Chapter 1760 – Lost Treasure

Merchant hadn’t been to the fifth before, but so far she didn’t see what all the fuss was about. Not that she was likely to ever go anywhere near the frontlines, her battlefield and that of her siblings were not remotely similar. Of course, she had the utmost respect for the sacrifices and suffering of the soldiers, generals, and the rest who fought so hard for the family, but that type of conflict simply wasn’t interesting to her.

Besides, she could bring the firepower of ten thousand soldiers to the battlefield in the form of cores and other materials. The value of her work was simply that high, and she was well aware of it.

“I’m glad you were able to pay us a visit,” the ant before her said coolly.

Someone Merchant had heard a lot about, but had never had the opportunity to meet, her fellow Champion: Solant.

Merchant swept out a neat bow, pulling back her cloak and flashing the light off her glasses.

“A pleasure to meet the Colony’s most reputable general. I’ve been eager to meet the sister responsible for consuming the entire resource generation of our family. Why, if someone were to calculate the expense of this invasion, they would find the numbers to be mind-numbingly high.”

The general paused for a brief moment, but her antennae waved in an uncaring manner.

“I’m not sure any ant would bother to consider such a thing. I have been instructed by the Eldest to achieve victory here, and victory I shall achieve.”

“Oh, I can think of one ant who might run the numbers.”

Merchant had, of course, run the numbers. They were appalling. Beyond appalling. The cost in resources alone was astronomical, but if the labour of the ants involved was also taken into account….

Any nation the Colony had yet encountered would be buried in debt for generations.

What the family could have achieved with those resources and effort! Just thinking of the monumental projects and dizzying heights she could have spun together with even a fraction of what Solant had consumed down here…

She would have to get her own projects approved by the Eldest in future. It was clearly the only way to get the full force of the family behind her. She gracefully waved a leg and pulled out a fresh cigar, placing it in her mouth but not lighting it just yet.

“Well, I have been asked to investigate the harvest from this new, resurgent fifth stratum environment. I’m sure you’ve dug up all sorts of interesting things.”

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“Our focus has been on the war against the Krath and achieving the mission that has been placed in front of us. There hasn’t been much time for digging up… trinkets.”

“A trinket to us could be worth an unimaginable sum to others. These are materials that none on Pangera have access to except for us. Who can say what value they might possess?”

“Indeed, who can say?” Solant echoed.

“Me, I can,” Merchant replied, clacking her mandibles with laughter. “That’s why I’m here. Please, lead me to the treasures.”