Chapter Sixty-Two: Everyone Has Arrived

As Big Lung dispatched two hidden Face-Spiders amidst his laughter and banter, a wave of intimidation swept over the crowd. Many of Lakan’s men had witnessed, with their own eyes, how Big Lung made a living person vanish before their very gaze. Instantly, those nearby recoiled, swallowing hard, their faces twisted with terror as they stared at him.

A blank, fan-shaped space formed around Big Lung, as the others instinctively kept their distance. His eyes narrowed slightly then, and he turned, casting a cruel gleam toward the followers of Hu Kong and Bell. All present watched with horror as the soles of Mr. Big Lung’s feet transformed, tendrils thick and muscular unfurling and extending toward the other side of the crowd.

“My God! What is that?” Panic-stricken voices filled the dining hall.

Hu Kong and Bell could not remain seated any longer. They rushed to the corridor, glaring down at the formidable figure below. Big Lung had always kept to himself and was not prominent in the Prati black market; the forbidden figures merely knew of such a person in the Corpse Catchers organization, but none had ever witnessed such a terrifying form.

The tendrils, swiftly stretching across the floor, were a clear sign of a mutant’s unique abilities. The sight of such transformation, occurring within a human body, sent chills down Hu Kong and Bell’s spines—especially as the tendrils surged directly toward their own men. It became clear that Big Lung was about to act against their people.

Hu Kong’s face darkened as he spoke, “Ye Hai, your Corpse Catchers actually keep such dreadful monsters! Aren’t you afraid of causing panic in the Prati black market? And now he’s attacking my men...”

Ye Hai coldly interrupted, “Mr. Hu Kong, please remain calm. Mr. Big Lung is purging traitors from your ranks. Soon, you will see what terrifying creatures have infiltrated your team! I believe Mr. Lakan’s improper actions today were largely the result of some peculiar influence; otherwise, with his wisdom, he would never act so rashly.”

Behind him, Lakan glared at Ye Hai’s back, his eyes smoldering with resentment.

As Mr. Big Lung’s tendrils branched along their path, ultimately forming five separate limbs, the hidden Face-Spiders among the crowd could bear it no longer. They saw the tendrils bypass everyone else and sweep straight toward them.

The next moment, a scene unfolded that left all who witnessed it dumbstruck. Five Face-Spiders simultaneously revealed their true forms—hideous, half-human, half-spider monstrosities that sent shrill screams echoing through the hall. None of the forbidden figures’ followers had imagined that their once-familiar companions harbored such terrifying creatures within. They scattered in panic, fleeing from these dreadful mutants.

The Face-Spiders swiftly dispersed.

Some leapt, hanging inverted from the ceiling. Others scrambled along the side walls, racing straight at Mr. Big Lung. The remaining two charged in from the floor. Witnessing this display, the forbidden figures’ followers fled in all directions, distancing themselves from Big Lung and Lianna.

Lianna’s kin, despite a brief moment of shock, quickly divided into two groups—one leading the elderly, women, and children to the staircase on the second floor, guarding the entrance, while the other, wielding makeshift weapons, stood before Lianna, determined to protect her despite their fear. It was evident they felt some trepidation toward Mr. Big Lung; after all, to them, he was an utterly unknown entity, a strange “mutant” nearly indistinguishable from a human. And it is the unknown that truly terrifies.

Mr. Big Lung was deeply surprised by their behavior. Over the years, he had seen many in the wilderness sacrifice kin or friends as bait for mutants just to save themselves, and others, even if kind-hearted, would choose to escape alone rather than help fellow survivors. Yet people like those around Lianna—who, when faced with an overwhelming force, refused to abandon one another and fought to the death—were exceedingly rare. Such people had nearly died out on Zombie Star.

Encountering such steadfast individuals once more left Mr. Big Lung momentarily lost in thought. He then offered Lianna a gentle smile. “The people by your side... are remarkable.”

No sooner had he spoken than Lianna’s relatives breathed a sigh of relief. But Mr. Big Lung underwent another transformation. From his neck, abdomen, and any gap in his evening attire, a multitude of tendrils slick with foul mucus erupted, weaving into a massive net that nearly enveloped half the dining hall, sweeping toward the five Face-Spiders.

The two on the ground shrieked, spitting fireballs directly at Mr. Big Lung’s tendril net. The one on the ceiling, its eight leg joints crackling with faint arcs of electricity, while the Face-Spiders on the walls suddenly became completely invisible, vanishing from sight.

Ye Hai’s heart tightened. “It’s here! Psionic power! Judging by the strength they’ve unleashed, it’s far weaker than what Tang Jie used. According to Tang Jie, he’s evolved seven times… these Face-Spiders’ originals might have undergone only four or five evolutions… For psionic abilities to manifest after only four or five evolutions is unbelievable. Even if the power seems unimpressive, it elevates the Face-Spiders’ combat prowess by at least a tier above ordinary mutants. Moreover, psionic skills can be even more devastating in certain special environments.”

When the Face-Spiders revealed themselves, Ye Hai clearly heard the three forbidden figures gasp in shock. The realization that such fearsome monsters had infiltrated their own ranks chilled them to the bone. If these creatures wished to kill them, they could easily do so before anyone could react.

And Ye Hai had already identified these terrifying mutants. Their gazes toward Ye Hai grew complex. Bell was especially furious and frightened, for he had personally seen his most trusted subordinate—Jack—transform into one of these ghastly monsters. A cold sweat soaked Bell’s back.

The Face-Spiders’ psionic fireballs blasted a hole in Mr. Big Lung’s tendril net, but more tendrils surged in, filling the gap in the blink of an eye. The next moment, three Face-Spiders—those on the ground and ceiling—collided headlong with the net, and were instantly engulfed. The electrified one even managed to make Mr. Big Lung feel a brief numbness, but was soon completely consumed.

Before the entire crowd, Mr. Big Lung’s net fused together and withdrew back into his body from the floor. When he again smiled kindly at everyone, a chill ran down their spines. None could have imagined that the Corpse Catchers, who had shared the Prati black market with them for years, harbored such an entity.

Ye Hai frowned slightly—Mr. Big Lung had dealt with three, but the other two had vanished entirely.

Just then, a drop of mucus fell from the ceiling of the second-floor corridor. Ye Hai, Qiao, and the forbidden figures all looked up. There, a grotesque Face-Spider hung upside down above them. It leapt from the ceiling, midair—

From the depths of the second-floor banquet hall, a beam cannon pierced straight through the Face-Spider’s body. The mutant’s corpse crashed heavily in front of the forbidden figures, who instinctively stepped back, staring in horror at the hideous creature.

Turning, they saw Javier, cigarette dangling from his lips, his right hand’s silver spiral cannon barrel dissolving slowly into liquid. And as their eyes focused on Javier’s face, his throat suddenly split open, revealing a blood-red eyeball that swept back and forth over the forbidden figures.

The eerie sight sent a chill through everyone present.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted outside the dining hall, but swiftly faded into silence. When everyone looked over, they saw two squads of soldiers dragging the human and spider halves of Face-Spiders into the hall.

“Ha ha ha… Edward Teach, Commander of the First Legion of the Great Tree Star Defense Force, humbly pays a visit! Brother Ye Hai, forgive my intrusion.”

“Talan Army General Staff, Nan Gong Yixiao, here to visit the Corpse Catchers. Brother Ye Hai, please introduce me to Mr. Crow.”

Upon hearing their introductions, everyone’s minds exploded in shock, unable to recover for a long time.