Planet of the Zergs.
At the capital,
Zergs with or without human forms were living their daily lives on their planet. But unlike the bustling city sites in the human planets, the Zergs marketplace sold human parts as livestock. Preserved human arms, legs, and even heads were sold on the streets with signs written: 'Fresh human parts can be exchanged with energy stones', 'Human blood for sale each cup with only 300 low energy stones', 'Candied human eyeballs for sale' and many more.
If a human passed through this kind of road it wouldn't be surprising to be eaten on the spot by this carnivorous insect race. Hidden within the cloak are the couple Nova Seren and Nova Revel who was using a transformation pill to look like a humanoid zerg which they got from Feng Jing.
Before their group had left Planet Citlali Feng Jing exchanged a few useful pills with his Redeeming Ticket with his System. Though the pills weren't highly graded and a single redemption ticket can be exchanged for a few sets of Low to Mid grade pills like Transformation Pill, Strengthening Pill, Qi Replenishing Pill, Qi Poison Pill, and Detoxification Pill.
After taking the transformation pill they used the butterfly zerg race as a reference as they've seen their mother, Alula Celeste's Quantum Beast multiple times before. Though they didn't copy it exactly, their transformation is enough to fool the Zergs. But them being covered in a cloak is still suspicious and there are some fishers who take this chance to catch some of their prey.
Multiple humans had secretly entered their planet before and most of them were eaten as soon as they were captured.
Nova Seren and Nova Revel were holding each other's hands as they passed through the roads. Even upon seeing the things sold before them to be something called former humans, their faces remained indifferent as they couldn't save them right now.
What shocked them the most is that there are human beings especially children and girls being sold at a store like living livestock to be butchered. Their eyes had been long dull without light and lifeless as they looked dazed. There were only rugs on their body and the zergs would pass by to stop at the store and point one within the cage to be cut to pieces like an ordinary scene in a meat shop.
The couple almost couldn't hold back upon seeing this scene but these humans had longed to give up and even if they save them the probability of them returning to normal is zero. Not only the spiritual domain but even the soul itself was already destroyed, there is no way they could return to reality.
Nova Revel felt his wife's grip tightening at this scene and he could only look back and shook his head to his wife. He knew that Seren might have wanted to save them but for these kinds of humans, it is already too late for them.
"Stop, my dear wife. It's already too late for them. They are broken to the fullest." whispered Lieutenant General Nova Revel.
Nova Seren lowered her head and silently agreed to her husband's decision.
"I… Understand. Let's go," replied Nova Seren to her other half.
But before they could even walk away an energetic yell from a human boy can be heard coming from the very same human butcher shop.
"What the fuck? Get me the hell out of here! You bugs, do you like eating humans! Shit l bugs are just supposed to eat leaves and grass! Let me go!"
A child barely in his 10's was shouting curses to the zergs surrounding him but no one reacted because of the language barrier between the two different species.
The child was treated as merchandise. A lump of meat to be sold at the highest price. The couple can hear the Zergs talking in insect language and the translation program the old marshal had shared with them becomes useful the moment they've infiltrated the planet of Zergs.
CRIZZ.. ZEEEERRR… GRIIIKK… KREEEK.
[This human child looks fresh. How many Energy Stones are needed to exchange for it?]
GRIIIKKKKKK… KRIEEEKKKK.
[How about 1000 low-energy stones?]
Thanks to the translation program they were able to understand the conversation of the two zergs. One of the zerg looks like a grasshopper while the other is a cricket. The zerg race the husband and wife are portraying is the butterfly race. This race is the most beautiful yet deadly among the others. Moreover, since one of the Royal princes is from this race they feared the butterfly types zergs the most.
Alula Celeste's reputation as a mad prince contrasting his extremely beautiful appearance is well known. That's why some other insect-type zergs stay away from the butterfly zergs. In reality, Alula Celeste intentionally made such an ugly reputation to protect his other Clan men from the other race. He wanted them to remember that the butterfly race is a cold yet poisonous zerg.
Nova Seren and Nova Revel converse with their eyes. They saw the child as unlike the other human, he still has the strong will to live. They decided to save the boy.
Noba Revel approached the butcher store and threw three medium-level energy stones and pointed at the human child.
"Want. Humans. Alive," he spoke the broken human language just in case. After all, he is pretending to be a semi-royal butterfly zerg person.
His appearance is hidden under the cloak, the other zergs look at the couple with weird gazes. Some were looking excitedly at the scene, especially at the husband and wife. Some of them thought that the two hidden within the cloak are humans pretending to be a zerg.
KRIEEEKKK… GRIII…. ARRRRKKK…
[Can be exchanged with a medium energy stone but not a living one.]
Nova Seren spoke in broken human words again.
"Need. Living. Gift. Fresh, " he said.
Nova Revel pretended not to notice the other zergs secretly moving around at the sideline obviously targeting him and his wife. Thankfully during the transformation, they can use the capabilities of a butterfly zerg. They can use pollen as a weapon and use their wings to fly.
As expected an ambush happened and some zergs tried to pull off the cloaks of Nova Seren and Nova Revel. Their cloaks were ripped to rugs revealing two pairs of butterfly wings on their backs. There are even antennas on their heads and their eyes were only made of black pupils.
An elegant black wings with golden linings appeared on Nova Revel's back while blue and violet patterned wings can be seen behind Nova Seren. Their appearance is definitely the same as the normal high-ranked butterfly-type zerg.
KRRRIEEKKK…. GRRRIIIEE… ARRRRRIIIEE… RRRRIEEEK… CRRRIIZZZ….
[B-Butterfly!!!? A humanoid butterfly zerg… Someone from the Fifth Prince's Clan. OH NO! I'm sorry… Please spare my life.]
The mosquito-type zergs that ripped off the cloaks of the couple were stunned and started trembling in fear. He procrastinated before the butterfly race and even broke his legs to show his respect and remorse.
The other lower-ranked race in the presence of the higher rank ones could only lower themselves. Most of the zergs on the street kneeled before the two. They didn't even question the couple anymore and gave back the energy stones to Nova Revel and gave him the human child alive.
The butterfly race is cruel and crazy which is completely opposite of their exquisite appearance that can seduce people. Nova Revel didn't speak a word of thanks and arrogantly took back his energy stones and grabbed the human boy like a cat.
"Let go of me! I don't want to leave this place. My sister and everyone are still here!" yelled the human boy.
The couple, Nova Seren and Nova Revel were a bit startled to learn about living humans on planet zerg. But they didn't show their interest in their faces and moved as they ignored the struggles of the child.
Nova Revel spoke in broken human language again, "Wife. Leave."
"Fly. Palace" replied Nova Seren.
Nova Revel flapped his wings and flew in the sky with the child in his hands. Nova Seren took a second before she flew. She grabbed the head of the mosquito zerg and plucked it off.
The low-ranked zerg died immediately as Nova Seren cut off the head. She threw the head towards the store with a cold smile on her face as if warning the rest. The rest of the low and middle-ranked zergs tremble at this scene. Nova Seren had shown the ruthlessness of the butterfly zerg which Alula Celeste showed before.
Only when she flew away with her husband and human child did the silence in the market resume to normal. Stares are saying that the mosquito zerg deserves it that then butterfly clan after all. They might have a lesser population but most of them are humanoid.
Because they have a lesser number the prince of that race is overprotective, it wouldn't be surprising for the Fifth Prince to come over personally to the area where the mosquito race lives and get annihilated. They now look at the mosquito race full of pity.
In the sky, the human boy keeps struggling that Nova Revel almost threw the boy away in anger.
"Let go! LET GO OF ME! I don't want to die. I'm all bones, not delicious at all. Wuwuwu~" the boy started crying and finally stopped struggling.
The couple becomes soft-hearted and reveals themselves to the boy.
"Child, don't cry. We are humans. We don't eat the same kind," said Nova Seren while gently wiping the tears of the boy.
Nova Revel spoke, "You just said there are living humans on this planet? We're from Oberion Empire. Show me the way where the other human hide. I will have someone to pick them up."
The human boy was stunned and shocked to the point his tears immediately stopped falling. He looks at the two who said they were human despite not looking at one.
The human boy retorted, "Liar! You have butterfly wings and those on your head plus your eyes! You are not human at all!!!"
Nova Seren and Revek looked at each other and showed a helpless smile at each other. Looking at their appearance it's unbelievable for the child to accept their words. They had gone to a forest near the location their dad, Alula Celeste had given to them. They saw a few people from the Alula Clan showing the same butterfly wings on their backs.
The colorful wings on their backs plus the forest setting they've just entered looked like scenery from a fantasy world. As soon as Nova Seren and Nova revel landed in the forest, the rest of the Alula Clan members greeted them.
"Welcome to our humble abode, Young Lady Seren, Young Lord Revel!"
Nova Seren and Revel smiled at their presence and greeted them back respectfully. These people were elders that protected their dad, Alula Celeste.
"Nova Seren (Revel) greets the elders of the Clan!"
"Hoho~ our young lady and the young lord had grown a lot. When are you gonna give these old men some grandchildren to play with?"
"Is that child with you your son? What happened to him? He looks dirty?"
"Come, come boy. Let's get you to take bath for now before eating,"
The elders happily welcome their young lady and young lord. Though it's been years since they last saw them, the news from the Empire can still reach them even when they are here.
Nova Revel spoke, "This boy is not our son. We picked him up at the butcher's."
The elders' expression turned gloomy when the butchers were mentioned. They knew that the Zerg Race loves to eat humans and treat them like livestock. In the beginning, they tried saving them but those whom they saved either got caught back as they no longer have any wills to live.
After this situation was repeated a few more times, the Alula Clan decided to no longer save them. They could allow the clan leader to take more risks than they have right now.
"I see. Leave the boy to us and go ahead and see the clan leader."
"He misses you for a very long time."
Said the elders.
Nova Revel said to the boy who had become silent the moment they landed.
"Not screaming anymore brat!" said Lieutenant General Nova Revel.
The human boy yelled, "Clay is not a brat. Old man you are humans but how can you look… Look like that?!" asked the boy named Clay.
Nova Seren pulled a transformation pill from her inventory. He gave some to the boy and the elders.
"This is what Jingjing had given to us. Transformation Pill we can change our appearance for a few hours with this thing. In any appearance we wanted. I don't know where he got it but… Jingjing might have made it himself," said Nova Seren.
The elders halted their transformation and their quantum beast separated from their bodies. Upon witnessing this scene the human boy, Clay, finally believes that they are indeed humans.. After all, the Quantum Beast is something only humans possess.
