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| The Beloved Little Mother Insect (LITTLE MOTHER) |
In the distance, massive, cold warships hovered high in the sky. The Narga Empire's military had mobilized, landing on a nearby small planet to inspect all starships and shuttles intercepted within this Free Star Territory.
The Free Star Territory bordered the Lost Starfield. The former was primarily populated by space pirates, drifters, and buyers and sellers from various merchant guilds, while the latter concentrated various dangerous exiled elements.
Neither territory fell under the Star Alliance's jurisdiction, so when the Narga Empire's warships formed formations high in the sky to conduct this interception operation, no one could claim the action was inappropriate.
The Narga's Mother Insect had gone missing on his return journey. Though Quentin had suppressed the news, the fully mobilized military still led many from other star territories to speculate about the internal situation.
After all, such a massive display suggested something serious must have happened within Narga... Though uneasy, no one considered resisting.
—The Narga's formidable reputation resonated throughout the universe, even in areas outside the Star Alliance's domain.
Most of those waiting in line here were young people out working.
The crowd was evenly split between men and women that were dressed plainly in mostly dark colors. Their professions weren't exactly legal or compliant, barely earning them enough to get by, but in the Free Star Territory, this was considered quite good.
Those who could establish themselves in other Star Territories mostly looked down on those living in the Free Star Territory. This place wasn't under the jurisdiction of the Star Alliance and was home to many shady characters and disreputable, underhanded dealings. But if they were ever caught by the cosmic inspectors, they would still face punishment.
The recent takedown of the Manson Auction House in the Free Star Territory was a prime example—
"Manson" was extremely well-known in the entire Black Market auction circle.
In earlier years, the Manson Auction House had made its fortune through the Artificial Human trade. Initially, with the backing of the Red Squid, they had profited from dirty money for many years.
They never knew restraint. Even under the Star Alliance's laws prohibiting the "creation of life," they continued to secretly use Artificial Humans as a selling point, attracting many nobles who concealed their identities behind masks to patronize their business.
However, those who live by unjust means will inevitably meet their downfall. This time, the Manson Auction House was caught by the inspectors with evidence of illegally creating Artificial Humans. No matter how much the Free Star Territory was beyond the Star Alliance's jurisdiction, there was no room for leniency in such a serious matter as "creating life."
In this turmoil, the Red Squid, as the backing force, remained vast and complex, with roots as intricate as a giant tree. Even though Manson had been dealt with by the Star Alliance inspectors, the Red Squid itself suffered almost no significant losses and continued to live freely in their stronghold at the Babel Starport in the Lost Starfield.
The publicly known owner of the Manson Auction House had gone missing, while his employees couldn't escape imprisonment. After undergoing multiple trials by the Star Alliance, they were directly sentenced to death, awaiting execution on the scheduled date.
As for the Artificial Humans rescued from the auction house, they had left hell behind and were sent by Star Alliance staff to specialized bases for education, preparing to embrace new lives.
The only regret was that the original list of Artificial Human buyers had already been destroyed. The remaining batch of Artificial Humans, who had not yet been tracked down and had been taken away by buyers, were still suffering in dire circumstances.
But the inspectors within the Star Alliance did not give up. Even though the available information was scarce, they continued to strive to find useful leads.
...
At that moment, in the line waiting for Narga's inspection—
A young man with dyed red hair struck up a conversation with the person behind him as if they were old friends. "Hey, buddy, have you heard about that auction house incident?"
Will, wearing a hood and a mask, paused and lowered his voice. "What incident?"
Seeing the red-haired young man's clearly surprised expression, Will explained, "I just returned recently. I was working on a Mining Star before."
"Mining Stars, that's lucrative!"
Envy flashed in the young man's eyes. Bored, he proactively shared this gossip, "It's that auction house that got caught producing Artificial Humans. They were quite clever—destroyed all the client purchase records. At least no one's going door-to-door for inspections. Who knows which households are secretly keeping Artificial Humans... Rich people always have a few shady little hobbies."
The Star Alliance is composed of five great empires, with the Narga Empire being the most powerful, dominating a Star Territory. Except for the annual Star Alliance meetings and Beast exterminations, Narga mostly keeps to itself and generally can't be bothered with other matters.
Thus, while "Artificial Humans" were frequently discussed among other races, they were somewhat unfamiliar to Will. This reminded him of the "rumors" about the Little Mother Insect aboard the Narga warship.
...It was said Quentin was still extracting external data on "Artificial Humans" and hadn't yet compiled what Pearl had experienced before meeting them.
In the line, Will nodded, concealing his expression, and merely echoed appropriately with "I see."
The red-haired young man shook his head regretfully, making tutting sounds.
"Even though I know Artificial Humans are illegal, I'd really like to see one in person and interact with one. They're said to be exceptionally beautiful, created according to client specifications. If I could actually have one..."
As he spoke, envy flashed in his eyes, his voice growing quiet, "If only I had that much money... even buying a defective product would be fine... Not finding a partner and living with an Artificial Human wouldn't be bad—at least they'd never change their heart!"
Will smiled politely. "I'm not interested in those things."
"That's because you've never seen one!"
The red-haired young man glanced at the Narga still conducting inspections ahead in the line. He rummaged through his backpack and pulled out a crumpled poster that seemed quite old—the paper was heavily creased, with some fading at the edges, clearly having been handled frequently.
The young man turned his body, unfolding the poster with his hands to show his roadside chat companion.
Will waved him off, his gaze fixed on the approaching Narga in the distance, hurriedly saying "Excuse me" before leaving the long queue.
He had gathered enough information. These loyal hounds following the scent had arrived quite quickly...
"Hey, hey, you haven't even looked..."
The red-haired young man scratched his head, watching as the masked and hatted figure had already vanished. He unfolded the folded poster completely by himself, staring blankly at the person depicted.
On the heavily creased poster was an Artificial Human standing obediently on a stage, dressed like a little prince.
Porcelain-white skin, slightly curly hair—the rare white locks and light blue eyes gave an ethereal, pure-to-the-extreme feeling.
That retro-style white silk sleepwear was exquisitely detailed with intricate lace trims, making the youth in the poster resemble a canary in an ivory tower, seemingly only worthy of a golden cage.
—The boy in the poster possessed an innate charm that drove people wild for him.
"So beautiful... If only I had money too..."
Back then, just that first glance had left the red-haired young man endlessly captivated. He had inquired everywhere and collected whatever he could, finally obtaining this "outdated" poster, which he carefully carried with him all these years as motivation to earn and save money.
While the red-haired young man was once again staring dazedly at the poster, Will—who had long since left the line and wrapped himself up tightly—circled around the crowd and made his way into the chaotic urban district where the inhabitants of this small asteroid lived. After several left and right turns, he suddenly paused.
For some reason, Will adjusted his hood, turned into a shabby little supermarket, and emerged less than two minutes later before continuing deeper into the disorderly district.
Passing through a narrow alley, he entered an old building, climbed to the second floor, and stopped before a metal door at the far end. He knocked three short raps followed by one long one, then slipped inside as the door cracked open.
"How's the situation?"
As soon as he entered, Xinghu leaned in to ask.
"Not good. They're moving much faster than I expected, far quicker than I imagined."
Will removed his mask and hat, his dashingly handsome face showing a trace of concern. "The Free Star Territory has never been under Star Alliance jurisdiction, but they're investigating too thoroughly. We have no chance of heading to the Lost Starfield right now."
Xinghu gritted his teeth angrily. "Those bastards..."
Will brushed aside the stray hairs on his forehead and turned to ask, "By the way, how is Pearl's condition? Any improvement?"
At the mention of this, Xinghu frowned. "He still has a slight fever and no appetite. He eats like a bird—I'm worried he might starve himself..."
Will's expression darkened. "We need to speed up. Time is running out."
Xinghu rubbed his head. "The problem is we're temporarily stuck here."
A day earlier, Will had been piloting the small shuttle from the warship, intending to cross directly through the Free Star Territory into the Lost Starfield. But midway, he discovered that Narga's starship was moving quickly and had already stationed itself around the Free Star Territory—anyone wanting to enter the Lost Starfield would have to pass through it first.
Under these circumstances, any shuttle attempting to enter the Lost Starfield would stand out conspicuously.
So, with all routes blocked, Will had no choice but to make a decision—
Hide the shuttle ahead of time and lay low on this small asteroid.
Of course, their stay on this asteroid wasn't solely due to blocked paths; another reason was Pearl—the Little Mother Insect they had intercepted along the way had fallen ill.
It was just a mild cold, but for a frail Artificial Human, it was quite taxing. At first, he felt chilled all over, shivering and seeking warmth, yet his face was flushed with fever, his eyes hazy and clouded, as if barely conscious, only murmuring soft words that tugged at one's heartstrings.
...Poor little thing.
The hearts of these Fallen Kind, usually cold and ruthless in the Lost Starfield, trembled with concern. In the end, they found a temporary shelter on this small asteroid to care for the feverish Little Mother Insect.
Thus, out of pity and some indescribable emotion, these rough men who had once known only killing and combat were forced to take on the role of "male mothers"—and unexpectedly found it fulfilling and even addictive.
They carefully cleared out a clean room in the old building, laid down a mattress and bedsheets, scavenged new pillows and quilts from the chaotic city district, and Will even splurged on an ugly stuffed bear, tucking it into the arms of the feverish Little Mother Insect.
It felt like caring for a young child.
The medicinal potion tasted bitterly unpleasant. Xinghu, holding the Little Mother Insect at the time, had expected coaxing him to take the medicine would be difficult. Yet, to his surprise, it proved remarkably easy—
Pearl's flushed face and damp eyelashes trembled slightly, but when Xinghu softly said, "Open your mouth," the dazed Pearl obediently parted his lips and accepted the mouthpiece of the potion.
Even as the bitter taste made the Little Mother Insect furrow his brow, he endured it silently, though his eyelashes seemed to grow even damper.
He was docile and quiet, exuding an air that tugged at one’s heartstrings.
Caring for unruly children was challenging, but tending to a quiet Little Mother Insect who suffered in silence was entirely different.
Though Pearl had been drifting in and out of drowsiness, he had already won the tenderness and affection of these "bandits."
Just as now, while Xinghu and Will exchanged updates on their situation, in the adjacent bedroom, several tall Fallen Kind gathered around a mattress placed directly on the floor—
Some sat sideways on the edge, others leaned against the wall with crossed arms, and a few sat cross-legged boldly on the ground. All their faces, a blend of flesh and metal, were fixed on the Little Mother Insect lying at the center of the mattress.
The room was quiet, save for Pearl’s slightly labored breathing from the fever.
Wrapped in a soft quilt, he lay curled on his side while clutching the rather ugly stuffed bear. Occasionally, his hands or feet would unconsciously slip out, only to be gently caught by other dark-skinned hands, checked for warmth, and tucked back securely under the covers.
The Fallen Kind watching him dared not even breathe loudly, afraid of disturbing this delicate and fragile little being.
Though ordinary medicinal potions tasted foul, they worked quickly. By the time Pearl awoke from his muddled dreams, his dizziness had mostly faded. His feverish body, damp with sweat, felt sticky—an uncomfortable sensation for the cleanliness-loving little artificial person.
"My little ancestor, you’re finally awake!"
Xinghu, having finished discussing matters with Will, entered the bedroom to find the Little Mother Insect blinking dazedly, still disoriented.
Once again reminded of Pearl’s fragility, Xinghu strode forward, took the clothes handed by the other Fallen Kind, and swaddled Pearl tightly in several coats as if bundling an infant, creating a warm cocoon.
The climate on this asteroid was harsh—chilly and damp, with the sun scarcely visible in the sky. Such weather was all too common in the Free Star Territory.
As for the chaotic urban areas, there were many outdated factories, resulting in poor air quality on the planet, always carrying a stifling smoky smell.
Xinghu dared not let this little ancestor feel cold or freeze—he had never seen such a fragile creature in his life!
Only after bundling Pearl up tightly did he have the chance to ask, "How are you feeling? Do you want something to eat?"
Pearl, who had slept through his fever, shook his head listlessly, his voice still a bit hoarse. "N-No, I don’t want to eat."
As a hostage, Pearl should have been more panicked and fearful, but for some reason, his animal-like intuition made him feel somewhat afraid of them while also clearly knowing they wouldn’t harm him.
"Have some water."
A tall, burly Fallen Kind brought over a cup of water. His arms had been modified into metallic mechanical constructs, gleaming with a silver light in the dim room, looking as cold and menacing as a weapon. Yet, when he held the cup to feed Pearl water, he was as careful as if conducting an experiment.
With his dry throat soothed, Pearl struggled to free a hand from his "swaddling" to rub his eyes. "Where is this?"
"Don’t rub your eyes randomly!"
Xinghu frowned, quickly grabbing Pearl’s hand. While carefully checking if anything had gotten into his eyelashes, he replied, "A small asteroid in the Free Star Territory—a nameless, rundown place. Nothing to be curious about!"
Will, who had lagged behind, entered the bedroom. He glanced at the Little Mother Insect curled up in Xinghu’s arms and announced loudly, "I bought new injections today. They’re a bit more effective than the medicine."
Pearl’s eyes widened for a moment, and he instinctively wrinkled his nose at the word "injections," which was immediately noticed by the Fallen Kind who had been secretly watching him.
A Fallen Kind with a metallic gleam on his neck couldn’t help but ask, "Does that thing hurt?"
Another replied, "It doesn’t hurt, right? That tiny needle tip—feels like it couldn’t even pierce my neck. I could snap it with my bare hands."
"Tsk, it’s not for you. It’s for this little one. He looks so delicate and tender-skinned. Wait, could it make him bleed a whole bowl’s worth?"
"Damn, that’s kind of terrifying. Does this little guy even have a bowl’s worth of blood in his entire body?"
"..."
"Exaggerating there, brother."
Xinghu rolled his eyes. "Do you think this is an injection or bloodletting? A whole bowl..."
But when his gaze fell on Pearl’s fever-flushed cheeks, the words died in his throat.
It didn’t seem entirely wrong—this little thing was so delicate and tender-skinned. He’d caught a fever from just a slight chill. If they really stuck a needle in him, what if they broke him...
Even yesterday, when feeding him medicine, Xinghu had only gently pinched the Little Mother Insect’s cheek, never expecting to leave two faint green marks. It left Xinghu feeling unsettled, and he had secretly gotten up several times during the night just to check if the marks had faded...
Influenced by the others’ concerns, Xinghu couldn’t help but start to doubt. "Maybe we should just stick to medicine. Do you even know how to give injections? Don’t end up hurting this little thing..."
Will raised an eyebrow, giving Xinghu an ambiguous look.
Xinghu licked his canine teeth, trying to justify himself. "The Boss told us to bring him back safely! If something happens along the way, who’s going to take responsibility?"
"Don’t worry, my hands are steady."
"And injections work faster than oral medicine. Otherwise, prolonged fever would still drain Pearl's energy."
Will couldn't be bothered to respond. He simply opened the small medical kit, prepared alcohol swabs, and unsealed the fever-reducing injection.
The silvery needle tip glinted coldly under the light.
Will said, "Xinghu, help our Little Pearl roll up his sleeve."
Pearl blinked slowly. He was wearing an oversized hoodie he'd changed into earlier - so long it could pass as a short dress. There was no need to even roll up the sleeves, as the loose collar slipped down during Xinghu's somewhat clumsy attempts, revealing a pale sliver of Pearl's shoulder.
It was snow-white, like fresh snow that never appears in the Lost Starfield.
Someone in the quiet, cramped room drew a sharp, soft breath.
The previously chattering voices of the Fallen Kind fell silent. No matter how gloomy the weather outside or how chilly the room temperature, when over a dozen robust males gathered in one space, their body warmth alone could dispel the cold.
So pale, so delicate - it trembled slightly when exposed to the air.
Xinghu's throat moved as he urged, "Hurry up, Will! Don't let this little thing catch cold again!"
Will: "...Coming right away."
Pearl pursed his lips. He couldn't see, only hearing the faint rustling sounds of someone approaching. It was precisely this sense of the unknown that kept his entire body tense.
Will paused for a moment, then reached out to gently pinch the little Mother Insect's earlobe, whispering softly: "Relax, it won't hurt."
Liar.
Pearl thought, injections clearly do hurt.
Back when he had just been removed from the liquid-based living organism culture tank, those people in white coats walking around the laboratory would always give him injections. There was a period when his arms were covered with numerous tiny red dots, some even bruising into bluish-purple patches.
He didn't like injections.
The expression on the little Mother Insect's face was almost transparently clear. This naked distrust made Will feel as if something had gently pricked his heart.
How could... someone be so endearing?
These Fallen Kind living in the Lost Starfield were accustomed to chaos and cruelty. Their daily lives consisted almost entirely of fighting and killing - their targets including but not limited to the Exotic Beast Swarms on Ashes One Star, certain Space Pirates trying to seize their territory, or provocateurs encountered when exchanging supplies at Babel Starport...
For them, pain and injury were trivial matters. Sometimes pain even acted like a stimulant for them.
But now, as they watched the needle and the somewhat stiff little Mother Insect, they felt somewhat uncomfortable.
If they had been more careful back then, perhaps the little Mother Insect wouldn't be suffering like this...
Meanwhile—
Pearl's upper arm, exposed outside his loose collar, was gently held by a warm hand. A cold alcohol pad performed a simple wipe, soon followed by a not-too-intense stinging sensation.
Almost simultaneously with his vacant pupils contracting momentarily and misting over with tears, Will stuffed a small round object into his mouth.
Will: "Lick it."
The slow little artificial person followed the instruction, moving his tongue, whereupon a sweet flavor began to spread.
Very sweet, almost dispersing the slight pain from the injection in his arm.
—It was a piece of soft candy.
Maybe... it wasn't that painful after all?
Pearl's eyelashes fluttered slightly, his candy-filled cheek puffing out slightly. The sight made Xinghu's heart soften, and he gently poked the little Mother Insect's cheek.
Of course it wasn't just Xinghu whose heart softened - even the other watching Fallen Kind felt a warm, ticklish sensation spreading through their hearts.
This hazy little Pearl had already captured their attention long ago without even realizing it.
After the injection, the medication gradually took effect. In less than ten minutes, Pearl began to feel somewhat drowsy.
He yawned, but before he could say anything, Xinghu urged him to sleep.
Pearl hesitated. Under normal circumstances, he would probably have obediently complied. But perhaps due to the "encouraging education" from the guide ball on the warship and other Narga People, he had developed some courage to stand up for himself.
Pearl tilted his head, his hair brushing against Xinghu's neck. "Can I not sleep?"
Xinghu raised an eyebrow, his roguishly handsome bad-boy appearance appearing both arrogant and rebellious. "Yawning but not sleeping? Then what do you want to do?"
He—even they—seemed excessively tolerant toward this so-called "hostage."
All the Fallen Kind in the bedroom turned their gaze toward the little Mother Insect, waiting for his answer.
Pearl swallowed, unable to suppress another yawn, speaking with both guilt and determination: "D-don't want to sleep."
The fever-induced changes made Pearl's voice softer and huskier, sounding like coquettish pleading to the room full of Fallen Kind, making them dizzy with affection and willing to grant whatever the Little Mother Insect desired.
"If you don't want to sleep, then don't!"
"Right, we can't force the little one to sleep anyway."
"Xinghu, how long are you going to hold him? Let me have a turn? Didn't you say you hated weaklings the most before? Hmm? Let me take that burden off you?"
Xinghu: "Shut up, all of you. With your rough hands, I'm afraid you'll break him."
Pearl's eyelashes fluttered. Xinghu snorted coldly and gently squeezed the Little Mother Insect's warm calf hidden beneath the coat.
He even wrapped his hand around it to measure - alarmingly slender.
"You sure know how to stir trouble," he remarked.
Pearl blinked, feigning complete innocence.
That timid courage of his had unknowingly grown bolder from being indulged.
"Tch, fine. No sleep then no sleep."
Xinghu tightened the coat around Pearl before handing him over to a Fallen Kind with a long metallic scar across his face. "Scar, take him for now. Will and I need to discuss our current situation."
Will chuckled, reaching out to stroke the Little Mother Insect's bangs. "Take good care of him."
He then leaned down to tell Pearl, "If you get sleepy later, just tell them. They'll help you fall asleep."
...I don't need help falling asleep either.
Pearl pressed his lips together and gave a slow, meek acknowledgment.
"So well-behaved."
Will pulled another soft candy with colorful wrapper from his pocket and placed it in Pearl's palm.
"This is Little Pearl's reward," Will said.
He'd bought it on a whim when passing by a supermarket.
Though cheap candy, it counted as luxury in this chaotic district.
Pearl's ears tingled with a strange sense of familiarity, but before he could grasp it, the scar-faced Fallen Kind had already carried him to the other side.
Scar's voice was deep, carrying the quality of an elder uncle, naturally inspiring reliability and a sense of security.
"Don't worry, we'll take good care of him."
Thus concluded the handover ceremony between the Fallen Kind and the Little Mother Insect.
Xinghu, Will and several companions temporarily moved to the old building's living room to discuss their situation and attempt contacting their Boss for further instructions.
In the bedroom, noticing the Little Mother Insect in his arms fighting yawns while stubbornly refusing sleep, Scar glanced out the window and suddenly asked, "Want to touch a bird?"
"A bird?" Curiosity sparked on Pearl's face.
Without another word, Scar secured the Little Mother Insect with one arm, thoroughly wrapped in the coat, then opened the window and perched sideways on the ledge. His modified mechanical appendage swung out, catching a little sparrow perched on a pipe.
The trembling, fluffy creature was placed in Pearl's palm, its feathers light and soft, carrying slight warmth.
The sparrow that had been shaking and chirping in the Fallen Kind's grasp fell silent in Pearl's hands, emitting soft peeps like a chick finding its mother, even nuzzling against Pearl's fingers.
—A truly two-faced, scheming little bird.
Pearl delightfully extended his fingers, carefully smoothing its feathers, attempting to perceive the bird's shape through touch.
So fluffy.
"May I... pet it?"
A somewhat cheerful voice rang out. Scar remained completely still, as he paid no mind to the weak, but Pearl poked his head out and turned toward the source of the sound.
Scar adjusted the warm hood on Little Mother Insect's head before explaining, "It's the child next door."
The old buildings on the asteroid were packed closely together, much like the fortress-like structures on ancient planets. With limited land available for use by the universe's higher life forms, the population was highly concentrated in the urban area. Thus, when the window was half-open, Pearl was merely an arm's length away from the little girl in the adjacent building.
The small sparrow in his hand stirred. Pearl pressed his lips together and cautiously extended his arm toward the sound.
Then another hand emerged from the window, enclosed by iron bars—thin and bony, it gently brushed against the sparrow in Pearl's palm.
The little girl next door was somewhat afraid of the menacing-looking Scar, but she greatly admired the pretty older brother hidden beneath the hood.
Summoning her courage, she greeted him, introducing herself as Mira, aged ten, born and raised here. She shared that her parents worked in the old factories nearby, striving to earn and save money so they could one day leave the Free Star Territory and settle on a more prosperous planet. They even dreamed of joining the Star Alliance...
She praised Pearl for his beauty, saying he resembled a prince from a fairy tale, and eagerly shared the name of the storybook with him.
Pearl didn’t understand everything Mira said, but he listened attentively, nodding from time to time—the best listener in the world.
The two "little ones," whose combined mental ages might not even reach twenty-five, chatted back and forth across the narrow gap between the old buildings. Their conversation leaped from the color of the bird to what the world beyond the asteroid was like...
Mira had never seen it, Pearl hadn’t either, and Scar, though he had, had never paid it much attention. So their discussion soon took flight into the realm of imagination.
It wasn’t until Pearl grew so tired that tears welled in his eyes that this social activity of making a new friend came to an end.
Before being called away by her mother downstairs, Mira gave Pearl a handmade dried flower bracelet as a token of their new friendship, wishing the pretty older brother a speedy recovery.
The act of exchanging gifts was unfamiliar to Pearl. He nervously pinched his fingers, then suddenly remembered the soft candy.
So, calling out to stop Mira, Pearl leaned close to Scar. As the Fallen Kind’s pupils contracted, Pearl almost whispered into his ear—
"Ca—can I give her the candy?"
With the soft, candy-scented breath of Little Mother Insect brushing against his ear, Scar’s throat moved slightly. He nodded and replied hoarsely, "Of course. The candy belongs to you; you have the right to dispose of it." The right to dominate.
It was a phrase that made Pearl feel inexplicably happy.
Pearl’s eyes curved into a smile as he handed over the candy.
The little girl holding the candy grinned. Though thin and frail, she had eyes that sparkled like stars.
After Mira had left completely, Scar, worried about the chilly outside air, closed the window. Pearl, drowsy, leaned against his chest and asked softly, "What does Mira... look like?"
He couldn’t see the little girl’s appearance.
Scar paused, a faint ache in his heart.
This question...
He attempted to describe: "Has... um, long hair, curved eyebrows, very large eyes that are bright, one nose and one mouth, thin build, looks very fragile—and indeed is quite weak."
Pearl: ?
Scar awkwardly pressed his lips together, suddenly feeling he needed to learn how to describe appearances.
The Little Mother Insect, who had been tilting his head up, wore a blank expression for several seconds. His pink lips parted and closed repeatedly, but he couldn't squeeze out a single word for the longest time. Meanwhile, Xinghu, who had been discussing matters halfway in the living room, grew restless and came into the bedroom to check on the Little Mother Insect.
Even among the Fallen Kind, there exists a hierarchy. Seeing Xinghu enter, though Scar was reluctant to let go of the fragrant, soft bundle in his arms, he lowered his brows and bowed his head before handing over the Little Mother Insect he held.
Strength determines rank—he didn't yet have the qualification to contend with Xinghu.
Instantly switching "mounts," Pearl had his head rubbed by Xinghu pressing down on his crown. His head was pressed against a shoulder, and the previously suppressed drowsiness surged forth the moment he rested on it.
Xinghu: "Alright, sleep for now. You'll recover after you wake up."
Pearl drifted in and out of drowsiness, gradually succumbing to heavy eyelids as his head came to rest fully on Xinghu's shoulder. He faintly sensed a pair of warm hands adjusting the shielding collar around his neck.
The metal collar designed to block psionic power was made of thin, lightweight material, yet it remained cool to the touch. Gradually warmed by the Little Mother Insect's feverish body temperature, the rigid material still left a faint red mark on Pearl's neck.
Gazing at that pure and lovely sleeping face, Xinghu rubbed his thumb over Pearl's neck and voiced his dissatisfaction to Will, who had followed a step behind. "Can't we remove this thing? It's chafing his neck red. How can his skin be so delicate..."
Will frowned, his heart skipping a beat at the sight of the red mark. His fingers trembled slightly as he murmured, "I'll apply some ointment for him."
The Mental Power Shielding Collar automatically adjusted to the wearer's neck size, making the red marks barely accessible to fingertips but troublesome to treat with ointment. Uncharacteristically soft-hearted, the usually meticulous Will finally removed the collar and swiftly massaged in the medicinal cream.
The mint-scented ointment carried a cooling sensation that felt soothing to Pearl's feverish state, prompting him to let out soft murmurs in his sleep. This caused the room full of Fallen Kind with modified limbs to blush and avert their eyes.
So tender...
That faint sound made their hearts race uncontrollably and fingertips tingling with an indescribable urge—as if tempting them to "violate" this beautiful Little Mother Insect.
But these stray dogs restrained their desire to "bully" the little kitten.
After the ointment was applied, the shielding collar returned to the Little Mother Insect's neck. As he fastened the clasp, Will thoughtfully tore off a section of soft cotton gauze from the medical kit and gently wrapped it around Pearl's throat.
This pale white addition enhanced his fragile appearance.
Click.
The shielding collar was once again secured around Pearl's neck. The slumbering Little Mother Insect unconsciously nuzzled his head, resembling a stray kitten newly rescued by its owner and cradled in indulgent care.
The weather on the asteroid was dismal—a drizzling rain had begun falling unpredictably in the urban area, casting a chilly gloom through hazy surroundings where distant buildings blurred into shapeless forms.
In a dilapidated building across the way, a little girl with soft candy in her mouth clung to her mother's arm while chatting cheerfully with her father returning from work. The family of three dwelled in their impoverished yet warm little home, filled with hope of relocating from the Free Star Territory.
Back in the bedroom, the Fallen Kind held their breath as they watched Xinghu tuck the Little Mother Insect under the covers. After Will bent down to check Pearl's condition once more, two members remained behind for watch duty while the others followed them out, closing the bedroom door behind them.
The Little Mother Insect needed only to rest peacefully—they would continue strategizing how to evade Narga's inspection perimeter and enter the Lost Starfield...
...
On the rain-veiled asteroid, a red-haired young man in the queue finally reached his turn.
Regarding these military forces from Narga, he felt more reverence than fear—after all, Narga's legendary reputation marked them as the strongest race in all aspects throughout the cosmos—
The five great empires within the Star Alliance gradually formed after humanity entered the interstellar age. Among them, aside from the Narga People who possess dual forms, the other four empires abandoned their second forms during evolution and now operate solely in human form. This makes the Narga, with their second form, appear even more powerful and unpredictable, becoming the largest imperial force in the entire universe.
The red-haired youth had lived in the Free Star Territory since childhood, scavenging for a living as a child and later taking on menial jobs on asteroids as he grew older. He had no nationality or race and never felt a sense of belonging. There were many like him—their ancestors might have come from the other four empires, but they could never be Narga.
The Narga were inherently different from them. The Narga always remained loyal to their nation; they never lost their sense of belonging.
—They had a home.
The red-haired youth cast an envious glance as the military commander opened his backpack, then obediently stood aside to await inspection.
Even the poster tucked in his pocket was not spared. A Narga person unfolded it, revealing the Artificial Human printed on it.
The inspecting Narga frowned, sensing a strange familiarity yet also a vast difference.
He turned to show the poster to his companion and said in a low voice, "Look at this—"
His companion turned his head, his gaze falling on the poster.
It depicted a young man with long white hair and light blue eyes. Despite the many creases and its age, the poster clearly showed the protagonist's smooth, glossy hair and eyes that seemed to sparkle with starlight.
Exquisitely beautiful and radiant, he was like a pretty little prince standing on a stage, as if all the light in the world would naturally gravitate toward him.
The Narga, whose gaze had sharpened, paused and pulled out his optical computer, retrieving a missing person photo sent by his superior.
It also showed a young man, but with a panicked and timid expression, dry and frizzy white hair, wrapped in a silky white sleeping robe, and sitting on a large sofa with vacant, dull light blue eyes. He appeared exceptionally frail and small, like a stray kitten abandoned by its owner.
It wasn't just the difference in appearance and attire; it was almost impossible to connect the dazzling star on the poster with the pitiful figure in the photo.
One was like a gem displayed in a shop window, adorned and polished, while the other was like a pearl covered in dust, discarded in a corner and ignored by all.
Even though they shared the same hair and eye color, at first glance, no one would think the little prince and the stray cat could be the same person.
The two Narga guards instinctively drew a sharp breath.
At the top of this poster from years ago, a line of cursive script read—
"The one-of-a-kind Artificial Human will be exhibited tonight at the Manson Auction House. Your presence is welcome."
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