Chapter 1494 (1493): Locust Eggs (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
A gentle breeze and warm sunshine, all in quietude.
After a dozen or so breaths, no one responded to Lin Feng.
She was in no hurry; she sat cross-legged on the ground, with her sword resting on her lap.
Since they refuse to come out, let's just stay in this stalemate and see who loses their temper first. Lin Feng's face remained calm, but inwardly he was worried about the safety of his subordinates. Putting aside his feelings for them over the years, he couldn't afford to easily damage their value.
Lin Feng quietly brewed his murderous intent.
Until she keenly noticed the sound of fallen leaves being trampled.
She opened her eyes and looked at the person who had come in with a calm gaze.
A tall, dark figure emerged from the dense forest. The sunlight dispelled the shadow cast upon the newcomer, revealing a face that Lin Feng found somewhat familiar. The reason she described it as somewhat familiar was that she had only seen the person once since becoming an adult, and it wasn't a pleasant memory.
"Brother."
The newcomer stopped in his tracks, seemingly surprised by Lin Feng's address: "I thought you would hate me to the bone after our unpleasant parting last time."
Lin Feng's address of "brother" came so naturally.
It was so natural that he was somewhat "flattered".
Lin Feng stood up and sheathed his sword.
He may appear to be keeping his sharp edge hidden, but his words are barbed and scathing.
She said, "Hate also requires strength."
Perhaps due to her mentor's influence, or perhaps due to her own personality, Lin Feng's expression of love and hate tends to be reserved. In her eyes, an enemy is simply an enemy, a stumbling block that needs to be kicked away. If a stone is blocking the way, just kick it away; why bother hating a stone? She kicks away the stone purely because it's blocking her path, not because of love or hate. The stone isn't worth her energy to hate.
Like her and Lin Su in front of her.
"What a cold yet rational answer."
This half-joking complaint didn't come from Lin Su's mouth; the voice seemed to come from above her. Lin Feng felt the voice sounded familiar, so he looked in the direction of the sound and saw a hand parting the dense, canopy of green leaves to reveal a young man dressed in a lotus-patterned robe and crown.
The young man looked at Lin Su and chuckled teasingly: "Did you hear that? Your sister now thinks you're like a stranger, and that I'm more likable."
Lin Feng recognized him: "It's you?"
The young man in the Taoist robe jumped down from the height.
He cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Greetings, Ms. Lin."
Since they were being so polite, Lin Feng couldn't just draw his sword and start yelling for battle. He simply returned the courtesy with a bow. Seeing the young man in the Taoist robe appear, she knew her judgment was correct; Lin Su had somehow pulled her back into her dream world without her noticing: "How are my subordinates?"
"They are doing very well, Your Majesty, please rest assured." The young man in the Taoist robe smiled and stepped forward, circling Lin Feng twice. He said with extreme envy, "Ah, I really don't know what kind of feng shui your Lin family has. The men are handsome and the women are beautiful. Ordinary people would kowtow and beg for a son or daughter, but your family actually has several. If the world were peaceful, they could live a smooth life just by their looks."
The three Lin siblings each have their own unique looks and temperament.
Tu Rong said Lin Chun had "a face suitable for marrying into a wealthy family," while Lin Su's face attracted even more trouble. Although Lin Feng's appearance wasn't aggressive, it really clashed with the aesthetic preferences of the young man in the Taoist robe. If he were still alive, he would do anything to get into the Lin family's genealogy, even if it meant becoming one of Lin Su's brothers-in-law! Being good-looking was one thing, but he was also exceptionally talented, making him the envy of many.
Lin Su's face darkened: "Rely on your looks?"
The young man in the Taoist robe said, "I was born into a life of good fortune but I didn't realize it."
Countless mud splatters yearn day and night for the Goddess Nuwa to sculpt a beautiful face for them, but Lin Su's words show that the well-fed don't understand the hunger of the starving.
Lin Feng was initially uninterested, pondering how to give Lin Su a "gift," but after hearing a few words from the young man in the Taoist robe, he changed his mind. He was even willing to be more patient because of the latter's last sentence: "Heh, so you mean, brother, this time you are a friend rather than an enemy?"
"The Queen is truly intelligent and wise!"
The young man in the Taoist robe cast an admiring glance at Lin Feng.
He teased Lin Su: "Anzhi, you should learn from your sister."
Lin Su didn't answer, and the young man in the Taoist robe nudged him with his elbow: "Speak up, why are you acting like a mute when you see the person in charge?"
After saying that, she smiled at Lin Feng and said, "Don't worry, my lady. Your second brother is just like that. He's shy. He can't bring himself to beg for peace right now, but he's probably already calling me 'sister' in his heart. If you call him 'brother,' he'll be overjoyed."
The young man in the Taoist robe wanted to liven up the atmosphere, but Lin Feng and Lin Su were not cooperating, leaving him stuck in the middle and almost frozen.
"Speak, what brings you two here?" Although the young man in the Taoist robe kept saying that Lin Su wanted to make peace, Lin Feng's first reaction was suspicion, and his second reaction was to guess that Lin Su had a conspiracy.
Lin Su is not like her older brother, Lin Chun. Aside from his striking appearance, Lin Chun is mediocre in every other way, including his dull and uninteresting personality. Lin Su, on the other hand, possesses both good looks and a strong temper. The probability of Lin Su stubbornly sticking to his path is far greater than him assessing the situation and choosing to abandon his evil ways. This kind of person, even knowing they've done something wrong, will stubbornly refuse to admit it; all they have is a mouth!
Lin Feng never expected Lin Su to change her stance.
In fact, Lin Su really had no intention of changing her stance.
"That's all there is to it. Your Majesty, just take it and write it down." Lin Su stubbornly refused to admit it, so the young man in the Taoist robe could only work harder himself. He took out a scroll of map from his sleeve and said, "Anzhi expected that Shen Jun would come looking for you, so this intelligence is most suitable for you."
"This is?"
Lin Feng opened it and looked at it, puzzled.
“These lunatics in the central region have gone mad, to the point that even someone like Anzhi can’t stand it. Although your brother does have some problems…” The young man in the Taoist robe pointed to the area around his head, then lifted his robe and conjured a stone to sit on, “He also thinks all day long that everyone in the world should die, but he just thinks about it. There’s no law in any country that says thinking about it is illegal. The people in the central region dare to think and act.”
Actually, Lin Su wanted to put it into practice, but she didn't manage to.
The gap between dreams and reality is too big.
Lin Su gave her a warning look.
The young man in the Taoist robe wasn't afraid of him at all, and scoffed, "Stare at me? Staring at me won't change the facts. What did I say wrong?"
Lin Feng watched as Lin Su, her back teeth clenched and her face cold with anger, shook the object in his hand: "So what is this map?"
"The Allied forces want to artificially create a locust plague, and the map shows a part of the area contaminated by locust eggs." Lin Su finally spoke up this time. Fearing that Lin Feng would be suspicious and not believe it, she explained, "I obtained this information from the dream of the person in charge of this matter using the methods of a scholar. I should not have alerted them. You can believe it if you want, or not if you don't. Just pretend I was never here. There's no need to force me."
Lin Feng was genuinely surprised this time: "Why?"
Why did they suddenly step in to help Kangguo?
The young man in the Taoist robe said, "A gentleman knows what to do and what not to do. Only by knowing what not to do can one know what to do. It's that simple. Don't be fooled by Anzhi's desire for everyone in the world to die; he's just a little mentally unstable. The boy's heart is still good. Right, Anzhi?"
Lin Feng: "..."
If she wasn't mistaken, Lin Su probably wanted to draw her sword and kill someone.
In the end, Lin Feng didn't even see Lin Su draw her sword. He simply wore a cold expression, his face capable of suppressing a thousand mountains and ten thousand snows: "A gentleman, when he hears the cries of beasts, cannot bear to eat their flesh. Although I have a wicked heart to kill, I have no sadistic tendencies. If the world were to be overturned in an instant, I would naturally be happy to see it happen, and it would also restore peace to the world. But the locust plague has no such miraculous effect. The locusts in the east have risen in great numbers and flown to the far west. This is not what I want."
A locust plague will inevitably lead to famine.
Famine is a protracted death sentence.
A mother eats her son to death, and a husband eats his wife.
Lin Feng sensed the inner turmoil in Lin Su's calm description, and his thoughts became complicated. She exhaled a breath of stale air and carefully memorized the map: "Regardless, I appreciate your sentiment."
Lin Su pursed her lips, wanting to say something but unable to speak, which made the young man in the Taoist robe anxious for him. It was truly a case of the eunuch being more worried than the emperor. In the end, he spoke for Lin Su: "...These locust eggs are unusual. Your Majesty must not underestimate them."
They had also traveled through Kangguo, so they naturally knew that Lin Feng had been in charge of locust prevention and extermination more than once. You see, locust plagues happen every one or two years at most, and every seven or eight years at least. In chaotic times, the frequency is even higher. Everyone's energy is focused on survival; there's not much energy left to manage and prevent locust plagues. It's basically all left to fate.
Under Shen Youli's rule, there have been zero incidents so far.
This achievement is something to be proud of no matter when it comes to it.
The young man in the Taoist robe was also afraid that Lin Feng would be careless and underestimate his opponent.
"Oh? What's the explanation?"
Lin Su said: "There are precedents among the central countries for using locust plagues to destroy other countries, and it has happened more than once, with immediate results."
Lin Feng: "..."
She couldn't immediately tell whether it was more immoral for upstream countries to store water during the dry season and then release it during the rainy season to kill people, or for man-made locust plagues to be even more immoral. In chaotic times, the actions of these people always deliver a moral blow. But considering that the Allied forces in the central region had even released ancient diseases, man-made locust plagues weren't surprising; they were certainly capable of such actions: "Is there something special about these insect eggs?"
"The insect eggs are of a special species, with a short hatching time and resistance to starvation."
Lin Feng: "..."
In other words, even if there isn't much food near the hatchery, they can still gather together and fly for three to five days to survive until the next buffet canteen.
In addition to these characteristics, the insect eggs are also very resilient.
It's not easy to exterminate them.
Once it reaches a certain scale, it can cause enormous harm.
Lin Feng sensed something was wrong: "Brother just said that some of the central kingdoms used it to kill other countries. I don't deny its destructive power, but isn't it afraid that such an uncontrollable thing will backfire on us?"
"It doesn't take a very large scale to destroy a country."
The central kingdoms, engaged in constant warfare, could only artificially create locust plagues on a limited scale. But this time, there was no limit to the scale of the locust plague against Kang. A locust plague of this size could be barely controlled by human power alone. But this world is governed by supernatural forces.
This is also one of the reasons why Lin Su couldn't sit still and took action.
"Kangguo is indeed not small."
He wouldn't even bother with something on the scale of annihilating a small country.
The Central Allied Forces have truly gone mad, even resorting to ancient diseases. It's clear they're aiming for mutual destruction; they can't afford to suffer themselves, and they certainly can't let Kangguo have an easy time. This insect plague will be unprecedented in scale! I wouldn't say there won't be one in the future, but it's definitely unprecedented!
Lin Feng: "...I've got it."
She would carefully clean up these locust eggs.
The intelligence provided by Lin Su can greatly improve the efficiency of pest control, and Lin Feng will try to control the situation before the locust plague shows any signs of emerging.
"I will report my brother's actions to the Lord truthfully." Feuds are feuds, merits are merits, and what is rightfully his will be his.
Lin Su scoffed: "No need."
He and Shen Youli are not on the same path.
He would have nightmares because he felt indebted to the other party.
The young man in the Taoist robe quickly covered his mouth before he could say anything more unpleasant: "Lady Lin, you don't need to listen to him. Your second brother is all bark and no bite. He may not care, but I do. We'll contact you again if there are any new developments—I won't bother you and your master for now."
Then, Lin Feng heard the sound of the mirror shattering.
A bright light suddenly shone, forcing her to close her eyes.
After the intense feeling of weightlessness, she suddenly opened her eyes again.
What came into view was not the sky, but a very familiar face.
She sat up abruptly: "Teacher!"
"Have you woken up from your dream?"
"A dream? The teacher knows he came to see me?"
It was daytime in her dream, but now it was the dead of night, and she still had half an hour before her night watch shift. Lin Su must have taken advantage of her nap to slip into her dream, causing her to unknowingly fall into its depths. Tsk, it really was impossible to guard against. However, she couldn't care less about Lin Su at the moment, and exclaimed with delight, "Teacher, what are you doing here?"
"Of course I've come to pick you up."
Actually, Chu Yao hadn't been here long.
He deliberately timed his appearance carefully, waiting for Lin Su to make her move before showing himself.
Lin Su was not likable, but the information he provided was certainly appealing.
Lin Feng was delighted upon hearing this: "Does the Lord know?"
"If the lord won't release them, how can I get out?"
It is also the Lord's will to come and receive them.
These words made Lin Feng overjoyed, instantly washing away all her fatigue and restoring her to full energy. She made a move to get up, but Chu Yao raised his hand and pressed her down: "No rush, rest first, there's no need to rush."
People who have the best answer in hand naturally exude a sense of ease.
But how could Lin Feng possibly fall asleep?
The thought of those Allied troops in the Central Region makes my blood pressure spike.
Across from her was her teacher, whom she regarded as her closest relative. She didn't need to control her true emotions: "If I have the chance, I will definitely slaughter these insects!"
Chu Yao: "Hmm."
"My lord said that Master now..." Lin Feng was worried that Lin Su was still nearby, so out of caution he flicked his finger to create a barrier to prevent eavesdropping, "...Does Master really know everything?"
Chu Yao smiled and asked, "What do you want to know?"
"Well, I just want to know if that's even possible."
Chu Yao's smile gradually faded, making Lin Feng increasingly nervous. Just when she thought it was bad news, Chu Yao chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes, and retorted, "A great teacher produces a great student. Does your father not even have this much confidence?"
Lin Feng understood the implication.
"Lingde, why don't you guess—"
Chu Yao leaned back casually against the tree trunk.
The moonlight poured down on his face and into his eyes.
What do I see in your future?
Lin Feng guessed: "To be granted the title of king or prime minister?"
"I imagine that a thousand years from now, kings and generals will all be dust, green tiles and golden roofs reflecting the sunset. Who will be the family then? Worldly fame and fortune are nothing but fleeting clouds..." Chu Yao smiled and didn't keep Lin Feng in suspense. "I'll benefit from your fame and serve as a sacrificial attendant."
He saw different futures in others, some long and some short, all within the normal lifespan, but Lin Feng was an exception among exceptions.
What Chu Yao saw was incense.
(*︾▽︾)
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