Chapter 50: Ghost Spider Spinner - Modified

Ghost Spider Spinner?

Zhou Yan quickly installed the newly acquired "Curse" rune, and upon seeing the unfamiliar term in the information, he curiously selected it to view its effects.

[Ghost Spider Spinner · Modified]
[Type: Auxiliary Tool]
[Description: A special tool purified and transformed from the spinner of the Corroded Ghost Spider leader, capable of shooting spider silk.]
[Effect: Worn on the wrist, can emit special spider silk controlled by the wearer’s intent, strong enough to lift objects over two hundred kilograms. Maximum silk storage is two hundred meters, regenerates one meter per minute (current capacity 200/200).]
[Rating: 0-Star, Tier 2]
[Remark: Remember, greater power means fewer scapegoats.]

—

Zhou Yan's eyes sparkled.

A special piece of equipment?

He couldn't wait to select "Equip," and instantly, a strange wristguard-like object appeared on the inside of his left wrist.

The appearance didn’t matter; the effect was key.

He raised his left arm towards the Ghost Spider leader before him, and with a mental command, a thin white thread shot forth, accurately sticking to the spider’s body.

Then, with a sudden pull, he dragged the spider’s corpse right in front of him.

"Hmm, it only fires and sticks to targets, can be cut at will, cannot retract automatically, must rely on one's own strength to pull..." Zhou Yan muttered as he assessed it, then nodded in satisfaction.

Quite good—enough for him to play half a Spider-Man.

He reached out and touched the corpse of the Ghost Spider leader.

[Corroded Ghost Spider · Leader]
[Type: Demon Insect]
[Description: The most mutated individual among spiders infected by the Corrosive Mist, possessing silk spinning, venom, agile movements, and abilities superior to ordinary Corroded Ghost Spiders.]
[Rating: 0-Star, Tier 2]
[Attributes: Physique 24, Agility 28, Spirit 7]
[Remark: Blake Elazina... must hunt, lay eggs, expand my brood...]

"Hmm, Tier 2... I'll keep it as an option for now..." Zhou Yan glanced at the spider’s attributes, finding them somewhat mediocre.

Now he had a second material slot, allowing him to further expand his repertoire of forms.

The Lotus Calamity Sword provided close combat with a blade, ranged attacks with the Black Lotus Flare Cannon, and was a Tier 3 special material, granting him formidable base attributes.

His combat capabilities were already well-rounded.

Therefore, he wasn’t in a hurry to add a second material just yet.

He turned and walked out of the cafeteria, swiping his card to close the door, then quickly headed toward his next target.

Zhou Yan moved swiftly, slaying another Ghost Spider in the corridor along the way, and soon arrived at a new room.

[Spider XXX]

Aside from the word meaning "spider," the rest was blurred and unreadable.

The door was wide open, and inside was a dense network of webs.

Seeing this, Zhou Yan guessed that this laboratory specializing in spiders had long since fallen, and even the mutated Ghost Spider leader had escaped, hunting in the staff cafeteria.

Without hesitation, he fired a blast into the room.

The destructive black haze flared once more.

[Slain "Corroded Ghost Spider" ×5, gained 215 Spirituality]
[Acquired "Rune Factor · Physique"]
[Acquired "Micro Life Essence (10)"]
[Destroyed "Ghost Spider Nest"]
[Extra Task 2: Destroy "Mutant Bug Nest" (1/?)]
A series of messages flashed before his eyes. Zhou Yan nodded and installed another rune factor.

Now, including the rune circuit, his rune slots were filled to four.

With a bit of luck, perhaps this expedition would allow him to advance another tier.

As he entered to inspect the room, Zhou Yan glanced at another newly acquired loot—Micro Life Essence.

[Micro Life Essence (10): Contains ten units of life essence. Upon use, comprehensively replenishes bodily nutrients.]

What is this?

Zhou Yan read the description, making a few guesses.

But the current environment wasn’t suitable for testing, so he decided to set the item aside for now.

Within the spider laboratory, aside from the charred spider corpses and a few human bodies, there was nothing else.

It seemed, as the information had indicated—he had indeed destroyed the "Spider Nest."

He wasted no time, swiftly leaving the room and heading to the next laboratory, quickly reaching the end of the left wing.

[Mantid Research Group]

Zhou Yan looked up at the sign above the door, then at the door itself, which was split with several massive cracks.

Clearly, from a cautious perspective, there were certainly mutated demon insects inside.

"Giant mantises, huh..."

He took out his ID card and swiped it on the reader. With a beep, the door unlocked.

He pocketed the card and pushed the door open.

—

Thick mist filled the room, shrouding it in silence, unlike the spider room with its webs.

He remained on high alert, moving further in while subtly flexing his left arm.

Yet, after advancing seven or eight meters, he still hadn’t encountered any large insects.

This was entirely different from his experience exploring the spider territory.

But Zhou Yan dared not relax for a moment.

Since entering, his sixth sense had been warning him—a terrible enemy lurked within!

Finally, his premonition proved true.

Creeeeak... creeeeak...

In the silence, a faint sound reached his ears.

Zhou Yan stepped lightly toward the direction of the noise.

The next second, he halted, a look of apprehension appearing beneath his mask.

Through the mist, a shadowy silhouette slowly emerged before him.

It was a massive figure.

Over six meters long, slender and narrow, entirely brown, with a disproportionately small triangular head and, most distinctively, a pair of forelegs.

Terrifying scythe-like forelegs.

A gigantic mantis!

But this was far too large...

Zhou Yan couldn’t help but swallow.

Truth be told, even the tiniest insects can trigger instinctive terror in many people.

Now, with these insects magnified countless times and appearing right before him, that fear was magnified exponentially.

The spiders he had dealt with earlier were manageable; after all, he’d seen plenty of films and games on Earth featuring "giant spider" monsters, which had helped him adapt somewhat.

But such a colossal mantis was truly shocking.

At that moment, the giant mantis clamped a much smaller companion in its scythes, heedless of the other's frantic struggles, tilting its head as it devoured its kin.

The "creak" sounds Zhou Yan had heard were the sounds of its cannibalism!

He silently stepped back, then froze.

The giant mantis abruptly stopped chewing, tilted its head, and its enormous compound eyes seemed to lock onto Zhou Yan.

He immediately retreated in alarm!

***