The Collection of The End

――.12――

Blackwater Outpost.

This familiar form of invisibility…

Raynor raised his hand, stopping the other rangers from aiming their guns at Kerrigan.

"Do you know Nova?" He asked a question that had no effect and was designed to induce the other party to reveal more information.

"Haha, that girl directly caused the Federation to abandon the 'Ghost' plan. Thanks to her, I am unemployed." Kerrigan also said nothing useful, only revealing that she was no longer a ghost of the Federation, and she was with them. There's just no conflict.

Renault has heard about this. It is said that after the war broke out, the number of "ghost" defections increased sharply, causing the Tyranid Federation to start training male-only "ghosts".

As for the reason, the public statement seems to be that women have relatively delicate minds. In peacetime, it is nothing to do espionage and infiltration work. However, after the civil war among humans breaks out, it is easy to be moved by some people or things on the enemy side and turn against them.

Another theory circulating privately is that the Federation used some method similar to "infusing knowledge" into clones to control ghosts, and those "ghosts" only awakened their true selves after the war broke out.

In the occasional contact, although Nova did not explain clearly, she hinted that the truth was closer to the second type.

As the daughter of a congressman, when she became a ghost out of interest, because she was "one of our own", of course no one would let her use that set of tools. In the end, she was the one who blew up the trap.

"So, this 'former ghost' lady, why did you just say that you don't recommend that we retreat temporarily?" Renault changed the subject.

Although it is not impossible to continue to ask her about when she got involved in the Rangers and what her original purpose was, looking at the "bugs" in the "silt" around her, it is obviously not the right time to waste time now.

"I'm here to investigate this mine. Do you know what it produces?" Kerrigan continued without waiting for Renault's response: "It's terazine, a necessary material for cultivating ghosts."

"oh……"

After hearing the name of this rare mineral that can be used to stimulate psychic energy, in addition to "ghosts", it can also be used by medical soldiers, Renault made a dozen possible guesses in an instant, including federal secret experiments, Underground creatures mutate, release biological weapons, and even the nonsensical conjecture that those bugs are the legendary "ghosts" has emerged.

But in the end, he just said calmly and waited for Kerrigan to continue explaining.

"No, I don't know what those 'bugs' are," Kerrigan seemed to understand Raynor's words: "I just watched the whole process of your scouts fighting these things, escaping, and calling for reinforcements. .”

"In other words, they will change a lot in a short period of time?" Renault reasoned.

"Chief Raynor, you are indeed as sharp as the rumors say," Kerrigan praised first, and then said: "To put it simply, the number of bugs wandering in the outpost base now is twice as many as when your scouts escaped. .”

"This..." Renault turned his head and glanced at Jimmy, and made a quick calculation based on the time of the previous call: "If we leave, we will face at least twenty times the number of bugs next time we come back?"

"This data is based on the premise that the speed at which they obtain 'biomass' and the efficiency of collecting terrazine will not change." Kerrigan shook his head slightly: "We all know that they will not maintain the status quo."

"Biomass?" Renault repeated an unfamiliar term.

"Except for stone and air, anything that can be called 'living things' can be counted as 'biomass'," Kerrigan said: "I think you have also seen the barren land left after the 'silt' recedes. "

As if to support Kerrigan's words, in the opposite direction to Raynor's raid, the "silt" came into contact with a small forest. The trees that were not strong fell down and "melted" into the mud in an instant.

At the same time, three things that looked like the "tumors" that Reno had exploded suddenly swelled up in the "mud" below the "infected command center".

Renault raised his gun vigilantly, but due to the range, he couldn't hit those "tumors" even if he fired.

"Give up. This kind of 'evolutionary chrysalis' is almost indestructible. Look -"

Tsk-bang!

Raising the gun, aiming, and shooting, all at once, there was only a faint white smoke dissipating from the muzzle of the "Widowmaker" in Kerrigan's hand, and only one of the three things she called "evolutionary chrysalis" in the distance suddenly shook. There was no sign of collapse or explosion. The insects passing by it roared at it for no apparent reason, and resumed their running mode again.

"They will devour any biomass they encounter and transform it into part of their own group. Those tereazines should play a key role, but I can't guess how." Kerrigan said in a group of swimmers The cavalry put away the gun again with a vigilant look.

"I think... Mar Sara is an agricultural planet?" Scout Jimmy seemed to have discovered the key: "Those vegetables, grains and livestock..."

"The trouble is big," Renault frowned: "Even if we evacuate the inhabitants of the planet in an emergency, we will never have time to transport away those things that can serve as 'biomass'. And with their 'reproduction' speed, once we temporarily retreat, The next time it comes, it will occupy most of Marsala, and judging from the new varieties there, there may be types that can fly or even enter the universe..."

As if to prove Renault's statement, the three "evolutionary pupae" suddenly exploded, and five bugs jumped out of them - except for the big seahorse-like bug that beheaded one pupa alone, the remaining two pupae unexpectedly Two of the bugs that had besieged the scouts jumped out of each one.

This hatching speed made Renault's rangers look bad.

"Hahaha! Then there is only one answer, isn't it?" Tychus clicked twice to load his bolter: "Let's rush forward now and blast these damn bugs!"

Renault was silent for a moment, and found that there was really no additional option, unless he gave up his foothold in the Sara galaxy and became a wandering mercenary group again.

"I think..." He looked at Kerrigan: "You showed up specifically and pointed out this fact. You must be ready to assist us?"

"Happy to oblige," Kerrigan seemed to smile, and pulled down the mask with goggles to cover her face again. The whole person quickly disappeared into the air, and only the voice still echoed: "[Commander.]"