Under the cool glow of moonlight, several shadows darted among the rocks in the tranquil shallow sea. The prolonged practice of leaping had strengthened and increased the elasticity of the lightning bugs' two electrical appendages, enhancing their mobility.

  If daytime was a struggle for the lightning bugs, then nighttime was their hunting ground. Although many predators roamed the shallow seas at night, they were fewer and weaker compared to those active during the day. In the darkness, the lightning bugs were nearly on equal footing with other nocturnal creatures, aside from their vulnerable shells.

  Most creatures had evolved to see better during the day, leaving the night to those with incomplete visual evolution, mainly some soft-bodied and olfactory-reliant creatures. Of course, it seemed that no creature yet possessed advanced night vision—presumably.

  Now, Lightning led a group of about a dozen lightning bugs, weaving through rocks, seeking creatures they could handle to satiate their growing need for nutrients, components, and evolution points.

  "Hmm? Is this a snail?"

  A hard shell appeared in Lightning's perception: an ancient snail with a heavy, sturdy house on its back, crawling up a rock in the timeless pattern of its kind. Seeing a creature approach—one that might soon be called a 'snail bug' for its lack of effective methods—the genuine ancestor snail quickly retreated into its solid fortress.

  Although the night seemed safer, there were fewer creatures out and about. So, after swimming for some distance without finding other prey, a hungry Lightning wasn't about to let this one go. Moreover, being nestled within a cluster of rocks meant there was little risk of large predator attacks, nor were there signs of small predators like rock creatures.

  Thus began the stakeout, as time ticked by.

  After a not-too-long wait, sensing no danger for a while, the snail tentatively extended its soft body from its shell—only to be met by a collective electric shock from the impatient lightning bugs.

  [Obtained 2 evolution points]

  [Obtained new component]

  The snail quickly met its end, and the lightning bugs pulled its soft body from its hard shell, dividing it to somewhat satisfy their empty stomachs. Examining the sturdy, oddly shaped shell, Lightning briefly considered keeping it before dismissing the idea.

  "It would just make me a moving target."

  And that's the best-case scenario.

  "Since lightweight-shelled beetles are now appearing, it seems the demand for snail shells has declined among most species. Clearly, there must be many methods to deal with these primitive, hard-shelled snails."

  Of course, this was Lightning's thought, and whether it was right or not, we can't say.

  Quickly leaving the area, the group narrowly avoided two nocturnal predators attracted by the electrical display. These predators, of the same species, soon began fighting fiercely, highlighting the harmony within their kind. But by then, the lightning bugs had long departed, with no interest in playing peacemaker or waiting for them to weaken each other.

  Paying close attention to his surroundings, Lightning discovered a hidden small cave beneath a rock, where two lightweight beetles were asleep. These nocturnal creatures had indeed found a well-concealed hiding place—something Lightning had discovered by sheer luck, like a blind cat catching a dead mouse.

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  "A good opportunity."

  Clearly, Lightning wasn’t inclined to ponder the odds of such opportunities. It wasn't the time to question the discovery, at least not before cunning, scheming creatures emerged. Leading his companions, Lightning carefully maneuvered towards the cave, avoiding the inner tendrils of the vigilant beetles, and entered alone.

  He didn’t bring others inside, as their abilities would almost certainly set off the beetles' sensory hairs. With his control over his body still resembling the earlier single-cell stage, Lightning manipulated his cells under the main consciousness, allowing for precise movements in tight spaces.

  Cautiously moving between the two beetles, it seemed the creatures were overconfident in the cave’s concealment and their tendril alarms, remaining blissfully unaware of the impending danger, assuming they could dream.

  Floating quietly with buoyancy, Lightning extended his appendages to the soft areas under the beetles' shells. Fortunately, the cave was small, and the beetles were close; otherwise, the strikes would have required much longer appendages.

  The moment the tendrils touched the soft spots, electricity illuminated the small cave. The beetles awoke as the shock hit, their bodies temporarily paralyzed by the tendrils’ electric discharge.

  Taking advantage of the moment, the beetles couldn’t evade or counterattack. Long-waiting lightning bugs shot into the cave as Lightning struck, overwhelming the beetles with a flurry of strikes.

  In the claustrophobic darkness, flashing like a haunted hallway, the beetles fell, unable to withstand the assault, quickly subdued by the electrical barrage.

  [Obtained 5 evolution points]

  [Obtained new component]

  [Obtained 5 evolution points]

  After the seemingly effortless ambush of the sleeping beetles, a new problem arose—how to eat them?

  A rather vexing issue. Wrapped in lighter, hard shells compared to the snail’s heavier confines, the tender meat was unreachable for the lightning bugs. The snails' larger gaps allowed for extracting and consuming their soft bodies, but the beetle shells were completely encasing.

  Reluctantly, Lightning gave up on the delicious prizes wrapped in shells.

  Fortunately, evolution points and components were gained, so it wasn't a total loss—just less than expected. One mustn’t be greedy, after all.

  The lightning bugs exited the cave, continuing their search along the rock edges. Their next target soon appeared, marking a promising night.

  This time, it was a primitive fish-like creature, covered with thin plates and propelling itself by undulating through the water. Internally, a spine hadn’t developed, resulting in slow, weak movement. Like Lightning, they moved in groups among the rocks, feeding on plankton. Though possessing eyes, the fish didn’t seem inclined to rest in the dim shallow sea night.

  These little fish encountered the lightning bugs, dedicated to educating nocturnal wanderers.

  “Let us teach these young ones not to wander at night, especially not through dark alleys. Of course, the fee is your lives.”

  With speed, Lightning and most of his group circled the fish, blocking a rocky passage while leaving a few at the rear to prevent escape.

  Unaware, the fish swam right into the ambush set by the lightning bugs.

  The entire encounter unfolded like a textbook ambush from human history.

  Chaos erupted among the fish, scattering without order or discipline, quickly ensnared in an electric net. What followed was one-on-one electric discipline by each lightning bug. Given the similar numbers and the attackers’ overwhelming advantage, not a single fish escaped—a total rout, rewarding the attackers with 22 evolution points and an unknown component.

  In a debriefing, Commander Lightning expressed great satisfaction with the ambush’s success, delighting in the zero-casualty outcome (assuming it could make sound). However, the commander also cautioned the participating bugs to remain vigilant and not be overly elated by the victory. They must recognize their roles as tiny cogs in the larger social machine, with a long way to go before mastering the system.

  The participants affirmed the leader's strategies, resolved to uphold its course steadily, and committed to thriving in survival evolution. The spoils were distributed fairly under the leader’s wise allocation, each receiving their due share. Under the leader's visionary guidance, the lightning bugs advanced towards a brighter future.

  The ambush proceeded smoothly, though the electric attacks seemed powerful, Lightning understood their high nutritional toll. This created a dependency on more than just plankton and plants for sustenance. Thankfully, everything had gone smoothly so far.

  Time drifted across the sky, soft sunlight piercing the shallow sea’s darkness, as predators and prey commenced a new day’s struggle. Meanwhile, the lightning bugs found a hidden, safe crevice, joining other nocturnals in rest, awaiting the return of nightfall.