I Contracted All Ancient Divine Artifacts

Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Crimson Descends

City Guardian Organization, Central Building.

The phone lines of the operators had exploded with calls.

A growing number of people noticed the anomaly on the coast of Deep Blue City, and they were panic-stricken and terrified.

”Stay calm; our City Guardians have already headed to the coast to handle it.”

”Please rest assured, the message has been conveyed to all major battle zones, and reinforcements will arrive soon.”

”Okay, I understand.”

One of the operators put down the phone, his face heavy with gravity, mostly grief, but he suppressed his emotions, picked up the internal communication phone, and passed the news upward.

”Three hundred sixty-two students from Qingteng Academy, including ten teachers and Principal Chen Guangpu, perished on the beach.”

”Chen Guangpu single-handedly held off the Insect Race at sea, giving the students time to survive, before ultimately being devoured and killed by a mysterious and powerful Insect Race.”

”Apart from the sea, there are enemies in the sky above; the Insect Race is brewing an all-out attack.”

The city’s broadcasts also began urgent announcements.

”All City Guardians in Deep Blue City, immediately drop all other tasks and head to the beach area at the fastest speed. Close the Deep Blue Gate, activate the Protective Shield! Civilian staff should also go, responsible for personnel evacuation and emergency shelter.”

”Everyone hold on! The Insect Race’s surprise attack won’t last long; the strong and legions of Great Xia will arrive soon.”

All citizens of Deep Blue City dropped what they were doing and followed official guidance to the shelters.

Spirit Contract Masters and Contracted Spirits, consciously giving up refuge, went to the city gates where they were about to engage in close combat with the Insect Race, awaiting orders.

Yi Fan, then the First Team Captain of Deep Blue City’s City Guardian Organization, frowned, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon of the sea.

An hour had already passed.

The endless horizon of the sea was already crowded with all kinds of Insect Race.

Most were Tier One and Tier Two Insect Races, and more kept surfacing continuously.

Gathered on the beach, they didn’t choose to attack immediately, as if waiting for commands.

”Captain Yi, ordinary civilians have been evacuated. All Spirit Contract Masters and Contracted Spirits in Deep Blue City who could make it have arrived at the city walls awaiting orders.”

Yi Fan nodded slightly and then asked, ”What about the other cities? Any movements? When will reinforcements arrive?”

Upon hearing Yi Fan’s question, his subordinate fell silent.

”When the other cities heard about the large-scale Insect Race appearance near Deep Blue City’s coast, they dispatched reinforcements immediately, but they are still on their way.”

”As for the headquarters, the phone lines have been busy, and we can’t get through.”

”Busy lines? At this time, isn’t it a bit too coincidental?”

No one dared to answer this question.

The air was severe, oppressive, even the sea breeze blowing from the coastline towards Deep Blue City carried a scent of blood.

The dense scene along the coast made all the City Guardians on the city walls shiver as goosebumps spread across their skin.

To say they weren’t afraid would be a lie, but not a single one retreated or fled; guarding Deep Blue was the honor they held fast in their hearts.

At this moment, the City Guardians made way.

Xia Youwei and Li Lingzhen appeared solemnly on the city wall.

Seeing them, Yi Fan nodded as a greeting. ”Where is that distinguished person? Didn’t accompany you?”

The distinguished person Yi Fan referred to was Li Shutong.

His identity was no longer a secret, and Li Shutong never deliberately concealed it.

Li Lingzhen shook her head, ”Grandfather didn’t come with us; he said there’s something more important to do.”

...

In the depths of the ocean, millions of miles from the coastline.

Above the sea, Li Shutong stood with his hands behind his back, looking down towards the sea’s surface, seemingly able to see through the layers of sea to discern what lay on the seabed.

He clearly saw a massive vortex below the surface.

Swarming Insect Race continuously emerged from this vortex, heading towards the frontline beach.

”If I were you, I wouldn’t come here first; you’re rushing.” A voice from Yan sounded nearby.

He still wore a black outfit, with a black hat concealing his entire face.

”So you didn’t die. A defeated general has the nerve to show himself.”

”Hey.” Yan chuckled, ”Li Shutong, indeed I can’t beat you. But attempting to destroy this Teleportation Gate, it’s impossible. With me here, how will you see through the real versus the false?”

”What’s more, I didn’t come alone this time.”

As his words fell.

The sea surface beside him abruptly rose tens of thousands of feet.

An enormous wave, towering to the sky, surged towards Li Shutong, like a mountain falling.

Li Shutong, without any apparent action, merely turned his hand slightly and punched, dispersing the overwhelming wave with a single blow.

As the giant wave dissipated, it revealed a massive figure inside, resembling a Flesh Puppet.

Its body was piled with countless decaying flesh and appeared dark red without a head.

Protruding blood vessels lay exposed on its surface, pulsing vigorously and fiercely.

Such a gigantic body occasionally had small pits bursting open like lumps, from which numerous small red insects emerged, greedily gnawing at the falling flesh.

”Mad Beast.”

Li Shutong gazed solemnly at the ten thousand feet high Flesh Puppet, recognizing yet another Tier Nine Insect Emperor.

”With just the two of you, what could you possibly do to me?”

”And if you add me in?” An aged voice sounded, and where Li Shutong’s retreat path lay, endless darkness enveloped the space in black, even swallowing any gaze cast upon it into an infinite void.

Li Shutong shifted his gaze with full strength, avoiding looking there, his heart profoundly aware of the trap set for him.

”Tier Nine Insect Emperor, Void. Even you came, truly a grand gesture.”

”Hahahaha, to kill the number one of Great Xia, the War God Li Shutong who single-handedly battles the Three Great Insect Emperors, how could such a gesture be too grand?”

The Three Great Insect Emperors surrounded Li Shutong from three directions.

They didn’t attack immediately but watched cautiously, waiting for the opponent to show a flaw — for a War God like the Great Xia War God, any caution wasn’t over the top.

”Li Shutong, we can delay, but can you?” As they spoke, the deep blue sea beneath their feet suddenly turned a crimson hue.

The crimson spread around, swiftly staining the endless sea red in a matter of moments.

At the deepest point beneath the sea, beside the teleportation vortex, lay an opened coffin.

From inside, a young woman leisurely stepped out.

With each step, the surrounding seawater turned entirely into blood, filling the entire ocean with a thick stench of blood with every step she took.

Ordinary attire on Red Iris vanished, replaced by a scarlet, luxurious robe, accentuating her entire form in a tall, noble, and aloof elegance.

Her slender fingers slowly extended, growing crimson nails, as she pointed towards Deep Blue City’s direction.

”I’ve been reborn.”

”Bai Shuang is not me, Red Iris is not me; from today onwards, please call me the Crimson Queen.”

”The slaughter begins now!”

At her command.

The waiting Insect Race began to glow with scarlet light.

Their eyes turned entirely crimson, exuding frenzy, savagery, bloodlust, slaughter — all sorts of negative emotions radiating from their pupils.

Even millions of miles away, they heard the Crimson Queen’s order.

Countless Insect Race roared in unison.

Charging towards Deep Blue.