Liu Yi’s performance today had undoubtedly given Lin Feng a glimmer of hope.

His earlier silence had been a sign of tacit approval, even encouragement.

Liu Yi, having keenly sensed this, had continued with his performance...

His passionate, rousing speech had temporarily stabilized the troops’ morale—which had plummeted and grown restless after Shen Jie’s accident—and brought it back on track.

This was precisely the kind of ability a competent commander should possess.

In the future, Lin Feng would no longer have to handle everything personally, allowing him to focus all his energy on the task of killing the High-tier Mother Empress.

Now, meeting Liu Yi’s expectant gaze, Lin Feng nodded, raised his hand, and pointed to the nearby Tier Two Zerg Eggs.

"In that case, let them get rid of these encumbrances in batches."

"Those willing to join the Tier Two Corps can each take one. After killing it, they will drink the Nutrient Liquid from the Zerg Egg and complete their Tier Two Awakening right here in the camp!"

Liu Yi hadn’t expected the Sergeant Major to just go along with it so directly. He had assumed there would be some words of encouragement, followed by a wait until they returned to the University City Headquarters, where Commander Li Ran would then allocate the slots...

For a moment, he was stunned.

But Lin Feng continued,

"Right, remember to tell them that using a knife is most effective. Only a close-range kill will allow them to obtain all the Life Energy from the Tier Two Zerg Egg and complete their Awakening."

"With the help of the Nutrient Liquid, their Awakening process will be safe and swift. It will also compensate for humanity’s genetic deficiencies in Physique."

"Go on."

Hearing Lin Feng’s follow-up instructions, Liu Yi finally realized he hadn’t misheard. The Sergeant Major was indeed letting the Warriors evolve right here and now.

A look of joy spread across his face. This would multiply the effect of his speech, and it was also a sign of Lin Feng’s approval.

This would allow Liu Yi to build up his prestige and connections ahead of time.

When Liu Yi returned to the assembled Warriors and relayed the Sergeant Major’s orders...

The veterans who had stood up were instantly thrown into a passionate, ecstatic frenzy.

They knew, of course, that Liu Yi had specifically fought to win them this precious opportunity for advancement!

Once the initial elation passed, they all cast grateful glances toward Liu Yi. Then, following his orders, the one hundred fifty Tier One Peak veterans were divided into five batches of thirty to kill the Zerg Eggs and begin their Secondary Awakening.

This way, the team’s combat effectiveness wouldn’t be significantly diminished, while still ensuring a rapid Awakening process for everyone.

Seeing the veterans receive this unexpected chance to advance through Secondary Awakening, the new recruits who had only just become Awakeners could only look on with envy.

They lamented not having reached Tier One Late Stage Perfection sooner to catch this train.

Once this batch of Tier Two Zerg Eggs was depleted, there was no telling how long they would have to wait for their own chance at a Secondary Awakening.

Still, with the expansion of the Tier Two Corps, bountiful victories like this one would likely become more and more common.

Perhaps by then, Tier Two Zerg Eggs would no longer be so rare and precious. The truly scarce resource would be the fearless individuals willing to delve deep into the Hives and confront the Tier Two Swarms head-on.

As the order was carried out, the first batch of thirty Tier Two Corps reservists began their Secondary Awakening, each after killing a Tier Two Zerg Egg and drinking the Organic Nutrient Liquid from within...

They fell into a deep sleep, protected by the Tier Two Corps squads and the remaining Warriors.

At the same time...

Lin Feng suddenly felt the motionless Zerg Egg Repair Pod beside him tremble slightly.

But Shen Jie’s Spiritual Attribute Value remained sluggish.

* * *

After Shen Jie was rescued from the Underground Hive and his injuries were fully healed, his self-awareness began to coalesce in his mind.

However, when he opened his eyes, he found himself not in the Real World, but on a bizarre, alien planet he had never seen before.

If Lin Feng or Ling Yi had been there, they would have recognized with a single glance that Shen Jie was on one of the many planets within the Origin Star System, the birthplace of the Zerg Race.

But Shen Jie, having just woken up, was completely baffled.

Ever since becoming an Awakener—especially a Tier Two Awakener—Shen Jie’s memory had grown increasingly sharp, to the point where he could even recall trivial snippets from his childhood.

He was therefore certain that the ink-black landscape before him, and the volcano in the distance constantly spewing fiery, orange-yellow lava, were definitely not part of his own memories.

His high school philosophy lessons had taught him that consciousness is a projection of the material world, that matter determines consciousness.

But if this dreamscape had no connection to his real-life experiences... then there was only one possibility.

’They... came from the other half within me, from the Zerg Race genes that are steadily eroding my body!’

’And this place... this is the Spirit World of the Zerg Race!’

’More accurately, it’s the spiritual homeland of the Black Spine Zergs and Tiger Spine Zergs—the ones I absorbed the most!’

Because at that very moment, as far as Shen Jie could see, a massive Black Spine Zerg Swarm suddenly erupted from the hard, obsidian-like ground...

...waving their giant mandibles as they charged toward him!

"Damn it!"

Shen Jie cursed...

The next moment, unarmed, he was engulfed by the roiling black swarm.

He was torn to shreds by the Giant Mandibles of the Black Spine Zergs.

Before Shen Jie could even react, his consciousness reformed in the exact same spot...

Meanwhile, back in the Real World, outside the Zerg Egg Repair Pod,

Lin Feng once again felt Shen Jie’s Spiritual Attribute Value suddenly drop...

A bad feeling began to surface in Lin Feng’s heart.