NOVEL NEXT 01
He Qin is a male zerg, and thanks to him, Earth has truly been saved—a fact he couldn’t have imagined just a week ago.
Sitting on the hospital bed, He Qin looked out at the rapeseed fields, reminiscing about his twenty years as an ordinary human being.
He had volunteered to join the international army in its fifth year of recruitment, just after turning fourteen, the minimum enlistment age set by the international army.
Before joining the army, his frail physique was often mocked by the drill instructors. In reality, for an Asian, He Qin’s build was above average for his age.
As luck would have it, he was assigned to a squad with over twenty members, none of whom were Asian. His companions were mostly tall and muscular Europeans or well-built African-Americans.
Being younger and smaller than his comrades, He Qin might have faced years of bullying in another squad.
Fate had always favored him; the big guys in his squad treated him like a little brother.
During his growth spurt, his fast metabolism and the army’s intense training left He Qin hungry in the middle of the night.
Eventually, someone told the drill instructor about his hunger. The harsh-tongued instructor secretly informed the mess hall staff to give He Qin an extra half-serving at each meal, ensuring he never went hungry again.
In his six years with the squad, these muscular men helped He Qin grow from an inexperienced teenager into a true soldier.
“Hey, Xiao Qin, time to head back. The captain said the zerg race officers are arriving soon,” a nearly two-meter-tall man shouted, waving at He Qin from a distance.
“Okay, bro, coming right away.” He Qin stood up from the dirt mound, brushed off his pants, and replied with a smile.
When there were no outsiders around, He Qin called the twenty-plus rugged men in his squad “brothers” because each one brought him the warmth of family.
He Qin quickly returned to the camp. “Assemble,” and the twenty-some soldiers promptly lined up in height order, standing at attention. He Qin, an Asian whose height was not exceptionally tall, stood at the back despite being over 1.8 meters.
He Qin was self-conscious about being shorter than his comrades, a fact that had once left him in low spirits. It was John who cheered him up with a Chinese saying he had heard somewhere: “At twenty-three, you’ll shoot up.” This brightened the eighteen-year-old He Qin, bringing back his sunny disposition.
“You all, give me 110% today. The zerg race will arrive on Earth in ten minutes. You will be the first humans they meet, and I expect you to show them our best. Remember, you are the face of humanity.”
This event, deemed a Level One Incident by the International Alliance, had the squad captain visibly nervous. Despite his stern demeanor, his trembling hands behind his back betrayed his anxiety.
Unlike Earth’s people, the high-ranking zerg race closely resembled humans but had much tougher bodies. To put it simply, if someone attacked a high-ranking zerg with an Earth weapon at close range, they wouldn’t be hurt at all.
Their skin was tough, and they had wings on their backs that were stronger than titanium. These wings usually remained folded, but in combat, they served as both weapons and shields.
On New Year’s Eve 2050, people were supposed to be celebrating with family and friends, welcoming the new year on the bustling streets.
Just as the countdown hit one second, the atmosphere started to see what looked like rapidly falling meteors.
Protected by the atmosphere, the outer layers of these massive stones began to burn up. However, once the outer layer was gone, hundreds or even thousands of ship-like structures appeared above Earth.
People began to scream and run in panic, while soldiers orderly moved into the city centers.
Before the ships in the sky could react, soldiers and government officials started evacuating civilians to the underground bunkers that had been prepared years in advance.
Since that day, humanity has been fighting against a multi-legged alien species resembling octopuses and other soft-bodied creatures.
Despite ten years of scientists working tirelessly to develop new weapons and the unity of humanity, all their efforts proved futile against the advanced technology of these high-intelligence aliens.
The aliens’ boast that they would conquer Earth within a month didn’t come true. Humanity held out for over half a year, and the aliens only managed to occupy 40% of the planet.
However, the situation wasn’t optimistic. The invaders had advanced technology and seemed to have an endless supply of forces, while human numbers were dwindling.
Now, nearly all capable fighters on the planet were concentrated within the international military.
A turning point occurred two weeks ago during a military meeting. The projection screen suddenly cracked, and a man appeared.
The man claimed to be a general of the high-ranking zerg race. Though he didn’t look old enough to be a general, he said the aliens attacking humanity were their enemies. He didn’t elaborate on the grudge.
These aliens, called the Saranites by the high-ranking zerg race, were cunning and constantly on the run in the solar system. They attacked weaker planets, extracted their resources, and fled again.
The high-ranking zerg race always arrived too late to catch the Saranites. This time, thanks to humanity’s fierce resistance, the Saranites had failed to conquer Earth for so long.
The high-ranking zerg race was on its way to Earth, and the blonde general expressed goodwill, saying they weren’t interested in invading other planets. They offered to help humanity in their fight and hoped to personally eliminate the Saranite leader.
The meeting was set in a remote desert, disliked by the Saranites, and the elite team stationed there was Qin He’s squad.
Thus, they became the first humans the high-ranking zerg race would meet.
The high-ranking zergs seemed like aristocrats who loved luxurious items. The holy, untouchable aura of the blonde general was undeniable, and even their ships shimmered in the sunlight, blinding the soldiers standing before them.
The hatch opened, and a silver-haired zerg stepped out, followed by a short-haired subordinate, likely his adjutant.
The high-ranking zergs surveyed their surroundings before a group of them, averaging 1.9 meters tall, descended from the ship.
These zergs were undoubtedly elite soldiers. Despite their opulent attire, their eyes revealed a fierce killing intent.
“Hello, I am the captain of the Fifth Battalion of the International Army, responsible for receiving you,” the captain said. Since the zergs had an adjutant, the human representative couldn’t be without one. He signaled He Qin to step forward.
Not wanting to embarrass his captain in front of the zergs and fearing the consequences in training, He Qin moved faster than usual.
He straightened his posture and followed the captain, consciously controlling his expression to appear more serious and dignified.
“Let’s discuss the alliance matters,” said the adjutant of the high-ranking zergs, returning a human military salute. Though the zerg general didn’t shake hands, the adjutant’s gesture showed respect.
The high-ranking zergs brought many advanced weapons for humanity to use in battle.
The most valuable gift, however, was the detailed information on the Saranites provided by the high-ranking zergs.
Humanity’s resistance over the past had been driven by sheer willpower and a sense of duty.
Compared to the Saranites, who had thoroughly investigated Earth, humans knew almost nothing about their invaders due to the difficulty and scarcity of gathering information.
The arrival of the high-ranking zergs was a godsend, a lifeline for all of humanity.