“What are you doing?”
Fresh out of a meeting for the new mech prototype, Orcott, chief mech engineer of the Zerg race, noticed an anomaly on the surveillance feed.
The Bansen family estate had never been as simple as it appeared, its security system was far more intricate than most would ever guess.
His foolish younger brother might have thought he’d cleverly avoided the surface-level cameras, but he had forgotten one thing, Orcott’s secret devices, the ones no one else even knew existed.
“N…. Nothing! I wasn’t doing anything!” Kaili stammered, almost scared out of his wits.
If his brother found out that he had used the family crest to settle a personal grudge and stir up trouble with another male, he would be dead meat. Why was his brother even here? Wasn’t he supposed to be in the lab?
Orcott had been in the lab until he came across a piece of combat footage on the StarNet. The video of a particular pilot’s mech control had captured his attention completely. His pale golden eyes glimmered faintly as he replayed it over and over.
All this time, his own mech designs had been unable to unleash their full potential. He’d been stuck at a creative dead end for months.
But after watching that one video, seeing that flawless precision, that almost divine handling, his inspiration exploded back to life.
Without hesitation, Orcott summoned his entire research team for an emergency meeting.
The researchers who had been grumbling about another round of overtime immediately sobered up the moment they saw the footage.
Their drowsiness vanished, replaced by bright, eager eyes and twitching mandibles of excitement.
They stayed in the lab all night and well into the next morning. It wasn’t until one of the male’s health monitors blared a warning that Orcott finally dismissed them. Otherwise, he was sure they would still be going.
When the meeting ended and his mind was still humming with ideas, the alert from the new surveillance system flashed across his terminal. And that was how Orcott found himself standing in front of Kaili.
The younger male froze like a bug caught in a trap.
“You should already know why I’m here.” Orcott’s voice was cool and flat.
Kaili’s expression went stiff.
It was the first time Kaxiu had ever stood this close to a male, alone, in the same room.
Gu Lin sat down, calm and poised, while Kaxiu remained standing. The two of them were separated only by a single table.
Among all Zerg, Kaxiu could be considered one of the most self-controlled. Yet right now, words failed him. Looking at the male lounging on the opposite sofa, he finally understood why so many females lost their minds over males.
The man looked freshly bathed, faint wisps of steam curling from his skin. His black hair was slightly tousled, and the soft, luxurious loungewear he wore somehow made him seem even more effortlessly striking.
The casual tilt of his posture carried a lazy grace, the corner of his lips quivering in faint amusement.
Kaxiu had never seen a male in such a relaxed, domestic setting, especially one this beautiful.
The faint pheromone unique to males filled the air, and Kaxiu found himself growing uneasy.
“Do you have something to say to me?” The man lifted his chin slightly, his expression one of idle arrogance like a king toying with his servant, proud and untouchable, yet somehow too captivating to hate.
Perfect! The system in Gu Lin’s mind shrieked in excitement. Yes, that’s it! Belittle him! Crush his pride! Make him resent you! That’s what a villain should do!
Gu Lin pinched the bridge of his nose mentally. This little system still needed some serious correction.
He hadn’t planned to tell Kaxiu the truth, but neither did he intend to truly make him an enemy.
Whatever Kaxiu’s past crimes might have been, the reason he was here, living under Gu Lin’s roof, was largely Gu Lin’s own doing.
And Gu Lin was not the kind of person who left his own mistakes for others to clean up.
“Master, I want to work,” Kaxiu said firmly. He didn’t plead, didn’t soften his tone, only stated his will with quiet conviction.
“That’s all?” Gu Lin raised an eyebrow.
He knew Kaxiu’s obsession with mechs and actually respected that passion.
For a Zerg not blessed with strong physical abilities, mechs were the future.
Compared to the advanced technology of the human alliance, the Zerg mech system was painfully primitive, flawed structure, weak control systems, and designs riddled with errors. Many Zerg pilots had little understanding of micro-operations.
Still, there were a few exceptions. For instance, Marshal Hicks’s mech design was considered one of the best though his pilot’s skill was so mismatched it couldn’t bring out even half its potential.
Gu Lin didn’t object to Kaxiu wanting to return to work; he even approved. He had seen some of Kaxiu’s early matches when he was younger, raw, but promising. Compared to most Zerg pilots’ clumsy efforts, Kaxiu’s control had been like a moon shining among the stars.
“Yes…” Kaxiu murmured, uneasy under the male’s steady gaze. He was the kind of insect who didn’t know how to talk to others, only how to work.
If he were even slightly better at socializing, his life wouldn’t have turned out this way, thrown aside, nearly forgotten, his career ruined.
But how could he dare to ask for more now? For a female servant, even asking permission to work was already considered rebellion, a challenge to the male’s authority.
“I’ll allow it,” Gu Lin said lightly.
Kaxiu froze, eyes wide. He had never expected the male to agree so easily. His blue eyes lit with disbelief and joy.
“I…. ”
Gu Lin reached out and tilted his chin up with two fingers, looking down at him with a faint smirk. “But there’s a condition,” he drawled. “You’re going to help me put on a little act.”
Kaxiu didn’t resist the touch. He didn’t feel humiliated; after all, this male had just granted him an unthinkable freedom. He lowered his gaze obediently, waiting for the rest.
“Good,” Gu Lin murmured, clearly pleased by his submission. He released him slowly, voice smooth and unhurried. “You should already know why you’re here. I can do more than let you work. If I wanted, I could have you reinstated at the military with a single word.”
Kaxiu’s hands clenched unconsciously.
He knew the male wasn’t exaggerating. The power of an A-class male was absolute; no one in the Zerg race would dare question it.
But… what would the price be? Could someone like him afford it?
Gu Lin chuckled softly, seeing the tension in Kaxiu’s shoulders. “Relax. Don’t look like you’re about to march to your death, I’m not going to eat you.”
Kaxiu blinked in confusion.
“I just want you to cooperate,” Gu Lin continued. “We’ll let everyone think that our relationship is only good on the surface.”
“…What?” Kaxiu looked utterly lost, his confusion practically visible.
“You’ll make it look like I’m only pretending to treat you well, while secretly mistreating you. In short, I’m the scum.”
Kaxiu stared at him, dumbfounded.
He had seen plenty of males pretending to be noble and virtuous to save face, even when they were despicable in private but this? Pretending to be a bad male on purpose? That was new.
This guy’s insane! The system was howling with laughter inside Gu Lin’s head, rolling around in hysterics.
Gu Lin ignored it. Even if Kaxiu thought he’d lost his mind, this farce still needed to go on.
“I know exactly how this forced pairing came about,” Gu Lin said with mild irritation. “You do too. Since both of us were tricked, why not cooperate?”
Kaxiu’s expression shifted slightly. He understood. The male had been manipulated by someone, just as he had.
Still, why go through the trouble of acting affectionate first then pretend to fall out? He couldn’t make sense of it.
“Don’t ask,” Gu Lin said, clearly running out of patience. “Just do as I say.”
Then, as if remembering something, he added seriously, “There are a few things you need to understand. First, I don’t like you. Make sure you know that. If someday you find someone you do like, I might help you, depending on my mood.”
Kaxiu looked up, stunned.
“What are you staring at? Put your head down,” Gu Lin barked.
Kaxiu obeyed immediately, though the shock still rippled through his chest.
“I already have someone I like,” Gu Lin said coolly. “I’ll never love you, so don’t get any ideas.”
He wasn’t lying. The original Gu Lin had never chosen a mate because he’d been infatuated with the very villain of this story. And that doomed affection had destroyed his life.
After saying his piece, Gu Lin seemed to lose interest. “If you need anything, ask the housebot,” he said, then turned and left.
Kaxiu stood there for a long time, staring at the door.
Everything that had happened today was too strange. Somehow, he’d been granted freedom, even the right to work and, unbelievably, the right to choose his own partner someday.
He thought of the violent, ruthless image he’d heard in rumors about Gu Lin and couldn’t help but doubt them. Perhaps rumors weren’t to be trusted after all.
Still, he couldn’t understand what exactly the male was trying to do or why.
After a while, he gave up trying.
Whatever the male’s reasons, they were beyond him. Instead of guessing, he might as well grow stronger.
His gaze drifted toward the nutrient chamber in the corner of the room.
If Gu Lin truly intended to help him return to the military, then he had to be ready.
He didn’t know what the male wanted from him, nor why he wanted this charade but if he could become stronger, maybe one day he could repay that debt.
With that thought, Kaxiu stepped into the nutrient chamber and logged into his account.
✦ ✧ ✦
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
This translator has been caught working for free again. Scandalous.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · Crossing OverChapter 2 · KaxiuChapter 3 · Social DeathChapter 4 · Female Servant/WifeChapter 5 · ConfusedChapter 6 · MysteryChapter 7 · CamouflageChapter 8 · AcquaintanceChapter 9 · Man in a ShellChapter 10 · FoodChapter 11 · RemunerationChapter 12 · GossipChapter 13 · TaskChapter 14 · CoverdaleChapter 15 · Mission AccomplishedChapter 16 · ExchangeChapter 17 · DreamChapter 18 · DelicateChapter 19 · ReasonChapter 20 · SpecialChapter 21 · 2 Dose of VialChapter 22 · Night WatchChapter 23 · One NightChapter 24 · GratefulChapter 25 · ContestChapter 26 · FortChapter 27 · RecordChapter 28 · SealChapter 29 · MissedChapter 30 · Treasure TroveChapter 31 · Battle SpiritChapter 32 · IllusionChapter 33 · PhotosChapter 34 · DifferentChapter 35 · Heartfelt wishesChapter 36 · TeasingChapter 37 · InterestChapter 38 · TrappedChapter 39 · Borrowing a knifeChapter 40 · SecretChapter 42 · ConditionChapter 43 · QuestionChapter 44 · AnswerChapter 45 · CoreChapter 46 · MeetChapter 47 · WeirdChapter 48 · DifferentChapter 49 · Spiritual SeaChapter 50 · ConceptsChapter 51 · RoefellerChapter 51 · Hicks Return!Chapter 53 · 10 thousand points!Chapter 54 · RedemptionChapter 55 · ChangeChapter 56 · ReceiveChapter 57 · Side QuestChapter 59 · It seems like a old FriendChapter 60 · TrainingChapter 61 · MoodChapter 62 · ConfusedChapter 63 · Children’s PlaygroundChapter 64 · GiftChapter 65 · ApproachingChapter 66 · ThreatChapter 67 Part 1 · Do you have any objections?Chapter 67 Part 2 · Do you have any objections?Chapter 68 · MaintenanceChapter 69 · Thank youChapter 70 · UndercoverChapter 71 · VisitChapter 72 · FrenzyChapter 73 · TransactionChapter 74 · ReminderChapter 75 · ArenaChapter 76 · InterestingChapter 77 · CuteChapter 78 · SecretChapter 79 · CompareChapter 80 · StrategyChapter 81 · CrisisChapter 82 · ProtectChapter 83 · Blind SpotChapter 84 · SafetyChapter 85 · Mission ObjectiveChapter 86 · DeterminationChapter 87 · Grave DangerChapter 88 · GuessingChapter 89 · Chess PieceChapter 90 · EmotionsChapter 91 · Guardian’s HeartChapter 92 · A Dangerous FigureChapter 93 · FrustratedChapter 94 · BullyChapter 95 · NegotiationChapter 96 · ChallengeChapter 97 · RejectionChapter 98 · PlantingChapter 99 · Thank youChapter 100 · LeveragingChapter 101 · ChaosChapter 102 · SubmitChapter 103 · ThoughtsChapter 104 · Good news and bad newsChapter 105 · MadmanChapter 106 · CooperationChapter 107 · Just drawingChapter 108 · It was a pleasure working with youChapter 109 · StargazingChapter 110 · GuideChapter 111 · Plant FlowerChapter 112 · White WolfChapter 113 · SterilisationChapter 114 · CollarChapter 115 · RunChapter 116 · GenerousChapter 117 · ImageChapter 118 · FriendlyChapter 119 · LostChapter 120 · TasteChapter 121 · System upgradeChapter 122 · Transfered FromChapter 123 · Keep dragging it outChapter 124 · CategoryChapter 125 · DemolitionChapter 126 · I want to cry but can’tChapter 127 · Upgrade completeChapter 128 · Tears streaming down my face in the windChapter 129 · Strange luckChapter 130 · UnknownChapter 131 · Dog plant flowersChapter 132 · Contest of Wits and Silent UnderstandingChapter 133 · ColinChapter 134 · AmbushChapter 135 · DullChapter 136 · BattleChapter 137 · Post-WarChapter 138 · Return ToChapter 139 · Strength EnhancementChapter 140 · Is this a staged accident scam?Chapter 141 · ToolChapter 142 · ProcessingChapter 143 · CluesChapter 144 · MemoryChapter 145 · UnderstoodChapter 146 · I want to hug youChapter 147 · Differential treatmentChapter 148 · So DifficultChapter 149 · Going to farChapter 150 · Real or FakeChapter 151 · ResponseChapter 152 · The truthChapter 153 · Let’s chat Causally?Chapter 154 · A Way to RelaxChapter 155 · ConversationChapter 156 · Daily MissionChapter 157 · A QuarrelChapter 158 · NamelessChapter 159 · ProbingChapter 160 · A Good HelperChapter 161 · ConfirmationChapter 162 · DiscussChapter 163 · ForgottenChapter 164 · TraceChapter 164 · TraceChapter 165 · Contact