Apocalypse: I Can See the HP Bar, Killing Monsters Drops Loot-Chapter 1578 - 662 Drought_2

"Death... the range has expanded... could it be..."

Wang Tao had just been pondering. Although this Seventh-Rank Destruction-level Magma Monster was extremely powerful, it shouldn’t be capable of affecting the entire nation, right? Yet currently, the scorching heat was indeed sweeping across the country. Now, Wang Tao suddenly thought of something: one Seventh-Rank Destruction-level creature might not influence the whole country, but what if there were more of these monsters underground, and they’d already died? Their deaths could expand the drought’s range, resulting in nationwide dry conditions! The deeper underground, the higher the temperature rises!

The more Wang Tao thought about this, the more he felt it might be a possibility. Perhaps this was the truth behind the intense heat and drought!

But this raised another question—how could such a powerful Destruction-level creature end up dying underground?

Wang Tao suddenly remembered the HP of this magma monster. It wasn’t at full HP!

Could it be possible that they were fighting among themselves underground, leading to casualties?

Or, an even more terrifying possibility—under certain circumstances, even without being attacked, their HP might slowly deplete until death, becoming a source of horrific drought!

"Destruction-level... perhaps they are capable of destroying even themselves..."

Wang Tao genuinely believed this might be the case.

This was not good news for humanity. If Wang Tao’s prediction were correct, and there were more Destruction-level Magma Monsters underground, dying one after another, the surface temperatures would gradually rise, turning the entire world into a scorching, arid wasteland! All lifeforms would perish, including the monsters themselves!

"Hiss—"

Despite the sweltering weather, Wang Tao couldn’t help but shiver.

He dared not delve deeper into the thought; the more he speculated, the more horrifying it became.

Wang Tao quickly shook his head, setting aside the concerns about the underground for now. The urgent priority was figuring out how to deal with this particular Destruction-level Magma Monster. If it ever reached the surface, no Survivor Base would likely be able to withstand its attacks—not even Changhe Base.

"Destruction Domain..."

Wang Tao let out a sigh.

Earlier, while he was still far from the Magma Monster, he was killed in an instant, not even aware of how it happened. Faced with such terrifying power, the strategy of overwhelming numbers was clearly ineffective—no matter how many people approached, they would all perish. Elite tactics wouldn’t work either. If Wang Tao himself couldn’t handle it, then there was no need to mention anyone else...

"... No chance of victory at all!"

All the way back to Changhe Base, Wang Tao couldn’t think of any viable method to defeat the Magma Monster. Faced with absolute strength, all schemes or tricks seemed futile.

Upon returning to Changhe Base, Wang Tao immediately summoned all high-level personnel for a meeting.

He didn’t delegate this task to Gu Yun; he issued the orders personally instead. As a member of the committee, every member had the authority to summon everyone for a meeting whenever necessary, but Wang Tao had never exercised this right before. Whatever issues arose in the past, he would leave them to Gu Yun. This was his first time utilizing it.

Once the orders were issued, Changhe Base became instantly busy.

Those paying close attention could easily tell that something major must have happened.

However, having previously handled situations like hunting Sea Beasts and dealing with Zombie Tides, the people at the base, if not exactly full of arrogance, at least had gained some confidence.

Thus, they didn’t believe it was a crisis. Instead, they wondered whether City Hall had maybe discovered another large group of zombies or Sea Beasts, preparing for another large-scale operation.

But those who directly received the orders wore solemn expressions.

They knew all too well that no matter how many significant events the base had faced before, Wang Tao, the esteemed committee member, had never called them together. Now, with no warning and such an abrupt summon, it was highly likely this was bad news!

According to their past experiences, good news usually didn’t require consultation from the committee. They might not even notify them—such issues would simply be handled directly.

On the other hand, troublesome matters—those that posed challenges even for the committee—were exactly the kind of situations where the committee would summon everyone for brainstorming. And if Wang Tao was the one calling the meeting this time, then this indicated the matter might be something even difficult for Wang Tao himself!

This realization made their expressions serious. While some were apprehensive, they were also somewhat excited!

If the committee were grappling with an issue, it clearly wouldn’t be an easy one to resolve. But if they could address it or provide constructive suggestions, wouldn’t that pave the way for promotions and raises? For them, this might prove to be an opportunity!

As various senior personnel entertained their thoughts, Wang Tao arrived at the large meeting hall. His opening words instantly widened everyone’s eyes in shock.

"A Seventh-Rank Destruction-level creature has appeared! Destruction-level beings are stronger than Disaster-level ones, and the Seventh-Rank far exceeds the power of the Sixth-level. Therefore, the combat capabilities of such Seventh-Rank Destruction-level creatures vastly eclipse even a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand Sixth-Rank Disaster-level creatures! Do you know why the outside temperature is fifty to sixty degrees, with widespread drought—why it gets hotter the deeper you go underground? All of this is caused by these Seventh-Rank Destruction-level creatures. They... are beneath us!"

Crash—

These words undeniably delivered a massive psychological blow to the senior personnel.

The mere mention of how powerful Seventh-Rank Destruction-level creatures were might remain incomprehensible to them. But once told that the terrifying heat outside was all caused by these beings, they began to grasp their dreadfulness.

Many subconsciously shot out of their chairs, their skin crawling at the mere thought of such monsters lying just below them.

Wang Tao elaborated on the specifics regarding the Magma Monster, including aspects like the Power of Laws and the Destruction Domain.

Then, he addressed everyone:

"Think carefully. If you have any ideas, speak freely—everything will be recorded. If anyone’s proposal proves effective in dealing with a Seventh-Rank Destruction-level creature, the committee will reward them with a complete set of Ascension resources and equipment, enabling an ordinary person to ascend to become a Sixth-Rank Awakener!"

Initially, the crowd was worried, with some even feeling the Changhe Base might no longer be safe. But upon hearing Wang Tao’s speech, their morale surged, as if injected with a stimulant!

Although promotions and raises were typically unspoken, it was almost guaranteed. Coupled with those material rewards, who could resist such enticement?

Instead of worrying about disasters they couldn’t change, they resolved to make the most of the opportunity and spend time considering impactful suggestions. Especially since the Magma Monster was still some distance from Changhe Base...

The room plunged into a frenzy of brainstorming.

Wang Tao didn’t stay long. After delivering the dire news, he handed the meeting over to Gu Yun. He then gathered personnel from the Starfire Society, the research institute, highly-skilled Awakeners in the base, and a substantial amount of supplies, boarding the Golden Eagle to head toward Red Maple Base once more.

While Changhe Base faced potential danger, Red Maple Base was already amidst a tangible emergency, standing on the brink of survival. Wang Tao had promised earlier to assist them with relocation, and he wasn’t about to go back on his word.

Relocating tens of thousands of people was no simple task. The process was bound to attract hordes of zombies and monsters! Wang Tao had brought many powerful individuals this time to ensure the team wouldn’t be slowed down by trouble, allowing Red Maple Base to evacuate swiftly.

That was all Wang Tao could offer, considering the staggering number—more than eighty thousand. Even though the Golden Eagle could transport hundreds or even thousands at a time, it was a mere drop in the ocean compared to the total population. Ultimately, the success of the relocation depended on the base itself. Wang Tao’s assurance extended only to this: as long as the Seventh-Rank Destruction-level Monster didn’t appear, he could ensure their safety.

On the journey, Wang Tao and Qu Shilin, Ding Yuqin, and others discussed matters related to the Seventh-Rank Disaster-level beings. Wang Tao also recounted the incident involving his instantaneous "death," triggering shock-filled expressions followed by silence.

If even Wang Tao was killed instantly, how could they possibly face such a threat?

The overwhelming power of the Seventh-Rank Disaster-level creature exceeded their understanding, leaving them with a sense of helplessness.

Amid this oppressive atmosphere, Qu Shilin, gazing through binoculars, suddenly cried out.

"Look ahead! Is that a fire?"

Under the pitch-black night sky, a faint red glow appeared in the distant horizon. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm