It is currently lunchtime, and the tables in the downstairs restaurant are all packed, making it highly unlikely to secure a seat. Han Yan’s gaze, through Gaien, fell on the office and noticed the pile of takeout boxes overflowing from the trash can in the corner. “How do you usually eat?” he asked.
Gaien hesitated for a moment. “Takeout.”
Thanks to Han Yan’s previous suppression of Admon and Johnny, Gaien, as an extension, has also been influenced. Ordering takeout every time feels like committing a crime, an unfounded sense of guilt lingering.
Upon hearing this, Han Yan glanced at the time on the terminal and realized there was still an hour and a half left. “Then let’s order takeout.”
Han Yan is a person who pays attention to details but isn’t picky. He adapts well, comfortably seating himself in both upscale restaurants and messy offices.
Gaien didn’t expect that Han Yan would eat takeout with him. His expression visibly froze for a moment, “But the office is a bit messy, and I haven’t had the chance to tidy up…”
Han Yan lifted his eyes nonchalantly, a half-smile playing on his lips. “Responsibility for this lies with your leader, not me.”
He was just going to have a simple meal; it’s not like he was here to inspect cleanliness. There was no need for Gaien to be so nervous.
Gaien originally thought about taking Han Yan to the military cafeteria, but then he remembered the chaos when the new recruits fought over food, plates flying everywhere. His office seemed better in comparison. So, he limped and led the male in.
Since the moment Gaien left, curious colleagues in the office couldn’t help but peek and speculate. They simply couldn’t imagine what kind of male zerg would choose someone with Gaien’s reclusive and peculiar personality as a mate. Although there were reports on StarNet when Gaien got married, those military females who spent most of their time in the research institute clearly weren’t interested in entertainment gossip, and their knowledge about Han Yan was close to zero.
“Oh my, how did General Gaien’s male zerg suddenly come to the military headquarters?”
“I wonder how they usually get along. General Gaien hardly speaks a few words when he’s working…”
“I heard from StarNet that his male lord seems to be a bit of a fool…”
As they were chatting, a well-dressed male zerg with blue hair suddenly walked into the office, causing the hushed whispers to abruptly cease, and the air to fall into immediate silence.
Han Yan’s refined and composed appearance clearly had no connection with the rumored “fool” image. Elegant and sophisticated, he was outstanding from every angle. The female military officers, witnessing his entrance, exchanged surprised glances, momentarily stunned before hurriedly getting up to greet him, their minds filled with bewilderment.
Han Yan deduced that these females must be Gaien’s colleagues. Adjusting his glasses, he nodded slightly, “Gaien’s terminal broke down, so I brought it over on my way home. I hope it won’t disturb your rest.”
One of the military females blushed upon hearing this, quickly waving his hands and saying, “You’re too kind; it won’t be a disturbance. It’s lunch break now, and we’re about to order takeout. If you don’t mind, you can join us.”
Han Yan adjusted his collar with a polite smile, declining, “No need to trouble yourselves. Please go ahead and eat.”
Meanwhile, on the other side, Gaien had already tidied up his office desk, wiped it clean with tissues, and brought a new chair for Han Yan. One table, though a bit cramped, was just enough for the two of them.
Han Yan took a seat at the table, opened the terminal, and searched for nearby restaurants. He asked Gaien, “What would you like to eat?”
Gaien was not particular about food, “You decide; anything is fine.”
Han Yan had already anticipated his response. Upon hearing it, he chose a well-reputed restaurant and placed an order directly. Since it was relatively close, it didn’t take long for the delivery person to bring the food to them.
One of them unwrapped the packaging, while the other arranged the utensils. Although they remained silent throughout the meal, occasionally, one would serve a dish to the other, creating an oddly harmonious and pleasant atmosphere.
The nearby military females, nibbling on their burgers, couldn’t resist stealing glances at them from the corners of their eyes. Originally, they thought that General Gaien, with a limp leg, must not be favored at home. However, it turned out that his male zerg would come all the way to the military headquarters to deliver a terminal for him—something that, if spoken aloud, might not be believed by any zerg.
Despite the delicious aroma of the office food, the distinct and pungent scent emanating from the two of them was even more noticeable.
After finishing his meal, Gaien casually glanced around and noticed that most of the covetous glances were directed at Han Yan. He furrowed his brows imperceptibly and whispered to Han Yan, “Do you still have to work this afternoon?”
Han Yan nodded, “There’s a bit of work left. Johnny will come to pick me up at two. Once I’m done, we can go home.”
Not wanting to leave Han Yan for the others to scrutinize, Gaien packed up the meal boxes. With still some time left, he took the initiative to ask, “Would you like to see the beasts in the Solitiam Forest? There’s still time.”
Upon hearing this, Han Yan raised an eyebrow slightly, showing a hint of interest. “You caught some?”
Gaien nodded, “There are a few kept in cages that I haven’t had the chance to dissect.”
Han Yan had always been keenly interested in the Solitiam Forest, so there was no reason for him to refuse. He stood up, pulled out a chair, and walked directly into the adjacent research room with Gaien. The electronic door automatically closed, isolating those curious military females in the outer area.
In the vast research room, only the two of them remained. Han Yan glanced around, noticing numerous shelves with medicine bottles and specimens. Intrigued, he asked, “Do I have the permission to come in here even though I’m not involved in the research?”
Although he was already inside.
Gaien grabbed a white dust-free suit and helped Han Yan put it on, fastening the buttons as he explained in a low voice, “You’re a male zerg; it’s fine.”
The research institute within the military wasn’t particularly classified. Other departments humorously referred to it as a slaughterhouse since it was all about dissections day in and day out. Medical students visited for internships regularly. The truly important research samples were classified as S-level secrets and stored in the basement minus one floor. These areas were heavily guarded, and access was restricted.
As a male zerg, Han Yan faced no major issues as long as there were no safety concerns.
The research room was divided into two sections, with several silver cages made of special materials placed on the outside. Each cage contained a mutant specimen to prevent any altercations between them.
Han Yan approached for a closer look and discovered that the animals inside looked strangely deformed. The most abundant species was a type of white crow with three heads. Their hoarse and unpleasant calls echoed incessantly in the quiet research room, giving an eerie feeling.
Gaien, who had silently approached Han Yan, explained, “These three-headed white crows are the lowest-level mutants in the forest and the species with the fastest self-purification. After the source of contamination is removed, they can return to their normal state in as little as three weeks.”
After speaking, he gestured towards an ordinary cage nearby. Inside were several plump, white birds with characteristics of both “white doves” and “crows” found on Earth. They had cute, little red eyes that looked around, giving them an adorable appearance. “These are the white crows that have completed purification.”
As Gaien finished speaking, one plump white crow suddenly hopped to the edge of the cage, cooing a couple of times. It seemed to have something in its beak, and as it opened its beak, a small blue flower unknown to Han Yan quietly fell to the ground.
Han Yan put on medical gloves, bent down, and picked up the flower. Due to the lack of moisture, it felt dry and preserved, explaining why it hadn’t withered. “What is this? Their food?”
Gaien took it from him, pondered for a moment, and then accurately recalled the information about the flower. “It’s a Sorrow Flower.”
Adjusting his glasses, Han Yan asked, “What is a Sorrow Flower?”
Gaien lowered his gaze, gently placing the flower with its stem into his palm, and explained in a soft voice, “It’s a very precious and rare plant. Its symbolism revolves around rebirth, casting away the past, signifying new beginnings and blessings. The books say that the Sorrow Flower has long been extinct, so it’s unexpected to find it here.”
After speaking, he seemed to feel it would be a waste to just discard it, so he stood up, found a sealed bag, and stored the flower, intending to process it into a specimen when the opportunity arose.
Hearing that the flower was just an ordinary plant and not some miraculous herb with healing properties, Han Yan withdrew his curiosity. He playfully teased the purified white crows in the cage with a feeding spoon and casually asked, “Do these also need to be dissected?”
Gaien shook his head, “No need. They’ve completed purification. We can release them in a couple of days.”
However, it seemed that Han Yan’s real concern wasn’t about these trivial matters. He silently observed the higher-level mutants in the other cages, noticing their more aggressive behavior. They relentlessly bit and scratched at the iron bars, leaving deep marks. Gaien had to administer tranquilizers to calm them periodically.
Han Yan slowly slid his hand into his pocket, as if considering pulling out a cigarette. However, realizing it was inappropriate, he gently tapped his fingertips, suppressing the thought.
There was a moment of silence before Han Yan suddenly spoke, “You still haven’t told me why you applied to go to the Solitiam Forest battlefield.”
Gaien, who was in the middle of administering a tranquilizer to a scale-armored beast, was caught off guard by Han Yan’s words. His hand froze momentarily, narrowly avoiding a bite from the mutant. Regaining composure, he tossed the used syringe into the medical waste bin, slowly removed his gloves, and for some reason, didn’t turn around.
“My lord,”
After a prolonged silence, Gaien finally spoke in a slow and measured tone, “You seem to have forgotten that I am also a military female.”
For a military female to go to the battlefield was a matter of course.
Gaien and Yusto had once started on equal footing. Both were princes of noble status, both were rare S-class royal zergs, and at times, Gaien even surpassed Yusto. However, imperceptibly, Yusto seemed to have gone very far, leaving Gaien far behind.
The world outside forgot his glory, forgot his past, forgot everything about him, and in the end, only remembered the disability in his right leg.
During countless sleepless nights, Gaien, hidden in the shadows, often pondered whether the outside world would forget his last layer of identity. The answer he arrived at felt like a thorn piercing his heart.
The quietly insignificant were destined to be forgotten.
Among the royal family, where power overlapped, the principle was the same. Only the victors were remembered, and defeated prisoners would become nothing more than a negligible speck of dust in history.
Gaien had already passed the most youthful and vigorous period of his life. He didn’t want to compete with Yusto for anything. He just felt that he shouldn’t linger in the same place any longer. Moreover, he couldn’t allow the outside world to mock Han Yan for marrying a seemingly useless cripple.
After finishing his words, Gaien turned to look at Han Yan. His red eyes slightly narrowed, and the sunlight streaming in through the window dispelled the gloom between his brows. Like a sword properly sheathed, he could be exquisite and deadly. While speaking, a glimpse of his former sharpness and pride became apparent, “Yusto’s male lord takes pride in him. I hope that one day, you can also take pride in me…”
It’s a pity they couldn’t meet when each of them was at their most spirited.
Otherwise,
Gaien couldn’t help but think that the male zerg before him might have liked him a bit more…
He remained unaware of Han Yan’s past injury, and he was oblivious to the miraculous turns of fate. Gaien simply believed that he might not need to struggle deeper into the mire and could attempt to step out of the darkness. He believed that he could become even more outstanding, standing shoulder to shoulder with the other.
To claim certain things exclusively, Gaien knew he must possess enough confidence. This was a lesson passed down by their ancestors and even taught by deities.
Han Yan remained silent throughout, his gray-blue eyes expressing an indiscernible mix of emotions as he deeply observed the female zerg before him. The latter met his gaze without evasion, maintaining the usual silent and tranquil demeanor.
Gaien appeared tame and obedient, but all of it stemmed from his own willingness. Han Yan, at this moment, had glimpsed the sharp claws beneath the outward appearance. Those claws had never truly been sheathed.
Outside the window, sunlight danced, and dust particles floated in the air.
After a prolonged silence, Han Yan’s deep voice finally resounded, like the melodic tones of a cello—steady and captivating:
“I’ll be waiting for that day.”
He was waiting for that day…
At two in the afternoon, Gaien limped alongside Han Yan to the entrance of the military building. He didn’t necessarily need to go downstairs since the round trip would undoubtedly consume a considerable amount of time. However, there was a certain stubbornness in the female zergs that others might not understand. It was as if they had to personally witness his departure.
As Han Yan prepared to board the aircraft, Gaien spoke up with a reminder, “Remember to send me a message once you’re home.”
Han Yan nodded, never refusing such a “simple task”. He opened the cabin door and unexpectedly noticed the soldiers standing guard at the entrance, gazing at Gaien with envy. Halting for a moment, he suddenly stepped forward, gently embracing Gaien’s waist, and planted a fleeting kiss on his cheek.
Gaien was momentarily stunned.
However, Han Yan simply raised his hand to brush aside a strand of silver hair on Gaien’s forehead. Then, with a smile that held a hint of ambiguity, he released his embrace, turned around, and boarded the aircraft. The cabin door closed, shutting off any view of the interior.
Han Yan didn’t mind letting those female zergs envy Gaien a bit more…
Being envied wasn’t necessarily a bad thing; it just meant that you were living a better life than others.
Han Yan sat with crossed legs in the back seat, lifting his hand to take off the gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. His vision blurred for a moment, but he could still clearly see the white figure standing at the entrance of the military building. It wasn’t until the aircraft took off that he slowly withdrew his gaze.
Johnny sat in the front passenger seat, with one foot casually propped up on the dashboard, and teasingly said, “Ashya, put on your glasses if you want to see. Without them, you can’t see faces clearly— at best, you’ll only see clothes.”
After the lunch break, he came to pick up Han Yan, only to find that the two of them, Han Yan and Gaien, refused to get on the aircraft at the military entrance for quite some time. They were hugging and kissing, clearly teasing him, the single zerg with no partner.
Han Yan glanced at Johnny casually, always able to pinpoint the other’s weakness accurately. “Envious? I can introduce you to a new female.”
Johnny’s movements stiffened at the words, he forced a dry laugh and quickly changed the subject, “I was planning to work on our business together. Getting a female monarch can wait, no rush.”
Han Yan lit a cigarette, and as the smoke filled the air, he squinted his eyes mysteriously. However, his tone remained calm and indifferent, making it difficult to discern his true thoughts. “It seems like you want to follow the example of Prince Pei—establish a career first, then start a family.”
This remark hit a nerve with Johnny, who had been lounging lazily in his seat. Upon hearing this, he shot up, sitting straighter than a ruler. Astonished, he turned to Han Yan and asked, “What did you just say?”
In the end, the young are easily deceived.
Unfortunately, Han Yan rarely repeated his words, and very few zergs could make him say something twice. Upon hearing this, he lowered his gaze, flicked the cigarette ash, and said, “If you didn’t hear it, forget it.”
“…”
Johnny, at one point, suspected that Han Yan had discovered something, but upon closer inspection, it didn’t seem likely. Hesitant, he sat back in his seat, feeling like there was a needle hidden underneath him.
Han Yan continued to gaze at the passing scenery outside the window. Whether it was an illusion or not, he felt that the route was somewhat off. As his frown deepened, he inquired, “Did the route change today?”
In response to Han Yan’s question, Johnny subconsciously looked out the window, also expressing confusion, “Strange, I’ve never seen this place before. I haven’t heard of any restricted routes on the main star today. Could it be a navigation problem?”
He finished speaking and got up from the co-pilot seat, moving directly to the driver’s seat to check the map and route. He discovered that the aircraft had flown to the outskirts without them noticing. Cursing softly, he said, “There’s a problem with the navigation. Luckily, you noticed it early; otherwise, we would have flown to the next star.”
Han Yan extinguished his cigarette and uttered only one sentence, “Turn back to the company.”
He had a meeting in the afternoon and disliked being late.
During his leisure time, Johnny had also obtained a pilot’s license for flying vehicles, though he wasn’t very proficient. Upon hearing Han Yan’s words, he fumbled to control the aircraft to return along the original route. Little did they know that another aircraft had quietly followed them from the shadows.
Originally sitting with his eyes closed to rest, Han Yan seemed to sense that something was amiss. He suddenly opened his eyes and walked straight to the co-pilot seat from the back.
Johnny glanced at him instinctively, asking, “What’s wrong?”
Han Yan remained silent but brought up the recording screen from the rear of the aircraft. He discovered a blue aircraft following them at a distance. He said to Johnny in a deep voice, “Don’t ask too many questions. Accelerate and get out of here.”
After speaking, he directly pressed the red button beside him. It was the manual alarm device in case of aircraft malfunction. Once pressed, the StarNet system would automatically send their coordinates to the nearest hospital and military base.
Upon hearing Han Yan’s words, Johnny was just about to accelerate when a blue aircraft suddenly collided with them. There was a loud “bang” and the cabin windows shattered. The red lights in the cabin began to flash rapidly:
[Warning! Warning! Impact from an unknown external force! Unable to continue flight!]
[Warning! Warning! Flight equipment damaged, initiating emergency landing!]
[Selecting landing area!]
Johnny and Han Yan happened to be sitting in the front. Seeing this, Johnny instinctively raised his hand to shield his eyes, but the impact caused him to see stars.
However, the blue aircraft seemed determined to bring them to their demise. Failing in the first attempt, it charged again and collided heavily. The protective levels of the two aircraft were different, and with the second impact, Johnny’s compromised aircraft crashed to the ground with a resounding “bang!”
Here, near the outskirts, there were only a few scattered households. Local residents, hearing the commotion, cautiously opened their windows to see what was happening. Sensing danger, they quickly retreated indoors, dialing emergency services.
The blue aircraft, carrying two zergs wearing duckbill hats and masks, landed not far away. They waited in silence for a while but didn’t see Han Yan and the others disembark. They exchanged a glance.
“Could they be dead?”
“Just in case, let’s go down and check.”
They each carried a silenced light energy gun concealed at their waist as they opened the hatch and walked directly towards the wreckage. Their movements were swift, indicating well-trained individuals.
One of the tall and slender zergs opened the severely deformed hatch to assess the situation. Inside, they found a blue-haired male with a refined appearance seated in the copilot seat, blood dripping from his forehead, already in a state of unconsciousness.
The tall and slender zerg didn’t reach out to check his breathing. Instead, they immediately drew their gun, ready to deliver a fatal blow. However, at that moment, Han Yan, who was seemingly unconscious, suddenly opened his eyes. With lightning speed, he grabbed the assailant’s wrist, and using his right hand like a knife, he ruthlessly struck at the elbow. There was a sound of bones snapping, and the tall and slender zerg screamed in pain. The light energy gun was immediately disarmed and caught by Han Yan.
“Bang!”
Han Yan acted decisively, pulling the trigger and firing a shot directly at the assailant’s throat, blood splattering on his refined and elegant profile. However, the usual gentleness was absent, replaced by a chilling and ruthless demeanor.
The other zerg, who was checking on Johnny, witnessed the demise of their companion. His pupils contracted suddenly, and he was about to draw his gun to shoot Han Yan. However, Johnny, who had been pretending to be unconscious on the seat, suddenly lunged forward and bit down fiercely on his wrist, his teeth sinking all the way to the bone with a howl.
“Fuck!”
The zerg cursed in pain, berating the situation. However, realizing the severity of the circumstances, he refrained from dealing with Johnny and decided to address Han Yan, who was armed. Little did he expect that Han Yan, a seemingly frail male zerg, possessed agility surpassing even that of the female. With a swift sidestep, Han Yan effortlessly evaded the gunfire.
“Bang!”
A missed shot.
In that brief moment of distraction, Han Yan swiftly raised his hand and fired three shots into the chest of the female zerg. He then lowered his aim and delivered another shot to the knees. Watching the opponent painfully collapse to the ground, Han Yan casually tossed the depleted energy gun aside.
Han Yan’s right leg got stuck in the driver’s compartment. He furrowed his brow, forcibly opened the deformed hatch, and disregarded the pain in his bleeding palms. He struggled to pull his bloodied right leg out and limped down from the damaged aircraft.
Han Yan, leaning against the roadside wall, struggled to catch his breath. However, he noticed that Johnny was still standing there in a daze. With a stern expression, he scolded, “What are you doing standing there? Come down quickly!”
The aircraft had suffered severe impact, and there was a risk of it exploding soon.
Han Yan had already sent out distress signals, and it wouldn’t be long before the military and medical teams arrived. All they needed to do was wait for rescue in a safe location.
Johnny was already stunned, and upon hearing this, he quickly crawled out of the aircraft. Seeing that Han Yan’s right leg seemed injured, he rushed forward, intending to help him to a safe place. However, he was forcefully pushed away by Han Yan.
Johnny anxiously shouted, “Let me help you!”
But Han Yan ignored him, supporting himself against the wall, limping forward alone. His brows were tightly furrowed, and his expression was both disheveled and icy. “You don’t need to bother,” he coldly remarked.
The back figure seemed strangely familiar.
Johnny stood still in a daze, rubbed his eyes, and, for a moment, doubted if he was experiencing an illusion. It was as if the person before his eyes wasn’t Han Yan but Gaien.
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![He Lived Like You [End of the World]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/HLLY.jpg "He Lived Like You [End of the World]")
