Chapter 93
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Chapter 93: Theft? It’s Equivalent Exchange!
"Shall we destroy this village, Mother?"
Eh?? Why suggest that…
Her placid tone suggested discussing mundane chores.
Hmm… Perhaps they perceive no distinction between slaughtering humans and forest monsters?
But wanton killing contradicts my principles! Moreover, this world lacks juvenile protection laws – let alone statutes safeguarding young ants.
Reckless attacks might alert the human race. Exposure of our ant identity could summon their armies and champions for extermination. Conclusion: temporary standby!
"No. Maintain surveillance without detection."
"Understood, Mother."
Lin Yu maintained her mental link with Stealth One while strategizing potential uses for this human settlement.
Primary objectives: human intelligence (obtainable through Jilly), crops, seasonings, and handicrafts. Crops proved minimally useful – ants couldn’t process flour into breads, and Magical Soil already provided adequate mushrooms/vegetables.
But existing baked goods? Different matter entirely… I crave those!
Seasonings became essential targets. Regarding handicrafts…
A carpenter’s residence displayed numerous functional wooden furnishings: chairs, tables, beds!
Acquisition methods? Currency? Forest resource barter?
Preposterous! Humans don’t trade with monsters.
Only one solution remained…
After returning home, Jilly remained indoors tending her mother. Dusk deepened as field workers retreated to their cottages, yellow lamplight briefly illuminating hundred-odd households before extinguishing.
At midnight’s depth, when all seemed asleep—
Shadowy figures darted through darkness.
They converged on the carpenter’s dwelling where furnishings lay exposed. Stealth One invoked "Magic Backpack," storing smaller chairs and table in extradimensional space. The remaining bed required physical transport.
Under pale moonlight, Stealth Three, Stealth Eleven, and Stealth Seventeen lifted the wooden frame. Their silhouettes receded into night while carrying the prize toward Foggy Castle.
Stealth One observed her sisters’ departure impassively before melting into shadows.
Then she effortlessly leaped up and slipped into the carpenter’s earthen wall. Maintaining the "Stealth" skill ensured her movements produced no sound.
The carpenter’s small courtyard was stacked with numerous tree trunks and unfinished wooden furniture.
The sheer quantity of wooden furnishings suggested they weren’t solely for village residents – there must be other nearby settlements or even towns.
After scanning the courtyard, Stealth One approached the carpenter’s door.
The door was barred from within.
Extending her forelimb, she abruptly jabbed at the door crack, simultaneously creating a large hole and splitting the interior wooden bolt with a single strike.
Though this impact should have created tremendous noise, the "Silent" effect of "Stealth" prevented any sound from occurring.
The gray ant calmly pushed open the door and entered.
The interior layout was simple – an entry space combining living area and kitchen, with two rooms on the left emitting snores that suggested bedrooms.
Stealth One went directly to the cooking stove where only a small jar sat nearby.
This must be the seasoning Mother mentioned.
She stored the jar in dimensional storage.
With a thud, she dumped several goblin and Granville Wolf corpses casually killed en route onto the kitchen floor.
Equivalent exchange.
Mission accomplished. Now…
As she prepared to leave, her gaze fell upon two additional rooms to the right.
Since I’m already here…
Perhaps more searching might yield items of interest to Mother?
Though taciturn, she firmly believed nobody understood Mother better than herself.
Were Mother in her place, she’d never return empty-handed.
Thus she investigated both rooms sequentially.
One appeared to be a shower stall containing a large water bucket, the other a storage room filled with farming tools, ropes, barrels and miscellaneous items.
A particular wooden barrel caught her attention – tightly sealed yet emitting a peculiar fragrance when approached.
Stealth One pried open the lid with her forelimb, intensifying the aroma.
…Could this be alcohol?
Though never personally encountered, her innate knowledge identified the barrel’s contents.
When reaching to dip her forelimb, she hesitated upon noticing dirt particles. Visiting the adjacent shower stall, she swirled her limb in the water bucket.
Satisfied with cleanliness, she returned to dip her limb in the barrel liquid before tasting it.
Bitter… with lingering sweetness.
The alcohol content seemed mild.
Developing a liking for the flavor, she re-dipped her slightly saliva-moistened limb for another taste before nodding in satisfaction.
Mother might appreciate this.
Re-securing the lid, she stored the alcohol barrel in dimensional storage.
Exiting the storage room, she thoughtfully added another Granville Wolf corpse to the floor before shutting the door behind her.
…
Next dawn
Western Village One buzzed with unusual activity.
The village’s sole carpenter radiated joy as he addressed gathered villagers:
"A miracle! Divine intervention!"
He gestured dramatically at five Granville Wolf and three goblin corpses in his hall.
"Though goblin meat tastes foul, it’s edible! Their teeth and hides fetch good prices!"
"Granville Wolf meat’s not only edible but delicious – commanding higher prices! Their pelts, claws and teeth surpass goblin parts in value!"
The carpenter couldn’t fathom why anyone would trade valuable monster carcasses for cheap furniture, particularly since light sleep made him sensitive to nighttime disturbances.
Such door damage should have awakened him instantly, yet he’d slept soundly through the night.
Only missing items were a salt jar and purchased barley ale barrel – their combined value dwarfed by the monster remains’ worth.
Baffled, he attributed it to divine blessing.
"If gods themselves favor my craftsmanship…" he reasoned, "…this tale will make my furniture coveted!"
Embellishing rapidly, he described divine voices and multicolored holy light conjuring monster corpses from thin air…
His fervent account momentarily stunned the villagers into awed silence.
