Underground Farm

The experimental results came back quickly, and Rowan figured everything out in just a few days.

He originally thought he would have to wait for the Ant Queen lay eggs, and then wait for the Insect Egg to develop slowly, which would take at least a growth cycle, just like when he observed the Drone Ant.

It was later discovered that his thinking had become fixed. There were still many live Big-Headed Ant larvae and pupae in the Ant Nest, so there was no need to wait for the Ant Queen to lay eggs and hatch them again.

He sent some Spy Bug in to take care of the larvae and pupae.

On the same day, a batch of adult insects emerged from the pupae.

What happened next was simple; following their instincts, they began to busy themselves in the cave.

In the rooms beside those spiral tunnels, they glued together the leaves, chewed and mixed with saliva, to form walls, creating honeycomb-like structures. The white fibrous threads were actually planted there by the Big-Headed Ant themselves.

The green leaf mixture acts as fertilizer, and many tiny Worker Ant are carefully examining the white fibrous material within the honeycomb structure, removing things from time to time, much like weeding.

Rowan tried a little bit; the fibrous part was rich in protein, and the fibrous network structure also contained many spherical objects, which were rich in carbohydrates.

These Big-Headed Ant have actually created an underground farm in their nest.

If the crops in one such room can support a thousand Big-Headed Ant, then this cross-section alone could reveal hundreds of such rooms, not to mention countless others hidden underground.

Rowan clicked his tongue in amazement. Not only did the Big-Headed Ant grow their own crops, but they also kept more than a dozen Red Ant Nest outside. No wonder a single Ant Nest could support 7 million members.

Although he couldn't figure out exactly what these fibrous materials were, he figured the underground growth must be some kind of fungus. In any case, this production technology had to be introduced back to the Swarm. It would not only enrich the Swarm's industrial structure and fill the gap in agriculture, but most importantly, Rowan would finally be able to enjoy safe and reliable sweet sugar.

Having grasped the secret of the Big-Headed Ant's rapid troop deployment, Rowan ordered the Big-Headed Ant Queen be protected and kept in captivity. Then, he rushed back to the nest overnight to update the Mother Nest's gene pool.

First, 500 new queen Ant Queen were produced. Rowan wasn't sure if the Worker Ant in the Swarm could learn to cultivate the fungi. Anyway, the queen Ant Queen would be needed eventually, so he produced some first, and then had them hatch Worker Ant with the genes of Big-Headed Ant as a template to cultivate fungal crops. The original worker Worker Ant continued to engage in animal husbandry and raise Aphid.

However, the earliest batch of Ant Queen carried too few gene samples and could no longer keep up with the development of the Swarm. Rowan considered whether to recycle them.

After thinking for a moment, I decided against it, since they had contributed to the Swarm's development. I'll just send another Ant Queen over later to enrich the base's army.

The old one can just be considered retired; it's fine to keep it for free. These insects also have a limited lifespan. Worker Ant have a shorter lifespan, but because of frequent Swarm wars, they basically don't die of old age. As for the Ant Queen, she has a longer lifespan, and Rowan doesn't know how long these guys will live.

However, even if you raise them for a hundred or eighty years, they won't be able to eat much if the Ant Queen doesn't lay Insect Egg.

After arranging the tasks for the Mother Nest, Rowan didn't rest. He hurriedly returned to the riverbank. He had just discovered the aquatic creatures and hadn't yet figured them out when his attention was diverted to conquering the Big-Headed Ant.

Now that the Big-Headed Ant are dealt with, it's time to go back and figure out what happened before.

Returning to the riverbank where the anomaly was first discovered, Rowan began patrolling the area. However, as time passed, the aquatic creatures disappeared without a trace.

Rowan did not give up. Instead of searching the surrounding area, he continued his search northward along the riverbank.

A week passed, and although Rowan hadn't found anything in the river, his efforts paid off, and he made an unexpected discovery in a puddle by the river.

This is a small pit, about half a meter deep and roughly a dozen square meters in size, which appeared for some unknown reason. It is right next to a river. The barrier between the pit and the river has been washed away by the water flow, and some river water has flowed into the pit, forming this puddle.

The puddle was very murky because the river water didn't flow much, and it was full of aquatic plants, with various weeds and leaves floating among them.

If you don't get close, you won't be able to spot this puddle from a distance.

Rowan had passed through here twice before, and this was the third time. Unlike the previous two times, which were during the day, this time it was indeed evening.

It was this casual passing by before dark that led Rowan to a new discovery.

On the murky water, several small black beetles floated leisurely, inconspicuous at all. But the dim light did not impair Rowan's vision, and the unusual sight on the water immediately caught his attention.

Upon closer inspection, these insects were found to be about two to three centimeters long, oval-shaped, flat, and covered with a smooth carapace on their backs, which was covered with tiny white dots.

Because the water was murky and covered with various dead leaves, Rowan initially thought they were lying on the leaves. But when he carefully parted the leaves with his Walking Leg, he discovered that these insects were indeed floating on the surface of the water on their own.

These tiny creatures, like overturned boats, made Rowan's eyes light up.

I carefully extended my Walking Leg and approached a small insect.

Their eyesight must be poor; they didn't react much when I touched the leaves earlier.

The sticky hairs on the forelegs of the Walking Leg allow them to easily grab a small insect and lift it up.

Rowan also saw its true colors.

Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that its carapace is not a single piece, but rather composed of a cephalic plate and two other carapace plates, one on each side. These plates fit together seamlessly, appearing as a single unit, and are not easily noticeable without careful examination.

Moreover, their carapaces can be raised and opened to the sides, just as it is doing now, while hissing as if to intimidate Rowan.

They have three pairs of segments, with long, slender forelegs and short, flattened middle and hind legs, resembling four oars. When they float on the water, these four "oars" can propel them forward quickly.

What's most interesting are their eyes; they have two pairs, one above the other. But that's not unusual; the spider that previously attacked Rowan had eight eyes. What's interesting is that one pair of eyes is in the normal position, while the other pair is on the lower side of their head.

Judging from the waterline they just marked, their eyes are submerged when they are floating on the surface. Their purpose is self-evident: to observe underwater conditions.

Rowan sighed, "If you can't see accurately from the surface, then grow another pair of eyes underwater. Animals really are pragmatists."

However, these all belong to Rowan now. With the addition of these genes, he will soon be able to have naval units.

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