153: Chapter 153: Hidden Insects

After a mere ten-odd seconds, he had transformed directly into Ming Shen!

Except for the somewhat improper expression on his face, his height and features were exactly the same as Ming Shen's!

"Holy crap!"

Flash, who happened to be running over from behind carrying a Melta Sword, saw this scene and his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"Did you freaking turn into Mystique?!"

Excitedly, Flash pulled Slaanesh, who was in the form of Ming Shen, to the side. Rubbing his hands together, he lowered his voice and said:

"Brother! Are we good brothers?"

Flash was all smiles.

"Since you can shapeshift, I have a favor to ask of you! You can definitely do it!"

"What is it?" Slaanesh looked at him warily.

"Brother, you know me."

Flash rubbed his hands, a fanatical look in his eyes.

"My biggest dream in this life is to be a Dragon Knight just once!"

"Look... can you endure a little grievance and turn into Liu Yifei? Specifically, how she looked when she played the 'Fairy Sister' at eighteen! As long as you're willing to change, I'll give you a hundred thousand points for your trouble!"

After hearing these outrageous words...

Slaanesh looked at Flash with a peculiar expression.

"Sure. I have no problem changing."

Slaanesh gave a cold laugh and patted Flash on the shoulder.

"But do you believe it? The Liu Yifei I transform into might pull out something bigger than yours. Are you sure you can stomach that?"

Flash imagined that terrifying scene of a muscular 'Fairy Sister' with a 'baton,' and his face instantly turned pale. He gave a couple of dry laughs and fled in a panic.

At that moment...

Miracle Walker, who had been eavesdropping nearby, interjected gloomily:

"Well, actually, it's not like it's impossible. I usually quite enjoy the Futa category..."

"????"

Slaanesh looked at Miracle Walker in shock and couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air:

"Holy crap! I used to think you were just a closet pervert. Today I realized that compared to you heavy-taste players, if the real Slaanesh came here, he'd have to say his own tastes are mild!"

"Alright! Stop talking nonsense! Serious business is more important!"

In the distance, Ming Shen couldn't stand the insane conversation of these lunatics anymore and roared loudly.

The three of them quickly stopped joking and returned to the front of the main force.

Slaanesh also reverted to his original appearance.

"Boss, follow me! I'll lead the way!"

Slaanesh pointed at the tallest building in the center of the Inner City.

"We'll charge straight through and take down that female Warden! She's the leader of the Genestealers on this planet! Once she's dead, the Hive Mind network will collapse! These prisoners are on our side now, too!"

Ming Shen nodded and immediately sent word back to headquarters to launch the general offensive.

The army set out again, preparing to flood into the Inner City.

Slaanesh drew his Shock Axe, preparing to lead the massive group of prisoners in the charge.

But Ming Shen grabbed his arm.

Ming Shen looked around to make sure no one was watching, then leaned into Slaanesh's ear and said in a low, sincere tone:

"Brother, you know me. I don't have many hobbies."

"When we get back after this battle, could you... turn into a Mecha Girl to satisfy your brother here?"

"Get lost!!!"

Low Earth Orbit of Outpost 544.

Inside the luxuriously spacious bridge of the sea breeze no. 9.

Lin Li was leaning back in a leather chair, closely monitoring the ground battle through a massive holographic tactical projection.

It was exactly as he had envisioned.

Once the The Fourth Calamity formed an organized armored torrent, the firepower density they displayed was simply not something those prison guards and genetic mutants with limited attack ranges could contend with.

The battle ended even faster than imagined.

After losing the thick anti-air walls, the urban warfare lasted for less than half a day.

That massive Abyss Prison was completely pierced through by the players.

Standing behind Lin Li, the Thunder Commander Ushtan watched as the enemy's red dots were rapidly cleared, but a hint of worry appeared on his resolute face.

"My Lord."

Ushtan said in a deep voice,

"Those clone warriors have successfully broken into the core area and killed the Genestealer leader. Theoretically, this siege is over."

He paused, his tone becoming serious,

"But I maintain a high degree of suspicion regarding the identity of that clone who returned halfway. Records show that Genestealers possess very sophisticated means of disguise and infiltration. He may very well have been swapped."

Lin Li understood that Ushtan was talking about the player Wanna Sleep with Slaanesh, who had gained shapeshifting abilities.

"It's fine. Don't worry."

Lin Li waved his hand, his tone very certain,

"I can't guarantee the loyalty of others, but there's absolutely no problem with the loyalty of this group."

Currently, only Lin Li and Iron Man 73 knew the true origins of the players within the entire Shelter.

Even Stone Man 73, as the head of genetic technology, had not been told too many details.

Therefore, as a native, it was a very normal military instinct for Ushtan to feel concerned about subordinates who suddenly mutated.

Lin Li turned to look at the other 73: "73. Are the satellite's overall scanning results for this planet out? Besides this Great Prison, are there any other large human settlements?"

"Creator, according to the surface thermal imaging data sent back by the satellite through the dust storms, ruins suspected to be large human settlements have been discovered in the southern hemisphere and near the equator."

73 reported in a voice devoid of emotion,

"However, no vital signs of large-scale human activity can be detected in those ruins anymore. Even the heat sources of large wild animals have disappeared. It is suspected that they were completely devoured as biomass food by the Tyranids in the early stages of the cult outbreak."

"The whole planet has been eaten empty, leaving only this prison as a takeout mystery box," Lin Li sneered.

The group continued to observe patiently from orbit for a while longer.

Until the pv terminal on Lin Li's wrist emitted a crisp notification sound.

[System Prompt: Challenge Quest 'Clear the Tyranid Infestation' completed!]

[Quest Rewards: 10,000 Core Points issued; all highest-level permissions for the Outpost 544 Underground Incubation Chamber unlocked!]

"Mission accomplished."

Lin Li stood up and adjusted his Power Armor. "Let's go, descend. Let's go receive this new territory."

...

The massive silver-white hull of the sea breeze no. 9 landed smoothly on the Inner City square of the Abyss Prison.

The hatch opened.

Lin Li led 73, Ushtan, Sister Frannie, Hong, and others directly to the tall building in the center of the prison to rendezvous with the player Commanders waiting there.

Ming Shen strode forward, stood at attention, and very cooperatively gave a military salute:

"Reporting to the Administrator! The mission has been successfully completed! The ringleader has been executed, and the enemy forces have completely collapsed!"

Lin Li looked at Ming Shen's serious demeanor and nodded with satisfaction: "Very good, full of spirit."

Afterward.

Surrounded by the crowd, Lin Li walked to the high platform on the square and looked down at the high-security prisoners who had just participated in the riot.

Although these prisoners were all sallow and thin as rails due to long-term malnutrition,

Their eyes held a ferocity born of living on the edge of a knife.

Lin Li looked at this vast number of male criminals and thought to himself:

"They're all desperate, ruthless characters. With just a little training, they'll definitely be excellent material for grunts."

He cleared his throat and announced loudly to those below:

"Listen up! With your actions, you have proven your loyalty to the God-Emperor and earned a chance at a new life!"

"From now on, you are no longer criminals of Mobius Prime! I pardon all your past crimes! You shall live as legal freemen on this planet under the protection of the Spark Alliance!"

Upon hearing these words,

The prisoners on the square were stunned for a moment, and then an earth-shattering cheer erupted!

Some people excitedly ran around to spread the good news to their comrades in the underground prison who hadn't come out yet.

"Perfect, I'll take this opportunity."

Lin Li turned and whispered instructions to Ushtan,

"From among these people, conscript ten thousand new recruits for me first, and take them back for some trial training."

Just as Lin Li was delegating the recruitment matters,

Sister Frannie, who had been following him in silence, suddenly had a drastic change in expression!

Her weak prophetic psionic power sent out a frantic death warning at that instant.

"Lord, watch out! There's something around us!" Frannie cried out in alarm, suddenly drawing the Chainsword at her waist and stepping directly in front of Lin Li.

The next moment!

In the air less than five meters from Lin Li,

The previously empty space suddenly underwent a ripple-like distortion!

Two slender, high-tier Tyranid monsters covered in color-changing camouflage scales—Lictors—deactivated their optical stealth without warning!

Their massive mantis-like arms, akin to the scythes of the Grim Reaper, let out a whistle as they tore through the air, striking from the left and right in a determined killing blow aimed at Lin Li's neck!

The distance was too close!

The speed was too fast!

So close that even the battle-hardened Thunder Commander Ushtan didn't have time to draw the broadsword from his back!

The surrounding players were even more shocked, crying out in alarm one after another.

However,

In this critical moment,

Lin Li's body reacted entirely out of an instinctive response to danger.

He didn't even go through any conscious thought; he just subconsciously felt that there were bugs lunging at his face and found it somewhat annoying.

So, he simply raised both hands, as if casually shooing away blood-sucking mosquitoes by his ears in the summer.

"Slap! Slap!"

Two seemingly light and disorganized slaps were thrown out!

Accompanied by two dull, tooth-aching cracks of shattering bone!

Those two bugs were actually sent flying backward on the spot by Lin Li's two casual slaps!

"Boom! Boom!"

The two Lictors smashed heavily into the ruined wall dozens of meters away, purple-black blood spraying wildly.

Half of their heads had been flattened by that terrifying palm strength, and they lay on the ground twitching frantically.

This scene happened too fast and was too ridiculous.

Ushtan, Frannie, and the surrounding prisoners and prison guards who were about to risk their lives to protect their lord were all dumbfounded.

They stood there like wooden chickens.

What kind of freakish arm strength is this?! Swatting high-tier xenos like flies?!

"Holy crap! Boss is awesome!"

"They're low health, low health! Don't let these two elite mobs get away! Quick, steal the kills!"

The players of the Scourge Legion were the fastest to react.

They didn't care why Lin Li was so fierce.

Seeing two high-tier bugs twitching on the ground, a group of them pounced forward with howls.

Dozens of weapons unleashed a frantic output on those two Lictors that weren't quite dead yet, instantly finishing them off and slicing them into piles of shredded meat.

Meanwhile,

Standing on the high platform, Lin Li remained expressionless on the surface, even slowly brushing the dust off his gloves.

He maintained the posture of a lonely master putting on an act.

But in reality,

Lin Li's back was completely drenched in a layer of cold sweat.

"Damn! That scared the hell out of me!"

Lin Li was screaming internally,

"If I hadn't reacted just now, my head would've been twisted off by those two big mantises! Luckily my current stat panel is high enough, otherwise I'd have really kicked the bucket today!"

The players in front dragged the remains of the bugs over.