After Transmigrating, I Raised Cubs in the Insectoid Clan - Chapter 14

“Things on the ground are dirty. Do not just pick them up.”

Samuel took the wet, crumpled ball of paper into his own palm and tossed it into the nearby trash can, which had a fresh liner. He then took a damp towel and grasped Suter’s wrist to make him open his palm, gently wiping away the paper scraps and water stains with soft movements.

“I kept that business card because I wanted to take you to the hospital to try spiritual sea soothing.”

“No.”

Samuel stopped his wiping motions and looked up at Suter. The youth’s eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and he looked somewhat displeased.

“Alright, we will not go,” Samuel said. He used a tone entirely meant for coaxing a small insect cub.

Suter’s eyelashes fluttered as he stared at Samuel’s collar. “You should take a shower too,” he said.

“Yes, I know. I will shower after you fall asleep. Tomorrow morning, you will come for your check-up, okay?”

Samuel remained gentle, but Suter seemed even more unhappy hearing this.

“I am no longer a cub. Do not coax me.”

Samuel smiled. “True. Then I will stop saying it.”

When Samuel stopped talking, Suter felt even more unsettled. He stood awkwardly behind Samuel, his thumb brushing against his damp palm.

“Actually, you can say it, but…”

Samuel rinsed the small towel and hung it back on the rack. It was the same small towel little Suter had used the day before; now retired from its original use, it served as a hand cloth specifically for Suter.

Suter stumbled over his words, but Samuel did not rush him and waited quietly.

“But you can only say it to me,” Suter finally blurted out.

Samuel smiled again. He suddenly felt that although the slightly older Suter was not as straightforward as he had been as a child, he possessed a stubborn kind of cuteness. He did not answer, but simply patted the youth’s shoulder and sent him to the bedroom to rest. Suter left, looking back three times with every step.

Samuel put the hair dryer back into the bathroom cabinet and wiped the water off the counter before heading to the living room.

On the dining table, the robot Xiao Su had already heated a glass of milk according to instructions. White steam curled from the rim of the glass. Samuel tested the temperature with the back of his hand; it was warm but not scalding.

He thought back to the information he had researched on the Star Network today. Since Suter was unwilling to go to the hospital for treatment, there was only one other way.

He took a small knife from a drawer and made a light cut on the pad of his left index finger. A bead of blood immediately welled up, glinting a dark red under the light. He held his hand over the milk, letting two drops fall into the glass, and then stirred it slowly with a spoon. The red streaks swirled in the white liquid until they completely dissolved.

It should be enough.

Samuel stared at the milk, which had returned to a pure white. He remembered Suter curled into a ball in pain the previous night. Although it had lasted only a few seconds, the youth’s pale face and hurried breathing remained vivid in his mind, making his heart tighten.

Samuel carried the milk and knocked on the door of the second bedroom. He waited a moment before pushing the door open. Suter was already tucked into bed, with only the silver tips of his hair and his emerald eyes visible. Seeing Samuel, he immediately threw back the covers and sat up, preparing to get out of bed barefoot.

“Stay in bed.”

Samuel stepped forward quickly, pressing a hand on Suter’s shoulder while offering the glass of milk with the other. Suter hesitated for a second before taking it. At the moment their fingertips touched, a faint metallic scent wafted into Suter’s nose.

It was the smell of blood.

Suter’s pupils contracted suddenly. A military insect’s keen sense of smell immediately captured the scent of blood mixed with the milk. He looked up quickly, his gaze lingering on Samuel’s left hand hanging at his side. There was a fresh wound there, still moist and glistening.

“Is it strawberry flavored?” Suter asked, holding the warm glass. His voice was softer than usual, and his knuckles turned white as if he were exerting great self-control.

“Yes,” Samuel replied briefly and calmly.

Suter tilted his head and drank it all in one go, his Adam’s apple moving rapidly. When he set the glass down, his tongue slowly licked the corner of his mouth as if tasting something indescribable. Under the light, his eyelashes cast a dense shadow that hid the churning emotions in his eyes.

“It is good. Sweet.”

Samuel took the empty glass, his finger tracing the milk residue on the rim. He looked down at the soft silver hair for a moment and said, “Go to sleep.”

Samuel placed the glass on the kitchen counter for Xiao Su to clean in the morning. He then returned and turned off the light in the bedroom.

Darkness enveloped the room instantly, but Suter could still clearly perceive Samuel’s every move: the soft beep of the remote as the air conditioner was turned up one degree, and then the sound of a bottle being picked up. Suter’s cheeks suddenly burned.

It was that childish bottle.

He remembered it well. It was a water bottle Samuel had prepared specifically for little Suter, filled with soda water. Samuel said it was good for the stomach but should not be over-consumed, yet he filled it every night before bed. In the dark, Suter heard Samuel’s footsteps approach. He kept his eyes closed, though his eyelashes trembled. Finally, the glass was filled and placed gently on the nightstand.

The footsteps receded, and the sound of splashing water soon came from the bathroom.

Suter snapped his eyes open and sat up. He crept to the end of the bed and peered through a tiny crack in the door. Warm light leaked through, casting fragments of light onto his silver lashes. He peeked through the gap with his ears perked up, fiddling with a brand-new light-brain. He was cross-legged and clutching the plush bear from yesterday as he skillfully disassembled the new device.

It was the latest minimalist model from the Federation. As soon as he had entered the bedroom earlier, he had seen the exquisite black box sitting on the headboard. Samuel had left it there as a reward for his cooperation during the examination.

A reward?

Suter did not believe in such things. His fingers moved constantly as he manipulated every component. The metal parts were exposed under the light, and he lined them up one by one to inspect them.

There were no listening devices.

There were no abnormal programs.

The moment the water stopped running, Suter’s fingers froze in mid-air. He swiftly snapped the light-brain components back into place and tucked the plush bear under his arm. By the time the bathroom door handle turned, he had already slid silently back under the covers. He pulled the blanket over himself and the bear, picking at the bear’s eyes in the dark, briefly falling into a state of confusion.

The smooth touch of the device reminded him of his repeated tests throughout the day. Nothing. He had found nothing at all. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Samuel was like a strawberry cake made specifically for him, constantly tempting him to take a bite.

Suter bit his lower lip, his fingers leaving deep marks on the bear’s ear. This feeling of being perfectly cared for made his whole body tremble. His tongue brushed over his back teeth, where he could still taste a faint hint of blood.

It was the taste of green, unripened strawberries.

That was the scent of Samuel’s pheromones, exposed without any disguise. Even when masked by strawberry milk, it was still too honest. Was Samuel not afraid at all?

He heard light footsteps approaching, each step feeling as though it were treading on Suter’s heart.

“If only I were still a cub,” he thought inappropriately. He could have naturally curled up in Samuel’s arms and been patted on the back to sleep.

Suter rolled to the edge of the bed with the bear, clumsily placing the bear’s paw on his own shoulder to mimic Samuel’s comforting gestures. The action was so childish that he rolled over again, only to unexpectedly bump into a pair of warm palms.

Suter froze. He had not noticed Samuel approaching. He tried to poke his head out, only to realize he had wrapped himself into a tight sushi roll with the blanket. The next second, he and the bear were gathered into a warm embrace.

“Cannot sleep?” Samuel sat on the edge of the bed, his palm gently patting Suter’s back. “Are you feeling unwell again?”

Suter stiffened for a second. Actually, he felt fine, but he whispered, “A little bit.”

A faint scent of green strawberries suddenly drifted through the air. Suter was startled and his lips trembled as if to speak.

“Is that better?” Samuel’s voice came from above.

In the end, Suter asked nothing. He buried his face in Samuel’s arm and nodded gently.

“Go to sleep,” Samuel said, his voice husky with sleepiness. “Call me if you need anything.”

The rhythmic patting continued. “Do not carry it all by yourself.”

Samuel did not leave until the middle of the night, once he was sure Suter’s breathing was steady. The sound of the door closing was almost inaudible. In the darkness, Suter slowly opened his eyes and then closed them again.

He might have drifted off for a while. Samuel’s awakening level was only Rank B, and the pheromones he released were not truly effective at soothing a military insect; they were not even as strong as a Suye fruit. Yet, Suter felt an inexplicable sense of peace. It was a sense of security he had never felt before, so much so that he had sensed the moment Samuel stopped moving to leave, even in his sleep.

He lay on his side hugging the plush bear, deeply inhaling Samuel’s lingering scent on it. The wait felt exceptionally long. Only after confirming that Samuel was likely fast asleep did he carefully turn on the light-brain.

The silver-blue glow reflected on his face, outlining the sharp line of his jaw. His fingertips slid quickly over the virtual keyboard as he entered the number from the water-soaked business card. His message hovered over the send button for a second before he pressed it decisively.

Beep. Message delivered.

Suter did not blink as he watched the screen. Soon, a reply popped up: “Do you need to bring your cub in for spiritual power soothing?”

That short line caused Suter’s fingers to tighten. He stared at the screen, analyzing every word.

There were no honorifics.

It was a direct question.

The most piercing part was that word: “cub.” So in Samuel’s eyes, was he always just a cub that needed care? He thought… he thought at least…

Suter shook his head violently, his silver hair flying in the dark. The blue light revealed his reddening eyes as his fingers dug deeper into the bear’s ear. He quickly deleted everything and took a deep breath.

He temporarily pushed everything regarding Samuel to the back of his mind. They had plenty of time, and he had enough strength and means to keep Samuel firmly in his grasp. He shrank back under the covers, dialed a number, and waited quietly.

After nearly two minutes, the call finally connected. A drowsy voice answered from the other end. “Damn it! Do you know what time it is?”

This was followed by the sound of someone rustling and rolling around in bed.

“Hello? Speak up. If you do not say anything, I am hanging up. I was just called away from a feast, and if I go back to sleep now, I might be able to finish it.”

The person was muttering, but Suter heard him clearly. He laughed softly under the covers, but his expression soon froze. He said carefully, “It is me.”

“Huh? Suter?!”

Xi Wen scrambled out of bed. He checked the time and then his light-brain before screaming, “Insect God above! You stole Samuel’s light-brain to call me at this hour? Are you suicidal?”

He urged, “Quickly, return it before he catches you, or you are dead. If you are just calling to say you are safe, fine. I saw you from a distance today and only left because you looked okay. Otherwise, I would have charged in there alone…”

Suter laughed, though it was a mocking laugh. “You?”

Xi Wen bristled. “What? You want to go? Come back in a few days and let us see who is better.”

“I am not competing with you. I am not interested,” Suter said. His voice suddenly softened, taking on the clear tone of a nineteen-year-old youth.

The sound of a glass being knocked over came from the other end of the line. Xi Wen mulled over that strangely gentle sentence, which did not sound like Suter’s usual style. After thinking for two seconds, he asked, “Wait… how old are you right now?”

Suter replied, “Nineteen.”

Xi Wen was silent.

Damn it, why did Suter get to become so young? Xi Wen wanted to turn small too, just so he could call Suter at two in the morning every day. He wondered what he had been doing when he was nineteen.

Never mind. It was best not to make things difficult for himself.

He cleared his throat and adopted the tone of an elder. “What do you want? Just say it. I have work tomorrow!” Xi Wen tried hard to sound like a busy adult.

Suter was silent for two seconds before asking, “You can still work? Is your eye better?”

“My eye?” The sound of a package being torn open was followed by chewing. “Oh, you mean the last mission. It was no big deal. I was just scratched by a cat kept by that criminal gang. Wait, these new spicy fish flakes are actually pretty good. Do you want to hear my latest food recommendations?”

For the next thirty minutes, Suter listened expressionlessly as Xi Wen described the signature dishes of ten new restaurants in the Seventh District in excruciating detail. When the topic turned to the sauce recipe for the third shop, he decisively ended the call.

It was a poor choice of friends.

Suter calmed his emotions and dialed another string of digits. This time, the ringing was short, and the call was answered quickly.

“Hello?”

Suter remained silent. A deep, cold male voice came through the receiver, sounding like a blade quenched in ice. Suter’s fingers gripped the device tightly, and his breathing hitched. He knew this voice all too well. It was that bastard, that damn…

How was he still alive? And why did he have Boerner’s light-brain?

He hung up decisively, his thumb moving so fast it nearly sparked on the screen. As the display went dark, Suter saw his own distorted face reflected in the black glass.

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