Reincarnated To Evolve My Bee Empire

Chapter 83 Perhaps it's time to cut the losses

〔Bee Empire〕

〔Wellness〕: 44 %

〔Population〕: 460 thousand

〔Territory〕: 48042 sq. kilometers

〔Settlement count〕: 22

〔Development level〕: 4

〔Development points〕: 288 / 1000

〔Species〕: Common Honey Bee

〔Attributes〕

> Workpower: 1542

> Military: 233

> Brainpower: 535

> Logistics: 255

> Resilience: 393

〔Resources〕:

> Food: 5586 units

> Building materials: 354 units

> Crafting materials: 32 units

〔Colony Council〕

〔Military Adviser〕: increases total military by 10%. (Bloodhero)

〔Science Adviser〕: adds 10% of total workpower to brainpower. (Re

First of all, pupae, in all the hives. Bees who emerged from their brood cells already sick had the most pronounced symptoms. Although I wasn't sure if this was a consequence of their arrested development or a quirk of the Paleness.

Second—the adult bees in subjugated hives. According to reports of my princesses, even previously healthy bees might suddenly go sick.

And besides all those, Forager Bees in Hive Supremo and Hive Hornet's Nest were catching Paleness, too. And not just any Foragers, I've noticed, but those born before development level 4.

They suffered from the Paleness much less… And doing 'Vertical Gene Transfer' on them healed them—as far as I knew. So far, no treated bee went into remission.

'This just doesn't add up… If one of my latest genes protects the bees from Paleness—why do pupae get sick? And what gene in this set could protect the bees, anyway?'

I looked at the list of genes I picked back then: 'Increased Lifespan III', 'Technology: Scientific Method', 'Flying Carriers', 'Throwing Wrists', 'Thick Skin II'.

Nothing about immunity or resistances.

'Well fuck, this brought me back to square one. I don't get it! What kind of illness behaves like that, affecting both children and adults, but not anyone between?'

I groaned, dropping my head in my palms, when I heard someone flying into the royal chambers; by the smell of her, I recognized Ambrosia without even turning to the entrance.

"Nectus, you are still here?" She sounded surprised. "Are you looking at system stats again?"

I heard her walking behind me and leaning over my shoulder.

"Yes, Amby." I sighed and showed her the tablet. "And they look just as bad as yesterday. See?"

Ambrosia nodded.

"Perhaps… we should mitigate our future losses before it's too late, then? Command the young Queens to stop laying eggs, wait for their broods to emerge while there is still someone to care for them, and call every able-bodied bee to Hive Supremo?"

I hummed.

"Our little princesses will be *so* pissed off… But it's not the worst idea otherwise..."

Should I *really* go through with it, though?