The day the IPC could summon someone like her at will would be the day they started suspecting the theory of leaking memory essence from Penacony was true.
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"A fully mutated True Sting affected by the anomaly!"
Their eyes were locked onto the True Sting sleeping in the specially designed glass case. These scholars, who had devoted half their lives to academic research, wished they could press their eyeballs against the glass, observing every detail up close.
This True Sting was completely different from any they had seen before. Its sharp forelimbs resembled the scythes of death itself. Having witnessed the devastating power of the Swarm Disaster through video records, the scholars had no doubt those limbs could slice them in half.
Its carapace also differed greatly from that of ordinary True Stings, evolving in all aspects toward that colossal beast from Jarilo.
What a pity...
"A shame we don't have a sample of that giant beast," a young scholar lamented.
Smack!
Before the words had fully left his mouth, a palm harshly struck the back of his head, sending stars dancing before his eyes. The body that had labored tirelessly for weeks nearly collapsed on the spot.
Looking up, he saw his mentor glaring at him, nostrils flaring.
"You little brat, still learning to walk and already dreaming of piloting a star-destroyer? Know your limits before you run your mouth."
Though he too coveted the strength of that never-before-seen Godzilla-like creature...
He had enough self-awareness to know, one tail swipe from that thing could shatter this entire building. Their pitiful equipment and research wouldn't even make a dent.
If the IPC were truly foolish enough to provoke that entity, the moment the news hit, he'd abandon everything and teleport straight home without even packing.
"Haha, Dr. Brandon, there's no need for that reaction. We're all on the same side here. It's good for young people to have ambition; they should be encouraged."
"Sigh... what's achievable is called an ideal, what's not is called a dream!" Brandon snorted and glared again at the student who was now rubbing his head and shrugging.
As everyone continued surrounding the True Sting, Brandon asked with some concern, "Mr. Lanner, this True Sting won't attract a swarm, will it?"
The Swarm Disaster, if one sends a signal, swarms from across the cosmos would converge to fulfill their Propagation destiny.
Although Area 263 had tight security, no one could be sure how many swarms still lingered in the cosmos, especially with three confirmed nests nearby...
"Don't worry, Dr. Brandon. This Sting's mouthparts have been destroyed. And with the unknown anomaly having altered it like this, there's no guarantee the swarm would even recognize it. Worst case, do you see that glass case? It's AAA-grade. As long as it's inside, there's nothing to worry about."
Seeing Lanner's confidence, Brandon nodded slightly, reassured.
He had no doubt in the IPC's capabilities in this regard, if it could generate enough profit, they wouldn't attract danger unnecessarily.
After all, this place was home to the elite of the Intelligentsia Guild. If even they couldn't be kept safe, the Intelligentsia Guild wouldn't believe the IPC could provide a secure research environment.
"It's waking up!"
At that moment, a middle-aged scholar exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention to the True Sting.
It had risen, its compound eyes scanning the surroundings. Its mouthparts flapped silently, but not a sound came out.
Seeing this, Brandon finally relaxed completely.
The vocal organs were indeed destroyed, still safe.
While everyone focused on observing the unique True Sting, no one noticed a sudden surge of anomalous magnetic fields appearing in the IPC's monitoring instruments. Repeated defense alerts were being issued.
The observer glanced at it briefly, then ignored it.
Influenced by those scholars, strange electromagnetic disturbances often popped up in this galaxy, they usually passed after a while.
As for the signal... what signal? Who sends a continuous, non-stop stream like that? It's like they're begging to be discovered.
...
"The unique structure of these creatures allows them to absorb nutrients without any complex intake process. As long as there's sunlight, the nutrients in the soil can meet their immense energy needs. There may even be yet-undiscovered energy systems at work."
"But even so, it's hard to believe these creatures were once ordinary trees."
Ratio exclaimed in awe.
Such miraculous biology was truly fascinating.
No wonder so many in the cosmos pursued the path of Abundance, praying to it for blessings.
If nothing else, the sheer energy output alone was staggering.
Hearing Ratio's words, Herta calmly said, "According to something I heard from someone, whether it's those insects or these Godzilla-type organisms, they are all beings affected by Godzilla, evolving toward it. These creatures form an ecosystem centered around Godzilla. When Jarilo was attacked, it was these beings that defended it, or rather, defended their territory."
"I've heard of this too, which is why I'm so curious, how far can these special lifeforms go?"
Ratio looked up, staring at the giant beasts unfazed by their presence.
Every movement carried tremendous might. And these were only creatures affected by Godzilla.
He remembered that both Herta and Ruan Mei had visited Godzilla.
Herta's purpose was unclear, but Ruan Mei, a fanatic for science, must've been drawn by the biological mystery.
Yet after all this time, there had been no word from Ruan Mei.
And Herta hadn't mentioned her either.
Knowing Ruan Mei's personality, if she had obtained what she wanted, she would've gone after Herta by now, nagging, pestering, trying every trick in the book.
But she was still here on Jarilo, observing these miraculous creatures with him.
Suddenly.
Both of them stopped moving at the same time and listened carefully.
"Creak, whoosh."
A faint sound entered their ears, not the call of some creature, nor the rustling of leaves in the wind.
It sounded more like...
"The sound of some kind of arthropod colliding," Herta said just as a long gust of wind howled, and a sky-darkening red tide erupted into the air! Like a crimson sheet, it blanketed the sky.
At the same time, Godzilla-like creatures all over the area raised their heads and roared, as if bidding it farewell.
"What the hell is going on? Have these bugs gone mad?" Herta was stunned.
You should know that these bugs usually stayed quietly in their own territory, just like those Godzilla-like creatures. Even if one or two occasionally wandered, they never strayed far.
"There are no enemies. Godzilla isn't present either. If not because of Godzilla, then why is this happening?"
Ratio frowned, watching the red tide as it receded into the distance.
These bugs were no pushovers. In simple one-on-one experiments, they could take on ten true Stings of the same level!
These True Stings were influenced by Godzilla, they could truly take on ten at once!
"Check if there are traces of antimatter legions, Disaster swarm's, or large-scale destructive weapons near Jarilo."
Before long, Ratio received a reply.
Nothing!
"Ms. Herta, what do you think...?"
Just as Ratio wanted to discuss the swarm's sudden frenzy with Herta, he heard...
"You stay here and keep guessing. I'm going to take a look myself."
As soon as the words fell, Herta's puppet froze in place.
Ratio didn't even need to check, he already knew Ms. Herta was no longer here.
"Seriously…" He smirked and closed his notebook with a snap.
Making your puppet look like your younger self really is the worst!
That said, Ratio glanced around. Clearly, compared to chasing after the swarm, not even sure if he could catch up, he'd rather stay put and wait for Herta to report back.
...
Qlipoth.
The movement of the swarm and those giant beasts naturally drew the attention of many.
Bronya looked out at the receding red tide, brows furrowed, hands resting on the windowsill. "What on earth happened?"
The swarm and Jarilo had always stayed out of each other's way, sometimes they even helped Jarilo defend against enemies.
Because of that, when Godzilla wasn't around, Belobog would often send a shipment of meat into the deep forest.
And those bugs, as if they understood, would only emerge to feast after the delivery crew had left the forest.
Some particularly gluttonous ones would even eat the delivery racks and carts.
Belobog's people knew of their friendliness. Outsiders, aside from a few, wouldn't dare enter.
Could it be they were affected by Godzilla's aura?
Other than that, Bronya couldn't think of any explanation.
Just then, she felt her pocket vibrating. She pulled out her phone and saw a message from Herta.
[Herta: I'm going over to check. I'll let you know if I find anything.]
Ms. Herta really is a socially savvy person!
Seeing the message from Herta, Bronya's worried heart was somewhat eased. Though Herta sometimes pulled some odd stunts, when it came to truly important matters in the region, she could always be relied upon.
With her there, surely nothing would go wrong… and Herta's message also ruled out the possibility that this chaos was caused by scholars.
At this point, all she could do was wait.
...
Xianzhou Luofu.
The usually quiet Scalegorge Waterscape, due to official duties, was momentarily without its usual guardians.
Godzilla slowly opened his eyes, lifted his head slightly, and looked in Jarilo's direction, sensing the presence marked by his own aura rushing toward a certain place.
A place he had never been to.
"What happened?"
His tail curled into the shape of a question mark, and doubt flickered in Godzilla's eyes.
Those bugs were weak, yes, but to others, they were terrifying beings.
The people of Jarilo wouldn't provoke them, and it was impossible for any common incident to stir such chaos.
Could it be that someone with malicious intent caused trouble in Jarilo?
Though suspicious, Godzilla didn't intend to go over just yet.
The swarm was still on the move, he could wait until they stopped to act.
After all… he didn't even know where they were headed.
...
Meanwhile, in Shackling Prison.
Silent, cold, eerie, the dim grey glow created a sense of unease.
The occasional howling wind sent shivers down one's spine, as if this were truly the underworld.
As the prison that held the most dangerous criminals of the Xianzhou Alliance, its special nature placed it slightly above the other six territories.
The Ten-Lords Commission even more so...
"Sir, why is the Shackling Prison built like this? It looks so strange."
A craftsman curiously asked the nearby guard.
Just from the outside, the Shackling Prison looked as if the construction crew had been lazy, no proper finishing, unrefined surroundings. It would drive anyone with OCD mad.
"The secluded prison stretches endlessly through desolate mountains and rivers, layers upon layers stacked atop one another.
They even brought in the High Elders of the Vidyadhara Tribe, exhausting all the marvelous techniques of pocket dimensions. What you see is only a portion of this secluded prison.
Speaking of the High Elders work, if you can learn a bit, it would be a good opportunity to observe, after all, entering here through normal means is no easy feat."
Entering the secluded prison through abnormal means, of course, means being tightly bound, sentenced for crimes, and thrown into a cell, spending the rest of your life within.
To this day, those who have managed to leave the secluded prison are exceedingly few. More often, before any opportunity to leave arises, the Mara erupts and they are executed on the spot.
For Foxian and the Vidyadhara Tribe, being sentenced here is practically a death sentence, with burial and reincarnation as the only considerations.
As for non-Xianzhou people sentenced here... just look at the various sizes of Borisin imprisoned in these cells.
Dying peacefully is already considered a blessing for them.
"Good thing we investigated the situation in this secluded prison ahead of time, otherwise we might've really been done for."
Having successfully infiltrated in disguise, Mok Tok let out a long breath.
His gaze toward the surroundings was filled with dread.
With defenses like this just on the upper levels, one could imagine how difficult it must be to reach the lower levels where Lord Hoolay is imprisoned.
Fortunately, they seized the opportunity and infiltrated during the weakened state following the battle between the Xianzhou and the Lord Ravager. Otherwise, they would have had to wait another seven hundred years.
"My lord, this way."
Still caught in his thoughts, Mok Tok heard the person in front had already scouted the path and signaled for stealthy movement.
"Halt."
They had barely taken a few steps when a judge stopped them.
Mok Tok's heart tightened. Was it time for a confrontation?
"Who are you?" Xueyi looked toward Mok Tok's group, questioning sternly.
"Judge, these are skilled artisans brought in from outside. Per higher orders, I'm leading them to the lower levels for maintenance and inspection."
With that, he handed over a document.
After a brief glance, Xueyi nodded slightly and warned, "There are many secrets within the secluded prison, with countless traps and mechanisms. If a special situation arises, take the eastern route, that is the path to survival."
"Yes, sir!"
Once they were out of earshot, Mok Tok and the people behind him let out a massive sigh of relief.
If they had to fight here, things would have gotten complicated. Luckily, that judge was a lazy sort, letting them pass after a glance.
Hmph, just as well, otherwise, he wouldn't have minded offering her blood and flesh to Lord Hoolay even before meeting him!
But soon after, excitement returned to him.
According to the original plan, they were to force their way through various defenses, any mishap could have led to complete failure. Who would've thought that judge actually told them the path to survival!
It was as if divine help had descended!
The Borisin shall rise!
Watching Mok Tok's group enter the lower levels, Xueyi opened a comm-link and said, "They've entered the lower-level area. Instruct the guard captains to allow passage, no need to block them."
"Yes, sir!"
...
"Heh, luring the enemy into the trap, these Borisin really think they're being cunning, cleverly hiding as Foxians."
Watching everything unfold, Huaiyan chuckled.
"That's typical. The Borisin may be fierce and cunning, but at times like this, they don't overthink. From their perspective, the Xianzhou Ship's battle with the Antimatter Legion must have caused heavy losses.
So, when the Divine Foresight General arranged for new recruits to inspect and maintain the secluded prison, they took the bait. I really want to see their faces when they learn the truth."
Feixiao stood with one hand on her hip, watching on the monitor as Mok Tok and his team approached the pocket-dimension prison where Hoolay was held.
Besides them, other Borisin were deployed elsewhere, some hidden among artisan teams, others disguised as guards or even as Foxian.
To think that the Borisin, who always viewed the Foxian as vile beasts, would now adopt the very forms they despise, shows just how determined they are to see this mission succeed, even if it means enduring such humiliation.
"Speaking of which, Jing Yuan, are you really planning to release Hoolay? That guy isn't easy to handle."
Feixiao turned her head to Jing Yuan, puzzled.
"General Feixiao, rest assured. Hoolay has endured seven hundred years of unceasing torture in there. Though not dead, his vitality is severely drained. Even if he escapes, his first thought will be to flee the Xianzhou Luofu, he wouldn't dare linger. Moreover..."
Jing Yuan glanced at Huaiyan and Feixiao, then pointed to himself.
"With the three Arbiter-Generals gathered, despite Elder Yan having not fought in years, his forging skills alone are more than enough to crush the Borisin. Outside, we've laid a complete encirclement formation.
If even this formation can't stop a heavily weakened Hoolay, then the so-called Divination Commission's people might as well laugh themselves to death."
"Haha, General, you always love to joke. But I do have one question." Huaiyan chuckled and then looked to Jing Yuan.
"What did you place on the eastern route? Why would you deliberately lead the Borisin to escape that way?"
This was something Huaiyan didn't know, could it be that Jing Yuan had already laid a trap on the east route? But he hadn't discussed it with them.
Could it be some exclusive technique from Luofu?
Upon hearing this, Feixiao also looked curiously at Jing Yuan, intrigued by his move.