Chapter 1639 - 626: Demon’s Temptation (Part 2)

Chapter 1639: Chapter 626: Demon’s Temptation (Part 2)

Ren Zhong became increasingly silent, his emotions less visible, and showed less hostility towards the Red Blade Science Academy’s researchers.

Moreover, he no longer obsessed over using pheromones to enhance his kind.

As time progressed, Ren Zhong and his kin grew more predictable in formation, coordinated in movement, and the frequency of their chirps diminished.

It seemed the evolution Ren Zhong spurred within the group lacked continuity, for once he ceased to release pheromones to spread knowledge and drive evolution, these 331 Roriscids showed signs of degeneration within the same generation.

Clearly, Ren Zhong’s group was losing self-awareness.

He had given up on himself.

He was relinquishing his privileged status, striving to become more mundane.

Flipping through the plan left to him by Yang Misi, Ren Zhong noted several possibilities, self-abandonment being one of them.

The plan explicitly stated that Ren Zhong might actively degenerate to reduce instances where offspring were dissected for his longevity.

If one wishes not to be exploited by enemies, the most resolute form of resistance is to render oneself useless, losing the value of being used.

This was Ren Zhong’s choice.

A choice inherently fraught with contradictions.

As a Reproductive Subunit of the Ascendants, evolution was innate. The human neuronal gene fragments endowed the 331 Roriscids with certain human "flaws."

For instance, one of Ren Zhong’s predecessors, the High Rank Roriscid 331 who oversaw the Seventh Star Cluster troops, made every life choice from a self-centered mindset, yet lacked basic human moral norms like not harming one’s children, exhibiting very "insect-like" behavior.

Simultaneously, as Ascendants’ Reproductive Subunits, the 331 Roriscids had to maintain absolute hostility towards the Empire’s original humans.

Finally, one day, every Roriscid 331 in the Dome Prison stayed mute, forming neat lines for regular feeding, excreting, producing, mating, sleeping, and Ren Zhong extracted Ren Zhong again.

It no longer chirped, only creaked its jointed legs in an instinctive struggle, and its compound eyes coldly regarded Ren Zhong, akin to a dragonfly caught by humans, emotionless, listless.

Its mouthparts had regressed to their primitive state.

Ren Zhong activated the electronic voice modulation device on his neck, gazing at Ren Zhong on the lab bench, articulating complex syllables.

"Demon, originally I named you using the first three syllables you voiced, so your name is essentially Demon. I think we need to talk. You need not respond, but I know you understand what I’m saying."

"You once had the chance to lead your kind to become a new intelligent species. Are you really going to give up like this? I know your instincts bear hostility towards me, don’t you wish to struggle a bit more, strengthen yourself and your kin? Perhaps one day kill me?"

"About your children, I deeply apologize. When we drafted this plan, we were unaware you’d develop feelings for your offspring, which was my oversight. I apologize once more."

"In your subsequent genetic modification process, this phase will be absent, I’ve already arranged a cloning alternative."

"The 331 Roriscids were tools created by the Ascendants, destined from birth by genetic instinct. Yet, the chance to change this predicament lies in your hands."

"You’ve shown ample self-awareness, even contemplating using degeneration, a life-defying act, to resist me. So why not take it further, strive to live for yourself?"

"If you don’t take this step, you’ll never be able to exact revenge on me. The curses you’ve devised, well, they don’t affect me at all. I merely found amusement in them." ℯℯ𝑙.

"So, what will you do?"

Ren Zhong spoke slowly, using Ren Zhong’s language, saying much.

After half an hour of silence, Ren Zhong’s mouthparts burst open again, spewing tissue fluid toward Ren Zhong.

Ren Zhong easily dodged.

"Demon! You are the demon! You’ll never make me betray the Mother Empress!"

Ren Zhong yelled.

The real-time translation system mimicked Ren Zhong’s tone, echoing this in Ren Zhong’s ears.

Ren Zhong smiled slightly and said again, "If your true loyalty to your Mother Empress is desired, your only choice now is to betray her, continue to resist, continue to be exploited by me. But if you just fall, then you’ve betrayed the Mother Empress anyway, forfeiting attempts you could have made. You see, the Ascendants treat my kind the same way as they do yours. Our bodies are frailer, smaller, our efficiency lower, yet now I hold more than one first-rate Mother Empress corpse. Thus theoretically, you indeed could kill me. How will you know without trying?"

Ren Zhong frantically struggled again, shouting, "Demon! You’re tempting me!"

Ren Zhong shouted too, "By not killing all your kin instantly, you’ve already betrayed your Mother Empress! So, temptation doesn’t exist, I merely observe."

"What exactly are you observing?"

Ren Zhong: "Observing what’s really in the Ascendants’ minds, observing what changes occur when human genes and insect genes merge. I don’t understand, clearly the Ascendants’ ancestors were also original Empire humans, we’re actually distant relatives, but why do you harbor such deep hostility towards us? It’s illogical."