Xu Cenfeng returned to the starship. At this moment, the male zergs were all sprawled across the chairs, fast asleep due to exhaustion, their snores echoing through the room, nearly shaking the snowflakes off the windows.
Finding a headset in the cockpit compartment, Xu Cenfeng settled into a secluded corner. Having slept too long earlier, he felt completely awake now, sitting alone by the window, quietly watching the snow, his demeanor calm and serene.
As if by some unseen force, the lingering pain finally released its grip on him, and he, in turn, released himself.
Raya was one of the only two male zergs awake on the starship. He rubbed his ears, numbed by the snoring, and quietly sat down next to Xu Cenfeng, wrapped in a blanket. His voice was filled with surprise, “Cenfeng, you’re finally back?!”
Perhaps because of Xu Cenfeng’s timely rescue during their time with the interstellar pirates, there was a hint of gratitude in Raya’s tone, “Thanks to you saving me on the starship, I haven’t had the chance to thank you yet.”
Xu Cenfeng took off his headset and softly shushed, “They’re all asleep.”
Upon hearing this, Raya seemed to realize something and lowered his voice, saying, “We’ll arrive at Hossburgh tomorrow. My home is in the north. You’re waiting for a female zerg, right? If he doesn’t arrive, you can temporarily stay at my place.”
This was a world with clear hierarchies: female zergs were ranked based on military rank and strength, while male zergs were ranked based on the purity of their blood. The higher the blood purity, the rarer and more valuable they were, whereas lower blood purity meant poorer reproductive ability.
Excluding the western region, where blood purity was disregarded, in the northern region, the highest blood purity among male zergs was only around 52%, with most others having around 30% or lower.
Raya’s blood purity was at a respectable 37%, slightly above the passing line, making his family locally considered minor nobility.
However, Xu Cenfeng shook his head slightly and whispered something Raya couldn’t understand, “Thank you, I’ve already found him.”
Raya exclaimed in surprise, “Ah,” clearly misunderstanding something, “The female zerg you’re waiting for isn’t among the military, is he? Is it Deputy Leader Hawke?”
He hadn’t seen Xu Cenfeng enter Faeus’ tent; he only saw Xu Cenfeng and Hawke standing outside talking for a while, assuming they were a couple.
Xu Cenfeng chuckled and shook his head, “It’s not him.”
Thinking Xu Cenfeng was just being modest, Raya lightly nudged his shoulder, “What’s there to be shy about? Deputy Leader Hawke is quite popular in the North. Many male zergs want to marry him. But he’s an A-class female zerg, so if you want to match him, your blood purity must be very high.”
Curious, Raya asked, “Cenfeng, what’s your blood purity?”
Xu Cenfeng didn’t elaborate, simply saying, “Probably similar to yours.”
Upon hearing this, Raya didn’t inquire further, assuming that Xu Cenfeng’s blood purity was also in the thirties like his own. After being on edge for over a month, he finally settled down, feeling extremely tired. He found a pair of headphones in the cockpit and, amidst the thunderous snoring, struggled to fall asleep.
Xu Cenfeng, noticing this, adjusted the internal heating of the starship slightly higher and wiped the fog off the glass window. The scenery outside was blurry, with only a vast expanse of snow visible, reminding him of that distant village.
Xu Cenfeng died on Earth on a cold winter day in his previous life, just like this…
On that day, heavy snow covered the mountain paths as he struggled step by step towards the summit along a remote trail. Surrounding this undeveloped forest were scattered villages, with Folang Village being the highest in altitude and the oldest in history. The villagers there all practiced ancient martial arts, secluded from the outside world, much like the stone Buddha enshrined deep within the village.
Xu Cenfeng hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in a long time. His eyes were bloodshot, and every time he closed them, he would see the image of Faeus lying in a pool of blood.
The proud commander had perished in the wilderness, with only the snowstorms of Hossburgh burying his bones, along with the decay and dissolution of his bloodline.
Xu Cenfeng had never imagined such an outcome…
He remained silent, closing his eyes, kneeling in front of the stone Buddha for a long time. The smoke from the incense burner rose gently, while the Buddha’s compassionate gaze seemed to watch over all living beings below.
An elderly villager noticed Xu Cenfeng and slowly approached the Buddha with his cane. Tapping the stone ground with his wooden staff, the old man’s voice was gentle and wise, “Cenfeng, the snow outside has stopped. The mountain paths are treacherous. It’s time for you to return home.”
Xu Cenfeng didn’t budge.
The elder continued to persuade, “Your mother will worry.”
Upon hearing this, Xu Cenfeng opened his eyes, finally speaking with a low, hoarse voice, “Grandpa, you’ve forgotten. She passed away a long time ago.”
The house was now empty, no longer deserving the title of home.
Grandpa tapped his head, sighing, “Old age clouds the memory. Then why are you kneeling here? Do you have something to ask for?”
The stone ground was cold, but Xu Cenfeng remained steady on his knees, speaking softly, “Grandpa, I went to a distant place before, but now I’m back.”
Grandpa grunted in agreement, “No matter how good it is outside, it’s never as good as being home. You should indeed come back.”
Xu Cenfeng replied, “Now I want to go back, but I can’t find the way.”
Grandpa asked, “Why do you want to go back?”
Xu Cenfeng responded, “There’s something I can’t bear to leave behind.”
Grandpa countered, “If there’s something you can’t bear to leave behind, why did you come back in the first place?”
Xu Cenfeng remained silent, closing his eyes to hide the faint redness in the corners. After a long, drawn-out silence, he finally spoke in a hoarse voice, “I thought that after leaving, we would all live better lives…”
Grandpa seemed to understand something, guessing that the “something he couldn’t bear to leave behind” was probably someone Xu Cenfeng cared about. “And now?” he asked.
Xu Cenfeng paused, unsure of how to express his emotions as he uttered, “He’s dead…”
Grandpa sighed, “And what about you?”
Xu Cenfeng replied with a heavy heart, “I’d rather be dead than alive.”
Grandpa shook his head slowly, “If you regret it now, why didn’t you cherish it when you were alive?”
Unbeknownst to him, a thick layer of snow had already accumulated on Xu Cenfeng’s shoulders. In the vast wilderness, amidst the mountain winds, his voice was muffled but earnest, “Because I don’t like that kind of beginning…”
True affection should not be tainted by any selfish motives, nor should it be marked by coercion or plunder. No matter how stirring it may be later on, it cannot conceal this grim reality.
Xu Cenfeng couldn’t shake the feeling that their story shouldn’t have begun in such a manner, and it certainly shouldn’t end like this.
Grandpa sighed deeply again, whether in lament for the twists of fate or in resignation to the whims of destiny, it was unclear. “Gods and Buddhas won’t help you. Kneeling here will only harm you. Wanting to see a dead person, there’s no way except being reborn in the next life.”
With that, he tapped the ground with his cane, but this time, he didn’t attempt to persuade Xu Cenfeng any further. Instead, he chose to turn and leave. Despite his gentle appearance, this child was more stubborn than anyone. He knew he couldn’t persuade him.
In the evening, the snow finally stopped.
Xu Cenfeng shook a broken bamboo stick from the divination tube in front of the Buddha. He stared at the blurry characters on the stick, lost in thought. Finally, he staggered to his feet from the ground and descended the mountain along the path he had come.
The guardrail on the mountain road where the bus had overturned had been repaired, but there were few passing vehicles. Xu Cenfeng had grown up here and was familiar with every blade of grass and tree. He walked along the rugged mountain path, unsure how long it took, until he finally, accurately found the cliff where he had fallen before.
The mountain wind howled, and his clothes rustled in response.
Despite the darkness of the night, Xu Cenfeng climbed over the guardrail and stood at the edge of the cliff. Below was a valley thousands of meters deep, yet he remained calm, showing no signs of fear.
He toyed with the broken bamboo stick in his hand, which bore two ancient characters: “Huí Fēng.”1literally “Return Wind.”
This cliff was called “Huí Fēng Cliff” because it was so high and dangerous that even the wind had to turn back. Xu Cenfeng didn’t know what would happen if he jumped from here. He might die, or he might return to Salaranfa, but either outcome would be better than living like a walking corpse.
“Snap—”
The broken bamboo stick was gently snapped by its owner, falling into the crevice of the cliff, just like the figure leaping into the darkness, completely swallowed and buried by the night.
Xu Cenfeng had once prayed before the Buddha, praying for the gods to grant them another encounter.
This time, there was no coercion, no plundering.
Only two lives that were meant to love each other, rewriting their ending, to meet in the right way…
The starship responsible for escorting the male zergs arrived at the outskirts of Hossburgh by noon the next day. The Northern Zerg Clan revered black, so the buildings were mainly black and gold, standing out magnificently against the snowy landscape.
Faeus hadn’t slept the previous night. He leaped agilely from the starship, only to find a group of male zergs from the western region gathered excitedly, discussing something.
With keen hearing, Faeus curiously twitched his ears and overheard the crude and indecent conversation of the male zergs, debating whether it was more thrilling when northern female zergs were whipped or when western female zergs were whipped. A cold smirk played across his lips, a hint of sarcasm flashing in his eyes.
Faeus always carried a gun with him. He swiftly drew his energy gun from behind his waist and aimed directly at the feet of the group of male zergs, firing several shots with a loud “bang, bang, bang!” The intense sound of gunfire startled the male zergs, causing them to scream in panic and scatter:
“Ah!!! Are you crazy?! We’re male zergs!”
“Stop it! You’ll hurt us!!”
The nearby soldiers, however, seemed unfazed, as if this sort of thing happened regularly. They exchanged a knowing glance before each turning to look at the scenery nearby.
Only Hawke remained rational. Seeing the situation, he hurriedly rushed up to stop Faeus, lowering his voice in a tense tone, “Supreme Leader! Stop it! If you accidentally hurt these male zergs, we won’t be able to explain ourselves when the West comes to take them over!”
Male zergs were rare and fragile creatures, unable to withstand Faeus’ intimidation!
Faeus fired his last bullet into the air before holstering his gun. His narrow green eyes squinted slightly as he sneered disdainfully, “I don’t care how we explain it. If you keep meddling, I’ll send you to the western region to kneel like those worthless female zergs at the feet of their male zergs!”
The threat was so venomous that Hawke immediately fell silent, silenced by its severity. It was venomous enough to turn the faces of the male zergs from the western region pale green in an instant.
Xu Cenfeng had slept late the previous night and woke up late today. He was awakened by a burst of gunfire. Stepping down from the starship, he saw the male zergs from the western region trembling like quails, while the ground nearby was littered with bullet-riddled debris.
Faeus casually toyed with his energy gun, twirling it between his fingertips with a nonchalant air. He smirked at the terrified male zergs, “Your Excellencies, please don’t misunderstand me. I just want to find out whether it’s more thrilling when the male zergs from the western region scream, or when the male zergs from the northern region scream.”
Faeus was notorious for being untamed and wild.
If it were in his previous life, Xu Cenfeng might have found this scene cruel and bloodthirsty. However, since understanding the extremely unbalanced rules of this world, he found this behavior somewhat understandable.
Xu Cenfeng stood silently at the door of the cabin for a moment, then braved the wind and snow and stepped down from the starship.
One of the male zergs from the western region couldn’t bear Faeus’ sarcasm any longer and erupted in a furious attack, “You filthy female zerg! Who gave you the guts to shoot at us?! Do you know what my blood purity level is?! If this were the West, you’d be lined up for execution by firing squad!”
Faeus aimed his gun directly at him upon hearing this, his gaze cold and merciless. “Believe me, I’ll end you right now!”
As he spoke, he moved his finger as if to pull the trigger, but before he could react, his action was abruptly halted by a warm hand, “Supreme Leader—”
Xu Cenfeng had approached Faeus without him noticing, firmly grasping his wrist and pressing the dark barrel of the gun downwards towards the ground. He spoke up, urging, “Don’t shoot.”
Faeus paused at his words, only then realizing that Xu Cenfeng had come down from the starship at some point. He had already sensed that this male zerg had a bold disposition yesterday, but he hadn’t expected him to be even bolder today. His emerald eyes narrowed slightly, a barely perceptible cold glint passing through them. “Are you trying to stop me?”
Xu Cenfeng simply felt it wasn’t worth stirring up trouble for this. After all, there were too many problematic male zergs in this world, and Faeus could never eliminate them all. “I’m just worried you’ll strain yourself.”
That was the truth, especially considering that Faeus’ injuries hadn’t fully healed yet.
Faeus raised an eyebrow at the remark, thinking that this statement sounded much better than the remark coming from Hawke’s mouth. However, he didn’t retract his gun and asked in a tone devoid of emotion, “What if I insist on shooting?”
Xu Cenfeng smiled and smoothed down his hair, “Your happiness matters most.”
With that, he slightly loosened his grip, indeed releasing Faeus’ hand.
Faeus was momentarily taken aback, finding himself at a loss for words.
However, he was unwilling to retract his gun.
Hawke, observing Faeus releasing the trigger, seemed to think he was truly intending to put the gun away. But with a sudden twist, Faeus redirected the barrel of his dark gun and pressed it against Xu Cenfeng’s shoulder.
Faeus’ deep emerald eyes locked onto Xu Cenfeng’s, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. “Do you still believe that now?”
Xu Cenfeng lowered his gaze briefly to the barrel pressed against his shoulder, his expression unchanged. “Yes, your happiness matters most.”
At his words, Faeus slowly lowered the barrel, but this time, he pressed it against Xu Cenfeng’s chest, directly over the vigorously beating heart inside. It seemed as though he was testing the sincerity of Xu Cenfeng’s words, deliberately reminding him, “I’m about to pull the trigger.”
Xu Cenfeng responded with a simple “Go ahead.”
Faeus replied, “I really am.”
Xu Cenfeng remained patient. “Go ahead.”
With a click, Faeus finally pulled the trigger, but there was only an empty sound. There was no bullet inside. Yet, Xu Cenfeng felt a momentary tremor in his heart, as if he had truly been struck by something.
Xu Cenfeng instinctively glanced at Faeus, but Faeus only smirked arrogantly.
He lightly tapped Xu Cenfeng’s heart with the cold barrel of his gunA, lowering his voice to whisper in his ear, “Fugitive interstellar pirates are to be executed. Xu Cenfeng, I’ll settle the score with you when I return.”
With his statement delivered, Faeus finally holstered his weapon and tossed the useless empty gun to Hawke nearby. He then turned on his heel and strode purposefully toward the starship, leaving behind a chilling command: “Gather the team and proceed into the city!”
Xu Cenfeng, upon hearing Faeus call him an “interstellar pirate”, momentarily paused, realizing that his identity might have been exposed. He belatedly suspected that the loose-lipped informant was likely Hawke.
Glancing briefly at Hawke, who was now assembling the team, Xu Cenfeng then turned his attention to the group of males who had nearly been executed by Faeus moments ago. He spoke up, asking, “What did you males say just now?”
Xu Cenfeng wanted to understand why Faeus was angry.
Those males, seeing Xu Cenfeng intervene to save them, assumed he was allied with them. They stood up from the ground in small groups, grumbling angrily. “Faeus is a lunatic! We just said that the females from the North are stronger and more satisfying to whip, compared to those from the West. Then he suddenly went crazy and started shooting at us.”
Xu Cenfeng fell silent for a moment, surprised that it was over something like this.
One of the males was about to continue his rant when Xu Cenfeng abruptly spoke up, interrupting him. “Females aren’t meant to be whipped. Neither are your mates.”
Not sure if it’s an illusion, but amidst the icy landscape, there was a certain chill in Xu Cenfeng’s demeanor. His voice, low and grave, couldn’t hide his seriousness: “Next time, if any of you get caught by Faeus for insulting females, I won’t intervene.”
The author has something to say:
Hawke: QAQ Boss! Don’t shoot!
Faeus: Banished to the west.
Xu Cenfeng: Boss, don’t shoot.
Faeus: (〃’▽’〃) I’ll poke your heart carefully.
＃On the Art of Speech＃
![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]")
