A is in StarCraft, just disembarked from the Zerg Prince spaceship.

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......

Nightfall swallowed the daytime splendor of the Grand Palace of Liernia.

The ornate and complex inner passageways were now empty, devoid of even a single insect.

Only starlight shines through the tall stained-glass windows, casting mesmerizing colorful spots of light on the ground.

The air was filled with a deathly sweetness, a calming incense specially supplied to the palace, mixed with the warm fragrance of pheromones from some young body.

The hidden door behind the heavy tapestry slid open silently.

The waiter waited respectfully and silently outside the hidden door.

Speaker Invika nodded to him, his figure quietly disappearing into the entrance.

The speaker's scarlet robe was replaced with a dull, dark gray cloak that covered him completely from head to toe.

Once inside the secret passage, he removed his hood, revealing his signature fiery red hair.

Following a dark, narrow secret passage known only to the empire's innermost courtiers leads directly to the Insect Emperor's chambers.

At the end of the passage, there was a patch of light, revealing a hidden door that could only accommodate one person at a time.

The air was warm to the point of being scorching, and a strange aroma mixed with a strong medicinal scent wafted through the air.

Inside is the Insect King's private chamber.

Or rather, it is a magnificent golden cage carefully kept by the insect king for his amusement.

Unlike the grandeur of the outer hall, this space is small, yet extremely luxurious.

The floor was covered with a thick, ankle-deep scarlet velvet carpet, and the walls were upholstered in dark gold silk. Countless tiny crystal beads hung from the dome, refracting the deliberately dim and ambiguous light from a few wall lamps, creating a kaleidoscope of colors, as if one were inside a giant jewelry box.

The air was thick, and the strong smell of medicine was masked by a more intense sweet aroma, similar to that of ripe fruit before it rots, which was somewhat unsettling.

The pheromones emitted by female insects after being fed drugs.

In the center of the room, there was no throne, only an incredibly large recliner covered with snow-white down cushions.

The naked, delicate female servants knelt in rows beside the recliner, waiting for their master to grace them with his favor.

These female servants were all favored by the Insect King; they were young, docile, beautiful, and devoted to him wholeheartedly, a completely different type from the First Insect Queen.

The Insect King was wearing a soft, loose cotton nightgown, nestled in that expanse of white.

A male insect indulging in wine and women.

The insect that can confuse the first insect and the second is certainly not of an ordinary appearance.

Time seemed to lose its meaning on this body; it still possessed a breathtaking, almost otherworldly beauty.

His eyes were half-closed, his gaze blank as he stared at the shimmering crystal chains on the dome, like a bewildered and willful boy who, because of his adorable appearance, was not disliked.

A pale, almost transparent hand hung limply at the edge of the cushion.

The sweet, cloying fragrance in the air was rising gently from a gilded incense burner on a low table next to the recliner, the swirling smoke adding an ethereal, dreamlike quality to the room.

Speaker Vika knew what it was just by smelling it.

Female insects are naturally very strong, so these things have no effect on them; only male insects would like them.

The Insect King enjoys using hallucinogenic drugs for pleasure and is already addicted.

Absurd male insect.

Speaker Invika, like a true shadow, remained silently in the shadows three meters away from the deck chair.

Quickly scan the current state of the Insect King.

His pupils were dilated, his lips were pale, his face was blank, and his fingers trembled unconsciously.

The medicine is at its most potent.

The mind is in a vulnerable state that is highly susceptible to suggestion.

The timing was perfect.

He moved slowly and gently, as if afraid of disturbing a fragile dream, taking a step forward softly and slowly.

Instead of bowing as is customary in formal settings, Speaker Vika knelt on one knee, bowing low, his red hair falling down to cover his eyes, leaving an almost pious and submissive silhouette, much like the naked female servants beside him.

His voice was deliberately low and soft, with a hypnotic gentleness that penetrated the layers of sweet air and smoke, drilling into the insect king's chaotic consciousness—

"Your Majesty, your loyal subordinate, Invika, has something to report to you."

The Insect King's eyes moved extremely slowly, its gaze focusing with difficulty on the red-haired figure kneeling in the shadows.

Her pale lips moved slightly, uttering a muffled whisper: "...Invica...?"

The drowsiness and mental sluggishness brought on by the strong effects of the drug made his consciousness unclear.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Invica replied, keeping his head bowed.

"I have disturbed Your Majesty's rest; I deserve to die." His tone carried just the right amount of guilt and genuine fear.

"However, the foundation of the empire is crumbling, and I am deeply worried. I have no choice but to risk my life to come to see you again."

The Insect King did not respond, but just stared at him with empty eyes, seemingly unable to comprehend the complex string of syllables.

Invica straightened up and focused her gentle gaze on the beautiful yet empty face of the Insect King.

Beautiful skeletons.

Naïve, wicked, foolish, and captivating.

His voice was lowered, like a sympathetic whisper, with the tone of someone revealing a secret: "I have brought reinforcements for the empire."

"Saviors..." The Insect King's unfocused blue eyes struggled to focus.

He and the Crown Prince are actually somewhat similar, except that their core values ​​are completely different.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Invika lowered his voice even further, with an irresistible allure: "Saviors...saviors for the Empire, saviors for Your Majesty."

"......who?"

"A powerful guardian is a blade that can cleanse all filth and restore the glory of Lyrnia."

He paused subtly, then said in an even more understated tone, "However, the identity of this guardian is somewhat special. It is not appropriate to reveal it at this moment."

"Your Majesty, with your divine wisdom, surely you can understand your subordinates'...utter helplessness and caution?"

"..."

The Insect King's pale lips parted slightly, as if it wanted to ask more questions.

But his thoughts, clouded by the drugs, prevented him from forming coherent sentences; he could only utter a vague murmur.

Invika then peeked out more of his body from the shadows of the recliner.

He maintained his humble posture with one knee on the ground, but the dim, ambiguous light allowed him to outline his figure, ensuring that the Insect King could see him clearly.

He stretched out a hand, not pointing to any physical object that marked his identity, but gently brushing it across the viscous air before him, raising it high, and finally pointing to the only high window in the secret room, which was covered by a thick scarlet velvet curtain.

"Your Majesty, please take a look."

His voice carried an undeniable guiding force, as if it could guide the chaotic gaze of the Insect King through the thick curtain.

It's a good night outside the window.

"The night-blooming jasmine is in full bloom, and the stars fill the sky."

"The hustle and bustle of the capital city has fallen silent, and the silvery radiance of the Insect God has filled the sky..."

He turned his head slightly, his gaze fixed on the insect king's unfocused eyes, and sweet words led him to jump into an abyss.

"At exactly nine o'clock. The moon is high in the sky, its light at its brightest."

There is no need to fear the abyss; he himself is the abyss.

He withdrew his hand and gently placed it on the spot of the speaker's badge on his chest, a gesture that resembled both an oath and some kind of ancient prayer.

Council Speaker Vika spoke in an extremely soft and gentle voice, lingering in the Insect King's ear like a lover's whisper: "At that time, please move to the palace gate and bathe in the fountain of the emperors of Liernia, under the gaze of the Insect God."

"That guardian with a special identity—"

"I will meet you under the moon."

"He will clear away the gloom and dispel the filth for you."

"And then bring to the Empire... a brand new, true, new dawn."