The wounds Sonny and Vanish had inflicted began healing.
"It is using them to regenerate," Vanish said.
"We need to sever the roots connected to the captives."
"There are hundreds."
"Start with the ones closest to us."
Sonny cut through the roots attached to the scarred man.
The moment the connection broke, the man screamed.
His body convulsed, and black veins spread beneath his skin.
Sonny stopped.
"Don't…" the man gasped. "Too fast…"
The roots were not merely draining the captives.
They had become connected to their bodies. Removing them carelessly could kill the people they were trying to save.
Sonny clenched his jaw.
They could not fight freely without harming the prisoners.
The underground queen knew this.
It pulled several sacs in front of its body, using the captives as shields.
"Intelligent bastard," Vanish cursed.
A thin tendril shot from behind him.
Sonny noticed it too late.
