Chapter 281: Don’t Push Me Away
It didn’t take Evangeline long to clear out The Parasite Swarm.
Compared to the energy spent setting up the formation, this drain on her Spiritual Power was nothing.
When the last of The Parasite Swarm had vanished into thin air, the ravaged territory of the Blade-Wing Insectoids was left with nothing but insect corpses strewn across the ground, and the sucked-dry skins of the Lemur Clan—a gruesome and unsettling sight.
Evangeline’s narrow eyes swept over the surroundings as she retracted her Cold Frost Whip.
She glanced back at The Everwake, her nimble eyes showing not a ripple of emotion.
Evangeline quickly looked away, no longer watching him. Instead, she walked off into the distance, her steps light and unhurried. Her long hair caught the gentle breeze, releasing a sweet fragrance.
She didn’t know what would happen if the male lead was killed, nor did she care to find out.
Whether it was for Genesis, for the conquest mission, or to avoid the consequences too dire to contemplate, she would have come. However, none of those reasons were for The Everwake.
Evangeline’s expression was impassive as she considered the situation. After that night, most of The Everwake’s resentment had already dissipated. ’As long as he acknowledges Genesis, he’ll be overjoyed. The past will become something never to be mentioned again. In other words, my conquest of The Everwake, the male lead, is a success.’
She tapped her toes lightly on the ground, but just as she was about to leave, a powerful force gripped her wrist.
Evangeline paused and looked back, meeting The Everwake’s rainbow-colored eyes. He stared at her intently, the corners of his eyes flushed crimson. His chiseled face was deathly pale, and the force with which he gripped her wrist was so great it felt as if he would crush her.
They stared at each other in silence for a moment. The Everwake’s Adam’s apple bobbed violently, and when he spoke, his voice was hoarse.
"You’re just going to leave like that? Without saying anything? Do you despise me that much?"
’She came in a hurry and is leaving in an even greater one. She won’t even say another word to me.’
As this thought crossed his mind, a savage fury surged in The Everwake’s eyes. He couldn’t help but tighten his grip, his rainbow-colored compound eyes turning a terrifying scarlet. In that moment, he was like a Wild Beast driven to frenzy by the scent of blood.
Evangeline tilted her head, looking at the enraged Everwake with curiosity. "Weren’t you the one who left back then?"
The Everwake’s expression tightened, a tempest brewing in the depths of his eyes.
He suddenly bent down, swept Evangeline into his arms, and strode toward The Hive. Despite this, he was mindful that she was carrying his young, so his movements were gentle, carefully avoiding her still-flat stomach.
The Everwake said nothing, his eyes dark and menacing, but his heart was pounding wildly in his chest.
’I’m so scared. Scared she’ll refuse me, scared she’ll just leave like this, scared of... so, so many things...’
Evangeline looked up at The Everwake’s clenched jawline and raised a delicate eyebrow. She didn’t speak, but instead wrapped her arms around his tense neck. She could keenly sense him let out a sudden breath of relief, though his body only grew more rigid.
The Everwake walked quickly, avoiding the large clusters of his kin’s corpses. Before entering The Hive, he ordered the remaining Swarm warriors: "Bury the bodies of our people, and hang the Lemur skins high above the territory as a deterrent!"
"Yes—"
The Swarm warriors roared their assent, watching as The Everwake carried Evangeline into The Hive.
They remained quiet for a long time before someone whispered, "Does this mean the King’s partnership with the Queen of the Corrosive Swarm is off? Is our Blade-Wing Insectoids’ Queen going to be this... this one...?"
He thought for a long while but couldn’t find the words to describe Evangeline.
After all, she was a female, and a female from another race at that. Compared to Hecate, the Queen of the Corrosive Swarm, she didn’t seem to be a good match for their Swarm. But she was so powerful! Her combat prowess was greater than all of the Swarm combined!
’If she really becomes our Queen, then from now on, even The Corrosive Swarm will have to listen to us, right?’
’When that time comes, our territory will expand, we’ll have more food, and we’ll have more people!’
These thoughts made the blood of the Swarm warriors surge, and they went about their work with boundless energy.
*
Evangeline leaned against The Everwake’s chest. The faint scent of blood lingering on him made her brows furrow slightly.
As soon as they entered The Hive, the surrounding light dimmed abruptly.
Evangeline was slightly surprised. This was her first time in The Hive.
By the light refracting from the Beast Crystals embedded in the walls, she observed the cavern. Grim white bones were scattered about, glinting coldly in the dim light. Evangeline’s eyes curved up at the corners. After just a few steps, she spotted the female Swarm members huddled in a corner.
Looking at the hundred-odd females before her, Evangeline asked curiously, "The Swarm reproduces rapidly. You have females too?"
Females were a precious commodity on the Beastman Continent. With so many female Swarm members, if they could truly leave the Triangle Abyss and enter the Beastman Continent, this race would likely be welcomed by many Beastman Tribes.
The Everwake knew what she was calculating and stated calmly, "The Swarm cannot leave the Triangle Abyss outside of the rainy season."
Evangeline frowned at him. "Why? Is it also a curse from the Beast God?"
The Everwake lowered his gaze to her and said softly, "Perhaps."
What he didn’t say was that if the Blade-Wing Insectoids, The Corrosive Swarm, or The Parasite Swarm failed to return to the Triangle Abyss after the rainy season, their spines would break, and they would become mere skins. He, who had once been abandoned outside the Triangle Sea, was the sole exception.
This time, The Parasite Swarm had ventured out during the rainy season to infest the Lemur Clan, but had unexpectedly remained outside.
This was one of the few instances of this "curse" being altered among the Swarm.
Of course, his young was another exception.
Therefore, he speculated that only Swarm young born outside the Triangle Abyss—that is, Swarm born during the rainy season—could remain outside permanently. Unfortunately, the females would not leave the Triangle Abyss during the rainy season. His mother, the Queen, was naturally a special case, and he, a weak infant born during the rainy season, had also become an exception.
Evangeline pondered for a moment, then looked up at The Everwake without asking any more questions.
He carried her past the females, heading toward a cavern situated higher up.
Here, a small opening had been carved out, offering a view of the landscape outside the Triangle Abyss. However, the cavern itself remained dim.
The Everwake gently placed Evangeline on a stone bed covered in beast skins. With a swift, clean motion, he tore off the beast skin he was wearing, his lean, powerful body clearly defined in the dim light.
He leaned down, bracing his arms on either side of her, caging her waist and completely enveloping her in his shadow.
His breathing was hot and ragged. Haphazard kisses fell on her brow, her cheeks, the corners of her lips, filled with a certain urgency—a gesture of claim and possession. He continued until Evangeline turned her head and struggled slightly.
The Everwake paused for a fraction of a second, but in the next instant, he held her down even more forcefully.
His lips pressed against the side of her neck, his face buried in the crook of her neck, his hot breath ghosting over her skin.
"Don’t push me away."
His voice was raspy, laced with a restrained plea, like a Wild Beast showing a moment of weakness.
