Chapter 26: Seizing Opportunities, Insect Empress Strikes!
Lin Feng's eyes widened, focusing on the last two pieces of information.
The conditions for over-tier upgrading likely referred to advancing from white to red quality.
This upgrade would significantly enhance the handgun, transforming it from the pinnacle of light weapons, with bullet power second only to artillery, to potentially the small artillery Lin Feng desperately needed.
He had already met the upgrade points requirement, needing only to kill a single Black Spinal Bug.
It seemed simple enough, but Lin Feng knew Black Spinal Bugs rarely acted alone; they typically moved in small groups or with Red Armored Beetles for cover.
Like the previous desperate escape, facing three Black Spinal Bugs meant dealing with two others to kill one, unless he had heavy firepower like Qin Hu's support.
But the grenade launcher had limited ammo; if he had unlimited grenade launchers, he could easily harvest Black Spinal Bugs.
Lin Feng had a plan, but he was more intrigued by the last note.
Over-tier upgrading allowed for superpower awakening.
Lin Feng understood his abilities came from the system's upgrades, not inherent superpowers.
Awakening a superpower would undoubtedly elevate his strength, increasing his success and safety in hunting giant insects.
Especially now, with the main force ahead and the relentless insect swarm behind...
Over-tier upgrading was urgent!
Lin Feng took a deep breath, examining the Lv9 Divine Handgun's other changes.
This time, damage increased by 10 points to 40, with range and ammo reserves gaining a thousand each, and fire rate up by fifty rounds per second.
Now, using Metal Storm, Lin Feng could unleash a terrifying 150 rounds per second. If even a few inflicted effective damage on a Black Spinal Bug, it could be lethal.
Close-range barrages or long-range ambushes had high success potential.
After reviewing, Lin Feng completed his own upgrade.
"Lin Feng, Lv8/9"
"Health: 45, Constitution: 40, Spirit: 41"
With no major changes, Lin Feng began his final Lv9 upgrade.
In peak condition, he aimed to tackle the over-tier task.
The camper van exited the villa area, winding out of the wetland park onto the main road.
Lin Feng drank half a bottle of water, ate several chocolates from the villa for energy, and fed Chen Yanyan some snack crackers.
As they neared the temporary camp, he picked up the Lv9 Divine Handgun, suddenly saying:
"Wait, don't go back there..."
"We're turning around!"
Chen Yanyan, surprised, thought she misheard, braking.
Lin Feng glanced at the rearview mirror:
"Let's go back and finish off those two wounded Black Spinal Bugs."
Chen Yanyan, reversing, soon understood Lin Feng's plan.
He intended to return, kill the giant bugs, and continue strengthening.
Realizing this, she sped up, knowing she needed to match Lin Feng's pace, having only enhanced twice, less than even Liu Yueqi.
Under Lin Feng's protection, she only had to wield her long knife, completing kills easily.
So when Lin Feng suggested turning back, Chen Yanyan promptly complied.
Lin Feng never acted without confidence, something Chen Yanyan knew well.
"Those bugs are called Black Spinal Bugs?"
Chen Yanyan asked while driving.
Lin Feng nodded, explaining:
"The worker bugs are Red Armored Beetles, and those black and yellow striped soldier bugs are Black Spinal Bugs."
"That's the official name. Detailed descriptions will likely be released soon."
Chen Yanyan nodded, focusing on driving.
Watching the camper van leave, Liu Yueqi, having returned early, thought she understood their intent: to exploit the injured Black Spinal Bugs for further enhancement.
Those bugs, severely injured by Qin Hu, were easy pickings.
Regretting not returning sooner, or joining Lin Feng initially, she felt the loss.
Protecting her aunt and entering the residential area only yielded snacks; the food and drinks were mostly gone.
The fleeing residents had taken essential supplies, leaving behind scraps.
Seeing survivors scavenge for crumbs, arguing over a piece of bread...
A profound sadness welled up in Liu Yueqi.
Escaping the insects was one thing; surviving was the bigger challenge for ordinary survivors.
Lin Feng was right; they were worlds apart. Struggling for basic needs, she wasn't fit to be his ally.
Resolute, Liu Yueqi drew her Thousand Slash Blade, practicing diligently.
...
Meanwhile, Lin Feng, having traveled ten kilometers back, used Eagle Eye to spot a large black dot a kilometer away, indicating the Black Spinal Bugs remained.
Ding Chenghai's receiver had sent messages from the Federation Research Institute, describing insect ecology.
Insects followed a hive-mind structure, led by a formidable Insect Empress, controlling subordinate soldier and worker units.
Insect swarms seemed intelligent due to shared collective thinking, guided by higher-tier giant insects.
The Empress's control range was about twenty-five kilometers.
Generally, Black Spinal Bug swarms stayed within twenty kilometers of the Empress, losing contact and intelligence beyond that.
Thus, Qin Hu had let the group rest.
As the camper van approached the injured Black Spinal Bugs, Lin Feng saw a swarm of Red Armored Beetles carrying their remains back to Haicheng.
These worker bugs were rescuing the dying soldiers.
Ensuring no other pursuing Black Spinal Bugs were nearby, Lin Feng decisively opened fire!
Targeting their retreat, he unleashed Metal Storm, pouring bullets.
In three seconds, nearly five hundred rounds shredded the seven-to-eight-meter-wide road, obliterating all biological matter, leaving abandoned vehicles riddled and near collapse.
When the achievement notification appeared, Lin Feng instructed Chen Yanyan to drive closer to the insect corpses.
Remaining Red Armored Beetles scattered.
Lin Feng and Chen Yanyan disembarked:
"You can finish off the remaining Red Armored Beetles."
Lin Feng approached the Black Spinal Bug corpses.
Though their bodies were mangled, the sharp mandibles remained intact.
Their toughest part.
Cutting off the mandible roots with a long knife, a notification appeared:
"Black Spinal Bug Mandibles, Red Quality"
"Evaluation: The most valuable part of the Black Spinal Bug, can craft and fuse red items."
Lin Feng secured the mandibles to the camper roof, also taking intact limbs for future use.
He'd checked the camper; once he surpassed Lv9, he planned to bind a second item, likely the camper.
Its importance was clear—it was Lin Feng's mobile home. Upgrading to a heavy truck or armored vehicle would grant him freedom.
After looting, Lin Feng initiated the Lv9 Divine Handgun's over-tier upgrade.
Nearby, Chen Yanyan activated shield armor, clearing the battlefield, killing a dozen crippled Red Armored Beetles, reaching Lv5.
As she returned, the ground trembled, objects swaying...
Lin Feng's expression shifted, urging Chen Yanyan back to the camper.
Then, a piercing wail echoed from Haicheng!
A massive flock of birds took flight!
Standing beside the camper, Lin Feng squinted toward Haicheng, the place they'd just escaped.
As the wail subsided, a mountainous creature smashed through skyscrapers, looming before them.
Lin Feng's Eagle Eye saw clearly.
The creature resembled a vastly enlarged caterpillar, thirty meters tall, twenty wide, its length obscured, exposed parts nearing a hundred meters.
It bore a purple-red hide, bizarrely striking, covered in bristles, with hundreds of human-sized eyes atop its head, emitting shrill cries from its ten-meter-wide mawChapter 26: Jackpot and the Insect Queen's Ambush!
Lin Feng's eyes widened, focusing on the last two pieces of information.
The condition for over-level upgrading likely referred to the transition from white quality to red quality.
This would be a qualitative change in the handgun's performance. Currently, it was at the upper limit for light weapons, with bullet power just below artillery. The next stage might give Lin Feng the small artillery he desperately needed.
His upgrade point condition was met, lacking only a single Black Spinal Bug kill.
It seemed simple, but Lin Feng knew Black Spinal Bugs rarely acted alone; they either came in groups or with a horde of Red Armored Beetles.
Like the previous frantic escape, facing three Black Spinal Bugs meant he'd need to deal with two more if he wanted to eliminate one, unless he had heavy fire support like Qin Hu's.
But Qin Hu's grenade launcher had limited ammo. An infinite grenade launcher would easily harvest Black Spinal Bugs.
However, Lin Feng had a plan, and more importantly, the last note caught his attention.
After over-level upgrading, a superpower awakening was possible.
Lin Feng's abilities were all system-given upgrades, not inherent superpowers.
Awakening a superpower would undoubtedly enhance his strength, increasing success and safety in hunting giant bugs.
Especially with the main force ahead and the relentless insect horde behind...
Over-level upgrading was urgent!
Lin Feng took a deep breath, examining the Lv9 Divine Handgun's data changes.
This time, damage increased by 10 points to a base of 40, range and ammo increased by a thousand, and rate of fire increased by fifty rounds per second.
Now, with Metal Storm, Lin Feng could unleash an astonishing 150 rounds per second. A few hitting weak spots could kill a Black Spinal Bug.
Close-range barrage or long-range surprise attacks had a good success rate.
After reviewing, Lin Feng's upgrade completed.
"Lin Feng, Lv8/9"
"Health: 45, Constitution: 40, Spirit: 41"
No major changes, Lin Feng initiated his final Lv9 upgrade.
In peak condition, he aimed to tackle the over-level task.
The camper van left the villa area, navigating the wetland park to the main road.
Lin Feng drank half a bottle of water, ate chocolates found in the villa to replenish energy, and fed Chen Yanyan some snacks.
Approaching the temporary camp, he picked up the Lv9 Divine Handgun and said:
"Wait, don't go back..."
"Turn around!"
Chen Yanyan, surprised, thought she'd misheard, tapping the brakes.
Lin Feng checked the rearview mirror:
"Let's go back and deal with those two heavily injured Black Spinal Bugs."
Chen Yanyan reversed, quickly understanding Lin Feng's intent.
He wanted to kill those giant bugs for further enhancement.
Realizing this, she sped up, eager to catch up. Chen Yanyan had only enhanced twice, less than high schooler Liu Yueqi.
Though under Lin Feng's protection, she knew she needed to keep up with him.
Unlike others risking death to kill bugs for enhancement, under Lin Feng's care, she only needed to wield her knife for the final blow.
With Lin Feng's confidence, Chen Yanyan turned back without hesitation.
Lin Feng never acted without certainty, and Chen Yanyan knew this best.
"Are those bugs called Black Spinal Bugs?"
Chen Yanyan asked while driving.
Lin Feng nodded, explaining:
"Worker bugs are Red Armored Beetles, the black and yellow striped soldier bugs are Black Spinal Bugs."
"That's the official name, with detailed descriptions coming soon."
Chen Yanyan nodded, focusing on driving.
Watching the camper van leave, Liu Yueqi, returning early, realized Lin Feng's intent: to finish off the wounded Black Spinal Bugs for deeper enhancement.
The Black Spinal Bugs, already severely injured by Qin Hu, were easy pickings now.
Regretting not returning sooner or following Lin Feng, Liu Yueqi sighed.
Protecting her aunt in the residential area yielded only snacks, the shops emptied.
Residents had long fled, taking essential supplies.
Watching survivors scavenge scraps, arguing over bread...
A deep sadness welled in Liu Yueqi.
Escaping bugs was one thing, but survival was the true challenge for ordinary survivors.
Lin Feng was right; the gap between them was vast, and she lacked the qualifications to be his companion.
Determined, Liu Yueqi drew her Thousand Slash Blade and practiced.
...
Meanwhile, ten kilometers back, Lin Feng spotted a large black dot a kilometer away via Eagle Eye, indicating the Black Spinal Bugs remained.
Ding Chenghai's receiver, with a text from the Federation Institute, detailed the insects' ecology.
Insects functioned with a hive mind, directed by a powerful Insect Queen, controlling soldiers and workers.
Sometimes, insect hordes seemed clever due to shared collective intelligence, directed by high-tier bugs.
The Insect Queen's control range was about twenty-five kilometers.
Typically, Black Spinal Bugs stayed within twenty kilometers of the Queen; beyond that, they'd lose connection and intelligence.
This allowed Qin Hu to rest assured.
As the camper neared the injured bugs, Lin Feng saw a group of Red Armored Beetles carrying the Black Spinal Bugs' remains back to Haicheng.
These workers were rescuing the dying soldiers.
Confirming no other Black Spinal Bugs nearby, Lin Feng drew his gun and fired!
Aiming at their retreat path, he unleashed Metal Storm, raining bullets.
In three seconds, nearly five hundred rounds shredded the road, annihilating all biological matter, leaving abandoned vehicles riddled and barely intact.
With the on-screen notification of task completion, Lin Feng instructed Chen Yanyan to drive to the bug pile.
Remaining Red Armored Beetles scattered.
Lin Feng and Chen Yanyan disembarked:
"Finish off the remaining Red Armored Beetles."
He approached the Black Spinal Bugs' corpses.
Despite their mangled bodies, the sharp mandibles remained intact.
Their hardest part.
Using his knife, Lin Feng severed the mandibles, receiving a notification:
"Black Spinal Bug Mandibles, Red Quality"
"Evaluation: The most valuable part of the Black Spinal Bug, can be used to create or merge red items."
Lin Feng secured the mandibles on the camper's roof, along with valuable intact limbs, for future use.
The camper, a red quality item, would be bound when he surpassed Lv9, as his second piece of equipment.
The camper's importance was undeniable, a mobile home for Lin Feng, potentially upgradeable to a heavy or armored vehicle, enhancing mobility.
After looting, Lin Feng initiated the Lv9 Divine Handgun's over-level upgrade.
Nearby, Chen Yanyan, in shield mode, cleared the battlefield, killing a dozen crippled Red Armored Beetles, reaching Lv5.
As she returned, the ground began trembling, and everything around shook...
Lin Feng's face changed, urgently calling Chen Yanyan back to the camper.
A powerful shriek pierced the air from Haicheng!
A massive flock of startled birds took flight!
Standing by the camper, Lin Feng's eyes narrowed, gazing at Haicheng, where they'd just fled.
As the shriek faded, a mountain-like giant creature burst through ten-story buildings, appearing before them.
Lin Feng's Eagle Eye saw clearly.
The creature resembled a magnified caterpillar, thirty meters high, twenty meters wide, with an unseen length, exposed to nearly a hundred meters.
Its skin was a vivid purple-red, adorned with bristling hairs, and atop its head were hundreds of human-sized eyes. Below, a ten-meter-wide mouth emitted a piercing scream.
The giant worm's sides were covered in pulsating tumors, seemingly containing something squirming inside.
On its broad back stood dozens of cylindrical fleshy pillars...
From which new Black Spinal Bugs, curled into balls, encased in membranes, were ejected, landing on the ground.
This was the Insect Queen, a high-level unit capable of destroying a city of millions singlehandedly, undefeated...
Haicheng's main force struggled against it...
But why was the Queen in the southern city!?
Seeing the Queen, Lin Feng felt a mental block and eye strain.
This was
system overload, and the fear of the Queen's overwhelming presence!
Yet Lin Feng remained conscious, pulling the stunned Chen Yanyan, slapping her awake, urging her to drive.
Lin Feng himself raised his Divine Handgun, ready for the swarm approaching from the Queen!
"What are you waiting for!!"
"Drive!!!"
The biggest boss so far appears, tremble, humanity!