Rust - Chapter 817



Only Krnovel

RUST [RUST]-817

Maru, who returned to the Vladislav Tower, headed straight to Najuyeon.

After organizing a few research topics and sleeping soundly, Na Ju-yeon greeted Maru in human form. Maru handed Na Ju-yeon a package containing princess and queen ants, as if he had picked them up.

“The princess and queen of the ant empire. Check to see if there is a leader among these guys. And this is just a collection of antennae.”

“Ah- Okay, I understand.”

“Yeah. And sleep while you sleep. You look good without dark circles.”

“I will do that.”

Maru, who had handed over the bundle and the bag, turned around absentmindedly. Na Ju-yeon, who was looking at his back, started to nag the researchers.

“Sort them into princesses and queens. Right! And reattach the severed antennae. Move quickly, quickly, before it’s too late! Quickly!”

The lab is busy again.

‧

Ki-soon’s face looked haggard during the video call. It looked like he had been suffering for a long time.

[Haa- I told you to turn on the blinkers and live. There was a fuss about that old man firing a nuke while there was a punitive force.]

“The punitive force had entered the Ant Empire’s base. They were completely surrounded, and there was nothing I could do about it. I have footage of the situation at the time, so if Mr. Den keeps pressuring me, I’ll send you the footage and just cut you off.”

The fact that there is footage of the punitive force means that they saw the punitive force. In other words, they are saying that they used nukes even after seeing the punitive force.

[Wow- You- Ha- Do you think the Empire will lose its nerve if we stop caring? They sent a punitive force and they got killed by a nuclear attack, so you wouldn’t make a fuss? Your Majesty, why are you suddenly acting like this?]

“They were researching how ants control people with pheromones. And they were after me too.”

[Ants study? What are you talking about? They’re targeting you?]

Maru uploaded a video recorded with a tactical camera.

Images of big-headed ants managing captured people and people who had become addicted to pheromones appeared on the monitor. And even the image of ants persistently urging them to mate appeared.

[···Mating?]

“As you can see, they tell you to take off your core armor while they mate. That means the ants know what core armor is. They also understand that core armor blocks pheromones.”

[So why didn’t you rescue the Imperial Expeditionary Force? Because of the pheromones? Is that what you’re saying?]

“In the first place, was there any reason for the punitive force to go deep into the area without any consideration for the front or back? And the troops mobilized were the same. If the goal was really to subdue the Ant Empire, they should have mobilized a large number of troops.”

[No. Even if that’s true as you say. How can you cover up the fact that you just fired a nuke?”

“I told you that it was physically impossible to help the punitive force. Watch the video carefully. Above all, we couldn’t delay the nuclear attack to save the completely surrounded imperial punitive force.”

Princess, you raided the place where the queen ants were gathered, but you didn’t catch all of them. There were also individuals who were commanding the troops, and what would happen if you missed the superior individuals who were commanding the troops in the field?

What would happen if ants numbering in the tens of millions to hundreds of millions were to disperse and swear revenge? What if the aftermath were to strike the Holy Kingdom?

Even if the Empire’s punitive force was caught in the nuclear explosion, it would have been right to catch them when the opportunity arose. It was a chance to wipe out even the higher-level entities that had not been caught properly during the bombing just before, so are you telling me to give that up?

If the situation had been the other way around, would the Empire have risked its life to rescue the Holy Kingdom’s punitive force? Would Dan Brown have delayed the nuclear bombing, risking the Empire’s future?

In that situation, a quick nuclear strike was something that the King of the Holy Kingdom should have decided on. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Ha- Shit. Yeah. I get that story. Let’s say the punitive force was surrounded by ants and annihilated.]

“No. Don’t do that. Tell me the truth.”

Ki-sun’s eyes crinkled at Maru’s opinion.

[Actually?]

“I’m telling you my story right now. To be honest, it might not feel good right now, but it’s right for us to be honest with each other.”

As the saying goes, ‘Honesty is the best policy’, honesty was the most important thing in relations with the empire.

“Think about the tactical ants you fought in the previous audience room, some of them have started to develop abilities.”

The fact that they formed a punitive force with the ability users meant that the number of ability users had increased. Why were there so many Japanese ability users in the early stages of the incident? It was because many people in Japan, where the great disaster had occurred, experienced a near-death crisis and awakened their ability users.

Now that we’ve gone through two severe cold spells, there must have been many survivors on the North American continent who have survived the brink of death. Naturally, it was expected that the number of people with abilities would skyrocket.

Ki-soon immediately understood what Maru said. Most of the awakenings of abilities were physical ability enhancements, but the awakenings of other types of abilities were literally random.

Ki-sun, who can see emotions, couldn’t guarantee that the ability to discern lies, like his own ability, wouldn’t come out.

It wouldn’t be strange if they developed abilities like inducing confessions, and maybe a psychic power like psychometry would emerge to immediately confirm facts and determine truth.

[Okay. I’ll tell you the truth with the video. The Imperial punitive force was surrounded by ants and had no chance of survival. And to destroy the enemy, they had no choice but to use nukes. Let me tell you that. Okay?]

“The ants of the ant empire… They probably wouldn’t have been wiped out.”

[Even though a hydrogen bomb exploded inside?]

“Probably. Most of them are dead, but there must be a significant number who survived.”

After the bombing, the ants dug like crazy. The labyrinthine passages would have helped disperse the shock and act as air pockets when a powerful explosion occurred.

“Even though we had over 20 bio-robots running, it took a long time to find the place where the higher-level entities were gathered. That’s because they were creating a lot of passageways and spaces.”

Given the level of construction of the ant empire, it must have been intentional.

“The fact that they continued construction even after the armistice and peace agreement was signed… Whatever the reason, I think it’s right to think that the ants were preparing for bombing.”

The ants that were working on the construction and the higher-ranking individuals that were directing the construction were likely to have survived the nuclear explosion.

“Anyway, the ants that survived in the ant empire capital will probably think that the human empire launched a nuclear attack.”

[Because you experienced being hit by a hydrogen bomb while attacking New York?]

“okay.”

[Is that so? We were the ones who drilled holes in the ceiling. We were the ones who bombed it first?]

“What’s important is not the bombing, but the nuclear explosion.”

[You’d think that the human empire got its revenge on the ant empire with nukes, since the ants got nuked in New York?]

“yes.”

[······.]

Ki-sun held a moment of silence in mourning. The surviving ants would surely seek revenge on the empire. All he could worry about was the old man’s stomach and hair.

In any case, the conflict between the Holy Kingdom and the Empire caused by this nuclear attack was resolved by conveying only the facts, so it seemed like that was the end of it.

[Ha- But when using strategic weapons like hydrogen bombs, please turn on the flasher in advance. Please. The person getting hit has to feel like they deserved to get hit in order to understand. If you just hit them, would they tolerate that? Or leave diplomacy to AI. Seriously, what did I do wrong?]

“Sorry. I’ll tell you in advance if possible.”

‘If it’s not too bad?’ It means that he’ll suddenly accelerate again without blinking. Ki-soon’s narrow eyes narrowed even further.

[Next time you do this, you’ll have to handle diplomacy yourself. Really?]

“Thank you for your hard work. Let’s talk again.”

Maru, who avoided giving a definitive answer, quietly ended the video call.

‧

Maru didn’t change his mind even under the pressure of Gi-sun’s narrow eyes.

‘If that old man is going to find fault with me, I guess he has other intentions. He might use this sacrifice as an excuse to get what he wants.’

For the safety of the Holy Kingdom, he must be able to make decisions even if it means sacrificing the Imperial Army. Maru thought that was the job of the King of the Holy Kingdom.

In a world overflowing with mutant monsters like the one we have now, it had to be even more so. It was obvious that Dan Brown would have done the same thing if he had been in a similar situation.

‘By the way, Ms. Kim and the nurse are late.’

Since Ms. Kim and her personal guard went together, there won’t be any security or safety issues.

Kim Yang and the nurse looked at the map showing the independent ant kingdom areas they were visiting with sunken eyes.

======

======

The nurse and Ms. Kim’s visit was simple at first.

(Independent. Supported. Appreciated.)

[When spring comes as promised, will you join the war against spiders?]

(Oath. Of course. I will participate.)

[Okay, mark it here.]

The ant queen herself smeared pheromones all over the special material plate that the nurse handed out.

[Ants keep their promises well, don’t they?]

[Huh- You have to go all the way to find out.]

It was reaffirmed that all other nearby kingdoms would also participate in the war.

(Promise. Keep. Participate.)

(Participation. Promise. Of course. Keep.)

The story of the 1~10th ant kingdom was easy. They kept their promise to participate in the war since they had become independent as promised. The story gradually got longer after the 20th kingdom.

(Spring. Food. Shortage. Participation. Time. Coordination. Need.)

(Participation. Number. Control. Need. Food. Shortage.)

So the further away you get from the Holy Kingdom, the longer the stories become.

(Independence. Evidence. Imperial soldiers. Appearing around.)

(Defense. Danger. Engagement. Danger.)

Especially after the story of independence being recognized came out, there were even ant kingdoms that showed signs of trying to distance themselves from the Holy Kingdom.

[Are these guys crazy? They’re trying to use their dragons to get away?]

[Huh? Okay. Just a moment. Let’s have a conversation first.]

[Conversation? What kind of conversation are you talking about, you ant bitches with blocked ears?]

[No. Ants communicate with pheromones, not with ears or mouths.]

[Ants don’t have vocal organs. Even the clicking sound they make with their jaws sends signals through vibrations or shocks.]

[So? What do you want me to do? Let’s just leave those bitches trying to wipe their mouths? Unit 1, are you crazy?]

Ms. Kim is angry. A nurse tries to stop her. A maid named Ant approaches the two of them, offering to serve them.

(Human. Happiness. Mating. Treats.)

The nurse blinked at the words coming from the pheromone translator.

[Huh? A happy mating treat?]

[What the heck is this?]

(Mating. Pheromones. Humans. Happiness. Treats.)

So, the story was that happy mating was possible with pheromones.

While the nurse was saying, ‘Eeeeeee- Mating all of a sudden? Why?’, Ms. Kim walked up to the maid and bared her teeth.

[So. Don’t worry about going to war or anything, just have fun and go?]

(Human. Pheromone. Happiness. Human. Mating. Good.)

Ants that shake their antennae and spread pheromones

Wiiing- Kim Yang’s core armor has begun chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear response.

Kim Yang snatched the shaking tentacles and tore them apart with a jerk.

[Where the hell are you crazy ant bitches selling drugs? To get screwed.]

When the ant with its antenna pulled out started to convulse, Kim Yang kicked it with her foot and shouted at the guards.

[All ready for battle!]

[Prepare for battle!]

[Prepare for battle!]

[Eeeeeeeet!]

‧

The small ant kingdom has about 50,000 ants, larvae, and eggs. The ant kingdom, which was close to the sacred kingdom like the 10th kingdom and had a smooth food supply, has about 200,000.

The total number of Kim Yang and his bodyguards was around 200. Despite the overwhelming engagement ratio, Kim Yang did not blink an eye.

There were little V’s and cute nukes. Poison gas resistance? Radiation mutation? If you worry about that stuff and it goes away, who’s going to take responsibility?

If it was going to be such a problem, why not just kill them all? Why not just kill them all without any resistance, support, or anything?

(Misunderstanding. Calm. Hospitality. Human. Misunderstanding. Hospitality. Calm.)

[Oh. It’s a misunderstanding. Wait a minute. It could really be a misunderstanding···.]

[Shit! Gas!]

Mr. Kim started releasing poison gas from the beginning.

[gas!]

[gas!]

[gas!]

Suddenly, the ants were hit by poison gas and started to die. Kim Yang shouted as he pulled out the head of the queen ant, who was struggling to escape from the situation that had occurred without warning or forewarning.

[Burn all the larvae and eggs!]

That day, an entire ant colony was reduced to ashes.

‧

‧

‧

It was the nurse who reported it right away to prevent Kim Yang’s sudden rash, but Maru, who had returned after blowing up the ant empire, summed it up in one word.

[Well done.]

[to?]

[Huh-]

The nurse’s embarrassed exclamation and Ms. Kim’s satisfied snort crossed each other.

So diplomacy with the Ant Kingdom was neatly sorted out. It burned cleanly.