 |
| The Beloved Little Mother Insect (LITTLE MOTHER) |
Light Psionic Soothing could be achieved through certain forms of physical contact—handshakes, hugs, kisses... and even some more intimate interactions.
Aslan had predicted that these young, hot-blooded mad pups might not be able to control themselves. In front of the soft and generous Little Mother Insect, they always acted like inexperienced youths, full of impulsive restlessness.
Like some kind of provoking large beast, their damp noses would somewhat rudely nuzzle into your embrace. Even if you pushed them away with your hands, they remained restless and always trying to bury their entire heads in that sweet, fragrant softness.
As for Aslan—
He found it necessary to teach these pups patience and restraint, then guide them in learning how to please and serve their overly fragile little Mother. To prevent them from frightening Pearl, he had pre-established that only handshakes and hugs were permitted options.
Between the two choices, the more gentlemanly—or rather, those skilled at pretending to be "good guys"—members of the Guard Corps and Order Alliance preferred handshakes. They seemed naturally adept with words, expressive, and fond of praise. During Psionic Soothing while holding hands, they would chat with the Little Mother Insect, using their inherently gentle and humble demeanor to keep the conversation flowing.
Initially, Pearl was always nervous, fearing his stutter would annoy others and that his slower-thinking mind couldn't keep up with their pace. But gradually, he realized no one grew angry over his slow or stammering speech. They waited with immense patience and even guided him when he was slow to react. If any topic confused the Little Mother Insect, these elegant and attentive gentlemen would promptly explain, often with great wit.
Thus, the handshakes extended from Psionic Soothing often lasted longer. In the relaxed atmosphere of conversation, the innocent Pearl would gradually let his guard down. When immersed in the world of "topics," the gentlemen's strong hands would firmly grasp his—slender fingers extending from fingerless gloves and slightly rough fingertips pressing against the Little Mother Insect's soft wrist, easily enveloping it. Occasionally, there were gentle, soothing, and encouraging slight rubs, as if they had taken control of the pulse throbbing in Pearl's veins.
Perhaps restrained by their abstinent military uniforms and elegant noble attire, the gentlemen from the Guard Corps and Order Alliance didn't radiate intense hormonal energy. Instead, they carried the scent of men's cologne—a faint woody fragrance mixed with the melting snow of late winter, unique and captivating. Pearl liked such scents.
When the soothing process reached its midpoint, the dazed and slow-thinking Little Mother Insect would lift his head like a pretty puppy, sniffing unconsciously and pressing his cheek against them for a rub. Thus, the cunning gentlemen achieved their seduction—when the befuddled little mommy nuzzled closer, they would accept it all with smiles while telling stories Pearl had never heard before through their sexy thin lips and their narrow, gentle eyes filled with the satisfaction of success.
By the time the soothing work completely ended, the Little Mother Insect would be exhausted, cheeks flushed and breathing lightly. But if he became engrossed in their stories, that soft hand would likely remain in some lucky individual's grasp a little longer—until the tale drew to a close.
As for the members of the Scorpion group and Blood-burning group, the former was a gathering of socially anxious reptilian types, while the latter was a camp of battle-loving warriors. Compared to the simple, minimal physical contact of handshakes, these inarticulate fellows preferred hugs—fiery embraces that involved large areas of bodily contact.
However, hugs differed between groups: Blood-burning group members were often tall and sturdy, with bulging muscles honed through long training and combat. For them, "hug" equated to "holding."
Every large individual from the Blood-burning group would, after receiving Pearl's permission, bend down and reach out to effortlessly lift the Little Mother Insect into their arms with a single arm as if picking up a doll. They even had the leisure to ask, "Is this position comfortable?", "Would you like to sit higher?", or "Should I lift you overhead?"...
At such moments, their expressions would turn serious, carrying a certain curiosity and inquisitiveness about knowledge. While holding Pearl, they would earnestly ask questions that made him blush—
"Does serving you like this make you happy?"
These boisterous berserkers even learned from the round guide balls, gathering together to call Pearl "Baby Pearl" and "good baby," making his entire ear flush red. They would then gently stroke him with their fingers while marveling at how tender the Little Mother Insect's skin was!
Once the beautiful Baby Pearl was lifted overhead by the Blood-burning members, the burly one holding him would exclaim in surprise: How could there be a creature in this world lighter than his training equipment? Wouldn't such a little one be blown away by a strong wind?
Whenever someone posed such a question, other Blood-burning members would gather around and chattering excitedly—
"Really? That light? Couldn't he be thrown hundreds of meters with just a light toss?"
"Why would you throw him? Don't scare Mo... the good baby! Apologize to Little Pearl right now!"
"Sorry, sorry! But he really does look tiny! Probably smaller than my head in original form... Baby Pearl's waist seems even slimmer than my thigh..."
"Heavens, how is he so small? How was he raised? If he eats more, can he grow to my size? I'm almost afraid to hold him, worried my pectoral muscles might crush him..."
Perhaps these battle-enthusiastic giants were somewhat simple-minded, because before Pearl realized what was happening, he had become the "flower" in a game of pass the parcel. He was carefully held in the arms of one Blood-burning warrior after another, each giving him a gentle weight, then passing him to the next eager, expectant comrade with extremely cautious movements as if handling some precious artifact.
And each comrade who received him would soon voice their astonishment: He's really this light!!
It passed the parcel without the drumbeats, so after Pearl had been passed around like a baby, he would return to the first Blood-burning member who had picked him up, only to begin another round of astonished and careful passing.
Pearl: Confused.jpg
...Do you all remember what you originally came here for?
In comparison, the Scorpion members often displayed a silent humility.
Despite their tall and straight figures, they always hid themselves in airtight combat suits that revealed almost no skin. With their faces covered by masks, these beings born from darkness appeared somewhat evasive when facing Pearl—
Mainly manifesting as speaking little, stuttering, and even preferring to kneel halfway down before burying their heads in the Little Mother Insect's embrace.
The Scorpion members seemed to believe that as long as they hid their heads, the excitedly wagging Tail Hooks behind them could temporarily be disassociated from themselves.
Yet it was precisely because of this careful humility in their humility, along with their naturally sparse speech resulting in difficult articulation and hoarse voices, that Pearl always treated Scorpion members with greater gentleness and softness.
Even at such times, he would initiate conversations himself, as if interacting with a group of small animals that had just escaped darkness for the first time, making the Narga People watch with intense envy.
It was through such interactions that Pearl gradually learned every Scorpion member had a code name—the lower the number, the more formidable they were. Only when they progressively reached Number 01 and became the Chief of the Scorpion group could they earn the right to be called by their names, just like Ega.
In the Scorpion group, only the Chief had a name, and 02 was just one step away from 01—yet it was an insurmountable chasm.
...
"The Chief is formidable."
"Extremely, extremely, extremely formidable."
At this moment, 02's head was still buried in Pearl's embrace.
Kneeling on the ground, 02 resembled a giant dog resting against its master's knee. His arms encircled Pearl's waist, yet he carefully kept his hands clenched into fists to avoid making the Little Mother Insect feel offended or displeased by his movements.
When speaking about the gap between himself and Chief Ega, 02 used three "extremes". While he yearned to defeat the other, he also held profound respect for Ega.
None of the Narga People who managed to become leaders in their respective groups were simple characters.
"But... but 02 isn't bad either."
Pearl reached out and gently stroked 02's head, his fingertips resting on the edge of the other's mask. He whispered, "Sh-shall we begin?"
02 nodded, but since his head was buried in Pearl's embrace, the edges of his mask lightly brushed against Pearl's lower abdomen as he moved. This caused the little artificial person to curl his fingers slightly and accidentally tugging at 02's stray hairs.
Pearl: "S-sorry!"
The moment he apologized, Pearl felt inexplicably guilty, afraid that Aslan might suddenly appear.
But then he thought, clearly it was his own carelessness that had pulled 02's hair—this was his fault. Even though 02 didn't say anything, he ought to apologize!
This apology was definitely justified!
.......
In the reading room.
Killing time with a book, Aslan's brow twitched slightly. His silver-white eyes fixed on an empty direction—
The aftereffects of psionic feeding weren't one-sided, after all...
.......
In the reception room, Pearl, who was performing Psionic Soothing on 02, shivered.
Kneeling on the ground, 02 seemed to sense something. His tense muscles paused briefly, and he tentatively tightened his embrace around the Little Mother Insect's waist, as if trying to share his warmth with him.
Every member of the Scorpion group possessed a highly flexible tail hook. For the Old Insect Race of ancient times, the tail hook originally carried connotations of "mating."
Though its meaning wasn't so explicit now, when a sleek, black, slender tail covered in fine scales swayed beneath the form-fitting combat suit, coiling around Pearl's slender calves and ankles to rub slowly, it always carried a distinctly sensual undertone.
The Royal Guard unanimously agreed: the tail hook was a very lewd thing!!! Those guys in the Scorpion group had no sense of male virtue!!!
At this moment, 02's thick, even ferocious tail—formidable in battle—lay quietly curled around Pearl's calf, swaying and rubbing slowly. It resembled a puppy's uncontrollably wagging tail that kept swinging back and forth, the only difference being the lack of fluffy fur.
Enduring the ticklish sensation on his calf, Pearl relaxed further and began searching for 02's psionic power in the void.
Once found, he approached, touched, and then achieved a shallow level of soothing.
It was like untangling a ball of yarn messed up by a cat—needing to gradually straighten the mental power tendrils strand by strand. However, the "psionic yarn balls" of different Narga People varied greatly—
Some were like tangled yarn balls darting about like flames; some were slippery and elusive, requiring great effort to catch; some yarn balls were wound so tightly and densely that their threads were nearly impossible to find; while others were utterly chaotic, leaving Pearl at a loss...
Yet undoubtedly, patience and gentleness were indispensable for unraveling these yarn balls.
After all, psionic power had always been an intensely private matter. If the one untangling the threads were too rough, it would cause harm to the yarn ball itself.
The contact through psionic power made Pearl tremble slightly.
He bit his lip but soft gasps still escaped uncontrollably from his flushed mouth. Fine beads of sweat dotted his slightly arched neck and his sensitive tailbone was tingling numb, giving him the illusion that his psionic power was nearly being greedily devoured by some wild beast.
These Offspring who had received training would serve their Little Mother Insect to the best of their ability, wanting Pearl to feel pleasure and comfort - and 02 was even more devoted than the others.
He was shadowy yet taciturn, like a plant growing in lightless places. Only through wholehearted service to the Little Mother Insect, witnessing the faint blush on his cheeks and the scattered sweat on his neck, hearing those sweet and delicate gasps, could this shadowy existence perceive his own value.
The Little Mother Insect was moist, like a honey spring that would continuously bubble forth with abundant nectar. He carried a warm aura that able to nourish the menacing plants in the shadows with his damp sweetness and springwater.
This plant was serving his little spring.
Pearl's psionic power development was still that of a juvenile - such soothing helped his further growth and development, but it also easily exhausted him. He still needed time to mature.
Unconsciously, a faint pink hue reappeared on the Little Mother Insect's cheeks, his lips red and moist, and beads of sweat glistening at his temples. His eyes grew unfocused and his body softening with exhaustion, barely able to support itself.
His vision had blurred, giving him a pitiful, wretched appearance, as if he had just been fished out of water.
In that moment, Pearl sensed a plea coming through the psionic connection.
It seemed to crave praise and recognition, as if asking: Have I made you feel good?
During those few seconds of mental blankness, a soft sigh escaped Pearl's lips before he slowly responded, "...02 is a good dog."
02, who was half-kneeling on the ground, let out a sudden, muffled gasp from his throat. He instinctively wanted to tighten his arms further, but at the last second, reason restrained his thoughts, controlling his strength that would have been too overpowering for the Little Mother Insect.
...He would break him. He should serve him better.
He was the Little Mother Insect's good dog.
02 took a deep breath and cleanly severed the mental power link.
Almost the moment he stood up, the Little Mother Insect slumped weakly into his embrace, looking so exhausted that he would fall asleep immediately if given a pillow and blanket.
02 paused briefly as he originally intended to pick him up but faster than him were another pair of sturdy arms encased in black combat suits.
He looked up and saw a similar face mask, uniform, and tail hook hanging behind - but the number on the other's chest was the glaring 01.
—It was member 01 of the Scorpion group, their leader whom they all followed, Ega.
Ega's voice remained deep and hoarse, his words concise and brief, "Give him to me."
"...Yes, Chief."
02 nodded hoarsely before slightly loosening his arms holding the Little Mother Insect. Through his visor, he watched the Chief he followed take over the treasure he had only dared touch after carefully restraining his strength.
Ega took the drowsy Little Mother Insect from 02's hands and held him tightly against his chest.
Adjusting his grip with a leather-gloved hand beneath his chin, he positioned Pearl to rest his head against his shoulder, so close that his soft breaths fell directly upon Ega's neck.
Almost merging with the rhythm of his heartbeat.
02 lowered his arms, unconsciously clenching his fists.
Meanwhile, Ega held the Little Mother Insect in his embrace, preparing to take him back to his room to rest.
Today's little mother... should already be off duty.
In wolf pack society, lower-ranking members submit to higher-ranking ones.
The Narga Empire resembled an enormous wolf pack society, where the Chief held absolute leadership and authority. As subordinates and followers, they had to execute the Chief's commands without disobedience.
Even when facing a treasure they loved and desired to possess.
02 stood quietly in place, watching as the Chief carried the Little Mother Insect step by step into the distance. Only when their figures completely disappeared from view did he slowly lower his head before his gaze fixed intently on the numbers displayed on his chest.
The difference between 1 and 2 was minuscule, yet this tiny gap...
All he could do was obey.
......
Psionic Soothing was like practice and training for the Mother Insect - expenditure led to new growth and development, while also helping to alleviate and guide Pearl's wildly growing but somewhat misdirected psionic power.
Of course, during the infant stage of psionic development, excessive consumption was not an advisable training method.
After Ega carried the Little Mother Insect back to his bedroom, tucked him in, and emerged, he proceeded directly to the warship's medical bay as previously discussed with the other Chiefs.
Concerned about the Mother Insect's condition, Quentin had contacted the Empire's top medical team specializing in psionic research. Though they couldn't physically reach the warship to examine the Little Mother Insect, they could conduct general observations and assessments of Pearl's physical condition through remote data monitoring.
The warship's dedicated medical bay was packed full - with over a dozen humanoid projections alone.
Regarding the Little Mother Insect's physical condition, medical data collected from the warship's equipment had been compiled and transmitted to the imperial capital planet days earlier. The medical team had held an all-night meeting, with various data points filling the entire light screen - densely packed with text.
When Ega arrived, he noticed Aslan, who rarely made appearances, was also standing in the medical bay.
Seeing everyone had gathered, Quentin in projected form waved his hand, signaling the similarly projected doctor to begin.
The doctor took a deep breath, his expression still showing excitement about conducting physical examinations for Narga's New King.
He began: "We've analyzed the King's physical examination data. Currently, there's one piece of good news and one piece of bad news. Let me explain the specific situations in order."
"The good news is obvious - those who have received the King's Psionic Soothing should have noticed..."
"The psionic power within our King contains remarkably strong soothing factors - stronger than any Mother Insect in previous generations. Vast and pure, if properly guided to restore the growth trajectory of his psionic power, he has over an 80% probability of becoming the most powerful soothing-capable Mother Insect in the empire's history."
"As for the bad news, it's also because the King's psionic power is vast and pure, with extremely high energy purity and great psionic strength. Combined with his upbringing environment and various experiences since childhood, this has caused his psionic power to become extremely unstable. It can be compared to a young beast in its frenzied period - reckless and uncontrolled, lacking restraint. When it becomes chaotic and loses control, it easily crosses boundaries, causing further damage to the King's body."
At this point, the doctor with graying temples couldn't help but sigh.
"The King's body is too fragile, while his psionic power is extremely pure. When physical strength cannot keep up with the development speed of psionic power, it easily leads to internal psionic wounds appearing on the torso - painless but continuously bleeding, and only healing when the psionic power calms down."
But this problem returns to the first thing the doctor said -
Pearl's body is very fragile.
For other evolved lifeforms in the cosmic era, internal psionic wounds would typically heal completely within a day or two, not posing significant problems.
But Pearl is different.
He is like a shattered porcelain vessel that has been glued back together - externally, he appears restored and presentable enough for display in a showcase; but internally, those cracks remain deep and obvious, fracturing inch by inch. With just slight pressure applied, he would completely shatter beyond repair.
This fragility causes Pearl's wounds to heal very slowly, while the psionic power and injuries he bears create cumulative pressure. When they someday exceed the body's limit, this frail physique will completely break down.
Although Psionic Soothing helps consume Pearl's psionic power and avoids the existence of psionic wounds, this consumption is far from sufficient for the purity of Pearl's own psionic power.
The best method is for him to engage in deep mental power links, based on substantial psionic consumption while simultaneously entering the psionic world of high-ranking Narga, achieving the purpose of self-"healing" in reverse.
The Mother Insect's psionic power is too "pure," while the Narga People's psionic power as Offspring is excessively "mixed." When the two merge, they can precisely cancel each other out.
But the prerequisite for this reverse "healing" is that the Offspring who opens their psionic world must endure and tolerate the "aftereffects" of being used by Pearl.
Yet another problem arises -
The doctor looked somewhat helpless.
He said: "The problem returns to the starting point. The King's physical condition is too poor, and his psionic development remains stagnant at the juvenile state, similarly unable to withstand substantial psionic consumption. Therefore, mental power links are both treatment and damage for him. When it exceeds what the King can currently bear, his high-purity psionic power will riot once again."
Hui, standing not far away, suddenly looked up, subtle cracks almost visible on his calm gentlemanly mask.
He had once engaged in mental power links with the Little Mother Insect on the barren planet...
Hui's fingers trembled slightly as he spoke in a hoarse voice: "...What kind of riot do you mean?"
The doctor pondered for a moment, then tapped the light screen behind him. Soon, some chaotic scene photos appeared in the projected images, mostly located indoors with partial furniture showing damage marks—as if sliced by wind blades—but far from reaching the level of "ruins."
"Even the purest psionic power, which has a soothing effect on Offspring, possesses lethality when it falls into turmoil."
"These photos behind me are the results of psionic power turmoil caused by the previous Mothers Insect—the lethality isn't too great. However, according to archival records, no previous Mother Insect's psionic power purity has exceeded 70%, but the New King's psionic power purity..."
The doctor paused, the relatively dim light in his projected pupils brightening to its peak at this moment.
He added, "The New King's psionic power purity is above 88%, with signs of continued growth."
Upon hearing this, the entire medical room fell into silence.
Throughout the long history of the Narga Empire, there had once been a Mother Insect whose psionic power purity reached 69%, creating a miracle. But none had expected that centuries later, the New King who had disappeared for over four hundred years would achieve an even more astonishing number.
Quentin murmured in awe, "Incredible... you youngsters are born in a remarkable era..."
Hui's expression darkened as he asked again, "Can psionic power turbulence potentially cause the death of mutated beasts? For instance, King-level mutated beasts above SSS-class, like Giant Sandworms exceeding five hundred meters."
The doctor looked surprised, his expression showing unexpected curiosity.
"Theoretically, a Mother Insect's psionic power turbulence shouldn't possess such destructive capability, as its primary function is pacification... But I've never encountered 88% purity before. There are no previous records in the Empire, so I can't provide a definitive answer."
"However..."
He pondered, "We cannot rule out other influencing factors, such as emotions. If the King-level mutated beast was the main cause of emotional fluctuations, then 88% psionic purity combined with emotional amplification might produce unexpected results. Of course, when such outcomes occur, it would simultaneously leave internal psionic wounds."
Emotional fluctuations...
Olovikin recalled those words of "Thank you."
Tilan, who stand at the warship entrance at that time and looking down as a bystander at that chaotic scene—
The shattered SSS-class Sandworm, the falling Little Mother Insect whose face remained unclear, and the blood seeping from the other's body.
At the time, it hadn't seemed particularly significant, but when Tilan recalled it now, he suddenly felt a dull ache in his heart.
Hui clenched his fist gradually, unaware of the deep nail marks left in his palm.
He had been the one to guide the Little Mother Insect into establishing the mental power link, and he had indirectly triggered Little Pearl's psionic power turbulence... He had nearly committed an irreparable mistake...
Quentin rubbed his temples, the fine lines at the corners of his eyes seeming deeper. "So, is there any solution?"
The doctor shook his head with a bitter smile.
The data conclusions regarding the Narga New King's psionic power and physical constitution presented themselves like a contradictory paradox—he couldn't even find a starting point to address it.
Aslan, who had remained silent until now, spoke.
"I can guide him to resolve the psionic power turbulence issue."
Members of the Silver Species are Guardians of Hive Substance and, to some extent, guides to the Mother Insect.
Their psionic power is vast and powerful, belonging to the all-rounders among the Insectoid race in ancient times. Every Silver Species could simultaneously utilize superior physical constitution and offensive psionic power to eliminate mutated beasts.
But this very nature of aggressive versatility made them more susceptible to frenzied corruption—so severe that Aslan became the only remaining member of the Silver Species.
Even the Mother Insect finds it difficult to achieve pacification effects for the Silver Species.
Aslan's gaze was cold and calm, carrying a nonchalance forged through endless years.
Having witnessed too many of his kin meet their end through psionic self-destruction, everything in this world now seemed as light as a feather in his eyes.
He said, "But the time I can be of use is limited. You should know well what typically causes the death of the Silver Species. I will do my best to guide him in learning to control his psionic power while I am still alive. As for the rest..."
Quentin immediately nodded, "We will handle the rest."
He paused, his eyes reflecting both reverence and unspoken sorrow as he looked at Aslan, "We are in your debt."
While the discussion about Pearl in the medical bay had not yet concluded, in a bedroom on another level of the warship, the Little Mother Insect, who had been replenishing his energy through sleep, was abruptly awakened by a nightmare.
"Did Baby Pearl have a nightmare?"
The guide ball immediately activated from its dormant state and flew to Pearl's side.
The little artificial person, with beads of sweat on his forehead and looking as if he had been pulled out of water, was still trembling slightly in his limbs. He hugged the blanket tightly and nodded softly, "I suddenly dreamed... dreamed about things from the past."
"Is Baby Pearl still feeling unwell? I can be Baby Pearl's listener!"
Pearl pursed his lips, "Will you... will you tell others?"
Guide ball: "Of course not! This is a secret between me and Baby Pearl!"
Pearl thought for a moment, wrapped in the blanket and hugging a pillow, his voice very soft, "Actually... about the past, I don't remember... remember everything."
He didn't know when it started, but Pearl realized he had forgotten many things.
He remembered being born in a cultivation tank, remembered his previous buyers, remembered the stray dog he met in the back alley of the auction house, but he couldn't recall how long he had existed, couldn't remember the faces of his buyers, and couldn't remember how he became blind...
Even his nightmares had become a mass of darkness. Though filled with terror in the dream, when he woke up, he found he couldn't even remember what had frightened him.
Pearl asked, "Will there come a day when I forget... forget even myself?"
Perhaps it was the first time the guide ball had encountered such a question, as its screen showed a momentary glitch and lag in data before quickly returning to normal—
"D-d-don't worry, I'll remember for Baby Pearl!"
Pearl asked seriously, "Are you okay?"
Guide ball: "Thank you for your concern, Baby Pearl, I'm perfectly fine."
Pearl: "That's good."
He really liked this round little ball that guided him and told him stories.
The data on the guide ball flickered, appearing more erratic than usual; meanwhile, Pearl had already gotten out of bed, wanting to check on his little companions.
The path from the bedroom to the greenhouse was quite long, but fortunately, the guide ball provided direction.
Pearl slowly made his way through the long, quiet corridor.
Just before entering the greenhouse door, his ears twitched slightly as he detected footsteps approaching from behind.
Pearl instinctively turned his head, his vacant eyes following the sound as he "looked" in that direction, "Is... is someone there?"
A shadow emerged from the adjacent corridor, pausing two steps away from Pearl. Tall and upright, he looked down at this newborn Mother Insect, then leaned closer. His hand also gradually approached the face that showed confusion.
Just as that hand was about to touch Pearl's cheek, another voice suddenly called out from behind—
"What are you doing there?"
•───────•°•❀•°•───────•
Advanced chapters are now available up to chapter 100 on my Ko-fi page!
If you appreciate what I do, please consider supporting me on kofi. Thank you!
•───────•°•❀•°•───────•