MCDWTBS Chapter 87

Chapter 87 The World Without Serra, He…

The distance between Border Star and Heavenly Palace Star is three wormholes. Traversing wormholes would normally be negligible damage to advanced military *Cí chóng*, but for Edwin, whose glands were destroyed, he could hear his bones creak with each wormhole transit as they were compressed by space.

At this moment, he was thankful that he was wearing battle armor – the military armor of the *Cí chóng* allowed them to fight in space, and the breathing mask covered most of Edwin’s face, preventing other *Chong* from seeing him vomiting blood.

He walked past the Vanguard Army, and thousands of participating *Cí chóng* soldiers paid their respects. Most of these *Cí chóng* soldiers, like Edwin, had high talent but short lifespans due to Pheromone Collapse Syndrome. They voluntarily signed the participation agreement and were about to face a battle of no return with Edwin.

“This is not a just war.”

Edwin’s voice sounded muffled behind the mask:

“The enemy in front of you is not your real enemy. I know this is difficult to understand, but we have experienced such battles thousands of times. Most of the time, we slaughter alien residents because the male insectoid authorities want to occupy their resources, and we are the plundering blades in the hands of the male insectoids.”

“The Rebel army that the Empire wants us to fight has similar origins and circumstances as us. They choose to use the power of the vastness to shake the millennia-long rule of the Empire, seeking a way out. Many years later, perhaps historical documents will define their behavior as brave and fearless, or as an attempt to hold back the tide, but none of that is something we can understand.”

“I cannot assert whether our battle is following history or going against the current, but I only have one order for you: fight, fight without reservation, whether this is a just war or fratricide. Only by the Vanguard Army fighting the rebel army without fear of death can we prevent the First Army and the Third Army from finding a reason to slaughter the Fourth Army, and can we provide time for our comrades to evacuate.”

“This may not be a just battle, but it is the only right thing we can do before we breathe our last. May the Mother Goddess grant us forgiveness.”

Because he could not swallow the blood, Edwin ultimately chose to end his speech briefly. He was not a *Chong* good at speech and expression, but the kind and soft side of his nature attempted to say some comforting words to these silent and loyal warriors before going to a dance of death together.

Death was a mysterious companion of the *Cí chóng*, who repeatedly brushed shoulders with them, and no *Cí chóng* was unfamiliar with it. It was a destined ending, and it might not be a bad thing to calmly enter the darkness with the company of comrades.

Edwin thought, turning around. He turned his back to the Vanguard Army, took off his mask, and wiped the blood from his chin with a handkerchief marked with the Duke’s Mansion insignia.

This handkerchief was part of the accessories of Serra’s dresses and had never been used by Serra. This was not surprising, as almost all of the *Chong* race’s advanced technology was used for the daily life of the male insectoids. Only in the noble attire would there be things like handkerchiefs, which were ancient and not very practical.

Edwin himself had pitifully few things. It wasn’t that Serra hadn’t tried his best to stuff all the valuable energy stones, protective gear, the robot Xiao An, and all kinds of expensive nutrient injections and food from the Duke’s Mansion into Edwin’s marching luggage, but it was still too monotonous, just like what Edwin could provide for Serra was so thin.

Before leaving the Duke’s Mansion, besides Edwin’s own bracelet and a few military uniforms, the only thing Edwin personally packed into his suitcase was a handkerchief from Serra.

He didn’t tell Serra – even before everything happened, he wasn’t prepared to be honest with Serra. Yes, he also knew that his behavior was not honorable. He was a rude *Cí chóng*, a barbaric executioner, a heretic without the gods, but he was never a thief – he really wasn’t.

He just couldn’t calm the restless thoughts in his mind on a night when he was about to leave. Like a cub with separation anxiety, he held Serra’s handkerchief, and the ethereal male insectoid pheromones on it gently conformed to the lines of his palm. And he just…couldn’t let go.

He secretly took Serra’s handkerchief, like an uneducated, unruly cub. He thought at the time that if they met again, he would definitely secretly stuff it into the pocket of Serra’s chest, and the other party would not find out – Serra would only stare at himself too frankly with those caramel-colored, gentle eyes. The young male insectoid had no other *Cí chóng* or sub-male companions, and he always found it difficult to hide his misplaced affection.

But now, that handkerchief was already stained with Edwin’s bloody filth, and the male insectoid pheromones on it had long since dissipated with the passage of time.

Edwin held the handkerchief tightly, and a moment of dizziness almost overwhelmed him. He desperately, desperately hoped that this handkerchief would have a chance to return to Serra’s hands. Perhaps the other party could create a miracle? Just like the one he created during his first development? Perhaps Serra had not left this world, but just…just could not be seen for the time being?

He desperately grasped this idea, like grabbing a life-saving straw. After the dizziness in his mind was suppressed, he gently put the blood-stained handkerchief into the wooden box in the hands of Lieutenant General Kane – the box was already full of the personal belongings of the Vanguard Army *Cí chóng*, and that would be their Absolute.

“If…you can still meet Duke Noah, return this handkerchief to him.”

He paused, and then said: “Forget it, don’t return it. It’s too dirty, he’ll see it and–”

His *yaci* child would cry.

Lieutenant General Kane looked at him with a complicated gaze, and Edwin refused to look back, because he knew that gaze contained pity.

The last thing he needed was pity, because he didn’t deserve it. All of this was caused by him, the evil consequences he brewed.

He harmed Serra.

“General, the Fourth Army needs your leadership. The *Cí chóng* have entrusted their lives and loyalty to you, not to me. You should take them to a safe place as you promised, instead of entrusting them to me–”

As Kane spoke, some of the *Cí chóng* in the Vanguard Army also opened their mouths one after another – they had never questioned any orders from their superiors before, and even if they couldn’t say where it had changed, it was indeed different from before.

“General, you are a *Cí chóng* with a male master, you don’t need to lead this operation. We will definitely delay enough time…”

“General, you promised the *Cí chóng* of the Fourth Army to protect them. If you die, how can you fulfill your promise to them?”

“General, Duke Corvin was harmed by the royal family for nothing. If you die, who will avenge the Duke?”

“General, you are different from us. No *Chong* cares about us, and we can’t get the favor of the male insectoids, and we don’t have long to live, but you are a *Chong* who does great things, you can’t…”

“General–”

“Stop talking.”

Edwin was still facing away from all the *Cí chóng* of the Vanguard Army, his voice seemed to be completely collapsed, and uncontrollable sharp breathing and trembling permeated every syllable:

“I need this – I need this battle.” He needed to die on this battlefield, he needed to rush to Serra’s embrace quickly in a posture of death – he couldn’t wait.

Edwin closed his eyes, and a crystal tear fell from his left eye. His whole body was in pain, but the pain in his chest was a hundred times stronger than his festering *Cí chóng* glands.

In this world without Serra, he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t exist – he couldn’t wait.

“We are no different. The principle of the *Cí chóng* is that the wounded protect the main force, and a few sacrifice themselves to seek the survival of the main army. I know my physical condition very well. I have lost the qualifications to lead or protect the Fourth Army. This is my opportunity. I choose to die on the battlefield.”

The other *Cí chóng* of the Vanguard Army still wanted to say something, but Edwin suddenly turned around. The dazzling red on his face and the broken tears in his blue eyes made all the *Cí chóng* lose their words.

They had never seen such a superior. At this moment, they suddenly realized that at the moment when the news of Duke Noah’s death came, Edwin, who was still calmly planning, was actually struggling to survive – he had already been riddled with wounds, but for his compatriots, in order to fulfill his promise, he was still fighting.

“I need – need this opportunity. I may not be as strong as I used to be, but I will not disgrace the name of the Vanguard Army. I will fight to the death.” His blood-stained lips trembled slightly:

“Please.”

Whether it was Lieutenant General Kane or the Vanguard Army, they were speechless. They silently watched their once admired and trusted superior tidy himself up from his shattered body and put on his battle armor mask again.

Above Heavenly Palace Star, the Fourth Army was pressing down, and the Rebel army was also rapidly gathering. Edwin confirmed the troop deployment one last time and said to Kane:

“The wormhole required for the Fourth Army’s evacuation is on the flank and rear of the rebel army. The rebel army’s coordinates are 38362’dimension’65”. There is a gap in the defense. All cannons are aimed at the rebel army’s main ship, the energy value of the particle cannons is adjusted to the maximum, and 60% of the airships are launched to divert attention. The Vanguard Army faces the rebel army’s vanguard directly. The main force of the Fourth Army tears apart the rebel army’s flank after the Vanguard Army suffers more than half of the casualties and goes straight to the wormhole. The entire army evacuates.”

“Be sure to keep a distance from the First Army and the Third Army. If the Fourth Army is not destroyed, they will keep watching the battle. If the Fourth Army retreats, they will definitely attack the Fourth Army as rebel army. In any case, beware of attacks from behind. Once through the wormhole, all remaining firepower should be aimed at the wormhole to prevent the First Army and the Third Army from chasing.”

“Yes, General.”

Lieutenant General Kane knew that Edwin was determined to leave, so he could only take the order in a deep voice. He knew why Edwin would entrust the Fourth Army to him. Among all the senior officers of the Fourth Army, he had the worst talent, and therefore had a longer lifespan. He relied on his steady strategic vision to reach the position of lieutenant general. He was even better than Edwin in terms of his steady strategic vision.

If he led the Fourth Army, perhaps the Fourth Army could really escape from this situation with wolves in front and tigers behind.

It was just a pity that Edwin and the Vanguard Army were the price they had to pay, and Kane also knew that he could not make a better decision than Edwin.

“Send a message to the First Army and the Third Army, saying that the Fourth Army is going to attack before the rebel army has fully assembled.”

After Edwin finished speaking, he entered the command to open the battleship’s hatch. In an instant, all the Vanguard Army fell into the dark universe, and pairs of wings quickly unfolded behind them.

The energy wave of the particle cannon quickly illuminated the universe.