Marvel grew closer to her, causing Shai to hiss threateningly.

Serenity didn't want Marvel to get any closer either. "The snake was lurking nearby. And no, you must not even come near it. This creature is dangerous."

"But it doesn't look dangerous," Marvel argued. She forced her empathic mind into Shai's tiny brain, but Serenity blocked her path, four pairs of eyes glaring dangerously.

"It is not a thing," the spider mama declared. "Nor a prize... Be obedient, or I'll serve you the same treatment as I gave it."

"Hey, don't talk about me like I'm not here..." Inwardly, Shai was relieved, learning she wouldn't be the prize in this absurd spider race.

However, Marvel, the young spider, became saddened by the news as she argued with Serenity. She seemed to briefly consider making Shai the official prize. Thankfully, upon weighing the disadvantages, Serenity decided against it, much to Shai's relief.

Marvel acted as if she didn't hear her. "It's so odd," Marvel transferred, sneaking on Shai. "A creature this tiny possesses so many negative emotions. Serenity, please, can I keep it?"

"No," admonished the spider mama immediately. "Absolutely not. She.. the snake is to be sent to Solace."

"Then I have no interest in the race," Marvel said in the link firmly, confident that if she tried, she would have no problem coming first in the race. "A few dream crystals just aren't worth it for me to bully my sisters."

Strangely enough, the race was a competition among the baby spiders from their school to their dwellings. Yes, these spiders had their own school, which still sounded peculiar to Shai, no matter how many times she heard them say.

"So, you guys adopted all this from humans?" Shai attempted to converse.

"Schooling?" Serenity replied uncertainly. "We've always been like this. Humans rarely interact with us, and when they do, it's usually not for anything good. A small snake like you wouldn't understand that."

Shai emitted an exasperated hiss as if resigned to her fate. "Anyway, can you please tell this kid to stop staring at me hungrily?" she requested, eyeing Marvel, who persistently trailed behind her, sniffing around. Strangely, Shai began to feel mentally drained. "Some distance would do us both some good."

Serenity shifted a couple of her eyeballs to focus on Marvel. "Why are you still here, Marvel? Continue with the rest."

The smaller spider remained unmoved. She summoned all her courage to divert her attention from Shai and directed it towards Serenity.

"Why did school end so early today?" she asked, narrowing all eight of her eyes on the big spider mama. "You don't cancel school for no reason. What went wrong?"

Serenity let out a slight squeak of irritation. "Nothing's wrong," she reassured the young spider. "The Luminous Night is approaching, and there's much to prepare for. You should hurry along with the others."

"The Luminous Night comes every month," Marvel rasped, her mind not as adept at telepathy as Serenity's, but her presence was resolute. "Something is happening at our home, and you're keeping it from us. I won't leave until you tell me what's going wrong. Do you hear me, Serenity?"

Ah, kids, Shai pondered. How naïve they can be! They always think they know better, even in situations that the adults handled all the time. Well, this could work to my advantage.

"You want to know what's wrong with this place, kid?" Shai conveyed through the telepathic link. "This young lady can help you with that. You see, I saw a group of beastmen with humans--"

Before Shai could complete her sentence, the telepathic link was cut off. Serenity's eight eyes fixed upon her, glaring intensely, malevolent energy emanating out from the crimson eyes.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Did I push her buttons too early? She wondered in panic. Nevertheless, the outcome now rested on the kid. Go, Marvel, live up to your name and be marvellous.

As Shai expected, the young spider sprang forward with unwavering determination upon hearing the mention of beastmen and humans. She appeared to engage in a telepathic conversation with Serenity, but with the link severed, Shai couldn't estimate how intense their argument was.

Silently and skilfully, Shai once again exerted her power over hunger, devouring the force of adhesion while the spiders were engrossed in their dispute. She would have liked to eavesdrop on their conversation, but Serenity was far too wise to allow such an opportunity.

Nevertheless, from the way the argument unfolded, Shai sensed that Serenity had the upper hand, being an adult in this spider community. Unfortunately, she missed two things. First up, she didn't think Shai would try to free herself and could do it discreetly. And she failed to estimate what kind of reaction Marvel would have. She defiantly underestimated the brashness of youth and Marvel's impulsive attitude.

Marvel actually formed a telepathic connection with Shai, not getting any answer from her elder. Shai hadn't expected this from her. Good going, girl.

Unfortunately, the younger spider couldn't link up discreetly while the big spider mama had a tug on Shai.

"I saw high-ranking beastmen killing a horde of spiders a couple of hours from here," Shai uttered the very moment the link formed. "There is also the corrupt pond--"

The sudden wave of words captured the attention of both arguing parties, but before Shai could finish, the big spider mama cut off the connection between them forcefully. "Will you just be quiet?"

If Serenity had a human face, Shai could easily catch her transform from mildly irritated to fuming furiously. Only those malevolent eyes stared down at Shai, leaving her to question her life choices.

Unfortunately, the die was already cast. There was no going back now.

And they were back to arguing again, leaving Shai to do whatever she pleased.

Shai was on the verge of freeing herself entirely. Go, Marvel. Be marvellous or rebellious, whichever you choose, she cheered inwardly, which somehow didn't seem to go unnoticed by the spider mama.

I suppose the time is right.

Shai tore through the cobweb and leapt three metres forward in a single bound, her eyes radiating in a cold glow. She hissed fiercely as a mental assault arrested her mind, overloading her senses.

"Shai! You little reptile! Stop right there..." The words struck like thunderbolts, but unannounced. The spider didn't need to form a connection to blast her head off.

Shai stopped listening, but she didn't stop moving. Her [Mental Corrosion Resistance] barely doing its job as Shai formed a nasty attack of her own.

Shai gathered up the indignation, fury, sorrow, and loss she felt all her life. Not just from this life, but the life prior, to which she lived seventeen years in disregard. While seventeen years might not be long, there was no shortage of people to remind her she didn't matter, or how insignificant she was.

Her hatred and anger grew further as she slid off the lid of it all. She was reminded again of the betrayal, however, what hurt her most was the treachery of her family. Just because her father became crippled, they cast him aside to rot.

All these negative emotions bore down on Shai as she found herself becoming heavier. Too heavy and broken to carry herself.

But Shai refused to back down. She refused to arrest her fate at someone else's mercy. Not anymore.

Shai took action.

She concentrated on all the negative emotions and thrust them all up into the link between her and Serenity in one flooding, turbulent wave of attack.

The empathetic spiders feed upon others' emotions. Good luck feeding upon this torrent of negative emotions.

The sheer force of emotion engulfed Serenity, stilling her mind to measure them. Ignoring the fact that she was overworked—they all were, with everything going on in their home—the sheer force of emotions Shai delivered to her was overwhelming, even for a mind cultivator like her.

Serenity shrieked, not through the telepathic link, but outwardly. It was certainly not a scream of panic, but more of an overwhelming intrigue. Her empathetic nature heightened the emotions further, rendering her motionless on the path for a moment.

It was just a fraction of the time, but it gave Shai just enough edge to make a sprint for it. She channelled all the energy she could muster, utilising [Empower] and [Golden eyes] simultaneously as she crept away.

Shai was uncertain how much longer Serenity would be in the trance, nor did she know how much longer she could sustain her current abilities.

Probably a few more seconds. Hopefully, it will be enough time for her to make her escape, right?

However, she detected something was trailing her. Shai's blood turned cold as terror coursed through her veins. She braced herself for an attack, only to realise that it wasn't the imposing spider mama, but her rebellious champion, Marvel.

Shai's tension eased slightly, though she remained vigilant. She formed [Force Shield] and shoved it to Marvel, hampering her chase. But the white spider was athletic in all the ways possible, masterfully evading the [Force Shield]. Shai couldn't bring herself to assault the young spiders violently, fearing what the elder spider would do in return.

Thankfully, she wouldn't have to worry anymore.

A web shot out from behind, not aimed at her, but at Marvel. It ensnared Marvel's eight legs, abdomen, and head, enveloping her in a cocoon. Serenity yanked back the cocoon while Shai seized the opportunity to make her escape.

Phew! My gamble paid off.

"Remember our agreement, Shai the snake," Serenity's voice announced in her mind. "I don't want to pay you a personal visit next time."

And then the telepathic link was severed, and both parties hastened in opposite directions.