Chapter 68: Takeoff!
Hua Mi meticulously recreated the scout bee template and made notes in his journal.
"Scout Bee:
Derived from the common Chinese honeybee, similar in size but with shorter, harder, and denser fur, emitting light at the tips of their antennae…
Lifespan: 1
Reproductive Capability: 0.6
Productivity: 1
Attack Power: 1
Defense: 1
Vitality: 1
Speed: 1
Tactical Bonus: 5
Collecting Ability: 1
Combat Ability: 5
Ranked as a [Level 3 Bee]."
The reproductive capability was a bit low, but it didn't matter much for a scout bee. Their unique nature didn't require forming colonies; just one bee at a time sufficed, ready for template transformation whenever needed.
As for the additional "tactical bonus," it factored in their special abilities, elevating their combat prowess to a 5. These scout bees were no less effective than War Hammer Bees or Ring Cutters.
In the future, when exploring hazardous areas, sending scout bees ahead could provide crucial foresight. Even for tracking targets, their powerful sense of smell would come in handy.
Designating them as Level 3 bees was entirely appropriate.
"This time, it's a double win—a Level 4 bee and a Level 3 bee. Quite the catch."
Indeed, Sindra's enhanced mutagen was a success, albeit in slightly limited doses.
"Need to keep an eye out for Dragon Crystal Powder in the future... this unassuming alchemy prodigy is worth nurturing!"
Hua Mi's regard for Sindra surged.
...
Next, Hua Mi began preparing for hybridization experiments.
He selected two worker bee larvae from Forest Swift Bees, Agony Bees, Armor Bees, and War Hammer Bees, nurturing them as if they were queen bees.
Once they matured into queens and reached sexual maturity, he could initiate hybridization experiments with the new bee species.
Why not use existing queens? Because they had passed their mating period, and even during the period, using queen bees directly for experiments might disrupt the hives, inviting trouble.
The life cycle of Forest Swift Bees was comparatively faster; they would likely mature in less than a week. However, Armor Bees and War Hammer Bees might take a week or even longer.
As for why he didn't choose Ring Cutters:
The reason remained the same as before.
Ring Cutters were already the product of a second hybridization. Going for a third round of hybridization exponentially increased the difficulty, and with his current mental strength, achieving that was still challenging.
...
Hua Mi also ordered ten Chinese honeybees.
Then, crossing over to the other world, he visited the greenhouse, assisted by the seven little companions, checking on the Thunderclap Flowers.
Next, he brought out the bee boxes.
Bees needed exposure to the open air, and their activity in the flower fields benefited the flowers' growth. Creatures within the same ecosystem tended to influence and promote each other.
Afterward, he delved into alchemical notes, practiced controlling the bee colonies, and exercised his mental powers...
A day swiftly passed by.
At dusk, as customary, he returned to the greenhouse, planting the newly cultivated seeds, catalyzing the flower field for the second time that day.
It's worth noting that the first two acres of Thunderclap Flowers had fully blossomed.
The vivid blue petals, etched with lightning-like patterns, symbolized their robust vitality.
Their growth outshined those in the Black Castle Ruins, be it in appearance or the meticulous observation of their various parts. These flowers in his field might not be top-tier, but they could at least be considered outstanding.
Bees flitted between the flowers, indicating that the buds had begun secreting nectar.
Upon inspecting a few blooms, he indeed found signs of nectar flow, though still insufficient for a bee's harvest.
There was also a small surprise.
The conversion speed of the robust bee colony was faster than expected. At dusk, they had all emerged from their cocoons, forming an army of nearly ten thousand bees.
"Excellent, an addition to the troop."
The robust bees lined up neatly in front of him.
Their humming wings produced a noticeably deeper sound compared to regular bees.
These "muscular" bees, even among wasp colonies, might be considered quite robust.
Compared to the little ones diligently collecting nectar, they possessed more might and philosophical gravitas.
"Let's test your combat prowess."
Hua Mi directed the robust bee colony outside, surveyed the area, and selected a stone roughly thirty centimeters in diameter.
Go, robust bees!
The robust bees swarmed around the lower half of the stone, their broad and sturdy backs pressing against it, collectively exerting force upward.
The weight of the stone probably didn't exceed 100 kilograms, a piece of cake for the robust bee colony, easily lifting it off the ground.
However, maintaining balance during the exertion wasn't sustained; just a few centimeters above the ground, they lost equilibrium and dropped the stone.
Starting to control a new bee colony was always initially challenging.
Given the varying abilities among bee species, it was akin to choosing different characters in a game. Though the game sense was there, it required practice to operate smoothly.
Undeterred, Hua Mi continued to concentrate, repeatedly attempting to control them.
After around ten tries, he finally managed to lift the stone relatively steadily and perform simple movements in mid-air.
Although he successfully lifted the stone, the energy utilization within the bee colony remained low. The main issue lay in the individual bees not directing their forces optimally, resulting in considerable internal consumption.
Additionally, the control seemed delayed, affecting the overall experience.
Hua Mi persisted until the sun set.
If mental strength were quantifiable, he estimated that he had depleted about half by now.
He could somewhat smoothly command the bee colony to perform basic actions like ascending, descending, and changing direction. Although not effortless, practice was making it more manageable.
Thud!
The robust bee colony dispersed, and the large stone in mid-air plummeted to the ground.
"Next, let's try the flying mode."
Flight was a coveted ability for humans.
Especially while struggling through the forest, Hua Mi yearned for the freedom of soaring through the skies, akin to the seven little companions.
He took a sip of honey water to replenish his energy and directed the robust bee colony back towards him.
Raising one foot, half of the robust bees settled under it, resembling a black cloud.
In this formation, with nearly five thousand robust bees collaborating, Hua Mi felt a force from under his foot that could counteract gravity.
Gradually lifting the other foot, the remaining bees attached and exerted force.
Stepping on these "black clouds," his body slowly ascended.
One centimeter, two centimeters… ten centimeters, twenty centimeters…
"Success!"
Hua Mi's foot smoothly left the ground by about twenty centimeters.
Yet, before he could revel in the achievement, his body suddenly swayed.
A slight imbalance could shatter his focus, and the negative feedback exacerbated it, causing him to stumble forward and fall flat on the ground.
"It's still quite challenging to exert force solely from the feet... maintaining balance is tough."
Early practice couldn't be rushed.
Similar to learning to ride a bike, starting with
training wheels often ended in harsh falls.
For initial exercises, considering adding two more support bees might be helpful.
Regarding body parts used for balance, undoubtedly, the first thought went to the arms.
Hence, Hua Mi allocated a third of the robust bees to attach to his arms, primarily for maintaining balance, while the rest continued providing force from his feet.
"This should stabilize things."
Focused on controlling the bee colony, Hua Mi spread his arms and slowly rose off the ground.
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