Time continued to pass slowly.

  Before Kelvier's arrival, besides the big fish and the toad, there were other carnivores. However, after a bloody war, only the toad and big fish survived.

  They gained their experience through bloodshed: the fewer the meat-eaters, the more meat available.

  Thus, even when they had ample food, they occasionally sought to kill each other. Both were undefeated generals, each confident in their ability to eliminate the other, for killing meant more meat for themselves. What creature would despise more flesh?

  Had it not been for the monster's intervention, one of them would certainly have died.

  The monster appeared only rarely, long enough for one of them to forget the pain it inflicted, and thus a war would break out. The monster would then reappear to deliver severe punishment before disappearing again. The next time they fought, it would reappear.

  Usually, these fights were spaced far apart, as the pain the monster inflicted lasted a long time.

  But this time was different; they noticed the food supply dwindling. The sensation of being only half full, which hadn't occurred in a long time, had returned.

  Moreover, they noticed that their rivals, the two small creatures that used to stealthily hunt in the corners, were growing stronger! Even posing an increasing threat to them, a threat that continued to grow.

  Most notably, both had doubled in size over these days!

  The best solution was to kill. But the pain and scars inflicted by the monster were still vivid...

  Kelvier was frantically eating!

  He was racing against time! Time! Time! Now, time was everything!

  In two months, he had doubled in size!

  Now, Kelvier was confident that together with Number Two, they no longer needed to fear the big fish or the toad!

  In another month, he might be able to withstand them alone!

  But... with the way he was currently eating, the pond’s fish would be gone before then.

  “Perhaps... it's time to make a move?” Kelvier thought, carefully planning what sort of trap to set.

  “Start with the big fish first; it seems weaker.”

  The chance of successfully killing the big fish was not great, just over fifty percent. Even if successful, he still had to guard against the toad, the potential hidden threat. —Kelvier had no doubt about the toad's intelligence.

  If he had just a bit more time, his chances would be even better! But what he lacked most now was time.

  “Here it comes!” Kelvier was still thinking when suddenly he received a thought from Number Two.

  Kelvier was startled, and the next second, he saw behind Number Two the big fish...

  And the toad!

  “Damn it!” Kelvier cursed in his heart, both hateful and shocked.

  After thousands of thoughts, damn it, he never expected to be outsmarted by a fish and a reptile!

  The ceiling of the cave wasn't high, allowing both the big fish and the toad to reach it easily.

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  Kelvier suddenly realized this chilling fact: Could this location have been deliberately chosen by these two beasts?

  Kelvier swiftly flew toward Number Two, quickly strategizing in his mind.

  With a splash, the big fish leaped out of the water, hurtling toward Number Two. Despite Number Two clinging to the cave ceiling, it wasn’t high enough!

  Number Two tried to dodge but the fish still clamped onto its leg. Number Two desperately grabbed onto a stalactite column. The fish twisted midair, gripping Number Two’s leg, then plunged back into the water.

  Kelvier's heart hung in suspense, knowing that being dragged into the water spelled doom!

  A crisp snap and Number Two's leg broke off.

  Before Kelvier could sigh in relief, the toad’s tongue shot out, striking precisely at the leg Number Two held onto the stalactite with.

  Kelvier made a split-second decision and lunged forward, biting ferociously.

  Snap!

  Kelvier bit off Number Two’s leg—a desperate measure to free him!

  The toad’s tongue, with Number Two’s leg still attached, recoiled swiftly. Kelvier quickly retreated as Number Two followed closely.

  Just then, the big fish leaped out of the water again, shooting towards them like an arrow! Kelvier and Number Two narrowly squeezed between two hanging columns.

  The gap wasn’t wide enough for the big fish to pass through! With a loud crack, the big fish smashed headfirst into the column and fell straight down!

  Kelvier was ecstatic!

  Because the falling big fish landed right on the toad!

  Kelvier and Number Two quickly darted through the small opening that led to the pond, disappearing in an instant.

  The toad and the big fish, seeing stars from the collision, floundered for a bit before dazedly staring at the small hole in the cave wall where Kelvier had vanished.

  The big fish swiftly submerged, distancing itself from the toad, which stared at the cave ceiling making a few "ribbits" before also diving into the water.

  "Luck! Pure luck!" Kelvier inwardly exclaimed, thankful that he had thought to double the size of their entry tunnel a few days earlier. Otherwise, they would have been stuck, with no one to blame for their demise!

  Kelvier was also relieved that the big fish had collided with the column; otherwise, he might have escaped, but Number Two would likely have been left behind.

  Once again, his intelligence was surpassed by lesser creatures, and the shame Kelvier felt was almost lethal!

  The only highlight of the entire fight was Kelvier's decisive action to bite off Number Two’s leg, but even this was overlooked by Kelvier himself.

  So embarrassing! Damn embarrassing!

  Kelvier wanted to bury himself in a hole, but upon trying, he found only a small patch of mud at a bend in the stream; the rest of the ground was solid stalactite. He could only lie down quietly, lost in thought.

  Number Two, imitating him, also lay down next to Kelvier.

  Kelvier felt both amused and frustrated, thinking if Number Two had any intelligence, he would probably be moved to tears by now for all the times his leader had risked his life to save him!

  Of course, Kelvier couldn't expect any reaction from Number Two; he just lay quietly beside him. Kelvier sighed, rising to ponder their next move. With their energy reserves replenished, they could last a month or two. Moving forward would lead into the territory of the white lizards, while the rear was dominated by the toad and big fish.

  Kelvier took a deep breath, resigned to move forward while keeping an eye out for another pond entrance, deliberately ignoring the slim odds.

  Ultrasonic waves.

  This was the path Kelvier and Number Two had taken when they escaped from the white lizards.

  Kelvier released the waves while sensing the echoes, hoping to locate the cave they had lost on their way. Regrettably, in the caverns, the ultrasound hardly carried.

  But it was better than nothing.

  A day passed without success.

  On the second day, Kelvier finally found a new cave!

  What excited Kelvier most was that the cave had water!

  Eagerly, Kelvier led Number Two around the cave for a long time but to no avail. They eventually realized that the water source was just seepage accumulating from the cave walls. Reluctantly, they moved on.

  Two days later, Kelvier and Number Two arrived at a fissure. Beyond the fissure lay a pond teeming with fish and a white lizard.

  Kelvier had already considered the options. The underground world here was essentially mapped out; the only places with life were the large pond inhabited by the big fish, the toad and the monster, and the smaller pond with the white lizard. Both were formidable, but the white lizard posed a lesser danger.

  "Steal and escape!" Kelvier set a simple tactic for themselves.

  As they tried to pass through the fissure, they got stuck! Kelvier then realized his body had doubled in size!

  His current size... slightly smaller than a water bottle. Ah, that's right! His size was about that of a jar of Lao Gan Ma chili sauce.

  In the human world before the emergence of the Zerg, this would still be considered a gigantic insect!

  Kelvier and Number Two bit at the fissure to widen it. When Kelvier issued this command, Number Two hesitated for a moment. A thought flashed through Kelvier's mind but he didn't catch it before suddenly leaping up!

  Number Two might question him!! In the known Zerg hierarchy, aside from the Queen, all were mindlessly obedient drones. This meant that Number Two's intelligence was evolving!