Seeing the new Demon Insects flying toward his herb plot, Qi Ping's face darkened instantly. It wasn't a coincidence! Two consecutive waves, both aiming for this specific location.
'What exactly is hidden beneath the Blood Ginseng plot?'
He had always been wary of the anomalies underground, which was why he hadn't dug them up. A stable, Mid-tier First-tier spirit land was more valuable than an unknown risk. But now, only days after the insects emerged, two waves had already targeted this spot. It was proof that something dangerous or valuable was buried there.
His suspicion deepened. Furthermore, he had a question: How did these insects find him?
'Scent? Pheromones? Memory?'
He didn't think it was memory; Demon Insects had short lifespans and couldn't have remembered this spot for long. Scent was more likely—perhaps the plot was emitting a subtle pheromone that drew in any passing insects. Unfortunately, Demon Insects were savage, and his druidic powers didn't work on them, otherwise he could have asked.
'I'll try to use Animal Speech during the battle to see if I can overhear anything useful.'
The Blood-Armor Mole Crickets did not fly fast; they seemed to be verifying their direction as they traveled. They were so focused that they ignored the Black Little Bees they passed—normally, those would have been eaten as snacks.
To Qi Ping's disappointment, though the mole crickets made noises, he couldn't understand a single word.
'Do Demon Insects fall outside the Druid's scope entirely? Not only does Befriend Animal fail, but even Animal Speech is useless.'
This was a first. Previously, he could understand anything from a spirit horse to a common ant.
'Perhaps in the Druid's definition, "animals" are creatures that grow naturally within the ecological balance. Demon Insects are not natural products of the ecosystem, so they are excluded. They are more like monsters or abominations.'
He could accept that logic. "Since there's no communication value, let's just kill them!"
Regardless of the cause, he would not let them seize his spirit land. And though these mole crickets were strong, he was prepared.
"There are more of them than the locusts—fifty-six in total."
"Listen up! Use the formation we practiced. Ten bees to a group. Each group is to focus on a single mole cricket."
"The Blood-Armor Mole Cricket is armored almost everywhere. Your stingers can't pierce their shells. Their eyes and rear openings are their only weaknesses. Once you find an opening and deliver the venom, you win. Watch out for your sisters and provide support if they are in danger."
"Buzz buzz... (Yes, Boss!)"
"Buzz buzz... (We have practiced this array hundreds of times. We will not fail!)"
The bees took flight, five hundred and sixty of them swarming toward the mole crickets. Qi Ping watched without blinking. He was anxious but also curious to see the results of his military tactics.
In his previous life's history, a disciplined army could be ten times more lethal than a disorganized mob. Unless an individual's strength was an entire tier higher, they would likely die when surrounded by ten well-trained combatants. Bees were the perfect subjects for this; they were suicidal in their bravery and trusted each other implicitly.
He had customized a simple set of formations for them. Ten bees attacking at once so the enemy couldn't focus on any single target... a six-sided encirclement from above, below, front, back, left, and right... some acting as bait, some as rescue, and some as assassins.
The Blood-Armor Mole Cricket was a Mid-tier First-tier Demon Insect, significantly stronger than the locusts and far superior to a single Golden Marrow Bee.
[Blood-Armor Mole Cricket: First-tier Mid-grade Demon Insect. Covered in hard, blood-colored armor. Possesses a pair of lethal front legs with immense strength.]
Qi Ping estimated that in a disorganized brawl, the casualty ratio would be at least one-to-five. Their armor was simply too thick for bee mandibles and stingers to crack. While the Golden Marrow Bee's own defense was decent, it wouldn't last more than a few hits against those lethal front legs.
The two swarms collided, and a wave of ferocity swept across the field. Despite being outnumbered ten-to-one, the mole crickets didn't flinch. They charged in with savage bloodlust.
The bees moved in their ten-bee groups. One bee would immediately move to the front to draw the mole cricket's fire. Once engaged, this bee would latch onto the cricket's head, biting and clawing to keep its attention. This could buy a few seconds of time.
Those seconds were everything.
While the lead bee acted as bait, two others would quickly seize the mole cricket's wings. Four others would latch onto its six legs. These attacks happened near-simultaneously!
Though the crickets were stronger, their strength was focused in their front legs and armor; their actual raw power was only slightly higher than a bee's. Once their wings and legs were pinned by six bees, they lost their ability to fly and maneuver, plummeting toward the ground!
In an instant of perfect coordination, fifty-six mole crickets were dragged from the sky. As they were restricted, the final three bees of the group seized the opening. Two aimed for the eyes, while the last one plunged its stinger into the cricket's rear opening, pumping in venom with all its might!