The Delicate Girl Saving the Interstellar Beast World

Chapter 9: A Brother's Resolve

Flora, frail and often ill, was in a particularly vulnerable state after a series of shocks. Her forehead glistened with tiny beads of sweat, and dark strands of hair clung to her cheeks. The flush on her face highlighted both her illness and her delicate beauty. She looked like a fragile doll, a stark contrast to the harsh world around her.

After school, the system woke her, and she stumbled to her feet. As she stepped out of the school gate, a luxurious car stopped in front of her. The sleek, black vehicle seemed out of place against the backdrop of the modest school building. The system immediately warned her of danger, but she was too dizzy to react quickly.

The car door swung open, and a strong hand swiftly grabbed her wrist, pulling her inside. Flora felt a wave of dizziness, and when her vision cleared, she found herself pinned down by a tall, crimson-haired, coldly handsome young man named Grayson. His piercing green eyes bore into hers, and his chiseled features seemed carved from stone. He roughly pressed her down onto the plush carpeted floor of the car, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “You’ve kept us waiting too long...”

Flora's heart pounded with fear, her pulse echoing in her ears as she trembled and asked, “What do you want?” Her voice, sweet and weak, contrasted sharply with her notorious reputation. Grayson remained silent, his gaze falling on the black shock collar around her neck, a device provided by the Female Protection Association for potentially dangerous individuals. The collar was a cruel reminder of her status, and Grayson found it laughable—what threat could a genderless person pose to a female?

He yanked the collar, forcing Flora to look at him. “Do you recognize me?” Flora trembled and nodded. Grayson unexpectedly toyed with her long, silken hair and leaned in, his breath warm against her skin. “Since you know me, you must also know the consequences of falling into my hands...” Flora’s voice was filled with fear, “What do you want to do?” Grayson initially intended to punish her severely, but faced with her delicate body and beautiful face, he found himself unable to do so.

He lowered his head, inhaling Flora’s scent, and asked, “Do all genderless people smell this good?” Flora was stunned. Grayson continued his strange remarks, accusing Flora of seducing males with harsh words. Flora’s eyes reddened with anger as she vehemently denied the accusations. Grayson played a video, and after watching it, Flora was completely stunned. Grayson then proposed a condition, “Do you want me to let you go? Unless you become my little pet from now on, available whenever I call...”

His subordinates’ expressions turned complicated, as Grayson’s demand seemed not merely for humiliation. Despite his brash exterior, Grayson had never truly been close to a female, let alone had any intimate contact. His heart raced as he wanted to get closer to Flora but also desired to bully her. Flora angrily cursed him and bit him hard. Grayson’s breath quickened, and in a low, hoarse voice, he warned her, “You’d better behave, don’t make me angry, or you’ll face the consequences...”

Grayson's threat was abruptly cut off by a rapid knock on the car window. "Grayson, Flora's foster brother Winter is here, and he's looking for her!" The urgency in the young man's voice was unmistakable.

Winter, a high-ranking colonel in the interstellar military, commanded immense respect and authority. Even Grayson had to step aside in his presence. Flora had never seen her foster brother in person before, but now, her heart raced with a mix of anxiety and anticipation.

Winter had received a notification from the military academy and had no intention of searching for Flora. However, upon hearing she had been taken, a ripple of concern stirred within him. He was used to ignoring the trouble she often caused, but today, her resolute gaze in the interstellar court lingered in his mind.

At the school gate, Winter found Flora curled up, her helplessness striking a chord deep within him. Breaking the silence, he called out, "Flora." She looked up, her eyes brimming with tears, her vulnerability and beauty profoundly moving him.

"Winter, it hurts so much..." Flora threw herself into his arms, seeking solace. Hesitant at first, his hands eventually rested on her back, his embrace becoming her sanctuary.

Lucky, Flora's guardian spirit, was perplexed. Flora's dependency was beyond normal, and her mental state was worrying. An alarm sounded, indicating Flora's mental confusion and abnormal physical data.

Reflecting on Flora's past, Lucky discovered an inexplicable connection between her and Winter. Her foster brother, Wenlun, bore a strikingly similar name to Winter. Could Flora's emotional turmoil be because she saw her foster brother's shadow in Winter?

Before losing consciousness, Flora's murmurs revealed her fear, "Don't leave me, don't leave me alone..." Winter, initially planning to take her to the hospital, changed his mind at the last moment. He brought her aboard the military aircraft.

"Colonel, civilians aren't allowed in the military," the aide reminded, but Winter's resolve was unshaken. "She's not a civilian." His response was firm; to him, Flora was no longer just an ordinary person.