Chapter 724: Chapter 578: Enemy Attack

In the pitch-black depth of space, a Lord Level Type IV Insect of the Insect Race known as the Black Thorns Red Worm, whose head was pointed and body, red as crimson, bore four pairs of delicate, cicada-like wings, sharp claws, and a tail similar to a scorpion’s, emerged from behind a giant floating meteorite.

Its eyes, like black jewels, stared fixedly at the distant Green Gore and the numerous escort ships surrounding it.

The next second, the Black Thorn Insect opened its ugly mouth, releasing a special low-frequency buzzing sound wave.

Far in the depths of space, inside a small, battered asteroid, countless similar buzzing sounds responded.

Soon, a Lord Level Type IV Insect, the Black Thorns Mother Worm, sixty meters in height and even bigger than the Black Thorns Red Worm, with a swollen abdomen, was the first to fly out.

Then one, two, three…

Countless Black Thorns Red Worms flew out, sweeping towards the distant stars.

…

In Green Gore City, Su Mo and his friends were strolling down a bustling street witnessing peculiar foreign customs when Anli led them to a unique restaurant called Forest Restaurant.

A jovial hostess, with a head like that of a bear and wearing an apron, warmly greeted Anli.

“Captain Anli, long time no see, what brings you to look after my business today?”

“Not at all, haven’t the assignments been tight recently? Today, I’m treating some foreign friends to a meal,” Anli replied, somewhat nervously, barely making eye contact.

“No problem, please come inside,” the jovial owner responded.

Mina elbowed the captain and said with a smile, “Captain, what are you avoiding with your gaze?”

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Anli snapped back, glaring at Mina.

Mina stuck out her tongue at Anli.

Watching this scene, Su Mo felt quite positive—little people have their small joys and warmth.

Soon, they entered a private room where a menu lay on the table.

Anli picked up the menu and scratched his head. He was a bit conflicted. After all, Su Mo and his friends had saved Mina, so he couldn’t exactly skimp.

But the advanced ingredients were too expensive.

Su Mo noticed Anli’s gaze lingering on the insect dish section of the menu and quickly said, “Captain Anli, could you let me order a few items?”

“Of course, you’re the guest, feel free to order whatever you’d like,” Anli responded, generously passing the menu to Su Mo.

Keni and a few others who were sitting next to Anli leaned over and asked somewhat guiltily, “Captain, did you bring enough money? What if he orders a lot of expensive stuff?”

Anli swallowed and whispered back, “What’s there to fear, we can always run a tab if needed.”

“Not again, we’ve already been stuck here several times helping out with the chores because of tab-running,” Keni’s expression sagged slightly.

Su Mo briefly glanced through the menu, picked up a pen, and started ordering. He directly selected some fruits, potatoes, and a few bottles of fruit wine. As for the Insect Powder Cakes and thinly sliced insect slices, he ignored them completely.

Honestly, Su Mo was puzzled. Such a fine civilization and people look so attractive; why do they have such a penchant for eating insects?

“That’s it, let’s skip the rest. I really can’t get used to it,” Su Mo said after finishing his order and passed the menu back to Anli.

After reading it, Anli also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, nothing too expensive was ordered, at least saving them from washing dishes.

“Alright, sounds good to me,” he said cheerfully.

Anli then got up to place the order.

Before long, the dishes were all served, and Anli opened the fruit wine to pour drinks for Su Mo and Rose.

“I, Anli, am a simple man and not good with words. But Mina is like a sister to me, you saved her, and that makes us friends. Let’s all have a drink together!”

“Alright,” Su Mo and Rose said, each raising their glass.

Mina, too, looked moved, holding her wine glass up towards Captain Anli.

“Cheers!”

They clinked glasses and drained the wine in one go.

“Come on, eat up! Don’t be shy,” Anli heartily called out.

After a few rounds of drinks, Su Mo and Anli, as well as others, all looked flushed. The fruit wine produced here, although sweet-tasting and fragrant like a beverage, had a not-so-low alcohol content with a strong kick.

With a few more drinks, everyone was slightly intoxicated.

At that point, a slightly tipsy Anli sat down next to Su Mo and started chatting in a friendly manner.

“Buddy, let me tell you, Mina is really a good kid. She has lots of siblings, and from a young age, she helped take care of her younger brother and sister. She is very sensible.”

“I know that, we’re currently staying at her place,” Su Mo replied, clinking his glass with Anli’s as he drank.

“Oh, it’s just too bad she’s had such a hard life. Not to hide it from you, her parents were also in the Legion, and they were frontline fighters. But they died not long after the expedition started, and she barely had time to cry before she had to take up the family responsibilities and join the military to earn money. To tell you the truth, at first, I didn’t agree to have her in my team, partly because she was a bit young, and I worried she wouldn’t cope. But she convinced me completely with her effort and optimism.”

Anli also shared quite emotionally more about Mina’s hardships and misfortunes with Su Mo.

Su Mo nodded, sensing indeed that Mina had it tough. He raised his glass and said,

“Let’s have another drink, hoping that this mission ends soon and everyone can return safely!”