Chapter 96: We Truly Are Destined, Killing the Ant Queen Once More

It's still a familiar map.

It's still familiar monsters.

Skeleton Warriors gathered together and rushed swiftly toward the oasis, where a huge swarm of Desert Giant Scorpions awaited ahead.

These massive creatures surged rapidly toward the Skeleton Warriors.

But the Skeleton Warriors did not attack immediately; instead they skillfully guided the Desert Giant Scorpions along the oasis Waterway, sprinting forward.

The Desert Giant Scorpions pursued the Skeleton Warriors persistently, yet the Skeleton Warriors controlled their speed, maintaining a relatively balanced distance.

The party kept growing, and the Desert Giant Scorpions encountered along the way also joined the chase.

Jiang Chen followed the party from behind, keeping about a 1,000‑meter distance, safely observing the whole situation.

After half an hour of running, he finally saw the target—the Ant Cave.

Jiang Chen quickly increased his speed and reached the front of the party.

At the same time, the Skeleton Warriors collectively halted, preparing to battle the Desert Giant Scorpions.

An intense battle erupted; the Skeleton Warriors, relying on their strong attributes and combat skills, easily defeated the pursuing Desert Giant Scorpions.

Jiang Chen stood aside, watching the fight, requiring hardly any intervention from him.

When facing these Desert Giant Scorpions, the Skeleton Warriors were a one‑sided crushing and slaughter.

Boom—boom!

The sound erupts!

The yellow sand flies up again.

Jiang Chen activated the Skill: "Corpse Explosion!" This skill detonates corpses, dealing damage to enemies within its radius.

Even though every Desert Giant Scorpion within sight had died, Jiang Chen kept using the skill.

Indeed, he is continuously

practicing this skill.

The Corpse Explosion skill can only be cast during combat against enemies, and Jiang Chen seized this opportunity to keep using it.

Jiang Chen used the skill thirty to forty times in succession, continuously draining Spiritual Power until the skill upgraded.

After half a day's hard work, it finally paid off.

Corpse Explosion Skill finally upgraded!

"Corpse Explosion (Level 3), detonates corpses, dealing 20% of corpse HP as damage to enemies within 3 meters."

Jiang Chen perfectly enhanced the skill, extending its attack range to 100 meters, and the damage rose to 600% of corpse HP.

His attack power was significantly increased again.

The party continued forward and arrived at the entrance of the Ant Cave.

Jiang Chen again saw a vast field of Cactus, but regrettably, this time none bore fruit.

Jiang Chen felt a bit disappointed, but he immediately brushed it aside, deciding to treat this solo run as a leveling opportunity to earn more points.

Moreover, a lot of points had already been deducted when he entered, and points cannot be wasted.

The Skeleton Army surged into the Ant Cave.

Having had the experience before, this time there is no need to search for a map or an exit.

The party moved almost in a straight line, charging directly toward where the Ant Queen resides.

Gradually, a group of ants followed behind the party.

Larval ants, Worker Ants, Soldier Ants, Flying Ants.

All varieties of ants were present, numbering several hundred.

Jiang Chen donned Bone Armor on himself, staying far behind.

The party arrived before the Ant Queen's nest, and the ants stood outside, unwilling to enter.

It seems many instances are like this; minor monsters dare not enter the BOSS's territory.

Regarding this, Jiang Chen also

thought it normal.

Skeleton Warriors blocked the crossroads, fighting the ants.

Until Jiang Chen arrived and resolved the battle with Corpse Explosion.

Jiang Chen watched the constantly appearing messages, feeling very satisfied.

"Now I can gain another wave of experience."

Since entering the instance, experience has surged twice—once from the Desert Giant Scorpion, once now.

These two waves of corpses gave him a 15% experience boost.

This is only an appetizer; the real main course hasn't been served yet.

Jiang Chen drank a bottle of Basic Mana Potion, restoring 100 points of Spiritual Power.

Although 100 points of Spiritual Power is negligible, it is enough for him to use Corpse Explosion ten times, or to don Bone Armor a few more times.

After clearing the minor monsters, the party rushed into the Ant Queen's chamber.

They quickly charged toward the Ant Queen's four guards.

"Focus fire!"

Under a round of focused fire, they instantly killed one Ant Guard.

At this point, the other three guards entered defensive mode.

Upon casting the skill, the whole shell armor shone with a layer of luster, pushing defense to an extremely high level.

Skeleton Warriors attacked nonstop.

Wind, fire, thunder, ice—massive elemental attacks rained simultaneously on the Ant Queen's guards, rapidly draining their defensive skills.

Ant Queen flapped her wings, let out a scream, and launched a Sonic Attack.

I have already tasted the Ant Queen's Sonic Attack once.

Although the range is large, the power is not that great.

Jiang Chen's Bone Armor kept flashing on his body, completely blocking it.

It was even more so for the Skeleton Warrior.

It can't be said to be useless; it can only be said to have no effect.

The Skeleton Warrior's attacks continued, and in just ten seconds, the sheen on the three Ant Queen's Guard had already dimmed greatly.

Ant Queen flapped her wings again.

Skill: Storm Strike!

For a moment, a storm swept in, the Skeleton Warrior

were blown away one after another.

After landing, the Skeleton Warrior rolled up and, without stopping, ran over to continue attacking.

Skeleton Mage stood in front of Jiang Chen, becoming his meat shield.

Seeing the light on the Ant Queen's Guard about to vanish.

Jiang Chen issued a command in his mind.

Skeleton Warriors erupted with skills one after another.

Skill: Rage Power.

Almost in an instant, the three Ant Queen's Guard defenses collapsed, and they were struck to half‑broken.

Skeleton Mage added a finishing blow, a large skill area fell with brilliant light.

At the same time, Jiang Chen raised his palm.

Skill: Corpse Explosion!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Four consecutive huge sounds, four explosions swept the Ant Cave.

Ant Queen, screaming miserably, was bombed into serious injury and instantly entered Curl Up state.

In Curl Up state, Ant Queen's wounds healed rapidly.

At the same time, the scream echoed throughout the Ant Cave.

A smile curled at Jiang Chen's mouth; this was the moment he had been waiting for.

Unlike the last time.

Last time he hadn't cleared the monsters in the Ant Cave.

The number of ants inside would be astonishing.

Now he is just waiting like a trap, letting the ants come to him.

A batch of Skeleton Warriors had already run back, blocking in front of him.

After a dozen seconds, dense crawling sounds came from the cave, accompanied by sharp ant screams, making one's scalp tingle.

The Ant Hole branched in all directions, with massive ants rushing here from all sides.

Soon, a swath of black ants filled the view.

Below are the crawling ones, above are flying ants.

Jiang Chen didn't even know how many there were.

After waiting two more seconds, the ant swarm was less than 20 meters away.

"Move!"

The command shouted, and the Skeleton Warrior responded, the Skeleton Mage even faster.

Dozens of skills were thrown out simultaneously.

In an instant

A kaleidoscope of colors filled the cave.

A scream rang from the ant swarm, some ants instantly dried to death.

Jiang Chen instantly locked onto the monster.

Skill: Corpse Explosion!

Explosion sounds echoed through the Ant Cave, the whole cave trembling.

One sound after another, very rhythmic.

Jiang Chen wasn't mindlessly spamming; he was waiting for enough ants to explode a wave.

Gradually, the cave began to accumulate massive ant corpses, piling into a small hill.

Ants coming from behind knocked over these small hills, stepping on their own kind's corpses, charging at Jiang Chen.

Under the Ant Queen's summons, the ants fought fearlessly.

A massive amount of Experience rolled in.

In the blink of an eye, Experience Value had reached 50%, the speed astonishing.

After Level 21, the leveling speed slowed again.

Though not the big jump every 5 levels.

But it also slowed by at least 10%; Jiang Chen estimates that after clearing this Baojun Shamo Fuben, Experience over 85% would be decent.

It will get even slower later.

"It's a bit slow!"

Jiang Chen couldn't help but sigh.

If anyone heard that sentence, they'd probably vomit three liters of blood.

Others go from level 20 to 30 in as fast as a year, or as slow as two to three years.

At Jiang Chen's pace, it would take at most one or two months to reach level 30.

Even then they still think it's slow; people are more maddening than death.

Jiang Chen blasts the monsters one after another.

After ten minutes, finally no monsters come forward.

All the monsters in the Ant Cave are already dead.

The Ant Queen's scream has also stopped.

The curled‑up state is lifted.

The Ant Queen's injuries have recovered.

But what awaits it is a saturated assault by Skeleton Warriors and Skeleton Mages.

One hundred thirty‑five Skeleton Warriors simultaneously brandish their great blades and unleash a skill.

They are either beneath the Ant Queen, or on her body, back, or head,

attacking from every corner.

The barely wounded Ant Queen instantly teeters on death.

The Skeleton Mages' spells follow in succession, delivering the finishing blow.

The Ant Queen is almost instantly killed, dying far more miserably than last time.

Not even a skill was used.

"Kill Desert Ant Queen, Experience +653741"

"Obtain Silver-level Weapon: Ant Queen Longsword"

"Obtain Silver-tier Accessory: Ant Queen's Ring"

"Obtain Low-level Monster Core"

"Ant Queen Longsword: Silver-level Weapon, Strength +80, Constitution +80, Sword Skill Amplify 13%, usable after Level 20"

"Ant Queen's Ring: Silver-tier Accessory, Spirit +50, Constitution +50, Spirit Recovery Speed +10%, usable after Level 20"

This haul is not as much as last time.

Did not obtain Desert Ant Queen Egg.

Stepping over the Ant Queen's corpse, Jiang Chen exits the Ant Cave and enters the Lion Clan Territory.

He looks at the towering castle and its sturdy gate.

Jiang Chen knows that to quickly open the castle gate, siege equipment is needed.

Siege equipment is not sold in the Exchange; all must be crafted by gathering materials and having a blacksmith forge them.

Jiang Chen doesn't have that kind of leisure time.

He still uses a simple, brute method: the Skeleton Warrior breaks the door directly.

At most it just wastes a few extra minutes.

He has only been in the Instance for five hours now.

That's more than twice as fast as last time.

He can afford to waste this little time.

"World-Class Boss, I'm back!"

Jiang Chen waves his hand, and the Skeleton Army rushes forward.

Hundreds of skeletons look grand and unstoppable.