Chapter 29 Who is he looking at through me? (Collection delayed, daily...)

Delayed collection, daily testing...

It seems Bennett was indeed prepared.

Although the effects of the potion are long-lasting, they gradually decrease over time. That is to say, it may be grade A today, but it may drop to grade B or C by the 7th day. In addition, with the daily basic tests, it is difficult to hide the potion reaction. It seems that we need to think of other methods.

Murphy's eyes narrowed slightly. He always seemed to sense something amiss with Bennett, a sense of incongruity unlike any other A-grade male insect.

...

Rupert spotted the hair tie on Attia's head, but it was indeed too obvious. Unless someone like Piccolo was drawing attention, the black hair tie on that silver hair would be particularly noticeable.

Especially the hair tie with a cartoon cotton head, black hair, black eyes, it's obviously a Murphy. With the female insect's eyesight, she can see it clearly without covering her eyes.

He remembered that the Legion Commander had never used a black hair tie before, and the Legion Commander's insignia had also returned, which meant that even though Morpheus had become an A-level male, his attitude towards Atia had not changed at all.

But doesn't he already have a queen? Doesn't the queen have any objections?

Rupert wanted to ask, so he bluntly asked directly.

"Legion Commander, have you met Lord Morfield's consort? Is he easy to get along with?"

Palmer opened his mouth, but it was too late to stop him. He could only listen from the side, covering his face and shaking his head. Rupert's personality could be described as straightforward, or as a bit dim-witted.

Atia paused in wiping the blade, clearly remembering the misunderstanding, before replying after a moment, "He said there were no other queens."

"ah?"

Rupert didn't react for a moment, his eyes blank and a little dazed. What did it mean that there were no other female rulers? Lord Murphy did mention female rulers in court that day.

Palmer, who had served as Atia's adjutant for many years, reacted more quickly and asked immediately, "Lord Morfield has promoted you to the rank of Queen?"

Atiyah did not deny it, and nodded, "Yes."

"Huh?" Rupert was genuinely stunned. His eyes widened in shock. It was rare to be promoted to a female ruler, and there was absolutely no precedent for promoting a female slave to a female ruler, not to mention that Atia's previous crime was harming male insects.

It was for these reasons that he wanted to work with Palmer to find a way to get the Legion Commander out of the Federation. Anywhere would be better than being a female slave.

So, did no bug really hold a knife to Murphy's neck and force him? Or was he dreaming?

"Why?"

Rupert couldn't understand how Murphy, who had been so loyal to Bennett and abused the Legion Commander, could suddenly change like this.

Atia first shook her head, then asked somewhat uncertainly, "He said I... am pretty?"

"...Huh?" Rupert was shocked three times in a row; all the surprises he had this year were directed at Murphy.

A male insect likes a female insect, not because of power or assets, but because the female insect is beautiful? This was an answer Rupert couldn't come up with even after racking his brains. He pinched his thigh and yelled in pain.

Palmer looked at him in surprise, "What's wrong?"

Rupert's tone was evasive. "Let me see if I'm dreaming."

...

"Brother, what's wrong?"

Milton rushed downstairs to greet him, only to find that his brother's expression was off. He had never seen his seemingly omnipotent brother look so serious before.

"Isn't today my date with Prince Roxis? Shouldn't I be happy?"

Cromwell silently shook his head. "I'm fine, just a little tired. I'll go upstairs and rest."

Cromwell, looking somewhat tired, went straight upstairs.

Prince Roxis... is not as gentle and harmless as he appears.

He thought about today's date again. His Highness always seemed to be trying to get him to hand over military power to the royal family after marriage and stay at home to lay eggs. His tone was not like a discussion. Although it was very gentle, it did not allow for refusal.

Actually, it wasn't just today; there were similar signs several times before, but they weren't as obvious as today.

It's possible that His Highness Roxy's transformation period is approaching. Once the transformation is complete and his genetic level is updated, the two families will definitely start discussing the marriage date. His Highness Roxy is asking him to make a decision ahead of time.

But in reality, he had no right to make that choice.

He is now in a very awkward situation. As everyone knows, he is destined to be the queen of Loxis in the future. If he does not agree, no other male insect will dare to compete with Loxis for the insect.

However, since he is a high-level female insect, he will develop resistance to pheromone drugs if he continues to use them. Now, B-grade pheromone drugs are completely ineffective against him, and the effects of A-grade pheromone drugs are also getting worse.

In this generation of the family, there are only him and Milton. If he could take a roundabout approach and let Milton take over his job... but his brother is not cut out for it, and he would prefer that his brother do what he wants to do.

So, what choice should he make...?

Although his brother didn't say anything, Milton sensed something was wrong, so after his brother went upstairs, he quietly asked the butler who was waiting nearby.

The butler paused for a moment, then sighed helplessly and said tactfully, "His Highness Roxis hopes that the young master will pay more attention to his family after marriage."

Milton, who had grown up in a noble family, naturally understood what this meant. He immediately retorted angrily, "What? His Highness Loxsis wants my brother to leave the Legion after getting married?"

"Young Master, please keep your voice down."

The butler gave a helpless, bitter smile.

The Empire's restrictions on female insects are actually much looser than those of the Federation. It does not interfere with female insects' choices after marriage because the current emperor only has one female insect, namely the Marshal. The two insects have maintained their relationship for decades. Therefore, the relationship between male and female insects in the Empire is not as tense as in the Federation.

Milton knew that his brother had always regarded continuing the family's glory as his goal since childhood. He worked harder than anyone else in the legion and had always been the best among his peers. He was the goal that every young female in the empire pursued.

If my brother is forced to leave the legion after marriage and be trapped at home forever laying eggs, not to mention whether my brother would accept it, even he himself would not be able to accept it.

But he was just a shut-in who knew nothing about the Legion and didn't know how to help his brother.

Milton twisted his fingers, clinging to a sliver of hope, and asked, "Can't my brother not get married?"

The butler sighed and shook his head. "The young master is an S-class female insect. Without the comfort of a high-level male insect, those pheromone drugs alone won't work. His resistance will only increase, and in the end, alas..."

"Moreover, His Highness Loxis is, after all, the Crown Prince of the Empire. Admittedly, His Majesty the Emperor and His Excellency the Marshal are both very good insects, but no high-ranking male insect in the Empire would dare to offend His Highness Loxis in this matter."

The implication is that there is no other way.

Milton bit his lower lip tightly, a deep sense of powerlessness rising within him. If only he could find a pheromone drug that wouldn't cause drug resistance, then his brother could freely choose what he wanted to do. But where could he find such a magical drug?

...

Looking in the mirror, ignoring his green hair, Lovin still couldn't quite believe that the pheromone potion he had casually bought on the dark web actually worked, and its effects far surpassed those of high-grade pheromone potions. This "far surpassed" didn't refer to the concentration, but rather to the sense of stability and calm it provided.

The chaos and madness that had tormented him just minutes before seemed to have vanished on the horizon, leaving only calm and tranquility.

"Your Highness? Your Highness?"

"What's wrong?"

"That's great! You finally replied. I couldn't reach you for a week. I was afraid something had happened to you. I was almost going to go to His Majesty."

"I'm fine. I'm just in a new place where the signal isn't very good. I'm not planning to go back yet."

"Okay, I've compiled a new set of information that you requested..."

"Okay, don't contact me for a while. If I need anything, I'll contact you."

"yes!"

Off-screen, Lovin, who was preparing to organize the messages, looked utterly horrified. He hadn't sent any messages, so why was his personal terminal automatically replying, and in his own tone?

Lovin frowned as he tried to send a message, but the quantum computer did not respond at all; it could neither edit nor send.

"Waiter, contact Houston immediately."

Houston was the subordinate who had been sending him messages.

"..."

"..."

The robot insect's eyes flashed a few times before it said, "Master, please connect Xiao Er to the Endless Domain Network first."

Lovin's heart skipped a beat. Lan Kuo Star was a second-class resource star, within the Empire's territory, and even relatively close to the first ring of resources. It was impossible for it not to be covered by the Endless Domain Network. Therefore, the only possibility was that it was cut off by the insects.

Moreover, the lack of an endless domain network affects not only communication but also his airships and starships.

Who is it?

He suddenly raised his eyes and looked out at the endless sea and boundless sky in the distance.

He's trapped here!

...

In the chaotic star field, the shockwaves from several large explosions overturned many small spaceships, creating a massive spectacle that could be seen from a great distance.

The headquarters of the Crimson Planet Pirates was attacked by the bugs. The bugs that launched the attack were extremely arrogant, bombing their way through and stealing their loot before running away. By the time the Crimson Planet Pirates sobered up, all they could see was the exhaust fumes of the attackers' ship. The large white, sharp blade emblem on the ship was like a blatant, arrogant laugh that infuriated the bugs.

"Commander, the warehouse has been robbed! Five boxes of pheromones are missing."

The insect who reported rushed in, panting heavily, his tone filled with nothing but fear and anger. You have to understand how difficult it is to obtain pheromones; they themselves only had 10 boxes in stock, and now half of that was gone. Just thinking about it made them want to vomit blood.

"It's Pure White, they're asking for it." The leader of the Crimson Pirates, whose face was scarred, stared intently at the Pure White Pirates on the screen, who had almost disappeared into a single dot.

On the starship engraved with white daggers, Doris had one hand on Talos's shoulder, laughing heartily, "Awesome! Hahahaha, Talos, I never thought we could fight side by side again."

Talos slapped his hand away impatiently. "We were just lucky to catch them when they were off guard. We could split the boxes into two and auction them off, giving the remaining small ships that didn't belong to the Crimson Star Pirates a chance to catch their breath."

Doris nodded. "I think it's a good idea. Our main goal is to get that magic potion. As long as it's supplied on time on the dark web, the whole ship can work together to grab it. We should be able to get a few bottles."

The situation in the Chaos Starfield has undergone a subtle shift. While it hasn't yet broken the Crimson Pirates' monopoly, it has effectively slowed their expansion, giving many small and medium-sized pirate groups a chance to breathe.

...

Time passed slowly and was boring. The worst part was not being able to be affectionate with his wife. Murphy lazily found a deck chair in the sun, lay down, and went to sleep.

At first, the male insects had the energy to cause trouble for Murphy, and after learning their lesson, they became more and more courageous, one after another. However, later on, they became more and more listless.

For these pampered male insects, being confined to one place for seven days is no different from being in prison.

"Morpheus!"

A familiar voice suddenly came from behind Murphy.

However, Murphy was feeling lazy under the sun and didn't bother to turn around. He simply said, "I remember you completed your transformation test two years ago, didn't you?"

That voice, that tone—I knew it was Daniel without even turning around.

Daniel walked over, sighing, "I came here especially to keep you company, but you didn't even bother to lift your head. It's so disheartening, so disheartening."

I don't believe it.

Daniel shrugged. "Well, Rodney was worried you'd get bullied, so he specifically asked me to come over."

"Doesn't the Male Insect Protection Association not allow other insects to come in?" Murphy asked.

“After all, I’m a professional…” Daniel blinked and flicked the brim of his baseball cap, “…a work bug.”

"Extras?" Murphy finally perked up a bit. "You're filming here? Are you asking us to be extras? What's the pay?"

Daniel scoffed, "You're obsessed with money."

"Boring." Upon hearing this, Murphy peacefully closed his eyes again.

Daniel didn't keep them in suspense, "The Male Insect Protection Association meant that His Excellency the President would be coming to visit later, and they needed our team to film a promotional video, so I mingled into the group of insect staff."

“…Oh.” Murphy didn’t react much after learning that there was no money. He even moved his body to the side because Daniel was blocking a small part of the sunlight.

Daniel gestured with his hands in disbelief, "Don't you have any thoughts? That's His Excellency the President, an S-class male insect."

Murphy gave a wry thought, “...He must be pretty bored.”

“…” Daniel choked.

"If those die-hard fans of the president knew about your attitude, they could drown you with a single spit from a worm."

"They must have a lot of free time."

"...You win."

Daniel dragged the lazy Murphy to the front yard, just as His Excellency the President stepped into the yard amidst the attention of everyone.

President Nehemiah, this is the Federation's only S-class male insect... You can tell he's quite old. His hair isn't dyed; it's the white of an old insect. The wrinkles on his face have the charm of age, as well as a long-standing majesty.

To be honest, Murphy was quite curious about him. It was truly baffling that a male insect could become the supreme commander when the male insects were neither numerous nor strong. Could it be that S-class male insects undergo some kind of qualitative change? Or was it true that the rumors about S-class male insects playing a crucial role in the war were true?

I really want to catch it and study it...

President Nehmeya came today mainly because his student, Bennett, contacted him and asked him to come and briefly calm the emotions of the male insects awaiting testing.

He would still give face to his favorite students, and he could understand that this was the first year the system had been changed, so it was normal for the male insects to be unaccustomed to it.

President Nehmeya habitually glanced around the entire courtyard, then suddenly paused.

He saw a tall male insect standing in the corner, noticeably taller than the other males, with black hair and black eyes. What was even more unusual was that his eyes seemed to have a hint of gold.

...Is it a coincidence?

Murphy didn't miss the momentary surprise in the president's eyes when he looked at him, as if the president saw another insect through him. This was a bit strange, since he wasn't a native insect here and didn't look like the original owner. Was his appearance just a generic face here?

If it's because of hair color, there are quite a few male insects with black hair and black eyes in the Federation, but none of them are of high quality. As for this, Murphy thinks they have a bit of a light-colored worship.

However, the president didn't pay much attention to Murphy afterward, as if that glance was just his imagination.

As soon as the meeting began, Murphy sensed the president's popularity. The few male insects who treated him with disdain all surrounded the president, showering him with flattering words that were far more effective than their usual provocations.

"teacher."

As soon as Bennett arrived, the surrounding male insects made way for him, and even the president's serious face softened a little as he nodded to Bennett.

Throughout the meeting, he only responded more to Bennett's words, and his responses to the other male insects were rather formulaic, which suggests that he was genuinely quite satisfied with Bennett.

As expected, the promotional video generated a lot of discussion as soon as it was released, and the voices criticizing Murphy grew louder.

[His Excellency the President has been speaking with His Excellency Bennett the whole time; His Excellency Bennett is indeed His Excellency the President's favorite student.]

Yes, you see, His Excellency the President barely even glanced at Murphy. It seems His Excellency doesn't particularly regard Murphy's rank.

【It's over, all over. Our hope for F-grade male insects...】

[Hilarious, what hope is there for an F-rank?]

-----------------------

Author's Note: Thank you AAA for the gift! [starry eyes][starry eyes][starry eyes] Love you~

Thank you to "The Eighth Snow Trace Through the Polar Day" babies, "Qiqi Wants to Sleep" babies, "Liuxiao" babies, and "Listening to Maple Leaves Outside the Building" babies for the nutrient solution! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]