Chapter 80

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Chapter 80: Will Mom Lay Eggs?

"Mom, we’ve tallied the ant casualties."

"Mom… so many sisters died."

Little Tear looked crestfallen, her voice trembling on the edge of tears.

Lin Yu stretched her forelimbs to pat the despondent ant’s head while standing on tiptoe.

"Wah…"

*Oh no—she’s crying.*

Feigning nonchalance, Lin Yu turned to Red Pupil.

"The results?"

"2,233 ants participated. 550 dead. 323 critically injured or disabled. All survivors bear wounds."

Most casualties were Weak Ants and Military Ants, with a few Acid Ants. Even an Iron Armored Ant perished fighting the Class B Dead Spirit.

The staggering losses dampened Lin Yu’s earlier joy over acquiring powerful skills.

"Were they buried properly?"

"Yes. Other sisters assisted."

"Waaah…"

"Enough crying."

Red Pupil rubbed Little Tear’s large head with her forelimb, her soothing murmur gradually quieting the sniffles. She then addressed Lin Yu:

"Mom, how should we handle the monster corpses and Dead Spirit remains?"

"Monster count?"

"Nearly three thousand."

"Edible?"

"Some fresher ones died recently, but most show rot."

"Distribute the heavily rotted ones first. Preserve the rest."

*No pickiness allowed! Mom will make sure you eat them all!*

*Though Red Pupil and Little Tear get fresh portions—one slew the enemy general, the other guarded ours. Fair privileges.*

*Favoritism? Absolutely not!*

*And I’m* not *being stubborn!*

"As for the Dead Spirit…"

Lin Yu glanced at Miyoshi Mitsui’s decapitated skeleton.

"Bury it separately."

"Understood."

Red Pupil led Little Tear away by the forelimb.

…

Lin Yu later dispatched a team of lightly injured Iron Armored Ants, Acid Ants, and Military Ants to retrieve Worker Ants from the Second Ant Nest. Their skills were needed for both tunnel-digging and castle repairs.

She also ordered them to bring goblins as laborers for clearing rubble from the stone ruins.

After delegating tasks, Lin Yu surveyed the castle grounds.

With her children swarming nearby and the "Immortality" skill active, safety concerns vanished.

Few trees dotted the area, but crumbling walls offered potential future building materials.

After finding nothing noteworthy, she led a small team of Iron Armored Ants and Acid Ants into the castle.

Upon entering, the vast hall lay in complete disarray.

The floor was littered with rubble and dirt, stained with large patches of blood and sticky green acid.

Lin Yu mounted the back of an Iron Armored Ant and began exploring the castle with the rest of the ants trailing behind.

The corridors were numerous but equally covered in sand, stone debris, and dust, with shattered windows throughout.

The four-story castle featured a main entrance hall, a larger central hall, and a side hall on the first floor, along with rooms resembling kitchens and dining areas. At its center lay an overgrown courtyard.

The second floor contained more small rooms than the first.

The third floor mirrored the second in layout.

Lin Yu also discovered a basement housing two massive storage rooms, several smaller chambers, and two rows of cells—all relatively well-preserved.

While imposing from the outside, the castle’s interior told a different story…

Not a single room remained intact or furnished with basics like beds or wardrobes.

Only one large room at the end of a third-floor corridor stood partially cleared of debris, with noticeably less dust than elsewhere.

Lin Yu surmised this was Mitsui’s self-prepared bedroom, given the makeshift "bed" at its center—uneven wooden planks layered with thick dry grass.

No proper bed after all…

But better than sleeping in a cave.

Right! Time to sleep—must be midnight? Post-battle exhaustion weighs heavy.

A bath would be nice, but impossible under these conditions.

As for… other matters, those can wait till morning.

Hard to sleep comfortably with this belly… But I sense it! The next birth will surely bring a wonderful daughter!

…

Lin Yu had her daughters replace the hay before flopping onto the pile.

She gave final instructions to Red Pupil and Little Tear:

1) Store the 300+ salvageable weapons and armor (slightly rusted but still functional—Dead Spirits wearing them gained 1-4 Physical Resistance Ability) in the basement warehouse. Discard acid-corroded items deemed useless.

2) Move severely injured ants to the main halls on the first floor, station lightly wounded ones at the gates and beside critical patients.

3) Direct arriving Worker Ants and goblins to the side hall.

Satisfied with arrangements, Lin Yu closed her eyes.

…

Next morning.

Lin Yu awoke to two crimson eyes looming above.

"Did I startle you, Mom?"

"No…"

(You scared me half to death! Why watch me sleep? When did she even—)

"I woke recently too. Followed you up here last night."

"And last night’s tasks—?"

"Delegated to Little Tear."

Hmm?

Hmm!!

Little Tear sleeps more than I do! Dumping everything on her—how cruel!

But can she handle it alone? Worrisome…

"She’ll manage. This might cure her oversleeping habit."

"Hmm."

(Something feels off… Nevermind.)

Lin Yu connected her consciousness to the ant swarm.

The armor stockpile sat safely in basement storage. Severely injured ants rested securely in first-floor halls, their bleeding stanched. Worker Ants and goblins crowded the side hall—the latter trembling at bloodstained evidence of recent battle.

There are over a hundred goblins in total. Beside them, along with the resting Worker Ants, dozens of Military Ants and Iron Armored Ants are keeping watch. The largest Iron Armored Ant lies sprawled on the ground, apparently having fallen asleep.

So it really is still asleep…

But since everything’s been handled properly, that’s fine. Rest well.

Now then…

"Is Mom going to lay eggs?"

Absolutely not!

"Hmm…"