Wolf Bear Battles Insectoids!

"Mom, are you feeling any better?"

In the dim cellar, Tiezhu placed the oil lamp closer to the corner, next to the figure curled up under thick bedding. He seemed to hope the lamp would add some warmth.

It had been about ten days since the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster descended. Initially, he could still light a fire for warmth indoors, but as the insectoids drew closer, they were forced to move into the cellar.

Even though he had pre-heated the cellar with fire, it was still difficult to ward off the chill that seeped into his bones.

More importantly, there was the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster's ability to strip away lifespan.

He himself had achieved Fetal Movement Minor Accomplishment, so he was considered young and strong. Despite the pain, he could still endure.

But his mother, who was over fifty and hadn't even reached the initial stage of Fetal Movement, was an ordinary person through and through.

In previous years, he had saved enough Spirit Stones for his entire family to enter a Blessed Land by farming and blacksmithing. But this year, facing the skyrocketing number of spots, he was powerless and ultimately chose to stay with his mother.

Although he had long prepared himself for the possibility that his mother might not survive, he hadn't expected her to fall ill so soon, right at the beginning. This made the days ahead even more arduous.

In response to Tiezhu's call, the figure on the bed only moaned twice, not even opening her eyes.

It was a pity that the last bit of spirit rice they had at home had been eaten up a few days ago.

And with his mother's condition, she couldn't swallow the cold, hard rice cakes at all.

Thinking of the wild beast not far from his home, Tiezhu secretly lamented.

If the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster had come a few days later, if that wild beast's injuries had been more severe, if Old Man Yu had been willing to help, then with the meat broth made from that beast, his mother's condition would likely be much better now.

Moreover, ever since the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster descended, that wild beast had disappeared somewhere.

Just as Tiezhu was worrying, he suddenly heard an urgent roar from the ground, followed by the sound of a heavy object crashing down.

This sudden commotion startled Tiezhu.

From the roar, he could roughly tell it was the injured wild beast from before.

The problem was, judging by the sound and the location where the heavy object fell, it seemed to be in his yard.

This made his heart leap into his throat.

His yard wall wasn't very high, only a little over two meters, nowhere near as tall or thick as Old Man Yu's.

He had mostly used stones to block the windows and doors of his house, and he had piled many at the entrance to the cellar.

What he hadn't expected was that the injured wild beast, instead of fleeing the Settlement, had broken into his house at this moment.

He wasn't too worried about this wild beast, because even if its size could knock down the house, it couldn't get into the cellar.

But now, the insectoids were coming soon, and if they found the insect...

Just as Tiezhu's thought finished, a sharp screech came from the ground.

"In-insectoids?"

Tiezhu's eyes widened. This wasn't the first time he had heard such a sound. Every year during the wind disaster season, many insect hunter teams in the Blessed Land would capture weaker insectoids and keep them in cages for public viewing.

He had had the good fortune to see them a few times and was deeply impressed by their calls.

So, upon hearing this sound, he immediately confirmed that the injured wild beast had not only failed to escape the Settlement but had actually attracted the insectoids.

Thinking of this, Tiezhu's heart pounded, but he could do nothing at this moment.

Because neither the injured wild beast nor the insectoid that had driven the beast to his home was something he could resist.

All he could do now was pray that the insectoid would leave after eating the wild beast.

But sometimes, things don't go as planned.

With a louder roar, Tiezhu could clearly feel the cellar he was in tremble. At the same time, the sound of heavy, panicked footsteps appeared directly above him.

This meant the wild beast had broken into his house and was now right above him. It even seemed to know he was hiding in the cellar, wanting to drag him down with it.

Hiding in the cellar, Tiezhu had no idea what the insectoid that had pushed the powerful beast he saw looked like, whether it was one, two, or a swarm.

All he knew was that if the insectoid detected him, he and his mother would be utterly annihilated.

Thinking of this, Tiezhu couldn't help but shiver, a hint of fear showing in his eyes. It was then he realized he wasn't as brave or fearless of death as he had imagined.

If only he had known...

Time did not give Tiezhu much room to choose.

At this moment, above the cellar, a section of the yard wall where Tiezhu used to be had collapsed. Stones were scattered all over the yard, and a large hole had been smashed through the bedroom window.

The stones Tiezhu had used to block the window had not been of much use.

The wild beast, with a wolf's head and a bear's body, its fur tattered and torn, a gruesome wound still visible on its belly, was now hiding in the house, trembling despite its normally ferocious and cunning nature.

Its gaze was fixed on the yard.

On top of the wall, a slender insect leaped lightly, its powerful elasticity allowing it to cross more than ten meters, like an arrow piercing through the wind, heading straight for the Wolf Bear.

Facing the charging insect, the Wolf Bear, which had been filled with fear, suddenly showed a fierce glint in its eyes. Its massive body moved with surprising agility as it ferociously met the attack.

Its large, gleaming claws struck the unprepared insect, sending it crashing hard against the wall.

Gaining the upper hand, the Wolf Bear quickly rolled, opening its great maw to bite.

At this moment, the insect let out another screech, louder and sharper than before.

Even Tiezhu, hiding in the cellar, felt his ears ache.

The Wolf Bear, which had lunged at the insectoid, visibly froze. In that instant of hesitation, the insectoid had already darted out, unfurled its wings, and flown out of the opening into the air.

The two antennae on its head were also trembling madly.

Seeing the insectoid escape, the Wolf Bear didn't pursue. Instead, it quickly began to clear away all the stones Tiezhu had used to block the cellar entrance. Soon, Tiezhu, filled with dread, saw the blocked cellar entrance above him break open.

He even caught a fleeting glimpse of cunning in the Wolf Bear's eyes.

"Is this revenge?"

Tiezhu thought about how he had harbored killing intent towards it earlier. Now, not only had it led the insectoids to his home, but it had also cleared the cellar entrance. He fell into despair.

He had never imagined a wild beast could possess such high intelligence and hold such a grudge. This clearly defied his understanding.

After all, there was a vast difference between a wild beast and a true Yao Beast.

This was especially true in terms of intelligence.

Or rather, this beast was unusual, not an ordinary wild beast.

But now, whether he wanted to believe it or not, the facts were laid bare before him.

Just as he grabbed a nearby spear, preparing to die with the beast, it retracted its head.

"What should I do? Should I go up and block the entrance again?"

For a moment, Tiezhu couldn't make up his mind.

Given the Wolf Bear's size, it couldn't possibly fit into the cellar, but the insectoids could.

Furthermore, Tiezhu couldn't be sure if the Wolf Bear was hiding right next to the cellar entrance, waiting for him to come out.

As Tiezhu hesitated, the Wolf Bear had already left his home and was rapidly heading towards another family in the Settlement.

In mid-air, the insectoid, which had almost stopped in the gale, saw the escaping Wolf Bear. However, it didn't immediately pursue, seemingly waiting for something.

If one were to look down from high above at this moment, they would clearly see swarms, countless insectoids, rampaging across the land.

As time passed, these insectoids seemed to receive a signal. They divided into small teams and flew towards a certain direction.

The routes these insectoid teams took were precisely around the Settlements bordering the New Moon Blessed Land.

Invisibly, this also slowed down the impending insectoid army that the New Moon Blessed Land was about to face.

Chapter 1!