Chapter 172 - 58: [Burrower Empress]

Chapter 172: Chapter 58: [Burrower Empress]

A slender black shadow swam and writhed slowly within the flesh. Set against the pale tissue, it was strikingly conspicuous.

"This is..." Samael did not immediately pull out the Nether Copper Fish Spear. Instead, he drew his short sword and slowly sliced open another layer of flesh.

As the Burrower Empress trembled, a piece of putrid black, tanned leather-like substance was exposed, wriggling sluggishly.

Samael grabbed the object and gave it a slight tug, slowly pulling a long, rotting flesh-like thing out of the pale wound.

It was a monster resembling a mummified corpse, stitched together from clusters of putrid black muscle fibers. The joints gleamed with the luster of Nether Copper, and its overall shape resembled a tapeworm. Its head featured a drill-like horn and seven or eight short arthropod limbs that flailed wildly in the air.

[Scanner activated.]

[Spiritual Construct (Primary Material: Organic Matter)]

[Construct-type artificial lifeform. Manufactured using recycled biomass, retaining the original biological structure. Has a chance to generate a small amount of Biological Posture Materials. Low cost. Capable of performing simple tasks.]

[Unnaturally generated.]

[Methods of control include but are not limited to: Nether Copper resonance signals and Spiritual Implant modifications.]

[Target Origin: Artificial product.]

[Manufactured by splicing biological materials using a Circuit Infiltrator, followed by Nether Copper auxiliary processing.]

[Condition: Good.]

[Structural Integrity: 93%.]

[Stamina: 97%.]

[Capable of burning Biological Posture Materials. Total burn slots: 10.]

[Burned Biological Postures: Sampling Puncture, Enzyme Pre-treatment, Nightmare Sprint (2/10, Unfilled).]

[@Refresh@]

[Biological Posture Detected: Sampling Puncture.]

[Uses hard, sharp limbs to pierce and dig into the surface of biological entities, facilitating the collection of biological samples for further analysis. Commonly used in biomass weapons and organic-based pioneer probes.]

[Can be used in any biological form.]

[Database updated.]

[Burned to the "Artificial Biology - Biological Posture Material" content library.]

[Usable by the chassis.]

[@Refresh@]

[Biological Posture Detected: Enzyme Pre-treatment.]

[Stirs slowly within nutrient-rich organic matrices to break down hard structures until the organic materials are reduced to a slurry, creating an optimal substrate environment for microbial reproduction and facilitating subsequent fungal inoculation. Used to accelerate fermentation and for enzyme pre-treatment.]

[Database updated.]

[Burned to the "Artificial Biology - Biological Posture Material" content library.]

[Usable by the chassis.]

Samael wondered, "Is this an Undead used for parasitic infections and to continuously cause rotting damage?"

The moment the putrid black, tapeworm-like Undead was pulled out, a large mass of foul-smelling, fermented flesh slurry spewed from the torn opening with a loud SQUELCH. The high, bulging cyst on the Burrower Empress’s back instantly deflated, returning to its normal size in the blink of an eye.

The Garden Masters frowned and covered their noses, instinctively backing away. They only slowly approached again once the putrid black slurry had mostly drained, using old bandages and cloth scraps to clean the remaining fermented slurry from the wound.

POP.

Samael reached out and pulled the Reversed Hook Harpoon Gun free, examining it closely.

The center of the Harpoon Gunhead was hollow, housing a small tube just large enough to fit a parasitic Undead.

Although this was ineffective against Ghost Knights, which were cast entirely from Nether Copper, any fleshy Undead hit by the Fish Spear Gun would have this small parasite burrow into their bodies. It would continuously dig and tear at the wound, shredding and churning the flesh repeatedly until it was reduced to a mushy slurry. The wound would then become infected and fester with breeding bacteria, accelerating the rotting process.

Not only would this unknowingly deplete the corpse resources of other Ghost Knights, but it was also a cruel and nauseating method of inflicting damage—especially against living creatures.

He felt a chill run down his spine, a sensation he had never experienced when facing Anshiba or Lahador.

Pulangti used all his whimsical ideas and creative brilliance for torture, slaughter, and destruction, even if it meant doing so in a sickening and revolting manner. No wonder Lahador and Anshiba seemingly wanted nothing to do with him.

Samael sliced open another secretory cyst at the site of the Burrower Empress’s severed limb. Fortunately, there was no parasitic Undead inside, only faint traces of toxins.

The Garden Masters identified the symptoms of the poison and rummaged through the plants Samael had gathered from the swamp. Relying on their experience, they quickly found the corresponding antidote.

Clutching the Nether Copper Fish Spear Gunhead and carrying the parasitic Undead made from mummified muscle and Nether Copper, Samael slowly climbed back up to the nesting chamber.

The moment he reached the top of the stairs, a bucket of clean water was dumped over his head.

Talia pulled back the wooden bucket, grabbed a stiff-bristled brush made of thatch fibers, and vigorously scrubbed his breastplate and helmet with a loud SCRUB SCRUB SCRUB.

"Uh..." Samael tried to speak, but Talia jabbed the brush right into his helmet.

"You’re covered in black pus!" Talia pulled the brush out of his helmet in frustration. "When I rest, I have to use this freezing cold pauldron as a pillow! I can’t sleep soundly without leaning against it... How am I supposed to rest now?

"You really should stop interacting with your kind from now on—what is wrong with them!

"One is a compulsive liar who spouts pure nonsense, another is a square-headed, uncommunicative siege engine, and now there’s a stinky mud monster who likes playing with dirt and rotting flesh!"

"Hmm... it’s actually not that bad," Samael shrugged, still holding the parasitic Undead. He let Talia scrub away at his Armor with her stiff brush, taking the time to browse through the item descriptions in his interface UI.