Laura’s face lit up with joy, and she hurriedly asked, “What method?”

Connor pointed to a spot less than two kilometers from their destination. “Look here, isn’t there a sharp turn?”

Laura nodded, not quite understanding.

“We’ll take advantage of the time we gain from the turn to leave the starship here, then remotely control the starship to divert Andrew and the others, and make our escape.”

“Great idea!”

Laura quickly changed the destination, and just as they rounded the corner, she suddenly stopped the starship, pulling Connor down and hiding behind a few trees, then hurriedly activated the Rainbow Starship.

At the moment the Rainbow Starship took off, the pursuing starship sped past the turn, chasing after the Rainbow Starship.

Connor didn’t dare slack off for a moment, pulling Laura as they dashed toward the destination where they had previously parked the starship. Laura had never done such intense exercise before, and she was gasping for breath, nearly throwing up on the way.

Connor wasn’t much better off; he was also relying on the will to escape. Finally, after five minutes, they spotted the starship Laura had parked in advance from a distance.

Connor was overjoyed, pulling Laura to sprint toward it, setting the destination to the terminal, and then he slammed the launch button. With a whoosh, the starship shot into the sky, racing toward the terminal.

Laura looked at the red dot on the smart brain. “What about your starship? Should I have it circle around nearby?”

“I remember there’s a mountain less than a hundred kilometers ahead,” Connor pointed at the map. “Can you make the starship crash into it?”

“Wow, you’re ruthless,” Laura gave Connor a thumbs up, tapping a few times on the controls. “The starship will reach the desolate mountain in ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes is just enough for us to get to the terminal,” Connor sighed in relief, leaning back in his chair and chuckling softly. “To survive, we have to be ruthless.”

Before boarding the ship to the Ant Clan, their plan could fail at any moment. All he could do now was to divert Andrew and the others’ attention as much as possible.

The starship sped along, successfully arriving at the capital terminal at 8:50. Connor and Laura jumped off the starship and ran toward the ticket counter. “Two tickets to the Ant Clan.”

Seeing the two gentle and beautiful male bugs in front of her, the female ticket clerk, who had been feeling impatient due to overtime, froze for a moment and then broke into a flower-like smile. “Good day, sir. Which flight would you like to book? We have the 9:20 flight, the 11:50 flight, and…”

“9:20,” Connor quickly interrupted the female ticket clerk, pulling up the payment code. “Two tickets, please hurry.”

The female ticket clerk pouted a bit in disappointment but immediately raised her already radiant smile even more. “Okay, would you like first class?”

Before Connor could refuse, the clerk leaned in mysteriously and whispered in Connor’s ear, “Sir, I have an employee discount that allows for a free upgrade. Would it be convenient to add your contact information?”

Connor felt overwhelmed. He glanced at the clock hand pointing to 9. “No need, just the regular seats, please hurry, we can’t miss the flight!”

The female clerk looked a bit frustrated and wanted to argue, but Connor gritted his teeth and suddenly put on a pitiful expression. “My female lord is on Ant Clan Star, about to lay eggs. If I miss this flight, I won’t be able to see her give birth.”

“Oh my!”

Tears of emotion instantly welled up in the azure eyes of the female clerk.

In this day and age, there were still male bugs who would rush back for their female lord’s childbirth. What a beautiful love story!

The clerk’s gaze hardened instantly. “Don’t worry, sir, I will make sure you catch the flight.”

Before Connor could thank her, the clerk swiftly typed something on her device, and in less than ten seconds, two tickets were already in Connor and Laura’s hands.

“Thank you.”

Just as Connor and Laura were about to enter the boarding area, they saw the female clerk say something to her work smart brain, and the next moment, two work bugs rushed over from the terminal. “Good morning, sir, this way is the VIP passage, please follow me!”

With the help of the work bugs, Connor and Laura boarded the flight to the Ant Clan in less than five minutes.

Connor kept a close eye on the time on the smart brain.

Fifteen minutes until takeoff, and he would be completely free!

At 9:00 bug star time, all the legions had gathered, standing neatly in the auditorium under the commander’s lead. Guests arriving to witness the ceremony were also gradually taking their seats, and many nobles went backstage to chat with Garrett.

While dealing with the nobles, Garrett frequently glanced at the VIP seats. According to the previously notified schedule, the male lord should have arrived by now, yet the seat belonging to Connor remained empty.

Garrett’s bad premonition grew stronger. He gritted his teeth, apologetically bowed to the guests surrounding him, and waved to Ryan, who was not far away. “Go contact Andrew and ask about the male lord’s situation.”

“Yes.”

Ryan saluted and quickly left. Only then did Garrett return to continue chatting with the nobles and colleagues. However, before Ryan could return with an answer, the ceremonial officer responsible for the coronation rushed over in a panic. “Marshal, the Bug Emperor just suddenly fainted!”

“Huh?” Garrett’s brow twitched. “Is the ceremony still continuing?”

“Yes, the Crown Prince said the ceremony will start early and be simplified.”

Garrett nodded and followed the ceremonial officer onto the coronation platform.

In less than two minutes, Ryan rushed back, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, and grabbed a backstage military female. “Where’s the marshal?”

“On stage.”

“Ah!”

Ryan wiped his sweat and was about to rush onto the stage when several ceremonial female bugs stopped him. “Major Ryan, the ceremony has already started, you can’t go up.”

“Officers, I really have an urgent matter.” Ryan was anxious, “My lord’s starship crashed into a mountain!”

The ceremonial officers looked expressionless. “If the starship crashed into a mountain, contact the rescue team. The ceremony has already started, and the entire star network is live-streaming. Even if the sky falls, it can’t be interrupted!”

As the military band played a stirring tune, Garrett knelt on one knee, reciting the prepared marshal’s oath.

After finishing, the Crown Prince and the Third Prince jointly placed the medal belonging to the Bug Clan’s marshal on Garrett’s chest.

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience, and all the military females present saluted Garrett in unison, shouting “Marshal,” their voices echoing through the skies.

Amidst the cheers of the military females, the minute hand slowly moved toward 4.

On the flight to Ant Clan Star, a beautiful female attendant stood in the broadcasting room, her voice sweet. “Ladies and gentlemen, the F6868 flight to Ant Clan Star is about to take off. Please stow your small tables, open the sunshades, fasten your seatbelts, and ensure the safety of any bug cubs you are traveling with.”

Connor’s heart suddenly began to race, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the armrest. His throat tightened as he watched the runway slowly move backward outside the window, feeling both nervous and excited.

Two months of planning had led to this moment!

The official presiding over the ceremony smiled, his eyes squinting with joy. “Next, please welcome Marshal Garrett to deliver his inaugural speech.”

Garrett strode confidently to the center of the platform, the pure gold emblem engraved with an eagle shining in the sunlight. Looking at the tens of thousands of military females shouting in unison below, a surge of ambition rose within Garrett.

His era had arrived!

He would lead the soldiers to repel the Lizard Clan and protect the Bug Clan’s territory for two hundred years, ensuring peace and prosperity!

Suddenly, his peripheral vision caught sight of the VIP seats, and the seat belonging to the male lord was still empty.

Garrett’s heart sank, and his unease peaked.

Today was his marshal’s coronation ceremony; how could the male lord be late?

Could something have happened?

The capital’s security was excellent, and Andrew was protecting the male lord, so there shouldn’t be any major issues. Perhaps he was just delayed on the way.

Thinking this, Garrett’s heartbeat gradually slowed. He steadied himself, picked up the microphone, and greeted the military females below.

“Hello everyone, I am Garrett.”

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock…

Amidst the cheers from the military females below, the minute hand slowly pointed to 4.

On the runway, the starship suddenly accelerated, and the markers on both sides rushed backward. With a loud boom, propelled by fuel, the starship soared into the sky.

“Ladies and gentlemen, our starship has taken off. Due to the high number of meteorite fragments in space, there may be turbulence. Please fasten your seatbelts and refrain from moving around until the indicator light goes off. Cabin service is suspended.”

Watching the buildings on the ground shrink smaller and smaller until the entire Bug Star became a blue-green planet, a clear tear rolled down Connor’s cheek.

Sitting next to him, Laura was already so excited that she was dancing with joy. She hugged Connor and patted his back twice. “Congratulations, you’re free!”

Before Connor could respond, he heard the familiar attendant’s voice come through the microphone again.

“Sir in seat 5B, the starship is still experiencing turbulence. Please remain seated to avoid injury.”

Laura looked around. “5B? Who’s 5B?”

Connor silently picked up Laura’s ticket.

Looking at the bolded “Seat 5B,” Laura quietly released Connor and returned to her seat.

“Um, I got too excited, it wasn’t intentional.”

Garrett’s speech was short but powerful. After the final sentence, a wave of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience.

Due to the Bug Emperor’s sudden fainting, the Crown Prince and the Third Prince left early after the awarding ceremony, and their speeches were canceled, successfully concluding the coronation ceremony.

As Garrett stepped down from the platform, he ran into a sweaty Ryan, who took off his military cap and frowned. “Where has the male lord gone? Why hasn’t he arrived yet?”

Ryan’s lips trembled as he cried out, “Marshal, Andrew just sent a message saying that Lord Connor’s starship crashed… crashed into a desolate mountain and exploded!”

With a loud “thud,” Garrett’s military cap fell to the ground.

His mind went blank, and a sharp ringing filled his ears, his vision darkening.

“Prepare the starship, go… go rescue the male lord.”

“It’s already prepared, follow me!”

Ryan pulled Garrett onto the military ship, racing toward the desolate mountain like a wild dog unleashed.

Connor was beautiful and gentle, and he treated Garrett’s military females well. Hearing that something had happened to Lord Connor made them all very sad, and the pressure in the starship dropped to an extreme low.

As Ryan wiped his tears, he also had to comfort Garrett beside him. “Marshal, Lord Connor was flying the Rainbow Starship, which is specially designed for male bugs and has the best protection. He should be fine.”

Garrett’s eyes turned red, and he suddenly grabbed Ryan’s arm, shouting, “If something happened to the male lord, why didn’t you tell me sooner!”

Ryan had never seen his general lose control like this, and he trembled as he said, “I was going to tell you, but when I got the news, the ceremony had already started, and I couldn’t notify you.”

Garrett’s fingers tightened suddenly, and Ryan winced, looking at Garrett with a pitiful expression. “General…”

Garrett paused for a moment and released Ryan’s arm.

“It’s my responsibility; I should have personally escorted the male lord to the military department.” Garrett gritted his teeth and suddenly pushed aside the military female at the controls. “I’ll drive.”

The military ship shot out at rocket speed, and in less than fifteen minutes, they arrived at the site of the accident on the desolate mountain.

Although he had mentally prepared himself, when Garrett saw the massive dent on the mountain and the scattered starship debris on the ground, his head felt like it had been hit hard, buzzing, and he nearly collapsed.

He staggered forward, grabbing Andrew by the collar and roaring, “Where’s the male lord?”

Andrew could hardly breathe, only managing to say intermittently, “Marshal, I… I am incompetent. Lord Connor is… missing.”

“Missing?” Garrett’s expression froze. “What do you mean missing?”

Ryan, who had already learned the general situation from the rescue team, rushed over. “Marshal, don’t panic. The rescue team said they didn’t find any bodies in the starship wreckage. Preliminary assessments suggest that the starship was empty when it crashed into the mountain.”

The joy of the male lord being alive calmed Garrett down a bit. He released Andrew, his expression darkening. “What exactly happened?”

Andrew coughed a few times to catch his breath and quickly knelt on one knee. “Reporting to the marshal, everything was normal when we set off today, but as we left the main city, Lord Connor and Lady Laura’s starship suddenly accelerated. I tried my best to catch up, but I still couldn’t fully catch up. After a stalemate for twenty minutes, Lord Connor’s starship crashed into the desolate mountain.”

Garrett furrowed his brow tightly. “Sudden acceleration? Why didn’t you ask the military department to send a starship to intercept?”

Andrew opened the smart brain and pulled up the star information records. “As soon as Lord Connor’s starship showed abnormalities, I tried to notify the military department, but they didn’t connect, probably because of the coronation ceremony. I immediately contacted the rescue team, but due to the remote location, the incident had already occurred by the time they arrived.”

Before Garrett could respond, the rescue team leader rushed over with a control panel. “Marshal, we found out that the starship lost control because it was equipped with the B70-293 racing system.”

Ryan gritted his teeth. “First, they chose the coronation ceremony, and then they installed a racing system. They really are calculating.”

Garrett’s expression darkened. “Can we contact Laura?”

Andrew shook his head. “We’ve been trying to reach her, but it seems Lady Laura’s smart brain is turned off.”

“Turned off? Kidnapping the male lord in broad daylight, do they think I, Garrett, don’t exist? I’ve long suspected that Laura wasn’t a good bug.” Anger flared in Garrett’s golden eyes as he gritted his teeth and ordered the military females around him, “Find out! Even if we have to turn the Bug Star upside down, we must rescue the male lord.”

“Yes!” Ryan saluted and immediately arranged for the military females to investigate Connor and Laura’s whereabouts, including Laura’s movements from a few days ago.

After giving all the orders, Ryan walked over to Garrett and comforted him. “Marshal, the rescue team is still searching for the black box from the starship. If we can find it, we might know where Lord Connor was taken.”

Garrett nodded with a serious expression, his body still tense like a drawn bow. “Lock down all routes to the capital star and focus on checking the footage heading to the Lizard Clan.”

If it were ordinary kidnappers, there wouldn’t be much to worry about. What he feared most was that the male lord had been captured by the Lizard Clan; that would be a real problem.

“Understood.”

After more than thirty hours of flight, Connor and Laura successfully arrived at the Ant Clan Star terminal.

“Xiaoxue, Huahua, and the Sheriff.”

At the pet shipping center, Connor crouched down carefully to play with the three half-grown kittens. Perhaps due to the fatigue of the journey, Xiaoxue and Huahua curled up together, sleeping soundly, while the Sheriff remained energetic, stretching out its little paws and meowing, seemingly accusing Connor of his “crimes.”

“I’m sorry, babies, I shouldn’t have troubled you, but I had no choice.” Connor picked up the cat carrier. “Let’s go home.”

Before arriving at Ant Clan Star, Laura had already rented a two-story duplex apartment. After leaving the terminal, they took a shared starship and arrived at the apartment complex in less than twenty minutes.

A flock of red-billed sparrows flew over Connor’s head, leaving behind a string of chirping chatter.

“Look at those two bipedal creatures; why do they look so strange? They don’t even have antennae on their heads.”

“I heard that these bipedal creatures from outer space don’t have antennae on their heads.”

“Yeah, I heard that the second one stayed in Bug Clan Street for a while, and many bipedal creatures there don’t have antennae.”

Listening to the conversation of the red-billed sparrows, Connor couldn’t help but smile. The Ant Clan and the Bug Clan had very similar physical characteristics and could even intermarry; the only difference was that the Ant Clan had two antennae to receive signals. The Ant Clan and the Bug Clan had been friendly for generations, and many bugs chose to settle on Ant Clan Star. Therefore, Ant Clan Star not only had many companies run by bugs but also a dedicated Bug Clan Street.

“Connor! Come look, it’s so cute!”

Following Laura’s call, Connor walked over to see four orange kittens neatly lined up in the grass, tilting their heads and meowing cutely at Laura.

“I didn’t expect the Ant Clan to have stray cats.”

“I read online that the Ant Clan’s climate is warmer and more suitable for stray cats, so there are twice as many stray cats here as in the Bug Clan.” Laura took out a bag of freeze-dried food for Xiaoxue and Huahua from her storage capsule, breaking it into small pieces to feed the little orange kittens.

Connor also crouched down to pet the little orange kitten’s head. “It’s a pity we already have three at home; otherwise, I’d really want to take them back.”

Laura sighed. “If we take these four back, there will be other homeless kittens. There are so many stray cats on Ant Clan Star; we can’t possibly take them all home.”

“Why not?”

Laura frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

Connor smiled slightly. “Don’t forget, I’m a pet blogger.”

Although his account already had millions of followers, and every time he went live, the demand was overwhelming, Xiaoxue, Huahua, and the Sheriff had already become internet-famous cats at a young age, with various advertising offers pouring in. Financial freedom was just around the corner. But besides making money, Connor also hoped to do something truly meaningful for society.

For example, helping these stray kittens find a home.

“What do you mean? You want to use your account to find adopters?”

“You’ll find out later.”

Connor grinned and led the way upstairs with the cat carrier, leaving Laura behind, who was exclaiming in frustration.