Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!

The lurkers are the key reserves of the Bug Race, lying dormant until needed. However, once the city poses enough of a threat to the mothers of these lurkers, they will call their offspring to resist desperately, and simultaneously summon the nests outside the city to pour forth, all in an effort to save their own lives.

Eternal Night City suffered greatly last time when forced to fight a two-front battle. Now facing a potentially similar predicament, Bai E would not let the same disaster befall himself twice.

Seizing the moment before the city begins a large-scale investigation of the "lurkers," Bai E opts to take out the Bug Nests outside the city directly in advance.

This way, he can ensure that the developments of the battle, both inside and outside the city, remain firmly under his control, and make absolutely certain there are no errors in the rescue plan.

With these thoughts weighing on his mind, it wasn't long before Bai E piloted his blue-and-white mecha over the mucus-covered, bug-infested fungal plains.

The core Bug Nest was located at the very heart of this fungal terrain.

Drawing the alloy combat blade lightly, Bai E controlled the mecha as it streaked through the air like a meteor, slamming directly onto a small hill brewing with bug activity.

"Boom!"

The ground trembled, and a tide of insects surged forth.

Countless bugs clad in black shells poured out at high speed, like an overwhelming army of ants rushing from various nest openings across the terrain, accompanied by massive beasts bursting from hidden burrows, stretching their gargantuan and grotesque forms into view.

No creature had ever dared violate the sovereignty of these devourers to such an extent. Even those nested inside their despised metal contraptions weren't immune from being torn apart and devoured!

...

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom boom boom!"

The commotion from the far end of the battlefield shook hearts and minds.

On the walls, loose stones quivered and tumbled from the vibrations coursing through the earth.

Countless sentinels stationed at the walls stared in terror at the direction of the sounds, their faces filled with bewilderment as they tried to grasp the horror unfolding out there.

"Could it be the Bug Race launching a full-scale invasion?!"

"But these are clearly the sounds of battle! Could it be some force engaging the bugs at their nest?"

"Orcs? Or perhaps the Intelligents? If they're fighting, that's great—best if they destroy each other, or at the very least inflict severe losses on each side!"

"Maybe it's that mecha from Blackwater City? Didn't I see it heading in that direction earlier?"

"Don't joke around! Haven't we fought the Bug Race countless times? A single mecha causing such a commotion? It would've been torn apart and slaughtered the moment it entered!"

"Maybe their mecha isn't the same as ours? Why else would they be the regional powerhouse while we're the poor souls always at risk of being bug food?"

The tumult persisted for ages.

So much so that these distant spectators, initially confused and shocked, gradually sank into an emotional deadlock, as if becoming stagnant, lifeless water.

Until a reconnaissance squad sent to investigate returned with news, leaving everyone in disbelief!

"A lone blue-and-white mecha is battling inside the Bug Nest!"

"Around the mecha, countless bug corpses were decapitated!"

Captured recordings from afar matched perfectly with the mecha that had introduced itself earlier as reinforcements from Blackwater City!

This astonishing fact immediately ignited a frenzy among the sentinels stationed at the wall.

The mid-level officers in charge of defending the wall could no longer contain their emotions and swiftly reported the news to the city's upper echelon.

In no time, even the city lord—barely managing to dress himself—was flanked by high-ranking officials as he arrived at the towering wall to watch the colossal disturbances occasionally emanating from afar.

"Are the videos accurate?"

"Are the only reinforcements really that single mecha?"

"So humans can be this powerful? If I'd known, we'd have allied much sooner!"

The city lord kicked aside a hesitating scout captain, yelling, "Request? Request what?! Mobilize every available personnel to investigate! Report back in batches with updates on the situation out there!"

As everyone waited anxiously, the cacophony from the Bug Nest finally began to quiet down.

Soon after, heavy footsteps echoed, resonating slowly and steadily as they moved closer from afar.

"Thud. Thud."

At last, when the massive blue-and-white figure emerged from behind a mountain corner and appeared before Thorn City's walls, the entire wall erupted in thunderous cheers and cries.

"Victory!"

"Humans have won!"

"The boss is incredible!"

Yet for reasons unknown, some of the more sensitive Spiritual Energy users couldn't shake the persistent aura of cold austerity clinging to the victorious figure.

"Boom! Boom!"

With each step, the sound grew heavier, bearing a weight far beyond what the mecha itself should hold.

A crimson beast's head, dripping corrosive acidic fluids, was being carried back toward the city in the mecha's grasp.

From a distance, the triumphant mecha raised the severed head of the giant beast, and with a force akin to launching a cannonball, hurled the beast's head toward the city wall.

"Boom!"

Debris flew, the wall vibrated.

The overlord's head slammed into the wall, spreading cracks outward from the point of impact.

Officers and sentinels stationed there stumbled and fell over, some shouting impulsively, "Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

"What enemy attack?!" The city lord, firmly supported by his subordinates, bellowed at the panicked officers. "This is Thorn City's spoils of war, can't you recognize that?!"

"Exactly!" The officials, recovering from their initial panic, refused to believe that the reinforcements from Blackwater City—who had come to help fend off the bugs—could possibly be an enemy.

If he were an enemy, why would he help Thorn City eliminate the bugs?

Everyone leaned over the edge of the wall, scrutinizing the grotesque head of the Bug overlord—a creature they had previously never dared to look at directly.

"What kind of bug's head is that?"

"The overlord's, probably?"

"Have you seen an overlord before?"

"In pictures, I think it looks just like this..."

"Don't all bugs look kind of the same?"

"The reinforcements wouldn't bring back some ordinary bug's head, right? It has to be the overlord's head!"

"We've won!"

The towering, bloated city lord hastily called out to the surrounding senior officials of Thorn City, "Why are you all still standing there? Go welcome our honorable reinforcements!"

"Yes, yes! We must welcome them!"

"Quickly! Summon the ceremonial guard! Lay down the red carpet, let's honor them for ten miles!"

Chaotic sounds burst forth instantly.

Meanwhile, only a few low-ranking runners exchanged wary glances as they quietly muttered to one another, "Didn't that lord leave earlier after being offended by our city lord?"

"Feels like there might've been a bit of personal emotion in the way he threw that beast's head just now."

"Our reinforcements wouldn't turn into our disaster, would they?"

"Probably not... We're all humans, after all. A little neglect isn't worth holding onto grudges like that. He's big, he's important—he wouldn't stoop to our city lord's level."

...

A mass of people streamed out from the city, forming neat ranks in the open space beyond the walls.

The leading crowd wore genuine smiles, all eager to welcome the return of their champion.

And all of this had materialized in the brief time since Bai E had carried the overlord's head back to the city.

In stark contrast to the cold reception earlier.

"We ask the honored reinforcements to step forward so we, on behalf of Thorn City's citizens, may offer the utmost respect!"

A blaring loudspeaker broadcasted this message below as Bai E scoffed coldly, opened the cockpit, and leapt straight down from a height of several dozen meters.

Striding directly up to Thorn City's delegation, Bai E stared directly at the city lord, who had stepped forth to speak, his face devoid of expression as he smiled coldly, "Replace your city lord, then we can talk."