"Could you be a little more specific?"
Chen Guang's body tensed the moment he saw the look on Sun Feng's face.
Just how bad was the situation?
Even an A-Rank Vanguard like her...
The rain continued to intensify.
Each raindrop felt like a tiny needle, relentlessly lashing against Chen Guang's face.
"Let's find shelter first."
Sun Feng took off her outer jacket, draped it over her head, and turned away.
Wiping the water from his soaked face, Chen Guang followed after Sun Feng and Mei Mei.
"Over there."
After trudging through the downpour for nearly five minutes, Chen Guang spotted a small cave, just large enough to fit a few people.
"Where the hell did this storm come from?"
Mei Mei dropped to the ground with an annoyed expression.
Sun Feng sat down and leaned against the cave wall.
"Did anyone else follow you in?"
She wrung out her jacket and glanced at Chen Guang.
He shook his head.
"I don't know..."
"I didn't see anyone come in behind me."
"That's exactly what I'm worried about."
Sun Feng sighed and turned to look outside.
"Earlier, you said the situation was really bad. What happened?"
Chen Guang asked.
His fingers tightened unconsciously.
"I can feel it... the energy density inside this Portal."
Sun Feng's voice grew heavier.
"It doesn't feel anything like a D-Rank Portal."
"What do you mean? Energy density?"
Chen Guang blinked in confusion.
[SUPPORT SKILL ACQUIRED: INSIGHT]
[INSIGHT ALLOWS THE HOST TO VIEW A TARGET'S STATS]
[NOTICE: THIS SKILL CAN ONLY BE USED WITHIN THE CURRENT PORTAL]
The system screen suddenly appeared before his eyes.
Insight?
How do I use it?
Chen Guang fell silent for a moment.
"Activate: Insight."
He muttered under his breath.
Nothing happened.
"Insight."
He whispered again.
Still nothing.
This damn system doesn't even come with instructions.
He ground his teeth in frustration.
At that moment, a brilliant flash of lightning illuminated the cave.
Instinctively, he turned toward Sun Feng.
[TARGET: SUN FENG]
[STRENGTH: 10]
[ENERGY: 1500]
Sensing his gaze, Sun Feng glanced down at him and smirked faintly.
"What are you looking at?"
Chen Guang immediately looked away.
"You're a supernatural-type Vanguard?"
The words slipped out before he could stop himself.
His mind was still stuck on that energy value.
"How do you know that?"
Sun Feng's eyes widened.
"I've never shown my ability before."
Crap. That slipped out.
Now what excuse am I supposed to use?
He swallowed hard.
"Didn't you just say you could sense energy density?"
"I can't sense anything, so I just guessed."
Keeping his expression as calm as possible, Chen Guang answered in an almost mechanical tone.
"That... makes sense."
Sun Feng fell into thought, her gaze never leaving him.
"But what does increased energy density mean?"
Chen Guang quickly steered the conversation back.
"It means this Portal may no longer be D-Rank."
Sun Feng lowered her voice.
"Wait. Then that means..."
Chen Guang snapped his head toward her.
Every hair on his body stood on end.
"A Mutated Portal."
Sun Feng nodded, both hands clenched tightly.
Chen Guang froze.
A gust of cold wind blew into the cave, making his limbs go numb.
Even the sound of stones striking the cave wall seemed to disappear.
The arm Mei Mei had raised to pick up a rock stopped midair.
Her eyes widened as she stared at Sun Feng.
Sun Feng looked at Mei Mei and nodded once more.
A Mutated Portal.
The first one I encountered was that E-Rank Portal.
Chen Guang stared up at the gray sky.
And this time... It's a D-Rank Portal.
Lightning flashed over the distant forest.
Both times... There was...
His gaze shifted toward the system screen.
Me? And this system?
A chill ran down his spine.
Silence answered his question.
The system screen simply remained there, displaying the same information as before.
Beyond that, there was only the howling wind and the blinding rain.
No way. There's no way I could be affecting Portals.
He forced out an awkward smile.
But this system... Could it actually...?
Chen Guang glanced at the floating screen.
The thought refused to leave his head.
Taking a deep breath, he turned back toward Sun Feng.
"Can you estimate what rank this Portal is now?"
"I don't know."
Sun Feng leaned against the cave wall, her expression thoughtful as she stared outside.
"But it's definitely above C-Rank."
"Then... what do we do now?"
Mei Mei's trembling voice broke the silence.
She curled herself into a ball.
She's shaking. That's understandable.
Anyone would panic after hearing the words Mutated Portal.
Chen Guang glanced behind him.
"I guess we wait until the rain sto—"
"Shut up."
Mei Mei cut him off sharply.
[TARGET: RUAN MEI]
[STRENGTH VALUE: 2]
[ENERGY VALUE: 15]
New information appeared on the system screen.
The bloodshot look in Mei Mei's eyes made Chen Guang quickly look away.
"Both her Strength and Energy are pretty low..."
Rain continued to lash the cave entrance.
Several kilometers away.
Violent winds swept across the land as if trying to rip everything apart.
Bolts of lightning ripped through the gray sky.
A giant tree was struck directly, its roots torn from the earth as flames crackled beneath the rain.
Then a colossal foot slammed down.
The massive trunk shattered instantly.
A pair of crimson lights flashed deep within the darkness of the forest.
*****
"Looks like the rain's finally stopped."
Sun Feng rose to her feet as a few faint rays of sunlight filtered through the cave entrance.
The three of them stepped through puddles left behind by the storm.
"So, what do we do now?"
Chen Guang asked.
Tilting his head back, he looked up at the sky.
"It's still completely gray. What kind of environment is this Portal supposed to be?"
He muttered, squinting as the sparse sunlight pierced through the clouds.
[MANDATORY QUEST: SURVIVE THE TRAINING SESSION WITHIN THE TIME LIMIT]
[TIME REMAINING: 9 HOURS 05 MINUTES]
The system screen appeared before him.
Three whole hours of rain...
Chen Guang frowned slightly at the countdown.
"If we want to get out of here, there's only one way..."
Sun Feng said.
Chen Guang turned toward her.
She looked as though she was gliding across the surface of the water.
A bitter smile appeared on his face as he watched her move effortlessly, ripples spreading beneath each step she took.
Unlike his own heavy footsteps splashing noisily through the puddles.
But why does she look so tense?
Chen Guang quickly pushed the thought aside.
"You mean finding the boss and... killing it?"
"Wait. Stop."
Sun Feng's voice suddenly sharpened.
Both Chen Guang and Mei Mei looked toward her.
"Sun Feng, what's wrong?"
Mei Mei's voice trembled.
That expression couldn't possibly mean anything good.
The thought flashed through Chen Guang's mind as he swallowed hard.
"Cough... cough..."
Without warning, Sun Feng dropped to one knee and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
"What's wrong with you?! Are you okay?!"
Chen Guang rushed toward her.
Sun Feng raised a hand, signaling him to stay back.
"A B-Rank Portal."
She wiped the blood from her mouth with her sleeve.
Her legs trembled as she forced herself back up.
"No... maybe even worse."
A gust of wind swept past, sending a chill through Chen Guang's entire body.
Sweat poured down his forehead.
Mei Mei collapsed onto the ground, clutching her head as she stared blankly into a puddle.
Only emptiness reflected in her eyes.
"H-How...? How can you tell?"
Chen Guang hurriedly looked at Sun Feng.
"The energy density keeps getting thicker and thicker. Even I can't withstand the pressure anymore."
Sun Feng folded her arms and stared toward the forest below.
"Right in the center of that area... I can feel an incredibly dense concentration of energy."
Following her gaze, Chen Guang noticed something near what appeared to be the center of the forest.
A thick column of black smoke was rising upward.
"Over there? The place with the smoke?"
"What smoke? What are you looking at?"
Sun Feng glanced at him.
She couldn't see it?
Chen Guang stared at the black smoke.
He was certain it was still there.
It hadn't disappeared at all.
[TARGET: ???]
[POWER STAT: ???]
[ENERGY STAT: 25000]
Twenty-five thousand? That's even higher than an A-Rank crystal.
A sudden wave of nausea rose in his throat.
His whole body went numb.
Noticing Sun Feng was still watching him, he cleared his throat.
"Maybe I saw it wrong. Probably just a cloud that looked like smoke."
He forced a smile, though the corners of his mouth refused to move.
"Standing around here won't help. We should find a way down there."
Sun Feng started walking.
"You... you mean we're actually going down there?"
Mei Mei looked up at her, unable to finish her sentence.
"We have to. If we want to get back, the boss is most likely there."
Sun Feng shoved both hands into her jacket pockets.
Her fists clenched tightly.
Sweat began forming on her forehead.
"She's way too tense..."
Chen Guang muttered while scanning the surroundings.
"Your Majesty."
A voice suddenly echoed inside his head.
Chen Guang froze.
How did I forget about them?
He glanced at Sun Feng and Mei Mei.
"I can find the safest route down."
"How?"
Sun Feng narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"I can communicate with insects. I can use them as scouts."
His hands tightened into fists.
Not from fear.
"I'm pretty confident in this ability."
A grin tugged at his lips.
"Fine. We need to work together if we're going to survive this."
Sun Feng raised a hand to stop Mei Mei before she could object.
"We're counting on you."
She gave Chen Guang a slight nod.
"I have a task for all of you."
"Just give the order, Your Majesty. We are always ready."
"I need to reach the center of the forest below. Find the route with the least danger."
"As you command, Your Majesty."
As soon as the voice faded, dozens of black ants crawled down from a nearby cliff.
They moved in orderly lines, carefully avoiding the puddles.
Soon, they disappeared from sight.
They're surprisingly obedient.
Nothing like the ones in the cave.
Chen Guang looked toward the distance and waited.
[ACTIVATED: MONARCH PHEROMONE]
The system screen appeared.
A golden trail immediately stretched out before him, winding down the mountainside.
"This way. Let's go."
Chen Guang called out and took the lead.
Following the golden path.
"As a Vanguard, no ability is truly useless. Remember that."
Sun Feng smiled faintly at Mei Mei before following behind him.
Some time later.
"Stop, Your Majesty."
"What is it?"
"This place belongs to them."
"We cannot pass through."
"Please eliminate them for us."
Countless voices rang out noisily inside Chen Guang's head.
The golden trail abruptly ended the moment they stepped into the forest.
"This place is so creepy..."
Mei Mei shrank behind Sun Feng, hugging her own shoulders.
"What's wrong?"
Sun Feng asked when she noticed Chen Guang standing frozen ahead.
"There's a problem. I'm checking."
He glanced back at her before surveying the area.
Towering trees surrounded them.
Their massive canopies blocked almost all the light, allowing only a few thin rays to filter through.
The sky was already overcast. Inside this forest, even less light could enter.
Chen Guang clicked his tongue.
"Eliminate them? Who are they?"
He responded to the voices in his head.
"Outsiders. Get out of here."
Another voice suddenly cut in.
That voice... It wasn't one of theirs.
A chill ran down his spine.
"Do either of you feel like... something's watching us?"
He swallowed before speaking.
"I do too. But I can't sense any energy around us."
Sun Feng was scanning the surroundings just like he was.
"Who are you?"
Chen Guang directed the question toward the unfamiliar voice.
"Your Majesty, they claim this territory."
"They chased us away."
"Kill them, Your Majesty."
The noisy voices immediately returned.
Chen Guang grimaced.
The overlapping voices pounded against his skull like hammers.
[COMPATIBLE GENE CODE DETECTED]
[RECOMMENDATION: COLLECT]
A system notification suddenly appeared.
"Compatible gene sequence?"
Chen Guang looked around.
But there was nothing except darkness.
[GENE TEMPLATE DETECTED: FIRE ANT]
[MISSION: ABSORB 1000 FIRE ANTS]
[REWARD: MONARCH PHEROMONE UPGRADE]
[BONUS REWARD: SOLENOPSIN]
The words appeared one by one.
"Wait... what do you mean by absorb?"
His eyes stopped on the mission.
A disturbing memory surfaced.
Sweat formed on his forehead.
"I've got a bad feeling about this."
He muttered.
"Hey, what are you standing there for?"
Sun Feng stepped toward him, intending to shake him awake.
Then she abruptly pulled her hand back.
"Wait... what's crawling all over you?"
She immediately pushed Mei Mei backward.
"Huh? What are you talking ab—"
Before Chen Guang could finish speaking, a sharp pain erupted in his neck.
Then another.
His chest.
His shoulder.
His arm.
His calf.
Pain exploded across his entire body.
"Those are... fire ants? There are fire ants inside a Portal?"
Sun Feng's eyes widened.
Chen Guang's entire body was crawling with reddish-brown ants.
"Where the hell did all of these come from?!"
He frantically slapped at himself.
But more and more ants continued swarming onto him.
They bit into his flesh relentlessly.
Their venom seeped into his skin.
Into his blood.
Agony tore through every nerve.
"AAAARRRGHHHHHH!!!"
Chen Guang screamed.
He collapsed onto the ground, writhing violently.
"H-Help... me..."
He reached desperately toward Sun Feng and Mei Mei.
Sun Feng gritted her teeth and lunged forward.
The moment she touched him, she jerked her hand back.
A swollen red welt immediately appeared on the back of her hand.
"These aren't normal fire ants."
She frowned.
Using her other hand, she squeezed the wound.
A pale yellow liquid seeped out.
"This is bad. These ants have mutated inside the Portal too."
She looked up at Chen Guang.
By now, he was almost completely buried beneath the swarm.
Gritting her teeth, she charged in again.
The instant she grabbed him, dozens of ants swarmed onto her arm.
She retreated immediately, her arm already covered in swollen bites.
"Go find water! We need to drive them off!"
Turning toward Mei Mei, she shouted.
"Why don't we drag him to the water and throw him in?!"
"We can't. They're far too aggressive. We can't even touch them."
Sun Feng grabbed Mei Mei and quickly retreated from the forest.
[MISSION: ABSORB 1000 FIRE ANTS]
[PROGRESS: 300/1000]
The system screen suddenly appeared before Chen Guang.
"Progress... 300?"
His entire body burned.
A relentless stinging sensation spread deep into his bones.
"How is it already... 300?"
More and more fire ants tore into him.
The pain only intensified.
"Could it be... letting the venom spread inside me..."
Layer upon layer of reddish-brown ants piled over one another.
Even his face was beginning to disappear beneath them.
And worse—
Inside his mouth.
[PROGRESS: 350/1000]
"...is what's counting as absorption?"
Those were Chen Guang's final thoughts before the swarm completely engulfed him.
"Once we kill this one, the others will lose their leader."
A voice echoed inside his mind.
Right before he lost consciousness.