I STACK ATTRIBUTES IN THE APOCALYPSE -MyOwnEdit-

CHAPTER 266: The Monster Descends

“Monster… that’s a monster...” The Queen of Blade, narrowly escaping death, trembled with lingering fear. The overwhelming power she had faced left her feeling utterly helpless, like a mere insect egg before the mother insect—incapable of resistance.

But soon, her cold arrogance returned, masking her fear. The bone armor on her body reappeared, covering her exposed areas, as she glanced back over her shoulder.

In the distance, Hao Huang was rapidly approaching. They were in the Giant Clan’s military camp—the place The Queen of Blade had chosen for her resurrection.

“What just happened?”

Those were the first words out of Hao Huang’s mouth. He was about to speak further when a deafening bang interrupted him.

Boom!

The sky above thundered, as if the heavens themselves had been split open.

In the next instant, a figure descended from the sky, radiating unparalleled killing intent, landing directly in front of The Queen of Blade and Hao Huang.

It was Lu Ming.

His expression was calm, but his eyes were bloodshot—burning with fury. As his gaze locked onto The Queen of Blade, the sea of blood and murderous intent swirling within his eyes made her body tremble uncontrollably. She nearly lost control of her bladder.

But she held it in.

Not only did she maintain her composure, but she spoke with cold arrogance.

“Hao Huang, he’s already seriously injured. Let’s join forces and kill him!”

This was the sinister plan The Queen of Blade had concocted in the brief moment before her previous death.

Collaboration? No, this was The Queen of Blade's desperate attempt to divert the danger towards someone else.

Hao Huang: “???”

He genuinely wanted to understand the situation, but Lu Ming's attention remained solely on The Queen of Blade. He didn't even glance in Hao Huang's direction. Slowly, Lu Ming raised his leg and began to walk toward her. His pace was slow at first but grew faster with each step.

The oppressive wave of killing intent radiating from him surged toward The Queen of Blade like a tempest, sending shivers across her skin. She felt a wave of goosebumps crawl over her body, unable to suppress the rising panic.

“Hao Huang, save me!” she screamed.

Boom!

In the blink of an eye, Lu Ming tore through the air, appearing directly in front of her. His left hand shot out, seizing her by the back of her neck as if she were nothing more than a helpless chicken. Once again, The Queen of Blade was at his mercy.

“No one can save you!” Lu Ming growled, his teeth clenched, voice dripping with venom.

But before he could act, Hao Huang’s voice rang out from behind him.

“Friend, don’t you think you’re being a little disrespectful—to me, Hao Huang, and the Giant Clan—by your words and actions?”

Lu Ming turned to see Hao Huang standing with his arms crossed, his expression anything but friendly. Hao Huang gestured toward the ground.

“This is the Giant Clan’s army camp, and The Queen of Blade in your hands is an ally of ours. You intend to kill our ally... on our territory?”

"Isn't this inappropriate?" Hao Huang's tone wasn't overtly hostile towards Lu Ming, but the underlying tension was palpable.

He had a valid point. A military camp was sacrosanct—the external territory of a clan. Here, in the heart of the Giant Clan's domain, Lu Ming was seemingly acting against their allies. If done in secret, it might be overlooked, but with nearly a thousand eyes bearing witness, Hao Huang's inaction would tarnish not only the Giant Clan's reputation but his own as well. And the Giant Clan, renowned for their pride and passion, wouldn't tolerate such a slight.

Hao Huang's words hung in the air, met with Lu Ming's prolonged silence. His gaze shifted from the The Queen of Blade in his hand to Hao Huang, whose outward calm masked the tension rippling through his muscles.

"Is this place your Giant Clan's camp?" Lu Ming's voice was measured, each word carrying weight. He gestured to the ground beneath them, "If I remember correctly, this should be the training ground of my Land God Association, right?"

The truth of his words echoed through the space. This was once the Land God Association's training ground...

"You came to Archean Asia City, and we welcomed you with open arms, with food and drink." Lu Ming's voice rose, his frustration evident. "You wanted to find someone, and we sent people to help. You wanted to station troops, and we provided for you."

Lu Ming's voice dripped with icy resolve. "I'll give you whatever you want. Whatever you say, we do it."

A chorus of voices echoed from the surroundings.  "We've even given you Archean City!"

Lu Ming's grip tightened around The Queen of Blade. "What happened in the end?" He swung her hard, the sound of cracking bones echoing through the tense air. "In the end, one of you massacred the city, and the other wanted to feed me bugs!"

His anger was palpable. "I've already given you the city, yet you still want my life?!"

The injustice of it all fueled his rage. He had been willing to compromise, to sacrifice for the sake of peace. But his patience had its limits.

"Now, I'll give you two choices," Lu Ming snarled. "Rake your Giant brats and get out of Archean City! Otherwise, all of you can forget about surviving!"

A sinister smile spread across his face, revealing a glint of steel teeth. Hao Huang's expression hardened.

"Merely..." he began, but his words were cut short.

Crack!

With a thunderous boom, Hao Huang's body was launched into the air, blood erupting from every pore. Lu Ming had slapped him clear out of the military camp.

"It seems he chose the latter..." Lu Ming's voice remained steady, a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding around him. He raised The Queen of Blade, his gaze unwavering. "And you won't even have the right to choose."

Far from the city's turmoil, within the depths of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, several Origin Realm zombie beasts had been silently observing Archean City since the first wave of attacks.

Tonight, as the Giant Clan's massacre began, the news was swiftly relayed to their rear lines.

Less than a hundred kilometers away, the Zombie Beast King, Esek, stirred from his slumber. The purplish-black mist that clung to him receded, revealing his chilling form.

"Massacred the city?" he mused, a hint of intrigue in his voice. "Oh, the [Giant Spirit Blood Sacrifice], right… and the Insect Clan, what trump card will they play? [Hyper-reproduction]? [Beetle God's Descent]? Or the [Radiance of the Insect Mother]?"

Esek, a seasoned adversary, was well-versed in his opponents' tactics. "I can't guess… but obviously, under pressure, Hao Huang and The Queen of Blade have to make a move."

He would not allow them the chance to unleash their full power. Though he had amassed enough strength to face any challenge, Esek saw no reason to wait passively. This was not a game of turns.

Rising to his feet, he unleashed a long, piercing howl that reverberated through the mountains, summoning his forces. Countless footsteps and the rustle of wings answered his call.

Esek turned his gaze towards Archean City, taking the first step forward like a general leading his army into battle. Behind him, a tide of purple mist and the overwhelming aura of death surged towards the unsuspecting city.

End of Chapter 266