The Heavenly Martial Empress Returns Chapter 317: Frostpierce

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A pair of Frost Ant guards walked down the streets, talking to one another about what they had just seen: a woman suddenly appearing with a group of other women, children, and a man. They certainly weren’t from this world but seemed to have come from the lower floors—novices who struck them as odd. To these guards, novice Players always looked naïve and foolish, and they never had children with them.

It was an even stranger experience when the white-haired woman had claimed to be the one who fought their Queen and provoked her slumber—a statement so utterly ridiculous they could hardly believe it, which only made them laugh harder. 

“Hahaha, what was wrong with that woman?”

“I don’t know, but she was a complete nutjob. Who would ever think that?” 

They simply couldn’t believe that woman could have harmed their Queen and Goddess, whose power was too vast and almighty for them to ever imagine her being harmed by mere mortals. However, it was indeed peculiar that she had been in a slumber for weeks now, unable to wake at all.

The last thing everyone had heard was her agonizing scream before she fell into a deep slumber—not dead, but completely frozen within an ice cocoon of her own creation. 

As they talked, they didn’t realize heavy footsteps were following them. A massive Frost Ant appeared behind them, his glowing blue eyes glaring down at the two.

By the time they sensed the presence of someone with immense power behind them, it was too late. They quickly turned around, fearful, to find a huge, muscular Frost Ant with sharp ice crystal horns, carrying several frost weapons in his many hands.

He was at least three times as tall as they were, towering over five meters in height—an enormous giant of a Frost Ant. His Aura was powerful, easily freezing his surroundings. The smaller Red Ants nearby fled instantly, but those too slow were caught in his enraged aura, frozen and collapsing to the ground. 

“G-General Frostpierce?!” 

The two Frost Ant guards panicked. Even they, who bullied all other ants, had superiors: the Queen’s Ten Winter Generals, powerful generals who obeyed the Queen, their goddess, directly. Her will was their will, and lately, due to her falling into a slumber, there had been great turmoil within their ranks. Among them, some had become incredibly sensitive to the topic, annoyed at the very mention of their Queen by commoners. 

“I heard you! What were you talking about regarding the Queen? You were even laughing… Were you mocking her current state?!” he roared angrily, pointing his weapons at the duo. 

“T-That’s not it, sir!”

“We… we were just talking about an anecdote; we would never mock our Queen’s current state!” 

“Hmph, then what sort of anecdote was that?! Can’t you share the joke with everyone else so we can laugh in these harsh times?! Come on!” 

The hulking brute roared as the two Frost Ants looked at one another, nodded, and spoke with trembling voices. They explained about a certain white-haired human Player who had said something about having beaten their Queen, which the two ant guards had quickly dismissed as a foolish joke. 

However, General Frostpierce didn’t take it as a joke. His eyes widened in disbelief as he glared at them and asked once more if they were sure that was what they had heard. 

“Y-Yeah, that’s what she said…”

“Uh, we don’t know where she is right now. We are deeply sorry!” 

The two knelt before the General, who scoffed and quickly looked into the distance. The Hunter Center was where every new Player arriving on this Floor would go to register, fight Ice Beasts, and move on to the next floor. 

“Surely, you don’t believe this is true, right?” 

“Hmm?” 

He heard the voice of someone else. Amidst a cloud of cold mist, another tall figure emerged, imposing yet elegant—a female Frost Ant of almost the same height as Frostpierce. She had long legs, wide hips, a large abdomen, and pointed antennae, along with large eyelashes and a delicate, almost cute face. Her big, glowing azure blue eyes stood out, and she wore a dress of dazzling ice scales, carrying a staff made of Ice Crystals. 

“General Coldwind, what are you doing here?” 

“Aw, come on, spare me the formalities. I heard everything, Frostpierce. Do you truly believe what those fools said? What sort of Player could ever have the capacity to harm our Queen? She’s a goddess!” 

“I don’t know, but a few weeks ago, I never believed our Queen could ever be harmed to begin with, much less fall into a slumber! And yet, here we are. Anything can happen now; anybody could be suspicious… Even you.” 

“Oh? I believe you’re simply overexaggerating, Frostpierce.” 

“Oh, really? If that’s the case, why don’t YOU come with me, and we can make sure that’s not the case? We’ll find that woman and question her. You can use your magic to detect lies, and then we can find the truth together.” 

“Hmph… Good idea. Let’s go, then.” 

The two Winter Generals, immense figures of authority, walked through the streets. Red and Frost Ants alike fled the moment they saw them; they simply could not even glance at them, lest they risk being turned into ice blocks. 

As the two entered the Hunter Center, the busy atmosphere changed immediately. Every Red Ant and the occasional Frost Ant eating inside stopped talking or even moving. The presence of two Winter Generals froze time itself… figuratively.

Amidst the group of people, there were some who hadn’t stopped moving or talking. They were all Players from other floors, and among them were a surprising number of children. However, Frostpierce ignored them, walking to the counter and speaking to the small Red Ant receptionist, a young woman who had barely started working there a week ago. 

“You.” 

“G-General Frostpierce…! What an honor! Um…! D-Do you… need something to eat?” 

“Why would I ever want to eat in this godforsaken place? Hah! Don’t make me laugh.” 

“Eh?” 

“I have come to find someone. A white-haired woman, a human, apparently a Player. Where is she?!” 

“A-A Player? Human? White… hair?” 

The young receptionist was confused, looking at the General and then at the registration papers, finding no such descriptions. 

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