The secret of the multiplet iron cores wasn't something he could simply reason his way to, so Shen Cong decided to buy the rotor shaft outright — given his current level of contribution, purchasing one set of twin iron cores was effortless.

At once, Shen Cong took the rotor shaft and left Donghai County, returning to the Vajra Ant nest at Great Tashan, Tashan Town, in the fog zone. There'd been no wind or rain lately, so the fog fungi blanketing the outskirts of Xuzhou hadn't dispersed — but it hadn't expanded outward either; Bayiji Town marked the extreme limit of the fog fungi's living range.

Yunlong Lake had by now begun construction of a large settlement — beyond effectively managing the Xuzhou survivors, a Third Eye training center was also being established there, to help every evolved person who came through open and strengthen their Third Eye.

Still, Shen Cong didn't like staying in a settlement — he couldn't sleep soundly there — and preferred his own turf out in the wild.

Entering the Great Tashan cavern, Blackhead came out to greet him at once.

This earliest of his pet giant ants had by now fully completed the metallic gradation of its exoskeleton, its body over a meter long, its carrying capacity reaching thirty times its own body weight.

The Four-Legged Dragon hopped down from the trailer, and at the sight of Blackhead, immediately started drooling.

She coveted the Vajra Ants greatly, considering them a delicacy.

Blackhead stayed close by Shen Cong's side — only near Shen Cong was it absolutely safe.

Having the rotor shaft carried into the cavern for the Vajra Ants to look after, Shen Cong went on to inspect the state of the Vajra Ants' development. This colony, founded by Antgod, was developing at high speed — already twenty adult minor workers, twenty-five adult median workers, thirty-some median-worker larvae, and four major-worker larvae.

Plus a whole heap of median- and major-worker eggs.

Left to herself, Antgod would surely have mass-produced minor workers, expanding the colony's numbers, frantically stacking up troops against danger. But Shen Cong…