ICAWZ Chapter 203

When the last remnants of the rainy season quietly slipped away from his fingertips, the heat began to spread across the southern regions.

Not long after the wedding of Sanya and You Que, they boarded a flying vehicle bound for Saint Lieux. Sanya hadn’t been sleeping well recently, and inevitably, he dozed off during the trip. Before long, he had leaned back in his seat and fell into a deep sleep, having a long dream.

This dream was from a distant time—back when he had not yet entered the Blackstone Prison, nor become a fugitive, and his wings were still intact on his back.

But You Que was nowhere to be seen.

Sanya had just returned from a mission with his comrades, dressed in a pure black combat uniform, its fabric stained with mud and blood. He raised his hand to remove his goggles, revealing a handsome face that held both beauty and a fierce sharpness, as vibrant as bamboo.

One of his comrades playfully bumped his shoulder. “Sanya, you took the lead this time. With all the military achievements you’ve accumulated, it won’t be long before you get promoted.”

“Getting promoted earlier would also make it easier to find a high-purity male zerg for an arranged marriage!”

Sanya ignored his comrade’s teasing. He tossed his goggles into the air and caught them again, a casual smile spreading across his face as he drawled, “Is that so? But I still prefer promotion.”

At his age, Sanya carried a certain arrogance. The adoration of countless male zergs was nothing more than fleeting, and in comparison, he cared more about how to rise through the ranks and elevate his family’s position to the next level.

His comrade, filled with envy and jealousy, sighed, “True, with your looks, you’ll never be short of male zergs.”

“It’s better to find one while you’re young. When you get older, you won’t have the advantage.”

Sanya couldn’t be bothered with their chatter. “You all head back on your own. I’m going to the infirmary to get some medicine.”

In the South, female zergs were all obsessed with beauty. During this mission, Sanya had gotten injured by accident, and if he didn’t apply medicine, the wound might leave a scar. He didn’t want any messy marks on his body. After saying this, he shrugged off his comrades and headed straight for the medical building.

It was just past midnight, and the medical building was eerily quiet, with only a few street lights dimly glowing. Sanya had originally planned to grab some medicine from the on-duty doctor and handle the injury himself, but as he approached the door to the infirmary, he suddenly heard a strange sound from inside—something that sounded like struggling.

“Help… help… mmm…”

At this time of night, there were hardly any zergs around, except for Sanya and his comrades, who had returned from a night raid mission. Upon hearing the strange sounds from inside, Sanya frowned. Quietly, he pushed open the door and stepped inside. Behind a white curtain, he could vaguely make out a dark figure struggling on the medical bed.

Then, a panicked voice rang out:

“What’s going on?! Didn’t you say he wouldn’t wake up?!”

Another panicked voice, sounding somewhat familiar, came from behind—likely Dr. Oliver. “It must be the anesthetic dosage wasn’t enough. I’ll give him another shot!”

Sanya felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding rise within him. He moved behind the curtain, lifting it slightly, only to witness a scene that left him shocked.

A female zerg, his upper body bare, was bound to the operating table with restraints. His back was covered in fresh blood, and his once-beautiful wings were half-spread, bloodstained and tainted with glaring crimson.

A male zerg was firmly holding down the female’s struggling hands, while another doctor in a white coat was hurriedly injecting a syringe into his spine. As the pale blue liquid was gradually pushed into his body, the female zerg quickly lost his ability to resist—

They actually dared to secretly remove a female zerg’s wings?!!

Sanya’s mind buzzed, and in that instant, his rationality was completely consumed by anger. Reacting quickly, he delivered a powerful kick to the medical bed, sending the male zerg tumbling off it. As the bed slid, it struck Dr. Oliver squarely in the stomach, causing him to cry out in pain and clutch his belly as he collapsed to the ground. “Ah! My stomach!”

The male zerg was dazed from the fall, struggling to get up while holding his head. Then, he found himself yanked by the collar of his uniform, a female zerg with gray hair and silver eyes towering over him. His fist was raised high, his voice cold as shards of ice: “You dared to secretly remove a female zerg’s wings?!”

Beowen clearly hadn’t expected anyone to break into the infirmary at this time. When he saw Sanya’s fist coming toward him, his face went pale with fear, and he yelled, “You dare?! My father is Marlon! If you strike me, do you believe I can make sure you die without a burial?!”

As soon as Beowen finished speaking, Sanya’s fist came to a halt just an inch from his nose, as if someone had pressed the pause button. The only movement was the bulging veins on the back of Sanya’s hand, taut with fury.

Beowen was a male zerg, and not just any male, but one of noble birth. Not only ordinary females but even high-ranking military officials had to show him some respect.

Sanya didn’t want to cause trouble for his family, yet he was infuriated by the male zerg’s vile actions, his expression darkening. His fist remained suspended in the air, clenched so tightly it creaked. Through gritted teeth, he asked, “Because your father is Marlon, does that mean you can remove a female zerg’s wings at will?”

Dr. Oliver hid in the corner, too afraid to make a sound.

Seeing that Sanya wasn’t going to strike him, Beowen’s panic subsided, and a cold sneer spread across his face. “So what if I removed his wings? Even if I take his life, no one would dare stop me. I know who you are—you’re the offspring of Chairman Croney’s family. I advise you not to cause trouble for your family, or else…”

His words trailed off, but the threat behind them was clear and unmistakable.

“…”

Sanya stared at him without speaking. After a long few seconds, his fist slowly lowered, as though intimidated by the threat. He turned and walked over to the bed, tearing the restraints off, then carefully lifted the unconscious female zerg onto his back.

Seeing this, Beowen’s expression changed. “Sanya! If you dare take him away, do you believe I’ll—”

Before Beowen could finish his sentence, a sharp gust of wind suddenly rushed past his ear. Without warning, Sanya kicked the mirror behind him, sending cracks spidering across the surface. The glass shattered with a loud crash, falling like a waterfall, scattering into a chaotic mess on the floor.

“Crash—!”

Beowen froze in place, his body stiffened with shock. Sanya stood in front of the pile of broken glass, carrying the unconscious female zerg on his back. His eyes, dark as a deep pool, appeared even darker due to the dim lighting.

He gave Beowen a cold glance, said nothing, and stepped over the broken glass as he turned and left.

“Crack—”

The shards on the floor splintered into a web-like pattern, gradually spreading and reflecting the surrounding scenery in a thousand fractured pieces, like the scars left on Sanya’s back.

Because of that one intervention, he offended Beowen, bringing disaster upon himself. And because of that same intervention, he lost his wings, which were more precious to him than life itself.

Sanya hadn’t had that dream in a long time. He truly didn’t want to remember. He wasn’t the type of zerg who liked to dwell on regrets, yet in the quiet of the night, he still found himself unable to stop thinking about it, wondering whether it had been worth it.

The aircraft arrived at Saint Lieux, and as it decelerated, a soft whistling sound filled the air.

Sanya finally woke up from his dream. He subconsciously moved his head, only to realize that at some point, he had ended up resting on You Que’s shoulder. The male zerg remained still in that position, his head lowered as he scrolled through a terminal.

Noticing that Sanya had awakened, You Que reached out to touch his forehead. “Awake?”

Sanya closed his eyes and nodded, taking a moment to gather himself before slowly opening his eyes. He stared at You Que’s handsome profile, and for some reason, without thinking, he suddenly leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss. It felt especially…

Strange.

You Que and Sanya rarely displayed such intimate gestures in public. You Que was momentarily stunned by the kiss. “What’s wrong?”

Sanya’s tone was lazy, with a hint of playfulness, as he replied, “I kissed you because I like you. Is that a problem?”

You Que didn’t say anything. Instead, he gave Sanya’s backside a light but firm pinch. Sanya immediately squirmed away with a sharp noise. Seeing this, You Que finally stood up from his seat, grabbed their luggage, and led the bold and mischievous female zerg off the aircraft.

“Saint Lieux is still the same, hasn’t changed much.”

Sanya stretched lazily at the guard station entrance, sighing in quiet reflection.

You Que went through the checkpoint with him, and at his words, he couldn’t help but laugh. “You haven’t been gone long, how much could have changed?”

Sanya thought to himself that it really hadn’t been more than a few months, but it felt like so much longer. He and You Que each carried a suitcase, and Sanya spoke up, “Let’s go, we’ll head to the bar first. I’ve already messaged Fei Wen and the others.”

But You Que responded, “You go ahead. I’ll meet up with a couple of friends, then I’ll join you at the bar later.”

Sanya clicked his tongue. “Those two troublemakers again?”

He had a strong impression of Gu Yigu and John.

You Que didn’t respond, essentially acknowledging it silently. He ruffled Sanya’s hair. “Wait for me at the bar, I’ll be back soon.”

You Que hadn’t told Gu Yigu and the others that he was back yet; he wanted to surprise them with a little check to see if those two were up to their usual tricks. He walked slowly along the familiar streets, looking for the spots where Gu Yigu and John often hung out. As he passed the Kino Restaurant, however, he spotted a familiar figure sitting inside.

“You’re so annoying! I already said I don’t want to go on a blind date! If you keep bothering me, do you believe I’ll punch you?!”

“Your Excellency, you’re the last eligible single male zerg in Saint Lieux. No matter what, I’m going to find you a suitable female!”

“You’re full of crap! There are so many single males in town, stop bothering me!”

Across from the window-side table sat a young, delicate female zerg, dressed in a light blue uniform—likely a matchmaker’s investigator. Seeing that Gu Yigu wasn’t cooperating, he didn’t get angry but instead flushed with embarrassment, saying, “It’s our duty to help every single male zerg find a partner. If you still haven’t found a suitable female by the end of the month, I’ll go on a blind date with you myself!”

With that, he clenched his fist and slammed it heavily on the table, furrowing his brows with an expression of heroic resolve.

“???”

Gu Yigu was so frustrated he nearly tipped back in his chair. “What do you mean I can’t find a partner? Get it straight—it’s not that I can’t find one, it’s that I don’t like those females!”

The female zerg asked seriously, “Then what kind of female do you like?”

Gu Yigu was livid. “Definitely not a clingy, sticky one like you!”

You Que stood at the door. Although he couldn’t clearly hear what was being said inside, he could roughly guess that Gu Yigu had probably been cornered by the matchmaker’s investigator. Knowing better, he didn’t interrupt. He stood outside for a while, enjoying the little scene, before sending Gu Yigu a message through his terminal, asking to meet up with him and John for dinner that evening.

[Ding!]

[You have a new unread message!]

Gu Yigu’s terminal on his wrist suddenly vibrated. He casually glanced at the message, and whatever he saw made his expression shift to one of surprise. He quickly pulled out his chair and stood up, heading for the door to leave the restaurant.

“Your Excellency!”

The investigator rushed after him, his pale, delicate face turning red under the sunlight.

“Your Excellency, you still haven’t told me what kind of female zerg you like!”

Gu Yigu laughed. “A car, a house, and savings—not less than a million. Take your time choosing, but if you don’t find a suitable one, don’t come bother me.”

With that, he patted his backside, feeling quite good, and turned to leave. Little did he know, the investigator behind him changed his expression when he heard his conditions. He lowered his head, a bit surprised, and bit his finger in shock. “Oh no, how does he know I have a million in savings?!”

Could it be that he’s really going to sacrifice himself and go on a blind date with that male zerg?!

After You Que left the restaurant, he didn’t head straight back to the bar. Instead, he stopped by a shop to buy some fruit and cake, then hailed a car and went straight to the welfare home.

When he and Sanya had placed the old zerg, Mackey, in the orphanage, he hadn’t really kept in touch with them. You Que couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy, so he decided to go visit him.

The welfare home had a decent environment, though most of the residents were elderly zergs, which made it seem a bit lonely. You Que walked up to the front desk, carrying a bag of fruit, and asked the caregiver inside, “Hello, could you please tell me if Mackey is here?”

The caregiver, seeing You Que wearing a mask but dressed in a refined manner, paused for a moment before coming to his senses and replied, “Mackey? Do you mean Lord Mackey in VIP Room 2?”

You Que nodded. “Yes, that’s him.”

The caregiver handed over the registration book and said, “May I ask your relationship with him? We require identity information for visitors.”

You Que had no choice but to pick up the pen and fill in his details, explaining, “I’m his relative. I came to Saint Lieux on business, so I thought I’d stop by to visit him.”

The caregiver was simply going through the process. After all, this was a welfare home, not a bank vault, and not many zergs came to visit. He led You Que to the elevator, swiped the card, and took him to the door of Mackey’s room. “Lord Mackey lives here. However, he prefers to be left alone and rarely participates in the orphanage activities. You might want to encourage him to join in.”

You Que had expected this. After all, the old zerg had always been a solitary character, so he couldn’t expect him to be like other elderly zergs who went out to dance and exercise. “Thank you, I understand,” he said.

The caregiver, not very vigilant, left after leading You Que to the door. You Que initially considered knocking, but when he tried pushing the door, he found it wasn’t locked, so he decided to enter directly.

Mackey’s temper had been eccentric for as long as You Que could remember. When he and Sanya had left, they had left him their contact information, telling him to call if anything came up. However, Mackey had never once reached out.

When You Que pushed the door open, he saw the old zerg sitting by the window, basking in the sunlight. His cane was placed beside him, and he was peeling a type of nut one by one.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, Mackey thought it was the caregiver and frowned without looking up. “I know, I’ll go down for lunch in a bit,” he said.

His tone was still stiff, and there was a faint trace of his old bad temper, but it seemed much more controlled now.

You Que placed the fruit he was holding on the table and suddenly broke the silence, “Don’t eat here in the welfare home. I’ll treat you today and take you out for a meal.”

Hearing the familiar voice, Mackey’s hand trembled, nearly knocking over the nut he had just peeled. He looked up in surprise and saw You Que, who had been missing for several months, had somehow returned. “You… you… you’re You Que, right?”

You Que nodded. “Yes. I finished the wedding with Sanya in the South, and I came to Saint Lieux to check on things. How is it? Are you comfortable living in the welfare home?”

Mackey, hearing that they had already gotten married, finally showed a hint of a smile on his aging face. He leaned on his cane and struggled to stand up, then found a chair for You Que. “Well, what’s wrong with it? The food’s good, the living is good, and there’s nothing to worry about. How about Sanya? Why didn’t he come with you?”

You Que gestured for Mackey to not worry about it, then sat down in the chair. “He went to a friend’s house to drop off his luggage. We’re planning to meet a few friends tonight. You should join us.”

As he spoke, You Que noticed a photo frame on the bedside table. It was of Mackey’s monarch and female consort, both of whom had died on the battlefield. If this old zerg had remarried a few times when he was younger, it would have been easy, but for some reason, he had lived alone all these years.

Mackey declined, saying, “You young zergs are gathering, what am I going to do there, just cause a commotion?”

After speaking, he bent over and fumbled under the pillow for a while, not knowing what he was looking for. Finally, he pulled out something wrapped in cloth, sat on the edge of the bed, and began to unwrap it layer by layer. “You and Sanya are married, and you didn’t even tell me. I don’t have anything much to give, but these two items can be your gift. Don’t reject them.”

Inside the cloth was a pair of exquisitely crafted rings, each set with a gemstone. They had a weighty, antique feel to them, but because they had been regularly maintained and polished, they looked as good as new.

You Que couldn’t help but be a little surprised. “What is this?”

Mackey snorted in annoyance, irritated by his lack of knowledge. “You don’t even recognize a ring? This is, of course, a ring. It’s been passed down through our family for several hundred years!”

He seemed a little reluctant to part with it, but he still gestured for You Que to come closer and shoved the cloth-wrapped package into his hand. “I never had any children of my own, so these rings were originally meant to be passed on to Eugene, but… he died…”

Mackey paused for a moment before continuing, “There’s no use in me keeping it. You take it.”

You Que hesitated, not wanting to accept. “Such a precious thing, you should keep it…”

Mackey interrupted angrily, tapping his cane on the ground. “Are you looking down on this old zerg?!”

You Que was caught off guard, quickly replying, “No, not at all.”

Mackey snorted heavily. “If you’re not going to argue, just take it! Stop being so wishy-washy. It’s better for me, an old zerg, to be straightforward!”

You Que couldn’t argue with him, so he reluctantly accepted it. He sat in the room, spending the afternoon chatting with Mackey. They talked about various things, and before they knew it, the entire afternoon had passed.

Meanwhile, Sanya sat in the bar, growing a little worried since You Que hadn’t shown up yet. He dialed his phone, and after a few rings, the call was picked up. “Hello? Why aren’t you at the bar yet? It’s already past dinner time.”

There was some noise on You Que’s end, but it quieted down shortly. “I’ll be there soon. Add another set of dishes,” he said.

Sanya was startled. “Another set? Who are you bringing?”

He had thought it would just be those two scam artists, but it seemed there was someone else.

You Que didn’t elaborate. “You’ll see when I get there.”

After hanging up, Sanya had no choice but to add another set of dishes to the table. The bar wasn’t open for business today, and the large central table was covered with an array of dishes, all ordered from a nearby hotel. The spread looked lavish and plentiful.

Fei Wen swirled a bottle of wine in his hand, clicking his tongue as he saw Sanya calling You Que. “Tsk, married zergs really are different.”

Kevin chimed in from the side, joining the teasing. “And it’s not just any marriage partner either—it’s a pureblood male. Makes you wonder if we were blind back then at the bar. If we’d known, we should’ve made a move first!”

Sanya knew they were just being sour, so he casually grabbed a bottle of wine and said, “Too late. Maybe in your next life.”

No, not the next life. Not even the one after that.

By evening, You Que finally arrived, but he wasn’t alone—an elderly male zerg accompanied him. Fei Wen and the others froze in surprise when they saw the pair. Hugging a bottle of wine from a distance, Fei Wen bit at the cap and muttered under his breath, “Does You Que even know this is a bar? What’s he bringing an old zerg here for?”

Dancing? That can’t be it.

As they spoke, Sanya had already walked up to greet them. He clearly hadn’t expected You Que to bring Mackey along, feeling somewhat surprised. However, he didn’t show it, keeping his expression calm as he politely greeted the older zerg.

This was Mackey’s first time in a bar, and he found everything around him fascinating. Waving his hand dismissively, he said, “Hmm, don’t mind me. I’ll just look around on my own.”

After saying that, Mackey didn’t wait for anyone to assist him. Leaning on his cane, he eagerly hobbled over to examine the rows of liquor bottles displayed on the wall.

Sanya pulled You Que aside, lowering his voice with a hint of confusion. “Why did you bring the old zerg to a bar?”

You Que replied calmly, “It’s nothing. I stopped by to see him this afternoon. He looked bored out of his mind at the welfare center, so I figured I’d bring him over to join in the fun.”

To be honest, the whole thing with Mackey had been a complete misunderstanding from the start. You Que and Mackey weren’t related in any way, and the arrangements You Que had made for him before leaving were already above and beyond what anyone could have expected.

Sanya hadn’t anticipated that You Que would go back to check on Mackey, so he shot him a meaningful glance. “You’re really good at being the perfect zerg, aren’t you?”

Hearing this, You Que reflexively touched his cheek. “Do I look like a bad zerg to you?”

You Que didn’t consider himself a saint, but he wasn’t a bad zerg either. Lately, he’d even been mulling over whether to bring Mackey to the South to live with them. It wasn’t a decision he’d made lightly, but the thought lingered in his mind.

Sanya tugged You Que’s hand down and lowered his gaze, running his fingers over the faint bite marks on You Que’s skin. It seemed they were marks he’d left in the past. The more he looked at them, the more satisfied he felt. After a moment of quiet, he blurted out a seemingly random thought: “You’re pretty great…”

Sanya had spent the entire day lost in his own head, reflecting on the incident with Beowen. Had he been too reckless? Too driven by blind passion? These questions weighed heavily on him, lingering like a shadow he couldn’t shake.

But after thinking it through, Sanya realized he didn’t regret it.

At the very least, the laws in the South had been amended. Such atrocities wouldn’t happen again—female zergs’ wings were their own, never to be treated as mere collectibles.

Sanya didn’t regret stepping in back then,

and he didn’t regret meeting You Que either.

After all, this male was so, so good. What a shame it would’ve been if they had never met…

Lost in thought, Sanya suddenly pushed You Que into the shadowy corner of the wall, as if to share a secret. He leaned close and bit gently on the male’s earlobe, murmuring, “You Que, I like you~”

His voice was sticky-sweet, as though soaked in eight pounds of honey.

You Que chuckled, utterly bemused. He ruffled Sanya’s fluffy hair without saying a word, thinking to himself: Who wouldn’t?

 

 

 

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Thank you so much for the support!! This concludes the end of Arc 5, see you on the last arc~!! ʚ(´꒳`)ɞ