Chapter 394: Dark Beetles
Chapter 394: Dark Beetles
Rumble...
Something triggered the stone carvings on the wall, and they came to life, rushing towards the group.
Unlike the holy beetles they had encountered before, these were not golden but pitch-black, writhing like charred embers.
The beetles moved swiftly and in terrifying numbers, forming a black tide in the blink of an eye.
"Retreat!"
"Open fire!"
"..."
"Pfft!"
Members of the team, equipped with rapid-cooling firearms, pulled the triggers, releasing clouds of white mist.
The mist was made of a special material that could quickly freeze objects.
Previously, the miners had encountered activated beetles that were re-frozen and returned to their stone state by this mist.
But now?
Crack!
The frozen crystal surface showed cracks, and to the others' horror, countless beetles broke free from the ice.
These black beetles were unaffected by the low temperature.
"Ah!"
"Help!"
Screams filled the air.
The mine guards, armed with guns, were overwhelmed by the black beetles, their screams abruptly cut short.
Barrow's eyesight was far superior to ordinary people, so he witnessed the gruesome scene clearly.
The black beetles waved their sharp forelimbs and bit with saw-like jaws, tearing off chunks of flesh.
Even metal firearms and resilient protective suits were useless against their terrifying bite force, easily shredded.
In just a few breaths, the black beetles devoured the engulfed figures, leaving nothing behind.
Boom!
Bang!
Someone frantically pulled the trigger, and bullets struck the beetles, creating sparks, at most repelling one or two.
But there were hundreds, if not thousands, of them!
Swish!
Several black beetles suddenly leaped into the air, faster than bullets, instantly piercing through the guards' flesh.
Buzz...
The beetles landed and vibrated slightly, and to everyone's surprise, a pair of wings as thin as cicada wings extended from their backs.
"They can fly!"
"Run!"
"Ah!"
These black beetles were incredibly resilient, capable of withstanding bullets, and their speed and ability to fly, combined with their overwhelming numbers and unimaginable bite force, were terrifying.
Even Barrow, a super-being, paled at the sight.
Run!
The group dropped everything and turned, fleeing in panic the way they had come.
"Where's the exit?"
"We're going the wrong way!"
"There's a small path here, follow me!"
The group, chased by the black beetles, didn't notice the surrounding reliefs undergoing subtle changes.
As the beetles retreated, the stone carvings depicting horrific scenes were revealed.
The sculptures twisted,
Distorted!
Chaotic!
Evil!
...
Swish!
Barrow unsheathed a fine longsword, its slender blade more decorative than a typical battlefield weapon.
But as he swung the sword, a chilling sword aura sliced through the swarm of black beetles, creating a path for their escape.
He was merely defending himself.
Glancing back, he saw his companions almost entirely engulfed by the beetles.
"Damn it!"
As a seasoned Night Watch member, Barrow had witnessed many of his comrades' deaths in the past two years.
With a roar of anger, he chose to retreat.
...
"Monica!"
"Blaze!"
In the chaos, a man and a woman held hands tightly and sprinted towards a direction with fewer black beetles.
"Something's wrong!"
Monica, being no ordinary woman, was the first to notice the anomaly:
"This isn't the way we came."
"Keep running," Blaze urged, "We have no choice now."
Monica frowned, glanced back at the swarming black beetles, and reluctantly continued running.
"Huff... huff..."
Blaze was no longer a young man in his late teens; in his thirties, his body was already showing signs of decline.
After such a frantic sprint, he was breathless, his throat felt scorched, and his body trembled uncontrollably.
"Heh..."
He glanced at Monica, whose complexion remained unchanged, and shook his head in envy.
"I didn't expect your physique to be this good."
"I work out regularly," Monica said, looking around.
"Where are we?"
Blaze straightened up, took out his phone, and turned on the flashlight to examine their surroundings. "At least we don't have to worry about those black beetles catching up. Safety is one less concern."
Monica shook her head gently but didn't say more. She continued to feel her way forward, navigating the path.
"Do you have a signal on your phone?"
"No."
The atmosphere grew tense.
They hadn't been alone together in a long time, not since their 'amicable' breakup.
Now, in this unfamiliar environment, confined within a confined space, the atmosphere began to shift, becoming increasingly peculiar.
"Monica."
Blaze opened his mouth, "If we can't get out..."
"We will." Monica felt along the stone wall, not turning back as she replied, "We'll definitely find a way out."
"I hope so." Blaze shrugged, leaning against the wall. "Why haven't you had a boyfriend all these years?"
"Now is not the time for that conversation," Monica turned, her expression serious. "We need to find a way out."
"There are things I need to say now, or I may never have the chance again." Blaze began, "We're over five hundred meters underground. It's a dead end ahead, and behind us are those black beetles."
"Monica..."
"We'll die! We're going to die!"
?"
Monica opened her mouth, then sighed in resignation.
"Don't be so discouraged. There might still be a chance."
"A chance?" Blaze shrugged.
"You've never given me a chance..."
"Be careful!"
Before he could finish, his expression suddenly changed, and he instinctively rushed forward to block the path in front of Monica.
"Ding..."
A crisp clanging sound echoed.
A black beetle emerged from the darkness, hurtling towards Monica like an arrow released from a bowstring.
Then,
A slender finger appeared in front of the beetle, gently flicking it away and shattering it into pieces.
The beetle, which even bullets couldn't penetrate, was effortlessly disintegrated by that delicate finger.
Blaze stared, his body freezing in place, his eyes filled with bewilderment.
"Let's go."
Monica sighed, "We need to find a way out."
"You..." Blaze's expression was one of astonishment. "How did you do that?"
"Swish!"
"Puff!"
Countless black lines shot towards them, and they were bats, each the size of a palm, rushing out to meet the incoming black beetles.
"Careful!"
Monica's face paled.
She wasn't worried about herself, but every black line that approached was a potential threat to Blaze's life.
"Swish!"
A cloud of blood mist appeared.
Dozens of bats, each the size of a palm, emerged from the mist, charging towards the attacking black beetles.
Amidst the clattering sounds, Monica, pale-faced, pulled Blaze and sprinted.
"Run!"
"Boom!"
"Blood!" A deep roar echoed from the darkness. "What kind of blood is this? It can even affect the restrictions set by those ancient beings."
"Haha..."
"Mine!"
"It's mine now!"
(End of Chapter)
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