Chapter 93: Lv20 Flying Tiger Armor, Sergeant Major

Upgrading items is easier than upgrading equipment, but it also comes with many limitations, such as durability. Some fused transformation modes also require additional upgrade points to activate. However, these limitations do not affect their usage or quality rating. An orange-tier item, suitable for Tier 2 battles, can play a crucial role, just like the Red Armor Shield can withstand Red Beetle attacks. The upgraded orange-tier Crimson Flying Armor can definitely withstand Tier 2 insect attacks. This alone was enough for Lin Feng to decide on the level-up upgrade.

The Tiger Bug mandibles were precious, but if the Lv19 grenade launcher and Lv19 Flying Wing Vehicle could be upgraded, it would require killing a Tier 2 insect, which would naturally provide the necessary orange materials. After some consideration, Lin Feng decided to use the remaining Black Spinal Bug mandibles and the super long Tiger Bug mandibles from the trunk to meet the level-up upgrade conditions for the Crimson Flying Armor.

A red glow flashed, enveloping the Black Spinal Bug mandibles and turning into a bright orange when covering the Tiger Bug mandibles, harmonizing with the bright yellow patterns on the Tiger Bug. As these materials were enveloped in light and disappeared into the arm guard on Lin Feng's hand, the level-up upgrade proceeded quietly.

Lin Feng checked the time; it was already 4:30 AM, and the faint light of dawn appeared on the horizon. With some time to spare, he quickly returned to the vehicle, washed up, and snuggled into bed. Chen Yanyan was still sound asleep, needing stable rest to recover her mental energy after daily ability usage. This was a common drawback among mental ability users—their mysterious powers came at a significant cost.

Holding her soft, fragrant body, Lin Feng quickly fell asleep after a sleepless night.

The next afternoon, Lin Feng gradually opened his eyes to Chen Yanyan's gentle voice, his mind still foggy. But as his gaze landed on the orange glow emanating from his arm guard, with fiery cloud patterns now visible between the green scales, Lin Feng instantly woke up. The upgraded Crimson Flying Armor's data appeared before him:

"Flying Tiger Armor Lv20/29, Orange Quality"

"Durability: 10/10, Defense 200, Basic Forms: Arm Guard, Full Armor (Unconditional), Transformation Modes:

Absolute Defense (1/1 Mandible)

Explosive Scale Armor (90% Damage Reflection, 10% Defense Reduction, consumes one durability point each use)

Flight Mode (Consumes 1 upgrade point for ten minutes of flapping flight, max speed 400 km/h, cooldown five minutes)"

"New Basic Form: Tiger Insect Might (Releases the aura of a mid-tier Tiger Bug upon activation, deterring all low-tier insects from approaching)"

"Note: Only one transformation mode can be activated at a time"

Seeing the upgraded orange-tier item, Lin Feng couldn't help but smile, especially excited about the new form at the end. The Tiger Insect Might could deter all low-tier insects, and since it was a basic form, like the Arm Guard and Full Armor, it required no additional resources to maintain. It didn't conflict with the other three transformation modes, allowing Lin Feng to charge into swarms on the battlefield and face off against Tiger Bugs one-on-one.

As long as he avoided being surrounded by insects, Lin Feng was confident that, with the help of the three transformation modes, he could use the Lv19 grenade launcher to take down multiple early-tier Tiger Bugs. Using the flight mode to create distance for long-range attacks, then Absolute Defense for close combat, and finally the Explosive Scale Armor to guard against dying Tiger Bug counterattacks, Lin Feng could strategically handle early-tier Tiger Bugs with 200 total armor points.

Stronger late-tier Tier 2 insects, each as large as a five-story building and serving as the queen's bodyguards and last line of defense, wouldn't recklessly leave the hive. This provided Lin Feng with an opportunity to challenge Tiger Bug squads.

After hugging and kissing Chen Yanyan in excitement, Lin Feng checked the time—11:30 AM. He quickly got up from bed. Chen Yanyan thought he was excited about the Flying Wing Vehicle's upgrade, saying:

"I feel the vehicle is heavier now; if we could reduce some weight, maybe it could fly..."

Lin Feng shrugged after washing his face and exiting the bathroom:

"Flying is still a ways off. Blue Wing Bug wings alone aren't enough; we need to take down some Wind Wing Bugs. Maybe then you'll upgrade from driver to pilot."

"But first, you need to master mental control details. Don't accidentally floor the gas and take off."

"Once you're comfortable driving at 300 km/h, then consider flying."

Chen Yanyan nodded, still a bit apprehensive after experiencing such speeds on the highway yesterday. The acceleration in ground effect flight mode was so rapid it blurred her vision, surpassing her reaction time.

After a quick lunch, Lin Feng decided to engage the insects in small-scale skirmishes alongside the new recruits at the front, taking Shen Jie along to test his Black Knight form's combat prowess.

At 1 PM, they arrived at the front lines. Despite human resistance, the insect expansion continued relentlessly. In the past two days, they advanced another five to six kilometers, now only ten kilometers from Wu City's outskirts. In three days, they'd reach the city gates.

The highway near the service area faced fewer Red Beetle blockades, advancing faster than the main battlefront. Lin Feng ordered Shen Jie and the others, along with newcomers brought by Han Yuxin, to harvest the Red Beetles. Though their value decreased with Lin Feng's team's upgrades, they provided some meat and delayed the battle's outbreak.

As awakeners, Shen Jie and his team overwhelmed the Red Beetles, easily handling them even in close combat. The Red Beetle massacre soon attracted two Black Spinal Bug swarms, totaling over fifty. Lin Feng used firepower to suppress their movements before sending Shen Jie in Black Knight form into the fray.

In battle, Shen Jie's Black Knight form, with 105 constitution and agile movements, allowed him to challenge multiple mid-tier Black Spinal Bugs, far surpassing ordinary awakeners in combat. His prowess grew with each kill, his constitution rising from 105 to over 130.

Witnessing this, the others were stunned, except for Zhang Liying and Lin Feng, who looked concerned. As Shen Jie's excitement grew, his mental state became unstable, recklessly attempting to engage late-tier Black Spinal Bugs. Though slightly injured, these fierce foes were beyond Shen Jie's capability.

As Shen Jie faltered under their assault, his left arm blade was bitten off by an Lv19 Black Spinal Bug's mandibles. Seeing this, Lin Feng activated the Flying Tiger Armor's full-body form, using Tiger Insect Might and flight mode to launch into the battlefield as a streak of light.

His presence caused the Black Spinal Bugs to scatter as if enchanted. Beneath him, Shen Jie, momentarily crazed, regained clarity under the Tiger Insect Might's influence, kneeling and trembling as his Black Knight form retracted. This was a genetically ingrained fear of higher beings, leaving Shen Jie unable to resist despite retaining human consciousness.

Facing the now-aware Shen Jie, Lin Feng calmly said:

"Let's go... You have a long way to mastering assimilation."

He then raised his gun, efficiently dispatching the remaining Black Spinal Bugs, severely wounding them. The remaining thirty-five live insects were given to Chen Yanyan to kill, allowing her to complete her final awakening upgrade.

After several days of battle, Chen Yanyan had advanced from Lv15 to Lv17, needing fifteen more Black Spinal Bugs to reach full Tier 1 awakening. After dealing with fifteen in one go, the remaining twenty were stored in the trunk with other dead insects' mandibles. After waiting a while without any Blue Wing Bugs or Tiger Bugs appearing, Lin Feng decided to return to the service area early.

Despite returning with a full load, the mood was somewhat somber, with the upcoming major battle and Shen Jie's mutation weighing on them. In the repair shop, Lin Feng prepared to craft several Red Armor Shields for his eight men when his phone rang.

It was Qin Hu:

"Brother Qin, how's the recovery?"

Qin Hu's low voice replied:

"I'm fine."

"Lin Feng, I promised you two hundred recruits, but due to training losses, only a hundred can be sent."

"They'll arrive this afternoon. I've used my last resources to promote you to Sergeant Major, in charge of management."

"And one more thing..."

"Cheng Zhan is back."

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