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| The Beloved Little Mother Insect (LITTLE MOTHER) |
With Olovikin joining them, the team protecting Narga, the New King, had grown larger. Yet, the Beasts on the Irradiated Wasteland continued to surge endlessly, even beginning to form a Beast Tide in the distance.
The sweetness emanating from the Mother Insect was undeniably alluring. The radiation-affected Beasts retained only the instinct to chase after such delicacies. As wave after wave of Beasts returned defeated, these fearless creatures, devoid of any sense of dread, learned to "unite."
Hundreds—no, likely over a thousand—Beasts intermingled, comprising different species:
Massive swarms of Mutated Rats, Spiked Giant Lizards with venom sacs, glossy black Devil Scorpions, and Giant Jackals with pitch-black, vacant eyes...
For a taste of this ultimate delicacy, even natural enemies could temporarily become allies. One group, two groups, three groups...
When dozens of these "allied" groups converged, they formed a Beast Tide with devastating potential.
Yet, amid this grand Beast Tide, a few of the larger, meatier creatures would occasionally vanish silently into the loose yellow sand. The gaps they left behind were quickly filled by the Beasts following behind.
No one noticed these subtle changes, while the predators lurking beneath the grains feasted to their heart's content while eagerly awaiting the main course after their snacks.
...
In the Southern District, Xagai, who had been hunting in this area, raised his crimson Pincer Legs in frustration.
His dark Compound Eyes were dull as he scanned the increasingly sparse Beasts before letting out an irritated hiss.
For some reason, these Beasts were moving north like puppets. The entire Southern District—a vast desert—now had few left to serve as satisfying sparring partners.
What the insect shit was going on?
Frustrated and unable to vent his agitation, Xagai grew increasingly irritable.
He lifted his head—elongated and skull-like in its primal form, resembling a manta ray—and slightly parted the Mouthparts on either side, revealing rows of sharp teeth. His blood-red body added an eerie, ominous aura.
Xagai turned his head, intending to check on the Observation Sphere that had been following him.
But when he looked back at the empty space behind him, he belatedly recalled that, in the midst of a frenzied fight some days ago, he had sliced that chattering thing clean in half.
Xagai: "...."
Sorry, I forgot.
With little sincerity in his apology, Xagai casually twisted off the head of a nearby Beast. His massive, towering body was drenched in blood and so thick it couldn't even be shaken off.
To find more prey to play with, Xagai didn't hesitate to head north.
As for whether he'd stray beyond his designated area and receive an electric shock warning... Tch. With the Observation Sphere gone, who could restrain a Giant Mad Dog itching to run wild?
Xagai: Fearless.jpg
And so, driven by his desire to "hunt," Xagai immediately followed the Beast herd, trailing them northward.
Along the way, he'd see what was in the Northern District...
If he remembered correctly, wasn't the Northern District Hui's territory? That dead-faced guy...
...
Thud!
With a dull thud, Olovikin swung his slender Pincer Legs, hurling the corpse of a dead Giant Lizard against a nearby giant weathered rock.
The stone surface cracked open, stained with blood as it slid down together with the giant lizard, crushing several Beast and rats that had been trying to charge up from below in the process.
There were too many Beasts—an abnormally large number.
It seemed they weren’t just drawn by the scent of the Mother Insect, but rather gathered as if summoned by some organized plan…
But who could command these Beasts?
The golden-scaled Olovikin tilted his head, glancing toward Ega and Hui about ten meters away—
Setting aside color differences, the original forms of the Narga People were roughly seventy percent similar. The remaining thirty percent lay in the presence or absence of elytra and tail hooks, along with certain developmental details—and these differences also determined their individual strengths and weaknesses.
Olovikin possessed elytra, excelling in aerial combat; Ega had developed a tail hook, enabling him to ambush and conceal himself; as for Hui and the yet-to-arrive Xagai, neither had these traits, but they wielded massive pincer legs—sharp as sickles and serrated—making them formidable on land.
At this moment, Ega’s black scales and exoskeleton interlocked across his chest, forming a curved, horizontal depression. The outer edges were studded with interlaced thorns, while the inner part shaped a nest-like hollow.
And inside it was the Narga’s New King—Pearl.
Curled up like Thumbelina from a fairy tale, Pearl sat with his legs tucked in. Ega’s hard scales were cushioned with soft, dry feathers from avian Beasts that were meticulously cleaned by Hui himself.
He had even placed a few tiny berries there as Pearl’s snacks.
Sitting in the center, Pearl held onto the surrounding black spines, gaining a new appreciation for Ega’s immense size.
Far larger than he had ever imagined.
“You’re so… so big,” Pearl swung his feet, speaking softly to Ega. “Do you… eat a lot in one meal?”
[…Yes.]
[Until I’m full.]
Ega always answered the Little Mother Insect’s curiosities.
Compared to his peers, this large fellow’s psionic power remained muddled, and he didn’t overthink things. He simply followed his instincts—he liked Pearl, so he wanted to talk to Pearl, even if he was far less articulate than Hui or Olovikin.
But the simplest exchanges were more than enough for Pearl.
“What… what do you like to eat?”
[Meat.]
[I like meat, and I like pearls.]
Pearl pursed his lips into a smile, his dimples faintly showing. “But you can’t eat pearls.”
Ega paused as his tail hook swayed behind him as if pondering how to respond.
After a moment, he vibrated his mouthparts, emitting a low hum.
[Then no meat.]
[Only like pearls.]
[Like… really like, want to swallow pearls too…]
Pearl laughed again and patted the spines on Ega’s exoskeleton, unafraid of such twisted affection.
He even felt a sense of cherished satisfaction from such terrifying words.
Olovikin shifted his gaze, his compound eyes meeting Hui’s.
The two clear-minded Narga People couldn’t intervene in the childish conversation between the Little Mother Insect and Ega, leaving an indescribable jealousy simmering in their chests. Clearly, the Narga instinct was to draw close to the Mother Insect.
Yet, in past experiences, Mother Insects had never looked kindly upon Narga People lost to frenzy—but Pearl…
Compared to the gentle and meticulous Hui, who offered guidance, and Olovikin, who excelled at praise and lavished flowers and courteous treatment, Pearl instinctively felt closer to Ega—a frenzied Narga with a muddled mind and a tongue that couldn't even form words properly?
How strange. I wonder if little Pearl would still lean so unreservedly into their embrace after seeing their true forms...
Or perhaps... even rabid mad dogs could meet their angels?
At this thought, Olovikin—who had just effortlessly slain a standard-sized Sandworm—gazed with cold light in his compound eyes. Though golden in hue, they seemed to radiate a piercing chill under the pale sunlight.
Sensing something, Pearl suddenly turned his head toward Olovikin's direction.
Even knowing Pearl couldn't see him, Olovikin still gave a slight bow—
[My adorable little Pearl, is there anything I may do for you?]
[Anything at all—you need only command me at any time.]
Elegant, gentle, and chivalrous.
An irresistible allure to most men and women.
Pearl immediately shook his head, his voice—previously soft and relaxed while chatting with Ega—now tense. "I-I'm fine."
Like a frightened little bird, timid and pitiful.
So adorable.
And he was being so gentle.
Olovikin paused thoughtfully.
The platinum Narga rustled his elytra and slowly approached, casting a massive shadow over Pearl's curled-up form.
Pearl pursed his lips, sensing someone drawing near.
"I-Is something wrong?"
This time, it was Pearl who asked.
The elegant platinum noble proactively requested a reward from the New King he had praised.
[Might I also have the honor of receiving your psionic power's comfort?]
[After all, the others have all experienced it.]
Hui, who had been observing, hesitated. His pincer leg that initially twitched as if to intervene, settled back in place. Under the dim glow of his compound eyes, he stared intently at the protagonist of this scene.
Would the beautiful little Pearl agree?
Pearl was momentarily stunned. After a brief hesitation, he whispered, "O-Okay."
Almost without hesitation, even though he instinctively felt slight resistance toward this platinum monster, he obediently agreed when asked—even offering more vulnerability:
"D-Do you also want a psionic link?"
Pearl clumsily used the newly learned term as his suspended toes curling involuntarily as if recalling that thrilling and overwhelming sensation.
Like being slowly drained inch by inch until utterly exhausted.
Previous Mothers Insect had never enjoyed establishing psionic links with their Offspring affected by frenzy. They would only provide superficial, ordinary comfort. Yet even that basic solace was enough for the Narga People to treasure it and elevate it to the highest throne.
Olovikin lost focus for a moment but quickly regained composure.
Capriciously, he didn't accept this generosity from the Little Mother Insect. Instead, he gently brushed his slender pincer leg against Pearl's curled toes. When Pearl was startled and retracted his leg, Olovikin chuckled softly—
[My dear little Pearl, if you're so afraid, why did you agree?]
Pearl hesitated, not knowing what to say, when Ega's tail hook suddenly coiled up to deftly press against the soles of his feet like a footrest, giving him a place to lean.
It also conveniently rubbed away the scent left by the platinum blond.
Olovikin silently twitched his mouthparts, letting out a derisive snort.
His elegant demeanor remained unchanged, but when his pale golden compound eyes fell upon Ega—whose mind was naive yet instinctively protective of his food—a strange gloominess surfaced.
An eyesore.
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