Chapter 44, Chapter 48: Negotiation. "Tonight."...

Because he arrived in a hurry, Vison still didn't make an appointment this time, but he was still allowed to enter.

Compared to usual, Marshal Devi's face no longer held its usual smile; instead, it was grave and serious.

Vison's heart sank.

"Marshal Devi, good day."

Devi glanced at him, but his pen didn't stop, quickly approving one document after another.

He nodded with an unusually calm expression: "Is there something you need, Your Excellency Vincent?"

“I want him.” Vison’s words were direct and to the point. “You know who I’m talking about.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Vison, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Upon hearing his words, Devi paused for a moment, then continued writing.

Even without raising his head, the oppressive feeling around him was already extremely heavy.

Seeing that Vinson didn't move an inch, he seemed annoyed at being disturbed by a mischievous child and said in a very low voice, "I'm still very busy. If you don't have anything else, then..."

“Fibros, Fibros Gesellian.”

“I can save him.” Ignoring his pressure, Vison looked at Devi and emphasized, “Only I can save him.”

Upon hearing this, Devi finally reacted.

He looked up, as if he were seeing Vison for the first time.

A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes, his gaze even bordering on chilling.

Vison stared directly into his eyes, completely unfazed: "You told me last time that he would come back safely, but what about now?"

When he said this, Vison was uncontrollably angry, even somewhat aggressive.

As soon as those words were spoken, the atmosphere became like a bowstring stretched to its limit.

A battle of wits, like needles pointing at wheat awns.

Finally, Devi withdrew his gaze, put down his pen, and leaned back in his chair, looking languid but actually dangerous, his tone almost mocking: "And on what grounds do you make this request?"

“I will become his overlord, the matchmaking pool decides.” Vinson pulled up the matchmaking pool results and displayed them prominently in front of him, as if showing off.

Name: Vison Ill

Match status: Matched – Fipos Ghisrian. (First match)

Devi stared at the two names for a long time, his expression genuinely puzzled: "Doesn't Lord Vison know that the matchmaking pool only forces one date? You can refuse after the date."

These words struck a nerve with Visen. He didn't even care that he needed Devi's help, and he retorted viciously, "Could I refuse? Why didn't the Insect King's refusal work?"

He was able to retaliate thanks to the fact that on the way to the Zerg hive with Lanco, Lanco secretly shared a lot of gossip about Marshal Devi and the Zerg King with him.

Seeing Devi's face instantly darken, Vison finally felt much better.

He spoke as if stating a fact, his words carrying a hidden meaning: "He won't refuse me, I won't give him the chance to refuse me, just like you."

After a brief moment of loss of composure, Devi quickly regained his composure. He stared at Vincent, and despite hearing his arrogant words, he wasn't annoyed.

He even showed his first genuine smile of the day, which was quite rare: "You're quite interesting, much more likable than my female self."

After saying that, he let out a long sigh and pulled a familiar-looking crystal ball from under the table.

It's a crystal ball for measuring mental strength.

“Please do not conceal your true level of mental power.” Devi placed the crystal ball in front of Vincent. “Otherwise, I would never give it to you.”

Devi said seriously, "Although I am very puzzled as to how you know this, since you already know, you should understand how serious his mental energy outburst is right now. Even if you are an SS-level male insect, calming him down in this state will backfire and could be life-threatening."

"The Empire cannot accept problems with young SS-class male insects. Feibos himself was also firmly unwilling, something he emphasized to me countless times before going to the battlefield."

When it came to serious matters, Devi became exceptionally serious and earnest.

*

Devi still remembers that day when Fipos came in with the report.

He was startled by the expression on Fipos's face when he looked up.

If I had to use a metaphor, it would be like a wandering soul with only an empty shell.

I'm feeling really down.

He frowned, and before he could reprimand Fipos, he heard Fipos speak.

"If my mental energy goes berserk on the battlefield, don't let him calm me down." When he said this, Fei Bosi's expression was just as serious as when he told him he was going to the battlefield.

No, I should say, even more serious than that.

“I can’t agree to that,” Devi refused without hesitation.

Phibos's lips trembled, but he finally spoke in a low, hoarse voice: "Please, Father."

Devi stared at him in astonishment, his face showing disbelief at what he had just heard.

Fipos was the eldest son, and he was born at the time when his relationship with his father was at its most strained.

Throughout his childhood, they showed him very little care and were too busy torment each other.

By the time their relationship improved and they had the energy to focus on Phibos, Phibos had grown into an independent female insect who didn't need their care and could stand on her own, and had even begun to make a name for herself in the army.

Their communication pattern with Fipose seems to have become rigid, distant, unchangeable, and their feelings for each other are particularly indifferent.

Now that Fipos has grown into an invincible general, standing before him and asking him for something for the first time, Devi's feelings are exceptionally complicated.

“He is more important to me than myself, just as my father is to you.” Fipos stood before him, his expression resolute, revealing an unwavering determination.

Devi finally agreed.

Because he knew that Fipos was determined, and even if he refused, Fipos would only use more drastic means to achieve his goal.

*

“I would not have agreed to see you. But when I thought about the last time we met, when we clashed mentally, I knew that you were definitely more than SS-level, and I wanted to give him a chance to live.”

Devi was actually gambling; he was gambling that Vison would come looking for him again, and that he would be willing to reveal his true level for the sake of Feibos.

He needed to know clearly what Vison's true mental strength level and what Vison's true nature was before he dared to hand over Feipo to him.

In these two exchanges, he had put aside his concern that "Vison might harm Feibos," and now only the most important thing was his mental strength level.

"Are you really sure? The crystal ball that measures mental strength is connected to the Xiongbao Association's terminal. Once it's tested, it can't be kept secret." Devi asked one last time.

"Of course." He nodded without hesitation.

Looking at the resolute Vison before him, Devi seemed to see again the same Vison who had firmly refused to let Vison appease him.

Fipos would definitely not agree.

Devi thought.

But he wouldn't be willing to watch his child die when he clearly had a chance.

He still wanted to seize every possible opportunity.

Even if it goes against his child's own wishes.

He is indeed selfish, and he always has been.

"Please, Your Excellency Vison."

With a cold expression, Vison placed his hand on it.

This time, he no longer controlled his mental power, allowing it to be entangled by the lines emitted by the crystal ball.

A, S, SS......

Soon SS was filled, and it jumped to SSS.

Devi's expression did not improve; if it was just a barely passing SSS rank, that was not enough.

Fortunately, his mental energy was still slowly rising, and after a while, he was more than halfway to the SSS line.

At this point, the speed slowed down significantly, but it was still gradually increasing.

Just as Vincent felt that all the mental energy in his body was exhausted, he filled up the SSS completely.

The crystal ball spun for a long time, eventually jumping back and forth between SSS and SSS+.

This means that Vison has the ability to appease Feibos, who reached SSS+ during the riot.

Upon seeing the result, Devi raised an eyebrow in surprise. It was even higher than he had guessed, indicating that he had held back last time.

The worry on his face vanished, and he returned to his usual playful demeanor: "Very good, young male insect. You're not hiding your true abilities."

"So, when will you give him to me? When will I be able to see him?" Vincent was unmoved by his praise; his mind was preoccupied with only one thing—seeing Fipos.

Devi, who was about to say something more, was taken aback by his words, realizing he had underestimated the male insect's eagerness.

He said helplessly, "Tomorrow."

“Tonight,” Vison coldly refused.

“We arranged for Bug to bring him back last night, but his mental outburst was too severe, and his injuries were too serious, so the journey had to be extended,” Devi explained patiently, a rare occurrence for him.

Vison was particularly firm on this matter: "There is no room for negotiation. I want to see him tonight. I can go there."

He felt as if a huge stone was pressing on his heart.

From the moment he saw Phibos become lifeless in his dream, the stone gradually grew heavier.

Having received the answer from Phibos at the insect hive that he was not a match for the male lord, and realizing that Phibos's silent departure was because he feared that his attempts to appease him would backfire, this stone felt doubly heavy.

He was so overwhelmed by the heavy stones that he could hardly breathe; he couldn't wait even a second longer.

This huge rock is going to crush him.

He knew that only when he saw Phibos, when he touched the real, vibrant, and breathing Phibos, could this stone finally fall to the ground.

He wants to see him.

The sooner the better.

Devi frowned, somewhat hesitant.

But remembering Ilya's report last night that Fipos was almost at his limit...

“I’ll find a female soldier to take you there to the spaceship.” Devi finally agreed, despite the risk. “Please be careful.”

"Thank you." This time, Vincent expressed his gratitude with particular sincerity. "I will explain the situation to Chairman Lan Ke regarding the Xiongbao Association."

Upon hearing this, Devi gave a particularly helpless smile: "Great, I don't want to be scolded by them for another meeting."

The atmosphere immediately became much lighter.

Looking at the sincere and energetic Vison, Devi finally breathed a sigh of relief.

A surge of joy welled up inside me, knowing I'd escaped unharmed.

Fortunately, he won his gamble.

*

At the same time that Lanco noticed the abnormality of the crystal ball displayed on the terminal, he received a message from Visen explaining his true level.

Before he could even celebrate Vinson's SSS-level rating, he saw Vinson's subsequent post announcing that he was going to appease Feibos.

The next second, he received a report from Devi regarding General Feppos's physical condition and a request.

The application mainly requests that His Excellency Il-Visen appease Admiral Febus Ghisrian; the bottom right corner already bears the Insect King's stamp and signature.

Essentially, this report and application are only used to notify the Xiongan New Area Protection Committee and to keep a record.

In other words, if Vison's actions in comforting Fiobis are not in Fiobis's best interest and result in a backlash, Fiobis will not be held responsible.

Furthermore, the Xiongan Protection Association cannot prevent the appeasement process from taking place before it begins.

When Lanco saw the description in Feibos's physical condition report that read "Mental riot exceeding SSS level, uncontrollable," he almost fainted.

But Vison had already set off.

He even made a special phone call to tell him not to worry about him, as he was capable of comforting Fei Bosi.

Lan Ke was furious, but there was nothing he could do.

He could only rage helplessly and add another mark to his heart against the Fipers family.

*

After a long journey, Vison finally boarded the spaceship where Fepos was.

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Author's Note: Hmm... I didn't write about it, but it's not a big deal! [Please] See you in the next chapter, and there shouldn't be any more scenes of them separating after that.