Rust - Chapter 803



Only Krnovel

RUST [RUST]-803

Winter was a bad season for bugs.

Even if it is an insect that has mutated, due to its biological characteristics, it cannot help but shrink in the winter.

As the bitter cold continued, causing even the hardiest cockroaches to stop moving, spiders and ants also began to prepare for winter.

The mutant monster spiders fell into hibernation except for their night watch, and the ants began to survive by eating the food they had stored.

Here’s where the problem arises.

The ants mobilized to the construction site of the Holy Kingdom were paid with food, and the colony of ants, which was able to stockpile abundant food, was able to increase its numbers.

In contrast, the ant colonies that were far away from the construction site of the Holy Kingdom were having a hard time maintaining their colony. Before the harsh winter began, the ant colonies that had not secured enough food requested food support from their superiors, and the ant empire accepted the request.

This led to an order to share the food reserves with the ant colonies around the Holy Kingdom, which caused a strong backlash from the ant kingdom that had been feeding the colony abundantly.

[Ah- Also- So 52 places are protesting.]

“52 places?”

There were as many as 58 ant kingdoms that provided labor and food to the Holy Kingdom.

Only six of them sent their surplus, minus the minimum amount of food, as ordered by the ant empire. The remaining 52 ant kingdoms are rebelling.

Ki-sun’s narrow eyes slightly widened at the nurse’s story.

[It seems like the ants have opened their eyes to politics.]

“They didn’t open their eyes to politics because of us. They’ve been political all along.”

If you think about the ant queen who first negotiated with Maru, you should have seen that she had been doing politics for a long time. This was because negotiating itself was a political act.

The decision of the Ant Empire to coexist rather than go to war with the Holy Kingdom was the same. Just looking at the Ant Empire’s influence on the Ant Kingdom, it was evident.

[The problem is that the Virginia remnants don’t seem to be letting that go.]

As Ki-sun said, the behavior of the ant kingdom that Kim Yang and the nurse went to was strange. It was difficult to rule out the possibility that the Virginia remnants had tricked the group.

[I told you it was weird. It really is. Spiders were swarming in front of me, and the queen ant, who was in the safest place, was suddenly attacked and told to come inside.]

[E- If you look at what the pheromone translator translated, it clearly said that they were under attack.]

“Is there a chance that the Queen will be attacked?”

[If you look at the structure of an ant nest, it is not easy, but it is not impossible.]

The hood in charge of the information displayed a 3D structural diagram of the ant nest on the screen based on the information sent by the nurse.

The queen’s chamber, located across from the food storage area, was different from that of ordinary ants. The ants that had been mutated and had become smarter were using the egg-laying chamber, queen’s chamber, audience chamber, and child-rearing area separately.

Of course, there were ants to take care of the eggs, and there were always ants to clean and manage each cell. They were cleaning ants, but in reality, they were the queen ant’s bodyguards and maids.

[The important thing is that the spiders dig the ground and are not easy to access.]

Even if you managed to get through the spawning room, it would be impossible to advance any further. The same goes for the audience room, the queen’s chamber, and the nursery.

[If the ground spiders had dug all the way into the ant nest, it is highly unlikely that the vibration-sensitive ants would have discovered them in advance.]

[That’s right. That’s why I thought so too.]

Kim Yang agreed with Hood’s explanation. So, the analysis is that it is strange that the ants called Kim Yang and the guards inside.

[We have to assume the worst.]

Ki-soon mentioned the worst. The story of the Ant Kingdom with a pro-Divine Kingdom tendency, and the untrustworthy story of the swarm. Plus the division of the Ant Empire.

After the harsh winter, it was difficult to guarantee that no ant kingdom would emerge to attack the Sacred Kingdom.

“I have to make the most of this winter.”

[Are you thinking of striking first?]

“Yeah. At least we should check everyone in the vicinity.”

Knowing politics means being able to betray. Maru was thinking of using this opportunity to filter out even the ants.

‧

‧

‧

Maru immediately started checking out the ant kingdom in Michigan.

The delegation included Ki-sun, a nurse, and Erica. They were accompanied by a platoon of soldiers equipped with special armor that could deal with formic acid.

[Did you really have to call me for this?]

[Because I need to know the ant queen’s feelings.]

It was a bit burdensome for Ki-sun to have to take time off from his busy work as Governor of Canada.

But Maru needed Ki-sun. Being able to read the emotions of a target from a distance was a very effective ability. It was because he could read the emotions of animals, insects, and recently, even mutated plants.

[Isn’t Erica enough?]

[If it’s not a person, it consumes a lot of mental power. It’s said that it’s difficult to read properly.]

Erica had a hard time reading the images of cockroaches and rats.

[Then why are you taking Erica?]

[Because we need to check if there are any residual thoughts of other humans besides us at the entrance or the queen ant’s audience chamber.]

Ki-sun nodded at Maru’s answer.

[If it were another human being, not us… it would probably be the Virginia remnants.]

[Yes. This time, if we catch their traces, we plan to not just catch them right away, but to pursue them earnestly and set a proper trap.]

There had to be a research facility for the Virginia Remnants to replicate themselves, either through memory implant ampoules or through clones.

[Trying to find a base?]

[Because there has to be infrastructure.]

Maru’s judgment was that in order to finish them off, the facility had to be destroyed first.

[Isn’t it dangerous to go into an ant nest?]

[Don’t worry, we’ve even prepared a new tunnel boring machine (TBM).]

They were all armed with core armor. Even if the ants dug a trap and buried them, the new tunnel boring machine could rescue them in an instant.

Although they are a platoon unit, they are armed with armor that can defend against ant hills, so they will be able to buy enough time for Maru and his party to escape.

[Seeing how much preparation has been made, is that perhaps why?]

[···That’s not it.]

Maru was silent when Ki-soon said that he had prepared various things because he felt uneasy. No matter how good his senses were, they were only a sense of crisis, a warning of crisis.

Maru prepared a lot for this tour.

Considering the anthill where it would be difficult to use Eclipse, I melted down the stilettos and greatswords I had acquired so far to create a butcher-style dagger. I created a sword that could be used well even in narrow spaces.

That wasn’t all I had prepared. I made a rod that would connect to Eclipse’s handle, allowing me to use Eclipse like a spear.

In normal situations, he would use an Eclipse, and in narrow spaces, he would use a butcher’s dagger. When fighting multiple people in open spaces, he would prepare a spear.

It was a weapon for fighting against large numbers of people, like ants or spiders. Kim Yang said something after seeing Maru running a battle simulation that assumed various situations.

‘Why don’t you just shoot instead of making it complicated?’

‘If there are a thousand ants, you have to go in with a thousand bullets. Is that possible?’

‘Uh. Um- why don’t you just buy it?’

‘What if they start a war of attrition? They say it consumes both mental and physical strength to survive.’

Ants and spiders were not easy to deal with. Even if the nearby ants were pro-Sacred Kingdom factions, the more thoroughly prepared they were, the better.

‘Yeah- but why aren’t you taking me?’

It was Ms. Kim who was looking at me with a look that said, “Why aren’t you going on the date you promised?”

‘We’re still catching their humints. They won’t just sit by and watch as the humints they’ve planted are caught. They’ll definitely try to do something while I’m out.’

‘Huh- you mean catch it?’

‘okay.’

When Maru said that he only trusted her, Kim Yang responded like a cat.

‘Okay. Just trust me and have a good trip. Oh. Say···. M.’

It was Maru who reminded me of Kim Yang, who had a mysterious reaction.

[Ms. Kim has been acting strange lately. Did you and the PD try to cheat on her?]

[What kind of wind is the wind? What kind of person is Ms. Kim? Why would I have anything to say besides blowing wind?]

[What about the nurse?]

[No. Why all of a sudden?]

Maru didn’t say it was because of the nurse who was still giving him a warm gaze that made the back of his head tingle.

[Or else it’s fine.]

[Now that we’re on the subject, I wish our king would take after the magpies and crows.]

[You do it yourself.]

[Don’t go around and around like this.]

While the two were giving and receiving, Maru and his party arrived at the ant kingdom they had first encountered.

‧

The first ant queen they met welcomed Maru and his party.

This was because, thanks to trade with the Holy Kingdom, they were able to store enough food to survive the harsh winter.

[It’s a positive emotion.]

[Ah- The conversation is going smoothly.]

(Empire. Order. Unjust.)

[They say the Empire’s order to distribute food is unfair.]

(Holy Kingdom. Alliance. Feed. Supply. Possible?)

[I want to hear a definite answer as to whether forming an alliance with the Holy Kingdom will ensure a stable supply of food.]

Maru answered the question of the first ant queen, the queen of the ant kingdom number 1.

[Are you saying you want to form an alliance separate from the Empire?]

(Empire. Independence. Kingdom. Union.)

[Huh? Wait a minute. Is that true?]

[What’s going on?]

The nurse answered with wide eyes.

[Ah- Also- There are many ant kingdoms that want to form an alliance with us right now, and they say they want to become independent from the ant empire and create a union of kingdoms.]

[So, if you can form an alliance with us and secure a stable food supply, you will become independent from the Empire and create a union of kingdoms?]

The nurse nodded.

[yes.]

[Are you crazy?]

When I tried to ask for help in subduing the spiders, they were talking about starting their own war of independence, a civil war.

Besides, even if you combined all the ant colonies opposing the ant empire, the power ratio would be at best 7:3 to 8:2. And yet you want to fight a war of independence?

[I think they’re trying to get us involved?]

Ki-soon’s thoughts and Maru’s thoughts were the same.

The queen ant, noticing that the humans were in a bad mood, responded immediately.

(Empire. Human Empire. Attack. Prey. Tribe. Territory. Secure.)

[Eeeeeee. Really? The ant empire is trying to attack Chancellor Den Brown’s empire due to lack of food?]

It was the ant queen who informed us that they were preparing for a war to secure territory, not just an attack.

Ki-sun shook his head after reading the meaning.

[Wow- Yes. Yes. So, if the ant civil war doesn’t break out, the ant empire will attack Mr. Den.]

[Take some heart stimulants and fall back.]

Ki-sun, the nurse, and Erica were startled by Maru’s words.

[uh?]

[Huh?]

[yes?]

[Right now. Right now.]

Ki-soon ran out of the ant queen’s audience room with the embarrassed nurse and Erica.

The guard ants waiting near the entrance waved their antennae as if asking what was going on.

(What’s going on?)

[I don’t know.]

Before the nurse could answer the guard ants with her pheromone interpreter, the assistant AI injected a cardiac stimulant.

Chiik – A new type of battle stimulant and cardiotonic drug coursed through the blood vessels, and a heart-wrenching fear flowed out of the ant queen’s throne room.

(attack?)

(betrayal?)

The guard ants stuck their chins out towards the squatting Ki-sun, the nurse, and Erica, then turned towards the Queen’s throne room.

The antennae tremble. The guard ants were gripped by the terrible fear of death, but unlike humans, they quickly shook off their fear and went inside.

(Queen. Danger.)

(To the audience room.)

Starting with the maid ants nearby, the ants formed a line and headed towards the Queen’s throne room.

And the desperate pheromones spread everywhere.

(stop.)

(Don’t come in.)

(Stop.)

It was the queen ant’s pheromone.

‧

Maru, who had kicked Ki-sun, the nurse, and Erica out of the audience room, let go of his guard.

[Are you kidding me? Are you trying to use me?]

(Misunderstanding. No. Alliance.)

The queen ant moved her antennae with difficulty in the increasingly darkening aura of death.

(Misunderstanding. Information. Truth.)

[What misunderstanding? Information? You gave me information that I was going to attack? Do you want to die? You’re going to attack humans? That’s the truth? You’re a funny bitch. Do you want to kill everyone?]

The queen ant, lying flat on her stomach, pushed back the guards and maids who were trying to enter the audience room. What stood before her was something that could not be considered human.

Even if all the guards and maids came rushing in, the moment Death itself moved, she was dead. And all the children were dead.

(I want to live. Misunderstanding. Information. Truth.)

If they could not become independent from the ant empire, they would have no choice but to mobilize their hordes to invade Den Brown’s empire, and that would ultimately mean death.

The ant queen was desperate.

He made it clear that he did not intend to exploit death.

[Where is the center of the ant empire?]

As Maru’s question was interpreted by the pheromone translator, the queen ant’s antennae, which had been shaking with fear, stood erect.