Just as the Brain Worm, overwhelmed by unbearable pain, reached its limb toward the black mist Chu Hao had given it, it suddenly felt itself resisting death.
Even though it had not yet found the meaning of its existence since gaining life, for some reason, it still did not want to die.
So, it slowly drew its limb back.
The pain continued—pain unlike anything any other creature could perceive.
The pain Chu Hao had extracted and refined from the fragments of abyssal souls was more of a concept—something like "pain itself."
Of course, while this seemed like an incredibly advanced act, in truth, most gods could replicate such concepts using their divine fire.
For example, just like how the "concept of death" could be auctioned in trading halls, Chu Hao's "pain" was of the same conceptual nature.
This kind of extreme pain did not target the victim's soul or body directly.
Its mere presence simply plunged one into a state of absolute agony.
And yet, such pain far exceeded any torture that could exist on Earth.
---
"Chi... ya..."
The Brain Worm curled up on the ground, twitching constantly.
However, Chu Hao was not concerned that this creature would go insane from the pain.
After all, the nervous systems of the Zerg were entirely different from those of humans or humanoid beings.
What would drive a human insane was nothing to the Zerg.
Eventually, after an hour of convulsions, the Brain Worm collapsed weakly onto the floor.
Daimon immediately dispatched two brains to provide it with nutrients.
After consuming several of them, the Brain Worm finally regained a bit of strength.
It trembled as it rose.
"I don't understand... I don't understand why I can't calmly face death. Clearly, I believe my thoughts have no value, yet I still resist dying."
The Brain Worm asked Chu Hao this question—childlike in its innocence.
It was the greatest doubt in its mind after enduring such extreme pain, and it hoped Chu Hao would answer it.
Chu Hao chuckled and said casually,
"Actually, I don't understand it either."
"I'm no philosopher, no sage. I don't claim to understand the ultimate questions of existence."
The Brain Worm lifted its head, staring silently at Chu Hao with its compound eyes.
"But don't you think," Chu Hao said lightly, "that since you have your own thoughts, you should be able to find the answer yourself?"
"The pain and confusion you felt before were simply because you lacked a long-term goal. But now, you have one. Do you still feel that same pain and confusion?"
The Brain Worm froze.
For all its intelligence, its understanding of life was as limited as a child's—it didn't know how to respond.
At that moment, Daimon sent part of his own understanding into the Brain Worm's mind.
After a brief exchange of thought between brain and worm, the Brain Worm nodded.
"Thank you for clearing my doubts."
"But I still don't understand... why did you grant me life in the first place?"
"Was it because you wanted to become my Creator?"
"But that position already belongs to my mother—the Hive Will. You can't possibly become my creator."
"Or perhaps you wish to compete with my mother for that position..."
Chu Hao waved his hand dismissively.
"Little worm, that question is even simpler."
"The reason I gave you thought and life was for the simplest reason imaginable."
"I merely saw you as a rare trophy."
"Granting you thought and life was nothing more than a casual whim."
"Your consciousness itself means nothing."
"But the Zerg knowledge within your mind—and your role as a Hive Will node—those are what matter to me. Understand?"
"To put it plainly—you were an accident."
The Brain Worm nodded.
"I understand."
In truth, it was different from humans.
It felt no resentment, no joy, no self-pity.
Its kind's minds were not complex.
In the evolutionary history of the Zerg, excessive emotion was the first thing to be discarded.
The emotions that drove many species simply did not apply to the Zerg.
"My lord," Daimon interjected quickly, thinking Chu Hao was about to destroy the creature, "the Brain Worm is extremely useful to the Endless Abyss. Its value is not limited to dissection!"
He feared Chu Hao might tear the creature apart to analyze it.
"I've already analyzed its physical structure," Chu Hao replied calmly.
"As you suspected, its body—apart from the brain—differs little from that of ordinary Zerg."
"What truly makes it a Brain Worm is a special construct within its brain related to Zerg signal transmission."
"Other than that, its genetic material is identical to all other Zerg."
"Any so-called 'special' Zerg are merely the result of isolated genetic mutations during incubation."
Hearing this, Chu Hao blinked.
"So what you're saying is... all Zerg are essentially the same damn creature?"
"That the combat units and the cleaners are just identical twins?"
The Brain Worm shook its head in a strangely human-like manner.
"Great Lord of the Abyss, your understanding is slightly off."
"In essence, under the will of the Hive, or the Hive Will itself, there is no distinction between individual insects."
"The concept of individuality, such as twins or multiples, doesn't apply to the swarm."
"You can think of it this way: including the Hive Will itself—all combat units, larvae, and cleaning drones—"
"are actually the same insect."
"Each of us is simply a part of the Mother Hive."
At that, a chill ran through Chu Hao's heart.
A terrible premonition surfaced within him.
He quickly asked the Brain Worm,
"So... what you're saying is—"
"In your swarm, there is no such thing as a 'main brain'?"
"As long as even one of you survives, your species will never..."
"go extinct?"