Chapter 37: Eyes

Chapter 37: Eyes

Rong Mi sensed a gust of wind.

The fluttering of butterfly wings stirred the air, accompanied by the stench of decaying insect blood and a powerful energy fluctuation.

This fluctuation was both familiar and alien.

It originated from the Ice Butterfly, an entity Rong Mi knew intimately.

Yet, this intensity was something Rong Mi had never perceived in any Ice Butterfly before!

Without much contemplation, Rong Mi could ascertain that this energy wave was directed at them!

It was a lethal arrow aimed straight at their heart!

The Gemstone Rabbit's warning was spot on.

This energy was even more potent than that of the Sub-Dragonfly.

So much so that Rong Mi's actions became instantly rigid.

He felt himself utterly suppressed by that surge of energy, unable to move or feel significant in comparison.

What an immense sense of danger.

It made Rong Mi feel as if his every effort against this opponent was like a flickering firefly compared to a blazing sun.

Impossible to match, hopeless to resist.

A wave of negative emotions surged from within him, leaving Rong Mi momentarily stunned.

This originated from the instinctive fear and helplessness that humans feel when faced with an overwhelming force, like a mountain collapsing unexpectedly.

Stemming from the reality that humans are but mere motes in the vast universe.

It stirred a desire to bow one's head in surrender.

Yet, this gloomy thought lasted only a fleeting moment.

No one is born invincible.

During Rong Mi's youthful days, in the era of interstellar nomads, when he had just become an ace mech pilot... there were countless near-death experiences, too many similar situations.

Rong Mi's mental strength was forged and tempered in those life-or-death crises, growing ever stronger with each trial!

Despite the countless past crises where the disparity between friend and foe had never been more pronounced, this was not a reason to give up.

So what if the mantis acts as a chariot?

At the very least, try to reach out!

A brilliant purple psychic whirlwind swirled with the fiery intensity of energy, and that very hue mirrored in Rong Mi's eyes.

In the center of her pitch-black eyes, a mysterious and dazzling purple shimmered.

Rong Mi extends a hand.

His palm swirled with purple flames and winds, his mental strength and focus reaching heights he had never before attained, whistling around him in a tempest.

A lingering afterimage of red stained his retinas, while in his mental landscape, a stretched, delayed mark was imprinted.

Rong Mi was aware that his senses could not keep up with the Ice Butterfly's assault. He closed his eyes, relying purely on his most basic intuition, curling his fingers downward.

The Ice Butterfly's swift strikes carried shrill whistles, and the Gemstone Rabbit let out a continuous, desperate squealing.

Instinctively, Chen Shu yelled for them to run, but he knew that human speed was no match for the Ice Butterfly's mental attacks. Thus, he raised his hand to block as the best course of action.

The assault was too swift, faster than any ice butterfly attack Chen Shu had ever witnessed.

Not even an Arctic Butterfly could compare!

Under such an onslaught, the outcome, even at best, would be horrifying.

Chen Shu realized that the most advantageous response for Rong Mi would be to intercept that energy bolt before it pierced through his heart.

But with such a vast disparity in strength, even if Rong Mi managed to do so at the cost of his life, the forced surge in mental power and the violent collision of energies...

Rong Mi might lose a hand, an arm, or even half his body.

His mental domain was more likely to overload, fall into chaos, or collapse...

None of these consequences had ever flashed across Rong Mi's mind for an instant.

In this moment, he was single-minded, driven purely by instinct... to stay alive.

There were still so many things he had yet to do.

To explore the ancient human star systems.

To strive to redirect the course of history.

To seek freedom with a body unshackled by genetic diseases.

As Rong Mi's finger pulled the trigger, a soft sound echoed from his arm.

It was the chirp of the combat pet sphere bursting outward from within, drowned out by the howling gales of energy.

In the next moment, Rong Mi sensed a gentle pressure on his shoulder as if something was leaping forward using his shoulder as a launchpad.

Rong Mi: ...Ayin!

Rong Mi's eyes snapped open, and he urgently cried out, "Ayin! Don't go!"

The Silver Wolves ignored him and jumped down, letting out a fierce roar.

A brilliant silver glow erupted from its body. The shimmering light seemed to elongate its figure, making it resemble the massive wolf Rong Mi had seen from afar during the Ice and Fire Tournament.

Though it was only an illusory projection of its spiritual energy, and not its physical form, it was still a breathtaking sight.

An adult Ice Plain Silver Wolf stood as tall as a person or even taller.

Its physique was lithe and muscular, with powerful limbs that positioned it firmly in front of Rong Mi as a protector. Its ice-blue eyes turned silver, and its sharp claws swiped downward.

Accompanied by a cold moonlight-like ice shard, it cleaved the red entity in two.

"Boom!"

As the energy erupted, Rong Mi caught sight of blood.

The explosion tore through the silver spirit energy that formed the wolf's claw, also cleaving its real paw in the process.

Scarlet blood spewed from the wolf's claws. Amidst the clash of energy waves, Rong Mi was unable to discern Ayin's injuries.

The surge of violet spiritual energy rushed forth, aiding the Silver Wolves in their siege against the lingering Ice Butterfly essence yet to be fully extinguished.

Rong Mi reached out simultaneously, attempting to pull the Silver Wolves back behind him.

However, the wolf was too swift. Rong Mi only managed to graze its fluffy tail slightly.

As Ice Butterfly's second assault arrived, Rong Mi anxiously cried out, "Ayin, come back!"

But his outstretched arm was suddenly grasped by someone.

The fingers were cold – they belonged to Lu Yi.

"Where is the source of the attack?"

The general's solemn voice rang in Rong Mi's ears, "I can't see clearly."

Due to the injury at the root of his Spirit Tree, his spiritual perception was blurred, unable to distinguish the core point of the ice butterflies' energy in the sky.

Rong Mi grasped Lu Yi's intention in that brief moment.

The general intended to strike at the enemy's source.

Rong Mi wanted to tell him that he couldn't summon too much spiritual power right now.

But he knew... he wasn't strong enough yet.

Not yet.

Rong Mi gritted his teeth.

"I see it," he said in a cold tone.

Under the overwhelming pressure of the ice butterflies, Rong Mi's spiritual perception was filled with large swaths of crimson, belonging to the energy of the ice butterflies.

Ayin's silvery radiance shone like a flickering flame amidst the crimson darkness.

Rong Mi, amidst the crimson sky, discerned the densest spot.

He aimed his laser gun at the abdomen of the deceased Aydie, where the wound had been torn open.

With an intensity never before seen, his highly concentrated mental energy was unleashed in a bold and fierce burst, striking the heart of the deep red hue.

"Buzz—"

A soft chuckle seemed to resonate within the scarlet, mocking Rong Mi's insignificant mental strength at this moment.

Purple flames flickered, about to fade away as if they hadn't inflicted any damage upon the vivid red.

Yet, following closely behind, was a burst of silver.

Lu Yi's mental energy followed Rong Mi's discharge. The young man's mental force was like a brilliant signal flare in the night, impossible to overlook.

Thus, Lu Yi's mental energy transformed into a stream of light.

It was the moon descending upon the world, an ice that melted yet could freeze all things.

Following the purple flames, it rushed forward with great speed —

"Boom! ——"

Accompanied by an even more deafening explosion, the purple-silver burst forth amidst the deepest crimson.

The icy chill spread, and the scarlet ice butterflies shuddered and contracted. Yet, in the blink of an eye, they dispersed, transforming into countless lesser ice butterflies.

The silver hue pursued relentlessly, and the ice layers grew rapidly.

Rong Mi heard the swishing sound of a multitude of ice butterflies crashing to the ground.

However, at the very center of the ice layer, the energy core they had initially struck seemed to have come back to life.

Beneath the ice, it expanded exponentially —

In an instant, the intense energy of the high-level Ice Butterfly enveloped the entire dissecting area.

A deep crimson ice butterfly spirit energy erupted violently from the wounds on the Sub-Butterfly's body.

"Get down!" Lu Yi barked. His actions were swift, quicker even than Rong Mi's. With forceful palms, he pressed the young man to the ground, covering Rong Mi with his own body.

Knowing he couldn't be of assistance, Chen Shu had already dashed into the starship during the chaos and rushed into the cockpit, shouting, "Sun Tong! – Start the starship – Charge the shields to full capacity! Be ready for immediate takeoff!"

Sun Tong had also witnessed the situation outside from within the cockpit.

He cursed loudly, opening the shield energy valve to its maximum.

A frenzied wave of energy surged in all directions.

It charged towards those outside the starship and the wolves, towards the starship that had just activated its shields, and towards the hovering excavation mechs collecting the Sub-Butterfly corpses.

The dissecting mechs lacked any offensive capabilities and could not aid Rong Mi.

They had their own task: collecting the Sub-Butterfly remains.

This was an immensely crucial mission.

Mankind needed to study the Subbies in order to find a way to counter them.

When the sudden attack began, these mechas remembered their task and scattered outward with the collected pieces of Subbie remains, speeding away from the site of the assault as swiftly as possible.

However, from the start of the attack to the explosion, only a few seconds had passed. Despite the work mechas operating at full capacity, they hadn't managed to fly too far away.

The explosive energy wave could tear apart the mecha's exterior, ripping the pilot inside into bloody shreds.

Those mechas closer to the blast immediately exploded, while those further away struggled to maintain balance, swaying unsteadily as they dragged their damaged frames as far away as possible.

Human bodies without the protection of a mecha were even more vulnerable.

Lu Yi's mental energy hovered around him, but his back was still mangled in an instant.

"Aooww!——"

The silver radiance that Silver Wolves had condensed was depleted by the energy wave's impact. As the light faded, its figure shrank continuously, eventually reverting to its cub form.

Its fur was singed on its back, but it didn't retreat, standing firm in the gale as it lifted its head to howl.

The wolf's head rose high, and the silver moon ascended.

Lu Yi had held back his full mental power even in the face of the explosion, all for this moment.

His domain simultaneously descended.

Eternal ice and snow reflected the moonlight that humans had seen since the first spark of thought.

Silver light accumulated. The expanding blast wave, which had been rushing outward rapidly, suddenly slowed and even retreated.

It was as if it was being pushed back by an icy tide, gradually freezing. Red and silver intertwined, stopping, advancing, then retreating.

The energy storm paused briefly within the ice, creating an eerie stillness for a second.

In this moment of silence, Rong Mi could hear Lu Yi's rapid, labored breaths, as if he were suffocating.

Rong Mi knew that Lu Yi couldn't hold on for much longer.

Tense and covered in Lu Yi's blood, he remained vigilant.

Rong Mi took a deep breath, striving to remain calm. Supporting Lu Yi's body, he helped him stand up and grasped his wrist, transferring his weight onto himself.

"Order everyone to retreat!" Rong Mi shouted into Lu Yi's communication bracelet, "Admiral Sun Ming!"

Purple spirit energy waves rolled out with his voice, turning into mist that pushed the Third Legion's mechas away swiftly.

Half-carried by Rong Mi, Lu Yi was propelled towards the starship. Turning to the chaotic battlefield, Rong Mi called out, "Ayin, come here! ——"

The Silver Wolves dashed towards him. As the silver moon shimmered, the massive beast transformed into a smaller form, leaping up and reverting to the size of a cub before crashing into Rong Mi's embrace, whimpering softly.

The hatch closed promptly, and Sun Tong hastily maneuvered the starship for takeoff.

Rong Mi fixated on the scene below.

The work mechas retreated rapidly, boarding another starship which immediately lifted off.

Estimating the blast radius, Rong Mi whispered after a dozen seconds, " Admiral."

Several starships had already entered a safe zone.

As the field dissipated, Lu Yi abruptly spat out a mouthful of blood.

The crimson Ice Butterfly energy, now unleashed, danced wildly.

With a deafening explosion, the burst of energy shook the stars.

The starship trembled violently, and Ayin's remains were utterly shattered, with fragments of her insect body slamming into the ship's hull and embedding themselves in it.

Rong Mi caught Lu Yi's collapsing form, one arm supporting the man, the other embracing the wolf. With utmost skill, she soothed both their spirit domains simultaneously.

The sooner the spirit domain was calmed, the better; Rong Mi didn't have time to take Lu Yi to a treatment room. Instead, she started treatment on the rudimentary resting chair next to the airlock.

Chen Shu watched, stunned, but dared not make a sound. He turned to find medical robots, instructing them to tend to Silver Wolves and Lu Yi's wounds immediately.

Outside the cabin door, the explosion seemed apocalyptic in its terror.

Rong Mi swiftly quelled the storms in Lu Yi and Ayin's spirit domains. Just as she was about to turn for the medical robots to request a dose of mental energy replenisher, she felt a sudden chill down her spine.

From the fading scarlet haze of the explosion, there emerged an intangible sense of being watched, subtle yet impossible to overlook.

"Alice,"