Chapter 379: Insect Taming Hall |
Chitu retraced its path, hooves treading over the ground.
Numerous Belly Aphid Spiders crawled onto its hooves, but they had no effect whatsoever.
It possessed the Unbreakable Body, its defensive capabilities were astonishing.
It could be described as having a bronze head and iron arms, impervious to swords and spears.
Qin Ziwen had secretly tested it; even using sharp iron tools could hardly injure Chitu. Its defensive power had already transcended the normal scope of animals.
Returning to the residential complex, Qin Ziwen went back to the Home.
Arriving at the edge of the open space, he took out a card and used it.
The Insect Taming Hall required a construction area of 40 by 50, two thousand square meters, not large, its area was even smaller than some warehouses.
As the card was crushed, a large expanse of light enveloped the area ahead, covering this patch of land.
The building's exterior was a circular earthen tower.
About twenty meters tall, with a door on each of its four sides, the earthen walls were smooth and windowless.
Qin Ziwen walked in through the main entrance; the interior was hollow.
From all four sides, one could see layers of stairs spiraling upwards.
At the very center of the building was a top-shaped sunken pit.
The bottom of the pit was covered with a thick layer of yellow sand.
[Advanced Building · Level 1 Insect Taming Hall] Level 2 Insect Bed Nurturing, Level 2 Breeding Acceleration (Special Effect: Mother Insect Society: If an Insect Mother is successfully tamed, Subordinate Insects with a child-parent relationship to the Insect Mother will not actively attack humans living within the Home, reducing their aggressiveness) (Tamed Insect Mother: 0/1)
"It really is the characteristic building of this underground cavern," Qin Ziwen sighed with some emotion.
This building's effect could be considered strong, but also weak.
Its special feature lay in taming the Insect Mother.
After successfully constructing the building, Qin Ziwen roughly understood the general concept of an Insect Mother.
In nature, for insect-like creatures that live in groups, the core insect is generally called the Insect Mother.
Insect Mothers could be strong or weak; the strong ones... he didn't know their upper limit.
But the weak ones were like the ordinary queen bee in a natural beehive, the ordinary queen ant in an ant colony.
So this building was heavily dependent on the map.
If suitable targets could be encountered, the building's potential was not low. If no suitable targets were encountered, one could only tame an ordinary Insect Mother, and it would just be used as a regular characteristic building, its functionality perhaps even inferior to some Ordinary Buildings.
"Xiao Wu, Luoen, call some fish-men and members of the Hunting Team, come with me." Qin Ziwen waved his hand.
Subsequently, a large group of people, holding torches, marched grandly towards the underground forest cavern in the southwest direction.
During the time Qin Ziwen was away, Mogu, using some unknown method, had made the Giant Aphid Rhinoceros Beetle lying nearby become completely docile.
The surrounding Belly Aphid Spiders also dared not approach, all shrinking back in the distance.
"What a huge bug."
"Although not as big as the Sea Beasts in the ocean, this bug makes my scalp tingle."
"I've seen plenty of big things, but a bug this big is a first."
"Hiss— there are so many ants around."
"Are you nearsighted? Those aren't ants, they're damn spiders."
"Damn, it's so dark underground, who can see clearly what they are."
"This thing is called a Giant Aphid Rhinoceros Beetle, discovered in this forest. These little spiders around are called Belly Aphid Spiders. Currently, it seems these Belly Aphid Spiders are influenced by the Giant Aphid Rhinoceros Beetle." Qin Ziwen introduced to everyone.
"Guild Leader, are we going to conquer this forest next?"
"Mm, we can gather some of the vines and shrubs here to take back, see if they can be used as firewood."
"Mogu, please carry this Giant Aphid Rhinoceros Beetle back." Qin Ziwen looked at Mogu.
"Leave it to me." Mogu pulled with one hand, directly hoisting the entire Giant Aphid Rhinoceros Beetle onto his shoulder, steadily stepping back towards the return path.
The Giant Aphid Rhinoceros Beetle seemed somewhat panicked, the two antennae on its head constantly swaying. The Belly Aphid Spiders around, which had just quieted down, became restless again.
"Smack!"
Mogu expressionlessly slapped the Giant Aphid Rhinoceros Beetle's rear end.
The Giant Aphid Rhinoceros Beetle quieted down.
The Belly Aphid Spiders slowly gathered around, not attacking, but following behind Mogu, converging into a gray-green carpet of mycelium.
The rest of the group took tools, went forward, and cut down many plants at the periphery of the underground forest, carrying them on their shoulders as they began the return journey.
After these vines were cut, they became soft and limp. Several people lined up in a single file, carrying them on their shoulders.
Luoen, walking at the back of the group, suddenly stopped, turning their head to glance back towards the location of the underground lake in the distance.
...
"The trade is done, how do you feel?"
Bai Che pondered, then said, "They're different from us. Perhaps it's a difference in era; their sense of hierarchy and respect isn't very pronounced."
"Other aspects?"
Bai Che felt some regret. "I didn't see the giant that sworn brother mentioned."
He was actually quite interested in this so-called giant.
Unfortunately, he didn't get to see it.
"Besides that, I feel their weapons are better, especially the person who defeated sworn brother. The weapon in his hand is no simple thing, like a magical treasure used by immortals and Taoist masters in storybooks, flexible as a snake, definitely no ordinary object." Bai Che's eyes flickered when he mentioned the Hunting Weapon.
Hearing this, Bai Shu became somewhat interested. "Is it really as miraculous as you say?"
Bai Che affirmed, "Even more so."
Bai Shu picked up his teacup, slowly sipping, his eyes faintly flickering. "Don't be impatient, Che'er. There's nothing in this world that can't be bought, it's just a matter of whether the price is right."
"Master, there's movement in the underground river in the southern cave." The steward hurried in.
"Did you see clearly what's in the water?" Bai Shu put down his teacup.
"Not clearly, but it's not small."
"Have everyone withdraw, don't approach the riverbank for now." Bai Shu walked out a few steps, stopped, glanced back at the teapot and charcoal stove beside him. "Add some firewood, don't let the stove go out."
"Yes, Master."
Bai Shu left the courtyard and began patrolling within the Bluestone Fortress.
After some tidying up, things were soon in order. But quickly, news came again.
The thing in the water had come ashore.
"I'll go take a look." Bai Shu had Bai Che stay behind with some men inside the Bluestone Fortress, then he led a group of servants, walking a distance towards the south. Ahead in the cave, a gentle underground river came into view.
By the riverbank, a soft-bodied creature, three to four meters long, soft and flabby, with some dark tiger-stripe patterns on its surface, was wriggling on the ground.
One end of a fishing rod was stuck in its body, the other end held in someone's hand.
"What is this!?" The people who had come along exclaimed in shock.
"Master, could this thing be a Tai Sui that gained sentience?"
"All of you, shut up, be quiet." Bai Shu had people bring torches closer. He noticed this thing seemed somewhat afraid of the firelight, shrinking back a little.
After careful examination, Bai Shu said with surprise and uncertainty, "This thing looks a bit like a leech from the fields?"
"A leech!? Good heavens, a leech this big. If it drilled a hole in you, wouldn't you be drained of blood instantly?" Someone was so scared they retreated repeatedly.
"Wait, Master, look over there!"
A servant pointed ahead in terror.
At the edge of the underground river, unknown when, a large mass of wriggling black shadows had emerged from the water.