At first, Chu Xun thought that the Xenomorph could never defeat the mutated dogs. After all, the Xenomorph's strength and speed didn't hold a clear advantage against the dogs, and its tough exoskeleton might not be enough to withstand the biting fangs of the mutated beasts.
His only hope was that the Xenomorph could inflict enough damage on the mutated dogs to scare them into retreating.
However, when Chu Xun finally turned his gaze to the battlefield where the Xenomorph was fighting the mutated dogs, he realized he had severely underestimated this perfect killing machine.
Even the smallest lion is not to be compared to a mere house cat. As the king of sci-fi killing machines, the Xenomorph could never be defeated by a pack of wild dogs.
At this moment, the dozen or so mutated dogs that had originally surrounded the Xenomorph were now lying in a pool of blood and carcasses, the ground covered with their remains. The two remaining mutated dogs were severely wounded, bloodied, and retreating in a disorganized manner.
What surprised Chu Xun was that most of the fatal wounds on these mutated dogs were not from tearing or piercing injuries. Clearly, they hadn't been killed by the Xenomorph's inner jaws, sharp claws, or long tail.
Upon closer inspection, Chu Xun noticed that most of the wounds on the mutated dogs were scorched and corroded, as if they had been exposed to some sort of strong acid or intense heat. These corrosive wounds were terrifying, and the worst-off mutated dogs had their entire heads melted away, their grotesque remains looking particularly disgusting.
"This is..." As Chu Xun saw this, his eyes suddenly lit up. He had indeed overlooked a crucial detail—The Xenomorph's greatest weapon: its highly corrosive blood!
According to the plot in the movies, the Xenomorph's blood is incredibly acidic. Even the strongest alloys in spaceships would dissolve rapidly when exposed to it. Though the mutated dogs' bodies were tough, how could they withstand an acid that could dissolve even the strongest alloys?
And indeed, just as Chu Xun had suspected, the mutated dogs had initially gained the upper hand in the battle. Their numbers and strength had overwhelmed the Xenomorph, and they used their sharp fangs to tear through its exoskeleton, leaving the Xenomorph badly wounded.
However, what they didn't realize was that their actions had opened Pandora's box. The Xenomorph had indeed been injured, but its acidic blood became its deadliest weapon. The mutated dogs that had bitten into the Xenomorph were almost instantly corroded by its blood, with their mouths and even their heads melting away, causing massive casualties.
Then, the Xenomorph launched a savage counterattack using its acid, long tail, sharp claws, and inner jaws. Facing such a relentless enemy that could not be approached without being corroded, the mutated dogs had no chance of resisting. Within moments, they were severely injured or killed, leading to the scene Chu Xun was witnessing now.
"Howl!" After a brief stand-off, the two remaining mutated dogs could no longer suppress their fear and let out a whimper before turning and fleeing deep into the forest.
They would no longer face this terrifying demon!
The Xenomorph did not pursue them but let out a low growl and began devouring the remains of the mutated dogs.
Though it had successfully killed more than ten mutated dogs, the Xenomorph itself was grievously wounded, its condition unbearable to look at. Perhaps due to its canine hunting instincts, the worst injuries on the Xenomorph were to its head and neck. The exoskeleton there had been torn apart, exposing the black muscles beneath, from which blood oozed and dripped onto the ground. The acidic blood sizzled, corroding the earth and leaving deep, bottomless pits, with wisps of white smoke rising from them.
Additionally, the Xenomorph's right leg was heavily injured. Its exoskeleton there was thin and had been completely shredded. Large chunks of muscle had been torn away, and acidic blood was leaking out, forming a large circular pit on the ground as it corroded everything nearby.
"It seems we're both in a pretty bad situation..." Chu Xun looked at the Xenomorph, now covered in wounds, and couldn't help but smile wryly.
At this moment, both he and the Xenomorph had reached their lowest points in battle. If another enemy arrived, it would be disastrous for them.
And even if no more enemies came, with his current injuries, Chu Xun doubted he would last much longer. His right arm was almost useless, with bones exposed and large chunks of muscle torn away by the mutated dogs. Blood was pouring out, and with the deep claw marks on his body, he would likely bleed to death soon.
"Damn, I'm really unlucky..." Due to blood loss, Chu Xun's head started to spin.
Feeling increasingly weak, Chu Xun sighed. He had originally believed that with the Xenomorph's help and his own superhuman strength, he would be able to reach the dangerous area and find the right insect genes. But now, it seemed he had greatly underestimated the dangers outside the city. He hadn't even reached the dangerous area and was already severely injured and on the brink of death. If he entered that area, wouldn't he be torn apart?
The phrase "The outskirts are filled with dangers and corpses" was so accurate—it wouldn't be long before he would become just another corpse among many.
"Hiss!" As if sensing Chu Xun's weakness and helplessness, the Xenomorph, which had been devouring the mutated dogs, suddenly lifted its head and limped over to him.
It seemed the Xenomorph could heal its wounds by consuming its prey. After devouring several mutated dogs, its condition had improved significantly, though it wasn't fully healed. Most of its wounds had stopped bleeding, except for the leg where the injury was still severe, leaking acidic blood that corroded the ground beneath.
"I really envy you. If I had your body, I wouldn't have to wait here to die..." Chu Xun muttered weakly, trying to struggle but feeling a wave of dizziness. He stumbled and fell on top of a pile of mutated dog corpses. His injuries were so severe that they were even worse than when he fought Qing Yi...
"Hiss!" Whether or not it understood Chu Xun's words, the Xenomorph gave a low hiss again, then slowly crouched down and positioned itself protectively next to Chu Xun.
"You're truly a perfect killing machine, but too bad you're stuck with a dying master. Otherwise, your name would surely spread throughout the world..." The sunlight gleamed off the Xenomorph's remaining exoskeleton, reflecting glimmering spots of light, making it look incredibly beautiful. Chu Xun gazed at this perfect creature, once again filled with awe.
Everything about this creature, from its reproductive system, parasitic method, to its molting process, was nearly perfect. Its tremendous hunting ability and almost miraculous physiology exuded a strange, otherworldly beauty.
"Parasitic... Molting..." As Chu Xun observed the segmented body structure of the Xenomorph and its perfect parasitic metamorphosis, a flash of inspiration struck him.
That's it! If he had the Xenomorph's powerful body, he might not be dying right now!
With its physical structure and molting method, wasn't the Xenomorph basically like an insect?
No, not similar—*exactly* like an insect!
Insects are creatures that have a segmented body (head, thorax, abdomen), lay eggs, and undergo metamorphosis, with distinct stages between larvae and adult. And the Xenomorph was *exactly* that!
"God, please let this work!" After a brief hesitation, Chu Xun gritted his teeth and placed his severely damaged, nearly useless right hand on the Xenomorph's leg, where the wound was still leaking acidic blood.
If he was wrong, he would lose a hand. But if he was right, he might just escape death—and gain even greater power.
It was a gamble of life and death. The outcome would depend on this one move!