Global Grave Digging: My Reward Increased Ten Thousand Times

160: Fighting magic with magicThe disastrous defeat of the second joint general offensive was like the biting cold wind, completely blowing away the last shred of hypocritical warmth between the seven great megacities.

In that secret communication channel limited to the highest leaders, there were no longer any strategic discussions, only hysterical accusations and naked greed remaining.

”Trash! A bunch of trash!” General Chris roared first, his scarlet gaze seemingly wanting to tear the others apart through the screen. ”The main forces of the seven cities were all deployed! Even the orbital ion cannons were used! Yet you couldn’t even catch one defecting researcher! And you lost so many elites! How do you explain this?!”

”Explain? General Chris, have you forgotten who first proposed the all-out attack?” The old representative of Yuheng City sneered, striking back without hesitation. ”If it weren’t for certain people being so eager to take back the Divine Weapon, perhaps we would have had a more secure method!”

”Secure? Hmph, I think you’re just hoping Lu Zhifei gets away so you can secretly send people to pick up the scraps!” the general of Tianquan City interjected with a sarcastic tone.

”You!”

”Enough!” The long-silent Lord of Tianji City suddenly barked, his voice containing a strange majesty that brought the arguing to an abrupt halt. ”Matters have reached this point; mutual accusations are meaningless. Facts have proven that conventional forces are already ineffective against Lu Zhifei, who has achieved Fusion with the Star Core Divine Weapon; they even become her nourishment. The joint operation has also completely failed due to our mutual suspicion and selfishness.”

He paused, his cold gaze sweeping across everyone’s face: ”Since that is the case, I propose dissolving the so-called joint pursuit framework. From now on, everyone relies on their own abilities! Whoever can finally obtain the Dawn Morningstar, no matter the method, will have the ten-year priority usage and research rights for this Divine Weapon! After ten years, it will still be returned to Tianshu. General Chris, do you have any objections?”

General Chris’s face turned livid. His lips trembled a few times, but in the end, he could only squeeze one word through his teeth: ”...Fine!”

He knew he had already lost control of the situation.

The other six megacities all possessed remains or technology of other Star Core Divine Weapons. Although they might not have complete Divine Weapons, their foundations and methods were far superior to the desperate Tianshu City.

Forcing an opposition would only make him the target of everyone’s ire.

This winner-takes-all agreement was like a curse, completely unleashing the most primal desires hidden deep within the seven great megacities.

The moment the communication channel closed, even darker conspiracies began to brew.

Within the command centers of some megacities, even more mysterious orders rang out.

In the eyes of certain high-ranking figures, an inhuman scarlet light flashed. Through unknown channels, they contacted allies lurking in the shadows.

A few days later, an abrupt change occurred!

The first thing the abandoned base’s warning System detected was not a human army, but... a swarm of insects!

An overwhelming, endless swarm of insects!

Tens of millions of various insectoid units burrowed out from underground and surged from the distant horizon, a black mass like a moving black plague. With ear-piercing screeches and a nauseating stench, they charged fearlessly toward the base where Lu Zhifei was located!

”They actually resorted to using the insectoids...” In the base’s command room, Lu Zhifei watched the terrifying scene on the holographic screen, her eyes as cold as ten-thousand-year ice. ”It seems some people have completely stopped considering themselves human.”

She did not panic in the slightest.

After unlocking nanotechnology, her control over the Dawn Morningstar grew with each passing day, and the mechanical essence she had devoured earlier also provided her with a large reserve of energy.

”Activate the Hive Defense Matrix! Mechanical legion, engage!”

As she gave the order, the entire abandoned base seemed to come alive!

The ground cracked open, and underground lifting platforms hoisted up hundreds of modified mechs and tanks that shimmered with a silver-white light—these were the spoils of war from the seven great megacities that she had previously captured and reshaped!

In the sky, thousands of various models of combat drones rose like a dark cloud, and dense energy beams and live ammunition poured down!

Electromagnetic towers hidden throughout the base instantly activated, releasing powerful interference waves that disrupted the insect swarm’s mental link!

Even more terrifyingly, Lu Zhifei waved her right hand gently, and under her will, the Dawn Morningstar arm began to frantically activate the [High-Speed Assembly] ability!

The mechanical essence and basic Materials she had stored in her battle case were instantly extracted, assembled, and formed!

Within just a few minutes, tens of thousands of fist-sized mechanical bees, equipped with miniature high-energy explosives and plasma cutters, were manufactured. They roared out like a real swarm of bees and charged without hesitation into the insect swarm!

Boom, boom, boom, boom—!!!

The light of explosions rose and fell, and the plasma cutters easily tore through the hard carapaces of the insectoids!

This was a brutal collision between technological creations and biological units!

Lu Zhifei, like a calm commander, sat in the center, precisely directing every ounce of power.

Although her mechanical legion was far inferior in numbers to the insect swarm, relying on advanced technology, rational tactics, and the home-field advantage, she managed to stubbornly hold back that seemingly endless sea of insects!

The battle lasted for a full half-day.

The perimeter of the base was already piled high with the corpses of insectoids and the wreckage of mechanical creations. Purple-black insect blood mixed with burning machine oil, staining the earth into a nauseating color.

Finally, when the last giant tunnel worm attempting to break through the defense line was torn apart by the concentrated fire of several mechs, the insect swarm finally retreated slowly like an ebbing tide, after suffering nearly ten million casualties.

Inside the base, Lu Zhifei watched the energy reserves drop to the warning line and saw the large number of damaged mechanical units needing repair. She deliberately revealed a hint of exhaustion, even allowing a few enemy drones responsible for high-altitude reconnaissance to capture her slightly pale face and rapid breathing.

She knew this performance was necessary.

Sure enough, just a few hours after the insect swarm retreated.

Tianxuan City, that megacity known for stealth and speed, seized what they believed to be a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity!

Dozens of ghostly black shadows, utilizing optical camouflage and anti-gravity engines, silently broke through the base’s outer perimeter warning line and headed straight for the core area!

This was Tianxuan City’s trump card—the ”Shadow Blade” assassin unit! They believed that after experiencing such a massive insect swarm, Lu Zhifei must be at the end of her rope, and the defense System must be significantly weaker than before!

However, what greeted them was a welcome ceremony carefully prepared by Lu Zhifei.

The traps that had already been repaired and hidden again activated once more. Upgraded nanobots, like an invisible plague, permeated their optical camouflage System, and a blade network composed of high-frequency vibrating particle blades suddenly emerged from the shadows!

Without even being able to let out a scream, this heavily relied-upon Shadow Blade unit, just like the previous attackers, disappeared silently into the darkness of the base, becoming the latest nourishment for the Dawn Morningstar.

[Mechanical Essence + 8500 points]

[Energy reserves replenished to 90%]

[Analysis acquired: Optical Camouflage Technology (Rare Level), Anti-Gravity Engine Miniaturization Technology (Rare Level)]

Lu Zhifei slowly retracted her arm, feeling the power that had increased once again, without the slightest ripple in her eyes.

And this total annihilation of Tianxuan City’s forces finally made the other covetous megacities completely calm down.

They realized with horror that conventional methods, no matter how elite, seemed to be ineffective against that woman.

Unless...

In an even more secret Seven-City secret meeting, where the atmosphere was even more heavy.

The old representative of Yuheng City, with a hoarse voice, proposed the final plan that everyone had thought of but was unwilling to face:

”Everyone, matters have reached this point; there is only one way left. Use Divine Weapons against Divine Weapons!”