Invincible Snake Emperor

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Bee Kingdom

In that tiny burial cave, there were at least ten thousand bees—a truly shocking sight.

However, the vast majority of the bees in the burial cave were drones. Gluttonous and lazy, they idled away in the ”harem,” enjoying a life of ease. They paid no mind to the Wasp invasion, since the worker bees outside would fend them off anyway.

Bees of the same species, yet such different fates. There’s never been any absolute fairness in this world. It’s true for human society, and it’s true for the humble bee.

Then, Tu Xiao’an saw a massive honeycomb inside. It, too, was crawling with bees, its hexagonal cells arranged neatly and orderly into a single structure.

It contained ”villas” where the bees lived, a leisure area for the Bee King, a nursery for the larvae, a warehouse for storing food, and even a special section dedicated to producing honey.

It was built layer upon layer, like a giant maze, yet the bees could navigate it freely without ever getting lost.

Furthermore, this massive honeycomb was divided into countless small cells filled with honey—also known as comb honey.

Comb honey is edible and incredibly nutritious, possessing medicinal and health-preserving properties.

The Bee King had established a strict system of rewards and punishments, setting different standards for various jobs. There were titles and designations like ”Nectar-Gathering Champion,” ”Nest-Building Expert,” ”Honey-Brewing Academician,” ”Cleaning King,” and ”Guardian of the Bees,” with rewards given out according to the merit of their contributions.

For the sake of this honor and status, the bees dedicated their short lives to achieving their individual goals.

It was just like a large corporation, with a clear system of rewards and punishments.

The bees revered the Bee King’s authority, hailing the long life of a ruler who would outlive them by far. Generations of worker bees came and went, but the King remained the same King. Like a God, the Bee King embodied the image and soul of the Bee Kingdom.

Therefore, as long as Tu Xiao’an subjugated the Bee King, all the other bees would have no choice but to submit. He could control them all without needing to subjugate each one individually.

Tu Xiao’an’s original goal for the day had been the honey inside. But now that he had honey from his Killer Bee, he naturally looked down on this stuff; his ambitions had grown.

It wasn’t that the honey here was bad. This pure, wild honey was highly concentrated, incredibly nutritious, and fetched an even higher price on the market. It was a rare find.

Tu Xiao’an wasn’t stubborn, though. Why turn down something free? It was just a matter of waiting. Once everything was settled, wouldn’t he be able to have as much honey as he wanted?

As Tu Xiao’an peered deeper, he was suddenly startled. He discovered another honeycomb, even larger than the one at the entrance. A dense swarm of bees enveloped this massive comb, packing it as tight as an iron drum.

’There are actually two honeycombs in this burial cave?’

Tu Xiao’an was extremely surprised. He truly hadn’t expected this.

It was a known fact that a hive has only one Bee King (or queen), much like the head of a clan. When a new Bee King emerges, the Old Bee King will take a portion of the bees and leave to establish a new hive elsewhere, much like a son growing up and starting his own family.

Normally, two generations of Bee Kings wouldn’t live together, though rare exceptions might exist in nature.

Unless the environment was exceptionally good.

The temperature in this burial cave was warm in winter and cool in summer, making it an ideal environment for bees.

This solved Tu Xiao’an’s earlier puzzle. No wonder there were so many bees on this hillside—it turned out two Bee Kings were living in this one burial cave.

Two Bee Kings meant two factions.

A faction led by a single Bee King couldn’t possibly be so massive, its ranks swelling to over one hundred thousand bees. But now, it wasn’t strange at all.

Just then, the bees in the burial cave erupted into a frenzy. The intruder—the venomous snake Tu Xiao’an—had been discovered. A deafening BUZZING filled the air, like war drums beating from all sides.

In an instant, countless bees swarmed madly toward Tu Xiao’an.

Tu Xiao’an was in no mood to admire their kingdom. His eyes narrowed, and he unleashed a wave of his Consciousness Power, instantly paralyzing a large swarm of bees.

At his current Rank 6, he could subjugate up to one hundred bees at once. As for Wasps, he could only manage a group of 30 to 50.

’I’ll start with you lot.’

With another thought from Tu Xiao’an, the space around the paralyzed bees warped. In the blink of an eye, the entire swarm vanished.

”DING... Congratulations, Host. You have subjugated 87 bees and gained 435 Energy Value.”

Tu Xiao’an was already numb to the System’s notification sound.

For safety’s sake, thirty Wasps suddenly materialized around Tu Xiao’an the venomous snake, forming a tight, protective circle.

After all, there were far too many bees. If they all rushed him at once, he wouldn’t be able to subjugate them fast enough.

He could be completely overwhelmed by them in the blink of an eye.

’Hehe... Another Killer Bee has evolved.’

WHOOSH...

The Killer Bee, looking as if it were clad in Golden Battle Armor, made a majestic entrance. Its intimidating aura struck terror into the ten thousand-plus bees inside the burial cave.

Tu Xiao’an felt a hint of pride. ’My Killer Bee could be their king. No matter how many bees there are, they’re just a number.’

The air in the burial cave seemed to boil as countless bees flew into a panic. It was bad enough that a venomous snake had invaded their heartland, but there were also thirty Wasps. And most terrifying of all was the Killer Bee, as large as a baby’s fist.

A powerful enemy had invaded. This was their main base, and their two Bee Kings resided within.

”Go... kill.”

A cold light filled Tu Xiao’an’s Snake Pupils. At his command, the Killer Bee charged first, eager to enjoy its delicious meal. Even the thirty Wasps protecting him shot forward, whistling through the air as they dove toward the bees, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

Suddenly, a notification sounded.

”DING... Congratulations, Host. Your Level has increased to Level 7.”

His Energy Value had surged so much that the System leveled him up directly, without him even needing to request it. A brilliant flash of light enveloped him, illuminating the dim burial cave as if it were broad daylight.

The Energy Value he needed now was far greater than the mere 200 Energy it took to level up at the start. This was his second level-up since arriving in the bees’ territory. This place was truly a perfect spot for grinding and farming experience.

’One word: Awesome. This trip was so worth it.’

After the light from the level-up faded, all of the venomous snake Tu Xiao’an’s Attributes were boosted once again, and his body length increased to 120 centimeters.

With each normal level-up, he grew by 10 centimeters.

His Snake Skin was now translucent and sparkling, shining with a dazzling brilliance.

Next Level, Evolutionary Energy Value: 1200/15000.

During that time, his Energy Value had been surging without pause, meaning bees were constantly dying at the hands of his subjugated Wasps.

As for the Killer Bee, all that mattered was that it ate its fill. Only when it ate its fill would it produce more honey.

Tu Xiao’an had come to the burial cave to subjugate the Bee King and control the bees. Once that was done, his mission would be accomplished.