Lord: Starting with Biological Modification

Chapter 71: Chapter 67: The Weapon’s Operating System

Deep inside the Origin Association, the laboratory felt like a tightly sealed steamer.

Several Magic Lamps baked the air until it was scorching, and the sulfurous stench of fermented dragon dung endlessly assaulted every olfactory cell.

Velin leaned against the cool wall, his temples throbbing with each beat of his heart.

His Spiritual Power was like a pond on the verge of drying up, nearly exhausted.

But at least the hardware was finally complete.

The next step was the software part, which didn’t require Spiritual Power.

Before him, a pitch-black beetle, only half the size of its kin, rested quietly in a crystal case. Its huge compound eyes reflected Velin’s figure, revealing a hint of dependence.

[Sarah]

Velin had given his General a name filled with meaning.

After downing a bottle of [Animal Communication Potion], the invisible mental barrier dissolved.

He immediately "heard" Sarah’s clear stream of consciousness—a mixture of awe, curiosity, and obedience.

’Good, the communication channel is established.’

Velin brought out an earthenware bowl containing a wobbly, dark-yellow, solidified mass.

A strange, unstoppable stench of spoiled protein spread through the air—a smell that would make even dragon dung give it a wide berth.

Though Velin’s expression remained unchanged, a flash of apology for the kitchen maid, Xiaolan, crossed his mind.

He remembered the priceless look on the young girl’s face when he handed her a pile of treated humus, dragon dung essence, and a few rotten, stinky eggs, and asked her to cook it like "steamed egg."

The cooking process could only be described as a disaster to behold. Xiaolan was first shocked, then tried to endure it, and finally clapped a hand over her mouth and ran out to dry heave, tears streaming down her face.

Velin felt a little helpless. ’I really can’t cook.’

Pushing those thoughts aside, he slid the earthenware bowl to the feeding slot of the crystal case.

"Eat," a simple thought transmitted.

Sarah’s antennae twitched slightly. The awe she felt for her creator kept her restrained, even though the smell made every cell in her body yearn to tremble.

"This is an order," Velin added mentally.

Sarah no longer hesitated. She gingerly curled up a small piece of the "steamed stinky egg" and brought it to her mouthparts.

The next second, BZZZZ—!

Sarah’s pitch-black carapace began to vibrate violently. Her two long antennae trembled as if electrocuted, their frequency so high they left afterimages.

A wave of extreme, pure, instinctual joy and satisfaction slammed into Velin’s mind.

"Delicious!"

"Father... a blessing!"

"So good... antennae twitching... want more..."

The intermittent thoughts were transmitted like a child’s sleep-talking, carrying the absolute dependence of a fledgling chick.

Her loyalty had been maxed out by this single bowl of dark cuisine. Velin nodded to himself and focused his thoughts.

[Inspect]

[Sarah (Leader)]

[Level: Level 3 Magical Beast]

[Bloodline: Bader Insect (Black Iron Tier) 48%, Mixed Bloodline 52%]

[Abilities: King Insect’s Aura, Higher Intelligence, Hardened Carapace, Parthenogenesis]

[Overall Assessment: An extremely rare, mutated commander-type individual with extraordinary intelligence and growth potential. She is a natural-born swarm sovereign, the most perfect clarion call for war. She is still developing, and her evolutionary path is variable. No suggestions can be provided at this time.]

Parthenogenesis. Velin relaxed. This meant Sarah could infinitely reproduce all by herself.

After inspecting the General, it was time to test the soldiers.

Velin walked to a more open area of the lab, closed his eyes, and tried to directly command the five hundred Bader Dung Beetles lying dormant in the mountain nest.

He wanted the swarm to form up in three horizontal ranks, a most basic formation.

However, the moment he issued the command, the five hundred behemoths in the nest erupted into chaos.

They did move, but not into neat ranks. Instead, it was like a kicked hornet’s nest as they scrambled and piled on top of each other in a chaotic mess.

Two particularly stout males collided while turning, instantly triggering their aggression. Their two ferocious horns locked together, and the grating SCRAPE of their carapaces rubbing set one’s teeth on edge. It looked like they were about to fight to the death on the spot!

Velin’s heart sank. He hurriedly had Sarah issue a command.

[Stop!]

Only then did the two males reluctantly back away.

A layer of cold sweat broke out on Velin’s back.

’This isn’t commanding. This is lighting a powder keg.’

These low-intelligence war machines were all brawn, unable to comprehend even the simplest of commands. The slightest misstep, and they would tear themselves to pieces first.

He changed his approach, relaying the command to Sarah.

"Sarah, have your children form three horizontal ranks."

Sarah immediately issued the order. A unique humming sound arose, and the ground vibrated, kicking up a fine layer of dust.

The swarm reacted instantly.

They were no longer chaotic and began to move and adjust their positions.

But the result was still far from satisfactory.

What they eventually formed were three crooked, interlocking masses of flesh.

The intelligence of these Level 2 Magical Beasts was clearly insufficient to grasp a complex spatial concept like "horizontal ranks."

Velin looked at the messy scene and fell into deep thought.

He possessed a heavily armored force that was absolutely loyal and feared no death, along with a perfect General.

Sarah’s intelligence was sufficient to execute complex operations, but he lacked an effective command system.

An operating system that could translate the tactical concepts in his mind—like "layered defense," "luring the enemy deep," and "alternating cover"—into commands that even these dim-witted soldiers could understand and execute.

Velin first thought of ants.

The most successful social insects on Blue Star.

Their wars also consisted of massed charges and brutal slaughter.

But he quickly rejected this idea.

Ant society is a classic "decentralized distributed system."

The queen is a reproductive machine, not a commander. The entire colony relies on simple pheromone-based rules between individuals, forming what appears to be "intelligent" collective behavior on a macro level through countless interactions.

This didn’t meet his needs.

He needed an army that moved as an extension of his will, a completely centralized, top-down, and efficient command structure.

He needed a scalpel capable of performing precise surgical strikes, not an uncontrollable flood.

Velin then thought of wolf packs.

Wolf packs possess a high degree of social structure and coordination. Led by an alpha, they can execute a series of complex hunting tactics like reconnaissance, encirclement, herding, and ambush.

Each member plays a clear role within the system, which was very close to the effect Velin wanted.

But the problem was that a wolf pack’s tactics were built on the foundation of every member having sufficient intelligence.

His Bader Dung Beetles were just "living puppets" with only strength and armor.

He couldn’t turn five hundred idiots into five hundred elite hunters overnight.

Velin’s fingers intertwined unconsciously. He had soldiers, and he had a General.

But he still hadn’t found the method to unleash this army’s true power.

Tomorrow morning was the best time to deal with Ola.

He had to find the answer before then.

Velin recalled countless academic papers from his past life, digging through the knowledge accumulated over thousands of years of human society.

Countless ideas flashed through his mind, only to be rejected one by one...

Velin sighed. He had already thought through all the creatures that walked the earth and flew in the sky.

Suddenly, a lightning bolt struck in his mind. ’Marine life!’

He pressed a hand to his forehead, chuckled, and shook his head in bemusement.

’Velin, oh Velin, you’re still too narrow-minded.’

’Why insist on looking for answers from creatures still stuck at a basic level of cooperation?’

’An entire command method that can be almost directly applied is right there for the taking, isn’t it?’