The Chosen One

Lu Ban always felt that people cannot, or at least should not, do this.

Although he didn't rule out the possibility that some people in this world had extraordinary talents and unique preferences, looking at those eight shiny black legs, the terrifying mouth, the slightly opening and closing of the end of the abdomen, and the wriggling of the tentacles, Lu Ban felt that he shouldn't belong to those people.

The happiness belongs to them; Lu Ban has nothing.

Seeing that Lu Ban remained unmoved, the Saint's Remains took a step closer.

Although she has fair skin, she looks quite pretty.

But Lu Ban is not that kind of person.

"Wait a minute, does what Xiya meant when she said I was chosen by the gods mean this?"

Lu Ban didn't think about it in detail.

He didn't think this was anything to brag about.

Now it seems that the reason this guy was circling around me all along was to lure me here so that I could meet my true form.

This is not the Saint's Remains, but an illusion implanted in Lu Ban's head by this giant worm!

It will screen everyone in the area, then find the right person, inject the illusion into their brain, lure them here, and eventually make them its captive, providing it with the necessary items.

Reproduction, reproduction—that is the sole meaning of life.

Lu Ban even felt that he had thought of something even more horrifying.

These insects may not simply be imprisoned here by humans.

If it possesses such power, then who can guarantee that the people living in this city are seeing real people?

Perhaps, rather than the humans who built this city imprisoning the insects here, it's more likely that some people imprisoned the insects here before humans settled nearby.

So

Lu Ban thought of more.

Were the people who lived in this city in the past still human?

They were deceived by the queen's illusion and stayed to live here, but were their companions, with whom they lived day and night, really human?

When night falls and these humans reproduce, are they accompanied by wriggling insects?

Are those grand annual ceremonies and sacrificial rituals meant to select the best humans to breed with for the queen insect?

Is the legend of treasure here just a rumor deliberately spread by these insects to lure Wasteland Hunter to their deaths?

Are the insects in the food that the people in this city eat really insects?

The dense, ugly, and terrifying insects in front of me, and the unhatched Larval Sacs on the ground, are actually the products of humans and insects.

Thinking of this, Lu Ban felt a similar sensation to when he faced the monsters at the Poetry Festival on Song Island.

"Luckily, I have [True Sight], and it just so happened to choose me; otherwise, other people would probably have already started laying eggs for it."

Lu Ban realized this too late.

It's likely that he wasn't misled and was able to see through the other party's disguise because he possessed the "True Sight".

However, the Queen Insect's current attitude towards Lu Ban is actually based on her ingratiating behavior, which is based on the assumption that Lu Ban has not seen through her disguise. If she knew that Lu Ban did not actually want to reproduce with her, she would probably immediately tear Lu Ban to pieces and eat him clean, and then find someone else to do her dirty work.

After all, Iron Fist had seen a glimpse of the Queen's human form before, and who knows, he might be the next lucky viewer.

"It doesn't seem to be forcing me. Why is that? Does it have to be mutual?"

Lu Ban was somewhat curious.

He was still pondering what to do when he saw the guy in white approaching.

Dark, pupil-less eyes stared at Lu Ban, reflecting Lu Ban's face.

In the eyes of Xiya and the others, Lu Ban was looking at the air, with a swarm of insects surrounding Lu Ban like onlookers watching a spectacle.

As for the queen insect, she placed her abdomen in front of Lu Ban and then remained motionless, simply staring at him.

Shouldn't we make our move now?

Faceless whispered something to Iron Fist.

"It's not the right time yet, and besides, if we act now, what's inside that thing?"

Iron Fist glanced at the enormous stone coffin that the Queen of Insects had pressed down on. If he wasn't mistaken, it should be the true Saint's Remains.

Lu Ban thought of the same thing.

If you want to get the Saint's Remains, you either have to lie still and wait for the queen to have her fun before you try to take advantage of the situation.

Alternatively, find an opportunity to kill the Queen and the insects around her, and seize the spoils head-on.

"If I directly repeat the [Last Words], then Xiya and the others may not be able to resist and will also go crazy. If I shoot the Speech Bullet into the Queen's body, I can only control one of her. The other insects will immediately rush up and tear me to pieces because they have lost the Queen's suppression."

The disadvantage of the "Last Words" is evident here.

Of course, if Lu Ban disregarded his teammates and started singing a song, everyone would probably go crazy immediately, and under the corrupting influence of pollution, they would quickly collapse into a pile of hopeless mud.

But Lu Ban is a man of principle; he wouldn't so readily betray his teammates for the sake of his own mission.

While Lu Ban was still thinking, another voice came from behind him.

"What... what is this?"

He turned around and saw it was Giant Arm and his group.

They looked like they had been in a fight; they all had wounds on their bodies.

Seeing the dark, dense swarm of insects, and then the enormous queen, these Wasteland Hunter, who had previously witnessed a true sea of insects, couldn't help but hold their breath.

Why did you all come down?

Iron Fist looked at his men and asked a question.

His subordinate briefly explained the situation, but Iron Fist didn't reply, only sighed silently.

"It was my fault. I hope their souls can return to their homeland."

Iron Fist looked at Lu Ban.

What does it want you to do?

"Uh, it wants to have my babies?"

Lu Ban replied.

"?"

Xiya asked with a question mark, then said seriously.

"Or, in order for everyone to escape from here, why don't you sacrifice yourself?"

"I'm willing to give this precious opportunity to someone else!"

Lu Ban resolutely refused.

He didn't directly refute it because he was afraid the other person would understand what he was saying.

Thinking of this, Lu Ban put down his backpack and took out a palm-sized pumpkin from it.

"In our world, boys usually give girls gifts to express their love. I'm giving this to you, and I hope you like it."

Lu Ban placed the pumpkin in the hands of the guy in white.

From an outsider's perspective, the pumpkin was grabbed by one of the queen insect's pincers-like legs and placed in front of her.

"*****?"

The man in white tilted his head, seemingly puzzled.

Lu Ban assumed a posture as if eating.

The other person also struck the same pose as Lu Ban.

Lu Ban grabbed a wisp of air and swallowed it.

The other person also grabbed the pumpkin and ate it in one bite.

"How is it? Isn't it pretty delicious?"

Lu Ban asked.

The man in white paused, then opened his mouth.

Halloween.

It said.

Halloween.

The queen's mouthparts also vibrated, producing the same sound.