ABFMV Chapter 60 Part 1

Qiye tightened his grip on her hand and whispered, “It’s okay.”

Xu Linlang squinted, half-believing him, half-doubtful. She was terrified of seeing something especially gruesome.

Yet Karola simply lunged forward and then fell to the ground. It seemed he wasn’t seriously injured, but he had clearly taken some damage.

Could it have been a killing blow?

Xu Linlang couldn’t help but take another careful look. Karola lay face down, completely still.

She asked, “Is he… dead?”

Qiye shook his head. “No.”

Relieved, Xu Linlang instinctively stepped back a few paces, still wary of a sudden counterattack. Better safe than sorry.

“What were those green particles just now?” she asked, puzzled.

From what she understood, Karola hadn’t wanted anyone to know of Qiye’s existence and had tried to eliminate him.

If it were an intentional assassination attempt, those green particles must have been the weapon.

Yet Qiye had returned the attack, and Karola was still alive. His resilience and defense were extraordinary. Xu Linlang couldn’t help but wonder if he was part turtle.

“The green particles don’t cause much physical harm,” Qiye explained, “but they can control a person’s every action, turning anyone who inhales them into a puppet.”

Xu Linlang frowned. “Then why not implant a chip? Using particles to control someone seems… primitive.”

Qiye smiled faintly. “The insects don’t trust technology. They trust themselves and their genes. This instinctive form of control appeals to them more.”

It was also a key reason for the insect race’s stagnation and decline.

If they were willing to learn and understand mecha technology, the consequences would be unimaginable. Strong bodies combined with advanced tech—if humans faced them head-on, the odds would be slim.

Sometimes, humans should be grateful for the insects’ ignorance and pride.

Xu Linlang nodded. “You know a lot.”

Qiye’s ears reddened slightly. “I only know what’s been passed down.”

Being praised like this, Qiye felt a rare sense of being needed—and he liked it. If possible, he wanted Xu Linlang to always need him.

Looking at the unconscious Karola, Xu Linlang asked, “So he inhaled the particles… does that mean you can control him?”

Qiye nodded. “I want to make him work for us.”

Xu Linlang’s eyes lit up. “Then we’ll know exactly what the insects are plotting, and we can track their movements in time.”

Qiye continued, “By instinct, Karola is likely a high-ranking insect—someone who can at least access the Insect Emperor. Through him, we can plan our counterattack and strategy.”

Xu Linlang smiled wryly. “Being kidnapped suddenly turned out to be a good thing—turns out there’s an unexpected reward. Way better than those blind missions the school assigns.”

Qiye smiled gently. “I agree.”

Hami, watching the two of them, clicked his tongue. “I didn’t put you two here to watch you flirt with each other.”

Xu Linlang blinked. “?”

Flirt? They were just having a positive, friendly exchange.

Xu Linlang said, “Since it’s all settled, Qiye and I are leaving. I’ve been out of contact for so long, my family must be worried.”

Hami narrowed his eyes slightly, still smiling. “After feeding and housing you all these days, and after you helped kill one of our Red Flame gang’s core members, now you’re just leaving?”

Xu Linlang retorted, “I’ve been your bait for days without asking for payment—that’s already generous. Besides, we also took care of the traitor in your gang and even neutralized the people the traitor colluded with. You should be satisfied.”

Hami’s eyes narrowed further, but the smile never left his face. “You’re overthinking. I just mean, after all these days together, leaving so abruptly… doesn’t that hurt our friendship a little?”

Qiye frowned slightly at the word friendship.

It made him inexplicably uneasy. Just thinking about them being in the same room all this time made him restless.

What if, during this time, Hami had ill intentions toward Xu Linlang?

What if Xu Linlang started to like him?

Either scenario would send his emotions into turmoil.

Just as Qiye was spiraling, Xu Linlang nonchalantly replied:

“What friendship? If you hadn’t tried to find my brother’s weakness, I wouldn’t have ended up on your ship thanks to a mix-up. Besides, why would I even be nice to my brother’s opponent?”

Without Qiye by her side, she might not have had the courage to say that. But now he was there, and she felt confident enough to speak her mind.

Hami’s expression didn’t change. “I like it when someone flips me off.”

Xu Linlang rolled her eyes.

With his usual crazy-game personality, anyone he was interested in got in trouble, and anyone he liked… well, let’s just say it wasn’t romantic affection—it was more like liking a toy.

Xu Linlang blinked. “If you have that much time, you’d better check your subordinates properly. Sometimes, seeing a single cockroach indoors could mean a hundred are hiding. You don’t really think there’s only one traitor among your people, do you?”

Hami raised an eyebrow. “The Red Flame gang infiltrated the Lilan Military Academy. You think there’s only one mole?”

Definitely not.

Even just hiding experimental subjects in the trial grounds couldn’t have been done without internal assistance.

But the question remained—were these moles collaborating with the Red Flame gang or secretly working with the insects?

The deeper she thought, the more convoluted it became.

But she didn’t need to discuss that with Hami.

Turning, Xu Linlang climbed into Qiye’s mecha. This time, Hami didn’t stop her.

Qiye followed and, with expert skill, piloted the mecha at incredible speed. Xu Linlang felt her heart racing.

It was like riding a supercharged drop tower.

She gripped the handles tightly, trying to reassure herself.

Soon, they arrived at Lilan Military Academy’s research center.