Chapter 247: Operation
“Doctor, what exactly are you trying to say?” a Riken captain asked impatiently. This man had just delivered a lengthy monologue, none of which seemed related to the rescue operation.
“Everyone, I used to think they were simple, brainless beasts. But think about the raiders’ behavior during that last battle. Tens of thousands of them fought to the death without a single one retreating. Underground, not a single bug lingered in tunnels hundreds of meters deep.
“This behavior, to be honest, would be difficult even for our troops to achieve. So I believe this isn’t the behavior of mindless beasts. My earlier assumptions were wrong.
“If their functions are so highly specialized, could there be a type of bug specifically responsible for command and coordination? These would be the brains of the entire Swarm, possessing a certain level of intelligence. That’s why we found almost no brain structures in the raiders; they don’t need them. Their sole purpose is to fight, while the thinking is handled by other bugs specialized for this task. Perhaps we can call them ‘Thinkers.’”
The room grew tense. Fighting a pack of wild beasts was entirely different from combating an intelligent species. No wonder the Swarm was so difficult to deal with—this explanation made sense. Dr. Balt’s hypothesis had convinced them.
“Furthermore, where do all these bugs come from? There must also be breeders responsible for reproduction. We still don’t know how many other types of bugs exist, but I have a bad feeling about this—though I can’t pinpoint why.”
“Doctor, maybe you’re overthinking it. You were the one who confidently claimed they were just brainless, low-level creatures,” a captain said snidely, taking advantage of his personal grudge against Dr. Balt to mock him.
“In any case, I’ve said my piece. Everyone, please stay vigilant.” Dr. Balt did not argue. Those were indeed his earlier words, but further research had changed his perspective.
“Alright, let’s get back on track and discuss how to rescue those patrol teams,” General Masai said, steering the conversation back to the mission.