Chapter 20: Ground Crawlers
The alien army surged to within a kilometer ahead. At this distance, Su Xiao could see their full appearance.
These aliens ran on four claws, with longer front legs and slightly bent hind legs, all bearing sharp talons. Beneath their abdomens was a gray-brown carapace layer, like biological armor, protecting their vulnerable underbellies.
On their backs were steel-needle-like black bristles, thick as a pinky finger at the base, with tips that looked razor-sharp. Their eyes had light red radial pupils, likely an adaptation to the underground environment.
The Apostle's Eye floated beside Su Xiao as he sought detailed information on these creatures.
[Comparing intelligence attributes... 100% enemy data acquired.]
Name: Ground Crawler
Category: Alien (Combat Race)
Health: 100%
Ancient Power: 1500/1500 points
Strength: 105 (True Attribute)
Agility: 107 (True Attribute)
Endurance: 97
Intelligence: 23
Charm: 5
Skill 1, Subterranean Creature (Passive, Lv.36): Health +2500 points, Fire damage reduction 67%.
Skill 2, Combat Race (Passive, Lv.42): If Ground Crawlers exceed 20,000, one attribute will be converted to a True Attribute.
Note: Strength attribute has been converted to True Attribute, and True Agility attribute increased by 3 points.
Skill 3, King's Will (Passive, X): The alien king can forcibly control all Ground Crawlers.
Skill 4, Ancient Alien (Passive, Lv.50): Claw attacks inflict an additional 35 points of True Damage on hit.
Seeing the Ground Crawler's data, Su Xiao sensed trouble. If there were only a few hundred or thousand Ground Crawlers, they wouldn't pose a major threat to their base camp.
But the alien horde was overwhelming, stretching beyond sight, and this was after they had split their forces. They wouldn't just attack the Reincarnation Paradise base.
Ground Crawlers were speed-type creatures, about two meters long. Though their Endurance wasn't high, Subterranean Creature (Passive, Lv.36) boosted their health by 2500 points, which was problematic.
Su Xiao could indeed kill one with a single slash, but not all Contractors could do the same. Without stacking passive abilities, even with a high-quality weapon, normal attacks couldn't one-shot a Ground Crawler.
One-shot kills versus needing a follow-up strike were two different things. Su Xiao was certain that the Lv.53 to Lv.61 difficulty of the Ten Thousand Beast Continent wasn't just for show. Lv.61 meant that under specific conditions, this place could reach early Seventh Rank difficulty.
The sound of running rapidly closed in from ahead. Su Xiao stared forward, slightly lowering his stance. The Ground Crawlers had reached within 700 meters. Various ranged attacks from their side blasted out, the roar continuous as the wave-like Ground Crawlers were blown apart in large swaths.
With crisp cracking sounds, the Ground Crawlers trampled over their fallen comrades' bodies. Black-red blood stained their claws. Hot breath puffed from their fang-filled mouths, saliva dripping from the corners.
The Ground Crawlers roared wildly. Though Contractors mowed them down in rows, they showed no sign of stopping.
Seeing this, the Contractors' eyes grew grim. Ground Crawlers were tough opponents. A bitter battle was about to begin.
Su Xiao was at the south of the airship, Diamond King at the north, Dean, Amu, Baha, and others on the east side, and the Poison Master-led suicide squad on the west. The four sides coordinated, all within close distance.
No matter which direction was breached, the other three would try to reinforce. Even so, having the line broken was shameful. Given the temperament of Reincarnation Paradise Contractors, they'd rather die than call for help.
Whoosh!
A whistling sound came from above as hundreds of "Peru Explosive Barrels" flew in. In a few seconds, they'd be overhead.
Bang, bang, bang...
The Autistic Brother went berserk, shoving spiral bolts into his gun barrel and firing continuously, his speed almost comically fast.
The hundreds of "Peru Explosive Barrels" exploded midair, creating a massive rain of fire that fell into the Ground Crawler army. The Autistic Brother's eyes rolled back as he collapsed. For one person to hold off a Sixth Rank race's war weapon, doing this much was impressive.
The guttural sounds from the Ground Crawlers' throats reached Su Xiao's ears. The front ranks, enduring the Contractors' firepower, had charged to within a few meters.
So close, Su Xiao could see the ferocity in their eyes. Though their appearance was ugly, as lesser intelligent beings, they lacked the stench or foul odors.
"Roar!"
A Ground Crawler lunged at Su Xiao. He slashed diagonally, slightly sidestepping. The bisected creature flew past him, crashing onto the grass behind. Blood spread across the ground as it twitched twice and lay still.
Bang, bang, bang...
Continuous impacts came from Su Xiao's left and right as Ground Crawlers slammed into wooden shields. The front ranks were crushed to death, but they used the momentum of their rear comrades to try breaking through the Contractors' line.
"Anyone who retreats is a coward!"
Baha's shout came from the left. He too pushed a wooden shield to prevent the Ground Crawlers from charging through.
It was like a black wave crashing against a rocky shore. The impact from countless Ground Crawlers behind turned their front ranks into pulp.
The Contractors' line compressed inward by a meter. Shouts rang out.
"Push!"
"Get back!"
With cracking sounds of breaking planks, the row of Ground Crawler corpses that had slammed into the Contractors were thrown back. The Contractors reclaimed their initial position.
Su Xiao's Dragon-Slaying Flash slashed continuously. Pale blue cutting marks swept through, shredding every Ground Crawler that charged at him. Blood splattered everywhere.
Roars and howls filled Su Xiao's ears. Flames exploded nearby, scorching Ground Crawler corpses and releasing a pungent burnt smell. This was the scent of the battlefield.
Three Ground Crawlers leaped together, lunging at Su Xiao. He slashed horizontally and vertically, forming a cross.
No sooner had he killed those three than seven more pounced from ahead. Just as he raised his blade, a whistling sound came before him. A straight white line appeared in front of his face, tipped with a sharp proboscis.
The Banishment flashed past Su Xiao's eyes, piercing a white worm. He clearly sensed that if that white worm touched him, even he would pay a heavy price.
"It's over, Bai Ye. Finish me, quick."
A short shout came from beside Su Xiao. Without even looking, he raised his blade and struck.
Clang!
A head flew up. It belonged to an ordinary-looking middle-aged man whose pupils had turned into pale radial patterns. A Parasite, a higher alien variant than the Fission type.
The eyeballs in the severed head rolled, staring sideways at Su Xiao. With a bang, the head exploded.
The Banishment pierced through, shredding the Parasite midair.
[Hunter has killed Parasite ×2, gaining 4 points of Merit.]
Aliens and Orcs were also factions competing for the Space-Time Power Condensate. Killing them granting Merit was normal, similar to previous World War scenarios.