Capítulo 75: Chapter 75: Parasite Control, Return, and Upgrade
Cheng Zhan was stunned on the spot!
The last words echoed in his ears and mind like thunder, making him realize that the Empress was controlling his teammates' bodies, using them like puppets to communicate with him.
Using their vocal cords and tongues, it spoke in a language Cheng Zhan understood.
Under the gaze of hundreds of eyes, this bizarre scene left Cheng Zhan in shock until he finally responded with feigned reverence:
"If I can survive, I'm willing to offer everything to you."
The puppeted voice of his teammate laughed heartily. Under the Empress's control, the Red Beetles lifted Cheng Zhan, bringing him closer.
Seeing the opportunity, Cheng Zhan stopped pretending. Mustering all his strength, he broke free from the Red Beetles' grip, stumbling and crawling toward the Empress's massive mouth.
If he could detonate the C4 explosives near its head, combined with the five or six mortar shells in his backpack, the blast would be enough to severely wound the arrogant Empress!
However, as he broke free, a faint blue light flashed from an egg sac hanging from the Empress's neck.
The light illuminated the seven or eight-meter oval sac and spread like an electric sphere throughout the lair.
As Cheng Zhan reached the Empress and pressed the detonator, his explosive-laden backpack remained inert.
Initially, he thought it was a malfunction and pressed it several more times, to no avail.
Hearing the familiar mocking laughter, Cheng Zhan realized in despair that the light from the Empress had disabled his electronics.
The detonator's circuitry was fried, and C4 required a high-voltage spark to detonate.
Hearing the derisive laughter, Cheng Zhan pulled out his last grenade, hoping to take the monster with him.
But the Empress, anticipating this, spat out tendrils that seized Cheng Zhan, hurling away his bomb-laden backpack and swatting the grenade from his grip.
With a dull thud, the grenade exploded amid the Red Beetles, leaving no trace.
In utter despair, Cheng Zhan heard the Empress's voice again:
"You humans are indeed cunning."
"But it doesn't matter. Swallowing this will turn even the most resolute warrior into a bug slave."
As it spoke, a long, worm-like creature emerged from the Empress's maw, dragging behind it dozens of thick, translucent eggs, each containing a writhing larva.
As the bizarre creature approached, Cheng Zhan's terror and despair peaked.
Though his arms were pinned by the Red Beetles, he clenched his mouth shut, kicking at the encroaching parasite.
Yet with a mere glance from the Empress, Cheng Zhan's resistance crumbled, his consciousness fading as the parasite deposited an egg on his chest.
The larva inside soon hatched, sensing the warmth of a living host, and wriggled into his half-open mouth.
With a sickening slurp, it settled in his throat.
Cheng Zhan lost consciousness entirely.
Of the twelve special forces members, only he remained alive.
The initial human probing mission was a complete failure.
The insect lair returned to silence.
Countless Red Beetles delivered food to the high-tier matriarch, enabling her to lay more first-tier eggs.
These would hatch into Black Spinal Bugs, Blue Wing Bugs, and other unknown insect types.
...
Meanwhile, near Wu City's outskirts, the armored camper, having evaded the Black Spinal Bug army, parked on the highway, awaiting the jeeps' return.
Lin Feng sat in the passenger seat, watching the barren plains in the rearview mirror. Aside from the occasional Red Beetle, no life stirred.
Chen Yanyan glanced at the car clock. Three hours had passed since their morning departure, and they'd been waiting over an hour.
"Should we head back? There's been no sign of them, no explosions. I guess they..."
Lin Feng exhaled deeply, nodding.
He wasn't staying out of sentiment but in hopes of gathering firsthand intelligence from Cheng Zhan's team about the insect lair and the Empress.
With no news for so long, it seemed the mission had utterly failed, and their chances of escape were slim.
"Let's go. I'll contact Qin Hu."
Lin Feng had never been optimistic about the probing mission. Cheng Zhan's team was driven by a desire for power, clouding their judgment.
The situation left them little room to refuse.
The awakened camp's relationship with the upper echelons was delicately balanced. If Cheng Zhan's team returned safely as second-tier awakeners, the awakened would gain status, potentially becoming leaders in humanity's resistance.
Failure would only deepen the power struggle, risking instability.
The mission was a gamble for the awakened, tacitly allowed by the authorities, as long as it might kill or injure the Empress, slowing the invasion.
The research institute likely stirred the pot.
But with the mission failed, the status quo persisted.
Until another group challenged the rules, risking all.
On the return journey, Lin Feng reflected on the mission's outcomes. Undoubtedly, he was the ultimate winner.
He gained substantial upgrade points, nearly maxing his Lv18 grenade launcher, and amassed reserves for the Lv13 armored camper.
In the future, he would capture live bugs to help Chen Yanyan reach max level and prepare for the final battle.
Lin Feng glanced at the sleeping star in the back, the last issue to address.
Upon returning to the service area, Lin Feng found Qin Hu's jeep parked at the forward base, inspecting the bastion's construction.
Seeing the camper return to the repair shop, Qin Hu approached alone, entering the tarp-covered area.
Seeing Lin Feng exit the passenger side, Qin Hu's eyes showed a tinge of regret, though he asked with determination:
"Only you survived?"
Lin Feng nodded, then shook his head:
"There's someone else asleep in the back."
Qin Hu lit a cigarette:
"The star?"
Lin Feng nodded:
"She killed a Black Spinal Bug and filmed it. The camera should still be in the trunk."
"My mission's done. Deliver the promised supplies soon. But given how things have changed, I need more."
Rescuing Jiang Yuner completed most of Qin Hu's mission. The special forces' return was of little concern.
Qin Hu almost hoped they perished in the insect heartland, removing any threat to his control over the awakened camp.
Lin Feng had done well. The situation was far more dangerous than Qin Hu had described.
He'd avoided the send-off to escape awkwardness.
Now, all was settled.
Lin Feng also had Qin Hu's requested autographs and personal items, important to a father.
Generously, Qin Hu agreed:
"No problem, I'll allocate you a hundred pairs of Black Spinal Bug mandibles and hundreds of Red Beetle shells."
"Your camper will be stronger."
Lin Feng shrugged, shaking his head:
"Not enough. Without those three autocannons, saving Jiang Yuner would have been tough. I need six thousand shells and some C4 for the Wu City battle."
"You owe me, so the more explosives, the better."
Qin Hu hesitated but agreed:
"Looking forward to your performance in the battle."
As they concluded, Qin Hu added:
"Two soldiers returned with Cheng Zhan's team, now detained as scapegoats. No need to worry."
"You weren't on the list."
Lin Feng nodded, saying no more.
After Qin Hu left, Jiang Yuner awoke, rubbing her eyes and exiting the camper.
Once a glamorous star, she now resembled a refugee, disheveled and pale.
Her clothes reeked of blood and insect juices.
Lin Feng eyed her, slightly repulsed:
"You've killed a Black Spinal Bug. Rest up, eat something, then lie down and await your awakening."
"We're at the service area. Head back."
"If you need help, come find me."
"And if you want to honor your promise, I won't refuse."
"But bathe and clean up first. I can't stand that stench..."
Hearing his dismissal, Jiang Yuner frowned, wanting to retort, but held back, retreating to her camper.
Having witnessed Lin Feng's power firsthand, she recalled her initial goal.
Now alone, with her entourage dead, the vast parking lot felt empty.
The Thirteenth Army's base wasn't safe.
After the star left, Lin Feng checked his Lv19 grenade launcher, now fully upgraded.
An invincible red-quality weapon was born.
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