Chapter 14: Second Stage
When Su Xiao returned near the insect nest, it was still in its evolution phase. Judging by its appearance, the evolution wouldn't be completed anytime soon.
Whether the evolution succeeded or failed depended solely on Jila herself. This was a considerable risk—once Jila's evolution failed, all of Su Xiao's arrangements would come to nothing.
It was simply unrealistic to obtain an insect army without taking any risks. Su Xiao had long anticipated this kind of risk; his earlier use of the Withering Seed was precisely to mitigate it.
After waiting a full three hours, the contracted insect nest expanded outward. Jila, inside the nest, emitted a mental fluctuation—she needed energy.
The Mantis Armors near the nest busied themselves, transporting the prey carcasses accumulated over the past three hours to the nest's side. The nest's consumption rate was noticeably faster.
[Tip: Your temporary summon, Insect Race Mother Entity, has advanced to the Second Stage.]
[The insect nest has evolved to the Second Stage. Attached abilities have been enhanced.]
[Energy Storage Tissue has been upgraded to the Second Stage. Energy storage capacity increased to 10,000 points.]
[Oviposition Tissue has been upgraded to the Second Stage. Can produce 150 insect eggs at once. Egg production speed increased by 12%.]
[Gestation Sac has been upgraded to the Second Stage. Can simultaneously gestate 100 small to medium-sized insect units.]
[New genetic memory awakened: Surveillance Nest (Insect Building).]
[New genetic memory awakened: Hunting Fang (Combat-Type Insect).]
[New genetic memory awakened: Spore Tank (Transport, Nest Protection).]
All of the nest's abilities had been enhanced, and it had gained one new building type along with two new insect soldier types.
Hunting Fang was designed for combat. Its actual combat effectiveness was still unknown. Oviposition + Gestation cost 60 Bio Energy, 20 more than the Stinger.
As for the Spore Tank, it was a logistics unit, costing 120 Bio Energy each.
From the current situation, the Second Stage nest's capabilities weren't exceptionally strong, but they weren't weak either. It was sufficient to deal with some small tribes, at least granting it the ability to defend itself.
Earlier, Bubu Wang had entered a Third Stage nest. That nest had over a dozen types of soldiers. If evolving to the Third Stage unlocked a large number of genetic memories, then there might be other ways to enhance insect soldier types.
"Come out."
Su Xiao stood before the nest, attempting to summon the homebody insect girl.
"..."
No sound came from inside the nest. Jila's loyalty had now reached 88 points. She wouldn't refuse most of Su Xiao's commands, except for leaving the nest.
Su Xiao reached in and pulled Jila out. Watching her struggle in his hand, Su Xiao noticed she had grown noticeably in size. By human standards, Jila had previously been the size of a child; now, her height was comparable to an elementary school student.
"I have a few questions for you."
The moment Su Xiao released his grip, Jila scurried back to the entrance of the nest, poking only her head out, as if the outside world were incredibly dangerous. In reality, this was a maternal instinct—an insect mother would do everything possible to protect herself and expand the nest.
"What questions?"
Jila cautiously peered around, the vigilance of a homebody toward the outside world.
"Where does the nest store its Bio Energy? Or rather, where is the nest's Energy Storage Tissue located?"
"Right here."
Jila pressed her hand against the nest, her claw-covered finger tapping the veins on its surface, indicating that the Bio Energy was stored within.
"So, the Energy Storage Tissue isn't a separate organ inside the nest? It's completely integrated with the nest itself?"
"Mm."
Receiving Jila's confirmation, a smile appeared on Su Xiao's face.
"What would happen if you devoured another nest?"
"I'd be very happy."
Jila nodded seriously.
"No other side effects?"
"No. Even if it's another mother entity, my nest can still devour it. Plus, I can gain genetic memories."
"Is that so."
Su Xiao's gaze shifted to Bubu Wang, who had already understood his intent.
"Holy crap, we can directly devour other nests? Why the hell are we still catching wild beasts? Let's go rob them! No robbery, no riches!"
Baha's eyes gleamed with murderous intent. He was sick of catching wild beasts.
"That involves a cost-benefit analysis. If it's a Second Stage nest that has been developing for a long time, it would have at least a hundred insect soldiers. As for a Third Stage nest, its insect forces could number over ten thousand."
Su Xiao was considering which stage of nest to target. He directly dismissed the Fourth Stage. This world had three Fourth Stage nests, each with insect forces numbering in the hundreds of thousands—completely unbeatable.
There were many Third Stage nests, as evolving from Second to Third Stage wasn't too difficult. As for evolving to the Fourth Stage, there were likely very strict requirements; otherwise, there wouldn't be only three Fourth Stage nests.
"Jila, what is this?"
Su Xiao took a segmented leg from his storage space. It was about twenty centimeters long and as thick as an arm. The breaks on both sides were jagged, with some edges very sharp. Its color appeared pitch black, but under the sunlight, it reflected a reddish hue.
The moment Su Xiao brought out the black segmented leg, Jila ran out from the nest, grabbed it with both small hands, and bit down hard.
Crack~
Jila's body stiffened. She slowly opened her mouth, crouched down, and covered her mouth with her hands.
Su Xiao kicked Jila aside. Just now, Jila had entered a nearly uncontrollable mental state.
"Baha, help clear her head."
"You got it."
Baha spread his wings, pounced forward, and began some 'psychological counseling' for Jila.
A few minutes later, a dazed Jila lay on the ground.
"What is this?"
Su Xiao stood the black segmented leg upright in front of Jila.
"This is..."
Jila was clearly confused. She pinched the edge of the leg with her fingers, as if trying to break off a small piece, but with her strength, she couldn't manage it.
With a crack, Su Xiao broke off a small piece from the leg and tossed it to Jila. Unexpectedly, Jila lunged forward and swallowed it whole.
"This is a genetic fragment left behind by a Fourth Stage combat insect."
Jila no longer craved the black segmented leg, having completely lost interest.
"What does it do?"
Su Xiao examined the leg in his hand as he spoke. This thing had likely been processed by the Sun Tribe.
"If it were intact, it would allow my nest to cultivate this type of combat insect. But it's very incomplete."
"You have that ability too?"
"Mm."
Jila retreated back into the nest. Su Xiao fell into thought.
"Amu, stay here and guard. Notify me immediately if anything happens. Bubu, Baha, come with me."
Su Xiao walked into the forest. He planned to attack other nests to seize Bio Energy—the current development pace was too slow.
After traveling for about an hour, Su Xiao left the forested area and arrived at a patch of wasteland. The weeds here were at least half a meter tall and densely overgrown.
This kind of terrain indicated that there was a nest nearby. Only when all wild animals had been killed off would weeds grow this wildly, and insects were the greatest natural enemy of wildlife.
Su Xiao walked through the weeds. Numerous insects jumped out or flew away around him. A grasshopper-like insect even jumped onto Bubu Wang's face.
Bubu Wang shuddered. Once, he had teased a supernatural wasp, and it had charged straight at his face, stinging him right on the nose. That painful memory would never be forgotten.
Su Xiao stopped in his tracks. A nest, a full thirty meters tall, appeared ahead. Judging by its scale, it was a Second Stage nest, and one that had been operating for a long time.
"Bubu, locate the mother entity's position."
As he spoke, Su Xiao took out the Devouring Annihilation from his storage space. A Second Stage nest definitely couldn't withstand a bullet from that weapon.