Chapter 130: Heart of the Nest, Child of Weather

Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Heart of the Nest, Child of Weather

Justin Brooks’s face was pale and ghastly, etched with deep anxiety and lingering fear. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady.

"The apocalypse instance I entered was a world completely controlled by a unique, terrifying type of monster. Those monsters... they’re incredibly fearsome insects. They’re highly aggressive, have tough carapaces, are lightning-fast, and their numbers are just staggering. My leg... at the very end, a lurking Insect King ambushed me and just... snapped it clean off."

He paused, a flicker of residual terror in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by an even deeper anxiety.

"But that’s not even the most dangerous part." Justin Brooks’s voice grew heavier.

"Among the Players who entered the instance with me, there was one person... whom I recognized. He was the local crime boss who was the main target of our city’s recent anti-gang operation, the one who managed to get away—’Scarface Lowe,’ Hunter Lowe! His methods are incredibly cruel, and he’s utterly vicious!"

"What’s even more terrifying is that his Talent Ability is very unique and bizarre. He can actually... enslave the people and monsters inside the instance!"

Justin Brooks’s tone was filled with disbelief.

"In the final stage of the instance, we clashed over a critical item. He obviously recognized my official status, but not only did he show no restraint, he arrogantly boasted that once he returned to reality with this army of The Swarm, he would take care of everyone who had ever ’wronged’ him and enact the most brutal revenge!"

Justin Brooks’s words made Philip Jensen, Ronald Lynn, and the other team member’s hearts pound in terror, sending a chill down their spines.

For a criminal with such a dangerous Ability and an extremely antisocial personality to obtain such destructive Power... the consequences were unthinkable!

No wonder Justin Brooks was terrified.

However, what Justin Brooks said next made their hearts sink into their stomachs.

"The most crucial part is..." Justin Brooks’s voice was hoarse with urgency.

"What Hunter Lowe enslaved wasn’t some ordinary combat unit of The Swarm, but the core and most terrifying entity in that apocalyptic Swarm instance—the [Heart of the Nest]! It’s a living broodmother that can lay eggs endlessly! As long as it has enough food, it can churn out a never-ending supply of those horrifying killer insects!"

"If... if he releases that broodmother somewhere in the real world and feeds it enough flesh and blood..." Justin Brooks’s voice trembled.

"Then the apocalypse of The Swarm we experienced in the instance... will become a reality on Azure Star! It will be a true cataclysm!"

The air in the room instantly froze.

Everyone realized the severity of the problem was far beyond their imagination.

This was no longer just a criminal’s revenge, but the prelude to an apocalyptic crisis capable of destroying the entire city and even spreading beyond it.

Ronald Lynn’s face went white as he asked frantically, "Then... then what do we do? Now that this Hunter Lowe is a Player with an Ability like that, he’s surely evaded capture by now. Who knows what hole he’s hiding in!"

Philip Jensen made an instant decision, his expression grim. "This is far beyond what a single squad can handle. We have to report this immediately! We need to gather all available Player Power and resources. We must find Hunter Lowe and stop him before he does something irreversible!"

Justin Brooks struggled to nod in agreement, the sharp movement making him cough several times.

After catching his breath, he looked at Philip Jensen, his voice filled with gratitude and a hint of confusion. "By the way, my injuries... were they treated with some special medicine you brought?" He vaguely remembered what a horrible state he’d been in upon his return. He was still weak, but he had clearly received excellent care.

His mother, Mrs. Brooks, quickly chimed in from the side. "No, Justin. It was all thanks to Sullivan’s boyfriend from across the hall, Mr. Chandler. He stopped your bleeding, stitched you up, and even... even reattached your leg! If it wasn’t for him, given the state you were in, I’m afraid you wouldn’t have made it until Captain Jensen and his team arrived..." Mrs. Brooks’s voice cracked with the same lingering fear.

"Sullivan’s boyfriend?" Justin Brooks was taken aback, clearly surprised.

’There’s such a powerful Player hiding in our own building? This is truly... a blessing in disguise. I have to thank him in person for this debt of gratitude.’

But he quickly suppressed his personal feelings and turned back to Philip Jensen, his tone urgent as he reminded him.

"Philip Jensen, reporting this is time-sensitive! Based on what I learned in the instance, for the [Heart of the Nest] to rapidly hatch a large number of The Swarm, it needs to consume massive amounts of flesh and blood as an Energy source. If we let Hunter Lowe go on a killing spree to acquire ’feed,’ it will be an absolute bloodbath across the entire region! We have to find him, and fast!"

"I understand! We’ll head back and report this at once! You get some rest and recover!" Philip Jensen gave a firm nod. Wasting no more time, he, Ronald Lynn, and the other squad member rose and left, their faces as dark as thunderclouds.

Meanwhile, Seraphina Sullivan, who had been keeping an eye on the activity across the hall, was a little confused.

She had assumed Justin Brooks’s teammates would at least stop by to say hello, offer their thanks, or ask about his condition. She never expected them to rush out of his apartment shortly after arriving, their faces a mask of frantic, world-ending urgency.

’What happened? Did Justin Brooks’s condition worsen... Did he die?’

Seraphina Sullivan immediately dismissed the thought.

’Impossible. With my sutures and the herbal poultice I applied, saving his life was a sure thing.’

’It’s definitely not about Justin Brooks’s health... It must be something else, something much more urgent.’

Mulling it over, she scooped a spoonful of the now-cool sausage fried rice from Miss Webb into her mouth.

Seraphina Sullivan’s attention was quickly captured by a trending news alert on her phone, and she temporarily pushed the strange situation across the hall to the back of her mind.

A striking headline dominated the top of the trending list:

[State Power Revealed! The First Officially Endorsed Player—The ’Child of Weather’!]

Right now, the entire world was shrouded in endless downpours. Every region suffered from devastating floods, and a sense of despair was steadily spreading.

The emergence of this "Child of Weather" was like a bolt of lightning tearing through the gloom, instantly causing a global sensation.

Because her Ability was—to Control the weather!

News footage and online videos clearly showed that in the specific area where this Player was located, the sky looked as if an invisible hand had wiped away the clouds, revealing a rare and beautiful sight: a clear sky, washed a brilliant blue.

Sunlight spilled onto the flooded ground, reflecting in glittering waves. Not a single drop of rain fell there, creating an almost miraculous contrast with the surrounding areas that were still being drenched by the downpour.

The appearance of this "Child of Weather" gave the people of her city a direct glimpse of hope.

For the first time in over a month of continuous rain, a "break" had appeared. Relief supplies could be delivered more smoothly, and the evacuation of residents and disaster relief drainage efforts gained a precious window of opportunity.