Model Male Zerg of the Zerg Clan

### Chapter 6

The principal did not doubt Lu Xi’s words, or rather, he believed part of them.

Despite all the school’s research capabilities being focused on this single bullet, they couldn’t unravel its mystery.

In this era, solo research couldn’t yield significant results anymore. All fields of research had reached considerable depth, and further breakthroughs required interdisciplinary integration.

Even with the long lifespan of zergs, it was impossible to acquire enough foundational knowledge in a single lifetime. Achieving significant accomplishments necessitated assembling a vast, top-tier team around a strong leader. And beyond that foundation, considerable investment was also necessary.

A significant financial investment was necessary to make progress. They had tried every possible approach, but the door to understanding remained firmly shut. There was no way the zerg named Lu Xi in front of him could have researched this on his own.

Behind Lu Xi, there might be a larger organization, and what they were seeing was merely the tip of the iceberg. The principal was an experienced zerg, having fought on battlefields and governed territories. He was also a graduate of a prestigious university. After receiving the report about the bullet, he had sat in his office for a long time.

He placed the bullet on a handkerchief, observing it carefully. But his thoughts were not on glory, honor, or wealth and power. He remembered his friend, Sha’er, a warrior who had died in battle hundreds of years ago. At that time, he was a young soldier, full of enthusiasm, and Sha’er was his squad leader.

Contrary to his expectations, the battlefield was neither romantic nor heroic, only exhausting and tiring. Their daily task was to dig defensive fortifications for over ten hours a day, then collapse into sleep after hastily consuming dull compressed biscuits. In those increasingly blurred memories, everything was a dull yellow except for Sha’er’s ever-bright eyes.

The principal had once asked Sha’er, “Squad leader, don’t we have the capability for interstellar migration? I learned that when the star beasts attack, we can migrate to another planet, right?”

Sha’er had laughed and knocked his head, “We can’t keep running forever. Sooner or later, we have to fight.”

“I don’t want my offspring to live on starships all their lives.”

—If only they had had such bullets back then.

No one had anticipated the star beast tide coming so quickly and fiercely. The fortifications they painstakingly dug crumbled like fragile paper before the star beasts. In the end, only the principal survived because Sha’er, knowing the importance of passing on information, had given him the task. But later, the principal realized the information wasn’t the critical part. Sha’er had just wanted him to survive.

Tears welled up in the principal’s eyes as he cried silently in his office, thinking he must obtain these bullets. With such bullets, the casualties among zerg soldiers could be reduced by a third.

When Lu Xi asked him, “Do you want something better?” the principal’s heart was filled with not just joy but elation. However, he quickly calmed himself and began thinking rapidly.

They had investigated Lu Xi’s background; he was merely a native from a garbage star with no significant background. He had never done anything remarkable, so his story about “accidentally obtaining the bullets” was likely just a cover. His true identity was probably an envoy from a research organization, choosing Nansheng Military Academy for reasons yet unknown.

Nansheng Military Academy was no ordinary school; its graduates went directly to the battlefield, closely tied to the military. The principal stared intently at Lu Xi, realizing this was a tentative contact.

Steadying himself, the principal vaguely asked, “Your… I mean, these items are excellent. But what about production capacity?”

It was too early to fully understand this technology. Technology transfer? He desired it but knew it wasn’t the right time.

Lu Xi cautiously replied, “You know, I obtained these by chance, and the production is not stable. Currently, I can only provide a small quantity.”

The principal’s previously kind expression disappeared, replaced by silence. After a while, he said, “For routine training and field operations, we shouldn’t need too many.”

Lu Xi estimated and gave the principal a number.

The principal’s expression relaxed slightly. “That’s sufficient. What about the pricing?”

Lu Xi pondered deeply.

Seeing the bullet, Lu Xi had felt disbelief. It was a bullet infused with a faint mental power. Over thousands of years, mental power applications had become commonplace, and attaching mental power to bullets was a common practice.

To put it simply, it was like applying a spell to a weapon in a game, enhancing its power—known as “enchantment.” The principle of mental power infusion was similar.

Though it sounded complex, it wasn’t particularly difficult. Any adult male zerg could do it, and even many immature males could, though they often messed up due to poor control.

Therefore, in daily life, young male zergs need to be closely watched. Otherwise, when you come home after work, you might find your little male zerg using a small spoon to dig at your walls, tables, or other essential items, as if they were pudding.

By comparison, raising young female zergs is easier. They usually don’t destroy property but tend to engage in risky behavior due to their thick skin and rough nature.

Such a bullet appearing at this time and place was nothing short of groundbreaking. In this era, the concept of mental power had just emerged, and its detection was based on those damned pheromones. Who made this bullet? And where did the original owner get it from? No one knew, but regardless, it was a great help to Lu Xi.

Just as he was about to quote a price, he suddenly thought of something and asked the principal, “I heard there’s something called a proxy certificate here?”

——————

Xia Baiyuan stood in the hallway, leaning against the wall with his arms loosely crossed over his chest. The principal’s office was built with special materials, and once the door was closed, even the extremely sharp hearing of female zergs couldn’t pick up any sound. He waited silently, like a statue. His eyelashes and hair were the same color, giving the impression of being dusted with snow.

In front of him was an open window. It had been half an hour since Lu Xi went in, and the school bell rang, signaling the end of the class. Though the military academy had its unique features, it was still a school, not too different from regular ones. It had a regular schedule, heavy academic workload, and mandatory physical training.

—Of course, the subjects taught here might be slightly different. While other schools might teach refined literature, here, teachers only taught you how to eat a poisonous snake raw.

You might also learn some obscure knowledge like “every part of a poisonous snake is valuable,” but it’s not advisable to delve too deeply into such topics. Otherwise, after finally saving enough money, you might find yourself talking endlessly about your heroic deeds involving snakes at a matchmaking event, only to remain single forever.

This bell marked the end of the last class of the morning, which Xia Baiyuan knew well. From the exquisite teaching buildings, countless students in black and gold military uniforms rushed towards the cafeteria, like starving ghosts, after a morning of physical and mental training.

Among the crowd, one zerg stood out. He had strikingly beautiful red hair, resembling a blazing fire from a distance. Holding his coat in one hand and untying his tie with the other, he exposed his strong chest, his tanned face showing impatience. He was the school’s perpetual runner-up, Di Yan.

Surrounded by several female zergs, they talked to him, saying:

“Boss, what do you want to eat? I’ll stand in line for you!”

“Boss, I fell asleep again this morning. Can I borrow your notes?”

Di Yan scowled without saying a word. One of his subordinates, as if recalling something, said, “Boss, I think I saw Xia Baiyuan this morning. He was with another black-haired female zerg—tall and thin, with a face that male zergs would love.”

By the time he finished speaking, his tone was already tinged with jealousy. Di Yan suddenly stopped. In the rushing crowd, he stood like a stubborn rock in a river, causing a small disruption. His expression grew even darker, resembling a volcano about to erupt. His subordinate quickly adjusted his tone, nervously adding, “Probably another client. But if he keeps this up, Boss, you’ll definitely surpass him and take first place!”

Di Yan muttered something under his breath and resumed walking. His followers quickly fell in line, no longer daring to mention anything about Xia Baiyuan.

Xia Baiyuan extended a finger and closed the window, bringing instant silence. At that moment, the office door finally opened, and Lu Xi and the principal emerged.

The principal rarely left his office due to his old age and solitary life. He had long considered the school his second home. Recognizing the silver-haired Xia Baiyuan waiting nearby, the principal immediately invited him, “Perfect timing, Xia, come with us.”

Xia Baiyuan nodded and joined them. They walked along a secluded path, seemingly headed to the shooting range. The principal, being talkative, introduced various parts of the campus to Lu Xi, mentioning the alumni who had donated buildings or the famous figures who had planted certain ancient trees.

Xia Baiyuan nudged Lu Xi with his elbow. Lu Xi turned his head, “Hmm?”

Xia Baiyuan asked, “What did you discuss with the principal?”

Lu Xi responded sheepishly, “We struck a small deal.”

Xia Baiyuan raised an eyebrow, and Lu Xi hesitated before adding, “It’s a bit complicated. You’ll see soon.”

The shooting range was an open area with several targets set twenty meters away. They stood outside the line, and the principal handed Xia Baiyuan a T-33 pistol. “Give it a try.”

Xia Baiyuan weighed the gun, noting it was fully loaded. He rolled up his sleeves, put on earmuffs, and aimed at the target with both hands. His blue eyes narrowed, his usual detachment replaced by an intense focus that was captivating. Lu Xi watched in awe.

“Marshal Xia!”

“Bang—”

As Xia Baiyuan pulled the trigger, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. The target in the distance shattered with a resounding crash, almost exploding. He lowered the gun and stared at the lingering smoke for a long time. He had left the school four months ago and was unaware of the recent developments.

Frowning, he looked at the handgun, then at the target, and finally at Lu Xi. His calm gaze conveyed a clear message: Did you do this?

At that moment, Lu Xi had already opened his backpack and was rummaging through it on one knee. While he appeared to be searching for something, he was actually holding a bullet in his palm, wrapping it with a barely detectable thread of mental power. He covered, permeated, solidified, and shaped it.

The principal asked, “Did you find it?”

Lu Xi stood up, feigning relief. “It was at the very bottom, it must have fallen into a crevice during the jostling. I thought I’d never find it.”

He opened his hand to reveal a silver bullet resting in his palm. The principal leaned forward slightly, puzzled. “It looks no different.”

“Let’s test it.” Lu Xi picked up another gun, a T-56 pistol compatible with this bullet, and loaded it.

Xia Baiyuan timely reminded, “Remember to disengage the safety.”

Lu Xi shot him a sharp glance, and Xia Baiyuan turned his head, coughing lightly. He clearly remembered the incident well. Why remember it so clearly? It was just a mistake! Just a mistake!

Lu Xi raised the gun and aimed at the target. The target was far away, and the open-air setting with wind made it difficult to aim accurately. Xia Baiyuan, meanwhile, stood to the side, disassembling and reassembling the gun parts with crisp clicks. He then focused intently on Lu Xi’s hand, a worried expression on his face, as if something bad was about to happen.

With a soft “click,” he placed the reassembled gun back on the table. This sound helped Lu Xi calm his mind. He began to pull the trigger—

Xia Baiyuan’s unease peaked. “Lu Xi!!”

As the trigger was pulled, Lu Xi felt a chill of dread. In a fraction of a second, he realized the bullet hadn’t fired, and he remembered something he’d overlooked: Could this gun handle the bullet’s power?

At the last second, a hand grabbed his wrist, its warmth almost burning him. Xia Baiyuan’s face came into view, his jaw clenched with effort, silver eyelashes leaving a fleeting impression on Lu Xi’s retinas. Xia Baiyuan snatched the gun from his hand and hurled it into the air.

“Boom——”

With the sound of an explosion, Lu Xi felt the world spin and a sharp pain in his back. Lying on the ground, all he could see was the blue sky. He had narrowly escaped death.

Xia Baiyuan climbed off him, his chest heaving slightly, a drop of cold sweat rolling down his cheek. Sitting on the ground, he rubbed his forehead and murmured, “If this keeps up, I’m going to have to raise my fee.”