The Males Were Reborn After The Female Ruler Was Scumbed [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 4

On the Capital Star, the insect population is mostly concentrated in the four districts of the central continent. Given that the Capital Star’s area is more than ten times that of Earth, one can imagine how vast these four districts combined are.

There’s no such thing as “out of delivery range” for the Insect Race’s food delivery; they run interstellar takeout.

The Insect Race has advanced technology. With the use of flying vehicles, it only takes half an hour to go from the southernmost to the northernmost end of the central continent at full acceleration.

However, private insect flying vehicles are not only prohibitively expensive to manufacture but also have strict qualification application procedures.

Since the recruitment advertisement stated that the shop would provide one, Lu Qing didn’t worry about it;

Geli told him that the shop had two flying vehicles: one belonged to the boss, and the other was purchased by the shop for the delivery rider.

Unfortunately, due to an accident a few days ago, the boss’s flying vehicle was sent for repair. And two days ago, the boss used the flying vehicle originally allocated to Lu Qing to go on a trip.

After all, no one expected that he would hire a bug after only two days of being away.

Even more unfortunately, the boss had traveled to some remote corner, and they couldn’t reach him no matter what. Geli couldn’t unilaterally decide to buy a new one for Lu Qing.

The two bugs stared at each other for a long time. Finally, Geli suggested that Lu Qing could take a public airship until the boss returned, and the shop would reimburse him.

As for why he couldn’t take an inter-district private insect flying vehicle, it was because the salary paid to Lu Qing was already high, and the shop would go bankrupt if they also paid for that.

Most of the Insect Race’s takeout orders are pre-booked. Customers place orders the day before, and the food is prepared and delivered the next day.

Perhaps because they hadn’t offered delivery for so long, there was only one order on the first day.

It was from a male bug living in District D. After studying the route, Lu Qing found that the public airship could not directly reach his doorstep;

It was understandable: District D was complex, chaotic, and dangerous, and there was fear of bugs with mental power outbursts damaging the transportation lines, so stops were mostly far from residential areas;

District A was even more out of the question, filled with forbidden zones and private insect territories that no ordinary bug could trespass. Public transportation was rarely laid there;

Lu Qing looked at the Low-De map, which showed a walking time of about 1 hour and 20 minutes after arriving at the station. He felt that he desperately needed a means of transportation.

Moreover, having one would make daily life much more convenient.

In the Insect Race, flying vehicles are the mode of transport for wealthy insect gentry. Most bug citizens drive two-wheel or four-wheel energy cars.

Four-wheelers are difficult to take on a public airship; a two-wheeler would be more suitable for Lu Qing.

But a quick search on Thousand-Degrees showed that the cheapest one cost two thousand Star Coins.

The main reason was that Lu Qing would need it for his daily commute, otherwise he would have shamelessly begged Geli to buy him one.

The System is a caring, indispensable system for home travel. When the Host is in trouble, it will not shirk its responsibility.

It quickly used the system’s big data to find a car dealership, guaranteeing that there was no lower price in the entire Insect Race, and he could get one for five hundred Star Coins.

Before arriving at the dealership the System found for him, Lu Qing felt a little grateful to the System, thinking it might not be so annoying after all.

However, after arriving at the location, Lu Qing felt he had reached his conclusion too soon.

It was a dilapidated, two-story building that looked like it would collapse any second. To put it without exaggeration, it could rival the broken-down recycling station Lu Qing frequented on the border star in his previous life.

It was hard to imagine such a place existing in the prosperous District C.

“Are you sure this is a car dealership and not a junk recycling station?”

System: “…Well, why wouldn’t it be?”

Lu Qing wanted to punch the ball, “It’s written right next to the door!!”

A dusty little sign hung on the door: Chaotic & Crumbled Junk Recycling Station.

It even had a weird accent (in Chinese).

The System was wrong but spoke with confidence, stubbornly refusing to admit defeat, “The System never makes mistakes. There must be the cheapest vehicle in the entire Insect Race here!!”

Lu Qing clenched his fists, which cracked loudly, “If there isn’t—”

The System floated in first, “There definitely is.”

Compared to the outside decay, the inside was simply old, but clean and tidy.

At the cashier’s counter, a young male bug with gray hair was slumped in a chair, wearing headphones, killing everything with a game controller, his expression best described as ferocious.

Lu Qing felt that disturbing him at this time would be life-threatening, so he wisely kept quiet and browsed the store himself.

After browsing, Lu Qing found that the store was true to its name—it had many peculiar and bizarre gadgets. Even though Lu Qing had lived with Lanxi and seen countless objects in his previous life, he was still surprised by some of the small items here.

For example, these very obvious Earth artifacts.

Lu Qing’s mouth twitched, “…This is the vehicle you mentioned?”

He saw a very vintage Earth product leaning in a small alcove extending from the stairs—

A “Big 28” bicycle (a classic Chinese-made utility bike).

System: “Well… why wouldn’t it be?”

Lu Qing’s fists hardened, “I’ll kill you now!!”

“Wait, Host!! What’s wrong with a bicycle? A bicycle only costs 499!! You can’t be tricked or lose money for 499! Where else can you get such cheap transportation… Ow!!”

The System was caught off guard and was actually grabbed by Lu Qing.

Before Lu Qing could vent his anger, he suddenly heard a muffled voice coming from upstairs.

It sounded… a little familiar.

Lu Qing froze slightly, and the force in his hand loosened. The System seized the opportunity and disappeared into the air with a chirp.

But Lu Qing couldn’t care less.

Footsteps approached the staircase, and the voice became clearer.

“…You’re the best, unlike my Cifu (female father), who always thinks my toys are junk and won’t buy me any…”

The voice was soft and sweet; it was a young larva.

“Vili, your Cifu is just worried you’ll neglect your schoolwork. If you weren’t hiding here every day, I think he’d be happy to bring you…”

The voice was very young, clear as jade beads, gentle as the moon in the water, and utterly captivating.

Lu Qing had heard it countless times in his previous life. It was…

Lanxi’s voice.

The sub-female descending the stairs looked about twenty years old, very young, with exquisite and beautiful features, truly a captivating appearance;

His silver long hair had not yet been cut short as it was in his previous life and was loosely gathered at the back of his head, resting on a simple white shirt, giving him a casual yet noble air.

Perhaps because he was out for a stroll and not going to the council for a debate, Lanxi wasn’t wearing glasses. Lu Qing could clearly see a hint of a smile in those emerald eyes. The corners of his eyes were also slightly curved, tinged with a delicate flush, as if they could directly hook into a person’s heart, mesmerizing beyond compare.

Lu Qing didn’t expect to run into Lanxi here. Perhaps it was the shadow left from his previous life, but his subconscious immediate reaction was to hide.

Lu Qing wasn’t sure what he felt about Lanxi now, but what was certain was that he did not want to meet him at this moment.

Fortunately, this corner was a blind spot. As long as the people coming down the stairs didn’t deliberately look into the stairwell, they wouldn’t notice him.

“Uncle Lanxi, even you haven’t seen these things, have you?”

The female larva next to him was about three heads tall, holding a scooter in his hand, looking adorable, and sounding a little smug.

The sub-female smiled, “They are indeed novel…”

“Wow~” The System flew out at some point and perched on Lu Qing’s shoulder, its eyes sparkling, “Is your ex-wife that beautiful?”

Despite having done the most intimate things and spent so much time together in their previous lives, Lu Qing still seemed unable to become immune to his face.

Lu Qing stared unblinkingly, “Of course.”

The System looked at the great beauty, touching its non-existent little heart, “You could still be a scumbag to him? You truly are a waste of God’s gifts.” (A slight adjustment for a smoother English idiom that captures the meaning of the Chinese idiom).

Lu Qing: “…………”

If you can’t use an idiom correctly, maybe don’t use it.

Lu Qing withdrew his gaze and irritably waved the System away, “What does a ball like you know? Stay out of adult business…”

The System huffed, “Who wants to manage you.”

“But who is the larva next to him?” The System didn’t have the authority to detect the identity of bugs other than its Host. Seeing them being intimate, it eyed its Host subtly, as if looking at a wronged bug wearing a huge cuckold.

Lu Qing: “…Stop that thought immediately. That’s the larva of his childhood friend.”

He seemed to be called Vili, the larva of General Crete of the military. He and Lanxi were childhood friends who grew up together, but later he joined the military and became very busy, so he sometimes entrusted Lanxi with taking care of his child.

After marrying Lanxi in the previous life, this larva came over often. Lu Qing was used to it and never thought anything of it before, but now, seeing the harmonious scene of the large and small bug, his thoughts inevitably wandered.

Lanxi also gave birth to a female larva back then. It was said that the larva’s level was very high, reaching S-class right after hatching.

Lanxi protected him very well, never letting him appear in front of the media or the public. Photos rarely circulated on the StarNet, and even if they did, they were mostly blurry.

Lu Qing only knew that the child looked very much like Lanxi.

What would it be like if they were together?

Lu Qing didn’t know.

He looked at the sub-female talking gently to the female larva, lost in thought. Lanxi must be a very, very good Cifu, unlike him…

For some reason, Lu Qing felt a bit sour inside. While he was spacing out, the sub-female had already led the larva past the corner and out of sight.

Lu Qing stayed in the stairwell for a while longer, making sure they had left before coming out.

After this interruption, Lu Qing was no longer in the mood to settle the score with the System. He dutifully carried the “Big 28” to the counter to pay.

Yes, the System’s words were rough but not wrong; for five hundred Star Coins, what else could he expect?

While checking out, Lu Qing thought of the Earth artifacts and tried to hold back, but couldn’t resist, lowering his voice, “That… ‘Odd Change, Even No Change’?” (A Chinese mnemonic for mathematical functions).

The male bug looked at him as if he were an idiot: “Are you sick?”

Lu Qing: “…………”

Lu Qing left sadly, carrying the bicycle.

Lu Qing only had five hundred Star Coins in his pocket when he arrived. Not knowing how much the car would cost, he didn’t dare take a public airship. Fortunately, the distance was short, about an hour’s walk. Lu Qing didn’t feel the road was long when he came.

But now, perhaps because he was carrying the bicycle, he was exhausted after only ten minutes, and fine beads of sweat dotted his forehead.

The System was very confused by its Host’s behavior of having a bike but not riding it. Was he assimilated by the shell’s idiot attribute, or was he overly stimulated by seeing his ex?

Lu Qing gave a perfectly logical explanation, “No bug in the Insect Race knows what this thing is, and no one rides it. If I ride it conspicuously through the streets in broad daylight, it’ll be a miracle if I’m not treated like a gorilla on display.”

It was too embarrassing.

The System was even more speechless, “Won’t people still see you when you deliver takeout at night?”

Lu Qing realized suddenly, “That’s true… then should I put on a facekini (a Chinese head/face covering for swimming/sun protection)?”

System: “…………”

The kidnapping gang would call him an expert.

Another half hour passed, and Lu Qing couldn’t take it anymore. He decided to use the one remaining Star Coin in his pocket to buy a bottle of water.

He had passed a beverage shop on the way and had glanced at it because of the special offer sign hanging outside. Today, they had honey water for one Star Coin a cup.

Lu Qing had a great memory and usually didn’t forget a path he’d taken once. He looked around. If he remembered correctly, the shop should be nearby, just around the corner.

Lu Qing felt a surge of strength, his steps became much lighter, and he turned the corner enthusiastically—

Then he recoiled with a look of horror.

A long queue was lined up outside the beverage shop, and the silver-haired sub-female was clearly in it.

Bug God!! How could Lanxi be there!!

The System perched on Lu Qing’s shoulder, “Host, why are you so afraid to see him?”

Back in the store, the Host seemed merely awkward from a long separation, but now he was this scared.

…Could it be that he felt guilty and ashamed, having belatedly remembered the terrible things he did?

If so, it meant the Host still had a moral sense, and reform would be relatively easy…

Lu Qing was the kind of person who couldn’t stand being provoked. He stiffened his neck and said, “Who says I’m afraid of him? I haven’t done anything this life, what’s there to be afraid of?”

He just wasn’t ready to see him… that’s all.

The System ruthlessly exposed him, “Then why don’t you dare to look at him?”

“Who says I don’t dare to look?” Lu Qing picked up the bike, trying to convince the System or perhaps himself, “Not only do I dare to look, I dare to go over there…”

Lu Qing stubbornly refused to admit defeat and rigidly walked over, carrying the bike at a snail’s pace.

An unpleasant incident was now occurring in the previously harmonious queue.

A male bug was throwing a tantrum, “Didn’t you say the special offer was sold out? Then how come he still has one?!”

Whether it was a misconception or not, he glanced intentionally or unintentionally toward the back of the queue.

The staff member didn’t notice and explained patiently, “Our special offer drink is limited in supply. It is indeed sold out. Please understand…”

“I can’t understand! You must give me an explanation today!!”

Lu Qing’s footsteps paused in the distance, and he nearly betrayed his joy, “…Oh dear, it’s sold out. That’s too bad.”

The System gave him a look of contempt. Man, your expression has betrayed you.

Lu Qing cleared his throat, “It’s all sold out. What’s the point of going over? Let’s go home, go home…”

At the front of the queue, the argument between the customer and the staff continued, subtly escalating.

It all seemed to be just because of the drink that had sold out ahead of time.

The male bug who couldn’t get one was furious, “I waited here for so long! Why did you give it to him?!”

“Your Excellency, please listen to me. I’ve already explained that the customer had already pre-ordered…”

The male bug was being unreasonable and slapped the table, “I think you look down on male bugs!!”

Constantly provoked, even a mud doll has three parts of fire. The staff member’s patience also seemed to run out, “Your Excellency, if you continue to cause trouble, I think I should call the police to ask you to leave…”

The male bug glared, “You dare to threaten me?!”

The argument between the two parties grew increasingly serious, showing a tendency to escalate from verbal to physical conflict.

Lanxi, who was near the front of the queue, frowned almost imperceptibly. He was close to the arguing bugs, and the crowd had become very chaotic and congested.

Lanxi checked his terminal. The council’s routine meeting would start in half an hour. It would take fifteen minutes to get back to the council from here, so he had to leave.

There was no telling when the dispute would end, and the drink preparation still required waiting. He didn’t think the matter could be resolved within fifteen minutes.

Lanxi sighed. It seemed Vili wouldn’t be able to drink his beloved Bobo Beast Milk Dew today.

He sent a message to the police station in District C, asking them to deal with it as soon as possible, and walked away from the crowd himself.

“Excuse me—”

Just as he reached the outer edge, the crowd suddenly surged for some reason.

In the chaos, Lanxi suddenly felt a strange gaze on his back.

However, before he could react, perhaps he tripped or was accidentally pushed by someone, but the entire bug lost his balance uncontrollably.

“Watch out!!”

The expected pain did not come. He didn’t fall to the ground but was pulled into someone’s embrace.

Lanxi smelled a very faint scent of male bug pheromones, like the forest vegetation soaked by rain after a downpour.

He paused slightly, barely perceptible, and looked up with a frown, unexpectedly meeting a pair of amber eyes.