Chapter 110: Warhammer: What Do You Mean You Conquered the Bug Race

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Protagonist:

Lin En

Lena

After Lena's Affection Level broke through the 60 mark, her Thought Pattern underwent a complete transformation.

If previously her behavior, whether her desire to eat or her closeness to Lin En,

all stemmed from the Bug Race's instincts or some strange guidance,

then now she was more like a dry sponge, madly absorbing, imitating, and trying to understand everything about the human world.

Her language communication became increasingly fluent; from the initially stiff and awkward two characters "Lin En," within just a few days she could already form complete sentences.

She even occasionally used vocabulary she had learned from daily conversations with Lin En.

The more significant change was that she began to feel "curiosity" toward everything around her.

For the Tyranids, who were born only to devour everything, this emotion was practically "heresy."

But curiosity took root and sprouted in Lena, driving her to constantly ask Lin En questions.

At lunchtime, in the cafeteria of the Temporary Command Center, Dou Dou was holding ten Synthetic Starch Cans and eating heartily.

The metal cans were easily flattened by his sturdy fingers, starch blocks stuffed into his mouth as if they were free, with white powder still hanging at his Mouth Corner.

Despite the taste being so terrible, Dou Dou ate with unusual happiness, occasionally letting out satisfied humming sounds.

While in front of Lin En was a plate of exquisite Synthetic Meat Steak and a small portion of Nutrient Paste, which he ate slowly and leisurely.

The Miniature Shredder Worm hidden inside Lin En's collar moved slightly, and Lena's Clear and Cold voice rang softly right beside Lin En's ear, carrying a trace of Confusion:

"Lin En, Dou Dou eats so much more than you, and you humans all eat so little, won't you get hungry?"

Lin En swallowed the meat in his mouth and responded to her via the Spirit Link, his Tone gentle:

"Our physiological structures are different."

"Ogryn are stronger abhumans, with high Muscle density and energy consumption far exceeding that of ordinary humans; they must eat large quantities to maintain combat strength."

"And the human digestive system has limited Efficiency; overeating actually increases the Burden."

"The Bug Race's Biomass Conversion Efficiency is dozens of times ours; you absorb one portion of Biomass and can convert it into Pure Energy, then turn it into part of your 'Strength'."

"For us, eating is more about maintaining the normal Operation of our physiological systems."

Lin En paused to think, then continued:

"And for the Bug Race, it is more the instinctive drive of 'Endless Hunger' and the need to create a larger army,

this is the difference between races regarding the 'purpose of eating'."

Lena fell silent for a moment, seemingly digesting this information, and only responded softly after a while:

"I see, our 'purpose' for eating is different."

Lin En couldn't help but hook the corner of his mouth, his Fingertip lightly touching the little guy on his collar, and he didn't explain further.

Some things were better left for her to slowly observe and experience.

In the afternoon, Lin En took Lena to inspect the Defensive Fortifications of the Forbidden Wall, with snowflakes still falling endlessly from the Sky.

Goose-feather-like snowflakes fell from the gray Sky, soon piling up a thin layer of white on Lin En's Uniform.

Lena's voice rang out again, carrying a trace of novelty:

"These white cold things, coming from the sky, what are they?"

Lin En did not answer her question immediately, but vigilantly surveyed his surroundings, while Lena tacitly unfolded her Spirit Vision.

Indeed, two soldiers had previously accidentally heard faint "female voice" whispers coming from his collar.

Although they hadn't made out the content, it had already aroused suspicion.

Lin En immediately took out his Communication Device, citing "the two may have come into contact with Chaos Whispers, posing a risk of spiritual contamination."

He had them transferred away from the Core Area and arranged "Purification Observation."

In reality, he had the Genestealers in the army secretly handle it to ensure the Secret did not leak.

After confirming the surroundings were absolutely Safe, Lin En then explained in a low voice:

"This is snow, the solid form of water."

"Brevis's atmosphere contains a large quantity of water vapor, which condenses into Ice Crystals at low temperatures, and gathering together forms snowflakes."

He reached out to catch a pure white snowflake, continuing:

"This Planet's atmospheric circulation is unstable; winters are long and bitterly cold, snow covers the Ice Plains, making hunting and marching both difficult."

"On other Planets, some environments have no snow, only endless gray haze;"

"others are hot all year round, with only deserts and magma; the Universe is vast, and every World's environment is different."

Lena's Miniature Shredder Worm poked a small section out from her collar, its compound eyes reflecting the Gloss of the snowflakes, as if seriously watching.

"Cold, but pretty."

She gave a simple evaluation, her Tone carrying a trace of "innocence" not befitting the Bug Race.

In the days that followed, Lena's "exploration" never stopped.

On a calm night of Wind and Snow, after finishing his official duties, Lin En brought her to the Observation Deck atop the Forbidden Wall.

The Sky above was unusually free of heavy snow, with specks of Starlight converging into a Silver river.

It had traversed countless light-years of distance and time, appearing before their eyes.

Lena asked curiously: "Those bright little dots, what are they?"

She previously only knew that within the small points of light in the sky lay the Biomass they needed, but she had never truly gazed upon this starry sky.

Lin En raised his head to gaze at the Galaxy River, his eyes distant:

"Those are stars, just like the 'Hilix Star' that Brevis revolves around, distant sources of light."

"Countless stars and their planets form star systems, countless star systems converge into the Galaxy River, and we live on the edge of the Galaxy River."

He recalled verses he had read in his previous life and subconsciously whispered: "Drunk, not knowing heaven is in the water, a boat full of clear dreams presses upon the Galaxy River."

Lena remained silent for a long time before asking doubtfully: "I don't understand the meaning, but it sounds very special."

Although she did not understand the meaning of this verse, she could feel the ethereal beauty between the words.

Lin En smiled and explained:

"This is a verse describing the vastness of the starry sky; humans use this method to express their feelings toward nature and the universe."

The two said nothing more, simply continuing to gaze at the starry sky, enjoying this moment of tranquility.

Once, the Logistics Department delivered a batch of rare fresh Synthetic Meat Steaks.

These were cultivated using special fungi, with a texture close to real meat, and Lin En deliberately set aside a portion.

Lena did not devour it hastily as she usually did when absorbing Biomass, but instead, at Lin En's indication,

she gently nibbled with the mouthparts of a Miniature Shredder Worm, "tasting" bit by bit.

"The taste is bland, not as good as those Canheads of the Son of Medusa."

She gave a blunt evaluation, leaving Lin En somewhat laughing and crying.

Indeed, for the Bug Race, the powerful Space Marines were still more "flavorful."

She would have Lin En pick a rare Ice Blue Flower from the Brevis Icefield, a small flower that blooms in extreme cold, emitting a faint fragrance similar to pine wood.

Lena gently touched the petals with the Tentacles of a Tearing Worm, smelling the faint fragrance, and said softly:

"It's different from the smell of the Fungal Carpet; there's no fishy odor."

She would quietly listen to the Imperial Army Song played by Servitors accompanying the army, the stirring melody echoing in the Command Center.

Lin En thought she would find it noisy, but she said:

"It is very powerful, but different from the Waaagh of the Green Skins."

She would also, when Lin En was alone, carefully touch his Skin with a Miniature Shredder Worm.

Human body temperature was transmitted through the Skin, bringing a warm touch, completely different from the coldness of the Bug Race.

Lena's movements were light, carrying a trace of probing, as if touching some fragile treasure.

"Lin En's temperature is very comfortable," she said softly.