Liam observed them quietly from his chamber, watching as the colony entered another important stage of its development. The ant king had finally selected his three co-wives, and with their presence established within the colony, the first eggs had already begun to appear. It was a simple change on the surface, yet Liam understood that it would have enormous consequences for the colony’s future.
The colony itself had changed dramatically since the ant king had first arrived. Workers now filled the tunnels and chambers in numbers greater than Liam had ever witnessed before, constantly transporting food, expanding the nest, caring for the young, and maintaining the increasingly complex structure of their underground society.
He also noticed something particularly interesting about the offspring produced by the ant king and his three co-wives. Compared with the ordinary ants, their descendants appeared noticeably stronger, larger, and more physically developed, possessing qualities that made them stand out even among the colony’s growing population.
Liam watched them for a while before finally coming to a decision.
"I think it’s time for me to move on."
"But first, let’s make a single change before I leave this colony," Liam said, his attention returning to the ant king. "Extend his lifespan by another three hundred years. I really want to see what happens if he gets the chance to live that long. Maybe I’ll get to witness a much stronger lineage of this specific ant."
He paused, staring at the ant king as it continued moving through the colony below. Perhaps there was another reason behind his decision, something far less scientific than simple curiosity.
"Or maybe this is just some attachment caused by all those charismatic chemicals."
Liam chuckled inwardly at the thought. Even after becoming an ant himself, he had apparently developed a strange fondness for the creature that had once ruled the colony beside him.
[Genetic Modification completed.]
"Oh, right. I forgot to give this ant king a name."
Liam looked at the creature for another moment, considering what would suit him.
"Let’s call him... something like Calean."
The name settled into his mind, marking the beginning of something Liam had never intentionally done before.
Calean. The first organism Liam had ever personally named.
After another moment of consideration, he addressed the system.
"System, what happens if I turn off Consciousness Override without naturally dying?"
The system responded almost immediately, its familiar explanation appearing within his consciousness.
"The layer upon which Consciousness Override is active will disappear, allowing the original layer to regain control and take over."
"So nothing really happens..." Liam muttered, processing the answer before giving a small nod. "Okay."
Having spent so much time experiencing life as an ant, Liam felt satisfied with what he had learned. He had witnessed the colony’s social hierarchy, reproduction, cooperation, expansion, and evolutionary development from a perspective that would have been impossible through ordinary observation. There was little reason for him to remain attached to a single colony when countless other forms of life were continuing to evolve across his planet.
With that decision made, Liam entered intangible spectation mode once again, separating himself from the physical world while maintaining his ability to observe the planet as a whole.
"System, please notify me through the Planetary Archive if anything major happens to the ants."
A confirmation appeared within his consciousness, assuring him that any significant development would be recorded and brought to his attention.
Liam then turned his attention toward the immense world below.
"Now, let’s start temporal acceleration again."
The moment he activated the function, the passage of time accelerated beyond anything he had previously experienced. Years vanished within moments, generations rose and disappeared, and entire civilizations developed while Liam watched from outside the flow of ordinary time. This time, however, he pushed the acceleration much farther into the future, deliberately skipping much of the earlier technological progression that he had already witnessed countless times before.
Predetermined evolution began taking effect across multiple branches of life, and the changes Liam had programmed into certain species finally began manifesting successfully. Groups that had once consisted of nothing more than ordinary animals gradually transformed through countless generations, their bodies adapting to environments that had once been impossible for them to inhabit.
One particular lineage of fish underwent an especially remarkable transformation. Their bodies gradually became more upright, their fins developed into structures capable of delicate manipulation, and their physical forms slowly approached something distinctly humanoid. They were no longer simply aquatic creatures struggling for survival. They had become the foundation of an entirely new intelligent race.
The mammals experienced their own extraordinary transformation.
Generation after generation passed, with certain branches gradually developing greater intelligence, more sophisticated social behavior, and increasingly dexterous bodies. Eventually, one lineage progressed toward primates, and from there, another extraordinary evolutionary path began. Their bodies became increasingly suited for tool use, their brains expanded, and their societies grew more complex until they eventually reached a form remarkably similar to humanity.
But they were not alone. Across the planet, multiple other evolutionary branches were reaching the threshold of intelligence. Some developed from aquatic creatures, others from terrestrial mammals, while entirely different lineages followed paths Liam had never anticipated. Several species began communicating through increasingly complex languages, constructing primitive settlements, and developing the earliest foundations of organized civilization.
Liam’s attention shifted rapidly from one region to another as civilization after civilization began emerging.
"They’re already intelligent?"
He stared at the developing races in disbelief.
The temporal acceleration had been so extreme that even Liam had nearly missed the transition. Entire evolutionary stages that would normally have taken unimaginably long periods had passed before his awareness could properly follow them.
For a moment, Liam simply remained silent. Then, as the countless civilizations continued developing across his world, a familiar notification appeared within his consciousness.
The system had begun preparing his rewards.
After witnessing another immense Chapter of evolution unfold before him, Liam finally realized that the rewards for everything he had accomplished were waiting for him.
And judging from the amount of progress he had accumulated, this time, there would be far more than usual.