"Please, come in!"
Soon, under Hong's guidance,
Janet, Zhao Ruo, and Teacher Jiang Fang, whose expression was much less tense than last time, once again entered the Meteor Starship.
This time, the atmosphere was noticeably more relaxed.
Janet deftly took out the premium tea leaves she had brought and began brewing tea.
Zhao Ruo, already familiar with the routine, walked over to Capybara and began massaging his shoulders, her technique even more refined than before.
Teacher Jiang Fang took in the familiar yet absurd scene. The corner of her mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, but she quickly regained her composure.
"Clack!"
She set a finely crafted metal case on the floor.
There were no weapons or documents inside.
Instead, it was filled with all kinds of beautifully packaged, premium Earth-made pastries and rare fruits. There were even a few bottles of aged liquor said to taste exquisite.
"Mr. Ye Xiu, these are a small token of appreciation from the War God Palace and some admirers among the public. We'd like to thank you for your... contributions to eliminating the monster threat."
Jiang Fang carefully chose her words.
Capybara's nose twitched, and his mental response was pleased.
"Mm, smells good. Set it down. Is the tea ready? Zhao Ruo, use a little more pressure on the left."
Janet hurriedly served the freshly brewed tea, while Zhao Ruo adjusted the strength of her massage.
After enjoying a brief moment of peace and pampering, Jiang Fang finally got down to business.
She cleared her throat, her expression turning solemn.
"Mr. Ye Xiu, we came here not only to express our gratitude and get to know you better. We really do have another important matter and hope we can get your..."
"Help, or at least hear your opinion."
"Oh? What is it?"
Capybara lazily took a sip of tea. It was rich and flavorful, far better than the energy drinks Babata synthesized.
"It concerns a... special area deep in Shennongjia."
Jiang Fang's tone was grave.
"It was designated a top-level restricted zone many years ago. That's because the creatures lurking there aren't ordinary monsters, but a kind of..."
"Life-form we've never encountered and can't understand."
"Individually, they may not be very strong, but there are an astonishing number of them, and they reproduce at an incredible rate."
"They also possess some kind of collective consciousness and a terrifying ability to devour and evolve."
"We suspect it may be an extraterrestrial relic, or the remnant of some kind of cosmic disaster."
She brought up a blurry recording that still conveyed the horror of what it showed.
The footage showed swarms of monstrous, beetle-like creatures, surging like a tide and covering the entire forest.
Everything in their path—plants, animals, even rocks—was gnawed away, leaving nothing but bare ground.
Every so often, a War God Level fighter would attempt to explore the area, only to be swallowed by the insect tide in an instant. Not even their bones remained.
"In recent years, the area this 'hive' occupies has been slowly expanding."
"Although we've managed to keep it confined to Shennongjia's core region, it remains a massive threat."
"We're worried that if it ever erupts on a large scale, the consequences will be unthinkable."
Jiang Fang looked at Capybara. "With your power and that of your companions, do you think there's any way to... eliminate this threat?"
Capybara watched the densely packed insect swarm in the footage. A flicker of interest passed through his glossy black eyes.
"Bugs? There sure are a lot of them. I wonder how they taste..."
But before he could finish, Babata's somewhat serious voice rang out directly in his mind, and was simultaneously transmitted to Jiang Fang and the other two.
"Warning! Based on the visual features and energy fluctuations, this is very likely a low-tier Zerg Hive, notorious throughout the universe!"
"Although it may only be in an immature or damaged state, it poses a far greater threat than Earth's native monsters!"
"A Zerg Hive?"
Capybara asked curiously.
"Correct!"
Babata's tone grew heavier. "The Zerg are one of the universe's calamities!"
"They survive by devouring all organic and inorganic matter, and even energy. They evolve at an incredible speed, and their Hives can produce endless armies!"
"This one may not appear to be high-level, but there must be a Mother Emperor inside."
"It may also possess defensive and offensive mechanisms that I can't fully detect!"
"You've reached the fourth level of the Stellar Rank, and Little Gold is at the Planetary Level Peak, but charging into the core of a Zerg Hive without preparation would be extremely risky!"
"Those bugs may be weak individually, but there are enough of them to wear down beings far stronger than you!"
"And that's without even considering the Mother Emperor's mental attacks and potentially bizarre special abilities!"
"My advice is not to provoke them for now."
"Wait until you've gotten stronger, or found a more effective and safer way to deal with them, before taking action."
Babata's warning instantly weighed down the atmosphere.
Even Capybara put aside his carefree attitude and furrowed his brow slightly.
Jiang Fang, Janet, and Zhao Ruo went pale.
They didn't really understand what a "Zerg Hive" entailed, but if Babata was warning them so gravely, it had to be something truly terrifying!
"E-even you think this is a tough opponent, Mr. Ye Xiu?"
Janet couldn't help asking, her voice trembling slightly.
She had personally witnessed how Capybara and the Golden Horned Beast had crushed the Beast Emperor.
Capybara didn't answer right away. He stared at the roiling insect swarm in the footage, tapping one paw absently against the cushion.
A Zerg Hive... It sounded like a lot of trouble, but also... kind of interesting?
And if its energy and genes were unusual enough, it might even make a nourishing meal.
Still, he couldn't completely ignore Babata's warning.
When it came to knowledge of the universe, this intelligent life-form knew far more than he did.
"Hmm..." Capybara pondered for a moment. "This thing is definitely interesting. But Babata's right. A head-on fight wouldn't be worth it right now."
He looked at Jiang Fang, whose face showed both disappointment and worry, and added,
"How about this? You humans keep monitoring it and make sure it doesn't spread."
"Once I've 'eaten' a few more Beast Emperors and gotten stronger, or found a better way, I'll go and see these bugs."
"If things suddenly get worse, let me know ahead of time."
It was a promise, though not quite a commitment.
Jiang Fang breathed a sigh of relief. At least Capybara hadn't outright refused, and he understood how serious the problem was.
"I understand. Thank you for taking this seriously. We'll strengthen our surveillance and keep you informed."
After returning to the surface, Jiang Fang, Janet, and Zhao Ruo didn't dare waste a moment.
They immediately reported the shocking information about the "Zerg Hive," along with Babata's stern warning,
in full detail to the highest levels of the War God Palace.
When the analysis report from Babata, the intelligent life-form aboard the Meteor Starship,
along with the footage and records of the conversation that Jiang Fang had brought back, confirmed by Capybara,
was presented to all the council members,
the entire War God Palace conference room fell into an even more deathly silence, a chill even more bone-deep than when they had seen the Golden Horned Beast submit.
"A Zerg Hive? A living one?"
"Does this mean... our human civilization could be wiped out by it at any moment?"
Before you continue