Chapter 107: Golden Anteater

Chapter 107: The Golden Anteater

Leina led the soldiers in cleaning the battlefield.

They took away several wounded attackers who had been captured, hoping to uncover their identities and origins.

The poisoned individuals, after taking antidotes, gradually began to recover.

The poison used by the assailants was designed more for stealth than lethality—meant to infect as many as possible, its toxicity was mild.

At least for transcendental professionals, it wasn’t enough to be fatal.

Brade found Livi and offered a slight apology. “I’m sorry. Earlier, I mistook you for an enemy hiding within the camp.”

Livi glanced at him, then turned his gaze toward the brown bear. “Did you know the meat was tainted?”

Brade hesitated, then said, “I suspected it.”

“Then why didn’t you stop them?” Livi asked.

“To draw out the others,” Brade replied.

Livi now understood the man’s nature.

He made no further comment.

Seeing that Livi had no interest in continuing the conversation, Brade didn’t press further.

“Well then, I won’t disturb Lord Tymo’s rest. I’ll take my leave.”

He turned and walked away.

Yet in his heart, doubt still lingered.

No one could say for certain whether other enemies still lurked within the camp.

The Radiant Mercenary Corps had kept watch on the warrior who’d poisoned the food, rushing to seize him the moment chaos erupted—

only to find he had already vanished.

No clues pointing to the attackers’ hidden faction were found on the bodies of the fallen professionals.

They appeared to be nothing more than ordinary adventurers.

Now, only the few captives taken by Leina might provide any leads.

Guzer, Rota, and the others, seeing the turmoil had ended, returned to their tents.

Before leaving, Guzer cast a glance at Livi, eyes flickering with curiosity.

There was something familiar about this man’s silhouette.

Through the latter half of the night, few managed real sleep.

All remained half-awake, vigilant.

Livi leaned against the bear, breathing slowly, slipping into slumber, descending into dreams—

as if utterly unafraid of another attack.

“Shadowguard, stand watch.”

The bear snored in response.

The night passed.

[Shapeshifting Art (Zeroth Tier)] 1086/10000

Livi’s mastery over shapeshifting deepened, refining even the smallest details.

He could now alter the characteristics of his voice through the art,

making it sound older, more seasoned—

better suited to the image of a summoner who had wandered the world.

Emerging from the dream, Livi felt the bear’s body behind him—cold.

He froze for a moment, reaching back to touch the bear’s head.

“Shadowguard.”

“Master.”

The shadow emerged from beneath the bear.

Livi stared at the lifeless form. “Dead?”

Shadowguard nodded.

Nightmares could only inhabit living hosts. With the bear gone, Shadowguard could no longer control its body.

“Take the corpse away. Hide it well.”

The shadow slipped beneath the bear, lifting it silently into the woods.

Cloaked in invisible armor, it could touch objects, wielding fragments of a nightmare’s power.

Even a fraction of a mid-tier second-rank nightmare’s strength was enough to carry a full-grown brown bear.

With the bear lost, finding a new “summon” had become urgent.

A summoner couldn’t fight without a single beast at his side.

Only after the others had gradually entered the mine did Livi step inside, Shadowguard gliding beside him.

At dawn, the mine’s chill had not yet lifted.

After walking just over ten meters in, the temperature dropped sharply—cold and damp.

Pity he was playing the role of a summoner now, unable to use fire magic.

Otherwise, conjuring a fireball to warm himself would have been far more comfortable.

Livi tightened his cloak and pressed forward.

Soon, multiple branching tunnels appeared ahead.

“Shadowguard.”

The shadow darted into one passage, returning quickly. “This one’s blocked.”

Then it vanished into the others.

Of the three forks, one was sealed; two led deeper underground.

Livi chose the path with fewer footprints.

Holding a torch, he walked on, but saw no sign of the rumored iron-eating ants.

“Could it be a dead end up ahead? Otherwise, why so few travelers?”

After a while, two new forks appeared. This time, both left and right bore equally faint traces of footsteps.

Shadowguard went ahead to scout.

Tap tap tap!

Footsteps echoed from behind. Livi’s mind stirred.

Extinguished the torch, leaned against the edge of the cave, activated the cloak of invisibility, and vanished on the spot.

"Is this path really leading to mithril ore? It doesn't even look like anyone's ever walked here."

"Don't worry. I got the tip from an orcish mining slave. He said the first piece of mithril was found right through here."

Two figures appeared before him.

A man in warrior’s gear led the way, torch in hand, followed by a knight carrying a large cloth sack on his back.

They passed right by Li Wei without noticing.

A moment later, Shadow returned.

Both paths were passable—on the left, faint traces of iron-eating ants had been spotted ahead.

The right path led to a vast cavern.

Shadow hadn’t ventured inside, so he couldn’t say what lay within.

Li Wei glanced at the direction the two men had taken, then followed silently behind them toward the right-hand cave.

"Ahh!"

A scream pierced the air from up ahead.

Li Wei stiffened, slowed his steps.

Tap tap tap!

Frantic footsteps echoed.

Soon, a figure came rushing back, wild with panic.

Whoosh!

A sound cut through the wind—the fleeing man suddenly collapsed face-first to the ground.

Thud!

"Aaaaah! Help me!"

Shhhhh!

A force surged from the depths of the cave behind, dragging the fallen knight backward with irresistible strength.

He clawed desperately at anything nearby, trying to stop himself, but the pull was too great. His body slid relentlessly into the darkness, vanishing without a trace.

Only three long drag marks remained on the ground.

Li Wei froze, standing still, staring ahead.

Before him loomed the black mouth of the cavern—an abyss without bottom, ready to swallow any who dared enter.

"Shadow."

Shadow darted forward swiftly.

In moments, he returned to Li Wei’s side.

"A beast."

Li Wei exhaled quietly. Good. Nothing supernatural, then.

Just a monster.

He extinguished the torch, stepped carefully, advanced unseen.

Around a bend, a faint glow appeared—a possible opening ahead.

Li Wei understood: he had reached the cavern Shadow had mentioned.

The beast must dwell within.

Out of the tunnel, into the cavern.

By the dim, eerie luminescence within, Li Wei saw a blurred dark shape coiled in a corner of the wall.

Chewing sounds came from ahead.

Crack crack crack!

He crept closer, finally catching sight of the creature.

"Golden Anteater?"

Surprise flickered across Li Wei’s face.

The Golden Anteater was gnawing at the metal armor on the dead man’s body.

Suddenly, it dropped the armor and turned aside.

Whoosh!

Li Wei caught a flash of red light.

Shhhhh!

The next instant, the anteater’s tongue returned, coated with over a dozen fist-sized iron-eating ants.

Crack crack crack!

It chewed them slowly, feeding.

Crunchy, delicious—savoring every bite.

Creatures impervious to blades and axes, bodies as hard as stone—the iron-eating ants—

were nothing more than food to the Golden Anteater.

(End of Chapter)