NOVEL NEXT Chapter 295 The Locust Swarm 2
Some locusts were crushed instantly, their innards smearing across the barrier, but the others were truly resilient as they twitched back to life after hitting the ground, wings shuddering before they rejoined the swarm… only to slam themselves against the barrier again and again until they finally ceased moving.
As Addison racked her brain for a solution, she glanced at Elric, hoping he might provide some guidance, but he was far too consumed with maintaining the barrier, pouring every ounce of focus into keeping it from shattering.
Lance stood on guard, muscles taut, prepared to intercept the swarm should the worst happen. Zion, Levi, and Maxwell had already taken their positions at the front line, too, bracing for the moment the barrier might give way.
That left Addison at Elric's side, forced to hold back her questions. She knew better than to distract him; he was the linchpin holding the barrier together. If his concentration slipped even for a second, everything would collapse.
Seeing this, Addison's stomach churned. She tried to peer beyond the barrier, but the splattered blood of the locusts obscured her view. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to look around instead.
It was clear how much effort the mages had poured into driving the swarm back this far; the devastation behind them and the desolate state of the land were proof enough. The vegetation had already suffered greatly, and Addison realized the swarm had likely been deprived of food for too long. That starvation could explain their violent attempts to break through.
But a worse thought gnawed at her. Even if the locusts were contained again this time, what would happen once they had nothing left to devour inside the barrier? Would they turn cannibalistic and start feeding on one another while the females continued laying eggs, multiplying endlessly?
If that happened, if their numbers grew while their behavior turned even more vicious, her people would be facing a threat far more dangerous than what stood before them now.
Thinking of this, Addison clenched her fist. The possibility was almost certain. If she remembered correctly from her readings in the library, locusts were not only pests that devoured crops and vegetation, but once they stripped the land bare, they would begin turning on one another, and even small animals.
In the worst case, when their numbers surged to unprecedented levels and the vegetation could no longer sustain them, the swarm would grow desperate enough to attack larger creatures as well.
Before that happened, they needed to deal with the locust swarm as soon as possible. Just then, Addison noticed more warriors arriving from within the pack's territory, even the patrols had been recalled, leaving only half their number to guard the borders while the rest rushed here to help.
'Damn it, this isn't good… With the border patrols thinned out, those people who tried to attack us might seize this chance to slip through. We have to finish this quickly before anyone takes advantage of the situation,' Addison thought grimly.
She immediately called over the nearest warriors, and five of them stopped in front of her. "Please, gather as many straws and rotting vegetables as you can find around the pack's territory. Get others to help, bring as much as possible."
Though the warriors didn't understand her plan, they obeyed and sprinted toward the farms. Addison then hurried toward Zion, Maxwell, and Levi. Seeing her approach, the three men broke from the line of defense and came straight to her.
As soon as Zion, Maxwell, and Levi reached her, Addison spoke firmly. "Help me monitor the inside of the barrier. Circle the perimeter and check if the locusts are concentrated only on this side. Look for any areas where their numbers are thinner, or, ideally, where there are none at all."
Her words made Zion pause, his expression tightening as he pieced together her intent. "Addie… are you planning to open the barrier and go inside?" His brows furrowed deeply, his voice laced with disapproval. "I won't allow it."
Addison shook her head firmly. "We don't have the luxury of being picky with our plans. This is the only option we have right now. If it works, we might be able to calm the swarm long enough to relocate the people, crops, and livestock to safety before moving forward with the biochemical solution."
"But if the locusts keep raging like this, we won't even have the chance to evacuate; we'll be pushed to use that biochemical around living things when we aren't even sure if that thing can be used around living beings without causing death. We have to try." Her eyes blazed with conviction, and though Zion's hesitation was clear, he couldn't argue. He had no better solution to offer.
"Then let me go in," Zion countered, his tone unwavering. "I'll carry out your plan. I don't want you in danger, Addie. Just wait for me out here, I won't back down from this."
But Addison had her own purpose. "That won't work. I need to go inside myself, I have to see the situation with my own eyes. There are things I need to check," she insisted. Her gaze didn't waver. "If you're that worried, then I'll ride on your back. Just run at your top speed and make sure we get out safely together."
She wasn't backing down. Addison knew she couldn't let Zion and the others shield her from every danger; doing so would only make her dependent and weak, and that wasn't an option. Without her wolf, she was already at a disadvantage.
That only meant she had to work twice as hard, and in order to achieve that, she needed to balance her reliance on her mates while sharpening her own vigilance and strength.
Too much dependency on her mates would only dull Addison's vigilance and make her weaker. She was supposed to be a warrior, and a true warrior couldn't rely solely on others.
How could she grow stronger or gain experience if she stepped back and let her mates do all the work? There were times to let them take the lead, yes—but there were also times when she needed to stand on the frontlines herself.
Seeing her unshakable determination, Zion realized he couldn't persuade her otherwise. With a heavy, defeated sigh, he finally nodded. "Alright… but on one condition. You must cling to me tighter and not let go."
Though he was completely bare from shifting into his human form, Addison's mind was too preoccupied with the dire situation to notice, or even care about, Zion, Maxwell, and Levi's nakedness.
Her focus was fixed entirely on their next step. With a silent exchange, the three men nodded at her, then at each other, before shifting back into their wolf forms. In unison, they darted off, racing around the perimeter of the barrier to scout for a potential opening they could exploit to get inside.
After the three left, Addison approached Elric and laid out her plan. At first, Elric opposed it just as strongly as Zion and the others. But once he fully understood what she intended to do and who would accompany her inside, he fell into deep thought, even as part of his mind remained fixed on sustaining the barrier.