Chapter 117: Self Preparation!
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He caught his breath, checked the arrow path, still towards the fort. Timer now 7d 20h.
Kai grumbled, "I’m still two days out. Maybe three with patrol dodges. System, can you point to the fastest route?"
[Ding! SYSTEM: Recommended path uploaded yesterday, host ignored. Current deviation: 14 leagues.]
"Wonderful," he snapped. "Any more wisdom?"
[System Observation: Average search time for a conscious ant brain to open a menu is 4 seconds. Host required 48 hours. ]
Kai flipped the spear in mock salute. "Very funny. Lead on."
A dotted line highlighted a narrow canyon network eastward. It was shorter but infested with higher-rank beasts or predators at night. He accepted. High risk, but more EXP and maybe cores to barter for inside help.
Kai reached the canyon mouth as the sun bled red over basalt ridges. He found a niche cavity under an overhang, masked entrance with dead brush. He ignited a small fire for a faint heater glow, enough to warm the egg. He gnawed dried mole jerky, sipped water from cactus.
He allowed himself a single minute’s memory of Mia’s eyes swimming with a lustful mating face at the gate of any kingdom. Something inside twisted, then hardened into steel. "I’ll invoice later," he whispered the line she’d loved. "With Darius’ head."
At midnight, His predator Instinct jolted him awake. Outside, chitin scraped stone. Six Spine-Razor Runners paced the ledge, wolf-like insects with turbine hind-legs and bone saw ridges on the spine.