When Chu Ci and Nuo Wei entered the hospital, they caused a bit of a stir.
The handsome male zerg, the cool and beautiful female zerg, combined with Chu Ci’s outstanding style and Nuo Wei’s major general’s shoulder insignias, were already enough to draw attention. Add to that the sight of Chu Ci holding Nuo Wei’s hand, and they were essentially a walking attraction.
Chu Ci led the way to the registration counter, where he greeted the staff, “Hello, I’d like to make an appointment with a psychiatrist.”
The staff quickly issued a slip, “Sure, take a left for the psychiatry department upstairs…”
Then he faltered.
“Wait, sir, are you the one who wants to see a psychiatrist?”
The psychiatric department of the zerg race, like the cardiovascular system in humans, is a highly crowded specialty with over 99% of the visits contributed by females. Males rarely enter this department. The staff looked Chu Ci over with curiosity; it was hard to see what mental issues he could have with his polite and gentle demeanor.
“Not for me, for him,” Chu Ci pointed to Nuo Wei. “I’m bringing him in for treatment.”
The surrounding glances became even hotter.
A male zerg bringing a female zerg for medical treatment—how rare!
In the zerg race, male zergs were generally inactive, uninterested in physical activities. Climbing stairs was strenuous, and boarding a flying vehicle was considered a demotion. Yet here was a male zerg accompanying a female for medical treatment.
Chu Ci had gradually gotten used to the expressions of female zergs looking at him as if he were a rare animal. He grabbed the payment slip with a nod of thanks and pulled Nuo Wei upstairs.
Unexpectedly, the doctor in the psychiatric department turned out to be an old acquaintance.
Dr. Kaier Ennuo was wearing a white coat and lifted his face from behind his light brain. He looked overworked, with heavy dark circles visible behind his glasses, and only after a moment did his gaze focus on Chu Ci’s face. “Sir, it’s you again.”
He still remembered this uniquely-styled male zerg.
Dr. Kaier pushed up his glasses, revealing a knowing smile. “What’s wrong with your nerves this time, sir?”
He had always thought there was something off with this male zerg. Although no issues were found during their last encounter, it was no surprise that Chu Ci had returned so soon.
Chu Ci: “…”
He remembered vividly the expert consultation arranged by Dr. Kaier, where a dozen bald-headed professors circled him, rolling instruments over his head as if inspecting a typical case preserved in a museum’s formalin. Chu Ci felt a chill run down his spine. He pushed Nuo Wei’s shoulder forward and gently guided his female monarch onto the high stool.
“It’s not me—I’m fine, but Nuo Wei’s mental state isn’t great. He might need a full check-up.”
The issues with the mental sea were a deep pain hidden within every female zerg.
Dr. Kaier’s expression grew serious. “Please follow me.”
He led them into a massive, iron-gray room filled with devices brimming with crystals. Dr. Kaier motioned for Nuo Wei to sit in the middle and then placed a metal helmet over his head.
With a click, the helmet locked into place, completely obscuring Nuo Wei’s vision.
Nuo Wei nervously fidgeted with the hem of his clothing.
Female zergs didn’t like hospitals; their self-healing abilities were terrifying—minor injuries didn’t even require a visit. Only when pain couldn’t be resolved and immediately threatened their lives would they seek help. For female zergs, hospitals were less a place of healing and more a cold, premonitory tomb—only the white walls, the sharp stench of disinfectant, and the looming presence of death awaited.
Being stripped of vision in such an environment was hardly a pleasant experience.
But this discomfort was almost imperceptible—Nuo Wei didn’t even catch a hint of it. He merely fidgeted with his clothing and then placed his hands neatly on his knees, sitting as obediently as a school child.
Chu Ci couldn’t help himself. Testing the waters, he reached out and took Nuo Wei’s hand, squeezing his fingers between his own.
Nuo Wei jumped at the sudden warmth, his eyes wide as he turned his head. The heavy helmet on his head made any movement noisy and clunky, prompting Dr. Kaier to quickly caution him, “Major General, please don’t move!”
Chu Ci scratched gently at his palm. “It’s me.”
Nuo Wei’s head remained stiff as he turned back, whispering, “…Okay.”
Without his sight, his sense of touch became extremely sensitive. Chu Ci’s light, fleeting touch made Nuo Wei itch unbearably; just such a simple contact caused a blush to creep up his neck.
The strange device in front of them soon began to emit waves, with irregular patterns appearing on the screen in front of Dr. Kaier—a bit like the echoes detected by a sonar, layered and overlapping.
Chu Ci couldn’t make sense of these patterns, but he could see Dr. Kaier’s brow furrow.
He asked, “How is it?”
Dr. Kaier suddenly turned his head, a quick smile flitting across his face. “It’s looking good, Sir.”
He made a gesture toward the door. “Could you please go downstairs to settle the fee? Only after that can I print out the diagnosis report.”
Chu Ci didn’t hesitate, releasing Nuo Wei’s hand. “I’ll be right back.”
As soon as the door closed behind him, Dr. Kaier quickly removed Nuo Wei’s helmet, his expression serious as he leaned closer. “Major General, how long has your mental state been in the ‘danger’ category?”
Nuo Wei replied, “It was detected as ‘danger’ during routine checks after my eighth expedition, so it’s been about two months.”
That was also why Nuo Wei had swiftly chosen a male master and married—unfortunately, so far, he hadn’t received the care and affection of a male.
Dr. Kaier adjusted his glasses. “Major General, your mental sea’s deterioration is faster than anticipated. In just two months, it has reached the verge of ‘critical.'”
The term “mental sea” referred to Nuo Wei’s emotional and psychological well-being, which had deteriorated rapidly following a series of events: his major life changes, inability to protect, experiences in the correctional facility, and the seven-day retrospective—all were life-threatening situations that had severely impacted his mental sea.
He displayed the waveform graph to Nuo Wei. “This red line represents the threshold for ‘danger.’ Your mental profile is nearing the edge of the ‘danger’ zone, increasingly approaching the ‘critical’ line… Major General, have there been times when you’ve lost control emotionally recently?”
Nuo Wei instinctively replied, “No…”
But he quickly stopped. Yes, there were moments.
Although everything else seemed normal, he had lost control several times in front of Chu Ci.
Those strange, bitter feelings and inexplicable vulnerability weren’t emotions a military female should have.
Dr. Kaier opened the diagnosis form and typed the notes: “It seems there are. Major General, pardon me for asking, but could you tell me what triggered your emotional instability?”
Nuo Wei hesitated.
It was Chu Ci.
His loss of control was especially evident in the presence of a male.
Dr. Kaier’s puzzled gaze fell on him.
Nuo Wei hesitated for a moment, then gave a helpless shrug, admitting, “It’s my male master.”
“Is that so?” Dr. Kaier looked somewhat surprised. Things that trigger instability in the mental sea generally have significant meaning, often touching the softest, most sentimental places in a female’s heart. In the Zerg society, males view females as tools for venting, and females usually see males as slaves they must serve. Rarely would a female experience turmoil over a single male.
Dr. Kaier quickly recorded the reason: “I have some medication here. If Lord Chu Ci is willing to cooperate, we can still manage this.”
He handed Nuo Wei a prescription for the medication, suddenly remembering something else. “Major General, do you want to tell Lord Chu Ci about this?”
Nuo Wei is an S-rank female, with the highest endurance among females, but once he crosses the threshold of ‘danger,’ there is still a risk of going berserk. If Chu Ci isn’t informed, Nuo Wei will face the most severe accusations if anything goes wrong. But if Chu Ci is informed…
The fear of a berserk female is deeply ingrained in the genes of a male, almost impossible to erase. What if Chu Ci becomes frightened and refuses treatment?
Nuo Wei remained silent for half a minute.
After a moment, he let out a gentle sigh, saying, “Tell him.”
Chu Ci has the right to know the state of his female monarch and any potential danger, and he should also have the choice.
At that moment, across the thick metal door, Chu Ci hesitated and cautiously turned the handle.
When he left earlier, he hadn’t realized something was wrong. Now, as he handed over the payment halfway, Chu Ci sensed something amiss.
In human societies, if someone were to develop an incurable illness, doctors typically would dismiss the patient to discuss their condition with the family members privately. However, in the Zerg society, the greatest threat to a female is their male master. Therefore, dismissing the male and discussing the situation directly with the female is entirely reasonable.
Moreover, the Zerg’s advanced use of technology, like their brain computers, means they can handle payments with a single click. So, why would they need to dismiss Chu Ci?
Yet, as a member of the human race, Chu Ci was well-mannered and gentlemanly, always considerate of others’ wishes not to include him in conversations. He would not intrude upon discussions he wasn’t invited to, for fear of causing trouble. However, Nuo Wei’s situation was too critical for Chu Ci to accept any deception. He took a deep breath, turned the handle, and boldly opened with, “Nuo Wei…”
Nuo Wei sat quietly at the edge of the examination bed, calmly looking towards the door. When Chu Ci entered, he stood up and nodded. “My Lord, I have something to tell you.”
Chu Ci was a bit taken aback. “You’re speaking?”
Nuo Wei actually spoke first?
Nuo Wei laid it out straightforwardly: “My mental sea condition isn’t just ‘danger’; it’s nearing ‘critical.’ In other words, even though I’m an S-level military female, there’s still a risk of going berserk and potentially harming you.”
Dr. Kaier held his breath.
He feared the sudden shock and anger from the male, which could lead to decisions Nuo Wei couldn’t accept.
But Chu Ci simply tilted his head and said, “Hmm?”
So what?
He observed Nuo Wei, who stood with lowered eyes, expressionless and docile, allowing the male to scrutinize him. Chu Ci found it difficult to associate the term ‘going berserk’ with this non-human-like figure.
He beckoned to Nuo Wei, “Nuo Wei, come here.”
As Nuo Wei took a step forward, Chu Ci reached out and gently poked the soft flesh of the female’s cheek. With a little pressure, he created a dimple, making her cheek puff up like a bun. Chu Ci was momentarily perplexed.
Going berserk? Hurting me? This zerg?
“It’s okay,” Chu Ci looked towards Kaier, “I trust Nuo Wei can control himself. He won’t hurt me; just tell me the treatment method.”
Kaier was waiting for this moment.
He quickly printed out the treatment sheet and handed it, along with a small bottle of medication from a transparent box on the table, to Chu Ci. His words rushed out like a machine gun: “Ten days, once a day, with the medication together, into the reproductive cavity, understand?”
Chu Ci gulped.
He nodded solemnly, “Understood!”
