Seeing the cavern packed with a black, undulating mass of countless giant bees, the group was struck with shock. Zile’s jaw dropped so low he could have fit two fists inside. "So many giant bees," he muttered. "Those flying ants don't stand a chance. But they seem so busy—why are they ignoring us? And where did that leader go?"
Li Qiu was equally incredulous, though having grown up in the mountains with Wang Suo, he had often stolen honey and suffered his share of stings. He knew a little about the creatures. "Perhaps these giant bees are only responsible for gathering nectar," he suggested uncertainly. "The leader was a guard, which is why it was aggressive." He thought of the honeybees in the mortal world, toiling their entire three-to-four-month lives, gathering honey solely to feed the larvae and sustain the queen...
The queen! It was the queen!
Chapter 118