Life Is All About the Lottery

The insectoid race, having narrowly escaped extinction, reflected bitterly on its ordeal. An intense sense of crisis drove them to urgently make the entire species stronger. After all, no one could guarantee that the race would survive the next such crisis.

But that raised the question: how could they become stronger?

The insectoids had no mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology. Constantly thinking for survival, they were nothing like humans, who indulged in idle thoughts after filling their stomachs. Once a hunt was complete, the hive would methodically plan the next one, like a machine.

Lacking creativity, they ultimately focused their attention on the "Light of Evolution" from the neutron star.

The insectoids knew nothing about radiation. They did not even understand what genes were. But they understood one thing: at certain times, during the planet's daylight hours, living organisms would be altered by a mysterious force. This change made most creatures much worse, but there would always be a few that became extraordinarily powerful.

They could make as many worker bees capable of growing into hives as possible bathe in the "Light of Evolution." Even if only one or two became powerful, it would still be progress for the entire collective.

The facts proved their idea successful. The hives, the insectoid race's core species, grew ever more powerful through radiation.

Yet this strength was not guaranteed. Sometimes their bodies grew larger; sometimes they sprouted extra tentacles or spikes; other times, they developed more incubation chambers.

At its core, it still came down to "drawing the lottery." The insectoids simply bought more "lottery tickets," increasing the odds that their species would win.

Without any real understanding of it, the insectoids achieved selective genetic evolution.

As the insectoid command caste further expanded their brain capacity, their intelligence was further liberated. They learned