Flora Bloom hadn’t done a thing, hadn’t even said a word of retort, yet the situation had already completely turned in her favor.
The dozens of superpower users from the Thorne family, whether Level 1, Second Level, or Level 3, saw the situation was turning against them and chose to retreat.
To sustain and grow a family in the apocalypse, strength was indispensable, but so was public support.
Titan Adler hadn’t expected to get such a surprising and satisfying result without having done a thing. He immediately beamed at Flora Bloom.
"Flora, everyone’s gone. Why don’t we head back and finish eating?"
Flora Bloom glanced at Titan Adler, and then at Selene Lynch, who was supporting the now-blind Mason Adler with a fawning smile.
"That won’t be necessary. I have something to do."
Suddenly, the ground shook. A moment later, a fissure ripped open the earth not far from them. Paving stones shattered as a familiar, segmented limb shot out from the crevice, seizing the person closest to it and dragging them underground.
Amid a bloodcurdling scream, just as everyone regained their footing, they saw more fissures crisscrossing the ground beneath them.
From each fissure, one or two segmented limbs tipped with enormous pincers emerged. They either dragged those who failed to dodge in time into the depths or clamped down on those who reacted quickly, crushing them until they could no longer breathe.
"It’s these mutated monsters! They’re back!"
Titan Adler and his family had already retreated into the house, protected by their family’s superpower users.
Simon Wallace, his wife Sarah Osborne, and their son Neal Wallace, hadn’t brought any superpower users with them this time, but they did have several Level 3 superpower users protecting them in secret. However, the sudden attack by the unknown creatures from below not only dragged one of the Wallace family’s hidden Level 3 superpower users into a fissure, but the massive chasm in the ground now separated Simon’s group from their bodyguards, creating an uncrossable gulf.
Although elderly, Robin Grant had also awakened a plant-based superpower. However, before reaching the Middle Level, plant abilities had no offensive power, serving only to control and delay opponents.
Flora Bloom frowned, watching the sudden events unfold, and was immediately reminded of the time she saved a little girl from the Thorne family outside the Argent base.
That giant black scorpion possessed immense strength, and its tail stinger was lethally venomous. Anyone dragged down had absolutely no chance of survival.
Just then, a fissure opened up beneath Flora Bloom’s feet. Neal Wallace saw it and decisively pulled her away. Flora Bloom warily watched the fissures that continued to appear all around. If they didn’t leave immediately, once the ground was covered in cracks, even the most powerful superpower users would have no room to use their abilities.
Just as she finished this thought, a Level 3 Fire Ability User from the Adler family was caught by a huge pincer. As he was about to be dragged into the fissure, he thought fast, continuously shooting intense flames into the crack.
The pincer gripping him soon released its hold, unable to bear the scorching fire.
"SKREEE!"
A violent, ear-splitting shriek erupted from underground. A massive black scorpion forced its way out of the fissure, widening the crack—which had previously only been large enough for a person to fall through—as it hauled its body onto the surface.
"My God! How is that scorpion so big! Everyone, run!"
Someone’s shout sent the already panicked crowd into a greater frenzy.
Suddenly, a figure Flora Bloom recognized came rushing frantically through the crowd from a distance. Before he could get close, a massive pincer shot out towards him.
"Gavin Todd, look out behind you!" Flora Bloom yelled at the man rushing over, but it was too late. A gigantic pincer, three or four times larger than the others that had emerged from the ground, had already opened its sharp tips and was about to clamp down on Gavin Todd’s waist.
"Cynthia, save him!"
Cynthia Grant, who was protecting Robin Grant, had already retreated inside the Adler family’s main gate. A thick, sturdy vine suddenly shot out, wrapping around Gavin Todd’s body to pull him into the Adler family’s courtyard.
But at that same moment, the huge pincer clamped down on Gavin Todd’s calf.
The sharp tips of the giant pincer instantly pierced Gavin Todd’s calf. Venom shot through the wound, immediately spreading throughout his entire body via his bloodstream.
"AARGH!"
Gavin Todd screamed from the excruciating pain, his consciousness starting to fade.
In his daze, he saw an enormous, bloated mantis descending from the sky. Its massive shadow loomed larger as it approached. Its great scythes snapped open, poised to slice down onto his leg.
’This is it. I’m toast.’ Gavin Todd, who had already given up hope of surviving, was now certain he would die a gruesome death. But just then, he felt the pressure on his leg release—the giant pincer had actually let go.
Meanwhile, he was pulled by Cynthia Grant’s vine, tumbling into the Adler family’s courtyard.
The scorpion’s pincers were highly venomous. Starting from his calf, half of his body had already turned black.
He had come this time to request help from the Adler family. He was a member of the Todd family, and today it was his turn to guard the resource warehouse. But half an hour ago, the warehouse was attacked by a swarm of red-eyed rats that suddenly burst from the ground.
The unprepared warehouse guards were no match for these rats. In an instant, more than ten Second-level Superpower Users were dead. He had only managed to escape by relying on his exceptional defensive abilities, had informed the Todd family, and received orders to request reinforcements from the Adler family to exterminate the rats.
But who could have known that on his way over, fissures had appeared in several places across the base? Giant black scorpions crawled out one after another. He had barely managed to evade them and reach the Adler family’s home, only to find that the area outside their gate was a major disaster zone.