https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-362-Nether-Energy-Seed-Mind-Incubator/12850830/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-364-Then-We-ll-Go-Straight-to-Their-Nest-/12850852/
Chapter 363: You Mean There Are Fewer of Them?
Chapter 363: You Mean There Are Fewer of Them?
Emperor Shen You quickly received Qin Muye's message. His first thought upon reading it was that it was impossible, but he soon realized that nothing was impossible.
His divine sense swept over the list provided by the other party. At first glance, there didn't seem to be any issues, but upon closer inspection, he discovered a problem.
Most of these people were originally Eighth Realm sorcerers, but now they had all become Ninth Realm sorcerers. Each of them had a divine sense that was refined and incredibly solid, not at all like someone who had just broken through.
This immediately put him on high alert. It wasn't that he was afraid of these people becoming stronger; it was the mysterious and inexplicable nature of their strength.
"It seems there really is a problem. It's not just these noble families and schools; even my loyal ministers have fallen under their influence," a cold glint flashed in Emperor Shen You's eyes.
This kind of situation could be either minor or major, depending on how the other party operated.
If they were all connected, they could indeed deceive him.
"Before taking any action, I need to find the person behind this. Otherwise, it would be unwise to act rashly," Emperor Shen You was not like Qin Muye, who could act on a whim.
Although he was the strongest in the Great Shen Dynasty, he had to consider the political implications. He couldn't just arrest people because they seemed suspicious; he needed evidence.
After all, they had just broken through. There was no evidence that they were colluding with foreign tribes. If he acted now, it would definitely cause public resentment.
The "public" here certainly didn't refer to ordinary people, but rather the foundation of his rule—the noble families and schools.
Even as the central authority, Emperor Shen You sometimes had to tread carefully.
Qin Muye could act recklessly because the structure of the Endless Abyss under his command was unique. If it were another lord, they would have to balance the relationships between their heroes, factions, and other intricate ties.
Otherwise, it would be impossible for a large organization to remain as simple as a small village.
Then, Emperor Shen You's gaze swept over the eunuchs and maidservants attending him, his expression filled with contemplation. Were any of them also under control?
As an emperor, being suspicious was a natural instinct. Emperors were solitary figures. Emperor Shen You used to not believe in this, but later, he came to believe it.
Once one was involved in power, many things changed. It was less about family ties or love and more about balance and political maneuvering.
His primary concern was always the interests. More often than not, rationality, not emotion, guided his actions.
So now, he was considering who to send to handle this matter. It didn't matter if the other party was under control; as long as there was a conflict of interests, they would have to act, even if it went against their will.
He understood the thoughts of his ministers. There were indeed some who genuinely cared for the country and its people, but they were as rare as a unicorn's horn. Perhaps only the young and inexperienced could be found, but unfortunately, by the time they grew capable, their initial intentions would be long lost.
"Summon Prime Minister Bai," Emperor Shen You immediately thought of Bai Lu. Although he wasn't a close confidant, he was a very useful tool.
He had more considerations than Qin Muye. This was the perfect opportunity to push for reforms and eliminate the problems within the noble families and schools. As long as he acted swiftly, he would have a reason to act.
Initially, he had no pretext to act, but now he did.
However, he had to consider the backlash if he failed. He couldn't use force, so he needed to use political means to quell the repercussions. That was where the Prime Minister came in.
"What did Emperor Shen You say?" Qin Muye asked casually.
"He didn't give a direct response, just said he knew," the Black Hand replied. Emperor Shen You's response was very official and formal, even flowery, but it essentially boiled down to three words: "I know."
As for what he planned to do, that was impossible to know. The other party was a seasoned politician, a thousand-year-old fox, who wouldn't reveal the slightest hint.
Hearing this, Qin Muye felt that Emperor Shen You must have some ulterior motive, possibly something nefarious.
He had faith in Emperor Shen You's political skills, but the insectoids wouldn't play by those rules.
"What is the insectoids' plan?" Qin Muye could only hope that the intelligence system would yield some results.
"Apparently, the power system of the insectoid hive planet was damaged in the last attack, and they need resources to repair it," the Black Hand reported.
"Not just the power system, but also some supplies were destroyed in the explosion."
Indeed, the intelligence system had managed to gather specific information about the insectoids' situation.
If it weren't for the inability to join the insectoid hive mind network, the spirits might have been able to gather more intelligence. This was a form of special confidentiality, similar to how others who disguised themselves as spirits would be detected by Qin Muye in the Endless Abyss because they lacked the mana network.
Qin Muye was thinking that their previous ambush had been effective. At least it wasn't as futile as he had initially imagined. He had always thought that the ambush only scratched the surface, but now it seemed to have caused significant damage.
"Have we found out the number of 8th Tier insectoids?" Qin Muye suddenly recalled this matter.
"Besides the brain insect as the main mind, there are three others: a hopper, a king insect, and a queen insect, each serving as the leaders of their respective sub-clans. In total, there are only four 8th Tier insectoids. However, if given sufficient resources, the queen insect can produce 8th Tier insectoids."
"Perhaps mass production is not feasible, but small-scale production is not a problem. Based on the data we've gathered, if all the resources of the insectoid hive planet are mobilized in an extreme situation, the queen insect can produce around a thousand 8th Tier insectoids."
As the Black Hand mentioned the numbers, Qin Muye felt a chill. No wonder they were a major force; they could produce a thousand 8th Tier insectoids, more than he currently had.
However, the Black Hand continued, "Afterward, the queen insect will die, and the insectoid hive planet will be depleted. According to our calculations, the brain insect currently cannot control so many 8th Tier insectoids. Otherwise, it wouldn't need the clan leaders' help. Therefore, it cannot produce a thousand 8th Tier insectoids at once, as that would lead to its own demise."
Hearing this, Qin Muye did not feel overly relieved. There was a cost, but he feared that the enemy might go down fighting.
"Is there any solution?" Qin Muye knew that producing a thousand 8th Tier insectoids required a vast amount of resources, which needed to be addressed first.
Otherwise, even a hundred would be a headache.
"Another explosion, this time targeting the insectoid warehouses. But we can't destroy everything, to avoid them becoming desperate. We just need to prevent them from producing too many 8th Tier insectoids, which will also help us earn more points."
The Black Hand conveyed some suggestions from the command room.
"Alright, follow this plan. Try not to draw attention," Qin Muye instructed.
Although it was clear that the opposing brain insect was likely a newcomer, he could not afford to be contemptuous or complacent. He had to be cautious, as it was still an 8th Tier entity.
Qin Muye speculated that this 8th Tier brain insect was probably born at this level. Otherwise, if it had climbed from a lower tier, it wouldn't have such naive tactics.
If not for their overwhelming strength, they might not have been able to defeat the old silver coin brain insect, who everyone knew was skilled in mental abilities but also possessed a powerful body.
The brain insect in the insectoid hive planet, regardless of its strength, lacked the experience of the demon insect overlord. If it had even half the experience, they would have had a tough fight.
Since the brain insect was still growing, it did not yet possess formidable power, and its utilization of the insectoids under its command was inefficient, giving Qin Muye an opportunity.
"We are already executing the plan, conducting daily remote bombings of the insectoid hive planet. However, it's strange that the enemy hasn't used long-range weapons to counterattack, focusing more on interception. This is a bit problematic."
"Perhaps the brain insect has some—"
"Wait, if the queen insect is to produce 8th Tier insectoids, how long would it take?" Qin Muye suddenly interrupted.
This puzzled the Black Hand, who then replied, "We don't know exactly, but it would take some time."
"In other words, right now, there are only four 8th Tier insectoids on the entire insectoid hive planet?" Qin Muye asked.
"Yes."
"Then why don't we launch a decapitation strike? We have over a hundred 8th Tier insectoids. We can storm in, capture these four 8th Tier insectoids, and then the entire insectoid hive planet would be no threat. Besides, their power system is damaged, so they can't even run away." Qin Muye realized this blind spot.
The Black Hand was taken aback. It seemed like a logical plan. Why hadn't the command room suggested it?
(End of Chapter)
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