NOVEL NEXT Chapter 80
Chapter 5: Venomous Insect Valley
“My grandfather has been trailing behind with the main group, so for now, I am the one in charge here.”
I stepped forward and responded assertively to the man’s question.
“Excuse me, honorable one. We are from the Four Heavenly Houses.”
“The Four Heavenly Houses? What brings your clan to this deep jungle in Yunnan?”
His gaze shifted between Yo-hwa, who held my leash, and me, as if he was trying to figure us out.
It seemed that having a serious conversation in this state wouldn’t work, so my older sister stepped up to explain.
“I am Hua Eun, a direct descendant of the Tang Clan. My father is the clan head. We have no intention of trespassing on the land of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace. We were merely catching venomous insects in the jungles of Yunnan.”
My sister offered an explanation and an apology, and as she took the lead, Yo-hwa and my sister stood beside me.
The man’s eyes widened in astonishment at the sight of two identical older sisters.
“Twins? People from the Central Plains regard twins as an ill omen; how could this be…?”
That’s not great…
However, the man quickly regained his composure.
“Oh, pardon my rudeness. Little One, I am the Black Wolf of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace. I understand your reason now, but this here is the land of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace, so you must turn back.”
“This is the land of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace, is it?”
“Yes, this is the Venomous Insect Valley.”
The term “valley” has various meanings in the Central Plains language, generally referring to a narrow gorge, gorge, or narrow path.
I turned to look at the hillside behind me at the man’s words.
If this ‘Venomous Insect Valley’ did indeed signify a gorge or valley, it meant we were in a rather dangerous situation.
With the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace and the Army Ants on our tail, it was indeed risky.
Moreover, if our way out was blocked by a narrow path leading to the mountains behind us, that sounded like a severe predicament.
“Hua Eun…”
I glanced at my sister, who seemed to have a worried expression, as if questioning whether we should warn them. She nodded in agreement.
I addressed the man, who seemed to be the leader.
“Black Wolf, before you leave, I must warn you that a great calamity is approaching from behind.”
“Calamity? Warning?”
The man’s head tilted in confusion as he regarded me, trying to wrap his mind around my words.
Pointing toward the hillside, I said, “It would be better for you to see for yourself.”
At my words, the man gestured to his subordinates, and two warriors hurried to the top of the hillside, returning with expressions of disbelief.
“This—is!?”
“Deputy Commander! You must come and witness this yourself!”
Glancing at my face for confirmation, the man hurried up the hill.
My sister and I followed close behind, and as we reached the top, we heard the man’s incredulous shout.
Under the red glow of sunset, swarms of ants shimmered beneath a gigantic tree, busily forming a mound.
“What in the world is that!?”
His expression was one of shock at the bizarre sight.
Beep!
Soon, the man collected himself and pulled out a flute; from deep within the Venomous Insect Valley, men carrying lanterns and beasts began pouring out in a frenzy.
I couldn’t help but sneak a quick question to my sister about the sheer number of beasts. Apparently, the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace was the foremost breeding organization for pets in the Central Plains and beyond…
Is this my kind of crowd?
It turned out they were just a different breed, yet they shared a similar admiration for animals.
*
According to my sister, the folks from the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace belonged to the Outer Martial World and weren’t particularly kind to those from the Central Plains, yet they graciously led us into their territory.
We had requested a detailed explanation about the ants that were surrounding outside.
“So this is the Venomous Insect Valley of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace?”
“Members of the Tang Clan, it’s been a hundred years since your last visit.”
As we entered the Venomous Insect Valley, what first caught our eye was a vast circular clearing.
A large, sharp rock stood tall in the center of this enormous green space, reminiscent of several football fields merged into one.
The glint of predator eyes scattered throughout the clearing indicated that the wolves the Black Wolf had brought earlier were likely lounging around.
In the dusky twilight, we passed through this massive clearing, into another smaller but still sizable space.
This area was already illuminated by lanterns dotted around.
The buildings of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace, harmoniously integrated with nature, and the people living there formed a picturesque village.
It resembled two joined circles.
The outer rim of the clearing was flanked by jagged rocks that towered like a screen, shielding the valley from view.
“What we just passed through is the grazing ground for our beasts, and this area is where the people reside. Venomous Insect Valley is shaped like an hourglass.”
“Does that mean the back is also surrounded by rocks?”
“Indeed. The rear is fortified by mountains, making it a natural fortress.”
In essence, what the Black Wolf described was an hourglass-shaped valley bordered by steep cliffs, which could become a stronghold if the entrance was sealed off.
However, that would only work against humans; with an oncoming Army Ant swarm, we would be like trapped rats inside a bag.
I don’t have a good feeling about this. We need to explain and leave ASAP.
I wasn’t sure about what could happen, but we would give them a warning and then promptly exit. I figured they would likewise escape quickly enough, thinking nothing much could go wrong.
Following the Black Wolf’s guidance, we entered the largest building.
Inside was a round table, and lounging in the center was a heavily built man reclining against a leopard-furred chair.
Two black leopards on either side of him bared their teeth as they spotted us.
Grrr!
Alongside him were several men and women, each holding various animals.
“Welcome. I am the Palace Lord, Fierce Tiger of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace. And these are our Elders.”
“Nice to meet you, Palace Lord. I am Wei So-ryong from the Tang Clan.”
“It’s an honor to meet you. I am Hua Eun from the Tang Clan.”
The Palace Lord’s gaze turned to Yo-hwa, who had followed us here, but upon hearing she couldn’t speak, he nodded.
“She can’t speak? I see. Regardless, welcome. I understand that our guests have not been able to be entertained because of those creatures outside.”
“You don’t need to worry about it.”
After exchanging introductions, a platter was served before us—not tea, but a few of the Army Ants we had captured.
A couple of crushed ants lay on a tray as the Palace Lord inquired about their nature.
“Do you know what these are and how they ended up here?”
Nodding in agreement, I began explaining our situation.
“We came to Yunnan to catch venomous insects.”
“Hmm… I’m aware that your clan occasionally comes to Yunnan for venomous insects. And then?”
“Initially, we intended to go to the location known as Venomous Insect Valley, but we found it devoid of any venomous insects.
In addition to venomous insects, not a single living beast or bug was in sight. At first, I thought it might be some gigantic venomous insect, so while investigating the desolate land, we stumbled upon these creatures and followed them here.”
“What on earth is this? It’s definitely an Ant, but I’ve never seen one this large before.”
The Palace Lord examined the leg of a red ant, his expression filled with confusion.
“This is the first time we’ve seen this Ant in our clan. So I named it the Army Ant because it marches like a military unit.”
“Army Ant…”
The Palace Lord mulled over the name for the oddity of the Army Ant.
He immediately sought my opinion.
“Although it’s your first encounter, the Tang Clan must know much more about toxins and venomous creatures than we do. So, what should we do?”
What should we do? We need to flee!
Although each individual ant may seem insignificant, the real terror lies in their sheer numbers.
Driven by pheromones, they charge forward without fear of death, attacking everything in their path.
Thus, when opposing such a swarm, there is but one choice.
Escape.
“You must evacuate your people before dawn. The ants will remain still during the night, but at daybreak, they will pour into this valley.”
In my past life, I had heard from the natives in territories inhabited by Army Ants that when the ants marched into a village, the residents simply retreated for a time.
If such tiny ants could cause that much disruption, then these massive Army Ants would unquestionably leave us with no choice but to retreat immediately.
“Evacuate, you say?”
The Palace Lord looked puzzled at my evacuation suggestion, while other Elders shouted in disbelief.
“Evacuate? Abandon our homeland of three hundred years?”
“Are we really going to escape just because of ants!?”
“Though their jaws are sharp, we can take them down easily with clubs. Evacuating is excessive…”
I could tell the Elders, emboldened by ignorance, wouldn’t listen if they hadn’t witnessed an Army Ant feeding frenzy.
Hastily, I elaborated further.
The last thing we needed was to wind up on the menu for those ants.
“If the Army Ants are only after food, they won’t touch anything else, so the buildings and such will be safe.
I learned from Black Wolf that if the entrance is sealed, there’s no escaping. Thus, I strongly recommend you evacuate before the entrance is blocked.”
However, it seemed like there was a belligerent Elder among them. A woman scoffed, her bravado apparent.
“Ha! Palace Lord, while the number of ants is considerable, if you give me five hundred Flying Wolves, I can wipe them out. They may be many, but they aren’t anything special.”
With thick eyebrows and sun-kissed skin, this younger-looking Elder appeared quite feisty.
Given her reference to “Flying Wolves,” it seemed she identified herself as a werewolf, but it was obvious that her pride would lead to destruction if an overconfident beast faced off against an Army Ant.
I addressed the Elder, using a sympathetic tone.
“If those Flying Wolves are as you say, they would fall victim to the Army Ants in no time.”
At that, she glared at me incredulously.
“Are you implying that I’m underestimating the Flying Wolves of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace!? Palace Lord, allow me to demonstrate the might of our Thousand Wolves of Destruction against this outsider!”
With the woman’s furious shout, my sister’s urgent warning broke through.
[So-ryong, what you’re saying is disrespectful!]
Casting around nervously, I noticed the Palace Lord’s expression wasn’t particularly pleasant as I stood up and gestured to those around.
“I meant no disrespect. However, I’ve heard that the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace cares deeply for its beasts. If your beloved animals were to be harmed or killed, wouldn’t that be a heartbreaking outcome?
These Army Ants charge forward without fear and once they bite, they will not release their grip. Even if you win, your losses will be significant.”
At my explanation, the woman sneered again.
“Hmph! I hear that Central Plains people treat their own dogs as meals. Yet here you are pretending to care about the beasts we raise.”
Wait, what? You think I’m anything like you!?
It was one thing to accuse me of being different, but to doubt my dedication toward animals struck a nerve.
That was the core of my identity!
So, determined and with a resolute voice, I confronted the Elder.
“What you just said is deeply disrespectful to me. I, Wei So-ryong, will prove that I speak nothing but the truth!”
“Prove it?”
“Huh? Prove it?”
Both the Palace Lord and the Elder raised eyebrows as I rolled up my sleeves.
“Come forth, everyone!”
-Scurry!
-Creeeeak?
At my command, Chao, Hyang, Bin, Seol, and Bing, who had been clinging to my body and my sister’s skirt, climbed onto my shoulders, and Yo-hwa revealed herself from her hiding spot.
-Kiiish!
This elicited gasps of amazement from the people of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace.
“T-This is! An Overgrown Centipede!?”
“A Lizard!”
“A creature bigger than a man!”
By showcasing Chao traversing my body, I said again, “These creatures are also dear to me. I fully understand how painful it is when beloved pets fall ill or suffer.”
The woman who had previously scoffed now stared at me in disbelief and asked, “T-Those are…?”
Now that Wei So-ryong had clearly demonstrated his genuine affection for pets, the Palace Lord smiled and nodded approvingly, and the gaze of the Elders shifted towards me with newfound warmth.
For those who nurture their pets share a kindred spirit.