The person behind looked at Ivar, a puzzled expression on their face:

"Captain, why would It be better if they're stronger? Isn't it a bad thing to have other tough competitors?"

Ivar sneered: "Heh, use your brain. Do you really think we can't handle the Red Poison Ants? Do you think anyone else will survive after they show up?"

He placed his hands behind his back, a confident smile on his face: "The reason I want them to be strong is that, before they die, maybe they'll take a few more Red Poison Ants with them!"

"That way, we can make a comeback!"

Upon hearing this, the group behind them had an epiphany and started praising Ivar one after another:

"No wonder you're the captain! Your mind is so sharp! What an excellent plan!"

At that, the group settled down and waited patiently.

After all, this team had suffered significant losses to the Red Poison Ants, and it was hard to leave without getting anything in return.

Meanwhile, Ed kept walking and stopped when he was fifteen steps away from the Red Poison Ant nest.

Thomas and the others were confused: "Why did you stop?"

They were really curious about what Ed was planning to do.

Ed, calm and unhurried, turned his head to look at Thomas and spoke steadily:

"There's a rare yet extremely effective way to deal with the Red Poison Ants, and that's the Ringbell Herb."

"If you crush the Ringbell Herb, it releases a scent that only the Red Poison Ants can sense, and then the ants will be paralyzed and unable to move!"

Upon hearing this, Thomas and Alex were both shocked.

There was such a secret about the Red Poison Ants?

They had never heard of it before, and they couldn't quite believe it, but at the same time, they dared not dismiss Ed's words.

After all, Ed didn't seem like he was making it up, and he had already proven his abilities multiple times before.

Alex raised an eyebrow: "Is there really such a powerful plant? But I've never even heard of something called Ringbell Herb. Where can we find it?"

Ed smiled and spoke slowly: "It's very simple. Around fifteen steps from the Red Poison Ant nest, you'll find the Ringbell Herb growing."

"It's purple in color, with white flowers. You need to pick both the flowers and the leaves, crush them in your hand, and then it's ready to use."

As Ed spoke, he gave Thomas a look: "Brother Thomas, could you go and find it, please?"

Thomas immediately became excited: "Brother Ed, there's no need to be so polite! I'll go look for it right away!"

Without another word, he turned around. The area around them was filled with a wide variety of plants, many of which were flowers and herbs. There were at least dozens of different types.

Most of these plants were species that ordinary hunters had never encountered.

Thomas could only follow Ed's description, carefully searching through the vast assortment of plants.

It took him a full twenty minutes, but he finally found a few plants and excitedly ran back.

"Brother Ed! I found it! Is this the Ringbell Herb you mentioned?" Thomas held up the plants in his hand and asked.

Ed took a glance, compared them to the images in his mind from the monster compendium, and nodded.

"Yes, that's the one."

The monster compendium didn't just contain information on rare creatures like the Red Poison Ant, but also several methods for dealing with them.

The most ingenious method was to use the Ringbell Herb. Ed was simply following the guide and responding according to the strategy.

He turned to Thomas again: "Good, now crush them, then just throw them near the Red Poison Ant nest. Within a minute, we'll be able to go collect their bodies."

"Understood!" Thomas immediately set to work without any doubt.

So, as everyone waited, Thomas stood there, crushing the Ringbell Herb.

…

"Captain, what do you think they're doing?"

Meanwhile, Ivar and his teammates were staring at Thomas, completely baffled, as he had been busy in the bushes for over twenty minutes.

Finally, one of the teammates couldn't hold back and asked.

Ivar frowned at the question.

He was also puzzled. It had been so long, yet the group hadn't made a move.

"It looks like they're preparing some kind of potion? But making potions isn't this simple."

"I don't even know what they're doing."

Ivar said.

The other teammates couldn't make sense of it either and just continued to watch in confusion.

…

On the viewing platform, since Ivar hadn't left, the focus on the secondary screen remained on their group.

It had been twenty straight minutes without switching the screen.

As a result, thousands of spectators and VIPs in the arena had been watching Thomas from Ed's team search for herbs for twenty minutes.

A large crowd was getting bored!

"Damn it! What the hell is this? Why aren't they attacking yet?"

"Yeah! I wanted to see how the Red Poison Ants would make these guys run for their lives!"

Many spectators, eager for some action, couldn't wait to see Ed and his team get taught a lesson by the Red Poison Ants, just like Ivar and his group had.

At least they wanted to see some combat footage to stimulate their visual senses!

But searching for herbs was starting to go a bit too far!

Even Jason was frowning. He couldn't understand what Thomas and the others were doing.

"It looks like the youngest guy in their team told the one next to him something... Maybe they're preparing to gather firewood and smoke the ants out?"

When those words were spoken, the entire audience burst into laughter, many of them finding that possibility even more plausible.

After the light-hearted exchange, Jason was about to move on and find another topic to discuss.

But then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the people in the VIP section were all staring intently at the black screen!

And they weren't looking at the main screen, but the secondary screen!

Jason felt a little confused, so he glanced toward the VIP section:

"The VIP seats are filled with some of the most famous Hunters from Dorey City!"

"Could it be that the esteemed guests understand what the people on the screen are doing?"

At this question, the leader, deputy leader, and heads of various associations in the VIP section, all except for Reve, subtly shifted in their seats.

But then, they honestly shook their heads:

"We don't understand."

Jason was stunned. They didn't understand, yet they were still so focused?

The reason they had been watching the secondary screen was simple: one person had entered the frame.

Ed!

The general public may not know who he was, but they certainly did!

Then, a group of association heads and leaders spoke up together:

"As seasoned Hunters, even though we don't understand what those people are doing, we believe that this young man is doing the right thing."

Jason was even more confused. He had asked the VIP guests mainly for the sake of showmanship!

He thought Ed's group was just fooling around, but instead, he got a serious response from these high-ranking individuals?

And these people seemed so certain about it!

What was going on here?

In reality, because they had seen Ed in action before, all the association heads trusted his abilities.

They understood that someone like Ed, who had proven himself, wouldn't act without a well-thought-out plan.

So, instinctively, they affirmed his actions!

But they were also curious—how exactly was Ed going to deal with the Red Poison Ants? Was his knowledge even greater than theirs?

…

"Brother Ed, I've crushed all the Ringbell Herbs. Should I throw them now?"

Thomas, his hands covered in the sticky juice of the herbs.

He held up three crushed plant bundles, eager to ask.

Ed nodded: "Yes, throw them."

Thomas hurled the three herb bundles toward the Red Poison Ant nest, each one landing perfectly near the nest.

One even went straight into the hole at the entrance of the nest!

After seeing Thomas's actions, the audience in the viewing arena immediately changed their expressions.

They moved! These guys finally made a move!

Meanwhile, the group of association leaders in the VIP section raised their eyebrows, their interest piqued.

"They're throwing it in?"

They had originally thought that Ed's plant search was for creating some kind of potion to enhance themselves.

After all, they were seasoned Hunters, well-versed in various methods, yet none of them recognized the Ringbell Herb!

On the other side, facing Ed's team.

Ivar and his group were greatly confused. Ivar remained silent, his gaze fixed on the Red Poison Ant nest, a bad feeling creeping into his heart.

A voice came from behind: "Captain, what did these guys just throw?"

Another person chimed in: "Heh, they actually think some stupid plant can deal with the Red Poison Ants!?"

But before the last sentence was even finished...

"Vroom, vroom, vroom!"

From a distance, the entrance to the Red Poison Ant nest began to tremble slightly.

In the next moment, countless ants, densely packed, began swarming out from the nest, rushing out in a chaotic frenzy.

It was as if something incredibly terrifying had triggered them from within!

The ants were fleeing in all directions, abandoning their nest in the process!

Thomas's eyes widened: "Look! It's working!"

Alex and Lucas didn't speak, but their eyes both widened in surprise.

"No way, it really works?"

In addition to the ants fleeing from the hole, a large number of Red Poison Ants outside also started to react in a similar fashion.

Almost immediately, they all began to retreat as far as possible from the Ringbell Herb. However, their frantic struggles lasted for no more than half a minute.

Suddenly, all the ants that had been desperately fleeing just a moment ago froze, their bodies locking up as if they had completely lost all vitality!

Then, they all collapsed to the ground, with only a few twitching slightly, while the rest of the Red Poison Ants were completely paralyzed!

"Did it really... make all the Red Poison Ants lose their ability to move!?"

Alex was speechless, his mind completely stunned by the sight.

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