ICAWZ Chapter 98

Zergs sometimes possess complexities in their thoughts that rival those of humans.

Take Faeus, for example. He never intended to be marked by a male zerg, such a fragile creature. Thus, after reaching adulthood, he endured the estrus period alone, suffering through it repeatedly, which shows how much he resisted the idea.

However, when Faeus learned that Xu Cenfeng’s blood purity was only 35% and thus could not mark him, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret deep inside.

Yes, it truly is a pity. The only male zerg in the North who could match him in combat had blood purity that was too low…

Faeus felt a mix of regret and excitement.

Xu Cenfeng heard his response and appeared thoughtful. He stroked Faeus’ muscular waist, his hand wrapped in a white bandage that contrasted sharply with the female zerg’s bronze skin. It was unclear what he was thinking. “Is there really no way to mark you?”

Faeus’ voice was low and deep. “Didn’t your male father and female father ever tell you that only male zergs with a blood purity of over 45% can mark an S-class queen zerg?”

Xu Cenfeng lowered his eyes and remained silent, looking somewhat “dejected.”

Seeing this, Faeus pinched his chin and raised an eyebrow. “It’s not that I’m not letting you mark me; it’s that you simply can’t.”

Why did Xu Cenfeng look so pitiful, as if he had been bullied?

Xu Cenfeng tilted his head slightly, reached out to hug Faeus, and then buried his face in Faeus’ strong chest, planting warm kisses one after another. His voice sounded somewhat muffled, “So, as long as the blood purity is 45%, I can mark you?”

Faeus hissed, “Damn it, were you never weaned in your past life?!”

Kissing is fine, but why are you biting?!

Upon hearing this, Xu Cenfeng paused and lifted his head to look at Faeus. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, and the corners of his eyes were red with desire. Despite this, he still looked so gentle and fair, giving off a strangely fragile and vulnerable feeling.

Xu Cenfeng asked, “Can’t I kiss you?”

He already couldn’t mark him; was he not even allowed to kiss?

Faeus inexplicably imagined Xu Cenfeng’s unspoken thoughts. He realized that being unable to mark was already quite pitiful; what harm could a kiss do? His throat felt dry, so he simply pulled Xu Cenfeng down onto the bed with him, offering himself up like a sumptuous feast.

Faeus leaned over Xu Cenfeng, supporting himself above him. His red hair fell softly, and his green eyes were filled with growing ambition and possessiveness. The thin straps of his pajamas came loose, and his neckline gaped open.

Faeus smirked, “Didn’t you want to kiss? Come here, I’ll let you kiss.”

This was his prize won in the arena, and there was no reason to let it go to waste. Whether Xu Cenfeng wanted to kiss or bite, he could do as he pleased. After all, female zergs weren’t afraid of pain, and besides…

Being kissed by him felt really good…

This was Faeus’ last coherent thought before Xu Cenfeng flipped him over and kissed him fiercely. Holding the fluffy head in his arms, his chest heaved unevenly as his eyes drifted to the crystal chandelier above. He felt a twinge of dissatisfaction, “Damn it, how many female zergs have you kissed?!”

Why was his kissing technique so skillful? How could he so easily find all the sensitive spots on his body? Why, even without marking, could a simple kiss leave his mind completely blank with pleasure?

Hearing this, Xu Cenfeng cupped Faeus’ face and gave him a kiss that was both gentle and intense. His pale, slender fingers slowly threaded through the female zerg’s red hair, pressing against the back of his head until every last bit of air was squeezed out. “Only you…”

Lips and tongues intertwined, causing a tingling sensation.

Xu Cenfeng chuckled softly and whispered, “Only you.”

Faeus snorted coldly, “Do you think I’ll believe that?”

Though he said so with his mouth, his body betrayed his inner pleasure. He held the male zerg in his arms even tighter and fiercely returned the kiss.

The night dampened the transparent windows, and the wilderness lay silent and vast.

The warm spring breeze never deigned to set foot in this desolate northern land, nor did it care to caress these irreverent zergs. Thus, only the swirling snow surrounded and enveloped this city, waiting for the day when a spark would descend and ignite another dazzling season.

Xu Cenfeng didn’t mark Faeus. He knew that this female zerg wasn’t ready yet. Although he could mark him while he was in a daze, such things were best done willingly by both parties.

Xu Cenfeng didn’t like to fight or snatch. He knew that what was his would eventually be his.

Not now, and not in the future…

Duoluo and Duoqi stood guard outside all night, finally preparing to change shifts as dawn approached. However, at that moment, an unexpected zerg hurriedly arrived at the hotel room door — none other than Deputy Leader Hawke.

“Where’s the leader?! I have urgent matters to discuss with him!”

Clearly rushed, Hawke didn’t even catch his breath before urgently inquiring about Faeus’ whereabouts. Duoluo raised his hand in salute, “Reporting to Deputy Leader, the leader is inside the room. He hasn’t come out since he went in yesterday.”

The latter part of the statement was unnecessary but seemed like a subtle reminder. The leader might currently be engaged with that male zerg intimately, so it might not be appropriate to disturb them.

However, Hawke disregarded such considerations. “Quickly inform the Supreme Leader. We have a military meeting with the group from the West today, and it starts in half an hour.”

In truth, Faeus had already woken up. After all, military females never had the habit of sleeping in. It’s just that this bed was too soft and comfortable, causing him to unprecedentedly laze around for a while. The scent of pheromones from the male zerg filled the sheets, calming his irritable mood slightly but also stirring up more desires. After all, they hadn’t truly marked each other yet.

The video screen at the bedside lit up, displaying a message from Duoluo. Faeus, however, cut it off with a snap, and the screen went black instantly.

“Knock, knock, knock—”

Duoluo had no choice but to grit his teeth and knock on the door. “Reporting to the Supreme Leader, Deputy Leader Hawke is here to see you. He said there’s a military meeting with the group from the West in half an hour, and he hopes you can attend on time.”

Xu Cenfeng happened to be grooming in the bathroom. Upon hearing the commotion, he walked out with a white hot towel in his hand and subconsciously glanced at the lazily lying Faeus on the bed. “Aren’t you getting up? You’re going to be late.”

Faeus rested his hands behind his head, the blanket slipping off quietly to reveal his bronze chest, which was red and swollen, bearing marks heavier than the last time. “Let them wait.”

Faeus intentionally delayed, leaving the Westerners hanging.

Hearing this, Xu Cenfeng walked over to the bed and pulled Faeus up. The latter was utterly satisfied and limp, likely due to indulging too much yesterday. After all, even if they hadn’t done anything significant, they still had to help each other out manually when things got… reactive.

“Get up, lying down for too long isn’t good for you.”

Xu Cenfeng used the towel in his hand to wipe Faeus’ face. After the steam dissipated, it left behind a refreshing chill, exceptionally invigorating.

Faeus grumbled discontentedly, “Hey.”

Which male zerg was this gentle and considerate? Where did Xu Cenfeng, this oddball, come from?

Xu Cenfeng thought he had something on his mind. “What’s wrong?”

Faeus, seeing Xu Cenfeng’s confusion, didn’t explain anything. He briskly threw off the covers, got out of bed, and smoothly slipped into a pair of black and gold military pants, fastening the belt securely, leaving his muscular upper body exposed to the air.

With a smirk, Faeus said, “If you dare to look for another female zerg, I’ll kill you.”

The expression on his face as he said this was ambiguous, appearing somewhat playful, making it difficult to discern its sincerity. After speaking, he headed straight to the bathroom to freshen up, leaving Xu Cenfeng sitting on the edge of the bed lost in thought.

Looking for another female zerg?

If Xu Cenfeng wanted to find someone yesterday, he would have done so. Why wait until now?

After washing up and emerging from the bathroom, Faeus casually grabbed his military shirt and began buttoning it up. However, as he was fastening one of the buttons, he inadvertently rubbed against a spot on his chest. His movements stiffened suddenly, and his expression became unpredictable.

Xu Cenfeng had kissed and bitten him yesterday, and had kneaded and pinched him as well. The fact that Faeus’ skin hadn’t broken was a testament to his physical resilience. At the time, he hadn’t felt much, but now, the swelling made it too painful to touch.

Xu Cenfeng, unsure if he had noticed Faeus’ discomfort, stepped forward and opened Faeus’ shirt to take a look. Unexpectedly, he discovered the marks left from yesterday and asked in a low voice, “Does it hurt?”

Faeus smirked, neither confirming nor denying, “Why don’t you try and find out?”

Xu Cenfeng proposed a solution, “Shall I massage it for you?”

Faeus’ throat tightened at the thought of it potentially worsening the swelling. However, seeing Xu Cenfeng’s gentle smile, he couldn’t resist the urge. “Kiss it.”

Faeus reached out, pulling Xu Cenfeng into an embrace and pressing his head against his chest, allowing him to place a gentle kiss on his neck. His voice hoarse, Faeus murmured, “Just a kiss and it won’t hurt anymore…”

Xu Cenfeng indeed lowered his head and gently kissed the swollen area.

But Faeus shook his head, “Not here.”

Xu Cenfeng lifted his head and met Faeus’ gaze, realizing something. He leaned in and kissed Faeus’ lips, exchanging a tender kiss with him. His voice muffled, he asked, “Is it here?”

Yes. Faeus thought, that’s it.

It was the first time in his life he had discovered the pleasure of kissing a male zerg, and he found himself somewhat addicted to it. He and Xu Cenfeng embraced, kissing for a long time before finally parting, breathless.

Xu Cenfeng helped Faeus button up his shirt, doing so meticulously until he reached the collar. Faeus, noticing this, furrowed his brows and moved his neck slightly, reaching to unbutton it. However, Xu Cenfeng grabbed his wrist, stopping him. “Don’t move, leave it like this,” he said.

Faeus had never dressed so formally before. After all, he wasn’t one of those elegant and affected nobles from the West. He raised an eyebrow at Xu Cenfeng’s words. “Why?”

Xu Cenfeng didn’t explain much, just smiled. “You’ll be seen.”

Faeus thought it over and relented, allowing Xu Cenfeng to button up his military uniform firmly. With only five minutes left before the meeting began, he opened the door and walked out.

Hawke had been waiting outside for nearly half an hour, practically growing grass. When he saw Faeus emerge from Xu Cenfeng’s hotel room, he discreetly glanced at the zerg markings on the back of Faeus’ neck, only to find that the color hadn’t changed.

In Salaranfa, once a female zerg was marked by a male zerg, the color of the zerg markings on the back of his neck would change. The news of Faeus winning the arena match yesterday and spending the night with a handsome male zerg had already caused quite a stir in the city. Some were envious, some were jealous, but most were just reveling in schadenfreude.

Indeed, all the spectators present at the time saw the information displayed on the big screen: although Xu Cenfeng’s skills were impressive, his blood purity was only 35%.

This figure wasn’t particularly high or low; it might suffice for marking other female zergs, but it was far from sufficient for marking Faeus, the S-class queen zerg.

Winning a handsome male zerg to spend the night with might seem appealing, but it was akin to being a eunuch—you could admire, but you couldn’t indulge.

Hawke belatedly realized that Xu Cenfeng’s blood purity seemed to be only 35%, which meant he couldn’t mark a queen zerg. No wonder the markings on the leader’s neck hadn’t changed color.

As Faeus walked out of the room, he saw Hawke standing nearby in a daze. He halted in front of him, his expression a mix of joy and anger. “Did you wake me up early just so I could see you standing here daydreaming?”

Hawke snapped out of it at the sound of Faeus’ voice, instinctively straightening up. “Supreme Leader, the generals from the West said they want to bring back male zergs from their region. They’ve been waiting in the conference room.”

Faeus couldn’t be bothered to wait for the elevator, so he and Hawke headed towards the stairs together. Nonchalantly, he commented, “Let them wait. I want to see how much patience those zergs have.”

Expecting to bring back the male zergs they had rescued without any effort or expense? Where in the world does such a good deal exist?

The snowfall from earlier in the morning had just stopped, leaving a thick layer of snow covering the ground. As Faeus stepped out of the hotel doors, he was met with a biting cold wind, but he remained unfazed. He bent down and got into the aircraft, saying to the driver ahead, “Head to the military headquarters. Let’s go.”

Hawke swiftly squeezed into the aircraft to avoid being left behind. He then addressed Faeus, “Supreme Leader, Mandy has started to loosen up a bit. He’s willing to offer three times more military supplies than last time to exchange for those male zergs.”

Faeus lit a cigarette, sneering as he flicked the lighter. “That miser finally agreed to cough up something. Tell him I want five times the amount this time.”

The Northern forces had suffered significant losses when dealing with those troublesome interstellar pirates. Last time he asked for three times the supplies, Mandy didn’t agree immediately, dragging it out for so long before agreeing. Faeus wasn’t foolish enough to stick to the original price.

It took him almost half a month, during which time the price of chocolate biscuits in the shop doubled.

Hawke nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, feeling that it made sense. Seeing Faeus lounging lazily in his seat, appearing satisfied from every angle, Hawke’s curiosity got the better of him. He couldn’t resist probing, “Supreme Leader, I heard you brought that male zerg back to the hotel yesterday?”

Faeus didn’t deny it. “Yes.”

Hawk continued, “And you spent the night together?”

Faeus glanced at him through the haze of smoke, his enigmatic green eyes betraying little emotion. “So what if I did?”

Hawke couldn’t help but wonder. If Xu Cenfeng couldn’t mark Faeus, then it was like having a piece of fat right in front of you that you couldn’t eat. Could the leader really enjoy a night like that?

Hawke cautiously asked, “Supreme Leader, was it enjoyable?”

Faeus fell into contemplation at the question. On one hand, he didn’t want to reveal any fondness for that male zerg in front of Hawke for the sake of his pride. On the other hand, he didn’t want to lie against his conscience.

Who am I kidding? Faeus thought to himself. Since when did he have a conscience?

He flicked the ash off his cigarette and frowned. “It was average.”

But it was a lie. Yesterday was incredibly comfortable, so much so that it was hard to find words to describe.

Hawke nodded, thinking it didn’t seem enjoyable after all. He stroked his chin thoughtfully. “If you wanted to experience the taste of a male zerg, you should have gone after His Excellency Hill. His blood purity is the highest, and none of the other females could match you.”

Faeus chuckled dismissively. “I’m not going to fight over a pile of dog shit.”

He must be blind to let Xu Cenfeng go and pursue someone like Hill. But Hawke was always like any other female, eagerly pursuing the male with the highest blood purity. Faeus didn’t think that meaningless number could represent anything.

Not long after, the aircraft finally arrived at the military headquarters.

Faeus and Hawke went upstairs together towards the meeting room. Just as they reached the door, they saw the secretary already waiting outside. Seeing Faeus approaching, he quickly stepped forward and said, “Supreme Leader, General Mandy and the others have been here for half an hour.”

Faeus glanced at the time, realizing he was only fifteen minutes late. He frowned, “Why is he here so early?”

Is there a problem?

The secretary lowered his voice and said, “It should be about retrieving the males. They were trying to slowly soften our stance before, but for some reason, they suddenly wanted to retrieve the males yesterday and caused a scene. You were at the arena, so you wouldn’t know.”

Faeus keenly sensed something fishy about it. Without showing any emotion, he raised his hand, signaling the secretary to investigate the reason. “Find out why. Inform me immediately when you have any updates.”

With that, he entered the conference room.

By then, many generals had already gathered inside. A long table divided the room into left and right sides. On the left were the Western generals dressed in platinum military uniforms, while on the right were the Northern generals dressed in black and gold military uniforms. The division between them was clear-cut, and tension filled the air.

Faeus smiled at the scene. Under the gaze of all the generals, he pulled out a chair, lazily taking his seat at the head of the table. Interlocking his fingers, his gaze fell upon the group of nobles from the West. “Well, well, look at this. What a special occasion it is today, for everyone to arrive so punctually.”

Seated at the lower left of Faeus was a blonde military female. He had originally furrowed his brow, appearing somewhat anxious and restless. However, upon seeing Faeus enter, his eyes lit up. “Supreme Leader Faeus, we are here today to discuss an important matter with you.”

Faeus smirked, his expression ambiguous. “You want to retrieve those male zergs plundered by the interstellar pirates?”

With a subtle movement of his right hand, adorned with a black leather glove, he clearly gestured the number “five,” exposing the greed and despicableness of the Northern side without doubt. “I want this amount.”

Upon seeing this, General Mandy’s face subtly changed. “Wasn’t it agreed upon last time that only three times the amount was needed?”

Hawke sat on Faeus’ right hand side, chiming in, “General Mandy, last time was last time, and this time is this time. The price each time may not be the same.”

One of the Western generals slammed the table in anger, “What’s the difference between you and the pirates?!”

Hawke shrugged, “If you think there’s no difference, we have no objections.”

In the North, “pirate” isn’t a derogatory term; “soft egg”¹colloquial term to insult someone who is perceived as weak, timid, or lacking in assertiveness or courage is.

General Mandy gestured to calm down his angry companions, urging them not to act recklessly. He frowned at Faeus, “Is there really no room for negotiation?”

Faeus raised an eyebrow lightly, “Five times is my negotiating price.”

Mandy, who had always been stingy, had refused to provide even three times the military supplies before. Faeus didn’t expect him to agree immediately. However, after pondering for a moment, Mandy unexpectedly agreed, gritting his teeth, “Fine, five times it is, but we need to bring those six males back to the West by tomorrow!”

Faeus lifted his gaze to Mandy, his expression questioning, “Six?”

Leaving Xu Cenfeng aside, initially, Faeus rescued a total of seven male zergs, two from the North and five from the West. But where did the other six come from?

General Mandy placed a stack of photos in front of Faeus, all depicting the rescued male zergs. However, one photo stood out prominently, featuring Xu Cenfeng with his black hair and dark eyes. “Supreme Leader Faeus,” Mandy insisted, “we must take these six male zergs back with us, and they all come from the West.”

Upon seeing this, Faeus immediately removed his gloves, his knuckles pronounced as he traced over the row of photos. Finally, he singled out Xu Cenfeng’s picture and declared, “Apart from this male zerg, you can take the others.”

Xu Cenfeng belongs to him now.

As for those miscellaneous male zergs from the West, take them if they must, as the military’s information has been gathered sufficiently. Keeping them serves no purpose.

Upon hearing this, General Mandy’s expression changed once again. Without hesitation, he vetoed, “No, we must take this zerg with us!”

In response, Faeus looked at him with a smirk, a hint of darkness flashing in his emerald eyes, harboring coldness and ruthlessness. He spoke slowly and deliberately, “I said I want this male zerg. Can’t you understand?”

Those familiar with Faeus could tell that he was starting to get angry. Several members from the North dared not even breathe, and even General Mandy sensed that something was amiss, his expression stiff and unpleasant.

Although the North and the West had always been at odds, Deputy Leader Yenia and General Mandy got along quite well. Seeing the situation, Yenia began to suggest, “Supreme Leader, those male zergs are all from the West after all, so maybe…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Faeus cast a cold glance that immediately silenced him, understanding the situation.

Just as the atmosphere in the conference room reached a deadlock, the secretary suddenly knocked on the door and walked in. He leaned in to whisper something in Faeus’ ear, causing his expression to change abruptly, filled with both surprise and bewilderment. This reaction prompted the other leaders to exchange puzzled looks, secretly wondering what significant event might have occurred.

In reality, the secretary only said one thing—

“That male zerg named Xu Cenfeng likely has a blood purity of 100%.”

 

 

 

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The author has something to say:

Faeus (grumbling): I didn’t want to give in the first place, and now I definitely can’t!

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  colloquial term to insult someone who is perceived as weak, timid, or lacking in assertiveness or courage