This story begins an hour earlier.
Not long after Laimi and Laixing left the banquet, Marlon secretly dispatched four A-rank female zergs to follow them. These were elite warriors from the military, each capable of taking on ten opponents single-handedly.
The back garden, where vehicles and aircraft were parked, was dark and quiet. With the guests all gathered in the banquet hall, Laimi and Laixing barely had time to reach thei car before being rendered unconscious by a drugged mist. The four female zergs carried the two of them upstairs through the back door, slipping quietly into a secluded servant’s rest room.
“Alright, the three of you, get out. Leave this to me.”
The red-haired female zerg leading the group waved off the others, seemingly unwilling to let them witness what was about to unfold. He walked to the bedside, methodically removing Laimi and Laixing’s clothing. Then, stepping back a few paces, he raised his terminal to take photos. However, before he could make his move, a sudden force struck the back of his head.
With a muffled groan, he collapsed to the ground.
“Ugh!”
The female zerg was A-rank, with a robust physique, so the blow didn’t fully knock him out. Clutching the back of his neck in pain, he turned around, only to see the window of the room wide open and two figures leaping in from outside. His pupils contracted sharply.
“Your Highness Ah Sui?! Major General Blairand?!”
Ah Sui casually tossed the small stone in his hand, his brows furrowed in confusion. “Aren’t you a female zerg? Why would you drug Laimi and Laixing, knock them out, and strip their clothes?”
Earlier, You Que had been uneasy about Laimi and Laixing leaving the banquet alone and had asked Ah Sui to covertly keep an eye on them. As expected, Marlon couldn’t resist making a move. Ah Sui and Blairand had followed the trail all the way here but were still baffled by the female zerg’s intentions.
The female zerg’s face darkened at the words, realizing his cover had been blown. Struggling to his feet, he turned to flee, but Ah Sui darted forward like lightning, grabbing his arm. A sharp crack of bones breaking echoed in the room.
“I asked you a question. Why aren’t you answering?” Ah Sui’s voice was cold and unyielding.
The female zerg let out a pained scream, cold sweat dripping down his face. “Your Highness, I have no idea what you’re talking about!”
Blairand pulled a blanket over Laimi and Laixing’s bodies before turning to look at the red-haired female zerg. Though unfamiliar with him, Blairand guessed from his robust physique that he was likely from the military.
Blairand stepped up to the red-haired female zerg and directly removed the terminal from his wrist. The photo-taking interface was still open, not yet exited. Although Blairand’s voice remained calm and gentle, it carried an inexplicable weight that made the zerg’s heart tremble.
“We saw everything you just did from downstairs,” Blairand said, his tone unwavering. “If you tell the truth now, I might still let you walk away alive.”
The female zerg’s face turned ashen, but he remained silent, refusing to speak.
Seeing this, Blairand casually sat down by the bed, idly rubbing the terminal in his hand. “You don’t need to say it. I already know you’re working for Marlon. Laimi and Laixing are the younger brothers of His Highness You Que’s monarch. If word of this gets out, do you think he’ll let you off? Do you think the Supreme Chief will spare you?”
“Making mistakes is one thing, but don’t drag your family down with you.”
Blairand’s final remark, laden with deeper meaning, finally made the female zerg panic for a moment. “Young Chief, I… I was only following Lord Marlon’s orders. If I talk, he’ll never let me go…”
Blairand chuckled softly at this. “But you’ve already been caught. If word gets out, Marlon won’t spare you anyway. If you’re willing to confess honestly now, I promise your family won’t be implicated.”
Two pureblood Excellencies, plus the Young Chief of the South—any zerg with half a brain could tell who outweighed Marlon in importance.
Blairand’s patience was wearing thin. He began counting down calmly:
“Three…”
“Two…”
“One…”
The female zerg finally panicked at the countdown, struggling violently. “Young Chief! I’ll talk! I’ll talk!”
“It was Lord Marlon. He… He ordered us to drug Laimi and Laixing, take them to a guest room, and send a few photos to Sanya. Then… then…”
Blairand pressed further, his voice sharp: “Then what?”
The female zerg lowered his head in shame. “Then bring Count Kirk here. He’s been fond of these twins for a long time. When he sees them, he won’t be able to resist…”
Blairand’s brows furrowed deeply. “Why would Marlon do this?”
The red-haired zerg hesitated for a long ten seconds before finally speaking with difficulty. “Sanya has always been protective of his two younger brothers. When he sees the photos, he’ll definitely rush to the room and confront Count Kirk. Lord Marlon said that if Sanya could kill Count Kirk, that would be ideal. If not, I was to act in secret and make sure it happened. One way or another, the goal was to frame Sanya for the murder of a male zerg…”
“The banquet today had Chief Harrington and all the high-ranking officials present. Once this matter is exposed in front of everyone, Sanya won’t be able to deny it, and then there’s His Highness You Que…”
Ah Sui suddenly grabbed him by the collar. “What about You Que?”
The red-haired zerg was startled by Ah Sui’s sudden action, stuttering as he spoke. “Lord Marlon had Nalandor seduce His Highness You Que. That way, if Sanya is accused of murder, with Nalandor there, His Highness You Que won’t care too much about Sanya, that useless zerg…”
As all the details of the plan were revealed, Blairand’s expression grew increasingly grim. He was struck by how diabolical the scheme was—it sent a shiver through his heart.
When Marlon arranged the banquet, he had purposely invited only You Que, knowing it would make it easier for Nalandor to seduce him. With such a seductive figure present, it was likely that 99% of male zergs would be beguiled.
Imagine, if Sanya saw the naked photos of Laimi and Laixing, he would probably rush to the room, even knowing it was a trap. What would he walk into when he burst through the door? His two younger brothers lying on the bed, being toyed with by Count Kirk? Or something else?
Blairand couldn’t bring himself to imagine the scene, but he knew Sanya’s temperament all too well. He would undoubtedly stab Count Kirk until he was a bloody mess. Then, Marlon would surely find some excuse to lead everyone upstairs. Regardless of the reason, Sanya would be unable to escape the charge of murdering a male zerg.
It could get worse. If Sanya emerged from the room covered in blood, a knife in hand, and his male lord rushed out in a panic, dressed hastily, with a seductive beauty in tow—what would the others think?
It would be the ultimate act of betrayal—murder and a destruction of trust, nothing less.
The more Blairand thought about it, the more uneasy he became. Almost immediately, he dialed Sanya’s number and informed him of everything, fearing he would fall right into Marlon’s trap.
…
“That’s the situation. As soon as I got Blairand’s call, I rushed over. But I was worried Marlon might recognize me, so I disguised myself a little.”
Sanya spoke, running a hand through his neat short hair, his tone tinged with regret. His braids had been too conspicuous, so to avoid being recognized, he had simply cut them off with a quick snip before leaving.
You Que, both shocked and angry, silently thanked his foresight for having Ah Sui follow and protect Laimi and Laixing. Otherwise, who knew how much worse the situation might have become. “Where are Laimi and Laixing now?”
Sanya explained, “Blairand is keeping an eye on them. Nothing will happen to them. When I sneaked into the banquet, I heard you and a beautiful sub-female had gone upstairs. I slipped in through the window, but when I got to the room, you weren’t there. I had a feeling you’d be in Beowen’s bedroom.”
Sanya spoke, his fingers lightly tracing the outline of You Que’s throat, his eyes glinting with an unreadable expression as he asked, “So, Your Highness, is that sub-female really as beautiful as they say?”
You Que grabbed Sanya’s hand, irritated at his teasing, thinking to himself, What are you doing, getting jealous now? “What should we do now? We’ve already found the hidden room. Should we call Chief Harrington and the others?”
Sanya gave a slight smirk. “That would be boring. Marlon wants to lure me in, doesn’t he? It would be far more interesting to let his plan fall apart.”
After saying this, Sanya leaned close to You Que’s ear and whispered something. After a moment of thought, You Que nodded. “…Alright, let’s move quickly, before we’re discovered.”
With that, he and Sanya stood up. They found a large empty box in the corner and began transferring the glass bottles from the display stand into it, taking the box upstairs to the bedroom. Beowen had collected four pairs of wings, and they moved all the boxes onto the bed. Afterward, they unlocked the password and began lifting the lids one by one.
The wings of the southern female zergs were truly beautiful, even in the darkness, they emitted a soft glow—some a deep blue, others a pale purple—like gifts bestowed by the gods themselves.
Sanya knelt slowly beside the bed and carefully opened the last box. As cold mist dissipated, a pair of light silver wings appeared inside. With each shift of the angle, they refracted soft hues of light blue and light purple, like moonlight, with delicate golden specks along the edges. It was the most beautiful and unique pair of wings among all the collections.
These were the wings that had been torn from him while he was still alive…
And they were the beginning of all the misfortune that followed…
Seeing the wings, Sanya’s fingertips trembled uncontrollably for a moment. His chest rose and fell gently, as if lost in some distant thought. You Que quietly approached from behind and gently covered his eyes, speaking softly in his ear, “Don’t look.”
He knew—Sanya must be hurting deeply.
Sanya remained silent, closing his eyes to hide the redness in his gaze. After a moment, he slowly opened them again. He pulled You Que’s hand away, his voice hoarse, “You Que… these are my wings…”
You Que tightly embraced him from behind, giving a soft hum in acknowledgment. “I know.”
Sanya asked, “Are they beautiful?”
You Que replied, “Beautiful.”
Sanya wanted to say that the wings had been even more beautiful when they were attached to him, that no matter how advanced preservation techniques were, they could never replicate the vitality of that living beauty.
But instead, Sanya gently caressed the wings with a sense of deep reverence and nostalgia. “You Que, I’ve finally found them…”
His emotions slowly calmed, and he suddenly turned to look at the male zerg, asking, “Would you accept them from me?”
You Que was momentarily taken aback. “Give them to me?”
Sanya nodded, his expression steady. “Yes, I want to give them to you.”
Southern female zergs all loved beauty, and these wings were the most beautiful thing he had. Only by placing them in You Que’s hands would Sanya feel at peace.
You Que was momentarily at a loss for words. He loved Sanya, everything about him, but these wings carried too much pain. They couldn’t be compared to any ordinary gift.
He gently touched Sanya’s cool face, pressing a soft kiss to his reddened eyes. In the end, he didn’t answer the question. His voice was low, tender, and softer than ever before. “Let’s talk about this when we get home.”
Home—those two words always had a way of making them both inexplicably soften.
Sanya, hearing this, couldn’t help but curl his lips ever so slightly. He then slipped out of You Que’s embrace and stood at a distance, brushing off the dust from the back of his pants. His silver-gray short hair was slightly tousled, but it only made him appear more sharp and cool. Muttering to himself, he grumbled, “Uncultured, not knowing the value of such a beautiful thing, and refusing it.”
“I’m leaving, this place is yours to handle!”
With that, Sanya made his way to the balcony, bracing himself with a hand before flipping over the edge. His figure moved with the grace and agility of a leopard, swiftly disappearing into the night.
You Que snapped back to reality, shaking his head slightly. He got up from the floor and began carefully arranging the contraband items from the hidden room across the table and floor, ensuring that when the guests came upstairs, they would be greeted by the shocking scene. Only then did he send a message to Ah Sui and the others.
[Ding! You have a new message. Please check.]
Ah Sui received You Que’s message and quickly handed it over to Blairand: “Blairand, look, You Que has sent a message.”
Blairand quickly skimmed through You Que’s message and understood their plan. He glanced at the time, then fixed his gaze on the red-haired female zerg who had been kneeling on the floor. He spoke suddenly, “Go downstairs and bring up Count Kirk.”
The red-haired female zerg was startled. “What did you say?!”
Blairand smiled faintly. “Don’t be afraid. Just do what you need to do, but for the final step, we’ll need to change the room number slightly.”
…
The banquet downstairs continued as usual, and not long after, a red-haired female zerg came down from the second floor, using an excuse to invite Count Kirk upstairs. It was unclear what he said, but the latter’s face immediately lit up with joy, abandoning his dance without a second thought and quickly following him upstairs.
Marlon glanced at this scene, a flicker of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.
As they turned into the hallway, Count Kirk could no longer hold back his impatience and finally asked, “Are you sure the twins are really upstairs?”
The red-haired female zerg respectfully replied, “Of course, Lord Marlon knows you like Laimi and Laixing, so he specially prepared this gift for you.”
With that, he led Count Kirk to a guest room, knocking gently on the door. The door creaked open slightly. “Your Excellency, please.”
Count Kirk, not suspecting anything, quickly pushed the door open and walked inside. However, before he could fully take in the scene inside, a sharp pain suddenly struck the back of his head, causing him to collapse like a ragdoll and fall unconscious to the floor.
“Bang—”
The sound of the male zerg’s body hitting the ground echoed with a dull thud.
The red-haired female zerg jumped in surprise but didn’t dare to move away. Blairand stepped out from behind the door, casually kicking Count Kirk’s unconscious body aside. He calmly gestured, “Send a message to Marlon, tell him the task has been completed.”
The red-haired female zerg hesitated, but he eventually sent the message to Marlon under Blairand’s watch. His hands trembled so much that it took several attempts before the message was finally sent successfully.
Blairand made sure to witness him sending the message, then destroyed the hallway’s surveillance footage. Afterward, he contacted the waiting Sanya:
[The task is completed. You may proceed.]
As soon as Sanya received Blairand’s message, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He adjusted his suit, ensuring that he blended in seamlessly with the other guests, and then confidently walked toward the ballroom.
Marlon, engrossed in conversation with high-ranking officials and aristocrats, had shown no interest in dancing, preferring instead to stand by the side, enjoying the spectacle. Upon receiving the message confirming that everything had been handled, he focused his attention on the door. Sure enough, his eyes landed on a familiar figure—
Sanya.
As Marlon saw Sanya, a fleeting moment of disorientation passed over his face, and a surge of hatred bubbled up within him. He almost lost the smile he had been carefully maintaining. However, when he noticed Sanya pushing past the guests and rushing up to the second floor, his expression darkened. A twisted smile crept back onto his face, full of satisfaction.
Anger, frustration— let Sanya feel all of it. Marlon was certain that no one, least of all Sanya, would remain indifferent after seeing his own brothers in such a compromising situation. This time, Marlon was sure that Sanya would have no way out.
The guests, still in a daze, exchanged confused glances as they were roughly pushed aside by Sanya’s hurried movement. One whispered, “Didn’t we just see a female zerg rush upstairs?”
“Why does he look so familiar? Could it be… is that really Sanya?!”
As soon as the words were spoken, a wave of gossip erupted. The guests paused their dancing, exchanging surprised glances and discussing among themselves:
“How could Sanya be here?”
“Didn’t His Highness You Que just go upstairs with Nalandor? Could Sanya be here to catch them in the act?”
“Looks like there’s going to be a show.”
Even Chief Harrington sensed that something was off. Worried, he frowned, putting down his wine glass and preparing to head upstairs to check the situation, but he was stopped by Marlon: “Chief, please don’t worry. Nothing will go wrong.”
Chief Harrington glanced at Marlon, feeling a sense of unease. “Didn’t you not invite Sanya to the banquet? How could he suddenly show up?”
Marlon feigned ignorance, looking even more confused than the guests. “Well… just now, His Highness You Que wanted to find a room to rest, and Nalandor helped him upstairs. Perhaps Sanya overheard something and misunderstood?”
While the guests downstairs were discussing fervently, a sudden noise came from upstairs. Immediately after, a red-haired servant scrambled down in panic, shouting in distress, “This is bad! Something’s happened on the second floor!”
The guests were instantly in an uproar, but only Marlon felt a sense of hidden satisfaction, thinking that the plan had succeeded. He quickly stepped forward and asked, “What exactly happened?! Speak clearly, what’s with all this panic?”
The red-haired servant’s face turned pale, looking deeply frightened, and gasping for breath, they pointed toward the second floor and stammered, “Something… Something terrible has happened! Everyone, quickly follow me upstairs!”
After speaking, the red-haired servant gestured for everyone to follow them upstairs. The guests, eager for the drama, hurriedly followed, and the spiral staircase quickly became jam-packed, almost impossible to pass through.
Marlon, still thinking that Sanya had really killed Count Kirk, didn’t stop anyone from heading upstairs. In fact, he was even a bit impatient. However, as they walked, he suddenly sensed something was wrong. The red-haired servant didn’t lead them to the guest room they had prepared in advance, but instead, took them to the first bedroom around the corner of the hallway. With a kick, the servant flung the bedroom door open—
“Bang!”
When the door to Beowen’s room was kicked open, it slammed heavily against the wall, emitting a dull, resounding thud. As all the guests gazed at the items inside, they were all struck into stunned silence.
The most shocked of them all was Marlon. He saw that the floor of Beowen’s bedroom was covered with glass jars of various sizes, and on the bed lay four silver boxes, which unmistakably contained the wings that had been hidden in the basement. His mind exploded with a buzzing sound, and he felt his head grow heavy, nearly losing consciousness.
How could this happen?!
Where is Sanya?! Where is Count Kirk?! How did the items from the basement suddenly end up on the bed?! How did the red-haired servant lead everyone here?!
Countless questions exploded in his mind, but none of them had answers. Marlon was shocked beyond belief. His first instinct was to find the red-haired servant who had tipped them off and make them pay. But before he could act, his collar was suddenly grabbed tightly by a hand, and before he knew it, he was face to face with Harrington’s furious, bloodshot eyes.
“Marlon!!”
Just a simple call, yet they couldn’t hide the overwhelming rage. Harrington, seeing the four pairs of wings on the bed, was so furious that his teeth were chattering: “Who gave you the guts to collect the wings of female zergs?! I think you’re asking for death!!”
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