Hearing Liu Yi's report, a flicker of surprise crossed Lin Feng's eyes. He turned his gaze to the black and yellow egg beside him, where Shen Jie lay curled like a fetus.
The egg's shell had absorbed the layers of insect armor shed from Shen Jie's body, solidifying into a black and yellow cocoon, more reminiscent of an insect chrysalis than a white egg.
Whether Shen Jie could break free and emerge anew depended on his own efforts to escape the insect mental world and reclaim his identity.
After contemplating for a moment, Lin Feng asked, "How are the awakeners who have awoken from their state?"
Liu Yi swallowed nervously. The events unfolding were even more surreal than their experiences in the underground hive, leaving him uneasy. "They're... okay..."
"But their consciousness appeared in the same dream world. Those who awoke described it as desolate, with many Tier 2 Tiger Bugs leading Black Spinal Bugs in pursuit."
"In the dream, if they're killed, their consciousness wakes in the real world."
"Those who killed Tiger Bugs woke in surprisingly good condition; those who didn't were lethargic and dazed..."
"But they recovered after a rest."
Lin Feng nodded, observing the first batch of thirty Tier 2 awakeners. Among them, seven or eight showed mental attributes higher by 20 or 30 points, likely from killing Tiger Bugs in the dream.
Their presence in Shen Jie's insect mental world might be due to the nature of insect intent, or a domain's characteristic.
A mental energy, like radiation, invisibly spread from Shen Jie, intertwining with nearby beings undergoing deep awakening, drawing them into its influence.
Lin Feng pondered this, suspecting it might be related to the insect queen, Ling Yi, who would understand intent and cosmic life domains better.
But she hadn't returned, and the phenomenon posed no immediate danger...
Lin Feng decided to continue the experiment: "Have them share their experiences with the next batch, then gather near this egg..."
"I'll personally protect them!"
Liu Yi nodded, understanding that only Lin Feng's leadership could stabilize their morale.
Soon, the second batch of thirty peak Tier 1 awakeners, the earliest followers of Lin Feng, stood orderly by the egg, slightly nervous as they awaited their commander's words.
Lin Feng smiled reassuringly: "Don't worry, the dream you experience with Captain Shen Jie holds no real danger. Even if you fall, it's just temporary lethargy. But killing Tiger Bugs there will boost your mental attributes. The more you kill, the greater the gain—a unique opportunity."
"For physical awakeners like you, increased mental strength grants resilience and resistance to mental attacks."
"Make the most of it."
"And remember to tell Captain Shen Jie not to forget his humanity. His girlfriend is waiting here."
Laughter rippled through the group.
Lin Feng nodded, signaling them to lie beside their eggs and begin their second deep awakening.
With Red Armor's protection and Lin Feng's presence, their safety was assured.
This time, Lin Feng activated his psychic sense, covering a 50-meter radius centered on Shen Jie's black-yellow cocoon, spreading to the awakeners.
Sure enough, his mental radar revealed a faint energy wave radiating from the cocoon.
Like a magnetic field, it continuously spread, interacting with nearby energy points, creating ripple-like disturbances.
These traces were subtle, detectable only by narrowing his focus and observing closely—otherwise, they were nearly imperceptible.
Unfortunately, Lin Feng couldn't enter this realm.
Unless he awakened, absorbing the node symbiote's intent source, creating an interaction that might allow access to the same space.
But Lin Feng didn't plan to risk it.
His soldiers and Tier 2 members weren't strong enough to handle potential threats, like elite Tier 2 insects en route.
It was already past five, and Chen Yanyan's fleet should have arrived, yet there was no sign.
To be safe, Lin Feng decided to let the awakening soldiers test the waters.
Killing Tiger Bugs in the mental world to boost mental attributes would prepare these Tier 2 reserves.
Rising mental strength represented stronger willpower, aiding resistance to insect gene assimilation.
Those who succeeded would be future gene warrior candidates.
The complete form of the Tier 2 corps.
Absolute invincibility in equipment and individual power.
Such a corps, even against elite Tier 2 squads like Pulse Scorpions, Tank Flare Bugs, and the most dangerous Warrior Hunters in underground hives, would hold significant advantages.
Lin Feng intended to use this opportunity to lay the groundwork for the Tier 2 corps.
With this in mind, Lin Feng opened his eyes, smiling at the black-yellow cocoon beside him.
Insect biotechnology held potential, particularly in mental domains.
Previously, in the hive, Ling Yi's pride in the Tiger Bug assembly line seemed misplaced.
Tiger Bugs, as mass-produced units, were imperfect, especially with low mental attributes—though this aligned with insect war needs...
But a flaw remained a flaw.
Lin Feng envisioned mass production achieving perfection in all aspects.
A device enhancing mental attributes had immense value.
Contemplating this, Lin Feng watched Shen Jie's cocoon, steeling himself as Shen Jie struggled in the insect's mental world.
...
Months had passed since encountering the human awakeners.
Though Shen Jie retained clarity, he often lost himself in battle, his identity torn between human and insect, feeling divided.
Each time his face regrew an insect shell, Shen Jie tore it off, crushing it anew.
The searing pain reminded him he was human, not insect.
Yet Shen Jie knew he couldn't continue like this—he'd become a madman.
Now, his gaze turned to the sulfur zone's center, the volcano spewing smoke, ash, and lava!
He'd reached peak Tier 2 long ago...
But since advancing, Shen Jie sensed a fearsome creature within the volcano, a being ten, even a hundred times stronger than Tiger Bugs.
He suspected a high-tier insect hid there, and killing it might be his only escape from the mental world!
Determined, Shen Jie planned to make this final, suicidal move while still sane.
After days, he cleared the volcano's sulfur zone of Tiger Bugs, accepting total assimilation, feasting on high-energy insect meat.
He forcibly pushed his strength to peak Tier 2, on the threshold of Tier 3, nearing high-tier insect status.
Facing the underground hive's peak Tiger Bug again, Shen Jie felt confident.
His body swelled to 3.5 meters, with bone blades reaching 6-7 meters.
Eyes blazing with madness, Shen Jie sat atop a mountain of Tiger Bug corpses, tearing off half his face's shell, his gaze steely as he dashed towards the volcano's crater.
The volcano's base spanned kilometers, its smoking summit hundreds of meters wide.
A highly active volcano.
Constantly semi-erupting...
Unlike the bubbling sulfur springs, its bubbles were orange lava, hot enough to instantly char organic matter.
Nearby temperatures soared, the air shimmering like waves, distorting light.
Below, yellow-white toxic gases seeped from the volcano's porous rock, forming a descending ring of miasma.
No first-stage life could survive the base, let alone reach the crater...
Temperatures like an air fryer, dehydrating before roasting.
Shen Jie reached the mountainside, facing the thick yellow-white miasma.
Sulfur compounds, heated with steam, formed acidic toxic fog.
Its stench left Shen Jie dizzy.
Closing his mouth and abdominal pores, he charged in.
But Shen Jie underestimated the miasma's potency.
Not only toxic, the fog was hot.
Surface rock temperatures reached hundreds, the fog heated to 60-70 degrees, its dust and moisture forming a thick glue.
Shen Jie's progress slowed, his shell sizzling in the fog's sulfuric acid.
Most painful was his exposed face, the shell gone, revealing muscle and veins...
The burning pain, like a thousand needles, pricked his nerves, almost knocking him unconscious...
A faint meant miasma consumption, his body dissolved to nothing.
Gritting his teeth, Shen Jie tapped his life energy reserve, flooding his body, healing the miasma's damage.
Feeling warmth reach his limbs, Shen Jie charged...
Finally, minutes later, a pitted figure burst from the miasma...
Shen Jie collapsed, feeling the heat on his knees and hands, confirming he lived...
As he gathered himself, he saw his destination wasn't far:
The crater, 100 meters away.
Shen Jie crawled upward.
Instinctual fear grew with each step.
He sensed the high-tier insect beneath his feet, in the crater's magma...
His human rationality doubted such a creature could endure this world's conditions.
Even at peak Tier 2, he could withstand 200-300 degrees for minutes, his shell eventually charring.
What could subsist on lava, living in a volcano!?
Overcoming many obstacles...
Exhausted, Shen Jie, resolved to die, wanted to witness the fear haunting him.
Step by step, he climbed the crater's edge, his shell layers burning away, regrowing.
After a minute, Shen Jie reached the volcano's summit.
He looked down...
The elliptical crater, 300-400 meters wide, surrounded by cooled lava, contained a black-yellow magma pool.
Farther back, the collapsing summit spewed gray-black smoke, ash cloaking the planet over time.
Shen Jie inhaled deeply, his fear abating.
Yet his resolve to challenge remained!
Inhaling the searing air, burning his throat and lungs...
He unleashed a cry!
The Tiger Bug's battle cry, the Spinal Bug's challenge signal.
Pouring his frustration, anger, and helplessness into the cry...
Suddenly, the magma pool churned, the ground shaking!
A 100-meter-long, pale gold limb like a sharp blade, emerged from the magma...
Piercing Shen Jie at the summit.
A second later, Shen Jie revived.
He tore his shirt, feeling the burn on his chest.
"Tier 3... King Bug!!!"
"The intent of slaughter..."
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