Chapter 110

Chapter 110

The realm of taste boasts remarkable diversity.

Especially when it concerns cuisine, flavors exhibit even more striking variations. Some individuals savor the combination of mint and chocolate, while others daringly adorn their pizza with pineapple. They fearlessly drizzle sauce over sweet and sour pork, demonstrating a bold culinary audacity.

Furthermore, there are those who intentionally prefer carbonated beverages gone flat. In fact, there are individuals who take the unusual step of rolling rice into their cola!

In this regard, the world of palates can be likened to a dimension of boundless diversity. And its not just humans who exhibit such diversity; even social insects like hornets share this trait. At this very moment, a swarm of Vesparos hornets displayed a similar inclination.

Screech?

Suddenly, the charging swarm of Vesparos hornets hesitated. They extended their antennae, sensing a potent stimulus that had triggered their olfactory centers.

So this is alcohol!

Screech?

The lead Vesparos pivoted its body, facing the direction where Raciel had just tossed a bottle of liquor.

That marked the beginning.

The others followed suit, turning their bodies one after another. They began to hop around, and some even took to the air as they hopped.

They all rushed toward where the bottle had landed, reminiscent of commuters making a dash for closing subway doors during rush hour. Watching this unfold, Raciel clenched his fist.

It worked!

It was a success.

He was certain of it.

The plan had executed flawlessly.

I had my doubts whether this would succeed.

Suddenly, memories of his time in Korea flooded back to him.

The representative of a supplier who delivered herbal ingredients to Oriental medicine clinic. A kind older man, with whom he occasionally shared meals that included a bit of drinking.

During one of those meals, the representative had bragged.

He had mentioned beekeeping as his hobby and spoke of setting up a cabin in Gangwon Province to visit on weekends, complete with beehives in the backyard. Yet, the beehives were constantly plagued by hornets, and he had ingeniously solved the problem.

At first, Raciel hadnt been overly interested, responding with a casual yes, yes. However, when he heard the solution, he couldnt help but be impressed.

The method was incredibly straightforward yet effective, leveraging the differing preferences for alcohol between honeybees and hornets.

Honeybees detest the scent of alcohol, while hornets are drawn to it like theyre under a spell.

Using this taste preference discrepancy, a simple trap had been devised.Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

And that was

They called it a makgeolli trap.

All it entailed was filling about one-third of a 2-liter plastic bottle with makgeolli and hanging it around the beehives.

And then?

Everything would be fine.

In a matter of days, youd find hornets floating lifeless in the makgeolli.

I wasnt sure if this would work here. But I tried it, just in case

It had worked.

It was a success.

Seeing the swarm of Vesparos hornets now distracted by the alcohol and not attacking them, he was certain. They had gained some precious time. Had the rest of the group grasped the situation?

Nows the moment!

Run!

Everyone began to sprint as if this was their sole chance at escape. However, Raciel had a different plan in mind.

Everyone, halt!

Swoosh!

He blocked the path of a knight attempting to flee, reaching out to the guide soldier. The knight who almost collided with him urgently shouted.

What are you doing!

We should all make our escape now!

The guide soldier also had visible veins bulging on his neck, but Raciel stood his ground. He locked eyes with them and spoke swiftly.

If we attempt to flee now, well all meet our end.

!

Do you honestly believe that running during this brief distraction will make a difference? How far do you think you can get by running aimlessly?

What, what are you saying!

Its a simple fact. Right now, theyre drawn to the scent of the alcohol I just threw. But alcohol evaporates rapidly into the air, especially when its in small quantities.

.

Its just a small flask of alcohol. How long do you think that scent will linger once they start licking it or when its exposed to the air? Do you think you can put enough distance between yourselves and them before that happens?

.

Everyone came to a grim realization.

It was futile.

No matter how swiftly they fled, they couldnt outpace those winged creatures. The Vesparos would soon catch up, and a massacre awaited them.

A chill ran down their spines.

So, can we hide somewhere? one of the knights inquired.

Raciel shook his head.

No. We coated ourselves with pollen, so hiding is out of the question. Theyll spot us right away.

Then whats the plan?

Start a fire.

Excuse me?

Do all of you have the torches you prepared? Take them out.

There was no time to waste, and Demian appeared to be the first to grasp the urgency.

Understood.

Silently, Demian retrieved his torch. The other knights followed suit, and even the guide soldier reluctantly produced his torch.

They ignited the flames.

Demians sturdy back provided support for his entire body. Instantly, he felt lighter, as if he were being carried by Demian.

Hold on tight.

Before he could even respond

Whoosh-!

.!

The world accelerated around him. Demian was in full sprint. The fiery forest rushed past, and a searing breeze brushed against his cheeks.

It was scorching.

So was Demians back.

Within his foggy consciousness, a thought suddenly surfaced. It was a dangerous situation.

If Demian is in danger

Then its truly dire.

He prayed it wouldnt come to that.

First, lets make sure we get out of here safely

It seemed like no one was falling behind, not even the knights assigned by the princess or the guide soldiers. Everyone was gasping for breath but still sprinting. Seeing this, Raciel felt a sense of relief.

As long as everyone continues to run like this.

If they all just make their escape like this.

Everyone will be safe.

Yes.

Thats good enough.

He was content with just that when

Roar-!

Suddenly, the sky erupted in noise. Even in his disoriented state, it pierced his eardrums.

What was it?

At that very moment

It might be the end of the line for us.

Demians voice broke in. Somehow, the end of his sentence quivered with tension.

Why?

Why was he so on edge?

Raciel would soon find out.

Rumble-!

A ground-shaking roar. The tension transmitted through Demians back, where he was riding. Then, he caught sight of something over Demians shoulder. A silhouette loomed amidst the blazing flames and heat. It was the silhouette of a Vesparos.

But it was enormous. Much larger than the Vesparos they had encountered earlier. If a regular Vesparos were the size of a rhinoceros, this one seemed to be at least as massive as an elephant.

Was it a hallucination due to his dazed state? It wasnt. The following roar shattered any such hope.

Roar-!

.!

It was the first time he felt physical pain from a sound. Did the rest of the group also experience a similar overwhelming sense of dread?

Ah, Aaaah Qu, Queen Vesparos!

The guide soldiers slumped down, murmuring to themselves. The knights took a step back, their faces drained of color. Every muscle in Demians body tensed up.

Since Raciel was being carried by Demian, he could directly sense the tightness in his muscles. Simultaneously, a feeling of impending crisis coursed through his spine.

This cant continue.

His previously hazy consciousness snapped to full attention. They say that staying vigilant can help you survive even when faced with a tiger. Just as holding onto your stock investments during a market downturn rather than impulsively selling can yield better results in the long run.

Therefore, fear couldnt overpower him right now. This principle applied to everyone in the group, but it was especially crucial for Demian.

If even Demian becomes tense and retreats That cannot happen.

Demian was the groups most dependable sword and the sturdiest shield. If he were to falter, it would spell disaster. So, Raciels first task was to ease Demians tension.

The moment he realized that,

Meridian Scanning!

He would analyze the flow of Demians Qi, identifying the acupoint that would most effectively relieve his tension through a straightforward acupuncture technique. Raciel fortified his determination and focused his gaze.

Ding Dong!

[Option for Palpation Skill: Meridian Scanning is activated.]

[Searching for a Lock-on target.]

[Lock-on target search is completed.]

Zing!

The word <Lock-on> appeared at the edge of his field of vision, accompanied by a green arrow underneath. However, the target indicated by the arrow was

Queen Vesparos?

Raciels eyes widened.

He had activated the option to scan Demian, yet for an inexplicable reason, Queen Vesparos had been designated as the Lock-on target. He quickly understood why.

Could it be because Im being carried by Demian and the first thing in my line of sight is her?

It seemed plausible. Thats why it was all the more surprising. It was an entirely unexpected outcome.

But do insects have acupoints too?

Upon reflection, it made sense. After all, they were living organisms with their own physiological processes. However, it was something he had never considered before.

Could this be

A glimmer of possibility shone like a beacon in the midst of utter darkness. Raciel unconsciously clenched his fist. If he could discern the flow of Qi in Queen Vesparos. If Demian could act according to his intentions.

If that were achievable.

Survival would no longer be the primary concern If things align, we might even have a chance to defeat Queen Vesparos today?

(To be Continued)

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