There are thirty squadron leaders in total, among them two nad Kiona and Rayke, who take on the forms of a ladybug and a hyena respectively. These two were easily dealt with by Morin and Netero. Along with them, their subordinate armies were also completely wiped out without leaving a single soldier.
The remaining twenty-eight squadron leaders each command four to five army captains, and each captain, in turn, leads ten to fifteen combat soldiers. In other words, excluding the Ant King, Ant Queen, and the three Royal Guards, the hierarchy among the other ants is clearly divided from top to bottom as squadron leaders, army captains, and combat soldiers. In terms of numbers, there are approximately 2,270 ants, which is quite a significant figure.
So of these ant units are disciplined and follow orders with their squadron leader at the center, while many others act on their own whims. The two squadron leaders and their teams that Morin and his group eliminated belonged to the latter category. Moreover, more than half of the remaining squadron leaders are also uncontrollable types.
Even when aware of external threats, they remain indifferent. Having mastered the power of Nen, they have beco particularly arrogant. However, this arrogance is actually beneficial for Morin and Netero.
Inside Knov's dinsional apartnt.
"So, should we continue using this thod to reduce the living forces of the Chira Ants?" Morel asked, plopping down on the ground after returning from scouting. In front of him, Morin had set up a table covered with a cloth, displaying a variety of foods and drinks.
"What else can we do? Actually, I lean towards Mr. Morin's approach, though I don't completely agree," Knov said, adjusting his glasses and using chopsticks to pick up a piece of yellow and white vegetable to eat. "Delicious."
"Ha ha, as martial artists, we should rely on our own strength rather than high-tech thods, or it could affect our path of training," Netero said seriously, while not forgetting to grab a couple of bites for himself.
"We're hunters, not martial artists... Besides, Chairman, your Shingen-ryu school also has many Emission-type Nen users who choose to use guns as weapons," Knov and Morel both twitched at the corners of their mouths.
Seeing Netero eating so enthusiastically, Morel finally noticed that the dishes on the table were different from the dry rations they had prepared earlier. "What are these...?" Morel picked up a piece of at that looked marbled with fat and lean parts.
"Delicious!" Morel exclaid instinctively, then paused in surprise. "Is this vegetarian?"
Although the taste was almost indistinguishable from real at, the texture clearly revealed it was made from so kind of mushroom. Vegetarian at?!
"Yes, yes, it was made by Morin at my request," Netero said, picking up another piece of "at." "Or rather, it was conjured."
"As people age, they want to eat more vegetarian food but can't resist the taste of at, so this dish was created... What was it called again?"
"King Kong Fire Square?" Morin said with a smile while sipping soup nearby.
King Kong Fire Square, a signature dish from a famous restaurant called Gong De Lin in Morin's previous life, is a vegetarian dish that imitates at with lifelike appearance and delicious taste. It's not only an artistic creation but also nutritious and healthy, making it perfect for soone like Netero.
"Is there anything suitable for ?" Ging's voice ca from the entrance as he returned to the room. He walked over to the table without hesitation, picked up a pair of chopsticks, and scanned the dishes with his eyes.
"This dish suits you," Morin snapped his fingers, conjuring a new dish for Ging. "It's called 'Ants Climbing a Tree.'"
"'Ants Climbing a Tree'? Nice na~" Ging nodded slightly and imdiately began devouring the dish, giving a thumbs-up while eating. "Delicious!"
"Where have you been these days?" Knov asked, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief after finishing his al.
"I observed the habits of the Chira Ants and then found so to ask about their internal structure," Ging replied.
"We already know their internal structure and troop strength," Morel said, frowning as he smoked and picked up a piece of fried mushroom, feeling that Ging was doing unnecessary work.
---
"Is it different?" Ging mumbled with his mouth full of food. "You've only figured out their troop strength and distribution, but I've understood their interrelationships."
"Relationships? Between ants?!" Knov's lips curled slightly, wanting to say sothing but then swallowing his words. He found Ging's approach naive and foolish.
"What kind of relationships could a bunch of ants possibly have?!" Morel was equally dismissive of Ging's response, speaking nonchalantly. To him, aside from their formidable strength and the challenges they posed in battle, these ants were insignificant in other aspects. Even though they could speak and possessed human-like intelligence, they were still far inferior to real humans. This was a matter of human pride and dignity.
"That's not the case," Ging said, swallowing his food and looking at Morin. "What impressed most about Morin was sothing he once said: 'Where there are people, there is a Jianghu.'"
"I interpreted 'Jianghu' as social relationships. I'm not sure if that's correct."
"Exactly right," Morin raised his glass to Ging, signaling for him to continue.
"In my view, any living creature has its own relational circle. Humans, as higher-order beings, have complex social networks, while wild animals have their unique ways of living."
"So, Chira Ants, being hybrids of human and animal genes, undoubtedly have so form of social interaction."
Ging poured himself a bowl of Pearl Jade White Jade Soup, took a sip, and nodded approvingly. "It tastes quite good."
"At first, I thought they were just a wild bunch of ants with simple relationships, but…"
Ging suddenly smiled, stroking his scruffy chin. "After capturing a few ants and asking detailed questions, I found it was more complex than I expected."
"Although they are ants, they are mixed with various animal genes and possess the intelligence of higher-level beings."
"As a result, each ant has different habits due to the diverse genes they carry."
"Moreover, the human genes embedded in them greatly influence their personalities, showing a different side."
"I even believe that the relationships among these ants have begun to resemble the early stages of human society."
Ging concluded, "Of course, this is just in terms of internal conflicts."
"Is that so?" Netero showed interest. "Tell us more?"
"First, the Ant Queen and the three Royal Guards, due to their superior status and strength, are not involved in these relationship webs."
Ging explained his findings from recent days. "However, there are plenty of overt and covert power struggles among the squadron leaders and army captains below them."
"For example, the first-born squadron leader among the Chira Ants, nad Colt, seems to be a fusion of bird genes with a gentle and kind human, making him mild-tempered and exceptionally loyal to the Queen."
"He holds the position of a grand steward in the Chira Ant group, wielding power second only to the Queen and the Royal Guards, currently overseeing the other ants."
"His dissatisfaction with other squadron leaders' lack of discipline and his frequent discussions with Peggy about strategies against humans, along with his serious and rigorous approach to the future of the Chira Ants, have invited much resentnt from other squadron leaders."
"For instance, the squadron leaders with lion genes like Leol, scorpion genes like Zazan, and leopard genes like Cheetu are all unhappy with Colt's restrictions."
Ging listed several squadron leader ants and their gene sources, indicating the thoroughness of his research during this period.
"They are secretly dissatisfied with Colt's leadership, and with their newfound Nen abilities granting them great power, this discontent is growing."
"Even their subordinates and Colt's combat soldiers and army captains, driven by their bloodthirsty nature, often resist following orders."
Hearing this, Morel began to understand.
He lit a cigarette for himself. "So, within the Chira Ants, there are those mixed with wild and cold-blooded animal genes who are disobedient, and there are those with gentle genes who follow orders."
"The main conflict lies between these two groups?"
Knov adjusted his glasses. "Indeed, if you think about it, how could ants with lion genes coexist peacefully with those with antelope genes?"
"Ants with feline genes wouldn't get along with those with rodent or fish genes either?"
"Predatory instincts from their biological nature aren't so easily eliminated," Netero summarized, stroking his beard. "Does this an we could try to divide them?"
"Unite so, win over others, suppress a few?" Morin gestured along.
This was a tiless strategy from his previous life.
"It's worth a try," Ging said, biting into a piece of Squirrel Fish. "Based on my intel, we could potentially plan sothing with the more mild-mannered ants who follow orders and haven't taken excessive action against humans."
"Squadron leaders like Colt with bird genes, Peggy with penguin genes, leoron with chaleon genes, Welfin with yak genes, and the ones with groundhog and turtle genes, whose nas I've forgotten."
Chapters ahead Other hxh stories on: Patreon/NenMaster
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