The Star Cliff and a Queen’s Awakening

His face was a mask of disbelief.

How could such a powerful psionic emerge from the Old World, that oceanic hell no longer fit for human habitation?

Impossible. Utterly impossible!

Yet, the being before him, a psionic of at least Level Nine, completely overturned Augu’s understanding of reality.

He cautiously probed:

“The Old World, that ocean tainted by genetic pollution… Miss Ming, do you truly hail from such a place?”

His voice trembled slightly.

Ming Yu nodded.

At her confirmation, Augu gasped. Behind him, his companions exchanged stunned glances, their pupils trembling, their expressions etched with shock.

****

After a brief exchange, Ming Yu gleaned a wealth of information about Sky City from these NPCs. This unexpected windfall delighted her, and her tone grew notably friendlier as she conversed with them.

‘So, Sky City’s secret lies hidden here,’ she mused.

Ming Yu was quite pleased with the service she had received.

As she watched Augu and his group depart, her gaze returned to Little Nightingale, who stood beside her. She noticed a flicker of hesitation and anticipation in the girl’s eyes, stirring a ripple of surprise within her.

‘What could be the matter?’ she wondered.

‘Could she be eager to see the starry sky?’

‘If that’s the case…’

****

“You don’t even know something like this? What a minnow you are~~”

Vera, having grown increasingly familiar with Ming Yu, wore an arrogant expression. Her tone reverted to its usual playful mockery as she began to open up to this human.

Meanwhile, Ming Yu found herself juggling two tasks: verbally responding to Little Nightingale while mentally parrying Vera’s remarks. Such multitasking proved quite overwhelming.

She retorted, slightly exasperated:

“How am I supposed to understand ‘high-dimensional mapping to low-dimensional’ or ‘observing the universe through the void’? Can’t you explain it in a way a human can comprehend?”

“Nya-nya-nya, minnow~~”

“…”

Ming Yu suddenly realized that Vera wasn’t quite as endearing as she had initially seemed. Or rather, she wasn’t as docile and pleasant as before.

Compared to Little Nightingale, they were two complete extremes.

She glanced at Little Nightingale, who clung to her arm, and a wave of contentment, born from being depended upon, washed over her heart.

Little Nightingale’s quiet, graceful demeanor reminded Ming Yu of her own fearless and composed resolve in the face of adversity from years past.

‘Ah, to recall those glorious, arduous years,’ she mused with a faint smile.

“Minnow, minnow, minnow…”

Vera incessantly repeated the word, her voice brimming with laughter as she bounced playfully on Ming Yu’s head, utterly absorbed in her amusement. It was as if years of suppression had vanished entirely in that very moment.

“…”

Ming Yu simply chose to yield. For such childish remarks, ignoring them was the best strategy.

Amidst this lighthearted and pleasant atmosphere, Ming Yu unknowingly crossed the boundary of the Grey Mist Sea, stepping into an area characterized by rocky hills and earthy mounds.

“Minnow, I bet you don’t know this either…”

Vera patiently explained,

“Just like the Swarm Domain we just passed through, where chaotic and disorderly laws manifested as the misty Sea of Chaos, the laws of this region lean towards order. Moreover, it’s an ownerless land…”

“It’s safe here. We can leave the Void Realm anytime…”

Vera paused, a complex, ineffable meaning entering her voice. With a hint of anticipation, she softly murmured,

“We could also agree to meet here.”

Her tone seemed casual, yet it veiled a thread of nervousness as she awaited a response.

Vera could not linger long in the Void Realm. As long as she remained connected to the Swarm’s mental network and stayed within the Void Realm, the Overlord’s will would eventually seek her out and crush her once more.

Suddenly, she no longer wished to die.

Even if returning to reality meant facing endless days and years of experimental research, being manipulated as a mere specimen.

At least, she would still have a chance…

In the mundane reality, she would have another opportunity to encounter that intriguing human again.

She was serious.

Unfortunately, Ming Yu failed to grasp the depth of Vera’s sentiment. She simply assumed that the NPC was exerting itself, enthusiastically recommending a repeat experience of the virtual reality technology.

To be honest, the virtual reality experience was indeed excellent. Given the chance, Ming Yu would certainly bring Little Nightingale back again.

As for now…

She occasionally glanced towards the sky, but only a perpetual expanse of grey gloom met her eyes. Not a single star was visible.

“Vera, where is this starry sky you spoke of?”

“Minnow, you haven’t answered me yet.”

“Huh? Answer what?” Ming Yu was slightly bewildered.

Seeing her confusion, Vera bit her lip, then couldn’t resist tapping Ming Yu’s head with a spider leg, her face etched with displeasure.

“Minnow, we’ll meet again, won’t we?”

“Perhaps,” Ming Yu replied dismissively, still searching for stars.

“…You damned minnow.”

Vera’s face paled slightly, and an indescribable ache settled in her heart.

She sprang from Ming Yu’s form, hovering silently in mid-air. From her elevated position, she gazed down at the human, as if trying to etch that silver silhouette into the deepest recesses of her heart.

Vera opened her mouth, but no words came.

A shadow of sadness dimmed her eyes.

“Vera, where exactly is the starry sky you mentioned?”

Unable to find the starry sky Vera spoke of, Ming Yu reluctantly inquired mentally.

This time, Vera’s response was not as swift as before.

“Vera?”

Ming Yu frowned, a ripple of confusion crossing her face.

After a moment of silence, Vera’s voice echoed in her mind.

“The Void Realm… holds no sky to gaze upon…”

“Continue forward… reach Star Cliff…”

“There… you can… look down upon the stars…”

Vera’s voice grew fainter and fainter.

Until it completely vanished.

Suddenly, Ming Yu realized the movement above her head had ceased. She reached up to touch, but her hand met only empty air, finding no trace of the little insect girl.

She looked around, but Vera was nowhere to be seen. She called out mentally yet received no reply.

‘What’s happening? Did she log off?’

Ming Yu was utterly perplexed.

Regardless, she decided to follow Vera’s recent guidance and seek out the so-called “Star Cliff.”

Before long, a wide, bottomless chasm appeared within her sight.

Ming Yu led Little Nightingale to the cliff’s edge and gazed down.

Below the abyss, there was no darkness or unfathomable depth. Instead, millions upon millions of shimmering silver stars were embedded within the black void.

****

Human Federation Territory, Gamma Sector.

Star Orbit Space Station, Research Sector.

Within a massive cage, specifically designed to suppress psionic energy, lay a colossal cocoon, the size of a battleship. Every abnormal data fluctuation from it strained the nerves of the on-duty researchers.

“Quickly, inform Albert and the others! The psionic fluctuations of the Thorin Proto-worm Queen are skyrocketing. Her secondary evolution is likely nearing its end…”

“How exciting! Whether the Thorin Proto-worm’s power can be harnessed by us depends entirely on whether this evolution meets our expectations…”

“Don’t lower your guard. This Queen has been ostracized by her own kind; she’s unlike any Thorin Proto-worm we’ve captured before…”

“The innate instincts of the swarm—the desire for slaughter and reproduction—are absent in this Queen. We don’t even know if, after evolution, she’ll be able to breed a swarm army for us…”

“…”

Vera’s consciousness slowly resurfaced, yet her eyes remained hazy.

After detaching from the Swarm’s mental network once more, the Overlord had stripped her of the right and ability to breed larvae.

Although Vera herself had never engaged in reproductive activities, she had been branded “abnormal” the moment she advanced to a Queen.

Before encountering a certain human, Vera had felt not the slightest interest in such matters.

Now, however, her interest had been piqued.

“Ming Yu… is that it…”

Vera licked her lips, her eyes as gentle as water, shimmering with a hidden anticipation.

“I will find you, no matter where you are…”