As the two drew closer, they discovered that the light source shining in the darkness was neither an exit nor a trap.
It was a translucent crystal. The light was simply the glow emitted by the excess Honkai energy as the crystal continuously absorbed it.
The insects coming from the hollow would approach and merge into the crystal. After three or four merged, a larger insect would emerge from the crystal.
These larger insects would then leave, find a place in the hive to settle, and secrete mucus to envelop themselves, becoming a new insect egg.
After witnessing all this, the two immediately understood that the insect eggs were actually queen candidates in incubation. Once the old queen died, one of the eggs would hatch a new Insect Queen.
"It seems this crystal is the real King Insect. As long as we destroy it, there won't be any new queens."
Bronya cocked her rifle and aimed at the crystal. "Attacking the crystal might cause the mucus on our bodies to lose its effect, and we'll be swarmed by the insects.
While the mucus is still working, let's both use our strongest attacks and try to shatter the crystal in one go."
"Okay."
The crystal's hardness was strongly correlated with its proximity to the Insect Queen. The closer the queen, the harder it was. And now, with the queen absent, it meant...
*Bang—*
Under the simultaneous fire from Penglaiji Ryn and Bronya, the crystal shattered like glass hit by a boulder.
As the crystal exploded, all the insects' movements abruptly halted. The Honkai patterns on their bodies faded, and their lives extinguished.
"Tch, to think the real King Insect was a hidden crystal... Was the queen just its guard?"
Penglaiji Ryn picked up a few scattered crystal fragments, planning to take them back to the base for research. Maybe Yiselian could even process them into weapons or accessories.
"A lucky break, that's all. If we hadn't entered the hive, if we hadn't been covered in this liquid and treated as one of them, we probably would have been overwhelmed by a massive swarm of insects outside.
Let's finish gathering and go. We can send people to collect the insect remains later. For now, let's rendezvous with Ryn and the others."
"Right."
An Insect Queen can survive for a period after losing the crystal and is fully capable of reconstructing a complete one.
Unfortunately, the small queen in Ryn's hands was not a normally born one; all her nutrients came from the old queen that gave birth to her. So, the moment the crystal was destroyed by Bronya and the others, the small queen died with it.
After meeting up with Penglaiji Ryn, Ryn carried the four of them by hand and flew out of the hive's deep pit.
But upon the Homu Throne, an unexpected person was waiting for them.
The Queen of Thunder—Raiden Mei was sitting on her throne like a proud king, looking down upon Ryn and the others below as if they were rebellious subjects.
"Mei...?" Ryn looked at this most familiar stranger and called out softly.
"Big Sis Mei? Is that you, Big Sis Mei?!" The moment Bronya saw Mei, she completely lost control of her emotions and wanted to rush to her side to get a better look.
But Seele held Bronya back tightly, preventing her from charging forward. From any angle, Mei looked extremely dangerous right now.
Faced with their calls, Mei only glanced at Ryn, a trace of confusion appearing in her eyes, but she quickly shifted her gaze to Penglaiji Ryn.
"Penglaiji Ryn... I told you... if you didn't leave... I would kill you."
*Huh? Wasn't that a dream...*
Before Penglaiji Ryn had much time to think, Mei's eyes glowed red. Then, the insect eggs behind the throne, which should have died with the crystal's destruction, all hatched at once.
They were clearly stronger and larger than the previous insects, and their bodies flickered with lightning.
*BZZZZZZ!!*
The insects formed a black tide and charged towards the four of them. Seeing the insects rush past the Homu Throne and engulf Mei, Bronya broke free from Seele's grasp and ran towards her.
"Big Sis Mei!! I'm coming to save you!"
"Big Sis!" "Bronya!"
Penglaiji Ryn and Seele grabbed Bronya together, constantly retreating.
"Let go of me! Big Sis Mei is right in front of me!"
"Calm down, Bronya! Something is strange about Big Sis Mei, and the insects are avoiding her! There's definitely something wrong here!
Besides, there are too many of them, we can't handle it. Ryn, clear a path, we need to retreat first! Ryn! Ryn?"
Seele shouted loudly for Ryn. Right now, only Ryn could clear a path for them to escape through this swarm.
But where was Ryn?
The moment the swarm surged forward and engulfed the throne, Ryn appeared by Mei's side, looking at the true king of Nagazora City.
The insects avoided the Homu Throne where Mei sat, even forming a barrier with their bodies to prevent any from accidentally falling and touching her.
*And here I was, wondering who the 'esteemed adult' the Insect Queen spoke of was...*
*Their true master, whose existence is engraved in their very genes. Who else could it be but the Third Herrscher who triggered the Great Honkai Eruption in Nagazora City, whose Honkai energy radiation led to the birth of countless Honkai Creatures—Raiden Mei?*
Mei looked up at the man beside her. He looked a lot like Penglaiji Ryn, and like Penglaiji Ryn, he had traces of Kiana on him, which made Mei feel puzzled.
"Who... are you?"
Ryn extended a hand to Mei. "Ryn. My name is Ryn. Though this is our first time meeting, in another timeline, we were very close lovers. It's good that the you in this world is still alive. Bronya and the others are all waiting for you to come back. Would you like to come with us?"
Just as Bronya, even after seeing Mei awaken the insect swarm to attack them, was still determined to take Mei away, Ryn also had an indescribable feeling for Mei. Even knowing this wasn't *his* Mei, he still chose to believe in her.
"Heh..." Mei's lost and sorrowful eyes suddenly sharpened.
Mei gently placed her hand on Ryn's outstretched one. Their current pose was like that of a knight helping his queen to her feet.
If only it were that harmonious and loving.
"Die, you frivolous piece of trash. My only lover is Kiana."
Mei's gaze turned instantly glacial. She directly electrolyzed the hand that was touching Ryn's. Starting from the palm, Ryn's right hand continuously disintegrated into atoms.
To prevent it from spreading to his torso, Ryn severed his own right arm. The arm that fell to the ground instantly vanished into atoms.