Ah Sui grew up deep in the mountains and the only flying object he knew was an airplane. However, he clearly didn’t realize that he was now very far from Earth, and no one would be coming in an airplane to take him home.
The object he called an “airplane” was pitch black, resembling a terrifying giant beast, and was followed by many identical objects. The pilot controlled the starship as it flew over the dense forest. Suddenly, through the display screen, he noticed some zergs waving below. Frowning, he spoke into the intercom, “Reporting to the leader, there appear to be two unfamiliar zergs below the dense forest. Should we capture them?”
Inside the cabin of the starship sat a group of burly female zergs dressed in black. The lighting overhead was dim, casting most of their faces in shadow. Some of those faces were missing an eye, others had chunks of flesh gone, and many were covered in countless scars. They looked like demons that had crawled up from hell, and just looking at them was enough to send chills down one’s spine.
But these scars represented “honor” in their hearts, as they were the “merits” earned from their battles against the Imperial army, marking them as notorious interstellar pirates.
One of the leaders, his eyes flashing with ferocity, said, “Capture them. Our presence cannot be revealed!”
Another leader let out a sinister laugh, “Two more hostages. How delightful.”
The pilot, receiving the order, immediately locked onto the targets and initiated the capture. Suddenly, a hatch beneath the starship automatically opened, swiftly deploying two jet-black mechanical ropes. These ropes, seeming almost alive, slithered like snakes toward Ah Sui and Xu Cenfeng, their powerful movements accompanied by a rushing wind.
Ah Sui instinctively reached for his sword to cut the ropes, but was abruptly stopped by Xu Cenfeng’s voice in his ear, “Ah Sui, don’t act rashly.”
Upon hearing this, Ah Sui hesitated for a moment. In that brief instant of distraction, he suddenly felt a tightening force around his waist. The next thing he knew, he was being yanked upwards by the black rope, his body weightless, and then he was unceremoniously thrown into the dark aft cabin of the starship with a thud.
Xu Cenfeng followed closely behind, bound by the rope and thrown down next to him, hitting the ground with a dull thump.
[Ding! Target captured successfully!]
[Ding! Successfully deployed to the cabin!]
Startled, Ah Sui reflexively began to struggle. However, the mechanical rope, made of some unknown material, only tightened the more he fought against it, eventually constricting him to the point where he could barely breathe.
“If you don’t want your bones crushed, then stay quiet!”
In the darkness, a rough voice suddenly boomed out. Ah Sui felt someone grab the back of his collar, and a flashlight beam shone directly into his eyes, making it impossible for him to keep them open.
The rough fingers of the other person first touched the back of Ah Sui’s neck, then made a doubtful sound. Next, they pinched Ah Sui’s chin and examined him closely, hidden surprise in their voice: “No zerg markings? It’s actually a male zerg?!”
Ah Sui’s mind was blank. He wondered what the person meant by male zerg or watermelon zerg. What was this person talking about?
Meanwhile, Xu Cenfeng underwent the same inspection on the other side.
“Damn it! They’re both males too!”
Despite swearing, the interstellar pirate’s tone was unusually excited. He turned back to the main cabin and immediately shared the news with his comrades, “Those two unlucky bastards we just caught are actually both males! When did Salaranfa’s males start spreading like this? Just grab a few and you get two!”
In the darkness, Ah Sui searched for Xu Cenfeng’s figure, awkwardly maneuvering like a caterpillar. He lowered his voice nervously and called out, “Brother Cenfeng? Brother Cenfeng?”
Xu Cenfeng seemed to have anticipated this. He lay calmly on the ground, not struggling at all. “Don’t be afraid. They’re just a bunch of interstellar pirates.”
Ah Sui was momentarily confused. “What are interstellar pirates?”
Xu Cenfeng explained, “Interstellar pirates are basically robbers. They raid valuable male zergs and then use them to demand ransom.”
Ah Sui felt overwhelmed by the unfamiliar terms he heard from Xu Cenfeng. He nervously glanced down at the ground and asked, “What are male insects?”
He had a strong fear of insects.
Xu Cenfeng, seeming to know everything, attempted to explain in a way that Ah Sui could understand. His voice, quiet and soothing in the darkness, carried a reassuring tone: “Ah Sui, what I’m about to tell you is very important. You must remember every word, do not forget, okay?”
Ah Sui sensed a solemn atmosphere inexplicably, unconsciously holding his breath, his ears perked up attentively. “Go ahead,” he said.
“Ah Sui, we are no longer on Earth. When the bus fell off the cliff, we crossed over to another world, another country called Salaranfa.”
“In Salaranfa, there are no men and women, only females and males. Males are rare and precious here, so the country tightly protects them. Females are strong and robust, and they defend the country on the battlefield.”
“Females are responsible for bearing offspring.”
“Because we lack zerg markings on our necks, we are both males.”
This explanation provided by Xu Cenfeng aimed to clarify the situation in a comprehensible way for Ah Sui, outlining the unique societal structure and roles in the world they found themselves in.
Ah Sui lay on the ground, silent. Though he only partially understood Xu Cenfeng’s explanation, he grasped one thing clearly and asked softly, “Can’t we go back home?”
His voice carried a hint of sadness.
Xu Cenfeng asked him, “Ah Sui, what do you consider home to be?”
Ah Sui replied, “With Grandpa Tai, and Grandpa San…”
He has many grandpas.
Ah Sui felt worried. “Grandpa San was also on the bus when it fell off the cliff. I need to find him.”
Xu Cenfeng replied, “Is that so? I also need to find someone.”
Ah Sui turned his head slightly in the darkness, looking at Xu Cenfeng with confusion. “Who do you want to find?”
Xu Cenfeng replied, “An old acquaintance.”
“Don’t be afraid, Ah Sui,” Xu Cenfeng continued. “We will find them.”
He was so resolute, so confident, like a reborn person, like a prophet.
The interstellar pirate crew was sizable, consisting of approximately four or five leaders, each commanding their own subordinates and starships. For them, male zergs captured during raids were walking wealth. So, when the group found a secure location to settle down, they began to distribute this wealth among themselves evenly.
“This pair of males was captured together. They must know each other. Don’t let them plot or scheme together. Separate and detain them all!”
And so, Ah Sui and Xu Cenfeng were separated.
Ah Sui was locked inside another starship with four or five other males like him. Their hands and feet were shackled, and when huddled in a corner, they resembled a quivering flock of scared partridges, easily startled by the slightest movement.
Interestingly, Ah Sui remained relatively calm. He noticed that the provisions on the starship were much better than what he had in the jungle. So, he diligently ate every day to regain his strength. At the same time, he discreetly counted the number of interstellar pirates outside through the window, planning to seize an opportunity to escape with Xu Cenfeng.
“Don’t waste your efforts. The Klayt Alliance is the most notorious band of interstellar pirates in Salaranfa. The Empire has been chasing them for ten years and hasn’t managed to wipe them out completely. How could you possibly escape?”
The speaker was a male zerg named Heim, detained on the same starship as Ah Sui. He had thick brown hair and relatively handsome features, suggesting noble lineage. He idly held a toothpick in his mouth and continued, “You’d better just stay here like the rest of us and wait for the Empire to pay ransom in stellars. My father is a respected judge; the military won’t dare not to rescue us.”
Ah Sui glanced around at his surroundings and curiously asked, “Aren’t any of you planning to escape?”
Upon hearing this, the other males looked at each other, thinking that this black-haired, dark-eyed male must be insane. Outside, there were at least a few hundred interstellar pirates, and they were all so fragile that even a gust of wind could blow them away. Escaping would be certain death, wouldn’t it?
“What are you talking about? There are hundreds of interstellar pirates out there. How are we going to fight them?”
“Fighting is something females do. I’m not interested in getting involved.”
“Hey, don’t be foolish. Just lie down and get some sleep. Who knows if those pirates will go crazy and relocate their base again tomorrow. I’ve had enough of this unstable life.”
Through the porthole glass, the dimly lit sky outside could faintly be seen. Several interstellar pirates were pacing outside with guns, and for some reason, their number was half of what it was yesterday.
Ah Sui pressed his ear against the glass, closed his eyes, and listened for a moment. “It sounds like there’s fighting outside,” he remarked.
Heim was among the first group of males plundered over and had a good grasp of the internal dynamics of the interstellar pirates. Upon hearing Ah Sui’s remark, he walked over with the toothpick in his mouth, observing the circle of pirates in the distance, their uproarious shouts filling the air. He nodded knowingly and said, “They’re probably electing a new leader.”
Ah Sui looked puzzled and asked, “A new leader? Did their leader die?”
Heim replied uncertainly, “Probably dead. Some time ago, the Empire sent troops to eliminate these star pirates. Their second leader, Sang Ya, took advantage of the chaos and killed the main leader, Klayt, then escaped. Now, the entire Klayt Alliance is leaderless, and the underlings are fighting every day to claim the main leader’s position.”
After glancing at Ah Sui, he pointed outside mockingly, “See? If you want to escape, now’s your chance. The guards out there are all busy watching the commotion. They probably won’t have time to bother with you.”
Ah Sui bowed his head and fell into deep thought: “…”
Heim chuckled, “I knew you wouldn’t dare. Don’t be foolish, just…”
“Ka-cha—!”
Before Heim could finish his sentence, a sudden crisp sound of shackles breaking startled him. Seeing Ah Sui swiftly rotate his hands, a shockwave emanated from his palms. Employing some unknown technique, the silver shackles around his wrists snapped open with a ‘ka-cha’ and fell to the ground.
“Clang—”
The alloy shackles rolled in a circle on the ground, coming to a slow stop after a few seconds. The air immediately fell into silence.
The rest of the male zergs stared dumbfoundedly at the scene, struggling to swallow and almost suspecting they were hallucinating: Damn, did they see that right? Did that male zerg just break the handcuffs with his bare hands?!
Heim stood there, mouth agape in disbelief. His toothpick fell to the ground as he pointed at Ah Sui, too shocked to even form a coherent sentence: “You… you, you…”
Ignoring their astonishment, Ah Sui stood in place and flexed his wrists and neck, preparing to go rescue Xu Cenfeng. His objectives were clear: first, find his sword; second, rescue Xu Cenfeng; third, escape from these bandits.
Perfect.
Seeing Ah Sui about to leave, Heim quickly grabbed him, “Where are you going?!”
Ah Sui turned to look at him, explaining seriously, “I’m escaping. I’m an orphan, my grandpa is really poor, and my third grandpa went missing. No one’s gonna pay my ransom.”
“You, you, you…” Heim almost impulsively asked Ah Sui to take him along, but then realized that this lone male zerg couldn’t possibly take on all those interstellar pirates outside. He quickly calmed down and asked, “How do you plan to escape?”
Ah Sui gestured the shape of a sword with his hands, “I’m going to find my sword. Once I have it, I can escape.”
Heim suddenly remembered something, “You mean that thing wrapped in a white cloth?”
On the first day Ah Sui was captured, the interstellar pirates confiscated everything he had. That sword seemed very important to Ah Sui, and he hesitated for a while before reluctantly handing it over. Heim remembered this vividly.
Ah Sui’s eyes lit up. “That’s it.”
Heim pointed towards the rear of the starship. “Your sword should have been thrown into the aft compartment. When they tied us up, our terminals and belongings were dumped there too.”
Ah Sui was straightforward in nature. Upon hearing this, he immediately declared, “I’ll go find it right away!”
After speaking, he quickly groped the bulkhead for a moment, found a red button, and pressed it. The tightly closed hatch automatically opened. Hearing the sound, the two guards stationed outside instinctively turned around, only to be greeted by darkness. A figure suddenly leaped over them from mid-air, and simultaneously, both guards received a swift chop to the back of their necks. They groaned and collapsed unconscious to the ground.
Ah Sui landed gracefully, as light as a swallow. He glanced back at the bulkhead and saw the male zergs crowding excitedly at the door, pointing at the unconscious guards on the ground, eagerly gesturing, “Ah Sui! Quickly find the keys! The keys are on them!”
Upon hearing this, Ah Sui immediately began searching for the keys. Taking advantage of the distracted interstellar pirates, he quietly opened the aft compartment of the starship. Sure enough, he found a pile of scattered luggage and terminals inside. His precious sword lay discarded in a corner, its white cloth wrapping stained with dust.
After retrieving his sword, Ah Sui initially planned to leave, but then he noticed how conspicuous his white clothing was. He turned back and dragged the two guards into the bushes, stripping their black combat uniforms and donning one himself.
Now, everything was perfect!
Ah Sui put on the helmet and noticed the male zergs still gathered at the door. He ran over and kindly asked, “Are you really not taking this chance to escape?”
Upon hearing this, Heim and the others’ eyes lit up. “Can you protect us?”
Ah Sui shook his head honestly, innocently blinking his eyes. “There are too many of you. I can’t protect everyone.”
Upon hearing this, Heim and the others deflated. Heim sighed, “Then why did you ask? We’re thousands of kilometers away from the Western territories, probably nearing the Northern territories. Unlike you, we’re not fighters, and we don’t have a starship. Escaping would be futile.”
Ah Sui thought for a moment, scratched his head, and tentatively asked, “Can I leave then?”
Heim, clearly frustrated with the situation, struggled to respond for a while before managing to say, “Go ahead.”
Ah Sui huffed. “And don’t you dare snitch on me.”
Heim patted Ah Sui’s shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry, we won’t snitch. There’s no benefit in it. If you manage to escape, remember to have the Empire ransom us quickly. If you can’t escape, it’s fine too. Those interstellar pirates won’t kill male zergs, at most they’ll just… have their way with you for a night.”
After all, who would argue with a fool?
Heim finished speaking and immediately pressed the button to close the hatch, preventing the interstellar pirates from noticing anything amiss. He waved goodbye to Ah Sui through the window, feeling a twinge of pity in his heart. “Hey, brother. May the Zerg God protect you.”
Ah Sui: “…”
He just wanted to escape, not commit suicide. Why were these people looking at him with such solemn eyes?
But Ah Sui didn’t have time to dwell on these thoughts now. He glanced around and noticed several starships parked nearby. Most of the interstellar pirates had gathered at the central arena, where the competition was taking place. Additionally, since male zergs were generally weaker and the guards weren’t very vigilant, security seemed lax.
Ah Sui recognized one of the black and red starships as the initial place where he and Xu Cenfeng were detained. Swift and agile in the darkness, he silently landed and leaped directly above the starship.
Below, five or six interstellar pirates were wandering around, yawning incessantly, clearly exhausted.
Ah Sui observed the situation and retrieved a handful of pebbles from his pocket. With a flick of his wrist, accompanied by a sharp gust of wind, he silently incapacitated three of the interstellar pirates. The remaining three noticed their comrades suddenly collapsing and rushed over to investigate. Ah Sui swiftly somersaulted and landed, striking the back of their necks with palm strikes infused with internal force, swiftly dispatching them as well.
Searching the unconscious interstellar pirates, Ah Sui found the keys and unlocked the hatch. Upon entering, he discovered three male zergs bound inside. Xu Cenfeng sat quietly on the ground, his attention fixed on the scenery outside the window, gazing towards the distant north.
“Brother Cenfeng!”
Ah Sui lowered his voice excitedly and quickly unlocked Xu Cenfeng’s shackles with the keys. He spoke urgently, “Brother Cenfeng, I’ve knocked out the interstellar pirates outside. Let’s escape quickly!”
Xu Cenfeng: “…”
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