Chapter 331: Insect Tide Strikes

Good grief.

This time, we've really poked a Hell-level BOSS nest.

With Zhou Huai's consciousness inside Gandalf, a trace of cold sarcasm flashed through his heart.

No wonder the Purgatory Flame Dragon in the sky hasn't made a move for so long.

Turns out it was waiting too.

Realizing that dividing into two forces wouldn't work, it simply decided to split into three.

Using one Hell-level BOSS to tie him down, and then using two more Hell-level BOSSes to tear through the defense lines from the other two directions.

This was truly a clumsy yet effective strategy.

Zhou Huai's consciousness instantly transferred to Hou Yi's body.

He stood atop a dilapidated building near the East City Gate and closed his eyes.

[Starry Sky Vision] activated.

His massive Mental Energy surged like an invisible tide, blanketing the direction of the North City Gate.

Soon, the scene there was clearly fed back into his mind.

Unlike the tragic scenes at the east and west city walls, the direction of the North City Gate appeared exceptionally "quiet".

There were no earth-shattering beast roars and no violent energy impacts.

There was only dead silence.

Yet beneath this dead silence hid a scalp-tingling malice.

Zhou Huai's "sight" pierced through the night curtain and ruins.

He saw it.

That was not a beast tide.

It was a flowing "shadow" composed of countless tiny black dots.

Clinging to the corners of walls, following cracks, and squeezing through sewers, they infiltrated the city silently like a well-trained army.

Those were insects.

Endless insects.

Zhou Huai's brow furrowed tightly.

…

Meanwhile, behind the North City Gate defense line,

Compared to the other two city gates that had long turned into battlefields, the situation here was much more stable.

The number of exotic beasts rushing in was small, and their strength was generally weak.

Under the layers of defensive Formation set up by Zhuge Kongming and the team's relentless bombardment of skills, they were quickly cleared out.

At this moment, behind the defense line, hundreds of Professionals and military soldiers were seizing this rare breathing space to restore their stamina.

The air was filled with the aroma of food mixed with a thick stench of blood, forming a bizarre combination.

Moli quietly distributed bottles of stamina potions and food to everyone.

Her expression was impassive, her movements gentle yet swift.

A young member of the Eternal Night Guild devoured the dry rations in his hand while cautiously glancing at the cold, aloof figure not far away.

"President Moli…"

He hesitated for a moment before finally asking.

"Do you think… we can hold Donghai City?"

This question voiced what everyone present was thinking.

They had been locked in bitter combat for a day and a night.

Their bodies and minds had long been pushed to the limit.

Victory still seemed indefinitely out of reach.

Moli's movements paused.

She recalled the spiritual bird scouting in the air and turned around. Her clear eyes, which always carried a hint of detachment, calmly met the young member's gaze.

She did not offer any inspiring words.

Instead, she shook her head with complete candor.

"I don't know."

Those three simple words made the surrounding atmosphere instantly freeze.

A trace of undisguisable disappointment surfaced on everyone's face.

Even the president of the Eternal Night Guild said so.

It seemed Donghai City was truly beyond saving.

Moli took in everyone's expressions without offering any explanation.

Instead, her tone shifted. Although her voice was soft, it carried an unquestionable firmness.

"But I believe in the Lord."

"As long as he is still here, we will survive."

Just as she finished speaking,

Moli's expression abruptly changed!

She suddenly snapped her head up and gazed into the distant dark night. For the first time, a look of solemn gravity appeared in her cold eyes.

Through the shared vision of the spiritual bird, she saw it.

She saw the flowing "shadow" rapidly approaching.

"Something is coming!"

Moli's voice instantly turned icy and urgent!

"All personnel, stay alert!"

"Drop what you're holding! Hurry!"

Hearing this, all the resting soldiers behind the defense line felt their hearts tighten.

Without the slightest hesitation, they immediately discarded their food and potions, grabbed their weapons, and rapidly shifted into combat readiness.

Hiding behind the cover formed by the defensive Formation, they nervously stared at the dark ruins ahead.

It's here!

"Rustle, rustle…"

A teeth-grating, dense scraping sound echoed from all directions.

Then, amidst everyone's horrified gazes,

Countless pitch-black, ferocious beetles the size of fists, sporting a pair of blood-red compound eyes, poured out of every corner of the ruins like a black tide!

Vibrating the thin wings on their backs, they produced a scalp-tingling hum as they converged into a sky-obscuring black torrent that swept toward the defense line!

"Open fire!"

Someone let out a hoarse roar.

The next second,

The brilliance of magic and the piercing sound of arrows erupted violently!

Hundreds of skills exploded amidst the black Insect Tide like brilliant fireworks!

Hundreds and thousands of beetles were instantly reduced to charred cinders and minced flesh under the bombardment of skills.

However, all of this was in vain.

Their numbers were simply too vast!

The gaps left by death were filled almost instantly by their companions surging from behind.

Without the slightest pause, the black tide slammed fiercely into the outermost dark-blue energy barrier with an unstoppable momentum!

Hum—!

The sixth-grade defensive Formation flared with blinding light!

"Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!"

There was no earth-shattering loud explosion.

There was only a teeth-grating, rapid series of crisp sounds, as if something was frantically chewing on glass!

Everyone looked closer and couldn't help drawing a sharp breath.

The dark-blue energy barrier was now densely covered with countless ferocious beetles!

Using their sharp mouthparts, they frantically chewed on the energy barrier, kicking up a flurry of fine energy sparks!

In just a few breaths, the entire dark-blue barrier was completely enveloped by a crawling wall of black insects!

The light of the indestructible sixth-grade defensive Formation began to dim rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye!

"Damn it!"

"These bugs are devouring the Formation's energy!"

A Formation Master turned pale and cried out in alarm.

"Quick! Stop them!"

A plant-type Professional swiftly cast a skill.

Rumble—!

The earth shook violently!

Countless thick vines and roots burst out of the ground like rampaging pythons, sweeping frantically toward the energy barrier covered by the insect wall!

Vines swept across and roots pierced forward!

Patches of beetles were violently swept off the barrier and crushed to pieces!

Yet their numbers showed no signs of decreasing.

Instead, they only multiplied!

…

East City Gate.

Zhou Huai's consciousness withdrew from Hou Yi's body and returned to Gandalf.

The situation at the North City Gate was even worse than he had imagined.

Although those insects weren't strong individually, their terrifying numbers and energy-devouring traits heavily countered the defensive Formation set up by Zhuge Kongming.

At this rate, in less than half an hour, all the defensive Formations at the North City Gate would be completely devoured by these beasts.

By then, Moli and the others would face the fate of being completely swallowed by the endless Insect Tide.

Zhou Huai glanced at Moria's resurrection timer.

There was only one hour remaining.

For the precarious North City Gate defense line, this hour was simply too long.

Zhou Huai took a deep breath, a flash of cold determination sweeping through his eyes.

It seemed that before Moria resurrected,

he would have to stage a game of Tian Ji's horse racing strategy.