Chapter 1

Fang Senyan and his companion ran, their footsteps splashing mucus from the organic carpet underfoot. Giant, jellyfish-like hosts occasionally landed on the creep, absorbing nutrients. Besides providing a surface for Zerg structures, the creep also broke down and dissolved organic matter for initial processing.

The Overlord functioned like a fruit tree. The energy from the Pandora crystal, like sunlight, combined with the nutrients and energy from the creep to create the Zerg's main food source. Experienced individuals could estimate a Zerg tribe's troop numbers by counting the number of hosts.

Reaching a small hill, they saw hordes of Zerglings and Hydralisks surging towards them through a narrow valley. These creatures were dark green, dripping with mucus. At first glance, they seemed similar, but a comparison with the Blackthorn tribe's Zerglings revealed a clear difference.

The Blackthorn tribe's defenses were sparse. The Blackthorn Mother clearly had limited control over her troops, these Zerg creatures probably being the limit of what she could muster. Fortunately, she had construction rights for defensive structures. Around the scattered Blackthorn Zerg, at least twenty strange Zerg buildings were planted in the ground!

These structures were barely half a meter tall, covering an area about the size of a small car. Sharp spines covered them, making them look like fleshy, ground-hugging evil flowers. When enemies approached within a hundred meters, a fleshy red spine would shoot from the center, plunging deep into the ground, causing a matching spine to erupt beneath the enemy's feet!

These spines were incredibly powerful. A Zergling could withstand at most two hits, and even the tougher Hydralisks could only take three. These were the Zerg's unique Sunken Colonies, using tendrils to attack enemies within range and possessing high health. The defenses were built at the valley's exit. Enemies emerging from the valley would be unable to form a proper formation, and would be simultaneously attacked by nearly twenty Sunken Colonies, suffering terrifying casualties before even getting close.

Gradually, as the Thick Liquid tribe reinforced their forces, close combat began. Blackthorn Zerg, hidden among the Sunken Colonies, emerged and launched frantic attacks. The front line became a meat grinder, filled with flying flesh and the pungent odor of Zerg fluids. Lieutenant Colonel Dendi and his men fired wildly. These specially selected warriors were as deadly as the Sunken Colonies, explaining why the Blackthorn Mother wanted them to stay and help.

The attack lasted for over ten minutes, reaching a fever pitch. The creep quickly dissolved and absorbed the corpses of fallen Zerg, converting them into nutrients. The defenders had an inherent advantage. However, without the Blackthorn Zerg's Cerebrate, the much larger number of troops stationed elsewhere couldn't be deployed. The Thick Liquid tribe's numerical superiority forced the defensive line to the brink of collapse!

Suddenly, three Zerglings swarmed a Sunken Colony. Its health reached its limit, and it exploded in a shower of gore. This triggered a chain reaction as Sunken Colonies with depleted health detonated one after another. The defensive line began to crumble. But then, more than ten previously seen mining drones rapidly approached, burrowed underground, and began to pupate, forming large cocoons on the surface.

The Blackthorn Mother's psionic voice echoed in the minds of all humans:

"Five minutes! I only need five minutes to re-hatch and deploy a second line of Sunken Colony defenses! Please buy me five minutes!"

Fang Senyan received a Nightmare Imprint notification:

"You have been drawn into the regional plot: Dual Zerg Hegemony."

"The Zerg Nest: Blackthorn Mother issues an emergency mission, Bloody Five Minutes. Do you accept? Yes/No?"

Fang Senyan, having learned some tricks, didn't choose Yes or No, but said:

"I request that my servant, Gold Mine, accept this mission on my behalf."

This mission would undoubtedly affect the Blackthorn Zerg's reputation and favorability. If Fang Senyan accepted, his unfortunate 2 points of Charm would be in effect, but if Gold Mine accepted, it would likely be based on the default maximum of 50 points of Scourge (ba li) for the current difficulty. The difference between the two was like the difference between touching an A-cup and a D-cup.

The Nightmare Imprint's response was simple:

"Your servant must accept this mission within ten seconds, otherwise it will be considered a forfeit."

Normally, the cowardly, timid, and shameless goblin, Mr. Gold Mine, would avoid danger at all costs and would never be found on the front lines. However, Fang Senyan had keenly grasped his weakness after these days together and suddenly exclaimed:

"Oh no, I think I lost my money."

The lecherous Gold Mine popped out of the rocks, eyes flashing $$$ and squealing:

"I'll help you find it, Master! Huh? Where's the money?"

Fang Senyan immediately traded five universal points. Unsurprisingly, the money-grubbing Gold Mine completed the transaction at top speed, with no immunity to anything related to money:

"Stop talking nonsense, accept the mission for me, or give me back the money!"

"Return the money!!! Master! How could you say those cursed words to a goblin!" The goblin Gold Mine angrily retorted: "Even if the universe is destroyed, it's impossible!"

Fang Senyan firmly said:

"Accept the mission, and I'll give you another five universal points as a reward."

Fang Senyan immediately received the notification: You have accepted the emergency mission: Bloody Five Minutes (accepted on your behalf by servant Gold Mine). The mission objective was, of course, to hold the line for five minutes. The front line was on the verge of collapse. Even the surviving members of the Gravel Special Forces were facing melee combat. At that moment, AK's unique, rasping gunfire rang out again, and Mogansha's golden AK spat out eye-catching flames! His latest five-round burst mode began its shining debut!

The first scorching bullet flew through the gap between three or four Zerglings and accurately struck the head of an enemy Hydralisk, causing it to temporarily lose its balance and tilt to the right and back. At that moment, a friendly fleshy red spine emerged from the ground and pierced the head of an enemy Zergling. The Hydralisk's head was perfectly positioned for the spine and was stabbed to death!

The second and third bullets went wide, hitting the stone cracks in the nearby rocky hill, causing a small-scale landslide that buried at least twenty Hydralisks below.

The fourth bullet severed a Zergling's claw just ten centimeters from striking Lieutenant Colonel Dendi's face! Even after being severed, the claw flew off in a spurt of pale purple fluid, embedding itself in the nearby defensive spine. The sharpness of the claw and the force of the impact were evident.

The fifth bullet struck a rock, ricocheted, and accurately hit the ammunition left behind by the surviving members of the Gravel Special Forces, triggering an explosion that killed at least three or four Zerglings.

These five shots combined killing enemies and saving people, each bullet like an exclamation point, full of imagination and creativity, all hitting the enemy's weakest points!

Fang Senyan aimed his shotgun at the Zerglings in front of him, blasting them back with pained cries, but was immediately targeted by the acid fire from the Hydralisks behind them. Fang Senyan rolled awkwardly behind a rock, still being splashed by a few drops that quickly corroded his armor. While Fang Senyan was tough, he couldn't withstand the concentrated fire from a large number of Hydralisks without courting death.

He took a few breaths, crouched down, and ran to Mogansha's side, earnestly saying:

"Old Mo, if you continue to hide your strength, we will definitely fail this mission."

Mogansha's body trembled slightly. He sighed and said:

"How did you see through that?"

Fang Senyan said unhappily:

"If that AK-47 was truly your life-saving weapon, you wouldn't have turned it into such a flamboyant and gaudy golden ornament. You would have tried to make people not notice it. So, your intention is clearly to make others focus on your golden AK and ignore other aspects—but it's just the two of us here, what are you worried about? Don't you trust me?"