https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-114-The-Aura-Disaster-Gradually-Arises/12850191/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-116-Seal-Like-a-Door-No-Passage-In-or-Out/12850193/
Chapter 115: Weakened Preachers Battle Hellish Xenomorphs
Chapter 115: Weakened Preachers Battle Hellish Xenomorphs
Iron chains and hooks darted through the xenomorphs, each movement causing the grotesque creatures to emit piercing wails, disrupting their actions.
It seemed that each attack was not targeting their bodies but their souls.
The Evangelical Sprites had never seen preachers before, assuming they would look like ordinary humans. But they were surprised to find that these preachers shared a similar taste, albeit with a difference: the xenomorphs used tentacles, while the preachers used iron chains and hooks.
Despite the apparent ease of each attack, the xenomorphs' acidic blood, which splattered onto the iron chains and hooks with each strike, caused significant corrosion.
Even the Evangelical Sprites found this challenging. The xenomorphs were already formidable, and now, infused with hellish power, their acidic blood was even more potent.
Moreover, the xenomorphs kept coming in endless waves. The Evangelical Sprites, adhering to Qin Muye's instructions, were primarily focused on two things: conserving their efforts and slacking off.
The xenomorphs were now in a dominant position. Unless a large-scale, area-of-effect weapon was used to suppress them, outnumbering them would not provide any advantage.
More importantly, these nail-headed preachers did not seem to be the original versions. They appeared to be mass-produced copies.
They still only knew how to attack with iron hooks and chains, lacking the abilities to manipulate elements or warp reality that the original preachers should have possessed.
It was unclear whether they had inherited the original preachers' immortality.
If they were the original preachers, despite their weaknesses against the Lemarchand's Box (the Cube), they would otherwise be god-like beings, almost never failing in their missions.
Qin Muye was considering how to obtain the Cube and open the hellish portal to find the Hell King Leviathan. Other methods would work as long as they allowed him to enter hell.
Although there was a hellish entrance beneath the church, Qin Muye had studied it and concluded that it was just a regular hellish entrance. Even if he entered, finding the Hell King would be uncertain, and it might not be Leviathan.
Using the Cube would be more straightforward. He suspected that the hellish plane was not a single, cohesive entity but rather a collection of fragmented realms. The hell beneath the church might not be the same hell where the Hell King Leviathan resided.
In other words, terms like the Netherworld, Underworld, and Hell, though seemingly referring to the same concept, actually pointed to entirely different places.
Therefore, it was impossible for Qin Muye to reach the Hell King Leviathan's hell through the entrance beneath the church.
The hell where Leviathan resided might require the Cube to open.
Qin Muye speculated that the Hell Church and the Hell King Leviathan had likely reached some form of agreement, allowing them to mass-produce the nail-headed preachers, which could be controlled by humans.
"These weak nail-headed preachers are about to lose," Qin Muye observed from a distance.
Don't ask how he saw it; there are things like telescopes in the world. If necessary, he could use military-grade versions. Magic can achieve this, and so can technology.
"I overestimated these nail-headed preachers. Their physical attributes are roughly on par with Pumpkin-Headed Wraiths, but their extraordinary abilities are far inferior. They only know how to use iron hooks and chains, and even then, it's at a cost. This must be some form of willpower."
Initially, things were going well, but as the number of xenomorphs increased, various types of xenomorphs emerged.
While the xenomorphs preferentially targeted hosts with hellish power, they did not exclusively do so. They could also infect animals and humans, developing into a variety of unique hosts.
Whether flying in the sky, running on the ground, or swimming in the water, as long as a facehugger attached and injected an embryo, the host would eventually burst open.
It's important to note that these xenomorphs were not natural creations but engineered beings, and thus, they cannot be judged by conventional standards. Just like a mage's anthropomorphic creatures, who knows if a being with an elf-like appearance might suddenly turn into a pool of flesh and bite you.
Qin Muye still had much to learn about the madness of mages, but the engineered xenomorphs were clearly visible.
Now, the nail-headed preachers were suffering casualties. While the preachers were not immortal, their regenerative abilities and tolerance for pain were exceptionally strong.
At least when the xenomorphs' highly corrosive acidic blood splashed onto the nail-headed preachers, even corroding their faces to expose their white bones, they did not exhibit any other reactions. This scene made Qin Muye a bit uncomfortable; these preachers were truly ruthless.
On the other hand, the Evangelical Sprites, though fearless of death, still experienced pain. At least when they were injured, they did not remain as calm as the preachers.
"Mr. Preacher, these insect demons are too powerful. We are planning to retreat." One of the Evangelical Sprites said, and the rest understood, immediately beginning an orderly withdrawal.
At this moment, the leading preacher finally showed a change in expression, seemingly torn. But in that brief moment of hesitation, the Evangelical Sprites had already fled, and the xenomorphs closed in.
In an instant, their retreat was cut off. Lawrence, who was caught in the middle, his face changed. He never expected to be so unlucky.
He inwardly cursed Qin Muye, wondering why these red-robed believers were all so afraid of death. Shouldn't they be fighting to the death at a time like this?
Seeing that the preachers were about to be overwhelmed, Lawrence prepared himself. He did not want to die with them.
Honestly, he never thought that the hellish preachers would falter here. In his mind, the preachers were supposed to be slaughtering the xenomorphs.
The original preachers indeed had few issues, but these preachers were clearly inferior, with limited abilities.
They could handle ordinary monsters and even hold their own against a xenomorph queen, but the xenomorphs they faced now were not normal and were clearly not their match.
Moreover, there were so many of them. How could they fight?
Qin Muye did not even want to fight. Instead, he considered using the Crimson Assault to clear the area. If they really had to fight, he would need to bring over Moxie and Evil Tongue, along with the Bloodlust Sprites and Cursed Sprites. The sheer number of xenomorphs, covering the hills and fields, made Qin Muye feel a bit uneasy.
There were at least several thousand of them. These xenomorphs had high attack power, strong defenses, and exceptional agility, with few obvious weaknesses. They were a species known for rapid breeding, hence their reputation as killing machines.
"All sprites, prepare yourselves. Once the preachers are about to die, go and rescue them." Qin Muye did not come here to watch a battle between xenomorphs and preachers; he came to take advantage of the situation.
The remaining Evangelical Sprites began to transform, quickly taking on the form of harpies, with the upper bodies of sprites and strong wings, and the lower bodies formed by thick, strong tentacles that served as sharp claws.
"Try to capture the leader alive. I need a live specimen."
Qin Muye added, emphasizing that he wanted them alive.
As for Mayor Lawrence, he also needed him, as he knew the ritual to open the hellish entrance beneath the church.
From what Qin Muye could tell, this hell was not very powerful, likely only around 3rd tier. Therefore, he believed he could take on the role of Hell King.
"Move!" Apocalypse ordered, and 50 Evangelical Sprites took to the sky, flying like hawks.
Apocalypse's reaction time and vision were far superior to Qin Muye's, making him better suited to seize the opportunity.
The Evangelical Sprites who had retreated earlier returned to act as bodyguards, as planned. Otherwise, Qin Muye would have been left without protection.
Qin Muye valued his own safety highly. No matter how precious something might be, his life was more valuable. Without his life, he would have nothing.
The Evangelical Sprites flew towards the dense swarm of xenomorphs. Their lower bodies' claws extended, quickly grabbing one of the hellish preachers and pulling them away. The xenomorphs, seeing this, began to counterattack, but they could not fly.
If the xenomorphs were purely formed by hellish power, it would not be strange for them to lack wings. However, the xenomorphs were somewhat honest. Even those that parasitized birds primarily developed agility, sharp claws, and beaks, and had not yet evolved the ability to fly.
However, after this incident, they likely would. But to achieve flight, their weight would be crucial. If the xenomorphs did develop a flying variant, their defenses would likely be significantly reduced, which would be a major weakening for creatures covered in bones.
(End of Chapter)
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