Gamers Are Fierce-Chapter 886 - 885: Parasite
The content of the comic might not be entirely accurate, after all, it's just a part of the Lost World clues.
Li Ang believes all tentacles originate from the starfish, among other considerations,
such as the depiction of the priest's body details and eating methods in the comic narrative;
the analysis of the composition of tentacle cells;
the structural design of the tentacles themselves;
and most importantly, the exploration of the energy pipelines and the tentacles themselves.
In order to explore the energy pipelines, the Bug Nest specially evolved several types of small, agile bugs with small drills installed on their heads, capable of digging and exploring in complex terrains, using sound waves to detect positions to assist the Brain Worm in mapping.
These worker bugs drilled into the energy pipelines, discovering that the outskirts of the Lost World were wrapped in a circle of gigantic tentacles.
These tentacles were firmly trapped within the walls by a grand-scale, almost spectacle-like and incredibly sturdy metal device system,
constantly extracting the amber-like energy from within the tentacles through an extraction system composed of needles, oil wells, hydraulic valves, and filter nets,
and transporting it via pipelines embedded in the ceiling and walls to various parts of the Lost World.
Mech beasts, security guards, Builders, and a considerable amount of Lost World's original equipment not destroyed or modified by the Builders,
all of these things use Amber Energy or purified forms of Amber Energy,
It can be assumed that before the collapse of the Lost World civilization, the indigenous residents here consciously imprisoned and utilized the tentacled creatures—a testament to this are the dried-up strong sedative and muscle relaxant pipelines buried in the ceiling and walls.
The entire process of collecting and utilizing energy, much like obtaining bear bile, is cruel yet efficient.
Considering the characters' actions and the layout of the comic panels in "When the Stars Return" always carried a strong theological tone, and the character of the Priest always appeared in a positive light, even being worshiped by survivors after transforming into a monster at the end,
it all becomes quite intriguing when combined with the information observed by the Bug Nest.
The starfish is both a mundane life form and a mutant monster,
both a savior Hero, a god receiving boundless worship,
and a prisoner, enduring unimaginable, prolonged skinning and blood extraction torture—even losing its individual will completely because of it.
As for the matter and energy source of the Mutated Starfish, according to the estimation of the Bug Nest, it is likely from geothermal or subterranean magma—the deeper it goes, the thicker the tentacle's skin layer and the higher the temperature.
"You must have felt it,"
the Bug Nest Tyrant's voice was low and murky, "the speed of Divine Power recovery is slowing down..."
As if to confirm the Bug Nest Tyrant's words, a few tentacles that composed the Desolated Lion's body twitched,
the front limbs of the Desolated Lion went limp involuntarily, nearly collapsing with staggered steps.
"What did you do?!"
The roar of the Desolated Lion echoed throughout the floor, the blue-gray Divine Power pressed forward.
Li Ang waved the Bone Blade, slicing through the Divine Power, with mouthparts more complex than an ordinary insect clattering against each other.
Shortly after the players reached the Lost World, the tremors in the Lost World, or rather the rebellion of the Mutated Starfish, began.
It might be due to the disrepair over the years that the restraint system lost effectiveness,
or it might be that the players' arrival disturbed the slumber of the Mutated Starfish,
or changes in the magma deep underground,
In any event, according to the original design of the Killing Field Game System, the Mutated Starfish was supposed to completely escape within one hundred and sixty hours—the Lost World, totaling fifty-six floors, trembled every three hours,
the upper-layer tentacles breaking free of their restraints, crushing the topmost floors.
The appearance of Desolated Lion and other Otherworldly Players, pushing the Ritual track, only accelerated this process.
Having known the awakening of the Mutated Starfish was beyond the Desolated Lion's control,
the starfish's tentacle activity was mainly driven by biological instincts rather than being directly manipulated by the Desolated Lion,
Li Ang naturally proceeded with further experiments—directly ingesting large amounts of amber-like liquid to verify this liquid as a source of Divinity and attempted to communicate with the starfish.
The end of each arm of the starfish has an eye, and the Mutated Starfish is no exception,
after confirming that the Mutated Starfish's arm eye sight was not inferior to that of humans, Li Ang had Bug Nest units form various formations at the tip of the arms,
and dispatched Bug Nest units to drill into the arms, piercing their neural systems.
The result was no response—in other words, the Mutated Starfish was not only blind but had also lost control over its limb tips,
and so it seemed even the Desolated Lion, appearing to have control over the Mutated Starfish, was in the same predicament.
With this information, Li Ang further divided the upper, fully equipped Bug Nest Army into over fifty units,
to implement an exhaustive extraction of energy from all tentacles,
drawing out vast quantities of amber liquid altogether.
And...
Desolated Lion suddenly felt a weakness in its limbs, the once nearly inexhaustible Divine Power suddenly became significantly depleted.
Michael nearby seized the flaw instantly, the Sword of Flames enshrouded with fire came slashing, shattering the Desolated Lion's Divine Power barrier, tearing a deep and long gash on its tentacled body.
"Roar!!!"
The Desolated Lion turned sideways with a roar, its still immense Divine Power condensed into visible sound waves, pushing Michael back,
at the same time, it also directly slammed David, who plotted to ambush, into the wall, swiftly ensnared and buried by the wall's tendrils.
This alone did not satisfy the Desolated Lion, it turned its lion mouth towards Li Ang.
Buzz—
Before the roar arrived, the air trembled first,
the Bug Nest Tyrant held the Bone Blade in front, dense spikes extending from its feet deeply anchored into the ground,
at the same time, the jet ports at its back erupted with ghostly blue flames, ready to provide thrust at any moment.
Clang!
The blue-gray Divine Power clashed with the Bone Blade, like a rushing stream hitting a rock, splitting to the sides.
The Bug Nest Tyrant was blown backward by the Divine Power of the Mutated Starfish, its vast body retreating like a fallen leaf in the wind.
Its feet plowed two long trails on the ground, the vent holes all over the Tyrant even experienced a lack of oxygen intake due to the rapid movement.
Splat—
The chitin armor on the Bug Nest Tyrant twisted and deformed, writhing and undulating like a snake,
this was exactly the outcome of being affected by the Mutated Divine Power.
In the distance, Ju Tianfu dared not be careless, assuming a pose, capturing the Power of Faith while throwing ice crystals at the Desolated Lion, covering the Bug Nest Tyrant.
Four, three, two...
Li Ang calmly and covertly distributed the Swamp God Power evenly across his body to resist the mutating influence, while silently counting in his heart.
One.
At the moment the countdown ended, Li Ang's will echoed through the Bug Nest's communication network.
Execute plan.
Boom!
The physical tentacle originally drooping within the V-shaped ice wall angle created by Ju Tianfu with Mysterious Dark Divine Power suddenly trembled, as if a large body of objects was writhing beneath its spiny skin.
The starfish's neural systems are typically dispersed, not forming nerve knots or centers,
meaning that as long as the neural circuits between arm and neural center are severed,
and a vast amount of Bug Nest units are dispatched (which need to contain Li Ang's Divine Power to prevent assimilation), entering the neural system of the Mutated Starfish, releasing regular neural signals,
it can block Desolated Lion's control over the tentacles,
and take command, allowing single or all arms to be directed by the Bug Nest one-on-one...
Crackle—
The physical tentacle, infested with hundreds of thousands of Bug Nest units, stood up swaying like a puppet on a string, under the shocked and stupefied gaze of the Desolated Lion, and then fell heavily.
