Chapter 344: Iron Claw Worms Attack

Wu Yue's heart tightened and she ran toward the cave entrance.

At that moment, the large cave entrance already had many slaves rolling on the ground and wailing in pain, a sight that made onlookers feel chilled.

Beastfolk, half-beasts, and pure human males were defending outside the cave against those terrifying worms, occasionally letting out angry roars to try to scare them off.

But for the Iron Claw Worms, these roars that caused no real harm had absolutely no effect.

When Wu Yue arrived, the battle was in full swing.

Qingcao grabbed Wu Yue, who wanted to move forward, and said: "Yue, don't go over there; the Iron Claw Worms are very formidable."

Qingcao's hand trembled slightly; she remembered that in the tribe, a clansman had once been bitten to death by a swarm of Iron Claw Worms, his body covered in horrifying wounds, truly miserable.

Wu Yue pressed her lips, naturally understanding her thought, but leaving those bitten clansmen and slaves on the ground unattended was not an option.

She had to go up and see how the injuries were.

"After an Iron Claw Worm bites a person, it won't release its grip until it is killed or the bitten part is severed…"

Saying this, Qingcao's face turned somewhat pale: "Yue, don't go over there; such dangerous matters will be handled well by the males."

Wu Yue patted her arm: "I understand; I just want to see what the Iron Claw Worms look like—I've never seen them before in my previous tribe."

Upon hearing this, Qingcao finally released her grip on Wu Yue's hand: "Then be careful."

Perhaps because she feared the Iron Claw Worms too much, she actually lacked the courage to step forward, merely huddling with Qing Hua and Grandma Lvshui, anxiously watching outside the cave.

Wu Yue, however, quickly walked to the edge of the crowd; what met her eyes, aside from a group of clansmen writhing and wailing in pain on the ground, were numerous … clinging to their bodies.

Giant lobster?

This thing can no longer be called a small lobster; each one is actually as long as a Beastfolk's forearm.

Their bodies were large, and their strength seemed to have doubled accordingly; the spots where the males were pinched had already begun to bleed, making the scene extremely bloody at times.

"Wow!"

Suddenly, a tender wailing cry rang out at the cave entrance—it turned out to be a young cub who had somehow run out.

He was now sitting slumped beside a pure human male, his somewhat withered little claws pinned by an Iron Claw Worm as long as half his body, blood dripping drop by drop onto the ground, causing the surrounding females' hearts to clench instantly.

"Cub!" the young female was held back by the females beside her, unable to move forward.

The little cub cried while shouting "Father!"

The pure human male, his body covered all over with Iron Claw Worms and previously showing no reaction, suddenly twitched; then a blood‑soaked arm reached out, seized the cub's shoulder, and hurled him toward the tribespeople inside the cave.

A sturdy Beastfolk female quickly stepped forward and embraced the little one, while a gasp went through the surrounding crowd.

Sure enough, the next moment the Iron Claw Worm's other large pincer swiftly clamped toward the Beastfolk female.

The Beastfolk female merely turned pale, but did not dodge; the little cub in her arms was already in excruciating pain, and if she let go, that other pincer would clamp onto the cub again.

But what surprised her was that the imagined excruciating pain did not come; everyone lowered their heads to see that the cold‑glinting pincer was clamped onto a thick wooden stick, only two finger‑widths away from piercing through it.

The other end of the stick was a thin, pale little hand—Wu Yue's.

The Beastfolk female looked up at her: "Thank you."

Wu Yue shook her head: "We're from the same tribe; no need for thanks."

Then she looked at the Beastfolk female's embrace, where the little cub was still crying: "What should we do with this little guy?"

Although the Iron Claw Worm looks similar to a small lobster on the outside, its size differs so greatly that she doesn't even know whether the old methods for dealing with small lobsters still work.

The Beastfolk female pressed her lips, painfully looking at the little cub in her arms whose face had turned white from pain: "We can only…"

Before she could finish, a mournful howl came from not far away; turning their heads, they saw that a male's finger had been severed by an Iron Claw Worm, and the worm that had cut it off was already dead.

Seeing this, Wu Yue's face also turned pale; if a small lobster could be this formidable, it would truly be heaven‑defying.

"Don't kill them; these damned worms will, when they die, sever anything their pincers are clamped onto."

Wu Yue looked at the little cub in the Beastfolk female's arms, so if we forcefully intervene, will this little guy also lose a little hand?

That would be too cruel for such a tiny cub.

"Ding~ Emergency mission: Please host successfully rescue the clansmen clamped by Iron Claw Worms, and find a way to deal with the Iron Claw Worms, exterminate the Iron Claw Worms (0).

Mission reward: Backpack not full ×1

System points ×100

Please host, don't be careless and proceed.

Wu Yue instantly felt her head buzzing, "What the heck is this? Suddenly a mission ambush."

Although her heart was going "beep beep", she turned her head to look at the tribal chief's partner nearby: "Grandma, I suddenly thought of a method that might let these worms release the clansmen they've clamped."

"Please watch over them here, don't let them struggle free forcibly, and wait for my word."

Hearing her say this, the tribal chief's partner's tightly furrowed brows relaxed a bit: "Can it really be done?"

Wu Yue gave a wry smile: "I'll still go try; even if it fails, there won't be any danger."

Having said that, she looked toward the Beastfolk female holding the little cub nearby: "Let's go to the water pool inside the cave."

Wu Yue's name was already known to everyone in the tribe, so the Beastfolk female nodded and followed her behind toward the central water pool of the cave.

"Place the cub's clamped hand together with the Iron Claw Worm into the water."

The Beastfolk female hesitated upon hearing this, but seeing Wu Yue's solemn expression, she squatted down and did as instructed.

The cub's hand was placed into the icy water, and even its crying softened a little.

Behind them came the little cub A Mu and the gathered females, all nervously watching the cub's hand and the Iron Claw Worm placed in the pool, their hearts filled with an inexplicable anticipation.

A miraculous scene unfolded just like that: the moment the cub's hand and the Iron Claw Worm were submerged in the pool water, the pincer that had been tightly gripping the cub's hand suddenly loosened.

Everyone let out a gasp, and Wu Yue also suddenly relaxed her breath.

It seems that, even though their size has increased manyfold, submerging them in water still causes the pincers to open just the same.

The Beastfolk female immediately stood up holding the cub, her eyes toward Wu Yue off to the side shining brightly.

Faced with such a look from the female, Wu Yue felt a bit embarrassed and scratched her head: "Quickly go notify the tribespeople—anyone clamped by an Iron Claw Worm should soak in the pool."

The Beastfolk female handed the cub in her arms to his A Mu, then turned and sprinted toward the cave entrance.

And the little cub that had just been crying out from being pinched by the iron-clamp bug had already stopped its sobbing, holding its injured finger in its mouth, tears still hanging at the corners of its eyes as it looked at Wu Yue.

Those round eyes were full of admiration—it's exactly because Shaman Yue thought of a way to get rid of that scary bad bug, Wu Yue is so amazing~

The little one's fingers already showed some bone stuck to flesh; Wu Yue's heart jumped, and green shamanic power full of life aura appeared between her hands, wrapping the little one's hand.

Moments later, the little claw that had just been in pain, aside from some bloodstains, had already returned to its former appearance.

But Wu Yue still instructed the little one's A Mu: "The wound has just healed; don't carry heavy things—this hand needs to rest a few days to fully recover."

The female nodded gratefully, and Wu Yue turned to the little cub blinking its big eyes: "You understand, right?"

The little one's neat little teeth flashed a happy arc, its fluffy little head nodding vigorously: "Got it, I'll behave!"

Having said that, it precious tucked its little claw into its bosom and hid it.

Wu Yue smiled and rubbed his head: "Really good, let A Mu take you back to rest; your little hand needs to recover."

Upon hearing that, the little one pursed its lips, its watery eyes full of worry looking toward the cave entrance: "Father…"

Thinking of the male who had just been surrounded by the iron-clamp bugs, Wu Yue let out a soft sigh and smiled to comfort the little one: "Go get some sleep, and Father will return."

The little one's eyes sparkled: "Really?"

Wu Yue nodded: "Really, go on."

Saying that, she gave the female a glance.

The males, having resisted the iron-clamp bugs, surely bore horrible wounds; the little one had just been injured by an iron-clamp bug, so it's better not to look.

After the female held the little cub and bowed gratefully, she turned and went back into the cave.

From the cave entrance came a series of

joyful cheers, and moments later many of the tribespeople who could still move came over, each carrying an iron-clamp bug.

Then they lined up, one by one jumping into the pool, and only after the iron-clamp bugs on them loosened their claws did they crawl out, dripping wet.

Afterward, looking at their still-bleeding wounds, they gave a foolish hehe laugh.

The Beastfolk and Half-Beasts, after foolishly laughing a moment, began licking their own wounds, while the pure-human males ran to Qingcao to wash their wounds with clean water, then sprinkled medicine powder and bandaged them.

"Climb…climbed up!"

The female's frightened cry rang out at the poolside; Wu Yue turned to look, and likely because there were too many, two iron-clamp bugs were crawling outward.

She turned her head to survey the surroundings, then hurried to the place where firewood was stacked.

After finding two sticks, she walked up to a Beastfolk and said: "Help me split the front a bit, then wedge this piece of wood in."

The sticks were thick enough, but they couldn't match the Beastfolk's brute strength; moments later two sturdy Y-shaped traps were ready.

"Take a vine and follow me."

Having said that, she ignored the Beastfolk's bewilderment, turned, and walked toward an iron-clamp bug crawling toward the females.

She deliberately went around to the bug's rear, her slightly sweaty hands each gripping a stick, then, timing it right, she thrust down at the bug's two large pincers.

The iron-clamp bug, which relied on its pincers to bully, never expected its always-effective pincers to be subdued one day; after a moment of bewilderment, it stuck its rear up and struggled.

But…

Having lost its strongest weapon, any further struggling was just wasted effort.

Wu Yue looked at the dazed Beastfolk beside her: "What are you staring at? Tie up this thing's two large pincers, then toss it to soak at the poolside."

Don't let it die—her wish for beer and crayfish is about to come true.

After dealing with this one, she casually threw the two forks to a nearby Beastfolk: "You two cooperate and grab the other one."

The Beastfolk looked at the two sticks in his hand, somewhat bewildered, and said: "Can't we just kill it outright? This is too much trouble."

"Don't kill it; I need it alive, it's useful."

The Beastfolk, thinking of Wu Yue's shamanic identity, suddenly realized and nodded: "I get it."

Having said that, he went with the Beastfolk holding the vine to kidnap another iron-clamp bug.

Wu Yue stood there somewhat dazed: "So what exactly do you know?"

The Beastfolk Warrior holding the vine also had the same doubt, but he directly asked: "Do you know why Shaman Yue doesn't kill these iron-clamp bugs?"

The Beastfolk raised his brows triumphantly: "Of course, you forgot that Shaman Yue has a little fat beast that can counter the worm bugs?"

Having said that, he longingly said: "Once she researches a way to counter these iron-clamp bugs, we won't have to worry about these hateful worms."

The Beastfolk holding the vine, upon hearing this, had his eyes instantly brighten: "Yeah."

With this hope, the two became ever more enthusiastic in their work, spontaneously guarding the poolside; whenever an iron-clamp bug crawled up, they'd go up and handle it.

Moments later, after helping treat the wounds, Wu Yue returned to the poolside and, in disbelief, rubbed her eyes.

If the surroundings hadn't been unchanged, she would have thought she'd come to a seafood market.

Looking at an iron-clamp bug stuck in the water, barely clinging to life, Wu Yue chuckled and shook her head: "This binding technique deserves high pay."

After treating the wounded here, the iron-clamp bug army outside the cave also retreated, leaving a field of corpses.

Because the method to deal with the iron-clamp bugs was timely, today, aside from a few tribespeople having their fingers pinched off, no tribe members died, which genuinely gladdened everyone.

Wu Yue then mobilized the uninjured tribespeople to pick up the iron-clamp bugs outside that had lost their pincers but were still alive, and put them together into the pool.

The two Beastfolk who specialized in binding iron-clamp bugs by the pool saw Wu Yue approach, stood up, and grinned showing teeth: "Shaman Yue, is there anything else we need to do?"

Wu Yue hehe laughed and took out two tightly bound bundles of dry grass from behind her: "Give these iron-clamp bugs a good scrub, clean them up."

The two Beastfolk looked at the two pre-prepared dry grass balls she took out from behind her, and felt: "You must have prepared these long ago."

They took the two dry grass balls from her hands, squatted by the pool, and went to scrub the iron-clamp bugs.

While scrubbing, they muttered: "We don't even get this treatment ourselves, yet we let people give the bugs a bath—being a worm is really comfortable."

Wu Yue gave them a meaningful look: "If there's a chance later, I'll also have someone help you scrub."

For some reason, seeing her cool smile, the two felt their scalps tighten, and they forced a dry laugh: "Well… never mind, hehe… hehe…"