Clown Game
Chapter 327 - 314: Mother Bug (Part 3)

Chapter 327: Chapter 314: Mother Bug (Part 3)

The crowd had an extremely organized division of labor. Some people sorted the food materials that were carelessly thrown on the ground and placed them on the "food piles" wrapped in secretions. Those sticky substances resembling saliva probably served as preservatives. Another group meticulously wrapped the food in thick, gelatinous material and carried it to Mother Bug’s side, stretching half their bodies into its mouthpart to feed her, one after another, without much interruption. This formed several long lines of people. The people behind Mother Bug didn’t need much mentioning either: transporting, arranging, incessantly. Ants incessantly came from the various tunnels around, bringing all sorts of food, dropping it on the ground, where it was then picked up, everything well-regulated like a perfectly cycling machine which, when compared to humans, seemed even more suited to this world.

By now, Chen Xiao’s speculations had largely succeeded. He had almost predicted the ants’ method of productive labor and the enslavement of humans for feeding and transporting ant eggs, among many other habits. Moreover, he had led his team successfully to Mother Bug’s nest. Now, the target was right before their eyes.

All that was left of the plan was one last minor step, which was to kill Mother Bug.

Yeah...so simple!

Chen Xiao even felt somewhat smug about the accuracy of his wild guesses. Then he looked up at the dense swarm of ants above and glanced at the four "armored tank ants" fully armed around Mother Bug. He blinked his eyes.

At this moment, this group of humans had already joined the work phase. Chen Xiao picked up a small object resembling half a human’s ribcage and mockingly moved closer to Bai Xiong.

"You know... just take out the one in the middle, and it should be fine. You won’t have a problem, right?" he whispered, his face full of anticipation.

Bai Xiong looked at Chen Xiao as if he were a fool..."If you want to die, go by yourself."

"...Hmm...not very friendly," he murmured under his breath.

At this time, Song Xuan also came over. "I have a grenade, but I’m not sure if I can bring it in."

"Great, you’re so capable, you’ll definitely succeed. Go for it!" Chen Xiao said annoyingly.

"Such a simple task should be a breeze for you, why don’t you go?"

"Enough!" Bai Xiong interrupted sternly. "Now is not the time for fooling around."

While saying that, he gestured with his eyes toward Mother Bug in the distance.

"Look... they’re checking again!"

Song Xuan and Chen Xiao turned around, just to see a few gigantic ants in front of Mother Bug repeatedly extending their pole-thick antennae, carefully scanning every passing human.

"They’re looking for anyone who might have broken free from control. If we get too close, we’ll be discovered."

Seeing this, Chen Xiao also quieted down a bit. "That means, bringing the grenade in won’t work," he muttered, frowning. "What about just throwing it? No, the success rate is too low. Those gatekeepers look tough, and if those wings can actually lift them, both the speed and the power are unpredictable. If it fails, it probably just means a death sentence."

He then looked toward Song Xuan again.

"Can you do it?"

The implication was clear, suggesting that Song Xuan rush in with the grenade, explode it first, and think later.

Song Xuan shook her head definitely. "I don’t know, but I don’t want to try."

"Hmm...okay then!" Chen Xiao nodded and said. While they could banter back and forth, actually sending someone on a suicidal mission was a different story.

"Then we only have one option left, to take a gamble!" Chen Xiao declared.

Although he hadn’t specified how to gamble, the other two had already understood.

This wasn’t a difficult method to think of. It merely involved hiding a grenade in a random piece of food, placing it on the ground, and waiting for some controlled fool to carry it inside; then, with a "bang", all would be peaceful.

The biggest instability in this plan was... if those big guys found out... it would be all over.

However, no matter what, this was the best method at the current stage. Most of the Foundation’s people were opportunists; in such harsh conditions, there was no reason not to try.

Therefore, the three quickly divided the tasks and easily created a "food bomb," placing it far away on the pile of ingredients wrapped in secretions. Afterwards, they all pretended to be hardworking volunteers, toiling away for the community.

Before long, a human, clearly long-controlled and struggling on the edge of death, wobbled over to the pile of ingredients, picked up the "bomb," and then, with a vacant gaze, turned and walked toward the Mother Bug.

These three guys from Giggling Bird all slowed down simultaneously, keeping an eye on the man through their peripheral vision.

The man walked mechanically, like a robot, along a predetermined route to the Mother Bug.

And, as usual, a giant ant’s antennae swept over him.

Suddenly!!

The entire ant colony went silent; all people and ants froze in place as if time had stood still.

A shock ran through Chen Xiao and his two companions’ hearts. "Oh no!!!"

But not daring to do anything, they all hastily stopped all their activities.

Meanwhile, one of the giant ants quickly approached the man, its huge antennae flailing up and down, the fuzzy filaments at the tips brushing against the man’s body like a feather duster.

The man just stood there quietly, not even blinking.

"Hiss hiss hiss—"

"Hiss hiss hiss—"

A few insect noises emanated from the abdomen.

Chen Xiao and the others couldn’t understand the sounds, but they all knew their plan must have been discovered. Immediately, three giant ants closed in, surrounding the Mother Bug in their midst, their wings buzzing behind them, seemingly ready to charge and obliterate any target at the slightest movement, while the remaining giant ant, more directly, smashed the man in front of it to smithereens with its spike-covered forelimbs, hurling a segment of his corpse like a cannonball at another person nearby, who, with a dull thud, was sent flying far like a piece of wood but still did not move.

Seeing this, the hearts of the three chill by half. They were fortunate they hadn’t acted impulsively. If they had charged violently inside, their fate would undoubtedly have been worse than that of their brother.

But although they had avoided being smashed to bits, it didn’t mean they were safe. The insect shook its forelimbs and leaped forward quickly, jumping into the midst of the people; its antennae extended like two iron bars, exerting tremendous pressure, slowly and meticulously scanning each human.

This feeling was terrible, like during an exam when the proctor had already caught someone cheating, walking slowly toward you with a scanner, and you couldn’t move at all, only able to wait for your inevitable demise.

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