Han Hongyu shouted loudly, "Signal the retreat quickly."
Upon hearing this, Zeng Deyuan immediately took a flare from his ring and launched it into the sky.
Whoosh! Bang!
The flare shot out a stream of fire, rapidly ascending, and then exploded, scattering colorful light.
Seeing the flare, the two helicopters in the distance immediately flew towards them.
"Deyuan, Liu Min, Peng Xi, the four of us will cover the rear. Everyone else, climb up quickly."
As the helicopters arrived overhead, Han Hongyu decisively ordered.
At his words, those people immediately began climbing up the dangling rope ladders.
With their teammates continuously ascending into the helicopters, the pressure on Han Hongyu and his group increased exponentially.
Just as they repelled one beetle, more beetles, brandishing their sharp forelimbs, hacked down from the gaps.
"Ah!" The young man named Peng Xi, losing his footing, had his left arm severed by a beetle.
"You all go quickly too."
Han Hongyu, with a pained expression, pulled out a scroll and tore it open.
Instantly, an intensely cold aura emanated from the torn scroll, rapidly spreading outwards.
Wherever the cold air passed, a layer of ice formed on the beetles, freezing them solid.
Ice Seal (Red): A scroll of immense power, capable of freezing all living beings within a thirty-meter radius.
"Die!"
Zeng Deyuan, who had been on the defensive, seeing most of the beetles frozen, felt a surge of relief and slashed his saber several times, turning the frozen beetles into mincemeat.
"Go quickly!"
Han Hongyu urged them loudly and anxiously.
A silver beetle had appeared in his sight, charging rapidly towards them.
Its astonishing speed sent a shiver down his spine.
Hearing his leader's urgent voice, Zeng Deyuan's heart leaped. He turned and leaped, grabbing a rope ladder.
Han Hongyu was already four or five meters up another rope ladder, with Liu Min beneath him.
"Ah!"
With Liu Min's scream, the rope ladder swung violently to one side.
Han Hongyu looked down and saw his subordinate had been pounced on by the silver beetle.
The beetle was now withdrawing its shimmering forelimbs from Liu Min's chest and abdomen, then turned and lunged towards Peng Xi on another rope ladder.
Peng Xi, with only one arm, had no time to react and met the same fate as Liu Min.
"Quick, ascend!"
Han Hongyu roared hoarsely, struggling to maintain his balance as he climbed upwards.
The silver beetle leaped for a third time, but it was too late as the helicopters had already ascended high into the air.
"Boss, that silver bug is too powerful. Could it be a Silver-grade mutant beast?" someone asked.
"Judging by its speed, it's very likely a Silver-grade mutant beast."
Han Hongyu said, still shaken.
"Boss, those two, a man and a woman, they're not dead. They even killed a few beetles," someone suddenly exclaimed in surprise.
Han Hongyu peered down and saw thirty to forty sickle beetles surrounding the two on the ground, attacking them.
"They're dead for sure. We can leave by helicopter, but they can only be eaten by these bugs."
Someone nearby said incredulously, "So strong, one sword strike, ten bugs killed in less than ten seconds."
Han Hongyu also showed a look of astonishment.
He hadn't expected the two below to be so formidable.
While he could also kill ordinary beetles, he couldn't do it so effortlessly.
Once the number of bugs increased, he would have no choice but to retreat.
"No wonder two people dared to come to this cornfield, they do have some skill."
Han Hongyu shook his head, "What a pity, no matter how strong, they will die down there."
Because as they flew in, they had already discovered an extremely large number of bugs hidden within the cornfield below.
Han Hongyu's subordinates chimed in:
"Boss is right. Can they kill a few beetles and then hundreds more?"
"Besides, there's the even more powerful silver bug nearby."
"No matter how strong, they'll be overwhelmed by countless bugs."
As they spoke, Qin Shilei below had already killed over twenty sickle beetles.
At this moment, the silver beetle, which had been lurking, launched a fierce attack.
It stealthily approached within five meters of Qin Shilei, then leaped from his back, pouncing towards Zhang Xiaoli.
Thousand Vine Technique!
Zhang Xiaoli suddenly turned, and tenacious vines instantly coiled around the silver beetle.
The beetle's sharp forelimbs slashed rapidly several times, severing the vines, which fell to the ground.
Giant Wood Blast!
An energy projectile, thick as half a meter and resembling a wooden log, crashed into the beetle.
The beetle, losing its footing in mid-air, was sent flying backward by the impact.
Zhang Xiaoli then cast Thousand Vine Technique again, entangling the beetle that had been knocked to the ground. Before it could adjust its posture, it was instantly bound like a zongzi.
Flying Flower Plucking Leaf!
Sharp flower petals and leaves continuously cut at the silver beetle, leaving it covered in wounds.
"Hiss!"
The enraged silver beetle instantly unleashed two energy waves, severing the vines binding it.
However, before it could attack again, a giant wood projectile slammed forcefully into its head.
Bang, bang, bang!
Followed by three heavy impacts, directly smashing the silver beetle into a pulp.
Those three impacts also deeply shocked the people on the helicopters.
"Strong, so strong!"
"I thought she was just a pretty face, but I didn't expect her to kill a silver bug so cleanly and decisively."
"The silver beetle's speed was astonishing, yet it couldn't even touch the woman's clothes before being smashed to the ground."
"Young Master, could you retreat unscathed from this series of attacks?"
Faced with his subordinate's question, Han Hongyu could only shake his head bitterly, "It's highly likely I would end up like that silver bug."
A subordinate asked, "Young Master, they've killed all the attacking beetles. Should we go down and search again?"
Han Hongyu's eyes flickered. He lowered his head and shouted down, "Friends below, how about we cooperate?"
Qin Shilei looked up and asked, "How do you propose we cooperate?"
Han Hongyu said, "We'll search for mutant corn together. If any bugs appear, you'll be primarily responsible for killing them. Once we find mutant corn, you can leave on my helicopter."
Qin Shilei readily replied, "Alright, come down quickly. And have your helicopter leave immediately to avoid attracting more bugs."
Han Hongyu immediately turned and ordered his subordinates, "Deyuan, take a few men to hide the helicopter nearby. The rest, follow me down."
With that, he descended to the ground again via the rope ladder, while the helicopters flew towards the distant village, preparing to land on the rooftops of the civilian houses.
With many hands making light work, the group quickly found a perfectly intact ear of corn on a fallen corn seedling.