Post-apocalyptic world with Bees

Chapter 53

“I never thought I’d be able to get wild honey…”

As noted before, if honey is just coffee, there’s a reason why the wild honey equivalents of Seokcheong, Mokcheong, and Tocheong are considered the TOP.

It’s because the quality of the raw honey itself is incomparably top-notch.

Of course, there have been cases where people have made it artificially, but Sung-hyuk is well aware of that.

It seems that his 24 years of life as a beekeeper have not been in vain.

In addition to the incomparable benefits of naturally produced wild honey, there is also a huge price disparity.

“I never thought I’d be able to solve a lifelong problem like this.”

Natural.

In some cases, such as the tens or hundreds of years old quartzite that can only be obtained from the rocks on the side of the cliff, it was especially valued for its beneficial effects on one’s stamina.

As a result, competition was so intense that even wealthy people in various countries made reservations among themselves, so Sung-hyuk had never tasted naturally produced honey in his entire life, and the number of times he had eaten mokcheong or tocheong, which he discovered while studying the ecology of bees, was only a handful

So whenever he found them, he would often consume them willy-nilly, but now it’s different.

Thanks to the unique combination of the modification of the world, and a special kind of bee species called Architect.

The synergy of these two things meant that he now had a self-sustaining supply of wild honey.

*Gulp.*

“Ah, I’m already salivating.”

Those who have eaten it know exactly how delicious it is.

Remembering the taste of wild honey from the few times he’d had it in his life, Sung-hyuk immediately set the architect to work.

*Buzz!* *Weing~~*

Then, as if to ask Sung-hyuk where he would like to have it built.

The bee circles around Sung-hyuk.

Apparently, due to the effect of the ‘adaptive wilderness hive’, the type of wild honey one can get depends on where the hive is built, so he has to choose well.

“Well…… still, Seokcheong is probably the best.”

Mokcheong and Tocheong are not bad, but Sung-hyuk still had some regrets about the natural Seokcheong, which he had eaten the least.

“This location would be perfect.”

After using scouting bees to select the most suitable rocky area within their territory, Sung-hyuk finally decided on the best location,

[The Imperial Topaz Architect Corps Commander Bee (★★★★) uses the skill, Wild Beehive Construction (Lv.1)].

[10,000 Imperial Topaz Worker Bees are brought to the construction].

[All mana is consumed].

[Wilderness Hive applies region-specific benefits and adaptability].

[Begins construction of the Wild Beehive – Seokcheong (★★★+). Imperial Topaz Architect Corps Commander Bee gives instructions to the worker bees].

[22 hours, 32 minutes remaining until completion]

*Bzzzz~!!*

*Bung!* *Bung!*

As if it had been anticipating.

The Architect rushes towards the place while giving instructions to the surrounding worker bees with powerful beating of its wings.

As if to display the beauty of nature, he watches in wonder as the hive is gradually shaped by utilizing mana and the byproducts of both the Architect Bee and the worker bees’ bodies in an empty space.

“I have to go and do my own job, so please bear with me for a while.”

Despite the temptation to continue observing the mysterious sight, it was time to leave. 22 hours and 32 minutes.

Sung-hyuk couldn’t afford to lose nearly a day of his time, so he returned to the bee farm to do his own work as well.

* * *

A day, more or less.

A short time, maybe a long time, probably less.

He was engrossed in the work of the beekeeping farm that had now become his daily routine.

[The Wilderness Beehive – Seokcheong (★★★+) has been completed].

[Imperial Topaz Architect Corps Commander Bee gives instructions for the next stage of the operation].

[Bees begin gathering honey into the hive!]

Notification that the wild beehive is complete.

But is it an establishment that must go through several processes to obtain something so precious?

Simply finishing the hive was not enough to obtain the Seokcheong.

[Imperial Topaz Worker Bees (★★+) have been collecting honey, Current honey status 0.0001%]

[The Imperial Topaz Worker Bees (★★+) have been collecting honey. Current honey status is 0.0002%]

[The Imperial Topaz Architect Corps Commander Bee (★★★★) has collected some honey. Current honey status is 0.0011%]

…..

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[Wild Beehive – Seokcheong (★★★+)]

※ Wild Beehive is a one-time special item that is destroyed when you harvest it.

※ Because it was created for a specific purpose, it has very weak defense and durability.

* Category : Other

* Currently working bees: 10,001 (1 Imperial Topaz Architect Corps Commander Bee / 10,000 Imperial Topaz Worker Bees)

* Current Honey Status: 0.0023%

* Health: 350

* Armor: 7 Resistance: 2

* Durability: 30 / 30

* Description: A wild, ★★★+-rated hive crafted in a special way. If it is filled to the brim with honey, it will yield valuable, high-grade honey. However, if it is destroyed, it will yield low-grade honey.

※ Caution! Wild Beehives emit a distinctive sweet honey smell that stimulates the appetite of nearby monsters. It increases the respawn rate of nearby monsters and attracts them (this effect becomes stronger the more honey it contains).

______________________________

Wild honey is essentially honey that is collected in hives in the wild.

When the hive is full, it is not something that can be refilled over and over again like a regular hive,

It’s a kind of one-time gathering, where the whole hive is ripped out and consumed.

Well, that’s the part that Sung-hyuk knew from the beginning, so it didn’t matter much, but there was a problem.
“I guess nothing is truly for free.”

A strange world indeed.

Do the otherworldly monsters know the taste and benefits of wild honey?

The monsters seem to crave it as if it were a delicacy.

Moreover, the defensive capabilities of the wild beehive were woefully low, so it was essential to protect it.

“This should not be an issue.”

It wasn’t like Sung-hyuk was a weak player.

With three queens and one princess, Sung-hyuk’s bee army is now growing at a faster rate than expected.

The resulting surge in enemies isn’t a bad thing either.

“I’ve learned the trick already, of minimizing the sacrifices of the bees.”

The sheer number of bee venom gathered quickly outstrips the number of bees.

Thanks to this, Sung-hyuk has managed to craft a variety of weapons and traps with Cheonsu.

Moreover, thanks to the battle method of using undead bees and monsters spawned by Lily, he no longer avoids battles as much.

On the contrary, when monsters appear in large numbers, Sung hyuk happily welcomes them.

Not only would there be loot to be gained from hunting them down, but their corpses could be recycled as undead.

“Huh?”

But did someone else read Sung-hyuk’s thoughts?

[Rubigem Scout Bee (★★★-) performs a reconnaissance].

The timely notification of a scouting bee that triggers when something is about to happen.

And then, no.

[Dungeon, You have discovered the Foothills Orc Village (★★+)!

[Dungeon, You have discovered the Carapace Elder Wasp’s Home (★★★-)!

[Field Boss Monster, Giant Crescent Black Bear Level 25 (★★★+) discovered!]

[You have found the Field Boss Monster, Giant Crescent Black Bear Level 24 (★★★+)!

Discovery notifications for Dungeons and Field Boss monsters resound as if they have been waiting for him.

And it doesn’t just stop there.

[A quest is given to you based on your level and karma].

[Special Quest, Stop the Rampage of the Giant Crescent Black Bear Couple, has been assigned to you.]

______________________________

[Special Quest: Stop the Giant Crescent Black Bear Couple].

– Stop the Field Boss monsters, a pair of Giant Crescent Black Bears, that have appeared in the zone. -.

* Time Limit: 3 hours

* Reward: EXP, 20,000 Coins, ★★+ Item Ticket

______________________________

“Hehe…….”

The Quest from the Land of Milk and Honey was granted at the same time, as though it was a buy-one-get-one-free event.

It was odd that the quest had been delayed today, but was the system waiting for this?

“Is this place really being haunted?”

With the birth of three elite bee classes in a row, numerous dungeon and field boss monsters have appeared.

Whether these monsters would be a blessing or a curse depended on the role of Sung-hyuk and the Bee Army.

* * *

For 24 years, Sung Hyuk has been a bee enthusiast.

Naturally, Sung-hyuk has encountered many different species of bees during that time, and some of the people who have gotten to know him have asked him the following question.

（”What do you think about wasps? They’re insects in the hymenoptera family, after all.)

Wasps are part of the same order.

Their numbers are much larger than honeybees, and they have some commonalities that make them valuable for ecological research.

In fact, they were also known for their selfless behavior of sacrificing themselves for the good of the group, and Sung-hyuk had even positively considered them worthy.

But the wasps.

Those thoughts were wiped from his mind, especially after he began to witness the real-time sight of the long-lived wasps attacking the bees.

“……How dare these things attack my cute little bees!”

In fact, the distinction between beneficials and pests applies differently to people and nature.

Wasps are beneficial in some ways, pollinating flowers and hunting down mosquitoes and flies, but sadly, they are pests.

Protein and sugar are the staples of wasps.

Because bees have both, they were always destined to be the main target of wasps.

Although they can act as predators, wasps are a problematic species that massacre the best kind of insect “bees”.

As a result, man is the natural enemy of wasps, as the joke goes.

That’s right, a cranky beekeeper.

But what about Sung-hyuk, who has been a bee fanatic for 24 years?

“Burn them all down with fire.”

Sung-hyuk’s eyes glow with murderous intent.

The urge to immerse the entire dungeon, the dwelling of the Carapace Elder Wasp, in fire is overwhelming,

[A Player attempts to whisper].

【Best Woman : Sung-hyuk, this quest asks you to stop a couple of giant half-moon bears. Aren’t you in trouble? Sister Soo-hee told me that she was given the same quest.】

【Honeybee: I know where they are, so I’ll tell Seokchul right now, and he and Soo-hee can wait in the barn at the farm. You don’t have to worry about Cheonsu because I’ll take care of him.】

【Best Woman: Okay! Okay! Be careful, big brother!】

There is an order to everything.

When Sung-hyuk saw that the quest was given not only to him, but also to all four residents, he realized that he had to deal with the immediate task at hand.

He’s well aware of the seriousness of the situation, as the scouting bees continue to probe and scout.

“Does this mean I’m going to make up my own judgment about the land that flows with milk and honey?”

Somehow, this seems puzzling.

The foothill orcs and elder wasps have yet to discover the bees, and are quietly surveying the area.

But the Bears, as Field Boss monsters, have a wide range of perception?

With their mouths salivating as if they could smell the honey, the two giant bears are rushing toward Sung-hyuk’s farm, crushing any obstacles in their path with their bodies.

【Honeybee: Cheonsu, from now on, set traps wherever I tell you. Use the most powerful ones I’ve ever given you. Okay?】

【Explosions are an art : Hehehe! Leave it to me, big brother!】

Another creature that has historically been the enemy of honey bees.

Sung-hyuk decides to show the honey-loving bears the bitter taste of his new Dark Galehound Venom Trap, which he and Cheonsu have developed.