Luo Jia’s consciousness slowly returned. As he opened his eyes, he saw the Priest, Cecil, fastening the buttons on his outer robe.
“How are you feeling now?” Cecil asked.
Luo Jia felt as though this scene was remarkably like the morning after something unspeakable had happened…
“I soaked in the spring, and then I ate something.” Luo Jia looked at the unfinished golden fragments on the plate and asked, “What exactly is this?”
Cecil fastened the final button and smoothed out his own clothes. “Energy Star-Crystals.”
Luo Jia asked, “Did I eat something I wasn’t supposed to?”
Cecil enjoyed the look of panic on Luo Jia’s face for a moment before saying leisurely, “It seems you still haven’t realized your own situation.” He pinched a piece of the crystal. “This replenishes the energy your body lacks; it won’t harm you. Also, I have something to tell you. Congratulations—from today onward, you are officially part of the Zerg race.”
“What do you mean?” Luo Jia quickly checked his body. Nothing strange seemed to have grown out of him.
Cecil sighed inwardly. He had read about the Mother brought from the human world in the last Star Era; she had died in despair, unable to accept her Zerg identity.
Will this Mother walk the same path?
Cecil asked, “Do you remember what you drank?”
Luo Jia: “I…”
Seeing Luo Jia’s dazed expression, Cecil continued, “Do you want to know why we call you ‘Mother’?”
“I don’t know,” Luo Jia admitted.
“Not long ago, we lost a bottle of Original Broodmother Essence,” Cecil said.
Luo Jia’s eyes widened. “Is that essence… inside me?”
Cecil nodded. “Yes. As for how it got there, that is no longer important. What matters is that you must learn how to be an excellent Mother.”
The weight of the unknown filled Luo Jia with dread. He recalled how Eros and Astra had called him “Broodmother.” He thought to himself: Does this mean I have to spread my legs and continuously give birth to children? The thought sent a chill down his spine.
So, he blurted out the question.
Cecil looked deeply offended. “Your thoughts are filthy. Our reproduction does not happen through… what you are imagining. In any case, rest well. If you need anything, the Zerg attendants outside will provide for you.”
Without letting Luo Jia respond, Cecil hurried out of the bedroom as if his feet were being scorched.
After Cecil left, the room fell silent. Luo Jia walked barefoot across the clean floor.
A floor-to-ceiling window spanned an entire wall, draped in white gauze curtains. Outside, the sunlight was perfect—and notably, there wasn’t a pair of suns here. Delicate white roses climbed up stone pillars carved with strange patterns. The spray from the courtyard fountain shimmered with rainbows.
A sense of peace filled Luo Jia’s heart. Sitting by the window, he suddenly remembered the words he’d heard when he first transmigrated. Those men had said “the item” wasn’t on him… Were they looking for the Broodmother Essence?
He thought again of the man with the navy-blue eyes. Why had he come to that planet?
Luo Jia stood up and found a mirror. He looked at his reflection, feeling a sense of unreality. His skin was pale and flawless, his lips a vivid red. His black hair shimmered with silver light. He touched his eyes—the black pupils had indeed turned a brilliant gold.
“My eyes… they’re gold?” Luo Jia studied himself. “Well, it doesn’t look bad at least.”
As Cecil exited the new Mother’s palace, he commanded the guards, “Watch him. Do not allow him to leave.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
Suddenly, a Zerg attendant rushed over from a distance. “Lord Priest! The Mother is feeling unwell again!”
Cecil frowned. “What happened?”
“Unclear. Just moments ago, the Mother began complaining of chest pains.”
“I see. I’ll be there immediately.”
Cecil hurried through the corridors, leaving the secluded corner of the Sanctuary behind. When he arrived at the Mother’s main palace, Ling was already holding him in his arms, trying to soothe him.
This “Mother” a youth named Kaka—was slender and frail. Long black hair cascaded nearly to his ankles. His cherry-colored eyes were moist, shimmering with unshed tears. When he saw Cecil, he nudged Ling.
“Let me down, Ling.”
Ling obediently set him down. The moment Kaka’s feet touched the floor, he lunged into Cecil’s arms. “Cecil! Where were you? I missed you so much…”
Cecil’s heart softened. Such a fragile Mother… He looked at Kaka’s bare feet, bent down to scoop him up, and said, “Don’t cry, Kaka. I was only gone for a moment.”
Kaka tilted his head, looking at him with bunny-like eyes. “But… Cecil, why do you have such a fragrant scent on you? It smells so familiar… did you plant new flowers?”
Ling’s heart skipped a beat. They hadn’t told Kaka about the new “Mother” yet. Kaka was kind, and he might understand, but Ling felt guilty; he didn’t want Cecil to reveal the secret yet.
Cecil kissed Kaka’s hair. “I’ve been researching a new breed of flower and caught some of the scent. If you don’t like it, I won’t go near them again.”
Kaka shook his head, leaning affectionately against Cecil’s chest. “It’s okay, Cecil. No matter what, I love you most.”
Behind them, Ling’s jaw tightened in jealousy.
Cecil allowed a small smile to form. He placed Kaka on the bed and knelt to put shoes on the boy’s feet. “The floor is cold. Do not go barefoot.”
“It’s okay, the carpet is soft…”
Cecil looked at him sternly. “No.”
Kaka was startled by Cecil’s seriousness and whispered, “Okay…”
Ling, protective of his Mother, spoke up. “There’s no need to be so harsh. You’re scaring Kaka.”
Cecil clicked his tongue and shot a glance at Ling. “It is precisely because you are watching him that Kaka falls ill and feels pain.”
Ling was left speechless. Damn him.
Kaka tugged gently on Cecil’s robe. “Don’t be angry. Ling was just listening to me… My chest really did hurt just now, like something was pulling at me…”
Cecil thought of Luo Jia’s evolution earlier. Could there be a connection between the two Mothers? “Kaka, how about now?”
Kaka shook his head. “It’s gone now.”
Cecil turned to Ling. “Get out. I need to treat the Mother.”
Ling nodded. “Fine.”
Once Ling left, Cecil removed his outer robe. He covered Kaka’s eyes and said, “Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.”
Kaka knew what was coming and began to tremble. “I-it’s… it’s okay… I…”
“Shh
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