Nydus Worm

The Temple of the Preservers is located on the western side of the Kor-shakal Province.

"You cannot command a noble Cerebrate; enslaving him is like dominating a lowly servant."

A huge, sterile, low-temperature glass tube was covered with Creep, creating a warm and humid environment. A television screen, wrapped with tendrils and chitinous carapaces, shone brightly, playing an advertisement for Umojan dairy products, which would later switch to the Miss Tarsonis pageant.

On the television screen lay a fat, fair-skinned Cerebrate, its worm-like head tilted at an eerie angle, as if supported by an invisible hand.

At first glance, the Cerebrate seems to be talking to someone on TV. Research has shown that the Cerebrate also gets bored.

Young apprentice Egon Stetmann excitedly walked through a heavy alloy door to the glass cryogenic tube, holding up a can of cola, fish and chips.

Stetmann is a rising star in the Revolutionary Army's alien laboratory. He is exceptionally intelligent and can be considered a genius. He is wearing a white lab coat that is too big for him, glasses perched on his forehead, and his worn-out leather boots are covered with feathers from some kind of Aiur bird.

"Egon, my dear friend."

The Cerebrate turned around, its eerie mouthparts wriggling and gleaming with a flicker of emotion. "I missed you."

Perhaps due to its young age, the Cerebrate's voice sounded childish and delicate, like that of a child. In human terms, this Cerebrate was no more than a child under one year old.

"Oh, no, no, no, don't move." Stetmann's joyful expression froze; he was clearly terrified of the Cerebrate.

"Stand there and don't move—if you have legs."

Stetmann stopped at the control panel outside the glass cryogenic tube. Under his operation, four robotic arms inside the tube gently moved towards the Cerebrate, pinching its plump body off the Creep as if pinching the tail of a slug.

"Don't make any rash moves, understand? There are people on duty at the monitoring station at all times, and more than two squad leaders from the Cybrus Cerberus Company are guarding this place. If you try to use your incredible mental powers to control my mind, then the alarm hidden in my hat will go off with a bang, understand? It will go off with a bang." Stetmann rarely managed to finish a sentence without making a mistake, which meant that this kind of thing was second nature to him.

As always, Stetmann prioritizes things differently from others.

"It's just a routine check, testing Psionics levels, extracting some tissue samples to study Zerg DNA fragments, and yes, what else? I'll tell you later." Stetmann operated the robotic arm to place the Cerebrate on a silver stand, carefully lifting the rotating blade to cut a small section of the Cerebrate's tail.

Cerebrate have a strong self-healing ability; their genes store a massive number of pieced-together DNA fragments, so even cutting off a small section of their tissue won't cause them to bleed.

The Revolutionary Army is also developing a device that can bypass the Cerebrate and control the Zerg by mimicking the models of the Cerebrate and the mastermind. This is currently a project being carried out concurrently with the Cerberus Cyborg Worm.

"Let's do it that way, Egon, I've finished my gum." The Cerebrate emitted a series of rhythmic "ouch-ouch-ouch" sounds, occasionally shifting its obese body restlessly to make itself more comfortable.

"That bit of chewing gum is our last stock. Throwing a tantrum won't help. This place is far from the human world; if we don't have it, we don't have it." Stetmann breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that the Cerebrate wasn't causing any trouble.

He shook the paper bag in his hand as if coaxing a child. "If you cooperate, all these snacks are yours."

Stetmann didn't particularly like his job, which he privately called "Cerebrate keeper." But Cerebrate were by no means harmless pets; they were extremely fragile, yet possessed exceptionally powerful Psionics abilities.

"Okay, so how about those Umojan dairy cheeses?" The Cerebrate pointed at the television with its tail. "Interstellar Express, frozen. Also, I've got my eye on a Tarsonis hand-cranked ice cream machine."

Over the past few months, the clever Cerebrate has become adept at communicating with the human scientists monitoring it using human speech patterns, and considers obtaining food through sweet talk a form of entertainment. A little over a hundred days ago, the Cerebrate still fantasized about escaping, but it ultimately gave up.

"I never knew Cerebrate cared about useless taste," Stetmann said. "If you cooperate, we'll order for you—god knows what I'm doing, talking to the worm and then helping it shop online."

"You're so kind, Egon," the Cerebrate said. "The ten-thousandth praise to the benevolent Marshal Mengsk and the great revolution."

"Okay, it'll be done soon, don't try anything funny." Stetmann sighed, inwardly cursing himself for happily accepting the job two months ago.

"Do you understand, Cerebrate Alpha? Don't think I'm someone to be trifled with." Stetmann stopped, patting the electromagnetic pistol at his waist. "Thank God, Alpha, you've run into me, not anyone else."

"Excuse me, I don't have hands to applaud you," the Cerebrate said, annoyed. "You'd better hurry up, or I'll yell. I don't know what you can possibly get from that poor Cerebrate's tail, but anyway, even frying that thick lump of meat wouldn't taste very good."

"You know what that means, my screams can shatter glass, and that won't hold me in at all," he threatened Stetmann.

"The Cerebrate is hungry, and when it's hungry, it might eat any animal with fewer than four legs. A noble Swarm leader is about to fly into a rage. This is a warning; not all Cerebrate are as benevolent as I am."

"So I suggested that your mentor issue you a ban, which is that you are not allowed to sing." Stetmann's focus was different.

While continuing to operate the robotic arm, Stetmann said, "I have new information about the Cerebrate, which I think you might find interesting. Multiple pieces of evidence indicate that the oldest Cerebrate Daggoth, has left Aiur and its whereabouts are unknown."

"Speak," the Cerebrate chose to remain reserved at this moment.

"In the past two weeks, Char's Zerg have once again gone berserk, invading several surrounding human planets and clearing out our outposts. What does that mean?" Stetmann continued.

"The answer is obvious. Daggoth is driving the other Cerebrate to merge into a new Zerg Overmind. The Zerg cannot exist without Overmind, just as French fries cannot exist without ketchup," the Cerebrate clicked its tongue.

"You're about to face a great calamity, new Overmind. Are you trying to trick me? You cunning fellow, this isn't something a case of Coke can solve; I need more to quell the hatred."

"Oh no, I was just pausing to think, or rather, I was spacing out." Stetmann's eyes widened. "You mean, the Cerebrate can merge again to form a new Overmind? That's big news."

"I have to write a report; this might save many people." He praised the Cerebrate, saying, "You're a hero."

"Oh ho, I will devour this number of humans and make you wail in despair. That day will not be long." The Cerebrate showed contempt for the words "salvation" and "hero," Zerg could not identify with these human concepts.

"When I return, I will first unify the Swarm, then destroy the Protoss, and make humanity submit to my might."

"You have great potential," Stetmann said, clapping. " With the Overmind dead, you are free. Now, Aiur are many uncontrolled wild Zerg waiting for you to control them."

After finishing his work, Stetmann put the Cerebrate Alpha back next to the television, and at the same time lowered a cryogenic tube window and a robotic arm, ready to throw the snacks he was holding to the Cerebrate.

"That's only right." The Cerebrate proudly raised its upper body; if it had two arms, it would probably be supporting itself on its waist.

Just then, the alloy door opened again, and a Revolutionary Army scientist with beautiful wavy blonde hair walked in. Her graceful figure made Stetmann blush.

Behind the scientist followed several guards in burgundy armor, making Stetmann uneasy. Then Augustus Mengsk and Jim Raynor stepped through the gate, followed closely by more Ghost operative in black or blue-and-white bodysuits. Stetmann realized something big was about to happen.

"Beautiful lady, how can we get this Cerebrate to obey our commands?" Raynor asked, taking off his gloves. He was wearing a vest with multiple pockets and a revolver tucked into his waistband.

"Generally speaking, the Cerebrate Alpha won't agree to requests that would damage its dignity. You need to make it feel like it's receiving enough respect, even flattery," the blond scientist replied.

"That doesn't sound any harder than tickling a cat's armpit." Raynor arrived in front of the Cerebrate before Augustus, patted the shy Stetmann on the shoulder, and gestured for the young man not to be nervous:

"Future Lord of the Swarm, we need your help with a small matter."

"Oh—I'm all ears." The Cerebrate looked at Raynor without feeling the slightest bit of fear.

"What do you need a Cerebrate for? The Swarm will run rampant and kill, and that's what we're supposed to do."

"In short, we need you to control multiple Nydus Worm to clear a path to the Protoss Empire." Raynor smiled. "If you do a good job, you'll be rewarded handsomely."

"Easy peasy." The Cerebrate was disappointed. "Is that all?"

"Perhaps we still need your clan members to cause some trouble in the Kor-shakal Province," Augustus he approached.

"But your scientists have never allowed me to control more than a few Drone Zerg." The Cerebrate radiated a dazzling light.

"So I mean maybe." Augustus looked at Stetmann.

"Egon, it seems you haven't tamed this Cerebrate."

"Tamed?" the Cerebrate roared in fury. "How dare you use that word? I am the Lord of the Swarm, not a lion in a circus cage!"

"Don't be nervous, child, you are much stronger than a lion," Augustus.

"Ah, uh, you mean me? Yes, sir, not yet." Stetmann didn't want to admit he'd been daydreaming. "The Cerebrate Alpha is unruly, eccentric, and irritable. I think you might need a stepmother who can give him motherly care rather than someone to rein him in."

"How could Cerebrate possibly submit to humans? You cannot enslave me," the Cerebrate cried out.

"Don't try anything funny, Alpha." Augustus shook his head. "Follow our orders and drive the Nydus Worm to dig tunnels, and you'll receive a month's supply of cola. Otherwise, you'll suffer. The Overmind is dead, and you can no longer be reborn from him."

"You're a good boy."

"How wicked," the Cerebrate replied. "I want the Tarsonis- made Kucinis Cola, don't try to fool me, I can tell the difference between every single bubble."

"Let's begin." Augustus smiled as well. "I have high hopes for this plan and don't want it to go wrong. There are two Nydus Worm underground in the laboratory. Control them and reclaim your position as the master of the Swarm."

"Do it, child. Even though you are just a Cerebrate, according to the revelations of the Xel'Naga prophecy, perhaps the savior of this universe is a Zerg." Zeratul emerged from a shadowy figure.

"Protoss Dark Templar, don't come near me!" the Cerebrate screamed, recalling the memory of its Cerebrate brethren being slaughtered by Zeratul.

"Alright, I won't come near you," Zeratul said. "But you will understand that we are not enemies. The Zerg will one day live in harmony with other races."

As soon as Zeratul finished speaking, the alloy steel floor of the laboratory suddenly sank and opened like an open eye, revealing a huge lower chamber to everyone. Inside, two giant Nydus Worm lay paralyzed, their twisted insect eyes tightly closed, their massive bodies deeply embedded in the ground.

"They look like they're dead," Raynor said.

"Ignorant people, death is unimportant, only essence matters." As the light on the Cerebrate Alpha's body shone even brighter, the two Nydus Worm regained their vitality. They slithered along the smooth alloy steel interior of the underground chamber like terrifying behemoths, their terrifying shrieks deafening.

"Shut them up," Augustus said to the Cerebrate. "Then start digging."

"You should be gentler with him," Raynor shrugged.

"There's no need to be gentle with wild beasts, because they simply won't understand your feelings." Augustus disagreed. "I'll keep this Cerebrate until it's tamed or proven too dangerous."

"In the future, he may very well be the only surviving Cerebrate in the world."

A few seconds later, the two Nydus Worm, under the command of the Cerebrate, burrowed underground again. Their mouthparts and claws, designed specifically for digging, penetrated deep into the ground, leaving behind wriggling, opening and closing intestinal entrances—enough to give people a very unpleasant impression.

Due to the Nydus Worm's unique structure, all its tunnel networks are interconnected. In a very short time, the Nydus Worm's head can emerge from the ground and open a passage to the enemy's rear.

"There might be a little nausea when you go inside," Raynor shook his head.

Seeing this, Zeratul remarked, "Although no Dark Templar has ever entered the body of Nydus Worm, it couldn't be much more brutal than the worst environment in the universe."

"The Dark Templar is waiting."