Eight years had passed, and the master sat on his dirt bed, facing the giant silverfur spider. The spider, once a primitive creature, now radiated wisdom and knowledge, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly intelligence.
The spider emitted a slight screeching noise, "Kriee," as it communicated with the master through a mental network. This network allowed them to share thoughts and strategies, showcasing the master's advancements in mental power and telepathy.
The spider's thoughts flowed into the master's mind: "Master, if the army follows this direction while avoiding that post, we should be able to evade the anteater riders and successfully retrieve this week's raid harvest." The master's eyes narrowed, considering the spider's proposal, as they planned their next move together.
The master smiled inwardly, reflecting on the spider's remarkable transformation. Initially, imparting knowledge had been a slow process, with the spider's capabilities comparable to those of a six-year-old child.
However, a pivotal realization led him to create a mind marble, a concentrated repository of knowledge tailored to the spider's needs. After refining the mind marble over half a week, he re-initiated the knowledge transfer process.
This approach yielded remarkable results, transforming the spider into an intellectual powerhouse. Years of dedicated effort and experimentation had paid off, and the spider now possessed intelligence surpassing that of a human master's degree holder in many fields.
The master's pride and satisfaction were evident in his smile, as he gazed at the spider, a testament to his groundbreaking work in cognitive enhancement and artificial intelligence.
The master and the spider were discussing a pressing issue: the insect-eating creatures that had been causing trouble during their mating season. Recent encounters had resulted in the decimation of some small-scale scouting parties.
The master raised a concern, "If we proceed with this plan, wouldn't we risk running into the medium-sized hornet nest in that territory?" The spider responded with its assessment, "During this time, the hornets seem to be preoccupied with raids against their neighbors, an ant nest and a bee hive."
The spider continued, "Even if our raid team encounters them, it would likely be a small group of twenty to thirty hornets. Given our team's capabilities, they should be able to overpower a small hornet nest without significant difficulty." The master's eyes narrowed, weighing the risks and benefits of their plan as he considered the spider's analysis.
Normally, the colony's raids, consisting of false ant queens and door head ants, would steer clear of medium-sized hornet nests to avoid significant losses. Engaging such a nest could result in a substantial reduction of that colony raids party power, potentially by half or more.
However, the current colony had undergone a transformation. The biowomb's introduction had enabled the creation of new, enhanced life forms, diversifying the insect empire beyond just ants. This expansion had led to a larger, more complex raid army, necessitating its division into smaller, more manageable groups for effective control.
The colony's increased capabilities and diversity had shifted the dynamics, allowing them to consider tackling challenges that would have been previously avoided. The master and the spider were leveraging this newfound strength to reassess their strategies and explore opportunities for further growth and expansion.
The spider had taken on the task of reorganizing the life forms into a structured classification system. He divided them into ranks, from five (the lowest) to one (the highest), with further subdivisions within each rank, such as low, middle, and high.
The former false queens were now categorized as medium-level Rank Four soldier ants, while the door heads were classified as high-level Rank Four door heads. Other life forms, like armored spiders, winged spiders, and giant stinger hornets, were also grouped and ranked accordingly.
Each group consisted of one hundred individuals, including:
- Medium-level Rank Four soldier ants (formerly false queens)
- High-level Rank Four door heads
- Medium-level Rank Four armored spiders
- High-level Rank Four winged spiders
- High-level Rank Four giant stinger hornets
This system allowed for better organization and strategic deployment of the life forms, enabling the master and the spider to optimize their forces for various tasks and challenges.
The list of life forms continued to grow, with new additions including:
- Medium Rank Four giant armored bees, valued for their strength and armor
- Low Rank Four scentless centipedes, prized for their large bodies, strong armor, and numerous legs for speed
- Steel pincher praying mantis, known for their formidable claws
- Three-sword horned beetles, recognized for their distinctive horns
- Armored body dragonflies, admired for their protective armor
Additionally, a large contingent of enhanced soldier ants had been reclassified as low Rank Five worker ants, numbering one thousand. These ants had replaced the original worker ants, taking on their roles and responsibilities.
This diverse array of life forms, each with unique strengths and abilities, formed a formidable force under the master and the spider's leadership.
The insect empire's army, comprising various life forms, had grown significantly. With approximately 9,000 soldiers in each group, and with multiple groups totaling up to 3,220 or more. This formidable force, under the master's leadership, would allow him to dominate the south and west regions without fear of the insect sovereigns that ruled those areas.
However, the master's ambitions were tempered by the presence of a more significant threat: the giants. These creatures, such as anteaters and insect-eating birds, posed a substantial danger to the insect empire's army. The master's caution in avoiding confrontations with hornet nests was largely due to the risk of attracting these giants.
The noise and chaos of battle could draw the giants, leading to catastrophic consequences for the insect empire's army. The master would need to carefully consider his strategies to mitigate this risk and ensure the continued growth and dominance of his empire,for his own sake.
The master smiled inwardly, praising the spider's performance while remembering a conversation three and half a year ago.
The spider,its gaze fixed on the master. Sensing the spider's unspoken request, the master inquired, "What troubles you?"
The spider seized the opportunity, expressing its long-held desire for a name. It explained that, based on the knowledge imparted by the master, it understood the significance of names for intelligent life forms. The spider humbly asked the master to grant it a name, its voice pouring out its inner thoughts and desires.
Despite its bold request, the spider couldn't help but feel fearful, worried about the master's potential wrath. The master's silence that followed only heightened the spider's anxiety, each passing second amplifying its apprehension. The master's nod to himself seemed like a precursor to a decision, leaving the spider wondering what fate had in store for it.
The master declared, "Atchnet... Your name will be Atchnet, the first of my sentient creations." Atchnet, the sentient spider, expressed its gratitude, "Thank you, my great master... Thank you for your grace," as it bowed deeply with all its limbs.
Back to the present.
The master then addressed Atchnet again, "Atchnet?" Atchnet responded promptly, "Yes, Lord Master." The master inquired "Project H,is it going smoothly?" Atchnet reported, "Yes, Lord Master. Sub H-1 is already showing signs of hatching, while Sub H-2 and H-3 are healthy."
The master affirmed and gave a command, "Good, let's go together then," and led the way in a specific direction. Atchnet followed steadily behind him, its long, metallic-like legs moving with purpose.
As they arrived at a corner of the lake, they came upon three large eggs resting on a bed made of dirt, silk, leaves, and small feathers. These eggs were distinct from typical insect eggs, as they were slightly transparent, allowing a dim silhouette of the life forms inside to be visible.
The master and Atchnet approached the eggs, and the master's interest in Project H became clearer. The eggs likely belonged to the sub-projects Atchnet had mentioned earlier (Sub H-1, H-2, and H-3).
The master expressed concern, "They still haven't developed any mental waves till this moment," his brow furrowed in a frown. Atchnet offered a cautious suggestion, "Master, these forms are unique compared to the other life forms... Maybe this is normal, and they would awaken their mentality once they hatch."
Atchnet's tone conveyed uncertainty, but the master clung to the possibility, saying, "I hope you are right... I just hope so." He gazed intently at the silhouettes within the eggs, his eyes filled with a mix of anticipation and apprehension.
The master's investment in Project H and the development of these life forms seemed to hinge on the emergence of mental waves, a crucial aspect of their intended capabilities. The uncertainty surrounding the eggs' development added an air of tension to the scene.