After Becoming a Zerg Larva - Chapter 7

Li Xi stood in the shadows, thinking it was quite a coincidence to run into that kid again.

However, the other boy’s situation seemed to be a mess every time they met. Whether it was fighting in an alleyway or hiding in a stairwell crying, this time seemed even more serious. He had nearly lost his life.

Li Xi drew closer. The green snake that should have been coiled around his wrist was now slithering across the body of the male Zerg cub.

It was a slender green snake with a striking splash of vivid red on its forehead, a color so bright even the night could not hide it. Currently, it was wound around the male’s neck, flicking its tongue and hissing, poised to strike.

Aian’s hair stood on end. He didn’t dare move; the only thing he felt was the icy sensation against his neck, proving he hadn’t been bitten yet. The snake’s tongue brushed against his cheek intermittently, cold enough to seep into his bones.

“Ugh… quickly, get it off me…” he stammered, calling for help from the Zerg nearby. All the arrogance he’d shown while bullying just moments ago had completely vanished.

Those witnessing the scene gasped. They didn’t dare act recklessly, fearing that any slight provocation would cause the snake to snap and bite. No one knew if the snake was venomous or not.

I hope it’s not venomous, they prayed silently.

“I don’t dare touch it!” Denier was at a loss, wanting to grab it but lacking the courage. He turned his gaze toward the female Zerg present.

Don’t they say female Zerg cubs are brave and have quick reflexes?!

He stuttered at them: “Y-y-you guys, g-grab it…”

The female cubs looked at each other; not a single one dared to step forward. They shook their heads, and one female cub, who remained relatively calm, spoke up to analyze the risks: “Little Lord, if we rush in, we might startle the snake.”

Aian tilted his neck, his eyes darting toward the snake. He didn’t even dare to speak loudly: “Then what do we do!”

“Wow…” Yun marveled inwardly.

Green snakes were among the most common types of snakes and were non-venomous even if they bit. However, Yun was puzzled as to why a dangerous creature like a snake would appear in the Jonah family estate, especially during such a grand banquet.

While he was wondering, a blurry figure suddenly appeared in his peripheral vision. Their breathing was so light that he hadn’t noticed their presence immediately.

The other Zerg noticed the dark figure at the same time. While keeping an eye on the male Zerg, they sized up the newly arrived female cub. They exchanged glances and reached a consensus. None of them had ever seen this female cub before.

As the dark figure drew closer, Yun recognized him based on his excellent memory. He subconsciously blurted out, “What are you doing here?”

Li Xi stood before them and replied in an unhurried voice, “Taking a walk.”

Yun let out an “Ah” of confusion. He had wandered through the entire banquet out of boredom and knew basically all the cubs his age, but he had never seen this one. Furthermore, the boy wasn’t wearing a high-end formal suit; it looked more like casual wear.

Usually, Li Xi wouldn’t attend such grand banquets. Banquets meant etiquette and rules, things he despised. But this event was somewhat special, it was the 200th birthday of the previous head of the Jonah family. To make it lively, many cubs had been invited, and naturally, Li Xi hadn’t escaped the invitation.

“I say, can you two save the catching up for later?” The green snake had stopped flicking its scarlet tongue. Its body rested against the back of Aian’s neck while its head lay on his right shoulder, appearing quite peaceful.

Aian’s mind was filled only with the thought that the snake might bite him; he didn’t notice the change in the snake’s demeanor. He spoke up again in a small voice, “Find a way to get the snake off me first!”

Li Xi and Yun remained indifferent; only the others were panicking.

“Hey! You female Zerg!” Aian was furious, his body somewhat numb from fear. Because he had lost control of his mental power earlier, he didn’t dare use it lightly now, and he wasn’t confident he could accurately snatch the snake.

One brave female cub tried to take the snake by surprise, suddenly reaching for its head. Unexpectedly, the hand missed. The startled green snake zipped into Aian’s collar and vanished from sight.

Aian: “!!!”

He could no longer maintain his composure: “Ah… it crawled inside!”

Denier: “Don’t move around! What if it bites you?!”

Aian retorted: “How can I not move! It’s slithering all over me! You make it sound so easy!”

Denier: “Don’t move! How are we supposed to catch it?”

“…”

The scene was pure chaos.

Seeing this, Yun also got a bit nervous: “It won’t actually bite him, will it?”

Aian couldn’t afford to get injured here. Otherwise, that male Zerg wouldn’t pass up such a good opportunity to punish Yun.

“It won’t.” Just as Yun was about to step forward to help, the person who had approached him at some unknown point spoke.

The certainty in that voice made Yun suspicious. He stopped in his tracks: “Hmm?”

Li Xi repeated: “Won’t. Bite.”

“How are you so sur…” Something flashed through Yun’s mind. He caught the thought, pulled Li Xi to the side, and asked in a low, testing whisper, “That snake… it isn’t yours, is it?!”

Security checks were mandatory before the banquet; there was no way a wild snake would be missed. The fact that the snake and the cub appeared together only further proved Yun’s suspicion.

“Mine?” Li Xi thought for a moment. He hadn’t fed it, and he didn’t know what snakes ate. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t his pet. So, he shook his head.

Yun breathed a sigh of relief.

A second later, Li Xi said honestly: “Acquainted.”

“?!” Those two words made Yun tense up again. Just as he thought—he was connected to that mysterious snake!

He said, “So what’s the difference?!”

Li Xi: “?”

The difference is huge. I know it, but it didn’t eat me.

Yun had nothing to say to the confusion in the cub’s eyes. But since the cub was certain the snake wouldn’t bite, he stopped worrying about it. He moved on to another matter: “That the crystal…”

Li Xi remained silent, waiting for the rest.

Yun fidgeted for a moment and then said decisively, “I might not be able to get that crystal back. How about I compensate you with another one? You can pick whatever style you like.”

He should just barely be able to afford one…

Li Xi didn’t want anything in particular, so he shook his head to indicate there was no need for compensation.

However, Yun misinterpreted this gesture as Li Xi insisting on that specific crystal: “I’ll buy you other things. A starship model? A holographic game? The latest game console…”

Yun listed several items currently popular among female cubs, but the other boy didn’t even show a hint of emotion. Feeling defeated, Yun suddenly remembered their first meeting. A lightbulb went off:

“How about I buy you some nice clothes?”

“Or tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll buy it for you?”

Li Xi finally gave a bit of a reaction. He turned his head to look at the child who was racking his brain to compensate him.

Yun hadn’t expected him to actually be interested and was momentarily at a loss for words. Clothes and food were everywhere and the least special things; that crystal was enough to buy a whole room full of clothes. Didn’t this cub feel like he was losing out?

Li Xi: “Clothes?”

Yun nodded vigorously: “Mm-hmm!”

Li Xi: “Food?”

Yun nodded again: “Mm-hmm!”

Thinking of the childish clothes in his wardrobe, Li Xi readily agreed.

Fearing he might back out, the child quickly grabbed his hand and performed a high-five gesture that Li Xi didn’t recognize, saying, “Let’s high-five on it! No backing out!”

The scene split into two completely opposite states: by the riverbank, people were frantically trying to catch a snake amidst a chorus of screams; on their side, the atmosphere was harmonious as they lowered their heads and whispered together.

No one noticed that the red-lit surveillance camera on the wall had turned its head, its dark eye fixed on them.

While they were discussing what style of clothes to buy, a loud splash came from the distance.

Li Xi looked over to see the male Zerg’s foot slip. He fell straight backward. The crystal traced a graceful arc in the air before falling into the water along with him.

At the same time, the green snake quietly slipped away and vanished.

Denier remained relatively calm. He glanced at the two indifferent cubs, withdrew his gaze, and directed the Zerg to fish Aian out of the water.

Aian was soaked through and shivering with cold. Although it was summer, the river water at night was chilly enough to make one shudder.

“Damn snake!” Aian shoved away the female Zerg crowding around him with concern. He snarled while shivering, “Don’t crowd me! Where’s the snake!”

His mental power subconsciously leaked out, the oppressive aura instantly spreading across the area. One female Zerg said fearfully, “It… it seems to have run away…”

Aian loved to play around and wasn’t naturally malicious, but he was currently in a fit of rage. His arrogant male Zerg personality flared up, and he vented his anger indiscriminately: “Useless! Are all you female Zerg this incompetent?!”

“Hurry up and find it for me! I—I’m going to—A-choo!”

Meanwhile, in the monitoring room:

The operator finally noticed the anomaly.

The operator had spotted the group of cubs as soon as they appeared. Dramas where males bullied females were common, so they had grown lax and turned the camera to patrol elsewhere.

Who would have thought that when they turned it back, the A-rank male cub would be in the water!

Tonight, was the birthday banquet of the previous ruler of the Jonah family. His Highness Kale had given orders half a month ago that not a single thing could go wrong tonight.

And yet—