Entrusting His People

When Zhang Fan heard what the Atlan Man said, he laughed. "Very clever!"

The Atlan Man looked around at the Insect Race standing before him and asked in alarm, "Who exactly are you?"

Zhang Fan introduced himself. "I'm Zhang Fan, the Overlord of the Insect Race, wandering the universe in search of a way home. These are my subordinates, {Matriarch} Duolaner and {War General} Noya."

Duolaner gave the Atlan Man a cold look, while Noya took the initiative to wave at him in greeting.

The Atlan Man bowed to Zhang Fan. "I am Buffett, the Atlan Prince. Greetings to all of you from the Insect Race!"

"Prince Buffett, let's talk. We of the Insect Race may look a little vicious to you, but we're still very friendly toward certain species."

Listening to Zhang Fan's tone, Buffett assessed his current situation. Apart from those hunting him, the Insect Race was the first to approach him in goodwill out here in the universe, although... they had already obtained the power of magic.

"Since you've already obtained magical power, why do you still want to befriend me? Am I still of any use to you?"

"No!" Zhang Fan answered without hesitation, leaving Buffett even more bewildered.

"Then why would your Insect Race want to befriend someone who has no use to you?"

"I've already explained why. If you're willing to be our friend, we treat our friends very well. If not, you can leave right now. I'll send a {Super Six-Eye} to take you wherever you want to go."

With Zhang Fan having gone that far, Buffett had no reason left to refuse. "I'm willing to become friends with the Insect Race."

Zhang Fan laughed. "Excellent! I'll show you around our territory. If you like it, you can have all your scattered people settle here. Our Insect Race will provide protection."

Buffett hesitated. If it were only him, he really would not have minded, but now Zhang Fan was inviting him to bring all his people here. He had to handle this carefully.

Zhang Fan saw his concerns and smiled. "It's fine. There's no rush. Let me show you something first."

Zhang Fan brought Buffett to the Human Incubation Room, where {Matriarch} Lador immediately came forward to meet them.

She studied Buffett closely and asked in surprise, "Overlord, this human...?"

"He isn't human. He's one of the Atari People, the species closest to humans. I brought him here to see my people!"

Lador kept studying Buffett and asked through her mind, "Overlord, do you intend to use his genes to strengthen the humans?"

"No. Human genes must never be contaminated. I don't want them to become like me!"

Sensing Zhang Fan's anger, Lador immediately lowered her head. "Yes, Overlord. I won't suggest it again."

Zhang Fan pointed at the Human Culture Dish and said to Buffett, "The baby inside is one of my people. Doesn't he look very much like Your Highness's people?"

Buffett cried out in shock and anger, "You... you're actually cultivating Atari People? What exactly are you planning?"

Zhang Fan laughed. "You've misunderstood, Your Highness. He isn't one of the Atari People, but an Earthling. I was originally an Earthling too, but an alien race, the Qiya People, invaded us and forced me into exile. Certain accidents turned me into what I am now."

Zhang Fan projected a comparison of human and Atari genes into Buffett's mind and explained, "The two species' genes differ only slightly at the very end. That's why the Atari People possess magical power while Earthlings don't!"

Only after examining it closely did Buffett's tone soften. "I never imagined there could be another species in the universe so similar to us Atari People."

"Hahaha, neither did I. That's why I need your Atari People to teach the humans of Earth."

"Overlord, your Insect Race possesses great power and advanced intelligence. Why not teach them yourselves? When it comes to this, we Atari People..."

Zhang Fan hesitated slightly, then looked at Buffett. "It isn't that I don't want to. I have to avenge the destruction of my people, but I don't want to drag humanity into it."

"I hope humanity can develop anew under the Atari People's guidance. As for the bloodstained Insect Race, it's better if the humans never know about us."

Buffett fell silent. He seemed to be reassessing Zhang Fan. He nodded slightly and opened his Azure Star-Patterned Cloak.

As the Azure Star-Patterned Cloak opened, it revealed blue skies, white clouds, towering mountains, rivers... A group of men and women walked out of the landscape, smiling. Another group flew through the sky, while some even leaped out of the water.

These people stepped out of the cloak one by one, as though figures in a painting had come to life. By the time Buffett put away his cloak, a hundred or so Atari People stood inside the Human Cultivation Room.

Zhang Fan was so astonished that he could not speak for a long time. He had seen plenty of high-tech marvels in the universe, including weapons that could destroy a star system with a single shot.

But the wondrous sight of an entire world inside a cloak was something he had never even dreamed of.

Buffett introduced the hundred or so people who had emerged from his cloak to Zhang Fan one by one...

"They are all the surviving members of the Atlan People. Leave the matter of Earth's humans to us!"

Now Zhang Fan hesitated. He looked at the Atari People, then at the baby curled up inside the Human Culture Dish. It felt as though he were handing his own son over to someone else to raise.

But his hesitation lasted only a moment. Zhang Fan nodded. "I'll entrust my people to you."

After handing Buffett the divided copies of millions of human embryos, Zhang Fan left the Human Cultivation Room with Duolaner and the other {Matriarchs}. Then all the Insect Race on Second Earth boarded the {Emperor} and departed.

Outside Second Earth, Zhang Fan said to Duolaner, "Order every member of the Insect Race to stay away from Second Earth. No exceptions."

"Establish a protective perimeter around it. Wipe out any alien life forms that enter that perimeter."

Duolaner immediately nodded. "Rest assured, Overlord. Even if I die, I won't let the slightest harm come to Second Earth!"

Zhang Fan let out a long breath and smiled. "With the Insect Race protecting them outside and the Atari People teaching them within, humanity can live and multiply here for now."

Zhang Fan glanced at {War General} Noya and smiled. "Little one, come clear out the surrounding star systems with me. Let's give humanity a safe environment to grow in."

Noya asked excitedly, "Overlord, where are we going? How about attacking those monkeys first? I actually hate monkeys."

Zhang Fan said calmly, "Let's attack the Plant Warships' planet first. Thanks to the Insect Fungi, we know their location, and they're far too close to this place. If we can transform them into {Titans}, Second Earth will be a little safer."

Noya rubbed her hands together, looking eager to get started. At the sight, Zhang Fan and several {Matriarchs} sighed in unison...

Lador volunteered. "Overlord, please let me come along for the attack on the Plant Planet."

Before she had even finished speaking, a {Matriarch} reported, "Overlord, an enormous Plant Starship Fleet is approaching us."

"We really are thinking alike. Let's go! We'll wipe them out."