Planet

The hive mind had not anticipated that shot at all. Through data calculations, it had chosen the battle plan with the highest chance of success.

Indeed, it had fooled the Antilians. But how could it possibly have accounted for their secret weapon?

The Overmind must not be harmed! Vast numbers of elite swarm creatures, including the hive mind itself, used their bodies to block the blue beam's path.

But that unstoppable strike still pierced everything in its way. The Overlord carrying the Overmind Consciousness was pierced as well. Fortunately, with so many swarm creatures blocking it, the strike only gravely wounded the Overlord rather than killing him.

At last, the swarm fleet escaped the planet's gravity well and jumped into hyperspace before the Antilians' eyes.

Interstellar travel was a serious and precise undertaking. While breaking down other intact swarm creatures to repair the Overlord carrying the Hive Swarm Consciousness, the Swarm Fleet split off smaller fleets in other directions to divert any enemies that might pursue them.

After several months of hyperspace travel and passage through a hidden wormhole, the swarm fleet finally reached its destination. But it was no longer as powerful as when it had set out.

To keep the Overlord alive, most of the zerg had sacrificed themselves, supplying him with biomass. The empty universe offered no fresh biomass, and in such a crisis, they could not possibly stop to replenish their supplies slowly.

The swarm fleet, which had been expected to subdue the planet at its destination, arrived with only three Overlords left, all in terrible condition.

Overlords played an enormous role in the swarm. They were more than just transport units.

With no other option, they could only follow the predetermined procedures. The Overlords began their descent onto the blue-green planet the Overmind had named Tabi Star.

Tabi Star had a relatively thick atmosphere, making landing difficult for the Overlords in their poor condition. But they had to land. Remaining in orbit would only mean a slow death; landing on the planet and rebuilding the Hatchery was their only choice.

Their reckless atmospheric entry had severe consequences. The Overlord in the worst condition could not withstand the heat caused by friction and broke apart during entry, scattering the countless eggs he held across the land.

The other two, both in terrible condition, crash-landed far from the planned site. The impacts inflicted tremendous damage on the Overlords as well. Fortunately, under their protection, the Overmind Consciousness remained unharmed.

Zhang Han's consciousness slowly awakened, and the surrounding scenery entered his mind. He was deep in a forest, with nothing but wild beasts, insects, and plants around him.

Two Drones, ten Zerglings, two Roaches, and one Hydralisk crawled out of the other Overlord. These were the only troops left after atmospheric entry, a pitifully small number.

Zerglings were exceptionally good ground units: fast, astonishingly lethal, and cheap.

The army of thousands that had set out had all been lost along the way. It was a sobering thought.

That shot from the Antilians had been far too devastating. Coupled with the harsh interstellar journey, simply reaching Tabi Star had been no easy feat.

The swarm did not sit idle. They quickly began gathering trees and hunting animals to supply biomass and energy to the Overlord carrying Zhang Han's consciousness.

With his biomass replenished, the dying Overlord began recovering from some of his wounds. As more and more energy was supplied, the Overlord transformed into a gigantic cocoon. Gestating within it was the Overmind Consciousness—Zhang Han's new body.

By then, Zhang Han's consciousness had fully awakened. He felt as though he were soaking in a hot spring, comfortable and relaxed. Although he had no eyes yet and could not see outside, he could observe this new world through the other swarm creatures.

He possessed the sole Hydralisk, which was leading the swarm in hunting a strange creature.

It was an enormous rhinoceros. Though it looked like a rhinoceros, it was actually something entirely different. Instead of thick hide, its body was covered in armor, and lightning gathered around the sharp horn on its head.

Surrounded by the swarm, it seemed utterly unafraid. First, it charged forward violently, sending the Roach blocking its path flying. Then it unleashed the lightning on its horn at a Zergling.

Fortunately, the Zergling was extremely agile and moved ahead of time to evade the strike, but the blast caused by the lightning still injured it. The wounded Zergling limped backward, and another stepped forward to take its place.

The rhinoceros's performance astonished Zhang Han. This was no ordinary wild beast. It seemed this galaxy truly was out of the ordinary. There was a Shroud that could foresee the swarm's arrival, and even ordinary beasts on a planet could wield supernatural powers.

Still, with the swarm's efficient organization and coordination, Zhang Han remained confident that he could command them to kill it without taking any injuries.

The rhinoceros seemed to possess some intelligence. Its black eyes were full of wariness toward the swarm. Its earlier attacks had merely been a show of force. Normally, a herd would retreat after such a display.

Survival in the wild was brutally harsh, and fierce beasts rarely fought each other, relying mainly on intimidation and displays of strength. Fighting meant injury. Even if one won and drove the other away, all it gained was an injured body. It was not worth the cost.

Injury greatly affected a fierce beast's ability both to heal and to hunt, and those effects could very well lead to its death.

Unfortunately, it had encountered the swarm, the ultimate hunters. They cared nothing for casualties, only whether they could achieve their objective.

The Hydralisk controlled by Zhang Han first fired two steel needles at the rhinoceros. Too large to dodge, it could only turn sideways and use its armor to block them. But the Hydralisk's steel needles were designed to counter the various steel behemoths built by interstellar civilizations. How could a mere beast's armor withstand them?

The steel needles instantly pierced the rhinoceros's armor, sinking in until only a short section of their tails remained exposed.

They actually didn't go all the way through. Now it was Zhang Han's turn to be surprised.

Its wounds roused the rhinoceros's ferocity. It braced itself, aimed its horn at the Hydralisk, and charged. The other Roach rammed it from the side, while the more agile Zerglings seized the opportunity to inflict numerous wounds with their sharp claws.

Knocked off course, the rhinoceros only brought down a two-meter-wide tree beside the Hydralisk. It immediately attacked the Hydralisk again with lightning from its horn. Having already seen through its pattern, Zhang Han commanded the Hydralisk to slither across the ground and hide behind another large tree.

Hydralisks were excellent yet fragile ranged units.

The lightning struck only the tree trunk, posing no threat to the Hydralisk. Two more steel needles shot out. This time, one struck the rhinoceros precisely in the eye, piercing its brain through that vulnerable point.

Gravely wounded, the rhinoceros howled in pain and collapsed to the ground, spewing blood. But the swarm would show it no mercy. The Zerglings and Roaches rushed forward together and surrounded it, attacking.

The Roaches' acid and the Zerglings' sharp claws soon broke through the rhinoceros's defenses, tearing the flesh protected beneath its armor to shreds. The rhinoceros died unwillingly.

Despite the victory, Zhang Han still felt a little uneasy. The rhinoceros had heavy defenses, the impact force of a tank, and could even release lightning. One-on-one, neither a Zergling nor a Roach, nor even a Hydralisk could handle it.

If ordinary wild beasts on this planet are all this powerful, Tabi Star is dangerous. I need to be careful.