Master of the Stars

Chapter 306: Four Gears (Part 2/2)

Translator: Strivon

Black Beetle was indeed playing dead.

Although Luo Nan's second mental attack was much stronger than his first, it had its limits. Black Beetle had come back to himself after going through the most painful stages. His mobility was restored.

However, Black Beetle already lost his place in the current situation. He understood this. The people from Headquarters were all an unreliable, cold-blooded sort. And by making a move against Luo Nan, he pretty much severed his friendly relations with the Xia City branch. He jumped around like a pirate, until he finally bungled into the ocean.

At that moment, Black Beetle hated Luo Nan. He hated Luo Nan through his bowels. His teeth were also itching toward Puppeteer. Now that he thought about it, those two must think the same of him as well.

Black Beetle didn't know how to handle such an awkward situation. He could only lie on the ground and play dead. His plan was to adapt to the changes in the situation. Of course, it would be best if things went like when a sandpiper and a clam war together, but the fisherman catches them both. In any case, he had to get through this in one piece.

Puppeteer and Luo Nan had quickly forgotten about him during their confrontation. But Black Beetle never expected Luo Nan to easily bring him back in focus after saying those unfathomable concepts.

Then Luo Nan mentioned a 'demonstration', and this made Black Beetle's spine run cold. Luo Nan couldn't possibly have good intentions. Should Black Beetle continue playing dead? Or should he get up and resist?

Black Beetle wanted to hit the ground as he struggled over this.

Luo Nan cared not the least about Black Beetle's reaction. He didn't pause speaking at all. "In my perspective, Black Beetle's gear set. Oh, I'm talking about order frames. Altogether, there are four gears to him from inside to outside. In the center is a large gear formed from the structure of body and soul. Practically all energy has to pass through it to engage in operation. Every ability user has to possess such a central hub...."

This was quite obvious. Puppeteer easily understood. However, his current attention had more or less deviated. His cold gaze was roaming upon Black Beetle's motionless body.

If nothing else, Puppeteer believed that what Luo Nan said about Black Beetle playing dead was correct to an 80% degree. It must be said that he was the one who had first let Black Beetle down. However, it was quite meaningless to overthink this, having committed an offense already. Puppeteer pondered how to deal with this new variable.

"Aside from the central gear, Black Beetle still has an external gear. It is none other than the twenty-seven beetles scattered around the viewing platform, as well as the six beetles on his tie."

Puppeteer's attention was drawn back when Luo Nan spoke such precise numbers. Puppeteer did a general sensing, and he found that Luo Nan's number for the beetles scattered around the platform should be right. However, Black Beetle's core item, the gaudy tie, was always covered and sealed. How did Luo Nan verify the number?

After a moment of hesitation, Puppeteer didn't take Luo Nan's words seriously.

Luo Nan continued explaining, "The thirty-three beetles may appear dispersed, but they are, in fact, closely connected through soul strength activation. Another gear structure can be formed at any time. This sort of method should be quite flexible. It shouldn't matter if Black Beetle loses a few beetles, but the material is relatively brittle. If the structure truly operates, I'm afraid it only has the strength for one attack.

"Yes, there's more. His tie looks pretty good. He should be regularly polishing it using gears. What I mean is, he regularly applies his interference ability and channels his energy into it. The tie can act as a medium. It isn't that fragile. It should be quite functional."

"Black Beetle has two hidden techniques: Insect Explosion and Poison Stinger. The former is a corrosive cloud, while the latter is a sword-like killing move,” Zhang Yingying's voice came through the wristband, giving Luo Nan supplementary information. This made it so that Xue Lei could understand things more clearly.

Xue Lei could hear the vibrato within the end of Zhang Yingying's voice. "We've really encountered a damnable bastard this time!"

What the hell!

Black Beetle was unable to hear Puppeteer's thoughts, but he could hear Zhang Yingying's commentary. He didn't need Zhang Yingying's commentary. Although the descriptions of gears, order frames, and the like were unfamiliar, Luo Nan had said things that were fused within his blood. They were his basic foothold in this world, and today, they were pointed out one by one. It would be strange if he wasn't uncomfortable.

Black Beetle reflexively refused to believe in it.

No, you're wrong! What you're saying is illogical. Oh, now that I think about it, even though my information is confidential, the Society is a very open place. Zhang Yingying and the robotic lady all know my details. This little bastard probably knew my information early on. Is he using words like 'order frame' to cover it up and mess with my mind? Or maybe the kid doesn't even care if I'm awake. Maybe he's using me to draw Puppeteer's attention away?

Black Beetle grew more suspicious and exasperated the more he thought. His mind was tangled over this problem for quite some time, but he gritted his teeth in resolution; he would keep the status quo. In any case, his face was stuck to the ground. He might as well leave his pride there and take Luo Nan to be spouting nonsense. He decided not to move at all!

At this time, Puppeteer took the initiative to face Luo Nan with question, "Didn't you say that there are four gears? You only talked about two."

"The third gear is a bit different from the first two gears. It is independent from Black Beetle's body and soul structure. It can be said to be a coupling, but it is more like a parasite. A parasite... can count as a type of coupling, I suppose. Yes, I believe it counts."

Luo Nan's words were spoken ambiguously, but they nailed Black Beetle to the ground the instant he heard them.

"Impossible!"

Black Beetle felt as if the back of his neck had been cut open by an icy blade. The piercing cold and pain proliferated from his spine to the two sides of his body. In the blink of an eye, even his toes were cold.

Other people might have been confused by what Luo Nan said, but Black Beetle's mind was absolutely clear.

Luo Nan was talking about his natal bug.

His ability has its origins in a Mutant beetle. He had accidentally swallowed it in his early years, and it fused with his extraordinary powers to erect a unique ability structure. He nourished it endlessly throughout the years, and the mutated demon bug was thoroughly implanted within his body. It became the most important foundation for his abilities.

This was his number one biggest secret in his life. It was always hidden in his stomach to rot, and he never mentioned it to anyone. How could Luo Nan possibly know about it? Unless…. Unless this kid had a pair of heavenly eyes, allowing him to see through his organs and see all his secrets with absolute clarity!

And at this time, Black Beetle thought back once more to the feeling he had previously of 'a penetrating bright light, unblockable and unstoppable'.

Wind passing through the gap and light illuminating the earth below. Were there invisible eyes behind this incomprehensible feeling of penetration? Were they always watching, missing not even a hair?

Black Beetle’s heart beat wildly with the sudden birth of this thought. It beat against the ground through his chest, and the aura around his body began moving. Everyone here was a keen and sensitive person. Naturally, none of this was hidden from them.

"This guy really was playing dead!" Xue Lei had a straight temperament. He just blurted out the truth.

You should just go die!

Even though Black Beetle's face stuck to the ice-cold ground, it was like he burst into flames at this moment. Black Beetle's brain rang with explosions, and he heard a buzzing noise like tinnitus pour into his ear. He was filled with the emotions of fear and rage, and these emotions soared like flames, cremating the playing-dead-plan into ashes.

Black Beetle suddenly bent his elbow and propped his body up. Whether or not this was a conscious action, his first reflex was to rush over and strangle that damnable fiend for exposing his life's greatest secret.

Xue Lei was always half a body in front of Luo Nan. He took a step to the side in this movement, covering Luo Nan behind his thick shoulder.

Speed was not Black Beetle's forte, but craftiness was etched in his bones. Even though currently his mind was a big mess, he instinctively chose a method of approach as he faced Xue Lei's stance, which was as sturdy as a boulder.

Black Beetle manipulated Xue Lei's center of gravity with several small changes in movement. He also saw the face behind Xue Lei's body.

A small portion of Luo Nan's face was revealed. Only a single eye could be seen. The eye socket revealed a slit, and the deep red color within absorbed all light. It was pitch-black, and it manifested an invisible pressure that pressed against Black Beetle's chest.

"There's still the fourth gear. It was just harnessed."

Before his voice fell, a violent wind blew through the viewing platform half-exposed to the sky while Xue Lei and Black Beetle collided together. Amidst the repeated sounds of bursting air, Luo Nan's hoarse and weak voice drifted and deflected far. If one didn't concentrate the mind, it might not be possible to hear Luo Nan clearly.

Puppeteer wasn't sure if Luo Nan was talking to him. Listening to the tone, it seemed like it.

"The fourth gear doesn't belong to him at all. Instead, it comes from the outside. At first it was used for protection, like a lampshade covering him, to block mental attacks. However, now, the coupling method has changed. It has turned from a lampshade into a noose...."

Black Beetle snorted in retreat. Xue Lei's close combat ability was greater than his by at least a level. He had no chance of winning in a frontal clash. Plus, Luo Nan's voice always lingered by his ear. The few key words trickled in one after another, causing his heart to shake in fear over and over. It was hard for him to maintain a fighting mood.

Black Beetle shifted his body greatly to the side; from now on, he wouldn't show his back to Puppeteer. Only when they formed a narrow triangle did Black Beetle stop moving. His breathing was a bit unsteady as he first stared at Luo Nan, before shifting his gaze to Puppeteer. Then his eyes flitted past every shadow on the viewing platform. His mind also wavered along with his eyes.

As for Luo Nan and Puppeteer, the gazes they cast over appeared rather subtle.

The intense anxiety and fear transformed into substance. They boiled in his chest. "Snake Tongue, talk to me...."

A hissing sound responded. It came from the remote darkness, and it sounded like the flickering of a poisonous snake's tongue and the slithering of scales. Just when Black Beetle wished to move in his moment of horror, a terrifying numbing sensation rose up from his stomach to drown his organs. It drowned his throat, but its power was yet exhausted. It continued rising.

A buzzing sound pierced into his brain.

Black Beetle's eyeballs swelled as wisps of blood filled his sclera. Fear and despair crammed inside. It was his natal bug, the Mutant he always carefully locked up within his stomach. It existed independently of his internal organs, but today, the demon bug had gone out of control.

The bizarre hissing sound enticed the Mutant demon bug to recover its instinctual fear. It bit through Black Beetle's intestines, stomach, chest, throat, and all the way to his brain.

Black Beetle still wanted to struggle, but his enemy didn't give him a chance. As the sensation of numbness along with the buzzing insect entered his brain, his consciousness darkened, and his light of life became forever gone.

The violent wind covered Luo Nan's drawn out sigh.

Luo Nan didn't want to save Black Beetle. He just wanted to warn him, to cause the enemy to stumble in her dark technique. But he never expected the enemy to utilize such ruthless methods. She simply roused the parasite within Black Beetle's stomach, the Mutant bug, and the positions of master and guest were reversed with this change.

Black Beetle died frozen within the wind. He was dead through and through. At that moment, his body only existed as an exoskeleton for the Mutant demon bug and whatever its whims.

Xue Lei was unsure about what happened. He looked warily and asked Luo Nan, "Is he…?"

Luo Nan nodded. "He's dead."

Before his voice could fall, Black Beetle's mouth opened up. "Yasakasa."

"...."

Black Beetle's lips and tongue wriggled, as well as his throat. This was quite clear. But the sound that came out was fuzzy and hoarse. In this overexertion, a gleaming green stinger protruded out from his throat. It even shook left and right a few times.