Monster Paradise

“That was so close!”

Everyone was relieved when they left the Scarlet Centipedes’ gathering grounds. Tu Tong was the first to speak, unable to hold back.

“I’ve just found out that Scarlet Centipedes can grow three heads…” Lin Huang cared more about the Scarlet Centipede’s form.

Although they could not use Divine Telekinesis to probe what was happening outside, Lin Huang and the others could still see everything out there clearly, thanks to Lan Ling’s spell projection.

“The chances of mutated indigenous monsters in the Abyss are much higher than in other places. Some that look like distorted mutations to the outside world are actually a way for them to elevate. Just like that three-headed monster earlier—its level might be class-5.5, which has far surpassed its own tribe,” Virtuoso, who was next to them, explained calmly.

Not only Lin Huang, but even Tu Tong and Lan Ling fell silent at that. Clearly, it was their first time hearing about such a unique method of elevation.

“The three-headed Centipede doesn’t seem like the bugs’ leader though,” Lin Huang commented after that, “The one that released the low hum and stopped it from attacking us might be the real leader.”

“But I didn’t sense any more auras more powerful than the three-headed Centipede among the Scarlet Centipedes earlier.” Lan Ling, on the other hand, shook her head to voice her doubt.

“That was probably a Mother Bug. It might even be that three-headed Centipede’s mother.” It was Saber9 who explained this time.

The Mother Bug that he mentioned was not merely a female bug but also one that possessed reproductive ability. Mother Bugs had a high status in the Bug Tribe; they might even be the leaders of the entire Bug Tribe. Mother Bugs becoming leaders of the Bug Tribe had nothing to do with their abilities. Usually, this was determined by the number of offspring that had surpassed a specific ratio. (The Queen Mother was a special kind of Mother Bug. Among Mother Bugs, only those with reproductive abilities that had exceeded normal limits would be named Queen Mothers.)

“That Mother Bug is very wise. It’s probably fairly high-level…” Virtuoso smiled and noted.

Although they did not say it outright, Lin Huang and the rest caught the hidden meaning behind their words.

“Do you mean we’ve been discovered?!” Lin Huang asked immediately.

“There’s an eighty percent chance we’ve most probably been discovered.” Virtuoso nodded calmly.

Lin Huang was rather confused, as he had not noticed anything odd.

Tu Tong and Lan Ling had not noticed anything out of the ordinary either.

Noticing their confusion on their faces, Virtuoso then explained calmly, “The bugs don’t live in harmony with each other in Demonic Bug Mazes. Conflicts are common, and it’s something very normal for a single bug beast to be eaten by other bugs. That’s also the reason why we were stopped by the three-headed Scarlet Centipede.

“In reality, the three-headed Centipede was famished, and had already locked onto the Tank Beetle we’re in as its prey. Under normal circumstances, the Mother Bug wouldn’t stop it from hunting and eating since it was hungry. That’s because hunting a single Tank Beetle is nothing.

“However, it was strange that the Mother Bug was so eager to stop it from attacking us…

“The only reasonable explanation is that it discovered us hiding in the Tank Beetle’s body. It was even shrewd enough to speculate that its bugs would lose as soon as a fight broke out… To prevent the bugs from being hurt, the only choice it had was to release the Tank Beetle to avoid conflict with us.”

Lin Huang and the rest felt that Virtuoso’s speculation made sense after listening to their explanation.

“If it’s really as you say, then I suspect we’ve already been discovered by now.” Lin Huang rapidly became aware of another issue. “That Mother Bug must have already spread the news about us.”

Clearly, Virtuoso and the rest had realized this too. After a moment of silence, Virtuoso turned their head to look at Lan Ling, “Wait for a little and find an opportunity—we’ll change to another puppet.”

Lan Ling nodded immediately.

Approximately less than three minutes later, she found a second puppet—a Boa Worm.

The Boa Worm was a bug monster that looked like a massive boa constrictor but bore a slight resemblance to an earthworm as well. Its body was usually more than twenty meters long, and its forte was soil elemental truth.

If not for Lan Ling’s ability with spells, it would have been very difficult for even an ordinary Heavenly God to capture a Boa Worm, as they were extremely proficient in soil escape methods.

When they saw the Boa Worm appearing under Lan Ling’s control, Lin Huang and the rest abandoned the Tank Beetle. After killing it, they climbed into the Boa Worm’s body.

The Boa Worm might have been an expert in soil escape methods, but in reality, to Lin Huang and the rest, it was even more suitable as a means of transport.

There were many restrictions in the Demonic Bug Maze, as well as many places that the Boa Worm could not pass through with its escape method.

However, under Lan Ling’s control, the Boa Worm moved forward at least ten times faster than the Tank Beetle from before.

Meanwhile, within five minutes of their departure, a Bug Tribe team hastened to where the Tank Beetle’s carcass was.

“They must have hidden in the Tank Beetle’s back previously…” After some investigation, a few bugs soon noticed the sliced opening on the Tank Beetle’s back.

“They’ve already escaped. They must be hiding in another bug beast now.”

“The trail seems to be left by a Boa Worm…”

“It might just have been passing through.”

“Whether it’s a coincidence or not, we must strictly monitor all Boa Worm movements!”

Lin Huang and the others remained hiding in the Boa Worm, and progress was smooth.

Very soon, Lan Ling determined that the general direction they started in was the correct one.

They could not help but be relieved.

This was because they would have to backtrack if the direction was wrong. There might even be a great deal of trial and error involved to determine where the general direction of the exit was.

“Since we’re in the correct general direction, the next thing that we need to do is to look for the passageway that leads to the exit,” Virtuoso said calmly.

However, Lin Huang did not forget to remind them, “We still need to escape the bugs’ pursuit as well!”

They knew that by now, the news of them invading the Demonic Bug Maze would have already been broadcast everywhere.

Almost all the bugs from the shallower areas of the entire Maze had left their lairs in search of the five of them.

If the Bug Tribe’s probing techniques had not also been affected by the Demonic Bug Maze, the group might have been discovered way early on.

“We’ll fight our way out if we really can’t escape them!” Saber9’s tone was grim. He was obviously not joking, judging by the expression on his face—he genuinely had every intention of doing it.

“That has to be the last resort,” Lin Huang disagreed, “If we can, we should avoid battle as much as possible. After all, this is the Demonic Bugs’ lair. No matter how powerful our individual abilities are, we’re not Lords after all. We can’t hold off the entire Maze; it’s only a matter of time before we exhaust ourselves and die.”

Saber9 shot a glance at Lin Huang and said nothing more.

Lan Ling remained silent from beginning to end. Given that she was the one using spells to control the Boa Worm, she was the one who faced the most pressure out of everyone there. She did not have extra energy to participate in the discussion…