For the half-month following his coronation, Lin You was so busy his feet barely touched the ground.

The mess left by the First Prince needed cleaning up, and the old Zerg Emperor's funeral arrangements had to be managed. With all these delays, Lin You hadn't logged online to play games in a long time.

And his Female Consort, Lenon, was equally busy. Lenon had returned to the Third Legion. With his merits, barring any accidents, he would be promoted to General in the next round, commanding the military alongside Hoyle.

As a result, the newlywed Zerg Emperor and his Female Consort spent little time together, only having that tiny bit of time right before going to sleep each day.

But now, even that tiny bit of time was dwindling.

Lin You noticed that every time he came out of the shower, Lenon had no intention of inviting him to share a romantic evening. Instead, he would sit by the bed, staring at his Light Brain with a serious expression, occasionally sketching and writing on a draft pad, seemingly pondering something.

The Light Brain screen flickered, apparently playing a video. Judging by the colors on the screen, Lin You could tell that Lenon was watching the same one every single night, night after night.

——Whatever the hell this video was, it was actually more attractive than his Male Lord.

Dissatisfied, Lin You pressed down on him from behind and reached out to unbutton the major general's uniform. "It's late at night, and you're not sleeping. What are you studying?"

Lenon then put down the Light Brain, turning his head to kiss him. Ever since they opened their hearts to each other, Lenon had become exceptionally easy to arouse. Even though he had clearly never been injected with an Addictive Pheromone, he seemed addicted to Lin You's Pheromone. The way he rubbed against Lin You was like sniffing a cat. Before long, his eyes were tinged with a slight misty glint.

They fell back onto the bed. Lin You had already undone the last button and was just about to slide his fingers through the gap when he suddenly caught a glimpse of the Light Brain screen.

"..."

He stared blankly at the screen, his mind instantly clearing.

"What's wrong?" Lenon instantly noticed Lin You's change and propped up his upper body. His cold, pale skin still bore kiss marks, scattered across his collarbone like little stars. "Did something happen?"

Lin You remained expressionless.

Lenon hesitated for a moment and reached out to gather his clothes. "Are you not in the mood?"

This was not a good sign.

He wondered if their routines these days had been a bit too bland and considered whether they should try something new, but then he saw Lin You staring intently at a particular spot.

Lenon followed his gaze, which landed on the Light Brain screen.

It was a video recording of an interstellar flight. The voyage was exceptionally treacherous: a meteoroid stream grazed the edge of the spaceship, nearly colliding with the hull multiple times; massive barrages of artillery fire pursued them, exploding right behind the ship. The high-energy rays emitted by the explosions severely interfered with the dashboard indicators. In such a situation, even the most veteran pilots in the military would break into a cold sweat.

But the pilot in the video was clearly an expert. The ship darted left and right, several times reaching the brink of crashing only to be forcefully pulled back, finally escaping the meteoroid matrix by a hair's breadth.

Lin You: "..."

Lenon picked up the Light Brain. "Mhm, this... this is the flight recorder footage of my aircraft when I was returning from Zone 35."

Seeing Lin You's pale face, he assumed that since Lin You was raised in the imperial capital since childhood, he had never seen such a scene of flying debris and was worried and afraid. So, he turned the Light Brain face down. "Don't worry, Little Majesty, this isn't anything dangerous."

Intending to change the subject, Lenon picked an interesting topic to talk about: "Speaking of returning from Zone 35, I encountered a strange thing."

Lin You asked mechanically, "What is it?"

Lenon: "Actually, on the return trip from Zone 35, I was already unconscious and had prepared for a crash. But the aircraft acted as if it were sentient. The maneuvers you just saw were performed by the aircraft itself."

Lin You read monotonically, "...Ah hahaha, is that so?"

Lenon: "Yes, it's hard to explain. That kind of operation could never be executed by an autopilot system, yet there were no signs of my aircraft being hacked. It was as if a ghost had taken up residence in the cockpit."

Lin You: "..."

Of course there wouldn't be any hacking traces. System 55 was the most advanced system from a higher-dimensional world. The moment the aircraft landed safely, it had erased all traces.

As he spoke, Lenon once again revealed a thoughtful expression. "However, the driving style of this 'pilot' feels very familiar. I think I've seen it before."

Lin You was alarmed and uncertain: "Driving style?"

Lenon sat up straight. "Yes, every pilot has a unique style, just like every painter has distinct brushstrokes. Some pilots habitually spin left to dodge meteors, while others prefer to strafe and then spin right. This pilot's style is similar to mine, yet slightly different. It feels familiar to me. His operations are not veteran; they are slightly green, but... Mmph!"

Unable to bear it any longer, Lin You directly kissed him.

Pomelo Lord had learned from Lenon, and because time was too tight, he hadn't learned thoroughly. Most of his maneuvers relied on his own fumbling, which was why they seemed slightly green.

If he let Lenon keep analyzing, even his underwear would be stripped clean and exposed!

Lin You pressed down on the major general's shoulders, forcefully pinning him onto the bed. As countless kisses fell, Lenon no longer had the time to care about any aircraft or cockpit ghosts. His eyes lost their focus, and finally, completely exhausted and utterly defeated, he fell into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, Lin You stared at the ceiling with his eyes wide open, thinking about how to deal with his gaming pod.

When he moved from the Third Prince's mansion to the Imperial Palace, this thing was also recorded in the registry and stored in the warehouse. If Lenon ever took inventory, he would immediately spot the clues.

This thing wasn't cheap; it would be a pity to throw it away. After thinking it over and over, Lin You decided to return it to Hoyle.

He specifically chose a day when Lenon was working at the military headquarters, directing the attendants to move the gaming pod away. But as his fingers brushed against the silvery-white metal cabin door, he still felt a bit reluctant to part with it.

There would be no more games to play QAQ.

As a youth with severe internet addiction, this was simply an unbearable pain in life.

System 55 egged him on: "It's fine, my encryption system is very reliable. It won't be easily discovered."

Lin You checked the sky. There was still plenty of time before Lenon got off work, so he stopped the attendants and coughed. "I'll play one more round."

A hundred million more rounds!

Lin You lay down in the cabin.

He skillfully selected his character and entered the lobby. Pomelo Lord's avatar lit up. It was then that he realized he had received hundreds of private messages.

It had been nearly half a year since Pomelo Lord was last online.

The training pods belonged to the military. Those who logged on were all non-commissioned officers from various military districts or military academy students. If someone was offline for a long time, there were only two possibilities: either they were executing a secret mission and absent from the Main Star for a long period, or they were already dead.

Half a year ago, he was a rising star in the training system. Many people closely followed him, but he suddenly vanished without a trace like a shooting star, leaving people sighing in regret.

Lenon had actually sent him a private message too.

Looking at the timestamp, it was probably a week or two after Lenon woke up. The major general had once made a promise with Pomelo Lord to teach him how to fly. Later, the major general slept for five months, so naturally, the promise couldn't be fulfilled.

In the private message, Lenon apologized for breaking the promise and stated that he could make up for the teaching, asking when Pomelo Lord would be free to log on.

Feeling guilty, Lin You closed the private messages.

...He would probably never log on again. Even if he did, Lin You would change his identity.

He entered the matchmaking interface and selected multiplayer mode. Since it was working hours, there weren't many people queuing, so he needed to wait for a while. Lin You sat quietly to the side, waiting for the game to start.

While waiting, he swiped back and forth, admiring his character model.

System 55 circled around the character model, clicking its tongue in wonder. "He really does look 80% like your wife."

The same tall figure, the same handsome face, the same long silver hair, and even the exact same pure white uniform.

Lin You: "Looks good, right? I spent nearly a month customizing it back then."

This character was Lin You's proud masterpiece. He happily admired it for quite a while before System 55 suddenly said, "Host, sorry to interrupt your appreciation of beauty, but there's something you should know."

Lin You continued admiring. "Speak."

System 55: "Your wife has logged online."

Lin You: "!"

He frantically switched back to the matchmaking lobby. Sure enough, a figure spawned not far away: pure white uniform, long silver hair, Iris Medal, posture as straight as a pine—it was exactly Lenon.

The lobby instantly became lively.

Lenon was currently the most sought-after figure in the military. Originally, everyone was just waiting for matchmaking, but as soon as he logged on, discussions broke out immediately. Chat messages in the bottom right corner of the screen flew by rapidly.

"Holy crap, what day is it today?"

"Did they plan this? How come two people who haven't been online for six or seven months both logged on today?"

Lenon clearly saw this message as well.

Iris: "Who else?"

Lin You: "..."

He was just about to click log off, but the messages were already flooding out.

"Pomelo Lord is here too!"

"Major General, you guys should play a round! I've rewatched your previous battle video so many times the pixels are rubbing off."

Lin You: "..."

He was about to pretend he didn't see it when his inbox refreshed with a private message.

Iris: "Are you online?"

Lin You replied timidly, "Yes."

He silently called out to the system: 'System 55! System 55!'

Pomelo Lord's character interface was still wearing that uniform modeled after the wedding attire.

System 55: "Coming, coming."

It modified the source code at the speed of light, forcibly swapping the character model into the default starting clothes.

Only then did Lin You walk to the center of the matchmaking lobby.

Lenon's gaze fell on him. First, he nodded politely in greeting. Then his eyebrows twitched, furrowing slightly, but smoothing out again in an extremely short amount of time. His gaze remained on Lin You as if nothing had happened.

Lin You said nervously, "Ma-Major General?"

Lenon scrutinized Lin You, a smile appearing on his face. "Hello, Pomelo Lord."

He extended a hand toward Lin You. "May I have the honor of inviting you to a match?"

Lin You: "..."

Although he knew this was the usual aristocratic tone, he still felt extremely uncomfortable. He just nodded haphazardly. "Let's start."

They matched into the Ruins instance.

Lin You remembered this instance. He had once been headshot by Lenon here, achieving the 'great result' of surviving for ten minutes.

His competitive spirit was somewhat stirred up.

After several months of training, Lin You was no longer the same as before. He manipulated his character to skillfully weave through the broken walls and ruins. His figure was as light as a swallow, utilizing various covers to fire through the gaps with unbelievably beautiful accuracy.

Lenon was stunned for a moment when Lin You darted out and narrowly avoided a sniper shot, but he quickly found his rhythm. This massive instance was like their hunting ground, and Iris and Pomelo Lord were the only two predators on the field.

At the start of the game, Lin You deliberately chose the opposite direction of Lenon.

In the beginning, Lenon pursued him relentlessly, seemingly wanting to catch up and fight side by side with Lin You. This scared Lin You into running for his life, his character moving so fast it left afterimages. But at some point, the dot representing Lenon stopped. It paused in place for a moment, then headed in the opposite direction.

His movement speed was very slow. Rather than fighting, it was more like he was just walking with his head down—walking with a depressed mood and heavy steps.

Staring at the little dot, Lin You actually perceived a sense of deep desolation.

As the battle entered the white-hot stage, the distance between them quickly widened, and the two dominated different areas respectively.

Announcements continuously echoed in their ears.

"'Iris' killed 'Trapped by Love'"

"'Pomelo Lord' killed 'Sunset Glow'"

"'Iris' killed 'Tomato and Egg'"

"'Pomelo Lord' killed 'Dock Tail to Survive'"

"..."

Lin You wasn't surprised by Lenon's combat record in the slightest. Lenon, however, had spaced out countless times during this single match.

Every time the announcement of a kill by 'Pomelo Lord' came through, he would space out for two seconds.

The countdown of the number of players in the upper right corner continued to decrease until, finally, only three people were left.

They met on a narrow path in a dilapidated church.

Lenon was behind the church's divine statue, Lin You was next to the hymn pipe organ, and the last person was in the prayer pews.

The three of them formed a triangular standoff.

One person could only aim in one direction. Once they fired at one party, it would be difficult to guard against bullets from the other.

Lin You and Lenon raised their guns simultaneously, facing each other.

The third person among them was a nobody. 'Iris' and 'Pomelo Lord' posed the greatest threat to each other. According to general logic, they would first decide the victor between themselves and deal with the other person last.

Lin You's hands sweat slightly.

This was highly likely his last time entering the matchmaking system, and also his last opportunity to defeat Lenon.

The other person had completely given up resisting. Sitting in the audience seats like a spectator, they quietly waited for the two big shots to determine the winner.

But Lenon moved his gun away.

Expressionlessly, he aimed his muzzle at the audience seats and pulled the trigger.

Bystander: "?"

He was innocently logged out.

At the same time, a sudden gunshot rang out. Lin You seized this momentary opportunity, and his bullet hit Lenon.

The announcement sounded: "'Pomelo Lord' killed 'Iris'".

"'Pomelo Lord' achieves final victory."

Filled with suspicion, Lin You was teleported back to the lobby.

He kept feeling that Lenon was going easy on him, but he had no proof. Before he could even recover from the match, the major general's message arrived.

Manipulating his character, Iris said politely, "Perhaps I might have the honor of inviting you to another round?"

"No, no, no." Lin You flatly refused. "I haven't brought my laundry in, I'm logging off."

He logged off at the speed of light.

Lin You scrambled out of the training pod, ordered the attendants to hurry up and carry it away, and then lay back on the large bed. He asked guiltily, "He didn't notice, did he?"

System 55: "Probably not, we covered it up pretty well."

For the next few days, Lin You carefully observed Lenon.

The major general's expression remained normal. He still went in and out of the military headquarters every day, still exchanged good morning and good night kisses with Lin You, and seemed to have noticed nothing.

Lin You breathed a sigh of relief.

—— Until his birthday.

Lin You and the Third Prince from the original text shared the same birthday. He used to celebrate his birthdays casually in his previous life, usually just hosting a birthday livestream and taking a couple bites of cake, and that was it. But now, as the Emperor of the Empire, his birthday was one of the Empire's most important festivals.

Lin You put on elaborate formal attire, stepped onto the stage to give a speech, and rambled on about this and that. After finishing the formalities, he nested at home and flipped through the gift catalog.

For the Emperor's birthday, many nobles would offer gifts. Most were rare jewelry and decorations. Lin You skimmed through them hastily, and then his gaze landed on Lenon's gift.

He was puzzled: "What is this Frost K754?"

Lenon: "I put it in the bedroom. You can go take a look."

Lin You returned to the bedroom as told. At a glance, he saw the massive object in the middle: a streamlined pod body, painted silver all over, gleaming with a cold, piercing light.

It was the most advanced training pod from the military.

Lin You panicked for a moment, then his gaze darted around. "When... did you find out?"

Lenon: "The moment I saw 'Pomelo Lord'."

That familiar aircraft piloting technique, that familiar wedding uniform, and even Lin You's name and Pomelo Lord's 'Pomelo*'...

*T/N: Pomelo is written as 'You-zi'.

Lin You sat on the edge of the bed, feeling somewhat guilty. He looked left and right, then right and left. But Lenon suddenly knelt on one knee before him in a knight-like posture.

He took Lin You's hand, placed it against his cheek, and rubbed against it. "Was it you?"

Lin You: "What?"

Lenon's azure eyes gazed at him. "The ghost in the cockpit, the person who brought me back from the Graveyard."

Lin You said dejectedly, "It was me."

The existence of System 55 was a secret. He didn't know how to explain it to Lenon—to explain that his life, his hatred, and his everything all originated from an absurd novel. Thus, he chose to hide it.

But Lenon didn't press the matter. He wasn't curious about how Lin You managed to do it; his eyes simply curved slightly. "It really was you."

Lenon's luck had never been that good. Compared to other major generals who had smooth sailing, his experiences were far too winding. Fate seemed to have never favored him, and Lenon had long since grown accustomed to it.

But from a certain moment on, he had suddenly received the grace of fate.

From His Little Highness's indulgence and protection, to that miraculous safe return, to his old friends being treated kindly, receiving medical care, and having their names engraved and remembered...

It turned out that it was never fate that pitied him, but only His Little Highness alone.

The heart within his chest throbbed. It felt as comfortable as having half his body soaked in hot water, making him unable to resist the urge to get a little closer to the heat source, to bury his entire being into it.

Lin You wasn't used to such overt expressions. He slightly curled his fingers, wanting to pull away. "What is it?"

But Lenon held onto his hand tightly. Maintaining his half-kneeling posture, he suddenly said, "You can do anything to me."

He repeated very seriously, "Anything."

Lenon desperately wanted to do something, or offer something. Like a knight offering loyalty to his emperor, like a priest offering devotion to his god. But the Colette Family had already been given to Lin You, and Lenon didn't know what else he could offer.

Lin You: "...What?"

What he didn't know was that this phrase was actually a commonly used sweet nothing among many Female Zergs. It was an overused cliché, spoken as easily as eating and drinking, meant to coax arrogant and willful Male Lords in exchange for Pheromones.

But Lenon never said it.

Whether it was him in the novel or him in front of Lin You, he never uttered this sweet nothing, nor had he ever called Lin You 'Male Lord'. From the very beginning to the end, it was always 'Little Highness', 'Little Majesty'.

Perhaps the major general of the Third Legion felt from the bottom of his heart that no Male Zerg could dominate him body and soul, or was worthy of him offering his all. Inside his docile and beautiful shell resided the most untamed soul. His body could submit, but his soul never would.

But now, he said it so naturally—so naturally that even Lenon himself was startled.

Lin You repeated, "I can do anything to you?"

"Yes." Lenon smiled.

Actually, the Zerg had many ways to play. Excessive ones, non-excessive ones. In the eyes of other Male Zergs, Lin You's style was probably as rigid as a pedantic old Male Zerg from an ancient era; he hardly ever tried any new tricks.

Lenon wasn't sure if Lin You didn't like playing around, or if he just cared about him too much and couldn't bear to play rough.

But now, he was telling Lin You that he could choose other methods.

Lin You took a sharp breath of cold air.

As an ACG streamer, although Lin You occasionally made dirty jokes, it was limited only to words. Deep down, he was still a pure and innocent kid. He fidgeted for a moment, and the most extreme way to play he could think of was—

"When we're doing that, can you wear your uniform?"