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| The Beloved Little Mother Insect (LITTLE MOTHER) |
As these words fell, several high-ranking Narga People simultaneously stilled for a moment.
Olovikin in human form had shadows pressed beneath his brow bones, making his expression unclear; Hui in his entirely black-blue form froze in place as the silver tongue that dazzled imperial high officials suddenly at a loss for words.
Ega, muddle-headed, swung his tail hook to curl around the Little Mother Insect's ankle, greedily demanding more comfort, and even deep psionic power bonding.
As for Xagai...
This massive crimson monster was the first to react. He bared his fang-filled mouth and his scythe-like pincer legs rooted deep in the sandy soil, stirring up a hazy cloud of dust.
[You? Pacify?]
[Do you know what it means to simultaneously serve four high-ranking Narga People?]
It means you'll be pinned down by the monster's psionic power and licked from head to toe. It means your yet-to-be-expanded mental power tendrils will be crowded with greedy Offspring. It means you'll tremble, shed tears, and weep. It means even if you want to scream stop, you won't be able to...
You simply can't withstand it.
You would only whimper and collapse limply into the embrace of any monster while convulsing.
Xagai found it amusing.
Not every Mother Insect of the Narga Empire lived up to the honors they received.
Some Mothers Insect stood aloft as they were treasures nurtured by Hive Substance, the supreme rulers of the Narga territory. They resided in the magnificent and extravagantly luxurious Sun Palace, enjoying the finest offerings the empire could provide.
Yet when the warriors defending the empire sought even a sliver of psionic comfort, the Mothers Insect of the old calendar became exceedingly stingy, reveling in privileges while shirking their duties.
During eras when Mothers Insect existed, countless high-ranking Narga People chose self-destruction due to Frenzy Syndrome. Despite this, conservatives stubbornly believed the Mother Insect was their faith, the sovereign they would follow for life.
But...
Could a ruler who failed to fulfill their mission still be called a king?
Could a Mother Insect who offered no soothing purification still be called a mother?
Xagai raised his Pincer Leg, its scythe-like tip gently pressing against Pearl's chest. There was no real force behind it, but it was cold, making Pearl instinctively cup it with his soft hands.
The Little Mother Insect's palms were so tender that even this violent, murderous monster couldn't harden his heart.
Xagai, whose Compound Eyes had been filled with malice, paused slightly and his Pincer Leg stiffening like a deflating balloon.
[...]
The unpleasant words stuck deep in his throat were swallowed back. He snorted coldly before retracting his Pincer Leg, only emitting a warning hum.
[You'll be drained dry.]
Pearl tilted his head, his expression obedient yet determined—
"If I can be... be useful, you can... use me as much as you want."
"Draining me dry... is fine."
Xagai fell abruptly silent. Hui sharply turned to look at Pearl, while Olovikin, standing on the ground, lightly beckoned.
Ega coiled his Tail Hook completely around Pearl's ankle, but the hidden Mycelium subtly evaded it. Forced to use his Pincer Legs to lift the petite Mother Insect, Ega crouched down and brought Pearl closer to Olovikin's direction.
Olovikin, in human form, chuckled softly and rubbed his temple. "How can you say something so unfair... my dear little pearl."
Such sincere boldness and straightforwardness was almost an indecent invitation.
Pearl urgently wanted to prove his usefulness by laying bare all his vulnerability and letting these Narga People take whatever they desired. Yet the monsters in need of psionic comfort called for a halt.
"There's no rush." Olovikin gently stroked Pearl's fluffy head. "You still need to grow, and we have plenty of time."
We don't...
Pearl opened his mouth but couldn't utter the words.
He hid the explanations he wanted to give, and just simply sat sideways in Ega's embrace, seemingly trying to draw warmth from the monster's cold Scales.
...
The desert fell into a long-lost silence.
Pearl nestled in Ega's arms with his consciousness drifting and idly stroking the smooth surface of the Observation Sphere as he spaced out.
Ega crouched in the desert grassland with his Tail Hook swaying. With nothing better to do, he joined the Little Mother Insect in daydreaming.
Not far away, Olovikin stood with his arms crossed and leaning slightly against a sturdy withered tree. His right leg rested lightly over his left, fully displaying his long legs and excellent proportions.
Hui and Xagai, whose Frenzy Syndrome was not yet fully contained, remained in their primal forms.
Two large figures stood with Olovikin—the former maintaining a standing posture that, while not as elegant as Olovikin's, still carried a unique dignity; the latter, however, crouched broadly on the ground, looking entirely like a giant dog.
During this brief respite, even though the high-ranking Narga People appeared relaxed, their nerves remained taut.
The unpredictability of the Beast Tide was like the sudden early arrival of the Radiation Storm—even the Star Alliance's most advanced technology couldn't fully grasp every planet's radiation-related information.
The number of warriors who had fallen to the Beast Tide was only increasing. In the Star Alliance, where peace was paramount, the Beasts were the greatest hostile force faced by all interstellar species. These steel-boned, radiation-infused creatures were immensely dangerous, especially with their psionic power amplified by radiation, making their eradication an exceptionally difficult challenge.
When cosmic technology confronted King-level Mutated Beasts with formidable psionic power, the odds of victory were no better than fifty-fifty.
The respite on the barren planet didn't last long—the temporarily vanished SSS-level Giant Sandworm returned far sooner than they had anticipated.
First came the rumbling from near the horizon, followed by clouds of yellowish-brown dust rising into the air.
The Giant Sandworm moved silently beneath the desert. When it reached what it deemed a critical position to emerge, it would violently burst through the soil, exposing its massive body with a diameter of fifty meters.
On the side of its enormous, bloated body hovered a pair of slender, human-like arms. The bizarre, malformed appearance instantly evoked a spine-chilling sense of revulsion.
It was mutating at a terrifying speed.
The King-level Mutated Beast had returned while still leading an endless Beast Tide to once again surround the Narga People.
Ega stood up with his sharp Tail Hook now positioned forward and firmly shielding the little Pearl in his embrace.
Pearl held his breath nervously. He recognized the familiar commotion—it wasn't hard to guess that the thing that had caused the earlier chaos was back.
A murderous atmosphere spread around them, and several Narga People simultaneously radiated killing intent directed at this persistent Giant Sandworm.
"It recovered too quickly..."
"To think it has already mutated to this extent."
Olovikin frowned, a shadow crossing his noble face.
Under the catalysis of the Radiation Storm, no one knew what this Sandworm would grow next. The mutation and humanoid mimicry of Mutated Beasts were entirely different from the mimicry of other interstellar races.
The latter was a result of genetics and evolution, while the former occurred because a Beast, as prey, might have consumed humans, allowing the King-level Mutated Beast that devoured it to develop human-like organs.
—When the mutation reached a certain level, it would disguise itself as a human, fully embodying the uncanny valley effect. Its relentless imitation and disguise were utterly horrifying.
King-level Mutated Beasts were extremely rare in the Star Alliance's extermination records. Though high-ranking Narga People possessed formidable combat strength, facing a Giant Sandworm of unknown age that could guide a Beast Tide was still a considerable challenge.
Over centuries, a clear minded and stealthy Sandworm had ample time to develop formidable power, and use its psionic power to manipulate beast puppets and contend with the Narga People for Pearl.
The moment the Beast swarm closed in, Hui and Xagai tacitly extended their combat-ready Pincer Legs, shielding Ega and Pearl behind them.
Olovikin reverted to his primal form, his platinum Elytra spreading wide like two metallic shields, reflecting a blinding glare.
Though they might usually be at odds with each other but when facing the Beasts, the warriors of the Narga Empire would unite against a common enemy.
Hui slightly lifted his pincer legs while vigilantly watching the seemingly increasing horde of Beasts, his mouthparts twitching as they emitted a buzzing hum.
【Based on the distance from the Imperial Star to the Irradiated Wasteland, the Empire's support starships should be arriving soon.】
【If I'm not mistaken, they likely dispatched a galactic-class battleship.】
【The approval process for a titan-class starship wouldn't be that quick.】
A galactic-class starship could provide support to some extent as it was unaffected by the radiation storm, but for a limited time only. Once the radiation levels exceeded the energy threshold the starship could withstand, it would inevitably lead to severe consequences.
Moreover, with the life-scanning capabilities of a galactic-class starship, it would be able to detect their location as soon as it approached the Irradiated Wasteland.
For now, what they needed to do was repel this restless horde of Beasts.
Xagai let out a scornful laugh, the ferocity within him ignited by the invading Beasts. He couldn't be bothered to listen to Hui's ramblings and simply raised his pincer legs that were covered in a hard exoskeleton, and charged into the Beast horde, slaying the creatures and reveling in the joy of being surrounded by blood.
For every crimson Blood-burner known as a "mad dog," slaughter was the best way to vent their emotions.
Olovikin and Hui exchanged a glance, then simultaneously instructed Ega to protect the Little Mother Insect before turning to join the battle.
The Giant Sandworm rapidly healed its wounds by devouring other Beasts. At this moment, it was like a dungeon boss in a game entering a "berserk state." Combined with the ongoing radiation storm, it was as if the boss had gained an additional, constantly "self-healing" health bar, making its attack power terrifyingly strong.
As long as the storm persisted, the King-level Mutated Beast would be difficult to kill. This was an extremely arduous stalemate.
Pearl frowned. In the past, he had thought it didn't matter that he couldn't see, but now, with the sounds of wind, sand, and strange screeches crowding his ears, he suddenly felt an urgent desire to see something—at least to know how those very, very good Narga People were faring.
Afraid that any reckless movement might affect Ega, he hid his fear while tightly twisting his hands in his long, flowing white hair. In his anxiety, he didn't even realize he was pulling painfully at his scalp.
Before long, the scent of blood filled the desert that was unusually pungent.
The corpses of the Beasts piled up like mountains. Even as they died continuously, under the control of the King-level Sandworm, countless cannon fodder still willingly threw themselves into the fray.
And the Narga People in combat were not necessarily in a dominant position either.
The sheer number of Beasts became the biggest variable. The radiation storm stimulated their nerves, making them feel no pain or fear—they were battle machines with even greater endurance than the Narga People in their original forms.
The longer the battle dragged on, the more unfavorable it became for the Narga People.
As the Giant Sandworm once again upheaved the ground before opening its mouth and lunging forward, Hui, while dodging, was bitten on the back by several mutated sand rats as large as small elephants.
The rodents' teeth tore several scales from his body, and their corrosive saliva immediately caused Hui to falter slightly, and nearly got struck by the Sandworm's bloated, sweeping tail.
Pearl bit his lower lip so hard it nearly bled while still clutching the Observation Sphere tightly in his arms. His body trembled with every movement Ega made to dodge and resist the Beasts.
What should he do? Was there anything he could do? Was he only capable of huddling in Ega's embrace and waiting?
In the chaotic darkness, he once again "saw" the ethereal shadows hovering over the Narga People, only this time they became more detailed—
In the wondrous psionic imagery, all the figures of the Narga People were blurred, yet the colors distinguishing them were strikingly clear.
Xagai was red, Hui was blue, Ega was black, while Olovikin was golden.
But regardless of who they were, all were nearly engulfed by heavy filth.
Especially Hui, who had been bitten by the sand rat, was shrouded in even denser corruption.
At his corroded wound, dense pitch-black specks resembled tens of thousands of tiny insects that clinging tightly and draining his vitality.
Pearl viscerally felt a wave of nauseating disgust and an instinctual restlessness.
His slender, pale fingers tightened around his long hair. His untrained psionic power, driven by its master's subconscious concern and agitation, reached toward Hui's injured area—
...Could he do something?
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