Alexei stayed in the room and talked with Ellie for a long time. He learned about the girl's background; she had lost her parents at a very young age.
Ellie's memories of the past were fragmented and chaotic. She didn't even know how she had managed to survive to this age; she only remembered being beaten frequently.
Every time the pain became unbearable, she would be beaten until she lost consciousness. Fortunately, whenever she woke up, her attackers would be gone, and the ground would be littered with charred chunks of meat. Because of this, she never lacked food.
Alexei's lip twitched slightly upon hearing this. Those people probably never imagined they were beating an Alpha-level psyker before they met their end.
Ellie mentioned that she had lived in an abandoned pipe. Occasionally, she would experience agonizing headaches, during which everything around her would be covered in a thin layer of frost. In a way, this was a blessing, as it allowed her to obtain clean water.
Until recently, she had met a middle-aged man who looked extremely exhausted. The man had affectionately patted her head, and then she had fallen into the most comfortable sleep of her life. When she woke up, she was here.
What a lucky girl, Alexei thought as he watched Ellie furrowing her brows, trying to recall more. If a Black Ship had found her, an uncontrollable Alpha psyker would have been "processed" immediately.
Just as he was about to speak, Abathur's voice echoed in his mind: "Master. Evolution complete."
Alexei patted Ellie on the shoulder. "I have to go for a bit. If you're bored, feel free to walk around outside. Those are my pets; don't be afraid."
After the girl nodded, Alexei left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar, and headed toward the center of the Hive. "Come, let me see the results of this evolution."
At the Hive's core, the Zerglings had undergone subtle changes. A pair of wings had sprouted from their previously bare backs, and the entire swarm seemed significantly more hyperactive.
"So... Cracklings? That's it?" Alexei felt a twinge of disappointment as he watched the Zerglings scurrying about in excitement.
Abathur slithered over from nearby. "Master. Swarm evolution finalized."
Sensing his master's disappointment, Abathur pointed an appendage at a Zergling to explain: "Zergling agility, greatly enhanced. Swarm Disruption Field, acquired. Incubation speed, significantly increased. Biomass requirement, reduced."
Oh? Alexei took a closer look. The light around the Zergling's razor-sharp claws seemed slightly distorted, as if an invisible substance enveloped its forelimbs.
"You mean... my swarm's melee attacks can now tear through almost any Power Armor?" He was overjoyed. Although the Zergling remained his primary force, and they were still physically fragile—vulnerable even to standard autogun fire—their numbers were their strength. One unit of biomass used to produce two Zerglings; now, with Abathur's upgrades, the production rate had effectively doubled.
"Perfect!" Alexei felt gratified. The corpses from the trade had provided several thousand units of biomass. Though a portion was spent on evolution, the remainder was enough to replace all previous losses and hatch thousands of Zerglings with combat power rivaling a Purestrain Genestealer.
The Swarm was beginning to take shape. Just as he was feeling ambitious, a weak voice spoke directly into his mind. "Big brother..."
Alexei turned around to see Ellie standing a short distance away, her hands trembling as she gripped her white skirt. Several Zerglings were excitedly circling her, and she looked toward him nervously.
"What's wrong?" Alexei shooed the Zerglings away and knelt down to Ellie's level.
"I... I think I heard someone calling me..." Ellie's voice was laced with confusion. "He told me to stay away from you... said... said you are a... bad person..."
"?" Alexei's face twisted in confusion, but then Abathur's warning blared in his mind: "Master. Hive Mind network... unknown psychic intrusion detected."
Alexei stood up abruptly. What could possibly hijack the Zerg's psychic network? His expression turned grim. The Zerg psychic network was essentially an independent local area network isolated from the rest of the world. Though it wasn't particularly strong yet due to the Swarm's small size, the fact that someone in the Underhive could invade it was terrifying. A Tzeentchian Sorcerer?
The nearby Zerglings instantly became frenzied. He closed his eyes and exerted his will to calm them.
After a moment, Abathur's voice returned: "Master. It is gone..."
"Was it a probe, or a warning?" Alexei opened his eyes. A hostile, unknown psychic master was out there.
"Figures. This Underhive really does have everything." His gaze shifted rapidly. He couldn't wait any longer; he had to strike first.
He comforted the anxious Ellie and asked Abathur to watch over her, then headed toward the Enforcer's room.
"He was chased here by Genestealers, meaning he was part of the operation to clear the gangs. I might be able to squeeze some information out of him."
Alexei reached the rusted iron door covered in Creep and slowly pushed it open. Kaider sat quietly against the wall, his eyes closed. The days of confinement had tested the man's resolve. He had no idea what the heretic intended to do with his gear. The thought of someone using his identity to bring disaster to the Hive City made him break out in a cold sweat, leaving him with nothing but silent prayers to the Emperor.
Creak. The sound of the door opening made him open his eyes. Kaider squinted at the man wearing his uniform. "What do you want this time?"
"It seems you've calmed down. We should talk," Alexei said, sitting on the floor opposite the man. "We haven't properly introduced ourselves. My name is Alexei..."
"I have no interest in a heretic's name." Kaider sat up straighter, his eyes fixed on the black-haired youth.
Alexei shrugged. He knew it was nearly impossible to convince a loyal citizen of the Imperium that someone controlling a swarm of xenos could be an ally. So, he decided to be direct.
"What was your mission objective that day?"
Kaider remained silent.
Alexei didn't mind. "Do you know about the Evolution Cult?"
Kaider's eyes flickered.
"I've decided to wipe them out. I assume that's your goal as well?"
"You're going to deal with them?" Kaider finally spoke, his voice tinged with surprise. In his eyes, both groups were equally heretical.
"Didn't I kill the Genestealer that was chasing you?" Alexei asked, somewhat frustrated by the man's rigidness.
Kaider opened his mouth but found no words. As a loyal subject of the Emperor, he simply couldn't bring himself to trust a xenos-controller.
Alexei sighed. "At least I'm not hostile toward you, right? And if I get rid of those heretics, it benefits you immensely." He pointed to the busy Swarm outside. "They are an extension of my consciousness; they obey my every command. So far, they haven't harmed a single loyal citizen of the Emperor. We can cooperate."
Alexei's tone was sincere. Kaider's resolve finally wavered. He hesitated for a long moment before letting out a deep sigh. "Fine... fine..."
The two then began a detailed conversation within the room.