Chapter 303: Aberrant Rock Bug, Behemoth Standoff

Chapter 303: Chapter 303: Aberrant Rock Bug, Behemoth Standoff

The Eye of Resume quickly displayed a line of information in her mind:

[Name: Aberrant Rock Bug]

[Gender: None (Hermaphrodite)]

[Professional Skills: Mimicry Rockification: Its skin can secrete special minerals, allowing it to blend perfectly with surrounding rocks to create a flawless mimicry effect, often used to ambush prey.]

[Weaknesses: Flame/High Temperatures: Its rock-like body is extremely vulnerable to continuous burning from flames and exposure to high heat. However, it is worth noting that if a mature individual withstands a specific high temperature without dying, there is an extremely low probability of triggering a special evolution—evolving into a [Diamond Bug] and gaining the [Crystalization] ability, which will result in a quantum leap in its physical and energy defense!]

Seeing that they had only been swallowed by a rock bug skilled in disguise, and not dropped directly into a fatal digestive organ, Seraphina felt a little relieved.

What really made Seraphina’s eyes light up, however, was the information at the end.

This bug could actually evolve into the even rarer [Diamond Bug]!

Her fear was instantly replaced by the excitement of having found a treasure.

The bug’s [Crystalization] ability sounded incredibly powerful.

If she could get that guy Sean Chandler to use a [Receiving Card] to acquire this ability, his survivability and value to the team would increase dramatically!

A bold plan instantly formed in Seraphina’s mind.

’Not only do we have to escape, but I have to find a way to capture this rock bug and try to make it evolve!’

This sudden crisis seemed to have turned into an unexpected opportunity.

Compared to Simon Holt, who looked like he wanted to curl up into a ball, Seraphina’s calm, almost inquisitive state certainly made her seem out of place.

She calmly retrieved a high-intensity flashlight from her space and, with a CLICK, switched it on.

The sudden, blinding light was especially stark in the absolute darkness, startling the highly-strung Simon Holt so badly that he cried out, "AH—!"

His reaction left Seraphina speechless. Annoyed, she said, "If you keep jumping at every little thing, believe me, I’ll give you a dose of anesthetic right now. You can peacefully live out your final moments in blissful ignorance. At least it’ll be painless."

Simon Holt: "..."

Simon Holt instantly clamped a hand over his mouth, daring only to let out a faint whimper, his eyes welling up with tears of fright.

However, seeing Seraphina so calm and composed—even having the spare energy to "threaten" him—Simon Holt’s panicked heart strangely began to settle.

He focused his senses for a moment and realized that aside from its continuous movement, the monster that had swallowed them didn’t seem to be taking any further steps to digest them, like secreting stomach acid or anything.

He strained his ears and could faintly make out the muffled sound of rain from outside.

"This monster... it seems to be moving constantly? Is it because of the acid rain? Is it trying to hide, too?" Simon Holt guessed.

Seraphina was also thinking rapidly.

She recalled the sight of the Aberrant Poison Lizard moving through the acid rain earlier, and how suddenly the downpour had started.

A theory surfaced in her mind. ’Maybe it’s not hiding. The entity that caused this acid rain might have a powerful attraction for all aberrant creatures.’

She immediately said to Simon Holt, "Use your map ability and compare it with the holographic map provided by the system. See where we are and what’s around us."

Upon hearing this, Simon Holt immediately focused, simultaneously calling upon his [Map] Talent and the system map to make a comparison.

A few seconds later, he cried out, "It’s true! Our position has changed drastically! The system map shows this monster is carrying us at high speed toward the largest radiation source, and... and my talent’s map shows a large number of biological signals around us, all converging in the same direction!"

Seraphina’s eyes narrowed. "Just as I thought. This acid rain was most likely caused by that giant radiation source. It’s also continuously emitting some kind of signal or energy, drawing the surrounding aberrant creatures toward it."

Simon Holt’s face turned deathly pale in an instant.

"D-doesn’t that mean that when we get there, we won’t be facing one or two monsters, but... a monster tide?!"

Seraphina glanced at Simon Holt.

She calmly offered him an out. "Scared? It’s not too late to back out. Want to consider the anesthetic? Guaranteed painless."

Seraphina’s sudden "euthanasia" deadpan joke left Simon Holt stunned for a moment.

He didn’t know whether to keep being scared or to complain about her bizarre sense of humor, and the atmosphere instantly turned strange.

After holding it in for a long time, he finally couldn’t help but ask the question on his mind: "Boss Sullivan... are... are you really not scared at all?"

Seraphina didn’t answer right away.

Of course she was afraid. Facing a potential tide of unknown monsters and a terrifying radiation source capable of altering the weather—how could she not be?

But fear wouldn’t solve the problem.

The more dangerous the situation, the greater the hidden opportunities and astounding rewards.

In her eyes, the core of that giant radiation source, along with the vast number of aberrant creatures it attracted, was both a crisis and a massive "treasure trove of resources."

...

Meanwhile, at the edge of the area covered by the acid rain.

"Oh my god! This rain... this acid rain is terrifying! It can even corrode stone!" Heath Summers exclaimed, patting her chest with lingering fear as she looked at the pockmarked ground outside the energy shield being eaten away by the acid rain.

Veins bulged slightly on Victor Sharp’s forehead.

Clearly, maintaining the [Energy Shield] that covered them all to block the intense acid rain was a considerable burden for him.

He spoke up, "Heath, your ability... is there really no way to disperse or change this acid rain?"

Heath Summers shook her head helplessly, her small face filled with solemnity.

"I can’t. Mr. Sharp, the fundamental nature of this acid rain isn’t natural weather. Its energy source is... it’s that monster!"

She stretched out her hand, pointing toward two terrifying, mountain-like figures facing off in the distance.

"My ability can only affect natural weather phenomena. It’s not very effective against acid rain clouds generated directly by a creature’s ability. At most, I could summon a storm to temporarily blow away the small patch of acid rain clouds above us, but..."

Heath paused, her voice laced with deep apprehension.

"The moment I use my ability, the resulting energy fluctuation will definitely alert those two behemoths! We’ll be exposed directly to their line of sight."

Everyone’s gaze followed the direction Heath was pointing, looking solemnly into the distance.

There, on a relatively open stretch of scorched earth, two aberrant beasts of unimaginable size were locked in a standoff!

One of them was a Titan Python, its entire body covered in dark bone armor, its head the size of a small mountain, and its body like that of a flood dragon!

Merely coiling there, it exuded a suffocating, malevolent aura.

And facing it was an equally enormous giant tree.

Its trunk had a human face, and its branches and leaves glowed with a dark light.