INH: Chapter 31

Gu Huai heard the meaning of the flower and blinked. He thought that he had misheard. However, he found out it wasn’t wrong and his expression was subtle for a moment.

Pure lover.

Gu Huai thought about the pure white flower that he had placed in the glass vase on the windowsill of his room. He had to admit that the appearance of the flower really fit the meaning. The colour of the flower was pure white. The petal shape was beautiful and didn’t have the same thorns as a rose. It swayed gently and appeared very soft and beautiful.

Gu Huai glanced at Alves walking next to him. The other side’s face was expressionless. He appeared indifferent and calm. Alves seemed to always have this expression. He might have a surging desire for destruction and a sense of irritability that turned to pain when it was endured but he still looked unaffected on the surface. Since he was accustomed to this patience, few people could tell he was strange until the moment his rationality collapsed.

Gu Huai naturally knew that Alves wasn’t clear about the meaning of this flower. After all, the other side had asked him what a flower was. Then later, Gu Huai had Alves send him the exact same flower. This could be considered as teasing the other side.

It wasn’t convenient to explore on the road so Gu Huai just glanced to the side before turning to look ahead of him again. Gu Huai didn’t notice that Alves first glanced coldly at the Eleanor flower on the road and then stopped on him.

What was a lover? Alves wasn’t unaware of what this word meant. In a sense, a lover meant a person who loved each other. However, Alves didn’t quite understand the emotion called love.

Compared to other emotionally rich races, the Zerg were naturally lacking in emotions and Alves had no desire to understand them. Emotions could affect intellectual judgment and he didn’t need to understand these extra things. Alves just felt that this pure white flower matched Gu Huai.

In a tense state, the chief diplomat of the Popolts led Gu Huai to a palace. This palace was opened for distinguished guests of their race but now only the Zerg were staying here.

“I’m sorry that our planet hasn’t had time to prepare a welcome party. It will be postponed until tomorrow. Please forgive us.” The diplomat bowed at Gu Huai.

A few minutes ago, Noam Star was still suffering from the attack of the star pirates. The planet had been at risk and they hadn’t expected this next development. A welcome party to entertain the important guests and benefactors couldn’t be put together casually. Noam Star’s leaders had an urgent discussion and thought it would be better to postpone it.

The Popolts were short and fat. They had a big head and small body. Their eyes were also big and made Gu Huai think of chibi character versions when seeing them. It was a strange and cute feeling.

“It doesn’t matter.” Gu Huai nodded to express his understanding.

“Before that, do you need me to guide you around the central city of our planet? Or do you want to rest here first? Please let me know about any services you need.” The chief diplomat continued cautiously.

Gu Huai looked outside and thought about it. “A guide is useless.”

The implication was that he could go out on his own. The chief diplomat soon responded. “Okay.”

The Popolt left the palace, telling Gu Huai to communicate with him directly when he needed it. Residences were also arranged for the other Zerg, some of which were outside the palace.

Once the room finally had no outsiders, Gu Huai turned to Alves next to him and explained, “In fact, I didn’t know the meaning of the flower. I wasn’t deliberately teasing you.”

Teasing? Alves lowered his head slightly, light golden eyes not covered by anything drooping slightly as he gazed calmly at Gu Huai’s face.

“Next time, you can pick other flowers for me.” Gu Huai said this and tried to act as if nothing happened.

He had asked Alves to send him Eleanor flowers twice. It might be a mistake that both sides weren’t aware about but Gu Huai still wanted to cover his eyes.

Alves heard this and was in a cold mood. He didn’t move his gaze as he spoke quietly, “White flowers are very suitable.”

No matter the implication, Alves thought the flower alone was a good fit for Gu Huai.

Gu Huai thought about Alves’ brief words and understood his meaning. The other side probably didn’t care about the meaning of the flower and simply felt this flower was suitable for him. Since the other side didn’t care and didn’t feel it was teasing, Gu Huai was at ease.

Gu Huai felt it would be more interesting to visit the planet without a guide but he was sure to have a guard when he went out. Apart from his Tak Zerg, he was asked by Capalia to choose one of the four army leaders to be a guard.

After the last incident where Gu Huai was taken from the planet by two humans, the Zerg’s protection of Gu Huai became more strict. However, they didn’t want Gu Huai to feel guarded so there weren’t too many of them. For example, they let Gu Huai choose one of the four army leaders to be a close-up guard but the other three army leaders would still be in the distance.

It was a headache to answer this time of multiple choice question. No matter which one he chose, Gu Huai felt the other three people would be a bit disappointed.

“Just Alves.” Gu Huai looked over the four army leaders before finally making this choice.

At Gu Huai’s answer, Simido paused. Aiyi was quiet but he slightly frowned while Capalia stared coldly at Alves. It wasn’t out of disappointment. It was because the three people were a bit wary of Alves. If they were a bit disappointed that they weren’t chosen by Gu Huai then they would look deadpan at most.

Gu Huai had the Tak Zerg by his side and stepped out the door. Gu Huai had almost reached the door when Capalia’s cold voice was heard. “If you go out of control and hurt the king then I won’t let you go.”

Alves’ recent situation might be stable but Capalia couldn’t ignore the potential danger. Alves still had a cold expression but when he wasn’t facing Gu Huai, his aggression became apparent. His eyes squinted and he spoke mockingly, “If you can do it.”

Thus, Alves ignored the reactions of these three people and followed Gu Huai out the door.

Out of control.

The words turned around in Alves’ heart. He looked at Gu Huai’s figure and this time chose to follow from a distance. He shouldn’t be out of control. There was uncertainty with the words themselves so knowing this, Alves wasn’t unresponsive to Capalia’s words. However, Alves had promised to always protect Gu Huai.

Shen Mu and Hammer had accepted the daily task of observing the changes in the Zerg and also arrived at Noam Star. They were allowed to move freely so the two of them just watched Alves following behind Gu Huai. This type of gaze was like being intensely attracted by something and wanting to get close, but keeping a distance because he was worried about something.

As he passed the two men, Alves glanced at them coldly before moving on. The two of them stiffened when this oppressive and cold gaze swept over them. Shen Mu and Hammer were very aware that the other person remembered what they had previously done and warned them.

Gu Huai went out with a group of Tak Zerg. The group of more than 20 Tak Zerg had a large impact on the residents of Noam Star.

People of all races knew that the Tak were the most ferocious and brutal ethnic group among the Zerg. In particular, the low-grade Tak Zerg were easily angered. The first time they saw it, the Popolts living in the central city of Noam were afraid.

Then after a long observation, the inhabitants of Noam Star found that the Tak Zerg didn’t attack casually and didn’t hurt anyone along the way. They might lack wisdom but they had a normal rationale.

Gu Huai didn’t sit on the shoulder of the Tak Zerg this time. He was surrounded by the Tak Zerg and once he took them to a street near the central courtyard, a Popolt trotted towards them. The Popolt was a little girl around two or three years old. An adult Popolt was only half the height of Gu Huai, let alone a child. The pair of long legs had to run extremely hard.

“Thank you, Zerg.” The young Popolt spoke in a soft voice. Then she hung a small wreath on a Tak Zerg’s sharp forearm.

The Zerg were the benefactors who saved their planet. Due o the Zerg’s rescue, their planet hadn’t been occupied and looted by the star pirates. This was something the parents had told the little girl but her father hadn’t expected his child to do this after listening to him.

The sight of the young Popolt approaching the huge Tak Zerg made the other adults not far away feel nervous. Then the next scene left them stunned. The Tak Zerg with the garland hanging from its forearm cocked its head, scarlet eyes fixed on the tiny figure in front of it. The Tak Zerg let out a low hiss from its throat.

The Tak Zerg judged that this was a baby. They might only pamper the baby they cared for but their attitude towards other babies were a least more moderate than adults.

It seemed the Tak Zerg weren’t as cruel as rumoured. The Popolts who saw this scene couldn’t help thinking so.

Gu Huai arrived at the central courtyard. The city’s central courtyard was a large greenhouse garden area. Many giant trees had been designed to form a towering building in the garden. There were many types of beautiful flowers in full bloom and artificial waterfalls pouring down.

The central courtyard could be considered a major attraction of Noam Star. Gu Huai looked at it and really did see an area where flowers were picked. It was literally ‘picked.’ The entire branch was bare and not a single flower could be seen.

Gu Huai looked at these bare branches and somehow felt like laughing. Clearly, he should be feeling a bit of guilt. After all, if he hadn’t said the exact same flower than these trees wouldn’t be so miserable.

He knew where Gu Huai had gone. Alves, who had been following from far away, pursed his lips and finally appeared in front of Gu Huai. He came to see Gu Huai smiling at the obviously bare trees and couldn’t help his silver-grey tail shaking.

Noting the lashing silver tail, Gu Huai quickly suppressed the smile on his face. “I’m not laughing at you.”

Gu Huai thought that Alves’ tail shook like this because he wasn’t happy and quickly explained.

Alves heard this and didn’t speak. The reason why his tail suddenly moved was that he saw Gu Huai’s smile and couldn’t control his tail.

Gu Huai remembered one thing at this time. Previously when it was snowing on Tuser, he sent a snowflake to Alves. He hadn’t expected Alves to be so serious so as a result, he promised that when they went to another planet in the future, he would give Alves a flower that didn’t melt.

There was a small area of the garden available for flowers to be picked. Gu Huai walked over and saw that the area was full of Eleanor flowers. Since Alves didn’t care about the meaning of the flower, Gu Huai simply picked one. He pulled forward Alves’ hand and put this flower on it. “Previously, I promised to give you a flower that won’t melt.”

The flower on his palm was very light and almost weightless. Alves didn’t make an action of closing his fingers. He lowered his eyes and asked a moment later, “Why… choose me?”

His protection in itself was a danger. Each of the other three army leaders were a better choice than him.

Alves’ eyes were so cold that others didn’t dare look at them directly, but they were actually very nice golden eyes. Gu Huai looked into these eyes and said, “It is because I hope you have more time to see the world. If you can feel quiet next to me then just stay beside me.”

“…” Alves was silent.

“It is late. I’m sorry I didn’t show up earlier.” It wasn’t his duty to be the other side’s tranquilizer but Gu Huai still felt that if he showed up earlier, Alves wouldn’t have to endure so much pain.

Hearing this, Alves slowly folded his fingers around the flower. He tried to restrain his strength in order to not hurt the fragile flower. In the past when he endured the pain brought on by his destructive desires and restlessness in his heart, Alves always felt it didn’t matter if his sense of reason was lost one day. Sometimes, he even let himself go out of control. Once his sense of reason disappeared, he wouldn’t clearly feel this irritability and pain.

Normal people didn’t want to turn themselves into madmen to try and stay sane but Alves felt there wasn’t anything wrong with madness. Then why had he continued to endure his eyes being blindfolded? Alves looked at the young man’s gentle black eyes and suddenly found the answer.

He had endured so long just waiting for this man to appear. At last, he would no longer let himself go out of control because from this moment on, he must always protect the other person.