Southern Region

The surge of energy swept across the isolation chamber, over the instruments and equipment, and over every person present.

The researchers felt their bodies tremble slightly, as though something had lightly brushed against them.

Xu Wuyi stood where he was, completely still.

He could feel the Brood Nest responding to his command.

The biological modules that had once operated according to fixed procedures were now beginning to operate according to his will.

The insect genes that had once obeyed only the Feathered Humans' commands were now waiting for his summons.

With another flicker of thought, he issued the Brood Nest a second command.

"Produce insectoids."

The Brood Nest began to tremble violently.

Its blood vessels throbbed madly, and its folds contracted fiercely. The entire fleshy mass was like a beating heart, each pulse accompanied by a tremendous surge of energy.

The surrounding researchers stared in stunned disbelief.

They had studied this Brood Nest for ten whole days and tried every possible method, yet they had failed to make it react in the slightest.

But now, before this young man, it had actually begun to move.

A section of the Brood Nest's surface slowly began to bulge.

The swelling grew larger and more pronounced until it formed a lump nearly a meter in diameter.

Cracks began appearing across its surface, multiplying and deepening. Then, a huge claw stretched out from the fissures.

The claw was grayish-brown all over and covered in hard exoskeleton. Its five sharp talons gleamed with a cold, ghostly light beneath the lamps.

Then a second claw emerged.

Next came the head, torso, and segmented limbs.

Nearly a full minute passed before the insectoid finally broke free of the Brood Nest and landed on the floor inside the isolation chamber.

It was a massive beetle-like creature over two