Natural Disasters Strikes: I stockpiled like crazy! novel Chapter 186

In the nick of time, a shadow flashed and pulled the girl into an embrace. They tumbled to the ground, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp wind blades and the sickle-like limbs of the Winged Reaper Ant.

Slash!

The wind blades struck the doorframe, slicing it into several pieces. If the child had still been standing there, she would have been cut in half.

Jiu Jiu blinked, her big round eyes staring at the short-haired big sister who had saved her just in time.

"Are you okay?"

From the stairwell, Wang Jian had just reached the second floor. Seeing his daughter safe, his tense body finally relaxed, and he called out in relief, "Jiu Jiu!"

Lao Gong also came to a stop and released a breathe of relief.

At that moment, a lightning bolt tore through the air and struck the ant.

"Ke!"

Yu Baoyin quickly checked the little girl in her arms. "Are you hurt?"

Jiu Jiu shook her head slowly, but her gaze fell on Yu Baoyin's cheek, where a thin, red scratch marred her skin.

"You're hurt." The little girl's voice was soft and breathless.

Yu Baoyin touched her cheek, feeling a slight sting. She smiled and said, "It's nothing! Big sister is strong!"

"Ke keke!"

A shrill screech rang out. The Winged Reaper Ant turned toward them, its wings buzzing as it shot forward with a speed that almost rivaled the lightning bolt Lin Weihao had just released.

Yu Baoyin wasted no time. She tightened her grip on Jiu Jiu and bolted.

"Here! Over here!"

Yu Baoyin looked up and saw Lao Gong at the other end of the corridor, standing by the emergency staircase and waving his cane urgently.

"Uncle!"

"Ke—!"

The lightning attack hadn't killed the ant outright, but it had burned part of its wings. Now unable to fly properly, the creature was enraged. It pursued Yu Baoyin relentlessly, unleashing wind blades in a flurry of deadly slashes.

The once-sturdy hallway was soon riddled with cracks and fissures.

Yu Baoyin gritted her teeth, groaning as pain flared in her legs and back.

"Sister?"

"I'm okay!" she forced out a smile, even as a dull ache spread through her body.

For a moment, a conversation she had last night with Sister Nan flashed through her mind.

If I had been braver and sewn some armor, would it have made a difference?

She felt Jiu Jiu tremble in her arms. Without hesitation, she covered the little girl's eyes before activating her ability.

Dozens of clumps of hardened soil shot from her palms, bombarding the ant's legs.

She knew her attacks wouldn't pierce the creature's armor, but she wasn't the one to back down.

The ant dodged most of the projectiles, but not all. One of its legs slipped on a sudden earth wall Yu Baoyin had summoned beneath it.

Seizing the opportunity, she dashed toward the staircase. Lao Gong helped them down, and they hurried toward a nearby building. "Hurry!"

Losing sight of its prey, the ant stopped, its antennae twitching.

Clank—Clank—

A loud noise echoed through the stairwell.

"Hey! Over here, you coward bastard insect!"

Wang Jian banged his metal rod on the railing, drawing the ant's attention.

It turned sharply and lunged at him.

Wang Jian sprinted down the stairs, but he had underestimated the creature's intelligence.

Mid-chase, the ant abruptly leaped over the second-floor balcony and skidded to the stairs, landed right in front of him.

Wang Jian's pupils shrank.

Crap.

"Ke—!"

The ant's beady eyes gleamed with malice, its shriek filled with mockery.

A wry smile tugged at Wang Jian's lips. As long as Jiu Jiu is safe, it's fine…

Just as he thought this would be his end—

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Bullets rained down on the ant. Fireballs, metal nails, and knives followed, crashing against its exoskeleton.

"Ke—!"

The ant raised its sickle-like limbs to shield its eyes.

Wang Jian looked up. On the fourth floor, several people had appeared.

Among them—He Cuifen, who was furiously throwing pots and pans.

"Brother Wang! What are you standing there for? Run!"

Snapping back to reality, Wang Jian bolted up the stairs.

"Damn it, this thing's armor is too thick!" Feng Ran cursed. "Even fire barely hurts it!"

—

Meanwhile, elsewhere…

[You've killed a monster rat and earned 0.2 STA]

STA?

Stamina?