Super Gene

The broken shells were strange to see. They did not look as if they had been removed from the creatures with a fine weapon. The whole cave was littered with the shells, and there was not a single living thing to be found.

When Han Sen reached the deepest recess of the cave, he was dismayed to learn there was nothing there. No eggs: nothing.

“Who could have done all this and broken the eggs? Is this the work of a human or a spirit?” Han Sen frowned.

It was pointless to wonder now, though. But just as Han Sen readied himself to depart, he was overwhelmed with a chill that suggested he was in immediate danger.

He turned around and threw a punch without thinking. The gauntlets collided with a dark-green claw, and when they met, the force sent him flying backwards. As he careened through the cavern, he broke through many crystal walls.

Disloyal Knight ran to the monster to engage it, providing time for Han Sen to stand up. The pain he was feeling was excruciating, but he knew he did not have the time to wallow around.

When his eyes focused, he was shocked to see Disloyal Knight in conflict with a dark-green spider. It was the size of a household room, and it was hairy.

Disloyal Knight threw a punch, but before it could land, the spider fired a web to tangle and nullify its potential damage.

Disloyal Knight was strong, but the web was far too sticky for him to do anything against it. The web was like a million, syrupy rubber bands.

The web knotted its way around Disloyal Knight’s arm, and the spider continued to unleash stream after stream of the web. Eventually, Disloyal Knight was practically cocooned. He had been rendered unable to move.

Pang!

The metallic claws of the spider struck against Disloyal Knight’s armor and left a deep cleft across his chest.

With its foe trapped and unable to move, the spider made the most of this opportunity to keep attacking.

Han Sen now knew what the shells were. They were the shells of bugs that had been killed by the spider.

The meat of the prey had all been eaten, leaving behind the ruined remains of a husk. That’s what the tattered shells were.

“This spider must have been birthed from the egg that was said to be here. What a horrifying creature; to murder and dine on so many hapless victims. It makes me shudder!” Han Sen was strangely excited about this ordeal.

The eggs had not been taken, and neither had they been eaten, they had become a super creature.

Han Sen summoned his gold raven beast soul and transformed. With his Blood-Pulse Sutra, he activated his nine gene locks.

The spider, seeing this other threat, then turned to fire webs at Han Sen. They were hopeless against him, though, as the webs were immediately incinerated by the bird’s fire.

Han Sen swooped in close to the spider, and with his talons, he cut the spider with a grizzly swing. Immediately, the spider began to gush green blood. Han Sen then spun around and fired a geyser of flame towards Disloyal Knight to free him.

The trapping web was scorched away, freeing him to do combat once again.

Following this, Han Sen and the knight co-operated in attacking the spider. With Disloyal Knight’s halo and Han Sen’s volcanic assaults, the spider stood no chance.

There was no place for the spider to run or hide inside the cave. And within the hour, Han Sen was able to deliver the final blow, crushing its brain.

“Super Creature Cruel Spider King killed. No beast soul gained. The flesh of this creature is inedible, but you may harvest its Life Geno Essence. Consume its Life Geno Essence to gain zero to ten super geno points randomly.”

Although there was no beast soul, Han Sen was still pleased with the result. He did not expect to receive a Life Geno Essence again, quite so soon.

When the body decomposed, though, something else was left behind. It wasn’t just the Life Geno Essence this time.

Han Sen’s jaw dropped when he saw what it was. It was a gold card, one emblazoned with the Nine-Life Cat emblem.

The card was red and around the size of a man’s hand. On its back was the number seven.

Han Sen examined it closely, but could not learn anything more. He had no clue why it had been left there, inside the belly of that spider.

He took the Life Geno Essence and walked around, wanting to ensure he had not missed anything. Han Sen eventually returned to Nest Shelter and asked Uncle Bug a few questions.

The answers he received were disappointing. The scariest place in the region was the nest he had just been to.

“Aside from Thorn Forest and the water, is there anywhere else strange and treacherous I might venture?” Han Sen asked.

Han Sen did not want to go to the water. The last time he was there, the fish king made all the creatures run off. In case he needed to traverse the banks of those wide rivers again in the near future, the last thing he wanted to do was provoke the kind inhabitants that had once respectfully provided him passage.

Thorn Forest was a mysterious place. It was wild and unpredictable, so without the safety net of his underground shelter, he wouldn’t dare venture there.

“There is still one more peculiar spot, here in The Forest of a Thousand Insects,” Uncle Bug said.

“What place would that be?” Han Sen asked.

Uncle Bug remained silent for a few moments, before telling Han Sen, “There are three small hills that skirt Thorn Forest. They are around five hundred meters tall, with a valley between them that is completely devoid of life. One dead spot, surrounded by the abundance of vegetation everywhere else in this land. Creatures have been known to wander in, but never wander out. And occasionally, you can hear the distant voice of a baby crying.”

Uncle Bug went on to say, “I’ve been here all these years, and never once wanted to set foot in that place. What you might find there, I haven’t a clue. But for what it’s worth, I would advise against traveling there.”

Han Sen feigned agreement, but secretly thought to himself, “This is exactly what I wanted!”

Han Sen asked where that place was, so he knew where to avoid. His next trip was set.