Chapter 553: The Frenzied Ice Crystal Spider Fiend, An Unstoppable Kill

The sudden high-level danger alert forced the Mountain Fortress into an automatic defensive stance.

The smile on Naz's face hadn't even faded before it twisted into shock.

He immediately checked the detection map.

He saw a massive energy signature slowly lighting up.

As time passed, the brightness and size of that signature skyrocketed.

Naz's pupils dilated, his mouth slightly agape, his mind blank for a split second.

A Silver-tier creature?

How could there be a Silver-tier creature here?

Weren't those ice crystal spiders from the Yu Yuan Shelter?

For a moment, his thoughts ground to a halt.

But he quickly snapped out of it.

No time to overthink.

"Vanguard units, war beasts, abort the mission and return immediately. I repeat, abort the mission and return immediately."

Naz's voice was urgent.

Like a sudden blizzard sweeping across the Green Forest Icefield—abrupt and blindsiding.

He couldn't figure out what was going on with the Yu Yuan Shelter.

Why this world was so chaotic.

But he wasn't a fool. Since he couldn't understand what had happened, he'd retreat for now, figure things out, and then resume his original plan.

This was precisely how Naz had gotten this far, step by step.

He would never give up on any opportunity within reach, but he wouldn't act rashly without certainty.

Naz's orders were quickly transmitted to the Vanguard Combat Units and the living war beasts.

Without a moment's hesitation, they all abandoned their current targets and charged toward the Mountain Fortress.

Even if just one more strike would have shattered the ice crystal spider before them.

In their eyes, Naz's commands overrode everything else.

*Ssss—*

A sound filled with fury, indignation, and severe morning crankiness rang out across the icefield.

The ice swelled and coalesced into a giant spider dozens of meters in size.

It was the Losdi Magic Ice Spider from the Icy Drop Abyss, also known as the Ice Crystal Spider Fiend.

It watched the fleeing Vanguard Combat Units and living war beasts, along with the massive, similarly sized creature hundreds of meters away.

The rage within it had reached an explosive peak.

These damned things—disturbing its slumber once was bad enough.

But showing up again and again?

A faint blue pattern spread across the Ice Crystal Spider Fiend's body, and at the center of its head, an almost imperceptible mark flickered and vanished.

*Ssss—*

With a screech, the entire icefield was instantly engulfed by a violent blizzard.

Icy crystal spikes sprouted all over the Ice Crystal Spider Fiend's body as it transformed into a "rampaging war chariot," charging toward the Mountain Fortress.

The Vanguard Combat Units and living war beasts were fast, closing the few hundred meters quickly.

But just as they were about to reach the Mountain Fortress's vicinity, sharp icicle shards emerged within the blizzard, stabbing toward the alchemy civilization's ranks.

One Vanguard Combat Unit barely dodged an icicle shard stabbing at it from the front.

A powerful force slammed into it from behind, sending it pitching forward.

At the same time, three more icicle shards shot toward it.

That Vanguard Combat Unit was immediately pierced through the chest by three icicle shards—a clean, thorough skewering.

The Biological Pump in its chest was also stabbed, and the pale green alchemical fluid inside quickly froze, turning into ice crystals.

This Vanguard Combat Unit wasn't the only casualty.

Two more Vanguard Combat Units and one living war beast also fell under the icicle shard assault.

The attack power of a Silver-tier creature was clearly devastating.

But there was a difference.

The icicle shards were sharp and nearly impossible to guard against.

The Vanguard Combat Units couldn't withstand them.

For the living war beasts, however, they possessed biological armor far thicker than the Vanguard Combat Units, along with metallic bones.

Coupled with their massive bodies, even though the icicle shards were deadly, they couldn't kill them easily.

Especially the Steel Mane War Bear and the Thunder Elephant.

The icicle shards could breach their biological armor but couldn't inflict fatal damage.

If there was one weak point, it was likely the driver in the cervical spine implant pod.

The only living war beast that was killed had its driver pierced by an icicle shard, leading to its death.

But by now, the remaining Vanguard Combat Units and living war beasts had made it to the Mountain Fortress's side.

All the alchemy slots on the Mountain Fortress lit up.

Eight thick mechanical appendages extended from its body, with green energy flickering inside.

Then—

With a *whoosh*—

A pale green alchemical energy shield rose from the Mountain Fortress, enveloping the Vanguard Combat Units inside.

Occasional arcs of electricity flickered across the pale green alchemical shield.

The blizzard was blocked outside, and even the icicle shards striking the shield only penetrated halfway before getting stuck in a stalemate with it, trembling, cracking, and falling apart.

But inside the Mountain Fortress's command room, Naz's face was dark and grim.

Because while he had blocked the icicle shards, the cost was that the Mountain Fortress's energy consumption had spiked again.

Watching the energy drain rapidly, Naz knew he couldn't stay here long.

"Evacuate immediately!"

As the order was given, the Mountain Fortress's body twisted 180°, its tracks spun at full speed to retreat, and three rocket thrusters appeared at its rear, propelling it to escape.

The surviving Vanguard Combat Units transformed back into spheres, latching onto the underside of the Mountain Fortress and hanging there.

But...

*Ssss—*

Just as the Mountain Fortress began to move, the frenzied Ice Crystal Spider Fiend charged in like a bulldozer, and all nine living war beasts surged to meet it.

The living war beasts that had barely withstood the icicle shards were now nothing but fodder facing a Silver-tier Ice Crystal Spider Fiend.

The 7-to-10-meter war beasts, compared to the creature several times their size, were like fragile inflatable dolls.

Sharp icy crystal spikes pierced through the war beasts' bodies.

With a flick and a toss, they were hurled away like rag dolls.

Only the mightiest Steel Mane War Bear and the Thunder Elephant roared, channeling all their energy into their biological armor.

With their defense boosted by 50%, they charged head-on at the Ice Crystal Spider Fiend.

The Steel Mane War Bear's fur bristled, while the Thunder Elephant's skin erupted with intense electrical arcs.

They unleashed their full power.

*Doo—*

*Rooar—*

Elephant trumpets and bear roars rang out.

The Ice Crystal Spider Fiend's icy crystal spikes slammed into the two living war beasts.

The spider's speed visibly stalled for a moment.

The Steel Mane War Bear and Thunder Elephant were also forced backward by the impact, their paws carving long furrows across the icefield.

But before the two war beasts could push back, the Ice Crystal Spider Fiend turned savage. Its gaping maw suddenly extended a dozen tentacles, like a squid's, wrapping around the two beasts.

Then, the tentacles glowed blue.

A powerful suction force erupted from the Ice Crystal Spider Fiend's mouth.

All the heat from the Steel Mane War Bear and the Thunder Elephant was drained away. Inch by inch, frost covered their bodies, and in mere seconds, they turned into two ice sculptures.

The Ice Crystal Spider Fiend's gaze locked onto the Mountain Fortress, now fleeing at full speed.

*Ssss—*

The Ice Crystal Spider Fiend's two front claws slammed down, plunging deep into the ice, while the dozen tentacles in its mouth glowed blue again...