Chapter 16 – Wisdom Species

The “Queen Ant” had clearly been hiding nearby long before Zhang Hai appeared, waiting for an opportunity to ambush Su Lifeng. Compared to the average Xenospecies, this one was indeed far more intelligent.

Su Lifeng felt a chill run through him under its gaze; he knew it was observing him. It had even shown a sense of curiosity toward Zhang Hai, the man it had just killed. After absorbing Zhang Hai, the “Queen Ant”-or perhaps more accurately, the Wisdom Species-flickered with a hint of satisfaction and joy in its eyes.

However, when it looked at Su Lifeng, its gaze became even more excited, clearly anticipating the effects of absorbing him far more. Most terrifyingly, its sight remained locked onto Su Lifeng’s head, as if it couldn’t wait to burrow inside and have a taste.

Though he didn’t know why he was receiving this “special treatment,” he knew it wasn’t a good thing.

Su Lifeng felt that when it revealed such blatant, simple emotions, it was actually more frightening than when it was cold and indifferent. It was a state that was hard to describe; if he had to put it into words, it was like a weak creature being stared down by its natural predator.

But Su Lifeng did not think he was weak. Before he had absorbed a Xenospecies, he felt that humans were much weaker compared to these creatures. But once he discovered that humans could conversely absorb the Xenospecies, Su Lifeng understood. Perhaps the reason the Xenospecies couldn’t completely occupy a human body was because of this very fact.

“That’s right, I can fight back…” Su Lifeng constantly bolstered his confidence, even though his arms were trembling slightly due to instinctive fear. The sensation of being killed in his Precognitive Vision had been far too real, and he didn’t want to experience it a second time.

Whether it was for his own survival or because Jiang Yushi was still waiting for him, he had to live.

“You’re the boss of the Xenospecies… the core, right? How did you guys set your sights on Earth?” Su Lifeng guessed that this Wisdom Species could already understand human speech, so he suddenly spoke up.

Su Lifeng’s initiative to communicate indeed caused the Wisdom Species to pause for a moment, but then its eyes filled with even more interest.

Seeing that it didn’t respond, Su Lifeng felt a twinge of disappointment. He wanted to divert the Wisdom Species’ attention, not make it focus on him more through his words.

But since that method wasn’t working, a streak of ruthlessness rose within Su Lifeng.

He suddenly shouted, “Watch out for the flying dagger!” and then lunged forward violently.

As for why he used such a nonsensical shout, Su Lifeng didn’t know himself. At that moment, his mind held only one thought: kill this Wisdom Species! Kill it, and then he could go back; only then would his family and friends be safe from the threat of this monster that existed solely to devour other living things.

Survival, protection… various intentions combined with the endurance Su Lifeng had gained, causing him to explode with sudden power. The jagged half of the chair leg actually produced a sharp whistle as it sliced through the air!

However, the gap in strength between him and the Wisdom Species was not something that could be bridged by a momentary burst of power. Before he could even reach the Wisdom Species, countless Black Threads swept toward him, filling the air.

Even before these Black Threads pierced his body, Su Lifeng felt waves of bone-chilling cold, but he did not retreat.

Retreating meant death anyway!

Almost at the same moment the Black Threads burrowed into his body, causing a pain that reached deep into his marrow, his body slammed directly into the Soft Substance, and he drove the chair leg into it with all his might. Not stopping there, he continued to shove the chair leg deeper amidst his own screams of agony. His other hand balled into a fist, and regardless of whether it was effective, he smashed it frantically against the Soft Substance.

…

It wasn’t until his fists were completely covered in blood that Su Lifeng finally began to calm down from his frenzy. Only then did he realize that the Soft Substance had completely dissolved at some point. His body was riddled with holes, draped with countless Black Threads. With even a slight struggle to move, he could feel a heart-wrenching pain.

However, his Self-healing Ability proved effective at this critical moment. It seemed that because of this, he didn’t die before the Wisdom Species.

Just then, he suddenly noticed a Silver Glowing Thread emerging from the Gelatinous Substance that the Soft Substance had dissolved into. The moment he saw it, the thread bored directly into his body.

“I can even absorb a Wisdom Species?!”

Su Lifeng was startled, but soon a wave of intense, dry heat surged through his entire body.

This sensation caused his muscles to snap taut. He clearly heard a series of crackling sounds echoing from every part of his frame, and the Black Threads that had been binding him fell away automatically.

The absorption effect was incredibly fast!

Moreover, a concept suddenly surfaced in Su Lifeng’s mind: F-class Mutant Biological Species.

It seemed this was a concept known only to the Wisdom Species. Su Lifeng felt a moment of shock, but he quickly pushed it to the back of his mind. He wanted to know exactly what kind of effect absorbing a Wisdom Species would have.

Su Lifeng tried clenching his fist and giving it an experimental swing.

There was no immediate reaction…

He guessed that he might not be able to control it at will yet, much like how his stamina recovery was triggered automatically by his body.

Thinking of this, Su Lifeng steeled his resolve and slammed a punch heavily against the ground.

Thud!

Su Lifeng had prepared himself for his hand to be injured or even for his bones to break; with his Self-healing Ability, the outcome wouldn’t be too disastrous regardless. To his surprise, however, he felt only a slight sting from the impact. When he lifted his hand, he was utterly astonished.

A layer of silver-white bone had emerged over his knuckles. As he raised his hand, this bone began to crack and flake off, revealing normal skin underneath.

An Exoskeleton… The term flashed into Su Lifeng’s mind almost instantly. Generally, only arthropods like crabs, shrimp, or insects possessed such hard exoskeletons. While biologists had been researching this field with some success, an Exoskeleton that could be generated by oneself and then shed was something never seen before.

“And this is just an F-class effect… Since there’s an F-class, there must be higher levels, right?” Su Lifeng’s heart grew hot with excitement. However, he wasn’t Zhang Hai; after the initial rush of adrenaline, he quickly regained his composure.

Su Lifeng glanced at the ground and clicked his tongue inwardly. If that punch had landed on normal ground, it would have left a mark, but it hadn’t done a thing to this Metal Building.

Feeling as though his body had recovered some strength, Su Lifeng struggled to his feet and glanced at Zhang Hai.

To his surprise, a Black Thread emerged from Zhang Hai’s body as well, boring into Su Lifeng just the same.

Su Lifeng was startled for a moment before the realization hit him. It seemed that after a human absorbed a Xenospecies, they truly carried such things inside them. He just didn’t know what kind of thing was inside his own body now. As for why he could absorb Zhang Hai, Su Lifeng surmised that perhaps by killing the Wisdom Species, he was able to take its “Spoils” along with it.

This kind of biological trait was truly unheard of…

Regardless, the Wisdom Species was dead, and he now had the strength to return.

But just as Su Lifeng leaned against the wall to head back the way he came, he suddenly felt the ground beneath him vibrate.

Then, under his incredulous gaze, the wall in front of him slowly tore open with a series of sharp cracks.

That sound was exactly the same as the sound of the Cruise Ship being dragged into this place!