harleyscars Chapter 24: War Is Imminent
Chapter 24: War Is Imminent
Now, Ye Zhi has a certain understanding of the world she was reborn into.
The world beneath our feet is called the "Force Astral Realm," and the areas that have been explored so far have been divided into two "continents" by the great power left behind by the "True God of Nature," separated by a boundary barrier composed of a sky-piercing, seven-colored glow.
One is called "Cloud Trace Continent", and the other is called "Dragon Bamboo Continent". Ye Zhi is currently in the Dragon Bamboo Continent, which is named after a top-level plant called Giant Dragon Bamboo, which has a precious enhancement effect after nurturing life seeds.
Both continents are surrounded on all four sides by an all-encompassing "divine power barrier," which prevents any primal force creature from leaving these two continents or traveling between them.
Ye Zhi guessed that this "True God of Nature" should be an existence with an alarmingly high level of Force evolution, perhaps the ancestor of the insect tribes in the astral plane, and most likely already able to break through the void and traverse the universe with his powerful physical body.
However, there seems to be a special passage connecting these two continents, allowing the Flame Spider Merchants, who make a living by trading, to travel back and forth between the two continents and exchange goods, but other tribes are not allowed to develop across continents.
The reason is quite simple - it is said that the "Cloud Trace Continent" is inhabited by tribes composed of individual insect warriors who have risen from solitary insects, and the continent is in a relatively peaceful development mode.
The "Dragon Bamboo Continent" beneath their feet is occupied by various ant, bee, or termite "kingdoms" that have evolved from eusocial insects, constantly attacking each other and waging war without ceasing.
This was clearly intentional on the part of the "True God of Nature," separating solitary insects from highly aggressive social insects, allowing them to develop independently, and arranging for the flame spider, an alternative tribe, to roam and trade, exchanging goods and resources, perhaps to hone the skills of their offspring.
Returning to the "Dragon Bamboo Continent" beneath our feet - if the "Force Astral Realm" is still a planet, this continent is located in the Northern Hemisphere, and the Tree Ant Kingdom where Ye Zhi is currently located is almost at the southernmost point of the continent, right near the equator.
To the east of the Tree Ant Kingdom's territory lies the Great Tooth Ant Kingdom, founded by the Dark-bellied Great Tooth Ant, with whom Ye Zhi had an unpleasant encounter.
Like the defunct "Tree Ant Kingdom," the Giant Tooth Ant Kingdom is also just a small tribe. Its leader is called "King of the Durian Ants," named after a durian seed bestowed by the gods. He possesses peak mountain lord-level strength.
Under its command are two smaller, dark-bellied, large-toothed ant queens. One was probably at the advanced warrior stage before, and the other was only at the intermediate stage. The ant colony is much more prosperous than the current tree ant kingdom.
"Boss Hongyuan, that Jialian Ant King is only at the peak of the Mountain Lord level. Why did it dare to attack our Tree Ant Kingdom, which is guarded by King Wuyuan? Could it have broken through to the Lord level?" Ye Zhi asked, puzzled.
"Little guy, this matter is actually related to you." Red Cypress smoothed its antennae with its forelimbs, as if scratching its head. "The divine seed of your two-toothed pitcher plant was actually discovered in the territory of that advanced warrior-level giant toothed ant king. They claimed that our tree ant kingdom stole their divine seed."
"However, the main reason is probably that I heard that the high-level Ant King recently succeeded in becoming a Mountain Lord. With two Mountain Lord-level Ant Kings existing, the Jialian Ant King wants to take the opportunity to expand its territory."
Shaking its cleaned antennae, Hongyuan confidently declared, "I heard from the Great King that the conflict between the Fierce Ant Kingdom and our Tree Ant Kingdom has existed since the time of our Old King Qingzhi. When the Old King left, the Great King was forced to relinquish some territory. Now that they dare to make a move, I will personally lead the army to reclaim it!"
Recalling the scene of the slender worker ant that saved her from being killed by countless others, Ye Zhi had no doubt about what Hong Yuan said, but still said with concern, "Boss, you must be careful. If you are ambushed and injured by those despicable giant toothed ants, the King and I will be heartbroken."
Ye Zhi felt no pressure when cursing those horde of large-toothed ants, since they had once chased her so hard that she couldn't escape even by climbing a tree.
"Giant-toothed ants...what are they? Are they edible?"
The tree spirit of the two-toothed pitcher plant's divinely bestowed seed seemed to have heard what Ye Zhi said, transmitting a familiar mental fluctuation. But this time, Ye Zhi's eyes suddenly lit up.
Yes, since its own God-given Seed repeatedly asked the slender worker ants if it could be eaten, it means that the flesh and blood of semi-force creatures seem to have some special effect on its pitcher plant God-given Seed.
So Ye Zhi immediately sent a probing mental signal: "Wait, boss, when are you leaving? I want to go with you and see how you lead your troops to wipe out those hateful giant toothed ants."
"What? No, no!" Hong Yuan was shocked upon hearing this and hurriedly shook her tentacles. "Little guy, the frontline battles are very dangerous. You are only at the initial stage of strength right now. If you get caught in the crossfire, you could easily lose your life."
"Boss, I won't run away. I'll stay on your head and cheer you on." Ye Zhi's compound eyes sparkled with anticipation. When he met Hong Yuan's large compound eyes, he would have blinked a few times to act cute if his compound eye structure didn't allow it.
"This..." Hongyuan seemed somewhat moved, smoothing her tentacles, and said hesitantly, "Even if I agree, the King certainly won't agree... Never mind, come with me to see the King!"
......
"Red Citron, are you crazy? Bringing the little guy to the battlefield? Do you even hear how you speak insect language?" Black Citron raised its antennae, looking at Red Citron in astonishment. "I don't stop you from clinging to the little guy normally, but bringing him to the battlefield? How could you even think of that?"
"Um..." Red Cypress hesitated, its six limbs drooping as it hesitated to step forward, its antennae hanging low. "It was the little guy who suggested it; I just..." it said awkwardly.
Before she could finish speaking, seeing the steel whip-like tentacles of the black cypress already raised, the red cypress seemed to recall some unpleasant memory and hurriedly tried to dodge. The black cypress, like a parent trying to discipline a child, chased after her.
"It was indeed I who suggested the Black Cypress Ant King." Seeing that the Red Cypress had been pinned down by the Black Cypress's forelimbs and was instinctively emitting pheromone signals begging for mercy, while the Black Cypress's thick, long, whip-like tentacles were about to fall, Ye Zhi quickly transmitted her telekinetic power.
"Did Hongyuan trick you in some way?" Wuyuan's tentacles still fell, lashing against Hongyuan's exoskeleton, producing a series of crisp lashes that were more of a mental lesson than an actual injury, causing Ye Zhi to turn her head away, unable to bear to look.
After a moment's thought, unable to bear watching her adopted older brother continue to be beaten, Ye Zhi lowered the intensity of her mental signal and quietly transmitted her true purpose to the Black Ant King:
"That was actually a divinely bestowed seed from my pitcher plant, the two-toothed pitcher plant..."