Chapter 56 Her insects, too, were somewhat skilled in boxing…
He noticed the admiring look in the king's eyes when he looked at Isaiah.
Fiedlock, Savile, and Horace instantly became alert.
Fiedlock was the first to act.
On his own territory, he was much more relaxed than before.
Seeing the changes in his territory, he changed his previous view that lower insects could be disposed of at will.
He couldn't suppress his desire to get closer to the king.
Fiedlock used to keep all his thoughts buried deep within the insect core, only taking action when the King looked at him.
But now, he was the first to stand before the king.
He knelt on one knee beside the king under the pretext of reporting on the current state of the territory. As he lowered his head, strands of his black hair touched the king's fingertips at just the right moment.
However, he was never one to hide his thoughts, and the next second he openly stuffed the top of his head into the king's palm.
Ai Ying had long been used to Fidellock's approach.
He was the first lord insect to appear beside her, obedient and well-behaved, although like the insects in his territory, he had a bad temper and would use his pincers at the slightest provocation...
But he's really well-behaved.
Every time she looked at him, she could easily notice:
She was everything to him.
Even earlier, before she was certain that her Gu magic could control the insectoid race, she had already unconsciously begun to trust him and believe that he would not harm her.
Ai Ying was no longer the fake king who needed to think and plan everything she did. She felt the soft, silky texture in her hands and rubbed it vigorously without any hesitation.
When Fedorok lifted his head from the king's grasp, his short black hair was already a mess.
His expression was obedient, and his dark purple pupils were filled with the joy of being touched by the king.
Ai Ying looked at his cold, handsome face, which didn't match his messy hair at all, and a relaxed smile appeared in her eyes.
From Noah's Ark to Merton's Ark.
She witnessed firsthand how all the insects changed because of her arrival, and how each and every one of them became healthy and happy.
This is her favorite thing and what gives her the greatest sense of accomplishment.
Her current personality is closer to that of a modern person:
Gentle, lively, and optimistic, yet always steadfast.
Not far away, seeing the king's undisguised closeness to Fedorok, Saville's hands trembled.
But he dared not approach, for fear of interrupting the king's joyful mood.
He lowered his head little by little, concealing all the envy and...regret in his eyes.
Horace's performance was significantly better.
Seeing the king's smile, he almost instinctively felt happy for the king's happiness.
Then he belatedly realized that the king was happy because of Fedrock, and so jealousy began to bubble up in his insect core.
He raised his head high, condemning within the worm's brain:
What a shameless scoundrel!
A wicked bug that only knows how to seduce the king!!
But his proud attitude made him hide his envy of Fedorock.
He simply and casually sidled up to the king.
Then, in the king's sight, he casually tossed his long, dark purple hair:
What's so great about touching that kind of short hair!
His long, soft hair feels so nice to touch!
King, look at me! Touch me!
Isaiah stood to one side, his amber eyes scanning the insects' movements with a hint of disdain.
He recently learned a new phrase from the Empire of Man:
Using one's looks to please others...
He had forgotten the second half of the sentence, but the gist of it was that a worm that tries to seduce the king with its beauty will eventually perish!
Only a useful insect like him will stand forever!
Norman, standing in the corner, looked at the insects surrounding the king, a hint of envy in his lake-green eyes that he himself didn't even realize.
In the past few days, he had already come to a clear understanding of just how good the current king was.
A king who values even lower insects;
A king who disliked the punishment of killing;
A king who is gradually changing the entire Zerg race.
After three hundred years of despair, the Creator suddenly bestowed upon the Zerg a gift they had never received before.
As Norman listened to the throbbing of his worm core, a longing he had never felt before surged within his worm brain.
He longed to be seen by the king, to be touched by the king, to be recognized by the king...
But……
It seems that Wang didn't agree with his idea at all.
Norman lowered his head little by little; the shadow that had existed since his birth still deeply affected him.
He suppressed the sour taste in the insect core and thought calmly:
Actually, the distance between him and the king is just right now.
It was enough that he could be so close to the king and see him every day.
Even if the king approves of him and leaves his mark on him, the king might get tired of him at any time.
After all, he wasn't a good lord bug.
He was aloof, unlike the other insects who were warm and welcoming; he didn't understand the king's thoughts and misunderstood him several times; he even did things that displeased the king, initiating a war...
Even if he were to be approved by the king, the king might regret it soon afterward.
Thinking of this, the Norman worm's core trembled:
He has already made a mistake once.
We must never make the same mistake twice.
It was enough for him to quietly stay by Wang's side.
Otherwise, he might not even have the chance to stay by the king's side.
Although Norman kept telling himself, there was an indelible instinct within his insect core to get closer to the King.
He almost subconsciously paid attention to the king's preferences and moods.
By this time, Ai Ying had already dismissed the lord insects surrounding her.
As she looked at her design, she casually reached out to grab the energy pen beside her.
But all her fingertips touched was the tabletop with a constant temperature.
Norman reacted immediately. Before he even realized it, he was in front of Wang and respectfully handed the energy pen that had accidentally rolled to the edge of the table to Wang.
Ai Ying looked at the faint unease flickering in Norman Lake's green eyes, and smiled as she took the pen.
During this time, she was busy with the construction of amusement parks in various territories of Fidellock, as well as matters related to the sale of core gems.
She paid far less attention to the new lord insect that had come to her side.
She knew that Norman was a worm who might have had some childhood trauma, and the fact that he took the initiative to approach her was already a good start.
When faced with such an insect, she must offer timely encouragement.
Thinking of this, she earnestly praised Norman:
"Norman is so good."
Hearing Wang Wenrou's gentle voice, the pulsation of the Norman worm's core suddenly stopped for a beat.
He himself didn't know how he got back to the starting position.
All he knew was that by the time he came to his senses, the king had already gone back to his bedroom to rest.
He was completely oblivious to the subtle wariness the other four insects were showing when they looked at him; he simply stood there, motionless.
In the following days.
Realizing that she had neglected Norman, Ai Ying, while busy with Zerg affairs, would occasionally take the time to praise Norman.
Each time the king praised him, Norman's longing for the king grew stronger.
However, he had worries that other insects did not have.
He was afraid, afraid that he might accidentally anger the king.
He was worried that he might make another mistake.
He would never forget what would happen to the insect that angered the king.
Even with deep anxieties within him, he still placed the king's preferences in the most important position.
In the study.
The king had not yet awakened from his slumber.
Norman was standing in front of the table, carefully using the ice energy in his body to refine the top-grade energy liquid of the Zerg in the water glass.
In the past few days, he discovered that Wang really liked the energy liquid refined by Horace.
However, he also discovered that the Prime Minister preferred cold drinks to hot drinks.
He secretly experimented thousands of times and finally discovered that when his ice energy was being quenched, it could not only achieve the taste of Horace's quenched energy liquid, but also maintain a low but not cold temperature.
Just as he was diligently refining the Zerg energy fluid, Horace's voice, feigning nonchalance but actually brimming with arrogance, suddenly came from the doorway:
"There's nothing I can do about it. I was born with such beautiful scales that the king would love so much."
"If some insects don't have it, they can only blame themselves."
Norman's hand trembled almost imperceptibly, and the energy in his hand went out of control.
The water glass in his hand was instantly frozen by his energy.
The Zerg Overlord's energy can penetrate even the hardest rock, let alone this beautifully crafted cup.
His hand trembled in panic, and the water glass slowly dissolved in his hand as he moved.
Norman's insect core was instantly filled with panic and despair.
He made a mistake again!
It's still such a big mistake!
He destroyed the king's favorite water glass...
In his view, the things the Destroyer King liked were far more serious than his mistake of initiating a war.
His body trembled slightly uncontrollably.
He made such a big mistake, Wang will definitely... dislike him, will... hate him.
Norman's fear was of a punishment that was endless, one that could only be relieved by death.
But now, he is no longer afraid of any punishment.
What he fears is being disliked by the current king.
He was afraid of being abandoned by the king and never seeing him again.
But after the extreme fear, he felt a sense of relief, as if the dust had settled.
At this moment, it seemed that his long-awaited wait had finally come to an end.
Norman knelt silently on the ground, his insect core gradually filled with a deathly silence of self-loathing.
Just like when he first met the king, he quietly lowered his head, awaiting the king's punishment.
As soon as Ai Ying entered the study, she saw Norman kneeling in front of the desk.
The emotions within his insect core were so intense that she didn't need to feel them to perceive the despair and deathly stillness surrounding him.
Upon hearing her footsteps, his body trembled suddenly, and he lowered his head even further.
Ai Ying tried to keep her voice down so as not to scare him:
"Norman, what happened?"
Norman's drooping hand slowly clenched into a fist, his voice dry and hoarse:
“Norman…made a mistake.”
"Please punish me, Your Majesty."
Hearing his self-destructive and painful tone, Ai Ying's heart tightened:
"What did you do wrong?"
Although her voice seemed calm, her mind was actually racing:
Did Norman get into a fight with other Lord Bugs?
Or did he bully an insect of a lower level than him?
Surely he can't just take a fancy to some kind of treasure and lead his men to steal it, can he?!
Until she heard Norman's reply:
"Norman accidentally destroyed the king's favorite water glass."
Ai Ying stood there stunned for a couple of seconds before she reacted, her face showing a helpless expression that was both funny and exasperating:
She thought he was about to cause the sky to collapse...
It turns out you just accidentally broke a water glass?!
She breathed a sigh of relief and slowly walked up to Norman.
She leaned down slightly, reached out and used her fingertips to press down on his chin, and with a little force, made him lift his head.
Looking at Norman, who, despite his fear, still trusted her completely and let her do as she pleased, she sighed silently.
Ai Ying released her hand from his chin, bent her fingers, and tapped his forehead lightly with her knuckles.
Then he straightened up and waved his hand, signaling him to stand up quickly.
"alright."
"Punishment complete."
Norman looked up, and even knowing he would face punishment, he couldn't bear to close his eyes the moment the king reached out to him.
Perhaps, this is the only time he can be this close to the king.
Feeling a slight, throbbing pain on his forehead, he blinked blankly.
Before they could even wonder, they heard the king's words.
Punishment...over?
But where is the punishment?
Norman still held his head up, his lake-green pupils looking blankly at the king in front of him.
Seeing that he was still kneeling motionless, Ai Ying helplessly reached out and ruffled his hair.
"If you break another one, you'll get a couple of whacks on the head."
"Do you understand?"
Norman finally realized that Wang's tap on his forehead was his punishment.
But……
Is that considered a punishment?
The king neither tortured him nor looked down on him for being useless and drove him away...
He knew the king's gentleness.
But he never dared to have any expectations or fantasies that the king's tenderness would fall upon him.
His worm core was throbbing violently like never before.
Like an insecure larva, he looked again at the king before him for confirmation, his voice barely audible:
“Your Majesty, Norman has ruined your favorite cup.”
Ai Ying nodded:
"I know."
Looking at the king like this, Norman spoke for the first time the fear that had always resided within his insect core:
"What if Norman makes another mistake and makes you angry?"
Ai Ying leaned slightly forward, not giving him a perfunctory "it's okay," but asking earnestly:
Would you deliberately make a mistake?
Norman quickly shook his head: "No."
"Then will you disobey the orders I've always given you?"
Norman shook his head vigorously, his voice firm: "Norman will never disobey the King's orders."
Ai Ying smiled when she heard his reply:
So it's okay.
"As long as it wasn't a deliberate mistake, as long as you acknowledge your mistake and can correct it..."
She gently tapped his forehead again, this time even lighter than before:
"I will never give up on you."
"The king will never easily give up on her insect."
She could sense the worry in his insect core, and she was willing to give him enough security.
She hopes that every insect can live a healthy, happy, and joyful life.
In the green pupils of Lake Norman, it seemed as if a beam of light, long scattered, had taken shape again.
He looked into the king's earnest yet gentle dark pupils; in the insect core, there was nothing but the king before him.
He subconsciously voiced his deepest expectation:
"My king, will you accept me?"
Norman belatedly realized what he had just said and suddenly panicked:
He made a mistake, and the king did not punish him. Yet he went even further and demanded the king's approval.
How could there be such a greedy and despicable worm in the world?
His lake-green eyes looked at the king with a panicked and helpless expression.
Ai Ying looked at the lord insect in front of her, who seemed even more inferior and helpless than the lower insects, and reached out to tap his brow:
"I only recognize the best insects."
"If you can name three of your strengths, I will leave my mark on you."
No insect can resist the temptation of being approved by the king.
Norman was afraid that if he was even a step too slow, he would miss this opportunity, so the worm brain quickly searched for its own advantages:
“My lord, Norman is useful.”
"My ice energy can refine many gems and materials without destroying their fundamental nature."
"I can also refine the most suitable and delicious nutrient solution and energy solution for you."
"I am proactive."
"Whatever you need me to do, I can get started immediately."
"I will listen to whatever you say."
"I still..."
Norman forgot his long-standing, subtle self-loathing and talked on and on for a long time before stopping.
Ai Ying listened attentively to Norman's words, and when he stopped, she smiled softly:
"Yes, you see."
"You clearly have so many advantages; you are an excellent lord insect."
"Then what reason do I have not to approve of you?"
Norman froze on the spot after hearing the king's praise of him.
His lake-green pupils shone brightly against the backdrop of the jewels in the study.
He heard Wang Wenrou's command:
"Close your eyes."
Norman closed his eyes without a second thought.
This time, his body stopped trembling, and the negativity and sorrow in the insect core disappeared.
He felt safe and happy as he was enveloped by the king's aura.
Feel the king's energy, flowing through every corner of his body.
When he opened his eyes again, there was a bright red mark of the worm mother in front of his worm core.
He finally gained the king's recognition.
An unprecedented warmth enveloped him.
Ai Ying looked at Norman, who was still kneeling there dumbfounded, and ruffled his light blue hair, speaking affectionately:
"Stop being lazy."
"Go and compile a list of the preferences of the insects in your territory."
"I also want to design the playground in your territory."
Upon hearing the king's words, Norman stood up without hesitation and went to organize the relevant data in the territory.
As soon as he turned around, he met four pairs of sinister eyes.
Fiedlock's gaze was gloomy.
Saville's expression was icy.
Horace feigned indifference.
Only Isaiah gave him a fake smile.
*
The Zerg have been selling core gems for over a month now.
According to calculations by Imperial scientists, the Zerg should have suffered more than half of their casualties five days ago.
The supply of core gems would have slowed down by yesterday at the latest.
However, to this day, the Zerg are selling more core gems every day than the day before, with no sign of decreasing.
Emperor Nergard pinched the bridge of his nose, his gaze icy:
It's been over a month.
Every day of delay will result in a certain loss for the empire.
The machine for forging core gems has been repaired.
If the Zerg's core gems continue to flow into the interstellar market without any restraint, it will have a certain impact on the Empire's economy.
After a period of observation and testing.
He discovered that this newly born queen insect, despite its internal oppression, seemed relatively friendly towards outsiders.
The difference between the current queen insect and the previous queen insect can be seen from just the two points of buying and selling.
If this is confirmed... the Empire may not suffer too many losses on the core gem.
It's time to find someone to probe more specifically.
Nergard glanced casually at the obituary of the major general of the Fifth Branch Army of the Empire on the conference table, then waved his hand and gave the order to those behind him:
"Call Duke Dirk over."
*
Inside the stone palace of the Dark Rock Clan.
The Dark Rock Clan Chief looked at Duke Deck of the Human Empire, who was sitting not far away, smiling and raising his glass to him.
The smile on her face looked worse than a cry.
The Human Empire is one of the most technologically advanced and militarily powerful species in interstellar space.
Apart from the Zerg, no other species dares to challenge the Empire.
Faced with Duke Derek's request, layer upon layer of ash rose from his body, and he refused in a trembling voice:
“Duke, as you know, the Dark Rock Clan and the Insect Clan signed a hundred-year-old Dumb Stone Contract.”
"I really can't give you any more dubious stones."
At this point, his face fell, the lines on his face contorting into a deep wrinkle, like a thousand-year-old stone.
"The amount of dumb stones supplied to the Empire has never changed over the years, so why is there a sudden increase now?"
Fearing that his words might be misunderstood by Duke Deke, the Dark Rock Clan Chieftain quickly explained:
"You know how terrifying the Zerg are. If I can't come up with those Dumb Stones this month..."
Duke Decker raised an eyebrow, his voice carrying a hint of seriousness:
"It seems the clan leader thinks the empire is too friendly and not worth your attention?"
"How could this be? How could this be?"
Seeing the Dark Rock Clan Chief's pale face and frantic shaking of his head, he smiled and said:
"I was just joking to lighten the mood."
Seeing the still tense expression on the Dark Rock Clan Chief's face, he leaned closer to him:
"I just feel sorry for you."
"This time, the Empire paid three times more for the Dumb Stone than before."
"Such a large sum of star coins, is it enough to fill half of your private treasury?"
"Are you really willing to miss such a great opportunity?"
Just as the Dark Rock Clan Chief was about to refuse again, he heard Duke Derek say the following:
"Besides, you've traded with the Zerg so many times, you know their current situation better than I do."
“If it were before, your entire planet would probably have been plundered by the Zerg.”
"But have they laid a hand on your people all this time?"
"Do you think they're restricted by some kind of insect-related entity, preventing them from acting freely?"
Duke Decker patted the ash off the back of his hand:
"In the market, the highest bidder wins."
"Moreover, the Empire only wants one-third of those mute stones."
Would the Zerg really care about something as trivial as missing a few stones?
“I’ve also heard that the insectoids that have recently come here to trade are only some of their subordinate insectoids, not Lord Isaiah.”
Duke Decker knew that, apart from the Zerg, no other species could resist the temptation of profit.
Three times the price is enough to tempt many species to take the risk.
Moreover, he and the Zerg together wove a web for him that the Zerg were not as fearsome as rumored.
This makes it even more likely that he will be tempted.
The Dark Rock Clan Chief clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying:
One-sixth.
One-third is too obvious.
If it's only one-sixth less, he has many possibilities for justification.
Duke Decker sat up straight and chuckled:
"make a deal."
*
As Ai Ying listened to the report from the subordinate insects, she slowly put down the energy pen in her hand.
She leaned back in her chair and spoke calmly:
"Therefore, the Dark Rock Clan is providing one-sixth less of the Dumb Stones this month."
She had already roughly calculated the supply of Dumbstone to the Darkrock Clan when she was expanding the playground.
It is more than enough to cover the Zerg's needs every month.
In the second month, it decreased by one-sixth.
Will it be one-fifth less next month?
Will it eventually shrink to half its current size?
Or perhaps the Darkrock Clan will raise prices under the pretext of insufficient production?
That hundred-year contract can't be restricted except by them, right?
Ai Ying lowered her eyes slightly, concealing the darkness within them:
It seems that her insects have been too quiet lately, causing some species to forget what the insectoid race looked like before.
Ai Ying looked at the anxious look on the subordinate insect's face and gave him a reassuring smile.
Then she raised her head, glanced at the surrounding lord insects, and her voice still showed no anger, but rather an excessive calmness:
"It seems it's time to say hello to the Dark Rock Clan."
She is a reasonable person.
But if the other party is unreasonable, her insects also know a little bit of martial arts.
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Author's note: Mwah to all the darlings who read this far! Sending you a super big heart (big red heart)
Today's red envelopes are given out in sequence!
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