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| The Beloved Little Mother Insect (LITTLE MOTHER) |
Yellow sand churned while the sky pale and bleak, with only occasional distant bird cries that vanished without trace.
Pearl awoke to slight tremors.
He blinked his vacant eyes, his entire body sore and weak. Within his newborn, tender psionic power lingered a strange fullness as if stuffed by monsters, extending into a physiological softness along his spine.
Even his waist and legs felt sore.
[You're awake.]
[How are you feeling?]
The cool yet gentle tone belonged to Hui.
Pearl shook his head then nodded, momentarily disoriented. Fearing the other might not see his gestures, he immediately opened his mouth to reply: "Sti..."
The word "fine" never fully formed. Pearl startled at his abnormally hoarse voice, the sound trembling through three distinct shakes.
[Don't worry, this is a manifestation of psionic soothing overexertion.]
[You need proper rest.]
At this stage, the Little Mother Insect remained frail in all aspects, and psionic comforting work constituted significant expenditure for it.
Especially the night before, Pearl had been like a newborn calf, boldly establishing shallow psionic links with three high-ranking Narga People in one go. Not to mention a newly born Mother Insect, even one with mature abilities would struggle to handle it.
Brief high-energy consumption soothing had the effect of expanding the Little Mother Insect's psionic power, though it came with numerous side effects—such as fatigue, drowsiness, tingling or fullness in the psionic senses, and a hoarse voice as if he had been crying all night.
As Hui explained in a low voice, he used his massive Pincer Leg to pick up a clean, concave bone fragment filled with clear liquid.
The liquid inside came from desert plants, refreshing and sweet, very suitable for Pearl.
The bone fragment was taken from a Beast by Ega, then was thoroughly cleaned inside and out; the plant water was collected by Olovikin, as they had long anticipated the symptoms Pearl might experience upon waking.
[Please drink a little.]
[It will make you more comfortable.]
The tip of the bone fragment gently touched Pearl's lips. His hands fidgeted uncertainly, so he lightly rested them on the edge of Hui's Pincer Leg, the touch as soft as a kitten's tail brushing against your calf, leaving a faint, fuzzy impression.
But before drinking, Pearl suddenly turned his head and said, "Y-you... you all d-drink too."
Hui was taken aback then felt an inexplicable warmth.
He nodded, using a low hum to tell the Little Mother Insect they weren't thirsty, then carefully tilted the Pincer Leg, waiting for the liquid to flow gently into Pearl's throat.
Sometimes having overly sharp senses didn't seem entirely beneficial—he could almost hear the Little Mother Insect's delicate swallowing sounds.
The sweet liquid soothed Pearl's throat, making him feel much better, though his body remained weak and sore, likely needing more time to recover.
He nudged Hui's Pincer Leg, and the other naturally moved the bone fragment away, giving him enough space to sit up.
With the help of the Pincer Leg, Pearl propped himself up with his arms and sat upright in Hui's embrace.
Ever since meeting these Narga People, he had hardly walked on the ground—
First, his steps were too small to keep up with their pace; second, he had no shoes, and his skin was too tender. Walking barefoot on the scorching sand for too long would inevitably leave red marks all over his soles.
Afraid of holding the Narga People back, Pearl obediently complied with their request to "carry" him, and just sit quietly in their arms. However, he often found himself in a different person's embrace each morning upon waking.
For instance, Ega the day before yesterday, Olovikin yesterday, and Hui today.
The visually limited Artificial Human leaned his back against Hui's pincer limbs, similar to an upper arm position, and asked, "Wh-where are th-they?"
[Do you mean Ega? Or Olovikin?]
Though clearly aware of whom the Little Mother Insect was referring to, the usually gentle Hui deliberately separated the two names, as if Pearl were inquiring about them individually.
The simple-minded and slow-witted Artificial Human didn't realize anything amiss and just nodded honestly, replying slowly, "Ega, a-and Olov-vikin."
Noticeably, when saying Olovikin's name, Pearl's pronunciation was always very soft.
[Ega sensed the presence of our companions and went ahead to scout the path.]
[As for Olovikin...]
Hui paused slightly, his deep blue Compound Eyes shifting in another direction—
There stood a tall young man with platinum-blond long hair—Olovikin, who had returned to his human form.
Compared to the others, Olovikin's Frenzy Syndrome was the mildest.
Back in the previous trial grounds, he had already vented some of the frenzied brutality. Then, encountering Pearl, various close contacts with the Mother Insect, and the shallow psionic link the night before were enough to allow Olovikin, with the mildest symptoms, to break free from the influence of Frenzy Syndrome and don his human skin first.
Blond hair, pale complexion, and sculpturally handsome, deep-set features.
His appearance almost perfectly matched that of a noble young master. Although there were no matching luxurious garments on this barren planet, the Scales transformed along with him, as his platinum-blond original form still covered him. From his full chest to his firm waist, and finally disappearing into the groin, they outlined a form-fitting short armor while retaining a few non-human traits. The remaining exposed skin flaunted large golden hive markings, sketching out a hint of hidden opulence and sensuality.
On his shoulder blades, a pair of golden, partially folded Elytra adorned his back.
Hui used his Pincer Legs to lift the Little Mother Insect from under his arms, holding him suspended in the air as effortlessly as if he were merely picking up a kitten.
He twitched his Mouthparts, emitting a low hum—
[Perhaps you could get to know him again.]
In his human form, Olovikin stood at least 190 centimeters tall.
He took the bewildered Little Mother Insect from Hui's Pincer Legs, his sturdy physique allowing him to easily support Pearl's waist and hips with one arm.
Pearl, who had inexplicably changed positions, was momentarily stunned. His body still felt soft and weak. Even though he wanted to push himself up from the "stranger's" embrace, the exhaustion from expending his psionic power lingered, making him seem as if he were snuggling deeper into the other's arms instead.
Pearl's cheeks flushed red as he tried to explain that it wasn't intentional, but the next second, an arm covered in golden hive markings wrapped around his slender waist.
"My dear little Pearl, don't you recognize me anymore?"
"Just one night apart, and you're already so fickle."
"Of course, even fickle, you remain utterly charming."
Gentle teasing, praise, and the familiar Star Alliance common language washed over Pearl's ears. He parted his lips slightly and let out a soft "ah," only to find a fragrant berry pressed into his hand.
Olovikin had picked it overnight, traveling back and forth with almost no rest.
For a high-level Narga Person, going ten days or half a month without sleep was nothing. In fact, compared to brief rest, Olovikin found himself more eager to see the sweet dimples on the Little Mother Insect's cheeks.
Pearl held the fruit in his hand with his expression still somewhat dazed, clearly unable to process the reality of the monster turning into a human.
Olovikin raised his hand—his fingers, now free of Pincer Legs, were long and distinct—and finally allowed himself to freely press against the Little Mother Insect's skin, then gently rub the other's cheek.
Warm and soft.
Just as he had imagined, a delightful sensation that his cold Pincer Legs could never truly comprehend.
Pearl, slowly regaining his senses, still wore the same astonished expression and stammered, "O-Olovikin?"
"Darling, you're truly adorable."
The platinum-blond noble young master never stinted on his sweet words.
He weighed the little Artificial Human in his arms, then used his broad palm to squeeze the other's ankle. His fingers were too long; with the webbed space between his thumb and index finger gripping Pearl's ankle, a single clasp of his hand could completely envelop the other.
Olovikin remarked, "You're too thin," while carefully asking, "Do you need me to feed you?" This startled Pearl into shaking his head, hurriedly insisting he could manage on his own.
A single berry left Pearl half-full, perhaps due to fatigue from using his psionic power. He declined the second fruit Olovikin offered before timidly asking instead, "H-Hui..."
Olovikin chuckled lightly, "Do you prefer him over me? Perhaps I've failed to meet your expectations in some way?"
"N-No."
Pearl shook his head while still clutching a strand of interwoven gold and white hair in his hand—likely a mix of his own and Olovikin's, tangled together in his flustered state, making it hard to distinguish, so he ended up holding both.
Whenever he felt nervous, he'd exhibit these endearing little habits.
Even when grabbing the wrong thing, his touch remained incredibly gentle.
Olovikin had no intention of pointing this out. He simply smoothed Pearl's temple hair and whispered, "You can rest in my arms a while longer. Hui still has his duties to attend to."
Such as preventing that mad dog Xagai from pouncing on the little pearl after they reunited—
Olovikin never hesitated to imagine the worst of that red mad dog's behavior. He even feared the dog might follow the scent and burrow its head under the Little Mother Insect's clothes.
Pearl obediently nodded before leaning against Olovikin's shoulder as guided and settling in to rest.
The longer he stayed nestled there, the more drowsiness crept in. Before he'd been awake for more than a few minutes, the psionically exhausted little Artificial Human tilted his head and fell back into a deep sleep.
Olovikin's lips curved into a smile.
The hive markings on his arms and back slowly coiled and shifted. One hand rested on Pearl's spine and patted gently, while the other arm firmly encircled the bend of Pearl's knees, forming a gesture full of restraint and possession.
Despite being deep in this wasteland, he appeared leisurely and relaxed, like a wealthy youth out for a stroll with his beloved cat in his arms.
Hui lowered his compound eyes, observing Olovikin holding the Little Mother Insect securely.
When he moved again, he thoroughly crushed the bone fragments that remained on the ground.
...
The Narga People moved swiftly. As early as dawn that day, they had already brought Pearl into the southern region of the Irradiated Wasteland.
Compared to the barren and desolate northern area, which had only one oasis, the southern region resembled a desert grassland ecosystem—complete with sand, grass, trees, and scarce water sources.
Ega, who had left ahead of them to venture deeper into the south, now arrived with a rush of wind.
Of course, trailing behind this stealthy matte-black giant was another shadow—the Blood-burning Xagai.
In the sweltering air, the mad dog twitched his mouthparts as he detect an unusual fragrance among his own kind.
He slowed his pace as his nearly demonic compound eyes shifting slightly before locking firmly onto the patch of white held in Olovikin's embrace.
In his exhausted sleep, Pearl shivered and instinctively buried himself deeper into the crook of Olovikin's neck, like a small animal.
The platinum-haired, handsome young man smiled before raising a hand to cover the back of the little Artificial Human's neck, shielding him from Xagai's predatory gaze.
The contrast made him feel closer to him.
...
Several high-ranking Narga People on the wasteland finally gathered, while light-years away, a galactic-class battleship dispatched by the empire was heading toward the star system where this planet was located.
After enduring over four hundred years in darkness, the Narga Hivemind Imperium was eagerly awaiting the return of their New King!
At the same time, in the underground caverns of the Irradiated Wasteland—
The silver vertical pupil, dull and lifeless after opening, scanned its surroundings. An arm emerged from the tangled Mycelium, its deep wheat-colored skin smooth as silk and covered in pale, intricate totemic patterns, powerful and robust.
With just a light grasp, the Mycelium that filled the cavern instantly came to life, surging upward as if searching for something.
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