Wanderer of the Zerg

Chapter 35: Departure

The fresh snow that had fallen three days ago had already been cleaned up by the cleaning robots, leaving only a few patches of white, almost transparent snow in the shadows.

The sky was covered with dark clouds, pressing down low. The weather forecast predicted snow tonight.

Unfortunately, we wouldn’t be around to see it.

Xi Tian stood outside the fence, looking at his house. By the fence’s entrance, Ellis was still talking to the housekeeper in charge of their home services:

“Check the house at the end of every month. The floor cleaning will be handled by the robots, so don’t worry about that. Don’t touch anything covered with dust cloths. In the spring, mow the lawn when it grows. If there’s any additional damage to the house, just bill it, and I’ll settle it when I return…”

Xi Tian walked over and placed his hand on Ellis’s shoulder. “All of this is already in the contract. Still worried?”

Ellis paused for a moment. “I can’t help but remind them.”

The housekeeper kept a polite smile without a trace of impatience.

Xi Tian held Ellis close. “Let’s go. They’re professionals and will take good care of the house.”

Ellis nodded, though he took one last longing look at the house.

Xi Tian didn’t look back, afraid that if he did, he wouldn’t be able to leave.

Heading to the airport, they rented a vehicle instead of taking a private one for convenience.

The vehicle was self-driving. After entering the destination and time, it traveled at an appropriate speed.

The scenery outside the vehicle window flashed by, transitioning from the bustling cityscape of tall buildings to the low houses and green lawns.

“I’ve noticed you have a bit of a habit, Ellis!” Xi Tian said, eager to find something to talk about to pass the time.

“Hmm?” At the mention of himself, Ellis’s ears perked up like a diligent student.

“You like to do everything yourself, whether it’s cleaning or organizing the house. You always have to arrange everything personally.”

“…Just a habit, I suppose. I never really noticed it before.”

“The housekeepers are paid to handle these things, yet you just went over the contract details with them again. In fact, I saw you reminding them over the phone earlier.”

“Only then will they pay attention. It’s easy to overlook things if no one reminds them.”

“Do you treat your soldiers the same way? Do you spell out every rule to them, like getting up at the sound of the whistle, no fighting, and no sneaking out after curfew?”

“Would they dare?!” Ellis suddenly became stern, a side Xi Tian had never seen before. “If they can’t remember the rules and orders, what are their ears for? If they’re careless, no one can escape punishment.”

“Cough,” Xi Tian chuckled, leaning over as much as the seatbelt allowed and resting his arm on Ellis’s shoulder. “Is this how Captain Ellis acts in front of his subordinates?”

“Well, I can be a bit strict.” Ellis leaned on his leg, sounding soft and frustrated, quite different from his earlier demeanor.

“You see, you always think others can’t remember the rules, yet with your subordinates, you expect them to naturally remember orders. That’s not treating everyone equally.”

“Uh, but it’s a soldier’s duty to remember orders.” Ellis pondered. It was strange; in daily life, he trusted no one’s work and had to handle things himself, but with his subordinates, he found it natural and unproblematic.

“Everyone has their job. Trust them to do it well. You don’t have to remind them about everything, like today. It’s exhausting.”

“Okay, I’ll remember that next time.”

“You don’t know how it was when you weren’t home. When I ordered takeout and gave the address, they’d say things like, ‘Oh, it’s you! Extra sugar in the sweet soup, in a separate bag,’ ‘Cook the meat with less oil, tender, and add more sugar,’ ‘Pick the freshly roasted meat and add extra sauce, no need to repeat, I remember.’ I realized why the food changed once you arrived.”

“…Is this something else I need to remember?”

“What do you think?”

Xi Tian kept smiling, and Ellis couldn’t gauge his intent.

“Your destination, ‘Siming-Kenna Airport,’ has been reached. Please take your belongings. Have a pleasant journey.”

The reminder from the vehicle sounded, indicating it was time to take their carry-on luggage. Their important, larger packages had already been shipped to the pioneering planet after being packed.

They did not continue their previous conversation as they headed towards the airport.

“I’d better keep paying attention,” Ellis thought. “Understanding a principle is one thing, but acting on it is another. Xi Tian doesn’t bother with these things, but I can’t slack off.”

Taking the spaceship was a very new experience for Xi Tian. He had only flown on domestic flights within the star system, never experiencing an interstellar flight. His only significant flight was after high school graduation when he traveled from a southern city to the northern capital, Simin. Since then, he had few flying experiences. The vehicle was only capable of short-distance, low-altitude flights within the city, not real flights.

Xi Tian’s eyes sparkled with curiosity at his unfamiliar surroundings, holding Ellis’s hand tightly. He was evidently both excited and nervous, trying to act nonchalant.

In the waiting area, Xi Tian took off his mask and began muttering something.

Curious, Ellis leaned in to listen and heard a string of historical terms, including “Valder,” who was crucial in transitioning flying tools from military to civilian use. There was even a statue of him outside the airport.

“Do all history graduates get this excited when they see something familiar?” Ellis wondered.

After boarding, they sat in adjacent seats by the window. Ellis had the window seat, but Xi Tian switched with him.

As the spaceship reached the stratosphere, Xi Tian used his terminal to take photos and pointed out the types of clouds to Ellis.

“The clouds are thick and low, grey and blocking the sun and moon. Just looking at them feels like what literature describes as ‘weighing heavily on my heart.’ These are nimbostratus clouds, indicating it will soon snow or rain,” Xi Tian whispered in his ear.

Ellis listened quietly, occasionally responding briefly. He knew Xi Tian’s energy wouldn’t last long.

Passing through the atmosphere, Xi Tian’s excitement waned, and he grew weary, repeatedly fidgeting with his ticket, reading every line, even the fine print that most people wouldn’t bother with.

Many on the spaceship chose to wear eye masks and sleep, while some young people played games.

Using the spaceship’s Wi-Fi, Xi Tian messaged Ellis:

“There’s actually a special benefit for male Zergs in the fine print!”

“?”

“Look at this [image], ‘During the journey, if there’s a male Zerg from Zerg Star, he can enjoy business class at the same price.’”

“…I didn’t know that!”

“First time on a spaceship, and we missed it.”

Xi Tian sent a [sigh] emoji, and Ellis replied with a [pat on the head] emoji.

Without any partition between the seats, Xi Tian naturally leaned on Ellis’s shoulder, and soon, he was dozing off.

Ellis adjusted his position to make the male more comfortable but couldn’t help but be captivated by his sleeping face. After staring for a while, he realized what he was doing and felt a bit embarrassed. He averted his gaze in the opposite direction, only to meet the eyes of another person.

Across the aisle, a white-haired gentleman with a kindly face and a warm smile said softly, “Your partner is very cute.”

Ellis responded with a smile.