Chapter Ten: The Ant's Nest

"The giant gold-eating ants that dwell in the ancient sandy lands are each about the size of a palm. In terms of sheer size, they have no advantage—even the rats on the second level are bigger than they are. Yet the third level is the most terrifying place for many adventurers, even more dreadful than the fourth level with its giant spiders," Yeran explained as he walked, describing the terrain and monsters to his companions.

"Gold-eating ants have copper heads and iron foreheads; they're much harder to kill than those rats. When they swarm across the sandy ground on the third level, no adventurer team dares to confront them head-on. Moreover, starting from the third level, the passages are guarded by keepers," he continued. At this, the other two, aside from Atreus, felt a heaviness settle in their hearts.

"And on this level, there are rarely two keepers," Yeran added.

Atreus was surprised. "Two keepers?"

Yeran nodded. "One is the enormous queen of the gold-eating ants; the other is the zombie ant, which can control the gold-eating ants through scent."

The name alone, 'zombie ant,' was enough to send chills down their spines.

Mars and Xu Nan were entering the nest for the first time; hearing this, they began to hesitate.

Atreus said, "Though the gold-eating ant queen is a keeper, its main abilities are reproduction and defense—it doesn't attack much. The real threat is the zombie ant, a creature that makes the soul tremble. But it's the queen that guards the passage, so we have a chance to reach the fourth level."

With this, he dispelled Mars and Xu Nan’s fears and turned to Yeran, asking, "Yeran, how deep have you gone?"

Mars and Xu Nan also looked at Yeran, clearly interested in the answer.

"The fourth level," Yeran replied.

"Always alone?"

Yeran nodded.

The three exchanged glances. What kind of monster was he, to reach the fourth level alone when so many adventurers in teams could not get past the third?

He showed no sign of inner power, but his aura was more intimidating than those with the fourth stage of energy force.

Soon, they saw the third level for themselves.

Unlike the previous two levels, the ground here was soft mud and sand, the walls also sandy and yielding, with small mounds scattered throughout in disorder.

The scent of blood drifted to them, and all four saw scattered, half-buried bones gleaming white in the sand.

Only human bones—each skeleton stripped clean, not a trace of flesh remaining.

There were faint white traces on the left wall as well.

Mars took an involuntary step back, and through the passage, he saw in the center of this level, beside the pit leading to the fourth, a giant red ant nearly twice as large as a person.

Few ever paid attention to the appearance of ants, creatures one could crush dozens of with a single step, until now—when this creature was magnified hundreds of times before their eyes, it revealed a terrifying visage.

The gold-eating ant queen, its body blazing red, lay on its back, six legs raised, its pale red abdomen writhing in a nauseating manner.

Yeran had observed it before: every few hours, several newborn gold-eating ants would crawl out from its abdomen.

Around it was a horrifying mess, heaped with gnawed, disfigured corpses.

This was the gold-eating ants’ nest—a nightmarish hell.

Mars’ heart thudded wildly.

Xu Nan’s face had changed as well.

"Maybe... we should just go back..." Mars said nervously. He simply didn’t have the courage to fight swarms of gold-eating ants with his battered sword.

Besides, he had come here to pursue Xu Nan, not to die with her in an ant nest.

Yeran silently agreed, but said nothing.

Atreus glanced at him and said, "The passage is right there—turning back now would be a bit cowardly, wouldn’t it?"

With that jab, Mars' cheeks flushed.

Xu Nan’s color returned as she drew a breath and looked at Yeran. "You walked through here alone?"

"Yes," Yeran answered casually.

"Then why can't the four of us? Once we reach the fourth level and pick the two-colored mushrooms, our task is done," she said. "I don’t want to go back and be mocked."

By "they," she meant her classmates at Tiding Academy.

They had never gotten along, and now that she, Mars, and Atreus were venturing into the underground nest for mushrooms, everyone knew about it. If she went back now, she’d never be able to lift her head in front of them.

She turned to Mars and said, "You’re not going to leave me here, are you?"

"N-no," Mars stammered. He wasn’t brave, but he would never abandon a classmate.

"Good," Xu Nan muttered.

Yeran, however, felt a weight in his heart.

He had indeed entered the fourth level alone before, but in his view, four people together might not be any safer than one.

Of the three behind him, only Atreus was adept; Mars and Xu Nan had decent energy force but too many flaws in actual combat.

Once they moved, the gold-eating ants would swarm upon them; those flaws could easily turn fatal.

Moreover, their identities differed.

If he died here, Mars and the others would face no trouble—after all, he’d signed the death waiver.

But if any of them died, trouble would surely follow. He’d have to answer to the Guards’ Hall.

He weighed all this but kept his concerns to himself, letting the black thorn slip silently into his palm.

"If you’re ready, rush straight through. That’s the best way to reach the fourth level—enter before they gather and react, it’s the only way," he said.

"Then let’s do it," Xu Nan drew her long sword from her waist.

Unconsciously, all three had accepted Yeran’s advice.

Yeran said, "We’ll form a line. That way, the exposure is smaller and we can help each other. Atreus, your shield and spear are best for the front—you take the lead. Xu Nan and Mars in the middle, I’ll cover the rear."

By rights, his status meant he should be taking orders, but for some reason, no one objected to his arrangement—not even Xu Nan.

It was the simplest, safest plan he could think of: he would bring up the rear—either all would survive, or he would die first, or they’d all perish.

Atreus moved ahead of Yeran, reaching for his shield, when he suddenly froze.

Yeran, about to step back, also halted.

Both stared directly at the giant gold-eating ant queen.

"Are you... all right?" Mars asked nervously when he saw their sudden alertness.

Atreus turned to Yeran.

"Did you see it?"

Yeran nodded.

"I saw it. That shadow is humanoid."