Chapter 264

Chapter 264: Many Were Born

"…Can’t even tell Mom?"

"Of course not. Mom might get angry if she finds out."

With a giggle, she nuzzled her cheek against the white-haired girl’s face.

It felt as though she were being used as a cuddle pillow.

Her fingers suddenly itched…

But…the mastermind was actually Red Pupil? Hmph, why did this sting like betrayal?

"Red Pupil… Does sister usually do this to Mom while she’s asleep?"

"No."

To Lin Yu’s surprise, Little Liquor shook her head.

"Sister only told me how soundly Mom sleeps at night. She said since Mom becomes completely defenseless in her sleep, we must take shifts guarding her—not just the Stealth Ant sisters, but us too—to prevent any openings for enemies!"

She declared this with solemnity… Though perhaps she should first remove her hand from my main body.

Still, a faint warmth bloomed in Lin Yu’s chest—Red Pupil hadn’t betrayed her after all.

Lin Yu moved toward the bed.

"Ah, Little Sound’s here too. You take the other side."

"Mm."

"Since when did you grow so bold? Go on—try touching Mom’s face! It’s wonderfully soft!"

Says the real daredevil here!

Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, Lin Yu maneuvered Weak Sound to lie on the opposite side.

She hadn’t forgotten her purpose. First, she activated the "Egg-Laying" skill.

Weak Sound, still unconscious from earlier excitement, became "pregnant" without awareness.

Then she released the Unique Skill’s control, consciousness snapping back to her original form.

"Little Sound? Retiring already?"

"Tch. Still a coward at heart."

Regaining bodily control brought immediate awareness of mischievous fingers poking and prodding her.

A blush crept across her cheeks.

Lin Yu slowly opened frost-colored eyes.

Little Liquor remained oblivious until shifting her gaze from the slumbering Weak Sound to the white-haired girl—

Their stares collided.

The girl’s pupils contracted. Her smile petrified mid-curve.

The atmosphere crystallized into brittle silence.

"M-Mom… G-good morning?"

"It is evening."

"Ah, I suppose it is. Then… good evening?"

"Remove your hand first before speaking."

"Oh…"

Under Lin Yu’s frosty gaze, even the naturally sociable Little Liquor felt self-conscious. She obediently withdrew her hand from beneath the white-haired girl’s nightgown.

The motion caused Lin Yu’s cheeks to flush crimson, a peculiar sensation eliciting a soft gasp from her lips.

This delicate display of shyness momentarily entranced Little Liquor.

*Thunk—*

Lin Yu’s expression cooled as she delivered a light knuckle rap to the other’s forehead.

"That hurts!"

Hmph. I barely used any strength.

Well, considering she’s carrying my daughter, I’ll let this slide for now.

…

By the next day,

the swelling bellies of both girls and the ant had become noticeably pronounced.

Their softened expressions stirred complicated emotions within Lin Yu.

On the third day,

their distended abdomens began hindering movement, requiring prolonged effort to rise from bed.

Yet…

teenage girls with swollen bellies alongside an ant bearing an engorged abdomen… How bizarre. This feels disturbingly twisted—is this my doing?

Two days later—

The eggs arrived!

Stealth Eleven, Little Liquor, and Weak Sound all spawned on the same day.

Perhaps influenced by aptitude, Stealth Eleven produced only three hundred eggs. As hypothesized, however, the proportion of Stealth Ant eggs exceeded normal yields—

forty Stealth Ant eggs among the three hundred.

While seemingly modest, even I can spawn only ten Stealth Ant eggs per cycle!

Our current colony contains merely two hundred Stealth Ants.

Next was Little Liquor’s brood—

Hmm…

A substantial clutch of eight hundred eggs.

Given the common Worker Ant species, four hundred were Worker Ants—mostly C Qualification, fewer B Qualification, and minimal D Qualification.

Lastly, Weak Sound

matched Little Liquor’s output with eight hundred eggs.

Similarly, four hundred were Weak Ants sharing comparable aptitude distribution to Little Liquor’s Worker Ants.

The prolific spawning likely stems from both aptitude and ant species specialization.

These results confirm our theory—

ant types predominantly spawn their own subspecies!

For colony development, which species require immediate focus?

All varieties.

Flying Ants remain crucial as scouts and sole aerial units, yet number barely thirty.

Demonic Ants, our only magical attackers, currently include only Magic Rainbow and two novices. Since Magic Rainbow’s urban "studies" may enhance her teachings post-return, expanding their ranks from the current ten becomes vital.

Stealth Ants—equipped with "Stealth" and "Invisibility"—are peerless scouts and assassins, potentially the strongest combatants per individual. Their numbers now approach two hundred fifty with Stealth Eleven’s new brood.

Earth Digging Ants assist in tunnel expansion while maintaining combat readiness. Though uncounted, they likely number over a thousand—the rarest after the aforementioned types.

Iron Armored Ants and Acid Ants each total two thousand. The former excel as defensive tanks, while the latter’s corrosive projectiles not only damage monsters but reduce enemies’ Physical Resistance Ability.

Military Ants serve as primary melee units—smaller than Iron Armored yet deadlier than Acid Ants in close quarters, embodying balanced capabilities.

Worker Ants remain indispensable for nest expansion, Magical Soil cultivation, and tending flora.

Weak Ants fill auxiliary roles—combat support, sentry duty, and assisting with excavation tasks. Despite their frailty, their versatility proves invaluable.

However, since Weak and Worker Ants dominate each spawning cycle, intentional production becomes unnecessary.

Thus, Little Liquor and Little Sound require but one pregnancy phase. Let other daughters assume subsequent reproductive duties.