Chapter 125: The Gold-Eater Clan!

Blood flowed across the surface of the starship, and the corpses of hideous creatures were scattered everywhere.

Just as Lan Tian was filled with bewilderment, the hull, cast entirely from high-strength alloy, began to emit trails of white smoke.

Corrosion?!

Lan Tian suddenly understood. It was no wonder these hideous creatures would dash against the starship even at the cost of their own lives; their blood was highly corrosive, potent enough to eat through the ship’s hull!

"Damn it! How could this thing be here?! How dare it appear here?!" Seeing this, Bai could no longer contain himself, roaring in sheer terror.

"What exactly is this thing?! Tell me!" Lan Tian was anxious and deeply confused. "And why isn't the ship launching? At this rate, it’s going to be destroyed!"

"Launching? Do you think the starship’s crew are idiots?" Bai muttered.

"It’s useless... this is a matriarch of the Metal-Eater Clan!" Lan Tian could hear the intense agitation in Bai's voice; it seemed he had encountered something truly unimaginable.

"I never expected to find traces of the Metal-Eater Clan within the borders of the Yuanlan Empire..." Bai continued.

"We are in real danger now... You don't understand. Wherever the Metal-Eater Clan exists, a special magnetic field emerges. Under the influence of this field, a starship cannot possibly launch..."

"And that’s not even mentioning this low-level passenger ship. Even your Chixin God-Armor would have its functions reduced to at most fifty percent under such a field..."

"What?! The Chixin God-Armor would be affected that severely?!" Lan Tian exclaimed in shock.

Regardless of his future potential, the Chixin God-Armor was his greatest reliance for now. Hearing Bai say this, Lan Tian truly panicked.

"The Metal-Eater Clan is one of the most powerful races in the universe, and their relationship with humanity is extremely hostile. Don't be fooled by the fact that this matriarch shows no signs of life, like a dead object; in truth, every matriarch is a powerful member of the Metal-Eater Clan itself!" Bai went on.

"Although they are massive, they possess incredible mobility, and their defenses are terrifying! Take this one before us—judging by its size, it belongs to the relatively weaker members of the clan. But even so, given its physical durability, a Galaxy-level fighter would likely be unable to cause it any harm! I estimate only a Star-Domain-level fighter could inflict effective damage, and as for killing it, you would likely need to be at the Universe level!"

"As for the hideous creatures outside the ship, they are the parasitic organisms of the Metal-Eater!"

"Eighty or ninety percent of the Metal-Eater’s attacks come from these parasites. Not only does each individual possess immense strength, but their blood also contains highly corrosive substances. Forget about standard starships; even decent combat armor can’t hold up against them!"

"And don't underestimate the power of these parasites. Take this specific Metal-Eater—each of its parasites is no weaker than a Star-Radiance-level fighter!"

"So run, quickly! If we don't leave now, we might not get another chance!" Bai delivered his final verdict.

"What?! Ho... how is that possible! Each one is no weaker than Star-Radiance level?!" Hearing this, Lan Tian’s understanding of the Metal-Eater Clan was shattered. He couldn't even speak properly, his lips trembling in horror.

One had to realize that even without counting the parasites still pouring out, or the dark, endless wave of them charging forward, the number of parasites that had already died from crashing into the ship was likely over a hundred thousand!

Roughly calculated, there were about a million Star-Radiance-level parasites swarming the ship!

That was the equivalent of a million Star-Radiance-level cultivators!

This is madness! The Metal-Eater Clan was simply too terrifying!

Lan Tian was completely speechless. A matriarch that even a Galaxy-level fighter couldn't penetrate, combined with millions of parasites rivaling Star-Radiance-level fighters—if such a terrifying entity appeared on a habitable planet, it would be a total catastrophe!

This was a nightmare capable of easily destroying a life-bearing world!

"So... what do we do now?" Lan Tian asked a question that even he felt was foolish.

"What do you think? Run, of course!" As expected, Bai roared, sounding exasperated. "The material of the Chixin God-Armor is top-tier; these parasites won't be able to break through it in the short term. Once the ship’s hull is breached, ignore everything else and break out!"

"Remember, do not hesitate, and do not let yourself be surrounded by the parasites, or you will surely die!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Just as Bai finished speaking, the explosions around them grew deafening—the hull of the passenger starship... had been breached!

"Quick, this is the moment! Run!" Bai shouted sharply.

"Everyone, do not panic! I am here!" Just as Lan Tian prepared to control the Chixin God-Armor to flee, a booming voice erupted from behind. Looking toward the sound, he saw a man radiating light, wearing standard combat gear, rushing out of a room. Holding a combat blade, he didn't say another word and struck the breach in the hull.

Instantly, an icy-blue blade aura about ten zhang long projected from the tip of his weapon, suddenly expanding to nearly a hundred zhang. Wherever the aura passed, the parasites were frozen into ice sculptures, falling to the floor of the ship.

"That is an ice-attribute combat technique imbued with the 'Divine Rhythm' of basic combat skills?!" Lan Tian’s pupils constricted. The amplification from this rhythm... was definitely beyond the first level!

"Friends, I am Qi Peng, Deputy Commander of the Yuanlan Empire’s Hudu City Defense Force. Perhaps many of you don't realize this, but this is a Metal-Eater Clan matriarch. It looks fearsome, but it isn't actually that powerful. I have already sent a distress signal, and I believe reinforcements will arrive shortly. Please join me in exiting the ship to meet the enemy and buy time for the reinforcements!" The man shouted as he continued to swing his blade.

"It’s Deputy Commander Qi Peng! We are saved!"

"Haha! Metal-Eaters, Metal-Silvers! What is there to fear? Everyone, follow the Commander and charge!"

Hearing the Deputy Commander’s words, the previously terrified crowd felt their hearts settle. They began to echo his call, channeling their cosmic star power to defend against the parasite attacks.

Only Lan Tian frowned. What did he mean by "it isn't that powerful"? An entity that only a Universe-level fighter could kill was, in the words of this low-level Star-Domain-level deputy commander, "not that powerful"?

Of course, he didn't dwell on it too much. He immediately retracted the Chixin God-Armor. He wasn't taking any chances—even though the armor looked plain and no different from standard issue, one could never be too careful. If he were identified by someone who could be considered an official of the Yuanlan Empire, he would be in deep trouble!

"I suggest you put on the Chixin God-Armor and leave immediately," Bai said suddenly. "I don't know what this Deputy Commander Qi Peng is planning, but since he knows about the Metal-Eater Clan, he surely knows how dangerous they are. Yet, he is ordering everyone to go outside and fight? That is pure suicide!"

"My guess is, either he wants everyone to die with him, or... he wants everyone to draw the fire so he can find an opening to escape!"