The moment Lin Mu confirmed the binding, a faint, violet light—invisible to any outside observer—descended and vanished deep into the earthen mound.
[Target Bound: Queen Ant (Level 1)]
[Achievement Unlocked: The First Covenant]
Description: Successfully bound the first target using the Talent: Absolute Domination, securing the foundation for a burgeoning civilization.
Reward: 100 Karma Points
Lin Mu felt a pleasant surge of energy as the 100 Karma Points registered. Well, it always feels great when your assets increase. The binding was absolute; he could feel a thin, ethereal tether connecting his mind to that of the queen ant.
"System, report on the Queen Ant's status," Lin Mu requested, his voice calm.
[The subject's core neurological function is now suppressed by the Absolute Domination link. Reproduction rate remains optimal. However, the current population has zero capacity for abstract thought or societal structure. Karma Point accumulation from their activity is negligible, less than 0.01 per day.]
Lin Mu nodded. The core problem was clear: pure numbers were worthless for a civilization objective. He needed to introduce wisdom, language, and culture—the foundation for complex society and exponential Karma growth.
Before anything else, he needed absolute security. He didn't want a random bird or a passing neighborhood cat to crush his future civilization. He immediately navigated to the System Store.
"Purchase and activate the Azure Shield Array."
It was priced at 100 points. Lin Mu's heart ached at spending his entire starting fund in one move, but he quickly suppressed the regret. "Whatever," he thought, "security first."
The 100 Karma Points vanished.
The ground around the anthill shuddered lightly, and a perfect, invisible dome of energy descended, sealing the ten-meter radius of the yard. This formation was designed to absorb ambient energy (solar or electrical) and isolate the internal ecosystem. The array's camouflage was flawless; no one passing by would notice anything but weeds.
[ Azure Shield Array operational. Solar energy intake at 98% efficiency. External ecosystem interference is nullified. The environment is secured. ]
Lin Mu walked through the dome's edge. The air inside shifted, growing subtly warmer and more humid—an ideal climate for insect metabolism. He was now standing within his self-contained world.
"Engage the Illusion Layer," Lin Mu commanded, looking at the ceiling of the invisible dome. "The sky must be a constant, reassuring, deep celestial blue. The sun will appear as a large, gentle, White Orb, symbolizing light and order."
The scene outside the dome warped into an idyllic, manufactured heaven. He had created the Sun which will witness this new civilization.
Now, it was time for the true experiment.
Lin Mu pulled out the Fusion Furnace. It floated in his hand, a dull black sphere that held the power of fusing any two species into another superior species. He had three uses, and this first one was the most critical.
"The Ant-Queen gives us population. What it lacks is intelligence. The only high-level wisdom available is human. I will fuse the genetic code of the bound Queen Ant with a minute sample of my own human genetic material."
[ Initiating Fusion Furnace Use 1 of 3. Fusion of Ant Genome + Human Genome. This action is irreversible and will create a new, hybrid species.]
[2 Potential evolutionary paths are available.]
[Human Size: Strong body, hive mind, low reproduction rate.]
[Ant Size: High reproduction rate, human intelligence potential, capable of using ant pheromones.]
The choice was immediate. The first path would be a disaster—he couldn't afford to feed a large, rapidly growing population, nor did he have the space. the second path maximized his initial investment in rapid growth and minimized energy consumption.
"Execute 2nd plan," Lin Mu said, his hand steady.
The Fusion Furnace pulsed. A thin, vaporous strand of light, pulling an unnoticeable biological sample from Lin Mu, retracted. Then, a column of white, intense energy shot down into the anthill.
[Fusion Result: Successful.]
[New Species Created: Formicidae Sapiens (Ant-Human)]
Note: Traits will be expressed gradually over successive generations. Expect: rudimentary intelligence, eventual bipedalism, development of antlers for high-bandwidth communication, and sexual dimorphism (males/females).
Lin Mu stared at the mound. The birth of the first Formicidae Sapiens workers was underway. It was an investment that would take time, but the potential Karma reward was infinite.
"Atlas," Lin Mu instructed, looking at the silent mound, "Prepare the next phase. We need materials and we need a path to accelerate their wisdom."