Full-Time Public Enemy

CREAK—

CREAK—

CREAK—

The stone coffins beside Chen Gu kept making strange noises as they slowly opened. These coffins stood upright, their lids swinging open on one side like doors to reveal narrow gaps. Through these silent gaps, a vast expanse of 'black water' flowed out—all of it the black iron threadworms.

Flames jetted from the soles of Chen Gu's mecha, propelling him into mid-air. The sight below made his scalp tingle—the iron threadworms inside the coffins seemed to have fully matured and were all being released.

However, Chen Gu quickly realized that the iron threadworms paid him no attention at all. Instead, they all rushed towards Benjamin and the others.

From within the giant black egg, an arm covered in mucus stretched out, its palm tightly clenched into a fist. Then, a second, third, and fourth fist followed.

Next, a leg extended from the bottom of the egg, then more and more. These arms and legs were about the thickness of a regular person's, appearing quite slender compared to the massive egg.

But when those countless legs pushed downwards, the giant egg actually stood up!

The egg hadn't burst; it had transformed into a monster with innumerable arms and legs.

Charles sensed something was terribly wrong. He silently signaled to the other Sixth Energy Level expert from his contingent, and with a flicker of their forms, the two turned to flee.

At the same instant, the Star State and the Empire operatives showed astonishing synchronicity. Andon and Benjamin, who had been seething with rage moments before, turned and fled together in the blink of an eye.

Afterward, all three parties simultaneously cursed inwardly at each other's treachery.

But just then, all those clenched fists suddenly opened, revealing dark yellow eyeballs in their palms!

A corrupting, heavy, stagnant power rapidly enveloped the entire space.

Charles was terrified. This is the power of the Endless Realm! How could it appear here? What's the connection between these bugs and the Endless Realm?

At that moment, the other stone coffins opened, and countless iron threadworms swarmed towards the giant egg monster, merging with it, becoming part of the creature.

As a result, the giant egg monster grew ever larger, continuously sprouting more hands and feet.

In each palm, one of those dark yellow eyeballs pulsed, emanating a terrible corruption capable of mutating cultivators.

The remaining five members of the search team were all Sixth Energy Level, but escape was no longer an option. They struggled desperately against the urge to mutate, with no energy left for anything else.

Benjamin knew Lady Luck would not smile upon him today. An infinite unwillingness filled his heart—he had been so close to finding the Insect Queen! Such a glorious achievement would have brought him immense wealth…

Unconsciously, a venomous thought surfaced in Benjamin's mind. Damn it, this is all because of that brat from the Confederation! He must have discovered the Insect Race's ambush long ago but refused to warn us! It's a pity he thought he was so clever, getting himself involved too. None of us can escape, and he won't fare any better.

Such powerful corrupting force…

Benjamin stiffly turned his neck to look at Chen Gu.

Chen Gu floated in mid-air, relaxed and at ease. Even under the influence of the Endless Realm's power unleashed by those eyeballs, he remained unaffected, showing no signs of mutation—a stark contrast to their own desperate struggle.

Benjamin roared, already showing signs of animalistic transformation. "Why is this happening?! It's not fair! This little bastard is the one who should die—!"

Jealousy, rage, injustice, and other negative emotions surged within him, causing his body to literally burst. Huge black tendrils pierced through his skin. Pitch-black carapaces and insect legs, adorned with sinister patterns, grew rapidly. Benjamin had transformed into a monstrous hybrid, part Insect Race, part mollusk Mutant!

At the same time, his sanity was utterly erased, leaving behind only savage emotions.

He was completely controlled by the giant egg monster, a puppet without independent will.

Still, he retained some "instincts," among which was a deep-seated hatred for Chen Gu.

Its head had morphed into a narrow, wedge-like shape, with six dark yellow eyeballs hidden beneath a hard insect carapace, all casting a ferocious glare at Chen Gu.

The giant egg monster commanded it to attack any living being in sight.

Its body moved; huge tendrils propped it up as it swiftly and silently glided towards Chen Gu.

Chen Gu watched as the vast number of iron threadworms from the coffins all swarmed around the monster. The power of the Endless Realm surged like a tidal wave. He was taken aback. A Mutant of the Insect Race? But it's somewhat different from the previous Mutant Insect Race members… Chen Gu mused, puzzled.

Essentially, Mutants of the Insect Race were just another type of Mutant, like human Mutants.

However, this monster before him felt like an even split: half Mutant, half Insect Race.

Chen Gu's brows furrowed. The Insect Race wouldn't be courting death like this, would they? It looks as if the Insect Race is cooperating with the Endless Realm! But for life from the real world to work with entities from the Endless Realm… that's like bargaining with a tiger for its skin. Besides, the Alien Insect Race has always been fighting against the Endless Realm.

Could it be those statues? Chen Gu hazarded a guess.

Just then, more than a dozen tendrils and four sharp, blade-like insect legs abruptly appeared before Chen Gu, striking at him from different directions.