Mutation

But if that's all, these abilities don't seem to be of much help in delivering the Mother Planet to the Insect Empress of Riken.

However, these capabilities are only the initial features that the Swarm Network exhibits after its evolution.

As Rowan gradually gained a better understanding of the new Swarm Network, an even more terrifying ability was Rowan.

While remotely authorizing the Insect Empress to gain access to update the gene pool, Rowan had a sudden thought: what would happen if this function were used on ordinary units?

Then he discovered this new feature.

Once a regular unit gains access to the gene pool and has sufficient energy, it will transform into an Insect Empress!

In other words, regardless of whether its predecessor is Worker Bee or Raider, whether it is Wind God, Space Octopus, or Creep, as long as it has the identity of Swarm Network node, and if Rowan is willing, they all have the opportunity to transform into Insect Empress.

Of course, small and medium-sized units like Worker Bee or Raider have a very low success rate in transforming into Insect Empress because they contain too little energy. Transformation requires a large amount of energy.

Among all the units, the success rate of Creep transformation is the highest, almost reaching 100%, which may be related to the fact that they have the most abundant stored energy.

After Rowan discovered this ability, not only the main body and the Mother Nest, but even the Insect Empress became less important. As long as the Creep existed, the Swarm would not be destroyed.

Creep have a very strong survival ability and are also very good at hiding.

All of the Swarm's space units are essentially products derived from the Creep. For example, Space Octopus and Overseer are aggregates of various Creep components, and when needed, they serve as Seed for the Creep.

In space, a large number of Overseer float, responsible for monitoring the surrounding environment and expanding the coverage of the Swarm Network.

These Overseer can all be considered as Creep Seed, and their numbers are countless.

In addition, over the years, the Swarm has randomly launched a large number of Swarm Meteor into the endless void. These meteorites have the opportunity to become Insect Empress and reproduce the Swarm when necessary.

With their presence, Rowan's survivability has increased several levels. Even if there really is Chess Player Civilization, if they cannot clear out all the Swarm units in several star systems in a short time, then the Swarm will still exist.

After acquiring this ability, tasks that were previously almost impossible became simple.

On the Mother Planet of Riken, the original Life-Extending Serum laboratory was attacked by unidentified armed forces, and a fire reduced many buildings to ashes. After salvaging some supplies, the rescue team escorted the research team to another laboratory.

The original experimental subjects, now reduced to ruins and utterly worthless, are no longer cared for.

But beneath these ruins, everything has changed.

The Mother Planet of Rickon is covered with various monitoring instruments, so out of caution, the Creep Seed did not spread everywhere after burrowing underground, but instead went directly to a depth of about 300 meters to begin developing.

Because of its secrecy, this laboratory had almost no external monitoring equipment, and its internal monitoring system had been destroyed. Now that it's in ruins, no one would come here, making it a very good place for development.

After the initial accumulation, the Creep has divided into a considerable number of Strain.

Suddenly, the Creep pulsed, and a large amount of substance was visibly transported through the channels into one of the Strain.

The Strain then underwent a dramatic change; it began to proliferate and was gradually enveloped by secretions, eventually transforming into a giant Insect Egg over five meters tall.

Inside the Insect Egg, the Strain's genes changed, and the new gene sequence developed rapidly under the full supply of nutrients.

A few days later, the Insect Egg cracked open, Insect Empress crawled out.

With the support of the Insect Empress, the development speed of the Swarm's branching bases suddenly accelerated.

Some modified Worker Bee, skilled in digging, were the first to hatch. They continued to dig underground, and the area of their burrows could certainly not be limited to the original laboratory ruins.

However, if we want to expand outwards, a depth of 300 meters underground is still not safe, so the location of the sub-base needs to be further underground.

A month later, the basalt had ten queen Insect Empress, and a large number of digging Worker Bee were hatched. They continued to dig downwards for twenty kilometers, then expanded the burrow at this location and moved the Creep and Insect Empress there.

After the Creep settled in its new location, its roots spread outwards from the cave, stabilizing the top layer of the base upwards to prevent collapse, and continuing downwards for tens of kilometers, reaching all the way to the molten layer.

Some special roots made from the material of Godzilla's skin penetrate into the magma. The material, which can withstand Small Nuclear Bomb, can easily withstand magma with a temperature of only a little over 1,000 degrees Celsius.

The magma contains abundant energy and various metallic minerals, which are all materials urgently needed for the development of the Ricken sub-base. With this energy transmission pipeline opened, the development speed of the sub-base will reach a new level.

"Sister, you've finally arrived." Chloe looked at her "sister" with a strange smile.

"When you came back last time, you were still as sharp-tongued as ever, and I didn't see any signs of psychological trauma. Why did you suddenly become so suicidal?" Claire's face, which used to resemble Chloe's, had matured considerably compared to her sister's, making her easily recognizable.

She looked at Chloe with a puzzled expression, wondering why she had suddenly called her, saying that she was recalling her experience of being captured by alien creatures, that she was suffering from depression, had suicidal tendencies, and asked her to take leave and come back to be with her for a few days.

Although the two seem to bicker and tease each other whenever they meet, and appear to have a bad relationship, they are actually very close. Although Chloe seems to have changed a bit since returning this time, it may be related to her experience on the expedition. Because she was busy with work, she didn't pay much attention to it.

But upon suddenly hearing that her sister had suicidal tendencies, whether it was true or not, she rushed back immediately. But looking at Chloe's cheerful demeanor now, she doesn't seem like someone who would commit suicide at all.

"I did have that tendency just now, but I'm much better now. Let's have a drink, sister, chat with me for a bit, I have a surprise for you later." Chloe poured herself a glass of wine and handed it to Claire.

Claire took the bottle, leaned against the wall, and took a sip. "So, what happened? What do you want to talk about?"

When are you going back this time?

"I don't know, I left in a hurry and didn't have time to ask for leave," Claire said, shaking her head.

"Then come back and spend a few more days with me this time. Come to think of it, we've only seen each other briefly once in decades, when I first came back." Chloe's expression was somewhat somber.

Thank you for the 1500 Qidian Coins reward for "Blurred Vision" and thank you for the 500 Qidian Coins reward for "Still My Heart Awaits You in a Foreign Land".