Before long, a larger ladybug crawled up from below the slope.
Its antennae swayed, and it suddenly quickened its pace, heading straight for the pile of rabbit entrails.
It had barely begun eating when five or six more ladybugs crawled up the slope, jostling together as they charged madly toward the entrails.
In an instant, they tore the rabbit entrails to shreds, driving the arriving army of ladybugs into an even greater frenzy.
Soon, they had devoured every scrap.
Rather than leave, they circled back and forth close to the ground, their antennae constantly sweeping the soil.
Suddenly, one ladybug stopped beside the shallow pit where Deng Qing had buried the powder.
It thrust its mouthparts into the earth and dug rapidly with its forelegs, flipping up the loose soil.
Gray-black powder spilled out. Instantly, all the ladybugs grew agitated and rushed toward it.
Somewhat reassured, Deng Qing stopped watching. He silently withdrew and headed straight for the next baiting spot.
Over the past few days of observation, he had already pinpointed the range of these ladybugs' movements.
Soon, he reached a clump of bushes on the western side of the hollow, repeated the same procedure, and moved on to the next spot.
In less than half a tea's time, Deng Qing had traced most of a circle. Finally, he poked his head out of a dense grove to the south.
He parted the branches before him and looked southeast, toward a broadleaf forest thick with overlapping foliage.
Deng Qing fixed his eyes on the narrow gap running through that forest. He was certain the Ladybug Qi-Beasts' nest lay there.
He waited a while, confirmed that no more ladybugs were emerging, then picked up speed and plunged toward it.
As soon as he entered the narrow gap, Deng Qing found