The distance from where Fang Er encountered the Crusaders to the pyramid was approximately 1,200 kilometers. Fortunately, the Suez Canal did not exist yet, otherwise, it would have been a problem for such a large truck to cross. With the truck slowing them down, they didn't reach their destination until the third day.
Upon seeing the colossal pyramid, Ku Hachioncha and the Crusaders once again wore expressions of shock. However, the imperial physicians remained indifferent, even displaying a hint of disdain. "It's just taller and bigger, with no artistic merit. I can't imagine what kind of idiot built a house like this!"
Wang Xuance, carrying the explosives, expertly found the spot to be detonated. With a boom, a passage was blasted into the base of the pyramid. Fang Er smiled at the imperial physicians and said, "Gentlemen, the venomous creatures I mentioned on the way are inside. Would you trouble yourselves to take a look?"
An old imperial physician named Jia Yin, from the Miao ethnic group, respectfully cupped his hands in greeting. "It is our duty, our duty." He was a poison doctor rumored to be skilled in using gu.
A team of Crusaders was selected and led by Ku Hachioncha to investigate inside the pyramid. Fang Er circled the exterior of the pyramid, locating the approximate position of the underground secret chamber. He then produced a large number of entrenching tools and instructed the remaining Crusaders to dig downwards at an angle from the outside. This was done to avoid damaging the murals above the secret chamber again.
Although Ku Hachioncha was not present, after some gesturing, they understood what they needed to do. Under the command of their angel lord, they started digging diligently without a word of complaint.
As the excavation began, Jia Yin emerged from the pyramid carrying a cloth bag, smiling as if presenting a treasure to Fang Er. "My Lord, are you referring to these scorpions?" he asked, opening the bag.
Ge Luoyang glanced at them and felt a chill run down his spine, his posterior involuntarily clenching. "Damn it, last time it was acupuncture and cupping, followed by purgatives that nearly cost me my life."
Upon seeing the scorpions, Fang Er nodded at Jia Yin and inquired, "Doctor Jia, do you have a way to deal with these venomous creatures?"
Jia Yin patted his chest and assured him, "My Lord, rest assured. If it were other matters, I might need some effort, but these are hardly even a trouble." He then walked to the cabin, retrieved a box that had been brought along, and opened it. The box, about a foot square, was divided into many small compartments, each containing different bottles and jars.
Jia Yin took out a cloth bag from his clothes, poured out a pile of powder, dissolved it in water, and dripped a few drops onto each person's body. Afterwards, he took out a small wooden ball from the box. Upon opening it, a golden ant, about the size of a thumb, was revealed.
Seeing Fang Er's confused look, Jia Yin quickly explained, "My Lord, this is called a Shell-Eating Golden Ant. It's the best thing to deal with the scorpions inside."
"Why does this thing look dead?" Fang Er asked, pointing at the ant.
Jia Xuan replied, "To answer my Lord, this creature is extremely difficult to cultivate, and its lifespan is only a hundred days. Therefore, I have devised a method to keep it in a state of suspended animation, awakening it only when needed. This way, its lifespan can be extended to two years."
Having said this, he found an empty jar and placed the Shell-Eating Golden Ant and the scorpions inside. Fang Er was curious. Could such a small creature handle the scorpions inside, which were like a tide? It sounded somewhat far-fetched.
But then he witnessed a truly astonishing scene. The jar seemed to have a world within it. The Shell-Eating Golden Ant, initially motionless, twitched its antennae a few times after being placed inside. In the next moment, it became extremely active. Soon, it discovered the scorpions beside it. Although it was smaller than the scorpions, it immediately attacked them without hesitation. The tiny Shell-Eating Golden Ant moved like a golden thread flashing within the jar. By the time Fang Er could get a clear look, the creature was already gnawing on one of the scorpions. No matter how the scorpion struggled, it was completely ineffective. Its hard exoskeleton was like paper in front of the Shell-Eating Golden Ant, and soon a hole was gnawed through it.
Wang Xuance and Xue Rengui, who had gathered around, were fascinated by this small creature. Seeing their reactions, Jia Yin proudly explained, "This ant is based on the rare Shell-Eating Ants of the Miao village. One hundred ant queens are placed in a clay pot to fight, and after ten days, those that survive enter the next round of selection. Only those that repeatedly pass three rounds and survive are qualified to be called Shell-Eating Golden Ants. Finally, they are cultivated using secret Miao techniques and medicinal aids, a process that lasts for forty-nine days."
"Damn it! Is the gu technique from ancient legends real?!" Fang Er had to accept this fact, but then he looked at Jia Yin with some confusion. "But even if this thing is powerful, there's only one. How can it handle so many scorpions inside?"
Jia Yin pointed mysteriously at the Shell-Eating Golden Ant. "My Lord, just keep watching. You'll see the result in about fifteen minutes."
Everyone watched patiently. The Shell-Eating Golden Ant was still continuously gnawing on the scorpion's corpse. The scorpion was at least two to three times larger than the ant, but the ant seemed insatiable, having already eaten half of the scorpion. Yet, its own size had not changed at all.
Suddenly, Fang Er noticed a pile of white, grain-sized objects in a corner of the jar. Within just ten minutes, these white grain-sized objects cracked open, and a swarm of small black insects crawled out. He quickly took out his phone, zoomed in, and took a picture. Those were not insects at all; they were tiny ants!
As soon as these little ones emerged from their eggshells, they burrowed into the wounds of the half-eaten scorpion corpse. The Shell-Eating Golden Ant also began to change targets, attacking another scorpion. Eating half and spawning a nest, from feeding to laying eggs to the appearance of the young ants, took less than fifteen minutes! This was a bug, a real bug! If this were in modern times, it would undoubtedly be considered an insect invasion.
Two hours later, not a trace of the scorpions in the jar could be found. The ant swarm had not only grown to thousands, but their size had also increased from millet-sized to wheat-sized. Fang Er suddenly felt a chill down his spine. If the Shell-Eating Golden Ants escaped and, even if they only lived for a hundred days, their terrifying reproduction and growth rate would bring about immense disaster!
Jia Yin seemed to sense his thoughts and quickly explained, "My Lord, there is no need to worry. The offspring of the Shell-Eating Golden Ants are infertile and can only survive for three days. When their time is up, they will die on their own. Moreover, the potion I sprinkled on everyone earlier, these small ants will actively avoid it."