Green light flickered across Ainz's body in waves, and within ten seconds, his Forced Calmness had triggered three or four times. He gaped, looking at Demiurge beside him. "What are they doing…"

"Ainz-sama… they are likely… propagating, I suppose?"

Demiurge admitted that he had been struck hard by some indescribable mental magic.

When it came to cruelty, bloodshed, or slaughter, he had seen it all… and even found it amusing. But where had he ever seen a scene like this?

"——Ainz-sama."

Albedo's icy voice rang out behind Ainz. He didn't even need to turn around to feel the killing intent emanating from behind him, which had nearly condensed into a physical form.

"Please allow me to personally deal with these two ignorant and shameless creatures. To dare perform such filthy acts in front of the Supreme Being! They are not qualified to serve Ainz-sama!"

"Let me—"

However, Albedo's roar came to an abrupt halt. Seeing Ainz slightly raise his right hand, she immediately understood and fell silent.

Ainz snapped his fingers, and a black flame ignited on Entoma and Kyouhukou. The power of this flame was not lethal, but it was enough to burn low-level servants like them into serious injury. But what Ainz found strange was… even as they suffered, they refused to stop, continuing their self-forgetful propagation.

"So that's it… are all insectoids affected? No wonder Cocytus…"

Ainz slowly lifted his head. After the farce that had just occurred, the Vermin Star on the Celestial Screen had been covered by a writhing, rolling "dark cloud" at some point—the air was filled with swarms of flying insects, and they were monotonous, repeating only one behavior—propagation.

——Arcane. Zaun.

Pushing open the door to Singed's laboratory, a pungent odor mixed with corrosive fluids and alchemical reagents rushed to meet him.

Under the dim light, the laboratory tables were covered in various sticky, intertwined insects. Their carapaces shimmered with a metallic luster in the eerie green culture fluid, making Silco feel nauseous just looking at them.

"You've gathered these insects in heat together; could it be that you want to research biological weapons?" Silco frowned, looking down at the iron cage placed in the corner of the laboratory—inside was a juvenile Stone Beetle and a Scarab from Shurima—he really couldn't understand how anyone in the Zaun black market would sell these.

Although they were both beetles, they were completely different creatures—even Silco could tell at a glance, yet at this moment, the two insects were squeezed together as if lingering, looking quite affectionate.

Singed did not turn around; his hunched back swayed in front of the experimental table. His fingers were fiddling with two completely different insects—their abdominal cavities had been artificially cut open and then forcibly connected with alchemical conduits. Viscous solution flowed through the pipes, and the two insects spasmed in pain, unable to break free.

"Don't you find it fascinating?" Beneath Singed's slightly hoarse voice was undisguised fanaticism and excitement. "Look, they clearly come from different species, yet under the drive of 'The Propagation,' they fuse… creating a new species!"

Silco stared coldly at the test subjects; he had no interest in the experiments. Compared to creating insects… how to make those high-and-mighty, self-righteous bastards in the upper city crawl at his feet was the topic that interested him.

"And then? Do you want to use the insects you've created to deal with the upper city?"

"Not just that." Singed looked up at the Celestial Screen. At this moment, the image on the Celestial Screen was almost entirely occupied by the overwhelming swarms of insects. They were splitting and devouring at a geometric rate, and all the vegetation on the Vermin Star was covered in a thick layer of insects.

"The Aeon of 'The Propagation' has appeared. Although it is only a virtual product in the Simulated Universe, a part of its power has truly influenced the insects across the entire Valoran continent."

"Creating insects that can serve in war is indeed one of my current projects." Singed's voice was like a viper's whisper. "But I want to know more about the form in which the power of 'The Propagation' exists within these insects… if it could be extracted and used for my own purposes… that would be very interesting."

"Attempting to touch the power of an Aeon? Doctor, you've got some nerve, and I like it. If you need any help later, just ask."

Silco turned and walked toward the door, his prosthetic eye flashing a crimson red in the shadows. "But if this power gets out of control… I will burn this place to the ground myself, Doctor."

【The sky of the Vermin Star is dark red, like a festering scab. Yet the sky in Stelle's eyes is black; dense swarms of insects are mating in the sky, like black blood flowing from a scab.】

【After mating, the swarms give birth to brand-new branches, and the branches combine with other branches, like a rose constantly changing its form, its petals coupling with one another. The Propagation of the swarms is just like flowers emitting pheromones of different nectar scents… ugliness and sweetness piling upon each other…】

【The sound of flapping wings is like billions of hearts beating in synchronization; Stelle can feel her eardrums trembling, as if insects have already burrowed into her head, constantly making buzzing sounds.】

【But even in this suffocating chaos—】

【Stelle also felt a gaze.】

【It was not from the swarm, nor from Herta. It was from some older, more distant existence. That gaze seemed to pierce through the dimensions of the universe, like a cold metal probe, gently pressing against her spinal cord.】

【"Stelle… do you feel it?" This time, Herta's voice appeared directly in her mind. "It is watching us—no, to be precise, it is watching 'The Propagation' Tayzzyronth."】

【"Who?"】

【"'Order'—Ena." Herta said. "The Path of Order is to lead the universe into eternal harmony, and that is also Ena's will. It is observing 'The Propagation,' likely wanting to see if this new student Aeon can interfere with or influence 'Order,' right?"】

【The scene before her eyes switched rapidly. The noisy swarms filling the sky disappeared, replaced by a vast ocean.】

【The waves broke into white foam at Stelle's feet. Each time they receded, it seemed to take away some of the insect blood stuck to her feet—but there were no insects in this world; let alone insects, it seemed there weren't even many people. In the distance, some unknown seabird was calling, its sound so harsh that it made her feel a bit nostalgic.】

【Having stayed on the Vermin Star for so long, any animal made her feel incredibly close.】

【"Where have you brought me now?" Stelle took a deep breath. The warm sea breeze slightly dispelled the psychological shadows she had from the Vermin Star.】

【"Manderley Island on Planet Dalapul." Herta spoke leisurely. "This is the first world that 'The Propagation' descended upon after ascending to become an Aeon."】