The previous three test subjects successfully emerged from their cocoons, with the longest-lived jump insect surviving for a week and a half. Although there were still various issues to resolve, William believed that the birth of a new ground-based main combat unit was not far off.

  With a serious expression, he released his divine sense to carefully observe the cocoon's condition. After cutting through the light curtain, he began recording.

  "Heartbeat strong, body development good, internal organs and various functional systems fully formed. The previously discovered hormonal imbalance, with the overdeveloped adrenal glands that couldn’t effectively regulate, has been completely corrected." Looking at the jump insect in the cocoon, which showed good developmental status.

  "I have a feeling this time it will succeed." William seemed to have received some sort of intuitive sense, and he was filled with confidence about this jump insect's birth.

  However, less than two hours later, the new jump insect emerged from the cocoon. Compared to previous versions, this new jump insect had undergone significant changes. Its main body no longer followed the previous rodent template, but instead incorporated a combination of canine and gnoll genes, resulting in a more robust and elongated physique.

  StarCraft – Field Manual – Zerg – Jump Insect

  Its head still featured a blend of insect and canine characteristics, with sharper teeth and large mandibles on either side, giving it an aggressive appearance while also protecting the sides of its head.

  The visual system included a pair of main eyes and four pairs of secondary eyes, granting it 360-degree vision and various sight functions. The antennae of the original version were replaced by large, dense bones, layered and extending toward the back.

  Thanks to genes contributed by a species of armored lizard with excellent defense and a preference for eating minerals, the body surface was no longer covered by ineffective shells but by large, metallic-hued scales. These scales improved movement, defense, heat dissipation, and weight, far surpassing the original design.

  The limbs retained the original style: sharp claws, thick rear legs, and enhanced jumping ability. Additionally, a sharp, spiked tail had grown to improve balance and deliver powerful strikes.

  The back still had a pair of bone spurs, which now possessed stronger strike power, though William had considered adding piercing legs from the piercing wolf spider, but the issues with bone strength, muscle energy, and other factors led him to abandon the idea for now.

  After the new insect emerged from the cocoon, it was visibly more active than all previous test subjects, shaking its head and adjusting to its new body. From its appearance, aside from lacking wings, it was very close to the jump insect design from William's past memories, perhaps even fiercer.

  William immediately took it out of the lab to begin comprehensive testing. He needed a lot of data to gain a more detailed understanding of this new unit.

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  Three days later, William looked at the test report in front of him, his excited smile never fading since the start of the tests.

  This new jump insect showed none of the problems of previous versions. Its internal hormones were stable, and its movement speed reached up to 100 kilometers per hour with excellent stamina. The internal energy reserves were enough to support long-distance assault missions.

  The adrenal glands, after modification, had become controllable and could allow the insect to disregard its physical limits and maintain peak performance for continuous combat.

  Its sharp teeth had a biting force exceeding 5,000 kilograms, and the force of its mandibles was even greater. The tail strike could easily break a tree with a trunk as thick as a bowl. The back spurs' swinging power and the claws' attacks could tear through two-centimeter-thick metal plates.

  In defense tests, the high-density bone structure on its back could deflect high-powered arrows at close range, while the scales on other parts of the body offered excellent defense against metal weapon slashes.

  The results of these tests far exceeded William's expectations. Of course, the high food consumption was also an unexpected outcome. The jump insect consumed twice the amount of food as a regular gnoll, and compared to other main insect units, it consumed at least 20 times more.

  Even with the sleep mode optimized earlier, its energy consumption could only be reduced to 25% of its original rate.

  Fortunately, as a Zerg unit, it wasn't purely carnivorous. William's highly efficient digestive system allowed it to extract nutrients from most organic matter.

  Looking at the test report, William began to calculate the current resources in his divine realm. With his exceptional management skills, along with the help of his subordinates and the sleep mode, he believed he could maintain a population of 200,000 jump insects while keeping the total insect count at 8 million.

  After all, even a demigod could support 700,000 gnolls in the past. If managed well, 200,000 jump insects would certainly be feasible. Thinking of this, William was filled with anticipation for the future.

  However, he still needed to observe for a while longer. He would start by producing a small batch for testing to ensure there were no fatal flaws in the jump insect template.

  If, like the previous jump insect experiment, they died after two weeks, William would lose tens of thousands of insect eggs, so the plan for mass reproduction had to be temporarily put on hold.

  With the jump insect work on hold for now, William shifted his focus to a designated area for the octopus shrimp. He began the most detailed investigation and gene comparison.

  A month passed quietly as William, through sleepless nights of meticulous observation, had become a true expert on octopus shrimp.

  "No matter their habits, diet, or genetic understanding, I have mastered it all. This time, I’m sure to succeed without fail." With determination, William decided to adjust the ant queen's genes once again. He quickly disappeared and headed for the Divine Exchange Continent, where he needed to buy some extraordinary supplies to prepare for the ant queen's metamorphosis.

  Transformed into a light orb, William arrived at the official human civilization marketplace. As usual, he went directly to the counter and inquired about the products he needed.

  "Hello, I have some questions about your products." William greeted the staff politely.

  "Welcome! What can I help you with?" The staff responded warmly to a polite guest.

  "I have a subordinate who is about to undergo a metamorphosis, but during this process, she cannot feed herself. Can I purchase some Life Spring Water here?" William promptly stated his needs.