Chapter 139: Combat Power and Brains

"We are discussing a strategy to deal with it," the three children answered in unison.

"Fine, then keep discussing." Liu Chang carried them as he continued to run.

"Actually, biological gigantism inherently provides powerful combat capabilities," the three children continued their discussion.

"Yes, gigantism means having no natural predators; it equals immense combat power. That is why so many organisms evolve to be gigantic. No matter how clumsy an elephant is, it can defeat a lion, and the same goes for humans. In a boxing ring, no matter how agile a lightweight fighter is, they cannot defeat a heavyweight. This holds true on the battlefield as well."

"True, but the biggest disadvantage of gigantism is that it requires excessive food intake. Every movement consumes far more energy than it would for others. That’s why thunder lizards or elephants spend their entire days eating," the eldest said. "That reminds me of that 'Big Willow Tree' fellow."

"Hmm, if he was in the early stages of expansion, he must have needed a massive amount of food energy, right?" The third child looked at the second.

"Correct. However, since it is a plant, it has an innate advantage in absorbing nutrients and energy. Plus, doesn't it have the ability to absorb?" the second child said. "Even so, if it wanted to grow to its limit, it would still have to consume, wouldn't it? But it possesses supreme wisdom, so we don't need to worry about its affairs. It knows better than we do how it should proceed. What we need to deal with right now is this fellow in front of us, who doesn't seem very bright."

"Indeed, this guy doesn't seem to have much intelligence. It has been chasing Liu Chang for so long; who knows how much energy it has wasted? Even if it successfully managed to eat Liu Chang, it wouldn't be enough to replenish the energy it has expended," the eldest nodded. "Furthermore, such a massive size places a burden on the brain, not to mention that insects are inherently deficient in intelligence. Since that's the case..."

"Are you brothers willing to try?" The eldest looked at the other two, seeking their opinion.

"I think it's doable. At least a seventy percent chance," the second nodded in agreement.

"I disagree. There is no need for us to do this and take that thirty percent risk. After all, the gains are not significant," the third objected.

"I vote in favor. This creature is actually useful to us; it’s worth the risk," the eldest concluded. "The vote is two to one; you lost. Liu Chang, put us down."

"Understood." Liu Chang had been listening to the three children's conversation. Upon hearing the eldest, he didn't say a word or ask any questions; he simply placed the three children on the ground. "I'll stand right next to you. If there’s danger, I’ll save you."

"Fine." The three children nodded and waited quietly for the giant centipede to arrive.

The *shh-shh-shh* sound approached from a distance. Behind the thick red mist was an even more vivid red. When the centipede drew near, the three children held hands, then stared directly into that vibrant red.

In that instant, Liu Chang felt something unusual.

There seemed to be no change in the environment; there was no wind, fire, thunder, or lightning, not even a sound. There was none of the visual or auditory buildup one might expect from a power display in a movie, yet Liu Chang still sensed something strange.

A peculiar sensation originated from his cerebral cortex, making his scalp feel slightly numb. He had experienced this feeling before—four years ago, when Li Qingshui subdued Zhao Zhuo, he had felt something similar.

However, this time the sensation was much weaker.

The three children stood there, eyes open, watching what lay ahead. The heavy, red pressure gradually tore through the red mist and arrived before them. A massive face with ghastly fangs pierced through the fog and appeared in Liu Chang’s field of vision.

"Damn, that’s ugly!" Seeing the face of the giant centipede, Liu Chang instinctively took a step back. Giant organisms naturally carry an aura of oppression, and with Liu Chang having no heavy weapons at hand, he didn't have a shred of a chance to fight back at such close range.

Once the giant creature entered Liu Chang’s view, it had been moving at a decent speed, but as it came within thirty meters, it seemed to sense a strange aura. It slowed its ghastly pace, poking its head around as it slowly approached.

"Are you guys going to be okay?" Liu Chang watched the house-sized face drawing closer, feeling somewhat anxious. "If it gets this close, I won't be able to save you!"

No one answered him.

Sweat beaded on the foreheads of the three children, and their faces were turning a deep red.

The giant centipede kept getting closer. Liu Chang wanted to interrupt the children, but fearing he might ruin their efforts, he stood a step behind them, ready to intervene at any moment.

Time felt like it was ticking by the second. The centipede grew closer and closer to the four of them, until finally, its entire face was nearly touching the heads of the three children. The green slime dripping from its mouth hit the ground with a *drip-drip* sound, sizzling upon impact.

"Are you sure you can do this?" Liu Chang watched the massive thing at close range—the sickle-like fangs, the disgusting slime, and the mouthparts capable of mincing him into pulp. He prepared to move.

If the centipede came any closer, he wouldn't be able to save any of them.

Just as he was about to act, the three children moved first.

"It’s not enough; we need to get closer to interfere with its brain waves more directly. Its armor is too thick. Even though its brain capacity is small, it isn't easily controlled," the eldest commanded. "Get closer to it."

At the eldest's order, the three children stepped forward, walking right up to the bewildered giant centipede, which was struggling to distinguish one direction from another. They pressed their three small hands onto the centipede's lower jaw—their height only allowed them to reach that far.

As the three small hands touched it, the centipede suddenly stiffened—it stopped moving.

"Did it work?" Liu Chang saw this and took a step forward.

But at the very moment he stepped out, the centipede's head suddenly thrashed. With a violent upward jerk, the children were nearly crushed to paste by its thick lower jaw.

"Danger!" Without a word, Liu Chang lunged forward, snatching the three small Li Qingshuis and dashing a dozen meters away just before the centipede struck.

*BOOM!*

Behind him came the sound of a heavy object slamming into the ground.

*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*

The centipede went berserk on the jungle floor, thrashing its head and body as if it had swallowed a stimulant. Massive, sturdy trees were destroyed, and the ferns and grass on the ground were churned into a muddy mess.

"What's going on?" Liu Chang watched as the centipede unconsciously sprayed green toxic mist; wherever the mist passed, all vegetation hissed as it corroded.

Liu Chang carried the three children and ran further away.

"What is happening?" Liu Chang asked the three children again—at this point, they had run out of strength.

"It's okay, don't take us too far away. If we're too far, our influence won't be strong enough," the three children shouted. "Don't carry us too far. Its self-awareness is fighting against the consciousness we're forcing upon it. Get us closer."

"It's poisonous too close by. We'll stay here," Liu Chang said, holding the children while watching the giant centipede thrash and go wild on the other side. "How long will it be crazy for?"

"A minute at most. Consciousness is something that passes in a flash," the eldest lifted his eyelids. "I can feel its consciousness growing weaker."

"It's almost done," the second child said.

"Done." The third child struggled to jump out of Liu Chang's arms, but due to exhaustion, he fell to the ground.

He didn't care, however, and slowly approached the chaotic scene on the other side.

The centipede had gradually stopped struggling; it no longer thrashed its body or sprayed poison. It had quieted down, its body slowly curling up as it lay on the ground.

"Is it dead?" Liu Chang looked at the centipede’s unnatural posture and asked skeptically. "Don't centipedes not curl their bodies?"

"It shouldn't be dead." The eldest and second jumped out of Liu Chang’s arms and approached the massive creature. "We can still feel its consciousness; it’s not dead."

"Were you controlling it just now?" Liu Chang followed the three children as they approached the centipede.

"Yes. This creature has a massive body but low intelligence, making it a good object to utilize. However, our abilities are limited, and its armor is too thick, which hinders the penetration of brain waves. So, that was a miscalculation on our part. If it weren't for you, we would have been crushed."

"Don't mention it." Liu Chang walked up to the centipede, touched its gleaming armor with his hand, and knocked hard on the half-meter-thick plating with his knuckles.

*Thump, thump, thump!*

His knuckles struck the surface, producing a crisp sound like knocking on a thick steel plate.

"No wonder my pistol couldn't pierce it; this thing is way too thick." After knocking, Liu Chang patted the bright red armor hard. "And the material is excellent. Even ordinary rockets probably couldn't penetrate this; it's comparable to a tank. Are you sure you've controlled it?"

"Controlled," the eldest replied, closing his eyes and sending a command to the centipede. "Move."

Upon receiving the mental command, the centipede’s curled body slowly began to move.

"That's incredible! This thing could serve as a mount." Seeing the giant creature actually obey the eldest's command, Liu Chang leaped onto its back. "The smell is a bit unpleasant—a bitter, fishy scent like traditional medicine—but this smell might serve as a warning to other animals, so it's not entirely useless."

"Yes, pull us up. Its back is too slippery; we can't climb up." Even while lying on the ground, the centipede was two and a half meters tall, and its dorsal armor was so smooth that there were no footholds. An ordinary person could never climb it.

After pulling the children onto the centipede's back, Liu Chang asked: "Will this thing suddenly go crazy again? Are you sure this is safe?"