Chapter 168: Infiltration

The area covered by the insect moss was vast. Had it not been located within such a secluded valley, it likely would have been discovered much sooner.

Wu Qingsong, accompanied by Ling and Liuli, cautiously moved across the moss, using the walking corpse of the spiderperson as camouflage. The number of insectoids in this region was not as high as expected. It took nearly five minutes before they encountered another spiderperson. This time, Wu Qingsong directed the undead spider to tackle it and pin it down, while Ling exploited the opportunity to send an unnamed substance into its body, allowing Ling to infiltrate its body with her ability’s substance they hadn’t formally named yet, killing it from within.

Securing its soul fragment and converting it into another undead took more time and effort than previously.

But for Wu Qingsong, who was undeterred by backlash, it was a matter of persistence and enduring pain. Eventually, they prepared a relatively intact spiderperson carcass. Wu Qingsong sliced open its abdomen, cleared out the now-useless innards to create a hideout space, and then pierced many tiny holes through the stomach with his sword to observe the outside and allow them to breathe.

“Wu…” Liuli desperately shook her head, looking pitiful.

The cat girl was naturally inclined towards cleanliness and was utterly reluctant to enter into that foul-smelling cavity. However, upon Wu Qingsong’s insistence, she finally climbed in with tears in her eyes.

“I’ll join you in a bit,” Wu Qingsong could only say that.

Soon after, Wu Qingsong and Ling identified another target and repeated their process, securing two spiderpeople corpses by noon to aid in their infiltration of the insectoids’ ranks.

For added security, Wu Qingsong spent more time creating a total of four corpses. This strategy ensured that if there were any slip-ups and their cover was blown, he could at least use them to distract a portion of the enemy, either to facilitate their escape or to create an opportunity for a direct assault.

The plan was fraught with risk. The undead controlled by Wu Qingsong had no capacity to communicate with living spiderpeople. If any attempted to interact or issue commands and received no proper response, the deception would be quickly uncovered.

Nevertheless, this was still much better than them having to fight their way through.

Due to the limited space within the spiderpeople’s abdomens, Wu Qingsong and Liuli had to share one, while Ling occupied another. They agreed upon specific actions for Ling to take in various scenarios. Ling kept the substance she controlled compacted and attached to the abdomen of the corpse she was hidden within, ready to act at a moment’s notice if necessary.

After taking a break to eat and rest for a few hours to regain their strength, they once again squeezed into the spiderpeople’s corpses. Under Wu Qingsong’s guidance, they ventured deeper into the valley.

More spiderpeople emerged in front of them, some with disproportionately long legs and small bodies, looking quite odd. Others boasted robust, furry limbs, and some even donned armor on their vulnerable parts. A few spiderpeople were about the same size as mites, exhibiting remarkable speed as they darted around the fungal mat like dogs. There was also a species of spider insectoids taller than elephants, bristling with terrifying spikes.

However, these giant spider insectoids were rare. They only saw one.

The most common were still the type in which they were hiding. Perhaps due to this, they managed to reach the valley’s depths undetected.

The fungal mat led to a colossal pit, where many spiderpeople were seen crawling in and out. It was only when Wu Qingsong directed the corpses closer that he observed a vast cavern below, its walls covered in spider silk and adorned with strings of glowing, spherical orbs.

In the cavern’s center, several creatures distinctly different from the spiderpeople stood at what seemed to be an altar, speaking to a large dark red crystal.

Wolfpeople.

Wu Qingsong’s heart sank.

Were these the Norwei wolfpeople resistance Arvin had been looking for? From their position and demeanor, they appeared to be in league with the spider insectoids.

They had indeed chosen this path.

Wu Qingsong sighed in his heart.

He could imagine the reasons behind their actions. Even with the power to awaken the potential of the beastwomen and have an indestructible body, the deeper his understanding of the Elven Empire’s strength grew, the more he sometimes felt despair. For these survivors of a fallen country, what other choices did they have? Especially under conditions far harsher than those faced by the Silver Moon Wolf Clan? With no visible hope of restoring their homeland, perhaps this pushed them to seek the power of the insectoids.

Yet, he couldn’t condone their methods.

Insectoids, creatures beyond communication, were intelligent beings, yet fundamentally different from the beastpeople.

Perhaps only a few within the insectoid hierarchy, akin to the insectoid Queens, had true thought. The antpeople and others like them, with only rudimentary instincts, were semi-intelligent beings controlled through certain means.

In a way, they bore a resemblance to undead creatures. However, these voracious and bloodthirsty insectoids could be even more dangerous than the undead.

After all, history had seen examples like the Kingdom of Batiz, where the dead and the living had coexisted harmoniously. In contrast, the only result of the insectoids’ appearance on the surface was slaughter and death.

The toll of the Esola Hills incident was vividly remembered.

As far as Wu Qingsong knew, records of the last insectoid surge indicated over five thousand documented disappearances, including registered merchants, hunters, craftsmen, and civilians. Considering the countless slaves, who have never been regarded as people with rights, the death toll might well surpass fifty thousand.

Even though Marquis Osaga had arrived in time, and a powerful Elven Mage eradicated the antpeople, the number of insectoids killed was significantly lower than that of the beastpeople. From the standpoint of casualties alone, the insectoids hardly suffered. This outcome was profoundly unsettling.

If these wolfkins indeed be linked to the insectoid surge in Esola, he could never forgive them.

He proceeded, cautiously maneuvering the spiderperson corpse in that direction. The density of spiderpeople in this area had grown considerably, often forcing physical contact with other spiderpeople, which heightened Wu Qingsong’s sense of vigilance.

Then, Liuli gently tapped him.

“Wu, look there,” she whispered softly.

Through the opening in that direction, Wu Qingsong saw several figures wrapped in spider silk, suspended from the cavern walls like mummies. Unmistakably, these were the houndpeople who had disappeared in previous attacks.

Rage instantly flared within him.