"Let’s increase intelligence. It’s almost like a tradition now to put a point in it when I level up..."
"This is not true, Father. You only add points to intelligence on occasions, which don’t happen with any regularity," Researchina countered imdiately.
"Right, for sothing to be a ’tradition’ it must be done at least twice in a row first!" Worriesgone confird.
"I know, I know, yes-yes! Father just wants to ’gamble’ on the cool intelligence genes again, right-right!" Things-Things looked incredibly proud of her conclusion.
My shoulder drooped.
"So what? I can almost feel it. The luck!.."
Amby put a hand on my shoulders.
"Be rational, Nectus. Consider what attributes you want to improve first of all. You always say that you hate chances like these, but then chase them anyway... Are they a head-parasite, too?"
I pouted.
After these argunts, I couldn’t really argue.
"Then, endurance and defense should be my next attribute picks. The defense is one of our lowest, which is important for bees who are not Beemarines. And endurance is always good."
Ambrosia smiled. My other girls nodded in agreent, except for Tabletina, who twirled a scalpel in her fingers.
’Too bad. The intelligence genes are the most interesting. They always puzzle —it’s so unlike an ordinary claw growth or other similar things...’ I heard her thinking.
Regardless, I followed my own advice. And imdiately was assaulted with flashing lights from the reward window, accompanied by a cheerful jingle.
〔JACKPOT—LUCKY DRAW! In this pick, you gain three tiers of a gene instead of one! For improving defense, you have a choice of the following genes: ’Radiation Resistance III’, ’Defensive Pheromones’ 2 gene points, and ’Chitin Carapace III’.〕
〔Radiation Resistance III: increases tolerable radiation amount and decreases risks of radiation sickness by 60%.〕
〔Defensive Pheromones: when attacked, you will instinctively release a pheromone that increases strength, agility and endurance of allies who sensed them for up to 30% based on their concentration, but will make them want to charge in and protect you.〕
〔Chitin Carapace III: grows a carapace that improves base defense by 30%, but reduces base agility by 10%.〕
"Damn, I knew it!" I slapped my knee. "If I took an intelligence gene, I’d get a jackpot on intelligence genes! This gambling system baits again, but I won’t let it have the satisfaction. No. I will take the gene and—and use it!"
My Advisers listened to my rant with the infinite patience of soone who had seen this way too many tis. They actually made feel a bit ashad...
I cleared my throat and quickly told them what I got.
"One of these genes doesn’t have tiers, but it’s accompanied by two free gene points... So it’s still an equal choice. And also the best choice, other genes are mid even with the extra tiers."
"Yes, from what you told us about the ’radiation’, the chances of us having to defend against it are very low," Researchina agreed. "Perhaps in another ten years it will beco more useful."
"And our soldiers don’t need chitin carapaces with their tough skin, anyway!" Bloodhero said. "But these defensive pheromones look like a hamr that can fall on our own feet if we aren’t careful, Father."
I nodded.
"Yes. It’s an ability that can’t be controlled consciously... Murder hornets actually had it, and rember how it affected their combat tactics?"
"When one hornet was attacked, it released pheromones that made all the others rush in to help, even if it was a trap. The hornets aren’t very smart already, but their pheromones made them attack even more blindly. This can wreck our battle tactics."
The Council Chamber fell into a silence, broken up only by munching—by now, half of the plates on the table were emptied already and taken away by the Attendants.
I bit into another bun and felt bad for Whisper who could only watch this delicious spread, since she was here as an astral projection. I hoped she would get herself a good al after this.
anwhile, we were standing before a hard choice: a useless gene or two genes with actual downsides?
"The bonuses aren’t worth it. Thirty percent attribute bonus sounds good, but with the concentration of pheromones it requires, I bet even the most cool-headed soldiers will charge at the enemy with only their bare hands," I said after a minute. "Dammit. And here I felt good for a mont about catching a jackpot..."
"You cursed your past decisions imdiately after spending this attribute point, Necty," Ambrosia said with a humorous smile.
"Awwww, c’mon! This is salt in the wound..."
With a sigh, I bought my three tiers of the radiation resistance gene and moved on.
After this, I didn’t even have a desire to put the last attribute point into intelligence. Luck was an illusion—a mockery of the gods.
〔For improving endurance, you have a choice of the following genes: ’Fat Padding’, ’Hibernation I’, and ’Enhanced Endurance IV’.〕
〔Fat Padding: allows to accumulate fat padding by overeating, which slightly increases defense and maximum health.〕
〔Hibernation I: allows the user to enter a state of prolonged hibernation, during which their tabolic rate slows by 30%.〕
〔Enhanced Endurance IV: increases base endurance to 40.〕
I read the list, let out a long breath and smiled.
"Alright, this ti we were *actually* lucky. There’s a gene for 40 base endurance... Just imagine how much of it we will have with all the extra points."
Not that I had to imagine for long. Accompanied by gasps and cheers from my girls, I picked the ’Enhanced Endurance IV’ gene—it wasn’t even a competition with the two others—and looked at my status panel with satisfaction.
Now all that was left was to spread the new gene points among my morphotypes, which was much more straightforward. Besides a few new genes for Beehounds, others will just improve their existing bonuses.
But as I thought that, I was jolted by another notification.
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