Qu Yi froze, the words “Is he a friend?” stuck in his throat.
The other end of the communication was silent for a moment. After a faint sound of coughing, a deep male voice spoke: “Chu Li.”
“It’s me, General,” Chu Li replied.
“What happened?”
Chu Li explained the requirements for the mecha pilot enrollment. Lu Jin said he would be back tonight and told him to wait at the manor before hanging up.
Under Qu Yi’s incredulous gaze, Chu Li stepped into Nebula Manor. The interior architecture immediately caught his eye.
Countless intricately carved white stone pillars stood like sharp blades along the spacious, bright corridors. Arched doors adorned with black-gold crystals lined the path, and the circular atrium was open to the breeze from eight directions. A massive chandelier hung from the top floor, its silver light shimmering through cascading crystal lamps arranged in a spiraling, mountain-like formation.
The scene was as beautiful as a mysterious ancient palace depicted in a painting; standing within it made one feel fragile and small. Yet, including the butler and servants, this palace housed no more than five people, giving it a cold, desolate atmosphere.
“Are you really the General’s fiancé?” Qu Yi asked.
Chu Li acted as if he didn’t notice the suppressed resentment in the man’s voice. His expression remained natural: “Mhm.”
He was the Beta fiancé who didn’t even have Lu Jin’s contact information, yet already bore the weight of countless insults.
Qu Yi fell silent, his judging gaze lingering on Chu Li as he led him to the lounge area of the reception room. “Wait for the General here.”
The reception room was vast, divided by a one-way glass partition. One side was a conference area with sofas, and the other was a leisure area with tea tables and books. Chu Li sat for a while, feeling bored. He looked at the books behind him.
Lu Jin was in charge of the Command Headquarters and the Hunt Squad, not the Mecha Department, but he seemed personally interested in the field. The shelves were packed with books about mechas. One particular title caught Chu Li’s eye. He pulled out a yellow-covered book with bold black letters: How to Pilot a Mecha While Ill.
The author was unknown.
“…”
Out of curiosity, he flipped to the first chapter. It covered three sections: mecha modification, posture adjustment, and operational changes, specifically detailing how to pilot a mecha if one had a herniated disc. He thought it was a joke, but the writing was surprisingly professional, even providing a breakdown of the three current military mecha types.
Chu Li became absorbed. By the time he finished the chapter, evening had arrived, and Lu Jin had still not returned. Perhaps due to his insomnia the previous night, he felt drowsy. He rubbed his brow and leaned back in the chair to rest his eyes, unexpectedly falling asleep.
In his daze, he heard voices. He opened his eyes and looked through the glass partition into the conference room. It was dark outside, and the room was lit only by a dim, amber wall lamp.
A man in a black military uniform stood with his back to Chu Li. His posture was ramrod straight, the hairline at the nape of his neck neatly trimmed. The five gold stars embroidered on his shoulder announced his prestigious rank: General Lu Jin.
Opposite him was another man in uniform with four stars. He sat with his legs crossed, tapping his fingers on the sofa. “The Star Lord hung the rebels’ heads on the wall just to lure out their leader, ‘Little Strawberry.’ If Little Strawberry tries to reclaim them, it’s a trap; if not, it will demoralize the followers. This move is truly… brilliant.”
Lu Jin didn’t speak, most of his body hidden in the shadows. He took off his military cap and unbuttoned the top of his jacket, tugging at his collar.
The other man continued, “A surrendering rebel provided info that Little Strawberry has a distinct burn scar on the right arm. The Star Lord is already searching the Lower District based on this.”
Chu Li had intended to open the door and leave, but his movements stopped dead. He realized the glass in the lounge was one-way; he could see them, but they couldn’t see him. If they found out he had overheard rebel secrets…
His face paled. He slowly let go of the door handle. This magnificent Nebula Manor hid a cold, cruel execution ground beneath it. He had once witnessed Lu Jin executing a prisoner here.
Lu Jin pressed a finger to his lips and coughed softly. His pale face emerged from the shadows. He seemed uninterested in the topic. “Lu Tao, what has Fu Zhao been up to lately?”
“The Star Lord put Fu Zhao in charge of mecha recruitment. Fu Zhao is using the opportunity to plant his son, Fu Lin, and many of his own people into the corps,” Lu Tao said.
The Star Lord claimed it was to help the Song family, but in reality, he was using the Fu family to check the Songs. As the Star Lord aged, he became increasingly paranoid, obsessed with power plays.
Lu Tao stretched. “Brother Jin, want a drink?”
Lu Jin coughed lightly. “My health hasn’t been great lately.”
Lu Tao: “…” Who was it that killed over a dozen Zerg on Planet Qiwang yesterday?
“Then let’s at least have some tea inside.”
“Fine.”
Tea? Inside the partition, Chu Li’s pupils shrank. Were they coming in here?
Lu Jin stood up, and Lu Tao followed lazily, adjusting his belt. “Brother Jin, did you hear Fu Lin got beaten up a few days ago?”
“By whom?”
The sound of their voices grew closer. The tap, tap, tap of military boots on the floor struck against Chu Li’s heart. He couldn’t understand why they wanted tea in the middle of the night.
Fortunately, the tea table was high, covered with a white cloth that reached the carpet. It was the perfect hiding spot. The moment Lu Jin pushed the door open, Chu Li lifted the cloth and ducked under the table, holding his breath to remain unnoticed.
Lu Tao continued, “Song Xu did it. Fu Lin was beaten by an Omega and was too embarrassed to make a scene.”
Lu Jin gave a short laugh and sat down. He tugged at his collar, his expression freezing for a split second. In the next moment, he nonchalantly lifted a corner of the tablecloth, meeting a face flushed red with the shame of being caught.
“…” Lu Jin.
Lu Tao pressed a button on the table, and a waist-high robot began brewing tea. “Since that incident, have you seen Song Xu at all?”
At this moment, all the blood rushed to Chu Li’s head. He stared wide-eyed at Lu Jin, never imagining the man would find him the second he sat down. In his extreme tension, his mind went blank. He moved to come out and explain, but before he could speak, Lu Jin covered his mouth. Long fingers gripped his jaw, pressing his head back under the table.
“…” Chu Li.
Because he had started to open his mouth, Lu Jin’s index finger ended up between his lips, while the thumb held his chin.
“Brother Jin?” Lu Tao asked, surprised by the silence.
“Mhm,” Lu Jin replied.
Lu Tao sensed something was off, but assumed it was the mention of Song Xu. “I heard Fu Lin was mocking Song Xu about that Beta, which is why he got thrashed.”
Lu Jin held his teacup with one hand, his voice cool. “Fu Lin was asking for it.”
“True,” Lu Tao laughed. He stretched his legs and suddenly kicked something—something soft and elastic. It didn’t feel like Lu Jin’s foot. Curiously, he leaned down to look.
Suddenly, the teacup on the table tipped over as if pushed, splashing tea toward him. Lu Tao jumped back to avoid it, though his chest still got wet. He cursed and took off his jacket, completely forgetting what he was about to investigate.
Under the table, Chu Li’s heart was on a rollercoaster. Fearing another kick from Lu Tao, he instinctively huddled closer to Lu Jin. He let out a silent breath, the warmth of which hit the large hand still cupping his mouth.
Lu Jin’s fingers twitched.
From Chu Li’s perspective, he was looking directly at Lu Jin’s powerful, straight legs wrapped in black military trousers. Between them… He lowered his head, his ears burning. He didn’t understand why Lu Jin was keeping him hidden. Was he protecting him from exposure?
Lu Tao said, “Song Xu has been gone for six years. Now that he’s back, the gossip forums are all talking about him, you, and that Beta fiancé of yours.”
Lu Jin looked up, his expression cold. “If you want to talk about private matters, you can leave now.”
“Don’t be like that, it’s rare for us to get together.” Lu Tao didn’t dare push further, but he couldn’t resist one last jab. “When are you going to let us meet that Beta?” He really wanted to know what kind of charm could captivate Lu Jin.
Lu Jin glanced under the table. “There will be a chance later.”
Chu Li tried to push Lu Jin’s hand away. Being held like this meant his teeth and tongue occasionally brushed against the man’s fingers. If Lu Jin didn’t want him to talk, he wouldn’t, but there was no need to keep holding his mouth.
However, he couldn’t budge Lu Jin. Instead, because his legs had gone numb from crouching, his balance slipped. He lurched forward, his face landing right against Lu Jin’s knee. Lu Jin gripped the back of his neck to keep him still.
“…” Chu Li.
A rough fingertip brushed against Chu Li’s gland as if by accident. Chu Li shuddered, his whole body freezing. The tablecloth draped over Lu Jin’s legs hid the movement, and Lu Tao, preoccupied with his own talking, noticed nothing.
After a while, Lu Jin rubbed his temples, looking tired. Lu Tao, remembering he had just returned from the front lines, decided to leave. “Brother Jin, that’s enough for today. I’m heading out.”
“Mhm.”
Once Lu Tao was gone, Lu Jin flipped the tablecloth up and hoisted Chu Li onto the table like a small chick. His hands gripped the edge of the table, the tensed lines of his arms visible through his black uniform. He loomed over the person in his embrace, his face cold.
“Did you ‘take the wrong path’ this time, too?”
Chu Li didn’t catch the implication of the word “too.” He only felt the impending storm radiating from the man. He looked up to explain. “General, I was reading in the partition and fell asleep. When I woke up, I heard your conversation. By then, it was too late to leave.”
Lu Jin said nothing. It had been too late. The information about “Little Strawberry” was known to fewer than five people in the Empire. If the Star Lord’s capture operation failed, Chu Li, an “outsider,” would be the first person the military would target. That was why Lu Jin had hidden him.
However…
Lu Jin lowered his eyelids, his dark gaze carrying an innate authority. “Chu Li, no one is allowed in the reception room without my permission. Entering without authorization is considered an act of espionage. According to military law, I can dispose of you regardless of your intent.”
“The butler brought me in. I didn’t know I wasn’t allowed.” Chu Li realized the butler had set him up.
“I will deal with the butler,” Lu Jin said. He paused, then continued, “A few days ago, a servant caught in the Star Lord’s manor also claimed he took a wrong turn. They found blueprints for a major military base in the South on him.”
Chu Li was speechless. They were so close he had to turn his head to avoid the man’s breath. “The General can search me,” he said reluctantly.
Lu Jin turned his back to him, his voice unreadable. “Take off your clothes.”
“…” Chu Li froze.