I was just fishing, how did I become a Great Old One?

Chapter 312 Turning the Lord into a Hot Air Balloon and the "Brainwashing Service" of Seve

Koprulu Sector, Char Planet, High-Energy Gas Fountain Canyon.

"Buzz—Buzz—"

The roar of the electric drill and the hiss of the welding torch once again shattered the tranquility of the canyon.

The enormous, round Overlord was now obediently floating about ten meters above the ground. Its tentacles were secured to the ground by several thick steel cables, like a giant hydrogen balloon being tethered.

Underneath and on the back of this "balloon," several SCVs are climbing up and down, carrying out inhumane (scratch that, drastic) modifications.

"Boss, are you sure this thing won't explode?"

Swan stood on an elevator, holding blueprints in his hand, looking at the thick, still wriggling biological skin of the Queen Worm with a troubled expression.

"I need to drill holes in its chitinous shell and install a titanium alloy load-bearing bracket."

"It's alive!"

"What if it gets hurt, and a stress response causes it to overload all of my SCVs?"

"rest assured."

Jiang Li stood below, holding a large bowl of freshly prepared [High-Energy Gas Strawberry Milkshake] (actually, it was gas mixed with crushed alien dragon meat paste and some kind of red berry mineral).

"It's too busy right now to feel pain."

Jiang Li lifted the basin.

One of the king insect's antennae immediately stretched out and inserted itself into the basin like a straw.

"Glug glug—"

As the liquid was inhaled, the Queen Worm let out a comfortable humming sound, and its previously taut skin instantly relaxed, allowing the SCV to drill holes and nail into its body.

"Did you see that?"

Jiang Li smiled and said to Swan.

"For foodies."

"As long as there's something in your mouth."

"Even surgery (or home renovation) can be a pleasure."

……

[Project Code: The Hanging Gardens of Deep Blue]

Step 1: Abdominal hanging basket (private box area).

According to Jiang Li's design, Swann modified six semi-circular transparent viewing cabins on the underside of the Queen Insect's abdomen using the cargo pods of the Hercules.

These compartments are connected to the abdomen of the queen beetle via hydraulic arms.

Each private room contained a round table made of cockroach shells and four chairs made of spiked snake bones.

The floor is made of tempered glass.

Sitting inside, you can enjoy a 360° panoramic view of the lava and scorched earth below.

"This is called... a heavenly experience above hell."

Jiang Li tried sitting in it and was very satisfied.

Step 2: Back Terrace (VIP Area).

The back of the king beetle is relatively broad and flat.

Swan welded a circular viewing platform here.

A huge gas grill was set up in the middle.

The area was also equipped with railings and sunshades (which were actually made from the wing membranes of a dinosaur).

This is an open-air barbecue area. It's windy and has a wide view, perfect for gods like Nezha and Sun Wukong who love the wind.

Step 3: Powertrain (Hybrid Powertrain).

To prevent the king insect from being lazy or lacking energy.

Swann also thoughtfully added two Terran military-grade turbine thrusters to the tail of the Ohmu.

"Just feed it a mouthful of high-energy gas."

"And then, in conjunction with these two thrusters..."

"This fat guy can fly at the speed of a fighter jet!"

……

Interference with mental connections.

Just as the renovation project was nearing completion.

The king worm, which had been in a state of "eating and sleeping, sleeping and eating," suddenly trembled all over.

Its dozens of compound eyes simultaneously turned a dangerous blood red.

"hiss----!!"

It let out a painful scream.

The previously relaxed tentacles suddenly tensed, trying to break free from the steel cable on the ground.

"What's going on?!"

Tex raised his gun.

"Is it going to turn against us?!"

"No."

Jiang Li put down the milkshake bowl in her hand.

His gaze pierced through the red dust, looking towards the distant horizon.

"It's that woman (Kerrigan)."

"She discovered that her eyes (the king insect) had betrayed her."

"Attempting to... remotely format it."

……

The will of the ruler.

At this moment.

In the simple cerebral cortex of the king worm.

Two opposing forces are clashing fiercely.

One is an absolute, irresistible command from the swarm's overlord:

[Unit Z-404! Self-destruct immediately! Self-destruct immediately! For the Swarm!]

That immense psionic energy was like a red-hot branding iron, threatening to burn away the King Worm's central nervous system.

The king insect struggled painfully, its instincts telling it it had to obey.

Inside its body, the self-destructing acid sac begins to secrete acid, preparing to blow itself to pieces.

……

Whispers of gluttony.

"Want to die?"

"Have you asked your boss?"

Just as the King Worm was about to self-destruct.

A hand gently pressed down on one of its drooping tentacles.

Jiang Li's spiritual power (Gluttony Godhood) surged forcefully into the King Worm's brain along its tentacles.

If Kerrigan's will is like a stern military order...

Then Jiang Li's will is the most primal and tempting... appetite.

Self-destruction? Why would someone self-destruct?

Jiang Li's voice echoed in Wang Chong's mind.

If you die, you'll never be able to eat that delicious gas milkshake again.

Once you're dead, you'll never taste the deliciousness of Leviathan flesh again.

Following her (Kerrigan), you're just a disposable balloon.

Follow me, and you will become... the fattest and happiest mascot in the entire universe.

Choose.

[To be reduced to ashes... or... to be made into another pot?]

……

Godhood crushes: Awakening.

Between "survival" and "destruction".

Between "hunger" and "fullness".

Biological instincts triumphed over the subservient nature ingrained in our genes.

The king worm's acidic sac, which was about to boil, suddenly cooled down.

The cold "self-destruct command" in its mind was crushed by a huge, golden Chinese character—"eat"—.

"Waaaaah——————"

The blood-red color in the king insect's eyes faded.

Instead, there was a...wise (or rather, dull) deep blue light.

It severed the mental connection with the insect hive.

It is no longer the queen insect of the swarm.

It is... the "Airborne One" of the Deep Blue Cafeteria.

……

"Done."

Jiang Li withdrew his hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Even if you're thousands of kilometers apart, it's no easy feat to test your mental strength against the Queen of Blades.

"alright."

Jiang Li patted the King Insect's antennae.

"Now that you're on the job, let's get to work."

Alice.

"Yes, boss."

"Integrate the data of this big-eyed monster into the system."

"Let's give it a name... let's call it... 'Big Eyes'."

"Received. Registered as an unofficial employee: Big Eyes."

……

Test flight and aerial picnic.

Transformation complete, brainwashing successful.

Next up is the exciting maiden voyage.

"Who wants to go up and try it out?"

Jiang Li looked at everyone.

"Me! Me! Me!"

Nezha was the first to jump onto the terrace on the back of the King Insect.

"I want to go fly a kite up there!"

Mohanda also came over.

"I want to... feel the flow of the void in the clouds."

Tex hesitated for a moment, but was still attracted by the gimmick of "high-altitude viewing".

"Alright, as long as this balloon doesn't leak, I'll risk my life to keep you company!"

……

"take off!"

With Jiang Li's command.

Mike Wazowski exhaled a stream of air, and his enormous body slowly rose into the air.

It flew very steadily.

It's like a moving castle in the sky.

The group sat in the transparent gondola in the abdomen, watching the canyon below shrink smaller and smaller; the visual impact was simply unparalleled.

"Wow--"

Reynolds lay on the glass floor, pointing down.

"Look! That's where we just fought!"

"Those thunder beast bones look like ants!"

……

Afternoon tea in the cloud.

It flew to an altitude of two thousand meters.

This has already penetrated the red dust cloud low above Char.

The field of vision became extremely clear.

Above us was a vast galaxy, and below us rolled red clouds.

"Serve the food."

Jiang Li stood in front of the barbecue grill on the back terrace.

The wind was strong here, but he blocked it with a gas energy shield (Swan's little invention).

He took out a large clump of freshly made "Battlefield Popcorn" (sweet and sour flavor).

There were also a few cups of the "Bloody Mary Charles Special Edition," made with dragon blood and gas.

"Homage to this damned end times."

Tex picked up his glass, looked at the starry sky outside the window, and a rare tenderness flashed in his eyes.

"If we could just keep eating and drinking like this, we wouldn't have to fight a war..."

"That would be wonderful."

"That day will come."

Mohanda sat opposite him, holding a piece of glowing tofu in his hands.

"When the prophecies of Xel'Naga come true..."

"When Amon's shadow fades..."

"This sector will eventually find peace."

……

An unexpected thunderstorm.

however.

Tranquility is always fleeting.

Just as everyone was enjoying this rare afternoon tea in the air.

"Sizzle—"

A strange blue lightning bolt suddenly appeared in the previously calm upper atmosphere.

This lightning was not natural thunder.

It exhibits a...net-like structure.

It also carries a strong mental interference wave.

"warn!"

Alice's voice rang out from inside the pod.

"An extremely strong precursor to a psionic storm has been detected!"

"Coordinates: Directly above!"

"Distance: 500 meters!"

……

"A psionic storm?"

Mohanda suddenly stood up, crushing the tofu in his hand.

"That's impossible!"

"This is... the signature skill of a High Templar!"

"Could it be...?"

He raised his head.

All they could see were the clouds above their heads.

A golden, streamlined spaceship, imbued with a sacred geometric beauty, slowly emerged from the clouds.

That's... a Protoss Carrier escort ship.

[Protoss Shuttle.]

And at the door of the shuttle.

A figure was suspended in the air.

He wore golden armor, with a blue cloak flowing behind him.

Although he had no mouth, his eyes, which radiated pure blue psionic energy (completely different from Mohanda's green void energy), were filled with... rage.

……

A sacred judgment?

The figure hovered in the air, looking down at the alien insect king that had been modified into a mess.

Especially when you see Jiang Li roasting meat on the back of the King Worm, and the humans and Dark Hall warriors sitting below drinking.

"Degeneration".

A grand, authoritative, and unpleasantly dogmatic voice boomed in everyone's minds.

"The traitors of Nerazim..."

"Greedy humans..."

"And this... the desecrated alien insect..."

"You guys are actually here..."

"Holding such a...filthy... picnic?!"

……

The figure raised its hand.

Blue psionic lightning began to gather wildly in his palm.

"I am the Guardian of Aiur, Taldarin!" (Note: This is a reference to a Protoss character from StarCraft 2's co-op mode and related storylines, portraying him as a rigid High Templar.)

"I represent Kara's glory..."

"Purify you!"

"Psionic...storm!"

……

"Purify my ass!"

Before the storm could even hit.

An angry voice came from below.

Nezha rode on his Wind Fire Wheels and charged straight up from the back of the King Insect.

"I just finished eating and am looking to digest!"

"You blue-eyed third wheel, how dare you disturb my kite flying?!"

"The Heaven-Binding Ribbon! Bind it!"

"Universe Ring! Smash it!"