Pillar of Yita

Since the hill giant communities are often much smaller than the society of cunning spiders, these descendants of giants have no choice but to retreat when facing the onslaught of spiders ten times their number.

However, hill giants are generally much smarter than these insect-like creatures. They often choose to attack the nests of cunning spiders and kill their young to curb the expansion of the giant spiders. This is one of the greatest threats faced by the Panier Cunning Spider, a top of the food chain creature in the Crimson Mountain Area.

To counter this threat, over a long evolution, the giant spiders have become sensitive and irritable. Once someone attacks their nests, they fall into a collective fury, relentlessly pursuing the attackers until one side perishes.

Yet this relentless pursuit is often exploited by adventurers.

Fang Hong also plans to do just that.

The vanguard consists of Bakins, Reed, and Xiesta, along with Luo Yu, who can use magic to alter the terrain to some extent. Their destination is not the spider’s nest, but a nearby hill giant settlement, which Fang Hong had located using the Clockwork Fairy.

These are ancient beings as high as Level 27, remnants from the war of dragons and giants. Adult hill giants can reach seven meters tall, with strides of over three meters. They often cohabit with mountain-dwelling ogres skilled in stone-throwing.

Without using the Quicksand Technique, even the Big Catfolk and Xiesta would find it hard to escape smoothly.

The forest is not only home to giant spiders but also teeming with numerous ordinary spiders. In fact, most of the webs seen outside the valley are not the handiwork of Panier Cunning Spiders.

The group watched as the four members first tread on the ordinary cobwebs accumulated in the forest, entering the gorge’s interior.

With the lion man’s shadow disappearing last into the woods, the four were completely out of sight.

The remaining people have no easy task either, as they must face the menacing giant creatures—the Panier Cunning Spiders.

Moreover, their mission may require delving into two or three nests. To be precise, it might be even more challenging than the former task.

In this team, there must be individuals familiar with giant spiders. Tata and Miss Natural Historian both qualify, along with Eteliria, a Druid. If necessary, the team can split into three groups.

Each of these three groups needs an agility-based profession, with Parker, Elisa, and Hilveld fitting the bill perfectly.

Additionally, Xiangzi acts as the main magical support.

Fang Hong is responsible for reconnaissance and terrain mapping using the Clockwork Fairy, as well as handling communications and support tasks. The newly joined Luo Hao is in charge of his close protection.

Fang Hong roughly allocated the tasks and marked four or five spider nests and the nearest routes to the core area of these nests using the Clockwork Fairy—not every nest needs to be visited, but records and backup routes are necessary.

Then he pushed Gita forward—

Gita had previously introduced the habits of the Silver Mane Giant Spider, and now, clutching his Magic Guided Book, nervously repeated:

”Silver Mane Giant Spiders, also known as Panier Cunning Spiders, belong to a unique type of giant spider in Eteliria. They weave webs in colonies, with larvae reaching thirty centimeters and adults up to four meters. Their fangs are venomous, capable of disrupting the human balance system, attacking agility and perception attributes.”

Fang Hong patted the three glass bottles on his upper arm band, filled with green liquid, and told everyone: ”This is the neutralizing agent. In case of poisoning, use it immediately. If the antidote runs out and poisoning occurs again, retreat to the platform for treatment.”

Seeing everyone nod in acknowledgment, he continued:

”Adult Panier Cunning Spiders are generally Level 16 to 18, with juveniles no less than Level 5, still posing a significant threat. Hence, they cannot be ignored lightly. The main attributes of the giant spider are strength and agility, with secondary attributes like constitution. Their intelligence exceeds most insect types but remains immune to mind-related spells and effects.”

”They have three primary weaknesses,” he pointed to his head, ”Firstly, the brain, located in the front thorax and above the mouth and esophagus.”

”Secondly, the heart, located in the back abdominal area, generally shielded by a sturdy chitin exoskeleton.”

”Thirdly, the book lung at the rear junction of the abdomen and thorax, situated underneath the abdomen where it’s less protected, making it an optimal attack point. Agility-based professions might consider attacking from below but should be cautious not to get pricked by bristles or sharp claws.”

Miss Tata concluded:

”The typical social structure of giant spiders forms a pyramid-like hierarchy consisting of a Spider Mother, numerous female spiders, and a multitude of Spider Guards, which are all male. Female spiders are breeders and cunning hunters. Some spider colonies also have a Spider Queen, but a colony with a Queen is usually an aggregation of several large groups.”

”Adult giant spiders typically have black body hair, with females tending towards gray. Only when reaching a certain age will they possess silver manes. It is the presence of the Spider Queen that gives the Silver Mane Giant Spider its name.”

”What should we do if we encounter a Spider Queen?” a Papalarian pondered, asking a rather ominous question.

”Run as far as possible, obviously.”

”Can we escape?”

”Parker, keep up your nonsense and I’ll feed you to the spiders,” Elisa, having had enough, threatened.

”Uh...”

The forthcoming journey promised to be the most unpleasant leg of their stay in Eteliria.