Divine Convenience Store-Chapter 605: Operation: Destroy the Tree

Xu Ming nodded vigorously, eager to prove his sect’s worth. "We can, Shopkeeper! We have been practicing the ’Thunder-Forge Stance’, our sect’s foundational technique. It channels the lightning internally to stimulate our muscles, delivering blows that hit with the weight of a thunderclap but without the flash."

Lin Mo nodded, "Great. I’m looking forward to it. Then here is the plan..."

From there, Lin Mo told me the rough idea of the plan he came up with.

Naturally, he wouldn’t just decide it all on his own, he also needed their input. If anything, he actually wanted Liu Xiaoyu to lead, given her prodigious nature. But the mischievous young woman only wanted to have fun. Not that she wasn’t providing any insight, but Lin Mo could tell she was intentionally passing it to him. Most likely because she just wanted an excuse to hit things without thinking too much.

Nevertheless, when push came to shove, Lin Mo knew how reliable she could be after that experience they had climbing the Abyssal Forest Conduit Tower.

A few minutes later, their group started moving. They split into three, with Liu Xiaoyu along with Captain Zhao and Rainbow Vanguards leading the charge. Their role was to gather the attention of the Dyshanti and Vyrnethi in the area.

The Lightning Amethyst Sect disciples sprinted to the side as they followed a roundabout route towards the Hive-Tree. Their role was to confuse those far from the tree before hitting its flank.

And lastly, the mercenary group charged straight towards the tree. Their role was to open a path for Wu Meiyu. As for Lin Mo, he’s gonna play the role of the First Princess’s guard. He would ensure her path remained clear so she could deliver the decisive blow.

As though intent in making it a fanfare, Liu Xiaoyu, who was leading the charge, grinned. She then slapped a [Spirit Embodiment Sticker Seal] featuring a rampant golden ox onto her chest.

She didn’t exactly need the extra strength, but she liked the visual flair. The spiritual projection of a golden ox roared around her. The phantom of the ox then gradually shrank and superimposed in her body before it triggered the Viridescent Glow’s effect or the energy siphon from the surrounding.

She hefted her crude iron mace and shouted, "Rainbow Vanguard! With me!"

Captain Zhao and the eight candy-colored guards roared in unison. They raised their shields as they burst from their hiding spot like a brightly painted battering ram.

At the noise they created, the sprawling encampment around the Hive-Tree reacted instantly.

Screeches and roars came from the dozens of Dyshanti Drones as they poured out from the pod-like dwellings scattered around the Hive-Tree.

Their vine-wrapped bodies moved erratically as they all seemed mindless without a lasher issuing a command.

From their experience up to now, they had already noticed that the Drones, which consisted of different races, were considered to be the lowest-ranked slave races of the Vyrnethi.

Above them were those who could move freely and act like a proper intelligent race, even without a Vyrnethi issuing them an order. Still, using the whip on them could force them to follow.

As for the detailed information about the different castes of Dyshanti races, Lin Mo believed it would be revealed through data extraction after clearing an area.

One thing was constant, though. Regardless of their strength, a Vyrnethi would always be a superior race to a Dyshanti. So, even a child Vyrnethi, as long as they had a whip, could order around those mindless drones.

Following the noises, a Viridescent Lasher, perched atop a low-hanging branch of the Hive-Tree, jumped down. Its leafy wings flared as it snapped its glowing whip.

The Drones surged forward like a tidal wave as they all converged towards the grinning Xiaoyu.

Unmoved, Xiaoyu yelled as she charged headlong into the swarm, "Come and get it, you overgrown cabbages!"

With one step, her [Thundering Void Charge] exploded outwards. The ground crumbled, causing the Dyshanti Drones to tumble over. Those with a weak footing were blasted away.

She then swung her mace in a wide, horizontal arc.

SMASH!

A deafening sound of cracking bones echoed as three Dyshanti Drones were sent flying backward. The vine wrapped around their body failed to absorb the impact. They splintered, causing their internal structures to be pulverized.

Captain Zhao and the Rainbow Vanguard formed a shield wall behind her, creating the impenetrable barricade of cherry-red, blue-raspberry, and grape-purple muscle. The 400% density increase from the [Ironhide Gummies] made the guards practically immovable.

The tumbling Drones slammed into the shields and got shoved back. Then, using short, brutal stabs with their weapons, they dispatched the first wave of creatures.

The result became a perfect distraction. The entire encampment’s attention focused on the loud, colorful, and devastatingly effective frontal assault.

Meanwhile, on the right flank, Xu Ming and the Lightning Amethyst Sect disciples moved like stealthy assassins.

When the blasted Dyshanti drones came blasting towards them, they assumed the ’Thunder-Forge Stance’. Delivering explosive attacks at the speed of lightning strikes.

No visible crackle of electricity arced from his skin as everything was contained within their bodies.

They then continued to dash forward, intercepting another Viridescent Lasher who jumped down from the tree.

Xu Ming thought of swinging his sword first but their momentum gave him the opportunity to just drive his palm directly into the Vyrnethi’s chest.

THOOM!

A resonant boom vibrated across its body before its chest caved in, before being blasted behind with gore spraying around them. The foreign race’s eyes bulged as it collapsed instantly, turning into motes of light. Only then could a crackle of lightning be seen flashing from where its body disappeared.

A fierce grin appeared on Xu Ming’s face as he continued to lead the Lightning Amethyst Sect disciples behind the tree.

They moved like silent thunderbolts, hitting Dyshanti and Vyrnethi like a bullet train. Every strike was a concentrated burst of physical trauma that, more often than not, pierced through even the vine-wrapped bodies.

They dismantled the distracted defenders as they carved their own path to the main objective.

Lin Mo watched the coordination from the center line, nodding in approval.

He then turned to the mercenary group, signaling for them to start.

"Your turn. Drive a wedge straight through the middle. Ignore the stragglers. Keep moving until you hit the roots of the Hive-Tree. Coordinate with Xiaoyu’s group in squeezing the enemies."

The mercenary leader was a rogue cultivator at the late Foundation Establishment Stage. He already had experience leading his squad at the Argent Covenant Anchor, where they’re fighting soldiers. Fighting the uncoordinated Dyshanti was easier for them now.

After all, those creatures could only boast about their tough vine armors and abundant life force. Compared to the Legionaries being commanded by a Decanus and linked through their armor sets, they posed little threat to them.

The mercenaries roared and charged. They didn’t have the discipline of the City Guards or the refined techniques of the sects, but they had the brutal experience. They hacked and smashed their way through the disorganized center of the encampment, drawing the attention of the remaining Lashers.

"Now, let’s go, Meiyu," Lin Mo said as he followed behind the last of the mercenaries.

"Un. Lead the way." Wu Meiyu replied, her hand resting lightly on the hilt of her unadorned steel rapier.

She then matched his pace as her golden aura was completely internalized. At the moment, she looked like an untouchable empress taking a stroll through a ruined garden.

Seconds later, Lin Mo drew his unadorned sword, slashing at a Dyshanti Drone that slipped through the gaps of the mercenaries.

Like a knight shielding his princess, he led Wu Meiyu into the gradually opening path towards the Hive-Tree. They pressed forward, moving through the clear corridor created by the mercenaries.

Even if a Dyshanti slipped through it, Lin Mo’s sword would either stab or hack at the creature.

Wu Meiyu simply followed after him, preparing herself to coordinate with the Lightning Amethyst Sect disciples to deal with the Hive-Tree in one blow.

They only had one chance at it so... the timing was important.

At every step, she would activate a talisman or reapply the effect of a Basic Card Talisman, strengthening herself and everyone around her.

Soon, they reached the vicinity of the Hive-Tree.

Around them, Liu Xiaoyu was still mercilessly bludgeoning the Dyshanti and Vyrnethi alike. Because of how she’s going at it, most of the attention was still focused on her.

The mercenaries had already formed a semi-circle behind them, preventing enemies from disrupting their plan.

Then, behind the Hive-Tree, Xu Ming and his fellow disciples waved at them as a signal.

However, just as Wu Meiyu and Lin Mo closed in, a tall, vine-wrapped Dyshanti stepped out of the opening of the Hive-Tree’s trunk.

It instantly focused on them with its eyes gleaming with intelligence. Sitting on its shoulder was a Vyrnethi who looked like a child.

Lin Mo instantly sensed through his [Stillwater Perception] that it was different from the lashers. And sure enough, the child waved its hand and the quiet Hive-Tree started glowing, drawing the Viridescent Energy in the surrounding.

Without waiting for it to give a command to the tall Dyshanti, the silver cube appeared in his hand, which instantly activated, equipping the [Decanus Set].