The Zerg Monarch’s Path to Godhood - Chapter 6

The Seven-Colored Sequence planets referred to the resource-poor worlds on the edge of Zerg territory, near other racial borders. Unsuitable for standard Zerg habitation, these planets were the domain of vagrants, ruthless criminals, and Imperial fugitives. On planets closest to other races, one could even see members of different species walking the streets. These worlds also handled 50% of the Zerg’s waste. This was the information Wen Qi had uncovered.

In short, here, might makes right.

Wen Qi did not shake off the person following him. Instead, he intentionally maintained a steady distance. He spent two hours traveling into the wilderness until he found a puddle. He transferred all the Star Credits from his original terminal to a newly purchased temporary one. Then, he threw his original terminal, the temporary one he bought on the Main Star, and even the clothes he arrived in into the muddy water. To make it realistic, he stuffed several chunks of beast meat he had caught along the way into the clothes and staged signs of a struggle. Soon, amidst splashing water, the clothes and meat were torn to shreds by whatever lurked in the pond.

Wen Qi was “dead.”

When the “witness,” the staff member trailing him from a distance, arrived, he saw the churning commotion in the pond. The female staffer looked on with an expression of frustration. After searching the area and failing to find the person who had “robbed” Wen Qi, he finally gave up and left.

Once the staff member was gone, Wen Qi reappeared. He was no longer the bedraggled male from before, but a dark-skinned sub-female who looked heavily tanned. Oversized robes draped his body, leaving only patches of dark skin visible.

Wen Qi returned to the trading post in his sub-female persona and exchanged all the Star Credits on his temporary terminal for paper currency. The Wen family had given him over a million, and with his remaining savings, he had roughly 1.5 million Star Credits. Exchanged into ten-thousand-denomination bills, it amounted to just over a hundred notes.

He had to visit over a dozen locations to complete the exchange. He suppressed any accidents that occurred during the process. In such a remote place, there were no truly powerful females. As long as one acted fiercely enough, there was nothing to fear.

Afterward, he bought several Scent Suppressants.

These were used to mask a female’s scent. Females possessed incredibly sharp senses, and in a chaotic, life-threatening place like this, such survival tools were essential. While not as effective as the pheromone suppressants used by males, it was perfect for Wen Qi. Adult males possessed pheromones that could be concealed, except during their heat period. Though he could usually hide his pheromones, a slight scent would linger if he was not consciously controlling it.

Wen Qi injected the suppressant, changed his outfit again, and bought another temporary terminal. This time, he used paper currency. Because of his disguise, he even walked right past the clerk who had just exchanged his credits, and the man did not notice a thing.

He took the previous terminal, weathered it to look old, and sold it to another shop for five thousand credits. With that, Wen Qi’s trail on this planet vanished completely.

When the news of Wen Qi’s death reached the Main Star, rumors spread that the male who had been so determined to return had not even lasted a day on a Blue Sequence planet before being killed. It drew mockery from countless Zerg. On the Star Network, comments ranged from mockery and pity to those simply stoking the fire.

At the Wen Residence: Upon receiving the news, Wen Ze’s expression did not flicker. He silently dismissed the subordinate who brought the report. Once alone, he gazed toward the Blue Sequence planets, his eyes deep and unreadable.

After a long silence, he withdrew his gaze and murmured in a complex tone, “A great earthquake is coming!”

Three days later. Planet Blue-6.

At the gates of the desolate capital city, a thin, small sub-female approached. He had a dark face, gravity-defying green hair, and a defiant swagger that practically screamed “fight me.”

“Look, it is that wanted criminal from the Brown Planet. He actually came to Blue-6.”

“Still acting that smug while wanted? Impressive. I am jealous. I heard he beat a male until he was a bloody mess.”

“No wonder he is a fugitive.”

“Hehe, look at that small frame. I wonder how he would be to play with? A sub-female dares to come to a place like this.”

“I forgot if he is A-rank or B-rank, but he is strong. Better not provoke him unless you are at least a B-rank.”

“You are overthinking it. We have plenty of females here, but how many can afford to cross an A-rank sub-female? Forget it.”

“Let us go, let us go. Need to earn some credits, or we will not even have nutrient solution to drink later.”

Wen Qi ignored the stares and the gossip. Dressed in a green tracksuit and tight black pants, his green eyes flashed with a wolf-like intensity. It was the gaze of a criminal who enjoyed life-and-death struggles, the kind of person who, once they locked onto prey, would never let go. Generally, even in the most lawless places, no one wanted to provoke such a person because it meant a fight to the death.

Over the last three days, Wen Qi had practiced this look while traveling, finally achieving a convincing result before entering the city. Hearing the lewd mocking around him, Wen Qi shifted his gaze slightly, and the branch in his hand snapped with a sharp crack.

Many Zerg looked away, though a few continued to stare even more lewdly. After that brief warning, Wen Qi walked toward the city center.

Through his research on the Main Star and his recent travels, he now understood the Blue Sequence planets well. There were 15 in total, each worse than the last. Planets 10 through 15 were Trash Stars, which were uninhabited natural dumps for the waste of other worlds. The Seven-Colored Sequence formed the outermost rim of Zerg territory.

He was currently on Planet Blue-6.

Perhaps to further humiliate Gu Nan, his auction was being held on this very planet. Rumors suggested that the Beastmen outside the planet were restless, seemingly wanting to “rescue” Gu Nan, while the common enemy of both Zerg and Beastmen, the Alien Race, was also making moves.

Wen Qi was not too worried about the external military presence. Unless those two races intended to restart a full-scale war, they would not act openly. He knew his goal. Step one was to rescue Gu Nan.

Due to the hype surrounding the auction, more and more Zerg were flooding into the central city of Blue-6, including many males looking for a bargain or just to watch the spectacle.

After three days of traveling, partly by foot and partly by a paid transport, Wen Qi finally reached the main city. He walked arrogantly through the streets, took a transport to the auction house, and stopped nearby. The auction house sat next to the City Lord’s mansion. The top of the building featured a ferocious beast’s head. The place reeked of blood and killing intent, as if it had been baptized in countless slaughters.

According to his information, the auction would be held in three days. He was early enough to prepare.

As Wen Qi surveyed the auction house, he suddenly felt a piercing gaze. His B-rank male mental power sent him a high-alert signal of danger. His heart hammered, but he kept his body relaxed, scanning the surroundings subtly.

Nearby were small stalls designed to scam outsiders. He overheard the vendors:

“Step up, step up! Come take a look and place your bets! What price will the former Deputy Domain Master of the Wantian Domain, the criminal Gu Nan, fetch?”

“Bets from ten thousand to ten million! Each hundred thousand is a tier. If you guess right, I will pay out ten times your stake!”

“I say ten thousand is already too much for that traitor,” one shill shouted.

Another added, “Ten thousand? With his skills, he is worth at least a hundred and ten thousand.”

“Just a criminal. I do not know why the Emperor did not just kill him instead of sending him here.”

“Exactly! A traitor who conspired with the enemy. To think I used to like him. He is not worthy of my admiration.”

“Marshal Zong is our real idol. He has no scandals, hates evil, and has a righteous nature.”

Wen Qi listened to the chatter with a blank face. He had heard these insults since arriving in this world. He had moved from indignation to a calm realization. Getting angry only hurt himself. To shut them up, he just needed to use facts. When Gu Nan was eventually exonerated, the look on their faces would be the ultimate slap.

The sense of danger grew more distinct, yet he could not see the source. Was such a high-level Zerg coming from somewhere? Could it be another Task-taker?

Just as he prepared his mental power to strike, the skin-crawling sensation vanished as if it had never existed. It had lasted barely a minute. Maybe a high-level Zerg was just passing by?

Suddenly, a voice he did not recognize spoke beside him.

“Hey, little brother. Are you here to see Mr. Gu Nan be auctioned too? What a coincidence, so am I.”

Wen Qi snapped his head around. Beside him stood a red-haired female. The aggressive hair color was softened by a warm smile. Wen Qi did not recognize him. When did he get so close? Was that earlier gaze directed at me or this person?

Wen Qi played it cool. “Yeah.”

At a glance, he saw the female was A-rank. He lamented how in this lawless place, even a random person was A-rank, whereas A and B ranks were rarer in the Main Star’s general population. Since he felt no hostility from this female, Wen Qi softened his demeanor slightly.

“I wonder which male will buy Mr. Gu Nan,” Wen Qi said, acting like a curious sub-female. “But an auction of this level is out of my league. Otherwise, I would want to buy him myself.”

“Is that so? I feel the same,” the female laughed. “My sixth sense told me there was someone impressive over here, and I found you. I guess we have an affinity. Hi, I am Yue Chuan. What is your name?”

Wen Qi thought of a name from a wanted poster and lied effortlessly: “Lu Li.”

“Lu Li, I like the look of you. How about you show me around Blue-6? I will pay a tip,” Yue Chuan offered. “You seem new here, just like us. Interested in joining my faction?”

Yue Chuan did not look like a thug. He looked like an outsider here for the show. Wen Qi needed information, so he nodded. “I will pass on the faction, but I can show you around. Most of what I know is from the Star Network, though. Of course, I need a tip.”

“Deal,” Yue Chuan smiled.

As they walked, Wen Qi talked non-stop, using his superior mental power to memorize every detail of the auction house’s perimeter while subtly pumping Yue Chuan for information. He began to suspect that the person who had watched him earlier was with Yue Chuan. But since they had not used force, they likely were not after his life.

Once he had the info he needed, Wen Qi ended the tour. “That is about it. Anything else?”

“No, thanks. Can I pay the tip via terminal? I do not have cash.”

Wen Qi produced his temporary terminal, and Yue Chuan sent him 1,000 Star Credits.

“Thanks, little brother. I will treat you to dinner sometime,” Yue Chuan said. “I am busy today, but I am sure we will meet again in two days.”

Wen Qi’s heart skipped a beat, but his face remained still. “Maybe.”

As soon as Wen Qi left, Yue Chuan’s smile vanished. Around the corner, Wen Qi’s expression also darkened. He is targeting me. See you in two days.

Wen Qi was not one to wait for a trap to spring. He decided to follow them. If they do not interfere with my plans, I will leave them alone. If they do…

Using threads of mental power, he tracked Yue Chuan from 50 meters away. After ten minutes, Yue Chuan entered a six-story building that looked like a secret base. Wen Qi saw a blue-haired female leave the building who looked similar to Yue Chuan. Then, another person walked out.

Wen Qi’s pupils contracted.

It was the female from the starship who had asked for the Emerald Song Stone. Back then, he had appeared to be B-rank, but now, the intense sense of danger returned. It was coming from him. This female was incredibly powerful. Wen Qi could not even read his rank from this distance. Had he been following me this whole time?

Wen Qi followed him toward the auction house. Just as the female entered the building, a chill ran down Wen Qi’s spine. He instinctively dove and rolled as an attack swept toward him.

“Stop!” Wen Qi commanded, using a mental suggestion.

The attacker paused for a second, which was long enough for Wen Qi to see his face. It was Yue Chuan, but his hair was now blue. He was the one who had just walked out of the building. Yue Chuan, no longer smiling, lunged to grab him.

Wen Qi unleashed a concentrated spike of mental power at Yue Chuan’s head. Yue Chuan sensed the danger and retreated, narrowly dodging. Just as Wen Qi prepared to follow up, his mental power screamed a warning. He barely had time to throw up a barrier before a cold hand landed on his shoulder.

“Everyone, stop.”

The hand was not heavy, but Wen Qi broke into a cold sweat. In the standoff, Wen Qi secretly coiled mental threads around Yue Chuan’s temples. One thought, and he dies. He wondered if the person behind him valued Yue Chuan’s life enough to let him go.

The hand on his shoulder suddenly retracted. Wen Qi leaped back, putting his barrier between himself and the two females. Now that they were closer, he finally saw the rank of the female from the starship.

Two massive letters appeared in his mind: SS.

His blood ran cold. A male’s mental power was a great weapon, but against an SS-rank, he had almost no chance of winning or escaping.

“Mr. Lu Li,” the blue-haired female spoke. “I apologize. My subordinate startled you. I offer my apologies on his behalf.”

Wen Qi replied coldly, “We are even.” He had been stalking them, after all.

“Let me introduce myself. I am Mr. Gu Nan’s adjutant. You may call me the Commander.” He held out a hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Commander? Wen Qi’s eyes narrowed. Gu Nan did not have an adjutant with that title. Wait.

In Wen Qi’s own writing, Gu Nan used the persona of the Commander when he could not appear in person. But as Wen Qi looked at the female, who was stoic, cold-eyed, and plain-featured, he felt a surge of denial.

This was not his protagonist. His Gu Nan was a natural luminary, a proud and confident leader even in the mud. This person felt dark and calculating.

It is a fake, Wen Qi told himself. My protagonist could not have become this.

Yet, a small, dull ache formed in his chest, as if something important was being smothered.

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