Chapter 307: Original Protagonist — Fated Zerg: So... Do You Want to Give It a Try With Me?

Helios's brain was about to burn itself dry.

He needed to find a Male Zerg to marry, and his best bro was telling him to consider him.

The realization was so shocking that Helios couldn't help wondering whether there was some deeper meaning hidden in his bro's words that he had failed to understand.

Especially since "Phoenix," sitting across from him, looked perfectly composed, as though he hadn't just said something utterly earth-shattering.

Helios silently swallowed.

Although same-sex relationships had enjoyed a brief surge in popularity because of An-shen's novels, a niche was still a niche. Surely things hadn't progressed to the point where someone could be this open and straightforward about it?

Helios's head buzzed as countless thoughts raced through his mind.

If "Phoenix" got together with him, he would definitely face plenty of strange looks in the future... With the spread of Psychic Soothing devices, mental problems could at least be kept under control, but what about hatchlings?

All Female Zergs liked hatchlings, right? And unlike Helios, who had nothing tying him down, "Phoenix" came from a good family. Naturally, that meant he had family assets and responsibilities to shoulder, which in turn meant he would need an heir...

Compared with all of that, the fact that the Marshal was pressuring Helios to get married suddenly seemed unimportant.

Helios didn't consider himself at all.

"Just where has your mind wandered off to?"

"Phoenix" interrupted his thoughts.

Although he couldn't know exactly what Helios was thinking, the unfocused look in the other's eyes made it obvious that his mind was somewhere else.

That wouldn't do. He needed to know Helios's attitude toward this.

"I..."

Helios's expression was complicated, and he was deeply conflicted inside, but he still voiced his thoughts.

"I think... this isn't a very good idea."

He knew that in certain more open-minded circles, there was a saying along the lines of "let your bro have some fun first," but Helios had fairly high moral standards and demanded a lot of himself. He really couldn't bring himself to participate in something that messy.

"What's not good about it?"

"Phoenix" genuinely wanted to know why.

His younger brother had managed to win over a Female Zerg in just a few months, coax him into marriage, and even get him to the point where he didn't care about his sex at all and was willing to be with him whether he was a Female Zerg or a Male Zerg.

Meanwhile, "Phoenix" had spent years with this blockhead and somehow made absolutely no progress.

Could the problem be the Female Zerg?

"Phoenix" silently looked over the Female Zerg sitting opposite him and studied him.

This one of his... was particularly dense? Stubborn once he'd decided something?

"Phoenix" felt that he had found the reason.

It could only be that.

Because he absolutely did not want to blame his failure on having no sexual appeal to Female Zergs. That would be far too devastating.

Helios said, "You have your own family and responsibilities. You can't let yourself sink into the mud because of me."

His brows were drawn together in conflict, yet when he said those words, his expression unexpectedly turned serious.

"Sink into the mud?"

"Phoenix" repeated the phrase, then asked, "Why do you think being with you means sinking into the mud? Are you mud?"

There was a hint of amusement in "Phoenix's" eyes as he asked.

The only thing he'd be sinking into was Helios, so did that make Helios the mud or the mire?

Either way, it sounded like a novel, unusual, and rather pleasant texture.

Helios completely missed "Phoenix's" joke and answered seriously:

"I'm a Female Zerg, and you're a Female Zerg too. A Female Zerg and another Female Zerg... can't produce eggs."

Helios himself didn't particularly care, but "Phoenix" genuinely had a family legacy to inherit. He couldn't hold him back.

"Produce eggs?"

"Phoenix" froze for a moment and finally realized where the problem lay.

It was a little unexpected, but understandable.

Female Zergs all loved Zerg eggs and hatchlings.

He simply hadn't expected Helios to also have the idea that marriage should be established with a partner capable of producing eggs. But it wasn't too late now that he knew.

So he smiled and said casually:

"I'll send you my medical examination report and genetic information later. You can take them and run the compatibility calculations yourself. Our compatibility won't be low."

His sex had been determined because of Helios, so he had every confidence in saying that.

Since Helios was his "Fated Zerg," there was absolutely no way their compatibility would be low.

Before meeting Helios, "Phoenix" had even wondered whether something like a "Fated Zerg" simply didn't exist and whether he should just become a Female Zerg.

Female Zergs possessed greater combat power, which better suited his needs. The special genetics of the Phoenix Bird Family also meant he wasn't prone to mental problems. Even if he became a Female Zerg, he could maintain a stable mental state. For him, becoming a Female Zerg was simply the best choice.

Because that thought had grown so strong, his body had also been influenced by his mind and gradually begun showing signs of developing in the direction of a Female Zerg.

But fate simply loved making fools of Zergs.

Just when "Phoenix" had mentally prepared himself to become a Female Zerg, Helios appeared.

A military academy student who was still in school, obsessed with mechs, so straightforward that he was almost single-minded. After training, he would lift his shirt and take pictures of his abs to show off to him. He diligently studied the mech knowledge "Phoenix" taught him and looked up at him with eyes full of admiration, as though he thought "Phoenix" was unbelievably amazing, trusting him wholeheartedly.

"Phoenix," who had become the head of his family at an early age and was long accustomed to scheming and deception, fell before he even saw it coming.

By the time he realized what had happened, his body, which had already been shifting toward becoming a Female Zerg, made a complete 180-degree reversal, hurtling toward the Male Zerg direction before finally locking into place.

What kind of horror story was waking up overnight with a suddenly enlarged massive dick?

"Phoenix" did not want to remember the complicated emotions he'd experienced when he lifted the covers and received the shock of his life.

Even more suffocating was the fact that the culprit responsible hadn't noticed his changes at all and had continued treating him like a bro.

"Phoenix" gave the Zerg opposite him a dark, lingering look.

Helios was still puzzling over his words.

Medical examination report, genetic calculations, compatibility...

An absurd guess rose in Helios's mind.

It was so absurd that even after thinking of it, he didn't dare believe it.

Helios gave two dry laughs and deliberately joked:

"You bastard... what are you talking about? What compatibility could there possibly be between two Female Zergs?"

"Phoenix's" answer was to raise his hand and remove his mask.

The feathered mask came away, allowing his medium-length red bangs to fall naturally around his face. A pair of golden-red eyes slowly opened and quietly gazed at Helios.

The face beneath the mask was breathtakingly beautiful, yet when he lifted his eyes, there was also a handsome, fierce sharpness about him that could steal a Zerg's soul.

Helios stared blankly, his mind going empty for an instant before countless thoughts flashed through it.

"My bro is seriously handsome," "My bro actually has a face this incredible—no wonder so many Male Zergs chase him," "He looks kind of familiar"...

Looking at that distinctive long red hair and those golden-red eyes, Helios suddenly realized where that sense of familiarity came from.

Familiar?

He was far more than familiar.

"Phoenix's" true face bore such a striking resemblance to Felix, the protagonist of that previously wildly popular novel, that they looked like biological brothers.

Then there was his game ID, "Phoenix," which happened to correspond perfectly with the Phoenix Bird Family.

An answer was practically bursting out on its own...

The head of the Phoenix Bird Family.

The Lord of Hidden Star who had come to Capital Star on the day of the Marshal's wedding and openly expressed his goodwill.

Helios had even seen him with his own eyes just yesterday, at the Marshal's wedding. He had been standing beside Felix from Silver Fortress. The two Male Zerg brothers looked remarkably alike yet possessed completely different temperaments, making them exceptionally conspicuous even among a hall full of guests.

Helios even remembered the glance the other had cast his way from afar, amusement in his eyes as he raised his glass in greeting.

At the time, Helios had just caught the Marshal's wedding bouquet directly with his face and was still completely dazed, his thoughts in utter chaos. He hadn't been in the mood to pay attention to anything, and after being teased by a Male Zerg until his ears turned red, he'd hastily found an excuse to slip away, looking thoroughly pathetic.

Now that all the pieces finally connected, Helios understood.

That had been his "bro" greeting him.

And he'd had absolutely no idea.

After all, who could possibly have imagined that his best bro was a Male Zerg?

A.

Male.

Zerg...

Helios went completely blank.

"Did you freeze?"

"Phoenix" raised a hand and waved it in front of his face, checking his reaction as he muttered quietly, "Do you really need to be this shocked?"

He genuinely thought everything had been extremely obvious and easy to figure out.

He'd barely put any effort into disguising himself. Even the name "Phoenix" was already such an obvious hint that it was practically the same as telling him outright. Unfortunately, this particular Female Zerg had simply never considered that possibility.

Helios's gaze slowly focused on the hand waving before his eyes. Coming back to his senses, he looked utterly horrified.

"You're... a Male Zerg?!"

He blurted out the most unbelievable question of all, his expression so exaggerated that he'd almost lost control of his facial muscles.

"Obviously."

The Male Zerg spread his hands and smiled at him, the exquisite beauty characteristic of a high-ranking Male Zerg completely unobscured on his face.

"But how could..."

How could a Male Zerg know so much about mechs? And pilot one so well?

The thought had barely crossed Helios's mind before he realized that he was falling into prejudice and stereotypes.

Of course there were Male Zergs who excelled at piloting mechs. The Federation had military Male Zergs. Major Xi'an and Colonel Felix were among the very best.

And one of them was even the younger brother of the Male Zerg standing before him.

Helios thought back in a daze.

"Phoenix" was strong. He had always been exceptional. Achieving everything he had with the physique of a Male Zerg only made his perseverance stand out even more.

Helios admired him greatly.

But now he had no idea what attitude he should use when interacting with him.

It didn't seem appropriate for a Female Zerg and a Male Zerg to call each other bros. He should address the other as "Your Excellency."

"Y-Your... Excellency... you... sir..."

Helios tried several times, but the words simply wouldn't come out. Instead, his face turned bright red from the effort.

The Male Zerg saw his difficulty and rescued him from the situation.

"Just call me by my name like you did before. There's no need for honorifics."

He didn't want to hear Helios using honorifics with him either.

With the exception of "Male Lord."

Helios breathed a sigh of relief and looked at "Phoenix" with the gratitude one would show a good bro. Then, as the realization that his bro was actually a Male Zerg sank in once more, his eyes gradually became confused and unfocused again.

"Phoenix" could tell.

This guy's brain had overloaded, and he wasn't going to recover anytime soon.

Generously giving him some time to sort out his thoughts, "Phoenix" picked up his tools and went off to the side to work on his mech.

After a while, Helios shuffled over to him, looking both nervous and curious as he cautiously probed:

"Um... Phoenix, I heard that your family can change sex, so what exactly were you before? Female or male?"

Snap.

"Phoenix" nearly broke the mech maintenance tool in his hand.

He turned back with a smile and asked, "Is that important?"

Helios immediately shook his head with all his might.

He was actually still extremely curious, but he sensed a certain degree of danger. Realizing that "Phoenix" didn't want to talk about it, he wisely stopped asking.

"One more thing."

"Phoenix" looked directly at him and told him seriously, "We don't change sex. We acquire and confirm our sex after meeting our 'Fated Zerg.'"

Don't make it sound as though every Zerg in their family went around "changing from female to male" or "changing from male to female." That was a huge misunderstanding!

"Oh, oh."

Helios nodded obediently.

It took him another beat to realize what "Phoenix" had just said.

They only confirmed their sex after meeting their Fated Zerg...

"Phoenix" was now a Male Zerg. His sex had already been confirmed.

Which meant his Fated Zerg...

Helios's eyes slowly widened. He looked at "Phoenix" and opened his mouth to say something, only to find himself momentarily speechless.

"Phoenix" was practically rendered speechless himself by how slow this guy was when it came to matters like these.

He put down the tool in his hand, sighed softly, and finally confessed outright:

"My 'Fated Zerg' is you. I confirmed my sex as a Male Zerg after meeting you, so... do you want to give it a try with me?"

"Of course, I'm not trying to morally pressure you or force you into anything because of that. You can reject me whenever you want," he added.

"I just hope you'll consider me... Since you need to find a Male Zerg to date or marry, and I just happen to be a Male Zerg... we're a pretty good fit, aren't we?"

He shrugged, deliberately making it sound casual.