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| The Beloved Little Mother Insect (LITTLE MOTHER) |
The colossal Beast and the distant hovering Observation Sphere fell into a standoff.
The StarCloud Hound's fur brushed against Pearl's cheek. He tilted his head, his ears beneath pale long hair faintly catching some indistinct movements in the wind and sand.
But the sound of the approaching Observation Sphere was too subtle.
The slow-reacting little Artificial Human let out a soft "ah" with his mouth slightly open, seemingly somewhat nervous.
Pearl's world was one of darkness, so compared to normal people, he always appeared excessively cautious and timid—a wariness earned through countless stumbles and falls after losing his sight, paid for with bruised arms and knees.
Pearl hid the hand clutching the Mycelium fur behind him, but driven by curiosity, he peeked out half his face and stammered, "Is... is someone there?"
What followed was a stretch of silence.
The prolonged quiet left Pearl flustered. He curled his toes before shrinking back further as his pale, bloodless face flushing with embarrassment from the awkwardness.
Outside the lens, the Nerga observers suddenly felt their throats itch and their hard-shelled hearts tingling slightly.
Observation Sphere No. 8 hovered mid-air. The floating bullet comments from various military districts paused briefly at the "new specimen's" shy reaction before resuming their usual flow—
[Shouldn’t the Beast Encyclopedia be updated? What exactly is this new specimen? Gotta say, it’s really cute—I want to catch one and keep it for myself.]
[Such a primitive mimicry form and somewhat similar to the humans in the neighboring star system? It’s been years since I’ve seen such a fragile creature without insect patterns, scales, exoskeletons, tail hooks, or insect wings.]
[Damn, I’m going crazy—for a moment there, I wanted to kneel and lick it... Am I some kind of sick pervert?]
[Is this little thing dependent on the StarCloud Hound? Or is this fragile mimicry just a disguise? If it’s a parasitic-type Beast, then I’m in!]
[Pick me! I’m strong and healthy—parasitize me and you’ll never go hungry!]
[That’s a Beast, after all. Probably the cuter it is, the deadlier. Once it lures its prey close and reverts to its true form, it could probably swallow a StarCloud Hound in one bite.]
...
The lively discussion about the "new specimen" continued in the bullet comments, all unbeknownst to Pearl, who was mistaken for a "mimicry parasitic-type Beast."
Outside, the wind and sand gradually subsided.
Pearl warmed his chilled hands as the lingering, half-destroyed yet persistent anxiety slowly fading from his nerves, finally allowing him to catch his breath.
The slender Artificial Human carefully stood up while leaning on the Beast for support. Beneath his bare feet, the desert sand was scorching hot, prickly but tolerable.
It felt similar to the old blanket he used to sleep on.
The Beast, the StarCloud Hound, also rose, temporarily staying by the side of its chosen "prey," trying to understand the source of its hidden longing.
It was noon, and the northern region of the irradiated wasteland planet was intensely bright. Even though Pearl couldn’t see, the light from above made him furrow his delicate brows.
The scorching sand grains pressed against the artificial human's snow-white soles. After just a few steps, his gait became unsteady and emitting soft pants that evoked a sense of pity.
The Beast walking alongside him as a "guide cane" let out a huff, its pitch-black eyes gleaming with impatience.
The next second, its wet, glossy black nose brushed against Pearl's sun-reddened arm as if giving a reminder, then abruptly lifted its head against the artificial human's soft waist, hoisting him onto the back of its neck.
This weak little creature—it would eventually devour him!!
The Symbiotic Mycelial Carpet extended fine threads, manipulating Pearl like puppet strings to help him sit upright while secretly touching the overly delicate skin of the small artificial human.
When Pearl regained his senses, he found himself riding atop this large, furry dog.
Such a good doggie.
Pearl's eyes curved into smiles as he leaned down to bury his face in the Beast's fur for a stealthy nuzzle.
The StarCloud Hound paused briefly before resuming its normal pace, continuing forward.
As the Beast carried Pearl onward, Observation Sphere No. 8, which had locked onto their life signals, silently followed from behind.
Beasts living perpetually in deserts knew best how to survive.
Currently, the Symbiotic Mycelial Carpet on the StarCloud Hound extended delicate tendrils to capture scents from all directions in the arid air; environmental information gathered through the Mycelium was simultaneously transmitted to its brain, enabling timely advantageous decisions.
These fungal filaments could not only detect airborne information but also probe the condition of nearby lifeforms.
Such as the hunger and thirst radiating from the small artificial human.
Pearl was indeed both thirsty and hungry.
The persistent fatigue weighing down his body made him curl up listlessly. His reluctance to trouble others compelled him to suppress his discomfort and just sitting obediently on the Beast's back with dull, unseeing eyes—appearing utterly pliant, as if he would agree to any excessive demand.
Accustomed to passive acceptance, Pearl didn't find endurance particularly difficult. He merely licked his parched lips and just lightly swinging his raised feet, still immersed in the satisfaction of being carried by the large dog.
He liked it so much.
The Mycelium coiled around Pearl's fingertips and knee bends trembled slightly, silvery tendrils curling faintly.
Meanwhile, the symbiotic StarCloud Hound twitched its ears and murky light flickering through its pitch-black pupils before being swiftly submerged in turbid darkness, bottomless and obscure.
So fragrant... wanted to swallow him whole...
After being satisfied, this little creature seemed to smell even sweeter.
The advancing StarCloud Hound suddenly accelerated, heavy appetite flashing in its eyes.
The Beast moved at tremendous speed.
The small artificial human on its back abruptly leaned backward, but the soft Mycelium served as natural "seat belts," firmly securing him in place and offering some sense of security to Pearl in his sightless darkness.
He resembled a clumsy little roly-poly toy.
His dry, long hair streamed backward like a pale shadow, nearly brushing against Observation Sphere No. 8's lens.
[...I never thought I'd see the day "adorable" could describe a Beast!]
[Tch, I'd love to capture one for my home. I have unused planets under my name with radiation levels below normal—keeping a Beast wouldn't be a problem.]
[When his hair swept across the lens, it felt like being buried in his white fluff. This new variant is too good at mimicry! Who could bear to attack him?!]
【A frenzied Narga knows nothing of cuteness—they would only tear this pretty little thing to shreds.】
As these words appeared, the previously lively barrage of comments instantly fell silent.
—A frenzied Narga would become the most terrifying and violent brute in this world.
The light source from the sky softened and the desert heat gradually fading with time; when the StarCloud Hound finally came to a halt, before it lay an oasis in the midst of the sands.
Vivid green trees and grass abruptly emerged among the yellow dunes, like a mirage luring in living beings.
Perched atop the Beast, Pearl twitched his nose slightly.
He caught the scent of plants—dry yet fresh—hinting at the presence of water behind it.
Pearl swallowed silently, his crimson tongue lightly tracing over his chapped lower lip. Lifting his chin to follow the scent, he resembled a newborn kitten seeking milk even before opening its eyes.
The towering Beast bent its limbs slightly, and Pearl gripped its fur as he slid sideways, his feet dangling unsteadily as he struggled to find solid footing.
It couldn't be helped—compared to the long-limbed Beast, Pearl's stature... was truly lacking.
The tiny Artificial Human: TnT
Once steady, Pearl rose onto his toes and tentatively took two steps toward the source of moisture. Only when the soil beneath his feet felt damp did he kneel and reach out to search for water.
Designed based on the preferences of 90% of cosmic lifeforms, this Artificial Human possessed slender, beautiful hands—rounded nails and pink-tinted fingertips—exuding a delicate, pitiable charm that made one want to cradle them in their palms or gently nibble them. This was the embodiment of collective statistical pursuit of "perfection."
Pearl brushed aside his cascading long hair and leaned forward to cup water in his hands.
Behind him—
The Beast exhaled a scorching breath, its pitch-black eyes narrowing as its nostrils flared to capture the increasingly sweet scent. Desire dripped from its gaze, compelling it to slowly lower its head toward the prey's nape.
Before him—
Cool water moistened Pearl's cracked lips. He extended his tongue for a taste, his vacant blue eyes revealing no emotion, yet the dimples at the corners of his mouth deepened.
Simultaneously, the Beast behind the Artificial Human bared its sharp fangs.
The barrage exploded.
【Damn! The Mycelial Carpet symbiote is the dominant one?!】
【Wait? So the new variant isn't a parasitic type? It's the StarCloud Hound's reserve food?】
【He's so adorable I can't bear to strike—how can you bear to eat him, StarCloud Hound?!】
On screen, just as even the hardened Narga members couldn't bear to watch, the situation shifted in an instant—
The tiny Artificial Human, on the verge of being swallowed by the terrifying shadow, suddenly turned his head. Lifting his face toward the light source, he revealed glacier-pale blue eyes.
Like the Kursai Ice Blue Gemstones produced by the Narga Empire—renowned across the stars, and so beautiful they stole one's breath.
That pale face was fully displayed on military sector screens everywhere. Despite being in mortal danger beneath the Beast's maw, he held water in his hands and was delighted as if he'd discovered treasure—soft and harmless, with a glistening droplet even adorning the tip of his snow-white nose.
Tempting one to lean in and kiss it.
The grotesque beast's maw and the oblivious beauty created a stark contrast.
The barrage fell silent as the viewers hold their breath.
Pearl's pale cheeks were flushed with sun-warmed pink. Utterly unaware of the imminent danger, he simply followed the Beast's breathing and offered the water cupped in his palms to the StarCloud Hound's mouth.
A soft smile graced his lips as he murmured, "It's sweet. For you to drink."
Crack.
In various military districts, the Narga people who prided themselves on being iron-blooded and having nothing to do with soft creatures all simultaneously took screenshots of the display, instinctively saving the scene they had just witnessed.
After saving the images, they guiltily glanced around, only to find their comrades had done the same. They quietly sighed in relief before lowering their heads to stare blankly at the photos.
It was merely a new species of Beast, merely observed through an Observation Sphere light-years away, merely their first encounter...
Yet inexplicably, gazing at that soft smiling face, this interstellar-wandering race known for their cold-bloodedness felt for the first time an unusual, indescribable sense of tenderness and protectiveness.
Their gazes swept over him with near-naked intensity.
They wanted to protect him.
Desperately, maddeningly wanted to protect him.
Meanwhile, deep space above the irradiated wasteland planet was occupied by a massive Starship.
It loomed like a colossal entity blending into the cosmic backdrop—a technological-biological hybrid leviathan of advanced civilization, immense and silent, awaiting the return of several chiefs who were suppressing their frenzied states on the planet below.
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