Li Yanqing recounted the day's events with mixed feelings of fear and sorrow. Many who died were their close friends they'd grown up and studied with, yet they couldn't save them.

"Mr. Zhou, how could these insects be so formidable? We had no idea how people were dying initially, and by the time we thought of retreating, it was too late. So many died... so many..." Mi Ai began to cry, and Li Yanqing's tears followed. The gravity of the situation hit them now that they had a moment to reflect.

Zhou You showed them a video he had taken earlier, asking, "Is it these insects?"

"Yes, but they didn't glow during the day and were larger in size."

"They've approached our base. These tiny creatures are the hardest to defend against. I'll go check it out; you two should head home."

Zhou You drove out of town with Long Gan, and they soon met up with the city defense team and decided to collaborate.

Having heard about the insect swarm from Zhou You earlier, Lin Zihua personally led a team upon hearing reports. Aware of the danger outside the base at night, he was about to divert to the military zone when he ran into Zhou You.

"Mr. Zhou, you've received the news?"

"Yes, a couple of acquaintances were at the scene."

"How do you suggest we deal with these insects?"

"I'm not sure yet. Their exoskeletons are hard, they're swift, and their mode of attack is unknown. We need to assess the situation on-site." Zhou You struggled to understand how the insects could suddenly incapacitate both humans and beasts. Knowing the cause might help the warriors prepare better.

A large group of over a hundred left the city, causing a stir. As word spread, citizens grew anxious, knowing that such terrifying mutant insects were nearby.

The livestock farm was about an hour's drive away. Encompassed by tall electric fences, the roars of mutant beasts could be heard from within.

At the entrance, Zhou You halted the convoy, telling Lin Zihua, "Let's not rush everyone in. I'll take a few people with me to investigate. Also, ensure everyone's protected and stay alert for any emerging insects."

"I'll join you." Lin Zihua picked a few skilled fighters to accompany them, instructing the rest to stand by.

With the staff evacuated, the livestock farm was deserted. Zhou You and his team had an unhindered path and quickly arrived at the reported incident site.

The corpses remained in place, just as Zhou You had seen them before. Each had been mummified, both humans and mutated beasts, suggesting indiscriminate attacks.

"These corpses…" the city defenders exclaimed in horror upon seeing them, "It looks like some blood-dependent insect did this. Mosquitoes could be suspects, but they're not this lethal." A mutated mosquito bite would cause pain for a day or two and some blood loss, which can be cured quickly with medication. This insect, however, could drain both humans and beasts dry in an instant, revealing its vast numbers.

"It seems they've left. Let's split up and search. Fire a gunshot if you find anything," Zhou You ventured deeper, noting the surrounding cleanliness. These insects devoured everything in their path, so why weren't there more corpses nearby? Had he taken the wrong route?

But he had already scanned the area with his psychic ability and found that only the road leading to the main gate had been visited by the bugs.

Could they have left the area? But they hadn't encountered a single insect on their way here.

Zhou You returned to his starting point after a thorough search, and so did the others, with no findings.

"This is odd. Could they have just vanished?"

"Could they have returned to the forest?"

"Nonsense! Do you realize how far the forest is from here? They must've crawled all the way."

An idea struck Zhou You, and his expression changed abruptly, "Oh no, what if they are chasing people towards the base?"

"We didn’t come across any on our way here."

"The road we took was winding, but the bugs might not stick to it. They could move straight in any direction," Without further ado, Zhou You hurriedly led everyone back. If the insects truly headed for the base, the damage could be more severe than the previous bird mutation attack.

At the city gate, the guards grew increasingly uneasy. The longer the team stayed out, the higher the probability they had encountered danger. The city defense team's deployment indicated the mutated insects were no easy adversaries.

Soon, the military arrived, taking over the city gate's defenses. This was standard procedure: whenever the base faced a threat, the military would assume control of all entrances, and the city within the base would be on high alert.

"Look! Is that a light over there? Could it be the captain and his team returning?" someone pointed at a distant blue glow outside the base, too far to discern what was moving.

"Quick! Close the gates, activate the electric fence, sound the alarm, and get ready for combat!" The leader, Zhao Jinghao, had arrived with his brothers. Initially, they planned to search for Zhou You, but Zhao Jinghao stopped them.

In this dark and windy night, venturing out might not necessarily lead them to the missing party. While they might be Zhou You's bodyguards, in real danger, who would be protecting whom?

"That blue glow... it must be from those bugs," Liao Jie frowned, "They're heading straight for the base. Did Mr. Zhou and his team not encounter them?"

"Unlikely. The direction of the light isn't the main road, so even if the convoy had returned, they couldn't be there. And the light's getting closer. We can't let them approach!" Zhao Jinghao quickly devised a plan and dispatched a squad equipped with high-energy cannons, "Ensure the swarm is stopped outside the base, and don't let them near the walls."

Knowing the bugs' tough exteriors, Zhao Jinghao opted for laser cannons. Even if they couldn't kill all the bugs, they could at least blast a buffer zone.

"Hold your ground! I've already called for reinforcements from the military district. The various sects will soon send help too. Our job is to hold them off!"