Chapter 166

Chapter 166

Within the Federation's borders, near the asteroid belt, lay several desolate planets designated as surveillance stars. Though teeming with refuse, not everything found there was mere trash.

In its nascent stages, the Federation grappled with material scarcity, relying on repurposed goods as a temporary measure. Now, a mature nation, it found the use of dilapidated items unbecoming.

Embracing the principle of sustainability, these discarded materials were channeled into the development of frontier planets, far removed from the central star.

Truly unusable waste was directed to processing stations for fermentation and secondary utilization. This method not only addressed waste disposal and recycling but also prevented cosmic pollution that could jeopardize the habitability of other planets.

Laboratories had engineered numerous compounds to aid in the rehabilitation of polluted planets, gradually improving their environmental conditions.

The Federation's development radiated outward from its core planets.

...

—The Issue of Presidential Succession.

"The Federation is a republic. The presidency operates on a merit-based electoral system, not hereditary succession. The president is elected by public officials and the Insect People, with competence as the primary criterion."

However, this proposal was swiftly dismissed by Lu Cian.

The Federation's social philosophy championed gender equality between male and female insects. If female insects could ascend to the presidency, male insects, by extension, deserved the same opportunity.

Yet, male insects, pampered and averse to labor, stood little chance of attaining the presidency—though it wasn't entirely beyond the realm of possibility...

Lu Cian was deeply conflicted.

In truth, the matter was far more intricate.

Though Lu Cian had been transformed into a male insect, his understanding of the Insect People remained somewhat superficial.

Even in their humanoid forms, the Insect People's evolutionary trajectory diverged from humanity's; they were an entirely distinct species.

For the Insect People, a leader had to possess imperial bloodline to command the unwavering obedience of the masses.

Elections were simply unfeasible among them.

The question of imperial bloodline also intertwined with the ancient animosity between the Shelley Clan and the Naga.

The rigid class structure of the Insect People bore a resemblance to the hierarchy of ant colonies, where the queen ant's role was paramount.

While not strictly hereditary, the biological mechanisms governing queen ant succession were exceedingly complex.

An ant colony bereft of its queen would descend into chaos, and without a successor, the colony faced extinction.

Should a new queen not emerge before the old queen's demise, worker ants would select and nurture a candidate—typically a descendant of the previous queen.

Though the Insect People's system wasn't as stringent, bloodline inheritance was treated with the utmost solemnity.

The Insect Emperor's apprehension towards the Shelley Clan stemmed from their shared ancestry—both were branches of the same tribe.

The Shelley Clan, however, possessed a naturally detached disposition, disdaining power struggles and preferring secluded mountain retreats. Thus, they never contended with the Naga for the throne.

In essence, both the Shelley Clan and the Naga belonged to the royal lineage.

This suggested that royal blood wasn't as rare as it seemed. While male insects were scarce, female royals were abundant. A thorough genetic mapping would likely reveal royal bloodlines everywhere.

The Empire, dominated by the Naga, revered the royal family and upheld the Insect Emperor's rule partly because royal bloodlines were more dominant and more likely to produce high-ranking male insects.

Nair Inan's S+ rank and his distinctive purple hair and eyes—traits that emerged after an evolution—served as irrefutable proof.

Purple hair and eyes weren't inherently royal symbols, but a historically influential Insect Emperor had shared those traits, with hair almost black in hue. That emperor's legacy loomed large, fueling the current Insect Emperor's paranoia toward Nair Inan.

Secondly, Nair Inan's refusal to marry into the royal family ignited fears that he might sire male offspring with extraordinarily high mental abilities—solidifying the Insect Emperor's resolve to eradicate the Shelley Clan.

A closely guarded secret was that every Insect Person's Mental Sea contained a mental lock, deeply rooted in their subconscious.

This mental lock remained dormant, virtually imperceptible.

But the higher one's mental rank, the greater their Mental Sea's mastery of this mental lock.

The Insect Emperor, having never sensed this lock, dismissed it as myth—yet it persisted in royal records, tightly guarded by past emperors, compelling him to remain vigilant.

Ordinary Insect People knew nothing of this. Many nobles were equally ignorant—some due to discontinued lineages, others as newly wealthy with no interest in crumbling texts.

To the Insect Emperor, only those of superior bloodlines could possibly perceive this mechanism. The common rabble, in his eyes, were unworthy of such knowledge.

Ancient records stated: "Only those who touch the mental lock may become the true ruler of the Insect People."

Unlocking it would unleash a surge of mental power, awakening the royal bloodline's superior and dominant potential.

This was why the royal family prized bloodline purity. The Insect Emperor tirelessly worked to elevate his kin's ranks.

Yet he never realized this lock was both a blessing and a shackle. Touching it could elevate one to greatness—but also bind them irrevocably.

The lock imposed a sense of duty, embedding nationalistic ideals of sacrifice for the Insect People's future. Greater power meant greater responsibility—a failsafe mechanism for the species' survival.

Without it, an Insect Emperor with the power to dominate all insects might indulge in tyranny, corruption, extravagance, and debauchery, spelling their doom.

It was both a safety mechanism for the throne and a chain.

Yet today, most Insect People blindly supported high-ranking bloodlines, forgetting that true emperors owed their strength to the power of evolution within their veins.

A weak royal family signaled degenerated bloodlines. Those who failed to meet the standard were unfit to rule.

But the Insect People remained oblivious.

The Empire was now on a path to decline. As royal bloodlines degenerated, so did those of the masses. Their desperate adherence to royal orthodoxy stemmed from a hope that the imperial gene might awaken.

This also proved that royal bloodlines weren't as extraordinary as claimed.

In essence, royal bloodlines were those with ultra-high mental abilities.

Such abilities could unlock the mental lock, stimulate the bloodline, and restore the Insect People's perfect insect form.

Nair Inan had nearly succeeded—but came up slightly short.

Captured and imprisoned by the Insect Emperor, he should have had no future. Yet Lu Cian arrived.

Perhaps there truly was an Insect God, quietly correcting a world heading toward collapse, saving his people.

When an Insect Person evolved to 3S rank, they would be recognized as royalty, their bloodline fully awakened, commanding all insects. At that point, the swarm consciousness within them would grow ever stronger.

A legend passed down through ages foretold that only under the rule of a powerful bloodline would the Insect People maintain eternal prosperity.

That was why the masses worshipped the royal family.

Why can only high-level Insectoids become the rulers of their race?

Because the higher the level, the stronger the genes, and the greater the awakened collective racial awareness.

They remain themselves, but their hearts weigh more heavily on the greater good of the Insectoids, caring more about the continuation of their race.

Unlike the Insect Emperor, who acts solely for himself, for a decadent lifestyle, selfish and self-serving.

Now, the royal family is corrupt, their bloodline degraded, and their racial consciousness nearly extinct. The royals have distorted the ancestors' teachings, engaging in semantic subterfuge.

Originally, only those who manifested the sovereign genotype could lead the Insectoids to glory, but it has been altered to mean that only the royals are the true rulers, and all Insectoids must pledge allegiance to them.

Thousands of years have passed, and the Naga have ruled the Insectoids for far too long.

But even if these facts came to light before the Insectoids, they couldn’t immediately dethrone the Insect Emperor.

The empire’s power is entrenched in many factions, and strategic maneuvering is still needed.

...

The succession of the Federal Chairperson cannot be decided by election, so Lu Cian had to temporarily set the criteria as: military females, SS-level and above.

Barring male candidates is a protection for the Federation, preventing the rise of another Insect Emperor.

But rules are rigid, and Insectoids are flexible. Who knows what the future holds?

If the Federation ever faces desperate times, perhaps chaos will breed heroes, and a savior Insectoid may emerge.

History repeats, rebirth follows.

...

...

—New Federal Research Topic.

After the breakthroughs in the two major topics, *How Military Females Can Get Pregnant Quickly* and *How Military Females Can Bear Male Eggs*, Joseph, instead of focusing on research, coaxed Yurik, the director of the Gamete Institute, into launching a new research initiative.

*Research on How Artificial Gametes Can Fertilize Male Eggs*

This research project is extremely, extremely difficult—so difficult that it would be easier to study how to stimulate male Insectoids' Second Evolution.

Male Second Evolution is also an incredibly challenging hurdle, and Lu Cian’s case cannot serve as a reference.

Research has found that although Lu Cian successfully underwent Second Evolution upon adulthood, strictly speaking, he only experienced one evolution.

Joseph classified it as arrested development.

With the Second Evolution research hitting a bottleneck, Joseph, having nothing better to do, went to Yurik and suddenly came up with this new topic.

Male Insectoid bodies are biologically weaker, and male gametes inherently struggle to combine with female gametes. Once outside the male body, their viability diminishes significantly, severely reducing the chances of successful pairing.

If the success rate of pairing could be improved, it would be a quantum leap in Insectoid medical technology.

Normal conceptions between female and male Insectoids could also see an increased probability.

Thus, this project cannot rely on shortcuts—it requires researchers to work tirelessly day and night.

Joseph rubbed his hands together—finally, his time to shine!

Though Joseph had previously published two groundbreaking papers, they were merely theories, not practical applications.

Years later.

No cases of artificial gametes successfully producing male offspring emerged, but Joseph developed a substance that catalyzes the bonding of male and female gametes, significantly increasing the chances of pregnancy.

The birth rate of Insectoid offspring rose sharply, with the male birth rate also increasing statistically significant.

...

As the number of male Insectoids in the Federation grew, laws improved, and the concept of gender equality spread, the two separate schools for male and female Insectoids merged into one integrated academy.

The dozen or so male Insectoids who had been coerced alongside Ximeno remained in the Federation. Whether their families noticed their disappearance or simply chose to ignore it remains unknown.

In any case, these male Insectoids settled in the Federation and became different from their past selves.

In schools, the Federation introduced mecha training as part of the curriculum.

Mechas are an equalizer for low-level military females, but for male Insectoids, they could also be a path to empowerment.

Wearing mechas can compensate for their physical weaknesses. Male Insectoids can never match military females in innate physicality, but they can rely on external aids.

Perhaps, fighting on the battlefield isn’t just a dream?

Though the leap isn’t that large yet—male Insectoids aren’t truly sent to combat roles—if the Federation continues to develop, one day, male Insectoids might genuinely join the military, even entering through fair competition by defeating military females.

Not all male Insectoids in the empire are idle, pleasure-seeking wastrels—there are also ambitious "mavericks" among them.

Male Insectoids with dreams heard about the Federation’s integrated institutions, and more male Insectoids migrated to the Federation, all to learn how to pilot mechas.

They want to become strong!

No one truly lacks a thirst for power. If male Insectoids are willing to apply themselves and persevere, they will undoubtedly grow stronger!

Upon arriving in the Federation, male Insectoids also noticed that the female Insectoids here were different from those in the empire.

Here, female Insectoids interact with male Insectoids respectfully—they don’t stare rudely or hound them with unwanted advances.

The Federal peacekeepers are also highly effective.

Any female Insectoid caught making unwanted advances toward a male Insectoid is immediately detained by patrol officers for reconditioning.

Similarly, if a male Insectoid makes unwanted advances toward a female Insectoid, they too face reconditioning.

The Federation’s reputation spreads wider, attracting more and more Insectoids.

The Federation has nearly reached a point where it can rival the empire, but they don’t even regard the empire as a threat—they have higher aspirations.

With the population growing, the Federation emphasizes gender equality, institutes social support systems, and ensures equal treatment under these policies. They refuse subsidies for male offspring with both parents present, instead aiding the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled, as well as providing welfare for orphans and addressing medical issues.

In the empire, many sick or disabled military females aren’t unable to afford treatment—it’s because the empire worships male Insectoids and systemically devalues female Insectoids, unwilling to treat them.

Though the Federation doesn’t provide subsidies to male Insectoids, and females’ assets no longer belong to their spouses after marriage, male Insectoids can still live in relative comfort.

Male Insectoids can work to earn their keep—the simplest job being providing mental soothing for female Insectoids. Those unwilling to work can still be sustained by their mates.

The Federation has neurological stabilizers that help many female Insectoids avoid Mental Riot, but Mental Riot remains incurable—severe cases still require male Insectoids.

Moreover, all treatments carry risks. Whether inhibitors or the Federation’s experimental neurological stabilizers, they all harm female Insectoids to some extent, though the damage is marginally acceptable.

But no matter how low, it's still harm. When it comes to purely natural, eco-friendly solutions that address both symptoms and root causes, one still needs to turn to male Insect People.

Even if soothing agents become widespread across the entire Insect People, even if a severe version is developed in the future, male Insect People who don’t want to work or provide for their households can still marry female Insect People—as long as they don’t hit, insult, or abuse others.

...

From the Terminal Network, only a portion of information about the Federation can be seen, but even these partial glimpses hold great appeal for the Insect People.

Many insects flocked to the Federation and discovered that it truly matched the descriptions on the Terminal Network, developing its own distinctive features.

Apart from the best-selling seduction kits, male Insect People collaboration sets (for female insect use), and the empire-shaking soothing agents...

There was also the formerly popular "Love Pearl"!

The brand behind Love Pearl, Annan Jewelry, is also owned by the Federation.

Though jade jewelry isn’t as clear or brilliant as gemstones, it has captured the mid-to-low-end market.

In recent years, jade jewelry designs have continuously evolved, demonstrating potential for moving toward the high-end market.

The Federation has many other interesting aspects.

The newly constructed resort—the hot spring villa—has already opened to the public.

Under Lu Cian’s leadership, Federation insects have developed a taste for relaxing in hot springs.

Newcomers found it novel and, after trying out the hot springs, also fell in love with soaking.

They remarked in awe, "No wonder the esteemed male insects enjoy this—it’s truly extraordinary!"

Aside from the hot spring villa, the most stunning attraction in the Federation is the agricultural district.

The planting zone includes cultivated crops, fruits, and vegetables, as well as designated viewing areas for insect visitors.

The zone features various unique and beautiful flowers and trees, and since becoming a scenic spot, it has drawn a steady flow of visitors.

The Federation doesn’t hoard its expertise—every visitor also receives a gardening guidebook.

According to Lu Cian’s vision, the goal is to ensure every insect in the Insect People can learn agriculture!

Speaking of farming, Lu Cian also plans to release recipes.

Lu Cian didn’t sell courses but posted numerous tutorial videos to the Terminal Network, authorizing free use for profit.

The aim is to enable the general population of Insect People to learn to cook, ensuring cooking techniques are no longer monopolized by the nobility.

Of course, in the vast sea of insects, some still can’t master cooking.

Lu Cian also had Timothy produce many cooking robot insects, selling them on the Terminal Network to spread delicious food across the Insect People.

The cooking robot insects flew off the shelves, and the Federation raked in profits!

The Federation’s shopping district has also become much livelier.

Because Lu Cian opened a supermarket.

The supermarket has everything—from soothing agents and seduction kits... to tasty snack foods, bottles of premium wine costing hundreds of star coins... and beautiful clothes made from plant fibers.

Food, clothing, household items, and entertainment—everything is available.

Insect People’s snack food differs from Blue Star’s—it is additive-free, though the flavors are similar.

Snack food was popular on Blue Star, and likewise, it’s wildly popular among the Insect People.

After a record harvest, Lu Cian began attempting fermentation. After many attempts and through much trial and error, he finally succeeded.

As for the clothes, being made of plant fibers, they aren’t very durable—but their bold hues and distinctive styles make them popular among male Insect People.

On the supermarket’s opening day, the inventory was nearly depleted, showing just how popular these items were!

...

...

——Confession.

One day, on a whim, Lu Cian submitted his DNA sample among the Insect People and compared human DNA with theirs, discovering that his human genes seemed more advanced than theirs.

Lu Cian’s expression turned odd.

"Your Insect People ancestors didn’t... eat humans to develop this morphology, did they?"

Nair Inan didn’t understand why Lu Cian asked this. "What is a human?"

Lu Cian paused, then looked into Nair Inan’s eyes and said solemnly, "There’s something I need to tell you."

Lu Cian rarely acted so serious. Nair Inan was puzzled. "What is it?"

Lu Cian: "Actually, I’m not an Insect Person. I’m human."

"Humans are beings who look exactly like me now."

Nair Inan shook his head upon hearing this. "We don’t eat our own kind."

Lu Cian froze, not understanding at first, then realized Nair Inan was answering his earlier question.

Lu Cian: "..."

Lu Cian coughed dryly. "I’m confessing to you—I’m not an Insect Person. I’m an extraterrestrial species. That race is called ‘human.’"

Nair Inan merely responded, "Oh."

Lu Cian was surprised. "Aren’t you shocked? Doesn’t it seem strange to you?"

They weren’t even the same species, yet he had become a male insect and even fathered insect offspring.

If this were among humans, learning one’s partner was an alien might cause someone to faint on the spot.

Nair Inan replied unhurriedly, "Actually, I’d already guessed some of it."

Lu Cian: "?!"

Lu Cian was stunned. "When... when did you come to this conclusion?"

He wondered: Had he talked in his sleep and accidentally let it slip?

Nair Inan said, "When I learned you were a so-called ‘deformed’ male Insect Person, I vaguely sensed something was off. Later, you repeatedly used the story of being abducted by Space Pirates to deceive others, which made me realize further..."

Lu Cian pressed, "Realize what?"

Nair Inan gave him a deep look before saying, "You're a pathological liar from another species."

Lu Cian: "..."

Lu Cian tutted—so he had been exposed that early?

"Doesn’t it bother you?" Lu Cian asked.

Nair Inan shook his head. "If you were truly an Insect People male, I might not have accepted you so easily."

Lu Cian blinked. So, he had managed to marry his wife thanks to being an outsider.

At the same time, he felt relieved. Unlike humans, the Insect People had encountered other species before. The endless expanse of space, boundless and infinite, gave rise to countless species.

Lu Cian had discovered through the Empire’s Star Network that no pure humans existed in this world, though various human-like races existed in distant star systems.

However, those regions were far from the Insect People’s territory, and the Insect People, who prized strength above all else, had no intention of forming alliances with other races.

"Different species, different motives"—such was the belief of the notoriously fierce Insect People, who were also met with hostility from other species.

The Insect People were a territorial species, disliking outsiders who sought to exploit them. Yet, there were oddballs among them who would spend enormous time and effort traveling to other species' territories just for kicks. That was how Lu Cian had caught glimpses of humanoid races in a remote corner of the Star Network.

For example, the Ocean Star was home to the legendary Merfolk—grayish, humanoid beings resembling refugees who had trekked thousands of miles, downright ugly.

Then there were the Beastfolk, distinct from the Insect People’s mutated creatures or the cosmic Star Beasts. They were a unique species with humanoid forms, adorned with beast-like ears and tails.

And the Greenfolk, who abstained from meat, subsisting solely on plants. Their hair was green, their eyes were green, and even their skin carried a faint greenish hue.

Though all these races bore humanoid forms, their appearances were all over the place.

After comparing them all, Lu Cian concluded that the Insect People were the easiest on the eyes—because their evolution had made them the most human-like.

...

Over a decade later, the Federation grew increasingly prosperous, and its dispersed population across the Empire were gradually brought back.

The wild rice from the original marshlands, through the nonstop work of farming insects, was finally cultivated into a delicious and high-yield strain.

With resources growing ever more abundant, the Federation thrived, its yearly assessments showing remarkable improvements each year.

In contrast, the Empire continued to decline, its momentum even outpaced by the Star Alliance.

Influenced by the Federation, the Star Alliance was gradually moving toward gender equality—after all, their leader was a henpecked leader.

Though the Empire had lost many of its people to the Federation, under Marshal Gray’s governance, its downward spiral slowly halted.

The royal family had become little more than a figurehead, maintaining only a facade of prestige.

Nair Inan’s hatred for the Insect Emperor also faded under these circumstances.

Sometimes, living was a fate worse than death.