Ling left the Mother’s sanctuary only to find several of his colleagues waiting for him outside. He walked over and stood there like a wall, blocking their view. “What’s this? Why are you all crowding the entrance?”
Eros was annoyed by his posturing. “Hmph, Ling. Just because Mother treats you with a bit more favor doesn’t mean you’re doing a good job. You can’t even take care of him properly. I sincerely suggest that if you’re not up to the task, let me take over.”
Ling looked down at Eros. “I’m afraid Mother doesn’t care for your juvenile physique. Mother prefers a strong, robust build like mine.”
Everyone present looked displeased. Except for Eros, who maintained a youthful teenage form, the others possessed the lean, lithe frames of young men.
Selan glanced Ling up and down and said flatly, “If you’re so strong, do you dare reveal your true form to him?”
Ling, having his sore spot poked, snapped instantly. “You damn moth!”
Astra adjusted the brim of his military cap. “Enough. Let’s end this farce. Cecil has called for a roundtable meeting; we’re waiting for him.” He paused. “It’s regarding the matter of the two Broodmothers.”
Qing said nothing, his eyes fixed fervently on the temple.
Inside, Cecil’s treatment was complete. He retracted his wings, returning to his role as the holy Priest. The Mother clutched his arm, sobbing. Cecil sighed, stroking Kaka’s hair. “Don’t cry. Take a slow, deep breath and pull those traits back in, alright? Don’t be afraid…”
Kaka’s Zerg features receded. He closed his eyes, his breathing stabilizing. He was exhausted and soon fell asleep. Cecil summoned the attendants. “Watch over Mother. Notify me the moment he wakes.”
Cecil straightened his clothes and walked out of Kaka’s sleeping quarters. Seeing the Legion Commanders waiting, he nodded. “Let’s go.”
They arrived at the conference hall. After taking their seats, Cecil glanced at the empty chair belonging to the First Legion. He sighed. “Asar is absent. Is there no one representing the First Legion?”
The heavy doors swung open.
“Who says the First Legion has no one?” A female Zerg walked in. She had long, dark red hair and striking features. Her black military uniform highlighted her sharp, heroic aura, and the eight spider legs protruding from her back were not retracted.
She took the First Legion’s seat. “My apologies for being late.”
Cecil frowned. “Olivia, retract your legs. Don’t let Mother see them.”
“Tsk.” Olivia rolled her eyes. “Lord Asar said he would find the true Broodmother.” She pointed a finger—tipped with bright red nail polish—at Cecil. “Not your version that sits on a throne weeping and fears our true forms.”
She turned to Astra. “And you, losing the Essence and letting a human absorb it… ridiculous. I wonder what ‘brilliant’ insights you all have to share.”
Olivia was the strongest Zerg under Asar, second in strength only to Asar and Astra themselves. This “Spider Beauty” usually guarded Asar’s domain, patrolled the star-seas, and hunted monsters on the border.
Cecil sneered. “Mother has already evolved and gained a Zerg form. The establishment of the Hive Mind is only a matter of time.”
Qing, who had been silent, spoke up. “You’re all wrong. Mother can already open the Hive Mind.”
Everyone turned to him. Olivia’s pupils narrowed into thin black lines. “What do you mean?”
Qing recounted his experience. “I lost control on Hades Star D-01. It was Mother’s hand that soothed me and restored my sanity.” His eyes shone with fanaticism. “Mother saved us all.”
Olivia looked at him skeptically. “I think you’ve just lost your mind.”
“Could you describe the situation again?” Cecil asked. Qing nodded and gave a detailed account of that day.
Eros crossed his legs. “What’s going on? Ling, Cecil—you’ve been guarding Mother. Has he shown any abnormalities?”
Ling rubbed his chin. “Mother has seemed exhausted lately. Could he have used the Hive Mind unconsciously?”
Olivia, determined to be contrary, asked, “Why couldn’t it be the one Astra brought back?”
“Impossible,” Cecil countered. “That human just completed his transformation. He hasn’t even shown signs of ‘Zergification’ yet. He couldn’t possibly open the Hive Mind.”
Astra interjected, “The human I brought back has fused with the Essence. His glands are fully developed. If he enters the Zergification stage, it isn’t impossible for the Hive Mind to manifest immediately.”
Olivia stood up. “In the past, no race dared provoke us. The best resource systems were beneath our feet. And now? Without Mother’s soothing, our mental stability is crumbling. High-tier Zerg strength is declining. And now these monsters have appeared. Priest Cecil, the water level of the Life Pool is dropping fast. If it dries up and the Tree of Life dies, we will vanish from history.”
Cecil replied, “We have found Mother. The rest is just a matter of time.”
“The core of the problem,” Olivia pointed out, “is that two Mothers will split the Zerg. Have you decided which one to keep?”
Selan added, “Mother has evolved, though his glands had issues… But will the Mother brought from the human world accept us without prejudice?”
Olivia laughed. “So Selan wants to choose the one who cries on the throne?”
“I am merely being objective,” Selan said. “Olivia, calm down.”
Astra tapped his long fingers on the table. “Arguments are meaningless right now. Cecil will observe both Mothers. This matter is settled for now.”
Eros asked, “And what about the monsters Qing mentioned, Lord Priest?”
Cecil looked over the data. “I haven’t found any records yet. I will continue searching the archives. Be cautious. May the Supreme Mother protect us.”
“May the Supreme Mother protect us.”
The meeting ended. Seeing that Olivia wasn’t leaving, Eros asked, “Still here?”
“I’m already on Andromeda,” Olivia said. “How could I not see the ‘other’ Mother?” Without looking at her colleagues, she headed straight for the new Mother’s location.
The new Mother, Luo Jia, lived in the Rose Garden. It was located in a secluded corner of the Sanctuary, lacking precious jewels or Star-Crystals. Even the attendants were few.
Olivia raised an eyebrow. “Cecil looks calm, but he’s clearly worried about Mother discovering the newcomer.”
She walked into the garden and saw a youth in a white robe sitting on the steps. A butterfly rested on his fingertip. Olivia thought: The toxins on that butterfly’s wings are enough to kill a high-level Star-Beast.
Luo Jia heard someone enter and looked up. He saw a stunningly beautiful woman. Her military uniform and the eight spider legs behind her gave her an aura of lethal grace.
Luo Jia stared at her curiously.
Olivia had originally intended to scare the new Mother into tears. But facing those non-aggressive, curious eyes, her hostility vanished. She instinctively wanted to show off her best side—her proud spider legs and her elegant gait.
Olivia approached Luo Jia and cleared her throat, pitch-shifting her voice to be softer. “Hello. I am Olivia, current head of the First Legion. May I… sit beside you, Prince Luo Jia?”
Luo Jia had seen her aggressive entrance and thought she was there for trouble. But faced with such a beautiful “big sister’s” request, Luo Jia didn’t even think before he…
Refused.