Hunter: I became stronger even after I died.

Chapter 369 One step away

As long as the Hunter Association's censorship department is run by those old fogies, and someone is secretly pushing things along...

Therefore, the final selection of the expedition team will always be Netero, Nobu, and Moriarty.

Even now, Moro still can't understand why Netero can tolerate the existence of these stubborn old men in the censorship department.

What he found even more unacceptable was that Netero, as a legendary hunter, was willing to let a group of old fogies sway his decisions.

In comparison, he was much freer than Yang Deke.

Although Morrow didn't know much about Yang De.

But he was certain that if Yang De were to become the association's president, the first thing he would do would be to give those old stubborns a good kick in the ass.

"Chairman Netero's primary target is the Queen Ant, but considering the size of the Chimera Ant army, he will most likely implement a strategy to weaken the enemy's forces first."

Moro silently calculated in his mind.

He vaguely remembered that the division commander-level chimeric ant's forces were reduced to only a dozen or so in a month by Netero.

However, due to the expert's analysis that the queen ant would not be born for another two months, Netero's team did not rush to launch a general attack after significantly reducing the ant colony's forces.

There's really nothing wrong with doing it this way.

After all, the chimeric queen cannot reproduce soldier ants before the king ant is born.

This also means that as long as Nitero's team implements this tactic to the end, they can easily conquer the ant nest with minimal risk.

This tactic is very hunter-like.

But Little did Netero's team know that the King Ant would be born a month early.

"Just in case, I must persuade Chairman Netero ten days in advance to let them launch a full-scale attack on the ant nest. The best outcome would be to kill the direct guards on the spot and kill the ant king before it is born."

Moro's eyes showed a thoughtful expression as he thought, "That means I only have a maximum of fifteen days to level up..."

Netero's team was unaware that the King Ant would actually be born in just one month.

But Moro knew.

For this reason, he decided to intervene early and push the expeditionary force to attack the ant nest as soon as possible.

If the birth of the King Ant is prevented, the difficulty of the entire event will be greatly reduced.

Moreover, there's a chance to steal the head of one of Netero's personal guards during the attack on the anthill...

Moro was not greedy.

He would be content as long as he could reliably take down one of his direct guards.

the other side.

The trio of Netero, Morrow, and Nobu did not operate only in the outer areas like Morrow did.

Instead, they headed straight for the location of the ant nest.

Although they had learned about the general strength of the Chimera Ant's direct guards from Kate, they still needed to see it for themselves to determine the odds of winning the battle.

Furthermore, the exact troop deployment of the ant colony is still unclear.

Therefore, whether or not to directly attack the ant nest requires on-site investigation before a preliminary judgment can be made.

"That bumblebee is very likely a reconnaissance ability of a soldier ant. Should we confirm it further?"

Mo Laowu glanced in the direction where he had just shot down Bumblebee and asked cautiously.

Netero tucked his hands into his sleeves, looked ahead, and chuckled, "We need to get to the anthill as quickly as possible. Our presence is going to be exposed, so there's no need to waste time on such details."

"The president is right."

Nob, dressed in a black suit, adjusted his glasses and said calmly, "Moreover, the location of the anthill will not change. If the enemy wants to take the initiative to attack based on our movements, it will actually benefit what we need to do next."

"Hoo ho."

Netero said seriously, "In any case, let's go to the anthill first and check the situation with our own eyes."

The group darted through the dense forest like arrows released from a bow, making no attempt to conceal their movements.

In just half a day, Nitero's team arrived at a rocky mountain area only three or four kilometers away from the ant nest.

They stood atop a rocky hill, gazing at the distant anthill.

Even at this distance, a wave of energy could still be seen expanding outward from the nest.

That's a circle.

A circle of extremely exaggerated size, covering the surrounding area in an irregular shape.

“That circle… must be the work of the bodyguard Kate encountered.”

Mo Laowu stared at the circle extending above the ant nest in the distance. Based on the information provided by Kate earlier, he could almost confirm its origin.

After all, even without using the Circle technique, that direct guard could directly sense Kate, who was concealing her aura, two kilometers away.

Therefore, it is not surprising that such a large circle could be released.

Nob put his hands in his pockets and thought to himself, "The information Kate provided didn't mention anything about this level of roundness."

"Haha, maybe that's something that the bodyguard just learned these past few days."

Mo Laowu grinned.

Nob glanced at him, his tone flat: "I think it's more likely that after she came into contact with Kate and Morrow, she realized the importance of increasing vigilance, or that Morrow's actions these past few days have drawn their serious attention."

At this point, Nob paused briefly, then concluded in his usual calm tone:

"That's why we've further strengthened our vigilance. Given the current situation, it's impossible to bypass that level of 'circle' surveillance."

"..."

Upon hearing this, a subtle glint flashed in Mo Laowu's eyes, and he said half-jokingly, "Why do I get the feeling that you're blaming Moro for acting on his own?"

"Isn't it?"

Nob did not deny it, but instead asked a question in return.

Mo Laowu raised his hand and tugged at his cheek.

He didn't think there was anything wrong with Moro's actions.

In his view, a battle was inevitable in order to defeat the queen of the anthill.

Moro's unauthorized actions also weakened the ant colony's forces.

Looking further ahead, killing just one more chimera ant could potentially save an NGL citizen from calamity.

Although he held a different view from Norbu, Mo Laowu kept it to himself and did not argue with Norbu.

In the short time it took for the two to exchange a few words, Netero had already finished observing Neferpitou's Nen strength. He stroked his beard and said, "This isn't good. That guy... looks stronger than me."

Upon hearing this, both Nobu and Mo Laowu looked at Netero.

The strategy was to ascertain the strength and capabilities of the chimeric ants, weaken them, and then seize the nest when the time was right.

The most crucial part of this operation was the final assault.

This means directly breaching the defenses of the Chimera Ant's direct guards.

Netero's words now come with a hint of dejection.

Nob sighed softly, "President, you've gone too far with your joke. If even you can't defeat her, then who can?"

"Hoo ho."

Netero smiled.

He wasn't joking.

In terms of sheer mental strength, that bodyguard was indeed far superior to him.

But the outcome of a battle never depends solely on the strength of one's Nen.

Gazing at the powerful aura emanating from the direction of the anthill, Netero couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation.

At this moment, Mo Laowu spoke up: "It seems that it won't be so easy to break into the ant nest."

"really."

Netero responded, "However, if conditions permit, the best approach is naturally to resolve this in the simplest way possible. The question is, how do we do that? Do you have any plans?"

As he spoke, he turned to look at Mo Laowu and Norbu.

Norbu sighed again, "Why does the chairman need to ask a question he already knows the answer to? Since Mo Laowu and I have the ability, we can naturally take care of them one by one quietly."

The voice just fell,

Norb crouched down, and a dark passage appeared from the rocky ground before him. He reached in with his right hand, took out a large pipe, and casually tossed it to Mo Laowu beside him.

Mo Laowu took the pipe and laughed, "In any case, let's find out how many enemies there are first."

They have just begun their operation.

Neferbitt, sitting cross-legged on the outer wall platform of the ant nest, noticed it immediately.

“There are a lot of them, and they’re coming this way. They don’t seem to be living beings. Are they testing us… Meow.”

Neferpitou looked down at the forest ahead and muttered to himself.

At this moment.

Rabbits formed from condensed white smoke are running around in the forest.

This is Mo Laowu's ability.

By observing the actions of the ant colony, one can gradually ascertain the approximate strength of the ant nest.

On the outer wall of the ant nest.

Neferpitou kept a close eye on the Smoke Rabbit's movements.

As they approached the ant nest, she quickly determined that they were nothing more than harmless creatures.

Since it's not a living being, it can only be the ability of an enemy.

"They were just testing us... It seems they'll launch an attack sooner or later."

Neferpitou raised his hand to his chin, forcefully suppressing the urge to launch a preemptive strike.

Taking rash action without fully understanding the enemy's capabilities could very well play right into their hands.

Therefore, the best course of action at present is to maintain the operation of the warning network.

Once the enemy attacks, we can immediately grasp their movements and then strike to kill them.

"However, even though the soldier ants have mastered Nen, the humans still managed to break in so easily."

Neferpitou shook his head in disappointment.

In the past few days, the Chimera Ants have lost four or five divisions of troops, yet they still haven't figured out the enemy's strength.

Even today, the other side has closed in to such a close distance.

This made her feel that even if she helped the soldier ants open their minds, it didn't seem to bring much substantial return.

If I had to put it in a nutshell, it would mean that hunting efficiency improved.

What Neferbitt didn't know was...

The team currently using its capabilities to conduct probing is not the culprit behind the annihilation of four or five divisions.

Just then, a gentle voice came from behind Neferpitou: "If you judge the role of the soldier ants by your own standards, disappointment is inevitable."

Neferbitt did not turn around.

She had already sensed it before the other person even spoke.

The newcomer was another of his direct bodyguards, Xiao Yapufu.

He was the one with the most prominent human features among the three direct guards.

If it weren't for the insect antennae extending from its forehead and the elegant butterfly wings behind it...

Judging by his face and physique alone, he looked almost like a handsome human man.

Xiao Yapufu stepped forward slowly, his gaze fixed on the distant forest, and said meaningfully, "You've fought against humans, so you should understand the importance of abilities in battle. But soldier ants aren't like us; they can't effortlessly discover the abilities they want."

"Is that so, meow."

Neferbitt neither confirmed nor denied the allegations.

"The difference in talent is predetermined from the moment they are born. Give them some more time. If necessary, I will personally guide them," said Xiao Yapuf in a matter-of-fact tone.

"..."

Neferbitt didn't reply.

She has lost interest in improving the strength of the soldier ants.

If she weren't on guard duty, she would have preferred to study the human body.

………………

Netero's reconnaissance mission was carried out right under the noses of the Chimera Ants.

This is the confidence that comes from strength.

Also, because the soldier ants that go out to hunt will eventually have to return to the nest.

Both of these exchanges would be detected by Mo Laowu's group of smoke rabbits.

Meanwhile, the Chimera Ants also tried to eliminate the Smoke Rabbits, but no matter how many they killed...

These smoke rabbits seem endless, and they will soon keep popping up again.

Although we tried to trace the source, we still couldn't find anything after several attempts.

Instead, it delayed their mission of hunting humans.

This outcome was inevitable.

For Mo Laowu to make the smoke rabbit is just a matter of blowing a few more puffs of smoke.

Norb's four-dimensional apartment provides unparalleled logistical support.

Faced with such an unreasonable combination of abilities, even if the chimeric ants send out a large force, they will hardly achieve anything.

While Netero's team was gathering intelligence, Morrow's team was relying on Pons's reconnaissance abilities to continuously improve their hunting efficiency.

Having confirmed that Netero had begun his operation, Moro stopped operating on the outskirts and instead pushed the hunting area deeper into the territory.

There are only fifteen days left.

Moro must race against time to snatch the prey from Nitro.

Furthermore, with Nitro distracting the chimera ants, Moro's hunting risks are reduced.

Three more days passed quickly.

Moro successfully leveled up again, reaching Lv.77.

Although the higher the level, the more experience points are required.

But even that couldn't stop the swarm of experienced babies.

As the Morrow Squad and the Netero Squad embarked on their respective hunting expeditions, the deaths of a large number of soldier ants finally made the division commanders inside the anthill feel the crisis.

In response to this targeted hunting by the enemy, division commanders began to adopt a strategy of operating in teams.

However, this change has inadvertently improved Moro's upgrade efficiency.

Another week has passed, and Moro's level has soared to Lv.80.

He could hardly count how many chimeric ant colonies he had wiped out in those ten days.

The previously installed starred accounts have already been more than half harvested.

"There are about five more days..."

Moro stood atop a rocky mountain, gazing into the distance at the anthill that looked like a tiny black dot.

Soon.

Once he reaches Lv.81, he will be able to confirm the reward mechanism for upgrading the annual rings.

…………

Deep inside the ant nest.

Melina sat quietly in an inconspicuous corner, mentally reviewing the status information of the "offline" individuals.

"Four of them have already reached level 100... Great."

Although human hunting activities led to the premature deaths of some of her subordinates, the division commanders she invested in at least knew how to assess the situation.

Unlike some fools who don't even understand the most basic principles of seeking advantage and avoiding harm.

"Once the queen ant is born and leaves the nest, I can take action immediately."

Melina glanced discreetly in the direction of the ant queen, a hint of killing intent flashing in her eyes.

(End of this chapter)