Chapter 12: The Broodmother of Whispering Insects

The first fruit bestowed upon Chen Xian the Mortal Level chapter of the Supreme Chaos Manual.

The second fruit brought him the Dragon Elephant Divine Fist and the Secret Art of Spiritual Manipulation.

Now, the treasures within the third fruit filled Chen Xian with anticipation.

His consciousness enveloped the fiery red fruit as he uttered, “Harvest!”

The third fiery red fruit dropped, splitting open with a crisp crack, dividing neatly in two. A dazzling red light shone forth, revealing an object about the size of a fingernail.

Upon closer inspection, Chen Xian saw it was a small red worm, its entire body crystalline and translucent, banded with rings of markings. At first glance, it seemed utterly unremarkable.

“A worm… What’s this?”

Just as Chen Xian’s surprise mounted, wisps of awareness surged into his mind.

“This insect is called the Breath-Stealing Queen. Take it out, let a drop of your blood fall upon it and claim it as your own, then you’ll discover its purpose. To extract the insect from your mind, a mere thought will suffice…”

“Who are you? Who exactly are you?” Chen Xian inquired silently.

From the moment the mysterious tree first bore fruit, he had received guidance from an enigmatic consciousness, instructing him on how to harvest the fruits.

But, as before, his question received no reply.

Chen Xian did not pursue it further; there was no use.

“Breath-Stealing Queen?”

Curiosity piqued, he followed the method imparted by the mysterious consciousness. With a thought, he prepared to summon the insect.

Whoosh!

Without warning, something materialized and landed in his palm.

Chen Xian opened his eyes to find the fingernail-sized red worm resting in his hand, radiating a subtle warmth.

He picked up the scar-faced woman’s dagger, made a shallow cut on his fingertip, and let a drop of bright red blood fall upon the fiery worm.

Buzz—

Immediately, the insect responded. Crimson halos pulsed outward from the Breath-Stealing Queen, rippling through the air. The drop of blood transformed into a grain-sized runic mark, which embedded itself in the insect’s head.

At once, Chen Xian sensed a soul connection forming between him and the insect. With a mere thought, he could extinguish the queen’s soul and end its life—a truly wondrous sensation.

Simultaneously, a torrent of information about the Breath-Stealing Queen flooded his mind.

Suddenly, the wail of sirens, growing rapidly louder, pierced the air.

Chen Xian’s eyes snapped open. The police had arrived. With a thought, he recalled the Breath-Stealing Queen beneath the mysterious tree within his mind, ready to study it further back at school.

Soon, a squad of heavily-armed officers burst into the alley. Leading them was a young policewoman in her twenties, her striking figure filling out her uniform with proud curves and graceful lines.

Her face was finely sculpted, with a delicate jaw, a high nose bridge, and large, keen eyes. Gun in hand, her gaze was sharp and vigilant as she charged into the alley, exuding a commanding presence that made her stand out from the crowd.

Chen Xian could not help but steal a second glance. She was a true beauty, more dazzling than many famous actresses.

Yet her expression was cold, radiating an aura that kept others at a distance.

The policewoman saw five robbers bound tightly with duct tape, lying like dumplings in the alley. Glancing at the shell casings, firearms, and bloodstains on the ground, she understood that an intense gunfight had taken place here not long before, her expression growing grimmer.

At last, her gaze settled on a tall, healthy young man with tanned skin and a large wrench in hand, standing in the corner of the alley. Surprise flickered across her lovely features as she asked, “Did you subdue these five robbers?”

The policewoman’s name was Fang Jing. The emergency center had reported that five gold robbers had been apprehended. Arriving on scene and seeing no one else, she surmised it was the young man’s doing.

A faint smile played on Chen Xian’s lips. “Officer, yes, I subdued them.”

“How did you do it?” Fang Jing pressed.

She knew these five were ruthless criminals—former mercenaries, trained soldiers accustomed to killing without hesitation. Even the police had to tread carefully when facing armed men like these; one misstep could mean casualties.

Yet this young man had single-handedly subdued all five without a scratch, armed with nothing but a wrench. It seemed impossible.

Chen Xian glanced at the five robbers and answered offhandedly, “They started fighting among themselves. I took advantage of the chaos and ambushed them. I’ve practiced martial arts.”

Of course, this was a lie—he had never trained in martial arts a day in his life. But it was the only explanation he could offer. Whether the police believed him or not, he dared not reveal his ability to absorb bullets.

Fang Jing studied Chen Xian intently, then nodded. “Come with me to the station for a detailed statement and to register your information. There will be a reward for your actions.”

Chen Xian nodded. This was his duty.

“Officer, may I ride my electric scooter? After the statement, I’ll need it to return to school,” he asked.

Fang Jing’s beautiful eyes flickered. “That’s fine.”

The City North Police Substation was only a few kilometers away.

Soon, Chen Xian arrived at the station, where Fang Jing personally took his statement. As deputy captain of the criminal investigation unit, she usually left such matters to junior officers, but her curiosity about the young man compelled her to handle it herself.

Twenty minutes later, Fang Jing finished the paperwork and said, “You can go now. When the reward is processed, our station will contact you.”

“By the way, will you keep my involvement in subduing the robbers confidential?” Chen Xian asked as he turned to leave.

He worried that, if the police released his information and the robbers had accomplices, he or his family might face retaliation.

Fang Jing’s delicate face grew even more serious. “Don’t worry, we will keep it confidential.”

“Thank you,” Chen Xian replied, his gaze lingering on the beautiful officer. “Officer, I enjoy catching criminals. If you ever need assistance, feel free to contact me. With my skills, I’m sure I can help.”

Subduing five robbers at once had caused the mysterious tree to bear two more fruits, and Chen Xian was eager for more. He realized that confronting criminals was an excellent way to hasten the tree’s fruiting.

Fang Jing was momentarily taken aback by his offer. She hadn’t expected him to be so righteous. She nodded. “If the police need help, we’ll call on you.”

“Officer, may I know your name?” Chen Xian asked before leaving.

“I’m Fang Jing,” she replied.

Chen Xian smiled. “Goodbye, Officer Fang.”

With that, he left the station.

Fang Jing watched his departing figure, her delicate fist clenching as she sighed.

Though a woman, she admired martial prowess—one reason she’d become a police officer. She had considered sparring with Chen Xian, but thought better of it.

As soon as he left, Fang Jing called a colleague over. “Pull up all information on Chen Xian—I want to see it.”

She was deeply curious, convinced the young man harbored secrets.

…

Chen Xian returned to his dormitory from the police station.

It was Saturday, and his roommates Zhang Xiaoshuai, Ma He, and Zhao Le were all out.

He locked the door, then, with a thought, summoned a red light from his forehead into his palm.

It was the mysterious Breath-Stealing Queen.

He hadn’t had a chance to study it closely in the alley with the police present. Now, with time to spare, he was determined to examine it thoroughly.

Chen Xian gazed at the queen, then closed his eyes, delving into the information it imparted.

“Breath-Stealing Queen…”