After the banquet ended, the night grew quiet.
Moonlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the bedroom, laying a silvery sheen across the couch and bed curtains.
Gu Qing held Milton in his arms, his long fingers idly playing with a delicate glass vial. Inside, the fruit wine glowed faint pink under the moonlight, carrying an oddly sweet, almost eerie fragrance.
Milton leaned against his chest, staring at the bottle, his voice low.
“…What exactly is that?”
Gu Qing lowered his head and pressed a kiss to his forehead. His usually gentle tone carried a rare trace of coldness.
“This wine was laced with something that slowly erodes a male zerg’s mental domain. It’s exactly the same as what I encountered before at that gathering in the Xingmang Hall.”
Milton’s heart sank abruptly. Thinking of how close Gu Qing had come to drinking that poisoned wine on the dance floor, and then recalling how composed he had seemed at the banquet, a wave of lingering fear washed over him.
“Gu Qing…” His voice trembled, his eyes full of unconcealed worry.
“Don’t be afraid.” Sensing his tension, Gu Qing curved his lips into a smile, deliberately teasing him, his eyes softening. “With my female lord—the Empire’s general—right by my side, how could anything possibly happen to this weak and pitiful male like me?”
Then, putting on an exaggeratedly pitiful expression, he joked, “If one day I really become useless, you’ll have to take responsibility for me for the rest of my life—pamper me, take care of me. No backing out.”
Milton was both anxious and annoyed, the tips of his ears flushing red as he pushed him. “At a time like this, can you be serious?”
“I am serious.” Gu Qing’s tone lowered as he pulled him closer, a calculating glint flashing in his eyes. “The royal family wants to probe my limits. The black market wants to track down Lan Dai. Since they’re all in such a hurry… we might as well invite them right into the trap.”
He lifted his wrist terminal, fingers flying across the virtual screen as he sent instructions to Luo Aisi—set the trap and investigate the origin of the wine.
After sending the message, he lowered his head again, smiling gently at the person in his arms. “Stop frowning. I still want to stay with you for a long, long time. How could I let anything happen to me? At least in your arms, I’m not afraid of anything.”
Milton’s heart jolted. The heavy worry in his chest seemed to dissolve under those words, though he still muttered stubbornly, “Shameless…”
Gu Qing chuckled softly and buried his face into Milton’s neck like a cat seeking comfort, holding him tightly. “Yeah, being shameless means my female lord won’t leave me.”
They laughed and teased each other, drawing closer and closer, until they tumbled together into the soft bedding.
The moonlight quietly enveloped them, concealing the intimacy within. Outside, storms were gathering—but in this small world, there was only the rhythm of their heartbeats and breaths, intertwined.
Late at night, the palace remained dimly lit.
Zerg Emperor Solendar sat high upon his throne, summoning the Second Prince, Vielson, and the Third Prince, Serix.
“What do you think of tonight’s banquet?” the emperor asked, his voice carrying undeniable authority.
Vielson spoke first, his tone laced with disdain and certainty.
“Father, that Gu Qing is clearly infatuated with Milton. The whole evening he clung to him, and all those mental threads were blocked by Milton. Aside from a pretty face and some luck, he’s no different from those pampered male zergs. On the other hand, General Milton is more troublesome than expected.”
Clicking his tongue irritably, he continued, “And Milton is hard to deal with now. With his recent achievements and the backing of the Star Alliance, we can’t move against him openly. Otherwise, the Alliance will seize the opportunity to stir trouble.”
Serix hesitated before speaking softly, “Perhaps… Lord Gu Qing is hiding his true abilities?”
“Hiding?” Vielson sneered. “He’s already the foremost duke, second only to the royal family. What is there to hide? Third brother, you’re overestimating those male zerg brains.”
Serix lowered his head obediently. “Yes, brother.”
“Still, it’s not a complete loss.” The emperor cut them off, a glint flashing in his eyes. “At least we extracted information about Lan Dai from him.”
Vielson immediately adopted a flattering tone. “Father is wise! That trace dose worked exactly as planned. Gu Qing’s dazed state couldn’t have been faked—he personally mentioned the eastern wasteland sector.”
He raised his eyes slightly. “Then regarding Lan Dai… should we dispatch forces to search?”
“You will handle it.” The emperor nodded lightly, his tone turning cold. “Remember, an S-class male zerg is not just a treasure—it is leverage of power. If you can win his trust and recognition, then it is destiny.”
Both princes bowed in unison. “We obey, Father.”
After they left, the palace doors slowly closed, and silence returned.
The emperor remained seated, fingers idly stroking an ornament. Suddenly, it emitted a faint glow, and a strange voice echoed out:
“Your Majesty, I hear tonight’s banquet was quite eventful. That S-class male zerg… how do you intend to deal with him?”
A cold light flickered in the emperor’s eyes. “If he can be brought to our side, all the better. But it seems he may not submit willingly. Let Vielson and Serix test him. Their hands have been reaching too far lately—it’s time they were reminded who rules.”
“And if he cannot be won over?” the voice asked with a low chuckle.
The emperor’s lips pressed thin, his gaze plunging into darkness. His voice turned icy.
“Then he has no need to exist.”
Hatred sharpened his thoughts like a blade. Male zergs, in his eyes, had no real value—they were meant to be crushed or toyed with.
A slow clap echoed through the hall, accompanied by a sinister laugh.
“As expected of Your Majesty. May our cooperation continue… pleasantly.”
Deep into the night, the lights in Adrian’s room still blazed harsh white.
On the terminal screen, a blond aristocrat bowed respectfully, reporting in a hushed voice:
“Your Highness, Gu Qing has already drunk the wine. Based on the dosage, his mental strength will begin to deteriorate soon… until he becomes completely useless.”
Hearing this, Adrian’s lips curled upward. Then he threw his head back and burst into manic laughter, the sound echoing through the empty room, chilling to the bone.
“Hahaha! Excellent! I want to see—once he loses his mental power, how many of those sycophants who praised him today will still kneel at his feet!”
His gaze grew increasingly vicious, his smile twisted.
“And then—will that wretched female, Milton, still stay by his side? I want to watch Gu Qing fall from grace, lose everything, and be utterly ruined!”
At his feet, several female slaves knelt trembling, too terrified to make a sound. Sweat dripped down their foreheads as they dared not move.
Only Adrian lounged in his chair, utterly satisfied, his eyes burning with warped delight—as if he were already witnessing Gu Qing’s complete downfall.