The floor was silent. The metallic interior had long since been dirtied by insect waste left behind during their birth cycles and repeated shedding. Thin layers of residue clung to the panels, dried stains spreading across once clean surfaces. Broken husks and fragments lined the edges of the passage, crunching faintly underfoot. From time to time, a low, rhythmic sound echoed through the corridor, like bare feet striking metal as the man walked forward without footwear.
"Two hundred more meters ahead is where the hall is located, creator," Valvan stated calmly.
The man gave a slight nod and continued forward in silence. As the distance closed, new sounds reached him. Low screeches carried through the air, joined by constant buzzing that grew louder with every step. The vibrations were uneven, overlapping, and persistent, filling the passage long before the source came into view.
As he crossed into the elevation hall, the scale of it stopped him. Insects of various sizes crowded the space, some stretching several meters in length while others clustered in dense swarms. They clung to the bridge structures, wrapped around massive support pillars, spread across the ceiling, and filled the open air as many hovered or hung from strands and secretions. Their movements produced an overwhelming mix of noise that pressed against his ears from every direction. He 'stared' at the scene, mouth slightly open, tightening his grip around the box.
"This is dirty," he said flatly.
The box remained silent for several seconds before replying, "...It sure is, creator. But worry not. We can clean this place spotless when the ship goes online."
Hearing the box's reply, the man let out a faint sigh and began stepping into the elevation hall. The insects nearest the entrance paid no attention to him, as if their senses had completely failed to register his presence. They moved and screeched in their usual patterns, showing no vigilance or awareness of anything new in their environment. The man continued forward, his presence effectively unnoticed, and made his way onto the massive bridge that spanned the hall.
As he neared the closest insect, the man extended his free hand and made contact with the abdomen of a hopper-like creature measuring about two meters in length. The moment his fingers touched the hard exoskeleton, a bluish light instantly enveloped the insect's body, spreading across its surface in a quick pulse. The insect emitted a high-pitched screech and began thrashing violently, wiggling its body without pause as if it had been shocked with electricity. Its legs flailed and its antennae jerked uncontrollably, creating a chaotic motion that lasted only a few seconds.
Nearby insects turned their attention toward the commotion but quickly assessed that no immediate threat was present. They saw the thrashing insect twitch once more and then go completely still. With no sign of danger or intruder, the surrounding insects ignored the dead creature and resumed their usual movements, crawling across surfaces, climbing walls, and hovering in the air, continuing their activity as if nothing had happened.
"What's happening? Why is the energy from this insect so low?"
The man asked, confusion clear in his voice as he reviewed the readings from the insect he had just touched. The amount of yuan energy he had absorbed was barely measurable, far below the level required for any meaningful use. His brow furrowed as he tried to reconcile the effort with the output.
Valvan responded immediately, in the same calm and precise tone as always, as if the box had anticipated the question before it was even asked.
"That is understandable, creator. These artificial insects are linked directly to their respective creators, their 'mothers.' The yuan energy they collect is transmitted back to their source. The transfer occurs automatically through connections from insect to insect, functioning like a wireless network."
The man paused for a moment, processing the information. The concept was disorienting, making his mind feel heavier as he tried to follow the mechanics of it. Despite that, he managed to grasp the general idea.
"So harvesting them personally is pointless, is that what you mean?"
Hearing the man's simple question, Valvan immediately registered the flaw in its earlier suggestion. It had been the one to propose harvesting the insects directly, despite knowing on a technical level that the outcome would be ineffective. After a brief pause, the box responded in a subdued tone.
"Yes, your understanding is correct, creator. It also appears that my cognitive functions are being affected by our insufficient energy reserves. This degradation is… concerning."
The man turned his head slightly and looked down at the box, his expression questioning. Despite that, no suspicion followed. His own thoughts still came in uneven fragments, and he recognized the same instability in himself.
"Anyway, let's think of another plan," he said after a moment.
"What about harnessing the energy that powers the teleportation?"
Valvan processed the request and answered after a short delay.
"That may be possible, creator. However, I must first verify the current operational status of the teleportation platform."
The man gave a faint nod in response and continued walking toward the far end of the massive bridge.
As the man moved closer to the platform, he made several more attempts to draw energy from different insect types along the way. Each attempt produced the same result. The yuan energy he managed to extract was minimal, barely registering as useful, while the act of absorption itself consumed more of his own stored energy. After repeating the process a few times, he stopped. The imbalance was clear. Continuing would only weaken him further. He let out a quiet sigh, shook his head once, and resumed walking.
The closer he got to the platform, the more densely packed the insects became. They clustered tightly around the faint barrier surrounding the structure, crawling over one another and filling the space with constant movement and noise. With no clear route forward, the man activated a thin energy barrier around his body. The field expanded just far enough to surround him. Any insect that touched it was struck by a sharp discharge, causing it to screech and recoil in distress. The insects did not even understand the source of the pain. They did not recognize the barrier or the man as a threat; they only reacted to the sudden pain. Each time the discharge struck them, they turned and moved away from its source, colliding with others and spreading the reaction outward through the swarm.
The man walked steadily while holding the open box against his naked body. As he continued forward, the repelled insects pulled back in waves. A narrow and unstable path opened ahead of him, closing again behind his steps as the creatures shifted and regrouped, forming a shifting corridor through the swarm and leaving behind a strange and unsettling scene within the elevation hall.
...
At the boundary of the platform, the insects clustered near the center reacted the moment the man stepped close. Several screeched sharply and scattered, retreating in disordered bursts as the lingering energy around him reached them. He crossed onto the platform without hesitation and moved straight toward the towering gates ahead. Stopping near their base, he lowered the open box and positioned it close to the structure, allowing it direct access.
The box responded at once. A bluish ripple like animation spread across its smooth surface, flowing downward in steady bands. As the motion continued, faint technological sigils embedded within the towering gates flickered and then brightened, their outlines sharpening as power flowed into them. The platform beneath the man trembled lightly, the vibration steady but noticeable. A deep zhong sound echoed through the elevation hall, resonating against metal walls and pillars, overlapping with the distant screeching of insects still lingering beyond the platform's edge.
The situation remained unchanged for several seconds, with the faint glow on the gates slowly dimming and the trembling of the platform gradually fading. The rippling lights on the box stopped, and the hall returned to its earlier stillness, broken only by distant insect noises echoing from outside the platform. Once everything had fully settled, the man bent down and picked up the box, holding it securely in his hands.
He glanced at the towering gates and then at the box before speaking.
"How is the situation, Valvan? Can we use the energy that powers the teleportation?"
His tone was calm, but his focus remained fixed on the platform beneath his feet.
Valvan paused briefly as it assessed the internal readings and remaining reserves.
"The energy left in the generator is only enough to sustain the platform for a few more centuries, creator," the box replied.
"We can absorb most of what remains and still leave enough energy for the platform to continue functioning for approximately a decade."
Hearing this, the man lowered his gaze and fell silent for a short moment, weighing the options in his mind. After thinking it through, he raised his head and spoke again.
"Let us absorb everything and leave only enough energy for the platform to be used two more times."
The response caused an immediate pause from the box. Valvan processed the instruction again, clearly uncertain.
"Why is that, creator?" it asked.
"If we do this, the platform will shut down after two uses, and we will no longer be able to freely transport ourselves within the ship."
The man turned his attention fully to the box, his expression steady as he answered.
"Exactly, Valvan. We will shut down the platform so that no one else can use it anymore."
"Why shut it down, creator?" Valvan asked, its tone carrying clear confusion. "Are we going to abandon the ship?"
The man answered without hesitation.
"Only me, Valvan. You will stay inside the ship. Once I have prepared everything outside, I will find a way to contact you again." His voice was firm, as if this decision had already been settled in his mind long ago.
Instead of easing Valvan's doubts, the explanation only deepened them. The box processed his words rapidly, attempting to predict the intent behind such a plan. It wanted to ask more questions and request further clarification, but before it could speak again, the man interrupted it.
"Let us stop the discussion here," he said. "I will explain everything once we return to the chamber. For now, harness most of the energy from the generator."
With no authority to refuse and no alternative available, Valvan replied after a short pause.
"Understood, creator."
As soon as the response was given, the man lowered the box once more, placing it close to the towering gates. The smooth surfaces of the box lit up again, and the familiar bluish ripple like animation appeared. This time, however, the ripples traveled upward instead of downward, as though energy was being drawn from deep beneath the platform.
In response, the technological sigils carved into the towering gates flared to life once more, shining brighter than they had before. The platform beneath them began to shake violently, far stronger than earlier, sending a deep humming sound through the hall. Alongside it came repeated heavy hong sounds that echoed across the metallic interior, mixing with the distant screeches of insects beyond the platform.
HOOOOONG—
Alarmed by the sudden change, the insects closest to the boundary of the platform reacted first. Their bodies jerked in panic, and they immediately turned away, scrambling in disorganized movements as they fled from the platform. Their reaction quickly spread outward. Insects farther away picked up on the disturbance through sound and vibration, and soon the retreat became widespread as large numbers of them began moving away from the platform in waves.
At the same time, the glowing sigils carved into the towering gates began to behave erratically. The steady light they emitted broke into unstable flashes, and sparks burst out from several points without warning. Thin arcs of lightning formed in the air, snapping violently as they jumped between the sigils and the surface of the gates. Some discharged directly into open space, while others struck the metal structure itself, leaving scorched marks behind.
That instability did not stop there. After several more seconds, the lightning arcs grew thicker and more violent. Their paths became unpredictable as they lashed out in all directions. Some struck the surface of the platform, sending sharp bursts of light across the metal floor. Others collided with the barrier surrounding the platform, spreading electrical currents across its surface. A few even struck the man directly on his exposed skin, producing loud, explosive sounds as the energy discharged through him. Each strike was accompanied by a thunderous crack that overwhelmed the earlier shaking noises of the platform.
Witnessing this escalation, the insects became completely frenzied. Their movements turned chaotic as they fled faster, colliding with one another in their attempt to escape. The flashes of lightning and the violent sounds drove them into panic, and they scattered as far as their bodies could carry them, desperate to avoid being struck.
For the moment, the lightning remained confined within the platform. The invisible barrier was still intact, containing the violent electrical discharge and preventing it from spreading into the rest of the hall. However, as the box continued transferring the remaining energy from the generator into itself, the barrier began to destabilize. Though invisible to the naked eye, its presence became apparent as the air around the platform flickered unevenly. The containment field wavered repeatedly, growing weaker with each passing moment, until it finally vanished completely.
The instant the barrier disappeared, the electrical charges surged outward without restraint. Lightning flooded into the hall in all directions, striking everything in its path and instantly incinerating whatever it touched.