Heroes struggle in the face of beauty.
Throughout the galaxy, countless tragic tales of love are told, and when a Star Pirate falls in love, the endings are often tragic.
Gu WenCheng scoffed at this notion.
He was a ruthless Star Pirate known throughout the galaxy, and in his eyes, love was worthless and even laughable.
After taking NK-03 and rejuvenating himself for the first time in thirty-eight years, he finally tasted the bitterness of love. However, what they said was true – when a Star Pirate falls in love, pain and torment are constant companions.
Gu WenCheng felt this pain.
Unsolvable, stifling pain.
He had resorted to coercion and threats to keep Li ZouXing from rejecting him, using his identity as Walter to flirt with him… bearing many secrets alone. He didn’t even know if Li ZouXing still liked girls.
An eighteen-year-old1Wait, WHAT? O.O For real? OoO, who knew nothing, was dragged into the abyss of another path by Gu WenCheng.
The bitterness of love, all of it was a result of his forceful actions.
The image of Li ZouXing and the Imperial Princess dancing in each other’s arms once again struck a chord with Gu WenCheng’s ever-beating nerve.
Yet, he didn’t know what he could do.
He understood that one cannot force the human heart.
Faced with Gu WenCheng’s words, Li ZouXing was clearly caught off guard.
Gu WenCheng feeling uneasy?
This sounded… unbelievable.
He was actually feeling uneasy.
Prince Nico’s gaze toward Li ZouXing was no longer purely admiring his future capable subordinate. It now contained a hint of critical scrutiny and probing. “Do you have a girlfriend now?”
“Yes,” Li ZouXing replied immediately, “I have a lover with whom I’m currently in a relationship.”
In interstellar language, “lover” could also be translated as “partner.”
This was a term more precious than “girlfriend.”
Prince Nico glanced at his sister, but she showed no surprise or sadness on her face. He sighed, “I see. It seems you get along well with your lover. I’m curious about how students at the Chengyang Military Academy handle their relationships. Would you mind sharing?”
Gu WenCheng looked up at Li ZouXing with a restrained gaze.
His actions were hidden among his teammates because all of the Dream Team couldn’t help but glance at Li ZouXing. They controlled themselves not to reveal any expressions of disdain but pretended not to know that Li ZouXing had also followed in Gu WenCheng’s old footsteps, using false words to reject unwanted admirers.
And all of this was happening right in front of the Emperor.
A method for telling lies, one they both seemed to have learned.
Now that Prince Nico was asking in such detail, how should he respond?
“Fond moments together,” Li ZouXing couldn’t help but smile. “If I start elaborating, I might never stop.”
“It looks like you really like her,” Prince Nico asked with great interest.
The restless fire ignited within him. Imperial citizens never told lies in front of the Emperor. Gu WenCheng closed his eyes and, when he reopened them, he had regained his composure.
No matter what kind of answer Li ZouXing gave, there was only one outcome in his mind.
Li ZouXing raised the glass in front of him, suddenly smiling. The smile was brief but carried countless gentleness. “Very much.”
Then he clinked glasses and downed the drink.
Gu WenCheng was stunned for a moment, then turned to the person beside him and asked, “He said he really likes his lover.”
Ji Yu had a complicated expression and whispered, “Let’s not expose him. It seems that ZouXing doesn’t want to be in a relationship right now.”
“To tell a lie in front of the Emperor is truly bold,” Gu WenCheng’s heart raced. He couldn’t hear what Ji Yu was saying and immediately asked Li ZouXing, “Do you really like your lover?”
Their teammates sighed in agony.
WenCheng, oh no, you’re going to expose ZouXing’s lie.
They tried to divert the conversation. Ling Nian chatted expressionlessly with the princess across from him, attempting to attract attention. “The color of this dish resembles your golden hair.”
The princess maintained a composed but somewhat blushing expression. “Thank you for the compliment. The color of this dish also resembles your eyes.”
Ling Nian nodded. “Thank you.”
Ji Yu saw that it was about to become awkward and quickly chimed in. “The scenery in the palace is beautiful, truly captivating.”
Their attempts to change the subject didn’t receive the consideration of the person in question because Li ZouXing spoke up. He gazed into Gu WenCheng’s eyes and answered the question.
“My lover is sweet from head to toe, and I’m completely immersed in this sweetness, unable to break free.”
The fire suddenly flared up, burning hot within his heart.
Gu WenCheng curled his lips, looking charming and with a hint of that silly boyishness. In just one sentence, he had gone from the depths of icy despair to a warm zone.
Li ZouXing poured a glass of sweet wine for him and placed it in front of him, teasing, “WenCheng, why are you smiling so beautifully?”
“Get lost,” Gu WenCheng glanced at him, and mouthed the words, “I’m going to make you sleep soundly tonight.”
“The topics of young people,” Colonel Raymond chuckled and said to the Emperor, “Your Majesty, we can’t quite fit into the conversation.”
Kate chuckled, “It’s actually rare for me to relax like this. Unlike you, Raymond, I’ve always been interested in the topics of young people.”
After a harmonious meal, the Dream Team didn’t immediately leave. Emperor Kate left everything to his eldest son to handle, and Prince Nico led them and Colonel Raymond into a meeting room.
Colonel Raymond didn’t give them much time to adjust and immediately handed them a stack of documents. “You shared information with Yu Meng, which he passed on to me. Youngsters, capturing individuals like Jin Di with big bounties is a task undertaken by my army. These tasks are dangerous and involve significant complexities. Though they consume more resources, promotions come quickly.”
The members of the Dream Team looked up at him, waiting for him to continue.
Colonel Raymond raised an eyebrow. “After the investigation, we found that Jin Di’s activities were linked to a larger star pirate organization and a vast network of species trafficking. These individuals are highly mysterious, and a more detailed investigation is needed. However, I must point out that even if the credit for discovering these clues goes to you, it’s unlikely to result in any significant military recognition, or even if it does, it’s not something worth mentioning.”
“This matter is closely tied to all of you,” Prince Nico added. “By the way, this is a rare opportunity.”
“I assume you’re aware that starting with this cohort, the ChengYang Military Academy is training soldiers for Prince Nico’s army,” Colonel Raymond said, adjusting his posture comfortably. “First, let me clarify that you only barely met the standards to enter my unit. However, Prince Nico wants his fledgling military pillars to grow quickly, so I won’t be too picky. After you win first place in the Strongest Team Competition, the military department will extend an invitation to join my unit ahead of time.”
After the military uncovered the extensive connections behind Jin Di, Prince Nico recognized this as a fast-track opportunity for promotion. He couldn’t bear to let the Dream Team, who had discovered the lead, miss this chance. Additionally, he wanted to expedite the growth of his own influence. So, he helped them secure the opportunity to join Colonel Raymond’s unit and handle Jin Di and the forces behind him.
The opportunity for promotion was right in front of them. Once they entered the military, they would receive special treatment and continue to study key courses at the Chengyang Military Academy. This move was aimed at allowing them to earn military merits openly as members of Colonel Raymond’s unit.
The Dream Team was suddenly stunned by this news.
“Which star pirate organization is implicated behind Jin Di?” asked Li ZouXing.
Colonel Raymond looked at him with an ambiguous expression and replied, “Walter…”
Gu WenCheng immediately furrowed his brow, while Li ZouXing didn’t hesitate to respond, “It’s impossible.”
Colonel Raymond chuckled again before slowly explaining, “Indeed, it’s not Walter. Don’t be nervous, young man. It’s another well-known star pirate organization, Chongye. Have you heard of them?”
Caught off guard by his question, Li ZouXing forced a smile but remained silent.
Any Imperial citizen was familiar with Chongye, the notorious star pirate organization known for resisting Imperial rule. They were aptly named after insects, as they aimed to infest the Empire, leaving their eggs everywhere.
The six members of the Dream Team fell into silence, and Gu WenCheng squinted his eyes slightly.
“Chongye has been keeping a low profile in Interstellar for the past few months,” Raymond continued. “Initially, I thought they might have suffered a mutual defeat with Walter. Otherwise, how could you explain both sides vanishing at the same time? But recently, Walter resurfaced, and shortly after that, so did Chongye.”
“Even worse news is that Chongye has been collecting a significant amount of alchemical elements. They’ve formed a team within their ranks dedicated to developing forbidden substances, which we’ve dubbed the ‘Insect Heart.'”
“In shorthand,” the Colonel clasped his hands in front of him, “it’s referred to as CD.”
…
After leaving the meeting room, it was time to bid farewell and return to school.
The Princess escorted them for their farewell, and Gu WenCheng glanced at her with a smile that was not quite a smile. To avoid any misunderstandings, Li ZouXing deliberately distanced himself from Ling Nian, making it even clearer who the Princess’s attention was on.
“…” Ling Nian suddenly felt like all his teammates were looking at him, and as he glanced left and right, he met the Princess’s gaze.
The Princess was unaware of how flushed her current expression was, but she managed to maintain the composure of an Imperial Princess. “The next time we meet, you can call me Abbey.”
Ling Nian waited for Ji Yu to speak. Ji Yu functioned as their diplomatic representative among the group, and it seemed like all their teammates were eagerly waiting for him to break the silence.
Ling Nian, though expressionless, had a somewhat stiff tone. “Certainly, Princess Abbey.”
“Allow me to bid you goodnight in advance,” the Princess quickly lowered her head, nervously clutching her gown’s hem. Her hand was trembling, and her face turned pale.
“Goodnight.” This was also the first time Ling Nian had said goodnight to a member of the opposite sex.
They stood there like statues, the awkward atmosphere extending around them for meters. The Dream Team members watching the scene tried to stifle their laughter.
Li ZouXing leaned on Gu WenCheng’s shoulder and couldn’t stop laughing. “See, the Princess isn’t interested in me; she’s interested in Ling Nian.”
Gu WenCheng snorted. “At least she has some taste.”
Knowing that the little sun wasn’t an option for her.
After bidding farewell to the Princess, they finally stepped onto the return spacecraft.
Regarding the invitation from the military after the Strongest Team Competition, they had no reason to refuse, nor did they ever consider refusing.
Ever since Li ZouXing witnessed the scenes of racial trafficking, he had made up his mind to eradicate such practices. Now, the opportunity had come.
—But the condition was that they had to be the first in the Strongest Team Competition.
Xi Nan still remembered the sweet words Li ZouXing had said in front of the Emperor, “Where did you get a girlfriend, ZouXing? You’re the first person I’ve ever seen bold enough to lie in front of the Emperor. Impressive.”
“WenCheng is the same. Did you guys plan this last night?” Ji Yu chuckled. “You both used the same excuse. Fortunately, Prince Nico didn’t catch on.”
Li ZouXing suddenly felt a rush of enthusiasm. “What if I told you that when I said ‘my lover,’ I was talking about WenCheng, and when WenCheng said ‘his lover,’ he was referring to me? How would you react?”
Gu WenCheng was taken aback and joined in with a serious demeanor, paying close attention to his teammates’ expressions.
The teammates were momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter. “Hahaha, ZouXing, you don’t have to go this far, hahaha!”
“Why did you deceive even us, hahaha? We wouldn’t reveal you to the Emperor. We didn’t even know if you two were a couple. Could there be someone among you cross-dressing as a woman? Hahaha, sorry, I can’t stop.”
“Okay, okay, you two are a great couple. You’re not brothers; my face hurts from laughing.”
Li ZouXing and Gu WenCheng both wore black faces.
After the space jump, they laughed all the way back to their dormitory. Finally, they managed to stop, and it was time to sleep.
Li ZouXing remembered that he needed to apply medicine to Gu WenCheng. After taking a shower, he had him lie down on the bed.
Gu WenCheng stiffened the moment Li ZouXing’s fingers touched his skin, unsure whether he was anticipating pain or relief. “How is it?”
“It’s completely healed,” Li ZouXing checked carefully, his emotions complex. “There’s no sign of swelling at all.”
Since it’s like this…
Gu WenCheng leaned over and pressed him onto the bed, taking a seat. He looked apologetic. “Tonight, you’ll have to endure some pain again.”
Li ZouXing pulled his head down and gave him a lingering kiss, speaking between intermittent kisses. “Young people shouldn’t indulge too much.”
“You’re really tough,” Gu WenCheng frowned. “You’ll just tire me out, and there won’t be any ’tilling’ going on.”
He moved a bit, and indeed, the “field” underneath him had already responded.
That feeling of trembling from the depths of his soul, how could it have been limited to just last night?
Li ZouXing was amused by his choice of words. Unable to hold back, he pulled the innocent older man into his arms and whispered in his ear, “Haven’t you noticed, WenCheng? I’m the proactive one.”
“You’re really something,” Gu WenCheng retorted. “I’m the one who’ll be exhausted.”
His voice was low, causing tingles in their ears. Gu WenCheng recalled the rapid gasps from last night and, with a mysterious smile on his face, thought that only a young boy his age would care so much about who was on top or bottom.
“Okay, you’re the proactive one,” Gu WenCheng indulged the good boy, “You’re the best.”
Their kiss carried a soothing meaning, but it still felt somewhat perfunctory.
“You still don’t believe me,” Li ZouXing bit him, “I was telling the truth.”
Gu WenCheng chuckled. “ZouXing, you’re still too innocent.”
Li ZouXing, who was considered too innocent, looked at him, feeling that Gu WenCheng was actually deceiving himself.
Gu WenCheng’s hands were already itching to move. “Don’t be shy. Let me handle it this time…”
Sincere confessions always stirred emotions. During the evening banquet, when Li ZouXing said he really liked Gu WenCheng, the latter had the urge to pin him down.
Just like the current situation, he took control of the rhythm. His mental power wrapped around Li ZouXing’s limbs, leaving him unable to do anything but lie there, watching helplessly.
Their desires clouded their judgment, and at the critical moment, the bedroom door was rapidly knocked on. Startled, the voice of Ling Nian rang out, “WenCheng, ZouXing! The password I cracked contains the letters CD!”
Ji Yu and Xi Nan had already been awakened by him and were looking through the old documents. “Yes, it does.”
Inside the room, Li ZouXing and Gu WenCheng were sweating profusely.
Starting over was still painful for both parties.
At the crucial moment, they couldn’t retreat or advance.
Ling Nian’s knocking on the door became increasingly forceful, but there was no response from the people inside. He tentatively turned the doorknob, and to his surprise, it opened.
How urgent must their situation be that they hadn’t even locked the door?
The three of them entered with their own inner thoughts and complaints, quite casually.
The moment the door lock clicked, Gu WenCheng immediately pulled up the blanket to cover both of them.
However, in his excitement, he forgot to hold back and sat down completely.
“Ah!”
A muffled groan escaped him, and his face turned pale with pain.
Li ZouXing inhaled sharply and forcefully broke free from Gu WenCheng’s mental power. He was about to lift him up when Gu WenCheng’s eyes showed determination. “No need.”
This little pain was nothing. A real man wasn’t afraid of bloodshed; he was afraid of losing face.
In front of Li ZouXing, Gu WenCheng cared even less about this slight pain.
Li ZouXing still wrapped him in the blanket and gently placed him by the edge of the bed. “Don’t do this; it hurts my heart.”
He sealed it with a comforting kiss on Gu WenCheng’s forehead, ensuring that they hadn’t revealed anything to their teammates. Then, he turned to their wide-eyed teammate, whose jaw was almost on the floor. “Ling Nian, you’re talking about the password for the pharmacologist’s decryption, right?”
At a time like this, why talk about passwords?
Ling Nian’s mind went blank. He hadn’t seen what they were doing, but he had seen Li ZouXing kissing Gu WenCheng’s forehead. Under a flash of inspiration, he remembered Li ZouXing’s words on the spaceship.
His pupils gradually contracted, and his voice tightened. “You… are together?”
Ji Yu and Xi Nan looked at him in shock and immediately turned their heads to look at Li ZouXing and Gu WenCheng.
Gu WenCheng, lying comfortably on the bed, was sent into bliss by Li ZouXing’s words. While the pain slowly faded, a tidal wave of emotions surged in his heart, growing stronger and stronger.
Even though their teammates knew now, as he looked at Li ZouXing by his side, he felt an overwhelming sense of security.
Li ZouXing’s expression remained resolute as he nodded.
“Gasp!”
Their teammates were shocked, but they instinctively closed the door and shrouded the room in mental energy to prevent eavesdropping.
Surprisingly, the first one to burst out was Ling Nian, who turned red with anger. The usually aloof handsome guy was now completely furious. “You two were being all lovey-dovey in the room and didn’t lock the door? What if it was someone else who came in? How would you deal with it? Can you use your brains and add a bit of caution to your brain capacity, which is otherwise full of meaningless lovey-dovey talk?”
He was so angry that his hands, placed at his sides, were trembling.
If that kind of situation really happened, if someone else saw it and spread the word…
What would they do?
“You…” Ji Yu couldn’t help taking a step forward, his gaze complex. “You two… are really together?”
“Absolutely.”
“That’s great…” Ji Yu didn’t know what he was saying, but he was afraid that if he said it a second late, Li ZouXing and Gu WenCheng would be upset. He spoke in a disjointed manner, “You two are a great match. It’s real, don’t worry. We support you. ZouXing and WenCheng, trust us, we will always support you.”
Xi Nan also nodded vigorously, almost nodding his head off. “Don’t be upset, we can totally accept it! Really! It’s just… we didn’t react in time, it doesn’t mean we can’t accept it!”
Their expressions were anxious, and their movements hurried.
If there was something in this world that could make them feel upset about their evaluation, it would be from their teammates.
But this was a paradox because their teammates would never make them feel upset.
Li ZouXing felt warmth in his heart, and his eyes even stung slightly. He turned and hugged Gu WenCheng, burying his face in his chest, hiding this moment of a tough guy shedding tears.
Gu WenCheng patted his head, smiling at their teammates, and said sincerely, “Having you all is really great.”
A few big guys blushed at this statement, approaching shyly, and hugged them over the blanket.
Li ZouXing stared at the blanket covering Gu WenCheng. He pulled it up immediately when it showed any sign of slipping down. As for himself, half of his chest was exposed, but he didn’t seem to mind at all.
In reality, he didn’t dare to look at his teammates, afraid of being teased and embarrassed.
Their teammates tacitly spared him, curious about how they got together but not daring to ask right now. They had already made up their minds to inquire thoroughly tomorrow.
Boys with boys.
They had never thought there could be such a pairing. But when it came to Gu WenCheng and Li ZouXing, there was a unique and harmonious compatibility.
They had a sudden realization.
So, it was this kind of relationship.
So, it could be like this.
They remembered a time when they used to tease Li ZouXing a lot.
Oh my, looking back now, they felt a bit shy about it.
And now, seeing the intimate moments between Li ZouXing and Gu WenCheng, they surprisingly found this scene beautiful.
The whole Dream Team had a surreal vibe.
After the heartwarming moment, they continued with their previous question.
The pharmacist’s note clearly said, “NK-03, CD.” NK-03 was the name of the drug Gu WenCheng had been looking for at that time, and CD, those two letters, they initially thought was an abbreviation for a name. Now they realized it might refer to the research group within the Chongye Star Pirates, specializing in studying drugs.
Although things were getting more complicated, at least they had some clues now.
Author’s Note:
Hahaha, they came out of the closet.
Translator’s corner:
Wow! It was such an awkward way to come out of the closet 🤣
