ICAWZ Chapter 118

Xu Cenfeng could be certain that he had never seen the female zerg in front of him before, yet his demeanor and expressions seemed strangely familiar. Xu Cenfeng maintained his composure and stared at him for a moment, his gaze slowly shifting downward until it rested on the cigarette held between his fingers—

It was already more than half-burnt, and there was a deep tooth mark on the filter.

Faeus had a bad habit when smoking; he liked to bite the cigarette filter. Additionally, he was a neat freak. When flicking the ash, he would slightly turn his hand to prevent the ash from falling on his clothes. Such meticulous actions were actually quite rare in the rugged northern region.

The golden-eyed female zerg saw Xu Cenfeng standing still and gave him a gentle push from behind, urging him in a low voice, “What are you standing there for? Hurry up and go over.”

Xu Cenfeng tilted his head and asked, “What’s his name?”

The golden-eyed female zerg spat out two words, “Wu Ya.”

In Zerg culture, “Cen” means cliff.¹The word “Cen” in Xu Cenfeng’s name means cliff. The word “Ya” in “Wu Ya” also means cliff.

Upon hearing this, Xu Cenfeng smiled, as if he had guessed something. He nimbly leapt onto the rock and then crouched down in front of the female zerg. The cold wind blew through his dark hair, and an indescribable emotion flashed in his eyes. “You need something from me?”

He recognized Faeus, but mindful of the numerous gazes around them, he didn’t show it, maintaining an appearance of never having met before.

Faeus directly extinguished the cigarette butt, his narrow eyes slightly squinting. Thinking Xu Cenfeng hadn’t recognized him, he deliberately teased, “You look good. Stick with me, and I’ll make sure you live the high life.”

He acted like a complete rogue.

Feiwen and the others, standing below, were uniformly surprised. They hadn’t expected the newly appointed leader to take an interest in Xu Cenfeng as well. Understanding the situation, they tactfully turned away and moved to the side to keep watch.

Xu Cenfeng did not agree. “Sorry, I already have a female monarch.”

Faeus raised an eyebrow. “Have you had the wedding?”

Xu Cenfeng shook his head. “Haven’t had the chance yet.”

Faeus leaned closer to Xu Cenfeng upon hearing his words. His irises appeared gray at first glance, but under the sunlight, they revealed a subtle olive green hue, resembling a beast lurking in the forest. Intrigued, he said, “Well then, why not? Your female monarch might have already disappeared long ago. Follow me from now on. When I’m released from prison, we can have a wedding right away. What do you say?”

Xu Cenfeng still refused, saying, “Sorry, besides him, I don’t want to marry any other zerg.”

Faeus paused upon hearing this. “You like him that much?”

Xu Cenfeng nodded seriously. “Very much.”

Faeus: “…”

Damn it.

Faeus cursed inwardly and pretended to be fierce. “If you won’t drink the toast, you’ll drink the forfeit!”²a figurative expression in Chinese that means if someone declines a friendly gesture or invitation (such as a toast), they will face consequences or penalties (symbolically, they will be punished by having to drink a forfeit or penalty drink)

Xu Cenfeng wondered if Faeus had called him here just to ask these questions. He was about to say something when he noticed a prison guard approaching nearby. Worried that his absence might raise suspicion, he decided to leap down from the rocks.

Xu Cenfeng glanced back at Faeus and said, “If you want to fight, I’m ready anytime. See you tonight.”

With that, he ignored the astonished expression of the female zerg and turned away. He continued walking until he was far enough, then slowly stopped and shook his head with a gentle smile to himself.

Faeus stood on the rocks, watching Xu Cenfeng leave until he disappeared from sight. He then sat back down in his original spot, somewhat dazed. Remembering Xu Cenfeng’s words just now, he subtly curled his lips, lost in thought. “Don’t touch him, got it?” he said absentmindedly, as if reminding someone nearby.

When he spoke, his tone was casual, but upon closer listening, it carried a subtle yet dangerous warning.

Sang Ya had been sitting nearby, soaking up the sun. His gray ponytail shimmered slightly in the sunlight, like smooth silk. He remained unfazed by the words, hiding a thin blade in his hand. As he twirled it between his fingers, it dazzled anyone watching. “What’s the matter, are you afraid I’ll kill him?”

Faeus replied, “You haven’t killed anyone.”

Sang Ya responded nonchalantly, “The notorious northern leader’s reputation precedes you. The number of male zergs I’ve killed doesn’t compare to yours.”

Faeus flicked the cigarette butt to the ground absentmindedly, recalling his experiences and observations in prison. He muttered to himself, “Maybe I won’t kill anymore in the future. The North will establish new rules and order.”

Sang Ya lowered his gaze to the blade in his hand, which could be considered contraband. Shadows fell across his snow-like skin as he spoke, “What kind of order? Like the absurd order in the South? Allowing female zergs to be slaughtered, and unable to argue even when forcibly stripped of their wings?”

He sat in the sun, immaculately clean yet emanating an underlying sense of boundless gloom. “I still prefer…”

With a sharp crack, Sang Ya forcefully embedded the blade into the rock, speaking softly but distinctly, “I prefer the kind of order sustained by death…”

Faeus sensed the provocation in Sang Ya’s words. Swiftly, he struck Sang Ya’s back with a palm strike. Sang Ya grunted in pain, tumbling painfully off the rock, blood oozing slowly through his prison uniform in dark, ominous patches, precisely at the shoulder blades on his back.

Faeus swiftly leaped down from the rocks and crouched before Sang Ya, his meaning unclear as he said, “It seems female zergs indeed cannot have their wings removed. Your old injury from a year ago still hasn’t healed. If it were me, I would have killed that male zerg back then.”

Sang Ya held his shoulder as he got up from the ground. His face was pale, and he weakly leaned against the rock, but he couldn’t conceal the dangerous aura surrounding him. Coldly, he corrected, “No, I didn’t kill that male zerg. I chopped him up bit by bit and fed him to the dogs. He lived for a full thirteen days.”

The Southern female zergs are universally recognized as having the gentlest personalities among all tribes, making it hard to imagine such words coming from Sang Ya.

Clap, clap, clap—

Upon hearing this, Faeus applauded sincerely, admiring Sang Ya’s courage. “However, this is Northern territory. If you want to continue surviving here, it’s best to live by my rules. I don’t like anyone challenging me.”

He finished speaking and stood up straight, preparing to leave. However, behind him, a chilling voice suddenly sounded, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll expose your identity?”

Faeus raised an eyebrow lightly at the words. Without doing anything overt, he made a subtle gesture, and a nearby prison guard spontaneously stepped forward to hand him a lighter. “If I dare to come here, I’m not afraid of exposure,” he replied calmly.

Sang Ya’s expression shifted slightly at the sight. “Are all the informants in the prison under your control?”

Faeus lowered his gaze, toying with the lighter. Suddenly, his eyes reflected two flickering flames. “Not all of them,” he replied. “There are also a few small nails, but nothing serious.”

Sang Ya stared at him darkly. “So, your injury and hiding in the prison initially were also fake?”

Faeus neither confirmed nor denied it. “Don’t worry,” he said calmly. “Considering you helped cover for me, once this is over, I’ll give you a new identity.”

Sang Ya paused. “When?”

Faeus snapped shut the lighter with a click, squinting as he looked into the distance in the direction of Hossburgh. “As soon as tomorrow, at the latest the day after. You’ll have your freedom.”

His beloved “brother” was probably still lost in the leader’s dream, unable to extricate himself. Unfortunately, dreams are always short-lived. When that list of traitors is fully exposed, his dream will shatter.

Like bursting bubbles, with a “pop”.

At 8 PM, it was time for the prisoners’ collective shower. Xu Cenfeng didn’t want to squeeze with the other zergs and planned to rinse off in his cell with cold water, as he did yesterday. However, before he could go upstairs, two guards took him to an empty, deserted shower room.

“Please wait a moment, Your Excellency.”

After the two guards respectfully exited the room and locked the door behind them, implying Xu Cenfeng would have to wait “a long time,” Xu Cenfeng understood what was happening. He didn’t resist at all. He glanced up and saw across from him a figure in blue prison clothes, subtly disguised as “Wu Ya” — it was Faeus.

Faeus was still unaware that he had been recognized. He approached Xu Cenfeng slowly and spoke in a deep voice that resonated clearly in the bathroom, “Your Excellency, we meet again.”

Xu Cenfeng lowered his gaze, hiding a flicker of amusement in his eyes, and pretended not to know, “Are you bringing me here to fight?”

Faeus frowned imperceptibly as he noticed Xu Cenfeng was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt. “So what if it is?”

Before he could finish his sentence, Xu Cenfeng suddenly launched an attack towards his neck without warning. Faeus was taken aback and swiftly dodged, surprised that Xu Cenfeng was taking the fight seriously. They ended up grappling and fighting each other in the empty shower room.

Xu Cenfeng’s moves appeared fierce but were actually restrained, lacking real aggression. Faeus, recognizing this, didn’t engage in a real fight either; he kept retreating and evading. Eventually, he deliberately exposed a vulnerability, allowing Xu Cenfeng to execute a reverse scissor move, pinning him against the bathroom wall.

Faeus gasped for breath, unconsciously licking his cracked lips. He thought to himself, not in vain had he set his sights on this vigorous male zerg: “You win, Your Excellency.”

As he spoke, he hesitated for a moment, pondering how to reveal his true identity to Xu Cenfeng. Suddenly, his waist tightened, and his clothes were lifted. Without warning, a warm hand slipped beneath, causing his expression to change instantly.

“?!?!”

For a moment, Faeus’ mind went blank. Hadn’t Xu Cenfeng still not recognized him? How did he end up in his embrace so suddenly?!

Xu Cenfeng pressed Faeus against the cold porcelain wall, his fingertips moving lightly. In a few moments, he undid the outer coat of Faeus’ prisoner’s uniform, revealing the sultry, bronzed skin of the female zerg. His gaze lingered on the smooth chocolate-like texture, contemplating how to proceed.

Faeus stiffened for a moment, his voice breaking out in frustration: “Damn it, don’t you have a female monarch?!”

Xu Cenfeng carefully inspected the muscular chest of the female zerg, noting that the texture felt the same as before, hardly changed. He murmured softly, “Yes, I do, but we haven’t had the wedding yet.”

His voice was gentle, whispering in Faeus’ ear, mixed with the perpetual sound of wind and snow from the Blackstone Mountain, creating an indescribable allure.

Upon hearing this, Faeus felt a tingling sensation spread across his scalp, the sensation sending shivers down his entire body. “Didn’t you say you really liked that female zerg and would never marry another zerg?!”

He was so “angry” that he forgot to disguise his tone.

Xu Cenfeng smiled softly as he casually tossed aside the grey-blue prisoner’s uniform, leaning in to kiss Faeus’ earlobe. With a gentle bite of his teeth and a teasing tug, it felt as though he was pulling Faeus’ soul out along with it. “I did say that, which is why I am ‘liking’ him now.”

Upon hearing this, Faeus’ pupils suddenly contracted in surprise. He turned to look at Xu Cenfeng, only to see the male zerg smiling warmly at him, clearly having recognized him long ago.

Faeus finally realized he had been played. His voice filled with astonishment, “When did you figure it out?!”

“The moment I saw you.”

Xu Cenfeng turned Faeus around to face him, reaching out to touch the synthetic skin on Faeus’ face. He found the texture realistic but devoid of any warmth, indicating some method of disguise. “I recognized you at first sight.”

Those words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing Faeus’ earlier anger and embarrassment. A subtle mix of emotions flooded his chest, his heart inexplicably softened.

Faeus grinned satisfactorily as he grasped Xu Cenfeng’s chin. His narrow eyes squinted slightly, unsure whether he was praising or teasing him, “I’ll give you credit for having sharp eyes… Hmm…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Faeus couldn’t help but let out a muffled groan. He reached around Xu Cenfeng’s neck, his legs turning weak as most of his weight leaned onto him.

The shower room’s ventilation window didn’t soundproof well, allowing them to vaguely hear the prison guards reprimanding inmates outside. The sharp whistles were nerve-wracking, adding an invisible tension to the atmosphere.

Xu Cenfeng pecked kisses on Faeus, finally finding his lips. “Don’t be nervous, relax.”

Faeus breathed out heavily. “Damn it! I’m not nervous!”

Having spent several days in prison, he had also picked up swearing. Actually, Faeus had known how to swear even before, so one could say his skill had improved.

Xu Cenfeng gently bit the tip of Faeus’ tongue, then released it a few seconds later, always maintaining his gentle and refined demeanor. “Don’t swear.”

Faeus’ eyes were slightly red at the corners, though it wasn’t very noticeable due to his complexion. He replied in a hoarse voice, “You’re not a prison guard, why do you care so much?”

“The prison guards don’t care about this.”

Xu Cenfeng reminded, “But you’re still a prisoner now.”

Faeus buried his head in Xu Cenfeng’s shoulder and gave him a bite. “So are you.”

He thought this male zerg was truly foolish. Wouldn’t it have been better to stay in luxury at Hossburgh? Instead, he chose to come to this godforsaken prison, where he couldn’t eat or dress properly. When has Xu Cenfeng ever suffered such hardships?

Even when they first met and Xu Cenfeng was suspected of being a space pirate, Faeus couldn’t bear to let him stay in prison. Instead, he sent him to a hotel to live comfortably.

Faeus cupped the back of Xu Cenfeng’s head, his slender fingers slowly threading through his dark hair. He murmured intermittently into his ear, “Why didn’t you listen to me… and came here on your own…”

Xu Cenfeng responded gently, his words muffled amidst their tangled lips and teeth, making them somewhat indistinct: “I wanted to die with you.”

The worst-case scenario wasn’t so bad after all.

Rather than dying alone in the city, it would be better to die together with Faeus, buried in the same place.

Faeus’ gaze gradually lost focus as he looked up at the ceiling, his sensual Adam’s apple moving up and down. Unconsciously, he uttered, “But I don’t want you to die…”

He didn’t want Xu Cenfeng to die.

Upon hearing this, Xu Cenfeng paused. Then, he resumed marking the female zerg with even greater seriousness. The countless kisses falling like a net enveloped them, cocooning the two pitiful souls tightly together. He frowned and asked, “Are you injured?”

He noticed two light pink scars on Faeus’ shoulder, clearly having just recently healed.

Faeus didn’t hide anything from him and replied casually, “On the day of the garrison handover ceremony, Yenia arranged for a rebel attack. There was a deeply embedded spy, a subordinate who had been with me for over ten years. When he fired, I dodged in time but still got grazed a bit.”

Xu Cenfeng asked, “Then how did you end up in prison?”

Faeus lazily leaned on his shoulder, lowering his voice. “I originally planned to fake my death to deceive Yenia. During the rebel attack, I used a corpse to confuse them and hid in the prison amidst the chaos. A small detachment of garrison troops is still out there searching for me.”

Xu Cenfeng lowered his gaze, tracing the new wounds on Faeus’ body, imagining the harrowing scene. “Weren’t you afraid of being discovered?”

Faeus lifted his eyelids slightly. “Do you remember those subordinates who accompanied Zog to the forest to clear out the beasts but ended up returning alone? I purposely assigned them to Blackstone Prison back then, replacing the original prison guards long ago.”

Xu Cenfeng thought to himself, no wonder those prison guards outside all listened to Faeus.

“How long do you plan to stay in prison?” Xu Cenfeng asked.

Faeus didn’t respond immediately. He deeply smelled the faint pheromones on Xu Cenfeng’s body, his eyes narrowing in satisfaction. Finally, he slowly uttered, “Not long. At most two days. Once we receive General Wesley’s message, we’ll leave for Hossburgh immediately.”

Xu Cenfeng controlled the spread of his pheromones, keeping them confined to a small circle. Faeus had been stubborn when he left, refusing Xu Cenfeng’s “feeding”. These past few days had been unbearably empty, so now he greedily absorbed the male zerg’s pheromones.

Xu Cenfeng gently whispered in Faeus’ ear, his hair brushing against his skin, his voice tender and affectionate, “Have you missed me these past few days?”

Faeus thought to himself, how could he not have missed him? He had almost been longing for him to death. He hoarsely uttered a word, “Yes.”

Xu Cenfeng murmured softly amidst the gentle splashing of water from the overhead shower he had turned on, his gaze tender enough to melt. “I’ve missed you too.”

Faeus was lifted by Xu Cenfeng and pressed against the porcelain tile wall, feeling like he might fall. He reluctantly wrapped his arms around Xu Cenfeng’s head, holding him tightly against his chest. “Do you really mean it?”

Xu Cenfeng bit him lightly.

Faeus hissed in response. He wrapped his arm around Xu Cenfeng’s neck, but surprisingly didn’t get angry. “Hey, when I was outside, I didn’t even dare to wear clothes like this.”

Xu Cenfeng felt like Faeus was trying to boast. “Why?”

Faeus smirked. “Don’t think I don’t know. You don’t like me exposing myself to others.”

Xu Cenfeng was surprised that Faeus had guessed correctly. Through the rising mist of water, he looked at the female zerg and decided to reward him, such as with a deep kiss or a deep marking.

“Hmm, you’re not allowed to show yourself to others.”

Xu Cenfeng kissed deeply and forcefully, causing Faeus to struggle for breath and nearly suffocate. His tongue started to ache and go numb, yet the possessiveness in this dominant male was like an addictive poison to him.

What should I do?

In a daze, Faeus thought to himself, Xu Cenfeng, this unambitious zerg, seemed to have been corrupted by him. Such words didn’t seem like something the other party could say.

He felt a sense of satisfaction.

The pheromones were so strong that Faeus was completely sated. After about half an hour, Xu Cenfeng opened the nearby ventilator window and patiently waited for the lingering scent to dissipate. Then, he returned and embraced the weak-kneed Faeus, saying, “How are you going to leave like this?”

It was a shame, though, that there was no fertility aid in the prison. Everything flowed out onto the floor and was washed away by the water.

Faeus leaned against Xu Cenfeng’s chest, gasping for breath. “Give me ten minutes.”

He knew from experience that in ten minutes, he would fully recover.

Xu Cenfeng felt somewhat helpless and took a nearby dry towel to wipe off the water stains from Faeus’ body. Then, he helped him into a fresh set of prison clothes. It could only be said that having a good physique was key, and Faeus had an exceptionally perfect figure, making him look good in military uniforms and equally good in prison attire.

Xu Cenfeng leaned closer and kissed him, his hair damp with moisture, feeling cool to the touch. “Have you met Hawke yet? He entered the prison with me.”

Faeus lifted his eyelids at Xu Cenfeng’s words, his expression ambiguous. “Hmm, I’ve heard about it. There’s a male zerg in Hossburgh who loves Deputy Leader Hawke so desperately. Not only did they conspire against the leader together, but they also entered prison together.”

Xu Cenfeng: “…”

Xu Cenfeng smiled and raised his hand to brush away the stray strands of hair in front of Faeus’ eyes. “Do you believe that?”

Veins bulged on Faeus’ forehead as he found Xu Cenfeng’s question utterly nonsensical. If he believed it, would he obediently lie flat here and let the other zerg mark him? “I haven’t acknowledged him.”

Xu Cenfeng paused, “Why?”

Faeus replied, “Hawke’s target is bigger than you. Yenia specifically assigned a few nails to keep an eye on him to avoid trouble. So, I haven’t acknowledged him. Hawke only knows he has to gather in prison, but he hasn’t found me yet.”

Xu Cenfeng: “…”

Hawk really got the short end of the stick.

Faeus and Xu Cenfeng stayed in the bathroom for a full hour. Finally, they walked to the door and lightly tapped on it, giving a rhythmic signal. Shortly after, the prison guard stationed outside the door opened it.

After resting for ten minutes, Faeus managed to recover some strength, albeit with a slight redness at the corners of his eyes. Otherwise, everything seemed normal, except for his slightly slower walking pace compared to usual.

As for Xu Cenfeng, whether intentionally to save face for Faeus or not, he pretended to be “weak.” After all, in the northern regions, examples of female zergs exhausting male zergs were common, but it was rare to see male zergs making females unable to get out of bed.

It was 9 PM, time for the prisoners to sleep. Faeus originally wanted to have Xu Cenfeng moved to his own cellblock, but Xu Cenfeng’s request was denied: “I have my own cell, there won’t be any danger. There are only two days left, don’t risk exposure.”

Faeus thought it over and agreed. Though all the inmates were his connections, it wouldn’t be good if word got out among the prisoners. He reluctantly had a few guards escort Xu Cenfeng back to his room, arranging to meet at the mines tomorrow.

When Xu Cenfeng was escorted away by the guards, some prisoners saw it happen, but they were all puzzled. Only Feiwen guessed at the situation.

“Wu Ya must have set his sights on him.”

“Tsk, such a handsome little male zerg, pity he got ruined by ruthless hands.”

“How do you know he’ll be in trouble? That male zerg looks like he can hold his own.”

“No matter how tough he is, he’s no match for Wu Ya. Sanga Ya is so formidable, he directly aggravated old injuries.”

As speculation buzzed through Cell Block 5, the guards happened to escort Xu Cenfeng back. Out of curiosity, Feiwen and the others couldn’t help but walk up to the railing and sneak a glance. They saw Xu Cenfeng with a pale face, unmistakable kiss marks and bite marks on the collar of his prison uniform, portraying a silence that couldn’t be deeper. It was clear he had been thoroughly mistreated, prompting stunned looks exchanged among them.

Xu Cenfeng felt like he might be coming down with a cold, likely due to not dressing promptly after his shower earlier. Planning to return to his room for a good rest, he noticed the prisoners from Cell Block 5 all staring at him. He politely nodded to them.

Feiwen and the others’ emotions immediately became more complicated.

A female zerg with golden eyes watched Xu Cenfeng’s departing figure and sighed with pity, “Such a polite male zerg. Even at this time, he still remembers to greet us. I really hope Wu Ya treats him better in the future.”

Well, “treats.”

…

While Faeus claimed it was too troublesome to acknowledge Hawke, he couldn’t completely ignore him either, especially since they were down to their last two days. The next morning, when they gathered at the mines, amidst a group of laboring prisoners, he accurately spotted Hawke.

Initially, Faeus had not only planted his subordinates among the prison guards but also had his connections among the prisoners. Hawke, who had recently arrived, had been quietly contacting the military convicts with yellow cards while also searching for Faeus’ whereabouts. He cautiously tapped rocks while keeping an eye out for surveillance from the guards, completely unaware of Faeus’ presence nearby.

Faeus lazily sat on a rocky hill, sunbathing, feeling a headache from Hawke’s foolishness. He glanced at Xu Cenfeng beside him. “Should you go or should I?”

Normally, Faeus should go, but after being mistreated so severely yesterday, he couldn’t be bothered to move.

Xu Cenfeng smiled and said, “I’ll go.”

With that, he agilely leaped down from the rocky hill, weaving through a group of laboring prisoners, and headed straight to where Hawke was standing.

At that moment, Hawke was still asking around, trying to find out Faeus’ whereabouts. As he worked and looked around, he suddenly noticed Xu Cenfeng appearing before him. He became nervous and said, “Your Excellency, there are many covert lookouts near the prison. It’s better if you don’t stay too close to me, to avoid any association.”

Xu Cenfeng hushed him, gesturing not to alert the guards. “They’ve all gone for lunch. Who are you looking for?”

At his words, Hawke glanced behind him and saw the covert lookouts who had been watching him were now lazy, eating lunch. Frowning, he hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and revealed a shocking secret: “I haven’t dared to tell you before, but the leader is actually in the prison too.”

Xu Cenfeng raised an eyebrow, appearing somewhat surprised. “So where is he?”

Hawke shook his head with a grim expression. He had only been in the prison for two days, and the information was still somewhat lacking. “I haven’t found him yet. Don’t worry, as soon as I have any news, I’ll inform you immediately!”

Xu Cenfeng fell silent for a moment. He pointed to Faeus, who was sitting on a rock nearby, smoking. “Have you seen that female zerg?”

Hawke glanced at Faeus briefly and then averted his gaze, frowning in disgust. “I saw him yesterday. I heard he’s a notorious criminal. You’d better stay away from him to avoid getting targeted.”

Xu Cenfeng: “…”

So it’s not that Faeus doesn’t want to acknowledge Hawke, but rather that this idiot Hawke hasn’t even recognized Faeus.

The author has something to say:

Faeus (with red eye special effects): Hunting time!

• 1
  The word “Cen” in Xu Cenfeng’s name means cliff. The word “Ya” in “Wu Ya” also means cliff.
• 2
  a figurative expression in Chinese that means if someone declines a friendly gesture or invitation (such as a toast), they will face consequences or penalties (symbolically, they will be punished by having to drink a forfeit or penalty drink)