mother of all races

"Oh my god."

Lin Xi stood stiffly in front of the chrysalis of "Number One" and looked at the red eye.

"You live."

He murmured involuntarily.

"...you are really alive."

Although she had already felt that "No. [-]" was still pupating inside the pupa shell, only at this moment did Lin Xi completely let go of her heart.

"Number One"'s eyes trembled slightly, as if in response to his words.

Lin Xi approached it again.

It feels amazing to look at "No. [-]" through such a film.

Although it is completely impossible to see what the bug looks like now, this eyeball alone is enough to prove that the appearance of "No. [-]" must be completely different from what it was before.

Lin Xi was simply extremely curious, he wanted to know what "No. [-]" looked like now more than ever.

After all, the pupation and transformation of "Number One" is so wonderful and unique, and Dr. Ando's notes have never recorded any records of it at this stage.

For the next whole day, Lin Xi allowed himself to stay next to the chrysalis of "No. [-]", where he completed some tasks that are now dispensable, and occasionally he would talk to "No. [-]" say.

When he speaks, most of the time Hou Yihao will respond positively to his words (occasionally Lin Xi even has the illusion that this transforming alien bug can really understand him. meaning), but sometimes, the red eyes hiding behind the film become a little dull and dull, and it falls asleep in the chrysalis.

Whenever this happened, Lin Xi would involuntarily stare at the hazy red eyes of "No. [-]" and show a slight smile.

Although Lin Xi's rationality also knows that the current "Number One" is probably very scary in the eyes of others: the various reactions of O'Neill and Bryce have reminded him of this.But for him, the time spent with "One" was the most peaceful moment since he failed the Helios jump - he had never felt such a deep peace even when he was on earth. and relax.

Or...Since the gunshot made Savile leave him, Lin Xi has never been really happy.

Probably it was precisely because of the new transformation of "No. [-]" and that kind of vitality that made Lin Xi feel at ease after a long absence.

After returning to her humble cabin that night, Lin Xi took the initiative to find the breath-taking projector recorder that had been sealed for a long time from the depths of the shelf for the first time.

The cold metal weighed heavily on Lin Xi's palm. He sat beside the bed for a long time with the breath-taking projector in his hand, but he never had the courage to open the small metal box.

However, even so, everything about this information projector and that man has been vividly played back in Lin Xi's mind.

Lin Xi looked down at the recorder in his hand that had faint signs of oxidation, and felt a subtle sense of loss in his chest.

This was a gift that Savile bought with his first salary. He wore the most solemn clothes, solemnly and a little stiffly recorded those videos in front of the camera.

At that time, Lin Xi was wearing messy pajamas, nestled on the sofa beside her, hugging a blanket and smiling at Savile like this.

Savile has never been the kind of person who is suitable to appear in front of the camera. Although the abuse and psychological trauma he suffered as a child are things in the past, he is always nervous in front of people other than Lin Xi. And it looked extraordinarily indifferent-Lin Xi always laughed and said that it was the fault of Savile's face.And Savile will be at a loss because of Lin Xi's unreserved praise.

This is Sewell, a man with a gentle soul that is completely opposite to his stern appearance.

It is also the only man Lin Xi has truly loved in this life...and even until now.

"Crack-"

Accidentally, Lin Xi finally touched the switch button of the recorder in his hand.

Amidst the slight electric sound, Saville's figure appeared inch by inch in the empty air.

As long as you don't reach out and touch him, he looks like a real person... And at this moment, he is here, within Lin Xi's reach.

"Lin Xi..."

He smiled and said in Lin Xi's direction, even the loving eyes were so lifelike.

"Please, stop laughing, you're making me really nervous."

His distressed voice accompanied by his soft smile echoed in Lin Xi's cabin.

Lin Xi's shoulders trembled slightly, and he instinctively reached for the button of the recorder, trying to turn off the heart-wrenching image.

But he tried several times, but his slightly trembling fingers still couldn't press the button.

"...Ah... just as a test? I, I just thought maybe we could record what happened between us...Maybe you will use it later?"

The recorder did not record what Lin Xi said at the time.

The only thing Lin Xi could hear was Savile's shy explanation.

He at that time... what did he say at that time?

"Come on, Savile, you're making me sound like one of those nostalgic old men who'd be okay with watching their own astral projections? Maybe when we're both 50, I'll be willing to do stupid things like that, but I'm I'm still very young, please, let me go."

I was really young at that time...

Lin Xi seemed to be able to hear the voice in his body whispering.

He has the person he loves the most, a perfect family, a relationship so sweet that it seems to be able to flow honey, and a seemingly bright and happy future.He took such precious happiness as a matter of course, and thought that he would always have that bright and warm, intoxicating everything like fine wine.

And his arrogance eventually cost him.

Up to now, he can only sit stiffly in the cabin of the small and dilapidated spaceship, looking at his lover who left this world many years ago, and smiling gently at him under the influence of the machine.

And he couldn't do anything, couldn't do anything.

"Ahem...hey, Xiaoxi...well, I know I'm an old antique in your heart, but...this is me, isn't it?"

In Lin Xi's increasingly wet vision, Saville's soliloquy continued.

"Let me think about what I should record... Lin Xi, please, don't do this, you distract me... Ah, I remembered, what I want to say is..."

"I love you."

The man who was originally uncomfortable and shy suddenly became serious.

It was obviously just a test shot for testing the video projector, but he was as unbelievably serious as if he was preparing to propose a marriage.

"I'll always love you forever—"

With a "pop", the light from the projector suddenly dimmed.

"Do not--"

Lin Xi watched Savile's voice disappear from the air, and subconsciously let out a low cry of pain.

Then, he was stunned for a while before he realized that the old machine in his hand broke down again.

Now the small metal cube is stained with some liquid, which is the tears that Lin Xi shed unconsciously.Lin Xi took a deep breath, and then frantically wiped away the tears on the recorder with her cuff.

It's just that in the process, some small metal parts fell from various parts of the metal instrument to the ground.

Lin Xi was startled, and her heart, which was completely immersed in sadness, tightened instantly.

He picked up those parts from the ground in fear, and carefully observed the breath projection recorder——

"Damn 'Number One'!"

Lin Xi cursed, and his face turned black instantly.

He soon discovered that the reason those parts were loose...was because there were more fixed parts that had disappeared from the main body of the machine before then.

And at this moment, those metal parts that were placed at the bottom of the nest by "No. [-]" many days ago appeared in his mind.At that time, he was always wondering what happened to these metal parts. He didn't understand where the little bug found those parts, let alone why he thought those parts looked familiar.

And all the questions are answered at this moment today.

Those metal parts are coming from the Department of Projection Recorder that he placed deep in the shelf.

Lin Xi: "..."

He suddenly felt that perhaps he had been too gentle with "No. [-]" before—the originally extraordinarily surging love in his heart disappeared at this moment.

But in a sense, maybe it was the mischief of "No. [-]" many days ago that saved Lin Xi this night.At least for once, he finally didn't have to watch Savile's breathing projection all night long, and then he was so painful that he couldn't fall asleep.

Because of the malfunction of the information projector, Lin Xi was able to lay down on the bed smoothly and then slowly closed his eyes while thinking wildly.

But even so, Lin Xi's sleep quality was still very bad that night.

His dreams were intermittent, most of them were about Savile and him.

He not only dreamed about when Savile recorded those projection videos in front of him, but also dreamed about Savile's supernatural, inhuman and ghostly behavior in the latter part of his life.

Bryce always thought that Lin Xi was asleep at that time. Savile's hesitation and Bryce's timely arrival prevented the tragedy, but Bryce would never know that after Savile got him drunk, he tried to The moment he killed him, Lin Xi woke up inexplicably.

He could clearly feel the killing intent surging from his lover's body.Lin Xi could have woken up, he could easily stop what Saville wanted to do, but... he was so tired, he even felt that if he could give Saville, who was already driven crazy by the delusions in his mind, a moment of peace Not bad.So from the beginning to the end, Lin Xi just lay motionless on the bed with her eyes closed tightly, like a real drunk who had become unconscious.

But Savile did not make a move in the end, not because of his hesitation, but because he had no way to make a move.Lynch knows this better than anyone.

When he pretended to be drunk at the gunpoint of Savile, in addition to the murderous intent, Lin Xi actually deeply felt the love from Savile.

That love has always been hot and strong, and it never changes, whether Savile is sane... or mad.

On that day...Lin Xi clearly felt Savile's muzzle pointed at him several times and then left...

In the end, only Saville's cold, dry fingers touched his skin.

Savile's tears fell on Lin Xi's cheeks, hot, and then seeped into Lin Xi's lips along his cheeks.

A lover's tears have the dullest taste in the world.

Later, Lin Xi always said to the people around her with a lazy smile.

He never lied about it.

As for Savile at that time, the last time Lin Xi saw in his memory, the living Savile just lay beside Lin Xi and sobbed softly.Lin Xi knew very well that Savile couldn't control himself, and those obsessive thoughts in his mind had already sent this man to purgatory.Savile kept stroking Lin Xi's cheeks and forehead, tracing Lin Xi's facial features with his fingers, and then kept calling his name...

"Lin Xi..."

Until now in the dream, Lin Xi could still hear the hoarse and low voice clearly.

"Lin Xi...I...love...you..."

Lin Xi frowned, his consciousness gradually rose from the chaos of sleep.

But Savile, who was supposed to only appear in his dreams, was still stroking his cheeks and ears tenderly until now.

Although it never pressed against his body, Lin Xi could still feel the man's extraordinarily heavy and cold body sticking tightly behind him.

Is it a corpse...or is it a ghost from the past?

There was no heartbeat or breathing ups and downs in that body, and a very faint fishy smell emanated from its body.

And its fingertips kept sliding on Lin Xi's body. Gradually, some wet things stuck to Lin Xi's body. It seemed that it wanted to wrap Lin Xi's whole body into its body, wriggling through its ear holes.

Lin Xi opened his eyes in the darkness.

No, that was not a dream.

And the person behind him...or...the "thing"...was definitely not Savile.

Because even human zombies or undead will not have such a terrifying appearance.

Lin Xi stared at a tongue-like thing hanging down from the thing behind.

The thing was hanging nimbly and wriggling in front of the tip of his nose.

Some rough hair-like parts grazed his back, and Lin Xi instantly got goosebumps all over his body.

monster……

He kept his original posture calmly, and every piece of skin on his body became more sensitive than before in the darkness.

He tried hard to outline the actual appearance of the thing in his heart.

It was a very large thing, with mucus all over its body, sharp and sharp nails, a thin layer of skin covering its humanoid exoskeleton, and sparse but thick hair growing in some places, and it was different from the huge Compared with its size, its movements are light and agile to an incredible degree.

At least Lin Xi never found out when it sneaked into her room without a sound.

Lin Xi clenched his back molars tightly, because only in this way would he not scream out in extreme panic.

He held his breath, his heart was beating so fast that he was even a little worried that the monster behind him would hear his constant roaring heartbeat.

What the hell is this-

Lin Xi kept thinking in fear.

Is it the giant insect that has been rustling behind in that aircraft?

Or those monsters that sneaked quietly into the high-security brigade and turned John Bronson into countless morsels of flesh?

Or, is it some monsters that have never been known and belong to this special planet?

Because of the extreme nervousness, Lin Xi's thoughts were extraordinarily chaotic, completely utterly devoid of logic.

But at the same time, his hand was groping under the pillow without a trace——

His fingertips quickly found what he wanted, a pulse gun.

The cold and solid handle of the pulse gun made Lin Xi's nerves, which had been tensed to the limit, relax a little bit.

Thanks Lena.

He said to himself in his heart.

Since returning from the cave where the aircraft was located, although the uneasiness that had troubled Lin Xi for a long time did not continue to strengthen, it did not disappear either.He had a lot of nightmares about it.

After knowing this, Lena told him this method.

"A pulse gun under your pillow will solve most nightmares."

She said to Lin Xi with a sly smile.

"As for why... Well, we girls all do this, and weapons make us feel at ease."

Lin Xi didn't ask whether this so-called "female secret" was really useful, he just followed it honestly.

Of course, it is impossible to allow the crew members to hold high-energy lethal weapons such as plasma guns in private, but Lin Xi managed to get himself an electronic pulse gun.

Although Lin Xi quickly discovered that the pulse gun didn't help him much in his nightmares, he didn't intend to push it out from under the pillow either.He had to thank Lena for her proposal and his own decision. On this night, the electronic pulse gun suddenly had a more important role than solving nightmares.

And while Lin Xi was slowly clenching the gun, the behavior of that "thing" gradually became presumptuous.

Its sticky saliva kept dripping, even soaking half of Lin Xi's body.

From time to time, the guy's fangs grazed his skin, and Lin Xi's muscles tensed up, waiting for the pain that might come at any time.

A few short seconds, to Lin Xi, it seemed like a lifetime had passed.

The moment he fully grasped the pulse gun, Lin Xi turned around suddenly, and then shot at the "thing" behind him.

The bright rays of the pulse gun illuminated the pitch-black cabin for a brief moment, allowing Lin Xi to finally see the appearance of the "thing".

Lin Xi swears that she has never seen such a terrifying thing before, even the huge puffed bodies of cockroaches and spiders in the aircraft, compared with this guy, they look clear and pitiful.

It was a complete chimera of humans and bugs.

He had a weird, blurred and distorted face, his body was a corpse-like bluish-white, and the thin skin wrapped around the obvious insect body, even the sickle-sharp forelimbs were no exception.

The slender jointed limbs supported the deformed body, which should have been the limbs of arthropods, but with rounded joints very similar to humans.

Without hesitation, Lin Xi fired continuously at the human-worm chimera.

The monster let out a long hiss, and then suddenly retreated towards the corner of the wall. It climbed to the ceiling with lightning speed, and the distorted face turned 180 degrees, staring straight at Lin. hope.

"l..."

Lin Xi watched the monster's crooked lips open and let out a gasp.

He didn't wait for it to open its mouth at all, and aimed at the open mouth and fired.

He shot well this time.

Accompanied by the gunshot, the monster's face collapsed in all directions, splashing out a handful of thick mucus.

But Lin Xiwan didn't relax.

He didn't miss that moment - after the weird human face was smashed, a face that belonged entirely to insects appeared.

To be honest, Lin Xi even felt that this worm face with ferocious mouthparts and compound eyes was much better than that human face, at least it looked purely terrifying rather than disgusting.

That human face was a mimicry of the insect, and beneath that was its real face.

Lin Xi finally breathed a sigh of relief after realizing this, anyway, dealing with bugs is easier than dealing with monsters.

His hands became more stable than before.

The next few shots were all accurate at the bug's joints.

"boom……"

The bug's heavy body swayed for a moment, and then it fell straight down from the ceiling.

A large amount of mucus gushed out of its body, spreading all over the room.It's just that the bug didn't die directly as Lin Xi had hoped - its movements were even as sensitive as ever.Under Lin Xi's unbelievable gaze, the bug suddenly turned over and rushed towards the door.It stayed at the door strangely for a moment, and its disgusting head turned slightly.

Lynch wished she was wrong, but in that moment the bug was surprisingly human.

It seemed to take a deep look at Lin Xi.

It was only now that Lin Xi realized that her cabin door was actually open, and the part that should have been the control panel now only had a puddle of saliva, and the control buttons twisted into a ball under the corrosion of saliva.

That insect rushed headlong into the darkness outside the corridor...

Lin Xi stood blankly in his destroyed living cabin, and after a long time, he slowly let go of the pulse gun in his hand.

"God."

After confirming that she was out of danger, Lin Xi's legs softened and she half-kneeled on the ground.

As for the other people on the spacecraft, it seemed that it took more than a century to realize that something was wrong.

The power line on the deck where Lin Xi was located was broken, and all the facilities were useless.

However, only Lin Xi was attacked on the entire deck.