Chapter – 10
War and Negotiations
My children, you have finally discovered it.
The war began swiftly, with the Fourth Legion taking full command.
After a century of silence, the Zerg once again bared its scythes. The Fourth Legion, well-stocked with war resources, equipped their new weapons and drove their warships aggressively toward the star domains of the civilizations that had offended them.
Dense artillery fire continuously battered the planetary shields. The meteorites orbiting the planets were ground to dust, minuscule particles dispersing into space. The cold warships spared no energy, focusing sustained high-output fire on a single point.
Madmen. The Zerg were all madmen!
They shouldn’t even exist in the universe!
Inside the planetary defense command center, a leader of the Kasol Civilization stared fixedly at the rapidly depleting shield energy gauge. Forgetting to mourn the costly energy fluid, he continued trying to contact the Zerg’s Second Legion Commander, Ivan, for negotiations.
Ivan was their lifeline for survival.
Ivan, the Second Legion Commander of the Zerg, controlled the Zerg’s financial power. He was a chaser of profitāas long as one paid a price that satisfied him, he could become any race’s blade. The Kasol Civilization had already prepared a hefty compensation sum upon learning their plot had been exposed, waiting for Ivan to demand an exorbitant settlement. But this devotee of wealth had yet to respond.
The Zerg Motherānothing good ever came from anything involving the Zerg Mother!
Thankfully, they had already eliminated the Zerg Mother.
If they could just survive this ordeal, their efforts would not have been in vain.
Connected!
On the electronic screen, the purple-haired young Zerg casually swiped through his terminal panels, cutting straight to the point: “I want the energy stars in these two star systems.” A three-dimensional star map was projected outside the screen, with silver lines delineating the compensation Ivan demanded.
Robbers! A bunch of robbers!!
The two most resource-rich star systems were the foundation of the Kasol Civilization’s development. Ivan’s demand was no different from directly destroying them.
“Your appetite is far too large, sir. That is not how transactions are conducted.”
“Is that so? But these two star systems once belonged to the Zerg. I am merely reclaiming Zerg property.”
At the height of the Zerg’s arrogance, one-sixth of the universe’s developed star systems belonged to them. When it came to disputing territorial ownership, they would tenaciously refuse to relinquish any star domain they had once lost.
“Civilizations in the universe develop rapidly. No civilization’s territory remains unchanged forever. Please do not make things difficult for our small civilization, sir.”
“Since you know you are a small civilization, why provoke the Zerg? Who gave you the illusion that the Zerg would let this slide?” The silver-eyed Zerg finally deigned to look directly at the Kasol leader, his cool voice pressing relentlessly.
“As you know, sir, every race has unruly elements who defy orders. Those who harmed the Zerg Mother were wanted criminals long expelled from our civilization. This was not the Kasol Civilization’s intent. Kasol is weak and impoverishedāwe would never dare to offend a powerful race like the Zerg.”
Promptly distancing oneself seemed to be an essential skill for every leader. Ivan listened idly to Kasol’s excuses. Noticing a newly popped message, he waved his hand to scatter the star map projection and coldly circled back: “I don’t have much time to leave you to deliberate.”
“If you still cannot offer a price that satisfies me, I don’t mind descending upon you with the Second Legion.”
The Kasol leader nearly lost control of his mimicry form. Maintaining a amicable expression as best he could, he continued with a new round of negotiations: “I wonder if you would be interested in the heart of Zerg Mother Landriko, sir? I have information regarding it.”
The elegant Zerg raised his eyes, his tone turning dangerous: “Oh? Do tell.”
“The Kasol Civilization would never dare to do something so audacious. My race merely came across this information by chance. The matter is of great importance, and I hope you will give me the opportunity to explain in full.” He was hinting that Ivan should first halt the Fourth Legion’s attack.
Ivan’s smile was gentle, but his words were merciless: “Commanders, follow ordersāassist the Fourth Legion in attacking Kasol.” The Legion Commander had no intention of playing along with Kasol’s leader.
“No, no, no!”
With the disparity in power so vast, the Kasol Civilization dared not play games any longer. Classified files were quickly transmitted to Ivan.
The leader was not worried that Ivan would take the information and do nothing. This Zerg Legion Commander had an excellent reputation in the Interstellar Allianceāhe was a qualified merchant.
Ivan scanned the files, his tone softening slightly: “One star system’s energy star. This is the final bottom line.”
The Zerg Mother truly was the Zerg’s Achilles’ heel. A single piece of information was worth an entire star system. Since the cause of the war involved the Zerg Mother, the Kasol leaders knew this was their last retreat. Gritting their teeth, the high-level leaders made the decision: “Deal.”
Unwilling to bear such a heavy cost alone, they secretly exaggerated the misdeeds of their allied civilizations, dragging as many bystander civilizations into the mess as they could.
One secret message after another was extracted. Ivan reduced the period of energy star requisition from Kasol based on the value of each piece of information. Both sides gained much from the exchange.
The communication ended.
On the hidden terminal panel, the faces of several Legion Commanders appeared. The purple-haired Zerg signaled: “We’ve got the information. Stand down.”
Hong recorded the practical data from the new weapons and led the fleet back through the wormhole that had not yet fully closed.
“Cowardly civilizations. They wouldn’t even deploy their military for a direct confrontation.”
Hong and Hai were special twins, similar in temperament and equally skilled at mockery.
As one of the strongest civilizations in the universe, the Zerg wereé”¶å° in both physical prowess and weaponry. If not for the Zerg Mother’s reduced fertility after evolution, they would likely have already conquered the stars. Going head-to-head with such a civilization was unwise. The Kasol Civilization valued its own hide, preferring to expend energy rather than confront the Zerg directly.
After a century of peace, the Zerg’s innate battlelust was stirring. They craved exhilarating combat.
Such battles would come soon enough.
Because some blind civilization had dared to touch the Zerg’s Zerg Mother. Though the Ninth Zerg Mother’s crimes had been firmly established, that did not stop the Zerg from urgently seeking justice for him.
The Zerg Mother was the mother of the Zerg. No matter what grievances existed between them, they remained inextricably linked. This was an unchangeable fact. Therefore, the Zerg would not tolerate external interference in matters concerning the Zerg Mother.
Once the truth behind the previous Zerg Mother was fully revealed, the Zerg would once again deliberate on the Zerg Mother’s status.
Elai watched the battle broadcast in his hospital room.
The arrival of a special visitor made him pause.
A deep blue-haired female Zerg approached him with a gentle demeanor, followed by Lav, the medical Zerg who had once cared for Elai.
Lav introduced her: “This is the leader of the Deep Blue ZergāGalan, and also my teacher. She has come to examine the condition of your wings.”
Deep Blue Zerg females had passed down healing abilities through generations. Perhaps there was a way to heal the cavity on Elai’s back. Upon hearing that the Zerg Mother was severely wounded and difficult to heal, Lav had immediately contacted her teacher for help. As the population leader, Galan had been busy and could only come nowāshe hoped it was not too late.
“This is the first population leader I have met since hatching.”
“He is the new Zerg Mother, still just a young hatchling.” Lav always viewed Elai through a certain filter. Galan neither approved nor objected.
The high-ranking female leader took the initiative to greet the new Zerg Mother: “We should have met long ago, Zerg Mother. Fortunately, it is not too late.”
“The Zerg’s population leaders have historically been female, existing to assist the Zerg Mother in managing the population. In the early days before the predecessors fully assumed leadership, it was always the female leaders who guided them through Zerg affairs.” Galan had also guided the Ninth Zerg Mother, Landriko. Elai had long “seen” this leader and was not surprised by her presence.
“They abandoned me. That is why I was handed over to the males.” The young Zerg Mother was thoroughly familiar with the process of Zerg Mother rule. By comparing the experiences of previous Zerg Mothers, he quickly reached this conclusion.
“The Zerg will regret this.” Poli stated with certainty.
“Will they?”
Yes. Poli answered in his heart. The fact that Lav and Tia had been arranged to be by Elai’s side already spoke volumesāwhether female or male, they were unconsciously paying attention to Elai. One day, this attention would ferment, expand, and then be discovered. But before they came to regret it, He would do his utmost to take His kindred away.
Elai did not belong to the Zerg.
“Greetings, leader of the Deep Blue Zerg.” Elai’s face was pale, his expression indifferent. He responded to Galan briefly, with the attitude befitting a Zerg Mother.
Galan did not care about the young Zerg Mother’s demeanor. She got straight to the point, extending her psychic ability around Elai and deep into his body.
Without asking Poli to hold back, Elai’s remaining injuries were genuinely real and could withstand even Galan’s professional examination. Elai accepted Galan’s psychic probing without resistance.
“Your cavity is far too clean.” After one round of examination, Galan remarked. “I can find no trace of wing remnants.” The wings that had once grown had been completely cleared away, leaving no sign.
“Lav, his wing cavity cannot be healed.” Galan cruelly announced this conclusion to Lav. Lav looked at Elai with distress, and Elai gave her a faint smile.
But the healing ability did not stopāit continued to heal him comprehensively. Elai’s once-pale complexion gradually regained color.
“This is all I can do.” The Deep Blue leader had expended considerable power. She had no intention of staying, and after doing what she could, she left directly, unwilling to have excessive contact with the Zerg Mother.
Lav took out theę °é® gifts she had prepared for Elai from her spatial storage, trying her best to comfort the young Zerg Mother’s wounded heart. But soon she was called away by a new task.
Elai reached back to touch his backāthe scars had vanished completely. The Deep Blue Zerg were indeed skilled, just as described in the inherited records.
“She conducted a thorough and detailed examination of my body.”
“Still not trusting Hai and those medical Zerg?”
“As a population leader, she is indeed more cautious than other Zerg.”
The consciousness was silent for a moment before pointing to the core: “She was confirming whether you are alive.” Not merely by relying on a beating heart, flowing blood, and transmitting neuronsāher psychic ability reached a deeper level.
She was verifying whether the new Zerg Mother’s soul was fresh and genuine.
“The previous Zerg Mother taught her many things as well.” Elai rubbed his fingers together, speaking lightly of what Galan’s actions represented.
Poli was not troubled by Elai’s leaps in speech. He quickly connected it to the contents of the Original Mother’s energy sphere and vaguely guessed part of the truth.
The soul.
That was not something an ordinary creature of this universe should possess.
Behind the Zerg Mother, there was still much hidden.
Poli had no intention of investigating it all alone. He looked forward more to hearing Elai personally reveal the answers to him.
