It turned out that these creatures were the Ninth-Order Hebo Bugs sent by Zhou Qi to gather intelligence.
Leading them was an elite He Bo insect. It was not only larger and more powerful than ordinary He Bo Insect but also possessed considerable intelligence.
Its shell was as hard as iron, its pincers gleamed with a cold light, and as it swam through the water, it left behind a string of mysterious energy ripples.
These energy ripples spread out like waves, and the surrounding lake water seemed to be affected by this mysterious force, faintly emitting light.
Facing the attack of the Mud Swamp Frog People, it showed no panic. It calmly commanded its companions to meet the enemy. It emitted a unique frequency fluctuation, and the other He Bo Insect, upon receiving it, immediately understood and quickly adjusted their formation, preparing for battle.
Battle erupted instantly, water splashing in the lake, and the figures of both sides intertwined.
The Ninth-Order Hebo Bugs' strength was not to be underestimated. Although far outnumbered by the Mud Swamp Frog People, they relied on their agile movements and powerful attack capabilities to actually push the Mud Swamp Frog People back step by step.
The elite He Bo insect's pincers swung with formidable force, each pinch carrying immense power, easily tearing through the Mud Swamp Frog People's defenses.
Its movements were swift and precise, each attack making the Mud Swamp Frog People feel immense pressure.
Furthermore, it continuously spewed strong spider silk from its mouth, giving the Mud Swamp Frog People no time to dodge.
Although the Mud Swamp Frog People fought desperately, under the fierce attack of the He Bo Insect, they gradually found it difficult to hold on.
Chaos began to appear in the ranks. Some Mud Swamp Frog People had their arms clamped by the He Bo Insect' pincers, screaming in pain; others were entangled by the He Bo Insect' spider silk and unable to move.
Seeing this, the Captain was burning with anxiety.
Thus, it roared, stimulating its hidden power, and charged towards the elite He Bo insect with disregard for its own safety.
His eyes were filled with anger and determination, and the fishbone weapon in his hand gleamed with cold light, as if intending to completely crush the enemy before him.
He swam faster in the water, stirring up a long trail of spray behind him. Every stroke was full of power.
The elite He Bo insect's eyes turned cold, showing no sign of backing down. It cleverly avoided the Captain's attack and then counterattacked with even greater speed.
Its body flashed, and its pincers, like lightning, clamped onto the Captain's arm. The Captain struggled painfully but could not break free.
The power of those pincers was immense, sinking deep into his flesh. Blood slowly spread in the water, attracting some bloodthirsty small fish, which swam frantically around.
Attracted by the blood, these small fish swam towards the Captain, trying to take a bite, making the Captain's situation even more difficult.
Led by the elite He Bo insect, several Ninth-Order Hebo Bugs cooperated seamlessly, slaughtering the Mud Swamp Frog People. In just a few minutes, this patrol team led by the Captain was completely wiped out.
However, the elite He Bo insect keenly noticed that during the battle, a few Mud Swamp Frog People had secretly hidden and escaped far away amidst the chaos.
It inwardly cried out that this was bad. If these stragglers escaped back to their tribe to report, their operation would be completely exposed.
So, it immediately issued a command, taking the few Ninth-Order Hebo Bugs behind it and using their powerful mobility in the water to chase after the fleeing Mud Swamp Frog People like arrows shot from a bowstring.
The fleeing Mud Swamp Frog People swam desperately in the water. Their hearts were filled with fear, knowing that if they were caught, only death awaited them.
But they had lived in this giant lake for many years and knew the surrounding terrain like the back of their hand. While escaping, they used the familiar environment to set up various obstacles.
Some lifted huge stones from the lake bottom and threw them towards the pursuing He Bo Insect; others guided the underwater currents, trying to disrupt the He Bo Insect' pursuit route.
These stones had slept at the bottom of the lake for countless years, covered with a thick layer of moss. The Mud Swamp Frog People laboriously lifted them.
Then they threw them forcefully towards the He Bo Insect. The stones sped through the water, stirring up muddy currents.
The undercurrents, like assassins hidden in the dark, silently changed the direction of the water flow, making it difficult for the He Bo Insect to judge their path forward.
The elite He Bo insect, relying on its keen senses, cleverly avoided one obstacle after another.
Then it swung its huge and powerful tail, its tail fin flapping rapidly, instantly churning the surrounding water.
Under its innate control, the water flow seemed to be endowed with life, obediently following its commands, as flexible as an arm directing a finger.
At the same time, strands of tough spider silk shot out from its mouth. These silks gleamed with a cold light in the water, instantly wrapping tightly around a Mud Swamp Frog Person.
The entangled Mud Swamp Frog Person struggled desperately, flailing its limbs, trying to break free from this nightmarish restraint. Its mouth was wide open, emitting a desperate cry, but this cry was soon mercilessly submerged by the cold lake water, dissipating in this mysterious water area.
Although the elite He Bo insect reacted quickly and used fierce methods, a few Mud Swamp Frog People still seized the opportunity amidst the chaos.
Relying on their years of familiarity with this water area, they cleverly used the complex underwater currents and strangely shaped rocks at the lake bottom as cover, successfully escaping.
One of the agile Mud Swamp Frog People, at the moment the undercurrent surged, used that powerful thrust to dart like an arrow through the gaps between the strange rocks, cleverly avoiding the He Bo insect's attack range.
The others followed closely, disappearing into the deep lake water.
The elite He Bo insect inwardly cried out that this was bad. It knew deeply that if these stragglers escaped back to their tribe to report, their operation would be completely exposed, and the subsequent plan would be greatly affected.
It made a decisive decision, transmitting instructions to the few He Bo Insect beside it using unique frequency fluctuations. The frequency fluctuations were like a special language, which the He Bo Insect instantly understood.
Upon receiving the command, the few He Bo Insect quickly turned and swam with all their might towards the direction of the Geocentric Base, swinging their tails.
After arranging for companions to report back, the elite He Bo insect quickly retreated with the remaining He Bo Insect.
They swam rapidly along the lake bottom, avoiding many dangerous areas along the way, and finally hid in a concealed cave formed by a huge coral reef at the bottom of the lake.
The cave was dark and damp, filled with a mysterious aura.
The surrounding coral reefs were of various shapes. Some were like towering trees with spreading branches, as if trying to support the top of the entire cave; others were like ferocious monsters, baring their fangs and claws, making people fearful. These peculiar coral reefs provided them with excellent hiding places.
The He Bo Insect carefully hid among them, trying not to make any sound, only occasionally gently touching their companions with their antennae, communicating information. Their eyes vigilantly watched the movements outside the cave, ready to deal with potential dangers at any time.