When the Villainous Boss Acts as the Protagonist (Quick Transmigration) - Chapter 9

“Do not be afraid, I only want to help you.”

“Do not, do not be angry. I will just put the soup down and leave, okay? But remember to drink it.”

“My name is Ryan. ‘Rui’ as in auspicious, ‘An’ as in peace. What is your name?”

“Do not be agitated. It does not hurt, I am not in pain! So do not worry, I really will not retaliate or hurt you.”

“I did not! I really did not hurt him! You, you can testify for me, right?! How could I possibly violate a male?!”

“Why? You clearly know, you clearly knew!”

The last of the memories was the male’s completely dimmed eyes and the figure being dragged away in wretched despair.

Right, why?

Why did Friedrich, clearly knowing Ryan was a male, not stand up to testify for him when Philo accused Ryan of violation and injury?

Was it because he believed that a wounded female and a male whose rank was so low that even his pheromones were undetectable could not compete with Philo, an A-rank male?

Or was it that he did not entirely reject males, but simply rejected those who were low-ranked yet arrogant and high-and-mighty, refusing to lower their heads to please him?

Inside the magnificent palace, on the giant virtual screen, the male with platinum-blonde hair gave a low chuckle amidst Friedrich’s renewed silence. He then drew closer to the screen, pulling down his collar to reveal the raw, unhealed wound.

His face was pale to the extreme, and his blue-gray eyes, usually full of smiles, became misty. As his thin figure swayed, even his voice sounded utterly broken: “Do you truly no longer recognize me?”

“General Friedrich, look closely. This wound, was it not caused when you smashed me with that bowl of soup I had just prepared for you?”

“Hiss.”

In an instant, every military female in the palace gasped as they looked at the wound on Chu Sicheng’s collarbone.

Except for Alex.

While the Insect Emperor and other royal ministers cast sharp glances at Friedrich because of the wound on Chu Sicheng’s collarbone, only he quietly fixed a complex gaze on the male beside him. This male had been provokingly clicking his tongue at him just a second ago, yet now, facing the virtual screen, he looked ready to burst into tears.

Because, that wound on the collarbone was clearly bitten out by him.

Yet now, under Chu Sicheng’s tearful accusation, it had naturally become evidence of Friedrich harming a male.

Actually, at this moment, if Alex spoke up, he could easily puncture Chu Sicheng’s lie. After all, the other’s blood was still lingering on his lips.

But Alex looked back at the virtual screen. He watched the military female who had previously only needed to stand there with cold silence to get everything he wanted. Now, under Chu Sicheng’s accusations and the Emperor’s questioning, a panicked expression finally appeared on that face. Alex’s eyelashes lowered, his tongue darted out to quickly sweep over his lips, and then he kept his mouth shut, quietly acting as a background prop beside Chu Sicheng.

After all, he could have times when he did not want to talk, right?

Alex’s fist, which had been clenched since the start of the video call, finally relaxed. On the other side, Friedrich’s fist felt as if it were about to clench.

Because now, the pressure from the Emperor and the ministers had miraculously shifted from Alex to him.

After all, this involved a Male Excellency, and one whose pheromones could soothe an SS-rank female.

Although Chu Sicheng’s rank was still F after the second test, the fact that he could soothe an SS-rank male remained. Moreover, according to historical records, there were indeed cases where an F-rank male underwent a second evolution into an S-rank. Therefore, his value in the eyes of the Empire, even if not yet at the level of an S-rank, was roughly equivalent to an A-rank.

Furthermore, in the Zerg race, the status of males has always been higher than females.

Thus: “Friedrich, is what Excellency Ryan saying true?!” The Emperor asked solemnly, his eyes no longer holding the admiration and affection he had for Friedrich moments ago.

“I did not.”

After a long pause, Friedrich finally deigned to speak. “That was not my doing!”

“Is it?” The male on the virtual screen gave a dismal smile. “So you mean I am lying and framing you? Friedrich.”

“Friedrich, have you forgotten who pulled you out of the trash heap?”

Almost all Imperial citizens knew that their invincible General Friedrich had reappeared on the battlefield after a brief disappearance and had once again led them to victory over those detestable alien beasts.

But no Zerg knew where this General had gone during his disappearance, who he had met, or what he knew now.

Before their eyes, Chu Sicheng slowly pulled up his collar, then took a step back. He lowered his head, revealing only his pale face and trembling lips: “It is okay, it is okay, Friedrich. Since you say no, then let it be no. After all, as I said before, I will never hurt you.”

Then what are you doing right now?

Friedrich was nearly driven mad by Chu Sicheng’s pitiful appearance and broken speech.

What did “Since you say no, then let it be no” mean?!

The male saying this would only make the Emperor and the surrounding ministers more suspicious of him!

His fingers hanging at his sides could not help but clench in his palms. Looking at that face that had looked so pitiful since they first met, as if every Zerg in the world were bullying him, Friedrich felt a surge of fire rush from his heart to his brain. In the next second, words spilled out uncontrollably: “I said, that wound was not my doing! That soup only scalded a few blisters on you! It is nowhere near as serious as what you are showing now!”

Just, scalded, a few blisters, only.

The corner of his mouth curled slightly. Chu Sicheng looked back up, his gaze shooting straight at Friedrich: “So, you admit to the fact that you smashed me with a bowl containing hot soup?”

“I,” Friedrich’s eyes widened, and his voice came to an abrupt halt. Those eyes, which in the early stages of the original text were forever cold, leaving no trace no matter how hard Ryan tried, at this moment, finally imprinted the male on the screen deep into his gaze.

Only, he was imprinted out of pure rage.

He understood. Friedrich understood everything!

The male’s goal from the start was not to frame him for leaving such a heavy wound; he simply wanted Friedrich to admit to the harm previously caused!

So, after all that talk about not retaliating, what was the male doing now?

Sure enough, a villain is a villain. Just like Alex, he was an underlying threat the Empire could not keep.

Thinking of the stories Philo had told him, Friedrich gave a cold laugh. He then looked up at Chu Sicheng, his tone sounding full of apology, but his eyes were filled with mockery: “Yes. Because I was in a mental power riot at the time, I accidentally hurt Excellency Ryan. For this, I am truly sorry. But at that time, Excellency Ryan also said it was okay and would not blame me. Do you, remember that?”

“And at that time, I also repeatedly begged you not to come near me because I was afraid I would not be able to control myself. But the things that happened later,” Friedrich gave a sigh. “I really was unable to control it.”

In a few sentences, the responsibility seemed to shift back to Chu Sicheng.

Who does not know how to act?

In this Empire that is unfriendly to military females, as a lone soldier with no one behind him, if Friedrich did not know how to act, he might have long been sent to prison by those males for the crime of not kneeling to them. How could he have reached his current position?

For a moment, this video conference, which was originally intended to pressure Alex into giving up the supervision of Mograth, seemed to turn into a stage for a drama between Chu Sicheng and Friedrich.

The Zerg watching around them had varied expressions; some solemn, some thoughtful, and some with heads bowed, struggling to suppress the corners of their mouths.

However, Chu Sicheng blinked twice. Under Friedrich’s helpless gaze, he said softly: “Since you are so worried about me, does that mean at that time you knew I was actually,”

“Your Majesty!”

Before Chu Sicheng could finish, Friedrich, sensing something was wrong, directly interrupted him. He turned and knelt before the Emperor: “Actually, after hearing Excellency Ryan’s words just now, I also deeply feel that I did wrong back then. Even though Excellency Ryan had forgiven me, upon reflection, I still cannot forgive myself for accidentally hurting him.”

“And as Excellency has said, I was ungrateful. During this time, because I could not forgive myself, I have not dared to face him. Such a person is indeed unfit for the supervision of Mograth. I hope Your Majesty allows me to use my current merit to offset the mistake and transfer this reward to Excellency Ryan, so that I may express my apology to him.”

Friedrich spoke sincerely, showing great earnestness. Besides, it was true that a military female in a mental power riot could not control himself.

The Emperor sighed and looked at Chu Sicheng on the screen. “Excellency Ryan, what do you think?”

“I agree.”

To everyone’s surprise, Chu Sicheng actually agreed to Friedrich’s proposal.

Alex looked at Chu Sicheng in confusion, not understanding why he did not ignore Friedrich and finish his sentence. Because based on Friedrich’s performance just now, it was clear that the unfinished sentence likely posed a fatal threat to him.

Did the male previously not want to cooperate with him to crush Friedrich? Then why not utilize such a good opportunity?

That was because Chu Sicheng only wanted to torment Friedrich’s body and soul, not to kill him outright. Accidentally hurting a male during a mental power riot is a completely different crime than knowing he is a male but failing to report it when he is sentenced to death.

However, this did not mean that Friedrich, who only took responsibility for the former, would have it easy.

Chu Sicheng looked at the Emperor. “Then, Your Majesty, can I make any request?”

The Emperor nodded to Chu Sicheng. “Anything.”

“Then,” Chu Sicheng smiled slightly, his gaze toward Friedrich so soft it seemed it could overflow with water. However, what he said was: “My request is, I want to be the witness for the wedding of General Friedrich and Excellency Elio.”

“!!!”

Before Chu Sicheng’s voice could fade, everyone’s eyes widened involuntarily.

Especially Alex. Because, the person Chu Sicheng had just indirectly arranged for Friedrich to marry was his nominal fiancé.

[Ding! Congratulations Host, protagonist halo value has increased by 5%.]

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