After hours of exploring, it was clear that the millennia had taken its toll on this biome. There was an extensive cave system I found after swimming for 2 or 3 minutes under the water.

I asked Norn for that particular modified unit that could filter water, and she told me she was working on it at full speed. If I could catch some fish, algae, or seafood, it could help her gain valuable DNA to speed the process of iterations.

"But Kai, you could, you know, not have awoken whatever those weird creatures were!! We had a whole forest for ourselves!"

"First of all, it was a fucking rabbit that got too close to that wall of flower things, and second… we now have all these caves to explore!"

I kept swimming and breathing from individual air pockets I found by the way, but it was not entirely efficient, and after half an hour, I had to stop because I nearly drown.

Norn told me I could enhance the glandules to work into an anaerobic system at level 3 or 4, but that was way too far for the current me.

After exploring the caves a bit more, we found a cenote area. Some open-air holes feed upon the water of the river from secondary tributaries. There were also some traces of animals living on those caves or visiting them to drink from a safe water source.

I waited for Norn as she told me that the new unit was almost complete. After a couple more hours, she started to brag about how she's such an expert and bla, bla, bla. Just as self-centered as always.

"You called me what?! So you don't like the new unit?"

"What? No, I do like the new unit. I'm not complaining."

"Then, you better thank me for it."

"You want me to what?"

"Say 'Thank you, My Queen, you did such a great job.'"

"Ejem…. Okay, here it goes. 'Good job,' Norn. See? I wasn't bad talking."

She has done a great job with the iteration of this unit; I could see how Norn used the collector and bomb frames as inspiration for this new design.

New unit: Transport. Cost - 15 energy and three biomass points.

I created a new unit, and I saw that it looks like a barrel with legs. This unit could absorb both liquid or air, so it was able to transport oxygen and other necessary gas elements I need for breathing.

It also could filter and collect the water into biomass with ease, much faster than the smaller mite collectors were able to do. Yet water alone will render us nearly nothing to keep investing and advancing in the gene path.

I decided to invest in a few modified tails for them, paying a few bio points to allow the nids sort of swimming mechanism on the water-filled caves.

As we kept traveling through the cave system, I started to pick some noise readings, similar to clicks.

I couldn't measure the distance as the sound traveled so much faster through the water. Before I could find the source, the noise stopped.

After a few hours, we had not advanced too much.

I could not swim properly yet, and I also was concerned about meeting some nasty neighbors if I moved carelessly. Until my tail heals appropriately, I won't take any fight head-on.

My senses then started indicating a change in water composition. "Huh, it's saltier?"

Maybe the lake was fed by saltwater and could have marine life in it. And by how much we already moved, we could easily be at some point connected to the oceanic-lake.

I haven't found any animals in the cave after many hours, that was weird. Something had cleaned this cave to the bare bones before us.

After a couple more turns, we found traces of acidic elements on the water. It was a low concentration, but the source could be dangerous for what I picked.

Maybe there was some chemical spill killing everything at the caves system.

"We need to find a resting area…" I needed to stop and heal myself, but I haven't seen any adequate cave yet.

Checking the gains from the last few hours, I saw we have over 80 biomass. I could try something new instead. If there were no place big enough, I would build it!

I repaired the pincers and even upgraded them to level 2. "Norn, help me out with this idea, I need you to-"

"Are you sure? It's gonna hurt!"

"Just do it!"

Soon, my head starts to hurt, and the mouth area ripped itself apart, creating a split lower jaw.

* Craack!

"Agrhhr!!" As the biomorphs got stable, I started to try it to dig, and I was surprised by the positive result. I could now move earth and crush rock by sheer strength quite swiftly.

With the idea of creating a place to rest, I summoned a few more fighters to help. I also implanted them with the newly develop maw, mixing the fangs and pincers biomorphs.

I send them to help me dig a cave where we can sleep for a few hours. We will be using it as our base and resting point from now on.

"Darwin, can you show me the stats? "

Primal Adult- Ripper

Stats:

Level - 5 (80 biomass to level up)

Health - 20/21 - Regrowing tail

Energy - 48/80

Biomass Reserves - 28 biomass

Energy Core (medium)

Str - 18

Res - 15

Vit - 14

Agi - 12

Int - 8

Biomorph list:

Support level 2

Enhanced senses level 2

Maw and claws level 3

Chitin level 2

Poison sting level 0/2 - Damaged

Spores level 3

Pincer level 2 - 1 level up

Adrenal glands, level 1

Unit list:

Minor -> Collectors, Fighters, Bomb, Transport (new)

"Great, it seems that we are advancing."

I then lose myself digging, and I space out. It gives me time to think about the last ten days.

"I can't believe how much has changed in so little time…"

"Again, complaining?? Boohoo, Kai is sad."

"Shaddup Norn, you're horrible. Haven't you got the slightest piece of emotion or empathy?"

"That does not bring food, so no!"

"Bah, I knew it. Wait, did you call me Kai? Where did you hear that?"

"In your memories, it's a name you remember, but it's taken me days to dig. Did you just notice it?"

"STOP Digging into my memories, Norn! I did not ask you to do that, nor I want you to pull out any more information without asking me first."

I got enraged because of the disrespect from Norn; she had been picking into my past without my knowledge. I felt betrayed. My eyes shone with purple light, and the whole cave trembled with chaotic psychic energy that pulsated from my body.

"… sorry, Kai, I wanted to understand you better. I'm improving my language as I read your memories and hear stories from your past. We Tyranids share a deep psychic bond; there is no such concept as privacy."

She has certainly been changing, but it does not justify the fact that she did it on my back. I closed my eyes and began to calm down, still upset.

"Just don't do it again, I will keep working on the base."

This whole situation had put me into a sour mood. I focused on the work for a few hours, trying to get over the previous fight. After much effort, we created a decent opening to build a nest under the forest.

I did use some of my vague notions and knowledge about physics to avoid flooding the whole cave but allowing some water to enter and flow naturally into a pool where I had a few transporters absorb it to filter nutrients and biomass.

---------------

As I finished the work, the tail's wound finally healed.

"Darwin, let's regrow the biomorph already."

We check it with Norn, and I end up spending 30 biomass units for the limb, and ten extra to speed up the process.

In addition to that, I regrow the tail's pincers, making them sharp and increasing the tail's already dangerous vibe.

It could now trap enemies when closing the biomorph or slash at our enemies more effectively with the side of the chitin pincer.

But I had a hard time deciding what to do with the venom sting. It's been quite useful, but I don't like the idea to keep risking myself every time there is a fight, so I decided to modify the tail, allowing it an option to shoot some nasty projectiles with a swing.

With that, I have mostly expended my small fortune of biomass.

"Okay, I will start the regeneration process. It's going to hurt."

I listened to Norn and God. It does HURT when the tail's biomorphs grow back again!!!

It's like burning, itching, and being smashed all at once. I didn't want to think about the next level; it could be deadly.

* Vrroommmrrrrr….

The whole cave trembled. Probably the lab had too, as some after-effects of the space battle had hit the moon's surface.

"Fuck, I almost forgot about the space battle, how many hours have they been fighting already?"

"Space battles can last for days if both forces are not engaging in an all-out attack; that makes most of the time, no one is that stupid nowadays." "Except Orks. And Humans, and some Tyranids. But mainly Orks."

"Hmm, okay, so we might still have a few more days until they either blow up one another or one of their vessels tries to breach the lab. Let's call it a day and go to rest!"

Tomorrow I'll investigate the deeper areas of the cave system and try to find some food.