The Heartthrob Guide: Dodder of S-Class Sentinels

Chapter 238 They are now fodder
“We’ve been discovered.” Moss covered his eyes and said through gritted teeth, “Laun knows my mental power too well. My barrier won’t hold for long.”

“It’s time to make a decision, Vic,” Ryan advised him from the side.

Arachne stood quietly before the heart. After a long while, he slowly turned around. His eyes no longer held their usual arrogance, but only an unusual calm.

"I understand," he replied softly.

There was a moment of silence in the control room, and then Andrew, Moss, and Mr. Lane disappeared into the endless darkness around them.

Darkness surged in like a tide, enveloping the control room in a sealed cocoon.

In the quiet space, only Lin Nan and Arachne remained for a moment.

The black heart throbbed gently on the control panel, and the pale purple mist emanating from it reflected in Arachne's eyes, making them appear exceptionally deep.

"What are you doing?!" Lin Nan took a step back, her back hitting the cold control panel.

Only now did she feel a sense of crisis. The man's unusual calm was more unsettling than any outburst of anger.

Arachne slowly turned around, his eight spider legs dragging on the ground with a faint scraping sound, like a dull knife cutting through metal, which was particularly jarring in the quiet control room.

"Don't be nervous, we just want to ask Lin for a favor."

Arachne's eyes were fixed on Lin Nan, the light in them burning hotter than flames. His slow steps carried an irresistible sense of pressure, gradually forcing Lin Nan to the edge of the control panel.

The metal edge of the table caused Lin Nan a sharp pain in her lower back. Unable to support herself, she fell backward. In that instant of weightlessness, the man's strong arms caught her waist, and at the same time, eight sharp spider claws followed closely behind, suddenly landing beside her.

"What's the deal?"

"As you just saw, the contaminated insect nest in Centipede Land is not completely dead. Those people in the Central Government are using it to deliberately allow the contamination to spread, causing the number of insects to become increasingly scarce."

"In recent years, many of our companions have been prematurely transformed into mindless monsters, becoming the Queen's energy reserves, even before their pollution levels reached the mutation threshold—"

"Nominally, most of us are close relatives of the Queen, but—the Queen is no longer the Queen she once was, and the Central Government is no longer the Central Government it once was..."

Arachne's voice was as deep as ice, carrying a suppressed sorrow.

The once vast and powerful Zerg psychic network is now almost nonexistent; if they do not resist, the Zerg will face extinction.

They weren't swallowed up by pollution, but rather they were used as "feed" by the queen and eaten up bit by bit!
"The 'heart' in the control room now was bought with my father's life. It was once part of the Zerg hive, and the only remaining uncontaminated piece. We kept it a secret from everyone and secretly nurtured it here. After five years of cultivation, it has become a complete organ, capable of taking on the responsibility of the new Zerg hive."

"But the Zerg's mental link cannot exist without a leader. The Queen has lost her qualification, and we need a new linker..."

"Lin, would you be willing to help us?"

Arachne's voice echoed in the dimly lit control room, carrying the unique tremor of his spiritual power, creating a strange resonance with the beating of his black heart. His eight spider legs slowly retracted, no longer in an aggressive posture, but slightly bent, as if performing an ancient audience.

Lin Nan was unable to move, with Arachne's weight pressing down on him as he leaned forward. The warmth of the human chest seeped through the thin fabric, creating a stark contrast with the coldness of the spider claws.

"Help you in what way? Help you rebel? Where do you get the audacity to think I have that ability?"

They really overestimated her. She was just a lowly guide with only A-level mental strength. How could she possibly compete with the Queen?
“We certainly won’t let Lin be in danger, but we hope you can help us weave a new mental network. Laun has already noticed us, and if he discovers this new insect hive, he won’t let us live.”

"The day after tomorrow is the anniversary of my father's death. On that day, the barrier over the Centipede Land will be broken, and many more people will be affected. Although we don't know what Ryan's ultimate goal is, I know we can no longer sit idly by and wait to die."

"We must act quickly to completely destroy that necrotic insect nest."

“Lin, please mark me.” Arachne suddenly took a step closer, her tone filled with an undeniable earnestness.

"Once you become our center, the power of your mental barrier skill will be amplified countless times."

"The Centipede Land is heavily polluted. Ordinary barriers won't last more than three hours. We need your protection to get close to the core of the insect hive."

So that's what they were planning.

Lin Nan understood.

She looked at the man who was so close to her and fell into deep thought.

"Besides, the Queen has already set her sights on you. You can't escape. Once you reach S-rank, she will definitely take over your body. Rather than end up in that situation, it's better to join forces with us now and take a gamble."

Arachne's persuasion was fatally seductive; her deep voice, like a spider's web, slowly seeped into the cracks of her mind.

Lin Nan's cheek was almost pressed against his collarbone, and she could clearly smell his scent.

It was a very peculiar fragrance, like violets after the rain mixed with the earthy smell, blending into a sweet and cloying aroma.

"This 'Zerg Hive' has been infused with the mental energy of all active Zerg Sentinels, and I am the new initiator. Once you link with me, you will have control over the entire Zerg army."

“You’ve already experienced our capabilities. The Zerg have an incredible ability to reproduce and a massive population. Wherever they are, they can receive your mental energy… I think this is a sure-fire deal for Guide Lin.”

……

"Ha, you make it sound so easy." Lin Nan was not blinded by Arachne's talk of benefits. "What you're telling me has no basis whatsoever. Why should I believe you?"

“I know it will be difficult to get Lin to agree. So—we will offer our utmost sincerity.” Arachne seemed to have anticipated Lin Nan’s refusal, so he rose slightly and knelt reverently on the ground from the waist down—

(End of this chapter)