Arachne pulled the tip of his pincer from the leg meat of a Female bug, tilted his head back, and took a long, deep breath of the air. The metallic scent of blood mixed with gunpowder was his favorite thing.
Whether after a battle or after sex, the feeling of bug pheromones slowly releasing into the environment was truly addictive. Arachne was enjoying the pleasant sensation of his body relaxing when he suddenly knit his long brows and turned toward a sudden, jarring scent.
This scent was familiar, so familiar that the moment he caught it, an unspeakable rage began to burn in his chest.
“A Female bug above S-grade? Could it be?”
Arachne pushed through the crowd. His face was cold as his gaze swept rapidly across the area, searching for any trace of his enemy. However, no matter how long he looked, he saw nothing but desolate soil.
“An illusion?” Arachne muttered. He did not quite believe it; his instincts and senses were always sharp and rarely produced false leads.
Perhaps the target had already left.
Arachne stared fixedly in the direction where the scent had dissipated, his fingers resting on his scarred eyelid. A sliver of cold killing intent leaked from his lips.
“One day,” Arachne sneered.
One day, he would kill that Female bug and carve a wound in the exact same spot. He swore it.
At noon, Lu Qing came to the riverbank. He squatted on the ground, quietly and seriously watching the fat-headed fish swimming happily beneath the surface.
Research had shown that Ginseng Fish put all their development into reproduction, so their brains were not very sharp. Their ability to perceive danger was weak, and they knew nothing of death; thus, they lived out their short lives in blissful happiness right up until the end.
Pipi stood beside Lu Qing, looking at his cousin’s thin back. He suddenly felt a wave of sadness. Seeing these Ginseng Fish, was his cousin being reminded of his own situation? Was he thinking of his misfortune and loneliness back in the Locke household?
If The Book could hear Pipi’s thoughts, it would have protested: No, you are overthinking it. Lulu-zi is just thinking about whether braising or stewing this fish would taste better.
Lu “Career-Obsessed” Qing had a mind full of nothing but cooking, cooking, and more cooking. However, the Male’s serious and quiet expression did indeed give others the illusion that he was lonely and pitiable.
“Xiao Lu.”
Pipi could not help but call out. He felt as if the Male might vanish into the air at any moment like a breeze.
Yet, the moment the words left his mouth, his “frail” younger brother’s hand shot into the water with lightning speed. As water splashed into the air, he grabbed a dazed Ginseng Fish and tossed it into the large iron bucket sitting beside him.
Pipi: “?”
Wait, this is a bit different from the melancholy, beautiful youth I imagined?
Lu Qing, of course, was not going to let such good material for his live stream go to waste. After tying up the disruptive Female bugs and throwing them into an empty room, they had called the police.
As for the only one who escaped, the Male, Brute, Lu Qing had intentionally asked the villagers to let him go. Afterward, Lu Qing explained his entire plan to Grandpa Lu and Pipi. They understood his intention; he had been afraid that if he told them the “script” beforehand, they would not have acted naturally.
The stream resumed, and the comments returned to their usual lively and relaxed state.
[Daydreaming Me]: I wonder if I will have a chance to visit that mountain village. I do not want to eat Ginseng Fish, but I really want to try catching them. They look so silly and cute! [After my Male Lord abandoned me he regretted it deeply]: +1 [I am hungry]: Want to eat. [So annoyed, let the Empire be destroyed]: Wifey, when are you going to the hospital for a check-up? I am a little worried. You can stream anytime, but your health is more important.
Lu Qing, carrying a bucket of Ginseng Fish, saw the fans’ concern in the comments. Most of the discordant voices had left as the excitement died down, leaving mostly the fans who had accompanied him from the start.
“I am not injured. Everyone in the village has taken great care of me.”
Lu Qing carried the bucket to the largest stove in Grandpa Lu’s house and started a fire to boil water. His voice was soft and steady.
Because of the commotion, no one had had time to eat yet. The military officers would probably take a little while to arrive, so he decided to try his hand at the dishes from his challenge mission.
Lu Qing picked out a fat Ginseng Fish and placed it on the cutting board.
“Today, we are making Ginseng Fish Chowder.”
While the villagers’ attention was focused on Lu Qing and Arachne, Brute had scrambled away. The location was remote, and since the aircraft was left behind, he could not return quickly.
Brute, having just contacted his family, was exhausted both physically and mentally. Growing up, when had he ever suffered like this?
The fiery red light of sunset nearly covered half the sky. Just as the light failed to hold back the encroaching darkness, his communicator beeped. The fear of nearly being beaten to death by a group of Female bugs still lingered in Brute’s mind. Hearing the frantic beeping annoyed him; he raised the device, intending to smash it.
Wait.
Brute looked down at the number on the screen. His hand trembled, and he nearly lost his grip.
“It is, that Lord!”
Brute’s memory suddenly flooded back, reminding him of the real reason he had been frequenting this wretched mountain village. It was this Lord who had discovered the small village and ordered him to buy it up and annex the river behind it.
“My, My Lord.” Brute’s palms were slick and sweaty, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
The person on the other end of the line held a status far higher than his. He was from one of the renowned Four Great Families. Brute’s family was wealthy, but they were nowhere near as rich as this Lord. Brute’s family was merely a small subordinate in that Lord’s eyes.
“I heard the task I gave you failed?”
The male voice on the other end was distorted by electronic noise, sounding flat and indifferent, as if devoid of emotion. Yet Brute’s heart hammered wildly.
“No, no, that is, there is a reason for it.”
Brute desperately tried to explain. He told the story from his own perspective, framing things in a way that favored him. When he finished, he heard a steady, rhythmic clicking of knuckles on the other end, but no one spoke for a long time.
His heart was in his throat, his breath hitched. Finally, the voice on the other end spoke unhurriedly: “You said there was a bug who looks somewhat similar to me?”
“Yes!” Brute wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Thank goodness the Lord was willing to listen!
“It was a good-looking Female bug. His moves were fierce. The outlaws I brought from the border were no match for that kid.”
Brute had a strong impression of Lu Qing’s beautiful face, so he emphasized the “good-looking” part with a hint of resentment.
“A Female bug?”
The bug on the other end of the line seemed to have heard something amusing and let out a short laugh. Brute asked nervously, “Is there a problem?”
“No, no problem.” The Male held a wine glass, swirling it gently. The deep red liquid was crystal clear, emitting a charming fragrance.
He closed his eyes and took a small sip, as if savoring it. After a moment, he opened his eyes and turned to look at the Female bug lying beside him. He smiled, his grin widening with a touch of madness. He tilted the large glass and poured the liquid over the Female bug.
“Wh, what?” The Female bug shivered as the liquid ran down, his eyes opening in a daze.
However, he could see nothing; only darkness remained. The wine soaked into his short, coarse hair and flowed down his scalp, snaking past his nose, chin, and neck. The slightly cool wine stimulated his exposed skin, turning warm and damp.
The Male chuckled low, resting his hand on the rose-colored liquid and gently tracing its path. The water stains on the chocolate-colored skin glistened beautifully under the dim lights, like chocolate ice cream flavored with red wine.
“My Lord? My Lord?” Brute called out hesitantly. He thought he had heard another voice that did not belong to the Lord.
The Male snapped back to reality, his smile unreadable. He sighed softly, “I will send a few servants to help you. I hope this time, you will not fail again.”
“Yes, yes! I definitely will not disappoint you!” After making a series of guarantees, Brute hung up.
The Male set down the device and stood up, pulling his bathrobe tight and tying it. He glanced down at the brown Military Female lying on the bed and touched the switch on the wall, brightening the lights. The bright white light hit the bound Female bug, stinging his eyes. His hands, locked behind his back, could not help but twitch.
“Does it hurt?”
The Male spoke slowly, leaning down until a shadow covered the brown skin. The Female bug’s lips parted slightly, but after a single questioning sound, he could no longer make much noise, leaving only meaningless syllables. His chest heaved with his breath, it was unclear if it was from nervousness or excitement.
“The plan, can begin.”
The Male whispered these cryptic words, then loosened the thin cord, letting his nose gently touch the scalding, hot breath of the other. Pheromones mingled and leaked into the air. His eyelashes lowered as he half-squinted, letting out a long sigh of contentment.
The Female bug suddenly began to struggle. Like a fish on a cutting board, he was full of vitality but powerless to escape, only able to thrash in his death throes. Soon, the Female bug went still. Pheromones exploded in the air like something out of control, boiling over.
A long whimper sounded. Purple-red bug markings climbed past the collarbone to the corner of the eye, looking eerie and mysterious. Dark-colored calves tensed, extending to smooth arches. Damp, sticky sweat dripped from curled toes onto the gray fabric, leaving darkened stains.
The content of the live stream fermented quickly, soon causing a bloodbath on the internet. A forum thread suddenly gained massive traction, offering sharp criticism and accusations regarding the broadcast. The focus of the accusations fell entirely on Lu Qing and the Doudou Live platform behind him.