Bugs Seeking... Refuge?

Several days passed in the blink of an eye. The wind and sand had yet to subside, and the sky remained gray, without a trace of sunlight.

Over those days, Lin Jin had finally figured out his condition.

His current state really was like that of a ghost. He needed neither rest nor food nor sleep.

As for fatigue? Lin Jin hadn't felt any of it all this time.

He had no body, but he could still float around by willing himself to move.

As for abilities, Lin Jin confirmed that in his ghost form, he seemed to possess something like telekinesis, allowing him to move objects from a distance.

But his limit was only about 500 grams-the weight of a palm-sized stone. Anything heavier was beyond his control.

And for some reason, no matter how hard Lin Jin tried, he couldn't leave these ruins. It seemed he had been "imprisoned" here.

"Ugh, this is so boring."

He let out a long sigh, even though he no longer needed to breathe.

It wasn't as though Lin Jin hadn't considered the possibility: since he had died while playing Hollow Knight: Silksong, could he now be in the world of Hollow Knight?

But he had awakened in neither Hallownest nor Pharloom.

No matter how he looked at it, this ruined temple hardly seemed like a suitable spawn point for a bug.

Lin Jin had given up. Apparently, there was no way for him to leave this place.

He might as well practice his telekinesis. Bored, Lin Jin rolled the moss on the walls into little balls and tossed them into the dishes before the statue.

He had spent the past few days doing this and had already filled three large dishes.

Lin Jin didn't know why he was doing it, either, but he had to give himself something to do. Otherwise, being alone could easily drive him mad.

The sound of wind came from the sky again. Lin Jin understood that another storm was approaching.

The wind never stopped blowing across the wasteland outside. Even during relatively calm periods, it still stirred up clouds of dust.

When it grew violent, anyone who couldn't find shelter would meet only one end: burial beneath the yellow sands.

But this time seemed different. Lin Jin instinctively sensed something approaching the cave.

Jingle, jangle. Jingle, jangle.

Accompanied by the ringing of bells and somewhat muffled footsteps, a group of figures appeared intermittently through the blowing sand.

"Could it be... someone's here?" Lin Jin immediately stood up. Though he was already a ghost, the sight of other living beings was still comforting.

With no need to worry about how to hide if the newcomers proved dangerous, Lin Jin watched excitedly as the figures in the sand gradually approached.

First came the conical hats, the cloaks covering their bodies, and the glimpses of black shells beneath.

"Wait, black shells?"

Lin Jin could hardly believe it. Those figures looked nothing like humans. In fact, they looked more like arthropods.

At last, Lin Jin saw them clearly. The group entering the ruined temple inside the cave to escape the wind and sand consisted entirely of bugs.

They had black shells, wore masks, and possessed round bodies completely unlike those of the insects Lin Jin knew.

They looked exactly like the wandering husks in Hallownest, except their eyes lacked that yellow infection, and their bodies had no swollen pustules.

Well, at least Lin Jin could now confirm that he really had transmigrated into the world of Hollow Knight.

Despite looking exhausted, the bugs still split into groups and moved in an orderly fashion after entering the temple.

Some settled the elderly and young members of the group, while others carefully inspected every corner of the cave for hidden predators.

Floating near the cave ceiling, Lin Jin watched them quietly.

There were more than fifty bugs in the group, with the elderly and children accounting for roughly twenty percent.

Only a few of the younger bugs carried crude weapons. Their battered nails were undoubtedly in even worse condition than the little Knight's starting weapon in the game.

The best-equipped among them seemed to be their leader at the front, who was also slightly larger than the other bugs.

He had also been the first to enter the cave. Only after he assessed the situation and gave orders did the others file inside.

They had clearly traveled a long way. Warriors, elders, and children alike looked weak and hungry. They were obviously refugees.

By the little pool where water steadily dripped, quite a few bugs had already scooped up water in their waterskins and begun drinking and resting.

After confirming that the place seemed safe, the refugees didn't all settle down to rest. Under the slightly larger bug's direction, some of the younger ones stood guard.

Another group tasked with scouting for danger continued deeper into the cave.

To Lin Jin, however, this was entirely pointless. There wasn't a second living thing here besides them.

That was, of course, if he didn't count himself, whose status as a living being remained questionable.

Soon, they discovered the three large dishes brimming with the moss balls Lin Jin had rolled out of boredom.

The bug at the front looked surprised and immediately turned to say something to his companion.

They were a little too far away for Lin Jin to hear clearly, but he remained cautious and didn't descend.

Now that he knew this was the world of Hollow Knight, who could guarantee there wasn't someone powerful in the group who could detect him?

The Snail Shaman, for instance.

Members of that tribe were all ruthless enough to stake their lives without so much as blinking.

As Lin Jin watched, the bugs soon began to argue.

Their raised voices drew the other bugs' attention. The big fellow who appeared to be their leader also walked over and separated the two.

He hadn't been able to see clearly from a distance before, but observing this bug up close, Lin Jin noticed what set him apart.

The apparent leader was noticeably taller and sturdier than the bugs around him.

He bore several scars, particularly the hideous one over his left eye, which remained clearly visible despite his eyepatch.

The spear in his hand was also clearly better made than the others' weapons, and he even had a shield. He was obviously the strongest fighter in the group.

The bug who had first spotted the moss balls no longer dared argue once the leader arrived. He merely spoke hurriedly, seemingly explaining something.

The other bug who had been arguing with him pointed toward the ruined stone statue above and spoke excitedly, apparently issuing some kind of warning.

The onlooking bugs whispered among themselves. After a stretch of silence, the apparent leader finally let out a loud shout and made his decision.

With their leader's order issued, the noisy discussion immediately stopped.

The bugs divided the work clearly, climbing over one another to reach the statue on the raised platform and carefully bring down the dishes holding the moss balls.

One particularly agile bug could easily reach the heights simply by leaping off the walls.

"This bug, too... its limbs are noticeably longer than the others', and its shell is streamlined."

The differences in appearance alone told him a great deal, especially when he considered the fellow who seemed to be their leader.

Lin Jin realized that this clan's arrival here might not have been a matter of chance.

Soon, through the bugs' combined efforts, the three large dishes were set on the ground.

The apparent leader began organizing the distribution. In the end, one large dish was placed before the elderly and children.

Another went to the ordinary members of the clan.

As for warriors like him, they received a dish as well.

Faced with a dish piled high with moss balls, many of the bugs couldn't tear their eyes away.

Only after the leader shouted again did they reach for the food.

The bugs had clearly been hungry for a long time, and this hard-won food was soon distributed in full.

Because Lin Jin had made moss balls whenever he grew bored these past few days, there were actually enough for every bug to receive at least two once they were fairly distributed.

After so long without food, the moisture-rich moss balls, with their fresh fragrance, tasted unexpectedly delicious to these bugs.

Some even restrained themselves after eating one, afraid to eat any more, and quickly tucked the remaining moss ball inside their shells.

Their frugality surprised Lin Jin overhead. "Are they really that short on food? They won't even pass up moss."

Lin Jin had never imagined that the moss balls he casually rolled would be so precious to them.

Apparently, not everywhere in this world was like Hallownest, where food and clothing were no concern.

Hallownest was ultimately an exception. Struggling on the brink of death was probably the norm out in the wasteland.

After eating, the bugs didn't immediately rest. Instead, they respectfully returned the three dishes to their original positions.

The apparent leader took the lead, standing his spear before the statue and kneeling in worship.

The other bugs followed their leader's example, praying toward the statue.

"Are they... apologizing for eating the offerings?"

Lin Jin narrowed his eyes slightly.

At first, he hadn't understood the bugs' strange behavior.

But soon, Lin Jin understood the whole situation.

Gods really existed in this world, and without exception, most civilizations had developed through bugs relying on deities willing to protect them.

In these refugees' eyes, eating a god's offerings was already a grave act of disrespect. They had to kneel and beg forgiveness for their sins.

The prayers continued. The leader recited a line, and the bugs behind him repeated it.

At first, they were somewhat disorganized, but gradually their prayers began to take proper shape.

The scars on the bug warriors at the front did nothing to disrupt the solemn atmosphere. Instead, they added a stern, martial air.

Though he couldn't understand the bugs' language, the sincerity of their prayers left even Lin Jin feeling a little embarrassed.

If these bugs could have heard him, Lin Jin really would have told them they were only a few moss balls, useless to him, and there was no need for all this.

Lin Jin floated helplessly above the bugs' heads. But before he could complain any further, a line of text suddenly appeared before his eyes.

Faith +20.