Chapter 142 – White Insects
Translated by Idontreallycare
On this massive layer of ice, only Shao Xuan could be found.
In all four directions around him, there was only silence.
Normally, the environment here was covered in fog, obscuring the vision, and from time to time, various cries could be heard. Maybe the sounds were caused by the movements of giant creatures. Or maybe it was the act of them gnawing on the columns of ice.
Yet now, the cries that echoed in the past have now disappeared.
This had left Shao Xuan with a feeling of desolation.
On the other hand, after the disappearance of these giant eagles, Shao Xuan decided to explore this layer of ice. Upon arrival on this block of ice, due to the surrounding giant eagles, Shao Xuan did not dare to walk freely. Now, as the eagles have even flown away, he did not need to be this mindful.
Even if his vision had been obstructed, capitalizing on when the fog scattered, he had already made a mental map of his surroundings.
He only had to be a bit careful as this wasn’t anything major.
Walking to the peak of this ice sheet, because of his habits, he made very little sound. Adding to the fact that his current surroundings were absolutely silent, subconsciously, Shao Xuan had made sure he made little to no sound.
Even though his movements were very cautious, his speed was not slow.
Approaching the precipice where the giant eagles roosted, Shao Xuan decided not to go any further and instead proceeded horizontally.
To make sure he would not fall into a chasm, Shao Xuan had moved away from the edge.
Although Shao Xuan had calculated the vertical height of this peak, the horizontal distance could not be found out. Even if it had been when the fog had scattered, Shao Xuan would still not be able to determine such.
On the ice layer, the footprints of various giant creatures could be seen, and the ice columns they gnawed on had marks, some large, some small.
On this trip, Shao Xuan had also seen quite a few gigantic ice columns. Naturally, these ice columns would attract the attention of the giant eagles, as seen by the marks that were left on them. The majority of these marks were on the top of the columns. Approaching the bottom of the columns, only a few marks could be seen, if any at all, which showed that the giant eagles prefered not lowering their heads to eat.
As Shao Xuan proceeded, he suddenly caught scent of a jeering sound. Although it wasn’t loud, due to the silent surroundings, this sound was quite obvious.
This noise wasn’t that of the giant eagles. When the giant eagles moved around, they carried around with them a heavy feeling, as if they didn’t have to be fearful of anything. At this moment, this sound caused Shao Xuan to immediately become cautious.
As the sound approached him, Shao Xuan hid behind an ice column, wary of the creature in the fog that was approaching closer and closer.
Gradually, the silhouette of a long creature grew clearer and clearer.
Snake?
No, this wasn’t a snake.
This creature was not at the length of a snake. Furthermore, the movement of this creature was different. Upon a second glance, this creature seemed like an insect.
Stone worm?
In mountainous areas, stone worms are a frequent sight.
Yet quickly, Shao Xuan realized he was wrong.
This creature actually wasn’t a stone worm. Rather, it looked like the larvae of butterflies.
This insect was thicker than Shao Xuan’s thigh. Approaching four meters long, this creature was completely white. It had a round head, and connecting the head to the body, there was a “neck” that could constrict and contract.
Briefly looking at it, it seems that apart from it being a larger size, disregarding that they seemed to be butterfly larvae, there were no differences than that of a stone worm. But taking a closer look, Shao Xuan discovered many differences.
Through Shao Xuan’s experiences, the butterfly larvae he had hunted had three abdomens with four pairs of feet and one tail. Yet this worm in front of him had three segments with three pairs of feet and three tails.
The abdomens and the tails had hooks, while their feet had suction cups. Previously, the sound that Shao Xuan had heard was the worm crawling across the ice layer.
What a strange worm.
Shao Xuan didn’t expect that he would encounter this creature in such a frigid environment. Generally speaking, these worms should live in a warmer, more temperate climate.
Not being able to determine if this worm could attack, Shao Xuan did not make any movements. He just stood behind the ice column and observed the white worm that was slowly crawling closer.
After crawling a bit, it stopped. Using its feet and tail to prop its front section up, it appeared as if it recognized something and then proceeded to crawl in that direction.
The worm actually changed its direction to proceeded directly towards the ice column that Shao Xuan was hiding behind.
Had he been discovered?
Becoming alert, he noiselessly put his hand on the handle of his sword.
However, the worm stopped in front of the ice column, and Shao Xuan started to hear crunching sounds.
Feeling the tremors travelling across the column, Shao Xuan knew that the worm was gnawing on the ice.
The worm’s goal was merely the ice column, and it had not discovered Shao Xuan.
Between Shao Xuan and the worm, one was hiding on one side of the column, and the other was gnawing the ice on the other side. Shao Xuan did not poke out his head to observe, but simply relied on his hearing and the tremors reverberating through the column to confirm the worm’s actions.
The crunching sound continued for roughly two hours as the worm switched locations in search of another ice column. Following the worm, at times when there was no column to hide behind, as long as he remained cautious, the worm wouldn’t take note of him. In its eyes, it did not care for anything but food.
Shao Xuan discovered that the ice columns the worm chose were all thick, because those columns were also long, similar to the ice columns the giant eagles prefered. But instead of the preference for the top of the column, this worm prefered to gnaw on the bottom of them.
Could it be an obsession with cleanliness? Or is it that it feared the scent of these giant eagles?
Shao Xuan did not know.
But after confirming its preference for food, continuing to follow the worm, he displayed more skill.
Observing the ice columns that the worm gnawed on, Shao Xuan discovered that it ate extremely fast, without losing in speed to the giant eagles. Only, its bites were much smaller, but much faster, so the crunching sound was even more concentrated.
As the light grew dimmer and dimmer, only as it approached evening, did the worm stop its search for food as it crawled back home.
Shao Xuan continued to follow it.
The further he proceeded, the fog grew less and less dense.
At this time, Shao Xuan could see this white worm even clearer.
Where did it come from? Where was it going now?
Upon reaching the edge, the worm raised its body, then proceeded down the steep incline. The worm raised its front section, then its rear, two parts interchanging. While going down, the worm resembled an arch bridge.
It’s abdomen and tail hooked onto the layer of ice and rock to prevent itself from falling down the steep incline. Looking down, Shao Xuan found the worm’s speed to be fast and steady. To the worm, this steep incline was the same as a flat surface.
Taking note of the sky’s color, Shao Xuan did not follow it, but rather turned back, gnawed on some ice and fell asleep.
The next day.
Once again, Shao Xuan caught sight of the worm. Following yesterday’s route to the ice sheet, it once more went out seeking food.
Shadowing the worm, on the ice layer, Shao Xuan had not found another creature. Regarding such a peculiar looking specimen, Shao Xuan decided on observing it abit more.
Every day, just when the sun started to rise, it would climb up the ice layer in search of ice columns not touched by the giant eagles. With every column that it gnawed on, it would only gnaw one-third of the column and would never snap it in half.
After five days of observation, Shao Xuan planned on following it after sunset.
Shao Xuan could easily traverse this steep incline as well.
The conditions on this incline were better than at the peak of the ice layer as the fog was less dense here. Back when traversing the apex of the ice layer, Shao Xuan had to stick tight to the wall as the ledge was extremely thin, and many times, it seemed like he was so high up, he could actually touch the sun.
As a precaution, Shao Xuan had left a lot of distance between him and the white worm. But soon, Shao Xuan found that when traversing the steep incline, the worm’s speed vastly outstripped his own, and he quickly lost track of it.
After thinking for a bit, Shao Xuan once again returned to the ice layer.
Instead of following the white worm, Shao Xuan had decided upon traversing the steep incline when the worm was out looking for food.
The worm would leave behind marks where one could move across, and as long as Shao Xuan followed such marks, he could find out where the worm went every sunset.
On the incline where the worm crossed, there were deep holes from the worm’s hooks.
Taking into account the worm’s constitution and how it moved, finding such marks was quite easy. Adding the fact that it was daytime, the task grew even easier.
From the peak, Shao Xuan continuously proceeded down. From time to time, fierce winds would blow through the crevice bringing with it countless shards of ice crashing onto Shao Xuan. Shao Xuan could only helplessly proceed onwards. Furthermore, he had to display the utmost care while moving across. If he grew careless. and from this height fell down, then death was inevitable.
While flying up the mountain, Cha Cha and the giant eagle had used half a day, but after half a day of climbing, Shao Xuan had proceeded no more than one-third of the distance.
Only at this point, the marks that the white worm had made going down had halted and instead, they proceeded to move horizontally.
Following these marks, he continued to look for more and finally, on top of a protruding block of stone, he discovered a nest padded with many threads.
Shao Xuan knew that some species of worms would spit out threads and use them to connect leaves together to make a “leaf nest”. Perhaps in this area, they would also make such a nest. When they needed to rest, they would hide in the nest and only when the sun rose did they come out to search for food.
In the mountainous areas surrounding the tribe, there would regularly be such occurrences. Sometimes, by peeling leaves apart, insects could be seen hiding inside.
And now, Shao Xuan found that the white worm had indeed made a nest here.
The threads were completely transparent and did not reflect light. If Shao Xuan had not followed these marks, he would never have discovered these elusive threads.
After touching and stretching them, he found that they were pretty good. Shao Xuan’s first impression was that these threads were perfect for traps, but he didn’t know the durability of these threads.
But right now, Shao Xuan would not take them. Only after observing the worm would he do anything. After all, if the worm became alarmed, nothing good would come out of it.