Chapter 64

Rei was reviewing the personnel accompanying her to the Monst Planet.

Ignoring the elite soldiers, Rei’s gaze fell on a few familiar names. After some contemplation, she selected only two of them.

Delyan and Ural.

"Unable to take all high-ranking members with her, Rei needed some insects to maintain order in her absence."

"Moreover, the destination this time was quite unusual."

"The insect species had readied all preparations for the journey, awaiting only Rei's command to depart."

"Rei sent the finalized list to Carisa, but she didn’t immediately order the departure."

"Instead, she lounged lazily in a corner of the sofa, gazing absentmindedly at the ceiling."

"She pondered the multitude of events that had transpired recently, methodically discarding unnecessary and cumbersome details."

"Suddenly, a familiar presence lingered nearby, meandering left and right, keeping a respectful distance from the safety line, with no intention of offense."

"Yet, the psychic wave carried a subtle sense of grievance and yearning."

"Usually, the insect species would not approach Rei's bedroom or attempt to near the adjacent corridors without permission. Even Carisa and others would request prior permission before coming."

"Considering the situation, Rei mischievously let loose a few soft white threads through the door gap, silently entwining around Ural’s ankle."

"A sudden shiver swept over, a mesmerizing tingling sensation originating at his heart."

"The soft white threads, as if alive, slowly crawled up to the edge of the young man’s heart, lingering there momentarily before moving harmlessly to his wrist."

"Ural’s usually pale, impassive face suddenly became animated, his cheeks flushing slightly, his eyes revealing a bewildered, animal-like vulnerability."

"It was as if Rei stood beside him, touching him nonchalantly."

"'Rei,' Ural murmured, his voice tinged with a hint of grievance."

"The unease buried deep within him unexpectedly began to surface."

Ural constantly felt overlooked and struggled to find his value to Rei.

In terms of combat, Rei didn’t need his protection.

And amidst the Alliance and various other strange events, Ural was still learning, unable to match the experience of other high-ranking insectoids.

——At this moment, Ural was simply caught in a state of excessive self-doubt, oblivious to his rapid growth that had already become a significant threat to other high-ranking authorities.

Moreover, the recent prophecy of a "short lifespan" had left this young companion agitated and restless, almost ready to offer his heart on a platter, letting the queen devour his flesh and blood, to nourish her life.

The white tendril around his wrist moved, snapping Ural back to reality.

It conveyed a message – Rei was summoning him to her bedroom.

Ural tensed up instantly. He had been lingering in the corridors outside Rei's bedroom, simply seeking to be closer to her, but never intending to intrude.

Could Rei be angry? Ural speculated wildly.

But then, he realized Rei wouldn’t bother with such trivialities.

In a moment of contemplation, Ural quickly moved to Rei’s bedroom door.

Despite his concerns, the opportunity for contact with Rei outweighed his slight unease.

The white tendril moved again, signaling Ural to enter.

Pushing open the door, he found Rei casually sitting on the sofa. Soft sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating her white hair with a bright, beautiful luster.

The room, filled with warm sunlight, was now invisibly dominated by a different aura – a cold, merciless chill that tainted the warmth.

The white-haired girl looked tired, glancing over indifferently at the sound by the door. Her pure, unusual eyes fleetingly reflected Ural’s figure. She smiled faintly and said flatly, “Come sit here, keep me company for a while.”

At her words, Ural immediately closed the door and obediently sat next to Rei. He gazed greedily at her profile, silent as usual, not wanting to disturb her rest.

His earlier sense of neglect had vanished without a trace.

He thought it would remain quiet until Rei asked him to leave.

Unexpectedly, Rei turned slightly, examining Ural before saying with a hint of confusion, “You look exactly the same as before.”

"Ural paused, initially intending to explain his resemblance in physique to Rei. But the next moment, Rei moved closer, reaching out to touch Ural’s cheek."

"'I heard your sadness,' Rei said curiously, 'What are you thinking about?'"

"Thump."

"Thump."

"The sound of a racing heartbeat."

"Rei's gaze rested on him, her eyes momentarily holding only his presence, as if this moment was a stolen secret, unknown to others."

"Rei playfully pinched Ural's cheek."

"Ural didn't respond immediately, his eyes slightly narrowing, pupils faintly vertical, as a few clear tears seemed to emerge from their depths."

"At his birth, he experienced a period of haze, as if transcending spatial boundaries. He vaguely heard the sounds of Rei's flesh tearing, muffled groans of hunger and pain, and the tumultuous noise of battling otherworldly entities."

"What was this?"

"The young symbiont instinctively wondered, why wasn’t the queen in her nurturing cradle? Why did she seem to be in danger?"

"But these chaotic, fragmented sounds soon vanished from Ural's world."

"A natural, closer psychic connection exists between the symbiont and the queen, especially when the queen is in her birth or larval stage and still needs time to grow."

"Yet—Ural could barely sense much information."

"Anxiety and endless fear constantly entwined deep within the symbiont’s heart."

"When he finally found Rei, Ural saw a queen bearing numerous old wounds, her mental state as if hanging on the edge of danger."

"Initially, following instinct, Ural frantically sought food, hoping to restore some of Rei's physical condition."

"But he soon realized this was a presumptuous and mistaken act."

"She detested the insect species, wary of all life that approached her."

"The symbiont couldn’t perceive the queen's inner psychic fluctuations, only occasionally catching faint fragments of sound."

"Rei, newly integrated into insect society, was in an extremely contradictory mental state, harboring pure curiosity for the unknown, yet deeply cautious of every move of the other insects."

It was as if a taut string was on the brink of snapping, ready to shatter completely upon the slightest touch.

The bewildered companion, unable to think of a better solution, could only quietly accompany Rei, following her every wish and intent.

When Rei erupted in rage, she unleashed excessive power in an instant, leaving her life hanging by a thread.

The queen chose not to devour the naive companion.

Upon the arrival of the insectoids from various advanced planets, especially the main star, at R27 star, they were greeted with a world riddled with holes, infested and spread by countless dangerous black threads.

The threads formed a massive spider web, with the outer perimeter engulfed in deep blackness, fading into pure white as one ventured further towards the center.

At the core of the spider web dwelt two life forms, a weakly breathing queen and a blood-red companion, attempting to feed her blood.

The threads, symbolizing the queen's power, continuously drained energy from the planet to her. But like pouring into a bottomless black hole, it only provided slight relief.

Derrin, who had come from the main star, finally sensed the queen's presence for the first time in his long life.

Faint breathing.

A dormant consciousness.

A body covered in scars.

The gentle Derrin, almost with a ferocious smile, entered the core of the web, intending to take Rei back to the queen's nest on the main star. There, Rei's body would receive optimal repair.

Ural seemed to sense something, slightly lifting his head with a cold gaze towards this suddenly arrived companion.

The two companions locked eyes, sharing a moment of spiritual communion.

"Leave, I will take Her Majesty back to the nest," Derrin said, struggling to contain his boundless anger.

"Rei's subconscious won't obey your decisions," Ural said indifferently. "Haven't you seen the insectoids barred outside? She detests us, unable to ingest even a drop of blood."

"Do you intend to let Her Majesty's life slip away like this?" The silver-haired insectoid, usually maintaining a gentle façade, revealed veins and fine scales on his face in rage.

Derrin, also a companion, was utterly unable to maintain any semblance of calm.

Ural fell into silence, turning his gaze back to Rei, who was still in a comatose state.

The queen, in her subconscious, was filtering and absorbing nutrients from the outside world, yet she deliberately excluded the most effective nourishment – the flesh and blood of her insectoid kin.

A hint of bewilderment shone in the beastly eyes of the black-haired youth.

He could sense a slight recovery in Rei's body, but it was far from sufficient.

The inherent nature of a companion prevented them from making decisions with excessive risk.

A moment's weighing of pros and cons.

"We can't leave R27 star," Ural stated. "It's not my decision. Like me, you must feel Rei's subconscious resistance."

Derrin also fell silent for a while, struggling to accept the fact that the queen abhorred them.

"The starship is equipped with numerous healing resources," Derrin said. "Follow me. We'll try to move Her Majesty to the destination and treat her on R27 star."

Ural carefully lifted Rei, but as he touched her, countless black threads wrapped around the youth, indiscriminately slashing wounds deep enough to reveal bone.

Barely within Ural's self-healing tolerance.

Along the way, Rei seemed to briefly regain consciousness in a daze, relaxing the black threads' assault on Ural.

After Rei was placed in the healing pod, Ural was naturally kept out, only able to sneak occasional glances. The rest of the time, he was relentlessly questioned by other high-ranking insectoids about everything concerning Rei.

The interrogating high-ranking insectoid asked in confusion, "Why does Her Majesty's bone age not match yours? Are you a companion born later? Were there others before you?"

There were none.

Endless guilt filled Ural's chest.

He was the first.

But also the most incapable.

Tears filled his grey beastly eyes, his expression one of sorrow and helplessness.

"Why do you feel guilty?" Rei asked calmly, looking at him, even curiously touching the youth's eyes.

Rei's voice brought Ural back to his senses.

As if triggered, tears in Ural's eyes finally fell, tracing down his pale cheeks.

Ural suddenly lost his ability to speak, his eyes brimming with clear tears as he looked at Rei with a sorrowful expression. He wanted to say something, but was overwhelmed by a surge of complex emotions, rendering him speechless.

The coldness of the space was slowly infused with another searing presence, like a flame burning at its peak, cautiously approaching its frosty master, yet not daring to get too close.

Rei silently observed Ural, unable to contain his emotions. She was not annoyed, just slightly troubled, paying close attention to his every move.

It was like a usually neglected pet, which occasionally sought attention, was now behaving unusually clingy and emotional.

"Do you know our next destination?" Rei suddenly asked, knowing the answer.

Ural obediently nodded, struggling to articulate, "To a planet guarded by a traitor."

The chilly air around, faintly scented with roses, suddenly became gentle, allowing the intense warmth to enter its domain.

Rei spoke softly, "We will encounter countless traitors. I will give you the chance to personally annihilate them."

— To create a grand and magnificent bloodbath.

Hearing this, Ural's face, filled with grievance and sadness, gradually calmed down. He understood the underlying meaning in Rei's words.

The thought of more pressing matters temporarily pushed his guilt and unease back to the depths of his heart, a feeling that would never fully dissipate.

Rei saw the shift in his emotions clearly, nonchalantly pinching the youth's soft cheek, lightly grazing his vital neck, her fingertips resting on his fervently beating heart.

Ural blinked nervously, feeling a tickle at his heart, as if it was lightly teased by a feather, causing ripples of emotion within him.

"There's no need to rush," Rei said, her gaze intensely focused on the companion, her voice as soft as a whisper.

"— I know you were born for me."