Don't let your mind wander...
Lin Xi said to herself.
He could feel that his emotions were still stuck in that nightmare, which even brought about physical changes. His heart was beating fast, his body felt unusually heavy and was trembling—the sadness and despair brought by the man in the dream were like something highly corrosive, deeply permeating all of Lin Xi's thoughts.
What exactly happened to that man?
Does that man... really exist?
If he really exists, why does he keep appearing in Lin Xi's dreams?
"call……"
Lin Xi rubbed his hair, sighed, and subconsciously reached out to touch his bedside table.
He keeps a few calming gel sticks in his bedside table, which he used to soothe himself whenever he felt his emotions becoming unstable.
The only thing he needed to be careful about was not letting Bryce find out about it.
However, Lin Xi's search was fruitless. He couldn't find the calming gel stick he wanted at all. He only found an empty drawer and dents on the edge of the bedside table from the impact.
Lin Xi was stunned for a moment, and it was only at this moment that he suddenly realized that he was no longer on the Sun God.
Just a day earlier, he had reunited with the mutant he had once raised. The mutant, named Xavier, simply picked him up and lifted him into the air, taking him back to the carefully prepared nest.
only……
Lin Xi looked up and surveyed her surroundings.
At first glance, this was indeed his living quarters on the Apollo. Everything was exactly the same; he saw the familiar walls (even the rust on the metal panels was identical), the familiar lighting, and even his workbench in the corner of the cabin remained unchanged. However, now, all the facilities were merely decorations; they had long since completely broken down.
Because all of these things were dismantled piece by piece from the ruins of the Apollo and moved directly to the cave on the cliff, where they were then reassembled.
Of course, Lin Xi had to admit that the familiar environment made him feel somewhat at ease—otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to fall asleep so easily.
However, when he struggles to wake up from a nightmare, the familiar surroundings always give him a feeling of being out of touch with time and space.
He needed a moment to realize his current predicament...
Whether it was a nightmare or reality, both had a sense of absurdity that left Lin Xi feeling completely lost.
It was only after Lin Xi was brought to this spacious natural cave on the cliff by Xavier that he realized why his living quarters on the ruins of the Sun God were so empty.
During the time when Xavier thought it had been abandoned, it did a lot of extra little work besides watching soap operas on Earth day and night.
For example, it gritted its teeth and took care of the plants from Sulu in the greenhouse for Lin Xi, whom it "hated". For example, it dismantled the living quarters where Lin Xi used to live and brought all the parts back to the cave bit by bit. Moreover, Xavier brought back not only Lin Xi's things, but also many other relics left behind by the crew on the Sun God.
The thought that the miscellaneous items Xavier had carefully collected and piled up in the cave actually belonged to the other crew members of the Sun God made Lin Xi feel extremely depressed.
Struggling to regain consciousness in that pitch-black cave, and then discovering that she had lost all her memories, Lin Xi had for a fleeting moment an overwhelming desire to know exactly what she had forgotten...
But now, he secretly hopes that he didn't know those things.
Unlike the little white monster he encountered when he first regained consciousness, Xavier had learned human language on this planet, which meant he could communicate freely with Lin Xi.
After the initial elation of their reunion, Lin Xi quickly began asking about the series of events that led to her amnesia.
Of course, Xavier's knowledge was also quite limited, since as a different species, the things it cared about were completely different from those of real humans. But even so, Xavier's account was detailed enough.
With Xavier's explanation and the items collected from the cave, Lin Ximian managed to piece together some of the reality he had long forgotten.
For example, the forced landing of the Helios, Captain Taran's madness, and the strange changes in the crew...
And those mechanical warriors that attacked them—
Some blurry images suddenly flashed through my mind.
Lin Xi suddenly felt a chill.
He sighed and unconsciously pressed his stomach again.
Even if there are only fragments of memories—the android, the rotting face and the cold eyes—the images in his memory are still like specimens of a nightmare, permanently etched in the depths of his mind.
Lin Xi even suspected that perhaps it was out of fear of that figure that she refused to recall what had happened before.
...Although on the other hand, he looks quite scary now.
Lin Xi's gaze slowly fell on the body of the exceptionally terrifying insect she was now carrying on her back.
Besides his lost memories, Lin Xi is also troubled by his own transformation.
To this day, Lin Xi still doesn't know why she inexplicably transformed into a strange half-human, half-insect.
He had asked Xavier about this matter repeatedly when Xavier brought him back to the cave on the cliff today.
However, as mentioned before, Xavier is ultimately just a mutant, and mutants think in a completely opposite way to humans.
"But Lin Xi is supposed to be like this..."
While Lin Xi was anxious to find a way to return to her original form, Xavier simply stared at Lin Xi's body with fascination, and then solemnly said...
In the end, it was his own notes that gave Lin Xi the clues.
"Mother of the Different Species"
Lin Xi saw that word in her notes.
He was certain that this word, or rather everything about the alien species, must have given him a tremendous shock in the past, so much so that after seeing this word, a lot of unrelated memories suddenly flooded his mind.
A madman, a ritual for a new album, and ancient myths...
Lin Xizhen hoped he could find the notebook mentioned in the notes that belonged to Ando Toshio, but after searching through Xavier's collection, he still found nothing and could only fall asleep exhausted.
Is there any connection between the strange changes that have occurred to me and the ancient myths of the Sunu people?
What is this alien species? Is it a creature like himself, Xavier, and that white monster that suddenly appeared in front of him?
Lin Xi's thoughts became chaotic, and his heart felt as if it had turned into a stone, pressing heavily on his chest.
He had thought that if he could find clues about his memories, his life would become clearer, but now he had to admit that even after reuniting with Xavier and finding countless crew members' belongings, he still knew nothing about his past, let alone why he had become the terrifying person he was today.
Up to now, the only thing that can make Lin Xi happy is that he received a fairly positive reply from Xavier: Bryce and Elisa have already left the planet in the lifeboats inside the Sun God.
"Bryce, Alyssa, you'll be alright, won't you? You'll come to save me..."
Lin Xi pressed her temples and then murmured softly.
"Lin Xi..."
A hoarse and deep voice came from a corner of the cave.
He looked up and headed in the direction the sound came from, and saw Xavier slowly climbing towards him from the cave wall.
Compared to the daytime, Xavier's appearance has changed subtly.
Its facial contours have softened slightly, and its originally metallic carapace is now covered with a soft, neon-like glow that can even emit a hazy light in dim environments.
Its enormous, blood-red compound eyes were even more piercing. Lin Xi couldn't see the slightest hint of sleepiness on that ferocious face (Lin Xi strongly suspected that the other party might not need to sleep at all).
Ever since Lin Xi woke up, he had been feeling a faint gaze upon him... Perhaps Xavier had been watching him ever since he woke up.
From the very beginning of their reunion, Lin Xi discovered that this monstrous creature with a terrifying appearance... This complete alien monster had a strange love and obsession with him.
Lin Xi then discovered that she didn't seem to dislike this feeling.
This may be related to his discovery that he was abandoned alone on an alien planet, or it may be closely related to the strange changes in his body.
Perhaps if this mutation continues, he will eventually lose his human form completely and become a complete monster...
In the short time Lin Xi was distracted, Xavier had already swiftly climbed from the edge of the cave to the bedside.
It clung to Lin Xi's side, its affectionate manner always reminding Lin Xi of the little dog she used to have.
At this moment, it tilted its head and stared intently at Lin Xi with its bright red compound eyes. Its antennae trembled slightly as it tried to detect the scent molecules emanating from Lin Xi.
Lin Xi could sense that the other person was trying to establish a mental connection with her.
However, Lin Xi shook her head and refused to share her emotions with Xavier.
The feeling was a little too intimate, Lin Xi thought to herself.
Are you unhappy?
Xavier quickly noticed Lin Xi's slight withdrawal and resistance, and its antennae drooped slightly.
The bright neon lights on its body had dimmed slightly, making it look as if it had faded.
Perhaps it needs to find time to further modify itself; it needs a pair of beautiful, large wings—Xavier unconsciously flapped its now hard, not-so-good-looking wings, the base of which felt slightly itchy.
But Xavier was no longer the naive and ignorant mutant it once was. Although somewhat frustrated, it still managed to maintain a facade of calm in front of Lin Xi. In all the soap operas it had watched, all the handsome and dashing villains were like that.
"What happened...?"
It asked in a low voice.
Lin Xi could see Xavier's unease and anxiety, and he immediately shook his head.
"It was just a nightmare."
Lin Xi said softly.
"Nightmare?"
"Yes, a nightmare..."
As he spoke, Xavier extended his insect limbs and placed them on Lin Xi's wrist.
"If you're scared..."
Xavier stammered as he spoke.
"...I...I actually...I can stay by your bedside until you fall asleep again. If you know I'm here to protect you, you shouldn't be afraid anymore. Whether it's an enemy or a nightmare, I'll take care of it for you."
After a brief pause, Xavier suddenly abandoned his previous stutter and spoke fluently to Lin Xi in an exceptionally deep voice.
"actually……"
Actually, I wasn't scared.
Lin Xi almost blurted those words out.
He wasn't lying. Although he called the dream a nightmare, he knew very well that the man who kept talking to him in the dream, who was depressed, had no ill intentions. The only thing he could feel was the man's unparalleled sadness and despair.
However, at the very moment he opened his mouth, Lin Xi inadvertently met Xavier's scarlet eyes.
Although it was Xavier himself who first suggested protecting Lin Xi, at this moment, Xavier, who was lying by the bed, looked even more nervous than Lin Xi, who was having a nightmare.
Lin Xi could even see a hint of fear and unease in the insect's eyes.
Faced with Xavier's strange appearance, Lin Xi couldn't help but pause for a moment, and then suddenly realized that what Xavier had just said sounded somewhat familiar.
That line seems to have come from a popular urban soap opera when he left Earth.
After realizing this, Xavier's previous stuttering and subsequent fluency suddenly seemed perfectly logical. Lin Xi simply couldn't understand what Xavier had been thinking, that he would start memorizing such ridiculous lines.
Protecting Lin Xi is real, and wanting to sleep with Lin Xi is also real.
Despite Xavier's efforts to maintain a profound facade in front of Lin Xi, the alien insect's mind remains as pure as a blank sheet of paper in the presence of humans.
Lin Xi couldn't help but blink.
In a daze, a familiar scene suddenly appeared in Lin Xi's mind—in that scene, there was a huge butterfly with a terrifying appearance.
The butterfly climbed down the wall.
The butterfly lay with him in bed, covering his body with its wings.
Lin Xi was stunned. When he came to his senses again, the memory was already vaguely present in his mind.
That was... Xavier back then.
At that time, Xavier was just a simple little butterfly. Even when she stubbornly insisted on sleeping with Lin Xi, she was very open about it. She had no idea that Lin Xi would be troubled by it.
But Xavier has now learned the human traits of concealment and fear...
This is probably how Xavier grew from that misunderstanding of being abandoned.
Thinking of this, Lin Xi's heart softened instantly, and before he even realized it, he had already nodded to Xavier.
“Okay…” he said softly.
Before he could even finish speaking, the terrifying giant insect crawled directly onto his bed. However, the Xavier that was once a light and airy heart butterfly was now a completely different creature covered in a heavy and hard shell.
Xavier had barely laid the first half of his life on the bed when the already damaged, disassembled and reassembled bed began to creak under the strain.
Upon hearing the sound, Xavier froze instantly. Its antennae tensed abruptly, and it swayed uneasily. Then, pretending to be nonchalant, it slowly placed most of its body off the edge of the bed, while its forelimbs and upper body calmly rested on the bedside.
"I'll stay here with you."
It spoke to Lin Xi in a deep and calm voice.
Lin Xi stared at Xavier like this, clenching his teeth to keep himself from showing too obvious a smile in front of Xavier.
But in the end, he couldn't help but reach out and lovingly stroke the other person.
"Actually, I can go and keep you company under the bed, after all, I'm no longer a... normal human being."
Lin Xi said in a soft tone.
With just this simple touch, Lin Xi felt a sudden burst of pure and intense joy and happiness from Xavier.
Lin Xi once again felt that surge of heat gushing from the depths of her soul.
Even though the road ahead is long and the past is complicated, at least at this moment, Xavier's simple joy infected Lin Xi's originally heavy heart and relieved some of the strong unease he felt because of his nightmares and the past.
At that very moment, a strong desire suddenly welled up in Lin Xi's heart.
"I wish I could remember sooner... remember what happened between you and me."
Lin Xi murmured.
Lin Xi was certain that she and the strange creature before her must have had a very strong emotional connection in the past.
Otherwise, how could he have developed such strong feelings for such a terrifying monster while suffering from amnesia?
Lin Xi didn't know if it could be described as love, but...
Unbeknownst to him, he and Xavier had grown closer and closer, his human body, his soft form, pressing tightly against Xavier's exceptionally sturdy and cold carapace.
Xavier's elytra opened slightly, and a sweet, sticky buzzing sound burst forth from his chest.
It was at this very moment.
"Click..."
Another crisp sound of a small stone falling came from outside the cave.
The sound was actually quite faint, but it was nighttime on AS192, and the surroundings were completely silent. Even the sound of a small stone falling would be considered a huge noise.
Lin Xi and Xavier froze for a moment.
A moment later, Lin Xi let out a long sigh and broke free from Xavier's embrace.
It was a scene that seemed familiar, one that had already happened before. After emerging from the cave, Lin Xi wasn't surprised to see a familiar white figure on the edge of the cliff.
It's that white monster.
Even though it was deliberately left far behind by Xavier, it still managed to find Lin Xi and Xavier accurately based on its instincts.
At this moment, most of its body was still hanging outside the cliff, with only its two forelimbs stuck on the edge of the cliff platform. Its pale face hung there in the thick darkness of the night, making it stand out conspicuously.
After Lin Xi and Xavier's eyes met, the white monster seemed to realize that its arrival was somewhat inappropriate, and its tentacles trembled wildly on its head with unusual unease.
The next second, it slowly took a step back off the cliff.
It tried to cover its body with the rocks on the edge of the cliff, but its action was actually meaningless—Lin Xi turned around and saw Xavier's murderous look.
Even without a mental connection, he could still clearly sense the intense killing intent emanating from the creature beside him towards that unfortunate familiar.
Lin Xi found it somewhat amusing, yet also extremely perplexing. He had a strong premonition that this time, appeasing Xavier to prevent it from tearing the white monster to pieces would likely require a great deal of effort.
Thinking of this, Lin Xi couldn't help but sigh.
Let's skip the complicated and particularly tedious work of appeasement.
Even Lin Xi himself didn't know how he did it... In the end, he finally managed to calm Xavier down.
Only after his repeated assurances did the white monster, still shaken, climb up the cliff onto the platform.
Then, following closely behind Xavier and Lin Xi, they slowly entered the cave step by step.
The long chase had left the little white monster looking rather disheveled. It had several wounds, perhaps inflicted by the monsters in the forest. Its forelimbs were worn, and its wings were covered in brightly colored dust.
It huddled cautiously at the edge of the cave, in a corner furthest from Xavier.
The ominous atmosphere made the sensitive monster extremely nervous. It looked at Lin Xi pitifully, letting out a series of whimpers.
However, Lin Xi could clearly sense that the more pitifully the little monster whimpered, the more Xavier's anger surged beside him.
Fortunately, just as Xavier was about to lose control and attack the little white monster, the little monster struggled to squeeze out a few fragmented words of human language.
"Something... is making a crackling sound..."
It gestured wildly with its body, trying to tell Xavier and Lin Xi what the sounds it had heard earlier were all about.
"Something dangerous is moving inside the spaceship."
"I'm very scared, it's terrifying, it will hurt me."
The little white monster spoke in a particularly strange voice.
It wouldn't want to make such an unpleasant sound in front of Lin Xi unless it was pushed to the limit.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
