Chapter 278: The Parasite Swarm
The Everwake came to, his arms tightening slightly around Genesis.
His long brows furrowed, and the eerie butterfly markings on his cheeks shimmered as if they had come to life.
Loras strode forward to stand beside Evangeline and said in a low voice, "Someone’s coming. A lot of them."
The Everwake’s expression grew cold and stern, his magnificent, iridescent eyes shifting toward the uneasy members of the Corrosive Swarm.
Hecate was gone.
As the absolute ruler of the Corrosive Swarm, Hecate’s status was undeniable. If she were to leave, these warriors would surely follow her. But judging by their current agitation, ’was her disappearance an accident?’
"The Everwake!" Evangeline called out coldly.
The Everwake looked back at her, his gaze sweeping over her gorgeous face before he said flatly, "I know."
With that, he turned to face the Blade-Wing Insectoid warriors and commanded in a deep voice, "Return to the nest."
Evangeline stared at him, her brow furrowed. As The Everwake moved to pass her, she grabbed his arm and said calmly, "Since you plan on going back to die, give Genesis to me. I’ll take him out of the Triangle Abyss."
’The Swarm’s internal war has nothing to do with me.’
’Since The Everwake has already chosen another female as his mate, bringing Genesis to see him one last time is more than I ever needed to do. Given his cold attitude, there’s no point in forcing the issue.’
’The Swarm is in chaos, the Corrosive Swarm’s allegiance is unclear, and the Parasite Swarm is lying in wait.’
’I can’t possibly leave Genesis here to face all this.’
’I admit I’m not a good mother. After all, I’m just here to complete a mission. My male mates are mostly just tools to me, and the children I’ve borne for them... they’re not even as important as the tools.’
’However, protecting their lives is my inescapable responsibility as their mother.’
The Everwake’s body tensed, and his arms around Genesis tightened.
He looked down at Evangeline and said coldly, "This is my child! I will never give him to anyone!"
Genesis, nestled in The Everwake’s arms, had been savoring his father’s scent. It was so different from his mother’s.
It was a feeling of security, peace, and joy.
Genesis clung lightly to his shoulder. His initial nervousness had turned into attachment, and now, to worry.
Listening to his mother and father’s conversation, his little head was filled with many thoughts, but he instinctively looked at Evangeline and reached out his hand to her. "I want Mother! I want to be with Mother forever."
’Even though Father said he wouldn’t leave me and would always be with me, I still want Mother more.’
Evangeline took his small, outstretched hand and turned her gaze to The Everwake.
His face was savage, his body tensed, but he refused to loosen his hold on Genesis.
Loras, standing to the side, also stared at him coldly, looking as if he would attack at any moment.
A crimson glint appeared in The Everwake’s iridescent eyes. He looked at Genesis in his arms and said in a low voice, "Genesis, don’t you want to stay with Father? Father will teach you how to hunt, how to fly, and give you the entire Blade-Wing Insectoids."
His voice was very low, carrying a barely perceptible hint of disappointment.
Genesis pressed his small lips together, clutched Evangeline’s hand, and turned his head to meet The Everwake’s eyes.
Two identical pairs of iridescent eyes met. Genesis’s childish voice was filled with earnestness. "On the Beastman Continent, males always follow females. Father, you should take me and come with Mother."
As his words fell, a dead silence fell over the area, broken only by a few faint rustles.
The Everwake’s eyes flickered. He turned to look at Evangeline, only to see her wearing a faint, unreadable smile.
He closed his eyes, then opened them again. He looked at Genesis’s pretty little face, his Adam’s apple bobbed, and just as he was about to speak, he watched the little face before him wilt. Genesis said listlessly, "I know Father won’t come with Mother. Mother said that if I wanted to stay with Father, she would agree. But I don’t want to."
Although the little one was sad, his words were sharp. "Father, I don’t want to be with you. You’re going to have a new female. You don’t want Mother anymore, which means you don’t want me. Father Thorne said you’ll have more children in the future."
Genesis’s wings trembled slightly as he tried to struggle out of The Everwake’s embrace.
Meanwhile, Thorne scanned their surroundings, his dark green eyes sharp as he cried out, "It’s the Lemur Clan!"
His voice struck like thunder, sending the surrounding Swarm into a frenzy.
Even The Everwake’s brow furrowed. He had no time to answer Genesis, his expression filled with a murderous aura. He handed Genesis to Evangeline and said in a low, grim voice, "Leave the Triangle Abyss! And never come back!"
The Lemur Clan were the natural enemy of the Swarm. They were immune to all Swarm corrosion and toxins, and they fed on their larvae!
However, the Lemur Clan had never passed through the mists of the Triangle Abyss. Their fearsome reputation was known only through rumors.
’I originally thought Gareth was the one causing trouble. Things are unstable within the Blade-Wing Insectoids, but the only one who could cause this much chaos is my own full-blooded younger brother. But with the Lemur Clan involved, I can’t be so sure.’
Just then, a wave of CHITTERING erupted.
The members of the Swarm looked at the mass of dark figures, expressions of terror on their faces.
Genesis, in Evangeline’s arms, was affected by the Swarm’s collective fear, and his small body trembled slightly.
He was also one of the Swarm, and he too feared their natural enemy.
Among the Swarm, only The Everwake’s expression remained unchanged. His magnificent compound eyes stared at the horde of Lemurs, icy and hostile.
He looked back at Evangeline, his gaze pausing on Genesis for a moment before he shouted, "Go!"
Evangeline gave him a deep look, said nothing more, and, holding Genesis, returned to the spaceship with Loras.
The ship’s hull hummed, and it quickly lifted into the air, soaring out of the Triangle Abyss.
The Everwake calmly watched the "giant beast" depart. Bitterness spread through his heart, but the look on his face grew even more savage.
In the distance, Hecate stared at The Everwake’s figure, her eyes bloodshot, biting her lip hard.
A mocking laugh rang out. "What, feeling heartbroken?"
As he spoke, Gareth’s figure emerged from behind Hecate. He stood beside her, his gaze shifting from The Everwake to her face. Suddenly, he reached out, grabbed Hecate’s chin, and planted a heavy kiss on her red lips.
Hecate didn’t struggle, merely watching Gareth coldly. "You’re one of the Blade-Wing Insectoids, yet you’re working with the Parasite Swarm. Do you have any idea how many of our people you’ll get killed? The Blade-Wing Insectoids might even be wiped out because of you!"
Her full chest heaved violently as she stared at Gareth, her eyes filled with both hatred and a faint, hidden fear.
’This madman isn’t what he seems. He’s not just some idle layabout who only cares about messing around with females.’
’He actually contacted the Parasite Swarm in secret, worked with them to decimate the Lemur Clan outside the Triangle Abyss, allowed the Parasite Swarm to infest them, and then led them back into the Abyss to attack the Blade-Wing Insectoids and the Corrosive Swarm!’
’As one of the Swarm, Gareth had gone completely mad.’
