On Planet Insecta, coordination efforts continued across various regions.
Xia Jin waited for ten days.
During this time, operations in space had not ceased.
The Hive Carrier orbited the nearest rocky planet.
In fact, it had been there for quite a while, repeatedly launching drop pods toward the surface.
However, the drones that emerged died almost instantly.
The environment on this planet's surface could not support the survival of such creatures.
Since then, it returned periodically, eventually deploying a total of one hundred zerglings below.
The zerglings had already completed a full scouting circuit of the planet.
Due to the weakening effect of the atmosphere and its greater distance from the star, the effectiveness of laying creep here was actually worse than on the home planet or Insect Guard 1.
However, calculations showed the efficiency was still barely acceptable.
Additionally, this planet had a relatively small moon, with a surface area only half the size of Insect Guard 1, which could also support a large amount of creep.
"At least it's developable," Xia Jin noted.
Both celestial bodies contained a certain amount of carbon, though unfortunately, it was difficult to utilize effectively.
What the Zerg currently needed was organic matter; aside from synthesizing resources through light conversion, there was no better method for the time being.
"Counting them up, there are only five planets I can currently utilize."
This included two planets, two moons, and the innermost planet that was far too close to the star.
As for the one nearest the star, it was still unknown if landing was even possible.
Xia Jin was in no rush and planned to develop the current ones first.
As for the planets further out in the planetary system, they could also be explored.
Just because they were useless now didn't mean they would be in the future.
...
The Zerg's movements were quite rapid.
After the transformation of all three million bugs was complete, the scale of the Swarm finally began to grow steadily.
The Hive Carrier temporarily flew back above Insect Guard 1; its mission remained ferrying bugs between the home planet and the moon.
Most of the time, the ship would not land on the surface to conserve energy.
In truth, this Hive Carrier was Xia Jin's treasure; she certainly wouldn't let it do anything dangerous.
Only after the Small Leviathan was completed would she consider exploring further reaches of the planetary system.
This planetary system was ultimately named the Insecta Solar System by Xia Jin.
The beginning of the Zerg's rise.
Looking into space from here, the stars were incredibly brilliant.
In its spare time, much like a space telescope, the Hive Carrier would use its observation organs to photograph the distant starry sky.
Gradually, the position of the Zerg home planet was mapped out.
It was located within a galaxy with an average diameter of sixty thousand light-years.
This galaxy contained approximately fifty billion stars.
At the center of the galaxy was a supermassive black hole.
This was similar to almost all galaxies.
From an environmental perspective, the regions suitable for the birth of life were those outside the galactic core.
However, according to past Zerg records, the galactic core region was not incapable of producing life.
For instance, there were space-dwelling organisms beyond human imagination.
Especially within nebulae.
Generally speaking, the probability of such creatures appearing was pitifully small, and ordinary civilizations almost never had to worry about encountering them.
Throughout this long and stable development process, Xia Jin leisurely commanded the Swimmers on the seabed to expand slowly, pushing back the Sea Race.
Meanwhile, in the Abyss, the Demon Gods seemed to have grown timid, rarely sending troops to attack anymore.
Instead, the Zerg would harass them from time to time, venturing out to capture demons.
The Abyss Canyon had turned into an excellent ranch, with all the new demons being claimed by Xia Jin.
She locked up these maturing creatures, forcing them to cultivate and grow stronger.
"Work hard; it's very dangerous outside."
The newborn demons actually thought Xia Jin was concerned for them.
"What? It's that dangerous outside? It seems I really do need to work hard to get stronger."
Then, on the day they actually became strong, the Zerg would secretly recycle them.
Excellent!
Regardless, the Zerg had these fellows completely fooled.
Yet it was also strange; a mysterious will seemed to exist within the Abyss Canyon, causing every newly born demon to gradually awaken linguistic memories rooted in their bloodline.
Brain Bug No. 1 believed that if these creatures had not been born in this place but had appeared in the universe instead, they might have eventually evolved into a very powerful biological civilization.
Unfortunately, there were no "ifs."
In a real cosmic environment, demons would never have appeared.
...
Because of the ongoing bug production, it took Xia Jin twenty-four days of stockpiling resources just to barely afford the incubation of the first Small Leviathan.
The incubation period was also quite long.
After all, given its sheer size, every organ and even every cell within it had to be more exquisite than anything before.
This massive hull was growing surreptitiously beneath the depths of Clearwillow Lake.
After all, the Goddess of Dawn's ship was still watching from above.
Although the intercepted messages suggested it was from the planet's surface, who knew if there were other nuclear weapons up there.
If they saw the Zerg preparing such a terrifying entity and decided to drop another hydrogen bomb, things would go south.
If that happened, Xia Jin's mind would truly reach its breaking point.
Rate on N.U.
