Chapter 98 - Strength and Intelligence

The Divine Steel Soldier was a mutated variant of the standard Steel Soldier, and Xu Gang had given it a Divine Essence. It towered over its counterparts and was clad in armor that had been refined over a hundred times, forging an impenetrable shell that boosted both its defense and attack power. With Steel Manipulation, it shaped a massive divine sword from its own armor, delivering a single devastating strike that wounded a Locustman Lord.

Han Wu’s heart skipped a beat as he watched one of his prized Lords being injured. That Locustman Lord was one he had painstakingly nurtured, investing significant resources into its growth. It had even consumed a rare Wisdom Fruit, promising great potential for the future.

Xu Gang scoffed. “They are all Lord life forms, yet they can’t even withstand a single hit. The locusts are a weak race.”

Han Wu bristled at the insult but couldn’t deny the strength of the Steel Soldiers. Still, Xu Gang had no right to use his creations as a shield to demean the locusts.

“The locusts are weak?” Han Wu growled. “Fine. I’ll show you true terror.”

Dropping all restraint, he unleashed Controlled Mutation without hesitation. He targeted the 30 million locusts that were on the brink of death, forcing them to exhaust their remaining lifespan in a single surge. In return, they gained immense power for a limited time.

Xu Gang watched as the arm-length locusts swelled tenfold, growing to nearly two meters long. Their increased density and size sharpened their attacks. Even the defensive-oriented Steel Soldiers were forced to revert their weapons back into armor to absorb the blows.

However, this was only the beginning. If the Common Locusts had become so formidable after mutation, what of the Heroic ones? Han Wu handpicked 10 Heroic Locustmen and used Controlled Mutation again. Though it drained much of their lifespan, the mutation didn’t increase their size but drastically boosted their speed and strength.

𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

A Heroic Locustman with only twenty-four hours left to live unleashed raw power that rivaled a Heroic Steel Major. Before its mutation, it could barely leave a dent in a Heroic Steel Major’s armor. Now, each punch left deep indentations.

Xu Gang’s eyes widened in disbelief, and he questioned which one was the real Steel Soldier.

Anyway, Han Wu was far from finished. After completing the mutations on his Heroic Locustmen, he turned his attention to the wounded Locustman Lord and used Controlled Mutation on it too.

This time, he didn’t sacrifice lifespan to mutate it. Instead, he poured resources into the process, expending 1,000 Poison Stones compatible with the Locustman Lord, successfully granting it the ability to secrete corrosive venom.

The Locustman Lord reentered the fray once more with its new ability. It spat torrents of highly corrosive venom at the Divine Steel Soldier, burning through its armor and leaving smoking holes.

Xu Gang’s calm shattered. He had no idea what Han Wu had done. He only knew that if this continued, his army would be annihilated.

“Retreat! Fall back to my divine realm!” Xu Gang barked, recalling his troops while there was still time.

Unfortunately, Han Wu anticipated this move. The moment Xu Gang ordered the retreat, Han Wu commanded his forces to press the attack.

Suddenly, a massive army appeared on the horizon. Xu Gang’s eyes widened as he saw skeletons, minotaurs, dwarves, and even the formidable Swordwind and Epistians joining the fray. The units that hadn’t fought yet charged forward with wild fury, while the four Lords’ auras enveloped the battlefield.

Sarman and Divine Hammer each crashed into Steel Soldier Lords with brutal force, while Steely engaged the strongest Divine Steel Soldier in a fierce duel. The skeletons, gleeful at the sight of fallen Steel Soldiers, swarmed the corpses.

The little skeleton wasted no time, summoning legions from the corpses. Meanwhile, the Epistians gathered their magic, hurling monstrous fireballs that decimated hundreds of Steel Soldiers with each shot.

Xu Gang stood frozen, stunned by the ferocity of Han Wu’s counterattack. Could this really be the same opponent? If he hadn’t been here in person, Xu Gang would have suspected Han Wu had called in a far stronger ally.

“No, I can’t wait any longer,” Xu Gang muttered, his voice tight with resolve. “If I hesitate, his units will overrun my divine realm.”

He decided to abandon his units in Han Wu’s divine realm. He would rather see them fall than allow Han Wu to invade his divine realm. He needed to sever the connection between their divine realms, but it was already too late.

During their battle, Han Wu had unleashed swarms of locusts into Xu Gang’s divine realm, spreading them like a creeping plague. Though weak individually, the locusts had become a living bridge, linking the two realms together.

Xu Gang would have a hard time severing the connection while the locusts infested his divine realm. What awaited him now was the ruin of his forces and the destruction of his divine realm.

Xu Gang’s face drained of all color. He never imagined those tiny pests could corner him so completely.

“Stop! Let’s end this fight,” he pleaded, his voice heavy with resignation. “Recall your units from my divine realm.”

He sighed, admitting defeat. Though his pride plunged into a ravine, his reason told him this was the only way out.

“You invaded my divine realm,” Han Wu said coldly. “It’s only natural that I return the favor.”

Xu Gang’s eyes flared with fury. “Han Wu, I said I admit defeat! Withdraw your forces! Don’t forget that my grandfather is outside. You may be powerful, but you’re nothing compared to a God!”

Han Wu met the threat with calm indifference. “You’re right. I can’t beat him. But do you really think he’d let me live just because I showed you mercy? You’re only trying to shut your divine realm to buy time for him to kill me. So no—I won’t be pulling back. You’re my hostage now. As long as I have you, your grandfather won’t make a move.”

At that, sweat beaded on Xu Gang’s forehead. He had to accept the bitter truth: today, he was utterly defeated by someone his own age. “Release me, and I swear he won’t kill you.”

Han Wu ignored him and raised a finger to his lips in a sharp shushing gesture. “

Shh...

Don’t speak. My locusts are tracking your Core... Ah, there it is. Your future rests in my hands now.”