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

The war between the Zerg and the Beasts has lasted for thousands of years. Finding the Beast Nest and destroying the Beast King has been the long-standing goal of the Empire.

But the day the monster's nest was found was not a triumphant victory, but a humiliating defeat with rivers of blood flowing down its face.

Those were absolutely the darkest days of the empire...

While the military's strongest main force was severely damaged, the marshal went blind, and the war god was defeated and seriously injured. Among the blood debts piled up with bones, the black-haired male insect was the most prominent figure.

The female insects all said, "It's all that female soldier's fault that we lost such a perfect Lord Zhuang Nian."

The male insects watched coldly, some even clapping and cheering: "That black-haired male insect who always trampled them underfoot and single-handedly raised the standards for female mate selection has finally disappeared completely."

Everyone was unable to accept such a defeat. They were so angry that they couldn't even take on the Beast King alone. They launched a verbal attack, directing all their criticism at Fei.

If he wins, call him the God of War.

If someone loses, they're called a loser.

The insect who didn't care about Fei's victory or defeat, but only about his safety, now rests forever in the place where they first met.

The sun shone brightly outside the window, but the female soldier's dazzling, golden vertical pupils, like the twilight shrouded in mist, could no longer shine even a little.

Fei stared at the ceiling, his lips covered in layers of blood, like accumulating rouge, as if they were about to be bitten to pieces.

The male insect protection association stared coldly at him, their anger raging, and their words were utterly ruthless: "Since you're still alive, come with us to be punished."

Shul and Joni reached out to stop the Male Insect Protection Association, "How dare you!"

The Male Insect Protection Association sneered, "We should have punished him severely the first time he made Lord Zhuang Nian cook for him. Otherwise, we wouldn't have indulged him to this point. Before, when Lord Zhuang Nian was alive, we couldn't touch him. Now that Lord Zhuang Nian has died because of him, how can we justify letting him go unpunished?"

Xiu'er hurriedly said, "If Lord Zhuang Nian were here, he would definitely not allow you to treat the commander like this."

Upon hearing this, the Male Insect Protection Association burst out laughing, then angrily rebuked:

"If Lord Zhuang Nian were still alive, we would never allow your commander to stay by his side! He is utterly unworthy!"

"He survived by relying on a weak male insect! How can he still have the nerve to live?! How can he even have the audacity?!"

As the male insect protection association spoke, it waved its hand, and the insect holding the light whip pulled the female soldier off the hospital bed and began to torture her on the spot.

"Don't touch him! Get out of my way!"

"Commander!"

Shul and Joni stepped forward to stop them, but were whipped several times and groaned in pain.

The light whip is unlike any other; it's made specifically for female soldiers. When it's used, it not only disrupts their mental energy but also prevents wounds from healing quickly, leaving scars that linger for a long time.

Shul and Joni held Fei, who looked utterly dead and hadn't even flinched, in their arms, gritting their teeth and saying, "He's going to be a marshal! How dare you treat him like this?!"

Male Insect Protection Association: "Heh!"

Before, with Zhuang Nian protecting them, they could only tolerate their dislike for Fei. Now that Zhuang Nian is gone, they're settling old scores and new ones at once, shouting fiercely, "Beat him to death! Beat him all at once!"

A bug came running in, panting, holding a piece of paper and calling out in a trembling voice, "Wait! Wait! Lord Zhuang Nian left a letter of understanding here!"

Everyone was taken aback upon hearing this, and the Male Insect Protection Association frowned as they took it.

The pen strokes on the paper were sharp and clear, the words written in black and white: Zhuang Nian voluntarily gave up everything, including his life, to protect Fei...

The male insect protection association recognized Zhuang Nian's handwriting, which made them even angrier because the number of letters of understanding written by this insect was almost as high as a mountain.

"With no one left to testify, who can know if it's true? What if you forged it?"

"No way! This was personally handed to me by Lord Zhuang Nian before he jumped off the cabin door! It can't be fake! We can verify the inscription if you don't believe me..."

The Male Insect Protection Association tore the letter of understanding in half. Fei finally came to his senses, stood up, pushed aside the insect blocking his way, and asked, "Master... what else did he leave behind?"

Chong took a red gemstone ring out of his pocket and handed it to Fei: "And this too."

Fei reached out to take it, but then noticed the blood on his finger from the whip.

He carefully wiped his fingers clean on his hospital gown, took the ring, and gently slipped it onto his ring finger: "Any more?"

The insect shook its head: "That's all."

Fei looked at the few scraps of paper in the Male Insect Protection Association's hand like a puppet, and reached out: "Give them to me."

The Male Insect Protection Association scoffed, "Lord Zhuang Nian is willing to die for you, but you're not even willing to endure a few lashes?"

Fei opened his lips, his tone deep and sinister, devoid of any insect-like malice: "Give it to me, and I'll accept my punishment."

Male Insect Protection Association: "What right do you think you have to negotiate with us?"

Fei looked at the paper in his hand and said without much emotion, "Yu Chen's guardianship is still in my hands."

"Hmph!" The Male Insect Protection Association slapped the paper in their hand at Fei's face and said coldly, "Ten thousand lashes. If you're lucky you won't die, we'll let it go."

Fei wiped his hands, squatted down and picked up the scraps of paper one by one from the ground. After carefully blowing away the non-existent dust, he handed them to Xiuer for safekeeping.

He took off his hospital gown, kissed the ring on his ring finger, and thought that if time could turn back, he would never have taken the male insect to the battlefield. If his existence only brought endless trouble and disaster to the male insect, he would rather they had never met.

If I could do it all over again, Fei would stay far away from Zhuang Nian, just wishing him peace and happiness...

During the subsequent three-hour or so torture, Fei did not utter a single sound.

When the ten thousand lashes ended, blood and flesh were scattered everywhere on the ground, and Fei was covered in wounds. Even the doctor, who was used to seeing life and death, was so frightened that he turned pale and covered his mouth to vomit.

Shul and Joni tried to carry Fei to the bed, but they didn't know where to start. Seeing that he was barely breathing and had no will to live, they yelled at him:

"Commander! Lord Zhuang Nian is gone! Don't you want to live anymore?! What about those three cubs? They're so young! Don't you care if they live or die?!"

The dying female soldier's fingers twitched slightly. After a long while, she whispered, "...Save me..."

-

In the long corridor bathed in the setting sun, Zizheng stood in front of You Nan, flapping his bone wings to deflect all the stones hurtling from all directions, and loudly questioned his former classmates:

"What are you doing?! Don't throw stones at my father's portrait!"

The insect cubs pointed to the dazzling mural behind the two brothers and said in a cute but fierce way:

"Your female father is a loser! He couldn't defeat the Beast King! Disgraceful! He doesn't deserve the title of God of War! He doesn't deserve to hang here!"

You Nan poked her head out from behind her older brother and loudly retorted:

"Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war! That's what our teacher said!"

"Our female father can't defeat the Beast King! Your female father can't even defeat our female father!"

"And your female fathers aren't even qualified to participate in the battle! Because they aren't the strongest insects! So they don't even deserve to die in battle!"

The insect babies were furious, and they seized on the two offspring's sore spots, saying:

"Your male father is dead! He was killed by your female father! You have no more male father! No more insects will love you!"

What followed was a chaotic battle...

To be precise, it was a group fight.

Hundreds of insect larvae ganged up on Zizheng and Younan.

Outnumbered...

Zizheng and Younan stood back to back, gradually unable to withstand the relentless barrage of punches and kicks. They exchanged a glance and used their bone wings.

Fighting is strictly prohibited in military academies, and the use of bone wings in fights is even more forbidden.

But their male father had once said that when their safety was threatened, they had to protect themselves with their bony wings. Even if the person standing opposite them was a precious male insect, it was still possible.

The two little ones didn't follow any "martial virtues," and the other little insects followed suit.

It's another case of fewer against more...

Zizheng quickly pulled You Nan into his arms, closing his eyes and bracing himself for exponential pain, but to his surprise, nothing happened.

A powerful, dense spiritual force transformed the wind blades whipped up by the insect larvae's bone wings into a gentle breeze, and then returned to calm.

You Nan looked up from her brother's arms, pointed at the group of insects in crisp military uniforms walking out from around the corner of the corridor, and exclaimed excitedly, "The female father is here! You're all doomed!"

Unlike the murals, the female soldier who suddenly appeared was ruthless and fierce, with even her eyebrows showing signs of battle.

He wore a sash around his neck and a short sword at his waist, symbolizing supreme military power. On the pine-green epaulettes was a black battle axe.

—A standard marshal's uniform.

The insect cubs that had previously spoken rudely dared to talk back to two cubs of the same age, but when faced with Fei, they were so scared that they didn't dare to utter a sound.

Their bony wings drooped, and their heads were almost touching the ground.

Fei wouldn't bother arguing with a bunch of little kids. With a casual wave of his hand, he slapped all the little ones present against the wall under the corridor like flatbreads, including Zizheng and Younan.

The two cubs looked aggrieved, their eyes red as they asked him, "Where's our father? They said... they said..."

"Xiongfu has just gone on a long trip," Fei said firmly. "He will come back one day."

The sun is setting.

After a spring rain, all the flowers in the yard bloomed.

Spring always comes so early in the capital, just like in previous years, yet somewhat different.

The young man, dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, sat behind the table brewing tea, his long, slender, and fair fingers fiddling with a fine tea set.

The woman sitting opposite him, with a gentle face and wearing a cheongsam, looked at him quietly for a while before asking:

"A-Nian, have you been having something on your mind lately? Do you want to talk to your mother about it?"

Zhuang Nian handed the brewed tea to his mother: "No."

"You were so distracted you even brewed the tea wrong, and you still say you didn't?" Mrs. Zhuang took a sip of tea and probed, "You...do you have a girl you like?"

Zhuang Nian was taken aback, then shook his head: "No."

Zhuang's mother: "Although the family's idea is for you to get married after you turn thirty, it's not that you can't date. Tell me, which family's daughter is she? I'll give you some advice."

Zhuang Nian: "..."

Mrs. Zhuang: "If you don't tell me, I'll go tell your dad and have him investigate!"

"..." Zhuang Nian: "Not a girl."

"Huh?" Mrs. Zhuang was a little surprised. "That! That's a boy?"

Zhuang Nian: "Hmm."

Mrs. Zhuang hesitated for a moment: "...Which family are you from?"

"..." Zhuang Nian threw the bamboo tube in his hand into the spring water for brewing tea and said calmly, "It's all in the past."