Since that round of testing, Milton had rarely shown himself. Most of the time, it was his subordinates who came by on a routine basis to check in and deliver meals. He seemed to have already reached a conclusion—Gu Qing was nothing more than a low-rank male insect with an astonishing appearance. Strange in ways he could not quite articulate, perhaps, but the data checked out, the behavioral records showed nothing unusual. He could hardly rely on intuition alone to suspect a “disabled” male insect.
Gu Qing was more than happy with the peace and quiet. While recuperating from his injuries, he secretly worked on repairing the spiritual meridians within his body. Unfortunately, the spiritual energy of this world was pitifully thin. His meridians showed no real improvement for a long time; only the physical injuries had more or less healed.
One day, a medical insect came to make the rounds and announced that he could complete the discharge procedures.
Upon hearing this, the little Heavenly Dao ball immediately went wild in his sea of consciousness, spinning in frantic circles. “That’s great! We can finally get out of this hellhole!”
The corner of Gu Qing’s lips lifted slightly. His expression remained calm as ever, letting the little ball set off fireworks in his sea of consciousness.
On the day of discharge, Milton appeared in person. His military uniform was neat and impeccable. After examining Gu Qing for a moment, he spoke in an even tone:
“Your identity has been verified, and your injuries have healed. From now on, you are no longer under the guardianship of the Male Protection Association.”
The little Heavenly Dao ball rolled around excitedly in his sea of consciousness, thrilled like a fox that had successfully stolen food. “See? I told you our low-key disguise strategy was insanely effective! He definitely thinks you’re just that polite, well-behaved, miserable little male insect forgotten by society. Hehehe… the most dangerous enemy really is the one that looks completely harmless!”
Gu Qing remained outwardly unmoved, replying coolly within his sea of consciousness, “Don’t celebrate too early.”
“All right, all right, I’ll behave—but you have to admit, this move we made was beautiful! Wahahahaha!”
Gu Qing couldn’t be bothered with the snickering. He turned sincerely to the medical staff assisting nearby and said, “Thank you for taking care of me during this time. I really appreciate it. If I have the chance in the future, I will repay you.”
They were momentarily taken aback. They already had a decent impression of this “low-rank male insect,” who never made a fuss or lorded his status over others. Seeing him take the initiative to thank them only made him seem even more rare and admirable.
A few sub-females quietly flushed, whispers rising in low voices:
“Why does his vibe feel a bit like those tragic young nobles in drama films…”
“If His Excellency were willing to take a female slave, I’d line up to sign up right now. I’d gladly serve him for the rest of my life!”
The Heavenly Dao ball held back its excitement and hummed a victory march in the sea of consciousness.
At that moment, Milton suddenly spoke up awkwardly: “…Congratulations on your discharge.”
Gu Qing paused slightly, then offered a polite, faintly fragile smile and answered softly, “Thank you for your concern, General.”
Milton’s throat moved. He averted his gaze slightly and asked, “What are you planning to do next…?”
Gu Qing lowered his lashes and said quietly, “I haven’t really thought it through yet… Maybe I’ll start by learning how to live properly, then slowly look for a job. After all, a disabled low-rank male insect like me doesn’t really know how to do anything…”
Milton fell silent for quite a while before finally saying in a low voice, “My contact information has already been synced to your optical brain. If you need anything in the future, you can contact me anytime.”
He added, “It’s not that I’m saying you’ll definitely run into trouble… It’s just that you’ve only just left supervision. Living alone might be a bit inconvenient.”
Gu Qing nodded timidly, his voice as light as a breeze brushing past leaves. “I understand… Thank you.”
In his sea of consciousness, the little ball screamed in excitement: “Oh my god! Look at him! That general is completely fooled by your little white-lotus act! That face full of pity—total critical hit!”
Gu Qing ignored it and obediently walked to Milton’s side, preparing to leave the hospital together.
Milton added quietly, “The Male Protection Association has arranged housing and basic living supplies for you. I’ll send you the address later.”
Gu Qing answered docilely, “I’ll make good use of them… Thank you.”
The two insects walked one behind the other toward the hospital entrance. Warm sunlight spilled over Gu Qing’s shoulders, stretching out his slightly thin silhouette. He kept his head lowered, as if afraid to meet anyone’s eyes, his voice so soft it was nearly inaudible. “I’ll do my best to adapt… If I really need help, I might trouble you.”
Milton stopped in his tracks, turned, and glanced at him. His gaze was complex and unreadable. “Mm. I’ll wait for you to contact me.”
In the sea of consciousness, the little ball couldn’t help bursting into laughter. “Hahahaha, this pitiful act is genius! Gu Qing, you’ve really got this guy wrapped around your finger!”
Gu Qing gave it a flat look and said, “Turn off spectator mode. We’re moving.”
“Yes, yes~ Sword Venerable Dad, whatever you say. But I’m telling you, that insect… he’s totally doomed!”
Gu Qing and Milton stepped out of the hospital doors together. From the distance came the sound of a fierce argument.
Following the noise, they saw a middle-aged male insect in luxurious clothes, obese and overbearing, blocking the road with an arrogant, disdainful expression. Several elaborately made-up but numb-looking female slaves clustered behind him. In front of him stood a red-haired, red-eyed sub-female nurse, tense, holding a medical kit—clearly just off work.
“That face of yours is barely passable,” the middle-aged male insect smacked his lips, his tone frivolous and obscene. “Barely worthy of my bed. You’ll do—my seventh female slave!”
He stepped forward, thick fingers lifting the sub-female’s chin lightly, grinning lewdly. “Be good and come back with me. I guarantee you’ll eat well and live well, serving me in bed every day. I’ll even teach you how to breathe properly… Don’t play hard to get. If this face wasn’t meant for male insects to look at, what else is it good for?”
The sub-female nurse’s face went deathly pale. She trembled as she refused, only to have her retreat blocked immediately by two female slaves stepping forward. The male insect’s tone grew harsher, his greedy gaze roaming over her body as he turned to give orders:
“Take her away! Be gentle—don’t damage her face. I still want to watch her cry and beg tonight.”
Six female slaves rushed forward in unison, their movements cold and mechanical, clearly long accustomed to this kind of “snatching” routine.
Gu Qing stopped unconsciously, his brows knitting slightly.
He had long heard that male insects held exalted status in insect society, protected at every turn, even having the Male Protection Association to shield them. But seeing it with his own eyes—this was nothing like what he had imagined. Such a vulgar male insect, behaving worse than a street thug, yet convinced of his own nobility.
A rare trace of cold disgust surfaced in Gu Qing’s eyes.
The Heavenly Dao ball instantly exploded in his sea of consciousness, bristling as it spun in fury. “What the hell is this thing?! Is his brain full of shit? I’m so mad! Snatching insects in broad daylight and talking about ‘serving him’?!”
Standing beside Gu Qing, Milton’s expression also darkened slightly. He said coldly, “This kind of thing isn’t rare on the Central Star. Male insects have absolute priority. The law always protects them.”
Just as the male insect smugly barked out orders, an invisible force suddenly slid through the air—light as a breeze, yet striking his ankle with perfect precision.
“Ow—my foot! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts! Somebody help—aaaah!”
The male insect instantly lost his balance, rolling to the ground like a ball, clutching his ankle and wailing miserably. His fat face crumpled as he cried and screamed. The female slaves panicked, scrambling to help him up, plunging the scene into chaos.
“Sword Venerable, that was so cool! Look at him like a dead pig, still thinking someone should serve him? His face pollutes the air just by existing! One move from you and you’re basically taking out the trash for the world—beautifully done!”
The little ball cheered wildly, praising him as a top-tier garbage disposal unit. Gu Qing glanced into his sea of consciousness, his tone calm but edged with chill. “Keep talking, and the next strike is on you.”
The little ball shuddered and muttered softly, “Tch, cold-blooded and ruthless—and ridiculously handsome… Is this your talent for making people want to beat you and love you at the same time?”
Gu Qing ignored the rambling and limped toward the shaken sub-female nurse, asking carefully, his voice trembling, “A-are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”
The sub-female stood rigid, clearly not yet recovered from the shock. Only when the male insect collapsed screaming and the scene descended into chaos did he snap back to reality and look up. What met his eyes was Gu Qing—his casually open collar revealing a glimpse of delicate collarbones, long black hair falling like silk, features carved as if by a blade. But what truly stunned him were those eyes, deep as black jade—clear, harmless, without a trace of the arrogance or contempt male insects usually directed at those below them.
He had never imagined that a male insect would ever show concern for him.
The sub-female was momentarily speechless. His eyes reddened as he murmured shakily, “Th-thank you…”
That young man seemed like something not of this world, clean like an unblemished piece of jade, making one afraid to profane him.
Milton saw all of this.
In that brief instant, he had clearly caught an extremely faint trace of energy fluctuation—swift in arrival, even swifter in disappearance, nearly impossible to track. But years on the battlefield had honed his sensitivity to such details. Almost by instinct, he looked toward the source of the fluctuation—Gu Qing’s side.
“…Was it him?” His brows furrowed.
But the next moment, Gu Qing’s reaction surprised him again. When the male insect fell, Gu Qing jerked back a step, his entire body stiffening, dark eyes wide with shock. The scene plunged Milton into conflicting thoughts. Gu Qing’s panic, retreat, and near helplessness were far too natural—nothing like an act.
Milton’s tightly wound nerves loosened somewhat. He narrowed his eyes. If this was acting, Gu Qing’s skill would be enough to fool the highest-level reconnaissance officers in the military.
“…Am I overthinking this?” His brow remained slightly furrowed, but his gaze was no longer as sharp.
Yet what Gu Qing did next only deepened his hesitation.
Gu Qing, clearly suppressing fear, limped toward the still-shaken sub-female nurse and carefully comforted him, his eyes even showing genuine concern.
Milton froze for a moment—he had never seen a male insect like this.
Showing concern for a sub-female? Instead of mocking or belittling him at the first opportunity, he was comforting him instead?
“…Is it because he doesn’t understand yet?” The thought suddenly surfaced.
Perhaps Gu Qing had not yet truly grasped the status and power male insects held in this society—the privilege of never having to care about other insects’ feelings, even the right to dominate female insects’ fates. He was too new, too clean, so clean he didn’t seem like someone born of this society at all.
“…Or is it that he simply isn’t a ‘male insect of this society’?”
Milton took a deep look at Gu Qing, quietly committing these abnormalities to memory. This male insect had far too many things worth watching.
Perhaps he truly knew nothing. Or perhaps he was hiding deeper than anyone else.