EROS [Zerg]

"Teacher, do you already know the answer?"

Eros fastened his seatbelt and pressed the start button on the aircraft.

"I don't know, but I'm sure Kove knows something. Do you know what he calls you? Oh, Insect Cub, Insect God, he's a disgusting guy." Kove angrily slammed his fist on the armrest of the spacecraft seat.

"Don't believe what Kowe says. He's a piece of trash who would even harm his own male insects and offspring."

Eros listened quietly to Brandt's curses at Kowe, and for the first time realized that the verbal attacks of a sub-female could be so persistent.

Brandt seemed quite agitated after his conversation with Kove, as if something was on his mind. Suddenly, he stopped and looked at Eros: "I remember you don't seem to have taken the flight pilot test."

"It seems like you can't pass the exam in six months, right?"

Eros was taken aback by Brandt's question, and nodded, "Yes, I haven't taken the test for a civilian motor vehicle pilot's license, but I have a military spaceship pilot's license. According to Imperial law, you can pilot a civilian aircraft with either one."

"You didn't get a civilian aircraft pilot's license, but you got a military spacecraft and aircraft carrier pilot's license?"

Brandt was somewhat surprised. Although he knew Eros was very intelligent, as far as he knew, it usually took a year to obtain a civilian pilot's license, and even longer, at least two years, for a military one.

"When I was in the sixth star system, I went on missions with the patrol team. In less dangerous star areas, they would let me pilot the spaceship. The captain of the patrol team suggested that I take the military pilot test so that I could earn military merits by participating in patrol missions with them."

"You want to stay in the military?" Brandt was somewhat surprised. "Your physical condition isn't suited for manual labor. I think you're better suited for intellectual work, like a clerk or a doctor."

Eros nodded, but he disagreed: "However, as long as you earn enough military merits, you can get promoted faster in the military."

"You want to climb the ladder?" Brandt glanced at Eros indifferently. "A military officer or a politician?"

“I should be able to go very far,” Eros said earnestly to Brandt as he drove the aircraft to a crossroads and waited for passage.

“Such ambition, but I wonder if his abilities match.” Brandt glanced out the window and tapped on the glass in the direction of the road. “Let’s not go back to the academy yet. Take me to Feng Qiya’s residence.”

"Feng Qiya's residence?" Eros looked at Brandt with a puzzled expression after locking onto the destination on the navigation app. "Is Teacher going to find Lian Zhen?"

“How did you know?” Brandt asked.

“I’ve heard things about him from other insects…like that he interfered in the relationship between the teacher and the male insect?”

Brandt punched Eros's shoulder hard with his paw: "That's not true. Stop gossiping. Making up rumors that are seven parts true and three parts false will only confuse your mind and lead you astray."

Eros nodded and wisely kept quiet.

The aircraft landed outside Feng Qiya's residence. Brandt stepped off the aircraft alone, without asking Eros to follow.

"Teacher, when can I pick you up?"

“No need,” Brandt refused Eros. “I’ll go back myself. You can keep the aircraft running.”

After saying goodbye to Brandt, Eros intended to go straight back to the academy; he wouldn't be staying there long and should visit his old friends.

When Eros thought of his friends, the first person that came to mind was Alai.

Cardian's words made Eros uneasy.

Looking at the terminal on his wrist, he suddenly felt a pang of regret. Why hadn't he contacted Aletodo when he was in the Sixth Star System?

With that in mind, Eros dialed Alai's number.

Beep beep beep... Beep beep beep...

The phone rang several times before Alai's hoarse voice came through: "Hello, who is this?"

Eros remained silent and did not answer immediately. Seeing that there was no response from the other end of the communication, Alai continued to ask, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

“Alai, it’s me, Eros.”

"Eros?" There was a moment of silence on the other end. Just as Eros was wondering if he had dialed the wrong number, Alex's slightly trembling voice came from the other end of the line: "Eros? You finally communicated with me?!"

Alex's voice was filled with barely suppressed joy: "How are you doing in the Sixth Star System?"

"I'm fine. I'm sorry I didn't contact you before. I haven't forgotten you... Alai, I'm in the First Star System now. I want to come see you. Are you still living in that rented house?"

"You're already back?" Alex sounded very excited on the other end of the communication and quickly told Eros his current address.

Household 201, No. 13, White Bird Road, Willia Town

Eros searched on the terminal navigation and found that the location was already very close to the suburbs.

Eros piloted his spaceship to the town of Veria. As soon as he entered the town, he felt that it was out of place in the First Star System.

The aircraft traveling on the narrow streets were all extremely outdated models. The noisy horns and hurried residents reminded Eros of the slums he had seen in the Sixth Star System.

The residential areas of the town of Wellia are densely packed, resembling irregularly shaped beehives.

Eros went to great lengths to find an open space where he could park his aircraft.

After knocking on the door of room 201, Eros waited outside for a long time before hearing a series of banging sounds from inside, followed by a hoarse voice asking, "Who is it?"

"Alai, it's me."

"Eros?!" Upon hearing the voice, the female insect opened the door a crack, and Eros saw that Alai was actually sitting in a wheelchair to open the door for him.

Alai pushed the wheelchair backward, and it took some effort to make way for Eros to enter.

"Alai, why aren't you using your prosthetic limbs?" Eros placed the gift he was carrying in his paws on the entryway and pushed Alai's wheelchair into the living room.

“They’re broken, and we haven’t had time to fix them yet.” Alai turned to look at Eros, wanting him to sit down, but found that his house was too small to fit a sofa.

Realizing his predicament, Alai could only point to the dusty plastic stool by the wall, "Besides the bed, this is the only place I can sit."

"It's great to have a seat!" Eros brushed the dust off the stool and said with a grin, "I've heard a lot of stories from the military about how females who have males don't want other females to visit their homes, because they're worried their males will be stolen."

"Really?" Alai knew Eros was trying to ease the awkwardness, and teased, "Is that your purpose in coming here?"

“Of course!” Eros looked down at Alai’s slightly protruding belly. “Let me guess how many male insects live inside.”

The female insect's abdomen usually doesn't protrude from the time she carries eggs until she gives birth, but Eros could clearly see that Alai's abdomen had a slight bulge.

There are two eggs in total.

"You'll see them in about two weeks. They should be two healthy little bugs."

"Don't you know their sex? Didn't the doctor tell you during your prenatal checkup?" Eros didn't think Alai was a careless female insect, but it was really inappropriate for her not to know the sex of the eggs when they were almost due.

Eros looked at the wheelchair under Alai, and then thought of the steep stairs by the door, and felt something was wrong.

"You haven't been missing any prenatal checkups, have you?"