Chapter 560: Zerg and Beetles

“Hmm? What?” Feng Luo’s face stiffened.

It was not the first time he searched for information about the Zergs. He never found much info in the past; moreover, after reading through them, he found that they were not what he was looking for.

However, this time, the thread t.i.tles high up on the popular list were different from the past.

“Is it because I didn’t search the external server section in the past? Theoretically, considering the AI of War’s forum, even if I did not search the external server section, these things should have popped up, right?” Feng Luo felt suspicious.

He checked thoroughly the date of the posts. It was then that he noticed that the threads were posted over the past two days. This explained why he wasn’t able to find them in the past.

The 22nd Administrative Planet was one of the administrative planets farthest away from the 17th Administrative Planet. Communication between the two planets took as long as nine months.

“Nine months ago, War just started. This information is probably the first batch.” Feng Luo thought as he clicked into the threads to read them.

From the background info, the players on the 22nd Administrative Planet originated from a wandering fleet of the Galaxy Empire after the great destruction.

The players were born on the fleet. Relying on their technology as well as some of the abandoned weapon facilities that the Galaxy Empire left on several of the surrounding planets to fight against the invasion of the Zergs.

“Isn’t this background just like StarCraft?” After browsing through the first thread, Feng Luo came to that conclusion.

The 22nd Administrative Planet’s player background information was highly similar to the background of the Terrans in the game called StarCraft.

However, in StarCraft, the Terrans were a wandering fleet of the Earth Civilization. The players on the 22nd Administrative Planet belonged to a wandering fleet of the Galaxy Empire instead.

Despite the slight difference, the fact that the players needed to fight against the Zerg was highly similar to the story setting of StarCraft, according to Feng Luo’s memory.

“The Zerg is a species that reproduces incredibly fast, and while their individual combat strength is low, their numbers are ridiculously high… Using their ability to a.s.similate with other species with the ability to survive in s.p.a.ce, they can travel in s.p.a.ce and invade various planets… At the moment, the Zerg units that have been identified include the Raptor, Viper, Mantis…”

The posts also came with videos and pictures.

Feng Luo could see that, whether it was their outer appearance or combat style, they were incredibly similar to the Zergs in StarCraft.

Of course, since War had a 100% realism score, compared to the 3D models of the Zerg on Earth, the perception was on a whole different level. The awe and shock that one felt when the endless army of Zergs within the video attached to the posts appeared was hard to put into words.

“However, since the Zerg really does exist, what is with the Beetles?” Feng Luo started to feel suspicious.

He initially thought that the Beetles were the Zergs of the game. However, now it seemed like that was definitely not the case.

“The Zerg has the ‘a.s.similate’ ability. Every time they arrive at a planet, they would be able to ‘a.s.similate’ with the creatures of the planet and create ‘new Zerg species.’ Based on their existing strengths and abilities, these new Zerg species would obtain parts of the Zerg’s abilities, and with that, the species would grow exponentially.” At that moment, Feng Luo saw that line within one of the threads.

“a.s.similate a species.” Feng Luo had forgotten this point.

The Zerg had the ability to “a.s.similate” the abilities of other species.

The Zerg did not only have the “parasitic” ability to control a creature’s body, but it could also manipulate the mental and physical state of the ent.i.ty, transforming the species of the ent.i.ty into “Zerg.” This was the scariest part of the Zerg in the StarCraft storyline.

Looking at 24K and the beetles, they could be a new Zerg species that had been a.s.similated by the Zergs.

“Hold on… This means that this planet also encountered real Zergs in the past.” Feng Luo immediately thought of that.

From the information provided on the external server section, whether it was the Zerg or the Life Protozoa, they were considered species that had invaded the planet.

The Life Protozoa was one thing. From the background info of the Capital Planet, the Life Protozoa weren’t much of a threat. Rather than a threat, they seemed more like great helpers of the human species.

However, when it came to the Zerg, they were an incredibly destructive species. If the Zerg invaded the planet but had failed to completely destroy human civilization, what had happened back then? Was there another storyline behind it?

Feng Luo suddenly remembered the hidden mission connected to 24K, Heart of a King Beetle.

The missions had suddenly become a lot more complex. Would it be connected to the answer to that question?

“Munch, munch…” 24K munched on half a piece of crystal that it was holding with its tiny claws at the corner of the tent.

24K was completely exhausted after that day. Its psionic energy had been completely depleted, and it would probably recover by the next day.

“It’d be a lot faster if we had some psionic crystals…” Feng Luo thought as he looked at 24K holding the energy crystal with its claws.

As he thought about the psionic crystals, Feng Luo began searching relevant posts on the external server forum section.

“There is a chance for different levels of psionic energy crystals to drop after killing some Zerg units. These psionic crystals are much more expensive than normal energy crystals, and they can be used to create incredibly powerful weapons. Apart from that, some places have natural psionic crystal mines. However, these crystals need to be devoured and purified by the Zergs before they can be used.”

“Psionic crystals drop after killing the Zerg? This means that the psionic crystal from before might be related to the Zerg on this planet…” Feng Luo thought as he read the post.

Earlier when he was in the Withered Desert, Feng Luo found a psionic crystal when he was looking for bargains at the Desert Flea Market.

Back then, he did not think much about it. However, right now, as he learned with this information, he suddenly felt like he could find new clues.

It was a coincidence that the merchant player back then had exchanged name cards with him and added him as a friend.

Feng Luo thought about it for a moment before picking up his comms device. He went through it and found a person with the ID – Good Honest Merchant and called him.

After a few seconds, the comms device connected and a bearded merchant player appeared on the screen of the comms device. “Yo! Mister Feng, how can I help you today?”

He smiled brightly and answered as if he was speaking to a friend he had not met for a long time.

However, Feng Luo had only bought something from him once. “You still remember me?”

“Oh, look at you! You’re a generous lad, spending some 6,000 credits to buy something to feed your pet… Ugh, of course, I remember you.”

Feng Luo saw the Good Honest Merchant glance at the “remark” tab of his comms device for a brief moment. After which, the merchant’s face stiffened before his smile became even brighter.

The person had probably recorded information he obtained when trading with others into his comms device. After that, he would bring them up during calls, in that case, he would be able to gain the favor of the customer.

From this alone, though the merchant’s name was Good Honest Merchant, made Feng Luo feel that he was a con artist, Feng Luo could not deny the fact that he was a savvy merchant.

Feng Luo guessed that the reason the merchant was surprised was probably after he saw his remark stating that Feng Luo had spent 6,000 credits to purchase an attribute-less rock to feed his pet.

After that, the reason his smile became brighter was, in fact, because the Good Honest Merchant felt that he had obtained another chance to make a haul.

It was a good thing. Otherwise, Feng Luo did not know how to get him to speak about the psionic crystal.

“Do you still have those types of rocks? My pet has been wanting to eat them recently.” Feng Luo moved his comms device and showed 24K who was holding onto and munching on a transparent crystal.

“Mister Feng, you really do love and spoil your pet. To even feed it crystals.” Upon seeing the remaining half of a “diamond crystal” that cost 10,000 credits being munched on by the exhausted 24K, Good Honest Merchant’s eyes widened as he looked in shock.

“Mister Feng, if you want it, I’ve got it. However, with regard to the price…”

After that, the merchant’s eyes s.h.i.+fted back to Feng Luo and his eyes began to sparkle.