Astral Cockroach

Summer rainstorms were a big problem, so Banbu re-planned the excavation of its nest.

The location was still chosen beneath the giant rock, but this time the design was a three-dimensional W-shape, with wide passages and nest chambers for long-term consideration.

Two low points, the first serving as a drainage reservoir, and the second as a resting nest chamber.

Two high points, the first storing rotten leaves, and the second extending deep into the rock, relatively dry, and suitable for storing dried meat.

Widening the passage created a significant safety hazard, as predators like snakes and rats could easily crawl in, especially during the vulnerable period of evolutionary hibernation. Banbu specifically moved a moderately sized stone from beside the stream to block the entrance, just in case.

The banks of the stream were lush green meadows, inhabited by a large number of Swordhorn Grasshoppers. The Setaria viridis fields cultivated by the Big-headed Harvester Ants attracted them well, so there was no need to worry about over-hunting.

The hunting grounds were right at the entrance, making hunting convenient and safe, and with Swordhorn Grasshoppers always available, there would be no shortage of food.

The inherited memories of the cockroach tribe were correct: as long as there was enough food, junior warriors could grow quickly.

More than 20 days later, Banbu once again experienced that tired, sleepy state, a precursor to molting and evolution.

A month later, it fell into a deep sleep.

...

L2 Junior Warrior, body length 18. This evolution did not result in a major genetic breakthrough, and the time spent was not long. Only very small changes occurred in the structure of the body's exterior. Similar to a minor breakthrough for a human martial artist, improvements in strength, speed, carapace hardness, flight ability, and other aspects were all average.

There were still seven more such evolutions to go through before there would be a second qualitative improvement upon promotion to Intermediate Warrior.

Banbu guessed that this jungle was probably located in the subtropical south of the planet.

A terrible geographical location and structure, especially the weather in high summer, with either torrential rain or scorching sun, was simply nature's鞭笞 (鞭笞 is whip, and in this context means torture or torment) of living things.

Having just experienced a rainstorm, the jungle was now being baked by the scorching sun. The nest chamber was hot and humid, and the air seemed to drip with water.

Checking the stored dried meat, it had once again turned into a pile of gray-black mold.

Fortunately, this evolution was not as weakening as the last one. After eating a few rotten leaves, its strength recovered a lot.

Coming to the entrance to check, it was midday, and the heat waves rolled, with rising haze.

The jungle plants enjoyed the hot and humid weather, thriving.

The Setaria viridis grew vigorously. Before Banbu fell asleep, their flower spikes had just withered, condensing into strings of seeds. When it woke up, their seeds were already golden and ripe.

Most animals could not tolerate this weather and hid away, only the diligent Big-headed Harvester Ants were busy under the scorching sun.

They used their mandibles to tear and cut the Setaria viridis from the roots, picking the seeds from the spikes and transporting them to a flat, dry place to dry.

Due to Banbu and several small Flower Snakes hunting and eating large numbers of Swordhorn Grasshoppers that gnawed on the tender leaves of Setaria viridis, they ushered in a great harvest this year.

"My first life seed has been conceived. Should I sow it now?"

"Forget it, the season is wrong. It's a Force plant after all, it would be a pity if it died in the sun."

"However, what kind of seed should I choose as my life seed next?"

Banbu began to deliberate.

In the height of summer, the fruits of many plants began to ripen. There were many ways to obtain seeds. The inherited memories recorded that there were several shrubs and trees in this forest suitable for the current body size, so there was no need to choose grass seeds for the second life seed.

Going out to hunt two Swordhorn Grasshoppers, it lay at the entrance of the cave, eating and thinking.

There were more than a dozen mulberry trees growing beside the stream, the specific variety being named "White Jade Mulberry", a deciduous tree. Mulberries were a delicacy, and the mulberry seeds were very small, just enough to fit into the life sac. However, mulberry seeds needed at least three years to mature and bear fruit after being sown.

Not far away in the woods was a rare Sunshine Fruit tree, an evergreen tree, which also had the problem of slow growth.

Raspberries were the best choice, but the fruit would not ripen until late autumn.

The cockroach warrior's life sac nurturing life seeds, sowing and managing life seeds, and the life-connected plants rapidly absorbing cosmic Force were quite complex. It could be said that the choice of each life seed was related to future evolutionary growth.

"Anyway, the life seeds will have to wait until next spring to be sown. The current choice is just a matter of order, so there's no need to worry too much about it."

Taking advantage of the safe period of high noon temperatures, Banbu went to the stream, making several trips, picking more than a dozen mulberries and throwing them at the entrance of the Big-headed Harvester Ants' nest.

These big-headed ants were not picky eaters at all, swarming up and quickly eating the mulberry pulp, collecting the seeds inside and placing them in the sun to dry.

Banbu then went to the Sunshine Fruit tree, and with great effort, dragged back half a Sunshine Fruit and threw it at the ant nest entrance.

As before, the Big-headed Harvester Ants mobilized a large number of worker ants, quickly eating the pulp and collecting the seeds, placing them in a dry place to dry.

Seeing this, Banbu stopped worrying, returned to the depths of its nest chamber, and began to think about how to improve the structure and create a storage room that could remain dry for a long time, to store dried meat and life seeds.

It was barely acceptable for dried meat to become moldy due to moisture, but if life seeds, such important things, sprouted prematurely due to moisture, it would be a fatal loss.

Banbu turned the goal of expanding the nest chamber to the black rock.

In the flat jungle, the appearance of the giant rock was somewhat abrupt and did not conform to the laws of geological evolution. It must be an extraterrestrial meteorite rich in metallic elements. Strangely, the surrounding landforms were somewhat inconsistent with the fall of such a large meteorite.

The rock was very hard, and it would not be so easy for moisture to erode into a storage warehouse opened inside.

Banbu tried it. After the second evolution, the toes were also slightly strengthened, and it could be excavated little by little.

It was very slow and time-consuming, so for the time being, it only excavated a narrow passage tilted upwards, just enough for the current body size to pass through, drilling as deep as possible.

Busy until late at night, it dug out about 30 depth.

It was enough for the time being, there was plenty of time in the future to slowly expand.

Banbu spat out the Setaria viridis seeds in the life sac, padded and wrapped them with dry grass leaves, and carefully preserved them.

At this time of year, most of the Swordhorn Grasshopper nymphs had grown into adults about 20 in length, larger than Banbu, so there was no need to change the hunting pattern. Going out at dawn and noon, hunting two adults each time was enough to eat.

Guarding the Setaria viridis field, life was easy and comfortable.

It was another sunny day. In the morning, the dew was dried early, and the Big-headed Harvester Ants were busy moving the seeds out to dry. The air humidity eased slightly, and after drying for another half a morning, they would be completely dry.

Banbu went out on time, stood on a distant blade of grass and looked out, carefully comparing, planning to select 3 of the best quality White Jade Mulberry and Sunshine Fruit seeds respectively, and put them in the storage warehouse for future use.

Its attention was attracted by a golden seed.

Judging by the shape, it was a Setaria viridis seed.

Ordinary Setaria viridis seeds were brownish-yellow after drying, it was definitely a mutated Setaria viridis seed!

"A Force plant seed!"

"Am I lucky? Or is this planet rich in Force, making it easier to induce plant mutations?"

When Banbu was excited, a vague inherited memory imprinted in its soul emerged with a term: God-given Seed!

The cockroach tribe called the seeds of Force plants "God-given Seeds". They believed in the laws of nature, respecting "Nature" as "God", and "God-given Seeds" meant the gift of nature.

The inherited memory recorded that there were two ways to cultivate God-given Seeds:

The first was to directly sow them. The Force plants generated would condense seeds or fruits, and after swallowing them, one could obtain uncertain special abilities.

The second was to nurture them with the life sac, which had a chance to integrate the racial ability into the God-given Seed, obtaining a life seed of extremely high quality. The defect was that it consumed a large amount of cosmic Force, delaying its own evolutionary growth.

Banbu hesitated for two seconds, flapped its wings and took off, swooped down, and swallowed the God-given Seed in one gulp, urging the life sac to wrap it up. The action immediately aroused the anger of the Big-headed Harvester Ants guarding the seeds, baring their fangs and claws, looking like they were going to fight to the death.

Banbu didn't want to cause trouble, hurriedly selected a few tree seeds, flapped its wings and left.