166: Chapter 166 Star Beast Nest, Battle of the Queen Mother

The sky of Mining Area No. 3 does not exist.

This is not a metaphor.

It is a physical fact.

When the team led by Lin Ye finished a 7-hour forced march, crossing 470 kilometers of wasteland, and finally arrived at the edge of the area marked as "Star Beast Nest," what they saw was a dome-shaped space over 3 kilometers in diameter, completely enveloped by a certain energy field.

The energy field was not transparent.

It was "translucent."

It presented a chaotic color between deep purple and pure black, as if it were slowly flowing.

It cut off all light, sound, and even spatial perception from the outside.

Standing before it was like standing beneath the eyelid of a sleeping giant beast.

— — —

[System Prompt: You have entered the outer perimeter of the "Void Realm Star Beast Nest"]

[Current Coordinates: Eternal Star Domain · Level 2 · Mining Area No. 3 · Nest Entrance]

[Nest Rank: ★★★★★ (High Risk)]

[Nest Type: Mother Empress Lineage / Void Realm Attribute]

[Nest Scale: 3.2 km diameter, approx. 1.7 km depth]

[Nest Structure:]

[1. Outer Layer · Incubation Chamber: 0.3 km thickness, densely packed with Star Beast eggs and juvenile Star Beasts]

[2. Middle Layer · Worker Nest: 0.7 km thickness, activity area for Worker-grade Star Beasts, approx. 200-300 in number]

[3. Inner Layer · Mother Empress Hall: 0.5 km diameter, location of the Mother Empress's main body, Elite Guards × 12, Mother Empress × 1]

[4. Core · star core energy Storage Room: Located directly below the Mother Empress Hall, estimated storage of 8-12 units of star core energy]

[Current Threat Assessment:]

[Incubation Chamber: Small Star Beasts quantity ∞ (a new batch refreshes every 3 minutes)]

[Middle Layer: Worker-grade Star Beasts quantity 200-300, Rank 58-62]

[Inner Layer: Elite Guards 12, Rank 63-65; Mother Empress 1, Rank 68 (BOSS)]

[Core: Unknown (must kill the Mother Empress to enter)]

— — —

Lin Ye stood before the nest entrance.

The entrance was an irregular circle with a diameter of about 17 meters, its edges jagged as if torn by immense force, contracting and expanding at a frequency of once every 1.7 seconds—like biological breathing.

Every time it expanded, fine, dark purple Star Beast body fluids were "spat" out from deep within the nest, landing on the ground outside the entrance and corroding pits 0.3 meters in diameter and 0.1 meters deep.

— — —

Behind him, 8 people.

Su Qingyue.

Shi Potian.

Zhou Tieshan.

Chu Yunxi.

Zhao Wuji.

Qin Ruoxue.

Yun Qianxue.

Lu Xinghe.

8 pairs of eyes were all looking at that "breathing" entrance.

— — —

Qin Ruoxue spoke first.

Her new cloak—[Thousand Faces · Rebirth]—was almost completely transparent under the illumination of the nest's energy field, with only the edges occasionally reflecting a faint, purple glimmer.

"Incubation Chamber," she said.

"Small Star Beast refresh cycle is 3 minutes."

"Quantity—the System marks it as '∞'."

"It means that as long as the Mother Empress is alive, they will be reborn endlessly."

— — —

Lin Ye did not speak.

He looked at that line, "Quantity ∞."

3 seconds.

He turned around.

Looking at the 8 people behind him.

— — —

"Two choices," he said.

"First, extermination."

"Clear it layer by layer, from the outer layer to the inner layer."

"The small Star Beasts in the Incubation Chamber, a batch refreshes every 3 minutes; they can't be cleared."

"The 200-300 Worker-grade Star Beasts in the middle layer, we have to fight them."

"The 12 Elite Guards in the inner layer, we have to fight them."

"Finally, the Rank 68 Mother Empress, we have to fight it."

"Estimated time—over 47 hours."

"Mecha combat damage—cannot be estimated."

— — —

He paused.

"Second, decapitation."

"Bypass the Incubation Chamber, bypass the middle layer, and cut directly into the inner layer."

"Kill the Mother Empress before it can react."

"Then the nest will lose control, and all small Star Beasts and Worker Bees will die automatically."

"Estimated time—30 minutes."

"Mecha combat damage—0."

— — —

8 people.

8 pairs of eyes.

All looking at him.

— — —

Shi Potian stepped forward.

His right arm—the arm that tore through newborn skin during the battle with the Blood Altar Guardian, now completely healed, with 47 faint pink fine lines on the surface—hung by his side.

His left fist clenched.

"Decapitation," he said.

"How do we bypass it?"

— — —

Lin Ye did not answer.

He looked at Qin Ruoxue.

— — —

Qin Ruoxue took a palm-sized crystal from the inner layer of her cloak.

[Void Realm Star Beast Nest · Internal Structure Scan Map]

[Source: Heavenly Secret Pavilion Intelligence Node · Mining Area No. 3 Special Reconnaissance]

[Scan Depth: 0-1.7 km (Complete)]

[Precision: ± 7 meters]

[Acquisition Cost: 3 reconnaissance drones destroyed, 1 intelligence officer severely injured (has been withdrawn)]

— — —

She handed the crystal to Lin Ye.

Lin Ye took it.

He injected Divine Power.

A three-dimensional structural map of the nest slowly unfolded before him.

[Nest Topographic Map · Void Realm Star Beast]

[Outer Layer · Incubation Chamber:]

[Structure: Honeycomb-like, composed of countless egg chambers with diameters of 1-3 meters]

[Passageway: Width 0.7-1.7 meters, only allows single-person passage]

[Small Star Beast Density: 3-7 per egg chamber, refresh cycle 3 minutes]

[Refresh Method: Mother Empress uses "Void Realm energy" to remotely induce birth]

[Characteristics: Detection range for intruders is only 3 meters, but once an alarm is triggered, all small Star Beasts in the entire nest will riot simultaneously]

[Middle Layer · Worker Nest:]

[Structure: Spiral ascending passage, 3-7 meters wide, can accommodate mecha combat]

[Worker Distribution: 1-3 per 47 meters, fixed patrol routes]

[Patrol Cycle: One round every 17 minutes]

[Shift Change Gap: Once every 47 minutes, lasting 17 seconds—same as the Blood Altar]

[Inner Layer · Mother Empress Hall:]

[Structure: Dome-shaped hall, 500 meters in diameter, 70 meters high]

[Elite Guard Distribution: 12, evenly surrounding the Mother Empress's throne]

[Guard Patrol Route: Cross-coverage, no blind spots]

[Mother Empress Status: Asleep (80% of the time) / Feeding (15% of the time) / Laying Eggs (5% of the time)]

[Current Mother Empress Status: Asleep]

[Core · star core energy Storage Room:]

[Location: Directly below the Mother Empress Hall, 30 meters deep]

[Entrance: Directly in the center of the Mother Empress's throne]

[Storage: Estimated 8-12 units of star core energy]

[Entry Condition: Automatically opens after the Mother Empress dies]

— — —

Lin Ye looked at the line "Shift Change Gap: Once every 47 minutes, lasting 17 seconds."

3 seconds.

He looked up.

Looking at Qin Ruoxue.

"Same as the Blood Altar," he said.

— — —

Qin Ruoxue nodded.

"The Mother Empress of the Void Realm Star Beasts has a connection with the Primordial Royal Court."

"That 17-second shift change gap was not evolved naturally."

"It was—'taught'."

— — —

Lin Ye did not speak.

He put away the topographic map.

Turned around.

Looking at the 8 people.

— — —

"Decapitation," he said.

"17-second shift change gap."

"Cut from the outer layer into the inner layer."

"The entire process—without being discovered by any small Star Beasts."

— — —

Lu Xinghe stepped forward.

His new compass—[Star River · Rebirth]—pulsed gently in his palm.

"17 seconds," he said.

"From the entrance to the Mother Empress Hall, the straight-line distance is 1.4 kilometers."

"At standard marching speed, it takes 47 seconds."

— — —

He paused.

"But if we use 'Spatial Folding'."

"17 seconds."

— — —

Lin Ye looked at him.

"Spatial Folding."

"Can your Mental Energy sea withstand it?"

— — —

Lu Xinghe did not speak.

He just held the compass up to his eyes.

The needle swung gently.

It stopped at 11 degrees north-northwest.

That was the direction of the Mother Empress Hall deep in the nest.

— — —

"Withstood 47 Mental Energy sea backlashes," he said.

"The 48th time—I can carry it too."

— — —

Lin Ye looked at him.

3 seconds.

"Good."

— — —

He turned to the others.

"Decapitation team roster."

"Me."

"Su Qingyue."

"Shi Potian."

"Chu Yunxi."

"Lu Xinghe."

"Yun Qianxue."

— — —

Zhou Tieshan stepped forward.

"What about me?"

— — —

Lin Ye looked at him.

"You guard the entrance."

"In case we don't come out within 17 seconds."

"Or if we bring a tail when we come out."

"You block it."

— — —

Zhou Tieshan did not speak.

He took [Black Tortoise · Rebirth] from his back.

Inserted it into the ground at the edge of the entrance.

Shield face outward.

— — —

Lin Ye looked at Zhao Wuji.

"You too."

"Guard the entrance."

"Logistics coordination."

"In case negotiations are needed—"

He paused.

"You negotiate."

— — —

Zhao Wuji held [Black Gold · Rebirth] in his hand.

"Understood."

— — —

Lin Ye looked at Qin Ruoxue.

"You too."

"Intelligence support."

"After 17 seconds, if there is no movement inside—"

He paused.

"You know what to do."

— — —

Qin Ruoxue did not speak.

She just took a second crystal from the inner layer of her cloak.

[Emergency Evacuation Coordinates · Preset]

[Activation Method: Spirit Power injection + crushing]

[Teleportation Target: Reception Station · Heavenly Court Outpost]

[Teleportation Number: ≤ 7 people]

[Preparation Time: 3 seconds]

— — —

She handed the crystal to Lin Ye.

Lin Ye took it.

Put it in his pocket.

— — —

[System Prompt: Decapitation operation confirmed]

[Operation Name: Void Realm Mother Empress · Decapitation]

[Operation Time: Era Calendar 1972 · Day 332 · 07:13:47]

[Operation Window: 17 seconds (Shift change gap)]

[Operation Team Members: Lin Ye / Su Qingyue / Shi Potian / Chu Yunxi / Lu Xinghe / Yun Qianxue]

[Operation Objective: Kill the Mother Empress (Rank 68 BOSS)]

[Backup Objective: Obtain star core energy × 8-12]

[Failure Contingency: Activate emergency teleportation, all members evacuate]

— — —

Lin Ye turned off the prompt.

He looked at the 6 people.

— — —

"17 seconds," he said.

"1.4 kilometers."

"Lu Xinghe's Spatial Folding will send us directly above the Mother Empress Hall."

"Landing error—± 3 meters."

— — —

Lu Xinghe nodded.

"3 meters."

"Enough."

— — —

"After landing," Lin Ye said.

"Shi Potian."

"You charge the Mother Empress head-on."

"Not to kill."

"But to 'hold aggro'."

"30 seconds."

— — —

Shi Potian's left fist—the left fist that withstood three punches from a Rank 70 Ancestor Phantom without falling during the Ninth Trial of the Ancestor Star, smashed the skulls of 47 Crystal-Armored Giant Rhinoceros during the 72-hour bloody battle in Chaos Valley, and shattered the chest armor of the Blood Altar Guardian 4 times—was raised to his chest.

"30 seconds," he said.

"It can't move me."

— — —

"Chu Yunxi."

"Here."

"The Mother Empress's weakness—below the seventh ring of the abdominal segment."

"That is the connection point between its egg-laying organ and its central nervous System."

"You shoot."

"Within 30 seconds."

— — —

Chu Yunxi pulled her new bow.

The bow arms bent to the limit.

"30 seconds," she said.

"47 arrows."

— — —

"Su Qingyue."

"Here."

"After the Mother Empress is held by Shi Potian."

"You freeze its hind limbs."

"Don't let it move."

"30 seconds."

— — —

Su Qingyue's left hand raised.

Palm facing up.

That 3-centimeter diameter ice lotus condensed again.

Spinning.

"30 seconds," she said.

"It won't be able to move."

— — —

"Yun Qianxue."

"Here."

"You don't enter the Mother Empress Hall."

"You guard outside the hall."

"Whoever gets injured, whoever retreats."

"You be there."

— — —

Yun Qianxue held [Green Lotus · Rebirth].

The pale green fluorescence at the head of the staff pulsed.

"Here," she said.

— — —

"Lu Xinghe."

"Here."

"17-second Spatial Folding."

"30-second Mother Empress battle."

"Then—"

Lin Ye paused.

"Use Spatial Folding one more time."

"Send us out of the nest."

— — —

Lu Xinghe looked at his compass.

The needle swung gently.

"After 30 seconds," he said.

"If I'm still awake."

"Possible."

— — —

Lin Ye looked at him.

3 seconds.

"You will be awake."

— — —

Lu Xinghe did not answer.

He just held the compass up to his eyes.

Looking at the needle.

— — —

[System Prompt: Decapitation operation countdown]

[Current Time: 07:13:17]

[Distance to shift change gap: 30 seconds]

[30 seconds]

[29 seconds]

[28 seconds]

— — —

Lin Ye turned around.

Looking at the 6 people.

— — —

"17 seconds," he said.

"30 seconds."

"After 47 seconds, either the Mother Empress dies."

"Or we die."

— — —

No one spoke.

But the sound of 6 breaths, at the same instant—synchronized.

— — —

[17 seconds]

[16 seconds]

[15 seconds]

— — —

Lu Xinghe closed his eyes.

His new compass—[Star River · Rebirth]—began to rotate in his palm.

Not the needle.

The entire compass.

It spun at a speed of one circle every 0.1 seconds.

Every time it turned a circle, the surrounding air twisted.

That was the sign of space being folded.

— — —

[7 seconds]

[6 seconds]

[5 seconds]

— — —

Lu Xinghe opened his eyes.

In the depths of his pupils, extremely fine, silvery-white light filaments were flowing.

That was the "overload" state that briefly appeared when Mental Energy withstood the backlash of Spatial Folding.

"...Ready," he said.

— — —

[3 seconds]

[2 seconds]

[1 second]

— — —

[Shift change gap · Opening]

— — —

Lin Ye stepped forward.

Behind him, 5 people.

Stepped out at the same time.

— — —

Lu Xinghe's palm pressed onto the ground.

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

The compass embedded into the flesh of his palm.

A silver-white light erupted instantly.

It swallowed the figures of the six people simultaneously.

———

[Space Folding · Activated]

[Folding Distance: 1.4 kilometers]

[Folding Time: 0.3 seconds]

[Landing Error: +2.7 meters]

———

When Lin Ye opened his eyes, he was already standing directly above the Mother Empress Hall.

Not on the ground.

But in the "air."

Three meters from the ceiling dome.

Seventy meters below was that sleeping Level 68 Mother Empress.

———

[Void Star Beast · Mother Empress]

[Rank: Level 68 (BOSS)]

[Health Points: 1,700,000/1,700,000]

[Attack Power: 11,300-14,700]

[Defense: 9,700]

[Traits:]

[1. Void Shelter: Reduces all damage taken by 30%, and recovers 5% of maximum health every 60 seconds]

[2. Mother Empress Will: When the Mother Empress's health is below 50%, all small Star Beasts/Worker Bees enter a berserk state, increasing all attributes by 30%]

[3. Spawning Call: Summons a batch of small Star Beasts every 30 seconds (Quantity: 10-17)]

[4. Space Tear: The Mother Empress can tear space, creating a Void Rift that lasts for 7 seconds; those who touch it take 5,000 points of true damage per second]

[5. Dying Berserk: When health is below 10%, all attributes increase by 50%, and all skill cooldowns are reset]

[Weaknesses:]

[1. Below the seventh ring of the abdominal segments: Defense is reduced by 70%, and attacking this area has a chance to deal 2x damage]

[2. Spawning Period: The Mother Empress cannot move while spawning, and defense is reduced by 50% (Current State: Sleeping, not in spawning period)]

[3. Fear of Chaos Power: Chaos-attribute attacks ignore the 30% damage reduction of Void Shelter]

———

Lin Ye didn't look at those attributes.

He was falling.

70 meters.

1.7 seconds.

———

The 1st second.

Shi Potian landed 0.3 seconds faster than him.

His left fist smashed into the exact center of the Mother Empress's cephalothorax carapace.

[Damage Dealt: 4,700 points]

[Mother Empress Health: 1,700,000 → 1,695,300]

———

The Mother Empress opened its eyes.

They were three pairs of vertically arranged, deep purple compound eyes.

Every single eye was rotating at the same time.

Simultaneously locking onto Shi Potian.

[Aggro: 100%]

———

The 1.3 second mark.

Su Qingyue landed.

Her left hand pressed onto the ground.

[Vast Cold Descent · Partial Deployment]

[Range: 30-meter radius]

[Duration: 7 seconds]

[Target: Mother Empress's hind limbs]

———

Frost rose from the ground, spreading up the Mother Empress's two hind limbs, freezing into a layer of ice 0.3 meters thick within 0.7 seconds.

[Mother Empress's Hind Limbs · Frozen]

[Movement Speed -70%]

———

The 1.7 second mark.

Chu Yunxi landed.

She didn't wait to steady herself.

The arrow was already on the string.

The bow was drawn to its limit.

The 1st arrow — released.

[Hit: Below the seventh ring of the abdominal segments]

[Damage Dealt: 7,300 points (Weakness)]

[Mother Empress Health: 1,695,300 → 1,688,000]

———

The 2nd second.

Lin Ye landed.

His sword — that gray longsword that had absorbed Michael's Origin light energy — had already pierced into the Mother Empress's third eye on the left side the moment he landed.

[Hit: Eye]

[Damage Dealt: 11,700 points (Chaos Power +50%)]

[Mother Empress Health: 1,688,000 → 1,676,300]

———

The Mother Empress's screech exploded within the Mother Empress Hall.

It wasn't a sound.

It was a "mental shock."

[Mother Empress Skill · Mental Scream]

[Damage: 7,000 points of mental damage]

[Range: 100-meter radius]

———

Yun Qianxue stood outside the hall.

The head of her [Azure Lotus · Rebirth] staff lit up.

A pale green light shield instantly covered the six people inside the hall.

[Group Shield · Emergency]

[Damage Absorbed: 5,000 points]

[Remaining Damage: 2,000 points]

———

The health points of the six people dropped simultaneously.

Lin Ye: 100% → 93%.

Su Qingyue: 100% → 91%.

Shi Potian: 100% → 89%.

Chu Yunxi: 100% → 92%.

Lu Xinghe: 100% → 87%.

———

The 3rd second.

The Mother Empress's right front limb lifted.

It wanted to trample Shi Potian.

But after that front limb lifted 0.3 meters — it stopped.

Its frozen hind limbs made it impossible for it to turn around.

It could only attack from its current position.

———

Shi Potian's left fist smashed into the joint of its raised front limb.

[Damage Dealt: 4,100 points]

[Mother Empress Health: 1,676,300 → 1,672,200]

———

The 4th second.

Chu Yunxi's 2nd arrow.

[Hit Weakness]

[Damage Dealt: 7,100 points]

[Mother Empress Health: 1,672,200 → 1,665,100]

———

The 5th second.

Lin Ye's sword.

The 2nd sword strike pierced into the same eye.

[Damage Dealt: 11,300 points]

[Mother Empress Health: 1,665,100 → 1,653,800]

———

The 6th second.

The Mother Empress's first counterattack succeeded.

Its left front limb swept across, hitting Shi Potian's waist.

[Damage Dealt: 8,700 points]

[Shi Potian Health: 89% → 73%]

———

He didn't retreat.

His left fist smashed into the sweeping front limb.

[Damage Dealt: 3,900 points]

———

The 7th second.

Su Qingyue's ice freeze ended.

The Mother Empress's hind limbs broke free from the ice layer.

But it didn't move.

Because Shi Potian was still standing in front of it.

His left fist was still smashing.

———

The 8th second.

Chu Yunxi's 5th arrow.

[Hit Weakness]

[Damage Dealt: 7,400 points]

———

The 9th second.

Lin Ye's 4th sword strike.

[Damage Dealt: 12,100 points]

———

The 10th second.

The Mother Empress's second Mental Scream.

[Damage: 7,000 points]

Yun Qianxue's shield was still on cooldown.

The health points of the six people dropped once more.

Lin Ye: 93% → 81%.

Su Qingyue: 91% → 78%.

Shi Potian: 73% → 58%.

Chu Yunxi: 92% → 80%.

Lu Xinghe: 87% → 72%.

———

The 11th second.

Shi Potian's left fist.

The 17th time smashing the same spot — a crack on the Mother Empress's cephalothorax carapace that had already sunken by 3 centimeters.

[Damage Dealt: 4,700 points]

The crack expanded to a diameter of 7 centimeters.

———

The 12th second.

Chu Yunxi's 9th arrow.

[Hit Weakness]

[Damage Dealt: 7,300 points]

———

The 13th second.

Lin Ye's 7th sword strike.

Pierced into the Mother Empress's 3rd eye — that eye was now completely blind, and bodily fluids were gushing from the wound.

[Damage Dealt: 11,700 points]

———

The 14th second.

The Mother Empress's health dropped below 50%.

[Mother Empress Health: 1,700,000 → 847,000]

[Mother Empress Will · Berserk Triggered]

[All Attributes +30%]

[All small Star Beasts/Worker Bees enter berserk state]

———

The outer layer of the nest.

Countless small Star Beasts stopped wriggling at the same instant.

Their eyes all opened simultaneously.

They all turned toward the Mother Empress Hall at the same time.

———

The middle layer of the nest.

Over 200 Worker Bees stopped their patrols simultaneously.

Their antennae all stood up at the same time.

They all locked onto the same coordinate — the Mother Empress Hall.

———

And then.

They all began to move at once.

Toward the Mother Empress Hall.

———

The 15th second.

The first Worker Bee rushed into the Mother Empress Hall.

It crashed into Yun Qianxue's shield.

[Shield Absorbed: 5,000 points]

[Shield Shattered]

———

Yun Qianxue didn't retreat.

She stood at the hall entrance.

The head of her staff lit up.

The 2nd shield.

———

The 16th second.

The 3rd Worker Bee.

The 7th.

The 17th.

———

The 17th second.

At the entrance of the Mother Empress Hall, the corpses of over 30 Worker Bees had already piled up.

Yun Qianxue stood amidst the pile of corpses.

Her Health Points: 58%.

Her Divine Power: 31%.

The fluorescent glow of her staff: still lit.

———

The 18th second.

Shi Potian's left fist.

The 31st time smashing the crack on the Mother Empress's cephalothorax carapace.

The crack was broken through.

The cephalothorax carapace — shattered.

———

[Mother Empress Health: 847,000 → 377,000]

———

The 19th second.

Chu Yunxi's 31st arrow.

[Hit Weakness · Piercing]

[Damage Dealt: 14,700 points (Critical)]

———

The 20th second.

Lin Ye's 13th sword strike.

Pierced into the Mother Empress's last eye that could still see.

———

The 21st second.

The Mother Empress's health dropped below 10%.

[Mother Empress Health: 377,000 → 169,000]

[Dying Berserk · Triggered]

[All Attributes +50%]

[All skill cooldowns reset]

———

Below the seventh ring of the Mother Empress's abdominal segments — that weakness where Chu Yunxi had shot 31 arrows — began to glow.

That wasn't light.

It was the casting animation for "Spawning Call."

If it were allowed to finish casting, it would instantly summon 47 elite-class small Star Beasts.

———

The 22nd second.

Chu Yunxi's 47th arrow.

The final arrow.

When it left her bow, the bow limbs let out an extremely faint groan, like metal fatigue.

But the arrow was true.

The arrow pierced through that glowing ring.

[Hit Weakness · Lethal]

[Damage Dealt: 47,000 points]

———

The Mother Empress's casting.

Interrupted.

———

The 23rd second.

Shi Potian's left fist.

The 47th time smashing down.

Smashed into the wound on the Mother Empress's cephalothorax carapace that was already completely shattered.

His fist sank into the Mother Empress's brain cavity.

———

[Damage Dealt: 47,000 points]

[Mother Empress Health: 169,000 → 122,000]

———

The 24th second.

Lin Ye's sword.

The 17th sword strike.

Entered through the Mother Empress's first eye.

Pierced through the cranial cavity.

Exited from the back of the head.

———

[Damage Dealt: 47,000 points]

[Mother Empress Health: 122,000 → 75,000]

———

The 25th second.

The Mother Empress's final strike.

It used the last of its strength to tear open a Void Rift.

The rift opened at Shi Potian's side.

[Space Tear]

[Damage: 5,000 points/second]

[Duration: 7 seconds]

———

Shi Potian didn't dodge.

He stood beside the rift.

His left fist continued to smash.

The 48th punch.

The 49th punch.

The 50th punch.

———

The 26th second.

His Health Points: 58% → 47% → 36% → 25%.

———

The 27th second.

His left fist.

The 51st punch.

Smashed into the wound on the Mother Empress's cephalothorax carapace that was now a complete hole.

His fist sank in.

Touching that pulsating — Mother Empress Core.

———

[Damage Dealt: 75,000 points]

[Mother Empress Health: 75,000 → 0]

———

The Mother Empress's massive body.

In the center of the Mother Empress Hall.

Slowly collapsed.

———

[System Prompt: You have killed "Void Star Beast · Mother Empress" (Level 68 BOSS)]

[Battle Duration: 27 seconds]

[Contribution:]

[1. Shi Potian: Main Tank/DPS — 47%]

[2. Lin Ye: Main DPS/Finisher — 31%]

[3. Chu Yunxi: Weakness DPS/Critical — 17%]

[4. Su Qingyue: Control/Support — 5%]

[5. Yun Qianxue: Healer/Hall Entrance Defense — 0% (Counted as extra)]

[6. Lu Xinghe: Space Folding — 0% (Counted as extra)]

[Experience Gained: 470,000 points per person]

[Lin Ye Level: Level 61 → Level 62 (Dragon Transformation Second Layer)]

———

Lin Ye didn't look at those prompts.

He stood beside the Mother Empress's corpse.

Looking at the circular entrance slowly opening beneath it.

[Core · Star Core Storage Room]

[Entrance Opened]

[Estimated Reserves: 11 units of star core energy]

———

He turned around.

Looking outside the hall.

Yun Qianxue stood amidst the corpses of over 30 Worker Bees.

Her Health Points: 17%.

Her Divine Power: 4%.

The fluorescent glow of her staff — was still lit.

———

Lu Xinghe knelt in a corner of the hall.

His compass was still spinning.

The needle was still oscillating.

Deep within his pupils, silver-white light filaments were dissipating.

That was a sign that the Space Folding backlash after Mental Energy exhaustion was about to end.

He lifted his head.

Looking at Lin Ye.

"...30 seconds," he said.

"Not yet."

———

Lin Ye looked at him.

3 seconds.

"Enough," he said.

———

He turned.

Walking toward that entrance.

Behind him, five people.

Stepped forward simultaneously.

———

[Chapter 166 · End]