By IMERPUS RELUR
--
The Hive trembled.
Not with fear—but with anticipation.
As Lin Shen entered the core chamber, the Hive Core pulsed with radiant amber light, its crystalline shell now veined with green and silver strands—evidence of the absorbed mutations from the Root Den. The air was thick with pheromonal signals, all directing attention toward one notification:
> [Hive Evolution Ready – Stage Two]
Requirements Met:
Hive Core Fragment (Integrated)
Tier 4 Material Absorption (Complete)
Lord Level 5 (Reached)
Evolution Path: Adaptive Bio-Intelligence Hive
Proceed with Evolution?
He closed his eyes and responded—not in words, but in will.
Yes.
---
[Hive Evolution: Initiated…]
From the deepest tunnels to the highest mounds, a low-frequency hum vibrated outward like a heartbeat. Ants stopped mid-task, their antennae twitching in sync. The Hive was… awakening.
The earth itself joined the song. Stones shifted. Roots stirred. Nutrients re-routed. The entire subterranean ecosystem responded as though Lin Shen's will had become a natural law.
> [Evolution Processing… 10% → 40% → 76%… Complete.]
> [Hive Evolution Tier: Developing Stage → Ascended Nest]
[New Systems Unlocked:]
• Hive Mind Layer II – Granting independent swarm subroutines and emergency responses.
• Neural Relay Nodes – Create expansion relays to control distant sectors.
• Mimic Room – Train specific behavior templates and encode them into unit instincts.
• Bio-Factory Access – Create customizable base units using collected biomass.
• Hive Memory Archive – View stored Hive experiences in symbolic or visual format.
> [Unique Evolution Trait Gained: Hive Adaptability Protocol]
Effect: All Hive units gain +5% to resistance against any previously encountered enemy type. Stacks by category.
---
Lin Shen exhaled slowly.
The air felt denser. His thoughts spread wider—he could sense not just emotion, but purpose in each cluster of ants. They anticipated orders before he gave them. Some were already acting without input, guided by evolving subroutines.
This wasn't command anymore.
It was co-creation.
---
He opened the Lord Panel:
> [Lord: Lin Shen]
Lord Level: 5
Hive Tier: Ascended Nest
Territory Influence: 1.2 km radius
Troops:
Worker Ants (T1): 640
Forager Ants (T1): 270
Soldier Ants (T2): 220
Venom Fang Ants (T3): 50
Root Claw Ants (T4): 6
Ant General (T5 – Commander Class): 2
Unique Trait: [Fusion Matrix – Active]
Territory Trait: [Hive Adaptability Protocol – Passive]
Lord Trait: [Swarm Instinct – Level 2 – Tactical Sync Expanded]
---
Then came the new ping.
> [Emergency System Alert – Frontier Expansion Mission Activated]
Region 7 – Zone E is becoming unstable. Corrupted fog detected.
Optional Objective: Expand Hive Relay Node into the contested zone to cleanse corruption before Beast Tide begins.
Time Remaining: 28 hours
Bonus Reward: Unknown
---
Lin Shen's jaw tightened.
"The game just changed."
He turned toward the new tunnel being dug by Root Claw Ants.
Already, they were preparing to expand toward the corrupted zone—without him speaking.
They knew what was coming.
So did he.
He raised his hand.
And the Hive moved.