"God bless you—" The white-haired old man opened his eyes wide and knelt tremblingly in front of the statue, his voice trembling and his expression helpless, "He's awake! He's awake, I'm sure of this, because the heavy snow in Keminting Town is proof! - Antonio, I have no way, God is unwilling to give me a response, because He has awakened from the chaos and seen the true face of this universe..."
"Calm down." The Alpha known as Antonio stood behind the old man, his hands behind his back. "So, is He in Keminting Town now?"
The old man was stunned and silent for a while, then suddenly coughed and spat out a large piece of blood clot mixed with minced meat.
"No, He's not necessarily somewhere." He retched, his face pale, and pinched his throat, speaking hoarsely, "Any scene that exists in this universe could potentially appear in His dreams."
"Any scene that appeared in His dream is likely to reappear in the universe we exist in."
"This is God, Antonio. It is definitely not an existence that can be deduced by common sense."
Antonio walked over and helped the old man up. He forcefully pried open his bony fingers that were pressing against his throat and asked in a deep voice, "What else can we do?"
A distinct dark blue handprint appeared on the old man's neck. But after removing his hand, a touch of color returned to his aged face. "We still have a chance," he said, his cloudy gaze fixed on Antonio. "You know what to do. While He hasn't completely grasped his power... or rather, while He hasn't awakened yet, unite all forces that can stand on our side."
Antonio looked sullen and made no answer.
"I know you've always been against the ceasefire between the Federation and the Zerg." The old man's lips trembled, and his eagle-claw-like hand grasped Antonio's wrist. "But the situation is different now. We haven't experienced a large-scale battle in several years. Even Igor Sullivan has been abandoned by the Federation."
"I can't help but think that when the general is no longer needed, Marshal Sullivan will also follow the trend of the times and disappear from people's sight."
"What if one day—they no longer need the Holy See?"
He took a breath and continued, "We have preached the teachings for millennia among countless races across the universe. God's light has spread across countless galaxies tens of thousands of light years away. Have you ever imagined a day when no one would pray to God anymore?"
"God will certainly not disappear, but He will be forgotten—and we will be forgotten by the world."
Antonio's Adam's apple rolled, and he said, "You're thinking too far ahead."
"Not long... Why do you think the federal government still retains the law of heresy trials to this day?" the old man asked. "Young people may think it's a relic of the past, but the reality is that few people now believe in the real existence of God! Therefore, with limited resources, conflicts of faith will lead to war!"
“God is actually watching all of this!”
"I...I can't, ugh!"
He retched again with excitement, his hands tightly clasping Antonio's arms. "We can't let this happen! We can't let the evil god destroy this universe and ruin the civilization we've spent tens of thousands of years building!"
"So, Antonio, quickly put aside your unnecessary pride and ask them, ask the Zerg - they will tell you that even the most united group will eventually produce traitors over time, and that's what we want to take advantage of."
**
"Are you afraid?" Azathoth suddenly asked.
Igor: "What?"
"You've been distracted since returning from that girl's house," Azathoth asked patiently. "Are you frightened by the possibility of the universe being destroyed?"
There was a long silence.
Igor seemed to be gathering his thoughts. "I apologize for my distraction. But what do you think?"
He asked frankly, "Are the consequences that Kuna described real?"
"I don't know." Azathoth said calmly, "Maybe, maybe not. No one knows what the consequences of their decision will be before it happens. If such a day really comes, what will you choose?"
"...I thought I had already made a promise to you," Igor said. "The oath I swore before you on the desolate planet was no joke. From the moment I believed in you, I was prepared for any outcome."
"I admit that I have never hated the world, nor do I want to take the lives of others for my own selfish reasons."
"But if you think—" he paused, speaking faster, "that I will stand against you because of this, then perhaps it's because I'm usually too ambiguous."
"So what kind of loyalty do you think will earn your trust?"
Azathoth was stunned by his words, but no one could see his slightly surprised expression through his hood: "That's not what I meant. Are you sure you understand the implications of this decision?"
Igor said briefly, "To quote an old saying from a legend, I am ready to go to hell."
"As long as you make a decision, then I will pave the way for you."
At this time, they had already reached the entrance of the park where Erica was. From afar, they could see several children saying goodbye to Erica, who was standing in front of the gate with a scarf tied around her neck.
"But Erica..." The rest of the words rolled around in Igor's throat and were swallowed. The gray-haired young man walked over to the little girl and straightened her messy collar: "Let's go, I'll take you home first."
Erica looked at him, then carefully looked at Azathoth. Then she quickly walked over to the god and reported seriously, "Sir, I just met a capital commentator that Hugo mentioned. I remember his name was Nixon Evelyn."
Many times people are deceived by the innocent appearance of children and ignore the fact that they are also intelligent creatures with a keen awareness of their surroundings.
What's more, Erica is a genius whose IQ far exceeds that of her peers.
"I think he noticed me, but I'm not sure if he was angry because those kids almost bumped into him, or because he had seen the video we recorded earlier." The little girl asked nervously, "I'm sorry, did this cause you any trouble?"
Igor fell silent when he heard the name Nixon Evelyn. Azathoth rubbed Erica's head under everyone's surprised gaze and said, "It's okay."
Hugo's eyes widened, and a line of words projected from his pupils. He bolded them in front of Igor, fearing he wouldn't see them: "What happened to Azathoth today? He seems a little strange after waking up, right?"
The last two question marks are large and obvious, and the color is deliberately adjusted to a gradient gold.
"..." Igor thought to himself, how would I know?
When he thought of what happened in the morning, his spine tingled, not because of fear or disgust, but simply because of shock at such an unexpected development.
Erica, the person involved, was surprised for a moment, but then she quickly became happy, smiled brightly, and said, "Yes! Thank you!"
"That's wonderful." The words Hugo placed before Igor twisted and changed. "If I were two or three hundred years younger, could I be as innocent as her?"
“…”
Azathoth extended his tentacles, and though he didn't turn around, he accurately blocked the screen, turning the words into a blurry mosaic of unclear colors on the uneven surface of the tentacles. He gave Hugo a warning look:
"If you have any questions, just ask directly." Azathoth retracted the tentacle before other passersby noticed it shouldn't be there. "I had a dream last night, and when I woke up, there was a heavy snowfall in Keminting Town. It's that simple."
Hugo: "Does the scene on the desolate planet have anything to do with you?"
Azathoth had never thought about this. After thinking about it, he shook his head and said, "That shouldn't be the case."
If you really want to find out, Azathoth has been sleeping on that planet for at least hundreds of years.
Who knows what part of the universe entered his dreams and what magnificent scenes he imagined?
But as he himself stated in the dream.
Before meeting Igor, Azathoth could even be said to not exist.
If gods lack a human projection, then their reality is meaningless. From this perspective, the same is true of human social death: without a network of connections between people, life and death remain purely physical.
This is also the definition of "anchor" as understood by Azathoth.
Igor was like his palm, deep within the universe, the string connecting the kite to the ground, the thumbtack that anchored him to the solid ground. The deeper their connection, the wider the reality he could influence through this path.
Whenever Igor felt a violent emotional fluctuation, those complex feelings would be transmitted to Azathoth.
His bland emotions were like the depths of the ocean beneath the abyss. Even if the surface was turbulent and stormy, Azathoth remained as indifferent as a mere spectator watching a fire from the other side of the river. It was Igor who sent that hurricane to the depths of the ocean, exposing everything, beautiful and ugly, nakedly to the sun.
Because of this, Azathoth is willing to seriously give back to this effort.
Therefore, no matter whether Igor wanted to take revenge on his former subordinates for his own experience or not, Azathoth had no intention of letting these people live peacefully in a world that he still had a good impression of.
Igor, on the other hand, knew nothing about the gods' decision.
——The sky before the frost day is as clear as usual.
**
Richard Tolrum entered the church.
The town of Keminting, close to the capital, has a much stronger religious atmosphere than Porto Ayrple. The church here was renovated within the past two years, its stone bricks gleaming with paint, and every rounded corner and stone carving meticulously polished.
The official religion of the Federation forbids the installation of official statues outside of the main church. Therefore, except for the capital, churches in other regions only display a small, obscure statue, to avoid mentioning the deity's appearance. A dozen majestic columns supported a dome inscribed with mythological legends, but the magnificent lobby was now completely empty, with only benches lined up, stretching from the door several dozen meters away to the high platform directly in front.
He walked along the gap between the two rows of seats, and suddenly stopped when he reached the front row.
A middle-aged man, his eyes closed in deep thought, clutching a scripture, sat in the front chair. Beside him was a boy, who looked only eight or nine years old, kneeling obediently at his feet with his head lowered. His appearance was merely ordinary, and he didn't emit any Omega or Alpha pheromones.
Richard just glanced at the boy and then turned his attention to the middle-aged man: "Bishop Leopold, you are here."
The middle-aged man opened his eyes and said, "Long time no see. She should be laying eggs these days. What are you doing here?"
Richard said uneasily, "Keep your voice down... I'm not here to pay attention to your career. I said I have no interest in it anymore."
"Oh, really? Because you've already achieved success?" Leopold looked up at him without blinking. "But I heard that Marshal Ganger doesn't like you very much and hasn't summoned you to take up your post until today."
"That's because the capital won't let me leave!" Richard growled. "How could they let me go? I know so many secrets. I know what inhumane things they've done for their own selfish reasons—"
"Stop," Bishop Leopold interrupted him. "I don't want to know this. It's a simple truth: the more you know, the more dangerous it is."
Richard sneered nervously, "Really? Then you won't do your job anymore? I want to confess my sins to you now."
The bishop's pale eyes fixed on the withered and dilapidated man before him.
After a while, he said, "Okay, I'll help you confess to God."
He stood up and walked to the statue to pay his respects, then looked at Richard with a solemn expression: "What do you want to confess?"
Richard's lips trembled, and he spoke after a long while. "I... I want to repent. I, I shouldn't have given birth to that girl with her. That child, Kunna... Ugh, even this human name sounds like an insult." He couldn't control his emotions any longer and choked with sobs, covering his face with his hands. "That child is a monster! How did she grow so big? Oh my God, I gave birth to a child with a bug, and she's still alive today!"
"I saw her today, and I had ugly thoughts... I wanted to drown her, bury her head in the yellow earth of a grave until she stopped breathing. Only then would I stop feeling sick. Bishop Leopold, do you understand? I've been fighting that thing for sixteen years. I'm thirty-five years old now, and I've spent half my life on the battlefield..."
"But what is the result?"
"My only offspring is a human-insect hybrid that lacks pheromones and glands. Because of her existence, I had to betray Marshal Igor Sullivan to—"
"You said she was a monster," Bishop Leopold interrupted gently. "That's not what you said at the beginning, dear Mr. Tolúm. We had an agreement. You were so eager for that child because she could very well be the shining hope of our human race, even a brand new species standing at the pinnacle of the universe."
"But you got scared and ran away before she was born. For sixteen years you never came back to see her even once."
"You abandoned her for your own future. What qualifications do you have to blame her for the negative impact she has had on your life?"
Richard looked at him angrily. "I was bewitched by you! That's completely deceptive. Even if I were a human-insect hybrid, my physical fitness wouldn't be as good as most Alphas, not to mention my ability to reproduce..."
"Please don't be so harsh." Leopold waved, and the boy who had been kneeling at his feet came over obediently. "Let me introduce you to my new favorite child." He patted the boy's forehead and said kindly, "Don't be afraid. Come and say hello to your Uncle Richard."
The boy looked curiously at Richard Tollem, who gave him a stiff smile.
He gave a gentle smile in response, and then his bright red, tender lips suddenly split open, revealing a pair of sharp, saliva-dripping mouthparts.
“Uncle… Uncle… Okay…”
The pair of mouthparts tapped and swayed between the lips and tongue, slowly squeezing out unclear words.
Richard was stunned. It took him a while to find his voice. He took two steps back with disgust, "What's the point of this other than scaring people?"
"You shouldn't make any hasty judgments without seeing the full picture," Leopold replied. "His attack speed is about 20% faster than even the top Alphas. Before you can react, this kid can shove his mouthpiece down your throat."
"...But he can't pilot a mecha."
"How do you know it's not possible?" Leopold asked slowly. "The reason why the Zerg can't control mechas today is simply because they lack technological prowess, and our cutting-edge, secret technology is highly compatible only with human genes and mental strength."
"If someone one day invests in the development of weapons that can be used by human-insect hybrids, the current situation of the universe races near the Federation will be drastically rewritten."
Richard's fingers at his sides twitched slightly.
"You're crazy," he said. "As long as we develop mechas that can be used by human-insect hybrids, it will only be a matter of time before the Zerg learn this technology."
"I'm just raising a possibility," Leopold shrugged. "I'm not a researcher. The decision on whether this goal can be achieved lies with the Institute, not me."
"So what are you going to do now? You came to Kemingting Town at this time, it shouldn't be just to see your daughter, right?"
"She's not my daughter," Richard denied. "But I'm here for her. Because of this child, I've been forced to face the situation I'm in today, where I'm deserted by everyone. Am I not worthy enough to see her in person?"
——Who is the person who was forced to be abandoned by everyone?
Isn't it your poor boss Igor Sullivan who's on the wrong side?
With such ironic thoughts in his mind, Leopold said, "Of course you can do that, but I advise you to leave as soon as possible. The heavy snow a few days ago attracted too much attention from passers-by, even though you came to Keminting Town early under the pretext of attending a banquet."
"But with all due respect, if someone is a little clever, they might be able to connect you with Kunna."
**
As Hugo forwarded Kunna's message to Igor's mobile device, the sky gradually darkened, and a reddish-orange dusk enveloped Keminting Town. Azathoth stood a dozen meters from the villa's rest area, vigilantly gazing at the hot spring pool, which continued to swirl with bubbles and white mist.
Igor's expression was a mixture of laughter and anticipation. He dipped his finger into the hot spring water and said in a very honest tone, "You can try it a little. It's really not as hot as you think."
Azathoth stood there without moving.
A tentacle stretched out from the shadow of the fence cast by the warm yellow light, slithering along the ground like a snake to the edge of the spring, and stopped at the cold shore. After a moment, the tentacle seemed to have finally made up its mind, and with the awareness of certain death, it carefully touched the water with its tip.
The innocent hot spring water ripples in circles.
Azathoth suddenly retracted the tentacle: "I think..."
With a "Ding Dong" sound, Igor's mobile terminal issued a prompt sound, and a message popped up on the screen and appeared in front of the two people.
"...I think we should deal with the important matters first." The god's eyes fell on the electronic device with flickering screens, and he breathed a sigh of relief without attracting any attention.
Igor looked a little regretful, but he didn't say anything more and just showed the new message to Azathoth.
Kunna: "The man Richard Torum came to see me."
"He said he was my biological father."
"Have you known about this for a long time?"
When Azathoth and Igor returned to the living room, Hugo, who was sitting on the sofa with a cherry stem in his mouth, turned around and said, "Hey, you're back. It just so happens that the camera here can see what's going on in the Happy Cemetery. Do you want to go visit now?"
Azathoth: "Where did you eat the pulp?"
Hugo stuck out his tongue. "Just installed a taste sensor. I threw the fruit away after tasting it, but I only ate one cherry, so it's not a waste, right?"
The god, who had no sense of taste, looked at the sensor installed on Hugo's tongue with curiosity, and then he shifted his gaze to the screen placed in front of the coffee table.
The Happy Cemetery still had the same desolate and cold scene as before, but because of the heavy snow that fell in Kemingting Town a few days ago, the trees that should have been growing vigorously in midsummer showed a bit of withered and decadent signs, and the yellowed leaves hung wrinkled between the branches.
A few crows landed on the treetops, crying mournfully in the dim sunset.
Kunna was standing in the cemetery, leaning on a rusty hoe, expressionless. In front of her stood a simple tombstone with the words "Father or Mother I Never Met" written neatly on it.
She stared at the words for a long time, her neat dark golden hair hanging down beside her ears, her eyes closed and hidden in the shadows under her bangs.
Then suddenly, Kunna picked up the hoe and smashed it with all her strength on the carefully maintained tombstone!
After a loud bang, cracks appeared on the stone slab, and the girl's arms couldn't help shaking from the intense impact. She threw the hoe aside, took out her mobile phone and began typing.
A moment later, Hugo received a second text message: "If you have any questions, you can come over and ask now."
Half an hour later, except for Erica who stayed at home to prepare for high school courses, everyone came to Kuna's small two-story apartment again.
To facilitate the next move, Igor once again put on a simple disguise. He now looked like a handsome, elegant middle-aged gentleman, wearing a dark black trench coat and the same old suit pants. His gray hair was combed back, and he had dark blue contact lenses.
Having missed seeing Igor without his scarf and sunglasses last time, Kunna naturally assumed this was his true form. She seemed to have vented her anger with her actions, and now, with a calm expression, she said directly, "I can take you to a place where you can see 'her' with your own eyes and understand the true mistakes Richard Tollem made."
"But before that, there's a problem." She frowned at the three 'people' in front of her who had no obvious pheromones. "That place is usually for Alphas and Omegas. A group of Betas like us would be too conspicuous if we went in."
Igor had some guesses: "Illegal brothel?"
"To be more precise, it's a brothel primarily for childbirth," Kuna said. "So, apart from human-insect hybrids like me, they rarely bring in Beta clients. If I brought you there so openly, they'd definitely think I was here to mess things up."
Hugo interrupted, "Asa can solve this problem himself. He can simulate pheromones."
Kunna was slightly stunned. "Is this even possible? Is it a supernatural power? Then the short-term pheromone-like perfume I stockpiled on the black market would be useless... What exactly is the effect?"
Igor's heart tightened: "Please wait a moment..." Azathoth glanced at him.
The look probably means: tit for tat in front of the hot spring.
Then, unexpectedly, an indescribable smell of mustard swept through the living room on the first floor.
Kunna: "What the hell... A-choo, cough, cough, cough, what's that smell... A-choo!"
While she was rubbing her face and coughing violently with tears streaming down her face, Igor quickly closed his mouth and took out a handkerchief from his pocket to cover his mouth, nose and eyes - it was great that the pure pheromone smell could be distinguished by the sense of smell!
By the way, Igor once again sincerely thanked himself for being neither an Omega nor an Alpha.
The high concentration of Omega pheromones Azathoth was currently releasing was almost comparable to that of a man in heat. This meant that if an Alpha was present, the physiological effects would draw him/her in like an aphrodisiac. However, unless the Alpha could stop breathing while working, he/she would end up gasping for breath like an epileptic patient—and the breathing would only get worse.
Just imagining such a scene, Igor felt unable to bear to look at it.
But the current situation was unbearable enough... Igor endured for a long time, trying his best to hold back the tears in his eyes amidst Kunna's sobs. He tugged at Azathoth's sleeve and whispered, "Are you angry?"
Azathoth: "I don't."
In a good mood, he stopped releasing biological weapons and switched to Alpha pheromones, which were more aggressive but less irritating. He learned from Erica and passers-by in their normal states and slowly adjusted the intensity of his release.
The smell of mustard in the air dissipated, and Kunna took a deep breath. Wiping away her tears, she said sincerely, "This is too strong."
Then she opened the drawer, took out two perfume bottles and handed them to Igor and Hugo. Hugo did not have olfactory sensors or tear glands yet, so he remained indifferent when others were crying, appearing very strong.
By the time they finished packing and arrived at the destination Kuna mentioned, night had already fallen.
Kemingting Town had a small population. While the city center and tourist areas were ablaze with lights at night, the surrounding residential areas were deserted. They passed through the densely populated area and headed towards the outskirts, stopping in front of a massive, lead-gray building that resembled a chemical plant.
"It's here." Kunna whispered.
She didn't cover her face intentionally and seemed to be familiar with the security guards and supervisors here. She just said hello and then walked in smoothly with her group.
Beta in the management office opened the automatic door for them and said enthusiastically, "Have fun everyone!"
Kunna, with her back to her, sneered.
"Don't look into those rooms on either side." She walked straight down the incandescently lit hospital-like corridor. "Some people don't like to close the door when they're doing things. If you accidentally see someone's quirks, it's quite disgusting... I can only say that the world is full of strange things."
They walked forward along the iron gates and transparent glass that were either covered with curtains or wide open, all the way to the iron gate at the end of the road.
"Strictly speaking, this should be considered confidential," Kunna said as she entered the password. "But internal checks aren't strict because few people would leak it—not only is it illegal, but it's also so bizarre it makes ordinary people nauseous."
"There is a strict membership system here. If any serious consequences occur after I bring you here today, the responsibility will be placed on me."
"But you don't seem to be on the same front with them," Igor said.
"...I actually have connections with the Zerg." Kunna said without looking away, "They approached me a few years ago and wanted to make a deal with me."
"I needed their help to rid me of this place, and the bugs lacked the spies with the authority to enter through this door. We hit it off immediately, and we've been working together ever since."
As he spoke, the rolling door slowly opened.
An indescribable fishy smell hit her face at this moment. Kunna subconsciously took a step back and wanted to get closer to Azathoth, because in comparison, the fishy smell of the sea emitted by his Alpha pheromone was like heaven.
What appeared before everyone was a huge cave with a suitable temperature.
A female insect, twice the size of an adult human, lay in her nest, slowly laying eggs. The cave was filled with slippery mucus, fine spiderwebs, and pearly white eggs the size of basketballs. They were packed together at the cave entrance, seemingly unremarkable.
"The Zerg don't have the same empathy for their own kind as humans do," Kunna said, looking at the seemingly unconscious queen giving birth mechanically. "But for them, being controlled by others and constantly bearing children that aren't their own must be an unbearable humiliation. So a few years ago, some Zerg came to me, hoping to help these compatriots trapped in Keminting Town return home."
She took two steps forward, squatted down, and reached out to fiddle with the eggs. The mother insect, who should have been full of protectiveness towards her children, remained motionless, allowing her to play with her.
"Don't be fooled by her current appearance, which is too large and ugly for a human. But when necessary, she can become quite beautiful." Kuna continued, "Very few of these children survive to adulthood, because most are hybrids of humans and Zerg... I think I was born in the same way."
Igor looked gloomy.
Hugo tutted his words. "What do they want? Revenge? Or a sexual experiment?"
"Who knows? Probably both. I heard that some people set up this laboratory to refine better genes and create a new race that combines the advantages of both humans and Zerg."
"But to this day, even the most skilled hybrids haven't been able to fight in space like the Zerg—and without exception, they can't pilot mechas or reproduce."
"So I guess as this project has progressed, perhaps the desire for revenge has become stronger."
Azathoth no longer looked at the Zerg who was unaware of external stimuli.
He asked a key question: "What role did your father, Richard Tolham, play in this matter?"
"He's not my father," Kunna said coldly. "I guess he was part of the project back then. After all, I'm one of the older hybrids produced in the lab."
"But he has never been to Keminting Town in these years. Perhaps he has regretted what he did."
Igor suddenly said, "I've always been very curious. As a man with no debts, no relatives, no criminal history, and no strong ambitions, why did Richard betray and sell out? What means are they using to blackmail him?"
Kunna turned around inexplicably and asked, "What are you talking about?"
Azathoth looked directly at Igor and said, "Just ask him and you'll know."
**
Nixon Evelyn suddenly woke up from a nightmare, with a cold sweat on his back.
The asteroid on which Keminting is located has two satellites, which shine together at night on both sides of the horizon, creating a beautiful view for this resort near the capital.
In Nixon's dream, the two full moons that were originally radiating bright light suddenly turned blood red, and then flowed down from the sky like blood plasma overflowing from a broken pocket, opening their bloody mouths to swallow and submerge this peaceful and tranquil land.
As if he smelled the bloody smell in his dream, Nixon sat up suddenly, gasping for breath, groped for the bedside table to turn on the desk lamp, then took out the cigarette box and lighter from the drawer and wanted to go to the balcony to smoke a cigarette.
Nixon's colleague slept motionless in the single bed next to him, and was not awakened even by the soft light.
He hesitated, then whispered, "Mike?"
No response.
The uneasiness in his heart gradually spread. Nixon put on his shoes and walked to the bed, raising his voice: "Mike! Get up!"
Still no response.
Ominous speculation turned into a solemn shadow on Nixon's face. He carefully stretched out his finger to test his colleague's breathing, and was relieved to find that the other person's heart was still beating as usual.
So why can't he wake up?
Or, why, on such a windless, moonless, and overcast night, was Nixon the only one to suddenly awaken? Could it be a divine reminder from within his dream?
While thinking about this, he had already slowly walked to the main street of Kemingting Town.
The town was unusually empty, with only the ever-lit neon signs still flashing on the streets.
——Where are you going?
Nixon walked aimlessly, the lingering fear from his waking life somehow receding. He breathed in the cool night air, his mind a long-unseen sense of clarity and comfort. This feeling of ease and joy continued to build—until he reached a familiar, imposing building.
It is the church in Kemingting Town.
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