Chapter 120: Ants? Take a Closer Look!

A dense, crimson tide of man-eating ants surged out of the Foggy Forest, appearing instantly before the enemies lurking outside. The sudden emergence startled the troops, who initially panicked, some lashing out with their boots, tree branches, or combat knives, thinking them mere common insects.

However, they soon realized their mistake. These were no ordinary ants; they were man-eaters, equipped with razor-sharp, venomous mandibles that inflicted agonizing pain and tore away flesh. Those who had attacked the swarm were quickly swarmed in return, rolling on the ground in agony as more and more ants poured from the forest.

Cries of terror filled the air, turning the scene into a chaotic nightmare. Provoked by the attacks, the ants grew even more aggressive, a sea of red—joined by flecks of white, black, and purple—swallowing the forest edge like an encroaching fire. Soon, the men on the ground were reduced to mangled, bloody remains, their screams echoing hauntingly through the jungle.

Panic set in among the remaining enemies. Believing the ants to be demonic, they opened fire, hoping to eradicate the swarm. But the gunfire only fueled the ants' rage. They lunged at anyone in sight, devouring flesh and bone with ferocious intensity. The sound of gunfire and desperate shouting only served to guide the relentless, surging tide of ants toward the retreating soldiers. Overwhelmed by fear and realizing these creatures were far beyond their control, the enemies began to flee, suddenly filled with dread and reverence for the Foggy Forest.

The chaos caught the attention of Viper, the temporary commander of the two-thousand-strong force. Stunned by the sudden turn of events, he watched his men being decimated. Fearing that these ants were demons conjured from the depths of the forest, he shouted, "Stop attacking! Retreat! Everyone, fall back!" He knew that continuing this fight would lead to catastrophic losses, making it impossible to hunt down Qin Feng and his group.

Red Skull approached him, his face twisted with irritation. "Viper, order your men to encircle the jungle! Do not engage the ants, and make sure those people don't escape!"

Red Skull was furious. For days, he had tried to communicate with his prized pet viper, but to no avail; he suspected it had been killed by Qin Feng’s group. He was determined to see them dead, regardless of the cost.

Viper, already seething, retorted, "I want them dead as much as you do, Red Skull, but we cannot maintain the perimeter. These ants are monsters sent by the forest's demons. We cannot provoke them, or we will all die here, leaving nothing behind but pools of blood."

"They are just ants," Red Skull sneered, his voice cold and heavy with a murderous aura that made the temperature seem to plummet. He unleashed a wave of pressure upon Viper, the weight of a man who had lived on the edge of death for years. "If you don't provoke them, they won't attack."

"Ants? Look closer!" Viper gestured to the swarm. Each creature was as large as an adult's thumb, fast, venomous, and possessed mandibles capable of stripping a man to the bone in seconds. "These aren't mere insects. They are man-eaters, agents of the devil. If we cross them, we won't even have a grave—we'll just be puddles of gore." Viper stood his ground, his fear of the swarm far outweighing his fear of Red Skull’s intimidation.