Chapter 181

Chapter 181

Bai Xiaoyu attempted to pull out the mental energy threads that had been swallowed, but as soon as he made a move, the vortex on the egg yolk started moving again.

He had previously discovered that after the egg yolk was taken over by the vortex consciousness, it became stronger and more stable compared to other egg yolks that had already shown signs of cub development. Even though these egg yolks appeared to have only a large vortex on the outside, their interiors were completely undeveloped.

Just moments ago, it had still needed him to desperately repair it with life essence solution, but after this final unified vortex completely took over, it stabilized in an extremely short amount of time. Moreover, it not only strengthened the entire egg yolk but also gave it an offensive capability.

Since his mental energy threads were sucked in again, Bai Xiaoyu continued to explore the situation inside the egg yolk with his mental energy.

To his surprise, the egg yolk, which had been delayed in development due to the vortices not deciding the winner, began to develop rapidly once the egg yolk was unified. In just a few minutes, blood vessels started to appear within the egg yolk, and within less than half an hour, a tiny heart shape emerged, a red semi-transparent one surrounded by blood vessels. Gradually, an extremely faint pulse began to emanate.

Bai Xiaoyu waited until this heart shape stabilized before attempting to pull his mental energy back again.

At this moment, the vortex covering the entire egg yolk moved. Realizing it couldn't devour or eliminate the mental energy threads, the vortex fell into self-doubt after seeing them successfully escape. The vortex around it became erratic and fixated on Bai Xiaoyu's mental energy threads.

After confirming that the egg yolk had stabilized, Bai Xiaoyu turned to check the data from the incubation chamber outside and found that the scans for this egg were rapidly improving, quickly catching up to the eggs that had been rescued by the legion from the lab.

This egg was now the only one among the twenty-three eggs with full vortices on the egg yolk that had surged ahead.

Bai Xiaoyu had previously been worried that these eggs would fall behind the others, even preparing for an incubation period of more than three months for this batch.

Now, it seemed that if the vortex eggs could successfully leave behind a single consciousness after devouring each other, their development speed would be so fast that there would be no need to worry about their delayed hatching.

Unfortunately, there was currently only one successful case, and with insufficient samples, he couldn't confirm if every egg would follow this pattern.

Bai Xiaoyu noticed that the vortex egg yolk was still determined to devour and attack his mental energy threads. The consciousness of this egg seemed to be inherently belligerent, still firmly locking onto its target as if it wouldn't stop until it achieved its goal.

Realizing it couldn't devour or eliminate the mental energy threads, the egg yolk abruptly shifted its focus to development, and in the next second, the nutrient solution outside was rapidly being consumed.

As the vortex on the egg yolk digested the absorbed nutrient solution, it fell into slumber again, and the external scan data steadily increased.

This egg seemed to have stabilized.

Bai Xiaoyu then shifted his attention to the other vortex eggs. After a careful inspection, he found that the small vortices inside these eggs wouldn't fight for a while.

The previous vortex that acted immediately had exhausted his stock of life essence solution, so he quickly asked Little Prince for emergency help.

Although Little Prince grumbled and acted reluctant, he turned around and came back with Little Bai.

Bai Xiaoyu noticed this even without using his mental energy detection. The twenty-three vortex eggs around him accelerated their development or increased their consumption speed as soon as Little Prince and Little Bai approached.

Even the fastest-developing egg, whose small vortices had just finished digesting a cub and received a significant boost, began to stir.

Bai Xiaoyu hurriedly walked out, pulling the two cubs away from the incubation room.

Little Prince was dissatisfied and casually glanced at the incubation room before snorting, "What are you doing? Are we supposed to avoid these creatures of uncertain species? You need to be clear, both me and Little Tail are above them, whether it's strength or status!"

Bai Xiaoyu had long known that these eggs were mixed with Bug bloodline. Facing the strict hierarchy and bloodline suppression of the Bugs, whether it was Little Prince or the masked man from before, their presence could stimulate rapid evolution in the eggs.

Now, every time these small vortices fought, it caused him a headache. He couldn't risk letting them get any closer.

So he pulled Little Prince and Little Bai away faster, saying, "Little Breaker, it's not that we want you and Little Bai to avoid them, it's that you're too strong. If you stay, you'll scare them so much they'll fall apart."

Only then did Little Prince reluctantly accept, saying, "Then they're too useless. If they're too weak, just discard them."

Bai Xiaoyu couldn't help but chuckle, "They're not just Bugs, they're also human. We can't just discard them so easily."

Bai Xiaoyu brought the two cubs back to their residence and, after entering the alchemy room, took out the herbs for the life essence solution and repair solution. He coaxed them, saying, "Little Breaker, can you use your tentacle to refine some more pills for me?"

The Little Prince glanced at the medicinal herbs and said, "Didn't I just purify some for you three days ago?"

Bai Xiaoyu replied, "We've used it all up. Could you give me some more? I’ll trade you for Insect Crystals."

Fortunately, the reagents purified by the Little Prince only consumed a tiny amount of life force, which could be quickly replenished by absorbing Insect Crystals and various fresh plants and livestock. Bai Xiaoyu had learned this when dealing with the previous tentacle. These little vortices in the egg yolk required a large amount of active agents and repair solution to stabilize during their fights. So, he asked the Little Prince for help, requesting a small tentacle. This way, only the life force of the tentacle would be consumed, and he could replenish it afterward.

Surprisingly, the little guy, who usually only took without giving, grumbled but agreed. The tentacle didn't even separate, and the task was done in no time.

The Little Prince humphed. "Those little ones used quite a bit."

Then, he stretched out his small hand and waved it in front of Bai Xiaoyu, demanding, "Five times the amount of Insect Crystals from last time!"

Bai Xiaoyu said, "...Alright."

Seeing Bai Xiaoyu agree so readily, the Little Prince's eyes flickered, and he suddenly said, "Don't let those two annoying tiger cubs sleep with you."

Bai Xiaoyu was taken aback. Why was the Little Prince making such an unusual request?

Thinking that Bai Xiaoyu disagreed, the Little Prince's expression became even more displeased, but he decided to approach it gradually. "One month. They can't sleep with you or be in the same room with you. It can't be any less."

Bai Xiaoyu nodded. "Deal."

At that moment, Little Bai, who had been quietly sucking on his hand, suddenly transformed his small hand into a blue tentacle and said to Bai Xiaoyu, "White Papa, get more medicinal herbs."

It was instinctive for the Zerg Prince to dislike other Princes getting too close to their King.

This time, they insisted that White Papa sleep alone for at least a year and a half, and the life force expended could be easily replenished by consuming more Insect Crystals and absorbing a couple of livestock.

Bai Xiaoyu remembered that Big Black had also mentioned letting the tiger cubs sleep alone. As tiger cubs, they generally didn’t sleep with their parents at this age.

Thinking about it, he only took out some medicinal herbs, which both cubs thought was too little. Bai Xiaoyu couldn't help but laugh. "This should last quite a while. As for those two tiger cubs, it's time for them to sleep alone."

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Little Bai cheering up, and even the Little Prince reluctantly smiled.

Soon, Bai Xiaoyu obtained the highly active repair solution and life essence solution. He watched as the two cubs happily ran out after receiving their Insect Crystals and eagerly went hunting. A faint smile appeared on his lips.

The idea of the little white tiger and little golden tiger sleeping alone seemed to make them so happy?

But he found it strange. Why did they only target the two tiger cubs and not Big Black?

What Bai Xiaoyu didn't realize was that the two tiger cubs were considered equals by the Princes. At the same time, their strength was growing rapidly and had already surpassed the two cubs. If the tiger cubs were stronger than them, they would naturally have nothing to say, even if they were dissatisfied. After all, only the strong could stand by the King's side. Now that they were stronger, they naturally took action to push the tiger cubs away. As for Big Black, its strength was unshakable. Another reason was that Zerg Princes would exclude other Princes around the King but wouldn't reject the King's chosen partner.

Even if they were unhappy with the arrangement, they would tolerate it for the King’s sake.

Bai Xiaoyu hadn't understood these intricacies yet. He stored the reagents in the system grid and immediately returned to the breeding facility.

At this time, the smallest vortex with the deepest spiral patterns, when provoked, quickly united with its recent allies and began attacking the other provocative vortices.

It soon devoured another small vortex. While resting, it instigated a fight between two neighboring vortices, reaping the benefits and swallowing them both.

After a short rest and digestion, the two allied vortices charged together at the remaining vortex.

In just three hours, only two vortices were left on the egg yolk. One of them, which had previously fawned over Bai Xiaoyu, had deep spiral patterns but was small in size. Now, its vortex occupied most of the egg yolk, resting and recuperating.

The vortex occupying only one-third of the egg yolk wasn't doing as well, with slightly tattered patterns around it.

It curled up, seemingly looking at its former partner.

At that moment, the deep-patterned vortex suddenly moved, and the surrounding vortices began to encircle this area.

Bai Xiaoyu wasn't surprised as he busied himself injecting the medication. Each of these small vortices was equivalent to a tiny consciousness, and these eggs contained a mix of Bug genetic material. Their habits were akin to a survival-of-the-fittest process where only the strong survived after brutal battles.

The two allied small vortices would eventually turn against each other.

Everything that followed was just as he had expected. The stronger small vortex, with deep vortex patterns, slowly surrounded the other and began to devour it.

Watching the vortex devour its former companion without any emotion, just as it was about to finish off the other vortex, it did something surprising. At the very last moment, when it had taken over the entire egg yolk, it hesitated and suddenly ejected a white dot from its central vortex pattern, leaving it in the middle.

Bai Xiaoyu was stunned and used his mental energy to probe it, discovering another mental presence within the white dot.

Soon, the egg began to develop.

The white dot gradually merged into the egg, occupying a small area and starting to grow.

Bai Xiaoyu was a bit confused but then chuckled, realizing he had been overthinking it.

Although the Bugs were cruel, this egg also contained human genetic material. Moreover, there were adorable beings like Little Prince and Little Bai. Though they were inherently fierce, subtle teaching had made them quite obedient, hadn't it?

Bai Xiaoyu then shifted his attention to the other eggs that were starting to show signs of activity.

There were three eggs that began to show significant movement this time. Inside these eggs, the small vortices, although not as fast as the previous egg, were close.

One egg had ten small vortices left, while the other two eggs had thirteen and seventeen vortices respectively.

Bai Xiaoyu reckoned that with these eggs starting to activate, the final contest was about to begin.

The egg with ten small vortices was the first to start. Bai Xiaoyu's mental energy entered it and quickly focused on one small vortex.

This small vortex was strange. While other vortices would initiate attacks, it wouldn't. If other vortices didn't provoke it, it wouldn't provoke them. If a vortex tried to devour it, it would devour back. Every vortex that targeted it ended up being devoured by it. In the end, only it and one other vortex remained. That vortex, brimming with killing intent, charged at it, but after a fierce battle, it was instead killed.

Watching the data of this egg rapidly rise, Bai Xiaoyu saw another egg completed.

In the egg with thirteen small vortices, there was also a small vortex that didn't actively attack others. But unlike the previous winner, this one would approach injured vortices.

At first, Bai Xiaoyu thought it was trying to take advantage of their weakness, but after several instances, he got the feeling that this vortex actually wanted to help the injured vortices. Of course, none of the vortices accepted treatment from a rival, and it didn't show any healing abilities either.

This well-meaning small vortex naturally became the final winner, as those that targeted it were all devoured. However, because it had devoured fewer vortices, the power disparity was significant, and it was almost devoured by another strong opponent. But at the last moment, its vortex pattern healed itself.

Bai Xiaoyu was surprised to find that it had used the medication he had injected to repair its own vortex. Relying on this self-repairing ability, it slowly wore down the stronger vortex.

The last egg only started in the evening, but it moved quickly.

Among the seventeen small vortices in this egg, there was one born with dual vortex patterns, and its combat strength was extremely strong. It devoured all the other vortices almost without any difficulty.

Looking at the five eggs that had fully stabilized, Bai Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief.

He had studied these eggs before. By adding countless Bug genetic materials to a strong human genetic base, it had resulted in various Bug dots or small vortices appearing.

Before these eggs developed, they had already undergone fierce battles, leaving behind those that were not necessarily the strongest but definitely not weak.

Although they had both Bug and human genetic material, it was still unknown what their innate nature would be when they hatched. Also, their form was uncertain, and if they showed Bug characteristics, they might not be able to hatch on the live stream, which could cause issues.

But there was still time, and he needed to ensure the success of the other eggs first.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Bai Qi's face was ashen as he watched the eggs continuously exploding. His Bug patterns appeared on his cheeks from anger. "Still not successful?"

Old Qi: "These eggs couldn't withstand the consciousness battles. The human egg yolk is too fragile in the early stages and can't endure the impact of Bug battles. No matter what we try, we can't keep them intact."

Considering how much effort they had poured into these eggs and reflecting on the benefits they had brought him, if the plan succeeded, it would definitely be a win-win situation. He couldn’t bear the thought of failure.

Bai Qi: "Find another way. No matter what, I need those eggs incubated successfully."

Old Qi: "With the current technology, no one in the star system can incubate them successfully."

Even if they were successfully incubated, the chances of failure in combining human and Bug genes remained high.

Before he could finish his sentence, Bai Qi grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up. Bai Qi’s eyes had turned into golden vertical pupils, and insect veins had spread across his face. His gaze held an inhumanly cruel intensity that humans didn’t possess, and at that moment, it was filled with naked killing intent. "I only want results," he said.

Old Qi struggled to speak, managing only a helpless nod, trying to pry Bai Qi’s hand off him, but to no avail.

Finally, Bai Qi released him and tossed him aside, turning away from the broken eggs.

Meanwhile, in Bai Xiaoyu’s incubation room, Little Prince appeared again after returning from hunting outside, sensing something unusual.

Noticing the eggs were once again in motion, Bai Xiaoyu quickly gave them all an injection and turned around. "Why are you here?"

Little Prince led Little Bai inside, and both their gazes immediately fell on the five eggs that had started developing rapidly.

Little Bai: "White Papa, we came to find you. We were planning to wait outside, but there’s a strange feeling coming from here."

Bai Xiaoyu gently stroked Little Bai’s head and asked, "What kind of feeling?"

Little Bai pondered for a moment. "It’s hard to describe, but… it’s like the feeling little Golden Tiger and his armies give."

Little Bai pointed at the five eggs. "They… the armies… they belong to me, the eggs, and most importantly, they belong to you."

Bai Xiaoyu uttered a soft "Hmm," trying to digest Little Bai’s words. Beside him, Little Prince, after carefully sensing the five eggs, suddenly turned to look at Bai Xiaoyu in shock.

It was always the case that a Chieftain of the Bug race was born through a series of battles under the pressure of the Insect Emperor, with twelve such Chieftains, each in charge of their respective duties, leading all other Chieftains and the Bug race. It was extremely difficult to awaken such a Chieftain.

And now, five of them had awakened all at once?

His gaze on Bai Xiaoyu was now filled with more than just shock. As he scrutinized him, he began to doubt his own judgment. Could it be that Little Bai hadn’t mistaken him? Was this man really the Insect Emperor?

But no matter how he looked at it, Bai Xiaoyu didn’t seem to have any connection to the Insect Emperor.

Either he was missing something, or his tentacles’ sensory abilities had completely failed him.