The apocalypse struck, and I became a druid.

Page 178

However, the condensation speed of the rock armor was slower than that of the rock spear, which surprised Han Ning.

About twenty seconds passed.

Snowcake was only covered by a layer of black rock armor on its thick chest.

Like the weapons, once the armor was formed, blazing red flames quickly spread across it, forming flowing flame cloud patterns that faintly outlined dark red lines resembling flowing lava.

There was also a semi-transparent crimson halo, like an energy shield, that flowed faintly across the surface of the chest armor.

With the breastplate attached, Xuebing's movements seemed a bit heavier.

Each time its claws slammed into the ground, it was accompanied by a muffled "thump," causing the earth to collapse, demonstrating the terrifying weight of the creature.

The hailstones falling from the sky cannot get within a meter of it; they melt instantly.

Chapter 202 Discovery

"Woo!"

Snowcake patted its rock-armored chest with its paws, letting out a low, tired growl, indicating that this was its current limit.

"Okay... my proficiency is still at the beginner level, so we can't expect too much..."

Han Ning understood.

"Let me test how defensive your armor is."

He walked to a place about 20 meters away from the snow cake.

Its body twisted and transformed into the form of a black-armored tortoise.

boom!

A thick column of water tore through the cold mist and struck the rock armor shield on Xuebing's chest, which was wreathed in flames.

Boom!

The water jet collided violently with the shield, instantly causing the shield's surface to be covered with spiderweb-like cracks before it exploded with a deafening roar.

The powerful impact sent the massive snow cake flying backward several meters before it finally regained its footing.

"Woo~"

Xuebing shook his head and looked down at his chest.

The breastplate had shattered and blown away, revealing the scales underneath.

Only a few cracks remained on the scales, but they were not actually pierced.

"Such strong defense, even water cannons can hardly damage the snow cake..."

Han Ning couldn't help but admire it, looking at Xuebing's slightly charred chest, and sighed inwardly.

"The bloodline of the dragon is indeed extraordinary."

……

On the other side of the mountain, in a rocky area, in a dimly lit room.

"Boss, I'm back." Sa Yun's voice was hoarse as he walked to a wooden square table and whispered to Blackie, who was sitting in a chair.

"Did you find it?" Blackie gestured for Sayun to sit down.

"found it."

Sayun sat down opposite Blackie and answered seriously.

“That group of people lives in the northeast, in a mountain valley about 20 kilometers away from us, and they are very well hidden.”

"I suspect it was a cave camp carved into the mountainside, surrounded by a low wall. It didn't look very high, but it was clearly reinforced, and there were people patrolling the wall."

He paused, seemingly recalling the details.

"I tried several times to get closer, but I didn't succeed. The defense there was tighter than I thought, and the patrol teams cooperated very well, clearly they had been specially trained."

"Moreover, they were well-equipped, everyone was dressed very warmly, and there seemed to be hidden sentries near the camp. I felt something was wrong, so I withdrew."

“Well-equipped…” Blackie stopped tapping the armrest, his expression turning serious.

Sayon added:

“It’s not just the clothes. I’ve observed the people coming and going. They don’t look like the people here who are often hungry. They have a good mental state and look like they can eat their fill every day. Almost everyone carries a weapon. They don’t have that timid feeling that ordinary people have.”

"I suspect they don't lack food or warm clothing at all."

Blackie leaned forward slightly: "You said there weren't many of them, so how come all the reconnaissance teams I sent out have disappeared?"

Sayon stated his reasoning:

"Boss, this is the strangest thing. The tight outer defenses indicate that they are well-organized, well-equipped, and in good spirits, which means they have a stable food source."

"But I observed from the outside for a long time and sensed it, and there was indeed no pressure from a Black Iron level expert inside the camp!"

A glint flashed in Sa Yun's eyes: "Then there is one possibility: in that gathering area, it is very likely that... everyone is an Awakened, and at the same time, they occupy a location with abundant resources."

“All of them are Awakened…” Upon hearing this speculation, even the usually expressionless Blackie was slightly moved.

Sayun nodded and continued his analysis:

"There are no particularly outstanding experts, but everyone is an Awakened being around the Black Stone level. They cooperate well, rely on the terrain and equipment advantages, and use traps or encirclement to wipe out our overconfident and reckless reconnaissance team."

"The first reconnaissance team was small and may have been ambushed. The second team is not weak. If the enemy is indeed all awakened, we can use the terrain to our advantage to defend and counterattack, and wear them down."

"Boss, this is an opportunity. You are only one step away from the Iron level. If you can absorb them, your chances of defeating Wanghu in the future will be much greater."

After he finished speaking, the room fell silent.

Blackie didn't say anything.

A moment later, he suddenly stood up:

“This matter is very important, Sayun. Call Lao Ma and the others, and come with me personally.”

...

When Han Ning returned to the settlement with the snow cakes, it was getting late.

The hail lessened somewhat, and a light, cold mist filled the air.

As soon as they stepped into the cave entrance, they saw a bustling scene in the heart of the planting area.

Xiao Ba and three other bees, Blue Crystal, Brown Rock, and Green Stamen, were buzzing and whispering among themselves around the Emerald Tree Spirit.

The Emerald Tree Spirit stood quietly in the center of the Fountain of Life, its tender leaves swaying gently, occasionally responding to the bees.

Seeing Han Ning approach, Xiao Ba immediately flapped its wings and flew over, buzzing excitedly. Its chubby body tumbled up and down in the air, and its antennae trembled rapidly.

"Coo coo~ Buzz buzz buzz~"

A message was transmitted from Xiaoba.

"Oh?"

Han Ning stopped and looked at Xiao Ba's anxious expression, asking with some curiosity,

"You want to move your home here? Because there's a spring of life here?"

Hachi drew an 8 shape in mid-air, its buzzing sound growing louder, and its forelimbs gestured in the direction of the spring, conveying a strong sense of longing.

Blue Crystal and Green Stamen also flew over, circling around Han Ning, their compound eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Han Ningjing calmly sensed their spiritual messages and quickly understood what the bees wanted to express.

The pure vitality emanating from the Fountain of Life has an amazing nourishing effect on insects.

It can not only accelerate their strength improvement, but also extend their lifespan, making it an absolute treasure for them.

The bees' colony has always lived in the treacherous mountains, but with this spring, they can thrive and multiply in a safe environment.

So, Hachi and his friends want to move their home here.

In return, the bees will help Han Ning and his team develop the area and help them grow crops.

They also cultivate magical flowers that can be used as various materials!

All we need to do is let them drink these spring waters that are full of life.

Moreover, if Han Ning is willing, the bees are willing to help him cultivate the little nature sprites!

"Nature's little sprites, the bees' help..."

To be honest, Han Ning was tempted by Xiao Ba's request.

Nature sprites are a kind of extraordinary life that is born in lush vegetation.

It is a pure aggregate of life energy, possessing intelligence no less than that of humans.

As a treasure-hunting bee, Xiao Ba can help Han Ning find the treasures needed to cultivate nature sprites.

It can also produce energy-rich honey, enhancing the strength of all awakened beings.

Furthermore, these extraordinary bees are quite powerful and possess formidable combat strength.

"How many bees are there in your bee colony?"

Considering the cave's limited carrying capacity, Han Ning did not immediately agree and continued to ask.

Chapter 203 Joining the Swarm

Hachi drew a circle in the air, its compound eyes flashing brightly: "Gurgle~ Gurgle!"

"The treasure-hunting bee clan is not numerous; including the larvae, there are fewer than sixty of them," Han Ning translated Xiao Ba's mental message.

Little Hachi gestured with its forelimbs.

"You said your Queen has agreed to the move? You are the Commander of the Royal Guard, you have full authority to make the decision!"

"Goo!" Little Hachi nodded its head, mimicking a human.

As soon as the buzzing ended, the blue crystal, brown rock, and green stamen beside them also buzzed and vibrated their wings, conveying a similar message.

According to Han Ning's statistics, the total number of these four different bee colonies is less than 300, which is very small.

Like a typical bee colony, a single comb contains thousands or tens of thousands of bees.