Sacre-D: Reborn as the Swarm's Apex | Chapter 170 | A Fated Homecoming | Novela.app

“Would you like some tea?” The Empress raised her eyes, looking at her exhausted Secretary. There were no outsiders in the courtyard of the Red Deer Palace. She pushed a saucer toward the man standing beside her. “Sit. Tell me about the recent developments in Kamran.” “Kamran has added two large-scale starports, and the number of open trade ports has increased to three. One temporal river port is now fully operational.” Briefly summarizing the information he had just received, the Secretary meticulously checked the light screen in his hand. “A statistical report for this quarter will be issued before the new fiscal season begins. Currently, trade growth appears very stable.” “Aside from energy stones, many new trade goods have been included in the trade agreements, including several civilian and medical projects.” The habitats of most Zerg swarms were vastly different from those of humans. The overwhelming survival and adaptability of this species meant that minerals and plants humans found difficult to discover or cultivate were ubiquitous to the swarm. Deep space exploration did not just mean immense consumption; it also meant unimaginable wealth and resources. Currently, aside from internal bandit suppression, the swarm was engaged in no other large-scale military campaigns. Consequently, they were pouring all their energy into excavation. While humanity viewed the Akashic Rifts with nothing but dread, Sacty and the Sub-King of the Grey Wing swarm treated them like mountains of gold. They had established mines on-site near three surveyed stable rifts, simultaneously setting up one energy stone purification production chain after another. Sleeping atop an inexhaustible mountain of gold was enough to make their neighbors, whose survival environments were far less tolerant, turn green with envy. Years ago, Evelyn had personally inspected the first batch of energy resources delivered to the Capital Planet. The viscous black liquid, strictly sealed, was carefully removed from its container for further sampling. This substance was a product of the Akashic Rifts; it carried a degree of pollution when unburned, making it impossible for humans to touch directly. The high-specification energy, measured at ten thousand units, produced a staggering effect. That amount had once represented an entire year’s worth of mining for the Empire, accompanied by massive casualties and depletion. Yet, the Grey Wing swarm had delivered it with ease within three months. “It truly makes one feel unreconciled,” the green-eyed monarch murmured, looking toward Kamran with a low sigh. “The swarm holds a tight grip on the lifeblood of our survival and development. If they were any weaker, I wouldn’t mind taking over their territory entirely, but they are just as formidable.” “The war nearly shattered the entire human Empire. The latter half of Sacty’s life was spent patching the holes in our fiscal deficit, and I have no choice but to accept this coexistence.” Two species that had met on a narrow path now lived as neighbors in this vast universe, cooperating amidst mutual probing, achieving a relatively long-lasting peace through that very tension. The scene of the Red Taisui being refueled during the previous Emperor’s expedition was still vivid in her mind. The ignorant easily questioned why they hadn't eradicated this continuous strife in one fell swoop. Since humanity had the capability to decapitate King-class Zerg several times, they surely could have ended the war quickly. But Evelyn, who had walked through those difficult years, knew that humanity had nearly reached the point of total exhaustion. Stellar core energy, drawn from across the Empire’s entire territory, had been incessantly transported to large military bases to prepare for the next expedition of the starfleets. A single trip would drain a year’s worth of resources, after which laborers would begin the grueling task of mining the next year’s share. It was black blood, the liquid gold of the space age, forcibly squeezed from the rift-veins that spanned the galaxy. The boiling starports had presented a morbid prosperity, with endless transport ships landing and departing. Both races had wanted a blitzkrieg, but that blitzkrieg had turned into a war of attrition, far less easy than the brief historical records suggested. For every King-class head Sacty cut off, that fearless swarm would immediately birth new Kings in the shortest time possible. The reproductive capacity to fill half a planet with eggs in a single cycle became a nightmare for almost everyone who had experienced the war. Afterward, the swarm splintered, and the human Empire, reduced to a hollow shell, had been drained of its last drop of blood. The human race, on the verge of collapse, had been forcibly pulled back up by the black-haired man. With a domineering and irresistible stance, he had thoroughly swept away the Zerg tide that had spread across the entire habitable sector. “Those years were too difficult.” Now that the trade zones were on the right track and humanity was no longer as resistant as they had been in the beginning, the current Empress and her Secretary sat in the Red Deer Palace, bringing up the topic once more. “Whether facing the Federation or the swarm.” “At one point, I truly felt that human civilization was going to perish.” Klein, taking the teacup, smiled and added sugar to his tea. “It wasn't just the Zerg; the Federation was a major factor as well. At our most difficult moment, internal divisions arose.” “The incident at V217 nearly broke me. I wanted to resign from the military and find a deserted ruin to spend the rest of my life.” Evelyn glanced at him. “That mindset of wanting to escape the moment things go wrong hasn't changed a bit.” “Sacty says the same thing.” Adjusting his glasses solemnly, Klein accepted the criticism with good grace. There was a time when the Imperial Secretary would feel shame and helplessness remembering how he had resigned in disgrace, only to be dragged out by the woman before him after she literally broke down his door. But now, his mindset had become very peaceful, allowing him to look back and examine those absurd days. “I did indeed run away.” “You know, when I first joined the military, my vision didn't reach a 'good' rating. But that isn't a major issue for people today. Aside from members of special units and the synchronizers of Alpha-class or higher warships and starships, the recruitment office isn't overly strict about it. After all, a tiny invisible nano-correction procedure can solve all the trouble.” He touched the cup; it had the delicate feel of white porcelain. “Actually, my mother had booked the correction for me. The whole process takes no more than five minutes. I was supposed to do it the next time I went back to V217 on leave.” Then, none of them lived to see that "next time." “I heard V217 was the best producer of white porcelain,” the Empress’s green eyes watched him, her voice as gentle as her gaze. “Far superior to the Rose Porcelain produced in the Little Rose Sector.” “It’s like fate.” The Secretary shook his head, his fingers still stroking the rim of the cup. “After humanity left the Old Earth, the former concepts of race were quickly broken down. Skin color and ethnicity could no longer represent a person’s belonging, but blood relations still carry on.” “The family of Griffin I possessed golden-brown eyes for generations. Such physical traits, after experiencing the era of the White Emperor and the Golden Crow incident—which has yet to be officially overturned—became almost a symbol of a curse. Later, they became synonymous with miracles and destiny.” “The golden eyes of the former fleet commander were inherited from a branch of Griffin I’s lineage, while the black hair came from the bloodline of the Old Earth.” “However, so much time has passed that people’s memories have long since blurred. The new generation of youth will never look up the old footage, or perhaps they only give it a fleeting glance.” “In an even older era, the residents of the Federation under the jurisdiction of the Mapuz Academy of Sciences still referred to the Fifth Army’s fleet as the Undying White Eagle.” “It wasn't until the last commander, Su, took over from Lawrence that it was officially renamed the Golden Crow.” “The residents of V217... and perhaps the survivors of the Fifth Army in Kamran, no matter how many years pass, still love that bird that flew through the wind and waves.” “After all, I was born in a settlement of the Old Earth bloodline. To the people living there, black and brown hair were the most common colors.” “When my mother first took Sacty in, she thought it was some strange coincidence. The residents of V217 would always notice such hair and eye colors immediately. Those enthusiastic neighbors also found it hard to restrain the natural affinity and curiosity they felt toward him.” As if finding the topic amusing, Klein sighed. “My mother never discussed related topics with any outsiders, and she felt anxious about him entering the military.” “She worried about attracting unnecessary trouble, that ill-intentioned people would take her other, non-biological son away from her. At the same time, she believed that the shadows of the past should not be projected onto a child. To her, Sacty was just Sacty himself, not the continuation of any established image.” The Empress looked at her old friend. For a moment, she thought she would see tears fall, but the Secretary’s expression did not change. He simply smiled quietly, just as he had when the three of them were squeezed into a dormitory rushing reports and writing self-reflections. The usually stern Klein looked very gentle. “Later, the Star-Devouring class weapon activated by the Federation ignited the fuse of the civil war. We all lost a lot. During that time, I fell into a state of total depression, and Sacty had to drag me forward.” “He had to deal with suspension reviews, endless trials, and ideological assessments. He had to deal with the ensuing civil war and the Zerg tide, all while pulling along a version of me that wanted to run away.” “I was too cowardly and weak. I was afraid of remembering anything related to V217, and I was afraid these things would make him sad, so no one ever mentioned the topic to him again.” “You know what happened after that—when I finally lost even him, I couldn't accept that my only remaining family had also left me. Because of that, I did something wrong, and after doing it, I ran back home to hide, refusing to listen or think.” “Like a fool.” “He always said he had no family and no place of origin.” Across the long years, across the homeland and foreign lands that could never be returned to, Klein’s voice was raspy and tender. “But actually, I should have told him sooner. Or perhaps, the next time we meet, I will tell him.” “—That in the distant past, fate had already allowed him to return to his hometown.” *** | Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 红鹿宫 | Red Deer Palace | The residence or administrative center of the Empress. | | 卡姆兰 | Kamran | A key location/planet, likely a trade hub or Zerg-human interface. | | 时间河 | Temporal River | Likely a sci-fi transport or navigational phenomenon. | | 阿卡夏裂隙 | Akashic Rift | Spatial anomalies used for energy extraction. | | 灰翅 | Grey Wing | A specific Zerg swarm or clan. | | 亚王虫 | Sub-King | A high-ranking Zerg just below a King/Queen. | | 红太岁 | Red Taisui | A powerful entity or weapon mentioned in historical context. | | 伊芙琳 | Evelyn | The current Empress of the human Empire. | | 萨克帝 | Sacty | The protagonist, a Core-type Zerg and former human commander. | | 克莱因 | Klein | The Imperial Secretary and Sacty's childhood friend/brother. | | V217 | V217 | Klein's home planet, known for white porcelain. | | 克里芬一世 | Griffin I | A historical figure, likely a founding emperor or hero. | | 白皇帝 | White Emperor | A historical ruler or era. | | 金乌 | Golden Crow | The name of the Fifth Army fleet, formerly "White Eagle." | | 马普兹科学院 | Mapuz Academy of Sciences | A Federation scientific/administrative body. | | 不坠的白鹰 | The Undying White Eagle | The original name of the Fifth Army fleet. | | 苏 | Su | The last commander of the Golden Crow fleet. | | 劳伦斯 | Lawrence | A former commander of the Fifth Army. | | 吞星级武器 | Star-Devouring Class Weapon | A high-level destructive weapon used by the Federation. |