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| The Beloved Little Mother Insect (LITTLE MOTHER) |
Pearl "saw"—
Those shadows were terrifying, like the sewers at the end of the black market, concealing endless filth.
Viscous and gloomy, they enveloped the Narga People like countless rising shadows, and coalescing into a towering, monstrous black mist, with each part twistingly blooming with agony.
Behind the filth, Pearl once again heard unbearable murmurs.
【It hurts, it hurts so much…】
【Mother… it’s so unbearable…】
【Kill, must kill… no…】
Like lost children, they helplessly emitted signals of pain and struggle, but the only one present who could perceive them was the Artificial Human, Pearl.
At that moment, his heart tightened, and he found it hard to breathe.
Pearl didn’t even know what he was thinking; by the time he realized it, his hand was already pressed against Ega’s tail hook, his soft embrace open, revealing the Artificial Human’s slender chest and soft waist.
A thin layer of skin and flesh gathered above, soft to the touch and utterly harmless, like the fluffy belly of a small animal lying on its back. He held the monster's tail stinger in his arms and gently stroked it over and over.
Psionic power, which the Artificial Human had never systematically learned or perceived, overflowed from his entire being, piercing through the Narga People's defenses and delving deep within.
Every action was unconscious on Pearl's part, as if guided by genetic instinct, allowing him to calm this frenzied beast at the critical moment by using himself as a soothing presence.
Clearly, the effect was astonishing.
—And long ago in the past, Pearl had similarly embraced that grimy stray dog.
After the battle between the Narga People and the giant Sandworm, the desert, which usually buried traces quickly, was left in disarray.
Hui crouched on the ground with his menacing claw-limbs spread open and with the petite Mother Insect kneeling inside. Before them lay Ega, prostrate on the ground with his tail stinger suspended and buried in Pearl's embrace.
That day, the Narga People, eroded by Frenzy Syndrome and out of control, regained calm in the Artificial Human's limited embrace. His tail stinger curled up its sharp tip and nuzzled like an infant in its mother's arms that greedily absorbed warmth.
This was far from enough for the monster, but his fragile and tender little mommy could not withstand such demands.
The concealed sharp tail stinger wrapped tightly around Pearl, but the Artificial Human, unable to hold on for long, had already exhausted his strength.
The soft, unknown psionic power of its owner withered and retreated, and before withdrawing, it was coiled and sucked by a cold-blooded creature emerging from the shadows, leaving it even more trembling and fragile.
Later, Pearl, with his hair soaked with sweat, curled up and slept for a long time in the center of Hui's claw-limbs.
After he fell asleep, the dazed Ega regained half his consciousness and, together with Hui, sheltered this delicate Little Mother Insect by their side.
...
Since that incident, Pearl knew he was useful—he had stolen the identity of "mother" from the Narga People like a thief, so it was only natural that he should offer what he could before the truth was revealed.
It was only right.
And he was eager to reciprocate this love that did not originally belong to him.
So, when Pearl curled up in Hui's claw-limbs and softly asked, "Do you need soothing?" The offspring, unable to suppress their longing for the Mother Insect, naturally nodded in agreement.
Poor little Artificial Human, he never knew that his indulgence would only fuel the monsters' greed.
The colossal Narga People, towering like a giant, enveloped the Little Mother Insect within his claw-limbs. He lowered his fearsome head and inching closer until Pearl before standing upright, so he could just reach his head.
Pearl placed his palm on it before spreading his arms to offer an embrace, his soft chest pressed against Hui's forehead.
The blind Pearl did not know what the monster he held looked like.
But from a third-person perspective, it was a terrifying beast with a deep blue verging on black—
A humanoid creature with a strange metallic sheen that was standing at full 7 meters tall, imposing and massive, yet agile and not cumbersome.
He had a slightly elongated, skull-like head resembling a manta ray, but with compound eyes and mouthparts like an insect that were bristling with sharp teeth that highlighted his carnivorous nature, and a slender, forked tongue akin to a python's.
Humanoid torsos and limbs were simultaneously fused with characteristics of insects, arthropods, and reptiles. Some extended giant insect wings from the nape down the spine, some grew massive sharp pincers, while others had smooth streamlined backs but swayed scorpion-like stingers at the coccyx that were extremely sharp.
Their manta ray-shaped heads resembled demons, serving to intimidate and warn; compound eyes provided broad vision without revealing emotions; sharp teeth, pincers, and stingers could easily kill prey; humanoid body structures offered extreme joint flexibility, even enabling tool usage.
This was a race born for slaughter.
Hui was a Narga People member characterized by giant pincers.
At this moment, he lowered his head, enjoying the embrace from the Little Mother Insect. The psionic power eroded by Frenzy Syndrome wriggled and twisted, inch by inch approaching Pearl.
Completely unguarded, Pearl opened himself entirely, without any rejection or vigilance.
——He trusted his offspring more than any previous Mother Insect, openly accepting everything.
This realization excited Hui to the point where his scales slightly bristled.
The contact of psionic power was strange and thrilling.
Following instinct, Pearl "embraced" Hui. The moment their psionic power naively completed the connection, the frail little Artificial Human trembled with his cheeks flushed and fine sweat beading at his temples.
He could barely stand steady and could just weakly lean against the monster's embrace. White strands of hair clung to his cheeks and neck like clusters of spider silk, beautiful yet fragile.
The space around Pearl was invaded by the monster's torso. The physically weak Little Mother Insect soon lost strength in his knees. Just as he nearly stumbled, Ega, who had returned with prey, promptly stepped forward and used the tip of his Tail Hook to support Pearl's slender, soft waist.
Too thin—not a bit of flesh, as if he would break with a snap.
A heavy, cold force transmitted from the Tail Hook, sending a shiver through Pearl.
He panted softly as the hair at the nape of his neck sticking to his skin. Though it was merely a simple embrace, it felt as though he had undergone strenuous physical exertion.
Unaware of what psionic connection and comforting offspring entailed, Pearl, with reddened ears, steadied himself against Ega's Tail Hook and whispered an apology.
He said, "S-sorry, I seem... I can't do anything right."
Pearl "saw" that the dark shadow clinging to Hui remained vast, while he had only brushed away a tiny corner.
If even a simple comfort was this exhausting, perhaps the true "mother" of the Narga People could do better...
If Ega and Hui hadn't encountered him, this little thief, perhaps they wouldn't have to endure such suffering.
Pearl pressed his lips together, feeling somewhat dejected. His fingers curl tightly, not even bothering to wipe away the sweat beads clinging to his eyelashes.
[Why apologize?]
[You've already done very well.]
The clear, cool voice was gentle—it came from Hui, more distinct and coherent than before, as if gradually shedding the monster and taking on a "human" semblance.
He was beginning to recall etiquette and morality.
A bit more comfort from the Mother Insect, and the high-ranking Narga People tormented by Frenzy Syndrome could regain their senses sooner.
As Hui's Mouthparts twitched, Ega rubbed his Tail Hook against the Little Mother Insect, filled with his faint scent, before contentedly beginning to process the prey—
It was a bird egg, round and speckled that was unaffected by radiation since it hadn't hatched, making it the most suitable food for Pearl at the moment.
Still panting and weak all over, Pearl leaned against Hui's Pincer Leg. He lifted his innocent face, his vacant light-blue eyes full of confusion, "R-really?"
[Of course it's true.]
[You are very capable.]
A comfort that drained the Little Mother Insect greatly had restored Hui, who had previously been muddled and only knew to instinctively seek "rewards" from the tender New King, to his usual rationality and gentleness.
He had regained his "gentlemanly" identity far sooner than Ega.
Hui inwardly scorned his beastly, greedy nature and cursed his selfishness for tiring the Little Mother Insect, while simultaneously observing the other through Pearl's actions and words.
Unlike any Mother Insect recorded in the history of the Narga Empire.
The newborn king was tender and frail, pitifully resembling a cub that had been abandoned countless times—fragile and insecure.
Somewhat timid, with limited understanding of the outside world, blind, weak, slow... and somewhat averse to being called "Mother."
Most importantly, he seemed unable to refuse.
Unable to refuse—for the ambitious offspring, this would be the greatest temptation.
Hui suppressed the strange emotions surging within him as his rationality pulling him back behind the bounds of gentlemanly conduct. Once Ega had prepared the bird egg, he held the Little Mother Insect within his pincer leg, making it convenient for the other to feed.
Watching Pearl lift his head while being gently supported by Ega’s tail hook as he accepted the feeding of egg liquid, Hui recalled his recent actions and breathed a sigh of relief—
He was grateful that neither he nor Ega had committed any irreversible acts against the New King.
And he was grateful that he and Ega had encountered Mother first.
If it had been that fellow Xagai...
Hui’s compound eyes darkened slightly, exuding a few traces of danger before they quietly faded away.
No need to dwell on situations that had never occurred.
At this moment, Pearl within the monster’s pincer leg was swallowing the egg liquid in small sips.
A peculiar taste—no fishy smell, but instead a faint sweetness.
However, because the bird egg was so large, Ega had to crack open a seam and hold it up, feeding Pearl as if he were a fledgling bird, creating a scene both bizarre and endearing.
The tiny Artificial Human stood there with his hands propped against the bird egg, though in reality, the egg’s weight was entirely borne by Ega’s tail hook. A slight tilt was all it took for Pearl to drink mouthfuls of the clear sweetness.
After just a few sips, Pearl shook his head and patted the section of tail hook coiled around the bird egg.
Pearl: "I... I’m full."
Ega tilted his head. His frenzy was more severe, so his thoughts was more bestial.
The enormous bird egg was clutched in his claw while his tail hook coiled around it and brushed against Pearl’s slightly bulging belly.
The skin was so thin, so adorable.
[Mother is so small.]
[He eats so little too...]
[Has his belly already swollen?]
The tail hook was icy cold, causing Pearl to shiver slightly.
But the next moment, Hui blocked the somewhat impolite long tail with his pincer leg.
[Ega, don’t be rude.]
Hui tucked the petite Pearl back away and suddenly asked—
[You don’t like us calling you "Mother," do you?]
Pearl’s heart thumped heavily, his fingers curling tightly into his palms.
Because he was a thief.
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