343: praying mantis

Underwater, Wei Ziqing's thoughts raced: 'Immortality?'

As he pondered, he turned to look at Lu Jianchuan, only to find that the latter had, at some point, taken out a miniature waterproof recording device, clearly recording the conversation on the deck above.

Lu Jianchuan noticed his gaze, shook the device in his hand, and gestured 'finished' and 'retreat'.

The two of them tacitly dove deeper, preparing to return the way they came.

Safely ashore, hidden behind rocks far from the pier, Lu Jianchuan checked the recording and whispered, "We've got some direct evidence now. Illicit excavation, smuggling, attempted fraud, plus the previous illegal detention and suspicious research... that's enough to get them in deep trouble. After we gather a bit more internal information, we can call the authorities to close the net."

Wei Ziqing looked at the device in his hand, somewhat surprised: "When did you get that out? I didn't see it."

"I always carry it close to me," Lu Jianchuan put away the device, "I figured you might forget. Let's go, get out of here first."

The two were about to re-enter the forest and return to the research base.

However, just as they turned around, a huge shadow, accompanied by a subtle, chitinous rubbing sound that made one's scalp tingle, abruptly blocked the edge of the treeline ahead!

This was a Mantis evolution much larger than the previous one!

It stood nearly three meters tall, its dark green carapace covered with additional bone armor crudely inlaid and bound with various thick bones, like the trophy decorations of a barbaric warrior, showcasing its powerful and fierce hunting prowess.

Its compound eyes locked onto the two of them, especially Wei Ziqing—clearly, it had discovered its downed companion.

A clearer, hoarse voice, filled with Battle Intent and cold wisdom, directly emanated from its vibrating vocal organs: "...to be able to silently take down my scout... it seems you are not mere stray insects. You... are worthy prey."

It gave no opportunity for conversation or trickery. Before its words even finished, its massive body transformed into a pale green afterimage, its terrifying giant bone scythes tearing through the air with a shrill scream, slashing directly at Wei Ziqing! Its speed was astonishing!

Wei Ziqing's heart tightened. His old trick was useless now. As he tried to parry, he quickly said, "Wait! Do you know what has no legs but can run incredibly fast? It's..."

"Noisy!" The giant Mantis's mind was clearly unaffected by such distractions, its attack not pausing in the slightest!

"Clang—!!!!"

The poisoned bone sword and the giant bone scythe collided fiercely! Amidst the deafening clang of metal, Wei Ziqing felt an unimaginable surge of power, crushing him like a mountain. His tiger's mouth throbbed with pain, and the bone sword actually flew out of his hand!

He used the impact to leap backward rapidly. When he landed, his entire arm throbbed with a numb, aching tremor. He was horrified:

'This guy's strength... it's not on the same level at all!'

The giant Mantis gained the upper hand with one strike, and the fierce light in its compound eyes intensified. It was about to press its advantage when Lu Jianchuan flashed in front of Wei Ziqing, and electricity began to crackle on his silver skeleton armor.

The head-on struggle between Lu Jianchuan and the giant Mantis erupted in a muffled crash. The silver skeleton's fist and the bone scythe met head-on, actually proving to be evenly matched for a moment! The huge recoil caused both sides to retreat half a step.

"Interesting... this is true power!" The Bone-Armored Mantis's compound eyes flickered, its Battle Intent even higher, its hoarse voice filled with excitement. It lunged again, its twin scythes transforming into a dazzling storm of death, clashing fiercely with Lu Jianchuan's electricity-wrapped fists! In a short time, fist shadows and scythe shadows intertwined, and explosions echoed endlessly!

Lu Jianchuan spotted an opening and swiftly dodged, avoiding the frontal assault. Wei Ziqing, who had long been poised, darted out from his side like a ghost, his bone sword transforming into a cold, snake-like glint, stabbing directly at the joint seam of the Mantis's chest and abdominal carapace!

"Clink!" The Mantis reacted with astonishing speed, one bone scythe precisely returning to defend, deflecting the stab. The other scythe swept horizontally in sequence! Wei Ziqing displayed the pinnacle of movement technique, his body swaying slightly like willow floss in the wind, narrowly avoiding the sweeping blade by a hair's breadth, while simultaneously extending his bone sword again, pointing at the Mantis's joint!

The Mantis's other scythe followed like a shadow, blocking again!

Offense and defense switched in an instant.

Suddenly, the Bone-Armored Mantis leaped up from its spot, its massive body twisting strangely in mid-air. Using the rotational force, its twin scythes, one left and one right, slashed down in a cross pattern towards Wei Ziqing on the ground! The attack range was enormous!

Wei Ziqing reacted extremely quickly, instantly squatting down, narrowly sliding under the intersecting blades. At the same time, he unhesitatingly threw the bone sword in his hand upwards with all his might, directly at the Mantis's face!

The Mantis parried with its twin scythes, knocking the flying bone sword high into the sky with a 'clang'!

However, Lu Jianchuan had already anticipated it! The moment the Mantis leaped, he too had leaped high, now perfectly in the bone sword's trajectory, catching the hilt in mid-air! Silver-white bio-electricity instantly wrapped around the blade. He swooped down from the air like a meteor, thrusting the sword straight at the Mantis's back!

The Bone-Armored Mantis seemed to sense the danger. Its two pairs of translucent wing membranes on its back suddenly unfurled, vibrating at high frequency, propelling its massive body backward and sideways in a hasty retreat, avoiding this fierce aerial thrust.

But the direction it retreated was exactly where Wei Ziqing had anticipated! Wei Ziqing, who had somehow circled to its side-rear, crouched slightly, then exploded with all his power like a compressed spring, delivering a vicious, self-sacrificing flying kick, both feet heavily impacting the bone-armored back of the Mantis's head!

"Bang!" The dull impact caused the Mantis's body to sway.

Lu Jianchuan landed, without pausing, and once again threw the electricity-infused bone sword in his hand with full force at the Mantis!

This time, the Mantis chose to suddenly crouch low, the blade grazing its back armor. At the same time, it seized the opportunity to rush forward, its twin scythes, carrying an Aura that could tear everything apart, fiercely clamping down on Wei Ziqing, who was closest! This strike was as fast as lightning, sealing off all angles of evasion.

In this critical moment, Lu Jianchuan had already flashed between the two again, crossing his arms and forcefully parrying upwards!

"Clang—!!!"

An ear-piercing clash rang out. Lu Jianchuan's crossed arms blocked the heavy bone scythes that attacked from both sides. The immense force caused the sand beneath his feet to sink several inches. But he successfully created space for Wei Ziqing!

Wei Ziqing, protected behind him, did not waste this precious instant. He ducked and slid out from under Lu Jianchuan's arm, unleashing a punch with all his gathered strength, fiercely striking the Mantis's facial carapace, which was wide open due to its blocked attack!

"Thump!" The Mantis's head was thrown back, it hissed, and stumbled backward.

Wei Ziqing, seizing the opportunity, rolled over and precisely picked up his own poisoned bone sword that had been knocked to the ground earlier. Holding the sword in one hand, he stood shoulder to shoulder with Lu Jianchuan, who had recovered his breath, and once again pressed towards the Bone-Armored Mantis, which had regained its footing.

While the Bone-Armored Mantis was reeling from Wei Ziqing's heavy punch to its face, its compound eyes flickering with diffused purple light, and its body swaying in a daze, Lu Jianchuan flashed close. His hands, like iron clamps, firmly seized the base of one of its bone scythes that hadn't had time to retract!

The huge Mantis instinctively tried to break free, but the concussion to its head slowed its reaction by half a beat.

Lu Jianchuan's arm muscles bulged, and the power beneath his armor erupted, actually causing the behemoth to stagger. At the same time, he used the momentum to spin around, delivering a powerful side kick, his heel fiercely striking its exposed mandibular joint, which was revealed as it tilted its head back!

"Crack!" A clear snapping sound rang out. The Mantis's head was kicked sharply backward, and its entire upper body tilted rearward.

Almost at the same moment, Wei Ziqing, like a ground-hugging gust of wind, cut in, delivering a precise and vicious sweep kick that heavily struck the Mantis's hind leg joint, which was unsteady due to its imbalance!

Upper and lower pincer attack, a double strike! The Bone-Armored Mantis could no longer maintain its balance, emitting a painful hiss as its massive body crashed forward, heavily slamming onto the sandy beach, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Before it could struggle to its feet, Lu Jianchuan had already leaped up, delivering a heavy high kick like a battle-axe, carrying all the force of his descent, fiercely stomping on the connection between its back of the head and its chest armor!

"Thud!"

Even the beach seemed to tremble. The Mantis's struggle abruptly stiffened.

Wei Ziqing, like a hunting python, instantly coiled onto its back, his arms firmly locking around its relatively slender neck. The cold, sharp poisoned bone sword in his hand was already steadily positioned over the most vulnerable carapace seam on its neck, needing only a slight push to end its life.

Heavy gasps echoed in the sea breeze. The fierce light in the Bone-Armored Mantis's compound eyes, under the threat of intense pain and its vital point being controlled, was finally suppressed. Its body stopped its futile struggles, leaving only faint hissing sounds from instinctive, restricted breathing.

It was completely subdued.