Chapters 37-38

After telling Tony to stay on the yacht and protect the girls, Guan Heng went down to the lower-deck room, took out the Alloy Belt, and fastened it around his waist. Then, with a sudden leap, he jumped from the deck to shore.

He ran to a large rock and thought, Dabao, come out.

A moment later, Jiang Dabao appeared in his Stars and Stripes Combat Suit. He held the pair of Alloy Steel Plate Shields Guan Heng had commissioned for him. They weren't quite the real thing Captain America carried, but they were sturdy enough.

"Stay near the yacht and patrol. If any Dragonfly Grasshoppers come near, kill them all," Guan Heng ordered. "Don't let them hurt anyone on board. Understand?"

Jiang Dabao nodded, then hid behind the rock and stayed still, watching the area for any movement. Ever since Guan Heng had placed the Corpse Control Array on him, Dabao had obeyed him without question and had completely lost his old violent temper. Guan Heng was naturally comfortable leaving him on guard.

"Such a well-behaved boy." Guan Heng nodded with satisfaction, then took off at a run toward the lake deep in the woods.

At that moment, Guan Heng was weighing something in his mind. He had to visit the dragonflies' territory by the Inland Lake.

As for the yacht on the coast, with Jiang Dabao guarding it, there was no chance anything could go wrong. After Guan Heng's training, Dabao had mastered the double-shield fighting technique. Even against the real M Nation Captain, he wouldn't be outmatched. And that was before considering his zombie body and Spider-Man's agility. Guan Heng could leave without worry.

A short while later, Guan Heng lay silently among the uneven grass. Jarvis's explanation still echoed in his ears: "These dragonflies have gone several days without eating since they emerged, so they're even more desperate to hunt. They gorge themselves, trying to double their body weight in a short time.

"The sharp mouthparts of the Mutated Royal Dragonfly are like a pair of giant scissors. They can easily tear apart other animals and devour them. That makes the Dragonfly Emperor the undisputed ruler of these waters. Any animal smaller than them—even one about their size—will be hunted down mercilessly.

"A Dragonfly Emperor eats at least a fifth of its body weight in food each day. It hunts every living thing it can see or detect that flies or moves. After two weeks of frenzied feeding, a newly emerged Dragonfly Emperor will have doubled in weight, and its body will turn a vivid blue.

"That means the Dragonfly Emperor is now fertile. It no longer needs to hide; it's time to compete for the right to pass on its genes. To establish a new dynasty, a male Dragonfly Emperor needs its own territory. There, it can intercept passing females and mate with them, while hunting without restraint. A male needs a stretch of lush riverbank about fifty meters across, but all the best spots have already been claimed by older Dragonfly Emperors. If a newly emerged one wants to rule its own territory, it has no choice but to seize one by force.

"And so, to ensure the survival of their offspring, the old and new predators began a brutal battle to the death.

"Only one ruler could survive in the waters of this small island's inland lake.

"And that ruler was the Royal Dragonfly that emerged as the last survivor—the undisputed apex predator of the local food chain, and its rightful king."

Guan Heng watched the lakeshore for nearly half an hour. Most of the Giant Dragonflies had been defeated by one supreme predator. It stretched more than six meters long, and its chewing mouthparts were terrifyingly large. The Royal Dragonfly flew with the speed of a gust of wind or a flash of lightning. Wherever it passed, another Giant Dragonfly fell, only to be caught in its jaws, torn apart with a few crunches, and swallowed.

The most powerful Royal Dragonfly now patrolled the lake with imposing authority. It had wiped out every rival and had already intercepted a female and mated with her, fulfilling its duty to continue its bloodline.

With no other male dragonflies left to challenge it, the Royal Dragonfly was triumphant. It stood at the top of its species, had successfully left offspring behind, and now quietly awaited death. A dragonfly's life was short—only a tenth as long as its larval stage as a Dragonfly Larva. Perhaps tomorrow, in a week, or in a month, the king would fall here. But it had no regrets.

Suddenly, a figure strode onto the grassy shore.

"Hey, Big Flying Insect!" Guan Heng called. "I happen to need a mount, and you look perfect. So, will you agree, or agree, or agree?"

Jarvis had previously told him that these Mutated Giant Dragonfly Emperors could fly at several hundred kilometers per hour. That had convinced Guan Heng to catch one. Its blue body gleamed, and its powerful, veined wings looked like enormous aircraft wings. It had three simple eyes and more than twenty-eight thousand compound eyes. Not only could it measure speed, it could also see up, down, forward, and behind without turning its head, like an all-around radar constantly scanning for threats. Its huge, sharp chewing mouthparts were so fearsome that even a Super Villain would shudder at the sight.

What could be cooler than catching a Great Dragonfly like this as a mount? Guan Heng stared at the Royal Dragonfly and licked his lips. "Big Flying Insect, heh heh. Just give in to me. Surrender quietly, and I'll treat you well."

After their mutation, their intelligence had soared, too. The Giant Dragonfly Emperor seemed to understand Guan Heng's words. The island's overlord and the strongest of its kind abruptly beat its wings. The surface of the lake below churned under the gusts, a truly imposing sight.

The Royal Dragonfly was furious. To it, a small creature like Guan Heng was nothing more than a morsel it could tear apart and swallow at will. Now Guan Heng had appeared in the open and even dared to provoke it. The Royal Dragonfly was enraged.

With a buzz, its huge wings beat as the Royal Dragonfly plunged from the sky straight at Guan Heng on the lakeshore. Its enormous chewing mouthparts clicked like razor-sharp blades. It was about to cut him in half, tear him apart, and devour him.

"Just what I wanted! Too bad you're a little slower than me." With a chuckle, Guan Heng sprang into the air. The dragonfly missed him. Just as it was about to hit the ground, it spread its huge wings and suddenly braced itself, twisting into a ground-hugging spin before gliding past. Its ability to maneuver in an emergency was truly unique in the animal kingdom.

"What incredible flying skills!" Guan Heng called out in praise. "I want you as my mount more and more. Flying through the sky on your back must feel amazing!"

As he spoke, Guan Heng shot forward like lightning and chased after the dragonfly.

The dragonfly wheeled around in midair and spotted Guan Heng coming after it. Enraged, it beat its humming wings and charged straight down at him.

Chapter 38: From Here On

Facing the charging Royal Dragonfly, Guan Heng didn't hesitate. He swung a fist and struck it hard. The Dragonfly Emperor felt a sharp pain. It had never taken such a blow before, and its body twisted halfway around. Its huge, veined wing swept at Guan Heng's waist, carrying a powerful gust.

Guan Heng quickly raised an arm to block it, and his body shuddered slightly. "You've got some strength, I'll give you that."

Thud! Another punch hit the dragonfly's abdomen, sending it flying several meters away. The Royal Dragonfly wobbled, then spun around again, using its momentum to lessen the impact.

"Come on, Big Flying Insect!" Guan Heng called, raising his fists. "You're the ruler of these waters. Don't tell me you're giving up after just two punches!"

After taking two hits from Guan Heng, the dragonfly realized its opponent would be difficult to deal with. It had survived in a merciless world of the fittest, and its combat instincts were excellent. It flew high into the air and circled, looking for a chance to strike.

"Hmph. Don't want to come down?" Guan Heng grabbed a handful of rocks and hurled them forcefully at the Royal Dragonfly overhead. "Then I'll make you!"

Guan Heng threw the rocks with astonishing force, like little cannonballs. They sent the Dragonfly Emperor swaying in midair. The giant insect king finally flew into a rage and plunged down from above once more, determined to fight Guan Heng to the death.

At last, the man and the insect clashed on the lakeshore. Thump, thump, thump! Guan Heng's fists landed one after another on the insect, each blow strong enough to hurt but not kill the Dragonfly Emperor.

The Dragonfly Emperor writhed in pain, desperately twisting its huge head to bite Guan Heng. But Guan Heng was so fast that he dodged left and right, and the dragonfly couldn't even brush his clothes. In the midst of the fight, Guan Heng suddenly leaped onto its back. "Ha ha, I'm finally on! Big Flying Insect, accept your fate and hold still!"

Whoosh, thud, slap, slap! Guan Heng's fists rained down on the Dragonfly Emperor. Badly hurt, the insect flew around wildly, nearly throwing Guan Heng into the lake.

"Damn it, you still won't behave? Take this!" Guan Heng lost his temper for a moment and struck without restraint, swinging a powerful punch into the dragonfly's nape.

A faint crack sounded. The Royal Dragonfly's neck had broken. Its body, more than six meters long, crashed onto the lakeshore, kicking up a cloud of dust. Then its head drooped, and its whole body began to tremble. It looked as if it would die at any moment.

Guan Heng broke out in a sweat. Damn, I was supposed to capture it alive as a mount. What if I accidentally killed it? This Royal Dragonfly is bigger than the others. It must be the king of all the dragonflies here. What a waste if it dies.

Regretting it bitterly, Guan Heng clicked his tongue and jumped down from the insect's back. He sighed as he looked at the Royal Dragonfly, which was about to die.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Guan Heng. He stamped his foot and cried, "How stupid! Why didn't I think of this earlier?"

He focused his thoughts. "Er Ni, come out!" The Phantom Cat Zombie Clone stood obediently before Guan Heng.

"Here, hold out your hand." Guan Heng cut Er Ni's finger with an Alloy Knife and squeezed two drops of Zombie Blood into the Dragonfly Emperor's mouth. Before long, the Dragonfly Emperor's bright blue body turned dark blue, and all its wounds disappeared.

"Ha ha! That did it." Guan Heng nodded with satisfaction. "Thanks for your help, Er Ni. I'll reward you when we get back." He waved his hand and recalled her.

With his chin in his hand, Guan Heng said, "The Dragonfly Emperor got Er Ni's Zombie Blood. It's a Half-Zombie now."

While the Dragonfly Emperor's wounds gradually healed and it still hadn't fully regained consciousness, Guan Heng hurriedly bit his own finger and drew more than a dozen Corpse Control Arrays on the insect's body, muttering an incantation. The arrays abruptly vanished into its skin.

"Heh heh, it worked!" Guan Heng was overjoyed. "The Dragonfly Emperor won't die, and it's completely under my control now. It got Er Ni's Zombie Blood, so it's a Half-Zombie. I can even put it in the Corpse Storage Bag and summon it whenever I want a ride. Ha ha! How convenient!"

Guan Heng couldn't help laughing as he thought about it. He patted the Dragonfly Emperor on the head. "Good treasure, from today on you're my personal mount. Hmm, let me think. As the saying goes, 'three yangs bring prosperity.' Good things come in threes, so I'll call you Huang Santai."

Before long, the Giant Dragonfly Emperor, Huang Santai, had recovered completely. It rested obediently beside Guan Heng.

Guan Heng smiled at Huang Santai. "Half-Zombies don't grow fangs or claws, so you won't have Corpse Poison that could threaten anyone. That means I don't have to break off your chewing mouthparts or claws. I'll feed you a little blood now and then, and you'll live forever. That's much better than being an ordinary living dragonfly."

Huang Santai was a mutant that had evolved through radiation. It was intelligent, and when it heard Guan Heng, it nodded to show that it understood.

Suddenly, Huang Santai beat its wings lightly and flew into the sky. It circled once over the center of the Inland Lake, then returned to Guan Heng and gently shook its head, as if trying to tell him something.

Guan Heng rubbed his chin and asked, "Are you trying to tell me there's something at the bottom of the lake that you want me to retrieve?"

Huang Santai continued to flap its wings and shake its head, seemingly agreeing. Guan Heng jumped onto its back and patted its head. "Take me to the area above that spot."

Huang Santai beat its wings and shot into the sky.

"This is amazing! Flying through the sky feels so good!" Guan Heng shouted.

In less than a few seconds, Huang Santai had flown to the center of the lake. Standing on the insect's back, Guan Heng stretched his arms and legs, then plunged into the lake.

Glug, glug. A few bubbles rose to the surface as Guan Heng kicked his legs behind him and dove more than ten meters down.

A group of Dragonfly Larvae abruptly swarmed around him. In the water, these creatures would eat anything, and when they saw a living thing enter the lake, they wanted to feast. These dragonfly larvae were nearly half a meter long, with fearsome fangs and claws.

"So these are Huang Santai's descendants." Guan Heng stopped in the water with a kick of his legs. "For their father's sake, I won't kill you. Now get out of my way!"

A wave of scorching heat rose around Guan Heng's body. The Dragonfly Larvae felt the temperature climb and panicked, turning to flee.

"Hmph, good thing you knew what was good for you. That saves me from taking more lives." Guan Heng smiled faintly and continued searching underwater. Before long, he spotted a jumble of rocks on the lakebed. A rusty metal chest was wedged in a crack in a massive rock.

This must be what Huang Santai wanted me to retrieve. Guan Heng swam toward it faster.

"Hmm?" Guan Heng had intended to grab the chest and swim away, but it was firmly wedged in the rocks. He pulled once, but it wouldn't budge.

He was nearly out of breath. Desperate, Guan Heng punched the rock face. It shattered into pieces, freeing the chest.

Guan Heng grabbed the chest's handle and swung it twice underwater, then hurled it toward the surface with all his strength. He immediately kicked and paddled upward, swimming like a fish.

The chest had already been hurled out of the water. Guan Heng burst through the surface and grabbed its handle. Huang Santai had been waiting nearby. It flew over at once, caught the metal chest in its claws, and carried Guan Heng along with it to the lakeshore.