The Tough Guy Forced To Become The Broodmother - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Gland Development

Luo Jia sat on Astra’s shoulder, his eyelids gradually growing heavy. He fought to keep them open, but his nose was filled with a strangely pleasant, soothing fragrance.

The next second, Luo Jia’s body went limp, and he slipped into unconsciousness.

Astra caught the sleeping Luo Jia in his arms, his face as expressionless as ever as he looked at Eros.

The flower by Eros’s ear was blooming vividly, releasing pollen invisible to the human eye that drifted through the air. “Why are you looking at me like that, Astra? If I didn’t put him under, his glands would likely have started developing right then and there,” Eros said.

Astra didn’t respond. He simply looked down at Luo Jia’s face.

Eros spoke in a mocking, biting tone: “You haven’t forgotten who our true Mother is, have you?”

Astra frowned. “Mother has not established a Hive Mind for us yet. He cannot become Mother.”

Eros pointed at the Luo Jia in Astra’s arms. “Then this is even more unacceptable! A mere human actually absorbed the Broodmother’s Essence! The item is gone! What happens to Mother’s body now? We have been without a Mother for so long—if this continues, our power will eventually vanish!”

Astra snapped, “Don’t take your madness out on me.”

Eros warned, “Don’t let the scent on him bewitch you, Legion Commander Astra.”

“I know,” Astra replied. He held Luo Jia close, his scorpion tail curling around the boy like a protective cocoon. Eros huffed, and huge, transparent insect wings unfurled behind his back.

Eros tossed a golden stone shimmering with starlight onto the ground, and a teleportation array instantly expanded across the floor.

“Let’s go.”

They appeared shortly after on the teleportation array of the starship.

The scent clinging to Astra immediately drew everyone’s attention. Selan hurried forward, asking, “Well? Did you find the item?”

Astra said, “There was an accident.” He uncurled his scorpion tail, revealing Luo Jia wrapped in the black cloak. Selan’s pupils constricted. He stared at them in disbelief. “What… is this?”

Eros said impatiently, “Is your brain malfunctioning? Obviously, this is the ‘item’ we need. Selan, why haven’t you called the doctor to come and take a look?”

“What are you all doing?” A man in a white lab coat approached with his hands in his pockets. As he caught the scent in the air, his pupils narrowed instantly. Green, vine-like tentacles briefly emerged from beneath his coat before he retracted them a second later, regaining his composure.

The crowd parted for him. The doctor stepped forward.

He looked into Astra’s arms and asked, “Is this the medicine you found for Mother?”

Astra replied, “An accident occurred. He drank the Essence.”

The doctor nodded. “Understood. Bring him to the medical bay.”

Eros sighed. “I wonder when Mother will truly establish the Hive Mind to soothe us. I crave it so much…”

The doctor glanced at him. “Your vitals are stable; you don’t need soothing for now. If you’re going into heat, I can prescribe some suppressants.”

Eros made a gagging gesture. “Get lost! My body and soul belong to Mother!”

Ignoring him, the doctor turned to Astra. “Astra, follow me. I need to examine his glands.” Eros instinctively tried to follow, but the doctor shot him a glare. “Do not follow us.”

Eros pouted and sat back down. Selan caught his eye and gave him a stealthy eye-roll.

In the Medical Bay

The doctor led Astra to a treatment bed. He pointed to it. “Lay him down.”

Astra placed Luo Jia on the bed. The doctor reached out to touch the area of Luo Jia’s gland, feeling its size and firmness. “He has fused well with the Essence. It’s approaching maturity.”

Astra nodded. Silence fell over the room.

The doctor’s brow furrowed. He looked at the silent Astra and asked, “Have you thought about how to explain this to Cecil?”

Astra said firmly, “He cannot die.”

“I don’t care either way,” the doctor replied. “But I don’t know what Cecil will think. The Life Pool is receding; Cecil is the one who desires Mother’s return the most.”

Astra looked at the sleeping Luo Jia and reached out to brush the boy’s hair. “There must be another way.”

The doctor threw up his hands. “I’m only responsible for treatment. To say something treasonous—do we really need a Broodmother?”

Astra’s pupils instantly sharpened into vertical slits, and his stinger lunged toward the doctor. Green vines immediately erupted from the doctor’s hem, entangling Astra’s stinger.

“Don’t get angry. Perhaps being a doctor for too long has rotted my brain,” the doctor said. “The one sitting in the palace right now will certainly be unhappy. If the one on this bed can’t prove he is the best, what do you think his end will be?”

Astra retracted his stinger and fell into silence again.

The doctor continued, “That fellow Asal went off to find Mother years ago. Even though a Broodmother is already sitting in the palace, he hasn’t returned.”

Astra said, “Asal will definitely come back.”

The doctor looked at him helplessly. “You and Asal were the closest. Can even you not enter his territory?”

Astra replied, “I haven’t been there. That is Asal’s domain.”

The doctor was speechless. This guy…

“…Mmm… so hot…” Luo Jia was startled awake by a sudden wave of heat. His vision was a blur, only able to vaguely make out Astra’s long black hair and the shape of the scorpion tail.