Chapter 47 Darling, we meet again "Quick...go..."
"Quick...go..."
The door slammed shut in front of them. Clearly, the pretty female insect could no longer control her strength, and her speech became as hesitant and deliberate as when they first met.
The female insect that had just smiled gently at them now spread its wings, revealed sharp claws on its hands, bulged veins on its forehead, and stiffened its antennae.
This is a sign that the mental domain is out of control. When they first met, the female insect's condition should have been very bad. Although it was temporarily suppressed, the mental domain should still be in a state of chaos. Yet, even in that state, he was still able to receive them, smile at them, and cook for them.
Talos quickly calmed down, took a vial of medicine from his small bag, and handed it to Doris.
“I’ll restrain him, and you can take the opportunity to feed him the medicine.”
Doris hesitated, her initial anxiety subsiding somewhat. "You want to use pheromones to save him?"
To be fair, he did have a good impression of this gentle female insect and wanted to be friends with her, but that was all. This was Talos's life-saving potion. There was no need to compare Talos and a female insect he had just met.
Talos, on the other hand, was quite nonchalant. "Anyway, I don't need it now, so I'll just consider it repaying the favor of the insects that delivered the pot earlier."
Doris held the vial of potion in her hand, wanting to persuade him, but she didn't know how to start, because wasn't that how Talos had taken him and most of his brothers in the group?
The pheromone vials on the dark web have been sold several times, but they are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. There are only ever 100 vials available, yet the number of insects vying for them is ever increasing.
Doris watched helplessly as the number of add-to-cart bugs went from a few dozen at the beginning to several thousand, and now to over a hundred thousand.
There are far too many female insects who need pheromone potions. They've been able to barely hold on for a while now, thanks to the extra bottles they managed to snatch the first time. The latest time, they were extremely lucky and only managed to get one bottle. Meanwhile, Talos's condition is getting worse and worse, and Doris is still worried about him.
But in the end, he swallowed the advice.
"……good."
When Murphy returned from his stroll outside, he saw his pot carelessly placed outside. The once tidy little house was now in a mess, with two insects fighting fiercely inside.
Hmm, what happened?
"No, he's out of control. The medicine is useless now."
The delicate female insect was more troublesome than they had imagined. She looked thin, but she had a wealth of combat experience. He finally had a better understanding of what the boss meant when he said that this female insect had served in the military.
Finally, under Talos's relentless attacks, Doris found an opportunity to pour the potion into the mouth of the pretty female insect. The effect was immediate, and the pretty female insect gradually calmed down.
A newfound clarity appeared in his eyes, but he couldn't retract his stiff antennae and claws for the time being.
The effects of the medicine were far less pronounced than his.
“This shouldn’t be happening…” Doris frowned. Since he drank the potion, one or two other insects on the ship had also drunk the potion while out of control, and the effect was very significant. Almost instantly after drinking it, their uncontrollable symptoms completely disappeared, but this female insect seemed to be significantly different.
The pretty female insect blinked several times, seemingly trying to quickly regain her dimming vision.
He stared blankly at his hands, then touched his head, a sense of unprecedented peace that he found somewhat cloying.
"It's you..."
He never expected that a female insect he had only met once would use a precious pheromone potion on him.
Are you alright now?
Since the potion had already been used, Doris didn't say anything more, only asking a question out of concern.
The pretty female insect had a complicated expression and nodded absently. "I've never felt so good before. Thank you. I never thought there would be such a miraculous medicine that would work for my condition."
Doris had some questions. "Didn't you just lose control for a little while? I remember this medicine is also effective on female insects that have just lost control, so why is it acting this way on you?"
"..."
"It's probably because I've been out of control for a very long time."
The pretty female insect gave a bitter smile and casually stated the shocking truth about the insect.
Talos and Doris were both startled.
"How is that possible?"
In a state of being out of control, one has no consciousness of their own and it is irreversible. If the delicate female insect has always been in a state of being out of control, then who was the female insect who spoke gently to them just now? He had never heard of someone being able to work and support themselves while out of control; that would be too abnormal.
The pretty female insect shook her head, seemingly trying to lighten the mood, and jokingly remarked, "I don't know either, maybe it's some kind of genetic mutation?"
Then, the pretty female insect straightened her expression and said very seriously, "I really thank you. The pheromone potion stopped working for me a long time ago. I didn't want to be a burden to my teammates, so I came back here."
Doris fell silent.
This insect casually recounted its predetermined fate, and having reached this point, it didn't want to cause trouble for other insects, which is probably why it built its hut in such a remote place.
At this moment, the pretty female insect raised her left hand, her face full of apology and embarrassment, "Would you mind if I connected with your personal terminal? I am Walsh. I can't afford to pay back the pheromone potion right now, but I will work hard to earn money to repay you."
Doris didn't think too much about it and was about to say no, but Talos stopped her.
Talos looked at him. "Alright, but you're not allowed to die before that."
Walsh looked at him too. What an oddball! He was clearly concerned about him, but he went through so many roundabout ways, just like one of his friends.
Walsh nodded and smiled. "I will try my best."
...
Do you want to live?
The abrupt opening startled the three insect groups who were having a pleasant conversation.
It turned out that the strange black-haired insect had wandered back here without them noticing, and none of them had reacted at all.
What do you mean by "You are..."?
Walsh asked instinctively.
The black-haired worm did not answer him, but continued to ask, its voice light and seemingly coaxing.
Do you want to live?
Walsh's voice was gentle yet exceptionally firm, without the slightest hesitation, "Of course I want to."
He never stopped longing to return to the Legion. He missed his friends and the days when he fought alongside them. Every day of his agonizing struggle, with no hope in sight, tormented him.
The black-haired worm seemed quite satisfied with his answer.
"How about being my guinea pig?"
Experimental subject?
These three words immediately reminded Doris and Talos of the black-haired monster's bottles and jars, which now contained almost everything except the monster's head, and every time they saw them, they felt their hearts were wounded.
Doris looked horrified and desperately tried to signal to his new friend with his eyes, wishing he could transfer his memories into his mind. He couldn't be a test subject; this strange insect really could slice insects into pieces.
Walsh saw his gesture.
Walsh nodded. "...Okay."
The black-haired worm's smile widened, as if seeing Walsh agree too easily, and it suddenly added, "Then get ready, I'm going to take out your worm core."
Doris looked like a screaming chicken; if Talos hadn't covered his mouth, he would have screamed out loud. "Don't say such terrifying things with such a relaxed expression!"
As everyone knows, the insect core is the core of an insect; without it, the insect will die. Therefore, in his view, when Murphy said something about removing the insect core, it meant that he never wanted Walsh to live.
Walsh asked, "Am I going to die?"
The black-haired worm tilted its head and looked at him for a moment, then gave him a wicked smile. "Maybe."
His words were too blunt, and the air flowed silently. This was a life-or-death decision facing Walsh, and no one but him could make this decision for him.
Walsh remained silent for a long time.
"...Okay, I promise you."
He might die, which means he might live, and he's willing to take the gamble.
After saying it, Walsh seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, deciding to leave his life to fate to decide.
Doris stared at him, somewhat bewildered. "Walsh..."
Walsh smiled and shook his head at them.
He knew he didn't have much time left, and that he would have died today if it weren't for the help of the two insects, Talos. But he desperately wanted to live, and he wanted to grasp at even the slightest hope of survival.
Walsh lowered his eyes, his gaze filled with nostalgia.
So much time has passed, those idiots have probably already realized he's gone.
He wanted to go back, to see them again, he wanted to so much.
...
The night was so dark that even the stars were few and far between. An insect darted across the darkness, its long, silver hair, tied up, fluttering in the night wind like a sliver of moonlight on the ground.
Palmer led the way, his eyes filled with anxiety.
They followed the coordinates, but unexpectedly, several small planets shared the same coordinates, which delayed their search for several days.
"This is the place where the Walsh flavor is strongest."
The Palmer race has an extremely keen sense of taste, which helps them save a lot of time.
He asked the army doctor and finally understood how serious Walsh's condition really was. It turned out that during those days when he thought they were just ordinary chatter, Walsh's loss of control had been tormenting him so much that he couldn't sleep night after night, but he hadn't noticed at all.
If the Legion Commander hadn't suddenly asked about it, he probably wouldn't have found out until much later.
Legion Commander Worm...
Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the silver-haired female insect not far behind him; her once clear, violet pupils had been replaced by a deep, dormant crimson.
He knew this was another Legion Commander worm, just another Legion Commander worm that had experienced more.
Although he didn't actually know much, one day he suddenly received instructions from the "Legion Commander" to deliver a vial of potion mixed with specified materials to the Legion Commander during the day.
Since he was delivered, "Legion Commander" has been in more contact with him, although it's almost always at night.
Then, following the instructions of the "Legion Commander," he rescued several of his comrades who were being tortured to death by the male insects and took them to safety.
Some of these things he knew, and some he didn't, but "Legion Commander" seemed to know them all. He did the things that he dared not do.
This reminded him of the past.
He was originally just a skinny orphan who couldn't even compete with other insects when scavenging for scraps after the battlefield. He was only able to enter the Dawn Legion because he was appreciated by the Legion Commander. He knew that many insects in the Legion were just like him.
The Legion Commander is indeed their god, both in the past and now.
The smell in the air grew stronger, and Palmer knew he had found the right place. He leaped through several alleyways, quickly approaching the spot where the smell was strongest.
Turn right at the next alley, then left... Almost there, almost there...
With the Legion Commander's special permission, he brought three full-size A-grade pheromone potions, hoping they would be effective against Walsh's condition.
The medic told them that Walsh, knowing his condition, never took the pheromone potion voluntarily, and would even give the potion he received to other insects.
When the military doctor asked him about it, he said that giving him the medicine now would be a waste, and it would be better to give it to other insects that needed it more.
...Idiot, he needs it too.
Palmer couldn't help but curse inwardly.
Palmer sped up.
The smell is very strong, it's right ahead.
As he quickly turned the last alleyway corner, he said, "Found it, it's here..."
Under the cold moonlight, a black-haired worm wearing a blood-stained white coat held a beautiful crystal core in its hand, admiring it against the moon. The blood on it was still wet, and red liquid dripped down its fingers, the bloodstains meandering across its skin, making the worm look extremely eerie.
The strong smell of blood mixed with the scent of Walsh filled Palmer's nostrils.
Almost instantly, he understood what the black-haired monster was holding.
It's Walsh's insect core.
A still-living insect nucleus, still retaining some vitality.
He had seen it when he was in military school, and he had seen it again when he was collecting the remains of his comrades on the battlefield...
...
...
How dare he... How dare he...
Palmer's eyes bulged and became bloodshot, his whole body trembled uncontrollably, his hands clenched into fists, and his eyes instantly turned into blindfolds. He spread his wings and leaped forward, determined to make this insect pay for Walsh's life.
There was an insect that was faster than him.
An extremely fast gust of wind came from behind, seemingly sharp enough to pierce the night. Murphy slightly shifted his body and dodged the attack.
He slowly put the crystal core into the pocket of his white coat, then slowly raised his eyes, the golden lines around his dark pupils clearly visible in the bright moonlight.
The insect that attacked him had long silver hair and bloodshot eyes that looked like flowing blood.
It was very familiar. Although his face seemed to have changed slightly, Murphy recognized him. It was the little butterfly he had met that night. He had a pair of very beautiful heterochromatic wings.
Oh my, what a coincidence!
Murphy's eyes lit up. He had been wandering in this universe for a long time, but he had not heard any news about the little butterfly.
He had just woken up on a small, dilapidated planet with nothing of value. The only advantage was that it wasn't a peaceful place; small-scale wars broke out from time to time, which allowed him to find some decent collectibles, which calmed his anger somewhat.
And now, the little butterfly has come to him on its own.
Sure enough, it was destined by fate that this little butterfly was his.
The next attack came quickly, but Murphy's movements remained effortless. The sharp blade passed in front of him several times without touching a single hair.
Instead, he took the initiative to grab the long leg that the silver-haired female insect kicked at him, pinched it affectionately, and pulled the insect closer to him. He even had the mood to chat, and the fierce attack did not seem to bother him in the slightest.
"Baby, you still haven't told me your name?" The voice was light and teasing.
Palmer stood aside, unable to join the match at all. He was secretly shocked by the black-haired worm's skill. It seemed that it could survive so many moves against the Legion Commander worm with ease, so its level must be quite high.
He spread his wings, wanting to go forward to help the legion commander worm, but when he was within ten meters of the two worms, he seemed to be frozen in place and unable to move.
The silver-haired, red-eyed female insect leaped into the air and kicked at the head of the black-haired monster insect, but it was easily blocked by his other hand. However, the silver-haired female insect also took this opportunity to break free from the restraint of his right hand.
He spread his wings and soared and turned in mid-air, a thin red blade in his hand gleaming sharply white in the moonlight.
His attacks were swift and fierce; if it were an ordinary insect, it would have already drawn blood. But this black-haired monster was terrifyingly fast, and it didn't attack proactively, dodging left and right as if teasing him.
Occasionally, he would take advantage of the situation to touch her hand or waist while making incessant noises.
Why is my darling always so mean to me?
"It was the same last time, I bled a lot."
"It hurts so much..."
The black-haired monster spoke with aggrieved words, but his tone was unusually enchanting and seductive. A closer look at his pupils revealed an excitement more akin to spotting a precious prey.
"..."
"Shut up."
...
"Wait, everyone... please stop fighting..."
The sudden familiar voice made the other two insects besides Murphy turn their attention to the neat little house. The door was open at some point, and a gray-haired female insect they knew very well was struggling to hold onto the door frame, her body wrapped in bandages.
Even though his face was still very pale, a close look at his spirit revealed that he was in a state of unprecedented ease.
...
"Is this the place? A few insects have reported that they've been here."
"Although I don't know what got into Harper that he thought he could treat mental domain disorder without pheromones by having insects, his information wasn't entirely useless."
Not every pirate crew in the Chaotic Starfield is as lucky as Pure White. With Crimson completely controlling the pheromone supply, most pirate ships have no choice but to join the Crimson Pirate Crew.
But recently, for some reason, the Crimson Pirates have offended the Imperial Army. Their headquarters was breached, and they lost most of their strength. Resources are now being prioritized for the headquarters to recuperate, and small pirate ships like theirs are not even getting a penny.
Therefore, Harper did provide them with an important piece of information—that strange insect had pheromone potions, and quite a lot of them, otherwise it wouldn't have been willing to share them with a useless pauper.
Tsk tsk, still too naive. If you don't dare to reveal that you have pheromone potions in a place like the Chaotic Starfield, you have to be prepared that they will be stolen sooner or later.
The name of a fallen Pure White Pirates is not enough to protect so many potions.
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Author's Note: Thank you AAA for the gift! I love you so much! [Starry eyes][Heart eyes][Keep it up!]
Thank you to "逸云追飞鸟" (Yiyun Zhuifei Niao), "75106423" (75106423), and "晴空万里" (Qingkong Wanli) for the nutrient solution! Love you all! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Go for it!]
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