Chapter 108: The Locust Plague

Buddy was quite experienced, yet even he didn’t know what a shapeshifter was, which meant this creature was truly rare! It seemed his luck was quite good to encounter such an extraordinary being from another world. Moreover, it had taken the form of a giant dragon so convincingly that it could easily pass as the real thing.

However, one thing Jia Zhengjin couldn’t understand was why, despite being called a shapeshifter, the creature had maintained its dragon form ever since it was captured. It neither reverted to its original shape nor transformed into any other creature.

Jia Zhengjin was genuinely curious about what the shapeshifter’s true form looked like and what principle allowed it to mimic a giant dragon so realistically.

Yet no one could provide him with an answer, and this mystery would likely remain locked in his heart forever.

The villagers, having witnessed the subjugation of the “giant dragon” and even seeing Lord Keane shrunk and locked inside the beast pen, began to worship him blindly! Everyone believed Lord Keane possessed near-divine power—his miraculous spatial magic, his extraordinary creation magic, and the sheer strength to defeat a giant dragon all proved he was invincible! Many villagers even suspected that Lord Keane might be a deity incarnate.

Under such an atmosphere, no one dared speak of the dangers lurking in the Beast Forest or suggest fleeing. Everyone brimmed with confidence and hope, believing that under the protection of the godlike Lord Keane, this place could be transformed into a utopia.

Even Tina’s parents and the Amber family shared this sentiment.

After all, Tina was obedient and had not revealed the truth to her parents.

The city soon returned to normal, and the villagers resumed their busy work and cheerful lives.

“Ugh… still over 30 hours to go!” The next day, Jia Zhengjin squatted before the beast pen, watching the still-taming shapeshifter with a glum expression, his face cradled in his hands.

He was really looking forward to riding this fake dragon all over the Beast Forest!

With this shapeshifter, at least the fierce wild beasts and monsters around the city could be frightened off. The range of activity would expand, allowing them to discover more mining sites.

There was a mineral-rich area to the east, but he had never dared to venture there before due to insufficient troops. With this fake giant dragon shapeshifter, there would be no problem!

Just as he was thinking this, Amber rushed over hurriedly from behind: “Lord Keane! Lord Keane! Something’s wrong!!”

“What’s the matter? Don’t be so jumpy,” Jia Zhengjin turned around.

“Lord Keane, the locusts have come! The farmlands are in chaos!” Amber panted, clearly having run nonstop.

Jia Zhengjin grinned upon hearing this: “Locusts come, so what? What’s there to fear? Just chase them away! Don’t the farmers here know even a bit about pest control?”

“Lord Keane, we can’t handle it! Please come quickly! Otherwise, all the crops in the fields will be eaten!” Amber urged anxiously.

“What a fuss over such a small matter! Sigh.” Jia Zhengjin couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time as he stood up. “Alright, alright, I get it! It’s just locusts~~”

But when Jia Zhengjin arrived at the farmlands, the phrase “just locusts” could not be uttered again.

The entire area was swarming with locusts, occupying every inch of farmland and ravenously devouring the crops. The villagers stood at a distance in panic, none daring to approach.

Their fear was understandable—each locust was about the size of an adult human, and their numbers were staggering! Even more terrifying, countless locusts were flying over the city walls into the farmlands. Despite the desperate efforts of the countless arrow towers, they failed to stop the invasion!

The scene instantly reminded Jia Zhengjin of the day the giant wasps invaded. Except the locusts were only clustered in the fields eating crops and didn’t attack buildings, the situation was almost identical.

“Lord Keane!!” Seeing Jia Zhengjin arrive, the villagers immediately felt reassured and hurried to gather around him. This was Lord Keane who had subdued a giant dragon; with him here, there was no need to fear the locusts!

“Lord Keane, please help us eliminate these locusts!”

“Yes, Lord Keane! If you delay even a little more, not a single crop will be left. Although plants grow quickly now, tending them requires great effort!”

“Lord Keane, please act swiftly!”

The villagers pleaded one after another.

“Oh my goodness!” Jia Zhengjin thought to himself. How could he possibly deal with such a massive locust army? But he couldn’t show weakness before the villagers. “Everyone, don’t worry! It’s just locusts. I don’t even need to get personally involved! Buddy~~!!”

“I’m here!” Captain Buddy of the town guards responded instantly upon hearing the call.

“Lead the town guards to exterminate these locusts!”

“Uh… Lord Keane, we’re too few in number!” Buddy looked troubled.

“I’ll immediately command Luruto to send reinforcements. With the goblin troops added, it should be enough, right?”

“That’ll be no problem!” Buddy quickly assembled all the town guards. “Attack!”

“Attack!!” The town guards drew their swords and charged toward the farmlands.

The locusts’ combat ability was far inferior to the giant wasps Luruto commanded. The guards could easily kill one locust with a single sword strike. Buddy and Labi could sweep through groups with a single swipe.

If not for stamina concerns, the town guards could probably wipe out all the locusts themselves. But, alas, they were only human, not machines!

Fortunately, Jia Zhengjin promptly brought the goblin troops into the fight. The heavily armored goblin infantry and goblin crossbowmen fought mercilessly against the locusts.

Still, facing tens of thousands of continuously swarming locusts was daunting!

Therefore, Jia Zhengjin immediately dispatched the 1,500 soldier wasps hired that day from outside the city into the fray.

If not for Wolf leading a group of goblin warriors patrolling the forest outskirts, Jia Zhengjin would have thrown those forces into the battle as well.

The town guards, goblins, and giant wasps joined forces, fighting fiercely both in the air and on the ground. The scene was intense.

Jia Zhengjin ordered the villagers to retreat to a safe distance. He took up his shield and thunder spear, donning the fierce tiger mask, and joined the battle himself.

“Keane!!” Hearing the commotion, Tina and Perin appeared near the farmlands.

Without hesitation, Perin drew her sword and rushed to Jia Zhengjin's side to fight alongside him. Her sharp swordsmanship swiftly dispatched the giant locusts.

Tina gathered her magical energy and aimed a fiery blast at a large cluster of locusts. The scorching flames instantly incinerated over a dozen giant locusts, but the effort left her collapsing to the ground.

“Tina!” Bolint saw his daughter fall after casting a single spell and hurriedly grabbed his iron spear, running to her side.

Amber and his father, old Harlin, also armed themselves and came to protect her.

Other strong men among the villagers gradually drew weapons and banded together, though they only guarded nearby and dared not attack recklessly. In their eyes, the locust army was terrifying.

“Lord Keane, watch out!” Buddy suddenly spotted a colossal locust within the swarm, its size five or six times that of the others, and shouted, “There’s a Locust King!!”