8: Alien Queen

The generous rewards, the impassioned speech, the principal personally leading the outdoor training, coupled with the stimulation of bloody reality, instantly ignited the suppressed fighting spirit in the Students' hearts.

Fear was dispelled, replaced by a desperate resolve and a burning desire to become stronger!

"Now, proceed immediately to the instance portal! Move!"

Zhang Yong waved his hand, and his Gold-level aura, like an invisible whip, invigorated the Students. No one hesitated any longer; they immediately turned and ran towards the instance portal deep within the school.

Watching the Students quickly run towards the portal, Lin Feng's thoughts raced.

The novice trial mission must be completed independently?!

This was something that had never happened in previous years!

In previous novice instances, Students often found teammates before entering the instance, and they would work together to complete the missions assigned within the novice instance!

"It seems this attack by The Fallen has truly touched the principal's raw nerve!"

After running a few steps with the crowd, Lin Feng quickly broke away from the group and plunged into the familiar small grove outside the air-raid shelter... The morning sun struggled to penetrate the clouds, then filtered through the layers of leaves, casting dappled pillars of light onto the forest floor, dispelling the last trace of weariness from Lin Feng.

Almost the moment he stepped into the woods, a thick black mist, so dense that even sunlight couldn't penetrate it, approached him silently and at an extremely fast speed, like a living shadow.

The black mist moved through the forest without stirring a single breeze or disturbing a fallen leaf.

It stopped precisely in front of Lin Feng, then, as if wiped away by an invisible hand, quickly dissipated, revealing the unsettling presence within—the Alien Queen.

The cool morning light outlined her massive, powerful, and primally oppressive silhouette. Her head, covered with a thick, grotesque bone crown, was slightly lowered. Wisps of black mist swirled and shifted like living things in the gaps of her streamlined, jet-black carapace.

Most striking was her slightly bulging abdomen, an area covered with a dull, thick carapace—the gestation sac, a distinctive organ possessed only by the Alien Queen!

Looking at the familiar, dense black mist swirling around the Alien Queen like a living entity, Lin Feng instantly recalled the black mist magic cast by the Gaunt Old Mage who had been parasitized by a Facehugger last night.

He immediately issued an command through his mental link, and the Alien Queen obediently transformed into a streak of light, being taken into his Spirit Beast Space.

Only then did Lin Feng take a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart. With a thought, the Alien Queen's attribute panel instantly unfolded before his eyes.

【Name: Alien Queen (Newborn)】

【Star Rating: Six-star】

【Strength: Gold-level First Stage】

【Status: Hungry / Breeding Preparation Period】

【Skills: Claw Rend, Tail Blade Pierce, Inner Jaw Eject, Acid Blood, High-Speed Warp, Stealth Concealment, Psionic Bone Armor, Abyssal Black Mist.】

【Special Talent 1: Genetic Plunder: By devouring the essence of powerful creatures, there is a chance to acquire some of their excellent genetic fragments and optimize oneself.】

【Special Talent 2: Queen's Majesty: Possesses absolute dominance over lower-tier Alien units, capable of mental linking and commanding.】

【Special Talent 3: Rapid Gestation: Consumes energy to quickly lay Alien eggs.】

"Six-star! And... a Newborn is already Gold-level?!"

According to the Level classification of Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold... this was an enormous, unexpected surprise!

Also... Psionic Bone Armor and Abyssal Black Mist?

His thoughts focused on these two skills, and feedback quickly came.

【Psionic Bone Armor: A skill derived after absorbing the genes of a six-star Shadow Mage. Utilizes shadow power to greatly enhance physical/energy resistance and can absorb some damage to convert into its own energy.】

【Abyssal Black Mist: A skill derived after absorbing the genes of a six-star Shadow Mage. Can release dense black mist from its body, containing mental interference and light-devouring properties, creating a dark domain that greatly weakens enemy perception and enhances its own stealth and movement.】

"As I thought, the Aliens of this world can not only absorb the genes of their hosts, but also plunder the awakened abilities from those genes!"

He immediately conveyed thoughts of affirmation and praise to the Queen through their mental connection.

In the Spirit Beast Space, the Alien Queen, upon receiving Lin Feng's thoughts, lowered her head, which was adorned with a crown-like bone armor, and let out a low, submissive hiss towards Lin Feng.

Emerging from the small grove, Lin Feng immediately rushed to the instance portal.

Novice instance?

Silver-level weapons?

Outdoor combat?

A confident smile played on his lips.

Arriving at the plaza where the instance portal was located, Lin Feng immediately saw Wang Yin standing on a high platform.

At this moment, the latter was carrying a two-handed battle-axe on his shoulder, anxiously looking around in the crowd. When he saw Lin Feng, his eyes lit up, and he immediately pushed through the crowd, rushing over in a few quick strides.

"Brother Feng! You're finally here!"

Wang Yin grabbed Lin Feng's shoulder, his anxious expression not receding, but rather intensifying.

"Where did you run off to? You had me worried sick! Several Students from our class came looking for me to team up, and I've already agreed with one of the teams. We'll both join their team and complete the trial mission in the instance together."

Saying this, he handed a short-handled magic staff to Lin Feng.

Then, three people walked up to Lin Feng.

"Lin Feng, don't worry. Although you are only a one-star Summoner, we are all popular two- and three-star professions. For example, Liu Kui, a three-star Assassin, with the awakened skill One-Hit Kill, his attack power is incredibly high. He'll definitely take down enemies in the novice instance with one hit. And me, a three-star Fire Mage, my skill is Fire Wall. Although the skill's attack power is average, novice instances are full of land beasts, and the hindrance created by Fire Wall is absolutely the best skill to restrict monster movement and positioning!"

"And Wang Wenying, don't mind that he's just a two-star Healer, but he awakened the most practical healing spell. If it weren't for our good relationship, he wouldn't even join our team."

"Teaming up with Lin Feng is fine, but I'll say this in advance: if anyone performs too poorly in the instance, I won't be healing him, okay!"

Although he wasn't looking at Lin Feng, everyone knew who Wang Wenying's words were directed at.

Wang Yin was clearly more aware, so after Wang Wenying finished speaking, he quickly said to Lin Feng.

"Brother Feng, don't take it to heart. Although our team isn't high-starred, our composition is very complete, especially with Wang Wenying as a Healer. Many teams with five-star or even six-star Awakened ones might not even be able to find a Healer."

"Wang Yin, what are you saying? Does a one-star useless Summoner like him even have the right to mind others?"

Wang Wenying didn't give Wang Yin any face, even though Wang Yin was the highest-starred person in the team.

"Wang Wenying, you..."

Wang Yin looked at Wang Wenying, wanting to get angry, but ultimately held back.

"Brother Feng, join the team. Otherwise, just the two of us might not be able to complete the novice trial mission, let alone get a good ranking."

Lin Feng toyed with the short-handled staff in his hand. A Summoner's combat style not only required casting support magic but also coordinating their summoned beasts to attack. Therefore, their weapon wasn't a staff nearly as tall as a person, like a Mage's, but rather the short-handled staff Wang Yin had handed him, similar to what a music conductor would hold.

The small and flexible short-handled staff allowed a Summoner to simultaneously cast spells and command their summoned beasts.

He had just been troubled about how to refuse Wang Yin's team invitation, and Wang Wenying's behavior conveniently gave Lin Feng an excuse.

After all, the Facehugger had already evolved into a Gold-level First Stage Alien Queen. At this stage, it wasn't suitable for Wang Yin to know about this matter.

"Wang Yin, you just team up with them, don't worry about me..."

"Lin Feng, you said that! Don't you dare regret it!!"

Wang Wenying had been waiting for Lin Feng to say that. His sarcasm earlier was actually to make Lin Feng too embarrassed to join the team himself.

"If Brother Feng doesn't join the team, then I won't team up with you either!"

Wang Yin looked at Lin Feng, wanting to leave the team, but Lin Feng stopped him.

"If you team up with them, you might really get a good ranking, and then you'll be in a better position to look after me later!"

"Wang Yin! If you insist on dragging me into the team now, and because of me, your team doesn't make it into the top 100, or achieve a better ranking, missing out on Silver-level and Bronze-level equipment is a small matter. But if you miss the opportunity for the outdoor training led by the principal five days later, then my sin would truly be too great!"

"If you truly acknowledge me as Brother Feng, then you should team up with them. I've looked at your team's composition, and honestly, just as Wang Wenying said, although the overall star rating of the team isn't high, the composition is really good. If you can use Wang Wenying's reputation as a Healer to recruit another six-star or even seven-star Student into the team! Then, let alone the top 100, I think the top 50 is a sure thing!"