“I am Cecil, the High Priest of the Zerg. You may address me simply as Cecil,” he said.
Luo Jia already knew the Priest’s name, and since he had invited such familiarity, Luo Jia followed suit: “Alright, Cecil.”
Very obedient. Cecil nodded in satisfaction. “The place where you will reside is here. Follow me.”
Luo Jia followed his lead. They walked through a white, cavernous corridor. Attendants stood silently along the sides, motionless. Luo Jia couldn’t tell what kind of insects they were, nor could he tell what kind of creature the Priest before him was.
The Priest was so beautiful he looked like an angel; it was truly difficult to guess his biological form.
Cecil led Luo Jia to a specific room. “We are here.”
The attendants behind them opened the door. Cecil stepped in first, followed by Luo Jia.
It featured white marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and bronze candle lamps reminiscent of Central Europe in the Middle Ages. White candles burned atop them, emitting a soothing, aromatic scent like fine perfume. It made Luo Jia’s chronic, dull headache feel much better.
Layers of white curtains were adorned with purple lilies of the valley. Luo Jia followed him through the veils to find, surprisingly, a natural hot spring.
The milky-white water steamed gently, surrounded by white lilies blooming at the water’s edge.
“The Holy Spring will nourish your body. Get in,” Cecil commanded.
“Huh?”
Cecil frowned. “I do not like repeating myself.”
Luo Jia thought the Priest was quite fierce and subtly took a step back from him.
Cecil caught the small movement. Feeling slightly piqued, he said, “Do not stay too far from me.” Luo Jia, who was beginning to undress, paused. He couldn’t tell if this Priest hated him or what.
Luo Jia decided to ignore the mood and continued undressing.
Cecil didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed by the lack of response. As the tattered clothes fell away, they revealed Luo Jia’s skin—pale and radiant as moonlight. Cecil waved his hand, signaling the Zerg attendants to leave.
What a joke. Even a candidate Mother was not a being those common insects were allowed to ogle.
The clothes slid down past Luo Jia’s waist and hips, pooling on the floor. Cecil tried his best not to look at the more intimate areas, keeping his gaze fixed on Luo Jia’s smooth, straight legs.
Staying here might have been a mistake, Cecil thought. He felt he should probably leave as well, rather than standing there like a voyeuristic insect watching a… bath.
However, Cecil quickly found an excuse for himself: he was simply afraid the new Mother wouldn’t adapt to the environment. In short, he was protecting the Mother.
With that thought, his gaze toward Luo Jia became resolute.
Luo Jia cautiously dipped a foot into the water; the temperature was perfect. He walked down the stone steps into the depths of the Holy Spring. There were small stone benches built into the pool for sitting. Luo Jia sat down, his body fully submerged in the milky water. Cecil glanced toward the water—though, of course, he couldn’t see anything through the opaque surface.
Luo Jia felt something surging into him; or rather, his body was drinking in the energy from the spring. This warm, sweet sensation was very similar to how he felt after eating those golden shards.
Cecil signaled an attendant to bring prepared clothes and food. The clothes were placed by the poolside, waiting for Luo Jia to finish. Cecil took the tray of food himself; he decided he would present it personally.
Purely for the sake of observing the Mother, he told himself.
Luo Jia closed his eyes, savoring the warmth. Suddenly, he heard the water splashing. The ripples interrupted his rest, and he opened his eyes to see Cecil walking down into the pool, holding a plate of sweet-smelling snacks.
Cecil had not removed his clothes.
He sat down beside Luo Jia and said, “These are Star-Crystals. You should like them.”
“Thank you, Priest.” Luo Jia did like them. The small sugar-like flakes were golden as honey and smelled incredible. He pinched a piece, put it in his mouth, and began to chew.
Cecil was momentarily stunned by Luo Jia’s “primitive” way of eating. However, seeing Luo Jia eating so happily, he swallowed his critique. Most Zerg absorbed energy through tactile contact with their appendages; the Mother’s dental health was certainly impressive.
As Luo Jia ate, he felt a “high” coming on. The biological instinct in his neck, previously suppressed by inhibitors, broke through once more.
Luo Jia clutched his neck, looking at Cecil helplessly. Did this guy poison me?!
Cecil sighed. “I didn’t expect your body to be so receptive. These Star-Crystals are of very high purity. Your current body cannot handle the raw power inside; your evolution has restarted.”
Astra had brought back a human with truly remarkable compatibility with the Zerg race.
“I… I’m so hot…” Luo Jia felt as if ants were biting his body—both itchy and painful. He collapsed into the Holy Spring. Before the water could fill his mouth and nose, Cecil caught him.
Cecil was also struggling to maintain his composure.
Because of the heat, Luo Jia’s glands had swollen, emitting an incredibly potent fragrance. Even the habitually restrained High Priest felt an urge to lick the sweat from Luo Jia’s skin, to thrust his hidden mouthparts into Luo Jia’s mouth until the boy was covered entirely in Cecil’s scent…
Cecil gritted his teeth. He knew this was a “desperate measure” used by Mothers during vulnerable periods—attracting and intoxicating the Zerg to force them to protect her.
I am not one of those weak-willed fools.
Luo Jia pushed the tray away and tried to crawl out of the spring. Milky water droplets slid down his spine, and the view below his tailbone was partially obscured by the mist.
Cecil finally lost his patience. He stepped out of the spring, grabbed the clothes, hauled Luo Jia out of the water in one motion, and draped the fabric over him.
Luo Jia felt the burning and stinging sensation again, as if his body were being rearranged. He couldn’t see it, but his eyes were shifting from black to a deep, glowing gold.
“This can’t go on…” Cecil carried Luo Jia out of the room, quickly opening another set of large doors. Behind layers of curtains was a soft bed made of stacked spider silk.
He laid Luo Jia carefully on the bed.
“Ugh… it hurts…” Luo Jia rolled across the silk.
Cecil sighed. As a Priest, his relationship with the Mother was very nuanced. Ordinary Zerg could only receive soothing from the Mother, but he, as the Priest, possessed the power to alleviate a Mother’s pain during evolution.
Cecil unfastened his outer robe, revealing the garment beneath. The back of his shirt was completely open, showing his pale, powerful back. From his shoulder blades, a pair of wings suddenly unfurled.
What magnificent wings they were! It was a pity Luo Jia couldn’t see them. They were blue butterfly wings, shimmering with gold and silver spots, their outlines as sharp and dark as black sapphires.
Cecil looked at the writhing Luo Jia and muttered, “Lucky you.”
His wings shed a shower of scales as brilliant as stardust. As the powder was absorbed by Luo Jia, the boy’s expression finally began to relax.