Chapter 193
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Chapter 193: The Prison Cell
"What brings you here?"
Dig One and Dig Two looked surprised upon seeing Iron One, Iron Two, and the Acid Ant twins riding on their backs.
"Mother sent us to retrieve you."
"Ah~ Mother worries too much! Dig Two and I have traversed this Fog Zone multiple times—there’s no danger at all."
"She wasn’t concerned about you."
Iron One retorted irritably.
Her gaze flickered toward the two human adventurers.
The moment those eyes locked onto them, the pair stiffened, their breath catching in their throats.
Those massive mandibles could probably sever their bodies with ease, couldn’t they?
Terror flashed across their eyes as they stared at Iron One’s jaws.
To their slight relief, Iron One merely glanced their way before turning her attention elsewhere.
"Mother was worried those two might get ambushed and killed by monsters in the Fog Zone, so she sent us to supervise."
"Oh… But I’m sure she was still worried about us too!"
"Sure, if you say so…"
Iron One replied absentmindedly.
With the Military Ants, Iron Armored Ants, and Acid Ants now integrated into the group, the ant colony resumed its march.
"How have they behaved during the journey?"
"With their legs bitten off, running isn’t an option. They just keep making noise—rather annoying."
"Can’t be helped. Mother needs to question them. As long as the villagers don’t notice, the noise doesn’t matter."
"True. And just to be safe, Dig Two and I traveled only at night. No chance of detection. Oh! Speaking of which, anything interesting happen at the castle lately?"
"Interesting things? Plenty."
"Eh?! Like what? Tell me!"
"Sister Lvzi and Little Tear can now take human form. Sister Red Pupil got pregnant and gave birth…"
"!!!"
…
……
While Dig One and Dig Two chattered excitedly with the other ants, Sylvestre and Martina finally shook off their daze.
Why were different ant-type monsters—Weak Ants, Military Ants, Acid Ants, Iron Armored Ants, and an unfamiliar yellow variant—all coexisting together?
And among them were the typically solitary Acid Ants and Iron Armored Ants…
There was no way that woman could have tamed so many monsters alone!
If she hadn’t tamed them, then why had everything spiraled into this madness after their failed night raid? Damn it all—why?!
And speaking of which, where exactly were they being taken?
An overwhelming sense of unease and fear gripped Sylvestre and Martina’s hearts like a giant vise.
As the ant procession advanced, they began encountering other ant colonies along the way.
Each time they met another group, their own column would pause briefly while the lead ants exchanged words with the passing colony…
The interactions resembled casual greetings between familiar acquaintances…
These ants clearly possessed intelligence rivaling that of the human race.
Such a thing… had never been documented before.
Sylvestre and Martina exchanged uneasy glances. The realization that these surrounding ants were an intelligent species comparable to humans sent involuntary shivers down their spines.
Could it be… that their abduction into the forest wasn’t orchestrated by that woman or any human, but by the ants themselves? Or more precisely… by their Queen Ant?
After more time passed.
Through the thinning mist, Sylvestre and Martina’s eyes fell upon… a massive, somewhat dilapidated castle.
Both froze in stunned silence.
A castle?
What was a castle doing in such a place?
While they stood transfixed, the ant column continued moving relentlessly forward.
They soon drew near the castle.
Upon approaching, other sights diverted their attention from the imposing structure.
First was the sheer number of ants…
Even from considerable distance, the ant population multiplied dramatically, with ant figures visible in every direction.
Beyond a central pathway that appeared deliberately maintained, numerous holes pockmarked the ground before the castle, with ants streaming in and out continuously.
Why so many ant monsters… and all those holes?
Must be an underground nest.
They’d passed several such openings along their journey.
Damn… had the Granville Monster Forest fallen under complete ant dominion?
But what truly staggered Sylvestre was the sight before the castle – enclosures fashioned from tree trunks…
Was that… a livestock pen?
Despite their journey’s many shocks, this unexpected development still managed to astonish them.
The area was divided into sections, each containing different monster species – goblins, Granville Wolves, yellow-haired pigs, and even what appeared to be an adolescent long-tusked brown bear.
Worker Ants moved methodically through the pens, tossing in vegetation as feed while the monsters approached docilely to eat – behaving like thoroughly domesticated animals.
Sylvestre and Martina recognized the fence-tending creatures as Worker Ants.
Numerous Weak Ants and Military Ants stood guard around the perimeter.
Were they… keeping watch over these captive monsters?
The ant tribe was actually raising monsters and had even established a properly functioning farm…
Their faces filled with disbelief, the two were finally led to the castle’s massive gates. At this moment, they finally averted their gazes from the farm to examine the castle entrance before them.
Flanking the gates stood two Iron Armored Ants and Acid Ants.
"Are they… the gatekeepers?" one wondered aloud.
"So this castle truly has been taken over by these ants…" the other murmured.
Having witnessed the farm, they now fully understood these ants possessed intelligence rivaling the human race. This realization made the castle’s occupation by the ant tribe somewhat less shocking.
Moreover, since these ant creatures were intelligent monsters, certain things began making sense. Like why the ants had chosen to capture them alive rather than kill them outright.
Sylvestre’s expression darkened. "The leader of these ants – the Queen Ant – must want something from us," he reasoned silently. "And since they’re intelligent creatures… if we can meet their expectations, we might survive this."
Clutching this slender hope, the two were escorted into the castle.
…
Upon entering, the rest of the ant contingent dispersed, leaving only their six-antennae escort: two Earth Digging Ants, Dig One, Dig Two, and Iron One – still carrying the two humans.
The six ants promptly brought their human captives to the castle’s underground level. This area bore witness to daily deliveries of bloodied monsters from the ants’ hunts, leaving both the twin rows of cells and the surrounding floors perpetually stained with blood.
Fresh blood mingled with dried stains, and despite regular cleaning, the thick metallic scent of blood hung permanently in the air. While the gory floor unsettled the prisoners, they could endure it.
What truly terrified them were the monsters imprisoned in the cells. Many were unrecognizable, but those they could identify were all formidable Class B or higher monsters – any single one capable of annihilating multiple villages or threatening entire towns.
Now these terrifying creatures lay mutilated and dying in their cells, much like the human captives themselves. The Earth Digging Ants unceremoniously dumped the trembling pair into an empty cell before departing.
Other Ant Clan guards stood watch over the imprisoned monsters, though their presence was almost unnecessary – even if the monsters escaped their cells, none could flee the castle grounds.
