Inside a certain toxic gas manufacturing plant within the borders of East Gorteau.
Bodoro, clad in heavy armor and dual-wielding shields, was rampaging through a group of soldiers armed to the teeth.
Neither bullets, grenades, nor rocket launchers could inflict even a shred of damage upon him. In less than ten minutes, every soldier responsible for guarding the factory had been flattened.
Meanwhile, Kalluto, the cross-dressing master of fans, utilized grenades and explosives scavenged from the soldiers to blow up the machinery and raw materials together.
As the entire workshop became engulfed in rolling thick smoke and raging flames, Bodoro asked bluntly, "This is the last one, isn't it?"
"Yes. Mission complete. we can withdraw," Kalluto responded without hesitation.
"This was much easier than expected. Aside from a few Chimera Ants hiding in the shadows, we mostly just encountered resistance from human military units. It seems Baise and Illumi's side succeeded as well; otherwise, we might have been greeted by tanks and artillery."
With that, Bodoro pulled out his phone and sent a short message indicating the mission's success. He then vanished into the vast night alongside Kalluto.
…
With the destruction of the toxic gas plants and the forced defection of numerous high-ranking officials and generals, the Royal Palace's external communications were completely severed. Almost overnight, the Chimera Ants lost control over the country.
In their simplicity, the ants failed to understand the complexity of human governance and political activity. It wasn't something that could be achieved merely by controlling one or two supreme leaders.
Quite the opposite!
The supreme leader of a nation is often merely a spokesperson elected by the country's largest domestic interest groups. If he fails to serve those interest groups well, it is only a matter of time before he is ousted or meets a violent end.
Unfortunately, the Chimera Ants, whose identities and statuses were fixed from birth, could not grasp this. They naively believed that by controlling the top leader, they could control the entire nation forever, assuming that both civilians and bureaucrats would choose obedience over resistance.
Furthermore, Allen's appearance had made the three Royal Guards afraid to leave the palace, let alone the King's side. As a result, they were completely trapped.
"Damn it! That man is as troublesome as expected. His appearance didn't just deal a heavy blow to the King's spirit and will; he's cut off our control over this country as well."
Neferpitou killed the now-useless fake Ming Jol-ik with a single punch, her eyes reflecting a complex mix of rage and fear.
She never dreamed that the opponent could so easily destroy everything she had painstakingly planned, and even manage to checkmate them in return.
"Recall all Squadron Leaders, Officers, and soldier ants immediately. The humans will likely be here soon," Shaiapouf said, his face grim.
"But what about the King? His spirits are very low; he won't even speak to us," Menthuthuyoupi asked with deep concern.
"Let the King calm down in private for a while. Something like this... even I find it difficult to accept, let alone the King. That the Queen, and even we ourselves, were tools intentionally created by humans to achieve some purpose..."
As Pouf spoke, his entire body trembled uncontrollably, his pupils filled with madness and tyranny.
If he could, he would kill every human in the world right now to wash away the unspeakable disgrace brought upon the King.
Youpi nodded slowly. "Understood. I will continue to guard the King's side and never leave. But that alone isn't enough. That human possesses an ability to hide his form and presence. We have no idea when he might return, or if he's been lurking nearby this whole time."
"Use mines and bombs! Turn the entire perimeter of the palace into a dead zone that even a mouse couldn't cross. That way, no matter what ability he has, if he doesn't know the locations of the mines, he will inevitably trigger an explosion."
Pitou, ever the quickest learner among the Royal Guards, immediately provided a solution, ironically using weapons invented by humans.
While the Royal Guards reached their private consensus, the King of the Ants sat amidst the ruins he had created with his own hands. The previous arrogance and dominance had vanished, replaced by an intense sense of loss and dejection.
He stared at the game piece in his hand and asked in a toneless voice, "What do you think 'humans' are, exactly?"
"Eh? Humans?" Komugi looked bewildered.
"Yes. It's fine; speak your mind. I will not hold it against you," the King promised without thinking.
Ever since learning that his existence was not an accident but the result of a meticulously designed human plan, he had fallen into a state of profound self-doubt and negation. Previously, he had believed he was the "Chosen One," destined to be born for the conquest of the entire world.
Komugi hesitated for several minutes before finally saying with uncertainty, "Humans are complex and contradictory creatures. We have a side capable of kindness, a sense of justice, and sympathy for the weak; but we also have another side that is tyrannical, cruel, and filled with endless desire. To be honest, in my heart, you aren't much different from most humans."
"Oh? Do you know who I am?" A glimmer of curiosity shone in the King's eyes.
"Yes, I know. Because the man who broke in already spoke your identity: the King of the Ants," Komugi answered simply.
"Then, are you afraid? You should know that I am a monster that feeds on your kind." The King looked up, staring into the girl's unfocused eyes.
But Komugi shook her head gently. "No, I'm not afraid. To some extent, you are likely just a victim of the infighting between humans. In truth, humans love to be self-righteous and repeat the same mistakes over and over. To kill one another, we have invented countless terrible weapons. Among those weapons, you are neither the most dangerous nor the most terrifying in power."
"Hahahaha! Interesting! You truly are interesting! Then tell me, what is the most dangerous and terrifying weapon your kind has ever invented?" the Ant King asked with a laugh.
For some reason, when the girl said those three words, I'm not afraid, the loss and dejection in his heart swept away, and he felt instantly lightened.
"There are too many. For example, bombs that can destroy an entire city in an instant. Or chemical gases that, once inhaled, cause one to die a slow, agonizing death. Years ago, this country's military used gas to execute a group of rebels, simply because they tried to cross the border to escape to another country."
Komugi calmly shared the inside information she knew. As a nation ruled by a military dictatorship of the few, East Gorteau never lacked a dark side; in fact, the dark side was the social norm.
The King's lips curled upward slightly as he fiddled with the piece in his hand. "In that case, let those humans come. This King shall wait for them right here! Just like a game of Gungi, no matter how dire the situation, there is always a chance for a comeback as long as the final moment hasn't arrived."
As the words left his mouth, he slammed the piece onto the board with a snap.
"Check!"