Chapter 429 - 309: Luring the Worm
Leo Joyce’s speech not only successfully cleared his name but also brainwashed everyone, smoothly achieving his goal of continuing to seize the weapons.
In his mind, potential losses among his men were nothing compared to the gains at stake.
They left the tunnel and returned to the surface.
They soon found a suitable location.
Under Wade’s direction, they managed to find a rare patch of open ground, one free of the fissures created by the Blood Vine.
Sealing off the ground wasn’t easy, but with a Gold Ability User present—and with Leo Joyce’s side having a Space Ability User carrying a supply of weapons—they managed to get it done.
Extremely thin metal sheets were laid out to cover a ten-meter-square area. This would stop the Blood Vine from escaping underground if it was losing the fight.
Additionally, the Gold Ability User fashioned a large cauldron to hold everyone’s blood.
When it was time to begin the bloodletting, Leo Joyce asked Wade, who was standing beside Paige Summers and her group, "If we only use a small amount of blood, will the Blood Vine react?"
Wade’s lips curled into a smile. He knew Leo Joyce still didn’t fully trust him.
"Of course. The ground will shake. You can try it first."
A flash of embarrassment crossed Leo Joyce’s face.
He had asked because he intended to test the theory first, though not on himself.
He composed his expression and turned to the crowd. "To be cautious, let’s offer a small amount of blood first. If the Blood Vine reacts, we’ll continue. What does everyone think?"
"No problem!"
"That’s a sound plan!"
Amidst a wave of praise, Leo Joyce brought up the matter of who would be giving blood.
"I know this isn’t easy to hear, but we’ll need to surround and kill the Blood Vine shortly, and it’s vital we preserve our combat strength. So, I suggest we give blood in batches. The stronger our attack power, the later we should go. What does everyone think?"
This was an idea he’d come up with when he saw Paige Summers earlier.
’Relatively weak individuals, like that Female Superpower User and other minor ones, will definitely go first. My own men from Southreach will naturally be held back. Perhaps they won’t even be needed before the Blood Vine is drawn out.’
’Of course, to keep up appearances, I’ll have to send out a few of my own men too,’ Leo Joyce mused.
The others exchanged glances for a moment, then finally nodded.
At this point, it wasn’t like they could disagree.
In fact, while the idea sounded cruel, it was indeed a good method.
After all, if they lured out the Blood Vine only to miss their chance because of insufficient combat strength, all their previous efforts would be for nothing.
A mocking smile touched Marcus Monroe’s lips as he watched some people, their faces a mixture of resentment and resignation, being called out by their leaders to slit their wrists and bleed into the cauldron.
He had caught the way Leo Joyce looked at Paige Summers earlier, and he knew then that something was off.
’So this is what he was planning!’
’He really thinks he can use us as cannon fodder?’
’Not a chance in hell!’
Sure enough, someone soon pointed out that one of their group of four should also step forward to give blood.
In response, Marcus Monroe sneered and instantly gave everyone who had spoken a mangled haircut, shearing their hair right down to the scalp. The would-be sycophants immediately fell silent.
One of Leo Joyce’s subordinates—the leader of the squad they had been assigned to earlier—stepped forward. "Since you’re here, you need to follow the rules. Are you trying to make an enemy of everyone present?"
Marcus Monroe shot him a sidelong, contemptuous glance.
’A coward, just like his master. Too afraid to act himself, so he tries to drag everyone else into it!’
"Is someone breaking the rules? I don’t see anyone..." Marcus Monroe said. He paused until the man’s expression turned ugly before continuing, "All I know is I just demonstrated my power. If you think you can do the same, then I’ll go and give blood right now!"
The squad leader opened his mouth, about to retort that Marcus’s strength didn’t represent the other three, but just then, the ground began to shake!
The boiling blood now gave off waves of a strange, coppery stench. Without a doubt, the tremors were the Blood Vine, drawn in by the temptation.
Everyone was overjoyed and immediately went on high alert. Without any further prompting, more people stepped forward to give blood. By the time most had done so, the squad leader no longer dared to continue his standoff with Marcus Monroe and could only go report the situation.
Leo Joyce glanced in their direction and was about to speak when Wade suddenly appeared in front of Paige Summers. "You, come with me!"
He gave Marcus Monroe and Rhonda Rhodes a casual nod. His eyes were meaningful, and being sharp, they immediately understood his intentions and didn’t try to stop him.
However, Marcus Monroe still tensed, clenching his fists at his sides.
Under the baffled stares of the crowd, Paige Summers followed the man to the side of the great cauldron.
The man made a few hand gestures, setting up a soundproof defensive formation.
Only then did he say, "Let’s begin. Time to expel the worm!"
Paige Summers looked at the man in shock, then pointed at the cauldron beside them. "This... this isn’t all for expelling the worm, is it?!"
The man answered nonchalantly, "Half and half. You don’t need this much just to lure out the Blood Vine, but you do to draw out the Voidspawn Worm."
"Doesn’t the Voidspawn Worm feed on Spiritual Energy? How could..."
The man sneered, "You think the Voidspawn Worm I raised is the same as a common one? That’s why I was so surprised you were still alive!"
After this explanation, the man grew impatient. "Enough with the chatter. If you want the worm out, sit down!"
Paige Summers pressed her lips together and said no more.
She sat cross-legged and closed her eyes at his instruction. Her hearing seemed to grow sharper, and she could almost hear the faint sound of blood flowing through her body.
Soon, as the coppery stench from the cauldron grew stronger, the blood in her own body seemed to begin to boil in response!
The sound grew louder and louder.
Paige Summers felt her own heart begin to beat faster.
The blood surged ceaselessly, and after a moment, it rushed to the crown of her head...
Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced her GV20 for a moment.
A moment later, the blood seemed to instantly return to its calm, unhurried flow, gradually settling back into place throughout her body.
Paige Summers felt her body suddenly become lighter.
Just then, Wade’s voice, tinged with fatigue, reached her ears. "It’s done."
She opened her eyes. Wade was still sitting cross-legged, facing her, as if he hadn’t done a thing.
But she knew he must have done something!
In truth, even if Paige Summers had been watching with her own eyes, she might not have noticed anything.
Because Wade’s speed was too fast, not humanly possible at all!
A Golden Needle nearly six inches long pierced her acupoint and was withdrawn, the worm on its tip deposited into a small Jade Box. It was a whole series of movements, yet from anyone else’s perspective, it was uncertain if his hands had even moved. Marcus Monroe and Rhonda Rhodes, however, did manage to catch the faintest glimmer of golden light, but even they had no idea what he had actually done.
However, not knowing the details didn’t stop Paige Summers from confirming the result.
She let out a breath of pure relief and said with certainty, "The worm has been drawn out, hasn’t it? Thank you!"
She paused, then couldn’t help but ask, "When will I return to my original appearance?"