The next day, a rather peculiar scene unfolded within the resort.
In exchange for living space, the hive mind… or rather, the entire Moon Rabbit species, had transformed overnight from a harmful invasive species into a remarkably cooperative workforce.
The moon rabbit soldiers were working as laborers, rebuilding the resort under the direction of engineers; the ordinary Moon Rabbits were also repairing the damaged vegetation and even went to feed the fish in the sea.
Their disorderly reproduction had also ceased.
The Moon Rabbits began allocating resources rationally based on the resort’s situation, and their extremely high conversion efficiency made them excellent beasts of burden who ate little and worked hard…
And they didn’t even need to be paid.
These rabbits were actually quite simple as individuals, lacking the intelligence for malicious schemes, which was why the hive mind that governed the entire species had emerged.
If the individuals evolved to be intelligent enough, a hive mind would conversely become unnecessary…
“For the Moon Rabbits, is being freed from the Fourth Calamity’s control a good thing or a bad thing?”
Clara muttered this, but Fran responded, “Of course it’s a good thing. At least they have a guarantee of survival.”
“Minister Mossima has also taught them the meaning of sustainable development. Draining the pond to catch all the fish only leads to self-destruction. They should understand this principle.”
For these improved Moon Rabbits, being allowed to stay at the site was a victory. They only had a chance to survive under the dome; leaving the site would just make them takeout for their original-species relatives.
“Speaking of which, what identity is the Minister using to help? A Naitemel executive and the CEO of the dream witch being together… that doesn’t look ordinary at all, does it? Won’t anyone be suspicious?”
“Mossima is kind and polite in her dealings with people, but she doesn’t look much like a Hero. The relationship between the live stream and the Sigma Heroes is also quite suspicious, isn’t it?”
“As for Minister Mossima, the CEO just said she’s a friend, a Hero. The live stream and the Sigma Heroes haven’t mentioned Naitemel publicly either, much less said she’s some executive.”
“For a helpful person who came to the rescue, even if there are doubts, Producer S wouldn’t dare say much…”
Fran took the crystal-clear lollipop out of her mouth, twirling it in her hand as she continued to explain.
“The Fourth Calamity’s live stream was filming you, and Sigma’s live stream was filming Sista. Last night’s footage didn’t capture her movements at all.”
“Aside from eyewitnesses in the resort, no one knows about Minister Mossima’s abilities. So you don’t need to worry about the Minister leaking any secrets! From the viewers’ perspective, it was you and Sista’s efforts that saved the resort. That’s how it is!”
Mainly, Mossima’s personality was genuinely gentle, completely opposite to her intimidating appearance.
Anyone who spent a little time with her would definitely not dislike her…
Lucia and Sista were still bedridden, so only Clara and Fran were enjoying lunch in the resort restaurant on the second floor of the Service Center…
Well, lunch.
Even for them, by the time they got up, it was already noon.
After all, they’d practically been up all night at the end.
Thank goodness there was still food left from yesterday’s invasion, or people really would have had to resort to eating rabbit meat.
Clara chewed on the soft, warm toast, gazing out at the bay opposite the restaurant.
As the Pollution Treatment Center continued its operation, the seawater was gradually clearing up. Though it still had a reddish tint, it was indeed slowly returning to the azure blue it should be.
“Chirp-chirp~”
The cry of a rabbit.
Jeanne, dressed in a resort uniform, looked even more like Labi now. She rested her chin between Clara’s rabbit ears. Clara turned her head, and her face bumped into soft breasts.
“Hey, don’t come hug me first thing in the morning! Humans don’t hug each other like this!”
Even though Clara said this, Jeanne had no intention of letting go.
“Clara, like.”
Jeanne’s current self-awareness was composed of the random Moon Rabbit Clara first encountered, plus the seven Moon Rabbit Rebels who were very attached to her and even willing to die for her.
Therefore, this fondness was etched into her genes. Now that she was relaxed, she naturally thought…
“Come, have babies.”
The shocking statement made Clara freeze on the spot.
“Huh?”
“Offspring, Clara, want.”
“She says she wants to have little rabbits with you~” Fran, sitting across from Clara, reminded her.
“I understood that! But it’s not possible, is it? We’re both female rabbits. Even if I were willing…”
[Jeanne’s affection for you had already exceeded the limit back during her Moon Rabbit stage.]
It takes a male and a female to reproduce… there were some things Clara understood even without Nyx saying them.
As an expert in biology, Fran also explained, “With Moon Rabbits, it’s possible, you know? Don’t assume all animals are the same. Parthenogenesis? Come to think of it, are there even male Moon Rabbits?”
Fran continued, “Not just Moon Rabbits, if you had the idea, I could also make you carry my child, you know?”
“Wha? No!”
Clara didn’t even know how to respond to Fran’s terrifying remarks, so she first pulled Jeanne to sit beside her to eat some bread.
“Besides, the Moon Rabbit reproduction ban hasn’t been lifted yet. You behave yourself too.”
Jeanne waited a moment, then still said, “I have no plans to have children, not now, not ever.”
Jeanne had a similar appearance to Labi, and Clara held complicated feelings for her. Some empathy born from the influence of the body when she was a Moon Rabbit Combat Unit; but towards Jeanne… that emotion was hard to describe.
Towards other Moon Rabbits, she didn’t have any special feelings either, at most seeing them as tools.
But towards the “original Moon Rabbit Rebels,” she genuinely cared.
Those rabbits who walked out of the Rabbit Hole, surrendered with a white flag, followed her, and even refused the order to bite her to death, choosing to disobey and die by suicide—that was the catalyst that gave birth to the individual named Jeanne.
Clara understood all of this…
But no matter how deep this life-and-death bond was, it shouldn’t be that kind of “like.”
“But, Clara is leaving soon.”
Jeanne chewed her bread and said:
“Want to leave child, I raise.”
She also knew Clara wouldn’t stay at this site forever.
[For Moon Rabbits, reproduction doesn’t have as many prerequisites as it does for humans. They can do it if they want to.]
As someone with rather traditional views, Clara didn’t dare to casually have little rabbits.
“No! Jeanne might not care, but I do!”
One has to take responsibility for such things. Even if Jeanne said she’d raise the child, to Clara it sounded completely like the behavior of a scumbag.
No, in this case, should it be a scumbag loli?
“And besides, you’ve become human now.”
Clara looked at Jeanne again, putting a hand on her shoulder and speaking earnestly to persuade her:
“Since you’re a girl now, you should also understand and learn those human ‘prerequisites.’ This body has evolved, but the mind has to keep up too! The era of Moon Rabbits having litters of several offspring at the drop of a hat is over!!”
Jeanne still wanted to… but Clara was unwilling, and she wouldn’t force her. She could only pout pitifully and then sniff Clara’s scent to satisfy her craving.
“Sigh, once you’re full, go do some work.”
Clara sighed.
Underground air-raid shelter, big rabbit warehouse.
Clara was trying to figure out what to do with these big, plump rabbits.
The Moon Rabbits needed them to evolve, and only Labi could give birth to the big rabbits.
This was a restriction Labi placed on the Moon Rabbits to prevent all of them from turning into rabbit soldiers.
Otherwise, there would be no Moon Rabbits to breed little Moon Rabbits, and no Moon Rabbits to gather food for the colony.
But for the current colony, to reduce the number of ordinary Moon Rabbits, complete the transition from quantity to quality, and thereby lower resource consumption, they couldn’t be held back by the existence of the big rabbits.
To this end, Nyx modified the Moon Rabbits’ evolution path.
The necessity of the big rabbits would cease to exist. Ordinary Moon Rabbits only needed to gather, achieve consciousness fusion through the hive mind, and initiate the evolution process within one Moon Rabbit’s body.
And those Moon Rabbits who lost consciousness, when sent to the slaughterhouse, wouldn’t need to experience the pain of death…
All of this would be carried out under the control of the hive mind.
“Next time I come to the resort, I probably won’t see many ordinary Moon Rabbits, right?”
However, the Moon Rabbit Rebels, who had severed ties with the hive mind and maintained their independence, had also lost their path to evolution.
“Jeanne, after I leave, I’ll leave the ‘Moon Rabbit Rebels’ in your care.”
Though not very formal, this was essentially a handover of the rebel leader’s duties.
“Chirp-chirp!”