Chapter 285: Trojan Horse?

“We need to find the ruler of this place and figure out a way to the surface,” Wu Qingsong said.

The beastpeople had always regarded insectoids in the same way—they were incomprehensible, uncommunicative monsters. Most insectoids didn’t even possess independent intelligence, serving only as puppets under the control of a queen.

To certain individuals in power, this state might not seem so bad. It might even inspire research into turning slaves into similar creatures. But for the vast majority of people, insectoids were terrifying creatures to flee from or eliminate as quickly as possible with reinforcements.

However, Wu Qingsong now had a different perspective. At the very least, the Crimson Demon Lord understood the surface dwellers’ common language. As for the wolfpeople who had tricked them into the teleportation array, they were either controlled by insectoids or replaced by them. Regardless, they had clearly encountered insectoids capable of communication.

He earnestly hoped that such intelligent insectoids existed in this area.

Following the claw marks left on the ground, Wu Qingsong and Nina soon came across some smaller insectoids. These creatures were busy tending to a patch of bug moss, shuttling back and forth in lines. They would disappear into the darkness to collect water and then return to spray it over the moss.

There were at least several hundred of them, each about the size of a small dog. After collecting water, their translucent bellies would swell to the point of revealing light through them, and they would move clumsily. Once the water was expelled, they would dart back into the shadows with astonishing speed.

Wu Qingsong and Nina weren’t afraid of these creatures, but he saw no reason to startle them.

“Over there.” He pointed to a spot further away.

In that direction, a few much larger beetles were moving slowly. These beetles had scythe-like mandibles and were methodically harvesting a patch of thriving bug moss. Around them were smaller insectoids scurrying to collect the severed stems and leaves.

This sight gave him pause. Were these large beetles a type of insectoid, or were they livestock raised by the insectoids? Regardless, these large beetles seemed like their best option if they wanted to infiltrate.

Keeping low, the two crept through the bug moss toward the beetles. The insectoids’ large eyes appeared almost useless for detecting movement. Instead, they constantly waved their long antennae to touch their surroundings and each other, much like ants.

Wu Qingsong guessed that their eyes provided only basic light sensitivity. Their primary senses likely relied on temperature, touch, scent, or pheromones, along with vibrations and sound.

Standing up, he waved his hand in front of them, but as expected, none of the insectoids noticed him.

Picking up a dried piece of bug moss, he threw it toward a nearby rock wall. The faint sound quickly drew the attention of a few insectoids, which hurried over to investigate. They carefully probed the moss with their antennae, raising their heads and spreading their mandibles as if searching for something unusual. After finding nothing amiss, they returned to their work.

“Fascinating,” Wu Qingsong muttered.

“What’s your plan?” Nina asked.

“Remember the Trojan Horse story I told you before?” Wu Qingsong said with a smirk.

Selecting the beetle furthest from the others, he carefully threw a piece of dried moss at it. However, the beetle didn’t react, seemingly uninterested. Instead, the smaller insectoids sprang into action once again.

Wu Qingsong was forced to use soul fragments to kill the smaller insectoids. Injecting a large number of soul fragments into the beetle’s body caused it to convulse violently. Its legs flailed uncontrollably, drawing more insectoids to the scene. Eventually, its brain couldn’t withstand the impact, and the beetle stopped moving.

After killing the surrounding insectoids, the area finally grew quiet.

Wu Qingsong and Nina climbed onto the beetle’s shell. Its exoskeleton was so tough that it was nearly impossible to cut through. Wu Qingsong had no choice but to enter through its mouth, using his short sword to carve out its internal organs piece by piece and toss them out. Eventually, he cleared a space large enough for both himself and Nina.

“It stinks…” Wu Qingsong grimaced, struggling against the overpowering odor. 

Nina, however, simply laughed and followed him inside.

The beetle’s mouth slanted downward from its body, making it easier for them to observe their surroundings. Wu Qingsong attempted to reanimate several of the smaller insectoids as guards and scouts. However, as soon as they came into contact with Nina’s silvery moonlight, their bodies began to dissolve as if corroded.

“Ah, I’m sorry!” Nina exclaimed.

“It’s fine. I didn’t consider that. Nina, your ability seems to counteract undead magic,” Wu Qingsong said.

Fortunately, he hadn’t tried reanimating the beetle they were hiding in, otherwise, all their efforts would have been wasted.

Once Nina deactivated her ability, Wu Qingsong reanimated a few more insectoids and finally reanimated the giant beetle. Under his control, it began to crawl deeper into the cavern.

Their unauthorized movements quickly attracted attention. Insectoids scurried over to investigate, using their antennae to probe the reanimated creatures. While they seemed to sense something amiss, they didn’t immediately attack. Instead, they crawled around restlessly.

Some even climbed onto the beetle’s back, tapping on its shell in rapid bursts. The sound was like a torrential rainstorm, possibly a form of communication. Unable to interpret it, Wu Qingsong could only drive the beetle onward.

As they ventured deeper, more insectoids appeared. The reanimated scouts were quickly attacked and torn apart by soldier-like insectoids, which resembled massive ants. The beetle itself was swarmed, with its legs pinned down and mandibles biting into its shell. Though it lost balance several times, the beetle’s tough exoskeleton protected it from real harm.

Despite the growing difficulty, Wu Qingsong pressed the beetle forward.

“This isn’t going as smoothly as I’d hoped,” he admitted to Nina, feeling awkward.

It was clear his Trojan Horse plan had failed. A direct confrontation seemed inevitable.