Chapter 369: Insect Plague |
"Help!"
"Run! There are too many bugs!"
"Fire! They're afraid of fire! Use fire, quickly!"
"Don't run! Fight back with fire! These things are terrified of it!"
Inside the town, everything had dissolved into utter chaos.
Bugs were crawling into the town from every direction. The wooden houses were chewed right through, and even some of the stone buildings looked like they were on the verge of collapsing.
The northern side of the town, a brand-new area with a color scheme that clashed with the surrounding buildings, had become the hardest-hit zone.
Those who couldn't flee in time tripped and fell. The insects surged over them like a tide, swarming their bodies. Amid heart-wrenching screams of agony, they were devoured until only bleached white bones remained.
Someone hurled a torch, igniting a wooden house.
The brilliant blaze illuminated the faces of everyone in the Residential District.
In the central open ground—the area specifically cleared to isolate the insects—countless bugs shrieked and writhed within the fire.
The air was thick with the savory aroma of roasted insects.
Gradually, the fragrance turned acrid as the scent of charred carapaces wafted outward.
Under the intense glare of the flames, the remaining black armored beetles outside the Residential District retreated in fear, leaving a carpet of corpses in their wake.
Qin Ziwu went out to investigate and found that the remaining bugs surrounding the perimeter had vanished.
He pursued them for a short distance to confirm they had truly retreated before returning with a sense of relief.
"The bugs are gone," Qin Ziwu reported upon his return.
Qin Ziwen replied, "We can't let our guard down. Post extra sentries tonight to prevent them from doubling back for a surprise attack. Though it's unlikely given their intelligence quotient, we must be prepared for anything.
Moving forward, we need to establish a permanent patrol and guard rotation around the Residential District."
As he spoke, Qin Ziwen realized that because of the unique terrain of the previous map, the Residential District had never established regular patrol or sentry posts.
The map before that had been the wide-open Gobi Desert. Except during sandstorms, visibility was usually excellent, so they hadn't felt the need for guard posts then either.
As for the very first map, the residents had been too busy looking out for themselves to act as a unified force.
In the center of the area, the fire slowly died down. People moved in an orderly fashion to clear the aftermath, sweeping away the blackened remains of the beetles.
Qin Ziwen picked up a beetle that was still hot to the touch, its body stiff and curled in his palm.
He gripped the insect with both hands and snapped it apart—like tearing open a loaf of charred bread. With a sharp crack, it split in two.
Inside was tender, snow-white meat that released an inviting fragrance.
"There's actually this much meat!?" Qin Ziwu exclaimed as he leaned over to look.
The bugs looked fierce and repulsive, but they were surprisingly meaty.
"The meat yield rate is quite high, and they have plenty of fat. Look, the grease here has been rendered by the fire," Qin Ziwen said, pointing to a spot just behind the head. A section of yellowish fat had been seared, soaking into a large chunk of white meat and releasing a delicate aroma into the air.
As he spoke, he tore off a piece of meat, popped it into his mouth, and chewed slowly.
Qin Ziwen's eyes lit up. The flavor was even better than he had imagined.
Though the insects were ugly on the outside, they were delicious within.
"Try some," he said, tearing off another piece for Xiao Wu.
Qin Ziwu's mouth twitched, and he instinctively leaned back. "Maybe I'll pass... I'll take your word for it that it's good."
The warm, tender meat was pressed against his lips. Qin Ziwu hesitated to speak, but finally, he closed his eyes and accepted the morsel.
"How does it taste?" Qin Ziwen asked.
Qin Ziwu swallowed it down quickly, his brow furrowed. Sensing the lingering savory flavor in his mouth, he admitted, "It's actually not bad."
"These bugs might be a nuisance, but if we handle them correctly, they could become a viable food source," Qin Ziwen mused, thinking of the feed processing plant he had recently acquired.
The insect carcasses could be tossed right in and processed into feed.
Not far away, the newcomers from the hospital who had recently joined the Residential District breathed a silent sigh of relief when they saw the insect tide resolved.
They had been terrified when they first saw the massive swarm.
Many of them had hidden on the upper floors of the hospital during their own encounter, and because of the darkness, they hadn't seen much of the giant centipedes.
However, seeing the black tide of beetles writhing in the firelight just now had triggered their trypophobia.
Standing behind Zhao Pu, Wu Shanqi rubbed the goosebumps on his arms.
"Old Zhao... is this the kind of thing you've been dealing with since the transmigration?"
"Not exactly." Zhao Pu shook his head. "This is our first time seeing these specific bugs too."
Wu Shanqi let out a breath. "That's good to hear."
"The last map was an island. We were facing Megalodons, Mosasaurs, and Plesiosaurs," Zhao Pu added.
Wu Shanqi's expression stiffened. "Extinct dinosaurs too?"
"Likely more than that. Based on the difficulty curve, the things we encounter get more terrifying with every map we clear." Zhao Pu glanced at him. "You were probably dragged into this because of us; otherwise, your first map wouldn't have been this difficult."
Zhao Pu paused, then added meaningfully, "Of course, it might have been worse otherwise. With us here, whether you like it or not, at least there are rules. Places without rules can be much more horrifying."
Watching the shifting expressions on Wu Shanqi's face, Zhao Pu easily guessed what he was thinking.
But he wasn't in a hurry.
These newcomers hadn't lived through the hardest times. They hadn't gone hungry. No matter how much he explained, some things just wouldn't sink in yet.
People were complicated creatures.
It was no wonder the Alliance Leader said not to let these people join the Qin Alliance yet, insisting on an observation period of at least one map.
Even his old classmate wasn't the same person he used to be.
Let alone the others.
"Don't overthink it. Just work hard. The Residential District is short on doctors right now. As long as you do your job seriously, you'll have your chance," Zhao Pu comforted him. Although they had the Library of a Hundred Schools which contained medical texts, learning medicine wasn't like learning other technical skills; training a qualified doctor took significant time.
Therefore, the Residential District was currently desperate for medical professionals. The arrival of Wu Shanqi and his colleagues filled a major gap. If they performed well during this period, they could easily establish a solid foothold in the Qin Alliance.
"Thanks, Old Zhao. I'll buy you dinner later," Wu Shanqi replied. Zhao Pu then went back to his own duties.
Watching Zhao Pu's busy silhouette, Wu Shanqi stood still for a moment before turning toward a corner of the Residential District's courtyard.
A group of doctors had gathered there, including two hospital administrators.
"Doctor Wu, what did they say?"
"Can we go back? We all have families waiting for us. We aren't alone in the world; going back would obviously be for the best."
"Xiao Wu, if you can get us back, you'll have performed a massive service! Performance reviews, bonuses, titles, and the selection for department head—not to mention government commendations. It's much better than staying here with these bugs."
"Brother, these bugs can't be eaten anymore, right?"