⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙The subordinates are trying to gather as much spoils of war as possible.
The ants battling the goblin main force were inevitably influenced by the hive mind as well.
In other words, they were rampaging while inheriting Jin-hyuk's will.
'But even in that situation, they still need to grab the spoils.'
He chuckled as he watched the ants relentlessly pursue the retreating goblins—who could no longer hold out—while a large number of them stayed behind to hurriedly collect the loot.
The corpses of the goblins they had just defeated, that is.
The ants were aware that goblins, infused with that special power called Demonic Power, were valuable resources that could accelerate their own evolution.
Even if the amount each individual held was minuscule, it added up to a considerable quantity.
Those things they were carefully processing and rushing back to the nest were practically precious clues that would unlock their future.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙The Queen is urging for more food to be brought to her quickly.
The one most eager for those spoils was the inaugural Queen, who was beginning to emerge from her existence as a mere insect.
Having realized that concentrating the finest nutrients on herself would allow her to evolve further, it was only natural for her to crave more.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙The hive also recognizes that it needs to invest a lot of resources in the Queen.
The Queen had never betrayed the value of the investments made in her so far.
Acknowledging that, the hive began rushing the highest-quality food harvested from the battlefield straight to her.
'She eats without end.'
Worker ants lined up, ceaselessly stuffing chunks of processed goblin corpses into the Queen's mouth one after another.
The flesh of those who had once been warriors, shamans, and even chieftains was selected as the premium fare supplied to her.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙The Queen, having absorbed abundant Demonic Power, evolves to another stage. In the evolution process, strongly influenced by Demonic Power, her power begins to take on a demonic nature.
"Already stage three?"
Late at night, spotting the notification that popped up, Jin-hyuk rubbed his sleepy eyes wide open and stared at the Queen's image on the screen.
Having stripped off cumbersome things like armor and finely chopping them into swallowable bites, it was impossible to count just how many goblins she'd devoured.
Based on that massive intake, the Queen had finally undergone her third evolution, transcending into an even more distinct being, with her body and intelligence growing tremendously.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙The Queen gladly aims to lay new Queens to restore the hive and achieve even more.
"So she's saying she won't become an egg-laying machine herself anymore?"
The Queen's exoskeleton gleamed with a subtle purple hue, her form having changed dramatically.
However, her massively swollen abdomen slimming down to worker-ant size and her legs growing longer and thinner were mere superficial changes.
The most shocking part was her declaration that she would no longer focus on laying eggs herself.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙The Queen thinks that focusing on laying eggs herself is highly inefficient.
She insisted on abandoning her most vital role of laying eggs, declaring instead that she would clone new Queens to handle it.
'Trying to become an irreplaceable, unparalleled existence in the hive.'
Jin-hyuk let out a hollow laugh at her obvious intentions.
She planned to redirect that enormous energy spent on laying elsewhere.
To improving and commanding the hive itself.
But for these mutant ants who had become his subordinates, this was a monumental turning point.
The core entity known as the Queen was splitting her predatory and laying functions into separate individuals.
Once differentiated, the two could devote themselves more efficiently to their roles with optimized nutrient supply.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙The Queen, having obtained clues from the previous battle, wants to breed soldiers with new forms. Stronger combat power is needed.
"Because of the orcs? Yeah, that must've been a shock."
The inaugural Queen immediately began modifying the ants produced based on accumulated data and genetic info harvested through predation.
What form of ants would hatch from the eggs that future Queens would lay using that info? Jin-hyuk wouldn't know until they matured into adults.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙The First Queen hopes that new ants might fall from the sky.
"Now she's even whining for them?"
Having clearly recognized that everything falling from the sky above the breeding grounds was beneficial to them, it was only natural for the ants to hope for it.
Of course, for now, they could only hope.
The very concept of conscience didn't exist for them yet.
When food or new ants dropped from the sky, they simply snatched them up and instinctively felt grateful—that was all.
Jin-hyuk knew this and merely chuckled endearingly.
'It's not like it's someone else's problem anyway. They're all doing it for me.'
He had already scouted what help to provide the ants next.
On his way to work, he'd driven a bit farther to pick up a test tube from the seller containing new ants.
'What kind of ants cost this much?'
It held just a few worker ants, yet he'd paid a hefty sum.
This time, after all, he was acquiring a species illegal to breed under the law, so it was hard to obtain and demanded a high price.
"Isn't this ridiculous? In this day and age, fussing over mere ants..."
Jin-hyuk recalled the words of the seller he'd easily found and dealt with online.
The man's attitude seemed to mock the national laws blocking his lively dealings.
"Monsters burst out of gates, slaughtering people left and right. Who has time to worry about ants? We should be reclaiming the land we've lost in this cramped country."
The seller had shaken his head, lamenting how they lacked the manpower for enforcement yet still made things difficult.
Jin-hyuk hadn't said a word in response.
No need, now that he'd gotten what he wanted. Besides, the man was an accomplice now.
'Did he think I was really just doing this for some observation hobby? Well, if you nitpick, it kinda is observation.'
The seller had laughed, saying what could anyone do with just a few worker ants, but Jin-hyuk gave a wry smile recalling it.
"I even committed a crime for you guys. Now farm diligently."
After dropping the ants into the breeding ground, Jin-hyuk muttered as he watched the swarming workers kill the newcomers.
The ants he'd researched and prioritized acquiring for his subordinates were none other than the renowned Leafcutter Ants, famous for farming.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙The Queen discovers new information from the new individuals she has devoured.
And as intended, the Queen who devoured the Leafcutter Ants was now able to grant new abilities to the entire hive.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Chieftain..."
"Quiet. Move, now...! We don't know when those things might catch up. We'll flee to a safe place and establish a new base there."
While the victorious ants tallied their losses yet envisioned a future of recovery and greater growth...
The pitiful losers lacked even the capacity to salvage anything more.
Karon clenched his bandaged arm, grinding his teeth at his weary subordinate shaman's words.
'I've lost everything. Well, not quite everything.'
The head-on clash with the ants had ended in utter defeat.
They'd tenaciously held out, slaying over a thousand ants and demonstrating their mettle, but that was the extent of it.
The goblin alliance front—formed by uniting all the tribes of the region—had collapsed, and chieftains like Durkan and Adon had been mercilessly cut down by the charging ants.
Karon was the only chieftain left alive, having fled a step ahead midway.
"We've lost everything to those monsters. What do we do now?"
"No more fighting those monsters. We can't!"
All that remained for Karon from the three tribes combined were remnants numbering about the size of his original village. It wasn't insignificant, but his dream of dominating the region lay shattered.
Moreover, regardless of rank, they were all crushed under a thick veil of terror.
Fight those mad slaughter-machines again? Surviving once was a miracle; now it was impossible.
"Calm down. The Great Spirits will surely show us the way."
Karon found himself gazing at the sky, just as he had when he first awakened to true intelligence, believing answers would come.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Damn it!!!!]
However, Karon had no idea how furious and flustered the Deity watching over him was right now.
It needed more time to provide the right answer.
「Divine Community」, a communication network within the Divine Net system, accessible anonymously to all awakened Deities.
Stragus, the goblin Deity of this land Edelion, was one such user.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Whoever you are, at least say something! The Deity of those crazy ant monsters causing chaos in the northeast of Edelion Continent—follow the rules!]
Fuming with rage, Stragus left a post on the Divine Community.
It was about the unidentified monsters that had just waged war against some of his subordinates in the northeast goblin forces.
💬 Comments— AnonymousWhy are you freaking out again?— StragusI don't know who that guy is, but he broke the rules. No declaration of war, no basic negotiation offer—just straight-up attacked.— AnonymousSounds familiar.— AnonymousI think I saw a similar post recently.
Replies began piling up one by one on Stragus's rebuttal post.
Not just Stragus knew of the ants' existence.
— AnonymousSent a Divine Net message and got ignored from the start? Only one possibility then. That guy never intended to listen to you. Probably couldn't even hear it.
Someone tsked at Stragus—who was cursing the ants' Deity, that is, Jin-hyuk—and revealed the truth.
⭐ Top Comment— AnonymousIt's an Outer God. Those rootless, evil disruptors who reject the Divine Net and rampage in madness.
Stragus's eyes widened at the word "Outer God."
Those who rejected cosmic order, pursuing chaos—brutal, insidious, profound, and dark.
They were the Outer Gods, entities even Deities wary of and kept in check.
A perfect match for those horrific slaughter-machine subordinates.
— AnonymousIf it's definitely an Outer God, shouldn't we all hurry to subjugate that force together?— AnonymousThat's for you to handle in the world you're active in. Good luck convincing your rivals. If you can.
Even so, no Deities rushed to offer aid to Stragus right away.
Edelion, where he operated, was still a battleground where multiple Deities competed for hegemony to claim it as their domain.
'Damn them all. I was saving that vast northeastern land as a future resource vein...'
Gazing at Karon's shrunken tribe through his screen, he sighed and shook his head.
His plans, including the promising Karon he'd thought sharp enough to use, had gone badly awry.
Unlike Karon's desperate hopes for divine aid, Stragus planned to pull back from the northeast for now and focus elsewhere. At least he'd issued a warning, so the more desperate one might step up first.