[Zerg] After being reborn as a male Zergling, he refused to be a kept man.

Fei pursed his lips, obediently untied the belt binding his military uniform despite the stares of those around him, folded it, and handed it to Zhuang Nian with both hands.

He bowed, head lowered, and said respectfully, "Please punish me, Master." Standing instead of kneeling was Fei's last shred of dignity as a lieutenant general in the military. Whether he could retain this laughable dignity depended entirely on the lord's mood.

The female soldiers who had been secretly observing Zhuang Nian frowned: "What is he going to do? Is he going to punish Lieutenant General Fei?"

Actually, everyone was more or less interested in this Grade A male insect, otherwise they wouldn't have been waiting here so long, sacrificing their lunch break just to catch a glimpse of him.

Seeing Zhuang Nian publicly punish Fei, he couldn't help but feel disappointed. He thought to himself that all male insects in the world were indeed the same, the only difference being that they were all equally bad.

The female soldiers got up in twos and threes. The only thing that could help Fei was that Zou Chong didn't laugh at him.

Only a few outspoken males were inexplicably excited, exclaiming, "Are they going to have a public performance at the military headquarters? Quick, take a picture and post it on the forum! It'll definitely go viral!"

Tu Nan frowned in disgust: "I thought he would be different from other males, but it seems he's nothing special."

After he finished speaking, he turned and left, but suddenly heard a sharp crack of a belt being whipped in the air behind him, followed by a chaotic series of screams and exclamations.

Tu Nan turned around, and Zhuang Nian swung the belt in his hand a second time.

Then came the rhythmic, one beat after another.

The hand gripping the belt was long and slender with distinct knuckles; when he swung the belt, the veins on the back of his hand bulged violently. The male insect wore a long-sleeved pullover and crisp trousers; the lamplight surrounded his back, making him appear so majestic and imposing.

Tu Nan involuntarily stopped, then walked through the swarm of insects to get closer and stand shoulder to shoulder with Fei, who was standing there blankly.

The sound of belts tearing through the air and the screams of flesh being torn apart overlapped, like layers of a mille-feuille, falling into the ears of the insects.

Tu Nan suddenly wanted to take another closer look at the male insect's face, but the male insect was wearing a mask, with the brim of his hat pulled low, and even his eyes were hidden in the shadows.

Zhuang Nian's movements were relaxed yet rhythmic. He put one hand in his pocket as if he were teasing a pet, but when he swung the belt, it was so ruthless that every strike hit the mouths of the male insects precisely, without missing even a single point.

The male insects, whipped severely by the belt, huddled on the ground, initially able to howl a few times, but later unable to make a sound.

Their teeth, mixed with blood, fell to the ground, their tongues were also badly injured, and they huddled together, trembling, crying and begging for mercy.

No insects stopped them, and no insects pleaded for them. The female insects held their breath, looking at each other in shock. When did the usually weak male insects become so strong?

Zhuang Nian rotated his wrist, making a final adjustment to his grip on the belt.

This time, the scream drowned out the sharp sound of the air being cleaved. As the male insect that had been hit stuck out half of its tongue, the leather belt in Zhuang Nian's hand snapped in three pieces.

He didn't say a word from beginning to end, but showed these male insects what the consequences of being a smart aleck are.

Fei looked at the insect with its tongue severed; it was the same one that had previously been known for its boastful talk.

He was shocked. In his more than 20 years of life, even his deceased female father had never protected him like this, and his own male master was actually willing to go to such lengths for him.

Fei turned his head and saw his master looking down at his shoes, which were splattered with a few drops of blood, with obvious disgust.

Tu Nan reacted quickly and pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket. Before he could even offer his thanks, Chong slapped him.

Fei knelt on one knee, wiped the dirt off the male insect's shoes, then stood up and boldly looked directly at his master, even giving him a rare, slight smile:

"My lord, leave the rest to me. Now I will escort you back."

The female soldiers, realizing what was happening, rushed forward, stretching out their arms for a way to communicate, but were stopped by Xiu'er and Jiao Ni, who were prepared: "This is our lieutenant general's family! No! No!"

Tu Nan also tried to step forward, but was blocked.

Fei returned the blood-stained handkerchief to him, her voice icy: "Thank you."

-

Home.

Zhuang Nian continued his job search with his personal computer.

A few hours earlier, as he ate the delicious lunch provided by the military, he had already figured out what he could eat every day if he were to be stationed there.

A few hours later, everything was back to square one.

Plans really can't keep up with changes.

When the police and the male insect protection association arrived, Zhuang Nian was preparing dinner. He put the dishes on the table, then took out a can of food and the only bottle of wine in the house—a subtle bribe.

"If you don't mind my poor cooking skills, we can eat and chat at the same time."

No female insect would refuse an invitation from a Grade A male insect, especially one as handsome and polite as this.

The dinner table is always a good place to talk business. The female insects unanimously displayed the best demeanor they had ever shown in their insect lives, and Zhuang Nian also had a very pleasant conversation with them.

They talked about economics, politics, and everything Zhuang Nian wanted to find out, until both host and guest were thoroughly entertained, and then they got to the point.

"Sir, we have learned the cause and course of events. Many officers in the military are willing to vouch for you with their insect-like dignity and honor, and the fault does not lie with you. However, given the serious injuries suffered by the male insects, you will need to bear all medical expenses and provide compensation for their emotional distress."

The policeman, feeling obligated to speak up, added, "If you're not satisfied with the verdict, you can appeal. I have a lawyer friend who's very capable; I can introduce you to him. And there's a greater than 50% chance you'll win."

At this point, Zhuang Nian could confirm once again that the status of male Zerglings was indeed very high, not only higher than that of females, but also significantly higher than that of males of the same sex with lower bloodlines.

This kind of hierarchy doesn't follow any rules or laws; it's more based on genetics.

Because Zhuang Nian is a male insect, he can rightfully be superior to female insects. And because he is a rare male insect with an A-grade bloodline, he can easily trample male insects with ordinary bloodlines under his feet.

Zhuang Nian thought that things wouldn't end well today; at the very least, he thought that being summoned and interrogated was inevitable. But he didn't expect that it would just be a simple matter of paying compensation.

He readily signed the long list of compensation forms, thankful that it was the beginning of the month and the male insect subsidy he received that morning, plus what he had saved up over the past few months, was just enough.

-

Fei returned home very late because of what happened in the cafeteria today.

A light was on in the living room, and dinner was still steaming in the refrigerator, at the temperature it was when it was freshly cooked.

Fei took off his military cap, loosened his collar, and said to the upstairs, "Thank you, Lord Xiong." Only then did he pick up his knife and fork and begin to eat.

The taste is better than yesterday; the master chef's skills have improved again.

Fei recalled everyone's envy and jealousy of her today, and in a good mood, she hummed a few off-key tunes. After putting the empty plates into the dishwashing cabinet, she went upstairs.

He took a shower first, carefully groomed himself in front of the mirror, and then, as usual, knocked on the master bedroom door. "My lord, do you need my service?"

There was no response, as always.

Fei lowered her head, pulled her pajamas collar open a little, pursed her lips, and whispered, "I originally wanted to talk to you about taking up a position in the military, but since you're resting, then..."

With a click, the door opened.