Hatchery

Mental communication was highly efficient, and Chloe soon acquired a good deal of relevant knowledge from the Hatchery.

The Hatchery was the core of the Swarm. Without a Hatchery, a Swarm would die out over time. Once the first Hatchery hatched on a planet, barring intervention by a powerful outside force, it was only a matter of time before the Swarm occupied the entire planet.

The Hatchery fulfilled many roles for the Swarm, including incubator, supplier, and creator.

As the name suggested, its role as incubator meant that all Zerg were hatched by Hatcheries. From creatures as small as Zerglings to Hive Lords that soared through the universe, all were born here. But this did not mean any Hatchery could hatch every kind of Zerg. Hatching more powerful Zerg required the Hatchery to advance to a higher level, as well as cooperation from other genetic structures.

For now, this was only a Basic Hatchery, and its hatching capabilities were still quite limited.

Its role as supplier referred to the Hatchery's ability to slowly secrete creep. Creep looked simple, but it was actually highly sophisticated.

It was the producer in the Swarm's society. It could absorb solar energy and store it, and it could also perform photosynthesis to produce nutrients. Every unit in the Swarm could draw nutrients from creep to replenish its stamina and heal its wounds.

Its role as creator referred to the Hatchery's ability to store genes and synthesize them to create new types of units. The Hatchery could be understood as a factory that produced all sorts of Zerg with different functions under orders from a Cerebrate, the Hive Swarm Consciousness, or the Overmind.

The Hatchery was so important that Zhang Han had not initially intended to let Chloe come into contact with it. But he had entered a critical phase of hatching, and in the later stages, he might have to remain asleep until the process was complete.

He needed someone to command the Swarm in his place. Since he could not hatch a Cerebrate yet, he could only rely on Chloe. He adjusted Chloe's permissions, making her the Executor, meaning one who carried out the Overmind's will.

Then he set backdoor commands for the Hatchery in advance. If Chloe issued an order that did not comply with those settings, the Hatchery would refuse to execute it. Thus, the risk remained manageable. Of course, all of this was kept from Chloe. She currently had no idea in which respects her permissions were restricted.

By now, she was already engrossed in the knowledge the Hatchery had transmitted to her. She still could not understand solar energy or photosynthesis. But she had learned that this seemingly terrifying structure could absorb energy on its own, expand the Swarm, and sustain it.

A Swarm numbering just over a dozen could already roam the Death Forest unchallenged. What if there were dozens, or hundreds? What a terrifying sight that would be. Nothing could stop such a force. Not even that terrifying Giant Worm.

Chloe immediately ordered the Basic Hatchery to begin hatching Zerglings. The Basic Hatchery then refused her, citing an insufficient gene pool and the Hatchery's low level.

Zerglings seemed to be the Zerg's lowest-tier unit, but that was not actually the case. Their opponents were exoskeleton-armored soldiers, steel tanks, artillery, and large mechs from interstellar civilizations. They possessed agile bodies, claws that could shred steel, relatively low hatching costs, and vast numbers.

This was why more than a dozen Knights had been unable to defeat four Zerglings and a Roach for so long.

Chloe then crammed in a good deal more knowledge of genetics and finally found a substitute for Zerglings at the current stage.

Zerglings, an inferior substitute for Zerglings. Their mobility and attack power were reduced, and their carapaces were much thinner. Their weapons were very crude: merely the chitinous bone blades on their forelimbs. These bone blades did insufficient damage against Knights' plate armor or thick-skinned Magical Beasts.

Even with their astonishing arm strength, the Zerglings would need several attacks before they might breach the armor. Sending them against the Swarm's former enemies would essentially be sending them to their deaths.

But things were different on Tabi Star. As long as their targets were not High-Level Magical Beasts, the Zerglings' attack power was sufficient. The pelts of ordinary animals and the leather armor of human soldiers could not withstand their sharp bone blades. A suitable unit was a good unit.

At Chloe's command, the Hatchery began hatching Zerglings. Their structure was so simple that even a Basic Hatchery needed only two hours to hatch more than a hundred. They consumed very little energy, too. The solar energy absorbed by the creep alone could sustain up to five hundred Zerglings.

Chloe was delighted by the number of Zerglings, but also terrified by the Zerg's potential. She was very glad she had already signed a Mental Contract with the Overmind and that, in his eyes, she was his good friend. Otherwise, facing such a terrifying Swarm would be a nightmare for the human world.

While waiting for the Zerglings to hatch, Chloe rode a Zergling to the human camp outside.

The camp was already quite well established, with barracks, tents, a kitchen, and other facilities.

Naturally, the most luxurious tent in the center was her residence, but she had not stayed in it over the past few days. She had been connected to the Swarm Network for so long that she had not even noticed herself gradually growing closer to the Zerg than to humans.

She enjoyed a meal in her tent. Food in the wilderness certainly could not compare with the delicacies she had once eaten at court, but it could still fill her stomach. I wonder what Zerg nutrient fluid tastes like. I could try it next time. Chloe's thoughts were already wandering.

Footsteps sounded outside the tent. Ymir had arrived.

"Knight Ymir requests an audience." The guard outside respectfully approached Chloe and spoke with his head lowered.

Seeing their behavior, Chloe very much wanted to laugh. Two days ago, they had still acted as though they meant to intimidate her. Ymir had never done more than offer a greeting before entering her tent, and the guards had never stopped him. Now they were all much better behaved.

Power made them submit. It was the Swarm that inspired their awe.

In high spirits, Chloe stroked the head of the Zergling beside her and said, "Let him in."

"Your Highness, did you summon me?" After entering, Ymir dropped to one knee and gave a Knight's salute.

A smug smile appeared on Chloe's face. "Yes. The Overmind's hatching requires time and more energy. The hunt must continue."

In truth, Ymir very much wanted to refuse. The Giant Worm's appearance had dealt a severe blow to the party's morale, but he had already begun to fear this Queen who commanded a horde of Magical Beasts.

"As you command, Your Highness. B-but the party may need a little time to overcome their fear. Still, I will do my best to reassure them." Ymir's voice trembled slightly.

"Hahaha, there's no need to be so afraid. As my guardian Knight, you've protected me for so long. I won't treat you poorly. You only need to bring two Knights along. You won't have to take part in the fighting. Leave everything to my Swarm." Chloe's laughter echoed through the tent, while Ymir trembled even harder.

"Yes, yes, I will obey Your Highness's command. Your horde of Magical Beasts will surely triumph in every battle." Ymir began offering flattery.

"Let me correct you on one point. They are the Swarm, the great Swarm. Those lowly Magical Beasts cannot compare to them. Don't get it wrong next time. Now go and gather the men."

"Yes, I understand. I understand." Frightened by Chloe's icy tone, Ymir left the tent in trepidation.