Chapter 101

Chapter 101

"General."

"Following your orders, your adjutant and all Insect race members involved in the lure-and-kill operation have been temporarily withdrawn from the front lines. Currently, both the vanguard and reconnaissance units have been fully replaced by soldiers from other divisions."

A serious female insect's voice spoke up. Unlike the adjutant who had served under Zhousha for decades, this middle-aged female insect now standing in the command center, meticulously reporting military affairs, was noticeably more seasoned in both appearance and demeanor.

After listening to the report from his newly appointed adjutant, the general, who had been observing the warship command system, showed no change in expression. It seemed he did not consider his decision to withdraw his long-serving adjutant a mistake.

Though Zhousha remained silent upon hearing this, the adjutant's next report further deepened the already somber atmosphere in the command center.

"However... the military headquarters on the Capital Star has relayed a message. Despite informing His Highness Fei Luo that you were aware of the lure-and-kill operation and had terminated it, His Highness has still decided to personally come to the front lines to provide support."

"The military failed to stop him. Now... His Highness is already en route."

Lowering her gaze, the newly appointed adjutant pressed her lips together. Her tone, which had remained steady until now, stiffened slightly by the end of her report.

After all, to date, only a handful of male Insects had ever appeared on the front lines in the history of their species. The last male to come to the front, the renowned His Highness Dihainuo, ultimately remained forever in the star system named after him.

The adjutant's thoughts, along with the heavy atmosphere, spread silently. At this moment, she was likely not the only one recalling Dihainuo's fate. Back when he was still on the Capital Star, General Zhousha might have been able to stop his son. But now... he could neither stop him nor had the right to.

Gazing at the real-time deployment map on the command system, the general who had fought half his life's eyes darkened.

No one knew what he was thinking at this moment—not even his newly appointed adjutant. But before she could analyze the situation further, the command system suddenly began flashing red.

A red alert. It meant the system had detected a number of star beasts that exceeded the current fleet's capacity.

Since their fleet arrived in the Sadiq System, the alerts had only reached yellow at their worst. As for red... this was truly the first time.

With the lure-and-kill operation no longer diverting the attention of high-level Insect forces, the true scale of the battles the front-line forces had to face was finally laid bare.

Admittedly, seeing such numbers, it was no wonder even a military female of General Gore's power level had fallen.

Raising his eyes, a sharp gleam shone from Zhousha's eyes that had long lost their youth.

Through the warship's display screen, the general, who had been stationed in the Sadiq System for some time, finally caught a clear glimpse of the new king of the star beast forces.

An S-class Star Beast King?

That was truly rare.

Unlike those on the Capital Star or other star systems within the Alliance, Female Insects stationed at the border—especially on the front lines—exhibited physical traits and states vastly different from their usual selves.

Bone spurs sharp enough to pierce through beast bones, exoskeletons sturdy enough to withstand mid-level energy waves, wings that stabilized their bodies and accelerated combat speed... Female Insects in combat were the most authentic and captivating versions of themselves.

They discarded all disguises, revealing every racial trait. Their strength was pushed to their limits, their existence approaching its purest form.

They... were the true dominators of this Alliance star domain.

Before the lure-and-kill operation was terminated, under Zhousha's leadership, many high-level star beasts had been lured away. Though the battles were grueling, our forces hadn't yielded an inch.

Some even deluded themselves that the star beast king's prolonged absence might indicate fear—after all, the number of Insect reinforcements this time was substantial.

But alas, with the termination of the lure-and-kill operation, these illusions were shattered.

Unlike before, the star beasts' assaults on the Sadiq System grew increasingly frequent, and their intensity was incomparable to earlier attacks. Now, with the brutal reality exposed, the remnants of bloodshed were accompanied by the full might of the star beast horde, finally revealing itself in full force.

Zhousha's real war had commenced.

"Vanguard Squadron Seven has been completely annihilated. The western dimensional field is shattered, and signals are lost. Requesting immediate backup."

"Logistics and energy storage vessels are under attack by multiple S-class star beast groups. One lieutenant general has fallen, and the number of officer casualties has exceeded the minimum threshold for ship defense. The entire fleet requests initiation of self-destruct sequence. No reinforcements needed."

"Rearguard forces ambushed. Lieutenant General Xisi has led a team to assist. The dimensional field remains intact, but the ship's speed control system is damaged. Technical crew are conducting repairs, but the fleet's speed will be reduced in the short term."

After all these years, the star beasts' attack patterns and priorities remained unchanged.

Driven by an innate hunger for energy, star beasts always prioritized and coveted the Insect forces' energy reserve ships the most. Due to their predilection for head-on assaults, the vanguard units of the Insect forces had always borne the heaviest losses. By contrast, the rearguard and flanking units faced comparatively weaker assaults.

Having thoroughly analyzed the star beasts' habits, the Insect forces allocated their troops accordingly—vanguard units and energy reserve ships were always guarded by high-level Insect commanders.

Under such arrangements, past skirmishes with smaller star beast hordes had seldom incurred heavy casualties. But alas, no strategy could withstand an insurmountable gap in strength.

No one knew how the star beasts had proliferated and endured beyond the star domain all these years, just as no one could have predicted the sudden emergence of so many high-level star beasts this time.

Due to the Insect race's declining birth rates in recent years, not only had no new S-class Psychic Power Females been born, but even the number of A-class Female Insects had dwindled.

Yet ironically, this time, the highest psychic power level among our forces was only A-class, while the star beast horde boasted an unprecedented number of elite beasts.

Occasionally, even an S-class star beast could be spotted among them.

Such a horde. Such a tide. Such an Insect race.

This time... could they possibly defend the Sadiq System?

Confronted with this reality, the military females watching their comrades fall one by one seemed to have an answer in their hearts, even if they couldn't bring themselves to voice it.

But so what if they did? Even if this battle was doomed, even if they were fated to die—what of it?

Clutching their weapons, raising bloodstained bone spurs, and dodging energy waves with rapidly beating wings, the military females wore faces etched with shock at the horde's strength, sorrow at the lopsided battlefield, and confusion about their race's destiny. But one thing was absent: fear.

They were military females.

They were Female Insects.

Their lifelong duty was to protect the Alliance and their species.

They might feel ashamed of their inadequacies, but they would never cower before a powerful foe.

Even in death, they would fall amid the roar of artillery and the wails of star beasts.

Just months ago, the Sadiq System had been peaceful and harmonious. But since the war began, all its former beauty seemed to have vanished.

The Sadiq System was a primary energy system. Thanks to the energy-rich planets within it, though not particularly close to the Capital Star, its development had been steady.

Moreover, it was a nebula-rich star system.

In the past, the Sadiq System had been a breathtaking sight—planets and nebulae of all colors interwoven, civilian Insect ships weaving through them, a unique blend of technology and cosmic scenery that left visiting Insects in awe.

But that was clearly a thing of the past.

Smoke and dust from artillery fire had replaced the vibrant nebulae, becoming the dominant sight for both Insects and star beasts now. Cold, metallic warships and the claw marks of star beasts had supplanted the once-decorative civilian vessels, painting the new face of the Sadiq System.

Standing on the deck outside the command center, an elderly female insect clad in general-rank military uniform quietly observed the battle—and the beast king, who had finally emerged from the rear to the forefront.

Unlike its predecessor, this new beast king was noticeably smaller in size, perhaps due to its recent maturity.

But... a beast king that rushed to attack the Insect species the moment it reached adulthood hardly seemed like one capable of biding its time for years before leading a full-scale assault.

But what does it matter if it's different? After all, it is the king of this star beast horde, the instigator of this war.

There was no time to wait, nor any hesitation.

Just like the S-class star beast that once pursued His Highness Fei Luo, these beasts, born with extraordinary perception, could instinctively detect who posed the greatest threat to them.

Thus, the massive star beast, originally stationed at the rear of its horde, could no longer restrain itself when it detected the presence of one particular insect—one past its prime but still dangerous enough to rival the young female insect it had encountered before.

Blood spilled—both the insects' and the star beasts'.

The young Beast King, who had led his horde to attack the insect race right after reaching adulthood and remained undefeated along the way, was arrogant and ruthless.

But even with his high rank and formidable strength, this star beast, newly arrived from the border systems, was still wounded this time.

What was the meaning of thought?

What did experience represent?

Perhaps, star beasts that relied solely on instinct had never understood before. But today, this Military Female whose hands had once been stained with the blood of the previous beast king seemed intent on ensuring this young Beast King would never understand.

The lure-and-kill operation was unacceptable—this was the answer Fei Luo had given, an argument General Zhou Sha agreed with.

But unfortunately, upon learning that his prince refused to heed warnings and insisted on coming to the frontlines, this senior Military Female, who had opposed the lure-and-kill operation, found himself reconsidering for a moment.

A large-scale lure-and-kill operation that required massive casualties without solving the root problem was indeed unacceptable.

But a small-scale one—one that required only minor sacrifices to end this war at its source and secure peace for the insect race for years to come—perhaps that was not completely off the table.

General Zhou Sha had brought many insects with him when he left the capital star, including an unusually high number of A-class Military Females.

Yet, strangely, despite the heavy casualties, many of these top-tier A-class female insects were not scattered across the battlefield providing support. Instead, they had gathered near General Zhou Sha's command deck.

A closer look would reveal that most of these A-class females were older Military Females, while the younger ones had been dispatched to surrounding fleets to fend off ordinary star beasts.

With such a formation, with so many A-class Military Females, what was General Zhou Sha planning...?

"Proceed."

No explanations, no unnecessary words.

As the Military Female standing at the forefront of the command deck spoke, the gathered A-class females tightened their grips on psychic stimulant injections and injected themselves.

It was common knowledge that a Psychic Outbreak in female insects was equivalent to a death sentence.

But aside from signaling their approaching death, a Psychic Outbreak also maximized the activation of their psychic power before death.

Long ago, long before the star beasts grew increasingly active, the military had devised a contingency operation codenamed "Ember."

"Ember" could mean preserving a new spark—or it could signify the final burst of light before the flames were extinguished.

They were willing to be that final burst of light.

All eyes turned toward the command cabin from the surrounding warships.

A female insect undergoing a Psychic Outbreak could not hide it—even in its early stages, the spreading mental energy was unmistakably different from the norm. And now, far more than one female insect was in this state.

Thus, as Military Females—as those intimately familiar with the signs of a Psychic Outbreak—the female insects fighting star beasts across this starfield, despite their strained nerves and grievous injuries, could not suppress their shock and horror as they looked toward the command cabin.

Female insects of different mental power ranks emitted wildly varying power levels during a Psychic Outbreak.

Based on what they were sensing now, based on the source of this power... this was unmistakably...

"General!"

"General Zhou Sha!"

"Commander Safin!"

"Captain!"

Military Females were typically trained under a master-apprentice tradition, so now, those undergoing Psychic Outbreaks, those facing the Beast King together... were all familiar figures to the countless rank-and-file females—figures they respected and revered.

The cruelty of war was something these insects, who had slaughtered countless star beasts, understood all too well.

They had long made peace with dying, and over the years, they had witnessed countless comrades succumb to Psychic Outbreaks. But still, some would rather die in battle themselves than watch others die protecting them.

"Move aside! All of you, move!"

"Let me go! General! I'm A-Class too—let me go!"

"To hell with the Beast King! Damn star beasts! Come on, let's see who gets wiped out first!"

"So what if it's a Psychic Outbreak? Sirs, I, Ekis, will join you!"

"Hahaha, good! Who's afraid? I'll be damned if that bastard Beast King can survive all of us!"

Pain? Suffering?

Yes.

But beyond those emotions, as they watched the commanders' eyes flooded crimson, as they saw the Beast King finally grievously wounded, countless female insects' eyes reddened—but even more barked out laughs.

They were female insects.

They were Military Females.

Their lives might not be as noble as those of the princes, but they were free, unbridled, and passionate.

Their footsteps had traversed the Alliance's star systems they loved, and they'd bled across them countless times. They were fierce, fearless, and proud of their duty.

In the end, if they could die alongside the generals they revered, for the sake of their race and the extermination of the star beasts, what was there to fear?

Battle cries began echoing throughout the Sadiq starfield. As General Zhou Sha and the other commanders converged on the Beast King, all the Military Females seemed to catch the fever—none held anything in reserve any longer.

They no longer cared about their fracturing psyches from overusing their power. They no longer cared about the blood soaking their bodies or their eyes darkening to crimson.

They only wanted to fight. They only wanted... to end this battle before His Highness Fei Luo arrived.

This was their fight—a Military Females' war.

More and more star beasts fell.

Perhaps the insects' ferocity had overwhelmed the star beasts' will to fight, for today, it was the star beasts that were being slaughtered in increasing numbers.

Looking at the massive, lifeless beast before him, at the crimson blood hanging in zero-g, a young Military Female who had just slain a B-class star beast bared his teeth. But before the sound could form, the color drained from his face.

One beast down. One warrior lost.

The cycle of battle, the cyclical extinction of life.

What the final outcome of this great war will be—perhaps neither the Insect race nor the star beast hordes understand anymore.

But then again, that’s not entirely accurate.

Though the star beast casualty rate exceeds that of the Insect race, the key—or rather, the true indicator—of this war’s ultimate victory does not lie here.

What truly determines whether the star beast horde can be driven back beyond the border stars is not the numbers of these ordinary beasts, but rather...

*Squelch.*

The sound of a beast’s claw being torn apart.

The claws of star beasts are not only physically resilient, but most importantly, they can absorb energy matter and convert them into energy waves.

Thus, though the fatal weakness of a star beast remains the area before its cardiac core, once its claws are injured, its strength is still severely compromised. At the same time, the star beast becomes far more prone to rage.

Hesitating, the Beast King—who had been agile since its appearance—froze momentarily.

Staring at its wounded forelimb, the young Beast King’s energy waves rippled violently.

Logically, facing the female warriors mid-Psychic Outbreak, the perceptive Beast King should have led its horde in a temporary retreat—the wisest choice.

But, having only just reached adulthood, its void-black eyes narrowed into slits. Having not suffered such severe injuries in a long time, the star beast could no longer suppress the murderous crimson flooding its eyes.

*"ROAR!"*

Instead of dodging, the massive Beast King stood its ground, allowing the unrelenting artillery barrage to rain upon it. Then, enduring the dense psychic energy net, the young Beast King charged another energy wave.

And this time, the energy fluctuations...

Some female insects who had been tracking the Beast King paled, but by now, even if they wanted to act, there was nothing they could do.

All the commanders who had used stimulants to overload their psychic domains had lost their reason, acting on primal instinct alone to annihilate the Beast King.

Even if the other female insects wanted to shield them now, anyone who approached would be faced with immediate attack from those already deep in Psychic Outbreak.

As for the star beasts...

Watching the Beast King—badly injured yet dodging every fatal strike—the Military Females clenched their fists.

They had failed.

The commanders’ plan had failed, but now, there was no way to intervene.

They... they...

Fists tightening, some Military Females, unable to accept this outcome, felt their minds beginning to fracture.

Emotions and combat were both causes of psychic breakdown in female insects. Now, already weakened from fighting countless star beasts, the insectoids’ psychic energy surged uncontrollably once more.

In this state, if these female insects—already at their psychic limits—were subjected to further strain, then—

Gun smoke blurred the edges of their vision.

As if foreseeing the war’s conclusion, as if already witnessing the coming bloodbath, the once-deafening battlefield of the Sadiq star system, though still chaotic, seemed eerily silent in the insectoids’ ears.

They could no longer hear the shrieks of the star beasts before them, nor the distant roars of the Beast King. All they could hear were their own labored breathing, the dripping of their comrades’ blood, and then—

*Thud.*

*Thud.*

*Thud.*

*Thud.*

A heavy, abrupt note crashed into the battle's final moments—just as a powerful presence plummeted onto the battlefield, poised for deathly stillness.

The raging psychic energy, once surging wildly in all directions, suddenly found focus. The turbulent psychic domains, like whirlpools, were suddenly calmed.

Heads lifted, eyes widened, the red haze in their eyes fading.

Every insectoid instinctively turned toward the source of that sound. Every insectoid gripped their weapons in disbelief. Many among them might not have known what performances a royal consort had once given at banquets on the capital planet—but as Military Females, they knew exactly what instrument now resonated across the battlefield.

After all, female insects had their own battle drum corps. Female insects had crafted weapons from the bones of star beasts. As Military Females, they knew all too well what instrument produced this sound—and just how common it was in battle.

But while the instrument itself might be common, while war drums might be ordinary—this power, this force so utterly unlike the mere intimidation of female insects, this energy transcending even A-class psychic power—this was...

"Your Highness." "His Highness has arrived."