C6 Gravity Field!

Upon spotting the small flag marking their destination, Captain Wang finally allowed himself to slow down and stand still. His chest heaved with each breath, and sweat streamed down his face.

Liu Yangshuo's throat burned as if on fire. Just days ago, he was a veterinarian, unaccustomed to such exertion. The thought of running for an entire day, let alone from one end of a street to the other, would have nearly killed him.

"Rest for half an hour, then we'll spread out and search," Captain Wang declared, plopping down on the ground and guzzling water from a bottle.

Liu Yangshuo was about to sit and catch his breath when a peculiar scent in the air snapped him to attention.

"What's up?" Lee Gang, right by his side, was quick to sense Liu Yangshuo's unease and voiced his concern.

"This place... it doesn't feel safe," Liu Yangshuo murmured, scanning the area. Sparse trees and endless stones were all that could be seen, no sign of life beyond their search party.

Yet, it was this very barrenness that unsettled him the most, reminiscent of the eerie stillness before a tempest. Beyond this point lay the brewing storm.

"What's not safe about it? This is the area with the faintest trace of demonic beasts we've encountered so far," Lee Gang remarked, gesturing for Liu Yangshuo to sit and regain his strength.

"Captain Wang, something about this place feels off," Liu Yangshuo insisted, approaching Captain Wang and speaking in hushed tones.

"Hmm? What's off about it? The absence of demonic beast aura should be a good thing, shouldn't it?" Captain Wang replied, setting aside his water bottle with a smile.

"But consider this: why are there so many demonic beasts elsewhere, yet not a single one here, where even their aura has weakened?" Liu Yangshuo challenged, locking eyes with Captain Wang's one good eye.

"I'm not sure. Perhaps there's no water or food here," Captain Wang mused, his gaze drifting over the desolate rocks.

"No, I've been familiar with demonic beasts since childhood. There's more to it than just a lack of resources. It could mean there's a presence here, something so formidable that even other demonic beasts wouldn't dare to cross it. And our current location? We're right on the edge of this big fellow's territory."

After Liu Yangshuo finished speaking, his gaze shifted toward the flag.

Captain Wang paused, taken aback, then abruptly rose to his feet, weapon in hand.

"Everyone, on high alert!"

The search team members, though unclear on what had transpired, instinctively obeyed Captain Wang's command, focusing intently as they scanned their surroundings.

"Roar!"

A thunderous roar erupted from beneath them, and suddenly, a massive black pincer over thirty meters long burst from the earth, hurtling toward the group.

Captain Wang's reflexes were swift; he yanked Liu Yangshuo to safety behind him, but was himself catapulted through the air by the pincer's force.

"Captain! Damn it! Die, you beast!"

Watching Captain Wang being flung away, rage consumed the search team, particularly Lee Gang. He hefted a giant iron hammer, nearly as tall as himself, and brought it crashing down on the black pincer.

Lee Gang's heart soared as his hammer made contact, but his triumph was short-lived. His mighty blow failed to even scratch the pincer, instead provoking its owner, who emerged from the ground in full fury.

It was then that the creature's true form was revealed—a colossal black scorpion, two to three hundred meters in length, with eyes the color of fresh blood.

"Ding! Divine Beast System unlocked. Reward: 700 King Blood Points."

"Earth Scorpion, Length: 284 meters, Cultivation: Late Spirit Separation, Special Skill: Gravity Field."

"Damn! Late Spirit Separation? You've got to be kidding me!"

Liu Yangshuo edged toward the safer rear of the team, a wry smile playing on his lips.

He had barely arrived when he encountered such a formidable beast, one that didn't seem inclined to parley.

Despite his concerns, Liu Yangshuo tentatively attempted to communicate with the Earth Scorpion.

"Big brother, let's stay calm. We mean you no harm!"

"Humans... must die!"

As expected, Liu Yangshuo was met with hostility.

"Liu, watch out!"

Captain Wang, seeing Liu Yangshuo frozen in place as the Earth Scorpion's pincers loomed overhead, dashed forward with lightning speed, positioning himself in front of Liu and hoisting his tower shield to absorb the crushing impact.

Captain Wang's cultivation level was only at the Sixth Layer of the Spirit Transformation Realm, leaving him somewhat powerless against the late-stage Spirit Separation Earth Scorpion. Despite withstanding the hit, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"Damn it, getting cocky just because you've got a little strength, huh? Captain Wang, rally the brothers and target his abdomen! That's where his armor is weakest!"

Liu Yangshuo, seeing Captain Wang wounded, had no interest in further attempts to communicate with the Earth Scorpion. He clenched his teeth and shared the creature's weaknesses, which he'd learned from the Divine Beast Illustration, with Captain Wang.

Momentarily taken aback, Captain Wang quickly decided to trust Liu Yangshuo. His mind raced, and in the blink of an eye, he devised a tactic, swiftly calling his scattered team to regroup.

"Archers, provide cover fire from a distance. Shield Warriors, join me in pinning down its pincers and tail. Assassins and Swordsmen, go for the abdomen!"

The team sprang into action upon Captain Wang's command. Lee Gang, having recently underestimated the Earth Scorpion's strength and paid the price, seized the opportunity. He dashed beneath the beast and swung his hammer with full force against the Earth Scorpion's vulnerable underbelly.

The Earth Scorpion writhed in pain, letting out another furious roar as its pincers and tail lashed out with increased savagery, causing the Shield Warriors tasked with restraining it to feel a sudden surge in pressure.

Hundreds of rounds later, the Earth Scorpion's energy was nearly depleted. It began to take a defensive stance, its pillar-like legs tucking in, and its black pincers shielding its front, leaving only its tail thrashing about, ready to strike anyone who dared approach.

"Captain, this guy's backing down!" Lee Gang gasped as he approached Captain Wang.

"Let's pull back for now. He may not be looking to attack anymore, but we're still at a stalemate. We owe Brother Liu for the heads-up; we could've all been done for by this brute."

Captain Wang, wiping the fresh blood from his brow, expressed his gratitude to Liu Yangshuo.

"We're all in this together, no need for thanks. Let's get moving before it's too late. If this creature has allies nearby, we'll be trapped."

With a dismissive wave, Liu Yangshuo steadied the trembling, exhausted Captain Wang, preparing to make their departure.

Suddenly, an intense pressure slammed everyone who was attempting to retreat firmly to the ground.

"Oh no!"

Liu Yangshuo internally cursed, realizing his mistake. In his haste to flee, he had forgotten the Earth Scorpion's special ability: the Gravity Domain.

At that moment, each person felt as though a massive mountain weighed down upon them, rendering even their fingers immobile.