While the rest of the Mitene Union was being turned upside down by the Chimera Ants, East Gorteau, situated on the other end of the island, remained eerily quiet.
On one hand, this was because the country, much like NGL, had long practiced a policy of total isolation, maintaining almost no contact with the outside world. Consequently, aside from the ruling elite, the vast majority of the populace had no idea what was happening in the world beyond their borders.
On the other hand, just a few hours prior, the Chimera Ant legion led by Neferpitou, Shaiapouf, and Menthuthuyoupi had successfully seized the palace and taken control of the nation's supreme leader, Ming Jol-ik.
Of course, these relatively naïve ants did not realize that the man they controlled was merely a body double. The real Ming Jol-ik had abandoned his post thirty years ago, hiding away in an obscure location to enjoy a pleasant, ordinary life.
Through the use of Nen and the brain-control devices invented by "the cat girl," the portly, round man was quickly transformed into a total puppet. With his assistance, the nation's entire military and political power fell into the ants' hands within a matter of hours.
As for the Queen, she had immediately taken refuge in the safest underground chamber, continuing to feast on the human meat-balls delivered by her subordinates. She was preparing for the final stage of her pregnancy: giving birth to the King.
Seeing everything proceeding according to plan, Pitou breathed a visible sigh of relief. She turned to Pouf, who was following behind her. "How are the preparations on your end?"
Pouf replied without hesitation, "Nearly complete. Most of the technology, weaponry, and various data concerning this nation have been collected. You can review them at any time. However, is it truly necessary for us to learn how to manufacture and use human weapons?"
"Absolutely. My initial thoughts were the same as yours, but after encountering that man, my perspective changed. Individual humans may be fragile and incomparable to us, but the weapons they create are immensely powerful. Powerful enough to easily kill Guardians like you and me," Pitou explained, her expression grim.
Whenever she recalled the scenes of the devastating poison gas, Allen's declaration and his raw, unmasked, and terrifying malice would resurface in her mind. It was then that she truly re-evaluated the human race, a species the Queen had designated as mere food, and understood the meaning of fear and panic.
"Easily kill us? Are you certain humans possess such weapons?" Doubt flickered in Pouf's eyes.
After all, he had not personally experienced that crushing defeat, nor did he understand how many horrific weapons humans had invented for the sole purpose of slaughtering one another. Inwardly, he felt a sense of disdain for this overly cautious approach.
Pitou nodded firmly. "Yes. From the mouths of the slaves, I have learned of several weapons with terrifying destructive power. Compared to teeth, claws, and hardened bone or muscle, humans are far more adept at wielding the power of intellect and technology. Furthermore, their weapons can be mass-produced and distributed on a grand scale. Even an ordinary human can inflict massive casualties upon us with the weapons in their hands."
"So, you intend to equip the soldier ants with the same weaponry?" A playful smile played on Pouf's lips.
"Precisely. Only then can we truly contend with humanity. Furthermore, the Queen is currently gestating the King and cannot lay eggs for the time being. We must find a way to create a vast army," Pitou explained patiently. She needed his cooperation to complete the latter half of the plan.
"Heh, I see. You intend to use my ability to screen the nation's military and citizenry, and then use human technology to transform them into soldiers serving us. A brilliant plan, one that will forge a powerful army for our King." Pouf's lips curled into a wicked smile.
As the one among the three Royal Guards most adept at gauging the psychological state of others, he instantly grasped Pitou's intent. For the King who was about to be born, the current number of the colony was far too meager. This plan would perfectly rectify that deficiency.
With the collaboration of the two Royal Guards, an utterly evil and cruel plan was set in motion.
However, having learned fear, the ants did not make a grand show of mobilizing East Gorteau's millions of citizens immediately. Instead, they began with the military forces already under their control. Following a strict sequence, they summoned various army units to the capital. There, Pouf would release his scales to hypnotize them, before handing them over to Pitou for genetic modification experiments.
Before long, the vacant rooms within the palace were filled with over a thousand massive eggs.
…
Meanwhile, Hisoka, Illumi, and their group had successfully slipped into East Gorteau, disguised and moving in silence.
Leveraging the Hunter Association's technical prowess and political backing from the V5, each of them possessed high-quality forged identification and permits. At this moment, they were casually strolling through the streets of the capital.
Watching the pedestrians and shops appearing as normal as ever, Baise furrowed her brow instinctively, whispering her doubts: "Strange. This place doesn't look at all like it's been occupied and controlled by Chimera Ants. Could Allen's judgment have been wrong?"
"Don't be so quick to jump to conclusions. We'll find a place to stay first. Tonight, we'll scout the residences of generals and bureaucrats to gather intel," Illumi decided swiftly.
With Allen absent, he acted as the team's temporary leader. There was no other choice. Bodoro and Baise were not natural leaders, and Kalluto was far too young. One certainly couldn't let a thrill-seeking psychopath take the lead.
"Heh, I'm fairly certain those little ants are hiding right here in East Gorteau. I can already smell their scent!" Hisoka said, licking his lips with a meaningful grin.
"Oh? Where do you think they're hiding?" Bodoro asked, leaning in.
"I don't know. Perhaps... we should take a look inside the palace. After all, the best way to control a country is to control its supreme leader first," Hisoka suggested, stroking his chin.
"Don't go looking for trouble. The risk of infiltrating the palace is too high. Until we receive clearance from Allen, it's best we keep our movements discreet," Illumi countered without hesitation, vetoing Hisoka's suggestion on the spot. He knew that such a location was almost certain to be guarded by Nen users, and any exposure could trigger a political storm, a classic minefield.
Hisoka's face fell into an expression of disappointment. "Sigh. How dull. You guys are so boring; things were much more interesting when Allen was around."
"If Allen knew what was going through that head of yours, I guarantee he'd snap every bone in your body," Illumi threatened with a double entendre.
"Hahahaha! Perhaps!" Hisoka didn't argue for once, merely laughing and spreading his hands.
About twenty minutes later, the group finally settled into a decent inn. Through brief conversations with the owner and staff, they quickly learned which figures held the most power in the country, where these "big shots" lived, and which entertainment venues they frequented.
When night fell, Baise changed into a sexy evening gown and set out with Illumi toward a lavish, luxury hotel. Tonight, she would use her ability to easily extract every piece of recent information from the high-ranking officials and generals, even the most classified secrets.
After all, most men with standard sexual orientations find it impossible to refuse a beautiful woman who approaches them, and they certainly won't refuse a sweet kiss...