For a period of time, the entire Perseus Arm was plagued by the insectoid disaster. All races continued to fight the insect swarm relentlessly. Planet after planet showed signs of the insectoid infestation.

The insectoids utilized their exceptional stealth capabilities, burrowing deep underground where conventional methods proved nearly impossible for eradication. Occasionally dismantling a few nests was merely a minor setback for the terrifyingly reproductive insectoid race.

All races poured immense effort into combating the plague, employing diverse strategies with varying degrees of success. Yet, even the Galan people, with their superior power and advanced technology, could not eradicate the infestation.

Even if they managed to suppress the insectoids temporarily, the swarm would inevitably surge back, stronger and more numerous than before.

To devise a unified solution against the insectoids, the leadership of the various expeditionary forces convened several plenary sessions, conducted via holographic conferencing systems. Despite numerous methods being discussed and some minor effects achieved, regardless of how many insectoid units they eliminated, even more would emerge next time.

"This cannot continue! Since these bugs launched their counter-offensive against the colonial planets a month ago, we Purples have lost control of three worlds. Our brave warriors have suffered millions of casualties at the hands of these bugs! The inexhaustible tide of insects surrounds us day and night! If we don't find a concrete, effective countermeasure soon, within half a month, we Purples will be forced to abandon the expedition and retreat the entire army!"

A high-ranking commander of the Purple expeditionary force roared during the holographic video conference. The Purples were the twelfth-ranked major power in the galaxy, with an average height of only about ten centimeters. Viewed from a distance, their natural forms resembled wooden blocks; among the advanced civilizations of the Orion Arm, the Purples were among the shortest.

To interact with races significantly taller than themselves, the Purples generally employed humanoid bio-synthetic bodies when dealing with outsiders. These artificial bodies boasted exceptional physical attributes; reinforced titanium muscle fibers allowed them to effortlessly lift heavy objects weighing dozens of tons, and built-in anti-gravity devices enabled them to take to the skies. Precision sensors gathered sound and imagery, forming their vision and hearing, while an intricate neural conduction system allowed these constructs to be controlled as if they were their natural bodies.

More importantly, these synthetic bodies were designed to match the average heights of mid-to-high-level races in the Orion Arm, ensuring that the Purples did not have to look up to others when conducting diplomatic or military affairs.

"Save your breath. It's not just you suffering harassment from this plague; everyone is in a similar boat. Heaven knows why these bugs are so difficult to handle—ten times harder than even the venerable Level Four beings pointed out before. Their vitality is simply too tenacious."

A Haisen representative seemingly supported the Purple’s outburst, but then his tone shifted sharply: "However, you cannot use this as an excuse to flee when the fighting is hardest. The expedition to the Perseus Arm is an undertaking of immense significance. All races have paid a heavy price for it; how can we abandon it halfway just because of a few bugs?"

"Excuses!" the Purple snorted, sneering, "Who doesn't know that your Haisen Federation lost a vital fleet to those bugs? Now you seek vengeance but lack the strength, so you drag the other races down with you!"

"That is slander!" the Haisen slammed the table and shouted, "You cowardly creature, shrinking back at the slightest difficulty! Are you afraid of being killed by those bugs? We represent so many races here—nearly seventy percent of the advanced civilizations of the Orion Arm—are we truly afraid of losing to these insects?"

The Purple's expression changed drastically, teeth gritted: "Your Haisen Federation must also have insectoid lifeforms, so you should understand how troublesome these creatures are! It is fundamentally impossible to eradicate insects; their reproductive rate is terrifying!"

"But insects haven't managed to rule any planet, have they?" the Haisen dismissed nonchalantly.

"But our opponents are not insects; they are a super-race possessing insect-like reproduction rates coupled with formidable combat power!" The Purple was thoroughly annoyed by the Haisen's sophistry. Having said this, he turned away, refusing to engage further with the Haisen’s counterarguments.

It wasn't just the two of them; the entire virtual conference hall was filled with a cacophony of voices, endless arguments erupting. Most of these discussions were conducted in the Galan language, with occasional bursts of Sekro and Loa languages. As the three strongest races in the Orion Arm, their languages were the most frequently used, especially in gatherings such as this one, where so many races assembled.

"Silence!"

At that moment, an authoritative voice resonated through the hall. Upon hearing it, the representatives of every race instantly quieted, as if receiving an unquestionable command. The source of this voice was Inmuli, the Guardian of the Galan Republic.

Inmuli took his seat in the highest-ranking chair in the conference hall, swept a glance over the assembly, and spoke slowly, "Our research division has just completed an analysis report concerning the insectoids."

At these words, the entire conference hall exploded into an uproar.

A voice boomed, asking, "Great Lord Inmuli, with the Galan people's unparalleled bio-technology, you must surely have grasped the genetic flaws of these bugs. Do we have the honor of having this knowledge shared?"

Another representative inquired, "Are there any methods to combat these bugs from a biotechnological standpoint? What are their weaknesses?"

Inmuli shook his head at the flood of questions: "Regrettably, after analyzing the genetic structure of the insectoids, the research department concluded that these creatures possess virtually no genetic defects."

The hall buzzed with shock. Someone asked, "Are they perfect beings?"

"No creature can be perfect, because perfection implies no further evolution," Inmuli stated, sighing. "But I must admit, this insectoid race is the most perfect biological entity our Galan people have ever encountered. Their genetic structure is flawless. There may be minute imperfections, but our Galan bio-technology has not yet reached the level where we can detect them. I personally even believe they should not exist in this minor universe; natural forces could hardly birth such a marvelous life form."

The representatives fell silent, their faces etched with disbelief. They were acutely aware of how powerful Galan bio-technology was—undoubtedly number one in the Orion Arm. For Lord Inmuli, the foremost among the Galan people, to utter words that sounded almost like a declaration of defeat was enough to strike terror into their hearts.

"Then, will we be defeated?" a faint voice asked. Though quiet, it was distinct in the hushed hall, and nearly every representative heard it.

"No! That won't happen!" one representative reacted vehemently, "There must be a way... Yes! We can clone those bugs and turn them into our own combat tools! That’s it—we use their strength to defeat them! This must be technically achievable!" As this representative spoke, murmurs of agreement rippled through the hall: "Exactly! Use the bugs to fight the bugs! We can create a swarm that obeys our every command!"

"That is impossible," Inmuli’s voice sounded once more. "Do you think our people haven't considered this method? It appears feasible, but in reality, there is no hope of success. If we proceed this way, we will only plunge ourselves into irreversible ruin!"

"How can that be?" many representatives asked simultaneously.

"Although the research department could not fully decipher the mysteries contained within the insectoid genes, they did achieve some breakthroughs. They discovered a crucial characteristic of the insectoids," Inmuli explained, "which is that the insectoids possess a unified thought, a unified consciousness!"

"What?!" The hall erupted again; Inmuli's words were far beyond their expectations.

"You heard correctly," Inmuli continued. "According to our research, these insectoid creatures can be described as biological weapons in themselves; they inherently submit to a higher consciousness. This is a fundamental trait etched into their genetic structure, one that no single insectoid individual can violate. If we clone our own insectoids based on captured specimens and send them to fight the enemy swarm, before a battle even commences, our clones will defect and deliver a fatal blow to us. They cannot resist the commands emanating from a higher entity within their own species."

"Can we delete this trait from their genes?" a representative asked.

"Regarding that... we have considered it," Inmuli shook his head. "Unfortunately, without this trait, the insectoids cease to be insectoids; they won't even complete basic development and will merely become useless piles of cells. This proves that the gene dictating their obedience is fundamental to the insectoids' existence and cannot be removed."

"This way doesn't work, and that way doesn't work. Lord Inmuli, what exactly are you trying to tell us? How do you suggest we deal with this minor insectoid swarm?" Emperor Sarian, who had remained silent until now, broke the quiet and posed his own question.

"In my view," Inmuli stated, "the best method is to locate the collective consciousness of the insectoids and destroy it! Since the insectoids inherently lack subjective consciousness, once control is lost, they are highly likely to turn on each other."

"The collective consciousness of the insectoids—does that refer to the Level Four limit existence that appeared some time ago?" Emperor Sarian murmured, nodding. "I believe this course of action is feasible."

The representatives exchanged glances, and after a moment, they all nodded in agreement.