MCDWTBS Chapter 57

Chapter 57 Chapter 57 My Eyes Are Full of Male Parents

Countless thoughts flashed through Serra’s mind, causing his head to throb, but he didn’t try to grasp any of them because Edwin beside him was looking at him, his eyes filled with worry.

“It’s nothing, Male Parent, it’s just that things are more complicated than I thought.”

In Serra’s expectations—as a staunch atheist and party member, you can’t blame him—his revolution had no involvement with the occult whatsoever. Everything was much simpler. He would help Edwin overthrow the rule of the male insectoids, expose the lies and brainwashing of the church, and allow the female and sub-male insectoids to reach the peak of power, regaining their say and political rights.

It’s not that he wasn’t prepared. After transmigrating and being reborn, gaining a bunch of tentacles and non-human symbols, and returning from the dead, he had already realized the complex and intricate energies of this world. However, he was still psychologically unwilling to accept it. Now, forced to directly face the “Mother Goddess” and the church’s grand scheme, he was indeed caught off guard.

“What is the artifact that controls the Holy Child? Is there any possibility that it can help him escape the Pope’s control?”

He still had to save his unlucky student, after all, he was their teacher.

“He didn’t say, Brother.” Ilia’s voice was noticeably low: “He acted like he didn’t care, even when the Pope threatened him with death several times. I even—I even saw the Pope torturing him. He was lying on the ground spitting blood, his lips still curled up… He was laughing, as if mocking the Pope, but he’s still just a, just a cub.”

Tears welled up in Ilia’s eyes. He raised his sleeve to wipe away the tears, his expression lost and helpless. Serra’s head throbbed painfully, forcing him to raise his hand to support his forehead, letting out a painful groan.

As he knew before, the school where he worked as a human thought he was a young teacher who was easily accepted by students and had more common ground with them, so he was often asked to take on the work of counselor and counseling room teacher, helping problem students complete their study tours or social services.

Until they had an accident. Yes, the students who had the accident with him and transmigrated to the insectoid world together were all “outliers” who were isolated and withdrawn due to some problems in their original families or personal psychological issues.

That didn’t mean they weren’t good students. In fact, Serra liked each and every one of them, so he also deeply understood the problems they each faced.

Compared to Yun Jiarán, who was isolated and independent, and had social barriers due to her experiences, the rich second-generation who transmigrated into the Holy Child had a frivolous playboy demeanor, flirting with all the students and teachers every day, making half the students in the class secretly (and the other half openly) in love with him. But in reality, the rich second-generation hated being touched by anyone. Psychologically, because he witnessed his father’s violence and cheating on his mother in his childhood, he couldn’t accept intimate behavior.

His playboy mask was just his disguise. He needed to use his appearance and sweet words to confuse others and gain their favor in order to fill the emptiness in his heart. After he successively triggered several large-scale farcical campus confessions and several “confession letters” that threatened him with death, the school, which had received a donation of a laboratory building from his father, could no longer tolerate it. They labeled him as a problem student and threw him to Serra, who had the best relationship with him and didn’t have those kinds of feelings for him.

It took Serra a semester to pry open the rich second-generation’s mouth, which even psychological doctors couldn’t pry open, which shows his ability to talk nonsense and his stubbornness. In later interactions, Serra also learned that his psychological problems were as long and smelly as his list of scandals, many of which were obviously preserved after the transmigration.

For example, his world-weary attitude, that indifferent appearance of “live if you can, die if you can’t”, and his seeming ability to develop a romantic relationship with any sentient being around him at any time, but in reality, he didn’t trust anyone, only willing to share the good things but never sharing his own burdens.

He didn’t want to cause trouble for anyone, even for Serra. In such a dangerous situation, he was even too lazy to ask Serra for help. It’s conceivable that the absurd world of the insectoids must have aggravated the rich second-generation’s world-weary emotions. He was probably in a state where it was fine to live another day, but it would also be fine to die immediately.

His madness obviously frightened Ilia, and Serra’s head hurt more than ever before, even more than when facing Yun Jiarán. After all, Yun Jiarán, even with such a difficult original family situation, had fewer psychological problems than the rich second-generation.

“Okay, okay, Ilia, don’t cry, let me think.”

Serra rubbed his brow, and after a while, he said: “Ilia, I know the Holy Child… his situation is not optimistic, I will find a way to help him. If possible, I also hope to help him get rid of the church’s control, because he is obviously not on the same side as the Pope, right?”

“But Ilia, the pressure to save him shouldn’t be on your shoulders. At that time, he only took you away as a temporary measure. I wasn’t… strong enough at that time, and I thought that as an adult male insectoid and the Holy Child—now I also know that this isn’t true—he would take good care of you. Female and sub-male insectoids are in an absolutely weak position in this empire. I have no intention of you stealing information or taking risks.”

“Since the Holy Child can’t provide you with shelter, I still hope you return to the Duke’s Mansion. Return to your male parent’s side.”

“I… I can’t, Brother.”

Ilia said softly: “After I knew I could help other insectoids through my efforts, after… after I’ve seen the world, I can’t retreat. I have the blood of a military female insectoid, and I know that Edwin Male Parent and my male parent, they also think the same way.”

When Edwin was mentioned, Serra felt as if he had been struck by an unexpected force in his chest, leaving him speechless for a moment.

Yes, he knew what Edwin thought, how could he not know? When the entire insectoid was severely injured and defiled, when his body was weak and full of pain, he still stubbornly spread his wings, just to prove that he still had the ability to fight, the ability to protect, and the ability to fight for those who couldn’t defend themselves. This was the meaning of the military female insectoid.

So no matter how much Serra yearned to erase Edwin’s spirit of sacrifice and fighting spirit, no matter how much he wanted to place him in the nest to protect him, it was all in vain. This world was terrible, and only a few souls radiated a heart-stirring warmth, like a lighthouse in the darkness, guiding civilization and life forward.

Serra silently opened and closed his lips several times, and finally sighed silently in Ilia’s bright and clear gaze:

“I don’t want your adventurous behavior to be encouraged, Ilia, but I want you to know that your male parent will be proud of your courage.”

In his gaze, a blush appeared on Ilia’s cheeks, and stars-like light shone in his eyes. Vibrant vitality was revealed on his young face, brighter than moonlight, more dazzling than spring flowers.

“Actually… even if Male Parent doesn’t say it, I know.” He glanced at Westson secretly. When the male parent and male child’s eyes met, warmth flowed quietly in the space. After a long while, Serra spoke again:

“I can’t insist on keeping you, but there is one thing you must understand, Ilia. What you are doing is extremely dangerous. I will use the matter of the Duke’s Mansion to renegotiate with the royal family and reclaim the military power of the Fourth Army. And the church can’t even tolerate the wristbands, let alone tolerate me abolishing their two bishops, and even taking away one of their artifacts.”

He gently shook the snake-shaped bone bracelet on his arm. He didn’t intend to really use this bone bracelet. Just as Yun Jiarán said, she hated the church using her ribs as firewood. However, just like some countries in the world that did not possess nuclear arsenals, they were not willing to initiate war but needed to develop nuclear weapons to protect their sovereignty, in order to achieve a deterrent effect.

With the bone bracelet, the Duke’s Mansion would have more chips at the negotiating table. At least the royal family would reconsider balancing the power conflict between the Duke’s Mansion and the church. This was Serra’s opportunity.

“War will come.” Edwin suddenly said, his voice still weak, but very calm:

“You also know about the events that happened in the Duke’s Mansion. The church is eradicating all forces that hinder their plans. Even one of the four great Duke’s Mansions on the Capital Star cannot escape their encirclement and suppression. I understand your thoughts, Ilia, but for your safety, you need to understand your future retreat and prepare as much as possible. If you want to go to the battlefield, you must learn the strategies of the battlefield.”

He looked at Ilia’s immature and young face. Obviously, his own appearance was not much more mature than Ilia’s, but his fair profile was like a Greek statue precipitated by the years, his eyes firm. Obviously, there was no strong component, but it was full of guidance and patience from an elder.

He was like a green pine and cypress, spreading his branches and leaves in the wind and rain, sheltering the young sapling beside him.

Serra couldn’t take his eyes away. His gaze fell from Edwin’s calm profile to his lightly opening and closing light-colored lips. He suddenly felt an uncontrollable jealousy towards Ilia, who was being watched by Edwin. His tentacles twisted uneasily and restlessly, making Serra wake up as if from a dream. He quickly and embarrassedly shifted his gaze:

“Male Parent is right, Ilia, we all need to be prepared, discuss the plan to deal with the church, and your future retreat as safely as possible.”

Edwin’s gaze fell back on Serra, his eyes almost overflowing with gentleness and a smile, like a gentle mother looking at her growing child. Serra’s heart was pounding, almost shattering his chest. He tried his best to suppress the impulse to bury his face in Edwin’s warm chest. Guilt climbed up his spine, but it couldn’t dispel the desire in his heart.

Edwin didn’t know his dirty thoughts, didn’t understand his sins, and he had better hide his tail.

Serra thought a little dejectedly, then turned his attention and discussed the church’s intentions with Ilia.

Yes, the church did send Ilia to “make peace” with the Duke’s Mansion. The purpose was also very simple. The church required the Duke’s Mansion to install the software and system set up by the church on the wristbands they produced, so that every female and sub-male insectoid would be forced to accept the church’s preaching at a fixed time every day.

At the same time, the church was willing to stop resisting and getting to the bottom of the wristbands, and would not send saints to besiege the Duke’s Mansion’s affiliated planets and destroy the Duke’s Mansion’s research institute.

The church would not continue to investigate the cause of Bishop Sass’s death, as long as Serra kept a certain degree of silence about what happened. The Duke’s Mansion could not pursue Serra’s caused losses.

Serra and the insectoids of the Duke’s Mansion listened quietly. Even the calm Westson showed extremely angry expressions on his face. In comparison, Serra, who had just been fighting, quickly calmed down when Edwin took one of his hands:

“The matter of the Duke’s Mansion happened on the Capital Star. I have no obligation to hide the whole story from the royal family and the media. The Pope shouldn’t not understand that this matter can’t be concealed. I think what he really wants to hide is probably the artifact.”

Serra secretly squeezed Edwin’s fingers, not letting the female insectoid withdraw it, and then said to Ilia:

“I can satisfy them. At least before a better opportunity comes, I also think the artifact should not be exposed by the media. The church also knows that it is impossible to take the artifact from my hands, so they didn’t even mention it. As for the wristbands, I can allow the church’s theories to be preached in the wristbands in exchange for the church stopping the encirclement and suppression of the Duke’s Mansion.”

“But I can’t allow the church’s system to be installed on the wristbands.”

While Serra was speaking, he cooperated with Ilia to record a video to show the Duke’s Mansion’s attitude, so as to avoid Ilia receiving more questions and accusations in the future:

“I need the church to completely stop interfering with the wristbands and the wristband network, permanently. And I need the church to give up obstructing the Duke’s Mansion’s claim to the sovereignty of the Fourth Army.”

“…In the future, if the church wants to negotiate with the Duke’s Mansion, the sub-male insectoid Ilia must be present, sane, and not marked by a male insectoid, otherwise the Duke’s Mansion will never enter negotiations.”

In the end, Serra still mentioned Ilia, adding his identity to the negotiation content, trying to add some chips for Ilia to survive. Ilia smiled at him gratefully, and then recalled the tracking camera device, and Serra also mentioned the issue of the Holy Child:

“The Holy Child and I can be considered old friends.” After he said this, the expressions on the faces of the insectoids present were different, especially Westson, who knew the most about Serra’s original body, but Westson didn’t say anything.

“He is trustworthy, I am sure of that. It’s just… his condition is not very stable,” Serra swallowed the words “there is a problem with his mental state” back. After all, for female and sub-male insectoids, survival is the problem, and psychological and mental problems are not within their understanding.

“You can cooperate with him to deal with your common difficulties, but I hope you focus on protecting yourself. He is not your responsibility.” Because saving unlucky students is the teacher’s responsibility.

Serra almost wanted to sigh, but the words he said were still as gentle and clear as possible. He didn’t want Ilia to take risks, because the young female insectoid had experienced too much, and his male parent Westson had always been worried about him.

“Thank you, Brother… Thank you so much.”

Ilia said softly, bowing his head to hide a tear falling from the corner of his eye. After he… was almost violated by his male parent, the world that his male parent had tried his best to shape for him collapsed in front of him, leaving only a turbulent ruin.

And he understood that this turbulence and ruin was actually the true appearance of the world.

His male insectoid brother, Serra, might be the best thing that has happened in this turbulent world, but even so, he has changed too much.

He was far from the helpless young sub-male insectoid he once was, and not even the way his brothers and male parents saw him now. He was hiding many things, the most important of which was that he had joined the Rebel Army.

He served the Rebel Army, and his death was not a pity, just like every female and sub-male insectoid who joined the Rebel Army and refused to turn back. For this reason, his loyalty to the Rebel Army and their beliefs even surpassed his loyalty to his family insectoids. And when he faced the concern and protection of his family insectoids who were still loyal to the insectoid empire, he felt guilty and ashamed.

But he would not turn back. His belief was the fire of life burning in his chest. If the ideal was extinguished, he would also cease to exist.

“There is no need to thank me, go talk to Westson. He doesn’t say it, but he has always missed you.”

Serra also noticed Ilia’s overly fluctuating emotions, but he only thought that Ilia was a teenager in puberty who couldn’t control himself. On the other hand, Westson and Edwin silently looked at Ilia, and Edwin even tilted his head thoughtfully.

Serra immediately noticed Edwin’s small movement. Whenever his male parent was confused or thinking, he would have this cute body language of tilting his head, announcing to all the insectoids, “I’m thinking, don’t disturb me”, which made Serra’s heart tremble. His awareness of Ilia immediately vanished, and his eyes were full of Edwin’s small movements, until Edwin was disturbed by his overly hot gaze.