The energy-deprived swarm was noticeably weaker. Zhou You had already discerned their patterns.

Psychic attacks were effective, but they required substantial energy. Once drained, he would be helpless.

After several similar incidents, Zhou You observed that the creatures the swarm could summon were fewer and of lower rank. He estimated that even if they fed, they wouldn't recover fully.

If this trend continued, would the swarm starve or change its diet?

Researchers claimed that consuming blood was the swarms' most efficient energy source. Still, they might extract energy elsewhere if the primary source was unavailable.

Zhou You looked down at the white tiger by his feet. Initially, it was slightly affected by the swarm, but later it seemed entirely immune. Did this imply that higher-level mutants also had psychic powers?

He was curious to test the white tiger, but it wasn't some ordinary creature. Any perceived threat could lead it to attack or sever ties with him, which was too great a risk.

Standing up, Zhou You said to the tiger, "Can you help me locate Zhuo Hao and the others? I have a daring idea."

The tiger, initially puzzled, seemed to understand after Zhou You let it sniff an item that Zhuo Hao had touched. It then ambled into the forest.

Zhou You continued observing the swarm and recorded his findings verbally. After a half-hour break, the swarm lit up again, albeit dimly.

Zhou You kept intercepting their feeding attempts. He also tried identifying a leader within the swarm. If he could control the leader, could he indirectly control the entire swarm?

An hour later, Zhuo Hao and Qin Lifen arrived. Seeing the calm sea of insects, they both turned pale.

"Zhou, what's happened to them? Why do they seem so listless?" Even the two of them noticed something amiss with the swarm.

Zhou You handed the camera to Zhuo Hao, instructing, "I recorded everything just now, including my thoughts. Take this back to Shao Qi as soon as possible. He'll know what to do."

With their aircraft parked outside the forest, it would take a full day to leave. Zhuo Hao asked worriedly, "How will I find you once I leave?"

"You don't need to find me. Just find them." Zhou You gestured towards the insect swarm. From an aerial view, the vast expanse of black insects was hard to miss.

"Alright, I'll set off immediately."

"Also, take Miao Miao with you. We don't need that many people here."

Qin Li Feng, having heard no directive regarding himself, pointed to himself, asking, "What about me?"

Zhou You wrapped an arm around his shoulder, smiling warmly, "Stay with me. It'd be lonely on my own."

The little white tiger nudged past Qin Li Feng, circling Zhou You, who happily embraced it, exclaiming, "I haven't forgotten you, you're of course my best companion!"

He chose to keep Qin Li Feng mainly to have an extra hand to help, ensuring a 24-hour surveillance on the swarm.

Past midnight, the insects finally settled. Zhou You and Qin Li Feng took turns to rest. The white tiger, feeling hungry, ventured into the forest to hunt, driving away all the mutant creatures. This meant even if the insects tried summoning food later on, they'd find none – an unexpected boon.

As dawn broke, the insects began to move. Everywhere they went, vegetation withered. As Zhou You previously speculated, deprived of blood energy, they'd consume other things.

However, the energy from plants wasn’t as potent. After consuming vegetation, there was little noticeable change; perhaps it merely sustained their basic functions.

At one point, they consumed something toxic, killing off a large number of them. Unable to identify the exact cause, Zhou You collected a few insect corpses, intending to let experts dissect them later – this could be a potential countermeasure.

"If we could just use poison to eliminate them, it'd be so much easier. However, previous attempts using existing pesticides proved ineffective, at best only weakening them."

"No worries, every beginning is hard. We'll find a way eventually."

For two more days, they followed the swarm. Zhou You consistently disrupted the mutant creatures from feeding, and with repetition, his precision in manipulating psychic powers improved significantly.

It was evident the insects were growing increasingly agitated. Some even turned cannibalistic, a sight that sent shivers down both Zhou You and Qin Li Feng's spines.

Watching a vast number of insects engage in such a grotesque act of cannibalism right before their eyes was harrowing.

The insects that fed on their own kind indeed regained a significant amount of strength, becoming much more formidable than their starved counterparts.

"Is this akin to breeding a Gu King? After they battle each other, could the victorious insect emerge as a formidable one?"

"It's not impossible. Given the number of insects, after two or three rounds of elimination, many will grow stronger."

Zhou You can't let this continue; once swarms of them mature, they'll become even harder to deal with. He hadn't realized before that they also fed on their own kind."

Zhou You releases his psychic energy, not connecting with any insect but forming an intangible barrier above the swarm. He's unsure about his next move.

As the psychic barrier descends, the battling insects cease their attacks. They seem to find the psychic energy comforting, just what they desire.

It seems they rely on psychic energy more than food.

Qin Li Feng can't discern what Zhou You is doing, but he notices Zhou You's forehead sweating and his complexion turning pale, while the swarm eerily settles down.