Chapter 60
What can Toto do?
Toto couldn't refuse anything—not the male insects that rushed into her arms, nor the friendship brought by the females.
He had nothing, so any worries about being wary seemed unnecessary. Everyone thought he would obediently accept, and in fact, he nodded and accepted Fei's proposal.
He wanted to become a friend of this high-ranking male insect named Lanna.
But he doesn't know how to make friends.
Not only Sorim, but also Fei, who had only met him a few times, felt the same way.
But Toto is a box that doesn't respond; whatever you throw in, he spits out. If you treat him well, he will treat you gently in return.
Fei felt he was safe; besides being safe, he was also very obedient, so she didn't have any other concerns.
If there was any kindness in bringing Lanna here and assigning her to Toto, it must have been very little.
No one would develop a protective mentality towards a homeless child based on just a few words or one night.
It just happens to be suitable.
Lanna kissed his forehead. The native male insect, who had lived a life of hardship, had obviously never been exposed to such etiquette and did not know how to treat the delicate skin on his palm.
The skin was a smooth, soft velvet, which evoked memories for Toto. He could smell the difference in the fragrant, delicate scent, and think of his father, who was out of place on the grassland. He held the other's fingers, moved his lips, and his deep gray eyes seemed to be staring at Lanna, but in fact, they reached past Lanna and gently touched his brother.
The female insect stood quietly, like a raptor guarding its young. Her appearance often reminded people of her military rank, her coldness and mockery, rather than the kindness or benevolence that an elder brother should have.
Strangely, he made Toto feel warm, a feeling that was deeply buried in his heart. Toto wanted to see him, not every day, but perhaps often.
"alright."
"See you tomorrow."
"You should go back, Lanna."
Every word the female insect uttered was paused at 60 seconds.
The two little ones sat on the woodpile, having already chatted for quite a while, though they had only exchanged names. Lanna presented Toto with a beautifully wrapped, expensive gift, worried that Toto might feel embarrassed since Toto had nothing to reciprocate. Therefore, Lanna hugged him, hoping he would kiss his forehead in return.
"What I want is a kiss."
He wasn't afraid of Toto at all; on the contrary, he liked him very much because Toto was a bit taller than him and leaned against him very intimately.
Toto didn't kiss the male insect's forehead. This overly mature child sat quietly like a statue, composed and indifferent.
He jumped down from the woodpile, dug the blackened food out of the charcoal, wrapped it in grass leaves, and handed it to Lanna.
He seemed not to really like Lanna, but was only doing it out of necessity, which was why he rummaged through the trash and handed it to him. Lanna glanced at Fei, then at Toto, hesitant to take the item, and cautiously asked, "Can I come visit you again tomorrow?"
Toto didn't say anything.
Would someone of low status, destined to be forever out of reach of the upper class, like a passerby who vanishes into thin air, refuse an opportunity to change their identity and escape the bottom rungs of society?
Their contrast was so stark that it made the insectoids feel inferior and embarrassed. Toto's life was filled with suffering, and he was always worried about surviving. But some insectoids were already thinking about a nobler ideal.
Toto will never have a chance to change. His female father is a thug, and he himself doesn't have much substance. He's just an ordinary Green Badge.
The aloof, tall, thin male insect wore a tattered, shabby coat. The wind ruffled his eyelashes, and his expression remained calm and indifferent. The way he looked at Lanna was no different from before.
Phil thought Lanna had failed, and Toto didn't like him.
There was no fawning in Toto's eyes; he probably didn't quite understand his own identity, so he resisted the opportunity that was given to him.
Just as he thought this and decided to take Lanna away, Toto suddenly bent down towards Lanna.
Perhaps it wasn't sudden; the two insects probably exchanged something with their eyes. Lanna only paused for a moment before happily reaching out to touch the tip of Toto's hair several times, looking completely satisfied.
"It's so hard, it's amazing."
Sincerely, without any false praise, Toto raised the corners of his mouth slightly and waved to Lanna, meaning goodbye.
Fei raised an eyebrow somewhat unsteadily, still completely baffled on the way back with Lanna.
Lanna was quite happy. After returning to the starship, he immediately went into his room and fiddled with something by himself. Fei guessed that he was calling his parents to introduce his new friend.
Fei never did this childish behavior again after entering the primary school.
After that, he stopped paying too much attention to his younger brother, only exchanging a few words with Lanner when he occasionally rested and returned to the starship for dinner.
Lanna now has something new to say, speaking in strange dialects and how Toto shot a male gray fox from two hundred meters away with his homemade bow and arrow.
Toto gave him the fluffy tail of the leaping fox, and Lanna was overjoyed for days. Most of his friends in the capital were from similar backgrounds and would not indulge him so much. Moreover, he was too precocious and they were scheming against each other, openly and secretly fighting.
They may have had their merits, but now they leave Lanna feeling lifeless and dull, to the point that he practically has to make the word "Toto" his mantra.
Fei is still hunting down the remaining thugs; for the planet he's already conquered, the work now feels more like a pastime. Finding the fleas hiding in the crevices with minimal cost.
Solim led his reconnaissance troops, but they repeatedly came up empty-handed. Solim's recklessness was unlike that of the meticulous and ruthless Solim he was known for.
Fei is investigating him and has made some progress.
But these things didn't bother Fei. What truly enraged him were those politicians who were good at swaying public opinion, manipulating the insect people, and plotting anything.
Individual strength is far too insignificant compared to society and nation, especially in a massive and complex system like the Zerg society.
Fei was in a bad mood. Lanna's behavior at the dinner table was strange. He asked her casually, but he noticed Lanna's hidden wound.
He called out to Lanna, who was trying to slip away from the table. The younger brother turned around, avoiding his gaze and looking guilty.
"Hands out."
Lanna was reluctant, but when Fei glanced at him, he immediately shivered and obediently stretched out his hand. His arm was covered in bruises and purple marks, and because his skin was delicate, the swelling was unusually horrifying.
Lanna sensed that his brother's expression remained unchanged, but his mood suddenly soured. He told Lanna to go back and rest, then grabbed his coat and went out.
Lanna escaped unscathed and slipped into his room to hide, not wanting to go out and invite trouble until his brother had recovered. Little did he know, Fei hadn't gone to the military headquarters, but instead went to Toto's tent.
From the moment they met, the female insect, who had never shown any rudeness and remained calm and composed even when she was angry, inquired about the circumstances surrounding Totolana's injury.
His tone was not warm, and his words were not harsh, but they still made Toto's face gradually turn red, and he went from being at a loss to being silent.
He returned to the tent, found some herbs, and Fei noticed that he also had small wounds on his arm, but not as serious as Lanna's. He wondered where the two of them had gone to play.
He did not accept the herbs Toto offered, politely indicating that he did not need them.
Fei didn't blame him. He thought it might just be because they had different living environments. Toto was used to it, but Lanna might not be able to stand it. But it couldn't be said that it was Toto's fault. After all, Toto had treated Lanna well and given him everything he thought was good.
However, this kind of thing cannot be ignored, and Lanna was injured as a result. He hopes that Lanna's journey of discovery will be based on ensuring his own safety.
Finally, Fei patted Toto on the shoulder and said softly, "You two are a little different."
Toto lowered his head at some point, and Fei could only see his sunburned neck.
Author's Note:
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