I've already reached the Nascent Soul stage, and you're saying I didn't time travel?

Chapter 133 The Unexpected Nemesis

"What's going on? What exactly happened? How did the situation suddenly collapse?!"

"Yeah, everything was fine before, where did those people who flanked us come from?"

"Could it have flown in from another direction?"

"That doesn't make sense either. If it came from another direction, the first victim shouldn't have been that soldier. The people on the outer perimeter are completely unharmed."

"Perhaps it's a surprise attack from underground? Like, it might emerge from a nearby manhole cover?"

"Hilarious! How could you possibly think there would be manhole covers in those slums? Even if there were, they would have been stolen and sold for money long ago."

"The demonic insects have always been hiding underground or in dark places. The experts around here must have considered this long ago and would never make such a basic mistake."

"So, where did they actually come from?"

……

In the live broadcast room, netizens discussed the sudden defeat of the Mexican government.

The most crucial point, of course, lies in the demonic insect that appeared out of nowhere.

Because of the large number of people watching the live stream, and the fact that the video could be continuously replayed, many sharp-eyed netizens quickly noticed something amiss.

They noticed that before the soldiers experienced the excruciating pain of being bitten by the demonic insects, many small, rice-grain-sized objects pounced on them.

Through repeated observation, comparison, and magnification, they finally determined that all the rice-grain-sized foreign objects were demonic insects.

Or rather, the larvae of a demonic insect!
So here's the problem: you might be able to barely block the glutinous rice ball-sized demonic insects with targeted flame spray, but what about the rice grain-sized larvae of demonic insects? They're so small you can barely see them, and once they spread out, they're practically everywhere. How the hell can you possibly stop them?

In an instant, countless netizens panicked:

"This is outrageous! How can there be such a tiny larva of a demonic insect?!"

"The problem is that not only are they small, but the damage is also great. A dozen or so pills landed on a person, and that person was completely drained in the blink of an eye!"

"This finally explains why some places, where no trace of demonic insects was observed, suddenly experienced tragedies. It turns out that the size of a glutinous rice ball is not the condition for demonic insects to be lethal. From the larvae the size of a grain of rice, they are already extremely dangerous! Even the larvae the size of a glutinous rice ball may only be the adult stage, not the complete stage!"

"Damn! The larvae are hard to observe, attack quickly, and are extremely lethal. Only martial artists at the Transformation Realm can barely escape when they grow into adult forms. If they continue to grow and reach their complete form, wouldn't only Innate Realm or even Grandmaster Realm experts be able to deal with them?!"

"Just imagining those fist-sized, master-level demonic insects swarming over, leaving nothing but death and barren land in their wake... just thinking about it sends chills down my spine!!"

"We absolutely cannot allow the demonic insects to grow to that extent! Otherwise, no country in the world will be able to continue to withstand it! Society will completely collapse. We must eliminate all the demonic insects before they fully mature!"

"It's not as simple as you say. Growing-stage demonic insects aren't so easy to kill. Didn't you see how much effort Mexico put in and still lost?"

"That's due to information asymmetry! Who knew there were larvae? From the beginning, everyone mistakenly thought the demon worm was only the size of a glutinous rice ball!"

"Okay, okay! Now we know there are larvae the size of rice grains. Tell me how to prevent them? Tell me how to pick them out?!"

"These insects are so small, even if you seal all the doors and windows, you still can't stop them from invading!"

"What do we do? What do we do?! How are we supposed to stop those tiny demonic insect larvae?!"

"Unstoppable! Absolutely unstoppable! Hahaha, humanity is about to be wiped out!!"

……

With Qi Xuan's live stream ending, the chaotic netizens all returned to their respective national networks.

However, due to restrictions on speech, all kinds of negative and even harmful public opinion were brought under control for a time, and the overall atmosphere was guided towards fighting back as much as possible, so as to avoid large-scale chaos and social unrest before the invasion of the demonic insects, and the outbreak of various vicious incidents.

As night fell, the darkness gradually shifted from Mexico to other countries, and some Pacific coastal countries that had already experienced insect plagues were once again met with a violent onslaught of the monstrous insects.

Although the United Nations had sent personnel and equipment to various affected countries in advance, some of these coastal countries were simply too weak, with insufficient military strength and poor personnel quality. In addition, the large-scale invasion of larvae made it difficult to completely avoid them, so the front line of pest control in several countries was overwhelmed by the insects on the spot.

As the insect plague spread further, countless victims outside the blockades in various places cried out in agony before their deaths.

Human-skin-like skeletons were scattered on the ground, in cars, under beds, in wardrobes... After the demonic insects flew by, block after block fell into a deathly silence.

A train carrying countless chaotic passengers crashed into another train that was traveling normally. Broken carriages tumbled and exploded in all directions.

Several planes that had taken off temporarily crashed shortly after taking off, igniting a series of fires on the ground.

The firelight illuminated the night sky.

Further out, the roads, which were originally sparse and empty at night, were almost completely blocked by cars, trucks and other vehicles, and were completely paralyzed. Countless people fled with their children, running frantically in all directions.

The tragic scenes of insect plagues in various countries were broadcast on a large scale across the internet through live streams, personal videos, and news reports.

Hearing the cries and screams, seeing the gruesome corpses, and feeling the chaotic atmosphere, countless foreigners, even those who had not yet come into contact with the demonic insects, were horrified and felt a chill run down their spines.

Most importantly, as the insect plague continues to expand, some of the lurking insects have infiltrated ferries, trains, airplanes, and other modes of transportation, silently traveling to neighboring countries and even more distant ones.
The monstrous insects spread uncontrollably across the globe.

This includes the Great Qian Dynasty.

It was 3:30 PM, not long after Qi Xuan's live stream ended.

Wangjian River and Fuyuan, because the blue star rotates from west to east, this area has become the first place in the Great Qian Dynasty to enter night, and it gets dark as early as three or four o'clock in the afternoon during autumn and winter.

The temperature here often stays between a few degrees below zero and ten degrees below zero, and snowfall is very frequent. The outside world is covered in a silvery white, but it is not without people.

At this very moment, at a nearby ice sculpture attraction, groups of tourists are playing among the ice sculptures, the colorful lights making the place look like a fairy tale.

But now, this dreamlike fairytale world has been greeted by a group of uninvited guests.

"Honey, look what that is!"

Pointing at a group of dark figures flying rapidly through the air, a young woman asked curiously.

The man raised his head and said nonchalantly:

"Migratory birds, perhaps?"

"How could migratory birds be so small?"

The young woman rolled her eyes, then said in surprise:

"Wait, why are they flying this way?"

"Towards us?"

The man looked up at the approaching swarm of insects. He suddenly recalled the scene he had seen in the online video that afternoon. In that instant, his heart snapped, and a piercing scream burst from his mouth:
"There are demonic insects! Run!!"

With the strength of a martial arts master, this shout drowned out the soothing and beautiful music in the amusement park.

The moving crowd paused instantly upon hearing the shout.

Upon catching a glimpse of the man carrying his wife and running wildly in the distance, along with the occasional screams coming from nearby, the crowd suddenly erupted like startled birds.

Countless people screamed and fled in all directions, and the scene immediately descended into chaos.

Three minutes later, accompanied by the screeching sound of brakes, the special police officers who had received the emergency alarm rushed to the scene.

At this moment, all the lights in the scenic area were on, and many people huddled together, trembling in the intense light created by the searchlights. A large number of demonic insects swarmed around them, hesitant to attack, perhaps out of aversion to the bright light. Seeing this, the special police officers immediately rushed towards the swarm of insects.

Before they could get close, the swarm of insects spotted the delicious food and turned to rush towards them.

Faced with the swarming insects, the special police opened fire. Amidst the crisp gunshots, many of the insects fell to the ground, but even more rushed forward.

Drawing on international experience in dealing with insect swarms, the special police officers in the rear immediately stepped forward, brandishing flamethrowers and spraying flames wildly in front of them. Others nearby launched specially made metal nets at the scattered insect swarms, not to capture them alive, but to temporarily trap them and then burn them to death with gunpowder.

After some emergency measures, although there were a few casualties, the vast majority of the demonic insects were eliminated, while the few remaining ones scattered and fled to other places.

Upon seeing this, the crowd cheered and rushed forward to inform others of the situation. Many people had fled into nearby amusement park rides, but were now trapped by the worms and faced imminent danger.

Faced with dozens of amusement park rides, the number of special police officers, less than a hundred, still seemed far too small.

Fortunately, at this time, the second wave of reinforcements also arrived at the scene.

Under unified command, soldiers and special police formed combat teams, carrying various equipment including net guns, glue guns, flamethrowers, high-powered flashlights, and high-powered insect suction devices. The teams, consisting of three groups, searched and investigated nearby entertainment facilities in sequence to rescue civilians and exterminate the monster insects.

Following the first team, the second team, responsible for comprehensive disinfection, carried out a thorough sweep of the entire amusement park with the necessary equipment, leaving no corner untouched by insects.

In addition, hundreds of drones equipped with high-intensity lighting systems hovered in the air, scanning various blind spots to provide assistance to ground personnel. On the other hand, in order to guard against the monster insects that rushed into the air to escape, they would release sticky spray once they encountered a target to entangle the monster insects and prevent them from spreading to other areas.

While the operation was underway, warnings about the insect invasion were being issued to nearby residents through various channels, including the local police station, residents' committee, mobile broadcasts, and news media. Residents were urged to stay indoors as much as possible, turn on their lights, be vigilant against the dangers of the insect invasion, and report any insects or larvae they found immediately.

The nearby military, police, firefighters, and militia have all been mobilized and are ready to rush to the front line to provide support at any time.

Medical institutions across the country have urgently opened up relevant rescue channels to ensure that the injured can receive timely medical treatment.

Everything was proceeding smoothly, and the cold night suddenly felt somewhat warm.

But the demonic insects will not stay in one place.

Only one of the many demonic insects flew into the Wangjian River.

As night fell over other provinces and cities, swarms of insects that had been flying high in the sky quickly descended into the cities below.

However, due to a series of warnings and reminders from the authorities, as well as the bloody lessons learned from numerous videos from overseas, people in various places, after discovering the invasion of the monster insects, would quickly try to escape the scene after initially suffering some losses, seeking out bright light or enclosed spaces to cover themselves. By the time large-scale support from the authorities arrived at the scene, the disaster caused by the monster insects could usually be brought under control quickly.

However, not all disaster situations are under official control.

Pei County, a small county in central China, experienced a long-awaited power outage.

Under normal circumstances, a power outage might have some impact and cause some losses, but it wouldn't be too significant. Under normal circumstances, even if there is a power outage, it won't last too long.

Tonight, just as the power company was making emergency repairs, a group of demonic insects suddenly landed in this small county town.

To make matters worse, the swarm contained not only adult insects but also numerous larvae the size of rice grains.

A fierce battle began silently in the dark night.

As the piercing screams and shrill howls continued to erupt, the silent night was instantly thrown into turmoil.

Many people jumped out of bed, and thanks to the extraordinary hearing of martial artists, they could hear the clearly audible shouts from hundreds of meters away:
"Demon insect!"

"The demonic insects are here!!"

Hearing the screams, countless people were chilled to the bone. They immediately called the police, tried their best to protect their families, and closely monitored the situation in the community's WeChat group.

When they discovered that there were larvae in the community, many people's psychological defenses collapsed on the spot.

Having seen the disaster videos, they were well aware of the dangers larvae pose. Not only are they small and difficult to defend against, but they often come out in groups of more than a dozen. An ordinary person can be sucked dry on the spot in one encounter. Even if they wanted to escape, probably only martial artists could escape.

Although some time has passed since martial arts were first introduced, not everyone has become a martial artist. A significant number of people, such as young children, the elderly, or those bedridden with serious illnesses, often find it difficult to cultivate. These are precisely the targets that the larvae can easily capture, and they have almost no power to resist the larvae's slaughter.

Hearing the screams coming from the neighbors, it was clear that the larvae were picking off the residents one by one.

Some people, fearing the darkness and clinging to a sliver of hope, hid at home, afraid to make a move, hoping the larvae wouldn't target their homes and waiting for police rescue.

Others, however, were unwilling to sit idly by and wait for their fate. Even knowing that the police were on their way, they prepared to leave the community. If they managed to get on the bus, they might have a chance to escape from the disaster epicenter of the community.

As for why they didn't wait for the police, aside from the fact that it would take time for the police to arrive, they might not have been able to wait for them due to the threat of the larvae.

Even if the police arrive, they may not be able to be rescued successfully.

Police in small counties are not as well-equipped as those in big cities. They may not have enough special equipment such as glue guns and drones. The situation in older neighborhoods is also more complicated. In addition, the larvae are scattered, so it is unknown how long it will take to completely eradicate them.

However, leaving the community is not an easy task either.

This is an old residential area in the county town. No underground parking garage was ever built beforehand, and vehicles are all stored in the open air. This means that if they want to drive, they have to first get into the car parked outside. Although there may not be larvae outside, there are many monstrous insects constantly lurking around, ready to attack passersby at any time.

Soon, the twenty-odd martial artists who regularly practiced martial arts at the community's exercise area got in touch with each other.

After a brief discussion, they decided to form two escort teams, each consisting of five members of the Transformation Realm and several members of the Dark Realm. The Transformation Realm members were responsible for escorting the elderly, women, and children of each household, while the Dark Realm members carried powerful flashlights, fire extinguishers, and other equipment to provide cover.

After one escort is completed, another is used, until all the relatives in the group are put on the vehicle and leave the community.

Once the plan was set, everyone didn't delay any longer. Soon, the first group of martial artists set off and arrived at the door of a certain martial artist's house, bringing out a woman carrying two children.

Fortunately, the woman was also a hidden expert, and her car was parked nearby. Soon, the first group boarded the car under the escort of others, and then quickly drove away from the community.

The second team then began its operation, and this team also managed to complete its mission by sheer luck.

But after switching to the first team again, they encountered the demonic insects this time.

"go!"

"Come on!"

Two experts, both at the Transformation Realm, carried the two elderly people on their backs and ran forward at top speed.

The remaining members of the Dark Force Realm used powerful flashlights to continuously sweep the swarm of insects, and occasionally sprayed dry powder from fire extinguishers. Three other members of the Transformation Force Realm provided support from the side, waving basins, pot lids, and even tablet computers to continuously swat at the rapidly attacking demonic insects.

The demonic insects are indeed very fast and have great destructive power, but they are not invincible.

At least, when faced with a small number of demonic insects, martial artists at the Transformation Realm have the option of fighting back, or even successfully killing them, in addition to fleeing. This is the source of their confidence in sending people out.

However, as another wave of demonic insects flew in from mid-air to join the battle, the martial artists on the scene immediately felt immense pressure.

Seeing the strongest member of the team, a fitness instructor who had reached the fourth level of the Black Jade Skill and whose body was as hard as iron, being attacked by more than a dozen demonic insects and suffering repeated injuries, he quickly died on the spot. While the other martial artists were deeply angry, a deep chill rose in their hearts.

Even the fourth level of the Black Jade Technique couldn't stop them, so how could they possibly survive?
Faced with the dozen or so demonic insects that were attacking, a young cultivator at the Transformation Realm reflexively raised his hand and pointed out their attacks in succession.

Amidst a series of crisp sounds, the demonic insects that had been struck fell to the ground, unable to get up for a moment.

"what?"

The young cultivator looked at the demonic insects on the ground, then at his own hands, and for a moment questioned the meaning of life.

"Could it be... that 'The Flying Blossom and Leaf-Picking Hand' is their nemesis?"

(End of this chapter)