System S.E.X. (Seduction, Expansion, eXecution)

Chapter 366: High-Stakes Harvest

Ethan groaned, tossing a massive jagged rock to the side. It clattered against the pile, barely making a dent in the mountain of debris blocking the corridor. The hallway was a solid plug of stone and twisted metal.

"I wish the boys were here. With a full squad and some heavy gear, we’d have this cleared in a day," said Ethan.

[You wouldn’t necessarily need a squad, Master. We could utilize a high-frequency laser drill for this. It would make short work of the igneous rock,] said Crul.

"A laser drill? How much is the blueprint going to set me back?" said Ethan.

[Nothing at all. It is simply a specialized variation of the laser rifles currently in production at your facility. Since the plant is already operational, fabricating a few industrial-grade drills would be a simple task. They could slice through these boulders, making them easy to move or pulverize,] said Crul.

Ethan paused, wiping sweat and grime from his forehead. The idea was perfect, but it brought up a logistical nightmare. Bringing in heavy trucks, excavators, and industrial drills would draw eyes from miles away.

"If I bring in the heavy equipment, I lose the secrecy. We’re outside our territory. I promised the Matriarch I wouldn’t cause trouble or tip the status quo. If the Union realizes I’m excavating an ancient site, they’ll send an army of assassins. I can handle a few, but I can’t protect this place and myself against a full-scale invasion yet," said Ethan.

He looked back toward the shimmering orange barrier where the Queen still lurked.

"I wish we could get some of that nectar from the worm Queen. If it’s as miraculous as you say—a super-tonic for the men—we could infiltrate and clear this place manually without raising any suspicions. No heavy machinery, just a few enhanced men," said Ethan.

[That is a logical strategy. It is not impossible to obtain the liquid; we simply have to be fast enough to avoid being devoured,] said Crul.

"Can I use the system inventory to absorb it directly?" said Ethan.

[Yes. You currently have approximately ten cubic meters of free space in the storage sub-dimension. That should be more than enough for a significant harvest,] said Crul.

"How close do I need to be for you to pick it up?" said Ethan.

[Physical contact is required. As long as your hand touches the liquid, I can initiate the vacuum transfer,] said Crul.

Ethan tightened his gloves and checked his energy levels. The fatigue from the "Meteor Strike" had faded, replaced by a cold, focused determination. He felt the static of his lightning beginning to hum under his skin once more.

"I’ve recovered enough. As long as I don’t try to trade blows with that monster, I’m confident I can outrun her. Let’s go get that nectar," said Ethan.

Ethan turned back toward the Queen’s vault, moving with cautious, deliberate steps. As he approached the orange barrier, he peered through the translucent light. The cavern was silent. The Queen was nowhere to be seen, having retreated back into the shadows or beneath the surface of the nectar.

Ethan stepped through the barrier, the humming energy tingling against his skin. He began to creep through the jagged tunnels, his eyes scanning every crack in the rock.

[Master, do not be deceived by the silence. You must be fast. This beast senses vibrations through the strata; she knows you have returned to her nursery. She could be positioning herself for an ambush as we speak,] said Crul.

Ethan felt a jolt of adrenaline. "Right. No more tiptoeing."

He flooded his nervous system with electricity. CRACKLE! In a flash of violet light, he used the Lightning Path, his body becoming a blur of kinetic energy as he surged toward the main vault. He burst into the massive grotto, but he stopped dead in his tracks.

The Queen was there. She wasn’t hiding. She was coiled around the glowing blue lake, her eight jagged legs dug into the stone, her multifaceted eyes fixed directly on the tunnel entrance. She had been waiting for him.

Ethan let out a short, defiant laugh. "Looks like you knew I’d be back for seconds, you overgrown parasite," said Ethan.

The Queen didn’t hiss this time; she let out a roar of pure fury. ROAAAAAARRRRRR! She lunged. The massive head slammed into the ground where Ethan had stood a second before. Ethan was already gone, sprinting along the curved wall of the cavern. He dodged a snapping pincer, feinted to the left to bait a tail swipe, and then pivoted sharply toward the glowing pool.

The Queen turned her massive bulk, her armored body grinding against the rock—SKREEEE!—as she tried to intercept him. But Ethan was faster. He used a burst of speed to slide across the slick stone, reaching the edge of the nectar.

He plunged his hand into the glowing blue gelatin for a fraction of a second.

"Now, Crul! Take it!" said Ethan.

The surface of the pool rippled violently as a massive sphere of the nectar—exactly ten cubic meters—vanished instantly into the system’s inventory. The level of the lake dropped visibly, leaving a dark ring around the stone basin.

The Queen froze. For a moment, there was a deathly silence as she stared at the empty space where her precious nectar had been. Then, the cavern began to shake with a vibration so intense it threatened to bring the ceiling down. She understood perfectly. This hairless monkey hadn’t come to fight; he had come to rob her.

"SCREEEEEEEEEE!" The roar was so violent it shattered nearby stalactites. The Queen launched herself at Ethan with a speed she hadn’t shown before, her jaws spinning in a murderous frenzy.

Ethan didn’t even look back. He pushed his legs to their absolute limit, his body trailing arcs of violet lightning that illuminated the dark tunnel like a series of strobes.

He reached the orange barrier and dove through it headfirst, tumbling across the stone floor on the safe side. He scrambled to his feet and spun around just as the Queen slammed into the energy wall. BOOM! The barrier pulsed a deep, angry amber, holding firm against her titanic weight.

The monster pressed her face against the translucent light, her spinning teeth grinding against the matrix as she let out a frustrated, guttural hiss.

Ethan took a deep breath, wiped a spray of blue nectar from his chin, and slowly raised his hand. He extended his middle finger, pressing it firmly against the barrier right in front of the Queen’s central eye.

"Yeah? Fuck you too, sweetheart," said Ethan.

The Queen roared, her acidic saliva sizzling against the shield, but Ethan just smirked. He adjusted his gloves and turned to walk away, his silhouette fading into the shadows of the exit tunnel.

"Don’t miss me too much. I’ll be back soon to finish the job and take your head as a souvenir," said Ethan.

He disappeared into the darkness, leaving the enraged beast to scream at the empty air. He had the nectar, he had the plan, and now, he had a score to settle.