The Zerg King’s appetite was growing insatiable.
The offering days had changed from once every thirty days to once every half month, and now, they had become a weekly occurrence.
Four divine attendants, along with countless subjects, hunted tirelessly day and night to feed it, yet no matter how much they offered, its bottomless stomach was never full.
When the pace of slaughter outstripped the rate of animal reproduction, the entire forest ecosystem began to collapse. Hermes felt this most acutely—he hadn’t encountered any large prey for nearly half a month, as if something was silently vanishing in places beyond their sight.
The Zerg King’s voice had echoed through the night, and Hermes’ head had ached just as long. This was its way of forcing its subjects to find it prey—if they failed, the pain would only intensify with time, growing so unbearable that they would wish to smash their own skulls open.
Hermes had once witnessed, with his own eyes, a low-ranking zerg creature unable to endure the pain, smashing its own head apart in desperation.
At dawn the next day, Hermes had no choice but to don his sacred robes and head to the temple. He raised a hand to pull the black hood over his head, concealing his long silver hair. Just before stepping out of the cave, he suddenly paused, glancing back at Lin Kong, who was still sprawled on the stone bed, snoring soundly.
If Hermes knew of the existence of pigs, he would surely find them a fitting comparison for Lin Kong. Unfortunately, he did not. He only felt, in the simplest terms, that this prey’s carefree, thoughtless nature was enough to make even the zergs envious.
Hermes had originally intended to wake Lin Kong, but for some reason, he changed his mind and abandoned the thought. Instead, he used his sharp nails to carve a mark into the cave wall before turning to leave.
The temple stood beyond the mountains, and every sunrise, the palace—its origins lost to time—would gleam with radiant golden light, an existence starkly out of place amid the primitive and untamed forest.
Hermes spread his wings and soared toward the temple, his speed so great that only a fleeting afterimage remained in his wake. The moment he caught sight of the Zerg King’s massive form in the distance, he swiftly folded his wings and dove downward.
At the same time, three sharp “whoosh” sounds echoed from the dense forest behind him—three other divine attendants had arrived as well.
[Our king—]
The four divine attendants descended from the air, their black robes billowing in the wind. With their right hands pressed to their shoulders, they knelt on one knee before the Zerg King in a display of absolute reverence and submission.
Taking advantage of the formal salute, Gayan shot a vicious glare at Hermes. The last time they had fought, his arm had been brutally torn off—it had taken considerable effort to regenerate the lost limb, and now, he was itching to tear Hermes apart in return.
Xue Po, on the other hand, remained indifferent to the tension, paying no mind to anything beyond himself. He simply lowered his head and carefully smoothed out his golden hair, making sure not a single strand fell to the ground and gathered dust.
Dongning was the quietest among all the divine attendants. But his silence was different from Hermes’ glacial indifference—it was more like a fragile blade of grass buried in the dirt, bowing low in the face of a raging storm, struggling merely to survive.
The Zerg King had just laid a golden egg. As its massive body slowly writhed, an insatiable hunger gnawed at it, growing ever more intense. Its once-pure white exoskeleton had taken on a sickly yellow hue, wrinkling like a serpent preparing to shed its skin.
But only Hermes understood what this truly meant—the Zerg King was aging, its life nearing its end. Desperate to prolong its existence, it had been devouring food with reckless abandon, hoping to force itself into another molting cycle.
If it could successfully molt, the Zerg King would gain another two hundred years of life.
[Food…]
[Offer the food you have brought…]
At the Zerg King’s command, Hermes flipped his wrist, and a glowing blue orb of energy materialized in his palm. Without hesitation, he sent it soaring toward the Zerg King.
[My king, please enjoy.]
Xue Po and Gayan followed suit, offering the energy they had gathered from their hunts. The Zerg King devoured everything in an instant, but then suddenly noticed that one of the divine attendants had yet to act.
Irritated, it twisted its massive body toward Dongning’s direction and flicked its tail impatiently.
[Dongning, where is your food?!]
Dongning hesitated for a brief moment before slowly opening his palm. A pitifully small orb of blue energy drifted toward the Zerg King.
[My king, please enjoy.]
A sharp, furious screech—something between a hiss and a snarl—escaped the Zerg King. Without warning, it seized Dongning’s throat with its psychic power, lifting him helplessly into the air. He convulsed violently, struggling as suffocation overtook him.
The meager offering had enraged the Zerg King beyond measure. Its deep, rumbling voice trembled with fury.
[Dongning! I require endless food! Not this pathetic morsel fit for an ant’s teeth!]
Dongning gasped for air, his face flushing red as he struggled to speak.
[My king… The large beasts in the forest are nearly extinct… If we continue hunting without restraint… when winter arrives, we will have no prey left…]
[You have already laid a golden egg… It will succeed you as the next Zerg King… According to the temple’s laws… you should use your own energy to hatch it…]
Before Dongning could finish speaking, his body was suddenly flung through the air like a severed kite. He crashed to the ground with a heavy “thud.”
[Dongning! You deserve to die!]
[There is only one king of the temple—me! Only me!!]
A raging inferno of fury ignited within the Zerg King, its psychic energy surging in wild, uncontrollable waves. The searing pain in Hermes and the others’ minds intensified, forcing them to stagger despite themselves.
Then, the Zerg King’s voice rang out in their consciousness, an undeniable command:
[Kill Dongning for me!]
[Kill him!]
Xue Po’s eyes widened in shock.
[My king!]
The four of them had grown up together and later entered the temple as one. Though they had long maintained a distant, indifferent coexistence, they were still of the same kind. Even considering Dongning’s status as a divine attendant, the Zerg King should not have sentenced him to death so easily!
Gayan looked on with schadenfreude, while Hermes remained utterly indifferent.
The Zerg King channeled its psychic energy, invading Dongning’s mind with the intent to crush him instantly. But to its surprise, Dongning dared to resist.
Dongning struggled to withstand the Zerg King’s psychic assault as he slowly pushed himself up from the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the golden egg resting in the deep pit. Then, before anyone could react, he lunged forward and snatched it into his arms. In the next instant, his wings unfurled, and with a sharp “whoosh,” he shot toward the dense forest. In the blink of an eye, he had vanished without a trace.
Gayan gasped in shock: [My king! Dongning has stolen the egg!]
Every Zerg King, upon nearing the end of its lifespan, would lay a single golden egg. If hatched, the creature inside would become the next Zerg King—born with vast psychic power from the moment it broke free of its shell. Without a doubt, it posed a significant threat to the current ruler.
The Zerg King had originally planned to devour the egg to replenish its strength, but now, Dongning had stolen it. Enraged, it slammed its tail heavily against the ground, its voice thundering with fury: [Why are you all just standing there?! Go after Dongning and bring him back at once!]
[Kill him! No matter the cost!]
At the Zerg King’s furious command, Hermes and the others had no choice but to bow and obey: [Yes, my king.]
Dongning was far too fast, and the dense, shadowy forest made tracking him even more difficult. Hermes, Xue Po, and the others soared into the sky, following the faint traces of Dongning’s lingering aura. But their pursuit came to an abrupt halt before a great waterfall—his trail had vanished without a trace.
The roaring waterfall drowned out any lingering scent.
Gayan gritted his teeth. [Damn it! We’ll split up and search!]
Xue Po, however, was far less enthusiastic about the chase. As he absentmindedly fussed over his golden hair, he muttered, [What’s the point? The Zerg King is already using its psychic power to restrain Dongning’s mind. Even if we don’t pursue him, it can kill him on its own.]
Gayan’s expression darkened. [Xue Po, are you daring to defy the Zerg King’s command?!]
Xue Po sighed and reluctantly looked up. [Then tell me—where exactly are we supposed to chase him?]
Gayan hesitated for a moment before deciding. [You head south, I’ll go east, and Hermes will take the west…]
Before Gayan could finish speaking, a sudden gust of wind rushed past his ears. Then—bam!—a heavy blow struck his chest, sending him staggering backward. He collapsed to the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood. [Pff—!]
[Who do you think you are, daring to give me orders?!]
Hermes despised being told what to do. He cast a cold glance at Gayan, then, without another word, unfurled his wings with a sharp whoosh and shot off toward the east.
Dongning’s territory was in the east—he had most likely fled in that direction to hide. Gayan’s real intention was obvious: capturing Dongning to claim credit for himself. But Hermes saw through his petty scheme with perfect clarity.
Gayan’s previous injury had yet to fully heal. Seeing Hermes take off, he panicked and was about to give chase when Xue Po suddenly blocked his path. [Where do you think you’re going?]
Gayan shot him a glare. [Obviously, to capture Dongning!]
Xue Po tilted his head. [But didn’t you just say we should split up? Hermes went east, so shouldn’t we be heading south and west?]
Gayan choked on his words, unwilling to accept it but unable to refute. In the end, he had no choice but to comply. With a frustrated glare, he turned and flew west, while Xue Po lazily headed south.
Unbeknownst to them, not long after they left, a dark figure reappeared on the horizon—it was none other than Hermes, who had doubled back. He folded his wings and landed at the edge of the waterfall, his gaze fixed coldly on the lake’s surface, where the rushing currents had shattered its reflection into countless fragments.
[How much longer do you plan to hide underwater?]
Silence. No one answered him—only the deafening roar of water crashing down from the cliffs above.
Hermes was never one for patience. He frowned and spoke again, his voice colder this time. [I’ll say it one last time—come out.]
The moment his words fell, there was a loud splash—and suddenly, Dongning emerged from the water. He had long discarded his black robe. Now, drenched from head to toe, he clutched the golden zerg egg tightly in his arms, his expression wary as he fixed his gaze on Hermes. [How did you find me?]
[That’s none of your concern.]
Hermes stood on the shore, towering like an untouchable deity. Slowly, he extended his slender, pale right hand, fingers steady as they pointed directly at Dongning. His voice was cold, each word deliberate. [Will you hand it over yourself, or shall I kill you and take it?]
Dongning was already struggling to resist the mental assault from the Zerg King. His strength was nearly spent. His lips trembled, drained of color, yet despite his exhaustion, he instinctively tightened his grip around the golden egg in his arms. [Hermes… You can’t destroy this egg. It is the next king of our kind…]
[Life is finite. The Zerg King has reached its end, yet it greedily seeks more energy to prolong its life. The creatures of the forest are vanishing one by one… Sooner or later, the gods will bring down their punishment.]
[When it can no longer satisfy its hunger, it will turn on its own kind. When winter arrives this year… all of you will be slaughtered.]
Pain twisted his features—evidence that the Zerg King was ravaging his mind from afar. His steps faltered as he staggered forward, each movement more unsteady than the last. Finally, with a thud, he collapsed at Hermes’ feet. Desperation flickered in his fading eyes as he reached up, weak fingers grasping the hem of Hermes’ robes. His voice was barely above a whisper. [Hermes… We… we need a new king…]
[Hermes… I don’t think life should be only about slaughter and reproduction… I’m tired of this existence…]
From his lofty stance, Hermes gazed down at Dongning, his expression unreadable. A fleeting trace of mockery flickered in his eyes.
Tired?
Dongning must have lost his mind.
Their lives were meant for reproduction and slaughter—what else could they possibly do? Learn to graze on grass like the feathered dragons?
As if reading Hermes’ thoughts, Dongning’s lips pulled into a weak smile. [Hermes… we can still look at the flowers by the roadside… the clear streams at the bottom of the lake… the sun rising slowly over the mountains…]
[The ancient texts in the temple say… we must learn something called emotion… Only when we learn it… can we avoid our own extinction…]
Among the four divine attendants, Dongning was the most intelligent. He was the first to learn “compassion” but what he truly wished was for the powerful Hermes to understand it as well.
[Please… don’t hand over the egg…]
Dongning’s voice grew weaker and weaker until, at last, he suddenly clutched his throat, letting out a muffled groan. His eyes widened in terror as an unfamiliar force surged through him, ravenously draining his life away. His youthful skin withered at an alarming speed, collapsing like a deflating balloon. A sharp, pained gasp escaped his throat—
The Zerg King had seized control of his mind. In the blink of an eye, Dongning was dead. His body struck the ground with a dull thud, then shriveled and darkened, becoming no more than a brittle husk. The wind stirred, carrying his remains away like dust scattered into the void.
“Rumble—”
The golden zerg egg, freed from any restraint, rolled across the grass and came to a stop at Hermes’ feet. Bathed in sunlight, it gleamed with a brilliant golden radiance, its surging life force reminding Hermes of the creature he kept in his cave.
He bent down, picked up the egg, and weighed it in his palm. Then, without hesitation, he turned and walked away—not toward the temple, but in the direction of his secluded cave.
He felt nothing toward Dongning’s death—because no one had ever taught him “compassion.”
By the time the sun was high in the sky, Lin Kong finally stirred from his slumber. Still lying in bed, he stretched lazily, his eyes not yet fully open when he caught sight of a dark figure standing at the entrance of the cave.
There was no need to look closely; he already knew it was Hermes.
Lying in bed, Lin Kong drowsily asked, “You’re back… Went hunting again?”
Hermes said nothing, simply tossing a warm, golden object into Lin Kong’s arms. The latter let out a pained grunt and instinctively caught it. When he looked down, he found himself holding a gleaming golden egg, momentarily stunned. “What… is this?”
Hermes, as terse as ever, replied: [An egg.]
Lin Kong rubbed his eyes and, hugging the egg—which was even larger than a basketball—sat up excitedly, unable to hide his delight. “So you went to get me bird eggs?! That’s great! I haven’t had eggs in half a month!”
Hermes frowned at his words, reaching out to press down on the egg in Lin Kong’s arms. [You can’t eat it.]
Lin Kong immediately looked displeased. “Why not?”
Hermes coldly reminded him, [It’s a zerg egg.]
“A zerg egg? So what? Why can’t I eat a zerg egg? Zerg eg—”
As Lin Kong spoke, his expression suddenly changed. He abruptly looked up at Hermes, then lowered his gaze to the egg in his arms. Stammering, he asked, “T-This… This egg isn’t yours, is it?!”
Hermes: […]
Support me on ko-fi for more additional updates~ ʚ(´꒳`)ɞ
![The Rebirth of the Last Days and Return to [Fang] Hao](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/image_2021-09-11_143139.png "The Rebirth of the Last Days and Return to [Fang] Hao")