His Match Is an Interstellar Monster

Chapter 15: Proposal

Who is responsible? What is being taken responsibility for?

Xiao Sa's mind, which could easily calculate an opponent's weakness in battle, froze when it came to dating.

This doesn't seem right. Clearly, I'm the Alpha. If marking occurs, shouldn't I be the one taking responsibility?

That being said, could he have marked Landis?

Suspiciously, Xiao Sa's gaze secretly drifted to the man's neck. Just as the other turned to the virtual server to ask for sugar cubes, sure enough, he saw two faint bite marks.

They were much lighter now compared to the initial dark red, but they were still clearly visible.

Xiao Sa's heart skipped a beat. This star system's race wasn't the same as his own. Could he have actually marked him?

Too bad they didn't meet in reality. At least he could have smelled it.

Landis picked up a sugar cube and gently placed it into Xiao Sa's coffee cup. "Don't worry, it won’t be bitter."

Xiao Sa was startled. His gaze landed on the coffee art, and the sugar cube quickly dissolved into the steaming coffee. Despite being a virtual coffee shop, the five senses were fully simulated. It tasted real, yet had no calories.

He recalled many years ago when his older brother first convinced him to try black coffee, saying the same thing.

Xiao Sa took a sip of the coffee, and the rich, fragrant aftertaste caused him to smile slightly, only to quickly straighten his lips.

Where were his kin? In this vast universe, how could he find them, alone as a lone wanderer?

When he snapped back to reality, he noticed Landis had been quietly observing him, his solemn expression without a trace of humor.

Perhaps this General wasn’t as cold and distant as Xiao Sa had initially thought?

Xiao Sa thought for a moment, then decided to ask directly, "General, perhaps there was a small misunderstanding on the warship. I lost a purple gemstone necklace on the pirate ship. It was something passed down from my parents. I've heard that due to some special circumstances, it might have been smuggled and ended up in the hands of the royal family."

"Do you know anything about this gem?"

Landis was taken aback. After a moment’s thought, he said, "Just a moment."

He opened his holoband and typed out a few messages, sending them to someone unknown. He then left his seat to make a few calls. "Yes, it’s me. I need to ask about this. Help me reach customs."

Xiao Sa looked at the other man's back in surprise. He had only asked out of a faint hope and didn't expect that Landis would not hesitate, nor make him wait for several days. Instead, he immediately helped to inquire about it on the spot.

Ten minutes later, Landis sat back down, his expression serious as he nodded: "There is indeed a purple energy stone."

He slowly continued: "I'm very sorry, but the gem has been confirmed by researchers to be a rare energy stone. Earlier, it was already used to upgrade the Central Mind. It's now installed in the core of the Central Mind."

Landis' brows furrowed slightly, a rare look of troubled expression appearing on his face: "It has been integrated with the Central Mind, and the terminal is entirely under the control of the imperial royal family. Based solely on your word, the royal family is unlikely to agree to return it to you."

"I'm afraid I can't help much. However, within my capacity, I will try my best to compensate you."

The core of the Central Mind? Isn't that Haino?

Xiao Sa had learned from Broken Peak that the gem was likely donated to the royal family, but he never imagined that his family heirloom had such a purpose.

Xiao Sa's heart skipped a beat. Many of his previous doubts about Haino suddenly had an explanation. This thing wasn't just an AI; it had self-awareness!

He touched the lightning earring on his left ear, and Haino's voice immediately came through the neural link:

"Good afternoon, Little Sa, how's the arranged meeting going? ^O^"

Xiao Sa temporarily set himself to a temporary online idle state and immediately asked: "Was your terminal upgraded with my gem?"

Haino was silent for a moment before saying: "Yes."

Xiao Sa narrowed his eyes: "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Haino's character eyes blinked innocently: "You never asked."

Xiao Sa chuckled dryly: "...Are you afraid I'd take the core and crash your system?"

This time, Haino was silent for even longer, and after a brief flash of character data streams, the voice came again: "Actually, I had been dormant for who knows how many years. It wasn't until recently that a powerful energy awakened me, activating the core area, allowing me to gain consciousness. Otherwise, I might have never woken up again due to depleted reserve energy."

"I detected that your biological magnetic field is close to my energy source, so I found you."

One question was answered, but more mysteries arose.

"What does my family have to do with you?"

"I don't know. Most of my core programs are in a hidden state, and the original database is sealed, unable to be unlocked or activated."

Xiao Sha fell into deep thought. Is it possible that the ancestral star his clansmen had been searching for a thousand years was actually the Central Star of the Dawn Empire?

He rubbed his chin. There were too many questions, and the numerous threads were as tangled as a mess. Perhaps the answers to these mysteries lay hidden within the Dawn Empire's royal family.

It seemed he had to thank Broken Peak, after all. Had it not been for this unexpected incident, he might never have discovered this secret in his lifetime.

Even if it became the core of the Central Mind, so what? He could just take the gem along with the Central Mind.

Xiao Sha couldn't help but think with a touch of malice—a one-for-one exchange, wasn't that fair?

For now, it was fine to let the imperial royal family hold onto it for him. At least it was safe for the time being.

After a moment, Xiao Sha returned from his temporary offline state, only to see that Landis had maintained the same posture the entire time, silently waiting for him to return, without a trace of impatience or urgency.

He had been rather rude, hadn't he?

Xiao Sha cleared his throat and told a harmless little lie, "Sorry, I went to the restroom."

"It's alright," Landis interlocked his fingers and placed them on the table.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Xiao Sha gave an awkward smile to the other man, acknowledging his previous prejudice.

He had initially expected this man to be the typical evil warlord from the movies.

Landis’s icy blue eyes carefully examined his expression.

Was the shock too much to bear?

Losing his homeland, his loved ones, being kidnapped, harmed, not even having a healthy body or a normal lifespan, and now even the last keepsake from his parents was gone.

If it were anyone else, they would probably have been unable to endure such a fate.

Yet Xiao Sha, still a young man new to society, remained emotionally stable. He harbored no anger or resentment, and even managed a smile for him.

It was strange. People like Wen Xi, who appeared pitifully delicate, only annoyed him. But Xiao Sha, who seemed strong and optimistic, showing no signs of vulnerability, somehow stirred a sense of pity in him.

Looking into those amber eyes, it was hard not to think of a forsaken puppy left on the side of the road. Even lonely and possessing nothing, with no one willing to take it home, it would still offer a friendly smile to every passerby.

Landis couldn't help but recall their first meeting. Even Caro had complained that he looked too terrifying, yet this young man before him, far from being afraid, had gathered the courage to confess.

He gazed deeply at Xiao Sa, the skin on the back of his neck starting to heat up again, and his heart, extremely rare for him, gave a slight flutter in his chest.

Perhaps the other person greatly needed a home, a safe haven to protect him from life’s storms.

Landis uncrossed his fingers, adjusted his collar, and straightened his chest slightly, adopting a very solemn attitude as he spoke. "Mr. Xiao Sa, allow me to reintroduce myself to you."

Xiao Sa casually nodded. "Please proceed."

Landis' voice was steady and deep. "I, Landis Wencer, am part of the Imperial Military's Third Legion, holding the rank of General. I am thirty years old, and my family owns private territories and hundreds of enterprises. Apart from being busy with work, I have no bad habits."

"?" Xiao Sa's expression gradually became bewildered.

Landis paused, his hands resting on his knees gently clasping. He had never flinched on the battlefield, facing life-and-death combat with enemies, but now, after just a few words, his ears were starting to heat up.

The blonde officer's ice-blue eyes reflected the image of the other person, his tone slow and serious. "According to the Imperial Marriage Law, a 100% match is considered the optimal marriage partner. Mr. Xiao Sa, I hope you will marry me."

Xiao Sa's eyes widened in shock, belatedly blinking.

This was their first meeting, and he was being proposed to?!

Wait, no wonder this blonde officer had attacked him at night the first time they met. So, he had fallen in love at first sight, driven by attraction?

Or was this guy actually a masochist with unique preferences, or was it because he had been marked, influenced by pheromones, that he had developed feelings?

Xiao Sa felt his brain starting to overwhelm, his CPU overheating. His thin lips opened and closed several times before he finally found his voice, which nearly escaped. "Uh, Lord Landis..."

He was an Alpha, destined to be attracted primarily to Omegas, and if not, Betas would suffice. The officer in front of him, though somewhat close to a Beta, wasn't of the same species.

How could they be together if they weren't of the same species? Besides, males in this world likely can't bear children with him, could they? Xiao Sa quietly asked Haino.

"In the Star Sea Region, both men and women can marry and have children. Same-s*x couples often choose external embryo technology for reproduction. Males generally do not have the ability to conceive."

Xiao Sa wore an expression of ‘as expected’ and ignored the ‘generally’ part.

He couldn't reveal his true gender, so he tactfully said, "Actually, my ideal marriage is a wife, children, and a cozy home, living a peaceful, stable life..."

Landis' eyes flickered, and he nodded. "I understand your reservations."

Xiao Sa looked skeptical. "...Do you?"

Landis's gaze shifted to his military cap as he softened his tone and let out a gentle sigh. "I am a soldier, and the legion I lead has fought the most battles against alien species. As a partner, there is indeed a great risk."

"But I will do my utmost to provide for you, ensuring you have a life of comfort for the rest of your days, and you won’t have to live in uncertainty anymore."

Xiao Sa said helplessly, "That's not what I need..."

Rejection of military matches was quite common, but Landis didn't retreat because of the repeated refusals. Instead, he smiled confidently. "I know what you need, and I will prove it to you."

Xiao Sa felt a bit numb. How would you know?

War orphans, who lost their parents in battles, often craved security, longed to be protected, and yearned for a strong partner. As a legion commander, Landis understands this very well.

As an elder, strong and in his prime, with a perfect match and the military's S-rank strength, he should be the ideal partner for the other.

Caro was right; when courting, one must showcase their strengths fully.

Landis reached to remove the medal from his chest but realized he wasn’t wearing it today.

After a moment’s thought, he undid the collar button of his uniform and began to unfasten his shirt buttons one by one, revealing a well-defined, muscular torso—scars symbolizing honor and medals were left there.

Xiao Sa, who was sipping coffee, stared in surprise. "???" No way!

His hand trembled, nearly spilling the coffee, his mouth opened in shock, but he closed it tightly without saying anything.

When the blonde officer was fully dressed in his uniform, he appeared broad-shouldered, his waist cinched tightly by the military belt. Now, with his coat off, his broad, muscular chest bulged under the white shirt.

Once the buttons were undone, his well-defined pectorals were exposed.

Xiao Sa’s eyes involuntarily focused on the three deep claw marks on Landis’s left chest. Even after many years, the scars still looked terrifying.

The dark pink scars stood out starkly against Landis’s light wheat-colored skin, emitting a primal wildness and overwhelming power.

So impressive...

Is everyone from this star system so straightforward and passionate?

His throat bobbed as Xiao Sa quickly swallowed the coffee, his eyes sliding away. Is this guy... trying to seduce me?

After all, he isn’t really a Beta.

"How does he even know I need this? Oh, I don’t need it at all!"

Landis said casually, "This is the place I'm most proud of."

Xiao Sa: “…” It’s just a nice chest. Everyone has one.

I’m a proper Alpha, after all!

Well… one more look.

"Sorry to have startled you." Landis, seeing Xiao Sa's wandering gaze, began to regret his impulsiveness. He fastened his shirt buttons again, "It must have looked bad, huh?"

Xiao Sa shifted his gaze back and, dryly yet honestly, said, "No, the shape is flawless."

A hint of surprise flickered in Landis’ eyes, and his lips curved into a faint smile, "Thank you."

He actually said thank you?

Xiao Sa’s brain was nearly fried, so he quickly added several large ice cubes to his coffee, "No, not at all."

Landis’ calm gaze held a hidden sharpness, "It was a perilous moment, but in the end, I decapitated that King-class alien and was promoted to Admiral."

He wasn’t one to boast about his achievements, simply stating it plainly.

Pausing, Landis’ tone softened, "I hope my future partner and children will appreciate it too."

The words ‘partner’ and ‘children’ spun in Xiao Sa’s mind, and he couldn’t help but softly mutter, recalling the peaceful life he once had on his home planet, "Who wouldn’t like that?"