Chapter 1281: What’s An Eldest to Do?

Chapter 1281: What’s An Eldest to Do?

Well, Morrelia has gone back to the Legion, Brendant has said they won't be launching any more tests for the time being, and the subjugation of the lower tunnels is almost done. So... I find myself kind of rudderless and without purpose for the time being.

Which means, of course, there's nothing to stop me from tickling the grubs! Muahahahaha!

My precious stress relief, it's been so long! Now that Mother is present in the fourth, there's an active Queen down here, which means grubs!

Filled with joy, I race upward from the forward base, which has been expanding by the hour, and head into the shortcut network the Colony is still in the process of constructing.

It's always a bit of a risky business building these sorts of extended 'highways' in the Dungeon. Sure, it allows us to travel much more quickly from the nest to the entrance of the fifth, but the reverse is also true. When the next wave occurs, the monsters of the fifth and their toxic mana will have a direct road straight up to the base of the nest.

Naturally, the Colony is aware of this, which means a copious number of defensive emplacements, walls and forts are also under construction, each of which only face the downward slope. This network of direct tunnels is going to be the main focus of all the fighting in the next wave, and it's clear the carvers don't intend to employ half measures.

There's a lot of ants moving down the shortcut, in addition to the huge number of workers busily building away. Clearly, the troops are starting to move down to the staging ground. Hopefully soon, the invasion will be ready and I can start taking on the fifth properly. Those stupid slugs are going to have no idea what hit them.

Gweheheheh.

With joy in my heart, I burst into the inner chambers, ready to engage in a wonderful bout of tickling! Where are those grubs?

"What are you doing here, child?" A deep and warm voice calls to me.

"Going to play with the grubs!" I declare happily.

THWACK!

"Yeeouch!"

I was so preoccupied with my opportunity to indulge myself in harmless games with the grubs, I didn't even realise it was Mother talking to me!

"H-h-hello there, Mother! How are you doing?"Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com

"I'll have you know, Mother, that it has been ages since I entertained the brood. I've been busy all over the place, doing all sorts of stuff for the family!"

"That is good," she says, and reaches out to pat me on the carapace encouragingly.

"I've even been taking part in the test assaults on the fifth stratum!" I boast.

Compliments from Mother are rare; it doesn't hurt to fish for a few more. She hesitates, confused.

"What assaults on the fifth stratum?" she asks, puzzled.

At this moment, I realise just how badly I messed up. She's not supposed to know about those! She's not supposed to know anything about it at all!

"Oh, you know... just... a few exploratory missions to see what's going on down there. Test out the waters... sort of thing."

If she were capable of narrowing her eyes, that's exactly what she would be doing right now.

"I don't like it when my children keep secrets from me."

"What? What secrets? That's... a perfectly... perfectly reasonable thing for you to say... of course. I mean... there's so much going on in the Colony at any given time... how could you possibly know about all of it? Nobody knows about all of it! Except maybe me."

The Queen remains still, as if processing what I said, so I take the opportunity to just... slide a little toward the brood chamber.

Then slide a little more.

I think I got away with that....

Smooth!