Tseng Chen’s Diary (II/IV)

Wednesday, September 24 - Laboratory.

The battle is over; we managed to resist their onslaught. Yet, the dawn of the real challenges has just begun.

The cunning of these creatures took us by surprise. Right before my eyes, a sea of insectoid corpses flooded the laboratory, with human bodies hidden beneath.

Speechless, I was unable to console the survivors, brave soldiers or wounded researchers who didn't make it to the bunker in time.

Standing up and remaining still, I observed the horrifying scene. Hours passed, filled with the constant sound of heartbreaking cries and screams of agony. It was then that a conclusion dawned on me.

I have failed as a leader.

My misguided faith in our military prowess blinded me from this disaster. I never considered what would happen if we lost our advantage and were forced into a battle of flesh against flesh.

Our mistake let the invaders get close, forcing our protectors into brutal hand-to-hand combat, where the sheer number of ants caused severe damage. Even our arsenal proved to be ineffective when every shot carried the risk of hitting an ally.

I'm scared of what the ants have proven to be capable of. But I'm more afraid of how the media will portray this debacle.

I know they will overlook our faults and praise the desperate bravery of the soldiers. I can hear how the title, 'Great Victory', is being sung from their mouths.

From what perspective is it a victory? Perhaps from the perspective of the family that will never see their loved one again, or from the widows and orphans left behind by the hundreds of dead. From my point of view, this was a crushing defeat for humanity. We must take it as a reminder that we have become arrogant as a species.

As dusk fell, I saw the last human body recovered from the wreckage. It was a scientist my age, Xing Zhen. I recognized her because I had been to her house; her husband was a friend of mine who died with their son in an accident a few years ago.

Until that moment, I didn't think I had any more tears to shed at my age. But, seeing the last breadwinner of a colleague's family pass away reminded me that grief is ageless.

I know we should guarantee them a dignified tribute. This is the least we, the survivors, can offer for the deceased. However, it will be their relatives who will perform the last rites.

Despite all the destruction, the only notice we received was to resume work the next day.

The silence of our superiors regarding punishments is a great irony, which did not surprise me. They too are guilty of this tragedy and are eager to erase their faulty decisions from the record. As a result, Li Jun, the scoundrel and the most guilty one among us, was significantly distanced. Not without first earning a well-deserved punch in the face from the general. Something that I might have found satisfying in the past.

However, knowing that he continues to live among us tarnishes any sense of relief.

In a related development, other squads that could not make it in time to our battle seized the opportunity to destroy the nest from where the attack began.

It was quite astonishing to discover that they extracted five queens from inside.

Has their population skyrocketed to such an extent that they seek to expand in several directions? That would be my only hypothesis for why they have given birth to so many more queens. And if so, we are pressed for time. There is no doubt that this is not the only colony that has done so…

(…) The loss of crucial data and the death of scientists has hindered our progress. But revenge will fuel our determination; I want to show them the full ferocity of humanity. I want to teach them why we are considered the most cruel species on the planet.

Thursday, October 2 - Dormitories.

The repercussions of the battle still persist; sleep is interrupted by echoes of screams and cries.

Those who overworked themselves until they collapsed and had to be taken to their rooms are the most affected. But no one complained about the clamor; no voices were raised to silence the penitents.

The tired faces every morning attest in silence to our shared heart and empathy. But, I fear that we cannot sustain this state; we cannot afford any mistakes at this critical stage, including those caused by fatigue…

(…) China's National Day passed without festive spirit. The only encouraging note was the information provided by the General of the base on the containment strategy against ants. Apparently, Li Jun compiled data that had been obtained earlier in collaboration with Dr. Xue Tao and proposed a feeding range to subdue and weaken Xinjiangensis ants.

The military tested this plan for outside and it proved effective, providing a brief respite before the next assault. This is far from absolving Li Jun. However, it brings comfort to know the sacrifices made were not in vain.

Tuesday 14 October - Laboratory.

After two exhausting months in the laboratory, we have made significant progress in our research. And starting from scratch allowed us to reevaluate the problem from a new perspective.

This fresh start enabled Professor Wang's team to identify a compound that the insects were susceptible to (…) Xinjiangensis ants and ants, in general, showed weakness against this compound.

In retrospect, the solution seems obvious. Yet, we had already experimented with countless "obvious" solutions without success which led us to perceive them as a distinct species from what they really are. In short, this compound activates and increases their antibodies to such an extent that they perceive each other as a threat and their immune system begins to self-destruct.

Of course, there is a balance in everything.

The window of chaos and vulnerability that we can create in Xinjiangensis ants is tiny. The only factor that can influence them during this phase would be FUO which showed superior resistance within the ants' immune system compared to any other element we tested.

As a result, we will first try to bring the compound to an extreme and then redirect our efforts toward FUO.

Sunday, October 19 - Mini Colony.

We fortified the colony's habitat inside the laboratory and resumed our experiments. We've learned from our past mistakes and put a greater focus on the defenses.

Once again, we watch them through the glass, the scientists' eyes betraying a blend of fear and disgust. The soldiers display the most intense reaction nonetheless, clutching their weapons tightly; evidently struggling to repress the urge to wipe them all out.

It's astonishing how we've managed to maintain control throughout this ordeal and yet, start the tests without any hitches.

Inside the mini colony, the two queens we introduced, along with a significant number of Xinjiangensis ants, had established two separate nests.

We sprayed some ants with the weakening compound, then reintroduced them to their respective colonies and patiently observed the consequences.

Each queen commands a group of ants, but the followers' numbers vary. Likewise, the treatment of ants infected with the compound differed between the two groups. The smaller group isolates the infected, mimicking a quarantine, while the larger group ruthlessly exterminates them.

These behaviors signify two distinct governing systems, each suited to their own circumstances. Although no conflict was observed between the two colonies, neither was there any social interaction.

In short, this species still has much to teach us. But our immediate concern is their extermination. The time will come when we discover their weaknesses…

Sunday, October 26 - Laboratory.

After days of anticipation, we can now confirm that we have a functional weakening compound.

Through numerous trials and precise tweaks, we managed to enhance the compound's overall efficacy. Yet, we realized its maximum potential in its current state has been reached. Next, we proceeded to merge it with the FUO fungus. It was a rudimentary mixture; it was our maiden attempt, and we were keen to see the reaction.

Luckily, the FUO fungus was immune to 'the compound'. I feared that our modifications to the fungus might have introduced unforeseen vulnerabilities...

(...) Midweek, we sprayed the resultant mixture over the largest colony.

The spectacle was quite stirring. Cheers, leaps, and laughter blended with tears as the team witnessed the outcome. It was remarkably effective.

While my team reveled, I couldn't share their joy; instead, I was consumed by an impatient thirst for revenge. I acknowledge that I've become peculiar, and I struggle with the dark desires that haunt my mind. Hatred and rage take over me intermittently, and they all seem to be directed against me.

I regret accepting the responsibility of leading these people. No one should have died here, no one… If only I had been more careful.

I wrestled with these feelings and diverted my focus to studying every detail of how ants interact with FUO for the rest of the week. I am determined not to leave any loose ends, fearing the backlash of their revenge once again. I haven't forgotten what they are capable of…

(...) Outside, Li Jun's plan continues to yield good results; but in the lab, we've been overlooking him. No matter what he needs, we continue to act as though he doesn't exist. Completely alienated from our research, Li Jun couldn't gather any data. Even the stubborn old-timers turned their backs on him. In the end, he had no choice but to focus on his own project - his toxin.

Tuesday, October 28 - Meeting Room.

I've just concluded an emergency meeting. The higher-ups called us and showcased international news discussing China. Apparently, these ants have infested other countries near our Xinjiang region - our 'friendly' neighbors.

It didn't surprise me since they were first discovered in this region; hence their name: Xinjiangensis. It would indeed have been strange if they had migrated southward ignoring all these neighboring countries.

Our 'friendly' neighbors have begun propagating conspiracy theories about us in the media, theories that we can't refute.

How can we convince them that we didn't engineer these creatures when they are unaware of the havoc we are enduring? I struggle to comprehend their rationale. Do they believe we possess such advanced technology to create these aberrations yet lack the means to neutralize them? Or perhaps they think we were careless enough to let them proliferate without implementing measures?

Foreigners have a peculiar way of stirring discontent. Perhaps they aim to manipulate the uninformed masses.

It isn't our role to quell rumors, so we only discuss it casually. The meeting was solely informational, and from what I gather, it was intended to urge us to deliver results more rapidly.

Saturday, November 1 - Meeting Room.

The meeting went as I expected. The combination of the weakening compound and the FUO was well received by our superiors. All those minor flaws that needed to be corrected were solved in record time.

The dedication shown by everyone in the laboratory was the driving force that made it possible. The mere memory of our previous failure was enough to keep us committed, but I don't doubt that the anger at how they talked about us abroad accelerated our work even more.

Besides not causing major damage to the ecosystem, which was our main goal, the combination of the fungus and the weakening compound manages to play the role of an artificial predator against the ants.

The military took the samples and data, they are ready to test them in the field without further delay.

I feel a weight lifted from my shoulders. Yet, I can't help thinking about everything I could have done better. All the deaths and damages caused weigh on my conscience again.

My hatred is still alive, but emptiness has embedded itself in my heart; 'my wife could have done better', that emptiness constantly repeats to me. Maybe, without the burden caused by the pressure of time, the deaths in battle make me remember her more intensely.

Sometimes I wonder if she can see me in the hereafter and if I have disappointed her with my failures (…)

Sunday, November 16 - Meeting Room.

All around the lab, fists were clenched, and eyes filled with righteous fire.

The high command shook hands and congratulated us while the scientists watched the screens.

Despite not being able to use all the satellites, due to "The Great Solar Storm" that occurred a year ago, we were able to get videos of the battles in real-time.

Our revenge was fulfilled.

Seeing the black bodies of the Xinjiangensis fall caused an unhealthy joy in the crowd. Retribution is sweet, and sweeter still having contributed to making it happen.

The white fungus on their bodies created an extreme contrast, a struggle between good and evil.

Now we can say with certainty that they experience what we as humans can achieve: death and destruction for those who dare to harm us.

The transmission showed the attack on the last nest in hundreds of kilometers. It was not an isolated event, it was a simultaneous operation, eradicating many nests at once. Likewise, the soldiers made sure that no ants were left alive in their path.

With this, we managed to reduce their number in massive proportions, leaving only the colonies in Xinjiang alive; their place of origin.

Of course, measures have been implemented with this mixture in many cities that still remain in that region. This is the preparation in case of revenge by the ants.

Unfortunately, we have not managed to exterminate them completely, but it is not for lack of trying. It is the inhospitable environment and the large extent of land where to look, without the necessary means, that prevents us from finding them at all. This problem will be solved over time. When our satellites are fully repaired and we can get images of all the nests…

Meanwhile, in the laboratory we relegate ourselves to providing advice to the field. We were able to resume global research to discover more about the Xinjiangensis.

What is their true origin? How did they appear without warning? And finally, what the hell are they?

No one in their right mind even believes that they are an evolution of ants... not anymore.

Their intelligence is different from that of any known animal.

I hate being paranoid, but we have to be prepared in case there is something else at stake.