Chapter 129 – The Bone-Eating Ant Nest

Chapter 129 – The Bone-Eating Ant Nest

Cheng Yang was deeply intrigued by the Bone-Eating Ant attempting to escape. Based on his understanding of demonic beasts, unless they possessed considerable intelligence, they would never flee from humans, their mortal enemies.

*This ant must be special,* Cheng Yang thought. *It might even be responsible for the danger I just faced.*

The memory of his recent near-death experience sent shivers down his spine. It was something he never wanted to relive.

As soon as the ant broke free from its frozen state, it scurried away with surprising speed. However, Cheng Yang was faster. With a swift dash, he caught the creature in his hand.

The moment he grasped it, a searing pain shot through his hand, and he noticed his health points decreasing by 3 per second.

“This must be a late-stage Tier 1 Bone-Eating Ant,” Cheng Yang muttered, ignoring the pain. After a year of surviving the apocalypse, pain had become second nature to him.

The ant struggled fiercely, but its strength was no match for Cheng Yang’s grip. Taking advantage of the situation, Cheng Yang unleashed another round of ice spikes, eliminating the surrounding ants.

Looking at the struggling ant leader in his hand, Cheng Yang smiled. *This is an unexpected windfall. I was just planning to wipe out the entire colony, but now I’ve captured their leader.*

The value of the ant leader lay not in itself but in its nest. Demonic beast nests accelerated the reproduction of their species. By sacrificing the leader’s blood on the nest, Cheng Yang could maintain its reproductive capabilities, creating a sustainable source of demonic beasts for Phoenix Village.

Cheng Yang knew that as the apocalypse progressed, demonic beasts would increasingly form colonies, reducing the number of wild beasts. Having a controlled nest would provide a consistent source of spiritual energy.

Returning to the nest, Cheng Yang threw the ant leader onto it and destroyed it with an ice sphere. The nest absorbed the leader’s blood, glowing faintly before returning to normal.

*Problem solved,* Cheng Yang thought. *Now, we just need to set up a system to eliminate the newly spawned ants immediately.*

As he circled the nest, something caught his eye. “I knew these powerful creatures would have some treasure guarding them,” he said, picking up a strange object.

The pearl was a powerful tool, capable of dealing 100 damage per second for 10 seconds. While high-level bosses could counter it with area attacks, the pearl’s daily recharge made it invaluable.

*Even at Level 1, this is impressive. I can only imagine how powerful it will become after evolution,* Cheng Yang thought, though the steep evolution cost gave him pause.

Returning to Phoenix Village, Cheng Yang maintained a calm demeanor despite his lingering unease. He summoned Li Wanshan, leader of the Tiger Subduing Battalion, to discuss the nest’s management.

“This nest is a goldmine,” Li Wanshan said excitedly. “With proper management, we could generate over a thousand spiritual energy points daily.”

Cheng Yang cautioned, “Don’t underestimate the risks. We need to clear the surrounding area and establish a rotating guard system. Safety must come first.”

After outlining the plan, Cheng Yang felt a sense of accomplishment. The Bone-Eating Ant Nest would become a cornerstone of Phoenix Village’s strength in the days to come.

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