Chapter 194
[Attributes: Strength 152, Spirit 138, Agility 147, Constitution 174]
[Skill: Gravity Control (Make a fist with your fingers to release an invisible Gravity Field, reducing the movement speed of enemies within range by 30%~50% and pulling flying units to the ground).
Lurking Ambush (Lies deep underground, concealment +30%, speed +50% on the first attack!)
Rock Fragment Throw (Throws a large rock, dealing area-of-effect physical damage to the target and having a chance to stun them)
[Talent: Severed Finger Regeneration (When the body is injured, the injured part can sever itself and, after a period of recovery, regrow a new finger)]
[Bond - Finger Worm (10 activated): All Finger Worm gain 10% increased movement speed and +20% Lurking Ambush effect]
(Note: If you see a pile of strange stones on the ground, I advise you not to go near them.)
"It actually Finger Worm!"
Shen Xing was startled.
But this time it wasn't a shock, it was a pleasant surprise!
Because this thing is one of the special creatures recorded in the forum post about "Farming and Animal Husbandry".
These Finger Worm have the ability to Severed Finger Regeneration, and the recovery speed is very fast.
Their fingers are firm and meaty, rich in protein and energy, and delicious whether roasted or stewed.
In the resource-poor, Land of Mist, meat is a scarce commodity.
"So many Finger Worm." Xia Wanyin closed her eyes, sensing the aura of the monsters below. "Most of them are Tier One, and there are a few Tier Two Finger Worm."
"But their potential is not high; they are only at the Elite Rank."
She turned her head and asked softly, "Shen Xing, should we go down and kill them?"
"No, that would be too wasteful." Shen Xing made a quick decision. "Go back and get more people to catch all these Finger Worm!"
With Leina's combat strength, killing this group of Finger Worm wouldn't be difficult; the challenge lies in capturing them alive.
According to records, these Finger Worm monsters are cunning by nature and have amazing survival abilities.
Knowing they are outmatched, they will burrow underground to escape.
By then, it will be difficult to catch them again.
"Catch Finger Worm?" Xia Wanyin was slightly taken aback, then quickly realized, "Count me in! My new hero Chains of Light skill, which can help you catch them. Just give me two or three Finger Worm later!"
"No problem."
Shen Xing readily agreed, then had Fried Chicken activate [Wings of the Storm] to accelerate, instantly breaking out of the Gravity Field of the group of Finger Worm.
"Whoosh—whoosh—!"
The Fried Chicken flapped its wings, transformed into a bolt of lightning high in the sky, and disappeared from the spot in the blink of an eye.
Seeing their prey escape, the group of Finger Worm circled around in confusion for a few moments before burrowing back into the ground.
The soil churned, and giant hands burrowed back in like groundhogs, only half of their grayish-white fingernails showing.
From a distance, they look like Common stones.
Chapter 143: Refugees Seek Solace and Receive Plenty of Food!
About ten minutes later.
A dark golden figure broke through the mist and sped towards the territory.
Shen Xing sat on the back of the Fried Chicken, with Leina and Xia Wanyin on either side of him.
In the distance, one could see orange flames emerging from the mist, along with city walls and arrow towers standing tall within the flames.
The Fried Chicken folded its wings and landed steadily on the open ground at the entrance of the West Gate.
Xia Wanyin's Light Spirit Squad, along with the Light Spirit, waited quietly.
Upon seeing them return, the Light Spirit hero immediately came to greet them.
"Master..." it uttered a sound that was neither male nor female, like tiny crystals colliding together.
"Xiao Guang, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Xia Wanyin smiled slightly, "Come with us on a trip later and we'll bring back some things."
"OK..."
The Light Spirit hero nodded slightly, his bright yellow eyes beneath his mask shining with unwavering loyalty, like two light bulbs.
Shen Xing glanced at the Light Spirit, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
In the Land of Mist, any unit has the potential to become a hero.
As long as your unit's aptitude is sufficient and you have enough Proof of Hero, you can even evolve a slime into a Hero Slime.
However, very few lords managed to train Light Spirit into heroes.
These elemental creatures are similar to skeletons; they can't speak and aren't very intelligent.
Although its initial potential is stronger than that of a skeleton, its potential ceiling is not as high.
Why do I say that?
Because a single element limits their upper limit.
During their growth process, they can only awaken light-attribute skills and comprehend light-attribute talents.
Even some lords who rely on Light Spirit as their main force can only upgrade them to the Leader Rank at most.
But skeletons are different.
As the saying goes, the lower the lower limit, the higher the upper limit.
Because there are so many skeleton units, and the evolution methods in the Land of Mist are so varied.
Therefore, some players have found a special way to evolve their skeletons, allowing them to break through their limits and become unique Skeleton Generals.
For example, in the Wind Eagle Country, there was a player who pieced together a large number of skeletons and then gave a precious treasure to his skeletons to fuse with, thus cultivating an Overlord Rank skeleton beast that was said to be able to withstand dragons!
And a player from the Earth Bear Nation found a necromancy manual, which he taught to one of his special skeletons, eventually turning it into Leader Rank 'Lich'. It is said that it can continue to evolve into Overlord Rank 'Grand Lich'.
Such examples are commonplace.
"Boss, you're back!"
A loud shout came from the inner city, interrupting Shen Xing's thoughts.
Gorehowl rode his crimson dire wolf, his heavy steps carrying him swiftly forward.
Shen Xing snapped out of his daze and said, "Gorehowl, you've come at the right time. I just had something to discuss with you."
How many wolf riders know the [Ensnare] skill now?
"Reporting, Boss, nine wolf riders have already learned Ensnare!"
Gorehowl replied loudly, "The other wolf riders are too stupid. We've taught them so many times and they still can't understand. They're a disgrace to the most intelligent race on the continent."
He paused, then added, "But these guys have finally figured it out today. Many of the wolf riders have learned how to throw nets, though their accuracy still needs practice."
Upon hearing the last sentence, Shen Xing's heart stirred. He thought that it must be the aptitude enhancement brought about by the [Golden Child] that made these orcs much smarter.
As mentioned earlier, some intelligent units possess the ability to learn.
By imitating the way similar types of soldiers exert their power, one can master their skills.
Of course, this requires diligent practice and sufficient comprehension.
Just like how the orcs were imitating Hellscream and learning the [Bladestorm] skill.
But most orcs can only achieve a semblance of appearance, which is simply making themselves spin.
Currently, only two or three people have truly mastered this skill and can use it flexibly.
"Nine?" Shen Xing pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "That's enough. You take thirty wolf riders and come with me immediately."
"No problem, boss!" Gorehowl replied readily, then changed the subject, "However, there's something else I need to report to you."
"While you were away, a group of refugees came to the vicinity of our territory, saying they wanted to seek refuge with us."
"Refugees?" Shen Xing's eyes brightened slightly as he asked, "Approximately how many are there?"
"There were about fifty or sixty of them. I told them the boss was out and to wait patiently in the inner city," Gorehowl replied.
Hearing this number, Shen Xing was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected that the system would increase the probability of refugees appearing today, and a batch of them would already be arriving in his territory.
Moreover, he just happened to discover several new Black Iron and Soul Stone Mine today, which is exactly when he needs manpower.
However, I have more important things to do.
The most urgent task is to catch those Finger Worm first.
If they escape, the losses will be huge.
"I understand. Tell them to wait a little longer. We'll go out for a bit," Shen Xing instructed. "Oh, and call Xiao Hei too."
"Yes, boss!"
Gorehowl turned and strode towards the inner city to assemble his troops.
A few minutes later, a squad of wolf riders, wielding long-handled axes and riding gray giant wolves, marched out in orderly steps.
At the front of the formation, two generals stood side by side.
The red-haired orc on the left rode a blood-red giant wolf and wielded a flaming greatsword; just standing there, he exuded a surge of fighting spirit.
The black knight on the right rides a skeletal warhorse, wielding a black longsword, and exudes a gray-black aura of death.
Shen Xing jumped back onto the Fried Chicken's back, with Leina closely following beside him.
Xia Wanyin also sat up, turned her head and instructed, "Xiao Guang, lead a troop of Light Spirit archers and follow us."
"Yes... Master..."
The Light Spirit hero spoke in a deep voice, quickly selecting ten Light Spirit archers to form a squad.
Seeing that both teams were ready, Shen Xing waved his hand and said, "Let's go."
"Buzz..."
The lanterns were lit, the fog dissipated, and the procession marched into the gray mist.
Throughout the journey, Shen Xing kept the Fried Chicken flying at a low altitude and at a slow speed so that the team behind could keep up.
Gorehowl and Xiao Guang each led their troops, running across the muddy ground.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the area where they had previously encountered the Finger Worm.
What appeared to be a flat, black plain was surrounded by thick, billowing fog, limiting visibility.
However, at the edge of the lantern's light, one could vaguely see irregular gray stones scattered on the ground, no different from Common stones.
But they knew that these stones were all Finger Worm lurking underground.
Shen Xing stepped to the front of the group and said in a deep voice, "Let me briefly explain the tactics."
"The Fried Chicken will fly to the central area in a moment, angering the Finger Worm and causing them to emerge from underground."