Lin Muci walked out, and indeed, a guest was waiting for her outside.
As soon as the guest saw Lin Muci, their eyes lit up, and they immediately knelt before her. They raised their head to look up at her, their eyes filled with fanaticism.
The fanaticism in their eyes almost seemed capable of consuming everything.
It was a fanaticism so intense it was as if they wished to lick the soles of her shoes.
If she were to casually say anything, even if it commanded them to commit suicide, the person before her would most likely comply.
"Master!"
"Greetings, Master!"
"Master appears on the central planet. Do you have any orders?"
"This servant is willing to dedicate all their efforts to Master's grand undertaking, to die only after fulfilling it!"
The other party looked at Lin Muci with such fervent eyes that it momentarily stunned her.
However, having weathered many storms, she raised an eyebrow, naturally exuding an aura of superiority.
"Are you truly willing to dedicate all your efforts, to die only after fulfilling it?"
The other party prostrated themselves further.
"Of course. I recognized Master's aura the moment I smelled it."
"It's just that I didn't expect Master to appear on the central planet by taking on the form of a female beast."
"Is Master's true form about to awaken?"
True form?
Lin Muci was only slightly taken aback before quickly realizing that what they referred to as their true form must be the insectoid hive mother!
It seemed they truly considered her a split consciousness of the insectoid hive mother.
Lin Muci nodded, and upon seeing her nod, the other party's face immediately showed immense joy. They bowed deeply once more.
"If Master's true form awakens, it would be truly excellent. Humanity will be utterly devoured by our insectoid race! Humans today are all filled with selfish motives, fragmented and showing signs of impending death!"
"No top-tier hero has emerged from the human race yet. If Master's true form can awaken at this moment, under Master's command, we will surely ensure humanity's complete annihilation, making them vanish from the river of the universe forever!"
Lin Muci clenched her fist.
How audacious were their ambitions, harboring such a terrifying plot!
Yet, her expression remained impassive. She gazed at the other party with a cold demeanor and spoke.
"Currently, my subordinates are scarce. Previously, humanity attacked me upon my awakening and destroyed my kin."
"I issued a command for you to remain hidden among humans. I wonder how your forces have developed, and if you have taken control of the Council. Have you?"
She had to ascertain this point.
If the insectoid infiltrators had already taken over the entire Council, and the highest echelons of human government had been completely parasitized and turned into puppets, that would undoubtedly be the worst possible scenario.
Fortunately, what the other party said relieved a great deal of Lin Muci's worry.
"Not yet, for now."
"Those old fossils on the human Council, having experienced the time when our race instilled terror in them, are extremely cautious. They have set up multiple layers of defenses and conduct regular genetic testing for our insectoid race—therefore, we have not yet infiltrated the Council. However, researchers within the institutes under the Council are already parasitized by our race!"
"Many of our kin were made into specimens and hidden across various parts of the universe."
"Our race possesses tenacious vitality, far beyond what humans can match. As long as Master's true form awakens, we can awaken those kin and immediately begin parasitizing them—thus gradually developing and growing stronger!"
The other party spoke with unwavering confidence.
Lin Muci looked into their eyes, trying to discern any clues. Indeed, she noticed a fleeting, cold crimson glow deep within their eyes. That glow, like the compound eyes of an insect, refracted a bizarre light, yet it was also imbued with extreme fanaticism.
Lin Muci remained silent.
After a long period of silence, she spoke.
"Research institutes?"
"Anything else?"
The other party spoke with confidence.
"And schools!"
"The mechs they manufactured have also been tainted by our race!"
"When they truly face our insectoid race, their mechs will completely fail—those stubborn and arrogant humans, believing they had eradicated the threat of our race, immediately descended into infighting. They have even directly sealed their supreme artifact."
"If that artifact were present, it would be absolutely impossible for us... impossible for us to have infiltrated humans so smoothly."
"But that artifact has been sealed by them in a place called Steel City."
"The artifact slumbers, and now is the perfect opportunity for our race to revive!"
Lin Muci saw the other party trembling with excitement. She immediately understood that the artifact they spoke of was likely the main system.
Humans feared the main system's capabilities—worried it might supersede human consciousness.
Thus, after the hive mother was sealed.
They immediately intended to destroy the main system.
They never anticipated that the hive mother was merely temporarily sealed. Now the insectoid race was making a comeback, yet the human leadership remained embroiled in internal strife, indulging in luxury, busy chasing female beasts, and still fighting for fame, status, and power. They were entirely unaware that the crisis of the insectoid race was already looming.
Lin Muci remained silent. In the eyes of the other party, she was the embodiment of the insectoid hive mother, so she could not appear too eager.
The colder she was, the more it would align with her identity.
Meanwhile, the other party prostrated at her feet and earnestly stated.
"Master, our previous defeat was not due to Master's incompetence, but because humans wielded the artifact and directly damaged Master's origin."
"Now that humans have incapacitated their artifact, they have no trump cards left to contend with us."
"If they can be made to utterly destroy that artifact, humans will be ours to slaughter!"
This was... an attempt to deal with the main system.
Lin Muci spoke.
"How to destroy it?"
Her voice, though melodious like an oriole's, carried a hint of coldness. It was icy, making it impossible to discern her mood, whether pleased or angered.
This also aligned with the insectoids' perception of their hive mother.
The supreme controller of the insectoid race was forever cold and aloof!
As if nothing in the entire universe could stir her.
"That artifact was created by humans, therefore, only humans can destroy it."
"Although the Council is highly vigilant towards us, they are, after all, too proud and complacent... They believe their success in suppressing our race was their own achievement."
"Therefore, as long as we slowly erode their influence, hide amongst the masses, and cultivate our forces, over time, we will naturally find a way to infiltrate the Council and replace them."
Lin Muci spoke.
"Give me a list."
"I want a list of all your subordinates."
"This body I inhabit is that of a female beast, and there is no one more suitable than I to bewitch hearts."
"The Chief Executive of the Council is already a subordinate under my command."
"I can easily persuade them to destroy the artifact, but I will need your help."
"You have infiltrated human schools and research institutes, and made arrangements regarding human mechs—since that is the case, I need to acquire relevant information."
"I want to rise among the human ranks."
"Can you do it?"
"Think about it. If humanity were to revere me as a deity, to grant my every wish, and I then personally destroy that human artifact, and then reveal my true identity—how incredibly... stimulating would that be?"
"The legend in the eyes of humanity, yet their greatest enemy—personally destroying humanity's last hope. I am most curious to know, at that moment, what expressions of utter despair those human leaders would wear."
Lin Muci slightly raised her gaze.
The acting skills honed during her trials in the small worlds were finally coming into use.
In her eyes, there was no trace of pity.
Instead, there was a cold, mocking amusement.
Upon hearing her words, the man kneeling before her trembled with excitement. He reached out his hand, prostrating himself before Lin Muci.
"Master is correct—Master's return now means humanity's despair will be consumed to elevate our race to the pinnacle of the universe!"
Lin Muci waved her hand. She looked at the other party's fervent expression—a face so ordinary it was almost forgettable.
But she remembered that this person was present when she first appeared on the central planet.
He seemed to be...
The dean of a highly renowned Mech Academy on the central planet.
It seemed his claim that the schools had been infiltrated was not unfounded.
In that case, she would have to visit the Mech Academy on the central planet to see what schemes the insectoids had concocted within human schools and mechs.
"Arrange an identity for me. I wish to enter the Central Planet's First Mech Academy."
The other party was clearly taken aback by her request.
"The Central Planet's First Mech Academy...? While it wouldn't be difficult for Master to adopt another identity, Master is a female beast..."
"Female beasts are extremely precious among humans and are regarded as vital beings that must be protected. Humans would absolutely not permit a female beast to enter a mech academy."
"Furthermore, Master's identity is that of a top-tier female beast with exceptionally strong fertility... If Master were to enter the academy and release her female beast aura, facing those highly aggressive human male students, it might cause a major disturbance!"
"Has Master considered this carefully?"
Lin Muci nodded.
"Yes. You merely need to arrange an identity for me to enter the academy. As for how to conceal my identity and my aura, I have my own methods."
"Could it be that you doubt me?"
Upon hearing Lin Muci's words, the other party's body trembled slightly, and they immediately spoke.
"I would not dare doubt Master."
"I will fulfill any command Master gives."
...
After the other party left to carry out her orders, Lin Muci suddenly turned her head towards the little rabbit that had been scurrying out from a corner, and she promptly scooped up the little rabbit.
The little rabbit's legs kicked frantically in mid-air, its eyes darting around, clearly a little flustered.
"Mas... Mas... Mas... Master?"
Lin Muci looked at the little rabbit's flustered demeanor and suddenly asked.
"Do you know what despair power is?"
"That insectoid infiltrator just now said that I can absorb humanity's despair power to strengthen our race and establish it at the peak of the universe."
"What does that mean?"
She slightly raised her gaze towards the little rabbit, and the little rabbit, hearing Lin Muci inquire about this matter, immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"So, Master, this is what you're concerned about."
"Despair power, have I not told Master about this before?"
Lin Muci looked at the little system.
"What, what were you expecting me to ask? Do you perhaps have other matters you've kept hidden from me?"
The little system panicked.
"No, no, absolutely not. Well, Master, what you're asking about, despair power, I actually only heard about it from the main system. It said the insectoids desire humanity's fear!"
Lin Muci looked puzzled.
"Fear?"
The little system nodded and said.
"The main system also deduced this matter using its powerful computational capabilities."
"The main system stated that what the insectoids desire most are humans' seven emotions and six desires, and human fear and despair are the emotions they crave most. Furthermore, the despair expressed by humans when facing death is a powerful force they desire!"
Lin Muci pondered.
"How can fear and despair become a power?"
The little system itself wasn't entirely sure.
"The main system said that human emotions are a rare commodity, because not all species possess... the seven emotions and six desires."
"Humans themselves believe that to be devoid of seven emotions and six desires is to sever worldly ties, enabling one to achieve immortality or Buddhahood."
"But the main system's implication seems to be... precisely because humans possess seven emotions and six desires, they are distinguished from other powerful species..."
"The main system said that with so many species in the universe, humanity's strength has its reasons."
"It said—humans must possess something special that even the insectoid hive mother covets."
"Yes, I remember that's exactly what the main system told me back then!"
Lin Muci pursed her lips, her expression becoming serious.
Seven emotions and six desires?
Fear and despair?
Humanity's special characteristic...
Something that the insectoids covet, greedily desire, yet also fear...
She felt as though she was dimly grasping a clue, but the clue slipped away as soon as it appeared. She slowly exhaled the stale air from her lungs.
"Let's first go and see what schemes the insectoids have devised among humans and what hidden pawns they have placed."
"Starting with the schools..."
"Could it be that they intend to destroy humanity's future?"
Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she suddenly wondered when Ling Kuang would arrive on the central planet.
The little system constantly emphasized that Ling Kuang was a demon blade.
She had to be his sheath, to make him submit.
She lowered her head, his piercing eyes appearing in her mind. She reached out her hand, as if drawing some of his aura from afar, and suddenly spoke.
"If the insectoids desire humanity's fear and despair."
"Then his very existence is humanity's fear, and his very existence is humanity's despair."
"Perhaps, the insectoids also want to obtain him?"
The little system became confused again.
"Ah?"
"Host, what do you mean..."
"I don't understand."
Lin Muci lowered her head and spoke.
"Perhaps, it is not he who protects me."
"But rather, I must find a way to protect him."
"Even if he is hurt to the extreme by humans, even if he is covered in wounds, I must find a way to be his sole salvation."
From the very beginning, she knew.
Ling Qianhe possessed a soul riddled with holes.
But she was not afraid.
She wanted to embrace his soul riddled with holes, and she would absolutely not let go, even if it meant exhausting all her strength in this lifetime!