Chapter 223: Ups and Downs, Frequent Situations

229. Chapter 229: Ups and Downs, Frequent Situations.

Many pieces of information can be inferred from the size of the mother nest.

The most obvious is the civilization level of the world inhabited by the swarm that possesses this mother nest.

The mother nest located ahead of the starship Yun Ni is the typical version possessed by swarms of a level‑5 civilization world.

The main purpose of the mother nest is not interstellar combat, so there is no need to worry that the Yun Ni will be quickly destroyed by it.

As the core of a swarm, its function is to breed and reproduce in peacetime and to transport troops in wartime.

Therefore, the moment the mother nest appears means that the Yun Ni has already been completely surrounded by countless swarms capable of short‑range interstellar travel.

The trouble the Yun Ni has to deal with lies not in the mother nest, but in those swarms that have temporarily hidden their tracks.

Shan Duola reacted quickly and ordered: "Run all reconnaissance systems at full power, find all the swarms hiding in the dark, assess the battle situation, fight if you can, retreat if you cannot."

"Yes."

Ta Ling responded solemnly.

Instantly, all reconnaissance equipment on the Yun Ni began operating at full power.

One hideous‑looking swarm after another was quickly located and their positions marked one by one.

Swarm troops filled the surroundings, completely encircling the Yun Ni from all directions.

They are still far from the Yun Ni, outside its detection range while hovering, and cannot launch an attack anytime soon.

Otherwise, the swarms could not have remained hidden so well until now revealing themselves.

What is stranger is that even after being discovered, the swarms show little movement.

The mother nest is motionless, and the swarms surrounding the Yun Ni are also motionless, which is quite odd.

This makes the sudden appearance of the mother nest a redundant, failed move.

Lin Ke glanced at the holographic projection, got a rough idea of the situation, and then stopped paying attention.

The Yun Ni belongs to Shan Duola herself, so he still ought not to interfere lightly.

After Ta Ling's assessment, the balance of power between the two sides is currently even, so there is no need to consider retreat for now.

Shan Duola frowned, pondered for a while, and felt that retreating just like that would leave her unwilling.

The three original objectives of this mission might still be achievable.

But the three additional goals she set herself have no chance of being accomplished at all.

However, before clarifying the details of the suddenly appearing mother nest and this wave of swarms, launching a rash attack is not a good choice.

Taking this into account, she issued the latest order: "Do not initiate attacks for now, keep a proper distance, and do not give the swarms a chance to focus fire. If the swarms launch an attack, prioritize evasion and defense, and retaliate appropriately when the timing is right."

"Yes."

Ta Ling faithfully carried out each of Shan Duola's orders, yet also automatically applied a 'patch'.

The Yun Ni starship entered a state of readiness to maneuver at any moment.

The warp drive is already preheating.

If any abnormality occurs, it can proceed with warp travel to leave this star sector.

After making these adjustments, Ta Ling sent a notice: "The injuries of the wounded have been identified, they are being treated, treatment is in progress, treatment completed, and the wounded's condition is currently stable."

Upon hearing this, Shan Duola turned her attention back to the four companions lying in the transparent cabin.

Lin Ke had been monitoring the condition of these four.

He personally witnessed Ta Ling, after detection, locate the record of the small spots on the four people's hands from the massive data, and then, according to that method, completely clear the small spots.

Once the small spots were gone, the vital signs of the four instantly stabilized.

After a large infusion of life force, they not only escaped mortal danger but also showed faint signs of awakening.

"The small spots are the medium; the attack method is a curse."

Recalling how and when the four fell, and remembering the feeling when the howling's residual wave attacked himself, Lin Ke intuitively felt that their fatal injuries were not caused by the howling attack but by something else.

After carefully comparing the relevant memories and knowledge in his mind, Lin Ke drew this inference.

The decline of curse magic in the wizard world does not mean that other civilizations likewise lack advanced curses.

As for the swarms, they specialize in poison, second in curses, and third in sheer numbers.

This is common knowledge across the myriad worlds.

In the wizard world, to silently kill four second‑level witches with a curse, at least a third‑level witch must be the caster for it to be possible.

To have four second‑level witches die from a curse with no chance to resist, the caster must at least possess the strength of a senior third‑level witch like Se Lin.

Based on the swarms' actual combat power after their decline, calculating it shows that having a level‑4 or higher swarm lurking in the mission world is a certainty.

Combined with the comet‑sized mother nest ahead of the Yun Ni, Lin Ke believes that the enemy they face may far exceed the numbers and strength that have been revealed.

Thinking this through, Lin Ke solemnly warned: "I think we should first retreat to a safe place and then plan long‑term."

"Cowardly..."

Before Shan Duola could react, the round‑faced youth spoke up, his tone not the least bit humble.

"Shut up!"

Shan Duola glared at him fiercely and snapped in a cold voice, "Go to the side and calm down; don't let your emotions cloud your judgment."

Afterward, Shan Duola turned to Lin Ke and asked: "Give me a reason."

Lin Ke did not take the round‑faced youth's attitude to heart.

This had been anticipated.

He merely answered Shan Duola's question in a flat tone, with no emotional fluctuation:

"I believe the strength displayed by the swarms is far greater than what we see now. Don't forget that the highly likely evolved individuals existing on the mission world are still hidden in the dark, unseen."

The swarms surrounding the Yun Ni are obviously from a level‑5 mother nest.

Although they similarly have human‑like heads, their bodies resemble scorpions.

Unlike the insect clan inhabiting the Mission World, whose bodies resemble arthropods, it is entirely different.

The Mother Nest Insect Clan and the Mission World Insect Clan are two separate groups.

Shanduola had actually noticed this earlier, but she had her own reliance, so she was in no hurry to attack or retreat.

She wanted to learn more about the situation, then decide on different measures according to the circumstances.

After Lin Ke's reminder, she realized she had become overconfident again, and immediately corrected her order: "Full speed, disengage contact, withdraw to a safe zone."

"Yes."

Taling responded, then asked, "The shuttle has returned; should we accept it?"

"Not allowed, withdraw directly."

Shanduola refused without a second thought.

The four companions merely had brief direct contact with the insect clan, and they were afflicted.

The shuttle had been docked alone in the Mission World for so long; who knows if the insect clan had done something to it?

Let it return to the Yunni; if it causes any trouble inside, it won't be good.

Anyway, a shuttle isn't worth even a few Magic Stones; discarding it wouldn't be a loss.

Shanduola is wealthy and doesn't consider this loss a big deal.

"Does the shuttle have a self-destruct procedure?"

Lin Ke asked from the side, giving a reminder.

"Yes."

Shanduola nodded, understanding Lin Ke's meaning, then ordered Taling, "When the time is right, activate the shuttle's self-destruct program to give the insects a surprise."

"Understood."

Taling responded, simultaneously controlling the already preheated warp engine, outputting full power.

The Yunni, hovering in the silent vacuum, suddenly accelerated from extreme stillness to extreme motion, entering the warp bubble.

As long as there is no obstruction, the Yunni needs less than one second to escape this star field.

However, the insect clan seemed to be waiting for the Yunni to enter warp state.

At the instant the Yunni entered the warp bubble, a tremendously thick, brilliant beam of light was emitted from the Mission World.

Logically, this beam should never be able to hit a warp bubble moving far faster than light.

Accidents always defy reason. After the beam was emitted, before it even touched the warp bubble, it had already taken effect.

The warp bubble silently ruptured.

Boom—

It sounded inside the Yunni.

The interstellar warship was knocked out of warp state.

The warp engine immediately fell into failure, unable to restart for a short time.

The Yunni lost an unconventional power source, leaving only conventional engines and a set of jump engines.

It wasn't immobilized, but it lost perfect maneuverability.

"Hmph!"

The round‑faced youth turned his face toward Lin Ke, saying, "If you don't understand the situation, don't talk nonsense. Look, now there's a problem."

This was pushing all the blame onto Lin Ke, finding fault with him.

Lin Ke remained silent.

Judging by the current outcome, he indeed has to take the blame.

It was precisely his suggestion to withdraw promptly that allowed the insect clan, which had long plotted, to destroy the warship's warp engine.

However, Lin Ke did not think so.

On the contrary, he felt fortunate that his suggestion had lured out the insect clan's long‑planned attack.

If the interstellar warship had not previously been in an unselectable warp state, but had instead suffered a direct hit from that strange beam, how could only the warp engine be damaged so simply?

The losses would be far worse!

Shanduola thought the same.

She recognized that beam.

That was the insect clan's version of Annihilation Light.

At full power, a single Annihilation Light can completely reduce a planet to dust.

Its power is utterly incomparable to the so‑called Star‑Annihilator, which in reality can only blast a big hole with its Star‑Annihilating Cannon.

If the Yunni were to take a direct hit from an Annihilation Light, it might barely survive, but would suffer severe damage, impairing many functions.

Now, by a twist of fate, exchanging one warp engine for the insect clan's Annihilation Light is a bargain!

"All‑out counterattack."

Shanduola ignored the warp engine and the round‑faced youth's sarcasm, issuing the order coldly.

Times change.

Earlier, when the situation was unclear, withdrawal was indeed the best measure.

But now it is just right to attack while the insect clan's Annihilation Light is on cooldown.

Let's weigh the insect clan's strength and see if we can avoid a hasty retreat.

Under Taling's command, the Yunni opened fire at full power, its long‑range strikes enveloping the surrounding insect army.

The main gun began charging, aiming at the Mother Nest.

In an instant, a full‑power Star‑Annihilating Cannon was ready and then fired.

The Star‑Annihilating Cannon, half the size of the Annihilation Light, is actually not weak; traveling at light speed across the vast distance between the Yunni and the Mother Nest, it struck the Mother Nest head‑on.

The disturbance caused by the first salvo hasn't subsided before the second and third salvos arrive in quick succession.

Now that we've engaged, we unleash our full firepower.

Under the intense fire, aside from the hive—protected by countless layers of Zerg slime—nothing else survives three annihilation cannon blasts.

The Zerg forces encircling the starship from all sides are devastated in a blink, with casualties exceeding half.

The Zerg host, braving the Yunni's barrage, launches a reckless assault.

All they achieve is an increasing distance between the two sides.

Taling rigorously carries out Sandora's command, maintaining a suitable distance from the Zerg.

It's a simple mismatch of range—long‑handed versus short‑handed.

Via the hologram and viewport, Linke observes the sudden, fierce encounter, his brow furrowed.

He senses that something isn't right.

The Zerg are acting far too strangely.

The mission world can unleash annihilation light, the hive can survive three annihilation cannon blasts unharmed, yet the forces besieging the Yunni are pathetically feeble—how can that be?

Even if they've been declining for ages, their forebears were once mighty—surely they couldn't have deteriorated to such a pathetic state?

They're as flimsy as papier‑mâché—one prod and they fall apart.

There's something wrong—there has to be.

Linke murmurs under his breath.

He stares hard at the Zerg forces on the hologram, mentally magnifying their bodies, and spots a problem.

The Zerg that endure the Yunni's fire move more nimbly, act more confidently, and glare more ferociously than the fallen.

The Zerg dropping in batches seem to Linke like puppets rather than genuine beings.

No surprise they're so easily killed—a single blow can take out a large group.

As Linke was about to inform Sandora of his discovery, his side‑glance fell on Lanni, Tiffany, and Fried, who had re‑entered the starship and had remained silent ever since.

He noticed the three appeared vacant, their eyes unfocused, as if they were elsewhere, bewildered and oblivious.

Huh?

Linke felt a jolt in his chest, his suspicions growing.

What is this situation?

When did this change occur?

How had he not noticed it earlier?

He lunged forward and stood before Lanni Taylor.

Linke lifted his right index finger, a pinpoint of light appearing at its tip.

This is a versatile application of the zero‑level light spell, Illumination.

He held his left index finger upright in front of Lanni, about ten centimeters from her eyes, roughly at the midpoint between them.

The light from his right hand entered her pupils as his left index finger swung left and right.

Lanni's eyes gave no response, staying dull and unfocused.

He performed the same check on Tiffany and Fried, with identical results.

Linke turned to face Sandora and the round‑faced youth, then flicked his gaze to the other two academy heirs.

He saw that the four were composed, their eyes bright and focused.

At that moment, all four focused on Linke due to his abrupt action.

What did you find?

Sandora inquired, her voice reaching Linke with a faint stress.

Parasites.

Linke answered gravely, "The earlier roar wasn't merely a sonic blast—it also bore parasites. We completely shielded ourselves, so we weren't infected. They three failed to fully block it, so they've been parasitized. But that isn't the crux; the crucial point is..."

He gestured to the viewport and said, "The Zerg encircling us resemble hollow shells puppeteered by parasites. I believe they aim to lure us out here to drain our reserves and fight a protracted battle."

Scan and treat.

After Linke finished, Sandora at once commanded Taling.

Understood.

Taling handles multiple tasks, ordering medical puppets to thoroughly examine Lanni, Tiffany, and Fried while also investigating the Zerg surrounding the Yunni.

Meanwhile, he intentionally reduced the firepower intensity.

We cannot allow the enemy to accomplish its aim.

Since they aim to deplete our supplies, we'll temper our fire to save ammo.

Although Sandora's ammo stockpile is vast.

It is entirely possible to wage a world-ending war.