"The usage rights for the Great Information Nest will not be opened for the time being."
The white male insectoid’s expression remained calm as he impassively rejected the Flash-Pattern Sub-King’s attempt to get something for nothing. He seemed not to notice the other’s unsightly complexion or the wings that were being held back from grinding together in frustration.
"Please do not misunderstand. We have no need to relax the Nest’s usage for the sake of other tribes' requests, nor will we radicalize our views because of a failure to reach a consensus."
The Flash-Pattern representative looked as if he had just taken a hit from an anti-aircraft gun.
To be suppressed by a male during a negotiation was an unimaginable humiliation. Furthermore, the black Core-species was constantly interjecting to strip away every possible advantage, giving the stifled insect the illusion of being targeted. Yet, the Sub-King of the Grey-Wing tribe seemed to turn a blind eye to this overstepping, allowing them to hold their ground tenaciously regarding the ownership of the Great Information Nest.
Originally, different tribes held varying degrees of usage rights over the Nest. However, the "Red Taisui" of terrifying legend had simply taken a shovel to this cactus ball, uprooting it, packing it up, and carrying it away... all in one smooth motion.
The winning-by-default Grey-Wing Sub-King had merely been unconscious for a night; when he opened his eyes the next morning, he found a lingering "rambutan" had been added to his territory. Currently, the quality of deep-space communication for the other tribes was a total mess, and it was hard to say whose fault that actually was.
"You are keeping two opportunists," the Flash-Pattern representative hissed, barely suppressing the aggression in his voice. "Their ability to please their superiors is truly exceptional."
"To avoid any unnecessary misconceptions on your part, I need to correct some of your views."
The dialogue of all the insects present was obscure and cautious. High-level Core-gene tribes held the power of discourse—literally. They possessed a unique right to define and interpret language.
"Sakti is my ally, not a subordinate. I share every shattered scale and every piece of stripped flesh with him; I respect his will as I respect my own."
"You’re mad, Clark! Listen to the conditions your so-called 'ally' is proposing!" The insect with black-and-white patterns nearly stood up in his rage. "He refuses to cooperate and demands that the Flash-Pattern tribe accept the coordination of the Grey-Wings—what kind of absurd pipe dream is this!"
"The difference between a pipe dream and a negotiation condition is that the former is a fantasy, while the latter has the capacity to become reality."
Sakti wasn't angry. His golden-brown eyes looked directly at his restless interlocutor. The more the other party displayed anger in a conversation, the more it indicated they were in a state of extreme anxiety.
"The last ones to say this was impossible were the Sub-Kings of the Broad-Wing and the Pedipalp tribes. Then, I made them watch it happen with their own eyes."
The other party hadn't actually said that. However, one of the inherent skills of a human was to fabricate a quote from a famous person when none was available. He had once forgotten his lines during a pre-battle mobilization and had simply made up a military strategist named Yankolov Lysavich Ostrovsky from an old geographical location. From then on, whenever he couldn't remember who he was quoting, he threw the blame onto this non-existent Yankolov.
In any case, the audience only cared about clapping; no one ever checked the footnotes afterward.
"This request is far too harsh for us."
The one speaking slowly was the representative of the Awl tribe. Their people were taciturn, spending their days buried in labor and construction; their desire for battle was far weaker than their desire to build houses.
"If the conditions you listed are implemented, it will mean the extinction of the Awl tribe. We will no longer be able to exist as a tribe, but only as appendages. As far as I know, the fate of tribes that become vassals is generally not very good."
They were indeed blunt and stubborn, but they also spoke directly to the heart of the matter. The insect with blue-grey markings didn't care for the art of circumlocution; he said exactly what was on his mind.
"I am certainly not asking for unconditional concessions out of thin air. What we seek is a win-win situation and continued existence."
The skill of "dangling a carrot" usually required only the simplest trigger. Once the conversation moved to the level of making grand promises, the Core-species instantly returned to his comfort zone.
In this state, everyone became a "we" in a loving community, so seamless that one could hardly tell he had been ruthlessly attacking the Flash-Pattern tribe moments ago.
The Awl tribe was a wonderful lineage. The look in Sakti’s eyes as he watched their Sub-King was full of joy and kindness. He had a small hobby: dragging good employees along to create productive value.
"Most of the insect star sectors are still lagging behind the conventional path of development. A large number of tribe members lack the simplest guarantees for life. We manage star sectors that should be affluent as if they were impoverished villages, with no correctly functioning institutions behind the brief flashes of prosperity."
"Trust me—" Sincerity was the ultimate killing blow. The Awl tribe radiated the glow of potential profit, causing the Core-species to offer a rare smile to his negotiation partner. "We need to deepen our understanding of each other through a longer, more detailed discussion to reach a further consensus."
From start to finish, the entire preliminary contact took half a day.
Sakti had been plucked from his nest in the middle of the night and was only liberated from this overtime work just before dawn. He liked watching workers do overtime, but he didn't like doing it himself.
This wasn't a formal meeting; it was more like a probing dialogue before a summons.
Aside from the initial tension, the Flash-Pattern Sub-King unexpectedly showed a slicker side in the subsequent exchange, no longer charging headlong with his emotions on his sleeve. Roxanne clearly had no intention of softening, and since the "soft" approach wouldn't work, the other party quickly switched strategies.
Decisions and victories of such magnitude could not be achieved overnight; endless haggling awaited the three parties in the tug-of-war to come.
Once the time for the next, more formal meeting was set, the communication was completely severed, and the holographic figures vanished in an instant.
The black Core-species immediately slumped into his chair, legs splayed.
"I don't want to walk."
The unruly female insectoid had grabbed Gla’s hand again at some point. His lazy tail-whip swayed along with his chuckle. "Fly Qiming over here. You carry me back to the nest."
"It’ll be nice to catch the breeze."
"I had it stop outside the meeting nest. It’ll take a moment to fly here. Wait for me."
Seeing his partner so exhausted was rare. The male, who still couldn't use mental power, quickly stood up and gave Sakti a brief, affectionate nuzzle. He did his best to look as happy as usual, then walked out while setting up the information linker.
"I'll call you when it's ready."
However, the moment the male’s figure disappeared through the doorway, Sakti sat bolt upright like a reanimated corpse. The movement was so sudden that even Clark couldn't help but turn to look at him.
Sakti’s hand tugged at the high-tier insect twice. "Quick, give me the communication code for that Flash-Pattern Sub-King... Ro... Rodran."
A look of speechless exasperation appeared in the pale eyes. The silver-grey tail ruthlessly swatted away the fumbling hand.
"His name is Roland."
"Fine, fine. The communication code."
It had to be said, this maneuver felt very "sneaky." He spoke while listening intently to the sounds outside. A female insect’s keen hearing and sense of smell were helping immensely in a strange way.
"I do not wish to see you scare him away."
The Grey-Wing leader, his voice devoid of ripples, transferred the channel to the other’s linker. His calm smile carried a clear message: *If you dare act recklessly, I will wring your head off.*
"You want to ask about the specifics on Roxanne’s behalf, but not everything must be exposed to a partner without reservation."
"Males are more delicate and sensitive than we are. Their emotional needs are also stronger. Facts that are too cruel will cause them injuries that are difficult to heal."
With a soft sigh, Clark glanced at the open door.
"Though we are born in slaughter and shall die in slaughter, most cubs still long for the caress of their kin when they are young—no matter how they hide it, no matter how unmoved they pretend to be."
"I know."
The smile faded from Sakti’s face, and he simply gave a brief nod. "I’ll handle it."
Thus, when the male came running back in, calling for his partner and saying, "Let’s go back," the Core-species scooped him up in one go.
"Let’s go, let’s go. Home to sleep while it’s still dark."
Gla waved to Clark and Cleman, then stopped moving. He leaned against the black female’s shoulder, pressing against him listlessly. After the meeting ended, the white insect had tried his best to maintain a normal expression, but it was clearly not very successful.
"I’ll handle the controls."
Naturally taking over, Sakti sent Qiming into the air. The custom-made cockpit was truly too cramped, which had once made him consider whether to install a two-person seat, but he had eventually abandoned the idea due to the massive amount of engineering required.
Right now, he didn't want to squeeze into the dark, small space with Gla. So, he set an automatic trajectory, obtained flight path approval, and used the linker for synchronized control. He sat in the crook of the mecha’s arm, holding the male insectoid as they moved forward at a quite leisurely pace.
The coldest season had quietly passed, and the pre-dawn wind was very gentle.
"I once read countless stories of the Old Lands, and I have witnessed too many successive partings."
The male remained curled in his arms. Once the confrontational negotiation concluded, the blustering energy he had used as a facade seemed to be drained away instantly. Every time Gla saw him, he would usually buzz with joy; it was rare for him to be so drained of the strength to speak.
"Some people believe that love is a panacea, sufficient to smooth over any pain and fill every chasm."
The pre-dawn night sky took on a heavy, ink-like hue. Even the stars on the hanging canopy of heaven seemed distant and cold.
Sakti gently stroked the other’s long white hair. He received no response, but he continued speaking anyway.
"While others believe that the core of love is plunder, inequality—one side seeking a response from the other that they cannot obtain."
At this, the white insect stirred.
Like a kitten, he gave a very, very light nudge against Sakti’s arm, but he never raised his head.
"I think neither of these sayings is wrong," the Core-species said. He felt a dampness on his shoulder.
Many children instinctively love their parents. Things they cannot obtain eventually become the magical copper lamps and wishing stars described in picture books, even if that love brings them shame and pain.
Long after being abandoned, the lonely insect had finally lost his tribe entirely.
He had once wanted to prove himself—to prove that he could become very, very powerful, just like any healthy Core-gene species. Such a secret, selfish wish was something he was ashamed to show others, so it had to be buried deep, in a place where even he couldn't find it.
The male’s crying was faint, like a drowning person unable to make a sound; even with all his strength, he couldn't convey it well.
But Sakti heard it.
His strong, powerful wings folded inward, hiding his weeping lover in his embrace—hiding him within the warm and safe darkness.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 罗兰德 | Roland | The Sub-King of the Flash-Pattern tribe. |
| 扬科洛夫·来萨维奇·奥斯托洛夫斯基 | Yankolov Lysavich Ostrovsky | A fictional military strategist made up by Sakti. |
| 阔翅种 | Broad-Wing species | Another insectoid tribe mentioned in passing. |
| 足肢种 | Pedipalp species | Another insectoid tribe mentioned in passing. |
| 附庸 | Vassal / Appendage | Refers to a tribe that has lost its independence. |
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