Chapter 330: The Child

Chapter 330: Chapter 330: The Child

Her body suddenly lurched downward. Even with the seatbelt, Shi Lan immediately withdrew her spiritual power, a little startled.

The Mecha was very tall, and the sudden drop created the sensation of a nosedive.

He Hanshi hurried to comfort her. "Don’t be afraid, Lanlan. You’re already doing great. This is completely normal."

He Hanshi wasn’t just praising Shi Lan because she was his wife. In his eyes, for a beginner, her performance had already far surpassed 80% of the males in the military.

He told her, "Lanlan, your control over your spiritual power is very strong. When many soldiers in the army first learn, they can’t even lift a hand, let alone move. But you’ve managed to do almost all of it; it’s just that one leg was a little slow. What’s more, you haven’t touched the control stick at all—you’re relying entirely on your spiritual power."

"So, don’t be scared, Lanlan. You really are amazing."

Her tension slowly faded under his praise. She pursed her lips, her morale restored, and said, "Okay, I’ll try again."

As she spoke, she released her spiritual power again, sensing the Mecha’s movements in her mind.

Her spiritual power was high to begin with, and she was already skilled at controlling it, so this time, she took a step with ease.

However, her steps were very slow, like a toddler learning to walk. Lifting each leg seemed a bit strenuous, but at least it was moving.

After walking forward for a minute, Shi Lan slowly got the hang of it, and her steps became a little more agile.

He Hanshi witnessed her change from the side. He couldn’t help but marvel; his partner was truly talented and intelligent, able to completely forgo the control stick and rely on her own power from the very beginning.

Shi Lan piloted it herself for a few more minutes. It was just as she’d thought—completely different from the simulation Mecha at the medical station. The feeling was so much more real. She also found that if her mental link slackened even for a moment, the Mecha’s pace would slow, its movements losing their smoothness.

She was reminded of the person who had saved her on the Garbage Star. Back then, their Mecha’s gait was completely natural, and they could even carry on a conversation while piloting. Clearly, those were instinctive skills honed through countless hours of practice.

But Shi Lan wasn’t trying to compare herself to others. She was mainly here for the experience, and she was already happy to have reached this level.

After getting her fill of fun, she remembered that He Hanshi had been busy all day and hadn’t even washed up before she dragged him here. It was so late now, Shi Lan was no longer in the mood to keep playing.

She piloted the Mecha back to its original position and then said to He Hanshi, "Let’s go back. It’s late, and I want to sleep."

"Okay."

For He Hanshi, as long as his partner was by his side, he was happy doing anything.

He wrapped her ankles again, held her in his arms, and jumped directly down from the Mecha, which was over three meters high.

He clearly did this often. His landing was graceful, and Shi Lan, nestled in his arms, didn’t even feel a jolt.

Shi Lan couldn’t help but exclaim, "Your jumping ability is incredible!"

He Hanshi didn’t understand what was so amazing about a three or four-meter jump. After all, in this world, any A-level or higher male could do it.

’It must be my partner’s filter,’ he thought. ’She even praises me for a simple jump.’

At that thought, he couldn’t help but lower his head and gently kiss the spot between Shi Lan’s eyebrows. Smiling, he said softly, "Thank you for the praise, my wife. I’m very happy."

Shi Lan gazed into his deep, azure eyes. At this moment, they seemed to have a layer of glitter sprinkled in them, sparkling and impossibly beautiful.

She squinted dizzily and sighed to herself, ’My Beast Husbands are all so handsome. Even after looking at them for so long, I still get lost in their good looks.’

’Of course, I love their beast forms, too.’

He Hanshi carried Shi Lan back to the bedroom. After placing her on the bed, he took off his jacket and immediately went to take a shower.

Shi Lan clutched the covers and watched the muscles of his back. Beneath his undershirt, the clear groove of his spine could be seen, winding its way down to the waistband of his pants. It looked particularly sexy, a silent invitation to explore.

She stared at his securely fastened pants, not quite having the nerve to ask him to take those off for her to see as well.

After He Hanshi entered the shower, the sound of running water soon followed.

At first, Shi Lan’s mind was filled with all sorts of random thoughts, but lying on the familiar large bed she had napped on that afternoon, sleepiness gradually washed over her, and she fell asleep without realizing it.

More than ten minutes later, He Hanshi dried his hair and got into bed, but she didn’t wake up.

He gazed at her with doting eyes and reached out, pulling her into his arms.

Shi Lan was sound asleep. He Hanshi, having just showered, was wide awake for the moment and didn’t feel the least bit tired.

One of his arms went under Shi Lan’s neck to hold her, while the other rested gently on her abdomen.

When he first saw the news of Shi Lan’s pregnancy, he had just killed several members of the Insect Clan, and a cold, sharp killing intent still lingered in his eyes. Even though he was a 3S Beastman, the enemy numbers were large that day. Many buildings on the Border Defense Star made it inconvenient to use large-scale weapons, so he had to rely on his handgun and beast form to hunt. His black Combat Suit was stained with the Insect Clan’s slime and green blood.

The corrosive blood of the Insect Clan was an unavoidable danger on the battlefield. The army’s Combat Suits could resist corrosion, but they were ineffective if the fabric was breached. This was why soldiers still got injured by the Insect Clan.

Of course, being corrosion-resistant didn’t mean it was painless. The Insect Clan’s blood also caused a burning sensation from its corrosive effects, and that pain was unavoidable.

He Hanshi was already used to that kind of pain. It would only burn the surface of his skin and couldn’t wound him deeply. Occasionally, he would even use methods that left him more vulnerable but were more efficient at killing the Insect Clan.

However, this was only when everything was within a controllable range. He Hanshi wasn’t so foolish as to constantly expose himself to danger.

Usually, after killing members of the Insect Clan and getting his clothes dirty, the first thing He Hanshi would do was take a shower. But that day, when he learned his partner was pregnant, he was so overjoyed that he went out alone and patrolled the Border Defense Star once more, clearing out some ambushing Insect Clan members along the way.

It must have had a deterrent effect on the Insect Clan, as their numbers had been much lower these past few days.

He Hanshi reined in his thoughts. Feeling the gentle rise and fall of Shi Lan’s breathing from her abdomen under his palm, he thought about the small life gestating there—a life that might be his own child—and boundless happiness surged in his heart.

’However, before the cub arrives, I have to wipe out a wave of the Insect Clan. At the very least, I need to curb their activity and reduce their attack frequency back to what it was. Otherwise, I won’t have time to raise my cub.’

In the interstellar world, the division of labor was relatively clear: females were responsible for bearing children, while males were responsible for supporting the family and raising the children. In their view, females already went through enough hardship giving birth, not to mention having to treat their Beast Husbands’ spiritual power collapses.

This was a responsibility they were meant to bear, and He Hanshi had to work hard to free up more time for his child-rearing duties.

As he mulled this over, he suddenly felt that the dull, busy duty of guarding the Border Defense Star now held a new sense of purpose.

’And the cub...’

’What will it look like? Will it take after its father more, or its mother?’

’Its mother, I hope. That way, the moment anyone sees the cub, they’ll know who my partner is.’

His mind filled with these fantasies as he slowly drifted off to sleep.