In another spherical tent not far from Lin Xi and "Number One", two other figures were sleeping together, their bodies intertwined.
One of the men was lying wearily on his back with his lips slightly parted. He was a large man with a slightly sunken face (because his nose had been damaged years ago). His nameplate on his chest read: Stephen Raul.
His exploration suit, covered in all sorts of grime and so worn that its original color was almost unrecognizable, was crumpled into a ball at his feet. In this respect, he was similar to his companion; they hadn't even had time to take off their exploration suits before falling asleep from exhaustion.
However, Stephen's companion was in a worse situation, as he was pinned under Stephen's arm and was frowning uncomfortably. But he was too exhausted to even protest to Stephen.
If Beerus hadn't been so impulsive, hadn't spouted nonsense at Lin Xi in front of Francis (who is now "Number One") and then been devoured by some uninvited monster, he would probably be nestled next to Stephen, sleeping sprawled out beside him—after all, there was a strong bond of affection between the two of them.
They were all followers of John Brunson and firmly believed that they had come out on a noble mission.
If it weren't for that accident, they might have already found a way to kill that demon named Lin Xi during this meticulously prepared exploration mission.
"Hmm..."
Stephen, who was fast asleep, suddenly sniffed and let out a muffled murmur in his sleep.
A few minutes later, he let out the same low cry again.
However, there was a hint of pain in that low moan.
"No...no...I can't do it...Oh God...I..."
Finally, with a low, fearful groan, Stephen suddenly opened his eyes.
He stared blankly into the darkness before him, his mind a complete void.
He should go back to sleep immediately. Stephen could feel his bones and nerves protesting desperately, but at this moment, the vivid image of Beerus's bruised and blue face when he died in his nightmare kept haunting his mind, keeping him awake all night.
Oh, really? That poor fellow named Beerus was once your companion.
In a daze, he seemed to hear a soft whisper.
The voice was so gentle that it touched one's soul.
He was killed by those horrible insects, wasn't he? Then why are you sleeping so soundly? Have you forgotten? Those insects Lin Xi summoned are still outside. You're sleeping right here in a swarm of insects. Who knows if any of those insects outside the tent are some kind of monster, eyeing you with predatory intent?
Stephen frowned and pressed his forehead.
The voice swirling in his mind was strange... Was it really his own thought? Or was someone speaking to him from inside his head?
Stephen felt his head was foggy, as if he were in a dream, or perhaps in reality.
To avoid attracting insects, people carefully controlled the light source, even inside the tent.
But it is precisely because of this that human hearing seems to have become countless times more sensitive than before.
Under the seductive influence of the voice in my mind.
Stephen listened carefully to the sounds outside the tent. He could vaguely hear some rustling sounds—as if some giant insect was crawling across the smooth rock surface.
Could it be the kind of monster that killed Beerus?
Or was it just his hallucination?
"Oh...Stephen...please, go to sleep, you still have a long night ahead."
The man's tossing and turning seemed to wake his companion, who turned over and mumbled in pain in the darkness.
In an instant, Stephen stopped all movement. He lay motionless for a while, holding his breath, until he heard his companion's breathing gradually become steady and slow, and then he silently breathed a sigh of relief.
Stephen also felt that something was wrong with him, because he was uncontrollably replaying the scene before Beerus's death in his mind over and over again.
Now, a thought is growing stronger in Stephen's mind: Beerus might have been murdered—murdered by a man named Lynx.
Before the monster suddenly leaped onto Beerus's back, Beerus was reprimanding Lin Xi without any politeness. Perhaps that's why the man was so enraged that he summoned the monster...
Yes, it was after Beerus was killed that the entire exploration team began to obey Lin Xi's every command, including Jerry and Francis.
Maybe you'll be the next one to die?
The voice in his head spoke softly.
You should kill him. That man can manipulate insects. Even if he still has human nature now, one day... he will become the most terrifying monster in the universe.
The voice continued.
Stephen nervously gnawed at his fingers in the darkness until his mouth was filled with the sweet, metallic taste of blood.
When he noticed, he realized that he had unknowingly and slowly gotten up.
He shakily pulled his weapon from his exploration suit, then staggered away from his tent.
A strong, pungent stench instantly filled his throat, and the intensely irritating air corroded his nasal cavity and mouth—Stephen wasn't wearing an exploration suit; he was breathing directly the toxic alien air from the cave.
Thick, dark blood instantly gushed from his nostrils, but Stephen seemed completely oblivious to the maddening pain.
His gaze was vacant as he walked straight toward Lin Xi's location.
However, he had no way of getting close to it.
A bizarre and terrifying creature had somehow appeared there.
Upon seeing "Stephen," its wings suddenly unfurled behind it, the enormous eye-spots on its wings flashing incessantly, emitting a fluorescent warning.
—As an insect, "Number One" is quite sensitive to external stimuli.
Even as Stephen was still rummaging around in the tent searching for weapons, "Number One" realized something was wrong.
It reluctantly left Lin Xi's warm body and then climbed out of the tent.
What is a corrosive atmosphere to humans is like a nourishing substance to it. Its wings, which were originally wrinkled and slightly dull in color, have now become bright in color and light and graceful in texture.
However, what puzzled "Number One" a little was that "Stephen's" reaction after seeing him was quite strange.
Oh no, it seems I still couldn't save you.
Stephen looked at Number One, whose terrifying appearance was enough to make even the most composed human scream, but Stephen showed no surprise.
He just stood there quietly, then muttered something under his breath.
...She's really ugly.
He added a sentence.
After saying that, "Stephen" raised his hand without hesitation, pointing the gun at "Number One".
But before he could press the switch, a thin, fleshy tentacle had already bound his wrist.
"puff--"
Then came the soft, wet sound of a person being pierced.
Stephen was handed over to the ground without any resistance.
Before the two barbed, saw-like forelegs of insects silently emerged from the darkness and severed the man's head and body, the last sound he heard was a hoarse whisper filled with doubt.
"Really... ugly...?"
The human body temperature and the overwhelming smell of blood caused a slight disturbance among the normally peaceful insect swarm in the cave.
The rustling sound, like the wind passing through the forest, made Lin Xi frown in her sleep.
He vaguely felt someone gently nudging his shoulder.
It took him roughly a century to slowly rouse himself from his deep, dark sleep. Strangely, under normal circumstances, even in such a state of exhaustion, he could probably leap out of his sleep to deal with any unexpected event.
But this time, perhaps because she vaguely sensed the presence of the person beside her, the nerve in Lin Xi called "vigilance" seemed to have completely snapped.
He was completely relaxed.
"Hmm? Francis... what's wrong... what's wrong..."
Lin Xi turned over, trying to avoid the hand that was disturbing his sleep.
He asked in a daze, but he couldn't open his eyes no matter what he did.
“Lin Xi…” he heard Francis stammer something beside his shoulder, “Am I… really… ugly…?”
Well, Lin Xi's efforts to regain her senses vanished quickly upon hearing this question.
He must be dreaming. Lin Xi thought vaguely.
After all, in reality, how could a cold and aloof man like Francis possibly wake up his exhausted companion in the middle of the night just to ask him if he was ugly?
The scene was utterly absurd and ridiculous.
"Lin Xi... what... kind of... appearance do you... like..."
But the constant muttering in her ear made it impossible for Lin Xi to calm down.
Lin Xi subconsciously raised her arm and covered her ears with her wrist, curling her body up like a baby.
"I like……"
Lin Xi spoke in a daze, the name that had been suppressed in the deepest part of her heart for many years, appeared clearly on her lips.
“Saville”.
He said.
Then he let himself fall back into a deep sleep.
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