"...A brood other than us.."
I can't help but frown after listening to one of my children, Blade, report.
Including that one week I spent waiting for Blade and the other children to hatch, it's only been less than two weeks since we arrived on this planet. And yet problems are already coming. First, are the red-skinned creatures which seem to be the native human race of this planet and now another brood? How troublesome. Thankfully, from the image and info from Blade, the human civilization here is still in the stone age. As long as they don't have any special traits, it should be easy to exterminate them all.
As for the foreign brood, it will have to wait until I have more information before deciding anything. Just from what I know now, this brood just reached this part of the forest. Evident from their recent appearance and the disappearing monsters on this part. There is nothing to worry about these Taraqaks, their combat power is far weaker than my children. Unless it has an overwhelming number, the Taraqaks are of no threat. What I worry about is whether they have rank 2 or higher.
Looking at the half-finished egg room, I need to speed it up.
While I'm thinking about what to do, Blade speaks up.
"Mother, how about we observe the other brood first? While it is unpleasant for allowing another brood to exist so close to us, the Taraqaks are of no threat to us, except for their number. We are stronger than them and our black sludge renders their web useless.
We can let them off for now and observe them until our new siblings come, then their numbers will not be a threat anymore. They will be no more than food for our new siblings."
I turn to Blade and the other, my lips turn to smile. Hearing a good idea come from my child, I can't help but smile and feel proud.
I never thought I would be so lucky to give birth to an Aberrant. A brood member that is born with superior stats. It was supposed to be already lucky for a brood to give birth to an Aberrant after the one hundred+ batch, and a thousand workers are counted as one batch, that's just how rare the aberrant is. And yet, I gave birth to one in my first batch. Not to mention, Blade is an Aberrant with superior intelligence, stats that are usually the lowest and the most difficult to raise.
Thanks to his high intelligence, his learning and thinking capacity are far above the other children. I even suspect he has a human soul or memories like me but from his actions and words, I am certain that he is a pure brood worker. A smart one.
Worthy of being an aberrant, using his superior intelligence, he becomes the strongest and a leader for the children. He also has a strong desire to protect and provide for the brood, evident from his aspiration to become a champion and he proves it with his actions.
Blade, albeit temporary, it is a nice name. He will be the sharpest sword of the brood. And there is also one more child that is special, the one named Fist. Although his stats are not as high to reach an aberrant threshold, it is still higher than normal. His strength and vitality are higher than normal children but his intelligence is a few points lower than normal. I was worried he would die early because of it but now that he is being led by Blade, I can rest assured. With Blade's intelligence, I'm sure he notices that Fist is an asset, he won't let him die.
But, no matter how strong they will become, that is still in the future. Right now, they need resources and time to grow. The stronger they become, the better it is for the brood.
"The four of you, go and scout the enemy's brood, their number, territory, and nest. But make sure to stay hidden and don't alert them. We will not attack them until the next batch of workers hatch, you understand?"
"Yes, Mother!"
"Now go."
With my order, the four of them went on their way. I stand up from my throne and walk to the half-finished room, behind the throne on the right.
A short hallway connecting to a big round hall, that's the egg room I want. The hallway has already been dug but the room only has a quarter of it done. There are five children digging the room diligently.
"Children, back away from there."
Obeying me, the children scramble behind me. I aimed my hand at the room as a big ball of energy emerged, the energy ball is twice the size of an adult's head. The energy ball shot and impacted the wall of the mountain like a cannon, cracks spread on the wall like a web. I shot more energy balls to different points of the wall. I don't make any more energy balls after the fifth shot, my energy stretches into many invisible hands and grab the pieces of stone off the wall. I throw the stone pieces outside the room and have the children dump it outside. I repeat the process until I exhaust all my energy and my gland.
I used some of the biomass provided by my children to upgrade my strains, so my energy reserve has been upgraded and my glands are all filled with energy. That means I won't be running out of energy soon.
Name: Eve
Species: Brood Queen
Core LV: 1
Strength: 32
Vitality: 36
Intelligence: 48
Agility: 30
HP: 125/125
EN: 130/130
Strain: Eyes LV1, Claws LV1, Tail LV1, Legs LV1, Body LV1, Tendril LV1, Enhanced Psionic Gland LV5, Efficient Core Processing Gland LV5, Restorative Black Sludge Gland LV5
BioMass: 144
[Enhanced Psionic Gland]
[Enhanced the gland's overall function to a certain extent.]
[Energy+10 Intelligence+3]
Just like the description, my control, expenditure, and the capacity of my gland are all enhanced by a slight margin. While it is only a slight upgrade, it still works wonderfully for me. The energy and intelligence is a very welcome addition.
[Efficient Core Processing Gland]
[Enhanced the energy conversion of the Gland. Less energy and biomass expenditure when creating core.]
[Energy+10 Vitality+2]
As for this, the process of creating a core is now easier and much cheaper both in energy and biomass. Now, I only need 1 biomass to create a worker core. The vitality points are so that my body can endure the continuous creation of the core.
[Restorative Black Sludge Gland]
[Adds restorative components to the sludge. Heal the host or other wounds when applied. It can restore lost body parts but takes a long time to do so. Better effect if submerged entirely in the sludge.]
[Energy+10 Strength+1 Vitality+1]
The reason why I chose this is obvious. When the brood member increases, the number of battles will increase and so will the wounded. This gland will ensure the member will be healed, although it may need time. It is also for myself if I ever get wounded. Not to mention it also adds 1 point each to my strength and vitality, 10 points for my energy.
When both my psionic gland and energy are exhausted, the room is already almost done. I grab the pieces of flesh near my throne and devour it for energy, I want to finish the construction in one swoop. When my energy is full again, I go back to the room and fire a ball of energy at the wall before clearing the rubble again. After a few hours, more than half of my energy used up, the room finally finished.
A big round hall with a high ceiling. I estimate I can put about a hundred or so eggs here, double if I make a second floor. But before that, it needs a finishing touch. The bare white stone wall is nice but I like black and yellow better.
"Children, cover the walls and ceiling with black sludge. Don't miss a spot."
The children move as black sludge leaks out from their skin, leaving behind a trail of black. While waiting for them, I sit down on my throne. I reach out for a quick bite.
When I'm done with the room, I can start laying down the egg and only need to wait for a week for the worker to hatch. But even when all the workers hatch, I don't plan to send them to eradicate the Taraqaks. At least not yet. I want our number to reach at least five hundred strong and have a stable supply of biomass before doing any large-scale battle.
Such a raid will cause massive losses and the current brood can't afford it. Not to mention if the Taraqaks have rank 2. And besides, I feel that it is kind of a waste to wipe out the Taraqaks. If we can control their number and activity, the Taraqaks will become a good source of easy biomass and exp.
As for the local human, Blade didn't encounter them again at the previous hunt, unfortunately. After this, I'll send the children to search for them. We need more info about them. We at least need to know where they are. For me, humans are a bigger threat than Taraqaks.
While I was thinking, the children came to me.
"Mother, we're done."
"Good job. Go and eat, restore your energy. I might need your help again."
I rub their heads before going to the room. The room is completely black with thick sludge dripping from the ceiling. I nod and walk to the center of the room, my tendril extends to the ground and spreads like roots. I channeled energy into it and took control of the sludge. I spread the sludge evenly on every surface, the sludge moves like I want, forming a somewhat smooth exterior.
It's a thick layer but this amount of sludge is not enough. Thankfully, my sludge gland is full. I let out all the sludge on my gland as it gushes out from the six pipes on my back. The sludge I let out assimilate with the rest, half move to the roof and half stay on the floor.
The sludge on both the roof and floor surge, three streams stretch out from each side, one side extending downward while the other side upward.
The three pairs of streams meet and merge into three support pillars, they form a triangle shape. With this, the room structure will be more stable and stronger. To continue, I need more sludge.
"Children, come here."
Hearing my call, the children come running.
"Mother, what is it?"
"I need more black sludge, children."
The children then regurgitate a large amount of black sludge. I redirect the new batch of black sludge to the center of the pillars and like opening an umbrella, a thick layer of sludge spread and forming the second floor. I leave a hole in the middle of the second floor that acts as a door. With this, the egg room is done.
My energy is spent, I sit down on my throne to rest and take a little bite. Since the egg room is done, I just need to make the core. As for the eggs, I let the children handle it. I call the children and all five of them come in front of me.
"Children, are there any of you who already evolve your black sludge?"
All of them shake their heads.
"Then, I want three of you to evolve your sludge gland to [Nutritious Black Sludge Gland]. The three children who evolve their strain will be called Broodtender and always stay inside the brood to care for the unborn siblings. I let you choose who will be the Broodtenders.
As for the last two, I want you to choose a strain that makes it easier for you to dig a room and enhances your black sludge gland for construction. They will be called engineers. Any questions?"
"Mother, what's a construction?"
"A construction is a process of making things like room and the like. Let me show you."
I share with them the images of people constructing the shelter from my previous life with the mind link. Previously I could only show them bits of it, but after the evolution, I can show them more complete and better images. If the previous is like 240p now I can show them 580p.
"Do you understand? You will be the one to shape our nest."
"Yes, Mother!"
"Then go and evolve your strain after you decide. If you lack biomass, just take from the pile. Remember, three Broodtenders and two engineers."
"Yes!"
The five huddle together for a while before scattering, some eat before entering their eggs while some go straight to their eggs. While I waited for them, I made a hundred eggs in the egg room. The children just need to fill it with black sludge.
As for the cores, I have a plan for it. I made a transparent container behind my throne, the container is like a half meter barrel-shape aquarium. Then I take the liquid energy from the nest to fill the container, the light of the nest dimmed a little but the children can refill it with energy later.
With the container filled and ready, I create a tube that connects to the container. The tube extent and strap itself onto my stomach. With this, when I'm done creating a core, the finished core will automatically be transferred to the container.
The liquid energy in the container will preserve the cores until it is moved to a proper egg for incubation. At the bottom of the container, I make a button and a small opening. When a Broodtender pushes the button, a tentacle inside the container will pick a core and push it out through the small opening.
This will make it easier for me and the Broodtender. I can stay still on my throne and produce cores while the Broodtender takes the core out of the container and puts it into the egg. I quickly put the plan into motion and the first core came out from my stomach. It smoothly travels through the tube and comes out inside the container, floating in the yellow liquid.
Seeing no problem, I create more cores. On my tenth cores, the children come out of their eggs. The Broodtenders don't show any difference outside but I know their sludge gland is now different, while the engineers have their arm evolved. One evolved his arm to look like a pickaxe and the other had a bigger arm with sharp claws.
I call and tell them what to do. The Broodtenders go to the egg room and fill the eggs with the sludge. When they run out of sludge they come and take the core from the container. The engineers refill the next supply of energy before digging another egg room across the newly built one. The brood is starting its expansion, things will get busy.
I sit on my throne while creating cores continuously and the Broodtenders moving the cores to the egg and incubates them. The sound of construction echoes in the nest, the engineers put their all into making the new egg room. When the sun is setting, Blade and the others come back. They don't have any wounds and they bring some Taraqaks corpse with them. Blade put the corpse on the pile and looks at me.
"Mother, we don't find the Taraqak's nest but we find the direction they come from."
Blade points at the northeast of the nest. I see the images of their investigation from the mind link, it seems the Taraqak came from a place a bit farther than I initially thought. With this distance, we can watch their movement and have ample time to set our defense if the need arises.
"How's the forest condition, Blade? Is the monster there wiped out by the Taraqaks?"
"No, Mother. While the Taraqak killed many monsters, we find many monsters move toward that part of the forest to avoid the Taraqaks."
Blade points at the west, I'll teach him direction later. With the monsters flock together, it will make hunting both easier and harder at the same time. Easier to spot prey and harder because they crowd together. But that is not a problem.
"Blade, bring your siblings and hunt the Taraqaks. Focus on them and control their number, make sure they don't grow closer to the Brood's territory. And continue to search the Taraqak's nest, we must find it."
"I understand, Mother."
Blade nods and so does the other. I rub their head and they show me such a cute face as they enjoy my patting. Blade suddenly asks.
"Mother, my new siblings…"
I can't help but smile at his question.
"Don't worry, after a week they will hatch. At that time, I will be counting on you to lead them."
"For the Brood! For Mother!"
I say to Blade and the others, they answer with such vigor.
"Then Mother, will we kill the Taraqaks after my siblings hatch?"
I shake my head and answer.
"No, at least not yet. After thinking about it, I think that rather than killing them it will benefit the Brood more if we can control them and make the Taraqaks our biomass farm."
"Mother, what is a farm?"
I show Blade and the others the images of cattle.
"I see, so we are raising them to be food for the Brood! As expected of Mother!"
"It's good if you understand. And if we are really going to attack the Taraqaks, I want us to have a level 2 to lead the attack. So, work hard and grow stronger, children."
"We will, Mother! For the Brood! For Mother!"
I nod at them.
"Now children, go hunt the Taraqaks and bring their corpse for the Brood. We need biomass for the new generation of workers."
"Can we evolve our strain first, Mother?"
"Of course."
The four go to their eggs to evolve. I lean on my throne, with them at the front, the next generation will have better protection and resources. The stronger they grow the better. I hope the Taraqaks will not die off too soon, I need them for my biomass farm.