[Mutated Hexapod Worm Mother, Type III Insectoid. Releases tens of thousands of hexapod worms to drain victims' energy, providing evolution effects, including substantial attribute boosts and increased levels for released worms!]
[Current Mother Worm evolution level is 1. The Mother Worm is attracted to survivor-dense camps or large zombie congregations. It unleashes worm swarms in 20-minute waves. After the duration, the Mother Worm retreats, and the swarm disperses...]
This mother worm doesn't seem very capable, it can only summon small bugs.
Hiss...
This is simply a perfect monster-grinding artifact!
If I could capture the mother worm and keep it, I could not only cultivate Ice Condensation Flowers but also grind worm swarms for fun!
It's absolutely top-tier!
Seeing this prompt, Zhang Chen's mouth was practically watering!
The worm swarm only lasts for 20 minutes... I need to hurry!
Zhang Chen quickly calculated the optimal combat strategy in his mind. Set up [Automated Sentry Turrets] at the entrance. Er Pang will use its effect to automatically repel instantly killable creatures, forcing stray bugs back to the main battlefield. Zhang Chen and Xiaobai will be responsible for killing the worm swarm, and at the 19-minute mark, capture the mother worm!
A perfect combat plan! Zhang Chen thought proudly.
Suddenly, he saw many survivors around, including Xiao Guanghan, drawing their weapons, seemingly preparing for a major confrontation with the worm swarm. Seeing this, he couldn't help but frown and say, "Professor Xiao... I think this battle..."
"I understand!" Xiao Guanghan interrupted before Zhang Chen could finish, speaking with firm resolve. "Although we haven't known each other for very long, I am honored to fight alongside you! I've already coordinated with some other survivors. We will hold the line and I definitely won't let you fight alone!"
Zhang Chen put his hands on his hips, a look of helplessness on his face. "My thoughts are the exact opposite. I suggest you don't participate in the battle! All these bugs are mine, understand?"
Hearing this, all the survivors present were stunned.
"Huh? What? Did I hear correctly, Zhang Chen just told us not to participate?"
"He's going to take on the entire sea of bugs by himself?"
"Listen to yourself, is that something a human would say?!"
Hiss... Thinking about it, he treats monsters as valuable resources, while some of us treat them as terrifying beasts... It's clear why he's strong and why we're weak...
Upon hearing the last person's words, the survivors fell silent. It was true, while survivors who dared to confront monsters head-on were most likely to die, those who survived were invariably strong. Conversely, those who only thought of avoiding combat and coasting by saw their lives get worse day by day. Some were even branded as slaves and sent to the auction block... This is how the apocalypse is; if you don't advance, you fall back!
"I want to fight with you!"
"Mighty one, take us with you!" Some were so inspired by Zhang Chen's actions that their blood boiled, shouting their desire to join the fight.
"If you're not afraid of death, come. I can't guarantee you won't get caught in friendly fire!" Zhang Chen said coldly.
Then, a black mist spread from beneath his feet! Followed by a sacred golden light. The two opposing colors collided and vanished. But everyone could clearly feel that Zhang Chen's energy field was only increasing, not diminishing. Just because it was no longer visible to the naked eye didn't mean it had disappeared.
"What kind of skill is this? I've never learned it!"
"It must be an advanced awakened ability. Intermediate awakened abilities don't have such skills!"
"Sorry, an advanced awakened here, and I've never seen such a skill..."
"Could it be... a metamorph?"
At this, everyone present was dumbfounded. They watched as Zhang Chen blinked into the center of the worm swarm.
Concurrently, the surrounding worm swarm churned like boiling water. Before the bugs could even scream, they dissipated into a mist. The worm swarm continued its charge, but without exception, they turned to dust and vanished beneath Zhang Chen's feet...
"Quick, attack the mother worm! As long as the mother worm is eliminated, the swarm will stop!" a survivor yelled from the side.
Zhang Chen, however, showed no panic. He stepped out from the worm swarm, his feet crunching on the mist of incinerated insects, and slowly moved towards the sides of the highway to begin setting up the [Automated Sentry Turrets]! With over a dozen turrets working in unison, the swarm's offensive momentum was instantly slowed considerably.
"Daddy, Xiaobai wants to play too!" A pink figure rapidly flashed into the battlefield.
Boom! Xiaobai slammed a fist into the ground. The immense shockwave sent the hexapod worms flying into the air. Immediately after, Xiaobai transformed into a cloud of pink flowers, blooming in mid-air. His punches and kicks, too fast to be seen, rained down. Although the hexapod worms had sturdy exoskeletons, their defense was as fragile as biscuits against Xiaobai. Cries of alarm and the cracking of carapaces were incessant. Soon, a mountain of corpses of the strange worms piled up around Xiaobai.
Roar~
Er Pang also wants to join the fight. But it also knew that these hexapod worms would only flee around it, making its participation futile. So Er Pang let out a skyward howl and issued a summoning. Following this, over ten burly, tall Moon Howling Wolves slowly emerged from the shadows.
Roar~ Er Pang gave a command. Two Moon Howling Wolves, along with Er Pang, guarded the corpse of the black guard, preventing other survivors from taking advantage of the chaos to collect resources. The remaining ten or so giant wolves let out low growls and charged directly into the fray!
For a time, the worm swarm, which had an overwhelming numerical advantage, was suppressed by Zhang Chen, Xiaobai, and the Moon Howling Wolves. Not only could they barely advance half a step, but the number of attacking worms was far less than the number dying. The frontline was actually inching towards the mother worm!
"This... is this still human?"
"This is the first time I've ever seen... survivors pushing back a worm swarm! It's too... too shocking!"
"Honestly, for a moment there, I felt a little sorry for the bugs..."
"I get it! This big shot isn't unaware that killing the mother worm will disperse the swarm... He's using the swarm to grind for crystal cores..."
As soon as this was said, everyone was aghast. No wonder Zhang Chen didn't want anyone else to intervene. At first, they thought it was the pride of a strong individual, a need to maintain their cool persona. But now it seemed it wasn't like that at all. Zhang Chen simply felt that all profits should be kept within the family, not wanting to waste even a single crystal core...