Capítulo 84: Chapter 84: Future Famine, Qin Hu Lv19, Lying in Wait
The once-prosperous Jiangnan water towns, ravaged by the insect invasion, had turned into blackened and red wastelands, all traces of greenery chewed away by their mandibles.
No one knew exactly what the insects relied on for sustenance, only that they couldn't survive without water, needing vast amounts to break down into hydrogen and oxygen for their individual survival.
Lin Feng sat on the second-floor lookout of his Lv15 armored vehicle, observing the vast wasteland dotted with hundreds of burrow entrances...
In just a few days, this place had become an underground base for insect expansion.
Through telepathy, Lin Feng sensed the land beneath had been riddled with countless tunnels.
Their construction speed rivaled humanity's, aided by Jiangnan's soft soil.
Reports from the research institute suggested the insects' advance would slow in the inland hills over a thousand miles from the coast, hindered by the hard ground.
The Red Beetles' digging claws would slow against rocks, and years of industrial groundwater extraction had inadvertently left subsiding land, now a barrier against rapid inland invasion.
The insects would have to surface to confront human armies on the hills or plateaus.
This was the opportunity Lin Feng awaited.
As he traveled the coastal front, witnessing the devastated Jiangnan plains and smelling the strange scent...
Both Lin Feng in the lead vehicle and Qin Hu, among the patrol convoy in a military jeep, felt a heavy weight in their hearts.
Most of the world's developed regions were coastal, benefiting from convenient sea-land transport, pleasant climates, and ample water.
These cities' development far surpassed inland areas.
But now, coastal cities had fallen to the insects' iron feet.
This was a significant blow to humanity.
Yet, the most devastating impact was yet to come. The geography of the continents meant most grain-producing plains were near coastlines, like the Jiangnan granary the Federation was losing.
Many refugees fled inland, but inland grain production couldn't support the multiplied population.
Relying on reserves might last a while, but time would bring a large-scale famine for countries lacking arable land, on top of the alien insect threat.
When you can't feed people, combat power is moot.
Thinking of this, Qin Hu gripped the autocannon more tightly.
He knew that he alone, or even the entire awakened camp and Thirteenth Army, couldn't stop the insects' inland advance...
But delaying them, ensuring the Two Lakes region could produce grain for two more years, might save countless innocent survivors from starvation.
With this belief, Qin Hu took a deep breath, following Lin Feng to the front to observe.
Compared to yesterday, the insects had advanced over three kilometers. In three or four days, they'd be visible from the Wu City defense line.
Qin Hu received a call that new recruits had arrived at the northern Wu City outskirts, engaging in their first combat training.
Killing Red Beetles was possible with ordinary rifles, providing enhancement benefits.
This was why many enlisted.
In troubled times, after the initial terror, survivors sought to seize opportunities to strengthen themselves against future dangers.
With Qin Hu's news, Lin Feng checked the sky for Blue Wing Bugs, then activated his Crimson Armor's full-body mode, stepping out of the vehicle.
Facing Shen Jie and his group, he instructed:
"Stick to the plan. Deploy an extra vehicle this time. If we can lure two Black Spinal Bug groups, we'll wipe them out."
With recruits distracting the front, Lin Feng expected the Black Spinal Bug patrols to be scattered. To ensure efficiency, he needed an extra decoy vehicle to increase the lure rate.
Qin Hu was surprised, not expecting Lin Feng's method to be so aggressive.
He thought they'd lure Black Spinal Bugs by killing Red Beetles, but Lin Feng sent people into the insect heartland.
Using lives to bait Black Spinal Bugs.
Watching high school students just older than his daughter speed into insect territory, with the shattered highway nearby...
Qin Hu lit a cigarette, sighing:
"What are their survival chances?"
Lin Feng shrugged, handing Qin Hu a walkie-talkie:
"As long as they're smart, they'll return safely."
"Don't overestimate the Black Spinal Bugs. Under absolute firepower, these low-tier insects are doomed. I wouldn't send them to die if I wasn't confident."
"But you must earn your survival."
"You'll be the same. I'll injure the Black Spinal Bugs, but you'll need to finish them off."
Qin Hu nodded. Coming to the front, he was prepared to face the Black Spinal Bugs again. Without that courage, he didn't deserve the uniform.
Soon, Lin Feng, using telepathy, located two Black Spinal Bug patrols heading north, likely drawn by the front battles to harass recruits.
But Lin Feng wouldn't let these easy targets go, instructing Shen Jie to shoot in their direction. Even beyond visual range, gunshots would lure them.
Seconds later, Black Spinal Bugs appeared along the road, chasing the two speeding patrol cars.
Lin Feng counted forty-seven.
Enough for Qin Hu's awakening.
He raised his Lv19 grenade launcher, using firepower coverage to lock on, firing when the bugs were six to seven hundred meters away.
The terrifying saturation bombardment hit the highway, enveloping all forty-seven bugs.
Like cluster bombs, the explosions left no Black Spinal Bug unscathed.
Qin Hu froze in the jeep, momentarily forgetting to have the equally stunned Li Ran drive to harvest the wounded bugs.
He knew Lin Feng was likely a late first-tier awakener, possibly perfected, with superpower bullets rivaling 155mm howitzers—able to destroy a house with one shot.
This could be confirmed by similar awakeners in the Thirteenth Army.
Such a powerful awakener's fire support was like a mobile artillery company!
Changing a battle line's course.
With a reinforced battalion, they could repel a thousand Black Spinal Bugs.
But Qin Hu never imagined superpower bullets could be used so devastatingly.
Unleashing the firepower of an artillery battalion, thirty to forty guns covering a neighborhood.
Not even eight equivalent awakeners could replicate such destruction.
Lin Feng's hidden strength far exceeded Qin Hu's expectations.
Lin Feng's urging over the walkie-talkie snapped Qin Hu from his daze, prompting Li Ran to drive to the blast site.
Seeing the severely injured Black Spinal Bugs, Qin Hu understood why the highway was shattered.
It was Lin Feng's experiment with the bugs.
Qin Hu, approaching, didn't fire randomly but first dealt with the less injured late first-tier bugs.
Then, he cleared the rest.
Ensuring none escaped.
With forty-seven bugs, Lv14 Qin Hu needed forty to reach late first-tier perfection.
Activating his physical enhancement ability, he grew stronger from the upgrade's energy flow.
His body visibly expanded.
Muscles grew, constitution stats climbed.
This scene inspired envy in Shen Jie and his team preparing to clean the battlefield.
They revered the distant Lin Feng, but Qin Hu's ability was attainable with effort.
Quickly dispatching the forty bugs, Qin Hu completed his deep awakening, gaining 30% enhancement.
In extreme bursts, his strength exceeded seven to eight tons, speed nearing a hundred meters per second, easily handling several late-stage bugs.
After awakening, Qin Hu returned to Lin Feng, looking up at the man on the lookout:
"Thanks for this."
"I'll return to the front, leading awakeners against the incoming Black Spinal Bugs."
"With this strength, it should be enough."
Lin Feng nodded, tossing high-energy snacks:
"Eat something on the way."
Qin Hu took the chocolate and nuts, waving farewell.
Watching the Lv19 Major Qin depart...
Lin Feng exhaled, turning his gaze back to the insect heartland.
Shen Jie and his team were clearing the battlefield.
As they lingered, distant buzzing mixed with gunfire...
Faintly audible without close attention.
But Lin Feng knew his true target had arrived.
He radioed Shen Jie to return with the seven live bugs and mandibles.
With the live bugs secured, extra mandibles were unnecessary.
Shortly after, blue flashes appeared overhead.
The awaited Blue Wing Bugs revealed themselves.
Lin Feng had evaded them to conceal his abilities.
But this time, besides aiding Qin Hu's upgrade, his real goal was the Blue Wing Bugs.
As the three patrol cars returned near the armored vehicle, drawing the bugs' attention...
Lin Feng, lying in wait on the lookout, instructed Chen Yanyan to use the bio-radar to track the bugs, then control the heavy machine guns to attack.
His Lv19 grenade launcher, with 190 damage covering twenty meters, was lethal.
The mid-tier Blue Wing Bugs couldn't survive even one shot.
Previously, he'd used the Death Eye to headshot them, leaving no remains.
Now, aiming to preserve the bodies for materials, Lin Feng switched to the Lv9 divine pistol mode...
With Chen Yanyan's barrage limiting their movements, he activated the metal storm, firing skyward.
Under infinite ammo, a bullet net with forty damage each formed instantly.
Two or three shots would severely wound a Blue Wing Bug.
Built for high mobility, their defenses were weaker than Black Spinal Bugs.
Even the Lv9 divine pistol could easily pierce their thin armor.
Two Blue Wing Bugs, membranes torn, lost balance...
Wobbling, they glided down.
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