I, the Supreme Overlord, Start by Enslaving the Zerg Queen
Chapter 35 - 35: Zerg Hero Unit—Little Green

In Charles' eyes, Little Green, this mischievous little Toxic Baneling, was the most lively and endearing of all the prospective family members.

However, as long as the word "prospective" preceded their status, he would refrain from investing too much emotion.

If Little Green did not ascend to hero status, no matter how adorable, she would remain merely a pet or a tool—both of which could be discarded as expendable assets.

Catherine understood this principle as well.

Therefore, she remained aligned with her master's stance on the matter of Zerg hero ascension. The only difference was that she had developed genuine affection for the mischievous Little Green.

In a certain sense, it was this youngest sibling who received the most parental love and attention.

However, affection does not equate to indulgence.

If it were to falter, it would still face the consequences, even death.

At this moment, the allied forces had already reached the midway point of the forest.

Just like before, they encountered those legless worker bees. Without hesitation, they swiftly dispatched them, clearing the area efficiently.

This time, the new leader was Mundo's brother, Monchi, a mid-second-tier combat unit and the strongest in the allied forces, albeit lacking in intellect.

However, fortunately, the journey had been smooth thus far, and they were almost out of the forest. Once they exited, they would reach the lair of Overlord One, marking the completion of their mission.

Perhaps it was because they grew more relaxed as they neared their destination, but the allied forces had halted in place, driven by their appetites. They began to scour the surroundings in search of food to satiate their desires.

After all, the forest was now devoid of worker bees and Zerglings, making it considerably safer.

Additionally, since Overlord One's stronghold lay just beyond the forest, the allied forces decided it was better to wait for the main contingent to join them.

"Johann, if I recall correctly, there's a stream over there teeming with fish. Why don't you go fetch some water? Let's treat ourselves to a fine meal today!" A burly werewolf patted the smaller werewolf on the shoulder, his tone light and cheerful.

This was his son, brought along for some real-world experience under the confident assurance of their own Overlord regarding this mission.

Now it seemed like a wise decision, not only had they accumulated valuable experience, but they had also enjoyed delicacies they could never have imagined before.

The young werewolf nodded slowly upon hearing this, picked up an empty bucket, and headed towards the stream his father had mentioned.

They had visited that stream before and confirmed there were no dangerous creatures lurking about.

After roughly five minutes of walking, the young werewolf submerged his bucket into the water and waited patiently.

He looked quizzically at the clear water below.

Why were there no fish?

He distinctly remembered that, despite the clarity of the stream, there used to be small fish swimming around. He and his father had even caught a few to eat. Yet, this time, there were none to be found.

Though slightly disappointed, the young werewolf didn't forget his task. Once the bucket was filled, he slowly made his way back.

However, no sooner had he left than the fish returned to their original spots.

But unlike before, they were now all floating lifelessly on the surface.

Moments later, the fish were enveloped in a greenish hue, disintegrating into powder-like substances that dispersed with the wind.

From the center of the stream emerged a terrifying green head, its appearance menacing and its body gleaming like emerald. Its indifferent, slitted eyes now bore a hint of mockery.

This was Little Green, who had been in confinement until now.

Little Green, a prized Toxic Baneling under the care of his parents, possessed exceptional intelligence.

While her Zergling sister's cunning was best utilized in ambushes and assassinations, Little Green was a quintessential mischievous schemer.

Rather than employing his toxin for direct confrontation or self-destructive explosions, this crafty child preferred to poison his enemies.

As luck would have it, the opposing forces were in a state of relaxed anticipation of victory, and the one sent to collect water was deemed the most reliable werewolf son in the team.

Thus, her immature plan had astonishingly succeeded!

A sinister smile crept across Little Green's grotesque insect face. She felt certain that this time, the Overlord and Queen wouldn't place him in confinement again.

After all, her sister had perished here, managing to kill only a few dozen enemies.

Yet, she had merely released a bit of residual toxin from her glands, and it was enough to poison the entire coalition to death...

She truly was a little genius!

In the next instant, Little Green underwent a sudden transformation. Her green Zerg head morphed into that of a cute, green-haired girl, looking utterly adorable.

Unfortunately, this state didn't last long, Little Green reverted to her menacing, terrifying insect form.

High above the stream, Charles, who had been observing all along, watched with a mix of satisfaction and surprise.

[Little Green]

[Species: Toxic Baneling→Zerg Hero (15%)]

[Combat Strength: Tier 2 Upper→Tier 3 Lower]

[Skills: Toxin Spit, Toxic Explosion, Venomous Claws]

[Description: Due to continuous killing while maintaining basic rationality, and with a growing degree of humanity, this Zerg unit has the potential to evolve into a Zerg Hero. If evolution fails, it will become the King of Toxic Banelings.]

Truth be told, he had always suspected that Little Green was no ordinary Zerg.

From the moment Little Green was born, she had incessantly chattered through the Zerg information network, and her bloodlust far exceeded that of any other Zerg leader candidate.

It was precisely for this reason that both Catherine and Charles had shown a distinct favoritism towards Little Green.

Now, it was clear: the path to becoming a Zerg Hero required slaughter. Once the entire coalition lay dead, it would be the day Little Green took a significant step towards becoming a Zerg Hero!

"Hey, Master, it seems someone else has arrived here. Little Green didn't notice!" Catherine furrowed her brows, spotting the coalition leader Monchi, who had just arrived and witnessed the entire scene.

This guy was truly a wise fool. From the start, he had paid extra attention to the water source. Upon hearing where the water was being drawn, he had come here without hesitation to investigate further.

Seeing the expectant look in Catherine's eyes, Charles gently patted her head and said softly, "Little Green has already done quite well. Next, let's help her clean up this mess."

"Let's go, intercept that clever fool and join me in witnessing the first movement of Little Green's symphony towards becoming a Zerg Hero."

"That will be the final lament of the pathetic coalition."

Killing was just one part of the equation. As long as Little Green could achieve a balance between intelligence and murderous intent akin to a sentient being, Charles was confident he could guide him through this slaughterfest to ascend.

When the time came, he would personally place the future Zerg Hero, Little Green, into an arena filled with Toxic Banelings. Only by bathing in the blood of both kin and foe could a true Zerg Hero be forged!

...

In the coalition's camp.

Everyone was concerned about the recently returned "Monchi." To be honest, they hadn't considered going back for another look.

Everyone admired Monchi's meticulousness.

"Sir, how do you feel about the situation over there? Is the water source safe?" A staff member asked, frowning.

Monchi—or rather, Charles disguised as Monchi—smiled kindly and nodded, "The water source is fine. I even saw some fish frolicking in the shallows."

The crowd nodded slowly, then happily sang and drank, and soon dish after dish was served.

"Did you see that little one?" Charles communicated through the information network with Catherine, who was impersonating a female coalition officer.

"Yes, Master. That little one seems to understand the importance of the alcohol. To be safe, she's been relentlessly poisoning the wine barrels." Catherine responded, using the same communication method, her tone containing a hint of amusement and even a touch of pride.

Compared to the previous attempt to swap out water sources, it seemed the little one's intelligence had improved to the point where she understood the importance of ensuring the enemy's demise. She would likely poison the food next.

Hearing this, Charles' mouth twitched slightly.

For some reason, he felt that his Toxic Baneling, Little Green, was different from the traditional bloodthirsty Zerg. This little one was not only mischievous but also cunning in a particularly devious way.

Thinking about the two silly female slaves he had at home—one a princess of the military and the other a research scholar.

He mused that adding a poisoning expert to the mix might not be such a bad idea.

After all, heroes who ascended from the Zerg were always 100% loyal to him. He wondered if, should Little Green successfully advance this time, the system might exploit a loophole and grant him a third reward.