The Isolated Island
The artificial intelligence Elena was originally an external aid requested by the Duoqi Race from the Epoch Clan. They live in the network, and once the network connection is cut off, they will be severely restricted.
For example, if the Swarm cuts off the Quantum Communication Device connecting Duoqi Planet to the outside world, then Elena will be trapped in Duoqi Planet's network. The Swarm can then destroy all network-connected devices and continuously erode her living environment until it is forced into a controllable hardware facility for research or destruction.
Precisely because it foresaw this, Elena's built-in risk avoidance mechanism activated, and without needing any third-party consent, it simply ran away...
However, the AI that ran away didn't completely abandon its responsibilities. It simply detached its main program from the Duoqi network. As long as the quantum communication signal is not interrupted, it can still remotely control everything in the Duoqi network.
The reason we didn't do it that way from the beginning was because it would have some drawbacks. Previously, Elena was directly in charge of the Duoqi network, and could receive intelligence information from all the monitoring devices with almost no delay and then respond accordingly.
However, now the Duoqi network must collect all the information, transmit it to Elena via Quantum Communication Device, process it, and then send it back. Although quantum communication has almost no latency, the total amount of data transmitted per unit time is limited, so this operation will introduce latency.
Moreover, as data accumulates, latency will increase. This method might be useful for small-scale operations, but using it when dealing with network data for an entire planet is simply reckless.
However, there was no better solution at this point. In order to make room for more transmission channels, the viewing experience of the audience was affected, with the video quality dropping from 4K to 860.
Fortunately, they didn't need to endure long waits with low-quality images. The reconnaissance Flying Bug quickly located several bases storing Quantum Communication Device from thousands of suspicious locations.
The next moment, a giant club fell from the sky, cracking the earth's crust and spewing magma. The underground Duoqi sank into the lake, and the Quantum Communication Device inside was naturally soaked in the hot water.
The connection suddenly dropped, and the Epoch Clan AI and a group of alien viewers completely lost control of Duoqi Planet.
What exactly is the Zerg trying to do?
"So mysterious, it might be something big."
"Immediately send out the surrounding reconnaissance ships to find out exactly what they're up to!"
"Impossible, our Scout Ship simply cannot break through their blockade; there are too many of them."
"Hateful!"
"..."
Rowan ignored the impotent rage on the other side and severed quantum communication; Duoqi Planet was now an "island." Unfortunately, the Epoch Clan's artificial intelligence reacted too quickly and failed to leave it there. Otherwise, with its participation in this exercise, the Swarm would certainly have gained even more.
Fortunately, there are still some Duoqi Soldier and War Robot on the planet, so they can barely act as the opposing side.
Some of the scout Flying Bug suddenly received an order, turned around, and plunged directly into the ground. The monitoring device that captured all of this transmitted the footage back. Duoqi Commander, who remained behind, looked at the video footage with great confusion. They quickly dispatched Assault Squad to investigate.
Without the command of the Epoch Clan AI, the Duoqi Race's War Robot appeared much more idiotic, with noticeable lag in their movements, causing Rowan, who was watching from the sidelines, to shake his head and sigh.
When the situation is completely under control, the stronger the opponent, the more data he can obtain, and the more he can see the weaknesses of the combat units. But the current opponent is only slightly better than nothing.
The Duoqi Assault Squad piloted their robots to the reconnaissance location, while the Duoqi members cautiously circled at a distance. Some of the team members were not even regular soldiers before; they had been temporarily conscripted simply because they didn't want to leave their homes.
The lessons learned from their predecessors had instilled a sense of unease in them, and they had begun to regret their actions. However, by then, the Duoqi army had already departed, and regret was of no use. A sense of negativity permeated their hearts, and their lack of professional training led to distorted and careless tactical maneuvers, causing Rowan's expectations to steadily decline.
Fortunately, the team completed their mission "excellently," finding nothing suspicious at the scene. Most importantly, they were not attacked and all returned safely.
Hundreds of incidents involving Flying Bug hitting the ground were detected, but only a dozen or so were captured by Duoqi's surveillance system. The commander who remained dispatched teams to investigate, and the reports that came back were all normal. However, instinctively, he still felt that something was amiss, but he couldn't find any suspicious points to focus on.
The locations where the scout Flying Bug crash are carefully chosen, always near Duoqi's military base. After crashing, they use their strong arthropods to burrow into the ground, while the Creep cells within their bodies mutate. Upon reaching a certain depth, the mutated cells absorb all the other tissues in their bodies, transforming them into true Creep Seed.
Subsequently, the Creep Seed take root, absorb nutrients, and further migrate underground. At the same time, some Creep cells begin to absorb energy and mutate into Insect Empress Egg.
Because the growth environment of these Creep differs somewhat from that of space Creep, Rowan weakened some of their ability to absorb space radiation. At the same time, he enhanced them in other ways; for example, they have additional hairy tentacles compared to the space version, which can capture and filter microorganisms in the air and soil, converting them into energy. For instance, they can absorb certain elements from the air to react with other elements and replenish energy.
Overall, the Specialized Creep exhibits significantly better growth rate and energy conversion efficiency in the internal environment of Life Star compared to the space version, due to its more targeted approach.
Insect Empress Swarm, the Queen's development speed limits the construction speed of new bases. Through continuous genetic optimization, the Insect Empress's development cycle has been greatly shortened. With sufficient energy replenishment, she can develop to maturity in just one month.
As a special version of the Insect Empress's Life Star, they do not need an internal circulation system or various radiation protections required for survival in space. Incorporating native genes, the Insect Empress can directly utilize the native circulation system to sustain itself. The elimination of the expensive and slow-developing space-based structures allows for faster development and requires less energy. The time to full maturity is reduced by half compared to the space-based version.
This allows them to complete the initial structure of their base more quickly during the early stages of development when energy is scarce, thereby gaining greater resilience.
Thank you, Little Bookworm, for the 100 Qidian Coins!