Chapter 4

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Protagonist:

Lin En

Lena

The next day, Lin En awoke from that creaking broken bedboard.

The aches throughout his body seemed like the Emperor's mild punishment for his blasphemy yesterday.

But he knew he had to establish communication before Lena, that terrible creature torn from the Hive Mind, recovered more strength.

Or before the vast collective consciousness swallowed her again.

Time was as precious as dripping Tiberium.

He summoned that pink heart-shaped arrow, so out of place in the surrounding environment, pointing toward deeper, darker layers of the Nest Capital.

Lin En changed into an oil-stained worker's uniform, tucking a laser pistol and dagger into his waist.

He stuffed a few tubes of bland nutrient paste into his pocket and followed the arrow into the crisscrossing metal alleys.

The lower he went, the thicker the pulsating slime covering the metal walls became.

The air was thick with the cloying, decaying blood-aura unique to the fungal carpet, almost solid.

The arrow finally pointed to the Main Sewer Hub of the Seventh District.

He crouched and crawled in.

Before him suddenly opened a forgotten vaulted hall.

A towering dome dripping viscous liquid, sewage of dubious composition covering his ankles.

Only the fluorescent fungi parasitizing the pipes emitted a faint cold light, like ghost fires in a tomb.

He scraped off some fungus, and pierced several fat, writhing pipe slugs that lived on waste.

Finally he even picked up half a can of leaked high-heat lubricant.

These "gifts" were shabby enough to be embarrassing, but he had no choice.

He had to confirm the condition of that Hive Warrior as soon as possible.

The pink arrow began flashing urgently, pointing behind a gate half-rusted away.

That place had once been a water purification pool.

【Warning: Target is in a state of high alert; multiple low-level Bug Race life signs detected.】

The system's cold alert made Lin En's nerves tense.

He lowered his body and peered inside through the gap in the gate.

Deep in the abandoned water treatment pool, Lena was curled in a corner, licking an ominous crystalized wound on her foreleg with her forked tongue.

Scattered around were several carcasses of mutant giant rats gnawed to the bone.

And the greatest change was over a dozen knife worms crouching silently in the shadows.

The Tyranid Bug Race's most basic and numerous infantry unit, cheap cannon fodder in close combat.

Lin En guessed that Lena, lacking a sense of safety, had "plundered" some unhatched spores from the Hive Mind's control and forcibly bound those that hatched.

Just as he observed, Lena's head suddenly snapped up, her compound eyes turning toward the gate without any sluggishness!

All the knife worms twisted their bodies in unison, their scarlet compound eyes locking onto his position!

The next second, over a dozen black shadows shot out, bone claw blades tearing the air, already at his face!

【Binding target detected within interactive distance; activate "Forced Dialogue Protocol"?】

【Note: This operation will consume a large quantity of the caster's mental power.】

"Activate! Now!" Lin En roared, not doubting for a moment that these xenos would tear him apart instantly.

A sharp pain like needle pricks came at his temples, as if a drill were stirring his brain matter.

All the lunging knife worms suddenly froze in midair, as if imprisoned by an invisible force.

Lena also abruptly stood up her three-meter-tall body, emitting a pained and furious roar.

But an irresistible force forcibly twisted her, facing Lin En.

【Forced force field generated; maintenance requires continuous consumption of mental power.】

"Emperor preserve us, fortunately these knife worms also count as part of her consciousness."

Lin En panted heavily, cold sweat soaking his back.

He dared not delay, quickly looking at the system interface that appeared.

A pixel-style dialogue box popped up.

On the left was his portrait, a thin, black-haired young man with fatigue in his eyes.

On the right was Lena's "standee," a highly realistic close-up of a Hive Warrior.

Carapace rugged, bone blades grim, the dull blankness forcibly rendered in her compound eyes intertwined with the instinctive, forced submission anger.

【Lin En】: (Holding up scraps wrapped in rags)

"Listen! I mean no harm! I brought some 'supplies'."

【Lena】: (Compound eyes locked dead on him, mouthparts opening and closing unnaturally, emitting scraping sounds)

"Hiss-screech!"

【System Translation】: Vigilance, confusion, anger.

Lin En placed the package on the damp ground and slowly backed away:

"We're bound together, you can feel it, right?

Like two worms on a single thread.

【Lena】: (Her forelimb bone blades unconsciously scraped against the metal ground, the wound seeping murky purple-black bodily fluid)

"Hiss~~~"

【System Translation】: Deep confusion and discomfort regarding her own independent state, the wound continuing to bring pain.

Lin En pointed at her crystallized forelimb: "Can I help you? At least, let's not fight to the death for now?"

【Lena】: (Her body lunged forward fiercely, the pixelated standing illustration shaking violently)

"Hiss-ga!!!"

【System Translation】: Strong intent to expel. But mixed with a trace of extremely faint hesitation about "waiting for further observation data."

Mental Power -8.

She hesitated! Even just a trace means opportunity!

Lin En used his toe to push the package and lubricant can closer:

"This is a 'Gift.' If it's useless, you can still consider turning me into biomass later."

Lena froze in place, her massive body trembling slightly from the conflict between system coercion and instinct.

Finally, she submitted to the incomprehensible power of the "Agreement."

She extended her uninjured forelimb, using the tip of her bone blade to pry open the ragged package.

Fluorescent fungus and slug remains rolled out.

She lowered her head, her mouthparts rolling, chewing, and swallowing them like an efficient crusher.

Afterwards, she bit through the lubricant can and sucked the sticky liquid dry.

The whole process was quiet and swift, carrying the Hive Warrior's characteristic efficiency, and a trace of indescribable disdain?

【System Prompt】: "Gift" mixed organic matter accepted.

Energy Value: Extremely low.

Affection Level +1.

Current Affection: -54.

Special Item "High-Heat Industrial Lubricant" accepted.

Energy Value: Low.

Slightly relieved hunger.

Affection Level +0.

【First Communication Complete. Reward: Affection Level +5.

Unlock 【Dialogue】 function: Limited to 3 times daily, each time consuming Mental Power.】

Current Affection: -49.

【Warning: Practitioner's Mental Power below safety threshold. Forced Agreement about to be lifted.】

A strong dizziness struck, Lin En barely able to stand.

Lena opposite him let out a low hiss as if relieved of a burden, no longer looking at him.

She turned back to that sunken corner and curled up again, continuing to lick her wound.

The Knife Worm swarm retreated into the shadows, but several still had compound eyes flashing, warily staring at the gate direction.

The Forced Force Field disappeared.

Seeing Lena had no intention to continue attacking, Lin En's tense nerves relaxed slightly.

He retreated to the edge of the gate, voice hoarse: "I'll come back, bringing more 'Gifts.'

Your wound, I'll find a way.

Calling you 'Lena,' no objections?"

Three sentences in a row, the Hive Warrior had no reaction, as if he were just irrelevant noise.

Lin En shook his head, turned and left, tentatively taking this silence as tacit consent.

Walking out of Lena's "Territory," Lin En finally dared to lean against a thick transport pipe and slump down.

The deep fatigue from excessive Mental Power consumption brought, the system interface timely surfaced a new quest:

【Daily Task: Daily Feeding (0/1)】

Reward: Random Affection Level +0~5

【Phase Quest: Assist Target in Relieving Injuries (Crystalized Wound Purification Progress 0/10)】

Reward: Unknown

Lena Status: HP 32/100 (Severe Injury). Affection Level: -49.

"At least for now won't be made into biomass filler."

He muttered softly, a gambler's glint flashing in his eyes.

Lena was undoubtedly an extremely dangerous Xenos disaster, but if this power could be turned around and utilized...