novelnext Chapter 105 Digger
Chapter 105 Digger
Chapter 105 Digger
[Sequence Number: 018—Digging Bug]
Appearance: An extremely large insect, reaching up to 5 meters in length, with enormous mandibles on its head. Its entire body is covered with a thick, dark carapace, mostly dark brown or grayish-brown.
Its mouthparts can secrete highly corrosive digestive fluids, and its anterior body has a pair of highly specialized, enormous digging limbs.
Appendix: Information on the variant subspecies Deep Rock Giant Worm: It inhabits extremely deep underground or rock layers, its carapace is obsidian-like in color and hardness, it has extremely strong digging ability, and its acid has a burning effect.
Swamp carrion beetle: active in putrid wetlands or toxic caves, its carapace is a sickly green, and its digestive fluid contains neurotoxins and putrefactive bacteria, making it extremely polluting.
Personality: Blind greed and hunger are its sole driving forces. Its action pattern is singular (digging, ambush, feeding), but it is extremely patient, waiting for its prey like a trap. In areas rich in food, it can form a loose family enterprise—a "swarm."
Hazard Level: Single unit ≈ one out-of-control heavy siege weapon; its tunneling attacks and acid sprays are extremely destructive, but its behavior patterns are relatively predictable. When it forms a swarm (3 or more) or a mutated subspecies emerges, it poses a devastating threat to the surface.
Common habitats: loose soil beneath farmland and pastures, hilly areas, the edges of abandoned mines, and beneath any food-rich surface areas.
Its nests are complex and extensive networks of underground tunnels.
The archivist's note: "It is both a nightmare for farmers and miners and a geological alterer. A single one may be eliminated by an experienced adventurer, but the vast network of tunnels it leaves behind will continue to attract other underground creatures and cause ground collapses."
The real threat lies in the difficulty of determining whether it's a single insect or an entire family lurking underground. The only way to completely eradicate the nest is to delve into its labyrinthine tunnels and destroy all the eggs. Frankly, this is a task requiring courage, a keen sense of direction, and considerable firepower.
"Creak—!"
Amidst the ear-piercing scraping sound, the three burrowing worms displayed astonishing speed and aggression as soon as they appeared!
They rely on the powerful segmental muscles in their abdomen to wriggle, allowing them to "swim" at high speed on the ground, charging straight toward the four "prey" that radiate life heat!
The largest one charged straight at the most "plump"-looking orc, another attacked Kyle from the flank, and the last one roared through the ground and charged toward Melissa, who was being protected by Xia Lin!
"Roar!" Garu roared, neither dodging nor avoiding, facing the burrowing worm charging towards him. His giant axe, accompanied by a heavy whistling sound, cleaved into its hard head carapace, producing a loud "clang," barely stopping its momentum.
On Kyle's side, the agility of the Dragonborn Wanderer was on full display.
Instead of taking the hit head-on, just as the burrowing worm was about to collide with her, she lightly touched the ground with her toes, and her slender yet powerful body floated to the side and back as if weightless. At the same time, the rapier in her hand transformed into a silver lightning bolt, accurately stabbing into the gap between the burrowing worm's carapace, bringing out a trail of turbid fluid.
The burrowing worm, in pain, twisted its body in anger.
The burrowing worm that Xia Lin was facing was now within arm's reach! Its arched front suddenly jerked up, its jaws, covered with sharp teeth, opened as if to bite, and at the same time, a pungent, sour, and rotten smell filled the air!
Xia Lin shouted in a low voice, and the scale shield on his left arm thrust forward with all his might!
"Bang!"
A dull thud resounded as the burrowing worm's powerful impact forced Xia Lin back a few steps, but he firmly planted his feet. The sensation from the shield indicated that its carapace was exceptionally hard.
Almost simultaneously with the impact, his right-hand longsword pierced out from the side of the shield, slicing across the carapace on the side of the burrowing worm's head, leaving a shallow cut from which viscous green fluid seeped out.
"Watch out for acid spray!" Woody's warning was almost synchronized with the burrowing worm's movements.
The injured burrowing worm suddenly recoiled, its mandibles snapping open and closing violently, revealing a faint green gathering deep within its throat—
"laugh--!"
A thick, pungent, green acidic liquid shot out like a water jet, heading straight for Xia Lin's face!
Xia Lin suddenly raised his shield upwards, and he and Melissa behind him shrank behind the shield.
"Sizzle s ...————"
The acid was splashed onto the shield, immediately producing a tooth-grinding corrosive sound, and white smoke rose into the air.
However, Xia Lin felt that the vibration and corrosion of the shield were less than expected. This scale shield, which he had obtained from the dwarves, had good resistance to acid corrosion.
"Stay behind and don't move!" Xia Lin growled at Melissa, his eyes fixed on the front.
When the first attack failed, the burrowing worm seemed to be completely enraged. Its massive body pressed forward again, its four mandibles stretched to their limit, and the acid sac deep in its throat swelled even more noticeably, clearly preparing for an even more powerful acid spit!
It will teach this "iron shell" that dared to hurt it and block its acid a profound lesson!
However, Xia Lin would not give it a second chance to spit.
His right hand flashed out of the leather sheath on his back and drew the handy short spear with lightning speed. He barely aimed, relying purely on his combat instincts to grasp the timing of the attack. His arm muscles bulged, and he threw it forward with all his might!
"Whoosh—Pfft!"
The short spear transformed into a black line, piercing precisely through the gaps between the burrowing worm's wide-open mandibles and disappearing deep into its throat, where acid was gathering!
The burrowing worm's massive body suddenly stiffened, its poised attack abruptly halted.
It seemed to want to make a sound, but its throat was stuffed with a large spear shaft.
Immediately afterwards—
"Gurgle—Bang!"
A muffled thud came from inside its body; it was the sound of the acid sac being punctured inside, causing the acid to flow back out of control and react violently with the internal tissues!
The burrowing worm's head swelled and deformed at a speed visible to the naked eye, and green acid mixed with broken internal organs gushed violently from the gaps in its mouthparts, jaws, and even the cracks in its head carapace!
"Sizzle—"
A chilling corrosive sound erupted, and within seconds, half of the burrowing worm's head was melted and disintegrated from the inside by its own acid. Its massive body convulsed violently a few times before collapsing to the ground with a thud.
On the other side, the battle was also nearing its end.
Garu was splashed with acid, and his armor was emitting white smoke, but he didn't care. He roared and swung his axe again and again, smashing the head carapace of the slightly larger burrowing worm he was fighting with into pieces and dents it. Finally, he smashed the worm's skull completely with a back of his axe.
Kyle, using his speed and precision, added several deep punctures to another burrowing worm, then seized the opportunity when it was slowed down by blood loss and pain, stabbing its central nervous system with his sword and ending its life.
The woodland was filled with a strong, sour, rotten smell and the distinctive fishy odor of insect body fluids.
Kyle shook off the sticky liquid from the rapier with disgust, then took out a piece of special leather and carefully wiped the blade.