By IMERPUS RELUR
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The sky over Region 7 held a heavy stillness—as if the world itself held its breath.
Beneath the canopy of bioluminescent moss, deep in the subterranean network of tunnels, Lin Shen stood before the Hive Map. His thoughts rippled through the Swarm Link, his mental commands layered with instinctive calm.
> [Lord Panel – Lin Shen]
• Lord Level: 6
• Lord's Heart: Stable
• Unique Trait: [Fusion Matrix – Active]
• Lord Trait: [Swarm Instinct – Hive Units Gain +5% Growth Rate]
> Troops Overview:
– Worker Ants (Tier 1): 500
– Forager Ants (Tier 1): 280
– Soldier Ants (Tier 2): 200
– Acid Spitter Ants (Tier 3): 150
– Venom Fang Ants (Tier 3+): 75
– Tunnel Crusher Ants (Tier 4): 35
– Carapace Breaker Ants (Tier 5): 15
– Ant General – Tier 6 – (Commander Class): 1
– Blacksteel General – Tier 6 (Mutation Variant): 1
The Hive had begun to thin its outer tunnel walls—creating narrow kill corridors and concentrated pressure choke points.
> [Hive Defense Status: 84% Fortified]
[Nest Capacity: 3,800 / 5,000]
[Available Resources: 9,340 biomass, 3 core crystals, 41 fusion threads]
He stared at the map. Ten directional approaches were highlighted in pale red—projected paths of the incoming Beast Tide.
And then… the system's voice rang out:
---
> [World Announcement – Beast Tide Countdown: 48 HOURS]
> Estimated Threat Levels per Region are scaling.
Region 7 has moved up from Class C → Class B
Reason: Excessive evolution, accelerated troop development, unique Hive mutation.
---
Lin Shen's eyes narrowed.
"Good," he muttered. "Come faster."
---
[Regional Channel – Region 7 – Public Chat]
[Lord IronBoar]:
I've just finished a trap field of molten resin pits. If this works, I might survive the first wave.
[Lord GreenSoul]:
Anyone else noticing their territory shifting? My forest is growing with my hive. It's like the world is watching us.
[Lord AshThorn]:
It is watching. I had a dream where the sky whispered… it told me: "Only the swarms with memory shall rise."
[Lord FangBreaker]:
Tier 6 troops already here. If you're not above Tier 3 by now, just give up and pray.
[Lord WhisperWind]:
Lin Shen, you there? Haven't seen you on the chat since the fusion announcement. What're you hiding under your dirt kingdom?
[Lord ViciousBlade]:
He's the real threat. Ignore him if you want, but I've tracked the system trends. Someone's pushing Region 7 to Class B—and it ain't me.
---
Lin Shen watched the chat flicker. He gave no reply.
His focus remained underground, where his Hive's second line of Ant Forges continued crafting carapace-thorn enhancements and fusion-bonded mandible blades.
The Echo Chamber throbbed as it updated swarm instinct packets from earlier skirmishes with wormlings.
The Spore Garden bloomed with unstable spores—early test beds for future fusion variants.
The Ant General stood beside him silently, armored plates steaming faintly from its last mutation round.
> [Mutation Trait Locked In: Acid Blood Carapace]
– Trait Effect: Any melee attacker suffers 5% recoil damage per strike.
– Status: Active on General and 5 elite units.
---
Lin Shen raised his palm. The Hive responded instantly.
A low rumble rolled beneath the soil.
He wasn't just building defenses.
He was preparing a massacre.