Webnovel Author In The Apocalypse World

Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire

Iron could be used to make weapons, so Shin Woncheon, who had a Metal-type ability, picked it up without much thought.

That single action was like poking a hornet's nest.

"Run!"

The previously motionless glowing bugs suddenly went berserk, swarming straight toward them! Their attack method wasn't hallucinations or toxins but pure physical force.

When one of these tiny bugs hit a person, it felt as hard as a rock, leaving the team members yelping in pain.

With wings that made them exceptionally agile and their overwhelming numbers, the serene "starry sky" turned into a meteor shower crashing down on them. Only Ra Jinho fared slightly better, but even he lasted just a second longer than the rest.

What made matters worse was that the bugs ignored all forms of ability user defenses. No matter what barriers or shields abilities they used, the bugs passed right through as if they weren't there.

For the first time, the group was left trembling from the onslaught. They couldn't even stand and could only lie dazed in the snowy night.

The iron chunk Shin Woncheon had picked up rolled away, and only then did the bugs begin to calm down. They stopped attacking and simply hovered around the iron, fixated on it.

This reaction gave the team the courage to speculate that the creatures might indeed be Starlight Armored Bugs.

Subsequently, in order to verify their speculation, the group painstakingly got back on their feet and began searching the area where the Starlight Armored Bugs had originally been.

To their amazement, they discovered solid evidence: the excrement of the Starlight Armored Bugs, which was refined steel.

This realization filled their eyes with excitement and awe.

Why had Starlight Armored Bugs been so sought after by humans? It was precisely because of this unique trait. Starlight Armored Bugs could consume virtually anything, and what they excreted was always something of higher value.

As they observed firsthand, when the bugs ate iron, they excreted high-quality steel—no further human smelting or high-temperature refining needed. The steel was ready to use and of exceptional quality.

The bugs didn't stop at iron. If fed wood, they could excrete coal.

And the process wasn't limited to just these materials. Feeding them any kind of metal would result in excretions of that metal in a more refined and usable state.

Nobody truly understood how the digestive systems of these bugs worked, but it was no secret that the safe zone lucky enough to discover a group of Starlight Armored Bugs had greatly benefited from their unique abilities.

Moreover, while the bugs could inflict severe pain with their physical attacks, humans were not part of their diet. Unless someone was struck in a fatal spot, it was rare for encounters with the bugs to lead to death.

Hwa Jian and the rest of the Delta Squad knew they couldn't let such a rare opportunity slip away. What could possibly be a better gift for Kim Haru than a cluster of these precious Starlight Armored Bugs?

With this goal in mind, their next steps were straightforward.

First, they found a box large enough to hold the Starlight Armored Bugs. They lined the bottom with some soil and snow to create a suitable environment for the bugs.

Then, they devised a strategy. One person would distract the bugs by stealing the iron chunk they guarded, running straight to the box with the bugs in pursuit.

When that person could no longer hold out, they would toss the iron chunk to the next teammate, who would continue the relay.

With this relay strategy, the group finally managed to lock the Starlight Armored Bugs inside the box.

By the time they returned, every single one of them had been rammed countless times by the bugs. Even after immediately applying medication and using their abilities to heal their wounds upon reaching the safe zone, they couldn't fully erase the bruises and swelling by the end of the day.

Being beaten so miserably by a swarm of bugs wasn't something they wanted to admit to Kim Haru. Instead, Ryu Hyunwoo focused on explaining the unique traits of the Starlight Armored Bugs.

Hearing about such miraculous creatures, Kim Haru couldn't help but marvel at the strange wonders of the post-apocalypse world. At the same time, a thought flashed through his mind: *It looks like the greenhouse glass project might actually work.*

Now, all he needed was to find suitable sand. If the bugs could consume the sand, they would excrete glass. After a little bit of processing, the glass could be used for building the greenhouse. There would be no need for him to laboriously figure out how to produce coal or manually fire glass.

"You've all worked hard," Kim Haru said quickly, ushering the group into the wooden cabin to rest. "I really like this gift."

He left the box and the bugs inside as they were for now, and hurried back to the kitchen to prepare a meal.

In the kitchen, Kim Haru had a dual-section hot pot, which could simply be placed on the dining table and plugged in. Without a rich bone broth on hand, he added a mix of spices and poured in plain water. For the spicy base, he blended chili peppers, oil, and various seasonings to make a fragrant hot pot broth, which he poured into one side of the pot.

He arranged thinly sliced meat on plates and set them out on the table. Meanwhile, Go Okrim had already washed a large variety of vegetables, which now filled the table with vibrant colors and freshness.

As the hot pot began to boil, the enticing aroma spread through the cabin. The Cyro Wolf that had been running around outside caught the scent and trotted over, wagging their tails and barking at Kim Haru in a hopeful and endearing way.

"It smells good, doesn't it? But you can't eat this," Kim Haru said, shaking his head. Instead, he prepared a separate meal for the Cyro Wolf—one without any seasoning.