Model Male Zerg of the Zerg Clan

Chapter 34

Lu Xi packed the broken bowls into a garbage bag and labeled it with “Caution: Broken Ceramics Inside.”

After tying the bag, he remembered the shattered body of the electric kettle in the microwave and opened the garbage bag again to put the kettle’s fragments inside.

After cleaning up, he stood in front of Xia Baiyuan’s door.

He felt a bit nervous because without pheromones to assist, his action of guiding a female zerg’s mental strength was a very dangerous act. He didn’t want to take such a big risk with any female zergs of this era who could autonomously use mental strength.

In these days, he had been training his control over mental strength. Hard work pays off. In prolonged practice, he made significant progress in his control.

The risk of both he and Xia Baiyuan dying from treating Xia Baiyuan’s mental sea together had decreased from eighty percent to a gratifying sixty percent!

Never underestimate this twenty percent probability. The chances of winning the lottery are one in ten million, and the chances of getting an SSR card in a gacha game are one percent. A twenty percent chance is already equivalent to the Grim Reaper taking a day off.

After mentally preparing himself, Lu Xi knocked on Xia Baiyuan’s door, “Xia Baiyuan.”

“Please come in.”

It’s only ten o’clock now, not time for bed yet. Xia Baiyuan was wearing the inner shirt of his school uniform, and his fitted uniform jacket was placed aside.

The hem of the shirt was casually tucked into his pants, highlighting his narrow waistline. Xia Baiyuan was facing the light brain, seemingly busy with a list he had been working on for several days.

Staring at the light brain for a long time could cause discomfort to the eyes, and for the first time, Xia Baiyuan wore blue light glasses.

The glasses had thin frames, complementing Xia Baiyuan’s refined appearance and delicate, reserved features. The lenses softened his sharp gaze, revealing his somewhat youthful face. He finally looked as gentle and tender as someone his age should.

Xia Baiyuan looked up at Lu Xi. “What’s the matter?”

Lu Xi closed the door and pulled a chair over to sit beside Xia Baiyuan. “Have you been feeling unwell lately?”

Xia Baiyuan didn’t understand why Lu Xi was asking this suddenly, but he thought for a moment and replied, “No, everything’s been fine.”

Rather than feeling unwell, everything seemed to be mysteriously improving.

The nightmares that used to haunt him hadn’t appeared for a very long time. He used to feel like his brain was filled with heavy cement, which would cool and solidify, forming a huge stone that suffocated him.

Sometimes he even felt like there was a blood tint to his vision, and everything he saw had a double image.

But now he felt great.

He could even eat three bowls of rice.

Half-jokingly, Xia Baiyuan said, “Does being sleepy count? I almost suspect I have some hibernating zerg genes, I’m always drowsy.”

Lu Xi coughed, “If you just want to sleep, please don’t blame it on genetic issues.”

Xia Baiyuan gave him a ghostly stare. “No need to expose me.”

Lu Xi’s smile froze halfway.

Now is not the time to joke around! This is serious!

Losing your wits every time you see Xia Baiyuan is not acceptable!

Lu Xi grabbed Xia Baiyuan’s hand. “This place isn’t convenient. Lie on the bed, I need to check your body.”

Emergency! Extremely urgent!

Crisis! Major crisis!

Xia Baiyuan seemed startled. Seeing Lu Xi’s urgent expression, he leaned back a bit and said softly, “T-today?”

Lu Xi nodded firmly, leaving no room for doubt. “We’ve already done this once. It’ll be fine, I promise.”

Only a sixty percent chance, but he would do everything to ensure Xia Baiyuan’s safety.

Xia Baiyuan pursed his lips, lowered his head slightly, and averted his gaze from Lu Xi. “Then I’ll go prepare.”

Lu Xi nodded understandingly. “Alright, I’ll wait for you.”

No one understood Xia Baiyuan better than Lu Xi. Carrying such a secret, living in constant fear and shadow… even though he had confessed, years of habit made it hard for him to expose his true self.

Just like Lu Xi himself… unless necessary, he rarely used his mental strength.

That was the source of everyone’s fear towards him.

So, it was quite normal to take a moment to mentally prepare oneself. If it were Lu Xi, he certainly wouldn’t be as straightforward as Xia Baiyuan.

Xia Baiyuan went into the bathroom, and soon the sound of intermittent water could be heard.

Lu Xi sat in the room, resting his chin on one hand, his eyes drifting towards the bathroom door as he waited for Xia Baiyuan to come out.

The black ring on his index finger reflected light, contrasting sharply with his pale finger, a stark black-and-white.

“Hiss—”

A low sound came from the bathroom, and Lu Xi instantly stood up, rushing over to knock on the bathroom door. “Xia Baiyuan? What happened? Are you okay?”

The bathroom was a frequent site of accidents, and in such a private space, anything that happened might not receive timely help.

People could slip on the wet floor and fall, meeting their end.

People could faint due to lack of oxygen, unknowingly collapsing and passing away.

Considering Xia Baiyuan’s severe condition, Lu Xi was even more anxious, clutching the door handle. “Are you really okay?”

“I’m fine… just accidentally kicked the sink leg with my little toe.”

Lu Xi: “…”

His face contorted for a moment in sympathy, curling his own little toe. “As long as you’re okay.”

“Mm, I’ll be out soon. Don’t—don’t worry.”

“Okay, I’m not worried.”

I’m not worried, I’m not worried.

Pressing his anxious chest, Lu Xi stiffly sat back in his chair: he wasn’t worried, he was just concerned.

Ten minutes later, the bathroom door finally opened.

Lu Xi looked up as steam billowed out. Xia Baiyuan’s hair tips were damp, sticking to his cheeks and neck, even his shirt was a bit wet.

“I’m ready.”

Lu Xi nodded dumbly. “Oh, okay.”

A slight delicate atmosphere eased his tension, but another strange nervousness crept in.

It felt like tiny ants were gnawing at his heart, making it itch somewhere he couldn’t reach, very uncomfortable.

Lu Xi pushed this odd feeling aside and said to Xia Baiyuan, “Lie on the bed, it’ll be easier if you relax.”

Xia Baiyuan didn’t speak and obediently lay on the bed as Lu Xi had instructed.

Seeing the glasses on Xia Baiyuan’s face, Lu Xi asked, “Do you want to keep the glasses on?”

“Should I take them off?” Xia Baiyuan looked at Lu Xi through the lenses, as if trying to cover something up. “I forgot to take them off.”

Lu Xi quickly stopped Xia Baiyuan. “It’s fine, you don’t need to take them off. It doesn’t affect anything.”

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul; wearing glasses indeed helps ease some awkwardness.

Xia Baiyuan visibly relaxed a bit.

Lu Xi felt a deep sadness. Although people often say that the finest swords are forged in harsh conditions and that plum blossoms gain their fragrance from the bitter cold, great individuals often grow through hardship. He had never given this much thought before.

That was Xia Baiyuan, the war god of the zerg clan, who could always turn dire situations into victories. The more desperate the situation, the more his potential would be unleashed.

But now, seeing Xia Baiyuan’s cautious relaxation, Lu Xi’s heart felt like a water-soaked rag being wrung tightly.

Even though he was the war god of the zerg clan, an indomitable legend, beneath those halos, he was actually just an ordinary zerg.

Not forged from gold, not sculpted from diamond, people only saw the beauty after he emerged from his cocoon, without considering the hardships he endured.

—Those were merely necessary trials.

Indeed, without trials, Xia Baiyuan would not have been forged.

But he wasn’t inherently strong; like any other zerg, he could feel sadness, pain, fear, and breakdown.

No one had ever felt sympathy for Xia Baiyuan.

He didn’t inherently deserve to suffer these hardships.

“Lu Xi?”

Lu Xi reached out his hand, his palm pressing against Xia Baiyuan’s cheek, feeling the warmth and softness, not cold or hard.

“Don’t be afraid,” Lu Xi gazed deeply into Xia Baiyuan’s eyes, “I’ll be very careful. Don’t worry, everything will be fine.”

Xia Baiyuan stared blankly at Lu Xi.

Lu Xi rarely showed this expression. His eyes were usually full of vitality, like the rising sun, bright and untroubled.

But at this moment, his gaze resembled that of an old man who had seen too much of the world.

Despite this, Xia Baiyuan still saw an unchanging light within.

He looked at him as if looking at the most cherished treasure.

Previously exuberant and joyous, now warm and profound.

His nervous, clenched fists gradually relaxed, and Xia Baiyuan, lost in Lu Xi’s gaze, nodded in a daze. “Okay.”

Lu Xi unbuttoned Xia Baiyuan’s shirt, who obediently lifted his head, letting the white shirt fall, revealing his pale chest.

Gorgeous red patterns were exposed to the air, like blooming roses entwined around him.

The winter air was cold, causing Xia Baiyuan to shiver slightly.

Lu Xi said, “It’ll warm up soon.”

Xia Baiyuan silently nodded, his ears reddening slightly, though the tense Lu Xi didn’t notice.

God of zergs, bless us!

He looked at Xia Baiyuan and asked, “Shall I begin?”

Xia Baiyuan turned his head away, the glasses concealing his blue-green eyes. “Don’t… don’t ask.”

Lu Xi took a deep breath, kicked off his slippers, and climbed onto the bed. His tall figure blocked the overhead light, casting a long shadow over Xia Baiyuan.

Lu Xi slowly leaned down towards Xia Baiyuan, his fingers touching Xia Baiyuan’s slightly cool skin.

He felt Xia Baiyuan tremble slightly, but now there was no turning back!

Lu Xi closed his eyes, extending his mental energy, forming it into fine threads, cautiously and resolutely probing into Xia Baiyuan’s mental sea.

I can do this, I’m capable!

I’m amazing!

——————

Lu Xi had mentally prepared himself to face an extremely chaotic and dangerous mental sea.

Even if it were more violent than a storm at sea, he wouldn’t be afraid.

But what Lu Xi didn’t expect was that Xia Baiyuan’s mental sea was unexpectedly calm.

Of course, this calm didn’t mean Xia Baiyuan’s mental sea was normal, but rather it was much better than Lu Xi had anticipated.

Not only was it far from being life-threatening, but Lu Xi also felt that compared to the results of the last session, the stagnant blocks in Xia Baiyuan’s mental sea had noticeably reduced.

What was going on?

Such a condition would normally require several deep sessions of mental guidance…

Lu Xi’s mental energy formed a puzzled “?” shape.

But there was no time to think deeply about it now, nor any room for distraction. Regardless of the reason, it was a good thing, and it also made his task of guiding much easier.

He straightened his mental energy, tightened it, and attacked the weakest point!

It had been too long since the last session, and this time he applied a bit too much force. Xia Baiyuan let out a low grunt. Lu Xi immediately softened his approach, switching to gentle movements to soothe and calm.

Lu Xi quickly identified all the vulnerable points, using his mental energy to carefully explore and expand his reach, employing the common method of breaking down the problem into smaller parts for treatment.

Grind.

Soothe.

Manipulate.

Using every possible means to soften these stubborn stagnant blocks.

Such methods are never easy and often place a great mental burden on the patient.

Feeling Xia Baiyuan’s continuous tremors and suppressed groans, Lu Xi felt deeply apologetic and hastened the pace of his mental energy’s movements.

Better a short pain than a long one…

Lu Xi’s intentions were good, but reality is often unpredictable and contrary to our wishes, an unchangeable truth.

Under his gentle and persistent efforts, Xia Baiyuan’s trembling grew more intense.

He could barely contain his voice. Lu Xi opened his eyes in fear and asked, “Is it very uncomfortable?”

“Mm…”

Lu Xi froze.

It was probably too uncomfortable. Despite his best efforts to endure it, Xia Baiyuan struggled slightly, his glasses tilted askew on his nose.

His fair, soft cheeks were tinged with a rosy flush, and Xia Baiyuan’s lips parted slightly as he gasped for breath.

In the cold indoor air, every word he spoke created a visible mist.

The mist rose and settled on Xia Baiyuan’s long lashes, condensing into tiny droplets.

Xia Baiyuan looked at Lu Xi with unfocused eyes, his voice trembling, “H-have we started?”

Lu Xi blinked, “We’re almost done.”

“…”

“…”

Xia Baiyuan’s fingers tangled in his sweat-damp hair, his gaze somewhat dazed, “What?”

Lu Xi: “Huh?”

Wait, is something wrong?

Though he didn’t fully understand what was happening, Lu Xi keenly sensed that—

Xia Baiyuan’s reaction was like suddenly lifting a heavy vase only to find it was made of foam, and in failing to adjust his force, he ended up straining his back.

Should he become a heavy vase himself…

For a moment, Lu Xi was unsure whether he should retract his mental energy or continue leaving it in Xia Baiyuan’s mental sea.

The two stared at each other, creating an awkward atmosphere. Lu Xi, at a loss, stammered, “Wh-what should I start with?”

Seeing Lu Xi’s panicked eyes, Xia Baiyuan finally realized something. He blurted out, “Weren’t you going to do something with me—”

Lu Xi: “Huh?”

Xia Baiyuan abruptly stopped himself: “No, it’s nothing, this is fine.”

He pushed Lu Xi away and pulled the blanket over himself, only leaving a tuft of hair exposed.

His ears, however, were not completely covered. Under the veil of his silver hair, they had turned as red as tomatoes.

The room fell silent, but the sound of their heartbeats was deafening.

Lu Xi sat on the edge of the bed, carefully retracting his mental energy. The session had gone perfectly.

He alternated between looking at the small mound under the blanket, Xia Baiyuan’s exposed ears, and the bathroom—where the steam had completely dissipated.

Xia Baiyuan’s strange hissing sound echoed in his mind again.

At this moment, inspiration finally favored Lu Xi’s occasionally astoundingly slow brain. In a flash of insight, he understood everything.

His eyes widened, and he slowly covered his mouth with his hand.

Despite the cold weather, Lu Xi felt his entire body heat up.

He reached out with his other hand, gently touching Xia Baiyuan’s exposed fingers, and slid his fingers into the gap, tickling Xia Baiyuan’s calloused palm.

“What were you doing in the bathroom?”

“What did you think I was going to do?”

Xia Baiyuan’s hand jerked back under the blanket like it had been electrocuted. Lu Xi patiently waited. After a long pause, a weak voice complained from under the covers.

“Don’t ask anymore.”

If Lu Xi had a mirror at that moment, he would see the almost foolishly happy expression on his face.

Grinning ear to ear.

A light, buoyant happiness filled his heart, making him feel as though he were floating, similar to being drunk but even brighter.

He wanted to run outside, climb to the top of a mountain, and shout to the world that Lu Xi was now the king of the world!

Lu Xi reached out to tug at Xia Baiyuan’s blanket.

It didn’t budge.

Xia Baiyuan’s voice, nearly indignant, said, “Leave, I’m going to sleep.”

This was the first time he had spoken in such a tone, like a feather tickling Lu Xi’s heart.

He leaned down, whispering into Xia Baiyuan’s ear, “So, do you want to continue?”

“If you kick me out, I’ll have to leave.”

Lu Xi pouted, tugging at Xia Baiyuan’s blanket: “I’m sorry.”

“…”

“…”

The blanket moved slightly, opening a small gap that looked barely enough.

Lu Xi’s smile widened as he quickly slipped inside.

Xia Baiyuan whispered, “Let’s just stay like this.”

“Alright.”

The darkness robbed them of their sight but amplified their other senses.

Lu Xi held Xia Baiyuan close, the silver-haired zerg perfectly nestled in his embrace. They fit together so seamlessly—

Like a soda can being placed in a highball glass, fitting perfectly with no gaps, even the height matching exactly.

This seemed to be their first time hugging each other while fully conscious.

Throughout it all, Xia Baiyuan kept his voice down. It was his nature:

He always carefully concealed himself, fearing any potential danger. The hardships of life had ingrained this cautious habit deep into his very being.

But Lu Xi was like an irresistibly sweet candy, enticing him to reach out and explore.

As time passed, Xia Baiyuan weakly clutched Lu Xi’s clothes, burying his head in Lu Xi’s neck.

Like a newborn chick.

Lu Xi’s hand touched his slightly protruding spine, and despite knowing Xia Baiyuan’s formidable strength, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this spine was fragile.

“Lu Xi… Lu Xi…”

Lu Xi bent down and kissed Xia Baiyuan.

The thought of being able to shield Xia Baiyuan from the storms of life filled Lu Xi with a dizzying happiness.

For this, he would thank the zerg god and the wondrous fate thirty times a day.