The ambush battle under Serpent's Spine was fierce.
Because Anveena wanted to intercept two Mantid lords and their elites at the same time, after eating Niuzao Temple's Mantid army, the specially arranged Shadow Chasing Swarm had almost no time to rest and marched all the way to the ambush site.
It is true that bugs do not desert or fear, but they are also living creatures, and they will also feel tired. Under the pressure of time, they suddenly fought with the absolute elite of the Mantid army, causing the ambush bug swarm to suffer heavy losses from the beginning.
In this case, Anveena, who is Queen of Blades, issued a cruel and correct instruction at the right time. Under the suggestion of Jarod, Anveena activated the "wrathful pheromone" in those bugs.
This is the unique power that Gene Masters extracted from the body of Uninjured Marrick.
Mantid people rely on pheromones to identify each other. Their pheromones are not just about transmitting information. Pheromones with different effects will have different short-term effects on individuals.
The effect of the rage pheromone in Shadowstalker Bugs's body is simple and crude.
At the expense of burning bugs Life Force, they gain a short-term increase in combat power. This thing cannot be terminated midway, which means that once it is turned on on a large scale, even if the bugs survive after the war, they will die due to excessive burning of Life Force.
This is basically buying time with the lives of the insect swarm.
But the good news is that the insect swarm does not regard this as cruel, because those dead insects will be dragged back to the insect nest by Worker Bee to turn into biomass, providing sufficient nutrients for the next batch of hatched combat insects.
There must be losses. According to the evaluation of Abathur, the current utilization rate of biomass reuse in Shadow Chasing Swarm is actually only about 50%.
The efficiency is really low, but it does not prevent them from being able to be used in low-intensity conflicts.
Under the delighted gaze of Jarod Shadowsong, Stubborn Bronze Anveena, who he had "led" with his own hands, performed a rather exciting wave of "micro-management".
When the violent insect swarm trapped the two Mantid lords under the Serpent's Spine, the two sides fought for a full six hours. The red-eyed Mantids completely overwhelmed them. After Shadowstalker Bugs was killed, before they could take a breath, the second batch of hatched combat bugs entered the battlefield led by the Unscarred·Malik.
The time card was so tight that Mantid was not given any time to react.
Queen of Blades had previously issued an "elite incubation" decision, so the proportion of elite units in the second batch of incubated Shadowstalker Bugs increased to about one-third.
Although the overall number has been reduced, the combat effectiveness has more than doubled!
What's even worse is that the six-hour swarm battle has exhausted all the most elite Windfury Blademasters under Blade Lord Ta'yak. Faced with the encircling shadow-chasing fighting bugs, the black-clad Mantid Sword Saint Master knows that he can't break out.
It watched those brutal Warrior Bugs charging into the battlefield from all directions with its red eyes, and watched its elite Warriors being cut down in droves. Even a hard-hearted person fell into despair.
"Mel'jarak!"
The Blade Lord glanced at his biological arm knife that had been chopped into pieces in the battle. He casually grabbed the amber sword of a deceased person next to him and said to the equally tired Wind Lord next to him:
"Let's go, I'll hold them here while you take the last Sky Raider back to the Sacred Tree Palace."
"Don't be stupid."
Wind Lord was also holding a serrated mantis sword. He sighed and said:
"What do you think you can do by buying so much time? Look at these bugs in front of you. They are colder, stronger, and fearless than us. They have no emotions, and they are like weapons of war that eat up hope.
Compared with them, our quality may be superior, but our quantity is far insufficient.
It takes several years of hard work for a Mantid to become a Warrior, but what about these bugs?
It only takes six hours for them to re-enter the battlefield from death!
Did you know? Ta'yak, these bugs remind me of Mantid the "ancestors" recorded in ancient history.
Aqir Empire"
Windlord Mel'jarak is obviously a commander Mantid with "cultural attainments". He said to his compatriots on the battlefield:
"Have you read the history of the Aqir Empire?
You, the old man obsessed with swordsmanship, must have never read it, so let me tell you, when Aqir Empire was still standing in the dark ages, the ancestors of Mantid were the commanders and military nobles of the empire.
Every time we step onto the battlefield, we will have a huge number of servants as chess pieces and weapons in our hands. We only need to strategize to win the victory for the Insect Swarm Empire.
After the empire was defeated by the Trollss at a tragic sacrifice, the insect swarm split.
Mantid, Qira, Nerubian.
We are no longer whole, we no longer represent the Swarm.
But they can!"
It pointed at the Warrior Bugs in front of them who were leading the springtails and flying dragons forward Charge. With deep exhaustion, it said to Ta'yak:
"Did you see it? They are the former Aqir Empire, elite insects paired with cannon fodder that will not feel bad no matter how much they are consumed. They have both a quantitative advantage and a quality advantage that we have been chasing.
They are the swarm.
Mantid is still too urban.
We are too stubborn and care too much about quality, our evolution has reached a dead end, we have abandoned the greatest advantage of the insect swarm, and we have lost unjustly."
The Blade Lord raised his sword, and its red eyes stared at the Unscarred·Malik, who was leading the team Charge.
Although the opponent's appearance has changed drastically, it still recognized this former hero, but the current the Unscarred has obviously evolved into a more powerful form.
This made Blade Lord Ta'yak laugh deeply, and it said:
"You are right, Mel'jarak, they are on the right side of the supreme evolution, but what does it matter? The flesh and blood of the loser will nourish the body of the winner, and the will of the loser will become the nourishment of the winner.
Mantid lost!
Mantid may be exterminated, but we will embrace new life with a stronger attitude, we will integrate into a stronger insect swarm, and we will start a greater cruel reincarnation.
The winner lives, the loser dies!
That will be the glorious moment of the insect swarm. Under the shadow of our waving elytra, the entire star sea and the world will tremble in fear. You and I will have the opportunity to see that day with our own eyes! How ridiculous is the victory promised by Grand Empress compared to it?
Come on."
It launched Charge, wielding its proud swordsmanship in the most perfect posture, and roared:
"In the name of evolution, embrace the path of the swarm!"
This powerful Windfury Blademaster is like a stone thrown by a child into a river. It creates several beautiful "ripples" on the water waves of the insect swarm, but eventually disappears into the water and makes no more noise.
Thirty minutes later, Anveena received a report from the Unscarred·Malik. 80% of the 30,000 Mantid elites who returned from Kun-Lai Summit to Townlong Steppes were wiped out, and the remaining ones who broke out were scattered and unorganized.
There is nothing we can do about not completely annihilating it.
Shadowstalker Bugs's current air combat power is indeed too weak. After all the flying dragons were mobilized to the Sacred Tree Palace to contain Grand Empress, Anveena no longer had enough air power to besiege Mantid in other areas.
"Both Windlord Mel'jarak and Blade Lord Ta'yak have been captured alive, and they will soon be sent to the insect nest for the Gene Masters to study. Although there are still large Mantids on Kun-Lai Summit's side who continue to attack Pandaren, our strategic goals have basically been achieved."
Anveena said to Jarod in spiritual communication:
"It took a total of forty-seven hours from the development of the war to now. We have basically killed the elites of the Grand Empress faction. Now only the royal guards of the Sacred Tree Palace are left."
"Pretty good results, but you seem unhappy?"
Jarod said doubtfully:
"The tactics of encirclement and reinforcements were very successful. Even I can't find too many faults. When did you have such high requirements for yourself?
Obviously, winning a few games in a row in duo queue will make you happy all day long."
"I also think I played well."
Sunwell female ghost said sadly:
"But Overmind is very dissatisfied. It just scolded me, saying that I was wasting the precious time of the swarm.
It also said that if Grand Empress cannot be eliminated within three days and the insect swarm can advance into Dread Wastes to complete its strategic expansion, it will take over the insect swarm.
It set a strict timetable for the war.
According to its plan, we will destroy all Grand Empress and Klaxxi Elder Council within the next seven to ten days, declaring the complete destruction of Mantid civilization."
"Hiss"
Jarod took a breath of air after hearing this.
He has been conducting war command with Anveena in the past two days, and has a preliminary understanding of Mantid's war potential. It is no exaggeration to say that it would take more than ten days to move the Mantid group to Kalimdor and let Kaldorei deal with these flying insects. It would take more than ten days for him to personally direct a decisive battle.
Although the quantity of these Mantid is not as good as Qiraji Swarm who was not afraid of death during War of the Shifting Sands, their quality is far better than Qiraji.
Is this "Overmind" a bit too harsh?
Also, is it bragging?
Jarod expressed disbelief, and then Anveena sent Shadow Chasing Swarm's battle records at Sea of Darkness in the past two days to his combat staff. General Shadowsong remained silent after reading it.
After nearly a minute, he asked in a low voice:
"So, theoretically speaking, the insect swarm can eat anything. The "biomass" they understand is not just the remains of their own and the enemy, right?"
"Yes, you saw Shadowstalker Bugs in Sea of Darkness's combat mode. If converted, Townlong Steppes would have been dug up three feet at this time."
Anveena sighed:
"Trees, beasts, vegetation, bones and even mud, all the nutrients they can find will be ruthlessly turned into war resources. Under this extreme operation, Overmind can indeed overthrow Mantid in a short time.
But the price is that the ecology of Townlong Steppes will be permanently destroyed, and this place will become a land barren of grass. All nutrients will be eaten up and wiped away, making this place a real scorched earth.
Vigilant definitely didn't want to see this result, so I didn't intend to let the insect swarm enter the "extreme explosion" state from the beginning."
"But Dread Wastes can."
Jarod thought for a moment and said:
"Hasn't that place been occupied by Mantid for thousands of years? In order to plant their Kypari Tree, Mantid has personally destroyed the ecology there, and Klaxxi Elder Council has stored five Sha shrines there, filling the place with dangerous evil energy, and even the environment of the sky has been permanently changed.
I heard local Pandaren would rudely call the sky there "the X-eye of hell".
Uh, sorry, this description is really too rude.
But on the other hand, in an area where the ecology has been destroyed, you don't have to worry about secondary damage caused by insect swarms, right?"
General Shadowsong was a little eager to try. He said:
"After watching the swarm war under the command of Overmind, I feel a little bit excited. I want to see where the limit of the swarm is. How about we try "Extreme Explosion" after we go there?"
"But we have to deal with Grand Empress first."
Anveena also had some expectations. After being scolded by Overmind, she wanted to prove herself quickly, so she said:
"And we have to capture Grand Empress alive. I also hope to exchange her for Alpha·Abathur. That guy looks really awesome! You know, I have my own design for my Saviors Swarm.
The inner parts of the insect swarm Warrior can be the same as Shadowstalker Bugs, but the appearance must be "softer". After all, these are insects used to defend the world.
We can't make it look like a monster.
The latest ⊥ little ⊥ talk ⊥ is first posted on ⊥⊥⊥!
I think Alpha·Abathur, who is proficient in the secrets of Curse of Flesh, will definitely be able to help me realize this somewhat difficult option."
"First bring back the Gao-Ran Formation insect swarm, and then the army will attack."
Jarod said:
"You can order the king beast to "get serious". I guess Lord Agamaggan is already tired of this kind of low-intensity conflict, so let's make a big fuss!"
"Boom"
The desolate and deep sound of the bell echoed outside the Sacred Tree Palace, causing Shadowstalker Bugs to go into a rage again, and Agamaggan, who was carrying the holy bell, finally got the order to cheer him up.
So this king beast shook its body, lowered its head like a guillotine, and charged Charge with its heavy four hooves, causing the earth to crack wherever it went. It used some kind of "secret technique" to make the impact of its blow not only a simple physical destruction, but also a cold Entropic Energy collapse.
"Boom"
The impact of the earthquake and mountain shaking made the sacred tree scream, and then as countless Mantid warriors watched in horror, a black "Entropic Energy black hole" quietly appeared where the king beast hit. It accumulated power like an imploding bomb and exploded amidst the roar of Agamaggan's horned beast with four hooves.
The sacred tree that had grown for thousands of years was eroded by Entropic Energy, and streaks of black frost caused the temperature of the palace to drop rapidly.
Although Kypari Tree is as strong as steel due to the amber, it still made a tooth-staining rattling sound under the double shock of brute force and Entropic Energy.
Finally, when the Mantids in the palace looked up in confusion, the entire palace was blown away together with one-third of the tree trunks above Kypari Tree.
The king beast became serious and let out a passionate war roar. The giant arms on its back like a four-armed giant bent upwards, and then slashed downwards with brute force like harvesting rice. Like a thunderous explosion, the solid sacred tree and the palace were easily chopped into pieces.
The palace where Grand Empress is located is naturally safe.
But this time Shekzeer was on the dangerous balcony, watching the evil god-like creature from the myth killing his own warriors crazily with an attitude of "sorrow is greater than death."
The loyal royal prime minister Zor'lok rushed in with his people, grabbed the lost Grand Empress and took her away.
This king beast went crazy and was "destroying the base", but this gave the Mantids a chance to break out. Those Shadowstalker Bugss all went crazy because of the reverberation of the holy bell of the king beast, which caused loopholes in the originally tight blockade.
"Your Majesty! Come with me quickly."
Zor'lok held up his sonic gun and escorted Empress to attack outside the constantly shaking palace. Those Shadowstalker Bugs who killed him would have their internal organs exploded with the dangerous sonic gun.
This thing ignores all armor and acts directly on the organs, making Warrior Bug unable to withstand the resonance and destruction of high-frequency sound waves.
Unfortunately, there is only so much of this thing.
Because when Zor'lok's father died in a certain battle, Great Cycle only had time to recover his father's resonance chamber organ, and then it could only watch as his father's remains were ignited with flames by Pandaren Monk.
Its father could have survived if Elder Council was willing to delegate the "Amber Symbiosis" technology to other Mantid warriors.
Its father is qualified to become a hero, but only one battle is missing!
Zor'lok is really brave. It is hard to imagine that the royal prime minister who is usually so flattering next to Empress can be so brave when facing the enemy. It killed several Warrior Bug, which finally made it targeted.
When Grand Empress was escorted out of the panic palace by the guards, she turned around and saw a huge black shadow falling from the sky, holding a black and white Sha-Touched Weapon, and slashed Zor'lok on the back with a sneak attack.
The Prime Minister's decorative armor used to focus sound waves was torn apart, and its Amber Armor also collapsed.
Zor'lok wanted to fight back, but as soon as he raised his sonic gun after falling to the ground, half of his arm was chopped off by the attacker.
Green blood surged, mixed with the screams of Zor'lok.
Swarm Lord"Unscarred Tyrant·Malik" stepped on the Royal Prime Minister's chest with his heavy claws covered with dragon armor. The sharp claws pierced the Royal Prime Minister's body, causing more sticky blood to burst out.
Under its dragon-shaped head carved with Shadewalker Holy Crest, six red compound eyes on the left and right sides stared at this guy mercilessly.
After Zor'lok spat at it as a provocation, Malik raised the evil halberd in his hand. It did not feel provoked, but the "sound wave control gene" mastered by this guy in front of it was the "advantage gene" that the insect swarm urgently needed.
The death of Zor'lok will make Shadowstalker Bugs more powerful, so embrace the glorious evolution!
"No! No!!!"
Grand Empress, who has been in a state of despair since the last time he "visited" Overmind, will suddenly come back to his senses.
Perhaps seeing that her most loyal subordinate was about to die, Shekzeer exploded with her spiritual power and knocked away the guards who dragged her through the encirclement, and then raised her short claws.
The terrifying psychic impact hit Unscarred Tyrant's body, preventing its execution from killing Zor'lok.
The prime minister saw Grand Empress rushing towards it. At this moment, Zor'lok raised his remaining paw and shouted:
"Run! Silly boy, I was the one who encouraged you to resist Elder Council. I used you because of my own hatred. Don't come to save me! I deserve it."
Grand Empress doesn't care at all.
She burst out with spiritual energy and shook everything around her. She rushed to Zor'lok and helped her loyal minister up, but Unscarred Tyrant stopped in front of them.
Perhaps Grand Empress's spiritual power attracted more dangerous "monsters". In short, Unscarred Tyrant threw his evil-stained halberd to Warrior Bug beside him, and with his backhand pulled out Demon Sword Apocalypse from the heavy weapon slot on his back.
The moment this thing appeared, Grand Empress immediately felt that she was being targeted by some kind of "prehistoric evil god". She even heard a real strange laugh, which was Apocalypse feeling happy that she was about to receive a fun "toy".
After embracing the void, this Demon Sword's bad nature became more and more out of control.
"I"
Seeing the Unscarred walking towards him with the ferocious magic blade, Grand Empress knew that he had to make a decision.
She realized that at this time, she was not as entangled as she thought, so she took out the "ancient fossil insect egg" from her robe, held it high, and shouted to Unscarred Tyrant:
"I want to see Overmind! Elder Council will not give in, but I know how to deal with them! I still have the last trump card! Let me see Overmind.
Stop your bugs!
Make your damn monster stop!
My loyal Mantids will obey you, and we will all become part of this swarm."
Unscarred Tyrant stopped.
Its six compound eyes stared at Grand Empress and took a few steps back.
In a certain kind of light Gleam, the spirit body of Anveena appeared on the battlefield.
She put her hands behind her back as majestically as Kael'thas, staring down at the embarrassed Shekzeer.
Queen of Blades Trainee raised her hand, and the battlefield that was being fought to the death quietly fell silent at this moment. She represented "Swarm Mind", and she was the incarnation of the swarm here. The most violent Warrior Bug also calmed down at this moment, and put down his weapons submissively, while the springtails retreated with their trophies in their mouths.
Even King Beast Agamaggan, who was chewing the tree core of Kypari Tree and wanted to taste the salty taste, turned around and looked here.
In this dead silence that was more terrifying than the chaos, Anveena spoke.
She said:
"Then, go ahead and the swarm will listen to you."