As soon as they got off the transport ship, the villagers started screaming.
"Monster! Kill it!"
"Help! There's a monster!"
"It's eating people! It's eating people!"
Wang Dan rushed forward, shouting for everyone to back off, and yelled, "Where's the monster?"
From a distance, Jing Shu could already see it. A massive shadow hunched over the ground, its body rustling as it tore apart the corpses lying there.
Those corpses—weren't they the five people who'd died yesterday?Now they were being devoured piece by piece, the giant insect munching loudly as if the bodies were some delicious meal. By the time only two were left, panic swept through the crowd. Everyone knew what came next once the monster finished its feast.
"Poor Village Chief, first his head got cracked open by that chicken, now he's being eaten by this thing."
"And someone said they were jealous of Er Gazi yesterday for snagging a few compressed biscuits. Still jealous now? Look at him—he got eaten alive. What a way to go."
Fear and anxiety twisted every villager's face in the dim light. Someone hurled a torch, which landed close enough to illuminate the creature completely.
The sight froze everyone's blood.
They'd grown up in these mountains but had never seen an insect so huge or so terrifying.
The creature didn't even flinch from rocks or torches. When Liu Dali smashed it with his shovel, its massive pincers casually swatted him aside. If it hadn't been busy eating, he wouldn't have gotten off with just a few injuries.
"Where'd this monster come from? We're trapped in this small area—if we don't kill it, we're screwed! Even hiding indoors won't help! Once it's done eating those corpses, it'll come for us!"
"Maybe we should hide on the ship? It's tall, the monster might not reach it."
"Are you stupid? It came all the way here from beyond the barrier and didn't die getting squeezed to death. You think it can't climb a ship? Just pray it's full after eating those bodies."
"You're the stupid one! You ever seen a tiger stop eating meat? And our doors were burned for fuel, where the hell do you plan to hide?"
"We can only count on the officials, they've got guns."
"Tiny handguns? What good will that do if it doesn't die after getting shot?"
"Look, Wang Dan's here!"
Everyone stepped aside to clear a path, trembling as they looked at Wang Dan. In moments of crisis, people instinctively turned to the government and the police.
She frowned at the monstrous insect, raised her gun, and aimed carefully.
"Wait!" Jing Shu grabbed her arm. "What're you doing?"
Wang Dan blinked in confusion. "That bug's eating corpses! It might come for us next. Better kill it now before it causes trouble. What if it decides to eat us later?"
Jing Shu sighed. How could she even explain this? That "monster" wasn't some random bug—it was Xiao Wei's subordinate, Xiao Hong, the battle commander she'd summoned.
She still didn't know how Xiao Hong had fallen from such a height, but thank the heavens it was fine. Since it was safe, there was no way she'd let anyone hurt it.
These adorable insects were her future source of resources—no, her precious little money-makers! And come on, it was just eating corpses. Totally normal! Though, if she hadn't known the truth, she probably would've been the first to kill it and turn it into feed.
Still, she couldn't just tell everyone not to shoot or to "trust the monster." That'd sound insane. Explaining too much would expose her secret too.
She sighed again. Ordinary people were impossible to reason with. Instead, she waved her hand. "Forget it. Come with me, I need help moving something. You two, too."
She'd show these simple villagers through action—not fear, but understanding. This creature was their future food source. They should treat it with care.
The man she pointed to trembled. "M-move what? The… the bodies?"
Everyone in Gashan Valley knew Jing Shu's name. The five corpses lying there were proof enough of her power. To them, she wasn't someone to argue with—she was a demon woman who killed without blinking.
"What're you so scared of?" she said, puzzled. "Didn't you all complain about eating dirt patties? I'm bringing you some meat."
The man she'd called on nearly burst into tears. "I don't want meat anymore! I'll eat dirt, I swear! Please, just spare me—I don't wanna eat human meat!"
Jing Shu frowned. Human meat? What kind of messed-up rumor was that?
Before she could ask more, Liu Dali limped forward, shovel in hand. "What're we carrying? I'll help."
"Let's go."
She led Liu Dali toward Xiao Hong. Talking was pointless now.
Wang Dan ran after her, gun in hand. "Jing Shu, what're you doing? That bug eats people! It's too dangerous, don't go over there!"
"Just follow me. Don't talk, and don't shoot. If you fire, no lunch for you."
That shut Wang Dan right up. He jogged alongside Jing Shu, holding his gun close, ready to shield her if needed. The gesture made Jing Shu both amused and helpless.
Behind them, the villagers murmured anxiously, wondering what Jing Shu planned to do.
Xiao Hong stopped moving. Its thirty-six massive legs hovered midair, its head lifting to look at Jing Shu. A single bristle from Xiao Wei's body was still stuck in her hair, fluttering faintly.
Wang Dan and the villagers held their breath, terrified the creature might lash out. None of them cared if Jing Shu died—but they sure cared about staying alive.
Jing Shu halted about five meters away, thinking. The link between Xiao Hong and Xiao Wei should still exist. Maybe it could understand her through that.
She decided to test it. "Hey, tear off a few of your legs for me."
"???" Wang Dan stared.
"…" The villagers collectively froze. Had she lost her mind? Talking to a giant bug like that?
Xiao Hong tilted its head, silently watching her.
Jing Shu scratched her head. "Guess that didn't work."
"Well, I'll just take them myself then."
She walked closer. The creature's huge abdomen pressed against the mud, nearly two meters tall. Its bristles trembled slightly as it tried to figure out what she was doing.