Chapter 175: Love Game Ensemble: Aira × Cassian, Warren & the Doctor, Sevin & the Mermaid

Through the Male Zerg Association's allocation, Aira also obtained two game identity cards.

In the game, he was the type who enjoyed scenery and photography.

The sunlight in the virtual world didn't affect him. He could walk and run freely beneath the sun, visit places he could never go in reality, and do anything he wanted.

Together with Cassian, he traveled to the seaside where ultraviolet radiation was strongest, walked barefoot across the damp beach, and used the in-game "Mermaid" item to swim through the ocean.

Although he had no idea why the item was called "Mermaid."

He knew this intelligent marine species with its long fish tail. It possessed an incredibly long scientific name, from its planet of origin to its genus, species, and color characteristics... the complete designation was so lengthy that almost no Zerg could remember it.

He had to admit that although "Mermaid" sounded rather strange, it suited them unexpectedly well. Most importantly, it was simple and easy to remember.

It was said that the Marshal had officially decided to rename this intelligent marine species "Mermaid" and had handed the matter over to Cassian.

Some Zerg on StarNet wondered why they weren't called "Zergfish." After all, from the waist up, they looked quite similar to Zergs.

But Zergs never identified species by appearance alone. There were far too many creatures that resembled Zergs.

Pheromones, Psychic Power, and physical strength were all far more reliable ways of determining whether something truly belonged to the Zerg race.

Mermaids were physically too weak (compared to female Zergs), while their Psychic Power failed to meet the standard (far inferior to male Zergs). They had nothing to do with the Zerg race.

Still, regardless of all that, they were undeniably beautiful and perfectly matched male Zerg aesthetics.

Aira swam through the sea using the "Mermaid" item, while Cassian stayed beside him.

Cassian was a crimson mermaid. His vivid coloration and flowing long hair made him the kind of mermaid who would be immensely popular even among his own kind.

By comparison, Aira's tail was so white it was almost transparent. Among mermaids, he absolutely wouldn't be able to find a mate.

When Aira became tired of swimming, he simply draped himself over Cassian and lazily rubbed against his tail while drifting with the current.

"If I became a mermaid, I'd definitely never be able to court you."

The Mermaid item allowed him to speak underwater. The seawater flowed out through the delicate, veil-like gills beside his face.

"It doesn't matter," Cassian told him. "I'll be the one to court you."

"But mermaids court each other through fighting. I couldn't beat you. Wouldn't that mean you'd attack me and make me lay little fish eggs?"

Aira asked.

Cassian's mind went blank for several seconds. He simply couldn't process the thought.

It was far too strange.

For a female Zerg who only wanted to be penetrated, he had absolutely no desire to attack a male Zerg. Even if he somehow won, he'd still be the one climbing on top himself.

Besides, female Zergs liked carrying eggs, laying eggs, and adored hatchlings. He couldn't imagine entrusting something like that to a delicate male Zerg.

In the end, Cassian could only answer,

"Even if I became a mermaid, I still wouldn't fight you. I-I'd definitely lose to you, open my scales, and let you attack me."

Even if mermaids truly had to fight in order to court one another, he would hold back by an entire ocean planet's worth just so Aira could defeat him.

He was perfectly willing to let Aira attack him.

Aira imagined it.

The least popular white mermaid in the entire shoal defeating the brilliantly colored crimson mermaid before pinning him down and mating with him.

The crimson-tailed mermaid would become pregnant with fish eggs, spend the entire breeding season living together with him, and eventually give birth to beautiful little fish.

A faint blush spread across Aira's face.

"Our ranks are too different. We wouldn't be able to have little fish."

Nor little Zerg hatchlings.

Both mermaids and Zergs formed their unions for the sake of reproduction.

A union like theirs was destined never to be welcomed.

Cassian wanted to tell him that none of that mattered.

Then he suddenly remembered something and asked,

"There's a level-up gift pack. Want to try it?"

Aira had been too busy basking in the sunshine and taking photographs that he'd forgotten all about it.

Normally, there wasn't anything exciting about level-up rewards in games.

But this was the game based on An-shen's novel.

That alone made it worth looking forward to.

Even if it could only be experienced inside the game, it would still be wonderful.

"Yes! Hurry and let me try."

Aira's Affinity toward Cassian had already reached 101.

Yet there were only three level-up gift packs available, as though some hidden restriction existed.

Cassian used all three gift packs on him.

Aira experienced what it felt like to reach Super S-rank instantly and painlessly.

His Psychic Power expanded to its utmost limit, enough to cover the entire ocean.

For one brief moment, Aira even felt as though he could perform Psychic Soothing on Cassian.

"I'll do Psychic Soothing for you," Aira said.

Cassian thought to himself that it definitely wouldn't work.

But this was only a game.

Whether it actually worked wasn't important.

Having fun was.

So he agreed. Pulling apart his scales, he invited Aira to enter first, lowering the difficulty of the Psychic Soothing.

Aira thought only Zergs who lacked sufficient trust needed to do something like that.

Still, he'd never actually performed Psychic Soothing on anyone before. Lacking experience, he could only follow every basic step exactly as instructed.

...

Among all the male Zergs who had received beta access, only Philor was diligently completing the game's missions.

The others, just like Aira, preferred sightseeing and photography.

Especially after using the level-up gift packs.

With beauty that surpassed even heavily edited photographs, they wished they could take thousands of pictures every single day.

Every single shot looked breathtaking.

Although the increased rank existed only inside the game, it still allowed them to thoroughly experience what life felt like as a high-ranking male Zerg.

The female Zergs accompanying them enjoyed themselves just as much.

They truly possessed the capability of high-ranking male Zergs.

Simply looking at those faces was enough to make every worry disappear.

Even the simulated Psychic Soothing felt incredibly comfortable.

Perhaps it was only psychological.

But after logging out, many female Zergs genuinely felt that their mental state had improved.

These were the experiences of married male and female Zergs.

The true main force of the game, however, was unmarried female Zergs, who also made up the largest group of beta testers.

Their daily routine was much simpler.

They spent time with their virtual male Lord, bought gifts and items for him, admired his beautiful appearance, chatted with him, and posted handsome pictures of him on StarNet.

Even Major Warren couldn't resist posting photos of his male Zerg several times.

His virtual male Zerg's identity was a military doctor stationed within the Military Region.

Warren frequently suffered injuries of varying severity before visiting the medical office to see the doctor.

Every one of those wounds was the sort that would heal if treatment came just one second later.

Yet every single time, the doctor treated him carefully and seriously.

After finishing, he'd sternly warn Warren not to deliberately injure himself again.

But Warren simply wanted an excuse to meet the doctor.

One day, after training ended, Warren walked out of the training room and saw the doctor waiting for him outside, inviting him to head back together.

Now...

They were neighbors.

That distance was perfect.

Sometimes he could see the doctor watering flowers in the yard, trimming the grassy slope, sunbathing, or quietly reading a book.

Simply seeing him was enough to make Warren feel peaceful inside.

The doctor encouraged him to pursue his own life instead of remaining trapped in the illusions of the past.

His life now was already beautiful.

But he still couldn't completely free himself.

He promised he would try.

Perhaps it would take another three years.

Or five years.

Or perhaps even longer...

Nine hundred and ninety-nine years.

...

Sevin was a female Zerg serving in the Ninth Legion.

There wasn't a single member of the Ninth Legion who didn't adore Lord Xi'an.

But Sevin had also personally received Psychic Soothing from Lord Annor.

Now he liked them both.

For a female Zerg to like two male Zergs at the same time was completely inappropriate.

Sevin agonized endlessly over which one he should love.

Because he was so conflicted, when entering the game he made the same choice as Commander Morris.

Random.

Unfortunately, after entering the game...

He became a pirate.

For some reason, everyone here called him a pirate.

Maybe it was because he owned only one ship and spent his life drifting across the sea.

He had no idea when he'd ever be able to set foot on land again.

Maybe never in this lifetime.

Not a single nation welcomed him.

His bounty poster hung on every country's wanted board.

Heaven knew he'd always been a model citizen of the Federation!

Everyone else had entered the game to fall in love.

Yet he hadn't even caught sight of a single male Zerg.

He was so bored that all he could do was chat with the mermaid being held inside the ship's cabin.

The mermaid's Affinity toward him remained negative the entire time.

Tch.

What did he need a mermaid's Affinity for?

It wasn't as though the mermaid was a male Lord.

Sob...

Where in the world was his male Lord?

Behind the pirate, the beautiful mermaid rolled his eyes, dove back into the pool, took a huge mouthful of water, poked his head out again, and spat the entire mouthful onto the pirate hat.

"Quit messing around..."

Sevin removed the ugly pirate hat and shook it dry.

It wasn't nearly as handsome as his military cap.

But having nothing on his head just felt wrong.

The mermaid's breeding season was also approaching.

All the other mermaids had already migrated away.

Only this one remained behind.

Even if Sevin threw him back into the sea, the foolish fish wouldn't be able to find his own shoal.

This fish was a little idiot.

He was picky with food, too.

Left on his own, he definitely wouldn't survive.

Sevin decided to follow the mermaids' migration route, locate his shoal, and release him back into the ocean.

After that...

He would quit the game.

He wasn't going to keep playing this lousy game that didn't even have a single male Zerg.