CHAPTER 74: THE QUEEN’S WRATH

Standing at the top of the slope, Min-ho stared down at the Spectors. He had been watching them vigilantly for almost twenty minutes. In that time span, he had learned some things about them.

Some things most invaluable.

"Sae-wee," Im-hee’s voice echoed behind him, pulling his attention.

"Are you okay?" Im-hee asked just as Min-ho turned around.

Sae-wee nodded in response with a faint smile.

Beside her was Dok-su, who was now speaking with his brother.

After Sae-wee finished assuring Im-hee she was okay, she turned to Min-ho. The neutrality of her face left him uneasy.

"Was I wrong?" Min-ho asked, his gaze switching between Sae-wee and Dok-su.

She shook her head.

"All three tunnels we checked led to that cavern," Dok-su said, pointing to the location behind Min-ho.

"Thought so," Min-ho said. "What about Jang-book? Is he done yet?"

Sae-wee and Dok-su were silent for a moment. Then Sae-wee shook her head.

"I see," Min-ho said, scratching his thumb.

The very news made the looming threat of darkness ever more present.

"What have you learned about them?" Sae-wee asked.

"I..."

GROWL!

Someone’s stomach made a noise. All eyes traced the sound to Ji-su, who shriveled the moment he felt their gazes on him.

Just then, the sound spread across everyone—starting with Im-hee and finishing with Min-ho.

He lowered his gaze and held his stomach.

"I... guess we should get something to eat," he said, but no one responded.

He glanced at the light shining down from the hole in the roof of the cavern. The color was that of a sun reaching the edge of the sky. They were running out of time.

Yet they couldn’t do this on an empty stomach.

He turned back to them, then said, "I’ll fill you guys in as we eat. We’ll head over to Jang-book—he could use a break."

***

The group sat in a circle as Im-hee summoned up eating utensils and meat they had cooked before.

While she distributed the items around, Min-ho’s gaze was stuck on Jang-book, who looked too exhausted for comfort.

Min-ho turned his sights to the pool of acid, which was now half-covered with a layer of artificial ground created by Jang-book.

’Of course he’d be tired,’ Min-ho thought, wondering how much Jang-book must have exerted himself to create such an extensive amount of stone... and he wasn’t done yet.

After several moments of silent eating, Min-ho finally saw it fit to speak.

"Did anyone notice the Second Tier is wounded?" Min-ho asked, as he picked up a piece of meat with his fork.

The others exchanged glances.

"No," Dok-su said, speaking for everyone.

"She has a wound near the base of her stinger. Also, she walks funny."

"What do you mean she?" Jang-book asked, his voice almost hoarse.

"Well..."

"There are hundreds of eggs, and by what I’ve heard, the Third Tier Spectors are serving the Second Tier. I’m sure he associated her with an ant queen or something to that degree," Ji-su said with a full mouth, swinging his fork as he spoke as though he wasn’t still blind. Or as if their situation wasn’t bleak.

"That’s true," Min-ho said, eyes intent on his meal. "The Third Tier Spectors even tended to the eggs and occasionally fed the queen the... the uh..."

They tensed up as he paused, aware of where he was going.

The cocoons.

Suddenly, the fried meat they had chewed up became harder to swallow.

"How did the queen get wounded?" Ji-su asked, an attempt to change the topic.

"I’m not sure, but the gaping hole in the roof and the scattered chunks of stone on the ground suggest she was hurt in a collapse. Presumably due to the quakes."

Min-ho picked up another piece of meat.

"Also, the Third Tiers are afraid of sunlight." He placed the piece in his mouth.

Everyone went quiet for a moment, then Jang-book spoke.

"Is that all?" Jang-book asked. "Because if it is, then we’re fucked."

Min-ho stared at his plate.

"The Spectors will chase down and destroy anything that harms an egg. Even one of their own."

Their hearts thumped.

"So there’s a chance, then?" Dok-su asked.

Min-ho lifted his gaze and met everyone’s eyes.

"There’s a chance."

***

Several more minutes had gone by. They had hurried up with their meal, and by some miracle, Jang-book had managed to finish in time. Or at least, whatever he could before the sun would set.

By the look of the light seeping in from the hole in the roof, Min-ho could guess it was around five in the evening.

Which meant, give or take, they still had about an hour before the sun would vanish from the sky—and another hour before darkness blanketed the world.

They needed to get out of here. Now.

Staring at them from above the slope, Min-ho could see Dok-su peeking out of one of the tunnels below.

Sae-wee was also in one of the tunnels below, waiting for Dok-su to make his move.

Min-ho turned to Ji-su and Im-hee, who were behind him.

"Prepare yourselves," he said, then returned his sights to Dok-su.

After a couple of seconds, Dok-su summoned his claymore into his hands. And like a madman, he ran toward the Spectors... or more specifically, their eggs.

Once he had gotten close enough, he swung his claymore, taking apart five eggs at once.

Suddenly, all the Spectors stopped in place.

Min-ho’s heart thumped.

"TTTAAAA!"

A piercing cry tore through the air. In that moment, the Spectors turned to Dok-su, and in the blink of an eye, they gave chase.

Dok-su bolted backward, racing through the tunnel he came from.

Watching, Min-ho felt his heart rate spike as he watched the Spectors chase after Dok-su.

He could feel the same intensity from Ji-su, who was a couple of feet behind him. Yet they knew he had to do this.

Bending over, Min-ho placed his sights on Sae-wee, who waited in another tunnel.

Without hesitation, Sae-wee rushed in. She swung her dagger and broke an egg open.

"TAAAA!" the queen cried out once again. Half of the Spectors turned to Sae-wee, then thundered after her.

Min-ho watched as she zoomed backward, running into her tunnel as fast as her legs could carry her.

Watching it all unfold before his very eyes, Min-ho felt a deep fear taking root in his heart.

’They’re going to make it,’ Min-ho thought, praying with all his heart that he didn’t just lead them to their deaths.