Male insects were creatures prone to falling into low moods. This did not mean they were worthless in the mental domain; on the contrary, the mental power of most males was generally higher than that of worker females of the same rank.
High mental power made them more sensitive, perceptive, and easily drawn into a vortex of negative emotions.
Sarkdi had noticed several times how Roxanne accurately gauged his own emotions, so he decided to offer the little male a job—one that had fallen from the sky, and currently came with no salary.
"The entirety of Ja isn't connected to the Ring-Net, but I need you to help me find some things. You can use the equipment on this little scrap to connect to the Energy Star’s... local intranet."
Sarkdi had searched his mind for a long time without finding a suitable term to describe the small-scale information exchange network within the insect race—a "web" in the truest sense. The biological technology of the insects existed as both an abstraction and a physical reality, forcing him to dig up a fossil-like synonym.
The white male insect looked dazed for a moment, then became restless and uneasy.
"Can I... really do it?"
"You can."
The Core Species’ expression was calm and natural, radiating a serious aura of profound trust. Sarkdi reached out and ruffled Roxanne’s head, his voice turning low and soft. "You’re very capable, and your mental strength is high. I need you to help me gather data on all human starships from the last ten years, and while you’re at it, look for information regarding the various Core Species groups."
He felt the other party comfortably narrow his two pairs of eyes at the head-patting.
"Don't worry, this isn't a simple task, so you can take your time. Any information will do," he said, as if soothing a young grub.
If anyone human who knew Sarkdi had been present, alarm bells would have been ringing.
It was such a familiar scene. The prelude to his "carrot-dangling" skill.
The black Core Species felt no remorse for his actions. Wasting talent was a crime; if a person didn't push themselves while alive, they were no different from a salted fish.
However, Roxanne looked too obedient. The sub-adult male was so thin and small that it always gave Sarkdi the illusion of hiring a minor, causing him to subconsciously soften his manipulative "dream-selling" into an encouraging one.
"I-I’ll try."
The male sank his entire body into the oversized seat on the bridge, looking both apprehensive and eager to try. No female had ever required him to provide any function other than pleasure or reproductive duties.
The tall Core Species had validated his mental power, and the hand stroking his head felt wonderful. He could hear Sarkdi’s smiling voice rasping through the ends of his auditory system, making his scaled tail and wings itch.
For the insect race, "sub-adult" was merely a general term for a stage of life; in reality, there was no clear distinction from an adult.
Most low-to-mid-tier insects would only undergo pupation once. Only a few Core Species, like Sarkdi who had struck "insect-dung luck," would have the chance to experience it a second time.
The first pupation usually occurred during the transition between the larval and sub-adult stages, a period every insect went through. After that, those unable to achieve a genetic breakthrough would remain in that state for the rest of their lives.
Roxanne had already passed his first, but Sarkdi wasn't sure if a genetically defective specimen still had a chance for a second pupation. Moreover, the development during pupation often carried extreme uncertainty; the risks inherent in the process were enough to kill a weak male with insufficient physical strength.
The thought that the other might forever remain this tiny gave Sarkdi a headache.
He had to find a way to ensure the little white male wouldn't be bullied by other females when he wasn't around.
Unaware that he was being viewed as a "soft persimmon" easily squeezed by others, the male insect had already cheered up. He began connecting the information interface to the scavenger ship while stealing glances at the Core Species beside him.
"This seat is too big," Gera said hesitantly. By now, he had happily accepted this name, as if it were a unique little nickname between the two of them.
"I can't sit steady."
He hoped Sarkdi would hold him while he sat in the chair.
The black Core Species’ body was massive, perfectly capable of enveloping the entire male in his embrace. Those powerful, sturdy arms could tightly pin down prey attempting to flee, and if he raised his head, he would be right against the other’s jaw, allowing him to huddle close to the female and emit a soft, pleading hum.
Plunder and competition were written into the insects' genes. Just like the admiration for the strong, even the most peace-loving male had to follow this law.
His instincts, his emotions, and his pheromones—which had turned syrupy because of the other—all pointed to the same fact: he wanted to become this person’s mate.
He heard a tiny voice in his heart saying that there couldn't possibly be a better female in the universe than Sarkdi.
The other had rescued him from the scavenger ship, given him plenty of food, stroked his head, and praised him as a beautiful little star. And now, they had a little nest of their own on Energy Star.
This was much better than the best life he had ever imagined.
"Fine." The female accepted his request and immediately turned to leave. Before Gera’s head could fill with question marks, Sarkdi quickly returned with something in hand.
Sarkdi had two pillow-like cushions tucked under his arm. He easily hoisted Gera out of the chair, stuffed the cushions under his bottom, and then set the male back down.
Gera: "..."
Sarkdi also pulled a glittering object from his pocket and placed it on the console.
"For you. Use it as a decoration."
In the settlement of energy stones from the first match, another type of ore had accidentally been mixed in, hidden among the rewards by its dull, greyish crust.
When Sarkdi had casually ground away the rough exterior, it revealed a brilliant luster somewhere between a yellow topaz and golden rutilated quartz. It wasn't a particularly valuable stone, but it was beautiful. As a memento of his first overtime match, he had kept the little thing.
Gera’s attention was instantly captured by the stone.
The first thing he noticed was its color. It was exactly like the eyes of the Core Species in his transformed state—a slow flow of molten gold that shifted with the light.
Liking shiny things was a universal biological trait, much like how crows and magpies loved to collect bright, glittering objects.
The male insect picked up the stone, turning it over and over in his hands with a sense of pure joy.
This made Sarkdi reflect on whether their life was too austere, such that a mere scrap of stone could make the other flutter his wings with happiness.
This wasn't a good thing; children who were too simple were easily deceived. Although a male’s mental perception was sharp, villains were best at deceiving people... or insects.
In a primitive and savage place like Ja, once one lost protection, they would encounter unimaginably tragic treatment.
Sarkdi could intercept the vast majority of dangers, but fate was always full of surprises. He couldn't even control the fact that he had woken up after dying; there would only be more unexpected, dangerous moments in the days to come.
Gera had been taken under his wing, but that was far from enough. The male was too frail.
Gera was like a small beast following its instincts, possessing a certain shrewdness unique to the insect race, adept at seeking benefit and avoiding harm while reading the room.
Being attracted by strength and hormones was one thing; maintaining compassion for the weak was another. These were not "communication" in the conventional sense.
Sarkdi didn't need to domesticate an animal, nor did he need an original insect to learn human thoughts. He needed a companion whose way of thinking might be vastly different, but who could still follow closely in his footsteps even when facing an oncoming thunderstorm.
And the other didn't understand this yet.
As someone who never wasted much time on hesitation, he had already confirmed the path ahead. It would be a difficult journey fraught with hardship, every step filled with the unknown.
He was traveling with a genetically defective male; neither he nor Gera had enough margin for error to deal with risks.
Therefore, he needed the male to grow up as quickly as possible.
He wanted those crippled insect wings to be capable of stirring up a powerful enough storm in the future.
Ja was a starting point, not the destination.
He would try more than once to lead the other into contact with new things, giving the male enough opportunities to feel, to discern, and to confirm things he had never experienced.
But if the other consistently and firmly refused, then he could only end up raising Gera like a kitten.
Commendably, the side that appeared weak and fragile was clearly more courageous in trying than he had imagined.
Exceptional mental power, curiosity about the world, and a tenacious will to survive were the unique, innate advantages of this white male insect.
Sarkdi had trained too many humans, including some who were initially evaluated as "unsuitable for the next stage of combat" or "unlikely to withstand high-intensity psychological pressure." But training an insect was a first.
However, as long as he continued to use this female body, similar situations would only increase in the future.
And so, the heartless Core Species, while the little male was happily petting his stone, unhesitatingly dropped another bombshell.
"Starting tomorrow, outside of the time you spend collecting information, I will set aside some personal time to intensify your physical training."
Gera looked up blankly, wearing a "Huh?" expression, his hand not even having left the glittering golden stone.
With a kind smile, Sarkdi continued to utter cruel words. "I understand the physical differences between males and worker females, so I will hold you to the standards of a male. You just need to be healthier than you are now."
The black scaled tail tapped the other lightly, but that didn't mean the conversation was over.
"Then, I will teach you how to use the ship's operating system and every weapon on board, until you can take them apart and put them back together with your eyes closed."
The black-tailed worker female flashed a fake smile that was enough to make a swarm of grubs cry.
"There will be exams."
He said.
"One every seven days."
***
