The Supreme Commander was a man of a thousand responsibilities. Unlike other childcare specialists, he did not visit the Breeding Center every day.
He did not need to; after all, his three students had yet to show visible signs of pregnancy. A remote check of the daily energy monitoring results was usually sufficient.
At least in Director Lao’s eyes, the Commander’s recent two visits were for Ni Hong’s surgery. Last time, he had consulted with Old Man Chang regarding the pre-operative stability check. Today, hearing that the check had passed and the surgery was set for tomorrow, he had come specifically to cheer Ni Hong on.
Ni Hong was overwhelmed by the favor. Previously, he had thought the Supreme Commander did not value him at all.
The visit was brief. Cang Bai merely asked about his recent physical condition before preparing to conclude the meeting. Seeing that the Vice Commander had not yet arrived, Director Lao quickly used the excuse of the first delivery of this session to stall for time.
Cang Bai agreed. After all, regardless of who their mentor was, these were the Empire’s most loyal soldiers.
At Director Lao’s signal, Ni Hong braced himself to lead the way, pleading with his eyes for Leng Fei’s help. Leng Fei looked impatient but did not refuse, pushing the wheelchair to follow.
Ding Xiaoyi arrived just in time, and the group set off in a grand procession toward the delivery room.
No one expected that when the door to that unassuming delivery room was pushed open, the scene inside would be so utterly devastating.
There was a stark-naked man on the delivery bed. Qin Zhen was leaning over the head of the bed with his backside turned upward. Their two hands were joined with fingers interlocked despite the slight difference in skin tone.
On the ring finger of one of those hands, the black voice-card ring was exceptionally eye-catching.
Except for Cang Bai, everyone crowded at the doorway gasped in unison.
Then, Director Lao screamed. “How improper! This is absolutely scandalous!” His scream was comparable to a pig being slaughtered.
The two men instantly shot away from each other like projectiles. One tumbled to the inner side of the delivery bed, scrambling to wrap himself in a thin blanket, while the other fell to the far side, sprawling awkwardly on all fours.
However, Qin Zhen’s eyes were fixed on the doorway even though his neck was twisted at a painful angle.
“Teacher?”
Recognizing the person at the front of the crowd, Qin Zhen snapped awake and jumped up. “It is not what you think! I am innocent!”
Those eyes, as calm as an ancient well, fixed on him for a single moment before the man turned and walked away.
“You, you, you! Oh, honestly!” Director Lao pointed a finger at Qin Zhen before hurrying to follow Ding Xiaoyi and the Commander.
他們 left as quickly as they had arrived. In an instant, the delivery room doorway was empty, leaving only Leng Fei pushing the wheelchair and Ni Hong, whose mouth was still hanging wide open.
Leng Fei gave Qin Zhen a chilly glance and a cold smile before pushing Ni Hong away. That look was so frigid that Qin Zhen felt as if he were the one without clothes instead of Peng Yunhan. His heart felt icy.
It was over. This was a massive misunderstanding for his idol. He did not even like men!
No, he had to drag Peng Yunhan along to explain clearly!
Qin Zhen turned around in a rage, his eyes looking as if he wanted to devour Peng Yunhan. Just as he was about to speak, another voice sounded from behind him, a woman’s voice.
“Peng-peng!”
Accompanied by the “Caution: threatened miscarriage” wristband alert, a female expectant soldier rushed in. While supporting Peng Yunhan, she helped him secure the thin blanket around his body.
“What happened? Did Qin Zhen do something again?”
“Tang-tang!” Peng Yunhan quickly grabbed her hand to stop her.
Qin Zhen immediately understood the situation. The fire in his chest flared even higher. He was about to burst into a tirade when he caught Peng Yunhan’s gaze.
Peng Yunhan’s thick brows were drooping and his eyes had become wavy with sorrow. He looked pitiful, helpless, and pleading.
Qin Zhen ground his teeth. He could not bring himself to curse, nor could he state the simple facts. This little couple was so lovey-dovey and had a whole lifetime ahead of them. If he told Tang Siqing the truth, their relationship would be ruined.
As the old saying goes, it is better to tear down a temple than to destroy a marriage.
Qin Zhen stomped his foot and left.
It was dinner time, but he naturally had no appetite. He returned to his room fuming with rage. As soon as he entered, he rushed to the bathroom, turned on the shower, and scrubbed his neck repeatedly. He scrubbed so hard that the dark skin on the back of his neck was bruised red in places.
Yet, Qin Zhen still felt as if Peng Yunhan’s thick arm was looped around his neck, suffocating him.
Heavens above! The path of a protagonist is difficult, but in all his calculations, he never expected that one day he would almost be sexually assaulted by a man!
Technically, his idol had saved him again. That thought moved Qin Zhen for a moment, but then a headache began.
How could he explain this to his idol? The truth was nothing like what he had seen. Qin Zhen was a red-blooded, manly man. How could he possibly like men, especially a man whose skin was even darker than his own?
On the landing pad, two people watched as the starship ascended. A long time passed before they finally lowered their heads.
“Sigh!” Director Lao scratched his graying hair and sighed. “Vice Commander, how do you think we should handle this? Streaking in his own room is one thing, as that is Qin Zhen’s own space, but to be so blatant with Peng Yunhan in the delivery room?”
“In my opinion, no handling is necessary.”
“Pardon?”
“Have you forgotten that the day before yesterday, the Commander defended Qin Zhen right in front of us and suppressed Adjutant Qi?” Ding Xiaoyi mused. “While having an affair in the delivery room is indeed inappropriate, looking at the two of them, there was no coercion involved. Since it was consensual, even Imperial military law might not be able to judge them.”
“But the Commander left in a fit of anger.”
“The Commander did leave, but he was not necessarily angry.”
“How so?”
“After Qin Zhen defended his innocence, the Commander gave a response. Did you not hear it?”
“I did not! My ears are not as good as yours! Quick, tell me, how did the Commander respond?”
“Mm.”
“Mm?”
“Mm.”
“What does that even mean?”
“It means,” Ding Xiaoyi paused, “according to an analysis of his quotations, this kind of response signifies that the Commander acknowledges Qin Zhen’s explanation and will not pursue the matter.”
Director Lao finally breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, quotations? You have a copy of the quotations too? I heard only the Qi family had the habit of recording the Commander’s quotes.”
“Borrowed it from Adjutant Qi,” Ding Xiaoyi curled his lips slightly, looking somewhat proud.
“Is it still with you? If it is convenient, lend it to me so I can study it. You have no idea; ever since the Commander personally took over as a childcare specialist and started visiting the Breeding Center every other day, my heart has been hanging in mid-air. It has not settled once.”
Their tension vanished, and they walked away chatting and laughing.
For this trip, Cang Bai did not take his own unmanned starship but rather a small, high-speed fighter craft. Adjutant Qi was the pilot.
His hands tapped continuously on the center console. Every so often, he stole a glance at his Commander’s expression in the back. He even had enough spare energy to contact the Breeding Center’s observation hall to request the surveillance footage from the delivery room.
Unfortunately, the birth of a war beast generates powerful energy fluctuations that naturally interfere with surveillance signals, so no cameras were installed inside the delivery room. The footage he obtained was limited to the corridor, only showing the door to the room.
However, it should be enough. Adjutant Qi took a deep breath to steady his racing heart.
Heaven knows how excited he was when he saw that scene. Ever since the Commander questioned if something had happened between him and Qin Zhen, he had not dared to target Qin Zhen again. Usually, when reporting news from the Breeding Center, he was extremely careful whenever that name came up, fearing he might accidentally show his resentment.
He never expected that just as he was looking for an opportunity, fate would hand him a solution on a silver platter.
“Commander.” Having mentally prepared himself, Adjutant Qi spoke steadily. “I took a moment to investigate the relationship between Qin Zhen and that Peng Yunhan.”
He had expected the Commander to have no reaction, as was usually the case. However, before he even finished speaking, Cang Bai’s eyes, which had been looking out the window, shifted toward him.
Adjutant Qi suppressed his excitement. “The surveillance shows that Qin Zhen entered the delivery room at 5:24 PM, and we arrived at 5:36 PM, a gap of only twelve minutes. You saw Peng Yunhan’s state, Commander. Although Qin Zhen’s posture was undignified, he was fully clothed.”
This description was not only objective but even seemed to be making excuses for Qin Zhen. Given Adjutant Qi’s previous attitude toward him, it was quite surprising.
However, Cang Bai’s face remained expressionless. He continued to look at him quietly, as if waiting for an explanation of what the relationship between the two actually was.
Adjutant Qi continued, “A war beast consumes the gestational sac before birth. Although Peng Yunhan gained significant self-healing abilities from the beast to repair bodily damage, that area remains fragile. It is unlikely it could be used for anything.”
“Therefore, based on my analysis, Peng Yunhan was likely the one on top, and Qin Zhen was on the bottom. Their body positions and their relative positions seem to confirm this point. Peng Yunhan was weak after the birth and wanted Qin Zhen to sit on him.”
If Adjutant Qi had time to calm down, he would probably be scared to death by his own words. Saying such things in front of the Commander was a massive risk. However, at this moment, he did not even notice how offensive his analysis sounded.
Cang Bai had no intention of listening further. “What exactly are you trying to say?”
“Oh, my investigative conclusion is that while Qin Zhen did not have time to finish the act with Peng Yunhan, it does not mean he did not want to. If you had entered a few minutes later, Commander, I fear the scene would have been even more of an eyesore. This man, Qin Zhen, relies on his devastatingly handsome face to act recklessly even in the Breeding Center. If he were sent to a remote legion, he would be even more unscrupulous. If you agree, Commander, I will immediately head to the Sixth Star District to investigate his past misdeeds.”
Out of all those keywords, the Commander caught the most inconspicuous one. But it was this one that poured a bucket of ice water over Adjutant Qi, chilling him from head to toe.
“Does Adjutant Qi believe that Qin Zhen’s appearance is good?”
“Uh, I did not.”
“You said his face was devastatingly handsome.”
“I, it was just a slip of the tongue,” Adjutant Qi began to stutter. “I just feel that since Qin Zhen can harass others repeatedly and remain unscathed, he must have some advantage.”
“An advantage in his face?”
“And,” Adjutant Qi swallowed, “his physique, his proportions are very good.”
He no longer knew what he was saying. But the lessons learned from studying the God-Accompanying Canon since childhood, combined with years of experience, allowed him to sense danger acutely. What started as an indictment of Qin Zhen had somehow slid back toward the black box of what had happened between him and Qin Zhen.
Heaven knows there was nothing in that black box! Adjutant Qi forced himself to suppress the urge to explain. He shut his mouth and did not dare look back again.
Fortunately, the Commander did not press him further. His face, as calm as a lake, turned toward the window, and his gaze was cast once more into deep space. However, the internal language in his mind was not nearly as calm as he looked.
It seems we need to reconsider whether what is growing in Qin Zhen’s belly is a young beast or a human fetus.
Oh?
The White Python had been watching the drama for a long time, busy mocking Cang Bai. It did not expect him to say this. It became curious. How so?
Qin Zhen is dissolute by nature and full of lies. His answer regarding sexual activity before the fusion may not be true. He was born with a gestational sac and he could get pregnant at any time. As we theorized before, if there was already a human embryo in his sac, it would be a logical result for it to be rejected by the war beast egg after fusion. If it is not a young beast, but rather your unformed genes attaching themselves to a fetus to grow, it is not impossible.
I am truly impressed by you. Dragging me into this again? Instead of my genes, is it not more logical that your own little tadpoles got Qin Zhen pregnant? Even if the thing in his belly carries my genes, would my genes not have been carried there by your tadpoles anyway?
I am infertile.
If you are, then so am I! I am a snake! Wait, what do you mean? You are sterile? I have never heard you say that!
The White Python was shocked. Although it was a snake, its relationship with Cang Bai was like that of partners who could not break up. Because of this, they were usually very honest with each other. For 108 years, Cang Bai was only now telling it that he was sterile!
Bai, this is not funny! You kept such a huge thing from me for this long? When did you find out you were sterile? Tell me everything! Trust is something that once broken cannot be mended, I am telling you!
The threatening words suddenly turned into gloating laughter that echoed in Cang Bai’s mind for a long time. Cang Bai lowered his eyes slightly and said nothing.
Just as the White Python could not mate with any serpentine species in the galaxy, the reason for his infertility was simple: reproductive isolation. Under the laws of the universe, he could not cause anyone in this world to conceive, regardless of gender. Therefore, the three generations of kings who had searched for a spouse for him were destined to fail.
Cang Bai had never told anyone about this, not even the White Python or Princess Jialuo. The White Python finally stopped laughing.
No wonder you did not like a single person from the blind dates. You are sterile! If that little boy Qiu Rui knew, he would cry his eyes out at his grandmother’s grave! He can never fulfill Princess Jialuo’s wish to have this evergreen tree produce a little sapling!
Qiu Rui was the current King of the Beast Empire, the Third Monarch of the New Era.
A man is made of iron, but food is the steel; skip a meal and you will feel the hunger. After a long ordeal in the bathroom, Qin Zhen’s stomach began to protest.
The dining hall was already closed. Qin Zhen felt relieved and followed his habit of throwing his dirty clothes into the laundry basket. Suddenly, a bottle of colorless liquid fell out of the pocket of his damp clothes. It was the soothing agent.
Qin Zhen felt intense curiosity. Based on its shape, this thing looked exactly like an enema bottle. His goddess had said that the reason for the cramps before delivery was that the young beast, once mature, had absorbed the entire gestational sac. The soothing agent simulated the nutrients secreted by the gestational sac, satisfying the beast’s needs.
In other words, this ordinary-looking liquid was incredibly nutritious. Qin Zhen lifted his pajamas and touched his own flat stomach. If the baby in his belly absorbed such nutritious stuff, would it show sooner? He was tempted.
No sooner said than done. He immediately went to the bathroom, washed the bottle thoroughly, then lay on the bed, pulled down his pants, and turned his backside up.
Although it was possible the White Python’s genes were attached to a human embryo, it was also a fact that no detection method could prove Qin Zhen was pregnant. Cang Bai felt that he should increase surveillance on Qin Zhen to look for signs of pregnancy.
The concept of invading personal privacy simply did not exist for this Imperial Commander. Having cleared his thoughts, the communicator appeared in Cang Bai’s hand. It lacked a traditional screen and used a light-projection display.
A rounded curve, delicate skin, and a pink center appeared in the frame. By the time Cang Bai realized what he was looking at, his brain had already summarized the image: a backside. It was Qin Zhen’s backside.
The image suddenly shook. A kneeling posture and fresh scratches on the neck were captured clearly.
“Dissolute.”
The sound of his commentary reached his ears, and Cang Bai realized he had spoken unconsciously. He immediately turned off the communicator. If he had been a second later, Adjutant Qi would have known why the Commander said that.
Fortunately, Adjutant Qi was a second late in turning his head. He looked back, caught Cang Bai’s eye, and immediately looked away again. The cabin was quiet, and he heard the word “dissolute” very clearly. He was not sure who the Commander was talking about. Adjutant Qi did not dare to speak.
“Achoo!”
Just as the tube was inserted, Qin Zhen suddenly let out a violent sneeze. A muscle spasm instantly traveled to his fingers and he felt a cold sensation in his backside. He quickly pulled out the tube and looked at the soft bottle. Disaster! All the remaining soothing agent had been squeezed in!
Heaven knows he only wanted to squeeze a tiny bit! Luckily, he had cleaned it up in time. However, that night, something still went wrong. He had diarrhea. He woke up with a start just before dawn and rushed to the bathroom over and over.
He was exhausted, but he could not sleep in because Ni Hong had surgery this morning.
“Brother Qin?” In the busy dining hall, Ni Hong carefully observed Qin Zhen’s pale complexion. “Are you unwell? Did you eat something bad?”
Qin Zhen was too embarrassed to say what he had done. He talked around the subject, feeling quite guilty.
“Brother Qin, you should be careful. I heard that diarrhea can cause a young beast to end its hibernation early. The food in the fridge is too cold; you should eat less of it.”
Actually, the unsuspecting Ni Hong had hit the nail on the head. The soothing agent would not cause diarrhea, but Qin Zhen had washed with cold water for too long and then eaten cold food.
At this moment, Leng Fei let out a cold snicker. “Whether he ate something bad from the top or the bottom, he knows best in his own heart.”
“What does that mean?” Qin Zhen was preoccupied and did not understand.
Leng Fei did not answer. Ni Hong hesitated for a moment, then said with a flushed face, “When you do it, it is best not to put it inside. If you do, you should clean it out quickly, otherwise it is easy to get diarrhea. And you might get pregnant. If we get pregnant now, it is very dangerous.”
“What are you talking about?!” Qin Zhen’s eyes widened and he dropped his fork. “Pregnant?! Me and Peng!”
“Brother Qin!” Ni Hong shook his head frantically, gesturing at their surroundings.
Everyone nearby was startled. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Qin Zhen naturally could not bring it up himself. He was furious and lowered his voice. “I do not like men!”
Pregnant? In your dreams! If it were not for the sake of gestating a war beast, he would want to get his gestational sac removed immediately! It was infuriating!
Anger aside, he still had to accompany Ni Hong to the surgery. After the energy monitoring, the doctor did not say anything, which meant the young beast in his belly was normal. With a slightly stumbling gait, he arrived on the fourth floor.
Ni Hong lay on a gurney. Before being pushed in, his gaze traveled between Qin Zhen and Leng Fei, ultimately choosing Qin Zhen. “Brother Qin, I am a bit scared.”
No matter how chaotic Qin Zhen’s private life was, to Ni Hong, he was always the person who gave him a sense of security.
“Don’t be afraid, Little Ni. It is just a minor surgery, and Old Man Chang is the surgeon. Just sleep peacefully; everything will be fine when you wake up.”
The waiting process was long. Two hours passed, and the sign outside the operating room still read “Surgery in Progress.”
“Why is it taking so long!” Qin Zhen could not sit still. Leng Fei was practicing meditation and ignored him.
Too much concern leads to tension, and Qin Zhen soon felt his stomach churning. Just then, several people came from the direction of the corridor. The Supreme Commander was in the lead, followed by the Vice Commander, Director Lao, and Adjutant Qi. His goddess, Lu Yanqiu, was also there.
The group of five blocked Qin Zhen midway. Seeing Qin Zhen walking awkwardly, everyone remembered yesterday’s scene vividly.
Director Lao thought he was shameless. Ding Xiaoyi considered assigning him to the Central Legion. Adjutant Qi was convinced Qin Zhen had lied about being innocent.
As for Cang Bai, the voice in his head was already making comments. The White Python claimed Qin Zhen was truly dissolute.
Cang Bai began to feel a faint sense of disgust. Human desire is natural, but having relations with two men on the same day was filthy in his eyes. He believed someone else had met Qin Zhen at night.
After a brief silence, the Imperial Commander’s gaze moved away from Qin Zhen, and he began to walk again.
“Teacher!”
Cang Bai did not give another glance toward Qin Zhen’s hesitant call.
Qin Zhen felt so aggrieved! Important people were present, and now was the best time to explain, but how could he explain without ruining Peng Yunhan’s relationship?
Moreover, his churning stomach would not allow him to stay. As the two groups crossed paths, Qin Zhen could barely hold it in. He pressed his hands against his backside and stumbled forward. Unexpectedly, a familiar voice called out to him.
“Qin Zhen.” Lu Yanqiu turned back, her eyes full of concern. “What is wrong? Is your stomach uncomfortable?”
Qin Zhen quickly let go, his facial muscles trembling. He really wanted to ask if the soothing agent was supposed to stop the urge to use the bathroom, but in front of his goddess, he could never bring himself to say it.
“Dr. Lu, I will go first!”
Qin Zhen ran off as if his backside were on fire. Lu Yanqiu looked back repeatedly, feeling that something was odd.
The emptiness of the fourth floor allowed Qin Zhen to release everything freely. Once the pressure dissipated, he could calm down. When he saw Cang Bai, he had called him “Teacher” as usual, and Cang Bai had ignored him. He vaguely felt the distance between the two had grown wider.
Qin Zhen considered using the voice-card ring to explain, but he preferred to talk in person. He decided he would have time to explain after the surgery.
His happy smile ended in front of the operating room. The sign had vanished and the hall was silent.
“What is wrong? Is the surgery over? Old Man Chang, it must have been a success, right?”
Old Man Chang instinctively took a step back. Fortunately, Lu Yanqiu intervened.
“Qin Zhen, the surgery was a success, but Ni Hong’s young beast is showing a rejection reaction to the new sac.”
“What? Rejection? So was it a success or not?! Old Man Chang, you tell me!”
Qin Zhen’s urgency moved even Old Man Chang. He explained that the beast released excessive energy, causing ulcers on the sac wall. He noted that the beast was still in hibernation and its self-healing ability was matched with the damage, so the situation was not critical.
He explained that they needed to trick the beast’s instinct by using the old sac as the main ingredient for a special soothing agent. This required autologous cloning technology from the Military Research Institute. Only the Supreme Commander, Cang Bai, had the authority to approve it.
Qin Zhen’s anxiety vanished, replaced by admiration for Cang Bai. He was truly his idol!
“Teacher!”
“Old Man Chang, proceed with this plan for now.” Cang Bai still had no intention of acknowledging Qin Zhen. “Give me the old sac now; I will deliver it to the Research Institute.”
Cang Bai immediately left with Adjutant Qi. Old Man Chang remarked on how much the Commander cared for low-level soldiers.
“You bet!”
Qin Zhen was full of pride until a nurse pushed out a gurney with Ni Hong.
“Little Ni, how are you? Urgh!”
A sudden dry heave came unexpectedly. Qin Zhen immediately covered his mouth. Sensing the gaze of others, he forced it down. “I am fine, sorry! Urgh!”
What he had swallowed came back up. This time, he could not swallow it back down. His nose was filled with a foul, metallic smell that made his stomach twitch uncontrollably.
Qin Zhen once again sprinted toward the restroom.
“What happened? Did he eat something bad?”
“Eat something bad?” Leng Fei folded her arms and gave a cold smile. “He has been eating too well.”
Lu Yanqiu and Old Man Chang exchanged a look and smiled.
“It is not a stomach problem.” Lu Yanqiu clasped her hands, her smile full of longing. “He was stimulated by the smell of blood on Ni Hong and is experiencing morning sickness.”