Li Kui - Nest of Insects

[Li Kui]
A mercenary who was injured while clearing out a Nest of Insects at Narayan's request.
Nest of Insects Quest
Location: South of Kathmandu

Urg... Will this wound never heal?
What? Who are you?
Aha! So, you came here to destroy the [Nest of Insects] at the request of Master [Narayan].
Many adventurers have passed by as I rested here recovering from my injury.
Of course, I never heard from any of them again.
Everybody ignored my warnings...
~
You're here to help me, are you?
I don't know that I can trust your skills. We've just met, and the insects are formidable opponents.
To prove your abilities, go kill the [Mantis] near the entrance of the [Nest of Insects].
Let's see if you're as mighty as you say, or just another fool.

Atta boy, looks like you can handle yourself in a fight.
I apologize for underestimating you.
I guess you won't die a meaningless death like the others.

If only I hadn't been injured...

Here, take this food. I used to make it after battle...
Now, even if I ate my fill, it would be useless to me because of this blasted wound.
~
Try this [Ambrosia].
Unique among all the different types of food, this has incredible curative properties.
(You cannot use Non-trade or Event Ambrosia to complete this quest.)

Did you enjoy it?
I don't know why, but somehow, seeing your ruddy complexion makes me sad, because it reminds me of the situation I am in .
Damn! They should've warned us before they sent us to a dangerous place like this. We might have been better prepared.
I found nothing while I was investigating, and barely made it out with my life.
Unfortunately, all my comrades were...

If only I hadn't been injured...

If you don't want to end up like me, you should prepare yourself fully.
Weapon enchantment is absolutely essential.
~
Enchant your weapons with the [Enchant Stone] I just gave you.
Try to enchant at least one weapon to make it better.

Atta boy.
Unlike other adventurers, you actually listen to me.
I'm starting to believe in you. You may be the one that defeats the evils of this place.

If only I hadn't been injured...

When you enter the [Nest of Insects], go past the [Small Plaza] to get to the [Ant Tunnel].
Tons of giant ants crawl around there. They're diligent, just like real ants.
Without them, there is no way the [Nest of Insects] would have expanded this big.
If we destroy some of those ants, we can probably put a stop to the Nest's rapid expansion.
~
Get rid of the [Worker Ants] and [Soldier Ants].
As evidence of their deaths, bring me the [Ant Antenna].

Oh, good job. Let me see those...
These bring back memories of my comrades who were killed by these disgusting ants...
Please, excuse me. I seem to be... I'd rather not share my tears with you.
Where can these ants be coming from...
Just before you got here, I saw a lady in a strange outfit venture into the nest alone.
I could sense a strange aura about her, so I let her be.
She's probably shared in the same fate as my comrades at this point...

If only I hadn't been injured...

I imagine she's some greenhorn getting her start in adventuring. She likely didn't know any better.
More and more inexperienced adventurers are jumping into this lifestyle without a second thought.
Well, I suppose we've all been there. You, my comrades, and even I were, at some point, beginners...
~
You can see a list of the world's many novices by opening [Beginners] under [Community].
After you open up the list, take some time to think about when you first started.
These novices can grow to either be your closest allies or worst enemies.
Ha... It brings back memories of when I first began.

I guess I became too sentimental.
If I hadn't been injured, we could have destroyed the nest together.
Ugh...
As I stepped inside, my mind started to feel fuzzy. I couldn't get a firm grasp of where I was.
If I hadn't been in such a daze, I wouldn't be injured like this right now.
Not many people can make it out of such a dangerous situation alive.
I'm trying to remember what happened, but I can't make heads nor tails of the sensation.
Whew... My poor comrades.
I will avenge them. I swear it.
At the very least, I'm happy that you made it out alive. Perhaps you were not afffected by the haze in there.

If only I hadn't been injured...

Anyway, just stomping on ant underlings isn't enough.
As long as the [Queen Ants] keep pumping out larvae, the insects will thrive.
Even though they are called queens, they possess more wicked strength than their children.
The sickles that [Queen Ants] have are deadlier than the weapons that lesser ants carry.
~
Kill all the [Queen Ants].
Bring me the [Queen Ants' Legs] as evidence.
HINT: You can find the Queen Ants in the Ant Tunnel.

Whew, these are some ugly looking legs.
It pains me to think how many corpses these legs have trampled over.

If only I hadn't been injured...

Now that you've struck a blow against the ants, it's time we did something about the wasps that live in the next tunnel system.
When you enter the [Wasp Nest], you will find some very disgusting larvae.
They are the [Wasp Larvae].
My comrades and I destroyed quite a few ants, but we had a hard time fighting those larvae.
~
When they mature, they will transform into the deadly wasps that fly about here. We'd best cut them down while they're still young.
Go hunt the [Wasp Larvae].
HINT: You can find the Wasp Larvae in the Wasp Nest.

Good job.
It's upsetting to think what would have happened had all those larvae reached maturity...

If only I hadn't been injured...

While the ants are working on the expansion, maintenance, and repair of the [Nest of Insects], the wasps provide food by hunting and killing nearby animals.
In my whole life, I've never seen this kind of symbiotic relationship before.
Anyway, those giant [Wasps] are a powerful force.
On top of that, their poison is much stronger than regular wasps.'
~
I suspect we can find some other use for those deadly poisons.
While you are hunting [Wasps], can you bring me the [Wasp Poison]?
HINT: You can find Wasps in the Wasp Nest.

Atta boy! You made it back safely.
Their poison didn't slow you down, did it?

If only I hadn't been injured...

Just in case, let me give you some of the antidotes I've been holding onto.
This small amount should help plenty in shrugging off the poisonous stings of those monstrous wasps.
I'd use it myself, but it'd interfere with the treatment for my injuries.
~
Bring me 50 [Ginsengs].
I will make some antidotes with them.

Make the best use of it.
It's always a good idea to be fully prepared.

If only I hadn't been injured...

Wasps are born from the [Queen Wasps].
As you did with the ants, you have to kill all of the queen wasps that you see.
One thing you have to remember is that, unlike the ants, the [Queen Wasps] have a similar appearance to human beings. Remind yourself that they are not, and kill them without mercy.
~
It's enough to make one think that these creatures once were humans, transformed by a terrible magic, but...
Anyway, before I fluster you any further, go kill [Queen Wasps].
(You can find Queen Wasps in the Wasp Nest.)

Whew, nicely done.
Hold on... Something is stuck to your armor.
Hmm...? This looks like a necklace.

If only I hadn't been injured...

It must have gotten stuck to you while you were fighting the queen wasps.
By the way... Ah, wait.
I think I've seen that engraving somewhere before...
This can't be! I think this makes a pair with the necklace that Master [Narayan] wears!
Could it be Shakti's necklace?
Oh, no!
Now that I've had a closer look, I can tell clearly that it is hers.
Judging by the condition of the necklace, Shakti might be dead...
This is horrible.
I swore to him that I would bring her back safely...
~
Since events have taken a sudden and unexpected turn, I cannot bear to show myself before Master [Narayan].
I am sorry, but can you take this necklace to him for me?

...

If only I hadn't been injured...

Ah, you've returned...
To think that Master [Narayan] was that upset...
He feels that much bitterness, huh...
He's never been a trusting person, but I've never seen him lose his cool before.
The only thing we can do is focus on crushing the [Nest of Insects]
Giant spiders have swarmed the deepest reaches of the [Nest of Insects].
The strange thing is that the ants and wasps seem to devote themselves to following orders from the spiders.
All I can tell you is...
When I confronted them here last time, I sensed that they weren't of this world...
~
If I can examine their hearts, I might gain some greater understanding of them.
Go hunt [Tarantulas] and [Hell Spiders], and bring back 20 [Polluted Hearts].
HINT: You can find Tarantulas and Hell Spiders in the Spider Nest.

Ugh...! What the..!
As soon as I touched the hearts, my mind grew hazy just like the time I went inside that place.
Certainly, these hearts will help us find the source of the [Nest of Insects].

If only I hadn't been injured...

We have to find an expert to help us analyze this strange item.
Have you heard of the great monk, [Sachen]?
Ah, so he's clearing things up in Angkor Wat currently?
He is not that far from here.
~
Bring these [Polluted Heart] to the great monk, [Sachen], and consult him about this strange energy.

I see...
So, this ancient device is at the heart of everything that's happened hear.
And it's not too much of a reach to think that it's the cause of these injuries that won't heal.
[Atlantis]...
I am sorry, but I don't have any information about it.

If only I hadn't been injured...

While you were gone, I saw something shocking.
That woman, who I believed was dead, appeared before me and told me that, if I wanted to recover from the injury more quickly, then I'd have to leave here.
What? She told Sir [Narayan] to stop looking for Kshar?
I have to tell you this.
Actually, Kshar is the [Evil Spider King] that creeps in the deepest part of the [Nest of Insects]...
When I saw the hearts of those spiders, I knew that they were originally humans.
The [Evil Spider King] is...
Today it just looks like a monstrous spider, but when I saw it last time, it still had some traces of humanity about it.
That spider had characteristics similar to Kshar... Although the similarities were miniscule, I could tell right away when I saw it.
~
Moreover, I saw many departed souls floating around it.
The people who died there are now spiders or departed souls held by Kshar, the [Evil Spider King].
You... you must kill the [Evil Spider King] and obtain the [Ghost Jar] from it.
HINT: You can find the Evil Spider King in the Evil Spider King's Lair.

Good job.
Ugh... This jar...
Simply holding it pulls my mind into a greater fog than before.
It's strange that you can hold it like it's nothing.
So, even Kshar is dead.
I can't understand what force could have transformed him like that.
I knew he had the ambition to sieze power, but I never thought it was so great that he would give up his body and country to gain such power.

If only I hadn't been injured...

Now that we have it, I don't know what to do with this jar.
Argh, my head!
At least, with this jar, we can confirm what happened to Kshar. Please show it to Master [Narayan].
~
Master [Narayan] will tell you what to do next.
Don't forget to bring the [Ghost Jar] to him.

Good god!
If that's true, then that woman has been pulling our strings all along!
I don't know what to say.
The great monk, [Sachen] talks about [Atlantis] like it's the axis of evil, but, to be honest with you, I don't really get it.
Even that lady... She played us, but she didn't harm us or anything.
We didn't cause any harm to each other, so...

If only I hadn't been injured...

Maybe things didn't turn out the way I wanted, but at least there's no chance that the [Nest of Insects] can grow any bigger.
With that alone, I feel fortunate.
Since the insects' leader is gone, my injuries might recover quicker.
~
My injuries have given me some... physical difficulties. Make sure you don't neglect your own wounds. I wouldn't want you to end up like me.
Please come back after you've had a chance to heal yourself and your mercenaries.

Did you have enough rest?
This [Ambrosia] is a small reward from me to you. Since you cleared up the [Nest of Insects] for me, it's the least I can do.

You are a very fine adventurer.
Even my comrades were not as reliable as you are...

It's time to say goodbye.
Where are you heading now?
I overheard the woman saying that she was headed towards [Mohenjodaro Graveyard].
Oh, that's right.
I've heard that [Mohenjodaro Graveyard] is the last vestige of an ancient civilization which existed a long, long time ago. Perhaps she went there to check up on that.
That place could have a connnection to [Atlantis].
~
There is a town called [Mumbai] near the graveyard. I happen to have an acquaintance there. Her name is [Urvashi].
Like Master Narayan, who lost his wife, [Urvashi] is concerned about her missing fiancé... If you see her, try to help her out.
Have a safe trip.
I hope we meet again...

...

You are a very fine adventurer.
Even my comrades were not as reliable as you are...