Astral Cockroach

Among the insectoids of this planet, the wealthy are not necessarily obliged to help the poor, but the strong must never oppress the weak. On the contrary, the strong have a duty to protect the weak.

The condition proposed by Banbu was equivalent to taking away the total income of a God-given Species warrior for two years.

If few God-given Species warriors were found, everyone could accept it, after all, providing You Bamboo rice to so many warriors every year involved high costs.

But once the number of God-given Species warriors found increased, and continued to increase year by year, then everyone would have to consider: the operating cost of 300 bamboo rice grains was only a little over 1,000 rough stones. Was this guy earning too much? Was continuously taking a cut for 20 years too harsh?

Banbu had anticipated this. This was originally a test to see if the capitalist methods of exploiting labor and plundering wealth in human society would work.

Now, judging from the reactions of the three biggest bosses of the Red Ant Tribe—King Chijian Ant, Princess Youli, and Princess Ginkgo—it was determined that it would not work.

"Let's divide the quality of the God-given Species in detail and determine the number of years I collect returns based on the annual income."

"The original ratio remains unchanged. For a God-given Species with an annual income of less than 50,000 rough stones, I will only collect for 10 years; for an annual income greater than or equal to 50,000 but less than 100,000 rough stones, I will collect for 15 years; for an annual income greater than or equal to 100,000 rough stones, then I will have to stick to the original, collecting for 20 years."

Banbu was straightforward and directly gave the adjusted profit-sharing plan. After speaking, he added, "Depending on the quality of the God-given Species obtained by each warrior, I will appropriately gift God-given Species remnants and impart a complete set of perfected God-given Species cultivation and management experience."

King Chijian Ant, Princess Youli, and Princess Ginkgo all began to calculate silently in their minds.

Banbu said with emotion, "Under normal circumstances, a mountain master whose territory's annual income exceeds 50,000 rough stones has a great chance of being promoted to a princess in the future. With an annual income exceeding 100,000 rough stones, it's hard for a single insect to spend it all, so you can consider promoting your direct descendants."

Princess Youli said, "Banbu, your proposal is still a bit harsh."

King Chijian Ant said, "For a God-given Species with an annual income of less than 100,000 rough stones, you take a cut for 10 years; for an annual income greater than or equal to 100,000 rough stones, you can take a cut for 15 years."

"Isn't that unreasonable?" Banbu said with difficulty, "The operating cost of You Bamboo rice is very high. If that's the case, I won't earn any rough stones."

Flame Cluster Banmao mustered his courage and followed up, "No matter what, the ultimate beneficiary of this matter is our Red Ant Tribe. It's not appropriate for anyone to suffer a loss, especially Banbu. Otherwise... I suggest we try it out for a few years according to what Banbu said, and make adjustments based on the situation."

King Chijian Ant and Princess Youli both fell silent. This Banbu was very greedy for wealth. The original intention of promoting You Bamboo rice within the Red Ant Tribe was to earn rough stones. If he was pushed too hard and felt there wasn't enough profit, he might sell the bamboo rice to other tribes or merchant groups, which would be a huge loss.

Princess Ginkgo said, "This little fellow is right. Let's try it out for three years first, and make adjustments based on the situation after three years."

King Chijian Ant said, "Then let's decide on that."

Princess Youli followed, "Then let's try it out first."

Banbu and Flame Cluster Banmao both secretly breathed a sigh of relief: there was still a lot of profit to be made.

King Chijian Ant's attitude softened, and he asked with some reproach, "Banbu, it's only been a few years, and you've molted and grown again?"

Princess Youli immediately added, "I heard that you slept for 18 days before waking up, which is very close to the limit of failure for a fourth-stage mountain master warrior."

"This... I'm aware of it," Banbu said. "Has it been four years? It's not short, just bad luck."

King Chijian Ant questioned, "Four years?"

"..." Banbu said, "Three years, maybe..."

King Chijian Ant said unhappily, "You are not allowed to molt and evolve again within five years! You're so young, what's the rush?"

Princess Ginkgo also taught, "High-level warriors have short lifespans, and they must advance to mountain master as early as possible. After becoming a mountain master, the lifespan is extended. Whether considering resource consumption or the risk of failure, it should be appropriately slowed down."

"Understood, I understand!" Banbu assured, "I guarantee that I will not molt and grow again within 5 years!"

"Too lazy to care about you," King Chijian Ant said. "The next round of the Longevity Feast is in two years. Don't miss it this time."

"Understood," Banbu said. "I will arrive on time."

King Chijian Ant slowly spread his wing membranes and finally instructed, "Don't squander rough stones indiscriminately. There will be places where you need to spend money in the future."

After speaking, he flapped his wings and ascended into the sky.

Princess Youli and Princess Ginkgo both said goodbye and followed him into the sky.

...

Flame Cluster Banmao breathed another sigh of relief and complained, "I heard the news and was planning to come and inform you, but you were actually sleeping and growing. Banbu, I was almost killed by you!"

Banbu smiled and said, "Didn't you survive?"

Flame Cluster Banmao said, "I was held down on the ground by those two old guys for 10 days. Half my life is gone. Quickly get me two cans of energy drink."

Banbu unfolded his mental power, locked onto the cabinet in the cave, used his metal ability, and took out energy drinks and compressed biscuits.

Flame Cluster Banmao ate and drank carelessly while asking, "Banbu, what are you going to Changsheng County for? And why are you bringing rough stones?"

Banbu said, "King Fire Peach Ant promised me the purchase rights for a Longevity Peach."

Flame Cluster Banmao asked, "2 million rough stones?"

Banbu said, "Yes."

Flame Cluster Banmao said, "Lizhu Peak doesn't need this thing. You can use it in the future, but it's useless now."

Banbu said, "Yes."

Flame Cluster Banmao was silent for a while, then said, "Mountain Master Iron Saber is still about ten years away from entering old age. He can use it... After eating the Longevity Peach, he will have time to attack the princess level."

After Flame Cluster Banmao finished speaking, he added, "Banbu, actually, we don't lack rough stones now."

Banbu said, "Not only do we not lack them, but we have so many rough stones that we can't spend them all."

Flame Cluster Banmao said, "Then you should consider it."

The newest and most complete novels are at 69shuba.com!

"I've already considered it," Banbu said. "However, don't spread the news for now. We'll talk about it after we buy the thing back. I'll secretly send it to Mountain Master Iron Saber."

...

After seeing Flame Cluster Banmao off, Banbu immediately went down the mountain and found Baba.

"Baba, help me check my body," Banbu said.

After speaking, he turned around in place.

Baba said, "Banbu, I warned you a long time ago. Look, this evolution almost failed, right?"

Banbu said indifferently, "This time it was just bad luck! It won't happen next time."

Baba said, "There won't be a next time. Banbu, the metal core in your heart has completed genetic modification. Next, your evolution speed will return to normal."

Banbu hurriedly went down the mountain because he realized this problem. Now he was just getting a definite answer, and he asked, "Baba, how quickly can I carry out the next evolution?"

Baba was silent, calculating, and replied, "Preliminary estimate, the fastest it will take is 4 years, with a failure probability of over 10%. The optimal time is 8 years, with a failure probability of less than 0.1%. You can calculate the probability changes in between yourself."

Banbu said, "Calculate a growth plan for me with a failure probability of around 5%."

"Okay."

Baba fell silent again. After about half a minute, a brand new plan was released.

Banbu continued, "Baba, please do me another favor and help me deduce the next set of cultivation techniques."

"No power!"

"Next winter, I will definitely help you build more power stations!"

"The 114th time," Baba said angrily, "Banbu, can you change your words?"

"Who told you to keep asking? What else can I say?" Banbu said, "I'm telling the truth this time."

"Hmph! You always say you're telling the truth every time," Baba complained. "Don't you guys cut down large areas of forest when you expand the bamboo forest every year? You can build a temporary thermal power station. The cut timber can be moved back along the way to generate electricity for me."

The construction of a thermal power station is relatively complicated. Transporting and drying wood is a hassle. Adding firewood and water during operation is also a hassle.

Banbu was so urged by Baba that he simply agreed, "Alright then, I'll start building one for you in early summer."

"Don't go back on your word!"

"Am I that kind of insect?"

"Yes!"

Baba was finally satisfied and began to deduce the cultivation techniques for Banbu.