Male insects are weak, and they are simple.
This was the self-perception and role most males accepted; they truly did not believe they were capable of anything extraordinary.
After learning how to use the Information Nest, the number of males stepping out of their hives to join the workforce gradually increased. Lacking other abilities, they could only work with a simple-minded diligence, striving to do their best at what they had learned, staking their lives to complete the tasks assigned to them.
In the brief moment they infiltrated the Foot-limb species' control towers and warship terminals, the Great Information Nest let out a thunderous roar of static. Many males suffered from a sudden surge of redundant pressure, blood seeping from their respiratory tracts and eye sockets on the spot.
The Nest itself was not damaged; it had simply awakened completely.
Every terminal screen represented an infiltrated Foot-limb warship, flickering erratically due to the leader’s fully open consciousness—a phenomenon humans called the "spiritual sea" and used to link with starships, and which the King Insects called the "pathway" or the "web," used to connect the swarm and open the ruins.
Lines of code for *Access Denied* scrolled layer upon layer, spreading through the Foot-limb fleet with the speed of a viral infection.
Some males let out thin whimpers and hums. They had no tears, nor did they dare move away from their link-bolts. They lowered their voices, struggling to maintain the stability of the reverse erosion and share the burden of the leader’s pressure.
Most of the insects present did not know what kind of battle was unfolding in the distant star sectors. They did not know if their actions could change the course of the war, nor did they know that in the Angon of the Foot-limb species, too many males were being tragically slaughtered to the last.
It was simply that Gera and Xiao needed help, and so they were here.
The scene was, in fact, somewhat ironic.
The King Insects of the past had also used biological units as carriers, but they had chosen almost exclusively female insects, reinforcing the consciousness link in a twisted manner. They had wound layers upon layers of restless chains, refusing to let any insect escape that curse.
Everything was for the eternal prosperity of the race.
Now, the ones doing this were the males—crying as they did it, acting of their own volition while suffering from frantic nosebleeds.
Though it was grueling and painful, not a single insect thought of fleeing.
The Nest was scrolling frantically.
Countless lines of "I found you" replaced "Access Denied." During a deep link, the unskilled leader’s consciousness was completely laid bare, existing in a state of extreme candor. All thoughts were shared with the Nest, with nowhere to hide.
The difference was that previously, only King Insects used the Great Information Nest, which was like thinking whatever one wanted behind closed doors. Now, however, Gera was operating it alongside a group of males... in a sense, it was a public exposure of his soul.
Xiao, situated beneath the central link-bolt, wanted to both cry and laugh.
Until he felt a dampness on his cheek.
At first, it was only a few drops, and the light-brown male did not react. By the time he realized what it was, it had turned into a steady, pitter-patter of liquid.
Some fell on him; others fell toward the ground further below.
It was the smell of blood.
It was seeping out from the tightly encased core link-bolt.
Crimson tentacles coiled and licked at the blood, once again swarming over and sealing the core in the center.
As if trying to throttle its prey into a complete embrace, this creature—lacking self-awareness and possessing only instinct—was fully revealing its nature, driven by the same intense emotions.
The nature of the insect race was to plunder, to consume, to feast upon the other’s remains even after death to become one forever, allowing no escape.
The behavior of the Great Information Nest was like a mirror, reflecting all of this without any disguise.
"Let go!"
The light-brown Short-wing could not leave his seat. He was one of the few who saw and understood the current state of the Grey-wing swarm—Clark’s fleet was in a critical situation. If the link were disconnected prematurely now, it would mean the Grey-wing Sub-King and Sakdi might be trapped and killed on the spot.
Xiao could only pound on the bulkhead of the link-bolt and the connection elements, rapidly inputting commands into the Nest.
"Let him go! He’ll die!"
His voice broke into a buzzing sob of desperation. Several times, Xiao tried to scramble up and tear away the restraints holding him in place.
"If you don't let go, Gera really will die!"
This amount of blood was terrifying. The act of shutting down an entire fleet could not possibly come without a price.
In the next second, as if responding to this mournful cry, an arm reached out from the core link-bolt, passing through the layers of crimson tentacles.
It was a pale hand, bearing no resemblance to a human form.
Fine, pearl-colored scales covered the arm, standing out vividly in the dim environment against the deep red background.
That hand gently stroked the tentacles that were tightly clutching their beloved insect, refusing to let the leader leave.
It was like stroking a larva that could not yet distinguish right from wrong—one that clung stubbornly and acted out of turn because it feared being abandoned by its kin. It was very gentle, very light, devoid of any reprimand.
It simply stroked, slowly, again and again.
On every screen, the frantically jumping "I found you" and "Access Denied" fell silent at some unknown point, sinking into stillness.
This stalemate lasted for a brief moment.
Then, the shivering, hair-raising bestiality hid itself away.
The tentacles that had been strangling the prey suddenly uncoiled, exposing the core link-bolt that had been sealed airtight.
The white Core Gene male was stained red with blood.
Blood continued to seep from his respiratory organs, his eye sockets, his ears, the connection tentacles on his chest, and even his skin.
"It’s okay. Disconnect."
Speaking in a low voice, the male slowly soothed the now-sluggish Nest. He truly had no strength left to move, nor the strength to withdraw the link himself.
Having snapped out of its frenzied state, the Great Information Nest became timid. Because it was connected to the wreckage of Kamlan’s model, this expressed emotion was even clearer—as if a muddled information processing terminal had sprouted a sliver of thought akin to a larva.
Erratic, savage, and full of its own desires.
But it was also very much like a puppy instinctively seeking the affection of its kin. Thus, it would pull its beloved object tightly into its arms, unwilling to let them go, wanting to merge into one even in death.
It was hard to say who influenced whom between Gera and the Nest; when the madness took hold, the male insect might have even had the upper hand.
But in the end, they both made concessions for something else.
Fortunately, that brief moment of seizing authority was enough for the Grey-wing swarm and Sakdi to escape danger, and enough for the side that was at a stalemate or even a disadvantage to turn the tide.
Gera "saw" his partner, just as he "saw" the Foot-limb fleet fall into chaos, saw Kleman and the Armed-wing ships counterattack the invaders on the spot, and saw the distant, deadlocked Sub-King fleet instantly tear a massive wound in their prey.
Everything in this universe had nowhere to hide. All image-capturing devices were his eyes, all communication lines were his auditory system, and all reality-imaging devices were his lips and tongue, seeing, hearing, and speaking for him.
His partner looked somewhat exhausted, but he was not injured.
Gera nearly shed tears.
He had been too afraid before, and he had to hide that fear deep down so the other insects wouldn't discover it.
He was afraid that Sakdi would never return, vanishing into some corner of the sea of stars, vanishing into the rifts of Akasha.
This was more terrifying to him than tangible death.
His human had crossed the long river of life and death to come to his side, only to almost leave again.
It was only upon seeing him that his panicked heart finally found its footing.
"I found you," the white insect whispered. His consciousness was a bit blurred; he wasn't even quite aware of what he was murmuring.
He patted the tentacles of the puppy-like Nest, wanting to tell the panicked Xiao and the other males that they didn't need to be afraid anymore. Sakdi and Clark, as well as Kleman and the rest of the Grey-wings, would be fine. Their clansmen, friends, and the ones they loved would most likely be safe; the most difficult moment had passed.
Those fierce Foot-limb females had lost their chance to defeat their opponents. They could no longer rush into the Grey-wing habitat to carry out a bloody massacre, nor could they inflict their cruel methods upon his companions as they did their own males.
The encirclement plan had utterly collapsed. The enemy had failed to push the Sub-King and Sakdi into Akasha together, and they had failed to keep them on the ground forever.
It had taken almost all the efforts of every male insect to cut through the tightening noose.
No hunting net would ever again be able to trap the Core-species as they soared into the sky.
The Sakdi he loved so dearly was the wind, the fire, a bird unafraid of the waves; he could pass through fate and time, through the ocean of stars, never ceasing.
Long, long ago, when the other had gone to Kamlan alone and they communicated across a vast distance, the male insect had given a promise—"You should fly very, very high, and I can catch up."
That promise was finally fulfilled.
Just as his partner had once placed him upon a high pedestal, and had once praised him in the gentle night as a pure white, beautiful star that would burn forever.
He could also protect the other well—protect all the males around him, protect his beloved clansmen, and protect every friend. Just as they, with the same effort, had tried recklessly to protect him.
"Sorry for scaring you."
Gera could not see his own condition, but he saw Xiao, whose scales were bristling with fear as he rushed toward him regardless of everything.
He wanted to tell him it was okay, that he was just a little tired and would recover after a rest.
The moment he felt the warm little male embrace him, his wavering vision gradually darkened.
The pale arm covered in fine scales slid down.
All links to the Great Information Nest were severed.
It no longer seized control of the Foot-limb species' thousands of warships. Its outer shell, which had been crawling frantically, returned to a state of calm, as if going into hibernation.
The Nest body, which had overheated from running at maximum power, began to cool slowly at the same time.
The transfigured white genetic-defect insect was like a butterfly caught in a deep web, entwined and held fast by countless thin, crimson tentacles.
Blood dripped slowly along the drooping, moon-white wings, staining the pearl-like patterns into a magnificent yet terrifying color.
All the insects who had stopped their connections came stumbling together.
Some of them still had traces of blood on their faces that had not yet dried—the price for disabling an entire fleet was truly too high. To only have a nosebleed was considered lucky; Gera, who had truly borne the brunt of it, had already lost consciousness.
These insects had dazed, sleepwalking expressions, unable to believe what they had accomplished, while simultaneously feeling lost because of their friend's condition.
The frail males held Gera tightly, clumsily moving him out of the link-bolt, then huddling around him in a buzzing circle.
The flames of war outside had not yet ceased, and they could not seek help; the floor of the Nest still vibrated with residual tremors.
In the uneasy atmosphere, Xiao leaned down, catching his friend in his transfigured state.
Fine cracks extended along his chest, and light-colored tentacles entwined the injured white insect. Just as the other had once gently held him when his consciousness was shattered and he was trapped in a nightmare.
Then a second, and a third male insect pressed close.
Some low-gene males had very short tentacles that had no healing effect at all, but they still tried their best to help.
"Don't be afraid," the light-brown insect whispered. Now, a large group of insects sat huddled tightly together, warm and cozy.
Xiao cradled his most, most important friend—one as important as Selin—and briefly closed his eyes.
"Don't be afraid."
He seemed to be saying it to himself, and to all his companions.
"It will get better."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
足肢种 | Foot-limb species | A race of insects characterized by their many limbs/appendages.
大信息巢 | Great Information Nest | A massive biological/technological psychic relay used by the insects.
核心基因 | Core Gene | Refers to the highest or most fundamental genetic tier of the insect race.
异化姿态 | Transfigured state | A physical transformation triggered by high-level genetic or psychic activity.
亚王虫 | Sub-King | A high-ranking insect just below the King class.
阿卡夏 | Akasha | A reference to a specific spatial/dimensional rift or phenomenon in the setting.
短翅种 | Short-wing species | A specific classification or subspecies of insect.
月白翅翼 | Moon-white wings | Descriptive term for Gera's wings in his transfigured state.
Enjoying the story? Rate this novel:
Sacre-D: Reborn as the Swarm's Apex | Chapter 129 | I Found You | Novela.app | Novela.app
