BXBX NOVEL Chapter 76 - 71 Fourth's Choice r
Chapter 76 - 71 Fourth's Choice r
“Fourth, there are two ways to help you increase your strength. One is relatively safe, but the gain is minimal, and I suspect that’s the upper limit. Like this one.”
Qin Niu pointed at a swift worker ant.
Eating just one-tenth of a safe dose of Banyan Tree Blood poses little risk, but the upper limit is very low.
“The second way carries a high risk of death, but the increase in strength is huge. Like this!”
This time, Qin Niu was pointing at a Grade Two Lightning Worker Ant.
“I choose this one!”
Fourth seemed to have its own independent thinking ability, hesitated for a moment, and then made a decision.
It chose the Grade Two Lightning Worker Ant.
Almost all creatures’ pursuit of strength can be described as ‘fearlessly valiant’.
Including Qin Niu himself, in his pursuit of greater strength, he repeatedly took risks.
Since Fourth had made its choice, Qin Niu did not oppose it but respected its decision.
He fed it a safe dose of Banyan Tree Blood right there and then, watching nervously.
The process seemed excessively long.
Every second was like a pounding heartbeat.
Care leads to chaos.
It was precisely because Fourth was too important to Qin Niu that he felt so nervous.
To ease his excessive tension, Qin Niu began to mass-produce Ghost Soldier Ants and Puppet Worker Ants.
The creation of these two ant species seemed safer, just more time-consuming.
Moreover, they belonged to the long-range attack squad, and their power was not to be underestimated.
The Ant Queen could now lay a hundred eggs a day, and with a small jug of Thousand Eyes Tree Blood in Qin Niu’s possession, there was enough to create thousands of Ghost Soldier Ants and Puppet Worker Ants.
He made fifty Puppet Worker Ants and ten Ghost Soldier Ants in one go.
No choice, since there were only 16 ordinary soldier ants.
At this moment, Fourth’s abdomen was still swelling, looking terrifyingly tense.
Because its abdominal skin had become nearly transparent—it was approaching the critical point of bursting.
Its only remaining antenna was flailing wildly.
The strong mandibles were continuously opening and closing, and one could faintly hear a “sizzling” noise.
Its mandibles were far inferior to those of the Grade Two Lightning Worker Ant or the Tiger-striped Soldier Ant.
It was equivalent to the bite force of an ordinary strong soldier ant.
Qin Niu dared not pay too much attention to it, and in an effort to distract himself, once again took out the Banyan Tree Blood to cultivate Grade Two Lightning Worker Ants and Tiger-striped Soldier Ants.
In the process of cultivating Tiger-striped Soldier Ants, two out of four ordinary soldier ants exploded.
Out of 30 ordinary worker ants being turned into Grade Two Lightning Worker Ants, only 18 survived.
This mortality rate was alarmingly high.
Qin Niu had no choice, as riches are sought amidst dangers.
If ordinary termites wanted to evolve into Grade Two termites in just a day or two, they had to endure this extremely dangerous process.
After finishing, he checked on Fourth’s condition again.
Although its abdomen had swollen to the brink, the skin not only became transparent, but also showed a series of fine cracks, yet it did not explode. It seemed to have successfully endured the most dangerous moment.
Qin Niu did not dare to touch it immediately.
For he was frightened that any contact might burst its body.
He decided to wait patiently.
He called out the only Poison Soldier Ant.
He had three cultivation plans in his mind, feeding a safe dose of Banyan Tree Blood, one-tenth of a safe dose, or Thousand Eyes Tree Blood.
The last two cultivation plans were relatively safer.
But in terms of strength enhancement, the first plan was the strongest known to date.
“Anyway, 1 can breed more Poison Soldier Ants later. If it fails, I can accept that.”
Qin Niu wanted to see just how strong a Poison Soldier Ant would become after being cultivated with the strongest plan.
The strong soldier ant had given him a huge surprise.
Thinking this, he used the first plan to cultivate it on the spot.
He called out a swift worker ant and had it feed the Poison Soldier Ant.
Because there was only one ordinary Worker Ant left.
It was a good opportunity to see what changes would take place after the speed-enhanced Worker Ant had consumed Banyan Tree Blood a second time.
After the breeding was complete, the Poison Soldier Ant might have been in extreme pain, lying on its back on the ground, continuously kicking its six legs.
He had never seen this method of evolution before.
He could see its sting at the end of its abdomen constantly extending and retracting.
A drop of glistening poison was squeezed out.
The Poison Soldier Ant really was terrifying, during a frenzy, it would probably sting anything it encountered.
As the sky progressively darkened, Fourth was also reaching a relatively stable state.
Qin Niu called out Fifth and had it carefully carry Fourth into the Ant Nest.
The Poison Soldier Ant was also carried back to the nest by another Grade Two Lightning Worker Ant.
What followed was a period of patient waiting.
There was no explosion from Fourth or the Poison Soldier Ant, which allowed Qin Niu’s suspended heart to settle somewhat.
This was already the best outcome possible.
Especially for Fourth, it felt like it had reached the very limit of its limits. If it were an ordinary Worker Ant, it would have exploded before its skin even cracked.
Yet it survived.
This further highlighted its uniqueness.
Qin Niu was looking forward to its appearance after evolution. He felt it wouldn’t be inferior to the mighty Soldier Ants.
As for those five strong Worker Ants, Qin Niu had not taken any action with them yet.
Because the risks of evolution were too great, he wanted to wait a bit longer to see if he could discover a safer breeding method.
Mainly because there were still too few Termites.
When their numbers increased, he would be able to conduct even more detailed experiments.
For instance, on the basis of a safe dose, would reducing it by one-tenth help the Termites evolve to Grade Two?
Or, according to the different constitutions and strength levels of the Termites, adjust the safe dose accordingly.
This way, he could breed each Termite more flexibly.
He was certain that the majority of those Termites that died from explosion could have survived.
Breeding insects couldn’t be formulaic.
The same dose might be suitable for one Termite but fatal for another, leading it to explode and die.
If one day he could reach a point where each ant had its own dosage…
The success rate of breeding Grade Two Termites would be astonishingly high.
With five large jars of Banyan Tree Blood, he rushed home in a hurry.
The village was different from its usual tranquility, as many villagers were not resting at home but gathering in groups, discussing something.
As he got closer, their conversation reached Qin Niu’s ears.
“With floods happening everywhere, we’re lucky to live comfortably in Shuangfeng Village!”
“Food prices are likely to soar again this year, sigh!”
The one sighing was Big Sister Ma, who had no land of her own.
Her man worked as a permanent laborer for the Yan Family, a job that many envied for its stability.
Guaranteed income rain or shine, at least three or four Silver Money each year.
“Let the food prices rise. Your man earns more than five Silver Money a year; your family lives the most comfortably in the whole village.”
“My family relies on buying food to survive. If the food prices go up, Silver Money isn’t really money anymore, it’s like stones. How can 1 not be anxious?”
Big Sister Ma, with her children, tended to her in-laws at home, free from worries about clothing and food.
She was among the few village women with a somewhat exceptional demeanor.
Just like she said, with soaring grain prices, Silver Money would no longer be Silver Money.
Even a top-class farmer earning ten Silver Money a year would struggle to get by.
“The government officials arrived today; I heard they’ve already visited the Yan Family and will inspect each village tomorrow. What are you anxious about? Would the government just ignore us common folk starving to death?”
“It’s not the food Big Sister Ma is worried about—I reckon she just misses her man!”
“Ptooey! You shameless thing, how can you say such things? Aren’t you embarrassed?!”
Big Sister Ma wasn’t one to be bullied.
She immediately retorted at the man who made a risque joke about her.
Qin Niu didn’t listen any further; he simply lowered his head and headed home with the basket on his back..