The Hivemind was not entirely happy with how the past events had played out. On the starting side, it had lost a potentially critical vessel to something that could have been easily averted with more research into the system that governed it. On the other side, it had survived the encounter without too many losses. Sure, there had come a large amount of suspicion after the Markus vessel had, for the sake of security, gone on a physical rampage in an attempt to destroy all threats, but the overall consequences weren’t too serious. More cameras had been created, larger funding had been made to avert the drug problem at the farm, and the current management was being stressed out of their minds in an attempt to hold the place together.

While the Parasite had been forced to take a step back and reevaluate the situation, there was no real regret in its actions. Mistakes had been made and it had learned from them. It was ready to move on in a coordinated fashion. With no obvious signs of the Parasite being spied on, it was ready to enact the new mission of expanding its possible [Vessel-Count]. The system refused to acknowledge the true number but the Hivemind was sure there had to be some formula to indicate the growth. For now, it knew it needed to get past the first growth. The descriptions of each of its three states had shown off that it needed to upgrade [Resolution]. For that, it needed to fully reach the point of the [Evolution-Protocol].

Evolution

Current [Ether]

Required [Ether]

1800.1

2500

With the current amount of Ether left to regenerate, it would take twenty-four days before the upgrade could be finished. With the constant daily consumption of sugar, the Parasite theorised it could be cut down to below ten or even nine days. The high amounts of glucose had shown the ability to greatly accelerate the Main-Host’s ability to replenish its energies and the Parasite was not going to waste such an opportunity.

Sadly, there was little ability to buy the sugar-filled bread during lunch times. The main eating areas had been cordoned off due to the closeness of the violent incident. The Parasite did not doubt that it would be opened up again in a few weeks but waiting for such a long time wasn’t something it had any desire for. That meant figuring out where to accumulate higher amounts of the materials. Having researched it through digital means, the Hivemind had been able to secure the location of a store selling general goods only a few kilometres away from the farm.

This would normally be an impossible-to-use piece of information, seeing as both the Arthur and Tom vessel was restricted in their movements. Yet, the Biomancer vessel had been offered a day of freedom in exchange for continuing their hard work during the next couple of months. One of the other managers, Kara, had offered to lend her car to the vessel.

“I know that some of your old friends have been… straying down a bad path in recent times so I think it would be best for everybody if you took a step back from that,” Kara said. The manager was quite a small woman, nearly half the height of the Biomancer. If needed, the Parasite was sure it could crush their skull, making them a good potential vessel for replacing the functions of Markus. That was for later, however, the Hivemind still needed to fulfil the current tasks. “What are you hoping to get in the town? If there’s something you need, I could send out an order for it.”

“That is not required,” The Biomancer said, the Parasite knowingly controlling the words at that moment. It knew the original mind would love to sit back and let others do the work. Since it was hoping to be more discreet with the buying, that could not be accepted. “I will return your car within the next four hours.”

“You could have it the entire day if you need it,” Kara fired back. “I only need to use it tonight so there shouldn’t be any issues if you are out a bit later than anticipated. Don’t get any scratches on it, however! I just had a new paint put on it.”

Looking at the bright green car in the distance, the Hivemind tried to decide if the colouring was meant to have an actual function other than drawing attention. From what it had seen online about artificial trends, such colouring wasn’t entirely modern.

Taking the keys from the woman, the Biomancer was moved over to the car. The Parasite didn’t have any experience with driving the vehicles, forcing it to rely on rapid switches between it controlling the vessel and the original mind being allowed to take over. The fine controls between using the clutch and gas pedals were entirely out of its expertise, the fine motor controls required not currently being possible. Minor adjustments might’ve been possible but the Parasite needed to play it safe first.

Driving just at the speed limit, the Hivemind spent the next five minutes constantly checking the strength of the connection between the Biomancer and the other vessels. As it reached the five-kilometre mark, there were some signs of the connection having limits. It didn’t want to risk going much further than that, luckily not having to either. The general goods store was just on the outside of the city, allowing the Hivemind to enter without too much foot traffic.

“Hello, Oak!” the cashier shouted from the side, the Biomancer waving back. The Parasite was entirely clueless about who they were. “Fancy seeing you here. I didn’t think you would be one to shop.”

“We all need to try new things in life,” Oak answered, the Hivemind not liking the weird face the cashier made before laughing. The woman seemed to find the wording humorous. The goal of settling into the persona wasn’t working successfully. Switching tactics looked to be a requirement, the Parasite moving further into the store to grab the required materials. Getting a carrier bag as well, it made quick work of finding the needed aisle.

Sugar. There was so much of it. By the weight of each bag, the amount of bags in each row, and how many rows there were in total, the Parasite estimated half a ton of pure glucose. It knew it couldn’t take too many but it was sure that it would be acquiring many more of them in the following weeks. Such a valuable resource wasn’t meant to sit out in the open and be bought by any civilian. It needed as much of it as possible.

“Might I ask why you need to buy… nineteen kilos of pure sugar?” the cashier asked, the woman seeming more surprised than weirded out. That was good. Switching over to the original mind, the Hivemind leaned back to see the results.

“I’m hoping to make a lot of drinks with some sugar in it,” the Biomancer said with a shrug. “Since there’s no chance that I’m going to waste my time driving here, I’ll just get enough for this year and be done with it.”

“Well, that’s certainly a strategy that’s never been done before,” the cashier said with a grin as she sent the goods through the scanner. The Parasite watched as the Biomancer pulled out the card but the cashier stopped him. “You don’t need to pay for this with money.”

“Oh?” the Biomancer said with mild curiosity. “What other form of payment are you thinking about?”

“Frank has been getting angry with his dealing area getting cameras everywhere,” the cashier answered, lowering her voice slightly with her head tilting towards one of the cameras in the shop. “With that whole rampage that happened, they’re beefing up the security to unreasonable levels. Frank can’t sell anything without being seen so we need a new area where we can.”

Frank Evans. The name had already been memorised in the Hivemind’s database weeks ago, the name having appeared on the list of drug dealers that Olivia had shown off. He was the suspected leader back then but the new information made that very clear. And since the Biomancer was hoping for a direct favour, there was clearly more to the social connection than previously thought.

“Is paying for this really enough for me to help him?” Oak questioned, still under the control of the original mind. “My help comes at a higher cost nowadays. The people at the farm love me now.”

“So we’ve heard,” the cashier said with a smile that seemed more empty now. “If I remember right, you still owe a good chunk of money to Frank. If you help them with this and a few other small things, I don’t doubt he’ll let you off the hook with the debt.”

The Parasite should have guessed there would be something of that calibre involved as well. It only made the Hivemind want to kill them even more, loose ends not meant to be walking freely.

“Fine. That works,” The Biomancer said, the Hivemind taking over. “I can construct an underground tunnel under the farm and connect it to various locations above. Would that be deemed as an acceptable trade?”

“That and more,” the cashier said, a smile right back on her face. “Frank should be getting in contact with you soon enough. Be ready to fulfil the promise of that so-called tunnel of yours. Oh, and have a nice day!”

“I will,” the Biomancer said with a mirrored smile, letting it drop to a face of stone the moment the head turned. Sugar had been acquired, a plan had been made to take care of loose paths, and the Parasite was ready for its efforts to be rewarded.

Moving to the car, the sugar was secured in the back before the drive back began once more. Checking on the other two vessels, the Hivemind noted the lack of proper efficiency. It seemed that the distance did have cumulative effects on the overall coherence of moments. It was a positive thing that the Parasite hadn’t needed to command the individual movements of the Biomancer too much. Focusing on one vessel came at the cost of the performance of other vessels. If improperly timed, the Hivemind feared it would have dire consequences.

The car was returned the moment that the sugar had been secured in the Main-Host’s apartment. Making ample excuses and using all remaining vacation days, the vessel was locked into the apartment to secure full dedication to consuming the sugar. It would have its upgrades soon enough.