The Zerg Monarch’s Path to Godhood - Chapter 14

Early in the morning, before dawn, Wen Qi knocked on Gu Nan’s door. Gu Nan did not make Wen Qi wait long. In less than thirty seconds, the door creaked open from the inside, revealing the Male with hair disheveled from sleep.

Seeing the faint sleepiness in Gu Nan’s eyes, Wen Qi reflected on his actions. Disturbing someone’s sleep so early was indeed extremely rude, but leaving early was better than leaving late.

He had a nagging feeling that if they did not leave today, something bad would happen. This feeling stemmed from his sixth sense. Ever since arriving in this world and experiencing such bizarre events, he had placed absolute trust in his intuition. So, even though he knew he was bothering Gu Nan, he still knocked.

“Gu Nan, I am sorry for disturbing you,” Wen Qi said. “I have something to discuss.”

Because he had risen so early, Wen Qi had not yet had time to apply his disguise. The Female with white hair streaked with gray looked at the Male before him and offered a clean, polite smile. “Do you need to freshen up first?”

Disturbing someone at four in the morning was not ideal, but there was a starship leaving at five. If they wanted to depart unnoticed, this was the easiest time. It was a matter of necessity.

Gu Nan did not speak. He looked at Wen Qi standing before him. The Female was currently without any disguise and was very good-looking. Compared to the pampered Females of the Capital Star, he possessed an indescribable aura that easily evoked a sense of goodwill from the bottom of one’s heart.

This Female did not seem as irritable as he had been on the starship that day. His demeanor was gentle, and there was no offense in his eyes when he looked at Gu Nan. Just as Wen Qi had said before, it was a gaze reserved for a friend.

After sweeping his gaze over the Female’s exquisite features and smile, Gu Nan said, “Wait a moment,” and turned back into the room. He tidied himself up quickly. When he emerged, his hair was much neater, adorned with a small braid at the end.

With the braid, he looked much more spirited. The silver-white bone wings on his back hung unnaturally. Wen Qi’s gaze was involuntarily drawn to those wings, but he looked away after a brief pause.

“Wen Qi, what is the matter?” Gu Nan asked. He stood at the door, his body slightly turned to observe the Female. Because he was physically robust, looking at him this way gave off a slight sense of pressure.

Wen Qi was not quite used to this version of Gu Nan, so he did not speak. He simply took two steps toward Gu Nan and reached out toward the electric collar around the Male’s neck.

Wen Qi was about two centimeters shorter than Gu Nan. When he reached out to touch the collar, his entire body moved closer. His upper body leaned in, making it look as though his head was almost resting on Gu Nan’s shoulder.

Gu Nan froze at Wen Qi’s actions. He had never been this close to a Female before, except when fighting. His instinct was to throw the approaching person out, but his logic returned, and he subconsciously stopped his hand. Once he regained his senses, he caught a pleasant scent wafting from the Female. It was like flowers, but lighter and more delicate, smelling extremely comfortable.

It took a second for Gu Nan to realize that this was the Female’s pheromones.

For a Female to expose pheromones before him should have been an offense. In the past, he would have thrown the person out without hesitation, regardless of who it was. But now, smelling the faint floral scent and seeing the seriousness in the Female’s eyes, he surprisingly did not feel offended at all. Even his anger failed to rise.

“You should use a suppressant,” he reminded Wen Qi naturally. “Do you have any Female pheromone suppressants on you?”

Wen Qi’s movements paused. Hearing Gu Nan mention it, he realized Gu Nan had smelled him. In the Zerg world, he understood what it meant for a Female to let a Male smell his pheromones. An involuntary flash of embarrassment crossed his face, and his ears turned red. “I am sorry.”

Wen Qi tried to keep his voice steady. “I usually use a scent suppressant. Perhaps it is because I did not inject it after waking up. I will be more careful.”

Gu Nan frowned upon hearing this. “Scent suppressants are not good things. They do not suit a Female’s constitution.”

“I know,” Wen Qi replied. “I will see if I can find some proper pheromone suppressants after we move.”

As they spoke, his fingers touched the electric collar. He looked into Gu Nan’s eyes and said, “Gu Nan, I will not hurt you.” He spoke solemnly. “I am going to try to unlock this thing. Something might happen in a moment, but I will try my best to ensure you are not harmed. If you feel anything wrong, tell me immediately.”

Without waiting for Gu Nan’s reply, Wen Qi released his mental power.

Sensing the dangerous force suddenly approaching him, Gu Nan’s body tensed instantly. The Female’s fingernail touched the cold metal of the collar with a crisp sound. Sensing his tension, the Female offered a reassuring smile.

“Gu Nan, do not be afraid. I am just checking the structure of this thing first.”

Gu Nan’s body relaxed. A flash of hesitation crossed his face, but Wen Qi did not see it.

Wen Qi’s voice was gentle as he soothed Gu Nan. “I am starting now.”

Gu Nan’s gaze flickered slightly, but he did not object.

With his eyes half-closed, his mental power dove into the electric collar. Wen Qi saw the interior clearly. The internal structure was complex. At the core sat a small golden ball. It was tiny but radiated a sense of danger. Wen Qi had read descriptions of these collars. Apparently, if a Male attempted to break it from the outside, the ball would explode, killing the defenseless Male.

Naturally, he did not want Gu Nan to be blown up. Worried about accidentally triggering something, Wen Qi was extremely careful. It took a full minute to inspect every part of the collar.

Once finished, he tensed slightly and began to use his mental power to contact the golden ball. Wen Qi had researched these collars the night before and knew the procedure. He carefully sent his mental power into the device, transforming it into threads that flowed continuously into the golden ball.

Soon, cracks appeared on the ball. In less than ten seconds, a crackling sound echoed, and the golden ball shattered into several pieces.

Wen Qi was speechless.

It was ridiculous. The ball inside broke with a snap, and the outer collar also cracked into two sections, falling to the floor in pieces. Wen Qi, having opened his eyes, stared at Gu Nan, who was also looking back at him. After a long pause, Wen Qi asked sincerely, “Tell me, are you truly Admiral Gu Nan?”

Gu Nan said nothing.

Wen Qi bit his lip and gave Gu Nan a fierce glare.

This was frustrating. He had spent over an hour studying the night before, only for the task to be resolved in less than three minutes of actual work. Using such a low-level device on Gu Nan was practically an invitation for him to escape. Who on earth had designed this?

Or was it that Gu Nan had allowed himself to wear this thing willingly? If so, did the auction house have a connection to Gu Nan? Any normal person at the auction house would not have let Gu Nan wear such a low-quality collar.

Recalling the urgent tone the System used when it first found him, making him feel as though the world was on the brink of destruction by the Task-Taker, Wen Qi did not know what to say.

Was that System also an actor?

Wen Qi did not stop to consider that the System needed time to travel between worlds and bring him here. He only felt that the System was unreliable. It was truly a novice system, so much so that it was almost absurdly indifferent to the host’s survival.

Seeing Wen Qi glaring at him, Gu Nan remained silent for two seconds before looking away. “Would you believe me if I said this thing belonged to me?”

Wen Qi nodded firmly, his tone so certain it was as if he were about to take an oath. “I believe you.”

Even if Gu Nan said his current appearance was a disguise and that he was actually the lord of some territory, Wen Qi would believe it.

Gu Nan thought the Female was unusually trusting. He explained, “I have some followers, so I was able to make a few small arrangements.”

Wen Qi exhaled slowly, staring at the fragments on the floor for a few seconds. His gaze swept over Gu Nan before landing on the door. His voice returned to its usual calmness. “I know you are powerful, but this still exceeded my expectations.”

What he did not say was that this version of Gu Nan made him feel as though Gu Nan would be just fine without him. He suddenly wondered what the point of his coming here was, feeling rather useless. It was a psychological drop. He had thought he was desperately needed, but in reality, anyone would have done.

Wen Qi rubbed his face hard to dispel the illusion of being useless. “This is for the best,” he said. “It proves you were not bullied too much.”

From the moment he saw Gu Nan’s rank fluctuating, he knew Gu Nan had a plan. Seeing these methods now only confirmed it. Aside from the Task-Taker who knew the whole picture, the other Zerg who had kicked him while he was down had not managed to bully his protagonist much.

Gu Nan having the power to protect himself was indeed a good thing. Still, Wen Qi felt a bit sulky. It was like studying hard for over an hour only for the professor to ask the most basic question on the exam.

Gu Nan avoided Wen Qi’s gaze. Wen Qi changed the subject. “Gu Nan, I originally planned to leave today if I could unlock the collar. What do you think?” He brought up the main issue. He could not stay on this planet, but Gu Nan’s opinion was also paramount. Wen Qi always respected the opinions of others.

“Fine,” Gu Nan agreed without hesitation.

“Is Blue Planet 1 okay?” Wen Qi asked.

“Fine.” Gu Nan did not refuse.

“Then let us pack up and leave. There might be Zerg watching us nearby. One can never be too careful.”

Gu Nan nodded. Once they were in agreement, Wen Qi returned to his room to gather some makeup supplies for Gu Nan. He changed into a set of ragged clothes, which he intentionally stained with various colors. Before long, a beggar outfit was born. It was not exactly a beggar’s attire, but it looked similar to what the locals wore.

He covered his white skin with bronze makeup. Soon, a beggar and ugly version of Wen Qi emerged from the room. At the same time, a tattered version of Gu Nan also stepped out. The two looked at each other.

Wen Qi smiled slightly, caught sight of his eyesore outfit in the mirror, and immediately suppressed the grin.

Whether it was a coincidence or unspoken understanding, both had dyed their hair red. With their ragged outfits, they truly looked like brothers in misfortune. Gu Nan had retracted his bone wings and used something to increase his height. He was now at least a head taller than Wen Qi.

Seeing that their disguises were flawless, Wen Qi transferred the star coins he had received from the forum to a temporary terminal he had bought on a whim the day before. He had bought four terminals in total. Aside from the three he gave Gu Nan, he kept one as a spare. Once the transfer was complete, he and Gu Nan headed out.

At four in the morning, the sky was dark. You could not see your hand in front of your face. Scattered lights in the hallway flickered with a buzzing sound.

Wen Qi had rented a unit in a high-rise building with many residents. After leaving the apartment, he used his mental power to disable the hallway surveillance. Gu Nan walked by his side, keeping a lookout. Fortunately, no enemies seemed to be monitoring them. The two made it out without incident.

Once outside, Wen Qi retracted his mental power. Sensing gazes falling on them, a thought occurred to him.

“Brother,” Wen Qi suddenly said, his words startling.

Gu Nan looked over in surprise at the sudden address. “What?” He was not sure what the Female had called him and wanted to hear it again.

“Brother,” Wen Qi said, grabbing Gu Nan’s arm and complaining. “Does the starship have to be this early? We could have slept longer. You are the one who insisted on this. It is so early that the shopkeepers have not even set up their stalls. We do not need to buy separate clothes. What is wrong with being a bit messy? Their starship will not reject us. It is not like we are not paying.”

“The star coins for the Purple Sequence took years to save. Why do we have to change for them? It is enough that Planet Purple 3 gave us jobs. Why buy clothes just to catch a starship? Are we going to drink nutrient solution tomorrow?”

“Brother, let us go back and sleep a bit more. The ship leaves at six-thirty. We can sleep for another hour and a half.”

Listening to Wen Qi’s chatter, Gu Nan immediately understood. His face filled with bitterness as he entered the role. “Little brother, it is my fault. I failed to give you a good life. I have failed our Mother.”

“I just wanted you to be respected, not always called a beggar. It is because I am useless. I saw a piece of clothing yesterday that would suit you perfectly. We are going to Planet Purple 3 today, so I wanted to buy it for you. I can earn more star coins. Little brother, you…”

“Just listen to me this once. I just want to give you a better life. Just this once. I will try my best not to let you go hungry tomorrow.”

“Do not say that, brother.” Wen Qi showed a look of disappointment. “It is because our ranks are too low. If we were higher, we would have left the Blue Sequence for a normal planet long ago. We would not have to…”

“It is my fault for being useless. Do not blame yourself. You have protected me well. Fortunately, we can finally leave this place today.”

“Yes.”

The brothers chatted as they walked. Halfway through, Wen Qi grabbed Gu Nan’s arm in a pampered gesture. They quickly left the vicinity of the rental building. Sensing a Zerg who had taken a few steps toward them retract his foot, Wen Qi exhaled in relief and let go of Gu Nan’s hand.

Gu Nan subconsciously touched the arm that had been held the whole way.

After walking for about a minute, an automated flyer appeared. Wen Qi gripped Gu Nan’s hand tight. They boarded the flyer, and ten minutes later, they arrived at a massive garbage dump.

Wen Qi looked at the dump as if it were a common sight. Gu Nan, however, admitted he was shocked. There was too much garbage, and the stench was everywhere. The rotting smells were beyond his description.

Was it possible that today…

A bad premonition rose in Gu Nan’s heart. He frowned and looked down seriously at Wen Qi, who was arranging the trip. He asked in a low voice, “Wen Qi, do you plan to…”

“Yes.” Wen Qi nodded, confirming Gu Nan’s suspicion. “We cannot leave through normal means. They would check our identities. This is the only way.”

Gu Nan could not help but doubt if the person before him was truly a Female. How could this person have no sense of being a Female at all? What kind of Female would take a garbage starship to leave a planet? Where was the obsession with cleanliness? The pride? The temper?

He had never even taken a garbage starship during his most destitute times.

Looking at this unconventional Female, Gu Nan’s expression was complicated. Females were usually pampered. This one was far too unique. Could his body handle it? Female bodies were notoriously fragile. Gu Nan looked at Wen Qi’s spirited, eager face and realized his worry was unnecessary. The Female did not look like he would have any trouble.

Wen Qi, taking a garbage ship for the first time, did not understand Gu Nan’s thoughts. He just thought the experience was novel. It was something he could never experience in his own world. Even if he usually liked to be clean, he did not care much when his life was at stake.

Wen Qi did not notice Gu Nan’s expression. He pointed to a crowd of Zerg huddling nearby. “I checked yesterday. A garbage ship arrives early this morning. We can use some star coins to trade for a spot. These ships do not require real-name authentication, making it perfect for our escape.”

It seemed they were indeed taking this ship. Gu Nan came to a conclusion. If even the Female did not care, why should he? He was tough. He could not be worse than a Female. There was no need to be so fastidious.

“You are well-prepared,” Gu Nan praised. “Your ability to take action is also very strong.” This Female acted immediately once he had an idea. He was indeed much better than many others. Someone with strong practical skills could thrive anywhere.

“Did you not consider it?” Wen Qi looked at Gu Nan with a hint of suspicion.

Gu Nan shook his head honestly. “Not only did I not consider it, I have never taken one. Before today, I never imagined I would come here.”

Even when his bone wings were broken, and he was despised by the entire Wantian Territory and nearly abandoned, he never thought he would one day need to take a garbage starship. Moreover, he now had the means to protect himself. It was not that he was obsessed with cleanliness, but he was unwilling to place himself in such an environment unless necessary. This Female had indeed broadened his horizons.

Hearing this, Wen Qi’s expression showed a rare hint of defeat. Fine. He admitted that taking a garbage ship was a bit degrading. He rubbed his nose and said defensively, “We have no other choice right now.”

Although his protagonist came from a modest background, in a place like the Wantian Territory, a high-ranking and hardworking Male would never have to endure such treatment. Even when he was captured, his status should have earned him a private room. How could he take a garbage ship?

But there was a first time for everything. He had indeed broadened the protagonist’s horizons, so he was not completely useless. Wen Qi comforted himself this way.

As the garbage starship landed, he had no time for distractions. He quickly pulled Gu Nan onto the garbage heap and waved at the ship. About ten other Zerg were waving alongside him. Those who could take normal ships were people with status. Most of those in the Blue Sequence were exiles or criminals who could not leave through official channels, so they turned to garbage ships. The transporters could also earn some extra money this way. It was a practice that was largely ignored.

The ship landed after dumping its cargo.

“Fifty thousand star coins per trip. It will pass randomly through Blue Planets 1 through 5. You can get off whenever the ship lands. If you want to board, hurry up.”

The Zerg present did not linger and boarded immediately. Wen Qi paid one hundred thousand star coins.

There was a peculiar and unpleasant smell inside the ship. To avoid drawing attention, Wen Qi did not take out a mask and forced himself to endure the stench. There were about thirty other Zerg on board. There were no seats, so thirty people were squeezed into a small cabin with just enough room to move.

Wen Qi led Gu Nan through the cabin. Because of his slender build, most of the Zerg mistook him for a Sub-Female. A Sub-Female rarely appeared in the Blue Sequence, so many eyes drifted toward Wen Qi. Gu Nan noticed this and inconspicuously blocked the view.

The pressure of the gazes lessened, and Wen Qi noticed. He smiled at Gu Nan and led him to a corner. This was not a place for talking. Wen Qi opened his terminal in privacy mode and began browsing the forums. Gu Nan also opened his terminal. Wen Qi could not see what he was looking at, but he looked very serious.

After a while, Wen Qi took out the temporary terminal he had used for livestreaming. Seeing the ship was about to land, he deleted all the accounts and left the terminal on the floor. With an inconspicuous push, the terminal slid out of the open cabin door. Where it would end up or who would find it was no longer his concern.

Gu Nan saw the action but looked away, pretending not to notice.

Checking his remaining star coins, Wen Qi kept three hundred thousand and transferred the rest to Gu Nan’s terminal. Once finished, he closed his eyes to rest and plan their next move.

A notification sound chimed. Gu Nan, who was busy with his own tasks, saw the transfer of over 1.3 million star coins. He looked at the Female resting beside him with surprise. He checked his balance, saw the four million star coins there, and his eyes flickered. He transferred them to an account with a black profile picture.

Blue Planet 6.

Yi You looked at the terminal location of the Reading Bug he had found earlier this morning. A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes. “Blue Planet 6, in the capital city.”

Temporary terminals were anonymous. Those who bought them were people wanting to hide their identities. The manufacturer was a large company that ensured each terminal was trackable but also easy to discard. Even with his connections, it had taken more than a day to find the general location.

“Director.” The same robust Male walked in. He looked much better than before, a sharp light in his eyes. “I found it. This batch of terminals was sold in a fringe city. This specific number was sold recently. It is a new batch, and the owner only got them a month ago. He says this number was sold within the last ten days. There have been many Zerg coming to the capital from that city lately. Because of that traitor Gu Nan, at least ten thousand have come. About a hundred remain in the city. I checked, and most have no backing. Except for the Females, we can bring them all in for questioning.”

Yi You tapped the table, a smile curling his lips that did not reach his eyes. “Is this the extent of your initiative? Do not play games with me. How many Sub-Females and Females are among those remaining in the city?”

The Male’s smile faltered. He replied quickly, “Thirteen Sub-Females and nine Females.”

“Give me the photos of those nine Females and thirteen Sub-Females,” Yi You ordered.

“Yes, Director. I will have them sent to you immediately.” The Male sent a message through his terminal. In less than ten seconds, a set of photos appeared on Yi You’s screen.

Some were surveillance captures, others were direct shots. The common factor was that the faces were visible. As a military Male who had reached the top, Yi You had strong observational skills. After looking through the photos, he eliminated over a dozen candidates. Looking at the five remaining photos, Yi You said to the Male, “Send me their detailed information. I want all-around photos of their hands.”

If Wen Qi had been there, he would have seen himself among those five.

“Yes.”

The Male soon provided the information. Yi You reviewed them carefully. Soon, two more were eliminated. He spent two minutes looking at the information for the remaining three. If Wen Qi were here, he would see his information at the very top. The other two photos were of genuine Females.

“Director?” Looking at the three remaining files, the Male was unsure of Yi You’s thoughts. He pointed at Wen Qi’s photo. “That Lu Li is a Sub-Female. We have met him. It should not be him.”

Yi You stared at him. Though he did nothing, the Male was frightened into trembling. Just as he was about to plead for mercy, Yi You looked away. “I do not need you to teach me how to do things.”

He ordered coldly, “Take some men and follow those two Females. Bring back some photos. As for Lu Li and Gu Nan, I will meet them myself.”

“Yes, Director.”

The Male dared not stay and left immediately. Yi You watched him go, his eyes deepening. Once the Male was gone, Yi You opened his terminal. Seeing no messages, he exhaled in relief. Just as he was about to close it, a trending topic caught his eye.

[Mr. Reading Bug deleted his account! What happened? Who is targeting him?]

[Is the Empire doing nothing?]

[It is not the Empire’s fault. The account was located in the Blue Sequence. If the Empire moves, the star pirates will move too. They have to be careful. The Zerg in the trash planets are very united, almost forming a seventeenth territory.]

[Why would Mr. Reading Bug go to such a remote planet?]

[The problem is he has deleted his account. We won’t have any more stories.]

[Could he be in danger? A Female in a place like that is at high risk. The Association should go rescue him!]

Yi You’s brow twitched as he read the comments. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes. “Deleted the account? It seems he knows someone is looking for him. But it is too late.”

A look of absolute determination appeared in his eyes. “Someone this talented will earn me many star coins. Even if I let him go, others will not. I will kill Gu Nan first, then find that person. With him, I should be able to control the Wantian Territory. When that happens.” He would make everyone who had harmed him pay, including those Females.

Yi You looked into the distance. His gaze seemed to pierce the stars, landing on the Capital Star countless light-years away. “Zong Xiangxing, if you want to control me, be prepared for the consequences. Once I have the Wantian Territory, your end will come. Do not think I do not know what you have done.”

A flash of ruthlessness crossed his eyes. He closed the projection and strode out of the office.

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