Yusto suddenly felt that Lu Yuan was quite interesting. Clearly, he had just rejected himself yesterday, and today he was inviting him to dinner over the weekend. If Yusto didn’t somewhat understand the other person’s personality, he would definitely suspect that Lu Yuan was intentionally playing with him.
Yusto did not immediately agree, nor did he immediately refuse. His expression was somewhat obscure and unclear. He looked Lu Yuan up and down, raised an imperceptible eyebrow, and said with a half-smile, “Your Excellency, I can’t give you an answer right now. Let’s consider it if there’s any spare time after finishing the tailoring of the dress.”
He gave a vague answer, similar to Lu Yuan’s faint rejection from the previous night.
Upon hearing this, Lu Yuan didn’t think much of it and considered it as an agreement. Finally, he let go of Yusto’s hand, saying, “Alright, you go ahead and get busy then.”
Lu Yuan didn’t want Yusto to intentionally avoid him. After saying this, he suddenly thought of something and asked, “Does your discipline committee patrol every morning? Will they come tomorrow?”
“Probably,” Yusto shrugged slightly, inadvertently revealing some information, “But I won’t be at the academy for the next few days. I have a mission to attend to, and I might only come back on the weekend. So, Your Excellency, you can take your time to decide whether you want to invite me for dinner or not.”
Lu Yuan looked up at him and asked, “Why?”
Yusto, upon hearing this, seemed to let out a sigh and gazed deep into Lu Yuan’s eyes. With a meaningful tone, he said, “Because I only accept meals personally made by you in my home. So… you better think about it before deciding whether to agree or not.”
After speaking, Yusto lightly moved his fingertips and directly took a silver collar pin with a red gem from his own tie. Then, right in front of Lu Yuan, he gently pinned it to the pocket of his jacket. Speaking with his face close enough to feel his breath, he lowered his gaze and whispered, “So… consider this as an invitation to enter my home. You have a few days to think about it.”
Yusto finished speaking, gently stepped back, creating some distance, and ignoring Lu Yuan’s bewildered expression, he directly turned and entered the office.
Lu Yuan: “…”
Lu Yuan watched Yusto’s departing figure and mentally slapped himself, realizing once again that he might have done something foolish. He initially wanted Yusto to give up on him, yet now he inexplicably rushed to invite him to dinner. How was this any different from being a scumbag?!
Very well, he now felt undeserving even of being a troublemaker, directly upgrading himself to the ranks of scum, truly bringing shame to humanity!
However, the words were spoken, and there was no turning back. Lu Yuan held the exquisite silver collar pin, hesitated for a moment, and ultimately gently tucked it into his pants pocket. He turned and left the office entrance.
Once emotionally stirred, people tend to keep themselves busy in matters of the heart, and Lu Yuan was no exception. In the following days, he started frantically catching up on knowledge about the Zerg Race. In the morning, he joined the military training laps with the instructors, and in the afternoon, he immersed himself in theoretical studies. He became a diligent presence, even more dedicated than the female zergs, leaving the lecturers staring at him in surprise.
“His Excellency Lu Yuan might become the most promising student I’ve ever mentored,” were the words of Professor Mandy, shaking his head with emotion.
“You are truly the least skilled student I’ve ever had!” were the exact words of Instructor Horik, expressing his sentiments.
On the last day of the week, during the free combat class, while other male zergs were learning theoretical knowledge, Lu Yuan stood among a group of female zergs listening to the instructor explain combat techniques, looking somewhat out of place.
Throughout the class, the female zergs seemed disinterested in the instructor’s lecture, frequently turning their heads to look at Lu Yuan. Then, they would lower their heads and rub their eyes, collectively starting to doubt their zerg lives: What’s going on?! How could there be a male zerg in the free combat class?!
Instructor Horik also seemed puzzled by the situation, but he finished the class with a stern face, personally demonstrating the techniques. He signaled the female zergs to pair up and practice on their own nearby. Then, with a furrowed brow, he walked up to Lu Yuan and asked in a low voice, “Did you walk into the wrong classroom?!”
Lu Yuan instinctively glanced at the classroom number and then stood upright, replying, “Reporting to the instructor, no!”
Instructor Horik furrowed his brow even tighter, “Then do you know what class this is?!”
Lu Yuan: “Free combat!”
Instructor Horik erupted in anger, “You know it’s free combat, and you still came?!”
These male zergs couldn’t contribute or participate properly, and coming to the free combat class not only disrupted the concentration of the female zergs but also served no purpose for them. Why bother attending when they could just go back to the dormitory and take a long nap?
Lu Yuan leaned back slightly to avoid getting hit by any inadvertent saliva, unfazed, and said, “Reporting to the instructor, this is my elective class.”
Instructor Horik, clearly not used to dealing with someone like Lu Yuan, frustratedly exclaimed, “Elective class? Why didn’t you go for film analysis or music appreciation? Why come here for free combat?! If you can’t find anything else, learn something from that red-haired chubby male you often hang out with. Go practice some slimming yoga with him, would you?!”
Lu Yuan: “…”
There was a moment when Lu Yuan was tempted to unleash a string of profanities, but for the sake of reason, he held back and said, “Reporting to the instructor, I can’t change my elective class now.”
Instructor Horik, evidently aware of the situation, raised his hand and removed his military cap. He found the idea of teaching male zergs combat quite vexing and irritating. Pointing casually to a nearby female zerg assistant instructor, he said, “Novi, come over!”
The female zerg quickly approached, “Reporting to the instructor, how may I assist?”
Horik pointed at Lu Yuan, “Teach him the basics of combat.”
Novi hesitated for a moment upon hearing this, subconsciously looking at Lu Yuan. Then, blushing, he vigorously waved his hands and said, “I’m sorry, instructor. I’m concerned I might accidentally harm this gentleman. Please find someone else.”
Being in close proximity to such a handsome male zerg was undoubtedly appealing, but if Novi accidentally injured him, he could end up facing a military court, and no zerg wanted to take that risk.
Lu Yuan also felt it might not be a good idea. After all, free combat involved physical contact, and training together with both male and female zergs could lead to unintended incidents and controversies.
Seeing Novi hesitant, Instructor Horik sighed and waved him away. He frowned at Lu Yuan, who seemed nonchalant about the situation. Frustrated, he pointed at the combat platform and said, “You, get up there!”
Lu Yuan was taken aback, “What?”
Instructor Horik, with a stern expression, clenched his fists and decided to make Lu Yuan regret his choice of elective: “Can’t you see? No female zerg dares to practice with you now. I’ll have to teach you personally. Get up there!”
Instructor Horik was evidently different from the military females in this class, not just in his assertive personality but also in his noticeably darker bronze-colored skin compared to the other females. There were rumors circulating in the class that he was actually an exile from the Northern Zerg Clan, saved by General Saphir on the battlefield by chance, and that’s how he ended up staying at the academy.
Lu Yuan was initially skeptical, but now he had to believe to some extent. As he agilely flipped onto the combat platform, Instructor Horik delivered a swift flying kick directly towards him. The move was sharp and fast, clearly without any mercy. What female zerg would dare to strike a male zerg like this?
Having been in fights for years, Lu Yuan immediately reflexively avoided the attack and simultaneously launched a sweeping leg kick towards the lower part of Instructor Horik. However, he clearly underestimated the toughness of a female zerg. Even standing on one leg, the instructor’s core was as stable as a rock, and his flesh felt as if it were constructed from reinforced steel and concrete. Lu Yuan’s kick left his leg tingling from the impact.
Instructor Horik sneered, “You have some skills, but unfortunately, your strength is too weak. You’ll have to practice more!”
With that, he lightning-fast seized Lu Yuan’s wrist, bent down, and performed a shoulder throw. Lu Yuan, however, rolled on the ground to dissipate the force. Changing tactics, he began attacking the back of Instructor Horik’s head.
The human physique and that of female zergs had significant differences. Lu Yuan and Instructor Horik were clearly not suited for direct confrontation, so they had to rely on skill rather than brute force. The head was one of the most vulnerable areas, besides the lower body. No matter how strong the muscles, there would always be weaknesses in the temples or the eyes.
Many zergs tended to be brute force fighters, relying on sheer strength in a brawl. Instructor Horik initially thought he could easily handle Lu Yuan, but he didn’t expect his opponent to be so cunning. Lu Yuan focused on attacking the eyes and temples, making the fight difficult and prolonged. After over thirty moves, Instructor Horik finally managed to subdue Lu Yuan, kicking him off the combat platform with a forceful blow.
“Good one!”
Instructor Horik had just been struck in the temple by Lu Yuan, and his vision was still filled with stars. His face couldn’t hide the frustration as he exclaimed, “Who taught you these low-level moves?!”
Lu Yuan, kicked off the platform, almost spat out blood. His entire body felt like it had been dismantled, bones scattered. Hearing the instructor’s words, he thought, what low-level moves? If it weren’t for the distinction between male and female, he would have aimed for a more sensitive spot just now.
Climbing up from the ground, Lu Yuan felt fortunate that Instructor Horik didn’t land a hit on his face just now. Otherwise, he would look pretty terrible now. He licked the taste of blood from his lips and calmly stated, “Reporting to the instructor, in combat, survival is the top priority, regardless of the level or origin of the moves.”
Instructor Horik raised an eyebrow at the remark, snorting, “Then you’ve chosen the wrong place. You shouldn’t be in the West; you should be in Hossburgh in the North.”
Unlike the Salaranfa’s pursuit of glory, the Northern Zerg Clan spent their entire lives trying to make glory bow down. Lu Yuan’s cunning and shameless demeanor resembled their style more than anything.
Lu Yuan instinctively asked, “What is Hossburgh?”
“A dangerous place,” Instructor Horik replied, as if recalling some memories with a hint of significance, “because they have a dangerous ruler.”
As for how it was dangerous, he didn’t elaborate.
The free combat class continued until the sky was just darkening. Whether it was a twinge of conscience or another reason, Instructor Horik, during the latter part of the lesson, stopped relentlessly beating on Lu Yuan and started earnestly teaching him some techniques.
Lu Yuan was a quick learner, his background as a street thug making him naturally adept at fighting. His only drawback was a lack of sufficient strength, something he would need to work on through more training.
Next to the combat classroom was the gym. After class, Lu Yuan was contemplating whether to go in for some training. However, as he peeked inside, he noticed it was full of female zergs. They were either working on their buttocks or waist, and faintly, he could hear their discussions:
“You really should work on your buttocks; male zergs won’t like such a saggy figure.”
“Do I have to be as muscular as you? Built like a bear. Male zergs prefer a full figure, not a muscle freak.”
“My muscles have gotten even bigger than last month. Damn, when will they reduce?”
Lu Yuan: “…”
Lu Yuan was silent for a moment, feeling that he might not fit in with them. Just as he was about to leave, he turned around and bumped into another female zerg who was there for exercise.
Unfamiliar with Lu Yuan, the female zerg noticed the tattoo on the back of his neck and thought he was also a female. He enthusiastically invited him, “Hey, buddy! Are you here for a workout too? Why aren’t you going in?”
Lu Yuan, feeling awkward, replied, “I just came to take a look.”
The female zerg, observing Lu Yuan’s well-built and slender physique, pondered, “Your figure is not bad, but it would be even better if you were a bit slimmer. Nowadays, a more delicate physique is in fashion for females.”
Lu Yuan’s face darkened upon hearing this suggestion, and he promptly declined, saying, “No, thanks.”
With that, he casually draped his jacket over his shoulder and left without looking back.
#Rejecting Female Zergs’ Beauty Standards, starting with him#
Lu Yuan had always felt that the lives of female zergs in this world were too challenging. They had to cook, arrange flowers, and even go to the battlefield for warfare. He found it hard to imagine how someone with a rebellious personality like Yusto, a military female, would cope in the future.
Or perhaps, he felt that the other shouldn’t bow down to an ignoble fate.
Lu Yuan walked on the deserted training ground at night, appearing burdened with some heavy thoughts. He couldn’t help but think that life was simpler when one was carefree and oblivious. Knowing too many people and too many things only served to entangle his steps on the way home.
If he were a newcomer to Zerg Star, unfamiliar with anyone, the only thing he would need to worry about was how to get back home, not fretting over the elusive future of a female zerg.
Lu Yuan recalled that today was Friday, and the weekend was approaching. As he passed by the female zergs’ dormitory, he glanced at the terminal on his wrist, initially thinking of sending a message to Yusto to confirm the plans for the weekend. However, at that very moment, a noisy commotion erupted from the distant training ground, accompanied by the thunderous roar of a rapidly descending aircraft, shattering the silence of the night.
Lu Yuan instinctively looked towards the source of the disturbance and saw the previously darkened medical building suddenly lighting up, one light after another. A group of military females, clad in combat gear, was swiftly carrying injured comrades towards the medical building. They were shouting at the top of their lungs:
“Quick, prepare the isolation rooms and electronic restraints! Three female zergs in our squad are experiencing a psychic outbreak! Hurry!”
“Where’s Dr. Hammett?! Get Dr. Hammett over here!”
Military females who have been on the battlefield not only have to endure their estrus periods but also face something a hundred times more painful – psychic outbreaks. When exposed to the scent of blood during combat, they can easily teeter on the edge of frenzy, or even completely lose control and transform, becoming irrational and highly dangerous.
In such situations, medications have little to no effect on female zergs. They either endure the pain with sheer willpower or rely on the pheromones of male zergs for comfort, as succumbing to the outbreak often leads to death. Unfortunately, not every female zerg is lucky enough to survive such an ordeal.
It was evident that the team that had just returned from a mission encountered this situation. However, the condition of their squad seemed dire, with a total of three female zergs succumbing to psychic outbreaks. The commotion reached all the instructors in the medical department.
Lu Yuan suddenly remembered Yusto mentioning a mission a few days ago. His expression changed slightly as he worried that something might have happened to him. He hurriedly rushed towards the medical building.
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