Chapter 279
There are handrails and railings inside the train, as well as benches on both sides for people to sit on, and the middle is empty.
The front and rear compartments are connected.
Compared to these, Ye Xiao and the others had another obvious perception, which was the temperature inside the car.
They felt a little cold when they were standing on the platform just now, but they felt warm when they entered the carriage. This was not unfamiliar to them, as they had experienced it when taking blood samples.
I just didn't expect that temperature control equipment would be installed on the train.
There were only four of them on the entire train. They randomly found an empty seat and sat down, but the novelty in their hearts did not diminish in the slightest.
Rather, the more they came into contact with things they had never seen before, the more they looked forward to this journey.
They sat down in pairs, each finding a spot at one end of a bench.
Their constant glances around caused their eyes to occasionally meet, but they would soon separate in tacit understanding, pretending to look elsewhere as if nothing had happened.
Ye Xiao couldn't help but take a picture with his terminal. "I can connect to the Internet here, and the signal is quite strong."
After hearing his words, Qin Yao and the others also opened the terminal.
But even though they were taking pictures, they still knew their limits.
Because they didn't know whether it could be made public, they didn't post it on the forum. When they posted it, they chose to make it visible only to themselves.
The train was running underground, and they were a little bored during this time because, apart from the voice announcements at each station, there were only various prompts in the carriage.
For example, what you should not do when riding, how to get on and off the train correctly, what you should pay attention to when waiting at the station, etc.
Ye Xiao and the others listened attentively during the first two broadcasts, but later they lost interest when they found that the same content was being repeated over and over again.
"This train is quite fast." Qiao Ming looked at the electronic screen hanging across from him in the carriage. "Every five minutes or so."
He silently calculated how long it would take to get from Area 1 to Area 49.
"About four hours."
"Calculating this way, it takes much less time to take this train than for the One-Horned Man to take us to other districts."
Jiang Chen leaned back in his chair and added, "Not only is it much faster, but the road is also much more comfortable."
Settlement No. 2 covers a large area. Fortunately, Area 1 and Area 2 are adjacent to each other, so it doesn’t take much time to cross the areas.
But the farther the distance, the longer it takes.
During the breeding season after the harsh winter every year, the unicorns are responsible for acting as drivers, sending male insects of appropriate age to the central trading areas in each district, and then mating with female insects in the breeding period.
This behavior will continue until the arrival of winter.
Even though the central trading areas of each district provide relatively comfortable accommodation for the male insects, their physical fitness cannot withstand the harsh winter, so they must be sent back to District 1 before the harsh winter arrives.
In this way, suitable male insects are selected every year to continuously mate with female insects in the breeding period to ensure the number of insect eggs born next year.
This is how all the male insects that Qi Heng encountered in the central trading area of District 49 came from.
Ye Xiao sighed: "Thinking back to the past..."
"Don't mention the past." Qin Yao's face darkened.
Well, the ‘past’ is really a dark history for them, so it’s better not to mention it.
——Everyone here has experienced many reproductive periods after they grew up. Those past events that they did not think were a problem before, after learning about etiquette, righteousness, integrity and shame, they felt like the sky was falling.
For the unicorns, the greatest value of male insects after reaching adulthood is to mate with female insects and lay enough eggs.
So it is of course false to say that they have never been to other districts.
——They actually went to the following areas.
——But each time they were confined to a small area.
As for contact with female insects... except for more contact in bed, there is really not much chance outside of bed.
"Compared to being crowded together, this place is much more spacious." Ye Xiao smiled and changed the subject, saying, "Speaking of which, has anyone of you been to Area 49?"
Even if you are selected every year, you may not go to the same district. Many times, the selections are mixed up.
"The several districts I've visited are all pretty much the same, there's not much that's different."
Ye Xiao didn't seem to be ashamed to talk about the past.
"I heard that Area 49 is a little different from the other areas. It's close to the mining area, and there's a huge underground pit specifically used to discard and bury dead eggs."
"Those eggs that were born but couldn't hatch were classified as dead and thrown in."
"It's also... pitiful." Ye Xiao's voice became much softer at the end.
But in the quiet carriage, it still reached everyone's ears.
“…”
Qiao Ming, Qin Yao, and Jiang Chen were all silent.
Ye Xiao's words really made them recall some things that were not suitable to be said out loud, and reminded them of some things that made Chong's face turn pale.
Dead eggs refer to insect babies that miss the chance to hatch and suffocate to death inside the eggs.
They were reluctant but subconsciously thought of a question, that is, whether there were insect eggs related to them thrown in the pit.
Judging from the birth and hatching statistics of insect eggs published on the forum, the numbers are enough to make all the Tianjia Zerg who see them feel the pain.
As soon as the statistics came out, not to mention the reactions of the female insects, all the male insects felt an indescribable complexity.
Although before this, they did not know that in addition to fixing the female insects during several gestational periods, the eggs also needed the help of male fathers to hatch after they were born - that would increase the probability of successful hatching.
Maybe not all male insects, but it’s okay to say all.
The male insects in the gathering place have been instilled with the idea that female insects are consumable since childhood, which leads to all male insects having a very bad attitude towards female insects.
——During the breeding period, the male insects only complete their tasks for the female insects. Apart from that, they don’t care at all about how the female insects feel.
The female insects in the breeding period are affected by pheromones and can do whatever they want to the male insects.
In addition, they have also been instilled with the concept of male superiority and female inferiority, so when faced with the bad attitude of male insects, they almost subconsciously choose to submit and accept it completely.
In fact, this is not just a problem of indoctrination and brainwashing.
Another reason is the difference between male and female insects.
Female insects have a reproductive period and are also very easily influenced by the male insect's pheromones to enter the heat of mating.
The opposite is true for males.
Not only do they not have a fixed breeding period, they are also not affected by female insects.
The mental strength they are born with allows them to restrain their lust, and even make them a little cold and not easily moved.
Although the male insects today have lost their mental power, this characteristic has been retained.
...Even though they had no desire to reproduce and lay eggs, and no interest in harboring female insects, they still had to complete the KPI assigned by the unicorn.
The spoiled male insects will lose their temper and then vent their anger on the female insects, and it becomes natural for them to vent their anger on the female insects.
Many male insects either beat or scold the female insects, and the slightly better ones also ridicule them in various ways. In short, few male insects have good tempers.
Qiao Ming sighed, breaking the dull atmosphere.
"What's the point of talking about this now? It's all in the past."
"They have no choice, and we are not much better off."
Of course, Ye Xiao and the others could tell that the "they" Qiao Ming mentioned referred to the female insects.
Fundamentally speaking, everyone is a victim and no one is sorry to anyone else.
Now everyone has realized their mistakes. With the gray fog still there, they no longer want to continue living the same way as before. Everything is moving in a positive direction.
Ye Xiao shook his head slightly and said, "Is it really a thing of the past?"
"I'm twenty-three years old, and it's been five years since I entered adulthood."
Qin Yao's brows twitched. He had a premonition that he didn't want to hear what Ye Xiao was going to say next.
Just when Qin Yao was thinking about whether to interrupt Ye Xiao, it was too late.
Because Ye Xiao had already finished speaking.
"As far as I can remember, I should have sixteen insect eggs."
"You guys are about my age, so there shouldn't be too few. How many of these eggs do you think survived?"
Ye Xiao was asking them, but also himself.
This question was not something he had thought of recently, but he had ignored it before.
Until recently, he signed up to participate in the star plant cultivation project. After completing the basic courses related to mental power, he also learned the relevant knowledge points of star plant cultivation.
After reading about [heredity] and [genes] in star plant cultivation, an idea popped up in his mind.
The identity information entry policy covering the entire No. 2 gathering place includes blood sample collection.
In other words, as long as DNA comparison is done, blood relationship pedigree can be easily obtained.
After Ye Xiao realized this, he knew that he was definitely not the only one who thought of this, but he didn't know when this matter would be brought to light.
Jiang Chen, who was sitting next to Ye Xiao, and Qiao Ming and Qin Yao, who were sitting opposite him, did not respond to his words.
Ye Xiao looked at Qin Yao, who pursed his lips and said nothing, then looked at Qin Yao, who touched his forehead to block his gaze, trying to avoid the question.
As for Jiang Chen beside him, he still kept smiling under his gaze, but the smile was a little stiff.
"Why, am I wrong?"
"You haven't thought about this problem, have you?"
Not really.
No matter how you look at it, these three male insects in front of me are not stupid. I have explained it so clearly. Even if they didn't think of it at first, they should have reacted by now.
Jiang Chen coughed lightly, his tone was indescribably strange, "I don't have as much as you."
"Don't look at me. I'm lucky. I've only been picked twice." Qiao Ming put his hand down and sighed, "Your chances of winning are too high."
Male insects do not have annual KPIs every year. In many cases, they work in shifts, but the particularly outstanding ones will be selected every year.
"No wonder you were punished for five consecutive years."
The corner of Ye Xiao's mouth twitched. This was not what he wanted to hear.
"Who knows whether he can survive?" Qin Yao's tone was still cold, as if he was talking about something irrelevant, not his own cub.
Whether or not the insect cubs can successfully hatch is the first hurdle they have to face. There are many risks of premature death afterwards. It is normal for only one or two out of a dozen insect eggs to survive.
"Why bring this up?" Jiang Chen was more concerned about this.
Ye Xiao said calmly: "The Dead Egg Pit is outside Area 49. The place we are going to is the 'Central Hall', which is also the largest medical center in the entire No. 2 gathering place."
“It’s built right where the Dead Egg Pit is.”
"Just say it when you think of it. There's no need to worry about why."
The reason given by Ye Xiao sounded reasonable, but as to whether Jiang Chen and the others believed it, only they themselves knew.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
