Laws of the Insect Hive - Chapter 13
Chapter 13: It’s Autumn
Translator: Atlas Studios
Editor: Atlas Studios
The coma System experienced was much longer than the time taken for his last molting.
System woke up and looked at the amount of water left flooding the forest. He deduced that he had fainted for about two days.
[Digital Code] (2/2) → [Digital Code] (3/3)
System’s [Digital Code] may have advanced, but he had not gained a new ability. Other than [Digital Code]’s poor improvement, there was a huge change to System’s body as well.
His body size was 6.5cm now. That was almost twice the length of an average green-tailed grasshopper. His hind legs were much more powerful, and he felt that he could easily jump about six meters! That was more than twice of what he could do before.
His newly grown mandibles were very sharp too. He now could make markings on tree barks with his mandibles. A pair of firm wings had also grown on his back, and System felt he could fly for hours with those!
There was a significant disadvantage to his wings, though. His wings made a lot of noise when flying. It was like a helicopter taking off. It was indeed threatening, but System wanted to keep a low profile now, and it was certainly not what he needed now.
Other than his appearance changes, one of System’s abilities was maxed out!
[Green Camouflage] (2/4) → [Green Camouflage] (4/4)
The leaf vein patterns on him became even clearer and realistic. He was also granted a chameleon-like ability. As long as he stayed on a plant for long enough, his body would slowly change to blend into the surroundings.
Another ability that had been improved was [Fishy Slime] (4/7). Due to his second molting, it had transformed and was now called [Corrosive Slime] (7/13).
…
[Corrosive Slime] (7/13): A Derived Skill obtained from [Fishy Slime], [Molting Growth], and [Insect Adaptability]. The user can secrete high corrosive slime and attack. This slime can help with digestion, too.
It was a derived skill only System possessed!
…
System had no idea that his new ability was due to fainting.
[Molting Growth Mode] had failed to improve his [Digital Code], and the power had been lost through his bloodline. While he had been in a comatose state, that power had been circulating in his bloodstream and randomly buffed his [Fishy Slime]
As a result, a new skill had been created by coincidence.
This skill gave System more ways to attack. The slime produced in his secretion gland was very powerful as it could corrode a tree bark of equal mass in just a few seconds. He could consume the slime and reuse it too.
With this skill, System was confident that he could easily break open the pupae and eat whatever was inside.
…
After System crawled out of his lair, he could feel that the air pervading the forest was chilly. Nevertheless, since it was the second time he had molted, the weather was not a big issue for him. His body was not stiff like before.
System tried his powerful legs by jumping around and tried to fly over a short distance with his wings before moving off to the tree full of butterfly’s pupae.
He already had the [Hunger Tolerance Physique], but he was still super hungry after the molting. He was craving for some pupae to eat.
System looked at the falling leaves in the sky, and he stopped his movement.
It was autumn!
System recalled an old saying. “A grasshopper at the end of autumn, its jumping days are numbered.”
…
Race: Green-Tailed Grasshopper (Adult)
Title: None
Name: System
Rank: None
Level: 8/15
Lifespan: 63 days
Health: 97%
Special Power: None
Special Talents/Skills: [Digital Code] (3/3), [Molting Growth] (12/13), [Insect Adaptability] (11/21), [Data Storage] (1/2).
Derived Skills: [Self-Information Generation] (2/2), [Insect Instinct] (3/5), [Limb Regeneration] (5/11), [Green Camouflage] (4/4), [Dark Vision] (3/5), [Acid Resistance] (2/4), [Information Entry] (1/1), [Information Reading] (1/1), [Fire Resistance] (2/7), [Hunger Tolerance Physique] (5/11), [Corrosive Slime] (7/13).
Power: 0.2
…
System was convinced the saying was right after looking at the Lifespan—his days were indeed numbered.
The Lifespan was calculated by his [Self-Information Generation], which was (2/2) now, meaning it showed more information.
System was too hungry to notice the Lifespan section after he had woken up. Naturally, the number of his remaining days stunned him.
At the same time, his bloodline passed him more information about grasshoppers. Unlike the adult form, grasshopper nymphs had a low chance of survival, but there was no limit to their lifespan. That was one of the reasons System did not bother about his lifespan when he had been a nymph. There had been no limit in the first place.
Unfortunately, no one could escape the fate of growing up.
Once a grasshopper became an adult, it would be physically stronger, but its days were numbered from weeks to months. Green-tailed grasshoppers had the average lifespan of a grasshopper—two months.
However, few green-tailed grasshoppers actually made it to the last day. They had a special mission to mate when they became adults. After successfully mating, the grasshopper’s lifespan would be reduced to three days, while the female grasshopper would die a few hours after laying the eggs.
As long as the reproduction mission was fulfilled, grasshoppers accomplished everything in their life.
…
System stood still and stared into space.
He had a much deeper understanding of being a grasshopper than others because of his high intelligence and bloodline Level 12 [Molting Growth].
System wanted to kill himself for trying so hard to level up and become an adult grasshopper. He had wanted to become an adult so that he could have a better chance of survival, but he had walked right into death’s door.
Indeed, he had a better chance of survival now. He was even confident to fight against a team of ants now. But so what? He was going to die in two months, anyway!
His human soul gave him intelligence but, at the same time, made him assume that grasshoppers could live as long as humans.
System had been under the impression that he could live years after years, but now, he could at best see the end of autumn.
He should have realized it. If he was more careful about it, System would not have become an adult grasshopper so hastily. He would have prepared much better.
It was all too late.
Suddenly, someone jumped into System’s mind. It was the Old Druid.
“Could he help me?”
System looked up to the sky and started making a grasshopper’s sound.
Although he had lost his memory, System did not want his life to end again in just two months.
He wanted to live longer…
