The speed at which the first trade site was completed was beyond imagination.
This was simply because the Core Species, who loved reaping every possible advantage, had dragged the Ao species into the project.
"Want to join the trade army? Want to see for yourself how far the trade with humans has progressed?"
Such terrifying whispers of a devil. The Ao Sub-Kings, who as of yet had no concept of "involution," were the first to experience the grueling "007" work schedule.
The primitive Zerg did not have the tradition of signing a contract before dispatching personnel. Before a formal written consensus on the merger was reached, a group of Ao species was hoodwinked into rushing to Kamlan, even bringing their own equipment at their own expense.
"Get to work."
"Work, everyone, get to work."
"Do not think about what the swarm can do for you; think about what you can create for the swarm."
In the countless Great Cycles of the future, these words would linger like a curse in the ears of every Ao species member.
The Core Species, accustomed to "indoctrinating" his employees, even instilled a sense of crisis in them: "The Flash-pattern species really wanted to come, but I saved this opportunity for you. Making this decision was difficult for me; the application to allow other species into Kamlan was truly hard-won, and it has clearly increased the difficulty of our negotiations with the humans."
And so, the swarm that had inexplicably boarded this "thief’s ship" worked in total silence, startling even the members of the Empire and the Kamlan garrison.
There was no other reason than the fact that this species was simply too absurd.
During the earlier era of the Queens, a single migration meant a total overhaul. When the swarm arrived in an unfamiliar star sector, they would construct a nest at the fastest possible speed. Hollowing out an entire planet, dragging out interconnected orbital tracks of silk... in just a few days, a new habitat would take shape.
Then, the Queen curled deep within the nest would begin to lay innumerable eggs to replenish the swarm members lost during the migration. If one wasn't fast enough, their head would roll; affecting the reproduction of the species was the ultimate sin. Every Zerg that survived had undergone countless generations of technical refinement.
By comparison, a mere trade zone was hardly worth mentioning.
Coiled machinery spread out devouring-type weapons on a massive scale, consuming the pollution deeply embedded in the soil. Then, sprawling limbs uprooted the uneven surface, grinding and swallowing it whole.
The Ao species worked with fiery enthusiasm, digging through the earth at lightning speed. Their ability to persist as a direct lineage to this day was due to their inherent capabilities; they possessed the core keys related to construction engineering, and they had every kind of sanity-blasting piece of equipment imaginable.
On the first day, the humans went to sleep and woke up to find nearly half a planet leveled, leaving them severely shaken on the spot.
On the second day, the humans went to sleep and woke up to find a massive pile of nests had been erected. This scene made the skin of everyone who had ever fought the Zerg crawl. For this reason, Klein sought out Sacdi, tactfully suggesting whether they should adopt a more diverse architectural style.
On the third day, the humans went to sleep and woke up to find the nearly completed nests half-dismantled and replaced with a minimalist style. At the very least, it no longer looked like a dense cluster of tumors.
"This is truly..."
The Secretary, unable to find the words, pushed up his glasses. The Imperial side had initially opposed the large-scale influx of the swarm into the trade zone; the way their old rivals were frequently "dancing" on the border line put immense pressure on the humans.
Sacdi, who was in a hurry to finish and leave, had haggled for a five-day transit period, rushing the work under the supervision and pressure of the Red Tai Sui.
As it turned out, the time wasn't even fully used before the job was done.
Launching a large-scale starport in half a week was simply the most preposterous fact in this universe.
"Just pay up."
The Core Species, who refused to suffer even the slightest loss, patted the other's shoulder. "Talking to you is useless; I’ll go find Evelyn. I found the construction workers, I provided the building materials, and I built the structures. She shouldn't even think about stiffing me on my money as the real estate developer."
The Ao species, who had buried their heads in unpaid labor, might have become the biggest "suckers" in the universe.
The Zerg, who believed that by visiting and personally participating in the construction of the trade zone they were qualified to take a share of the subsequent trade, were delighted. The Core Species, who had secured free labor, was delighted. The humans, who sat back and enjoyed the fruits of others' labor, were also delighted.
All three parties felt they had made a huge profit.
However, when the first trade officially commenced, even Clark was momentarily shocked after reviewing the invoice records.
"It's more... than I imagined."
"Profitable." Gela was recording data, his eyes rapidly scanning all the information as he prepared for order exchanges and customs pre-entry with Arthur’s side.
"We need to establish a dedicated branch to handle these affairs. As far as I know, humans have their own commercial departments; they don't bother the Emperor himself for every transaction. I will draw a small number of males who are proficient in using the Great Information Hive for short-term training."
"There are too few beings who have mastered both the Zerg Common Tongue and the Human Common Tongue. Arthur can barely be counted on the human side, and on the Zerg side, besides those of us at the management level, only Kai has barely reached a passing grade."
The male insectoid's face while working was written with a serious expression that made other Zerg shrink back, invisibly radiating an aura of relentless productivity.
"Being unable to use the other's language at will means being at a disadvantage. I will solve this problem."
"In the subsequent inspection and clearance stages, we must also increase the number of Zerg personnel specifically responsible for endorsements and any potential follow-up recovery processes."
What a terrifying pair of partners.
The black Core Species was working himself to the bone, and his white counterpart was accompanying him in the same relentless manner.
New fields would give rise to a large number of brand-new positions, further expanding the employment directions for all male insectoids. In the past, relying solely on the Information Hive to settle those males and aging females in urgent need of a livelihood was clearly insufficient.
But trade brought immense wealth, and it also brought unimaginable vacancies.
As the scale of trade gradually expanded in the future, this influence would become profound and long-lasting.
Compared to the interstellar bandits who would start a fight at the slightest provocation, the more mild-tempered sub-species and the males were clearly better suited for handling clerical work. When the members of the Great Information Hive packaged and diverted information, they did it quickly, well, and with extreme patience, sorting through endless data without ever growing bored.
Gela decisively filled in an employment direction for them.
The right to survive was not something one was born with, but something that needed to be obtained through struggle and tug-of-war. Whether they could understand it or not, he had already begun dragging his companions forward.
"Very impressive."
While listening to the Armed Species report on the construction of the newly incorporated planets, Sacdi, who still had the energy to play with his partner's tail, let out a laugh.
"You can successfully graduate now, recruit."
Clark: "..."
He watched the white scaled tail slap against that annoying hand—it was truly an eyesore of a scene.
And when the Core Species ended the call, pulled his partner along, and shamelessly announced, "We're going to eat," this eyesore reached its peak.
Every Zerg was busy to the point of losing their heads, yet only Sacdi could find the time to go eat on schedule.
"Don't worry."
The young man, having finished his urgent tasks, quietly moved closer, clinging to the other even as the Sub-King reflexively retreated.
"I will handle the human side. Later, we can add more trade projects. Kamlan will become a good buffer zone, and it will also be a good beginning."
This star sector was a synonym for calamity, named the Graveyard of Stars; all living beings avoided it.
But after two hundred years, it was beginning to wake up again.
"The future of the Grey Wings will be better, and our future will be better as well. Please do not worry about this."
The human's blue eyes curved as he looked at the invoice records in the Sub-King's hand.
"You haven't smiled at me much lately."
"Don't use honorifics."
The silver-grey female insectoid subconsciously corrected him.
They were currently in a muddled state, but every time the young man deliberately used honorifics, it added fuel to his sense of transgressive shame.
"Then please don't avoid me."
Speaking softly, Arthur pressed close to him, seeking a position of proximity beneath those wings.
"You are about to return to the Grey Wings' habitat, and I don't know when I will see you again. Human time is always too short compared to the Zerg. When I was young, I rejoiced at every reunion, but now I fear the long partings even more."
"We are like migratory birds, always flying from one place to another. Too many things or responsibilities prevent us from staying in one place for long."
"If only I were still a child. Then you could secretly carry me onto a warship and take me away, just like before."
The blue lakes of his eyes carried soft emotions, rippling with a bit of damp mist.
Any process of growth was accompanied by growing pains. Determining whether a human had stepped into adulthood was often based on whether they could shoulder responsibility.
When the last transport ship arrived at Kamlan, the young man had plunged into the Grey Wings' star sector with courage and fearlessness. But now, he had to remain on this land.
The powerful insect wings folded slightly.
The direct descendant of the former King, hailing from the most ferocious and warlike species in the universe, leaned down and finally fell into a pair of open arms, just as the human desired.
"I will come to your side countless times."
It was as if he were responding to the words the human had spoken during their last parting. At that time, they had stood at the docking orbit of the Grey Wings' core planet; the Sub-King, who had been frantically expanding his territory across the universe, had been filled with frustration and anxiety because of the sudden farewell.
Clark lowered his head, his light grey eyes as calm as the surface of the sea.
"Ten times, a hundred times, thousands and tens of thousands of times."
"Before the heart stops beating, the southward-flying migratory bird will always return to the nest. I shall cross the distant sea of stars like a flock of geese, passing through everything in this world that separates us—"
"And time and again, I will come to rest in your arms."
***
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Sacre-D: Reborn as the Swarm's Apex | Chapter 157 | A Promise of Return | Novela.app | Novela.app
