The completely jade-like Xiao White Snake swiftly slithered across the ground, deftly slipping into a grand fork of the ant nest through a crack in the ground.
Without thinking twice, the Water Python opened its mouth to swallow the tender and juicy ant eggs.
These were the special ant-flavored bursting cakes its master had treated it to.
It was a living harvester.
The Water Pythonâs body was small, but it opened its mouth wide, recognizing no kin.
The white-jaded little snake moved swiftly; even if it lounged around aimlessly, over time it became a distinct beast unlike any other.
The Water Pythonâs belly gradually swelled, and even with its powerful digestive system, it couldnât rival the ant nest sprawling beneath the entire city.
The Water Python remembered its masterâs instructions: if it couldnât eat anymore, it should break open the ant eggs with its mouth.
Black liquid splattered out, and the larvae were soaked in the dark blood.
The mutated Ant Queenâs eggs didnât require special care; once placed well, they would hatch and become excellent helpers for the Ant Queen ruling the nest.
The Water Python moved so fast it left afterimages, its sharp teeth lingering on each ant egg for just a moment before the eggs burst apart.
The Water Python wreaked havoc beneath the city, yet no Worker Ants came to stop it.
Indifferent to all, the Water Python bit without hesitation.
In March, snakes have gradually ceased hibernating, and by the hot summer, they will be even more active.
The Water Python bit and imagined simultaneously.
When summer comes, will its master find it many, many little brothers?
The more it thought about it, the more excited the Water Python became.
Opening its bloodthirsty mouth, it harvested ant eggs all the way.
It also hadnât forgotten the task its master had entrusted: to find the Ant Queen.
However, as it wandered through the entire ant nest, it hadnât seen a single lively ant, let alone the Ant Queen.
Three hours later, the Water Python wiped its blackened mouth with its tail and transformed into a white flash, slipping into the car.
Inside the car, Bai Xiqin and her two companions were playing poker after their meal.
They were playing "Fight the Landlord," and Bai Yifanâs face was covered with densely pasted white stickers.
Bai Yifan looked at Bai Xiqin and Leng Yebai with a deeply aggrieved expression.
He was too miserable.
If Bai Xiqin lost, neither he nor Brother Leng dared to stick paper on her face.
Leng Yebai had never lost a game.
He was the only one who would be stuck with stickers if he lost.
Truly... words canât express it.
As Bai Xiqin pasted more stickers on Bai Yifan, the Water Python jumped onto Bai Xiqinâs wrist.
"Master, I couldnât find the Ant Queen."
The Water Python drooped its head, feeling slightly embarrassed.
Having not completed the task, it felt like it wasnât its masterâs most favored pet anymore.
"No worries!"
Bai Xiqin stroked the Water Pythonâs head, her hand getting smeared with black liquid.
She frowned slightly and wiped it off on Leng Yebaiâs arm without a word.
The white casual wear was instantly marked with a black paw print.
Leng Yebai indulgently extended his other arm.
Without a trace of politeness, Bai Xiqin coiled the Water Python up and wiped it on Leng Yebaiâs sleeve.
Leng Yebai: ...
"Master, I swear I searched every underground corner, but I still couldnât find it. Could it be that the Ant Queen isnât underground?"
The Water Python, coiled up by Bai Xiqin, struggled to make a sound from inside Leng Yebaiâs sleeve.
Bai Xiqinâs fingers paused slightly.
Itâs possible.
The ants had mutated; they were not only powerful but could have become much smarter too.
Bai Xiqin brought the Water Python back into the space and then released Qin Yuan.
"My dear master, did you miss me?"
Qin Yuan wore a lewd smile and looked at Bai Xiqin with great eagerness.
"Hmm." Bai Xiqin nodded calmly.
Leng Yebaiâs fingers tightened slightly, casting a chilly glance at Qin Yuan.
"I need your help with something, could you help me find the Ant Queen?" Bai Xiqin asked kindly.
Even though the little creatures in her space had limited intelligence, they were still quite handy when in use.
"Sure thing!" Qin Yuan eagerly nodded and asked Bai Xiqin, "Master, do you have anything belonging to the Ant Queen?"
It needed to sniff the scent.
Qin Yuan, resembling a bee, was quail-sized, with a potent venomous tail and highly sensitive to smells.
Bai Xiqin pointed at the black liquid on the ground outside the car window and said, "The Ant Queen is the ant that produced this stuff."
Qin Yuan nodded excitedly, swiftly darting outside the car window to inhale deeply over the black liquid.
After sniffing, it quickly flew back inside the car, settling steadily on Bai Xiqinâs shoulder.
"Master, Iâve caught the scent; I just need to fly around once, and I can locate the Ant Queen," Qin Yuan reported enthusiastically from Bai Xiqinâs shoulder.
"Alright, letâs go together!" Bai Xiqin decided not to let Qin Yuan fly out alone, "Xiao Fan, drive!"
The waiting would be long; departing together would be far less dull.
"Sure thing!" Qin Yuan lifted its head slightly, wearing a proud look.
Look, see.
It knew it was the masterâs favorite pet!
Bai Yifan ripped all the white stickers off his face and tossed them out the window, then floored the accelerator.
The car roared and sped frantically forward.
Indeed, driving was what eased his mind.
Playing Fight the Landlord with Sister and Brother Leng was just asking for abuse.
The car window was left slightly open, with Qin Yuan perched on Bai Xiqinâs shoulder, breathing in and out.
Its expression was one of utmost seriousness.
The car raced down each street, knocking zombies lured by its passage far and wide with the lawless Bai Yifan driving.
Qin Yuan remained unresponsive, its nose twitching with utmost concentration.
Bai Yifan cruised each street, but still, Qin Yuan remained unresponsive.
It seemed the Ant Queen wasnât within the city.
Thus, Bai Yifan kept the pedal down and sped toward the outskirts.
He drove countless laps, nearly covering every nook in the vicinity, yet Qin Yuan remained unresponsive.
"Is the Ant Queen hidden that well?" Bai Yifan scratched his head.
Theyâd already checked around; only the neighboring city was left unexplored.
"You didnât check around the safety base," Leng Yebaiâs voice rang clear and cold.
Bai Yifan paused.
Inherently, he had skipped over the safety base, subconsciously assuming it was his residence and unlikely to harbor the Ant Queen they sought.
"Head back to the safety base," Bai Xiqinâs eyes were profound and contemplative.
The safest place could be the most dangerous, where perhaps the Ant Queen might be concealed, or at least nearby!
"Got it!"
Bai Yifan slammed the pedal, sending the car into a wild U-turn toward the safety base.
The sky had darkened a bit, with zombies clinging to the car, and the headlights had been shattered.
Bai Yifan wasnât worried about crashing; as long as he saw shadows ahead, heâd ram right into them.
Progressing along the road late at night, surely they were zombies.
Bai Xiqin leaned slightly against Leng Yebaiâs shoulder, her eyes half-closed, thinking back to past events.
She tried to recall what she knew about the mutated ant colonies from memory.
Everything she knew about the mutated ant colony was second-hand, only aware that their outbreak was catastrophic.
Despite pondering for a long time, nothing useful came to mind.
"Brake!"
Leng Yebaiâs urgent voice echoed in Bai Xiqinâs ear.
"Bang!"
A flamboyant motorcycle flew through the air, the youth riding it twisting in a 360-degree aerial spin before crashing hard onto the ground.
Much like Mr. Baiâs airborne spins, a flawless three-sixty in mid-air, not a fraction off.