ICAWZ Chapter 148

Blairand’s hesitation and indecision were so obvious that his fingertips quivered ever so faintly in the air, a tremor barely perceptible, touching nothing but specks of floating dust in the shifting light.

In the end, he brushed the male zerg’s cheek lightly, like a dragonfly skimming the surface of water—soft and delicate.

Yet, Ah Sui couldn’t suppress his body’s instinctive reaction. His back stiffened instantly. That night, he had dared to grab Blairand and drag him out of the pit only because he was terrified the other’s life was in danger. Even thinking about it afterward left him shaken. Now, as he unexpectedly met Blairand’s pale blue eyes, all he could recall was the cold, compound gaze of that enormous creature, sending shivers down his spine.

His legs were trembling, and so were his hands.

Blairand, with his keen sensitivity, immediately noticed Ah Sui’s stiffness. His heart sank like a stone into the depths. Lifting his gaze to meet Ah Sui’s, the pale blue of his eyes gradually drained of color, leaving behind an inscrutable emotion hidden in the shadows.

“Are you afraid of me?”

Ah Sui stiffened at the question, his nervousness rising instantly. He shook his head hurriedly in denial, trying to explain, “N-no… I’m not…”

But the trembling in his voice betrayed his unease.

“…”

Blairand closed his eyes silently at the response, unable to decipher the swirl of emotions within him. It was as if his heart had been enveloped by a cloudy, overcast sky, heavy with the promise of a damp, unrelenting rain.

When he reopened his eyes and lowered his gaze, he noticed Ah Sui’s trembling legs. Without a word, he reached out and placed his hand over Ah Sui’s knee. As expected, Ah Sui stiffened once again.

Ah Sui was on the verge of tears. “I’m really not afraid of you…”

It was all his legs’ fault for not cooperating!

Blairand, however, seemed to read Ah Sui’s thoughts. In a low murmur, he said, almost to himself, “Why won’t you listen to me…”

Hadn’t he already warned Ah Sui? Never, under any circumstances, look back.

But this male zerg still turned back—and was afraid of his insect form.

Blairand had been leaning forward in a crouched position, but now he slowly straightened up, reversing their positions. He lowered his gaze to the slightly aggrieved male zerg before him, his cold fingertips gently brushing aside the strands of hair on Ah Sui’s forehead. In a low, unreadable voice, he murmured, “Didn’t I tell you? Without my permission, you’re not allowed to look back.”

His voice was still gentle, but it carried a chill, like the snowflakes swirling outside, seeping coldness straight into one’s bones.

This wasn’t Ah Sui’s fault—Blairand knew that. But he couldn’t control the endless gloom spreading within him, nor could he bear the sight of Ah Sui being afraid of him.

Xu Cenfeng had been lying quietly in the corner of the bed, playing the invisible man. But suddenly, he caught a whiff of something unusual and discreetly opened his eyes to glance in their direction. What he saw was Ah Sui, stiff as a board, looking like a cat whose tail had been stepped on—every muscle taut with tension. Meanwhile, half of Blairand’s face was obscured by shadows, his expression unreadable.

Xu Cenfeng: “…” Looks like someone’s going dark.

Not that it had anything to do with him.

Silently, Xu Cenfeng rolled over and closed his eyes again, returning to sleep.

Driven by the instincts of a small animal, Ah Sui quickly sensed the heavy, somber air surrounding Blairand. Fearing that he might have upset him, he hurriedly reached out and grabbed the edge of Blairand’s clothing, explaining, “I was worried you might faint in the snow from your injuries, so I ran out to check on you.”

Ah Sui regretted it immediately. If he had known, he would have stayed obediently in the forest like Blairand had told him. As expected, curiosity killed the cat. QAQ

Blairand noticed Ah Sui gripping his clothing, his fingers twitching as if he wanted to do something. Just then, the sound of a slightly anxious guard’s voice came from outside: “Major General Blairand, it’s bad—General Aks is on his way!”

The prison was a highly secured area, and by all rights, no one unauthorized should be allowed inside. Although Blairand was a major general, it was improper for him to meet with prisoners in private. Such actions could easily lead to suspicions of secret collaboration.

Upon hearing the guard’s words, Blairand furrowed his brows and cast a glance toward the door. Realizing he had no choice, he decided to leave the cell for the time being to avoid raising any suspicions with Aks. The guard quickly rushed over and locked the cell again, inwardly lamenting that it was him on duty today. If they were discovered, he’d be in serious trouble.

Once Blairand left, the cell returned to the same eerie silence it had held before.

Ah Sui glanced down at his still-trembling hands, then, frustrated with himself, gave them a forceful slap, the sharp sound echoing through the room. Meanwhile, Xu Cenfeng, who had been hiding in the corner playing dead, could no longer suppress his curiosity. He rustled slightly, turning to look at Ah Sui. “Why are you so scared of Blairand?”

He seemed gentle and soft, not like Faeus, who was so distant that no one dared approach.

Ah Sui lowered his head, feeling frustrated, and muttered, “You know I’m afraid of insects.”

Xu Cenfeng: “…” Oh, so it’s because of that.

After a moment of thought, Xu Cenfeng tried to comfort Ah Sui. “Ah Sui, humans evolved from apes. Whether it’s us or Blairand, we’re all animals at the core. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Why should you be afraid of him being an insect when no one’s scared of you being a monkey?

As he spoke, a sudden commotion of hurried footsteps came from outside. It turned out that General Aks had captured a few more of the wandering space pirates. To make interrogation easier, he had mixed the prisoners from the two starships—members of the Black Hawk and the Klayt Alliances—so they were all housed together. This way, they couldn’t form factions or secretly collaborate.

As for the fact that the two groups of interstellar pirates constantly clashed and fought among themselves, that was none of his concern.

Aks made it a point to inspect the cells where Ah Sui and Xu Cenfeng were kept every day, not for any particular reason, but because, according to Julian and the others’ reports, these two male zergs seemed quite capable and, moreover, held leadership positions. This made it impossible for him not to remain cautious.

But every time Aks passed by their cell, the two male zergs were always lying motionless on their beds—one appearing depressed, the other asleep—looking rather disheveled.

Today was no different.

The difference today was that the depressed male zerg had moved from the bed to the corner, his back to the door as he squatted quietly, seemingly lost in thought. Meanwhile, the one who had been sleeping was now lying at the foot of the bed, speaking softly to him.

Aks couldn’t quite make out what they were saying, nor did he worry about any small movements they might make. The starship was surrounded by solid steel walls—there was no way those two could dig their way out and escape.

If it weren’t for the extreme, almost perverse protection of male zergs by the Salaranfa Law, Aks would have preferred to put them in electronic shackles. That would have given him more peace of mind.

“Keep a close watch on them. Report to me immediately if there’s any unusual behavior.”

Aks gave the guard his orders before turning to leave the prison. He had initially planned to visit the unconscious Blairand, but when he arrived, he found that Blairand had already woken up and was sitting on the edge of the bed, allowing the military doctor to tend to the shrapnel wounds on his back.

”Blairand.”

Aks couldn’t help but be a little surprised. He walked into the starship and took a seat beside the bed, glancing at the wound on Blairand’s back. “When did you wake up? How’s your injury?”

Seeing Aks enter, Blairand gestured for the military doctor to leave. He pulled up his shirt, which had slipped to his elbow, but only answered Aks’ second question. “It’s fine. I’ll recover in a few days.”

Aks couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off with Blairand’s mood. He studied him carefully, then voiced the question that had been bothering him for some time. “What happened during the time you were missing? Did those interstellar pirates do anything to you?”

Blairand lowered his gaze as he fastened his shirt, seemingly unwilling to say more. “Nothing happened. I was ambushed by them, captured, and held for a while. Later, I managed to escape during the chaos and was rescued by you.”

Aks suddenly asked, “Did you just go to the prison?”

Blairand paused in the middle of fastening his shirt when he heard Aks’ question. He instinctively glanced at Aks, only to find him frowning, staring intently at him.

“Didn’t you notice the scent of male zerg pheromones on you?”

The only place in the military camp where male zergs were held was the prison. After several days of treatment, Blairand’s pheromone scent had faded, but just now, when he had gotten closer, Aks had detected that same scent again.

It was faint, but impossible to ignore.

The hearing and sense of smell of southern female zergs were known to be the sharpest among all the tribes, so Blairand could not have failed to notice the scent on himself. However, he had inadvertently exposed it in front of Aks just now. This could only mean one thing—

He had become so accustomed to this scent that it no longer caused him any sense of repulsion or unease.

Blairand heard this and slowly lowered his hand. After a moment, he suddenly let out a low laugh. “Aks, your nose is as sharp as ever.”

Aks asked in a deep voice, “Why?”

Aks had always been strict about keeping personal and professional matters separate. If he found out that Blairand and Ah Sui were involved, he would definitely find a way to keep them apart. Therefore, Blairand wouldn’t reveal too much to him.

Blairand replied, “I just went to the prison. The leaders of the interstellar pirate group from the Klayt Alliance are two male zergs. They helped me before, so I went to check on them. I might have accidentally picked up their scent.”

Aks, still suspicious, asked, “Are you sure?”

Blairand seemed to smile a little. “Why would I lie to you?”

Among all the unmarried female zergs in the capital, Blairand was probably the type most favored by male zergs. He had noble looks, a distinguished family background, a high enough rank, and, what was rarer, a gentle and obedient temperament. He always wore a mild and kind smile, giving the impression that he was easy to control.

However, the system under the Salaranfa Law was twisted and imbalanced, and the oppression of female zergs by the aristocratic male zergs was even more rampant. In such an extreme environment, could a female zerg really grow up to be gentle and kind?

Flowers need clean soil and water to thrive. If they grow up in a dark, toxic swamp, even if they survive by some miracle, they will inevitably carry poison.

Ah Sui and Blairand both appeared harmless, but the former was truly innocent, while the latter’s gentleness always carried an elusive, unpredictable quality.

Aks knew very well that Blairand was not as docile as he appeared on the surface. The male zergs in the capital thought Blairand was easy to control simply because they mistook his indifference for gentleness. “Only the Zerg God knows the answer to that. Blairand, you’re a general in the Empire. It’s best if you don’t get involved with those despicable interstellar pirates.”

Blairand spoke softly, “He’s not…”

Aks didn’t catch the words. “What did you say?”

Blairand shook his head. “Nothing. When do you plan to head back to the capital?”

At the mention of this, Aks couldn’t help but let out a slow breath, looking somewhat troubled. “The situation was too chaotic during the capture, and I accidentally let a group of interstellar pirates escape. They still have a few male zergs with them. The higher-ups have given a strict order—we must rescue all the male zergs before we can return to the capital.”

Blairand lowered his gaze, seemingly deep in thought. “Are those interstellar pirates still nearby?”

Akes replied, “They’re still hiding in the dense forest, unwilling to come out. There are too many wild beasts in there, making it difficult for the army to search. The Empire has already contacted the northern guards at another exit of the forest. As soon as those interstellar pirates show themselves, they’ll be captured immediately.”

Blairand spoke indifferently, “The forest is full of high-level wild beasts. Those interstellar pirates are hardly a threat. If they encounter danger, the male insects they’ve taken will likely meet a grim fate.”

Aks furrowed his brows unconsciously, clearly concerned about the issue. “Those male zergs are all of noble birth, and one of them is the only son of a judge. Just now, General Saphir sent word saying that the higher-ups have been pressuring us and are only giving us three more days.”

Blairand was silent for a moment before suddenly speaking up, “Let them come and break the prison.”

Aks paused at those words, staring at him in surprise. “What did you say?!”

Blairand repeated calmly, “Let them come and break the prison. The Black Hawk Alliance and the Klayt Alliance combined have more than twenty leaders we’ve captured. Those interstellar pirates have been hiding in the forest, unwilling to escape. They’re probably waiting for the opportunity to break the prison. You can deliberately create a flaw for them to exploit, and then set up an ambush to catch them all at once.”

Aks didn’t immediately agree. “Don’t you think the risk is too high? What if some interstellar pirates manage to escape?”

Blairand didn’t push for his plan to be accepted. “Then you can continue leading the search in the forest. If those interstellar pirates are caught by the northern forces, it will be much harder for you to get the captured male zergs back from them.”

In truth, Blairand had other, safer methods, but if he wanted to rescue Ah Sui from the prison, he had no choice but to lure the interstellar pirates into attempting a prison break.

Ah Sui had always been afraid of the dark, and the prison, with its small and oppressive space, was likely unbearable for him.

….

The night quietly descended, and the number of days the captured interstellar pirates had spent in the prison was beyond counting. The life of imprisonment was unbearably dull, every minute and every second a form of torment for them.

Ah Sui had been crouching in the corner of the cell the entire day, refusing to eat, drink, or respond when called. No one knew what he was pondering, as he seemed lost in his own thoughts, deep in whatever study or contemplation had consumed him.

Xu Cenfeng closed his eyes, lying on the bed with his hand over his face, his tone tinged with helplessness: “Ah Sui, it’s getting late. Hurry up and sleep.”

To be honest, having a living person crouching in the corner was a bit frightening.

Ah Sui mumbled softly, “You sleep first, I’m not tired.”

Xu Cenfeng had no choice but to give up on persuading him. Before going to sleep, he glanced through the transparent bed at the dark night sky outside. Above, a bright moon hung, casting a pale light. In the snow, the weaver spiders, drawn to the warmth inside the starship, had already spun a few gleaming strands of silk on the railing.

It seemed that by tomorrow, they would have woven a complete web.

Time really passed quickly.

Xu Cenfeng sighed, closing his eyes and falling into a light sleep. He always had things on his mind, so his sleep was shallow, and he would wake up promptly at six in the morning.

The next morning, as a beam of golden sunlight poured into the small prison cell, Xu Cenfeng’s eyelashes fluttered for a moment, and as expected, his eyes snapped open. However, instead of the ceiling, the first thing he saw was Ah Sui’s familiar, enlarged face—

“!!!”

Xu Cenfeng’s heart skipped a beat when he saw this, and with a startled gasp, he sat up abruptly from the bed. Ah Sui instinctively leaned back to avoid him, but with his excellent core strength, he straightened himself up. He patted his chest, still shaken, and said, “Brother Cenfeng, you scared me to death!”

Xu Cenfeng thought to himself that he should be the one scared to death: “What are you doing by my bedside so early in the morning?”

Ah Sui fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, then suddenly held up a small wooden stick in front of Xu Cenfeng. On it crawled a completely white eight-legged spider, which, for some reason, seemed a bit limp. “Brother Cenfeng, look,” Ah Sui said.

Xu Cenfeng froze again upon seeing the spider. “Where did you get a spider from?”

Wasn’t Ah Sui the one most afraid of bugs???

Because Ah Sui’s skin was so fair, the dark circles under his eyes were especially noticeable. It was clear he hadn’t slept the whole night. Upon hearing Xu Cenfeng’s question, he passed the stick with the spider on it closer to Xu Cenfeng and said seriously, “I found it by the window. See? I’m not afraid of bugs anymore!”

Ah Sui had spent the entire night thinking about it. Since Blairand had been so kind to him, he shouldn’t be afraid of bugs, not even the insect ones. It would be so sad if he was. He had crouched in the corner of the room for a long time trying to find a bug to practice his courage on, but when he failed, he eventually picked up a snow spider by the window in the middle of the night. Now, he was finally no longer afraid.

#The brave little dog who spent the whole night overcoming his fear!!#

 

 

 

---

Support me on ko-fi for more additional updates~ ʚ(´꒳`)ɞ