Rumble!
Just as Blake and Monroe were discussing their plan to seal Rakshasa beneath the tomb, the entire ground above began to shake unusually.
Above them, the level ground that the Criminal Investigation Division had been standing on had also collapsed, and everyone fell into a pile of soil.
Wails rang out, and screams pierced through the night sky.
The searchlights swayed along with the rumbling, falling to the ground.
"It's over, we can't escape, we can't escape!"
The members of the expedition team gaped at the crumbling knoll, and they were stricken with fear.
"No, I have to escape from this place... I want to live... I want to live!"
John Jones gritted his teeth and fretted in a low voice. He glanced around in panic and dug at the soil, desperate to climb out.
At this moment, everyone was in danger. No one knew if their friends were dead or alive. It didn't matter anymore, because from now on, it was every man for themselves!
Apart from worrying about the breaking ground, there was another threat looming – the swarming insects that were scuttling toward them from all around!
These mutated corpse bugs seemed to be crawling faster than before as they wiggled skillfully through the soil, not sparing anything in their way!
Most of the Criminal Investigation Division were entangled in the pests' aggressive charge, leaving the team members with bite marks all over their flesh.
Although these stings were not fatal, they made the members feel weak all over, and messed with their minds.
Several of the Criminal Investigation Division members had already lost sight of themselves, and they began to attack their companions uncontrollably.
"Pay attention to the corpse bugs! Don't let them get close! Their teeth can induce hallucinations in you!"
The captain of the Criminal Investigation Division roared loudly. At the same time, he held a flamethrower in his hands and continued blasting the flames at these persistent pests.
However, his sole strength was not enough.
Seeing the army of bugs flocking over, and his people stuck in the dirt acting savagely, anxiety welled up in his heart. They must not let the insects run out of the cemetery!
If they were to enter the city and multiply repeatedly, the city would definitely go into a rampage, or worse, it would end up as a catastrophe for the whole country!
Bullets of sweat trickled down the sides of his temple as he racked his brain for solutions, but he could not think of anything.
The flamethrowers were no match against these insects, and not to mention, the men were still trapped in the sinking ground. The soldiers at the foot of the mountain had also cordoned off the cemetery's parameters, without knowing what was happening here.
What should he do?
How could he control this disaster?
The captain was anxiously engrossed in his thoughts. Then, he caught a glimpse of John Jones, the leader of the expedition team, snatching a gun from one of the Criminal Investigation Division's men before pointing it at the same soldier, demanding for the poor man to bring him out of this place.
This damned bastard!
How dare he threaten a member of the Criminal Investigation Division?
Wrinkles formed between the captain's eyebrows as he whipped out his pistol from his pocket and loaded it, aiming directly at John.
Before he could pull the trigger, there was a loud explosion.
Boom!
A violent impact shook the entire ground, causing cracks to run across the land.
Then, a large group of pests surged out from under his feet!
They shot up into the sky like a fountain from the fissures on the ground, and then rained down onto the cemetery.
"Ah!"
John Jones was bitten by these corpse bugs, and he let out a painful shriek.
The captain, too, was not spared. He found that his feet and legs were also enveloped with the disgusting vermin.
It was over.
It was over for the Criminal Investigation Division and H City.
This place could not be restored.
The captain's eyes were bleak as he looked into the distance. No matter where his gaze landed, everything was crawling with these bugs. The scene of these creepy-crawlies raining in H City flashed through his mind, tearing at his heart.
Who would have thought that such terrifying things had been hidden in this cemetery that no one cared about...
At the same time, the broadcasting equipment that had dropped into the cracks of the ground had also been broadcasting the entire scene to hundreds of thousands of viewers from the start.
Everyone's blood went cold and their hearts were beating like a drum as they watched the event unfold before their eyes on the screen of their devices.
The Criminal Investigation Division, the top defense team in H City, had fallen into the hands of these nasty creatures.
What would they do if the very same scenario happened in the city?
Everyone shuddered as they thought nervously.
...
The quake continued and the insects soon occupied half of the entire cemetery.
Just as the leader of the Criminal Investigation Division had been about to end up as food for the pests, a sphere of warm light shone behind him.
He didn't know what it was, but he noticed that as the light beamed, the bugs around him withered and turned into wisps of black smoke.
The remaining corpse insects scuttled backwards warily, not daring to go any closer to the captain, forming a circumference around him with him at the center.
The captain was stunned at this unexpected sight, and his body stiffened as he slowly turned his head to look at what was behind him.
A boy with tattered clothes stood facing him; he was wearing a loose coat over a high school uniform with short sleeves.
A high school student?
The captain felt his senses go numb and he instantly recalled the name he had heard brought up in the livestream – Blake!
"You... Blake, is that you?"
The captain's lips trembled as he said this, tears starting to pool in his eyes.
"Huh? Do you know me?"
Blake stared at the captain who had called his name with a surprised expression, but he quickly realized that this was not the time for small talk. He pulled the captain up and shielded him.
"Sir, you must follow me from now on. Else, you'll be swallowed up by the flood of bugs. I won't be responsible if you do."
Blake said seriously as he raised the Lotus Lamp in his hand up high.
The Lotus Lamp was radiating a bright, white light, and wherever the light landed, the insects would fall back cautiously. This was what had saved the captain from getting devoured.
Upon this realization, he gawked at Blake.
He didn't know where this guy had come from, nor did he know what he was holding in his hand.
He didn't even have the time to ask, because Blake had already walked towards the other victims.
He could only quickly follow behind.
"...".
Naturally, the viewers in the livestream noticed Blake's appearance and the beacon in his hand.
Immediately, the entire comments section was barraged with ecstatic cheers as everyone clapped and cheered excitedly behind their screens.
"Blake is alive! That's great! That's really great! I knew it! I knew he wouldn't die!"
"As expected of Blake! Not surprised that the bastard John Jones had been lying all along. I can't believe we fell for his lies again. He really deserves to die this time!"
"Blake is indeed special. Did you guys see that? The lamp in his grip seems to be able to disperse the crowd of insects!"
"Of course! I knew from the start that his identity would be absolutely extraordinary!"
"Tch, sycophant! You're only saying that now that Blake has revealed his true power! Why didn't I see your comments before this?"
"I can't believe that the whole horde of corpse insects, that had left the entire Criminal Investigation Division helpless, has been resolved just like that by Blake. Who actually is this guy?"
"That's great! With Blake, the Criminal Investigation Division can be saved. H City will be saved!"
Everyone celebrated cheerfully and the silent livestream started to pick up some buzz.
This had all been made possible because of one person – Blake himself!