By IMERPUS RELUR
--
The first night fell quickly.
Lin Shen had expected panic. Instead, he felt strangely calm.
Maybe it was the faint hum in the air—the synchronized vibrations from the ground where thousands of ants toiled endlessly. Maybe it was the realization that he wasn't truly alone. The ants were primitive, sure, but they obeyed.
[Ant Nest: Level 1 Constructed.]
[Hive Core: Active.]
[Worker Ants – Tier 1 (★) – 1,000 Units Deployed.]
The panel showed progress bars. His ants were gathering soil, creating chambers underground. He had no food, no weapons, no shelter—but his colony was growing. That was all that mattered.
Suddenly, a new message blinked in his mind.
[Hive Evolution Tree Unlocked.]
[Function: Allows troop fusion and evolution based on core rules.]
[Fusion Rule: Combine 3 identical Tier 1 (★) units to form 1 Tier 2 (★★) unit.]
Lin Shen froze.
"Fusion?"
He focused on the Hive Panel. A glowing tree-like diagram appeared, branches twisting upward with shadowed icons—unrevealed forms.
He selected three idle ants mentally.
[Fusion Initiated: 3 × Worker Ants – Tier 1 (★)]
[Result: Acid Spitter Ant – Tier 2 (★★)]
[Unique Trait: Range Attack, Organic Acid Gland]
A larger ant emerged, mandibles longer and abdomen slightly bulging with a greenish glow.
He blinked. "That… actually worked."
The new ant clicked once. The others stepped aside for it.
His pulse quickened.
"This changes everything."
If he could evolve one ant... he could evolve an army.
—
By dawn, his Hive had expanded by twenty percent.
He had five Acid Spitters now, all Tier 2 (★★), created through carefully timed fusions. Their ranged acid could melt bark and small stones. It wasn't much—but it was already a combat advantage.
And that wasn't all.
[Hidden Achievement Unlocked: First Evolution]
[Title Gained: Brood Architect]
[Effect: +10% Efficiency on all future Hive Evolutions.]
Lin Shen smirked.
"I see. This is a game of patience and refinement."
The other Lords were probably focused on flashy power. Weapons. Soldiers. But his strength came in numbers, in transformation.
He didn't need strong troops.
He just needed time to fuse them all.
And when that time came, no one would be able to stop the Swarm.