Chapter 336

Chapter 336: Eleventh Ant Nest

But speaking of which… The rate of Experience Value growth while staying near the dragon’s lair has noticeably accelerated. Could it be due to the higher concentration of magic essence in the air here?

Hmm… Perhaps the exceptional quality of this Magic Stone Vein is indeed linked to the abundant magic essence.

Ah, though I personally can’t sense this supposed acceleration in Experience Value…

Army Lady and Lvzi seem more attuned to it.

After all, I’m already at Class S, Level 30. Slaying Class A monsters might barely contribute to my progression now—how could I possibly perceive any automatic growth from merely staying in the lair?

Still, since the passive Experience Value gain here surpasses what we observed at Foggy Castle…

Constructing another dwelling adjacent to the dragon’s lair becomes essential!

In fact, why not replicate the villa design from my previous life?

Nostalgia lingers for that former residence.

Though solitude often brought unease in those days, everything changed after Huangmao’s arrival.

Speaking of which—though Huangmao maintained her spiritual possession throughout the Earth Dragon battle without manifesting physically, the parasitic state evidently drained her vitality.

When the possession lifted post-combat, she retreated listlessly to a shadowed nook within the lair, remaining bedridden for days. I tended to all her needs, meals included.

Ah, I digress.

Concurrent with the villa’s construction, we established a new subterranean ant colony beneath both structures.

Precisely so—the Eleventh Ant Nest!

From this eleventh hub, we’ll gradually expand our exploration radius across the forest.

Flossie’s dragon lair likely marks the forest’s central point, leaving western and northern regions as our next frontiers.

Common sense suggests the Earth Dragon Clan represents this woodland’s apex predators. Future expeditions should encounter no equivalent threats…

…

…

Meanwhile, on the first floor of Foggy Castle…

Old White paced before the frost-rimmed window, agitation evident in his restless steps and frequent glances beyond the glass.

What exactly transpired those prior days?

Since their perilous arrival in the Granville Monster Forest before winter’s onset, tension had gnawed daily at him and his twenty-four workers.

They’d ventured into the Death Fog Zone—a region even seasoned adventurers avoided—for purposes that chilled their blood:

Not to restore some noble’s estate, but to renovate a castle commandeered by ant monsters!

True, these creatures had shown surprising restraint after conquering the town—punishing criminals, aiding paupers… yet monsters they remained.

Merely contemplating the ants’ dreadful power sent shivers through Old White’s frame.

What defense had mere human craftsmen like himself against such beings? Lambs entering a wolf’s den indeed!

Yet the ant monsters displayed genuine harmlessness… and against all odds, an authentic castle stood here! Aged and weathered, yes—but undeniably majestic.

Upon laying eyes on Foggy Castle, Old White stood frozen in awe, while the workers trailing behind him gasped in wonder, their previous trepidation dissipating completely in that moment.

Having lived for decades, none had ever witnessed such architectural grandeur – even Lord Simon’s estate paled in comparison. The opportunity to restore such a fortress was undeniably an honor. Moreover, the profound sense of accomplishment upon completion promised its own rewards.

When Old White regained his senses, he discovered they’d already completed their repairs. Yet no sooner had they finished than came startling news from the ant tribe: they were to become permanent construction staff for these insectoid monsters at Foggy Castle, no longer serving Lord Simon…

Thus they were compelled to remain. With the ant tribe now ruling Aowenduo Town outright, refusal wasn’t an option. Though resentful, they could only resign themselves to misfortune.

Just as they began lamenting their fate, the humanoid ants presented employment terms including wages and holidays. Payment and leisure time? From monsters? Their astonishment deepened upon hearing the specifics – terms surpassing those of Lord Simon himself, with higher pay, more vacation days, and full room and board. Grudging complaints softened considerably.

Their duties proved lighter here than under human nobility. Gone were the days of being dispatched to various aristocratic manors – now they simply maintained a single castle through periodic inspections. Yet psychological strain weighed heavy, living amidst an ant colony where even the smallest among them measured half a meter long. Those formidable mandibles promised no mercy, and the constant comings-and-goings of ant-folk through castle corridors kept nerves perpetually taut.

During work hours, several Worker Ants shadowed their movements – allegedly to study construction techniques, though the humans suspected surveillance. How could insects comprehend architecture? While technically free during off-hours, the workers dared not venture beyond the castle grounds.

Days passed in this uneasy coexistence until the colony mobilized en masse. Soon after, earth-shaking roars echoed through the Fog Zone. The mere sound sent waves of primal dread through the workers – the ants were waging war.

Old White immediately grasped their peril: defeat meant certain death in this monster-haunted mistland. When silence finally fell, streams of ants began hauling gory remains into the castle. Victory? The foreman’s relief proved short-lived – those countless roars suggested survivors. Yet he dared not inquire.

Days of anxious waiting brought them to this moment. As Old White brooded in the corridor, footsteps approached. From around a corner emerged a stunning girl of fourteen or fifteen winters. Recognizing her, the foreman bowed hastily.

“Miss Worker Liquor.”