If it was the Steel Needle Queen, then everything would be fine. He would just need to plead with her a bit more, make a few false promises, and he could probably command her temporarily to help stab the Female Parasitic Vine to death?
However...
Before Li Jiayu could even rejoice, the shift on the battlefield once again left him dumbfounded!
The Female Parasitic Vine, struggling near death, its already tattered pale eyeball twitched a few times, emitting a weak psychic storm!
This psychic storm was far weaker than the previous two, but when it spread to Rong Momo's head, Rong Momo suddenly clutched her head with both hands and screamed, her expression mixed with pain, eyes wide with fury, looking exactly like a life-claiming female ghost!
"Ah! Ziwei, you little slut! Even if I, Rong Momo, die from pain, I won't let you go even as a ghost!"
By the end, Rong Momo had already collapsed weakly onto the ground, rolling in agony. Finally, under Li Jiayu's astonished gaze, she vanished back into the magic circle with a "Pop!"
Heavens!
What on earth just happened?
The high-Tier 2 Steel Needle Queen, before she could even display her unparalleled grace, was instantly killed by that weak psychic storm and kicked back to her home plane?
How could there be such a weak Steel Needle Queen? You know, that weak psychic storm was already at the end of its tether; probably even an ordinary strong man could withstand it?
Li Jiayu's scalp tingled!
Could it be that he had guessed wrong? That wasn't some Steel Needle Queen at all, just an ordinary old woman with a frail physique and aging body, whose combat power couldn't even compare to ordinary cats and dogs!
Ugh... what exactly is going on? Why has every random summoning after my rebirth resulted in such bizarre accidents? I clearly possess the soul of a Dark Grand Summoner; logically, there shouldn't be such fatal errors...
Damn it, now is not the time to ponder whether my soul has problems! I must seize the time and finish off the Female Parasitic Vine!
Since summoned beasts can't help, I'll rely on myself! Even if I have to crawl, I'll crawl over there! This short distance of fifty or sixty meters is nothing!
Shaking his head heavily, taking a few deep, weary breaths to temporarily dispel the increasingly prominent dizziness in his mind, Li Jiayu strenuously moved his fractured right leg.
Hyorinmaru had long frozen in a puddle of accumulated water, cold mist swirling around it, reflecting a deathly cold light in the silent dark night.
"Schwing—"
Li Jiayu used his only intact left hand to lift Hyorinmaru from the icy water. Rain washed over the blade, quickly freezing into crystalline ice droplets. The coldness spread to Li Jiayu's body, making him shiver uncontrollably. His drenched, stern face was indescribably pale.
"You know... since my rebirth, I haven't had any grand ambitions. Who cares what kind of chaotic apocalypse it is? Even if insect tides erupt two or three times a day, even if countless people die in insect bellies, even if the technological system completely collapses... so what? What does it have to do with me!"
Li Jiayu walked unsteadily, one step high, one step low, treading on the cratered battlefield, splashing up water droplets. He panted heavily, the soul light emanating from his body growing dimmer and dimmer, yet he continued muttering to himself:
"The war between the human race and the Insectoids... if possible, I really couldn't be bothered to care..."
"I just want to live a stable life, be filial to Dad, take care of Younger Sister, marry a few pretty wives, find a relatively safe place, and just live like that for a lifetime..."
"But... thanks to you, all these extravagant hopes are ruined!"
Li Jiayu bared his teeth, his expression seemingly calm, but his eyes were incomparably savage. Inadvertently, another sharp pain shot through his chest, forcing him to stumble and kneel halfway down. It took him a good while to get back up. Spending over a minute in total, he finally struggled close to the Female Parasitic Vine's main body!
"Plurch!"
Hyorinmaru's sharp blade plunged into the Female Parasitic Vine's pale eyeball. Cold energy invaded its main body, destroying its internal tissues like crushing dry weeds. Its sclera, green fluid, and blood all froze. Even its soon-to-bloom flower bud froze in an instant, severing all signs of life!
Finally—
Finally, the Female Parasitic Vine was slain! This sacrifice was not in vain!
This way... Elder Sister Xiao Wanqing is temporarily safe, she won't be turned into a dried corpse by the Female Parasitic Vine, right?
A cruel sneer curled Li Jiayu's lips.
"Screeech—"
An insect screech came from the sky!
Li Jiayu's scalp instantly went numb, his body freezing cold, his blood seemingly solidifying!
Insects?
Insects are here!
Insects actually came again at this time!
Why are you always haunting me like a ghost!
That familiar screech wasn't a Red-Crested Beetle, nor an Acid Bug, but the Flying Dragon Louse, feared by soldiers in the apocalypse!
It was a type of flying insect specifically drawn to the smell of gunpowder. Their favorite activity was appearing at shooting or artillery sites, breathing in the enticing smell of smoke, and incidentally torturing the gun wielders and artillery operators to death!
In later generations, these insects appeared most frequently in military strongholds, bases, arsenals, and battlefields involving firearms. Annoyingly, they also possessed precognition, allowing them to foresee simple dangers, and could erect protective shields, making them very difficult to kill with ordinary firearms. They were arguably the insects that gave soldiers the most headaches!
Low-Tier 2, Flying Dragon Louse!
A terrifying giant insect, a whole tier stronger than the Red-Crested Beetle!
In the blink of an eye, the Flying Dragon Louse had flown over from the distant night sky. Under the dim light, Li Jiayu could vaguely see its grayish-white carapace and the incredibly cool three pairs of insect wings on its back!
Although the Flying Dragon Louse was a size larger than the Red-Crested Beetle and its body was bulky, aided by three pairs of wings, its speed was faster than a swift. In a moment, it had flown above the gymnasium roof, its pair of bloodthirsty blue compound eyes locked deadly onto Li Jiayu!
"Is it coming for me... So, the Female Parasitic Vine's final psychic storm wasn't attacking Rong Momo, but calling this Flying Dragon Louse for backup. And coincidentally, there's the smell of gunpowder from the clay bombs here, so it really came..."
A wave of despair washed over Li Jiayu. He had fought with all his might until the very end, yet he didn't get the best result... He was truly unwilling. Even after paying such a heavy price, he still couldn't win?
Damn it! Man proposes, Heaven disposes. Was he supposed to just wait helplessly to be eaten, and then regret it for eternity in hell...? How could this be? Even if he had to fight, he had to fight one last time!
"Insect Crystals don't matter anymore... Burn as many as I have! Random summon, this might be the last random summon of my life! No matter what, please don't let me down! Absolutely do not let me down!"
As if electrocuted, Li Jiayu fumbled out the last seven Insect Crystals from his pocket and threw them all at his feet. Simultaneously, his eyes widened in fury, roaring resentfully. What came from deep within his mind was no longer dizziness, but a sense of collapse. He felt his entire mind was about to undergo nuclear fission, chaotic beyond measure. But he still maintained absolute clarity, reciting the incantation at the fastest possible speed!
In an instant, inspiration struck. An indescribable feeling of warmth flowed through his heart. In a flash of lightning, Li Jiayu opened his eyes. Disregarding his fractured leg and wrist, he forcibly bent down, half-kneeling, pressed one hand on the ground, and roared furiously:
"Thank you for your arrival! I will forever remember your glory! Come forth, Hellfire Bull!"
Just as Li Jiayu's words fell, the Flying Dragon Louse, which had been posing majestically on the gymnasium roof, lost patience, abruptly flapped its wings, and dove straight down from the air! Its front claws were like two horse-chopping sabers, flashing with cold light in the chilly night!
Closer, closer! Soon it could cleave Li Jiayu from head to crotch with one slash! The Flying Dragon Louse's favorite thing was to cut things in two, splitting people into left and right halves like cutting a watermelon!
Li Jiayu looked up at the incoming demon-eyed blade, his pupils contracting!
This was a race against time!
Please! Hurry up!
Even 0.01 seconds later, and I'll end up in an insect's belly!
As if hearing Li Jiayu's prayer, a dazzling magic circle rapidly lit up. The edges of the circle burned with red flame patterns in the rain. At the same time, a fiery red figure suddenly surged out from within the hexagram magic circle!
"Screech screech—"
The Flying Dragon Louse crashed headfirst into the red figure, like hitting a block of iron. It let out a painful screech, and even its prized front claws were slightly dislocated from the impact!
The Flying Dragon Louse steadied itself, only to see a flaming minotaur towering before it, easily three stories high! Its size was terrifyingly large, its entire body burning with raging flames. Bulging muscles resembled recently solidified magma rocks, emitting astonishingly high temperatures and a hellish aura. Even the rainwater hitting it evaporated instantly!
"Screech screech—"
The moment the Flying Dragon Louse saw such a massive enemy, it immediately knew it had hit a tough spot. Not being stupid, it quickly wanted to turn around and flee, but there was no escape!
The Hellfire Bull let out a roar like exploding thunder! The sound waves blew Li Jiayu's hair back. Then, the Hellfire Bull reached out its hand, grabbed the Flying Dragon Louse in mid-air, squeezed slightly, and with a "Pop!", the Flying Dragon Louse was crushed alive, even cooked through!
This Flying Dragon Louse, before it could even show off its might, was instantly killed by the Hellfire Bull!
"Thump!"
Another dull thud. The Hellfire Bull vanished. It was too powerful; even overdrafting Li Jiayu's mental power was only enough to sustain it in this world for a single second!
With the Hellfire Bull's disappearance, Li Jiayu could no longer hold on. He collapsed like a wooden stake onto the ground, letting the filthy rainwater soak his white hair. He couldn't move an inch!
Already... completely out of strength... All essence, energy, and spirit completely drained. Mind empty, nothing left but stabbing pain...
"Li Jiayu!"
A hoarse shout, followed by a group of people rushing over. It was Chu Xiang! He led a group of boys, braving the danger of insect attacks in the dark night, hastily fumbling their way over!
"Li Jiayu, are you okay? Hold on, I'll take you to the thirteenth floor right away! There's a school doctor there!"
Chu Xiang yelled anxiously. The dozen or so accompanying boys were also pacing around like ants on a hot pan. Even a fool could see Li Jiayu's condition was extremely bad. If something happened to him, it would be utterly disastrous!
"Couldn't come earlier, couldn't come later... why do these extras always arrive only after everything is over..."
This was the last complaint that flashed through Li Jiayu's mind. The next moment, he quietly closed his eyes, sinking into boundless darkness!
Seeing Li Jiayu close his eyes, Chu Xiang's expression changed. He quickly reached out to feel his chest!
One second, two seconds, three seconds – a short yet agonizingly long wait. Chu Xiang's face grew increasingly grim, his ugly lizard-like face looking like a ghost's!
"No... no heartbeat! No heartbeat!"
Chu Xiang stammered, his voice chilling!
"Impossible! You're talking nonsense! Li Jiayu will be fine! He's a prophet! He's from The Dragon Group! Nothing can defeat him! He won't fall so easily!"
At this moment, several more men and women arrived from behind, holding umbrellas. The one speaking was Sun Weiwei. She wasn't holding an umbrella, completely soaked, her long straight black hair plastered wetly to her shoulders. Her beautiful eyes were red, water streaks on her face a mixture of rain and tears. She covered her mouth, jogged over to Li Jiayu, pushed Chu Xiang aside, yet stood helplessly looking at Li Jiayu's cold body, momentarily unsure what to do!
After a long pause, she tremblingly lowered her head, pressing her cheek against Li Jiayu's chest. But her red lips soon began to tremble uncontrollably, fearful and timid like a startled bird. For the first time in her life, she felt such sharp, bone-chilling fear!
"He... he... he really..."
Sun Weiwei covered her lips, tears falling silently. Seeing her reaction, everyone present knew...
Li Jiayu was dead!
"BOOM!"
A deafening clap of thunder. The world was illuminated bright as day by dazzling lightning. In an instant, the sound of rain merged into a roaring deluge. The sky seemed to have torn open countless fissures, fine rain turning into a downpour, cascading onto the earth!
Everyone fell silent. The heavy rain faintly carried the lingering scent of vines and the metallic smell of corpses. An atmosphere of indescribable grief and oppression spread.
Li Jiayu was dead... Such a powerful prophet, actually dead? If even he died, could other ordinary people survive the apocalypse?
Many boys who admired Li Jiayu felt a sense of confusion and the shattering of their faith!
Without Li Jiayu's protection, how could the classmates deal with the endless insects...
The torrential rain mixed with cold wind lashed against their bodies, chilling them to the bone!
"Wait... there's still time for rescue! Maybe there's another way, right... Can't we simulate a defibrillator? We can stimulate Li Jiayu's heart! Or artificial respiration! Even if there's only a sliver of a chance, we have to save him!"
The speaker was Han Xiaoqi, the girl who grew up with Li Jiayu. Although she didn't have romantic feelings for him, she considered him her best male friend. Now, seeing Li Jiayu stop breathing, her grief was imaginable.
"Right! Are there any medical students here! Quick, we're counting on you now!" Chu Xiang yelled at the classmates.
The dozen or so men and women looked at each other blankly. After a long pause, they all shook their heads. Among so many people, there wasn't a single medical student!
How could this be... At such a critical moment, why was there not a single student skilled in first aid present!
"There's no time! We absolutely can't delay Li Jiayu any longer... We must find a way! Even without medical students, we can act according to the emergency! Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, everyone knows the simplest artificial respiration!" Chu Xiang said.
"Then who will give Li Jiayu artificial respiration?"
Hearing "artificial respiration," the several girls present felt an inexplicable stir in their hearts. Whether out of a desire to save him or for other reasons, they were willing to do it. But just as they were about to speak, the half-dead Dark Octopus nearby regained consciousness at this moment. It groaned lowly and muffled:
"Don't... don't waste time... Ordinary methods are useless... You go tear open the Female Parasitic Vine's flower... Peel out the Life Crystal Core, let Master eat it... Maybe it can still hang onto Master's life..."
If Li Jiayu were still conscious, he would definitely be extremely shocked. Because his mental fluctuations had long ceased. According to the laws of summoning, when the master dies, otherworldly creatures return to their original plane. But why could the Dark Octopus still linger beside Li Jiayu?
This completely violated the common sense of the magical world!
But at this moment, no one cared about common sense. Hearing this, Chu Xiang immediately rushed furiously towards the Female Parasitic Vine's frozen corpse. Driven by anger, he reached out with both hands, grabbed the frozen flower bud at both ends, and tore the bud's frozen flesh apart like ripping cloth.
Inside was clearly a nearly formed, blue, transparent female torso. However, deprived of its life source nourishment, it began to return to chaos, turning into viscous liquid. At its center was a glowing gemstone.
Chu Xiang couldn't be bothered with tender feelings. Reaching out again, he plunged his hand into the female form's heart area and pulled out the glowing gemstone. He felt a warm energy radiating from the gem, as comfortable as a spring breeze brushing his face!
Mid-Tier 2, half-psychic, half-life type Crystal Core!
Heavy rain poured down madly from the sky. The dark, heavy sky looked like it was about to collapse.
What followed was deep darkness. Li Jiayu, having swallowed the Crystal Core, still didn't revive. His cold body was sent back to the thirteenth floor. Chu Xiang and the others also rescued the unconscious Xiao Wanqing and the others from the dance hall – eighty-eight females in total. Of course, they also discovered fifty-six dried male corpses drained of blood!
This night would be the longest night the group of survivors on the thirteenth floor had ever endured. The wind and rain lashed like whips against the broken glass, creating piercing, terrifying sounds. It was unknown how many people were jolted awake from nightmares, nor how many spent the night sleepless, gripped by fear and anxiety!