they could retrieve their cubs, eager to meet their little ones.
High above, Alhandra and Papar Louke observed the scene without much emotion. However, Quan Fe and Cen Sui felt a bit more complicated.
Every day, countless female Zerg were guided to hatch, but not a single male cub was among them. Time and time again, they were reminded that female-female Zerg coupling could never produce male cubs.
The rarity of male zergs also let the entire interstellar know that such a powerful race would become endangered with the scarcity of male zergs.
…
Upon reaching their destination, Papar Louke hurried forward with Wei’an in his arms, while Alhandra followed helplessly behind.
Papar Louke’s male father, Papar Vash, had long wanted to meet Wei’an. Although he agreed because of the friendship between the two families, deep down, he still didn’t want them to meet.
Wei’an was still young, not even two years old yet. He shouldn’t be exposed to too much too soon.
Perhaps sensing this reluctance, Papar Louke had taken the opportunity to whisk Wei’an away as soon as he could.
Along the way, instead of heading to the Ence Hospital, they had gone toward Papar’s residence. Alhandra had already guessed that Papar Vash must have returned home.
Forget it, let nature take its course!
Relaxing his guard, Alhandra fully let go. Seeing this, Papar Louke also breathed a sigh of relief. He hugged the male cub and ran away. To be honest, he was still afraid that Alhandra wouldn’t be able to help but beat him.
As soon as they stepped into the inner courtyard, Papar Vash, who had been reading by the window, noticed them. His gaze landed on the little Wei’an in Papar Louke’s arms, and his eyes brightened. He quickly came downstairs to greet them. “You’re back.”
“Male Father, your body…” Papar Louke began, but was cut off by a wave of his hand.
Vash stepped forward and took Wei’an from Papar Louke’s arms, his eyes filled with undisguised affection. “So, this is little Wei’an?”
He had long known of Wei’an’s existence— a little male Zerg capable of pulling a transformed female Zerg back from the brink.
But he was so small!
“Uncle Vash, it’s been a long time,” Alhandra said, gazing at the elder before him, his deep blue eyes tinged with regret.
Quan Fe and Cen Sui quickly greeted him as well. Though Papar Vash appeared young for his age, his aura was that of someone nearing old age.
He has long, slightly curly silver hair that reveals the beauty of the moon, and his whole body exudes an aura of indifference and wisdom, not at all as cruel as the rumors says.
His handsome face was pale, as though enduring some sort of pain. Yet his golden eyes showed no flicker of emotion, only an endless depth of darkness. It was only when he looked at Wei’an that a faint glimmer of light emerged from those dark eyes.
Wei’an stared at him, wide-eyed, and suddenly pointed at him, blurting out, “Dark dark~”
The Zerg in front of Wei’an were dark and gloomy, causing a bitter taste to rise in his mouth just by looking at him. Hastily, he rummaged through his small pockets, pulled out a piece of candy, and popped it into his mouth. Only after tasting the sweetness did he let out a sigh of relief. After thinking for a moment, he dug out another piece of candy and handed it to Papar Vash.
“Dark and bitter, but after eating candy, you won’t cry anymore~”
A smile appeared in Vash’s eyes as he accepted the candy and placed it in his mouth. “Hmm, it’s not bitter anymore.”
The other Zerg all turned their gazes toward Papar Vash, carefully scrutinizing him but finding nothing on him that appeared dark.
Papar Vash, who was holding Wei’an on the sofa, gently patted his head, eyes filled with careful anticipation. “Could you show me your wings? I’ve heard they’re very beautiful.”
Wei’an’s eyes lit up at the praise. He stood up from Vash’s lap, turned around, and unfolded his wings, which were almost as big as his small body.
His wings were indeed stunning—like stars flowing within them, as though the starry sky itself rested upon them, dazzling and radiant.
Papar Vash carefully examined the wings. When he confirmed that there was not even a hint of dullness, his golden eyes suddenly brightened.
In that instant, light fell into those golden eyes.
He gently embraced Wei’an, wrapping both the magnificent wings and the child in his arms.
“So beautiful.” He murmured softly, and then there was no more sound.
The sunlight outside shone through the window, spilling into the room, casting its light upon the silver strands of his hair, dyeing them with its own color.
The strands of hair, now tinged half in gold and half in silver, gently draped over the two Zerg of different sizes, locked in an embrace. The scene was so beautiful.
Alhandra stepped forward and covered Wei’an’s bewildered eyes, lifting him from Papar Vash’s now lifeless embrace. Glancing at Papar Louke, who was overwhelmed by grief, he softly said, “We’re leaving now.”
“Go ahead,” Papar Louke forced a smile. “The male father has finally seen the little Wei’an he longed for. He is happy.”
“Male father~” Wei’an tugged at his sleeve, still blindfolded.
“Yes, what is it?”
“I haven’t said goodbye to Grandpa Vash yet~”
“There’s no need for goodbyes.”
“Why~”
“You’ll understand when you grow up.”
“Okay~” Wei’an pouted, then obediently snuggled into his male father’s arms.
Just as they stepped out of the door of Papar’s house, a low, resonant beast’s call echoed through the air. The sound carried majesty and comfort, as if it were soothing a departed soul, or perhaps guiding it toward the side of the Zerg God.
Soon, this sound spread across every inch of the Zerg territory, and the entire race fell silent. They stopped what they were doing, lifting their heads to gaze at the sky.
In Zerg legends, this sound signaled the Zerg God guiding a male Zerg back to His side. Whenever it rang out, it meant a male zerg has left.
Sorrow surged from the depths of their hearts, arriving so suddenly and overwhelmingly that countless female Zerg had no time to build walls to defend against it.
Female zergs cannot accept harm to male zergs, let alone their death.
Every time a male zerg leaves, it takes a while for the zerg to recover.
Many female Zerg, half-transformed, spread their bony wings and soared into the sky, seemingly chasing after that sound.
These female Zergs, who had been guided by that male Zerg at their hatching, felt a deeper sorrow than ordinary females due to their unique bond.
“Brother, look, what’s happening to them~” Wei’an tugged at Quan Fe’s sleeve, pointing to the sky where the half-transformed female Zergs continued flying higher and higher.
After a long moment without a response, Wei’an turned around and realized that his brother was sad. He calmed down and propped himself up and touched Quan Fe’s face across the male father’s chest. “Brother, what’s wrong~”
Quan Fe didn’t know how to explain the intense sadness that had momentarily blurred his consciousness. He reached out and took Wei’an from Alhandra’s arms.
As the soft body settled into his embrace, that overwhelming grief slightly subsided.
“Brother is sad~”
“Hmm.”
“Why~”
“Because it’s instinct.” Cen Sui placed a hand on Quan Fe’s shoulder, gently pinching Wei’an’s chubby face. “It’s a female Zerg’s instinct toward male Zerg, though perhaps mixed with a bit of coincidence.”
Moments ago, they had witnessed the male zerg leading the new life, and now they met the death of a male zerg in the blink of an eye. The vast gap between these two experiences left them feeling a little daze.
Even for them, who had no direct connection to Papar Vash, the grief was unbearable. His wives, his partners, and his servants would surely find it even harder to accept.
Papar Vash’s female monarch, Lu You, had fainted under the onslaught of overwhelming sorrow. The grief that exploded in his heart at that moment almost swept him away, but fortunately, he suppressed it after waking up and regaining his composure.
His light purple eyes were calm. Although he no longer had to worry about the Zerg riots after marrying Papar Vash, his life did not get better, but got worse.
To be honest, he had even harbored some resentment. Now, after the sorrow had passed, what remained was simply peace and relief.
Onee-chan:
Hey friends! Is someone reading this novel? Please comment your thoughts about this chapter so that I will know someone is still reading and I’ll continue uploading the next chapters(*´︶`*)ฅ♡
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Thank you for the update!
Thank you so much for your amazing translation! Love this book!
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Thank you for the chapter. This story is so sad, really cute but kind of sad.