Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Evolving Burrowing Rat
The three Burrowing Rats flashed with a metallic glow, slightly larger in size than typical Burrowing Rats; it seemed they had consumed a large amount of metallic material and were on the verge of advancing.
Upon sensing the presence of the Burrowing Rats, the Sunflower King perched on Big Gray’s head seemed a bit excited.
Hunting Burrowing Rats was its specialty.
It began to squirm, but calmed down under Big Gray’s soothing gestures.
The Burrowing Rats lunged with claws extended towards the Thousand-Change Silkworm.
The Thousand-Change Silkworm looked round and plump, exuding a pleasant aroma that drove the Burrowing Rats crazy.
"Thousand-Change Silkworm, use Hardening."
A white, blinding light appeared on the Thousand-Change Silkworm’s body, significantly boosting its defense.
"Roll."
The Thousand-Change Silkworm curled its body into a ball, rolling across the ground, kicking up a lot of dust.
The Burrowing Rat leapt into the air, slashing its sharp claws at the Thousand-Change Silkworm.
As the claws met the Thousand-Change Silkworm, sparks flew.
The Burrowing Rat felt a sharp pain in its claws and, unable to dodge in time, was crushed under the Thousand-Change Silkworm.
Blood gushed from the Burrowing Rat’s eyes, nose, and ears, and a mournful howl escaped its mouth as its life force rapidly drained away.
At that moment, a piercing sound came, and translucent insect silk piercing through the Burrowing Rat’s forehead pinned it to the ground.
Crimson blood oozed from the wound as its body convulsed violently, before its head lolled to the side, dead.
The lifeless eyes of the deceased Burrowing Rat stared blankly at the Thousand-Change Silkworm in silent accusation.
Star-blue light flowed from the Burrowing Rat into the Thousand-Change Silkworm.
The death of their companion didn’t cause the Burrowing Rats to flee in panic; instead, the scent of blood further incited the remaining two Burrowing Rats.
Their eyes widened, and their teeth chattered with a kak-kak sound.
Burrowing Rats are omnivorous Exotic Beasts, consuming anything, and when starved, they even turn on their companions.
Bloodthirst shone in their eyes.
Blood-red evil qi entwined around them, a layer of blood mist enveloping them.
Ye Bai’s eyes, affected by stimulation, also turned blood red, though his pupils’ color was hidden under specially designed black lenses.
The Eye of Insight self-scrutinized the current state of the Burrowing Rats.
[Name: Burrowing Rat]
[Gender: Male]
[Level: lv9 (Tier One Level 9)]
[Skills: Frenzy (Skilled), Steel Claw (Skilled), Biting (Beginner)]
[State: About to enter a frenzy state, their attack power will multiply.]
[Evolutionary Path 1: Bloodstorm Rat, devour a large amount of flesh, reach the pinnacle of Tier One strength, condense a Blood Core, then advance.]
[Evolutionary Path 2: Steel Burrowing Rat, devour a large amount of metal, reach the pinnacle of Tier One strength, then advance.]
.....
[Name: Burrowing Rat]
[Gender: Female]
[Level: lv9 (Tier One Level 9)]
[Skills: Frenzy (Skilled), Steel Claw (Skilled), Iron Head (Beginner), Tearing Claw (Skilled)]
[State: About to enter a frenzy state, their attack power will multiply.]
[Evolutionary Path: Blood Steel Rat, devour a large amount of flesh and metal, reach the pinnacle of Tier One strength, condense a Blood Core, and advance, turning fur as hard as steel.]
Ye Bai was momentarily stunned upon reading the data of one Burrowing Rat; it actually had another evolutionary path.
He immediately conceived a plan to spur these two Burrowing Rats to advance from Tier One to Tier Two.
Killing Tier Two Exotic Beasts yields significantly more experience than Tier One.
A single Tier Two Exotic Beast’s experience is equivalent to that of ten Tier One Exotic Beasts.
More importantly, Tier Two Exotic Beasts spawn Crystal Cores.
Crystal Cores are akin to hard currency, usable to enhance an Exotic Beast’s power or for bartering.
With the Tier Three Sunflower King and the even more powerful Big Gray protecting him, Ye Bai wasn’t worried about potential accidents.
"Thousand-Change Silkworm, throw that Burrowing Rat’s corpse out."
The Thousand-Change Silkworm yanked the insect silk hard, and the Burrowing Rat’s corpse sailed through the air in an arc.
The corpse landed heavily in front of the two Burrowing Rats, blood pooling around it.
The two Burrowing Rats flared their nostrils, feeling intensely hungry with drum-like bellies.
The Burrowing Rat killed by the Thousand-Change Silkworm was also on the brink of evolution, its body rich with energy.
Stimulated by blood, the two Burrowing Rats could no longer hold back, baring their sharp teeth in wide-open black mouths.
The scene was filled with sounds of ravenous gulping and bone gnawing.
Soon enough, they finished eating the entire Burrowing Rat, as their levels rose to lv10, and their bodies began to shiver violently, on the verge of advancing.
One of the Burrowing Rats was enveloped in a flash of blood light, ringing by a halo of blood-red evil qi, and the blood mist extended, seemingly corrosive, pitting the ground with holes.
Its blood-red eyes locked intensely on the Thousand-Change Silkworm, emitting a huffing noise.
It appeared grotesque, like a skinned rat.
This was a Tier Two Bloodstorm Rat, notoriously cruel, known to swallow prey whole while it still lived, delighting in its cries.
"Great, Thousand-Change Silkworm, use Silk Spitting."
The Thousand-Change Silkworm shot out crystal-clear insect silk from its mouth, the silk wrapped around a roadside lamppost, swinging it towards the Bloodthirsty Rat like a wrecking ball.
The Bloodthirsty Rat sneered savagely, swinging its blood-red glowing claws, aiming to pierce the Thousand-Change Silkworm’s body.
Bang.
Upon contact with the Thousand-Change Silkworm, the Bloodthirsty Rat’s claws were violently struck and shattered.
It felt as if struck by a heavy truck, flying backward uncontrollably, slamming into a wall.
The wall spiderwebbed with cracks, and the spot where the Bloodthirsty Rat hit became deeply indented.
If it had been an ordinary Burrowing Rat, it would likely have perished, but as a Tier Two Bloodstorm Rat, its life force was much more resilient.
Its heart continued to pump blood, and the indented parts of its body slowly began to recover.
"Thousand-Change Silkworm, use Silk Spitting."
Seizing the chance before the Bloodthirsty Rat recovered, the Thousand-Change Silkworm spat out insect silk sharp as blades.
A whizzing sound filled the air as the silk was poised to pierce the Bloodthirsty Rat’s heart, but a shadow intercepts.
This was an Exotic Beast covered with metallic spikes, its armored body radiating bloodthirst.
Greedy eyes locked onto the Thousand-Change Silkworm, as if it were a prime piece of meat.