This thought had just surfaced from the depths of his heart, and You Que immediately felt it was unlikely—this wasn’t like the way Sanya typically operated. Thus, he simply waited silently, holding the cigarette between his fingers, for Sanya’s response.
“When did I say I was going to leave you behind?”
Sanya snapped back to his senses, sitting down beside You Que. He couldn’t help but feel like laughing, but when he thought of the series of troubles his family had faced after his wings were forcibly removed, his gaze darkened, becoming a bit fleeting and heavy, like a thick mist that couldn’t disperse.
“It’s just that the South is too far. My family has offended too many enemies, so it might not be safe to go there. I don’t know if you’re willing to go back with me.”
Sanya’s family had suffered relentless oppression from the powerful and wealthy due to that incident. Life after returning there wouldn’t necessarily be any better than it was here. He had to make things clear with You Que, so that the other wouldn’t regret it later.
After Sanya’s wings were forcibly removed, he fought to the last breath and killed the male zerg. Immediately afterward, he was detained by the military. But his enemies were far from just a few.
The doctor who wielded the scalpel, the “strategist” who had suggested the idea to that male zerg, the aristocrats who oppressed his family…
These debts would have to be settled, eventually.
Sanya felt that he couldn’t let hatred drag him down for his entire life, but some grudges, if not settled, would not allow him to find peace for the rest of his days. The thorn lodged in his heart had to be pulled out eventually.
The only thing he hesitated about was not wanting to involve You Que…
You Que hadn’t expected that Sanya was hesitating for this reason. “It’s not about whether I’m willing or not. If we’re going, then we go together.”
You Que was originally an outsider, not necessarily tied to Saint Lieux. Compared to the unknown dangers, he was more repelled by the feeling of abandonment that had been rooted in his heart since childhood.
After speaking, You Que grasped Sanya’s cold hand and repeated, “I will go to the South with you.”
At these words, Sanya’s heart first lifted in joy, then tightened. Furrowing his brows, he lowered his voice and asked, “It’s very dangerous. Are you sure you want to go?”
You Que deliberately countered, “So, am I not going?”
Sanya was momentarily speechless. “You just agreed—how can you go back on your word?”
You Que thought to himself, Then why are you asking? He rarely showed any signs of intimacy in public, but at that moment, he took the initiative to wrap his arm around Sanya’s shoulder, feeling the same slenderness as before. “Then tell me, who did your family offend, and how did you end up with so many enemies?”
Sanya leaned against his shoulder, lazily nuzzling it twice. A dark, cold glint flashed fleetingly in his eyes, but You Que didn’t notice. “You’ll find out when we return.”
Before long, Mackey had finished the paperwork and came out of the police station office. You Que and Sanya accompanied him back to the welfare home. Eugene’s body had already begun to decay, so it had to be cremated as soon as possible. Mackey was elderly and in poor health, so most of the arrangements were handled by Sanya.
Once everything was taken care of, it was nearly time to depart.
Sanya was fine; he had already made arrangements with Fei Wen and the others in advance. However, Gu Yigu and John were quite surprised when they found out that You Que was leaving Saint Lieux for the South.
“You Que, the South is so far away. Why are you going there for no reason?”
“Yes… yes… over there… you’re unfamiliar with the zerg life… what if you run into bad zergs… w-what will you do…”
As for these two troublesome bad guys, You Que couldn’t exactly say he felt any animosity toward them. Although he had initially been forced to associate with them for the sake of survival, over time, it was hard not to develop a certain friendship.
“Sanya’s father is sick. I’m going back with him to visit. I’ll come back when I have the time.”
Knowing that Gu Yigu and John were usually broke, You Que pulled some money from his pocket and handed it to them. “Take this money. It’s not much, but it’ll get you through a week. Use this time to find a proper job—it’s better than anything else.”
Gu Yigu and John exchanged glances, neither of them reaching for the money.
“It’s just finding a job. Who needs a whole week? I could get you one in no time. Keep the money for your trip to the South. By the time you come back, John and I might already be rich.”
Gu Yigu didn’t have many good qualities, but he was loyal. After speaking, he patted You Que’s shoulder and, with a grin, said, “Sanya is the little bartender at the Kulture Bar, right? I knew you had your eye on him, but you kept pretending you didn’t. When are you planning to leave?”
You Que didn’t respond to his teasing. “I’ll be leaving shortly. I was planning to tell you earlier, but a friend passed away, and I’ve been busy handling his affairs, so I didn’t have the time.”
As he spoke, a silver-gray car had somehow pulled up at the street corner. Seeing this, You Que picked up his travel bag and said to Gu Yigu and John, “I have to leave now. I’ll send you a message when I get to the South.”
Gu Yigu instinctively waved goodbye. “Hey, don’t forget to come back, alright!”
You Que paused at his words and turned back to look at him. “Didn’t you say you were going to make big money? Once you’ve made it, you can come find me in the South just the same.”
Gu Yigu scoffed, habitually putting his hands in his pockets. To his surprise, he felt a stack of something hard. He pulled it out in astonishment and saw it was the money You Que had just given them.
At that moment, You Que had already opened the car door and sat in the backseat. When Sanya saw him settle in, he habitually glanced outside, only to spot two male zergs standing on the roadside. He asked in surprise, “Do you know those two little thugs outside?”
Fei Wen’s investigation report mentioned that You Que had been saved by two little thugs outside the town, could it be these two?
You Que had always kept his acquaintance with Gu Yigu hidden from Sanya, but today, it seemed to have slipped out. “What, you remember them?”
“I almost got scammed by them on my first day here. Do you think I’d forget?”
Luckily, You Que arrived early that day; otherwise, Gu Yigu and John would have at least ended up with broken arms or legs. But some things in the world are just so coincidental—without that incident, he would never have met You Que.
As Sanya thought of this, he gave You Que a meaningful look, wondering to himself that this wasn’t exactly a good sign. “So, you’re in cahoots with them? Then why did you help me back then?”
You Que replied, “These two things don’t contradict each other.”
If there had to be a reason, it was probably because Sanya was so disheveled, so pitiful, and so lifeless that day. For some inexplicable reason, You Que felt a surge of sympathy.
When he closed his eyes, he could still faintly smell the damp scent of rain from that day. The female zerg’s wet face, pale and beautiful in the torrential downpour, seemed as if he had just crawled out of a coffin, exuding an unmistakable air of decay.
The raindrops fell one after another, each one striking You Que’s heart, sending a tremor through him.
The driver had unknowingly started the car, and the scenery outside the window rapidly retreated, the street corner where they had first met fading far behind them. Sanya noticed You Que sitting there with his eyes closed, resting. A faint shadow of light fell across his profile, indifferent and handsome. Unable to resist, Sanya quietly rested his head on his leg.
The first day Sanya met You Que, he had just crawled out of the pile of corpses at Blackstone Prison. He had barely left the snowstorm-ridden North, and as soon as he stepped foot in Saint Lieux, a torrential downpour had started.
What was Sanya thinking at that time?
Though the male zerg was wearing a mask, his eyes were truly beautiful.
The rose in the suit pocket was beautiful.
Those hands hanging by his side were even more beautiful.
And on top of that, the other had helped him.
After just one glance, he couldn’t help but feel a lingering thought…
The car drove smoothly all the way to the checkpoint outside the town. On the open field of the camp, many starships were parked. The troop rotation had already been completed, and soldiers were climbing one by one into the spacecraft, disappearing into the cabins. All that could be heard was the clinking of firearms and the sound of footsteps.
Robert had already prepared two sets of uniforms in advance. When he saw the car arrive, he handed the uniforms through the window. “The team is about to leave. Change into these uniforms quickly and come with me to board the spacecraft.”
Sanya was fine, but You Que was a male zerg, so he had to disguise himself to avoid being recognized by the accompanying troops. The two of them quickly changed clothes, got out of the car, and followed Robert onto the starship.
Inside the starship, a few officers were seated, and it wasn’t too crowded. When they saw Robert leading two unfamiliar “military females” in, one casually asked, “Who are these two? I’ve never seen them before.”
This starship was reserved for generals, with ordinary soldiers seated in the rear.
Robert casually replied, “They’re two of my fellow townsfolk. The other starships are too crowded, so I brought them here. We can chat along the way.”
The officers didn’t ask any more questions upon hearing this. After all, there were still empty seats, and Robert was the commanding officer, so they didn’t need to dig deeper.
Sanya and You Que sat in the front row, with a large section of empty seats behind them, keeping some distance from the officers who were chatting. Sanya pulled out two thin blankets from the overhead compartment and handed one to You Que. “It’ll take about two days to fly to the South from here. We’ll have to spend the night on the starship.”
Sanya was dressed in platinum-colored military attire, and when he was silent, he exuded an imposing aura. Every movement still faintly echoed the habits he had learned during his time in the military. You Que watched him for a moment, finding it hard to imagine the reason why Sanya had retired from the military.
Sanya picked up two bottles of water and sat down in his seat. When he saw You Que staring at him, his movements paused. “What are you looking at me for?”
You Que calmly averted his gaze. “Nothing.”
He hadn’t expected that Sanya actually looked quite good in a military uniform.
The journey was dull and boring, and with Robert seated just in front of them, when You Que closed his eyes to rest, he couldn’t help but overhear the deliberately lowered voices of Robert and Sanya talking.
“You probably don’t know, but Major General Blairand returned to the South a few days ago. If there’s a chance, maybe we can catch up when we’re there.”
“Why did he suddenly go back to the South?”
“You’ve been away, so it’s normal you didn’t hear the news. While he was in the Imperial Capital, he found a rare pureblood male to be his partner, and the Zerg Emperor personally presided over their wedding. He’s probably going back to the South to visit family.”
Sanya seemed somewhat surprised upon hearing this. He slightly furrowed his brows, wanting to say something but then reconsidered and swallowed his words. “…It’s fine. He’s the young chief, and even considering his status, that male zerg won’t do anything to him.”
Robert spoke with a tone of envy. “When I attended the wedding in the Imperial Capital, I saw that male zerg. He looks different from those bad males in the South who want to take our wings. Black hair, black eyes, very handsome. Chief Harrington must be very pleased.”
He was speaking with great enthusiasm, unaware that when You Que heard the words “black hair, black eyes,” his eyes suddenly snapped open, his expression frozen in a daze and shock.
Salaranfa rarely saw zergs with black hair and black eyes. At least in Saint Lieux, a place with delayed information, You Que had never seen such a zerg. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of changing his hair to brown.
Now that Robert mentioned there was a zerg with black hair and black eyes in the South, it was impossible for You Que not to think more about it.
“Do you have a picture of him?”
You Que suddenly spoke, startling Robert, and even Sanya turned to look at him.
“What?”
You Que straightened up in his seat and casually asked, “Do you have a picture of that pureblood male zerg? Could you show it to me?”
Robert lowered his head and opened his terminal, flipping through the album. “I can show you, but my terminal was damaged during the last mission, so some of the data hasn’t been recovered yet… Found it!”
He handed the terminal to You Que. “I took a few photos at the wedding, but they were from a distance, so they’re a bit blurry.”
You Que took it and examined the image closely. The scene was clearly from the wedding, but due to the side angle, the male zerg’s face was somewhat blurry. At most, all he could make out was the jet-black hair.
It looked somewhat familiar, but for a moment, You Que couldn’t recognize who it was.
While You Que was lost in thought, Sanya also leaned over to take a look. “Why do you suddenly want to see this?”
You Que was a male zerg, so if he were to look at something, it should be a beautiful female zerg, not staring at another male zerg.
You Que snapped out of his daze and handed the terminal back to Robert. “It’s nothing. I was just curious about what a pureblood male zerg looks like. I heard their numbers are extremely rare.”
Sanya chuckled lightly. “What could they look like? Two eyes, a nose, and a mouth—what could be different from you?”
He didn’t care about the so-called 100% blood purity. There were many noble male zergs in the South with high blood purity, but if one were to open their family’s collection room, they might find a pair of wings from a female zerg, skinned alive.
Under such an imbalanced system, excessive power and honor only make those male zergs worse.
All things considered, Sanya’s heart had long been skewed. No matter how good other male zergs were, he always felt they couldn’t compare to those from his own family.
You Que stroked Sanya’s braid, saying nothing.
Robert said, “Currently, there are only three pureblooded princes in the empire. With one now in the South, we’ll have more leverage when speaking in front of His Majesty. Otherwise, we’ve always been suppressed, like we’re nobody.”
Beauty and strength rarely go hand in hand. Most of the female zergs in the South aren’t good at combat; intelligence gathering is their strong suit. In comparison, the North, with its powerful fighting force, holds more influence. At least in the North, no male zerg would dare to rip the wings off a female.
This matter was just a small interlude during the journey, and soon it quieted down. No one brought it up again.
You Que was distracted the whole time, wondering if that black-haired, black-eyed male zerg could be his human companion. As Sanya returned to his homeland, he inevitably felt a bit uneasy, eventually finding a comfortable spot on You Que’s shoulder to rest.
You Que asked, “Are you tired?”
Sanya hummed in agreement.
You Que reached out and pulled him closer. “If you’re tired, then sleep for a while.”
Sanya wasn’t actually tired; he just felt more at ease beside You Que. But as he leaned against the warm chest of the male zerg, he unknowingly drifted off to sleep.
The starship flew for a full day and a half, finally arriving at the southern city of Yinchatait by the afternoon of the next day. Sanya, carrying his suitcase, stepped off the starship with You Que. He gazed at the familiar yet foreign surroundings, momentarily unable to collect his thoughts.
Robert slapped Sanya hard on the back. “What are you spacing out for? It’s been so long since you’ve been back that you don’t even recognize your own home?”
Since landing, Sanya had seemed somewhat agitated, even displaying a kind of neurotic sensitivity. When Robert suddenly slapped him on the back, Sanya tensed up like he’d been shocked, then shot him a cold glare, his expression darkening.
Seeing this, Robert quickly realized what had happened and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Sorry, I forgot you don’t like being tapped on the back.”
You Que had been observing the surroundings and hadn’t noticed the silent exchange. Seeing that Sanya was still standing there without moving, he walked over and asked, “Why are you just standing there?”
Robert interrupted, “I’ve arranged for the car, it’s parked outside the station. Follow me.”
With that, he led the way.
You Que noticed Sanya’s pale face and thought they had argued with Robert. He reached out and pulled him into an embrace, saying, “It’s been a long time since you’ve been home. Cheer up.”
Hearing this, Sanya slowly relaxed his expression and followed You Que as they walked behind.
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