Chapter Nine: The Ant Armor Set

Returning to the replica, Li Yunfei parked his bicycle, surveying the battlefield with a gleam of delight in his eyes. All around lay coins, equipment, and some paper packets that seemed to contain medicine.

The ant swarm had vanished, and even the corpses that had littered the ground were gone—likely carried back to their nest by the ants. He wondered at this peculiar habit of ants retrieving their dead. Surely they didn’t eat them; pheromones allowed ants to distinguish between kin and food. Perhaps they brought the bodies back for burial? Smiling at his own musings, Li Yunfei dismissed the question and began to clear the battlefield.

His gaze settled first on several weapons scattered about: sleek, matte-black blades, shaped much like a kukri but with a more severe curve, resembling the forelimbs of soldier ants, complete with barbed spines along the back. These weapons were called "Ant Leg Blades." While they looked similar to kukris, their design was closer to the formidable limbs of the soldier ants. If thrust into a body, the barbs would tear flesh outward, making wounds far more horrific, and possibly dragging entrails out.

There were three such blades, all dropped by soldier ants. Li Yunfei picked up one, then took two more and approached an ant armor helmet, striking it with the blade.

A sharp crack resounded—the Ant Leg Blade split the helmet in two with a single blow, whereas it would have taken four or five strikes with his kukri. The sheer destructive power of the soldier ant’s limbs unsettled him; fortunately, he had always been cautious and managed to avoid their attacks. Now it was clear that the nicks on his kukri were likely from parrying those deadly limbs.

Li Yunfei tried selling one Ant Leg Blade in the system shop—it fetched 1,200 yuan, more than double the kukri’s price. With three blades in hand, he sold one, and the purchase price then soared to 3,000 yuan. As expected, the system was a shrewd merchant.

He collected all the coins, but they amounted to little more than a dozen yuan. Thankfully, equipment drops compensated for the cost of weapon repairs; otherwise, he’d soon be bankrupt.

With the Ant Leg Blade now his primary weapon, the kukri would take a back seat. Li Yunfei continued to sweep the field.

After gathering up all the equipment, he discovered he had assembled a full set of armor. Dubbed the "Ant Armor Set," it included an ant helmet, ant cuirass, ant bracers, ant gloves, and ant boots.

The armor was made entirely from the carapace of soldier ants—extraordinarily tough, yet not overly heavy. With three points added to strength, Li Yunfei wore the set without sacrificing agility.

He estimated that conventional firearms would struggle to penetrate this armor unless several rounds struck the same spot in rapid succession. Its defensive capacity surpassed ordinary protective gear and was on par with ceramic-reinforced suits, which used ceramic plates in the lining for both bullet and stab resistance. Ordinary armor could stop bullets but not blades, or vice versa, but ceramic suits were heavy and cumbersome, limiting mobility.

The Ant Armor Set, however, was jet-black and imposing; add a bright red cape, and it would evoke the style of a Qin dynasty elite guard.

Ants may be small—easily crushed under a finger—but that’s due to the vast difference in scale. Enlarge them several hundred times, or make them as big as a German Shepherd, as in this replica, and their carapaces would be nearly impossible to break. In fact, if all the ants in the world were the size of those in the replica, humanity would be ruled by ants.

Fully clad in ant armor, Li Yunfei needed only to protect those parts not covered—knees, elbows, and face—when facing worker ants. Even if surrounded, he could withstand their attacks and force his way through. Only the soldier ants’ strikes remained a concern; against workers, he could charge straight through, as they couldn’t break his defenses.

After sorting his gear, Li Yunfei picked up the paper packets and examined their descriptions.

Ant Powder x15: Enhances kidney function, improves vitality, promotes blood circulation, detoxifies and reduces swelling. Main treatment includes dizziness and tinnitus caused by kidney deficiency, insomnia and vivid dreams, impotence and nocturnal emissions, rheumatic pain, stroke-induced paralysis, numbness of extremities, lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, boils and carbuncles, snake bites. It is particularly effective against corrosive toxin damage caused by ant-type monsters in replica worlds.

Reading this, Li Yunfei paused. Corrosive toxin damage? Ants had such abilities? He hadn’t noticed any such effect in his battles. During his monster hunts, he’d sustained minor injuries—scratches from the barbs on soldier ant limbs—but these healed completely upon leveling up, and none involved corrosive toxins.

Perhaps the ants in the Level 1 Ant Nest replica lacked this ability? Uncertain, Li Yunfei made a mental note to stay vigilant.

With the battlefield cleared, Li Yunfei turned to the little fox and said, “Honghong, lure the monsters.”

The little fox responded with a chirrup and darted toward the ant nest. Li Yunfei was now fairly certain that, since binding Honghong as his exclusive pet, she could understand his words.

At the nest entrance, the little fox barked several times, then scampered back. Soon afterward, a line of ants emerged, and Li Yunfei resumed his hunt.

For over half an hour, he fought relentlessly. With the Ant Leg Blade, monster hunting was easier and less exhausting, greatly improving his endurance.

This time, he slew more than three hundred ants before finally reaching Level 3, his status fully restored. Experience requirements increased with each level, and since he was still in the Level 1 Ant Nest, the ants yielded less experience.

By now, ants outside the nest were sparse, and none emerged from within. Li Yunfei felt invigorated—he’d nearly cleared the replica of ants. Level 1 Ant Nests had the lowest population, about five or six hundred. He’d already killed over five hundred; the rest likely clustered around their queen.

After dispatching the final twenty or so ants, Li Yunfei began his cleanup once more.

This time, he collected over twenty yuan in coins, three complete Ant Armor Sets plus two spare pieces, five Ant Leg Blades, and twenty-five packets of Ant Powder.

He didn’t sell any equipment yet, instead storing them in his system inventory for emergencies. In fierce battles, gear could break quickly, and it wasn’t always possible to withdraw. Spare equipment was invaluable. Selling first and repurchasing later would cost much more—a waste.