The Legendary Junkmaster

Laying there surrounded by a whole motherland of broken electronics were the dead husks of three metres long and two metres tall ants. Right in the centre of their dead bodies was a hole in the supermarket floor that was large enough for these insects to pass through. It seemed like Jason had inadvertently discovered something like a graveyard for this species.

The dirt surrounding the hole that presumably led to their nest looked relatively fresh, which meant that this building was still in use. Jason had no idea if he should be grateful or not that it looked like one of the ants had come here to die peacefully recently. This meant that it was doubtful that there were any other beasts in the area, as they would have seized these remains for a quick and easy meal long ago.

Still, Jason's wonder only lasted for a moment as his Scanner finally alerted him that there were batteries scattered around the remains! Both Jason's excitement and caution grew at that discovery. He had no way of telling if he would alert the nest of ants below the surface if he disturbed these remains in any way. 'I have to take the risk!'

Syssie lightly floated down the wrecked mountain to take a look at the eerie remains. There was no light reflected in their dead eyes, which only confirmed that they had been dead for some time. As Syssie ogled the bodies of these giant insects, Jason got to work collecting any batteries that his Scanner told him were still in working order.

His Scanner also conveniently pointed out whether they still had a charge stored within or not. Which only made his job easier! Obviously, Jason focused on the ones that were still charged, as this meant that they were probably better than the other ones that had been drained over time. Still, it came as a surprise for Jason to find out all the various shapes and sizes of these batteries.

It only made him confident that he was sure to find at least one type that would fit his new weapon's design needs. Eventually, he managed to stuff his pockets and empty pouches on his belt full of his treasure. Feeling satisfied that he had gained what he came for, he turned his attention on the looming mound of insects.

A strange feeling came over him as he felt the urge to touch the bodies. To what end, he had no clue, but it was a powerful feeling nonetheless. His hand stretched out before he could stop himself and caressed the smooth carapace. To his shock, he discovered that it was incredibly tough. His mind began to race with new ideas on how he could possibly incorporate this opportunity into a type of armour for himself.

'Hmm, the smaller sections should fit me quite well. There's no point in considering the large sections. They would only be good for a shield. Still, how heavy are they? Can I even take these back to Highrise alone?' It was a sensitive topic, especially since the guards would likely ask questions on how he had come by such precious materials.

He could refuse to answer, but that would only make him appear suspicious. There had been reports in the past of hunting groups killing powerful beasts only for one of their group to poison the others. This way, they got to lay claim to all of the credits that the materials were worth. Jason had no doubt that they would suspect him of pulling off this scam.

In the end, Jason decided that the risk was not worth it. Not for now, at least. He could always try and find a safe hideout out here in the wilds and use it as a secret base. There he would be free to conduct his research into his creations without the risk of being exposed for what he was capable of. At the same time, he could use it to store anything that he would need in the future.

Jason sighed as he realised that this short journey had just added another thing to his to-do list. Still, it would be worth it in the end, or so he convinced himself. There was always the risk that the nest below this building might discover him when Jason finally had the time and means to dissect the corpses. He was pretty sure that they would swarm the immediate area if that happened.

'Which means I have to set up somewhere relatively far from here for safety's sake.' Jason complained as he realised the amount of effort he would have to expend for these seemingly simple plans. He would also have to conceive of defensive measures to prevent any opportunistic scavengers from raiding his secret stash if they discovered it!

As he was lost in his thoughts, a low rumbling sounded from the tunnel. Jason's eyes went wide as he understood what was going on beneath the surface! 'Oh shit! Hide!' Jason's feet pounded on the floor as they ran towards a pile of junk stacked in a corner as far away from the hole as possible. Syssie accompanied him even though she did not have to be worried since nothing could discover her anyway.

Jason squeezed into a tight gap before covering himself with a few layers of debris, making sure to leave a small opening that he could peek out from. A low tide of dirt washed up from inside the nest's entrance as a large head came into view. Jason gulped in fear as he noticed how terrifying these beasts actually were. It had been s totally different story when he was only dealing with their deceased!

Jason did the best that he could to control his breathing and body's trembling. He was silently hoping that his reactions would not casually reveal his presence to the ant that seemed to be searching the area. Its broad head swung back and forth as its pincers clicked together several times. The brown colour of its body was relatively light, just like the husks surrounding it.

Jason cursed at his own luck. It was likely that this insect had not responded to his trespassing. Instead, it just so happened to pick this time to surface and join its old friends in eternal sleep. However, the way it kept looking around the area told Jason that it seemed to be searching for something or someone.

Jason was forced to remain in hiding as the light in the building became dimmer as time passed. The ant still showed no signs of giving up on its own life just yet. Perhaps it was slightly cautious, even if it was about to die, then surely it did not want its body to be taken advantage of by whatever had been here!

As the light turned to a dull orange glow, the ant finally seemed satisfied that there was nothing to be concerned about. After so much time passing in his awkward position, Jason felt a profound stiffness and ache all over his body. 'Hurry up and get on with it!'

The elderly ant crawled over the bodies slowly before finally settling down in its chosen spot between two others. Jason patiently waited as the ant's legs still twitched, and its head would turn from time to time. In its lasts moments, it let out soft clicks and noises as it stared at the remains of the dead. Jason wondered if it felt a sense of security by being surrounded by the ever silent protectors of this entrance as the last flickers of life left its eyes.

For some strange reason, Jason suddenly felt a wet streak upon his cheek as he pushed his way out from his hiding spot. Something in his heart had been stirred by witnessing the passing of such a creature. For some time, the sadness seeped into his mind before he finally gathered the strength to leave that place. With a steady pace, he began to climb the wrecked mountain once again. Having failed to find a suitable exit on this side.

Syssie stared at the pained expression upon Jason's face. She was worried that the ant's death had left an everlasting emotional impact upon his mind. Still, there was nothing suitable that she could think of to say in that strange situation. All that she was really concerned about was not having her own life cut short because of some stupid sentimentality that Jason might have developed.

After all, for all that they knew, the remains of some beast out there in the wild might be a crucial component in saving their lives someday. At that moment, Jason finally reached the pinnacle of the wreckage for the second time on that day. He turned around to face the solemn graveyard of the ants with a sad expression on his face. He slowly shook his head before deciding to say a few words before their departure.

"Please forgive me. I'll definitely put your bodies to good use in the future. Until then, sleep peacefully…"