Chapter 158: Three Empress, Leila.Bolante

The clash between the two has already alerted the camp's guard forces.

Shadows loom as countless Mantis Plane natives, strong ones, emit sharp auras and, from every corner of this logistical relay base, rush toward the direction of the energy‑wave duel.

Fulade knows clearly that now is not the time to reveal his identity; if the two parties fighting fiercely learn that a third force is meddling, they will reap great profit, and who knows how many troubles will arise.

The mantis woman's slightly pale face is hollow‑eyed, occasionally showing a hint of struggle, sometimes flushing, her breathing chaotic and rapid.

Especially the massive fruit on her chest, wavering under the very crude armor, draws Fulade's gaze upward a few more times.

Hmph, you can't tell at all—normally the mantis woman never shows any sign, yet her figure is surprisingly curvy.

Yet what surprises Fulade even more is the mantis woman's immense potential.

Whenever the pair of delicate, soft antennae on her forehead flicker with a star‑like glint, Fulade must increase his pressure continuously, lest she break free from his mental control at any moment.

"This woman's strength is truly not to be underestimated; a moment's lapse and she could break free!"

Feeling her struggle grow stronger and seeing silhouettes sprinting toward them from afar, Fulade does not delay; a bizarre red glow flares in his eyes, and within the flash a complex black‑purple Magic Rune appears in his pupil, which, driven by his will, instantly embeds into his forehead.

Then, without looking back, he turns and leaves.

"Princess." A hurried voice rings out.

A male Mantis‑plane mantis being, clad in armor and bearing a pair of curved arm blades, darts forward like lightning, rapidly closing in.

The mantis woman's struggling gaze clears instantly, and as she regains consciousness a trace of confusion mixed with embarrassment surfaces on her pale face.

Watching the figure that has already vanished, the mantis woman trembles, her expression complicated.

No one knows what she has endured in such a short time.

"Princess, are you alright?" This Level Two male mantis being notices the mantis woman's oddly pale complexion and asks with concern.

At the same time, he commands other arriving Mantis‑plane natives to give chase.

"I'm fine, Wali, it's just another batch of variant‑civilization infiltrators slipped into the base." The mantis woman says calmly.

As she speaks, for some reason the mantis woman seems to sense something amiss, though she cannot pinpoint the problem.

Just as she tries to capture that fleeting spark of insight, a sudden shout erupts.

"Bad!! It's the warehouse side!"

Sensing the vanished aura in the night, the mantis woman snaps back to attention, her expression changing.

Seeing the once‑full relay base's stockpiles now completely vanished, the mantis woman, who is in charge here, trembles wildly, a red glow rising.

An angry flame erupts from her large eyes, "Damn these damned variant‑civilization beasts! Always up to petty tricks, I, Leila. Bolante, will not rest with you."

A powerful golden spiritual wave bursts forth, comparable to the terrifying strength of a Level Three Life Tier being, instantly spreading beyond the base.

Gale winds surge, insects fall silent, the bright moon hides silently behind dark clouds.

A suffocating pressure rises from the heart. The surrounding Mantis‑plane natives, feeling this oppressive force, undergo a sudden mental upheaval, silently horrified.

The Three Empress's low profile means the Mantis‑plane natives inside the base have no clear understanding of this usually unassuming Three Empress.

Only now can they truly feel the terrifying power emanating from the Three Empress.

"What a terrifying power—no wonder the rumors speak of a Third Princess capable of slaying Level Three variant creatures."

Facing this mantis being who is extremely low‑key yet exceedingly friendly and amiable to subordinates, the Three Empress.

The base leader Wali seems hesitant to speak.

The mantis woman Leila. Bolante also notices Wali's hesitant expression, her anger slightly easing, and asks, "General Wali, what is it? Speak plainly."

"Princess, three days ago a resource point in our south was completely looted by infiltrators; I suspect… is it…?" Wali says.

The mantis woman suddenly turns, looking at the Level Two male mantis being Wali: "You mean, three days ago, the south!"

In her large eyes flashes an odd hue; although Leila. Bolante appears outwardly clumsy and cute, that is merely a surface.

At this moment, from Wali's words the mantis woman seems to sense something.

On the other side.

After the squads merge, Fulade and his party rush toward the next target point.

Looking at the fist‑sized green energy essence in his hand, emitting a faint halo and wood‑grain texture, its pure life aura makes Fulade feel a long‑forgotten yearning.

Suppressing the urge to swallow it whole, the green source essence, whose purity can affect even a Level Three Life Tier, is an extremely rare top‑grade resource even on the Mantis Plane.

The best method is to use it as a primary ingredient to craft a magical potion, then ingest it.

Direct consumption would be a waste of a treasure.

As for the other strategic supplies seized from the relay base, Fulade pays them little mind; although abundant and worth dozens to nearly a hundred times the value of the green source essence, they are irrelevant to him.

For Fulade personally, only the high‑purity green source essence can give a decent boost to his cultivation.

Nonetheless, Fulade's understanding of the Mantis Plane's resource richness deepens anew.

Among the plundered goods are many Magic Materials he has never heard of, and many resources that are quite rare in the Dark Plane.

This operation, though a bit bumpy, yielded astonishing gains; if not for the two precious resources still uncollected, Fulade and his group could now return home.

The second resource point lies about two hundred kilometers from the green source essence site; to strike before the enemy reacts, Fulade's party cannot linger on the road.

Upon reaching this point, indeed no defenses are found.

This is a canyon resource point; when Fulade's party arrives, they see many mantis beings of the Mantis clan wielding Leather Whips, periodically striking hunched alien natives.

Those are blue‑bodied, four‑armed, locust‑like intelligent creatures! (End of chapter)