After disembarking from the mecha, Winslow bid a gentle and polite farewell before turning to leave.
The little white snake had eaten a bit too much and was perhaps suffering from a food coma. While at the restaurant, Winslow had retrieved it and tucked it away into his spiritual domain to sleep. Watching Winslow’s slender, retreating figure, Samuel stood still for a long time, lost in thought.
“Marshal,” a familiar voice interrupted Samuel’s drifting reflections. Without looking back, he knew the arrival was Chris.
Samuel turned his head as Chris performed a standard military salute. “Marshal, according to the investigations Ylair and I have conducted over the past few days, the Ten-Gha army suddenly retreated a few days ago for unknown reasons. There are no traces of them left around the border planet.”
Samuel, who knew exactly why they had retreated, remained silent. Whenever he recalled the incident, his scalp felt numb. The sensations of that night, which had left him restless and distracted, surged back like a tide. Consequently, Samuel did not tell Chris the real reason for the retreat and simply acknowledged the report with a nod.
Since the Ten-Gha had withdrawn, the border planet appeared stable for the time being. Star pirates and interstellar beasts were minor issues for the military females, so his presence was no longer required. It was time for him to return to the Main Star.
The only question was that male Zerg. What excuse should he use to take him back?
“By the way, Marshal,” Chris interrupted his thoughts, speaking hesitantly, “Bane said you told him I had business with him.”
“Yes, I might have remembered incorrectly,” Samuel said smoothly, his deep voice cutting off Chris’s unfinished sentence. After speaking, Samuel turned and walked away. His priority now was to devise a suitable reason to bring Winslow from the border planet to the Main Star. This male had to stay by his side under his supervision.
Chris watched him go with a complicated expression. Having followed the Marshal for a long time, he could see that this behavior was truly abnormal. Chris knew why Bane had sought out Winslow; Bane often asked him and Ylair about the male and had even consulted them for advice regarding his confession today. Then, the Marshal had used a flimsy excuse to send Bane away. On his way here, Chris had also heard the soldiers discussing how Samuel had taken Winslow out.
Taking everything into account, Chris had a very bold theory: could the Marshal actually have feelings for Lord Winslow?
The Marshal, misunderstood by his subordinate as having a crush, returned to his room. Before he could begin brainstorming how to reasonably bring the male to the Main Star, urgent official business arrived from the capital. The workaholic Marshal had no choice but to set aside the matter that gave him a headache and deal with his duties first.
Winslow took a short nap. Estimating that the soldiers had finished their lunch, he prepared to head to the mental grooming room to continue his work. On the way, he ran into Chris, who had just stepped out after finishing some business.
“Good day, Lord Winslow,” Chris said, remaining gentle and respectful, though his gaze was somewhat strange today. Winslow was not a particularly curious person; if Chris wanted to speak, he would. Therefore, Winslow acted as if he had not noticed the odd look.
“Good afternoon, Colonel Chris.” Winslow’s clear, cool voice instantly washed away the thoughts of the Marshal liking Winslow that were cluttering Chris’s mind. Chris shook his head, pushing those ideas aside as his expression returned to normal.
“Are you heading to the mental grooming room, Lord Winslow?”
“Yes,” Winslow nodded. Realizing there were not many soldiers left for him to groom, he added, “Chris, there are not many soldiers in this district who still need my help. Tell me, is there anywhere else with soldiers who require mental grooming?”
Chris was momentarily speechless. For the first time in his life, he was hearing a high-ranking male Zerg actively request more soldiers with damaged spiritual seas to treat. His strong adaptability quickly kicked in. Knowing that a refined male like Winslow could not stay on a desolate border planet forever, he said, “The Marshal is returning to the Main Star in a few days. If you are willing, you could return with him.”
Chris’s answer was somewhat indirect. Winslow asked where more soldiers needed treatment, while Chris was thinking about where Winslow could live more comfortably. However, Winslow found exactly what he wanted in that answer.
If the soldiers at the Border Military District were all treated, he could simply go to the Main Star Military District. There would surely be soldiers in need there, as well as those who had lost their minds in the prisons. With this in mind, he nodded to Chris in agreement.
Both parties got what they wanted. Chris successfully persuaded Winslow to return to the better environment of the Main Star, and Winslow successfully found his next destination for mental grooming. They bid each other a pleasant farewell and went their separate ways.
Winslow continued to the grooming room. Even though very few soldiers came, he remained diligent. Chris happily went to share the good news with his colleagues. Halfway there, he suddenly realized he might have inadvertently sabotaged a romance. After all, Bane was still waiting to confess to Winslow. Now, he was sending Winslow away. Chris felt a sudden pang of guilt.
Meanwhile, Bane, dispatched far away by Chris, worked while dreaming of his next confession. He had no idea that the male he admired was about to leave him.
Having finished his work, Samuel opened his terminal as usual. While thinking of ways to bring the male back to the Main Star, he clicked on his contacts. He immediately saw a message from a cheerful Chris. After quickly skimming the text, Samuel’s tensed brow suddenly relaxed.
Was this what they called getting something without any effort? A faint smile appeared in Samuel’s eyes. The terminal screen clearly showed Chris reporting that he had suggested Winslow return to the Main Star and that Winslow had agreed.
A few days later, Winslow finished treating the last few soldiers who required mental grooming. In his boredom, he received word from Chris to prepare for departure. The journey to the Main Star would begin tomorrow.
Sensing the change in environment, the little white snake was exceptionally excited. Although there was good food on the border planet, the variety was limited, and the snake had grown bored of the options. A new environment meant new food, and the snake was overjoyed.
Equally joyful was Samuel. Upon learning that Winslow would return with him, he quickly organized the affairs of the Border Military District. Then, via his terminal, he ordered his personal guards to find a quiet, beautiful villa near the Marshal’s manor to house the male.
Once everything was ready, the departure time was set.
Early the next morning, Winslow packed his clothes and the various gifts given to him by the soldiers into his spatial button and set off with Chris. He assumed Chris would lead him directly to Samuel’s mecha, but he was surprised to be taken to the training grounds instead.
Winslow looked back in confusion. Meeting Winslow’s clear, calm emerald eyes, Chris felt a sudden surge of reluctance to let him go. However, he quickly adjusted. In his view, the desolate border planet was not worthy of an elegant male like Winslow.
His voice was as gentle as ever, though tinged with sadness today. “The soldiers heard you were leaving for the Main Star and wanted to see you one last time.”
As he finished speaking, a unified and thunderous farewell echoed through the entire military district. Winslow turned around and saw that the training field was packed with soldiers. Many of them had moist eyes, and some were even choking back sobs. Winslow had done so much for them; he had saved their lives and given them a new future.
Winslow was stunned by their sincerity. After a long moment, Ylair approached with a spatial button and handed it to the dazed Winslow. “This is a parting gift from the soldiers. We hope you will accept it. The items are not particularly rare or expensive, but they were chosen with care.”
Winslow did not decline this time. He reached out and took the heavy spatial button. Then, he turned to face the crowd of soldiers and slowly bowed.
The training ground fell into a sudden, dead silence. Every soldier watched as the refined, proud male they admired lowered his back. Chris and Ylair were also too shocked to speak. Everyone watched in silence as Winslow bowed, then watched him turn to leave.
Samuel did not participate in the farewell ceremony. He had come to the border planet alone and had intended to return alone. But now, he was no longer alone. Hearing the massive farewell from the training ground, Samuel felt a warmth in his heart. He thought to himself that he was taking away the most precious treasure of the Border Military District.
By grooming the entire district single-handedly, regardless of his motives, Winslow truly deserved the soldiers’ devotion.
When Winslow arrived at the mecha docking area, he saw Samuel, dressed in a silver-gray military uniform, leaning against a cool black and red mecha with his eyes lowered. A ray of morning sunlight fell across his face, casting shifting shadows. His long lashes flickered slowly. He looked both noble and relaxed.
Aware of Winslow’s arrival, Samuel did not even look up. He simply turned and opened the mecha door, revealing a familiar interior. Winslow sat in his usual spot and glanced toward Samuel at the doorway.
At that moment, Samuel finally looked up. The handsome man with long silver hair turned to look at him, a few strands of hair falling against his cheek. The sun finally broke through the heavy clouds, streaming into the mecha and casting a halo around the silver-haired beauty.
The sheer beauty of the scene made Samuel’s heart stop, then begin to throb uncontrollably. Thump, thump, thump. Each beat felt like it would stop his breath. He looked away in a panic.
This time, he did not even have the energy to wonder about Winslow’s suspicious identity. His mind was a total blank. Samuel turned mechanically and boarded the mecha, engaged the autopilot, and sat down far away from Winslow.
The mecha door slowly closed, shutting out the dancing sunlight. Inside, a subtle undercurrent surged. The black and red mecha rose slowly, heading toward the distance.