Chapter 87
“Knock knock.”
015 carefully brought the dinner plate and placed it on the bedside table. He watched Caesar put on his military uniform and buttoned it up to the top.
Yael, lying on the bed, had been well taken care of. He was bathed in the bright morning light and was sleeping peacefully and comfortably.
The breakfast on the plate was very delicate and beautiful, but it was prepared for male insects. Xi Ze usually solved his three meals elsewhere, or simply took high-concentration nutrient solution to sustain the day.
"Good morning, Lord."
After everything was ready, Xi Ze did not leave in a hurry, but sat down next to Yael, stared at him for a while and whispered.
"Today is the last court hearing. I have to rush over, so I can't accompany you, but I will be back on time after get off work."
He reached out to push away the strands of hair on Yael's forehead, tucked them neatly behind her ears, and briefly explained today's schedule.
"...Anyway, have a good rest and don't worry about those bad things anymore. If you think the time is right, wake up and take a look at me."
When Yael was still awake, we were either too busy with work to see each other, or we were apart more often than we were together because of the war. We never got to spend any time together properly.
It seems too late to make up for it now.
Cize gradually stopped talking and traced the outline of Yael with his eyes. His face was so peaceful and gentle under the morning light that he felt a little dazed for a moment.
As if it was just an ordinary morning, he got up early and dressed, then kissed the drowsy Yael and received a loud kiss back before leaving.
…Now there will be no response.
Caesar leaned over, kissed Yael lightly on the eye, and said goodbye in a silent voice.
"I'm leaving now. See you tonight."
He picked up the military cap beside him and put it on, then tapped 015 on the head and said, "Please take care of the hero."
015, who had just pulled out the forgotten little turtle from under the bed, blinked his eyes and nodded vigorously when he heard this.
"OK!"
*
The trial of felon Anto Edeka began today. Because the evidence was solid, there were basically no obstacles and it went smoothly to the final stage.
There were not many bugs attending the trial. They were basically bugs from the military that had been suppressed by Anto, as well as some noble bugs who wanted to join in the fun. At this moment, they were all quietly listening to the judge listing off the charges.
"Anto Edeka, for violating Articles 3, 12, and ..."
The female insect on the stage had a pale face. Although she was unwilling, she still listened to the accusation against herself calmly. Her handcuffed hands were shaking slightly and she was twitching nervously.
Squeak——
There was a slight sound of a door opening. The door, which originally did not allow insects to enter or exit, was opened as an exception at this moment. Then, a rhythmic sound of footsteps approached.
The sentencing was not interrupted, but many insects still noticed the movement and looked around curiously.
Xi Ze looked calm as he strode out from behind the door.
He nodded amidst the astonished gazes and sat in the last row of seats without any unusual behavior from beginning to end.
But just by sitting there with his upright posture, he had a powerful aura that seemed to be guarding the entire courtroom. The pair of molten gold eyes beneath the brim of his hat were extremely cold, as if he was a giant dragon looking down on ants.
No insect dared to look at it any longer, so they quickly turned their eyes away, even feeling a chill on their backs, and straightened their backs subconsciously.
The trial is continuing.
"According to the court's findings, it is treason, armed rebellion, unlawful ... disorderly conduct and wilful killing of insects."
A long list of charges was read out one by one, and the atmosphere in the courtroom gradually became stagnant, followed by suppressed excitement and whispers.
Because everyone knows that the next step is the final judgment.
The judge looked serious as he read aloud the last line of the verdict, "Based on the above charges, the court will sentence according to law..."
But before he could announce the final result, the micro-communication device on his ear flashed for a moment.
A dull voice came into his ears, causing him to pause.
"——According to the law, Anto Edeka is sentenced to exile for 2000 years!"
There was an uproar in the courtroom.
Anto, who was originally waiting for the death penalty, was also stunned, and then his eyes widened a little, obviously not understanding how he had escaped.
"How is it possible..."
But soon, he realized something and turned around suddenly!
The handcuffs made a loud clanging sound, and the guard in charge of escorting the person immediately drew his gun.
But at that moment, he had already seen the figure sitting at the back, and the blood drained from his face.
Xize withdrew his hand that was about to switch channels, raised his eyelashes slightly, and happened to meet those eyes that were about to burst into tears, and couldn't help but smile slightly.
But the smile did not reach her eyes, causing the female insect's expression of disbelief to turn into enlightenment and shock. She was so frightened that she howled regardless of the occasion.
"No! No no no! No no no no no no no no!!"
"Sentence me to death! Sentence me to death quickly!!!"
Anto struggled desperately, even trying to run into the guards' guns, but his seriously injured body was very weak, and he was easily pinned to the table, unable to move.
"You are abusing your power for personal gain and condoning crime... I want the death penalty immediately!"
“I can’t fall into his hands! Let me go—let me go ahhhhhhh!!”
Some of the insects in the field were still confused, but some of them were alert and looked directly at the female soldier behind them.
When I heard the judge announce the end of the trial, I knew that everything was settled.
"Push it down."
The paralyzed female insect was carried away, and Cize's expression remained unchanged from beginning to end, as if he had not done the shocking thing just now.
He nodded to the bugs in the room who had different expressions on their faces, stood up from his seat, strode out the door, and disappeared in the sunlight.
…
Inside the largest torture chamber in the prison.
A transparent barrier separates two spaces, one large and one small. There is a chair on the smaller side, which is perfect for sitting down and watching the torture scene on the opposite side.
Anto, who was escorted away in the morning, did not return to his own ward, but was secretly brought to this interrogation room.
Blood and flesh flew everywhere, making the walls of the torture room a mess. Before the old blood had dried up, new blood began to splash on it.
Layer upon layer, it's stunning to the eye.
“Aa ...
“It hurts… It hurts so much, ahhhh! Heh, heh——!”
A howling sound like a slaughtered pig came from inside, so sharp and piercing that the warden, who was used to seeing bloody scenes, even felt physically uncomfortable and turned his eyes away, no longer looking at the scene inside.
Instead, the female soldier sat in the chair with her chin supported by one hand, looking thoughtful and watching the details of the torture without blinking.
“That’s not how it’s done.”
Xi Ze spoke suddenly and waved his hand, and immediately a bug beside him presented him with a pair of white gloves.
He put on his gloves slowly, stood up from his seat, walked in amidst respectful and fearful gazes, and stopped in front of the bloody body of the insect.
The pair of shiny black military boots were totally out of place in this filthy place, but they stepped on the female insect's head mercilessly, crushing the overflowing brains with extreme carelessness.
"Look carefully, I'll only demonstrate it once."
The bugs here may have become rusty with the techniques because they haven't been tortured for a long time.
But Xi Ze will never forget the excruciating pain of those torture instruments falling on his body, and the voices in his ears discussing how to torture a bug to the greatest extent.
What now fell upon Anto was everything he had ever experienced, without bias, no more, no less.
——And this is just the beginning, we have only just begun.
He turned his wrist and signaled Chongzi standing next to him to take a closer look.
“Help me, ahhhh… spare me! Spare me, ahhhhh it hurts!!”
There were continuous sounds of terrifying snapping sounds, as well as the crisp sounds of flesh being torn and skulls breaking. The warden was so frightened that he closed his eyes, with an expression on his face that looked like he was about to vomit.
"The real pain is that you can't even scream. You used the wrong force just now. It didn't reach that point."
Xize said calmly, his head and face were splattered with fresh blood, some of it even hung on his eyelashes, dripping into his eye sockets, dyeing his vision a light red.
After he was done, he finally stood up, took the towel that was handed to him and wiped his face, then looked at Chong who was holding the torture instrument in his hand and looking stunned.
"Did you see it clearly?"
The insect stood at attention instantly and said, "Look, look...see clearly!"
"Then continue."
Caesar pulled off his gloves bit by bit, glanced at the bloody scene indifferently, a hint of disgust flashing across his brows.
"Observe his condition at all times. If he is dying, take him to treatment. After he is cured, continue to torture him. Do not let him find an opportunity to commit suicide."
The female soldier's voice was calm and unquestionable, as if Satan, who controls life, death and punishment in hell, had easily sentenced a future worse than death.
"No! No no no no!!!"
“Spare me! Spare me, ahhhhhh!!!”
A sharp howl like a slaughtered pig sounded behind him, filled with resentful anger and hatred.
It was like a fierce ghost struggling to climb up, but could only be dragged into hell again and again, and tortured beyond recognition.
"We will keep an eye on him. Take care, Marshal."
The warden stepped forward to open the door for him, bowing with utmost respect.
Nishizawa threw away the gloves that were completely stained with blood, turned around and walked out without mercy, and straightened his collar that was messed up by the previous action.
Bang.
The door closed behind him, blocking out the nauseating smell of blood, but fresh blood still seeped out from under the door and flowed all the way to the heels of his military boots.
"Are you going back to the military headquarters now? There is an important meeting in half an hour..."
Bai Lang hurried over and whispered about today's schedule so that he could make arrangements in advance.
但他的話音未落，就察覺到元帥的腳步停了一下，而後微微擡起軍帽，看向對面神色蒼白的霍爾。
西澤神色平淡，等了三秒沒聽到雌蟲說話，便徑直越過他繼續往前走。
“等等！”
霍爾還沒試過被這樣忽略，臉色有些鐵青，但也明白今時不同往日，況且他今天來确實是有事要找希爾澤。
西澤停了下來，但仍然沒轉身。
“你真的公然幹擾了審判進程，将蘭斯和安托他們的死刑改成流放，私下卻在對他們實施酷刑嗎？”
霍爾一邊難以置信地搖頭一邊詢問道，蒼老的臉上是一片痛心疾首。
“争權奪利沒問題，有野心也是好事，你也确實有能力做元帥。”
“——但你怎麽會連底線都沒有了！”
白朗在一旁噤若寒蟬。
這次的事确實讓很多蟲震驚不已，這件事如果轉換一下對象他們還能理解。
但那個在泥潭裏仍然傲骨铮铮、不染臭氣的希爾澤……絕不可能這般下作。
“堕落啊！帶頭實施這種淩虐殘忍的手段，借着刑訊的名頭滿足自己的暴虐欲望，以折磨敵蟲為樂……”
霍爾深吸了口氣，想起甚嚣塵上的傳言裏那些可怖的殘虐手段，恨聲下了定論。
“你很快就會變成下一個蘭斯了！”
西澤看着身前開闊的走廊，驀地出神了一瞬，恍然感覺自己并不是在監獄裏，而是二十年前的軍部訓練場。
但那錯覺只維持了一瞬，就徹底消散了，大概以後也不會再出現。
他靜了一瞬，突然出聲道，“你知道我消失的那五年，經歷了什麽嗎。”
身後粗重的呼吸停了一瞬，而後便是一些含糊不清的話。
“……那也和你自己的行為無關……身為軍中表率的元帥，就應該……”
西澤似乎有些厭倦了，終于轉過身看向神色變化的霍爾，一字一頓地質問道。
“我只是把他在我身上做的事，全部還給他而已，怎麽就變成罪無可赦的惡魔了。”
他放輕了一點聲音，漠然的神色洩露出一絲好笑。
“在我被折磨被侮辱生不如死的時候，你也是這麽痛斥他的嗎？”
“那個時候你在哪裏，現在又有什麽資格來管我，老師？”
霍爾沉默下去，垂在一旁的手微微顫抖着，幾乎不敢和那雙金色的眼眸對視，生怕看到什麽讓他羞愧至極的東西。
軍雌很少去質問什麽，就算被辜負和忽視也從來沉默以對。
他堅持那些法律或道德的原則，約束自己的行為讓心和手都保持幹淨。
但卻只換來了更多不理解、欺辱和傷害，甚至弄髒了心上那一抹最最幹淨的顏色。
守護的月亮已經被拉入泥濘，他怎麽可能獨善其身，繼續堅持那些沒用的東西，眼睜睜看着那些垃圾玷污了月色。
“在抓住蘭斯的時候，法院是不是直接判了死刑，我那時候有橫加幹涉嗎，我現在又為什麽插手刑訊，你真的不知道原因嗎？”
西澤幾步走到他面前，近乎尖銳地嗤笑了一聲。
“你知道，但你從來只看到你想看到的。”
“霍爾，我不是那個青澀的新兵蛋子了，只有你始終傲慢又自大，狹隘又自私，從來沒有改變過。”
軍雌微垂着眼，看着那雙驚愕的眼睛，伸手攥住了霍爾的衣領，用極其輕蔑的方式将他推了個趔趄。
“滾。”
那銀白發絲下是一雙野獸似的金瞳，在帽檐投下的陰影中仍然熠熠生輝，劃過一線鋒銳至極的寒芒。
“下次再出現在我面前，就連你一起宰了。”
*
西澤踩着傍晚的夕陽回了家，卻沒有第一時間去看雄蟲，而是轉頭去了一間客卧。
一直到身上的血跡完全被沖刷掉，而濃郁的血腥氣也被沐浴露的清香覆蓋，他才換上幹淨的常服去找耶爾。
房間內霞光如血，而雄蟲一如早晨般躺在床上，只有姿勢微微變動過，似乎曾經醒過一會。
西澤的心髒漏跳了一拍，下一秒又回過神來應該是015挪動的，不然他不可能沒收到消息，頓時失落地抿了抿唇。
“雄主，我回來了。”
他低聲道，伸手摸了摸耶爾的臉，觸碰到一片溫熱才放心下來。
“您今天過得怎麽樣？有沒有哪裏不舒服？”
沒有得到回應，西澤心尖微疼。
強烈的酸澀襲上鼻腔，輕易就摧毀了白天冷漠的假面，暴露下內裏傷痕累累的心髒來。
而耶爾蜷縮在他懷裏，眉目安寧，雌蟲頓了一下，還是繼續低聲道。
“今天的審判進行得很順利，我本不該插手的，但還是氣不過，等您醒了我就一槍崩了他們。”
“餐後甜點讓那邊做了草莓小蛋糕，可惜雄主一直不醒，我就幫您吃了……味道很好，就像您一樣。”
“您在那邊安頓下來了嗎？”
“之前雄主說過自己還在上學，昏迷了三年才醒的話應該不可避免會脫節，家裏應該也落了很多灰。”
軍雌一向寡言，此刻也不知道該說些什麽，有時候說了一模一樣的話也不記得。
只是拼命搜羅着一些瑣碎的事，不想陷入死一般的安靜。
但空氣還是慢慢沉寂下去。
白天的工作消耗了西澤太多精力，此刻終于抱住熟悉的氣息，才得以放松下來。
叩叩。
房門傳來很輕的敲門聲，而後015探出一個頭來。
“有蟲來訪，您要見一見嗎？”
別墅的監控連接着015的系統，它接收了身份掃描的結果，有些遲疑地念出了那個蟲的名字。
“您知道這是誰嗎？”
一個陌生的名字。
西澤微垂着眼，專注地凝視着懷裏的雄蟲，直接拒絕道，“不見。”
“他說有東西要交給您，啊，他把東西放在寄存處了，我去給您拿過來……！”
不等雌蟲回複，015就飛快出了門。
它很快從外面拿回來一個黑色的絲絨盒子，捧在手裏一遍遍掃描。
“裏面是兩個圈圈，危險程度為0！”
西澤原本已經疲憊到不想回應，但在聽到兩個圈圈時，一股強烈的預感卻突然襲上心頭，讓他渾身一震。
“……拿過來我看看。”
他拿過那個黑絲絨小盒子，不知道為什麽手抖起來，遲疑半晌，還是按住了盒蓋，一點點将之打開——
兩枚銀藍色的戒指，安靜地躺在中心的海綿上。
西澤一眼就看出來，這兩枚戒指的原材料是那塊機甲之心。
外面銀色的部分被雕刻成經典的素圈，分別是耶爾和他的尺寸。
而戒圈中心處鑲嵌着冰晶碎片，在霞光中流轉着深邃的藍色光澤，美得像是墜落隕星的一角，透過這一眼仿佛可以窺見整片宇宙。
“……”
雌蟲完全陷入了呆滞，甚至下意識懷疑自己是不是終于瘋了，才會臆想出這種幻夢來安慰自己。
但他靜止了許久，手裏的戒指仍然沒有消失。
絲絨柔軟，金屬冰涼，告訴他一切都是真實存在的。
“這是什麽？”
015看着那個圈圈，一時間還沒反應過來，眨巴着豆豆眼看向雌蟲。
卻恰好見到西澤猛地捂住了臉，呼吸急促起來，幾乎渾身顫抖。
他緊攥着那個戒指盒子，俯身緊緊抱住了懷裏的耶爾。
“雄主……”
“雄主……耶爾……”
他一下又一下地喃喃，難以抑制身體下意識的反應，連帶着懷中的溫熱身軀也顫抖起來，露出的側頸再次染上一片濕漉。
多麽美妙，多麽神奇。
他從來沒想過，有朝一日自己竟然能得到對戒中的一只——
明明耶爾還沒有給他一個名分，也沒有提過要自己當他的雌君。
但好似所有的愛意都化成可以抓住的實體，在這一刻淹沒了他的靈魂，凝聚成耶爾的笑眼，還有這兩枚戒指的模樣。
那些沒有得到應答的話，那些無望的等待，仿佛都在這一刻有了回響，聲嘶力竭，振聾發聩。
“戒指，這是戒指。”
西澤紅着眼睛，聲音沙啞地道。
他拿起其中一枚，看到了內圈上镌刻着的“Y”，便知道那是耶爾的那只。
而另外一只則镌刻着“X”，他小心地将兩只戒指都戴好，才發現嚴絲合縫，顯然是用了心定制的。
015哇了一聲，探出頭去瞅了又瞅，哇了又哇。
西澤伸手和雄蟲十指相扣，交錯間那兩枚戒指便又碰在了一起，流轉着漂亮至極的光澤，像是把流星攏在了手心裏。
他垂下眼眸，仔細端詳半晌，忍不住揚唇笑起來，喃喃道，“真的很漂亮，也很合适，對嗎？”
耶爾沒有回答他，只是安靜地将手放在雌蟲手裏。
像是戲劇中充當主角之一的木偶，任憑另一個演員怎麽擺弄逗笑，都始終無法給予反應。
西澤忍不住輕笑出聲，卻在又一次吸氣時聽到了喉間的哽咽，伸手摸了一下臉上，才發現濕漉漉一片。
真是的，又哭又笑，簡直像個瘋子。
"Didn't you order a custom ring? Why didn't you wake up after the ring was made and delivered? It's not good for the surprise to be discovered so soon."
He couldn't help but hold down Yael's shoulders and shook a little, "Master, wake up..."
"I lied to you when I said I could wait. I can't wait even for a second. Can you please wake up soon? Don't stay in that world. There's nothing good there. Can you please come back..."
His expression was so painful that it was almost distorted for a moment, his pupils kept shrinking, and he stared at Yael's face without blinking, his voice was very soft.
"You said you would stay with me, you said you would not leave me, you won't break your promise, right?"
Because of the change in posture, Yael's head tilted to one side, almost overlapping with the scene he saw when he hurried to the top floor.
The image of the male insect covered in blood reappeared before his eyes. His heart seemed to be pierced for an instant. Xi Ze suffocated for a moment and closed his eyes tightly.
"…Forget it. The fact that you are still alive and well is the best outcome."
He pulled the corners of his cracked lips, as if expressing relief at having survived a disaster, but it could not conceal the bottomless despair within.
Cesar put Yael back on the bed.
At the moment when the last ray of light outside the window was swallowed up, he leaned over and kissed the male insect.
"Good night, my lord."
Whether in his days as a cub struggling to survive on his own or in those five years of torture, he had never felt so miserable as he did now.
Hate is something longer lasting and easier than love.
Strong love, tempered by the years and those endless years of waiting, can too easily turn into extreme hatred.
But if possible, he would like to keep loving Yael.
It doesn’t matter even if loving is too painful.
The author has something to say:
General: He seems to be still conscious, but he has actually been crazy for a long time (bushi)
Yeah yeah, I remembered the next chapter!
Recover the foreshadowing "Heart of the Mecha"! Currently obtained achievements: Communicator Ringtone 1/1, Heart of the Mecha (Ring) 1/1, ??? ? 0/1, please look forward to it~