Chapter 247 Development
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The Mother Worm's control over the actions of the Insect Race, including this offensive launched using the Holy Helmet Beetles as a probe, was all for the purpose of testing whether it could directly plunder the Tree Domain—a settlement with a huge life response.
Unfortunately, the assault had barely lasted a few dozen minutes before it was suppressed.
Even escape was not an option; it was known only that it was the suppression by several Third Order individuals.
The Mother Worm was intelligent; it could have joined the fray itself as a Third Order individual, which was certainly feasible, but attacking would also consume a large number of the Zerg and energy.
However, it had another option.
With a sweep of its psychic power, the ninth hatchery sac began to wriggle, and the already twisted Fallen started sprouting carapaces, segmented legs, and antennae-like organs, transforming from humanoid monsters into the image of insect people.
Splat
The flesh membrane was torn, and Sub-Insect Humans burst forth one by one, landing on the ground, their twisted bodies slimy, with ghastly appendages spreading from their spines, particularly grotesque.
Ou Qiang's gaze was cold as ice, and he felt incredibly lucid, as if reborn. He looked down at his own arm.
His arm, which had been severed by a Holy Helmet Beetle, was now transformed into a tibial scythe, more powerful and tougher.
He had been reborn.
"For the Zerg!"
He spoke fervently, kneeling before the large form of the Mother Worm, utterly submissive.
His bloodline had been modified, becoming a subservient branch under the deep Abyssal Insect Race, a branch of enslaved Sub-Insect Humans.
"Attack the South City District, I need more intelligent life."
"As you command, my lord."
Ou Qiang fervently responded, rising to his feet with large strides as a plethora of Blade Beetles and worker insects converged towards him, including two Holy Helmet Beetles.
Such military forces were sufficient to take over the human population of the South City District, and it seemed the Tree Domain Camp might also be taken.
Ou Qiang moved swiftly, leading a vast horde of the Abyssal Insect Race towards the South City District. Enjoy more content from empire
The Mother Worm's mental strength fluctuated continuously, feeling the spiritual power throughout the insect zone, incessantly propelling energy.
Hum
The hatchery emitted a purple glow, slowly converging at the summit, energy shooting up into the mid-air and converging into a point, then spatial fluctuations began to spread, vaguely revealing a rift the size of a head.
'Not enough... Still not enough...'
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At the Tree Domain Camp, the Sky Cavalry similarly informed the South City Camp of their encounter with an unidentified insectoid creature.
However, according to the Sky Cavalry's report, following the thickening mist, South City Camp had swiftly contracted its defense formation.
Centering on the South Industrial Park, with the surrounding streets as depth fortifications, they established a defensive camp.
The majority of their defensive focus was placed on the spatial rifts; the rest was external defense, with no excess energy to continue expanding outwards.
Meanwhile, such a contraction of defense also meant that they did not border the West City District for the time being. Upon receiving the Sky Cavalry's message, they had not spotted any trace of the Zerg.
However, after receiving a reminder from Su Han, Li Ruikang immediately tightened the defenses and also expressed his gratitude.
At the Tree Domain Camp, Bai Qilan successfully performed Divine Initiation Rituals on two Second-order Superiors and, during the fusion of the Demon Eye Spider Woman, also injected it with a serum made from the blood of the Scorpion Spider Demon.
Despite the risky action, when Bai Qilan faced two Second-order Superior Blade Beetles alone in the realm of the mind.
Bai Qilan fought exceptionally fiercely, using immense psychokinetic power to crush the violent wills of the two Blade Beetles.
The Divine Initiation Ritual was a resounding success, and after crushing the two Blade Beetles, the Demon Eye Spider Woman proceeded to integrate extensively, advancing in a stroke and transforming into the Blade Spider Mother.
Flesh and metal fused to forge blade edges, the solitary arachnid eye inheriting the power of the Scorpion Spider Demon's Crimson Demon Eye, and with it came stronger evolution, and even more frightening mental strength.
Spider Thorns, Demon Eyes, Blood Edge Blades, and psychokinetic power, the Blade Spider Mother had clearly also been influenced by Bai Qilan, evolving into a monster of the Psychic System.
"Since the essence of the Divine Initiation Ritual is Fusion, it indeed can involve more than one monster, and also..."
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Although she had achieved a breakthrough, Bai Qilan was not overly excited. Her powerful spiritual power made her even more composed, "Named a ritual, it seems that a more brutal battle fits the theme of the sacrifice. I have gained much more in return this time than in the previous few. The Alien Thorn Worm should be close to breaking through as well."
"It's not easy to defeat a monster of the same order's raging consciousness within the consciousness space."
Although she had not undergone the Divine Initiation Ritual herself, her subordinates detailed their experiences during the process.
Including the first Divine Initiation Ritual, when Zhu Xiong and Gan Xinglei were both fighting for their lives against the monsters' frenzied consciousness.
They were knocked down countless times, relying on the home advantage of the consciousness space and their willpower to claim victory.
That was a true gladiatorial arena, where those of weak will could become distorted during the process.
Only the Talented Ones could rely on even stronger abilities to gain more advantages.
"The Blood King Snake and the Holy Helmet Beetle, which do you want as your third Angel Envoy?"
Su Han looked at Bai Qilan and asked softly.
A Third Order Monster as an Angel Envoy naturally suited better than a Second Order monster and could gain combat strength more quickly.
"The Blood King Snake."
Bai Qilan had not thought for too long before she made her decision, "My two Angel Envoys are both small-bodied monsters. While they are good individually, I lack a large Angel Envoy. Moreover, I feel that the transformation of the Blood King Snake might be compatible with the Vine Snake."
"Then contract the Blood King Snake, and give the Holy Helmet Beetle to Old Gan."
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"Near Fuan Street in the eastern district, a new dimensional crack has appeared, with a large number of Fang-Toothed Lesser Demons pouring out. It seems they belong to the same species as other Lesser Demons. Also, another dimensional crack has been discovered on the southern district border, with a large number of Corpse Ghosts and Lesser Demons already surging out.
South City base probably doesn't have the capacity to deal with it, and the monsters will head towards the eastern district."
As the fog tide approached its peak levels, more and more monsters were continuously emerging, launching wave after wave of assaults outside the Tree Domain's walls.
However, they were unable to breach the defenses.
In the eastern district, both the pharmaceutical factory and the sports stadium faced similar situations, though their defenses were somewhat weaker than the main base.
Bai Qilan said, "The dimensional crack storm has reached its maximum. We can't go through the cracks, and my spiritual power can't explore through the vines either. When we are able to pass through, there will be a lot of monsters inside."
"With two dimensional cracks, Old Zhu and his people will be under a lot of pressure."
Su Han pondered; the Tree Domain Camp had the Nine-Snake Mother Tree stationed and naturally he was not afraid.
The vines were most widely distributed here, guarded by the Vine Snake, so the defense capability was naturally the strongest.
Nonetheless, Su Han was more concerned about the situation on Old Zhu's side.
"The monsters in the eastern district will definitely ravage towards the areas with the richest spiritual energy. We can send a group from the pharmaceutical factory to help Old Zhu. Even if there are Third Order monsters, they should be able to defend properly, especially with the Nine-Snake Mother Tree's vines now able to extend there, albeit less densely, but they can still assist."
Yan Meiyu put forward her own solution. However, she hesitated a bit and said, "But on the southern border, if the creatures from the dimensional crack don't head towards the eastern district but enter the southern district directly, then South City base might be in trouble."
She was not worried about the survival of South City base, but about the population within; there were nearly twenty thousand people in South City base, all survivors.
"How have they been lately?"
Su Han looked towards Bai Qilan and asked aloud.
Bai Qilan understood what Su Han meant. He was not just asking about South City base but also about the news from Zhao Yaqian.
The fog tide had disrupted regular communication, but the link between the two psychics had not been cut, albeit less frequent.
"Zhao Yaqian has a full roster of Third Order Apostles, and Duan Jie has broken through to the Third Order. However, they have encountered a swarm of creatures induced by the Zerg, although they haven't seen any individuals of the Holy Helmet Beetle for some reason."
Su Han raised an eyebrow, "Are those creatures in the southern district?"
They had attacked the western and southern districts and even a wave in the northern district; the Zerg's movements were suspicious.
After a moment of thought, he said, "I'll deal with the two dimensional cracks. The Nine-Snake Mother Tree needs flesh, and as for South City base..."
He trailed off mid-sentence, but the implication was somewhat intriguing; he wanted to see how South City base would perform.
Taking advantage of this opportunity.