356: Chapter 350 Deadly Treasure

An empty chest, a dead object.

Song Yang retracted the blood vines, not sparing the golden treasure chest another glance as he turned and exited the side hall.

Just bait.

He continued along the wall of the main hall, yet that chilling sensation of being watched never reappeared.

Soon, an identical side door appeared ahead once more.

Inside was another side hall.

Only this time, there was no golden treasure chest in the center of the hall; instead, there stood a strange small tree about two people tall, emitting a soft white light from its entire body.

Three fist-sized, crystal-clear fruits hung from the tree, the juice beneath their skins seemingly flowing slowly, emitting an enticing aura of life.

Anyone who came here would likely be unable to resist such temptation.

Song Yang's footsteps stopped at the entrance.

Another trap.

He didn't even bother to use a single blood vine to test it.

These side halls weren't meant for storing treasures at all; they were for screening, or rather, massacring intruders.

This wasn't a treasury; it was a slaughterhouse.

Having realized this, Song Yang ignored the sight inside the side hall and turned to continue along the main path.

Right then—

"Hiss, hiss..."

Song Yang's movements came to an abrupt halt.

At the end of the darkness, two points of crimson light slowly lit up.

Following that, a massive silhouette emerged from the darkness.

It was a giant beetle walking upright, its pair of crimson compound eyes locked firmly onto Song Yang.

It was the Zerg powerhouse who had entered with him earlier!

The Beetle Warrior's mouthparts opened and closed, revealing an extremely human-like, malicious smile.

"Human, I really didn't expect to see you here. Perfect. Once I kill you, the treasures in that hall will all be mine."

Treasures?

Song Yang's gaze lingered for a moment on the small tree emitting soft light.

"I was just about to take them when you arrived. It seems I'm truly not destined for treasures."

Song Yang sighed.

"Heh..."

A low sneer came from the Beetle Warrior's mouthparts.

"Human, drop your little tricks. Do you think I'm like those brainless fools? I can smell the surging life energy from these fruits even from this far away.

You don't want to take them only because you're afraid of danger. You want to wait for me to go in and scout, to die, so you can reap the benefits, right?"

"I'm no fool."

On its human-like face, the malice grew even thicker. "Now, go in and get that tree out for me. Otherwise, I'll tear you apart right now."

It guarded the entrance of the side hall, its massive body almost completely blocking the passage, looking as if it had Song Yang right where it wanted him.

Song Yang fell silent.

Finally, he nodded as if resigning himself to fate.

"Buzz—"

Dozens of blood vines surged silently from behind Song Yang. This time, they didn't creep along the ground but lunged toward the strange small tree like a giant scarlet spiderweb with great momentum.

No testing, no hesitation.

The tips of the blood vines transformed into sharp shovel blades, instantly cutting into the ground around the small tree, sending soil flying. Then, countless tiny vines wrapped around the roots and yanked upward!

"Crash—"

The entire small tree, along with a large amount of soil and roots, was forcibly uprooted!

The blood vines coiled around the small tree and flew straight toward the Beetle Warrior at the hall entrance.

Watching the three crystal-clear fruits, which flowed with radiance like living things, get closer and closer, the light of greed in the Beetle Warrior's eyes almost overflowed.

It was the real deal! And there were no traps!

This stupid human really was afraid of death!

It extended a huge claw and firmly grabbed the flying small tree.

A rich fragrance of life wafted over, causing its entire carapace to emit an excited vibration.

It didn't even bother to look at Song Yang again.

"Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!"

Without hesitation, the Beetle Warrior opened its hideous mouthparts and swallowed the three fruits one by one, skin and flesh together.

The juice exploded in its mouth, turning into an unimaginably majestic torrent of life energy that instantly washed through its entire body!

"Arghhh—"

The Beetle Warrior let out a roar that was both painful and exhilarating, and its aura began to skyrocket at a terrifying speed!

The carapace on its surface cracked inch by inch, only to heal rapidly under the more refined energy, becoming even darker and harder, even manifesting mysterious metallic patterns.

Cosmic Level Fifth Stage Peak!

Cosmic Level Sixth Stage!

Mid-Sixth Stage!

There was still no sign of the aura's climb stopping! Power, an unprecedented power, flooded every inch of its body!

"Hahahaha!"

Feeling the surging power within its body, the Beetle Warrior broke into a frenzied laugh.

It slowly turned around and once again locked onto Song Yang, who had nowhere to run.

"Human, thanks to you."

"As a reward, you can go die."

Before the Beetle Warrior's voice had even faded, its body didn't even move; it simply swung a forelimb casually.

Slash—

A claw wind, so condensed it was almost solid, tore through the air and swept toward Song Yang.

The power after its promotion was so terrifying that even a casual strike contained the might to split a Stellar Rank lifeform in two.

The blood vines that had been behind Song Yang instantly split into dozens, weaving into a thick scarlet shield in front of him.

"Boom!"

The claw wind slammed heavily into the blood shield, erupting in a dull, thunderous boom.

The blood shield trembled violently, a crack torn across its surface, but it wasn't pierced after all.

"Oh?"

A hint of surprise flashed in the beetle's crimson compound eyes, which then turned into even more intense excitement and cruelty.

"You can actually block that? Interesting, very interesting! Killing you this way won't be too boring!"

Its laughter echoed in the passage, and its massive body turned into a bolt of black lightning, instantly charging in front of Song Yang!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Violent claw shadows fell like a torrential storm, frantically smashing against the defensive web woven by the blood vines.

The Beetle Warrior grew more excited as it fought, the increase in power bringing it unprecedented pleasure.

It felt as if it could already see the blood-colored web being torn apart in the next second, and that hateful human being turned into mincemeat under its claws.

But gradually, it noticed something was wrong.

The power within its body seemed to be draining away.

No, not draining.

It was a feeling of being hollowed out.

"Hmm?"

It swung its claw once more, only to find that the claw wind, which should have been strong enough to tear through space, was actually significantly weaker than before.

"What's happening?"

The Beetle Warrior's movements stalled, and it looked down at its body.

Between the gaps of its indestructible carapace, which had just finished its transformation, wisps of ink-black liquid were slowly seeping out, carrying a nauseating stench.

That wasn't blood.

It was rotting pus.

"Hiss..."

A piercing pain radiated from deep within its limbs and bones, as if billions of ants were gnawing at its flesh and soul.

It felt its life force being drained at an incredible speed, transforming into a destructive, decaying power that rampaged wildly inside its body.

The mysterious metallic patterns that had just appeared on its surface were now rapidly dimming, and large patches of rotting spots began to emerge.

"Ah... Ahhh..."

It finally understood.

Those fruits... were poison!

That majestic life energy was nothing more than nourishment to activate the poison!

"You... you set me up!!"

Its crimson compound eyes stared fixedly at Song Yang, filled with nothing but endless resentment and fear.

Song Yang remained where he stood, watching it with a calm expression, as if admiring a nearly finished masterpiece.

"Roar!!"

Despair and anger drove the Beetle Warrior into utter madness; dragging its decaying body, it launched a final charge, wanting to perish together with Song Yang.

However, it was too late.

The blood vines, which had been defensively passive all along, were like countless venomous snakes that had been lying in wait; at this moment, they suddenly erupted!

"Swish, swish, swish—"

No longer a defensive shield, but a life-claiming net!

The sky-filling blood vines surged from all directions, each vine's end extending a spike as sharp as a knife, easily piercing the decaying carapace and sinking deep into the flesh.

"Arghhh!!"

The Beetle Warrior was suspended in mid-air, struggling frantically, but every twist only caused the vines to sink deeper, accelerating its body's collapse.

Black pus and blood fell like raindrops.

There wasn't a trace of pity in Song Yang's eyes.

He simply raised his hand slightly, as if giving the final command.

"Puchi—!!!"

The countless blood vines wrapped around the Beetle Warrior suddenly tightened in all directions!

That massive Zerg powerhouse, who had been so arrogant just moments ago, was forcibly torn into countless fragments in mid-air, turning into a sky-filling rain of foul-smelling blood.