Chapter 26: Male Zerg Recruit × Former Instructor (19): You Curse Him the Loudest, Yet Every Bug Has a Copy of the Lecture Notes, Huh?

Claire finished a round of simulated training and browsed through the intelligent monitoring data.

His psychological problems had been completely resolved, and every aspect of his physical condition had improved significantly compared to before the expedition.

Claire looked at his hands, opening and closing them, carefully feeling the power contained within his body.

Recently, he'd gained a new understanding.

It was a mysterious sensation, something he'd experienced once before his Psychic Domain was damaged... He had thought he'd already missed the opportunity and lost all hope, but after Xi'an completely repaired his Psychic Domain, that feeling had returned, and it had become even more distinct.

He could vaguely touch the boundary of S-rank.

Perhaps all he lacked was a final opportunity.

Claire began considering returning to active duty in the military.

Of course, that would depend on Xi'an's wishes.

He wasn't worried that Xi'an would forbid him from working after marriage.

That kind of situation was too rare.

Even the most possessive Male Zerg wouldn't go so far as to prevent a female Zerg from going out to earn money.

Most Male Zergs married a whole group of female Zergs, keeping whichever one they liked best by their side and sending the rest out to work and support their lavish spending. Then, once they got tired of the one at home, they'd swap in another female Zerg to keep them company.

Female Zergs were used to this arrangement too, taking turns working and taking turns coming home to sleep with their Male Lord.

Even Zerg holidays were flexibly scheduled around this system.

Among the Zergs, a female Zerg returning home on leave was something others envied greatly.

Xi'an lacked neither money nor resources, and for now only had him as his sole female Zerg, but he definitely wasn't the type to lock a female Zerg inside the house.

He was powerful enough, outstanding enough, and confident enough. He had no need to prove his authority through the female Zergs at home.

The main thing Claire wanted to know was...

How long Xi'an planned to keep him by his side at home.

Normally, a favored female Zerg could stay home with his Male Lord for a month. An especially, especially favored one might stay two or even three months.

Maybe he could even get pregnant in one go.

Claire raised a hand and touched his flat abdomen.

If he could carry Xi'an's egg...

A little strawberry with red hair and green eyes...

A female Zerg's imagination really was limited. No matter how hard Claire tried, the only image he could form in his mind was a miniature Xi'an.

Cute and adorable, brightly colored, lively and energetic, perhaps climbing onto his head.

Climbing onto his head...

A distant memory flashed through his mind.

Claire shook his head and pushed it aside.

Soon, he wouldn't have to envy other Zergs' hatchlings anymore.

He and Xi'an only lacked sleeping together before they could have hatchlings of their own.

"..."

Claire's mood suddenly sank.

Xi'an had never truly slept with him.

That day in the bathroom, they'd been so close, but in the end Xi'an had only gotten his pheromones on his back.

The brood pouch he'd longed for so desperately had gained nothing.

Claire believed it was because he hadn't done well enough.

That was why Xi'an hadn't decided to let him bear offspring yet.

In order to move Xi'an, Claire worked hard to perform.

Giving Xi'an the best training guidance during morning exercise.

(Xi'an lay sprawled on the ground, unwilling to move even a finger.)

Personally cooking and preparing a lavish breakfast.

(Not poisonous. Xi'an was still alive. Thank goodness.)

Cleaning the house, fighting with the robot bugs for work, not overlooking a single corner...

What's this?

While cleaning the study, Claire noticed a medal among the display case full of medals and certificates that clearly didn't belong to Xi'an.

The Star Medal from the once-every-ten-years Legion Tournament.

The previous Legion Tournament had been three years ago. Xi'an had only just joined the military then and had long missed the registration period.

The tournament before that had been thirteen years ago, making it even more impossible.

That medal occupied the most prominent position in the display cabinet, while Xi'an's own honors were casually pushed to the corners, as though they existed only to serve as decoration for it.

For a moment, Claire stopped breathing.

It was perfectly normal for female Zergs to present their honors to Male Zergs.

Not only did it show off their strength, it also conveyed their feelings. It was like wild beasts in primitive times bringing back prey during courtship.

Many female Zergs, especially military females, were accustomed to currying favor with Male Zergs this way.

There was nothing strange about that.

What truly made Claire's heart sink was Xi'an's obvious care and importance attached to this medal.

He had placed it above all his own achievements.

Which meant he valued and cherished the Zerg who had given it to him.

"..."

Through the display case glass, Claire's heart sank to the bottom.

He told himself that it was normal for a Male Zerg to like several, even a dozen female Zergs.

He had married Xi'an first, and he was the Female Lord. No matter what, he had a place in this family.

He might not lose.

But Xi'an had never touched him, and the reason Xi'an married him had only been because of his innate kindness, so he could provide Psychic Soothing.

That female Zerg was Xi'an's true beloved.

There were countless Female Lords in Zerg families who possessed only the title while receiving none of the Male Zerg's affection.

Young, beautiful attendant females enjoyed themselves with the Male Zerg and produced egg after egg.

Meanwhile, the Female Lord who managed the household was forgotten in some corner, like a lifeless statue guarding an empty room.

Claire seemed to see his own future.

......

Claire's bleak future left readers "heartbroken upon hearing, tears falling upon seeing."

[Wuwuwu, poor Claire. (I'm crying.) (I'm pretending.)]

[The lonely household-managing Female Lord—Claire.]

[Young beautiful attendant females producing countless eggs—the owner of the medal—Claire.]

[I've never seen such a shameless female Zerg who wants everything!]

[Ptooey—]

[Spit on him!]

[Even if Claire has immunity from criticism, I still have to scold him! The medal owner's name is engraved on the back! Couldn't he take one look?!]

Readers were so infuriated by Claire's slowness that smoke nearly came out of all seven orifices.

They read tragedy all the time and had high tolerance for Male Zergs abusing female Zergs.

But what was this?

Lord Xi'an hadn't even abused him!

[I knew I'd be jealous if Claire was too happy, but who knew I'd get even angrier when he's unhappy?!]

[Probably because some Zerg is living the happy life every Zerg envies and yet insists he's miserable.]

[Good. Claire should spend his entire life being jealous of himself. Lord Xi'an should forever have a female Zerg in his heart that Claire can never reach. Every time he thinks of him, he should toss and turn in bed, worried and insecure forever.]

[Even after hundreds of years, after having a whole string of hatchlings, if Lord Xi'an goes out for a trip, Claire should still wonder whether he's gone to visit the old lover he's keeping outside.]

The female Zerg readers became increasingly outrageous, shocking the male readers watching from the sidelines.

[I thought female Zergs had poor imaginations. Yours seem pretty vivid to me.]

[You're saying this so convincingly... wait, this isn't your real daily life, is it?]

The comment section fell into an eerie silence for several seconds.

Only after a while did new comments appear.

[Haha, what are you talking about? I never toss and turn. I sleep just fine.]

[Exactly. I completely trust my Male Lord whenever he goes out.]

[If he likes another female Zerg, he can just marry him. It's no big deal.]

......

【Claire thought the same way.

If Xi'an liked someone, he could just marry him.

Male Zergs married many female Zergs anyway.

...

"Claire?"

Xi'an had followed their connection and found him standing absentmindedly in front of the display cabinet.

He knew this place too well. Without even looking, he knew what was inside and where that medal sat.

A trace of unnaturalness appeared on Xi'an's face.

Walking over, he grabbed Claire's hand and pulled him away.

"Why are you here?"

Then noticing the cleaning cloth in his hand, he immediately added:

"Leave cleaning to the robot bugs. You don't need to trouble yourself."

Claire hadn't missed the change in Xi'an's expression.

Surprise.

Avoidance.

And probing.

What was the Male Zerg trying to probe?

Whether he'd discovered the hidden beloved?

Or his attitude toward it?

As the Female Lord, he needed to understand his Male Lord's wishes.

He needed to be magnanimous.

He needed to help arrange marriages for attendant females.

"If you like him, then marry him."

Claire said softly.

His hand hanging by his side tightened around the cleaning cloth.

Perhaps he really shouldn't have suddenly decided to clean the room.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have discovered something he wasn't meant to know.

He had thought he could monopolize Xi'an's affection for a month.

At worst, half a month.

Reality was cruel.

Less than half a month after their marriage, he was already supposed to fulfill his duty as Female Lord and arrange an attendant female for his Male Lord.

Xi'an: "...?"

What was he talking about?

He didn't understand a thing.

"Like what? Marry who?"

Xi'an asked in confusion.

Claire lowered his eyes.

The Male Zerg didn't wish to admit it.

Either that Zerg's identity was special, or he occupied a special place in Xi'an's heart.

Never in his life had Claire suffered like this.

But things had reached this point. There was no way to pretend anymore.

He could only continue.

"The Zerg who gave you that medal... he must be outstanding. Since you like him, then marry him."

Claire said lightly.

Xi'an: "..."

Since when had Claire learned to praise himself with such a straight face?

Xi'an looked at him strangely but followed his words.

"He is indeed outstanding, and I do like him..."

Even though he'd prepared himself mentally, hearing those words directly from Xi'an still made Claire's heart turn cold.

"Then... marry him."

He spoke those words with great difficulty.

It wasn't that he couldn't accept Xi'an marrying others.

That was simply Zerg society.

Xi'an would marry other female Zergs eventually.

It was only a matter of sooner or later.

But Xi'an cared about and loved that female Zerg so much.

He couldn't compare.

He would have nothing.

"Of course I'll marry him," Xi'an said slowly, studying him. "It's just that that female Zerg forgot me long ago. If I suddenly brought it up, wouldn't he think I was strange?"

"And it'd be embarrassing! I've remembered all these years, but the other side doesn't even care!"

By the end, Xi'an's voice carried obvious resentment as he secretly stabbed Claire with his eyes.

If looks could kill, Claire would've been cut apart countless times already.

Ever since the day Xi'an reported to the Ninth Legion and Claire failed to recognize him, his eye-knives had already shredded Claire's clothes and made him run naked in public.

Unfortunately, that only happened in his imagination.

Reality was that he'd been abused into a dog by Claire.

"..."

This was an answer Claire had never imagined.

That female Zerg had long forgotten Xi'an.

Only Xi'an stubbornly held onto those feelings.

Even so, Xi'an still insisted on marrying him.

The thing he desired most had been discarded like garbage by another Zerg.

And Xi'an's feelings ran deeper than he'd imagined.

A high-ranking Male Zerg willing to risk humiliation and rejection just to marry someone...

Claire both hated that female Zerg's ignorance—

And found himself unbearably pitiful.

"You won't be embarrassed."

Claire said hoarsely.

"Which legion is he from? I'll personally invite him to marry into the family. If he wants the position of Female Lord... I can give it to him."

The position had been bestowed upon him by Xi'an in the first place.

Returning it to the Zerg Xi'an truly loved was only natural.

As for himself...

Nothing mattered anymore.

The moment he realized he couldn't compare to the other Zerg in Xi'an's heart—

Didn't even qualify to compare—

Nothing mattered.

Claire's pain transmitted directly to Xi'an.

Xi'an realized he'd gone too far with the joke.

He'd only wanted to tease and get back at Claire a little.

Who told him to forget him?

Now he'd overdone it, and Xi'an's heart ached instead.

Stepping forward, Xi'an embraced Claire, pushed him against the wall and kissed him.

"I'm sorry, Claire. I never brought it up all these years because I was the only one who remembered and cared. Honestly, that was pretty embarrassing..."

"I didn't know your feelings back then. I thought you didn't like me. If I'd known sooner, I would've pursued you the moment I joined the Ninth Legion."

"No, that's wrong. I'd have just greeted you directly—Hi, Claire. I'm here to marry you!"

Looking into Claire's icy blue eyes, Xi'an said softly:

"Will you marry me, Claire? Marry the little Zerg who promised thirteen years ago that he'd marry you."

The eyes of a Male Zerg possessed the power to bewitch hearts.

Claire nearly blurted out, "I will."

Then he finally processed the latter half of Xi'an's words.

The little Male Zerg from thirteen years ago...?!

Claire's eyes widened in disbelief.

Red hair.

Green eyes.

Bright and sly smile.

The ages matched.

And that Star Medal...

His medal?!

Huh?!

Claire froze completely.

Like a wooden sculpture.

"Hurry and answer me, Claire."

Xi'an kissed his lips again and again, saying resentfully,

"Didn't you say you wouldn't let me lose face? Didn't you say you'd help me marry my beloved?"

Claire: "..."

How was he supposed to know this "beloved" was this kind of beloved?

Just moments ago, he'd been imagining that he and Xi'an would soon have a cute little red-haired hatchling.

And then suddenly he was told—

The hatchling you envied back then has already become your Male Lord!

Work harder together with your Male Lord and you'll have a hatchling just as cute! Guaranteed! After all, it'll be your own bloodline!

Claire was completely dumbfounded.

......】

[Dumbfounded is good. Dumbfounded is wonderful. Not like he was ever smart.]

Readers mocked him mercilessly.

They felt Lord Xi'an had been far too soft-hearted to reveal the truth so quickly.

[He should've suffered and agonized for a while longer, only to eventually discover that the Zerg he hated, envied, and feared all along was himself.]

[Lord Xi'an is too sweet. I can't imagine what would've happened if he'd really walked into the Ninth Legion and said, "Hi, Claire. I'm here to marry you!" Claire would've been dizzy with happiness.]

[No, Claire would've probably thought it was some Male Zerg prank.]

[Even if he knew Lord Xi'an was the little Male Zerg from back then, he wouldn't dare accept immediately. He'd think the Male Zerg was simply young and impulsive and that he couldn't bear the responsibility of an entire Male Zerg's life.]

The male readers were stunned by the female Zerg discussions.

[You female Zergs miss Male Zerg thoughts by a hundred thousand miles, but you're amazing at guessing female Zergs.]

[Guess that's same-sex understanding. Female Zergs understand female Zergs.]

[Nothing special. We've just read enough that suddenly we understand Claire. It's like there's really such a Zerg.]

At first, they hadn't understood Claire either.

Even the synopsis saying "abusing the Male Zerg beyond recognition" had been incomprehensible.

No normal female Zerg would do that.

But as the story progressed, Claire and Lord Xi'an became more and more vivid.

Their thoughts and feelings unfolded before the readers, and it felt as though they truly knew those two Zergs.

Xi'an was a Male Zerg.

His thoughts were difficult for female readers to guess.

But Claire was different.

In the end, he was still a female Zerg.

No matter how strange he was, he had never escaped the logic common to female Zergs.

Guessing their own kind was easy.

[We even have a Claire Analysis Group. We dissect all of Claire's behavioral patterns to learn from Claire and surpass Claire!]

The male readers were utterly shaken.

These female Zergs were seriously using Claire as study material.

Scolding him viciously with their mouths, while secretly keeping teaching materials in their hands, huh?

Author's Note:

Since my work is currently being promoted, let me recommend some completed novels and upcoming works:

【Completed】

Triplets in One Pregnancy, But the Male Lead Gives Birth (GB)

Scum Gong Reform, But a Lovebrain (main gong, anthology)

Seven Star Coins for One Zerg (main gong, Zerg)

The Emperor and His Shadow Guard (Scum Gong Version)

The Doctor Said I Can Only Live Off Soft Rice (main gong, anthology)

Dragon Courtship (Courtship Season) (non-human)

All the Zergs Are My Wife Fans (main gong, Zerg)

Guardians at the Top of the Food Chain (no CP, raising hatchlings)

Raising a Little Zombie Online [Livestream] (no CP)

...

(My profile has many completed works, please choose according to your taste.)

【Upcoming】

Pure Love Gong + Chosen Tragic Shou Protagonist (main gong, anthology)

How Can an Emperor Not Be Crazy? (main gong, anthology)

The Championship Is Mine, and So Am I [Esports] (selfcest)

Guardians at the Top of the Food Chain 2 (no CP, hatchlings)

...