189: The Lost Territory, Qinghai
The group had lunch at the temporary campsite. Only a few individuals were in the tent where Cheng Tianbi and others resided. These few were the core figures of various mutant organizations.
After lunch, Cong Xia gave a blue crystal to Wu Yu and explained the principle of energy armor for him to put on.
Wu Yu took the jade piece and looked at it. "Only one?"
Cong Xia responded, "Each person has only one."
"Does every person in the team have one?"
Cong Xia clarified, "No, I can't produce that many. Only the main combatants have them." Although this fact was somewhat harsh, he had no choice. Unless he was given another two months, he wouldn't be able to provide energy armor for 48 people.
Wu Yu raised an eyebrow. "I need another one too."
Cong Xia was taken aback and blurted out, "For Chen Shao?"
Wu Yu didn't hide it either. "Yes."
Chen Shao blew out a smoke ring, looking at them expressionlessly.
Cheng Tianbi coldly retorted, "You're not entitled to make requests. This is an optional item, not a necessity."
Wu Yu sneered, "Fine, give him mine."
Cong Xia shook his head. "No, this one is designed for water energy. Chen Shao's power is earth energy, they're not interchangeable."
Yao Qianjiang said, "Just accept it. I wanted to provide one for each person I brought too. Everyone thinks the same way. Cong Xia must be exhausted."
Chen Shao's tone was icy. "I don't need it."
Cong Xia explained, "President Wu, I apologize, but this..."
Wu Yu said casually, "I'll give you the Puppet Jade."
His words caused the entire tent to fall silent.
Liu Fengyu squinted his eyes. "Are you trying to deceive us?"
"I currently have two Puppet Jade pieces in my hand. I'll give you one piece. Exchange a piece of Puppet Jade for a piece of jade stone. Is there a more advantageous deal than this? You've never obtained Puppet Jade so easily before, have you?"
Cong Xia swallowed, and Wu Yu was right. Each piece of Puppet Jade they obtained was gained through bloody battles. Even the one from Devil Pine was obtained after a forest fight. Now they were about to venture into the Mantis Nest. If spending three or four days crafting an energy armor could get them a piece of Puppet Jade, it was indeed a great deal. He could hardly believe it and couldn't help but ask, "Really?"
Wu Yu responded, "I can give it to you today, or I can send someone to Beijing."
Cong Xia said, "Send the Puppet Jade to Beijing, and I'll give it to you as soon as I receive the message." He had already made plans to use his free time to craft more energy armors, increasing their overall chances of survival. Even if Wu Yu didn't mention it, sooner or later he would have given some to the Frost Society. Not only could he retrieve a piece of Puppet Jade now, but he could also do a favor in return. Why wouldn't he?
But Wu Yu was also clever. No matter how many pieces of Puppet Jade he had, he would have to give them to Beijing sooner or later. The difference between one piece and two pieces wasn't significant for him. This way, he could show his sincerity to Beijing and prevent them from keeping a close eye on the mountain city under his control.
Wu Yu smirked, "Deal."
Shen Changze and Yao Qianjiang remained silent. While they wanted more energy armors, they hadn't spoken up. Even if Cong Xia gave them some, they wouldn't know how to distribute them properly. They still didn't speak up because they couldn't afford the price of a Puppet Jade.
Only then did Wu Yu tuck the jade piece into his skin. After Cong Xia helped him release the armor, he took out a knife to test it, confirming that it was unharmed. He said, "It's a good thing."
Yao Qianjiang took a sip of red wine, glanced at Chen Shao with a hint of ambiguity, and smiled, "President Wu, you're really kind to your subordinates."
Wu Yu smiled faintly, "I've always been this way."
Chen Shao stood up, tossed the cigarette butt on the ground, crushed it under his shoe, and walked out of the tent.
Wu Yu said, "I'll arrange for someone to deliver the Puppet Jade." He then walked out of the tent as well.
Yao Qianjiang swayed his wine glass and approached Cheng Tianbi. He narrowed his eyes and smiled, "How about it? I told you, he's not my type. I heard that the Russian goddess is in Qinghai. I'm really looking forward to the scene when you two meet."
Cheng Tianbi gave him a glance and turned his head away.
Yao Qianjiang handed the wine glass to Cong Xia and said softly, "Try this. I only brought two bottles. We have to finish them before going to Qinghai, or they'll go to waste."
Cong Xia awkwardly said, "I won't drink. There's important business this afternoon."
"That's why you need the alcohol to bolster your courage. I heard that there are tens of thousands of mantises in that Mantis Nest, all shiny green. It must be quite a spectacle."
Cheng Tianbi snatched the wine glass from him, downed the drink in one gulp, and then looked expressionlessly at Yao Qianjiang. "If you're scared, just roll back to Beijing."
Yao Qianjiang's expression turned slightly puzzled. "Scared? I don't even know what that thing is anymore."
After the meal, they mounted several Lin Diao birds and flew southwest. The group accompanying them was small—only Cheng Tianbi's group, except for Zhuang Yao and Abu, didn't join. Shen Changze brought Al, Yao Qianjiang brought Xiao Zhou, and Wu Yu brought Chen Shao.
They had discussed it before leaving. Initially, they planned to conserve their energy for Qinghai. However, considering that sending a military force might result in substantial casualties due to the powerful mantises, potential damage to buildings, and the fact that the leader of the mantis nest was an insect-human hybrid, they decided to send a small team first to assess the situation. Negotiation was their primary goal. After all, they only needed a house.
After flying for two hours, the Lin Diao birds finally entered a mountainous area. Dark spots appeared in the sky ahead of them, growing more numerous as they approached. These seemed to be some kind of birds. In this densely forested generation, having birds around wasn't unusual, but seeing so many gathered in one place was rare. As they got closer, they suddenly realized that those dark spots weren't birds at all but mantises with shimmering green wings.
Cong Xia exclaimed, "My goodness, these are Giant Asian Mantises. They can actually fly!"
"The rate of evolution is astonishing. Previously, their wings were only used for gliding at low altitudes."
"Yes, they were used for buffering when falling from high places and couldn't actively fly. But now they can fly freely. It's terrifying. There must be hundreds of them in the sky." Cong Xia stared at the mantis swarm in the sky, feeling his mouth go dry.
Wu Yu remarked, "They've spotted us."
Cheng Tianbi said, "We haven't reached our destination yet. Keep flying forward."
Through their radio earpieces, they heard Zhuang Yao's voice, "2 o'clock direction, four kilometers away. I'll remind you when you get closer." Zhuang Yao was using navigation to pinpoint their location at the makeshift base.
The Lin Diao birds let out a few calls, their animal instincts detecting fear. Xiao Zhou emitted a bird-like hoarse cry towards them, followed by one bird taking the lead and diving into the mantis swarm.
Several mantises swiftly lunged at them. These mantises were majestic and formidable, their streamlined bodies encased in armor as green and shiny as jade. Triangular heads with large, round compound eyes made them appear alien-like. Their mandibles were clearly built for biting, and their massive scythe-like forelimbs measured a meter long, sharp and deadly. Powerful wings flapped behind them. Cong Xia recalled how the basketball-sized mantis from before could slice an adult's neck with ease. He could only imagine the strength of a mantis the size of a human.
The mantises were first attacking the flying Xiao Zhou and Yao Qianjiang in the front. Yao Qianjiang advised, "Focus on flying. Don't mind the rest."
Xiao Zhou shouted, "Rest assured, Prince, I'm not afraid with you here."
Yao Qianjiang gripped the feathers of the bird tightly, staring straight ahead. As several large mantises approached, their bodies suddenly jerked, and their heads rapidly shrank down, resembling deflated balloons. In an instant, they were drained of moisture and plummeted from the sky.
The mantis emitted a strange call, and a wave of mantises from a distance rushed towards them.
Guiding several Lin Diao birds, Xiao Zhou maneuvered in flight, attempting to avoid the swarm of mantises as much as possible. Nevertheless, mantises continued to lunge at them. However, none of the mantises managed to get close to them. The mantises were either torn into pieces by Cheng Tianbi, burned to ash by Shen Changze, or frozen by Wu Yu. Despite hundreds of mantises launching successive attacks, the result was a rain of mantis corpses falling from the sky.
No one had ever witnessed four naturally evolved individuals fighting together, utilizing their elemental powers simultaneously. The destructive power was awe-inspiring, and their confidence for the Qinghai journey surged.
Soon, even more mantises took to the sky. Their power was impressive, yet faced with this overwhelming number, a shiver of apprehension crept over them. Moreover, they noticed many mantises carrying female mantises on their backs, which were half again as large as the males themselves. The sight was somewhat comical—the large mantises made the flying ones seem much smaller. Concern arose as to whether the flying mantises could bear the weight of their larger companions.
Cong Xia shouted, "They're the female mantises! Everyone be careful. These female mantises might not fly, but mantises are a matriarchal society, and the females are much stronger than the males."
His words had barely ended when over twenty male mantises, each carrying a female, flew towards Yao Qianjiang. As they approached within ten meters of Yao Qianjiang, he activated his ability. However, at the same time, the bodies of the female mantises abruptly sprung off the males' backs. Their jumping ability was astonishing, and they all bounced directly above Yao Qianjiang's head. The shriveled corpses of the male mantises fell from the sky, yet before Yao Qianjiang could react, over twenty female mantises had descended from above him. Their scythe-like limbs were aimed directly at him and Xiao Zhou!
Yao Qianjiang suddenly raised his head and shouted loudly. A tremendous column of water shot forth from his body, similar to a high-pressure water gun, scattering the swarm of mantises in all directions. While the female mantises had not yet evolved flying abilities, they could glide. After being dispersed, they flapped their wings slowly and descended. When they were close to the ground, a new group of male mantises carried them up again. In the distance, the mantises watched them with a keen eye.
Yao Qianjiang wiped the water from his face. "Damn, these insects are actually this clever."
Wu Yu chuckled. "Prince, you were almost sliced into pieces. Just less than 20 centimeters away."
Yao Qianjiang laughed as well. "20 centimeters? I didn't realize it was that close."
At that moment, Zhuang Yao's voice came through the earpiece again. "At the 6 o'clock direction, 300 meters... 200 meters... right below you, can you see it?"
The group looked down and what met their eyes was an expansive mass of mantises—dense beyond measure. Thousands upon thousands of mantises turned the ground beneath them into a sea of vivid green. The mantises' upright and slender forms, accompanied by their fearsome scythe-like legs, dominated their appearance. Their triangular heads were raised, observing the invasion from above, as if daring them to come down, ready to tear them to pieces.
Cheng Tianbi furrowed his brow. "So many..."
Xiao Zhou exclaimed, "Oh my god, there are so many! How do we deal with this?"
Zhuang Yao urged, "Do you see the house?"
Cong Xia hurriedly replied, "Yes, but there are over twenty of them. All wooden villas. They seem to be partially intact, but they've definitely turned into mantis nests."
"Can't you distinguish which one is Mu Fei's? Didn't you all review satellite images?"
"These villas are all run-down, and the wild grass is too high—it mostly obscures the view. We can't tell, unless we go down."
Zhuang Yao said firmly, "Then go down."
Liu Fengyu gritted his teeth. "You make it sound easy. Do you know how many mantises are down there? Even if we identify Mu Fei's villa, that thing isn't a stone. Can we carry it with us in our pockets? We can't move it without bringing a military force."
"I'm not asking you to move it now. I want you to go down and identify which one belongs to Mu Fei. We'll discuss a strategy when you return. You don't need to land, just fly at low altitude."
Cheng Tianbi said, "Flying at low altitude might not work. These mantises have good jumping abilities."
Zhuang Yao said firmly, "You figure it out. I want results."
The Peregrine Falcon and Lin Diao circled the area in the air, constantly fending off mantis attacks. As the number of mantises flying into the sky increased, everyone grew tired. Despite Cong Xia continuously replenishing their energy, this brute force approach wasn't a sustainable solution. Facing so many mantises, even if they presented their necks to be slaughtered, exhaustion could still kill them.
"Let's go down," Shen Changze said.
"Yeah, let's descend. Once we identify the villa, we'll leave immediately."
The Peregrine Falcon and Lin Diao swooped downward. The mantises erupted from their nests, brandishing their scythe-like legs to confront them.
Cheng Tianbi and Shen Changze jumped off the Lin Diao, accompanied by fierce winds and flames. Their landing on the ground caused a resounding explosion. The ground under their feet shattered into fragments, and the surrounding mantises…
They looked at one house after another, with a path opened below by Chen Tianbi and Shen Changze all day long. Their actions thoroughly angered the mantises. More and more mantises flew into the sky, attacking them from above, making it difficult for them to cope.
Wu Yu shouted, "We can't hold on like this much longer. Haven't you found it yet?"
Cong Xia was getting increasingly anxious. After carefully identifying more than ten villas, he finally spotted a somewhat dilapidated villa in the southeast corner. The small bridge in front of the villa, enveloped in wild grass and barely recognizable, was exactly the same as what he had seen in the picture. He pointed at the villa and exclaimed, "That's it!"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
Chen Tianbi shouted, "Retreat!" With that, he took off and flew onto the back of a Lin Diao. Shen Changze also flew up, and they began a difficult escape.
Due to attacks coming from all directions and their increasing numbers, they found it increasingly difficult to deal with. Many of them were struck by mantises, and a single blow from a mantis was usually fatal. Those with energy armor were better off, but those without were all injured to varying degrees, especially Xiao Zhou and several other Lin Diao who received the most attacks. When they finally broke free from the encirclement, their feathers were stained with blood. Chen Shao was the only one who remained unscathed, while Wu Yu erected an ice wall around him.
Cong Xia didn't stop for a moment as he treated the injured birds, busy to the point of almost forgetting to breathe. Although he could supply unlimited energy, it didn't mean they were invincible. He was just one person, and his supply of energy was limited. If they had continued like this and faced off against these tens of thousands of mantises, even with their four natural power evolved individuals, they would have eventually perished. In the face of absolute numbers, no matter how powerful an individual's combat capabilities were, they might not be able to turn the tide.
The mantises pursued them relentlessly for more than twenty kilometers before finally giving up, leaving everyone utterly exhausted. It had been a long time since they had experienced such intense combat. The last time they had fled in such a sorry state was when they faced the insects at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Compared to this group of mantises, the wild boars they encountered in the Devil's Pine Forest were nothing.
Deng Xiao lay on the back of the Lin Diao, gasping for breath. "Too fierce, these damn mantises, especially the females."
"It's a good thing the female mantises can't fly. If they could, we would have had to expend twice as much effort to escape."
Cong Xia chuckled bitterly. "It only took them two years to evolve into mantises of this size and gain the ability to fly. If female mantises evolve the ability to fly, it probably won't be long."
Al sighed and said, "It's a good thing they don't live in the urban areas; otherwise, there would be no one left in this city."
Wu Yu remarked, "Even now, there aren't many left. Kunming is relatively close to Qinghai, and the mutated creatures here are much more formidable than those in Beijing. Humans are a vulnerable group here. Don't forget that, except for Beijing and Chongqing, most areas have already become weak races."
Cong Xia sighed, "You're right."
Yao Qianjiang asked, "You seem to know a lot about the situation on this side of Yunnan?"
Wu Yu said, "It's not far away. I have some dealings with the forces and mutant organizations on this side."
Chen Shao coldly remarked, "Aren't you going to get rid of this ice?"
Wu Yu turned around, realizing that Chen Shao was still trapped in the ice wall. He lightly tapped it, and the ice wall cracked and shattered. Chen Shao's lips were slightly pale; he must have been cold. Wu Yu said, "It's colder up in the sky. Hang in there; we'll be there soon."
Chen Shao didn't even look at him, he just tightened his clothes and lay down on the back of the Lin Diao.
They flew back to their temporary camp in one go. After landing, Xiao Zhou and Lin Diaos were panting heavily. Those who knew ice magic brought several large buckets of meat to feed the Lin Diaos. Xiao Zhou returned to his human form and lay down to rest.
Zhuang Yao looked at their disheveled appearance and chuckled, "Mantises aren't easy to deal with, huh?"
Liu Fengyu rolled his eyes, "Dealing with tens of thousands of them is really damn hard. We can't take away the house; it’s in the heart of the mantis nest."
"Come in, let me hear the specifics."
The group entered the tent, and Cong Xia described the situation. Actually, he didn't need to say much; looking at their clothes and the blood splatters on them, Zhuang Yao could also tell that this trip hadn't been easy.
After listening, Zhuang Yao nodded, "It's even more troublesome than we thought. That's exactly where the mantis colony is situated. Mantises have a strong territorial sense. Once we intrude, no matter what our purpose is, we'll face attacks. Did the Mantis Queen appear this time you went?"
"No, I heard it's a human mutant?"
"Yes, but she never interacts with humans, and humans don't dare to interact with her. There are only rumors from those who have seen her, and the truth is still uncertain."
Deng Xiao mumbled while munching on something, "Wow, the Mantis Queen sounds cool. What does she look like?"
Zhuang Yao said, "She's the largest mantis, over two meters tall, and she's the only female mantis that can fly. No mutated creatures, plants, or animals dare to provoke this group of mantises. They are not only numerous and highly reproductive but also natural-born killers. They follow the Mantis Queen's orders without hesitation, willing to live and die for her commands. The Devil's Pine Forest has truly thrown us a challenge."
Cong Xia sighed, "Nevertheless, the houses are still there, and that's good news. We can't bring the houses back; Mu Fei won't blame us. But the Devil's Pine Forest might be tricky. After all, Mu Fei doesn't have full control. We can't risk giving the Devil's Pine Forest a reason to withhold the Puppet Jade from us."
"Exactly, we've come all this way, and we're determined to get the house."
"Let's discuss the strategy now." Chen Tianbi pointed to a pre-apocalyptic satellite aerial photo retrieved from the national database. Mu Fei's house was circled, and he said, "After all, this is a house. Even if we dig, it would take several days, and considering the situation, large machinery can't even get in. We absolutely can't dig out a whole house from the midst of the enemy forces. Our entry point has to be negotiations or using the Mantis Queen as leverage. Regardless of the approach, we must meet the Mantis Queen."
Tang Tingzhi nodded, "Exactly, as long as we meet her, we should be able to find a solution. After all, she is still human and can communicate."
"The entire valley is full of mantises, and we can't even tell where the Mantis Queen is. We've been causing a commotion on their turf for a while now, and still no sign of the Queen."
"According to the past habits of mantises, their nests are usually built on trees. However, now that they're so large, they need really big trees to support them. Have you seen any especially large trees?"
Cong Xia laughed, "Since we went to the Devil's Pine Forest, I feel like no trees seem big anymore. We have indeed seen some tall trees, around a hundred meters high, deep in the valley. We didn't fly in that direction, and the trees were so dense that we didn't pay attention to whether there were nests. But as you said, the closer we got to the trees, the denser the mantises became."
Zhuang Yao said, "The mantis nests should be on those trees, probably thousands of them. I don't have photos of the mantis nests here, but I can describe them to you. The mantis nests look like a cluster of yellow-white cotton with many small holes. Since they've grown so large, their nests won't be small either. They should be easy to spot. Also, the Mantis Queen's nest will definitely be the largest one, so it shouldn't be hard to find. The current issue is how to get in." He looked at everyone with a chilling smile, "You're going to have a tough time this time."
189: The Lost Territory, Qinghai
The group had lunch at the temporary campsite. Only a few individuals were in the tent where Cheng Tianbi and others resided. These few were the core figures of various mutant organizations.
After lunch, Cong Xia gave a blue crystal to Wu Yu and explained the principle of energy armor for him to put on.
Wu Yu took the jade piece and looked at it. "Only one?"
Cong Xia responded, "Each person has only one."
"Does every person in the team have one?"
Cong Xia clarified, "No, I can't produce that many. Only the main combatants have them." Although this fact was somewhat harsh, he had no choice. Unless he was given another two months, he wouldn't be able to provide energy armor for 48 people.
Wu Yu raised an eyebrow. "I need another one too."
Cong Xia was taken aback and blurted out, "For Chen Shao?"
Wu Yu didn't hide it either. "Yes."
Chen Shao blew out a smoke ring, looking at them expressionlessly.
Cheng Tianbi coldly retorted, "You're not entitled to make requests. This is an optional item, not a necessity."
Wu Yu sneered, "Fine, give him mine."
Cong Xia shook his head. "No, this one is designed for water energy. Chen Shao's power is earth energy, they're not interchangeable."
Yao Qianjiang said, "Just accept it. I wanted to provide one for each person I brought too. Everyone thinks the same way. Cong Xia must be exhausted."
Chen Shao's tone was icy. "I don't need it."
Cong Xia explained, "President Wu, I apologize, but this..."
Wu Yu said casually, "I'll give you the Puppet Jade."
His words caused the entire tent to fall silent.
Liu Fengyu squinted his eyes. "Are you trying to deceive us?"
"I currently have two Puppet Jade pieces in my hand. I'll give you one piece. Exchange a piece of Puppet Jade for a piece of jade stone. Is there a more advantageous deal than this? You've never obtained Puppet Jade so easily before, have you?"
Cong Xia swallowed, and Wu Yu was right. Each piece of Puppet Jade they obtained was gained through bloody battles. Even the one from Devil Pine was obtained after a forest fight. Now they were about to venture into the Mantis Nest. If spending three or four days crafting an energy armor could get them a piece of Puppet Jade, it was indeed a great deal. He could hardly believe it and couldn't help but ask, "Really?"
Wu Yu responded, "I can give it to you today, or I can send someone to Beijing."
Cong Xia said, "Send the Puppet Jade to Beijing, and I'll give it to you as soon as I receive the message." He had already made plans to use his free time to craft more energy armors, increasing their overall chances of survival. Even if Wu Yu didn't mention it, sooner or later he would have given some to the Frost Society. Not only could he retrieve a piece of Puppet Jade now, but he could also do a favor in return. Why wouldn't he?
But Wu Yu was also clever. No matter how many pieces of Puppet Jade he had, he would have to give them to Beijing sooner or later. The difference between one piece and two pieces wasn't significant for him. This way, he could show his sincerity to Beijing and prevent them from keeping a close eye on the mountain city under his control.
Wu Yu smirked, "Deal."
Shen Changze and Yao Qianjiang remained silent. While they wanted more energy armors, they hadn't spoken up. Even if Cong Xia gave them some, they wouldn't know how to distribute them properly. They still didn't speak up because they couldn't afford the price of a Puppet Jade.
Only then did Wu Yu tuck the jade piece into his skin. After Cong Xia helped him release the armor, he took out a knife to test it, confirming that it was unharmed. He said, "It's a good thing."
Yao Qianjiang took a sip of red wine, glanced at Chen Shao with a hint of ambiguity, and smiled, "President Wu, you're really kind to your subordinates."
Wu Yu smiled faintly, "I've always been this way."
Chen Shao stood up, tossed the cigarette butt on the ground, crushed it under his shoe, and walked out of the tent.
Wu Yu said, "I'll arrange for someone to deliver the Puppet Jade." He then walked out of the tent as well.
Yao Qianjiang swayed his wine glass and approached Cheng Tianbi. He narrowed his eyes and smiled, "How about it? I told you, he's not my type. I heard that the Russian goddess is in Qinghai. I'm really looking forward to the scene when you two meet."
Cheng Tianbi gave him a glance and turned his head away.
Yao Qianjiang handed the wine glass to Cong Xia and said softly, "Try this. I only brought two bottles. We have to finish them before going to Qinghai, or they'll go to waste."
Cong Xia awkwardly said, "I won't drink. There's important business this afternoon."
"That's why you need the alcohol to bolster your courage. I heard that there are tens of thousands of mantises in that Mantis Nest, all shiny green. It must be quite a spectacle."
Cheng Tianbi snatched the wine glass from him, downed the drink in one gulp, and then looked expressionlessly at Yao Qianjiang. "If you're scared, just roll back to Beijing."
Yao Qianjiang's expression turned slightly puzzled. "Scared? I don't even know what that thing is anymore."
After the meal, they mounted several Lin Diao birds and flew southwest. The group accompanying them was small—only Cheng Tianbi's group, except for Zhuang Yao and Abu, didn't join. Shen Changze brought Al, Yao Qianjiang brought Xiao Zhou, and Wu Yu brought Chen Shao.
They had discussed it before leaving. Initially, they planned to conserve their energy for Qinghai. However, considering that sending a military force might result in substantial casualties due to the powerful mantises, potential damage to buildings, and the fact that the leader of the mantis nest was an insect-human hybrid, they decided to send a small team first to assess the situation. Negotiation was their primary goal. After all, they only needed a house.
After flying for two hours, the Lin Diao birds finally entered a mountainous area. Dark spots appeared in the sky ahead of them, growing more numerous as they approached. These seemed to be some kind of birds. In this densely forested generation, having birds around wasn't unusual, but seeing so many gathered in one place was rare. As they got closer, they suddenly realized that those dark spots weren't birds at all but mantises with shimmering green wings.
Cong Xia exclaimed, "My goodness, these are Giant Asian Mantises. They can actually fly!"
"The rate of evolution is astonishing. Previously, their wings were only used for gliding at low altitudes."
"Yes, they were used for buffering when falling from high places and couldn't actively fly. But now they can fly freely. It's terrifying. There must be hundreds of them in the sky." Cong Xia stared at the mantis swarm in the sky, feeling his mouth go dry.
Wu Yu remarked, "They've spotted us."
Cheng Tianbi said, "We haven't reached our destination yet. Keep flying forward."
Through their radio earpieces, they heard Zhuang Yao's voice, "2 o'clock direction, four kilometers away. I'll remind you when you get closer." Zhuang Yao was using navigation to pinpoint their location at the makeshift base.
The Lin Diao birds let out a few calls, their animal instincts detecting fear. Xiao Zhou emitted a bird-like hoarse cry towards them, followed by one bird taking the lead and diving into the mantis swarm.
Several mantises swiftly lunged at them. These mantises were majestic and formidable, their streamlined bodies encased in armor as green and shiny as jade. Triangular heads with large, round compound eyes made them appear alien-like. Their mandibles were clearly built for biting, and their massive scythe-like forelimbs measured a meter long, sharp and deadly. Powerful wings flapped behind them. Cong Xia recalled how the basketball-sized mantis from before could slice an adult's neck with ease. He could only imagine the strength of a mantis the size of a human.
The mantises were first attacking the flying Xiao Zhou and Yao Qianjiang in the front. Yao Qianjiang advised, "Focus on flying. Don't mind the rest."
Xiao Zhou shouted, "Rest assured, Prince, I'm not afraid with you here."
Yao Qianjiang gripped the feathers of the bird tightly, staring straight ahead. As several large mantises approached, their bodies suddenly jerked, and their heads rapidly shrank down, resembling deflated balloons. In an instant, they were drained of moisture and plummeted from the sky.
The mantis emitted a strange call, and a wave of mantises from a distance rushed towards them.
Guiding several Lin Diao birds, Xiao Zhou maneuvered in flight, attempting to avoid the swarm of mantises as much as possible. Nevertheless, mantises continued to lunge at them. However, none of the mantises managed to get close to them. The mantises were either torn into pieces by Cheng Tianbi, burned to ash by Shen Changze, or frozen by Wu Yu. Despite hundreds of mantises launching successive attacks, the result was a rain of mantis corpses falling from the sky.
No one had ever witnessed four naturally evolved individuals fighting together, utilizing their elemental powers simultaneously. The destructive power was awe-inspiring, and their confidence for the Qinghai journey surged.
Soon, even more mantises took to the sky. Their power was impressive, yet faced with this overwhelming number, a shiver of apprehension crept over them. Moreover, they noticed many mantises carrying female mantises on their backs, which were half again as large as the males themselves. The sight was somewhat comical—the large mantises made the flying ones seem much smaller. Concern arose as to whether the flying mantises could bear the weight of their larger companions.
Cong Xia shouted, "They're the female mantises! Everyone be careful. These female mantises might not fly, but mantises are a matriarchal society, and the females are much stronger than the males."
His words had barely ended when over twenty male mantises, each carrying a female, flew towards Yao Qianjiang. As they approached within ten meters of Yao Qianjiang, he activated his ability. However, at the same time, the bodies of the female mantises abruptly sprung off the males' backs. Their jumping ability was astonishing, and they all bounced directly above Yao Qianjiang's head. The shriveled corpses of the male mantises fell from the sky, yet before Yao Qianjiang could react, over twenty female mantises had descended from above him. Their scythe-like limbs were aimed directly at him and Xiao Zhou!
Yao Qianjiang suddenly raised his head and shouted loudly. A tremendous column of water shot forth from his body, similar to a high-pressure water gun, scattering the swarm of mantises in all directions. While the female mantises had not yet evolved flying abilities, they could glide. After being dispersed, they flapped their wings slowly and descended. When they were close to the ground, a new group of male mantises carried them up again. In the distance, the mantises watched them with a keen eye.
Yao Qianjiang wiped the water from his face. "Damn, these insects are actually this clever."
Wu Yu chuckled. "Prince, you were almost sliced into pieces. Just less than 20 centimeters away."
Yao Qianjiang laughed as well. "20 centimeters? I didn't realize it was that close."
At that moment, Zhuang Yao's voice came through the earpiece again. "At the 6 o'clock direction, 300 meters... 200 meters... right below you, can you see it?"
The group looked down and what met their eyes was an expansive mass of mantises—dense beyond measure. Thousands upon thousands of mantises turned the ground beneath them into a sea of vivid green. The mantises' upright and slender forms, accompanied by their fearsome scythe-like legs, dominated their appearance. Their triangular heads were raised, observing the invasion from above, as if daring them to come down, ready to tear them to pieces.
Cheng Tianbi furrowed his brow. "So many..."
Xiao Zhou exclaimed, "Oh my god, there are so many! How do we deal with this?"
Zhuang Yao urged, "Do you see the house?"
Cong Xia hurriedly replied, "Yes, but there are over twenty of them. All wooden villas. They seem to be partially intact, but they've definitely turned into mantis nests."
"Can't you distinguish which one is Mu Fei's? Didn't you all review satellite images?"
"These villas are all run-down, and the wild grass is too high—it mostly obscures the view. We can't tell, unless we go down."
Zhuang Yao said firmly, "Then go down."
Liu Fengyu gritted his teeth. "You make it sound easy. Do you know how many mantises are down there? Even if we identify Mu Fei's villa, that thing isn't a stone. Can we carry it with us in our pockets? We can't move it without bringing a military force."
"I'm not asking you to move it now. I want you to go down and identify which one belongs to Mu Fei. We'll discuss a strategy when you return. You don't need to land, just fly at low altitude."
Cheng Tianbi said, "Flying at low altitude might not work. These mantises have good jumping abilities."
Zhuang Yao said firmly, "You figure it out. I want results."
The Peregrine Falcon and Lin Diao circled the area in the air, constantly fending off mantis attacks. As the number of mantises flying into the sky increased, everyone grew tired. Despite Cong Xia continuously replenishing their energy, this brute force approach wasn't a sustainable solution. Facing so many mantises, even if they presented their necks to be slaughtered, exhaustion could still kill them.
"Let's go down," Shen Changze said.
"Yeah, let's descend. Once we identify the villa, we'll leave immediately."
The Peregrine Falcon and Lin Diao swooped downward. The mantises erupted from their nests, brandishing their scythe-like legs to confront them.
Cheng Tianbi and Shen Changze jumped off the Lin Diao, accompanied by fierce winds and flames. Their landing on the ground caused a resounding explosion. The ground under their feet shattered into fragments, and the surrounding mantises…
They looked at one house after another, with a path opened below by Chen Tianbi and Shen Changze all day long. Their actions thoroughly angered the mantises. More and more mantises flew into the sky, attacking them from above, making it difficult for them to cope.
Wu Yu shouted, "We can't hold on like this much longer. Haven't you found it yet?"
Cong Xia was getting increasingly anxious. After carefully identifying more than ten villas, he finally spotted a somewhat dilapidated villa in the southeast corner. The small bridge in front of the villa, enveloped in wild grass and barely recognizable, was exactly the same as what he had seen in the picture. He pointed at the villa and exclaimed, "That's it!"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
Chen Tianbi shouted, "Retreat!" With that, he took off and flew onto the back of a Lin Diao. Shen Changze also flew up, and they began a difficult escape.
Due to attacks coming from all directions and their increasing numbers, they found it increasingly difficult to deal with. Many of them were struck by mantises, and a single blow from a mantis was usually fatal. Those with energy armor were better off, but those without were all injured to varying degrees, especially Xiao Zhou and several other Lin Diao who received the most attacks. When they finally broke free from the encirclement, their feathers were stained with blood. Chen Shao was the only one who remained unscathed, while Wu Yu erected an ice wall around him.
Cong Xia didn't stop for a moment as he treated the injured birds, busy to the point of almost forgetting to breathe. Although he could supply unlimited energy, it didn't mean they were invincible. He was just one person, and his supply of energy was limited. If they had continued like this and faced off against these tens of thousands of mantises, even with their four natural power evolved individuals, they would have eventually perished. In the face of absolute numbers, no matter how powerful an individual's combat capabilities were, they might not be able to turn the tide.
The mantises pursued them relentlessly for more than twenty kilometers before finally giving up, leaving everyone utterly exhausted. It had been a long time since they had experienced such intense combat. The last time they had fled in such a sorry state was when they faced the insects at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Compared to this group of mantises, the wild boars they encountered in the Devil's Pine Forest were nothing.
Deng Xiao lay on the back of the Lin Diao, gasping for breath. "Too fierce, these damn mantises, especially the females."
"It's a good thing the female mantises can't fly. If they could, we would have had to expend twice as much effort to escape."
Cong Xia chuckled bitterly. "It only took them two years to evolve into mantises of this size and gain the ability to fly. If female mantises evolve the ability to fly, it probably won't be long."
Al sighed and said, "It's a good thing they don't live in the urban areas; otherwise, there would be no one left in this city."
Wu Yu remarked, "Even now, there aren't many left. Kunming is relatively close to Qinghai, and the mutated creatures here are much more formidable than those in Beijing. Humans are a vulnerable group here. Don't forget that, except for Beijing and Chongqing, most areas have already become weak races."
Cong Xia sighed, "You're right."
Yao Qianjiang asked, "You seem to know a lot about the situation on this side of Yunnan?"
Wu Yu said, "It's not far away. I have some dealings with the forces and mutant organizations on this side."
Chen Shao coldly remarked, "Aren't you going to get rid of this ice?"
Wu Yu turned around, realizing that Chen Shao was still trapped in the ice wall. He lightly tapped it, and the ice wall cracked and shattered. Chen Shao's lips were slightly pale; he must have been cold. Wu Yu said, "It's colder up in the sky. Hang in there; we'll be there soon."
Chen Shao didn't even look at him, he just tightened his clothes and lay down on the back of the Lin Diao.
They flew back to their temporary camp in one go. After landing, Xiao Zhou and Lin Diaos were panting heavily. Those who knew ice magic brought several large buckets of meat to feed the Lin Diaos. Xiao Zhou returned to his human form and lay down to rest.
Zhuang Yao looked at their disheveled appearance and chuckled, "Mantises aren't easy to deal with, huh?"
Liu Fengyu rolled his eyes, "Dealing with tens of thousands of them is really damn hard. We can't take away the house; it’s in the heart of the mantis nest."
"Come in, let me hear the specifics."
The group entered the tent, and Cong Xia described the situation. Actually, he didn't need to say much; looking at their clothes and the blood splatters on them, Zhuang Yao could also tell that this trip hadn't been easy.
After listening, Zhuang Yao nodded, "It's even more troublesome than we thought. That's exactly where the mantis colony is situated. Mantises have a strong territorial sense. Once we intrude, no matter what our purpose is, we'll face attacks. Did the Mantis Queen appear this time you went?"
"No, I heard it's a human mutant?"
"Yes, but she never interacts with humans, and humans don't dare to interact with her. There are only rumors from those who have seen her, and the truth is still uncertain."
Deng Xiao mumbled while munching on something, "Wow, the Mantis Queen sounds cool. What does she look like?"
Zhuang Yao said, "She's the largest mantis, over two meters tall, and she's the only female mantis that can fly. No mutated creatures, plants, or animals dare to provoke this group of mantises. They are not only numerous and highly reproductive but also natural-born killers. They follow the Mantis Queen's orders without hesitation, willing to live and die for her commands. The Devil's Pine Forest has truly thrown us a challenge."
Cong Xia sighed, "Nevertheless, the houses are still there, and that's good news. We can't bring the houses back; Mu Fei won't blame us. But the Devil's Pine Forest might be tricky. After all, Mu Fei doesn't have full control. We can't risk giving the Devil's Pine Forest a reason to withhold the Puppet Jade from us."
"Exactly, we've come all this way, and we're determined to get the house."
"Let's discuss the strategy now." Chen Tianbi pointed to a pre-apocalyptic satellite aerial photo retrieved from the national database. Mu Fei's house was circled, and he said, "After all, this is a house. Even if we dig, it would take several days, and considering the situation, large machinery can't even get in. We absolutely can't dig out a whole house from the midst of the enemy forces. Our entry point has to be negotiations or using the Mantis Queen as leverage. Regardless of the approach, we must meet the Mantis Queen."
Tang Tingzhi nodded, "Exactly, as long as we meet her, we should be able to find a solution. After all, she is still human and can communicate."
"The entire valley is full of mantises, and we can't even tell where the Mantis Queen is. We've been causing a commotion on their turf for a while now, and still no sign of the Queen."
"According to the past habits of mantises, their nests are usually built on trees. However, now that they're so large, they need really big trees to support them. Have you seen any especially large trees?"
Cong Xia laughed, "Since we went to the Devil's Pine Forest, I feel like no trees seem big anymore. We have indeed seen some tall trees, around a hundred meters high, deep in the valley. We didn't fly in that direction, and the trees were so dense that we didn't pay attention to whether there were nests. But as you said, the closer we got to the trees, the denser the mantises became."
Zhuang Yao said, "The mantis nests should be on those trees, probably thousands of them. I don't have photos of the mantis nests here, but I can describe them to you. The mantis nests look like a cluster of yellow-white cotton with many small holes. Since they've grown so large, their nests won't be small either. They should be easy to spot. Also, the Mantis Queen's nest will definitely be the largest one, so it shouldn't be hard to find. The current issue is how to get in." He looked at everyone with a chilling smile, "You're going to have a tough time this time."
