Chapter 31: The Brood Mother

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Pushing open the door, the first room encountered was a mere thirty square meters—a small observation chamber. The room housed numerous electronic devices, now all reduced to useless scrap metal. Scattered papers lay across the floor and tabletops. Through the one-way glass of the observation room, a blindingly white chamber came into view.

This was a vast room spanning over a hundred square meters, with a soaring arched ceiling. The floor was tiled with white porcelain, and the walls were painted a pristine white. Bright lights flooded the space, illuminating every corner with crystal clarity.

Naturally, the enormous creature occupying a third of the room’s center was visible in full detail. This was the queen insect.

Lotus Crimson’s eyes widened, her mouth agape. A chill of goosebumps rose on her skin—not from fear, but from sheer revulsion. Before her stood a mass of flesh, as massive as a small mountain.

Contrary to her earlier imagination, this queen bore little resemblance to a typical insect. It was less an insect and more like a giant with a grasshopper’s head. Layers of fat sagged around its waist, splitting open at the center of its belly—a gaping fissure running from chest to groin.

Its back was not human but vaguely grasshopper-like, yet distinct. Huge translucent wings drooped behind it, occasionally quivering. Its arms and legs, like its torso, abruptly transitioned from human limbs into insectoid appendages.

Puzzlingly, thick spider silk dangled from the ceiling, tightly binding the queen’s body—as if to prevent its escape.

A rattling sound emerged from the creature’s throat. Suddenly, its wings trembled violently, and a massive egg was expelled from the split in its belly.

The queen screamed loudly, her wings thrashing violently as pain flickered in her eyes. Only after the pale, semi-translucent egg—a frosted orb with an obscure, grotesque shape inside—was fully laid did the creature fall back into a half-lifeless state.

The egg rolled onto the floor but was caught by the spider silk before sinking into the ground. Lotus Crimson then noticed a vast fissure directly ahead on the floor.

Without a doubt, that chasm led to the second and third underground levels.

Lotus Crimson clicked her tongue, stunned by the bizarre scene.

Beside her, Julian stared at the monstrous queen, his heart nearly stopping. Fear consumed every fiber of his being, suffocating even his breath.

This thing—this thing… they absolutely could not handle it!

What on earth was this creature?

Julian, a former student at the Kongsang Military Academy and known as a living encyclopedia, had seen countless images of insectoid species—millions, perhaps. He was intimately familiar with all types of queen insects and their weaknesses.

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Yet the queen before him was one he had never seen before. More terrifying than any he had encountered.

Not because it looked more fearsome—there were queens with far more horrifying appearances—but because the oppressive aura it radiated was overwhelming.

Just seeing it triggered his primal urge to flee.

His mind lost all reason, reduced to a single command: Run!

But his legs felt nailed to the ground, refusing to obey.

Julian felt as if his heart might explode.

At that moment, Lotus Crimson’s sharp shout snapped him back to reality.

“What’s wrong with you?” she asked, slapping his shoulder.

Snapping out of his trance, Julian screamed, clutching his head in terror as he crouched on the floor.

“Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me!!!” he repeated loudly in fear.

Startled, Lotus Crimson leaned closer and patted Julian’s shoulder.

“No, seriously, what’s going on?”

Suddenly, Julian sprang up in panic, flung open the door, and sprinted wildly outside.

“Shh—” Lotus Crimson was shocked. “What’s happening?”

Just as she was about to follow him, the queen emitted another agonizing scream.

She turned to see another massive egg being birthed.

From the moment she saw the queen begin laying eggs, Lotus Crimson had already planned to kill it—as soon as the egg emerged, she would toss a grenade at its belly.

Naturally, she could pursue Julian now, uncertain if other insectoids lurked nearby or if he was in danger. But she didn’t know how long she would have to stay with him—and how many more eggs the queen might lay in that time.

After weighing her options, Lotus Crimson abandoned the chase. Resolute, she pulled out a grenade, flung open the door, and charged toward the queen.

The instant the door swung open, a fresh scent of rain-soaked grass filled the air.

Dizzy for a moment, Lotus Crimson looked up—and the queen was gone!

Not just the queen—the entire environment had transformed.

She was no longer in the room but standing on an endless plain of grass.

Griping her grenade, she scanned her surroundings warily.

All was quiet, save for a gentle, cool breeze.

Had she… traveled through dimensions?

Or was this something else?

Before she could ponder further, a chill ran down her spine.

Instinctively, she snapped the grenade back to her waist, drew a knife with her left hand, twirled it, and held it at her side defensively.

With a sharp clang, her blade struck a one-meter-long mantis scythe.

At the same moment, she drew a second knife with her other hand, holding it across her back.

The scythe came down again, narrowly missing her backbone.

Lotus Crimson furrowed her brow, crouched and twisted her body, slashing upward with her right knife, aiming to pierce her opponent’s abdomen.

But her adversary was swift, vanishing with a flash.

She remained on guard as the scythe descended again, blocking it instantly.

The clash of metal echoed as sparks flew between knives and scythe.

She stared at the creature battling her in disbelief.

A Shadow Phantom?!

How could he be here?!

Lotus Crimson’s brow tightened.

No—this wasn’t Shadow Phantom.

If it were, her knives would have shattered long ago. The Federation-issued blades were no match for his razor-sharp scythe.

Moreover…

Using a feint, Lotus Crimson tricked the creature into bringing its scythe to block its own throat, then plunged her knife deep into its abdomen.

The creature was too slow.

She withdrew her blade, swung it hard, then slashed diagonally upward, decapitating the monster.

The creature ceased moving, turning to ash.

A gust of wind swept it away without a trace.

Lotus Crimson scanned her surroundings cautiously.

She needed to find a way out.

If there were no flaws at ground level, there had to be a weakness in the sky.

Raising her head, she saw a clear, brilliant blue sky, cloudless and vast.

“Rustle—”

A faint sound stirred.

Lotus Crimson pricked up her ears.

“Rustle—”

The noise grew louder.

“Rustle—”

Bang—

Something burst forth from beneath her feet.

Before it could emerge fully, Lotus Crimson leapt backward, clearing the spot.

A massive bald head erupted from the ground where she had just stood.