Chapter 2824: Chapter 2825: Little Stinkbug

"Illusion Technique?" The Black Earl furrowed his brow slightly, offering no further comment. Personally, he didn’t think illusion was a good idea.

Indeed, the concealing and ever-changing nature of illusion could serve as a reconnaissance vanguard.

However, when targeting creatures of the Material Realm, the effect of illusion is far greater than on energy beings. Moreover, illusion works much better on intelligent creatures than on non-intelligent ones.

Their current guess is that the Infant Spirits are intelligent beings. However, this is merely a conjecture.

In its most primitive state, the Infant Spirit is an undead, a soul filled with chaotic thoughts and only evil intent. In other words, it is both an energy being and a non-intelligent being.

In this case, the extent to which illusions can probe is limited. So, as seen by the Black Earl, illusion serves as a backup but is far from the optimal choice.

"I think the illusion should be used where it matters." At this moment, Dox spoke up: "As for probing, leave it to me."

Dox’s mention of "where it matters" actually referred to protecting the two apprentices. It wasn’t that he looked down on Angel’s illusion technique, but he was well aware that at present, the illusion provided the best protection for the two apprentices.

If Angel were distracted by using the illusion technique, it might cause lapses in the Moving Mirage. Even if it succeeded, there could be a targeted attack from the Infant Spirits against the illusion, and by then, the Moving Mirage would definitely become a target.

Dox didn’t want anything unexpected to happen to Kaier and Vay, especially to Vay.

Therefore, weighing the options, Dox decided that he should be the one to probe after all.

"Earlier, you were still hesitant, so how did you suddenly become brave?" Angel raised an eyebrow and looked over.

Dox shrugged: "It’s different. It’s not like I’m personally going; it’s just probing, so there’s definitely no issue. I’ve done these probing tasks many times... Ugh!"

In the first half of the sentence, Dox was still normal, but by the end, his expression turned grim, and then in full view of everyone, he vomited out a plump, slimy little worm.

Angel recognized this palm-sized worm as a larva of the Sandworm, but knowing that it came out of Dox’s mouth, still covered in glistening water droplets, made him feel nauseous.

Angel managed to suppress the urge to retch. However, Vay, who was sneakily watching from behind, couldn’t hold back and started heaving while covering his mouth.

After a good while, Vay calmed down a little.

"You do this every time, when will you get used to it, my old friend~" Dox looked over with a face full of concern.

Vay wiped away the saliva from his mouth after dry heaving and glared at Dox viciously.

He didn’t answer Dox but instead complained to Angel: "Dox wasn’t like this when retrieving Sandworm larvae in the past..."

Previously, Dox would simply turn his hand, and the larvae would appear in his palm. The larvae crawled directly from under his skin. While still somewhat unsettling, Dox’s hand-turning action obscured the process of the larvae’s emergence, so overall it looked normal.

But once, during an adventure, they encountered a crisis. Dox was completely encased in an iron coffin-like torture device, with only his head exposed.

In order to save himself, Dox used his mouth as a medium for the first time, spewing out larvae covered in saliva.

It was also then that Vay, young and naive, saw this scene and immediately threw up.

Dox, apparently finding Vay’s vomiting quite amusing, began using his mouth to summon larvae in front of Vay ever since then.

After Vay’s complaint to Angel, his face still looked aggrieved.

Angel glanced at the mischievous-looking Dox, and then at the aggrieved Vay, and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly... How did he become the arbiter? Do such trivial matters require his opinion?

Although Angel really didn’t want to speak, faced with Vay’s piercing gaze, he half-heartedly said, "This behavior is indeed egregious."

While Angel didn’t say much more, Vay was satisfied, having vented his grievances.

In Vay’s view, given that Dox would likely be following Angel, he’d have to heed Angel’s words somehow.

Dox looked innocent as he said, "Egregious? I think it’s quite normal."

Angel sneered, "If my Little Gold and Little Little Gold were spat out like that by you, I would sew your throat shut with a needle on the spot. I have a lot of experience in tailoring, believe me, I will sew it very tightly."

Dox immediately fell silent. Just earlier, when Angel called him egregious, he really considered spitting Little Gold out in front of him in the future...

Seeing Dox’s fearful look, Vay was inwardly cheering, further admiring Angel.

After this small episode passed, the Black Earl turned to Dox: "You plan to use this Sandworm to probe?"

Dox nodded: "This Sandworm is a common Sandworm, but I can sense everything it perceives through my Bloodline Power. Even if the Sandworm is discovered and killed, it won’t have much impact."

At this point, Dox mysteriously took a small bottle out of his pocket: "Do you know what’s inside? Hehe, I secretly collected some sewer stench earlier, and it’s stored in here. Later, I’ll smear it on the Sandworm. This way, when it crawls in, it can disguise itself as a little bug that came out of the sewer, becoming even more concealed!"

The Black Earl: "You’ve certainly made a lot of preparations."

Dox smiled proudly: "Of course, after all, coming to the Underground Aqueduct once isn’t easy, and it wouldn’t do to leave empty-handed."

This statement sounded fine, but collecting the sewer’s stench to take along truly left everyone speechless.

Even the Black Earl didn’t know how to respond—praise? Commendation? Criticism? None fit, so... forget it.

Angel: "Are you sure the Infant Spirits from the Otherworld can recognize the stench of sewers?"

Dox: "Whether they know it or not doesn’t matter; it’s just for probing anyway."

Angel: "..."

Dox happily opened the bottle cap, dropped the larva inside, and let it soak up the stench.

Although Angel wasn’t fond of worms, watching the larva struggle incessantly in the bottle made him turn away. It wasn’t out of pity but simply because Dox seemed a bit... perverted? Now he’s wondering if recruiting Dox was the right choice.

After Dox took the larva out again, it had already absorbed the stink of the sewer.

However, due to not being soaked for too long, the stench wasn’t overpowering. Comparatively, it was much more tolerable than the smell inside a sewer.

Even the Black Earl didn’t avoid it, which indicated that the stench’s potency had diminished.

Nevertheless, Dox remained optimistic: "Too strong a smell would be too much; this is just right."

As he spoke, Dox looked at Angel: "I’ve done it up to this point, shouldn’t I be the one to probe?"

Dox had gone so far as to marinate the larva; refusing now would be inappropriate.

Angel nodded: "Then go ahead and probe."

"Great! Rest assured, I’ll definitely bring back the most effective information!" Dox placed the larva on the ground, taking advantage of the Moving Mirage’s trait that sound wouldn’t transmit outside, and shouted loudly: "Go forth, Little Stinky Worm!"

Angel: ...Has it been named so quickly?

Watching the sandworm slowly burrow into the surface layer and inch forward, Angel softly said, "If this little sandworm isn’t dead, will you retrieve it?"

Before Dox could speak, Vay answered quickly, "Of course I would! Dox has a lot of love for his sandworms and cherishes them greatly. Don’t be fooled by his current joy; it’s just a facade. Deep inside, he might be crying!"

Dox looked puzzled: "???"

He has a lot of sandworms, losing a few doesn’t really hurt him.

Vay certainly knows Dox doesn’t mind losing some ordinary sandworms. However, if Vay speaks first and confirms Dox’s obsessed image of loving sandworms, lifting him up, would he still refuse?

"Dox’s love for sandworms is sincere. This indicates he has strong principles, even cherishing insects. Moreover, when it comes to interpersonal relations?"

"Right, Dox?"

Dox nodded blankly: "Uh, I guess so."

Vay smirked and continued, "Therefore, if this sandworm isn’t dead, I’m sure Dox will recover it. And Dox will recover it just as it came!"

Vay’s last biting remarks revealed his intentions.

—He wants Dox to return the sandworm the same way! You like performing by spewing sandworms? Later, you’ll swallow it back!

Dox looked at Vay in shock, finally understanding Vay’s intention. Wanting him to swallow the sandworm contaminated by the sewer?!

"You’re so cruel..."

Vay feigned ignorance: "Ah? What are you talking about? Do you no longer love sandworms? Then you can’t be trusted. If you don’t love your bloodline’s sandworms, how can you love others?"

Vay’s words were directed at Angel, reminding Angel that if Dox doesn’t love sandworms, he’s a traitor.

If Dox loves sandworms, he will surely retrieve the sandworm the same way!

Dox was speechless and choked. He couldn’t outright say he doesn’t love sandworms; if he didn’t, why would he use sandworm bloodline as his main bloodline?

But to say he loves them would fall into Vay’s trap...

So cunning!

Dox turned to Angel, hoping Angel could see through Vay’s scheme and treat him fairly!

However, Dox chose the wrong person.

How could Angel not see through Vay’s trap? After all, it was Angel who started the topic.

Originally, Angel intended to set the trap himself, but he didn’t expect Vay to catch on so quickly, stealing his words and placing Dox on a pedestal, lifting him morally only to cruelly bring him down.

This is even more ruthless than Angel’s original idea... This is just perfect.

Angel: "Vay is right."

Dox was stunned, staring at Angel, not believing his ears.

Vay seized the opportunity to follow up, "The lord also is right!"

Dox felt dizzy, as if placed in an endless ice field where the biting wind penetrated his bones, freezing even his blood...

Black Earl: "Let’s put aside the idle talk; your sandworm is about to reach the Webbing."

Dox quickly returned from the icy world to reality, disregarding Angel and Vay’s banter, and began to seriously observe the sandworm’s movements.

Angel and Vay didn’t interfere further; occasionally adjusting the atmosphere is fine, but during important tasks, there must be no negligence.

At this moment, Dox’s plump little sandworm had left the Moving Mirage.

Even so, it didn’t attract the attention of the distant Infant Spirits.

This further confirmed Black Earl’s suspicion—Infant Spirits are controlled, or perhaps they possess intelligence. Otherwise, given their sensitivity to living beings’ aura, they couldn’t have missed smelling the sandworm’s scent.

Infant Spirits have yet to appear; are they planning to... wait for them to voluntarily enter the net?

And their reliance is on this Webbing and red wax?

These questions remain unknown for now, but using the sandworm to test the effects of the red wax and Webbing seems advisable at present.

The red wax covered the ground, but it can climb walls or ceilings to avoid it. However, the Webbing is different; it tightly seals all gaps in the walls.

Now, it’s about Dox’s decision.

Will he walk directly on the ground, touching the red wax first, or bypass it to reach the Webbing?

Dox stroked his chin and ultimately decided to bypass the red wax first. Because the sandworm can bypass it, they can too.

But as for the Webbing, there is no escaping it, facing it is essential; hence observing the effects of the Webbing is crucial for now.

After making the decision, the sandworm began crawling towards the wall and slowly climbed upward, unopposed throughout the process.

When it reached the ceiling, the sandworm then proceeded further.

Soon, the sandworm entered the red wax area, but being on the ceiling, didn’t touch the red wax.

However, just as everyone thought the sandworm successfully bypassed the red wax, Dox suddenly frowned and said, "It seems my control over the sandworm has weakened."

Angel questioned in confusion, "Control weakened?"

Dox paused and said, "Maybe it’s my imagination."

Everyone looked at Dox inquisitively. He didn’t know how to explain. He felt his control over the sandworm did diminish, but now it seemed to return. So he claimed it a delusion.

However, shortly after, Dox once again felt his control weakening over the sandworm. Just as he was about to report to the group, his control came back again.

After that, within a few meters, Dox felt his control fluctuate like a roller coaster, sometimes high, sometimes low.

Dox didn’t mention this situation for now, mainly because, although the control was strange, the sandworm’s aim remained unchanged, continuing towards the Webbing.

Dox wanted to wait until the sandworm was caught by the Webbing to observe any changes.

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