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墨書 Inktalez
As the old man had said, not long after, a black off-road convertible appeared beneath the circle. It was much larger than the previous convertible, equipped with two heavy machine guns mounted at the back, capable of tearing through even the toughest of targets. Even when facing the Confronting bugs, such a weapon would be devastatingly effective for pinpoint attacks.
The old man approached the off-road vehicle, furrowing his brow as he continued, "I'll consider those two heavy machine guns a gift for you. With two thousand rounds of ammunition linked together, you'll have enough firepower for twenty minutes of continuous assault. There are plenty of human fortifications hidden around here, but it's not entirely safe. Use that for self-defense in emergencies. I wish you a safe return to Slyland City. Once you get there, just drive the car to a place called Lant's Garage."
At that moment, the old man yanked the car keys from the vehicle and tossed them to Freyr, who stood nearby without changing his stance. He then glanced at Ross, who was still trembling, and smiled. The others quickly moved toward the circle, which then sank down. Before long, that area had returned to its original state, with only the vehicle remaining parked nearby.
After circling around the car several times and confirming that the engine and machinery showed no signs of damage, they finally relaxed and climbed inside. Ross's earlier demeanor had revealed his lack of military prowess, but no one bothered to mock him anymore. Freyr understood why someone with such qualifications could still be abandoned by Hunter Team; his temperament was too soft. In times of war or during missions, his first instinct was always to preserve his own life. Despite boasting about his past achievements at other times, he revealed his true colors when it mattered most.
Fortunately, there weren't too many people in this team, and genuine veterans were scarce. Thus, even in this situation, most wouldn't hold his unintentional mistakes against him; it wasn't really a fault. Clearly, at the moment countless firearms were aimed at him during Confronting, he might have already realized that their opponents were not bugs because bugs wouldn’t use weapons against them. His actions were also meant to prevent any accidental friendly fire.
The journey continued in silence; everyone seemed exhausted.
Ross took up a position beside a Wild Chicken Neck and dozed off while Relock sat on the other side. Although Relock had never served in the military, he was knowledgeable about weapons and could handle them effectively. Freyr explained verbally while teaching him how to use the nearby Wild Chicken Neck for precise attacks.
The vehicle sped along quickly with a low rumble from the engine.
Wild beasts occasionally emerged from both sides of the road and charged at the car but were soon left far behind.
"Bang!"
Just when everyone thought they would pass through without incident, a terrifying tentacle suddenly erupted from beneath the ground not far ahead.
It was half-buried in the earth—a bizarre centipede with countless antennae. Just seeing half of its head made one shudder; its red and shiny exoskeleton was unmistakably different from the Flame Centipede they had seen before. Fortunately, this was merely an ordinary mutated centipede whose saliva could corrode solid ground.
A foul stench immediately filled the air. Freyr's sense of danger heightened at that moment as he gripped the steering wheel tightly and slammed on the gas pedal to its ultimate limit.
The off-road vehicle charged forward like an enraged beast toward the open road ahead. The centipede quickly positioned itself across the road to block their path; however, due to its modifications, this vehicle reached unimaginable speeds as it barreled over the centipede's exoskeleton and surged ahead.
The vehicle landed heavily, and after making contact with the ground, it swerved urgently, bringing the view ahead back into focus.
The centipede twisted its massive body with force, its reddened form straightening up as it charged toward the recently righted off-road vehicle.
Two Wild Chicken Necks also prepared to unleash their power, the brutal bullets piercing sharply through the centipede's body.
The exoskeleton seemed to offer little protection, being directly penetrated as bullets surged through and emerged from the other side.
Even such an attack did not affect the centipede's mobility; a paralyzed centipede was not so easily subdued.
With a loud crack, reminiscent of an object being sliced in half, the middle section of the centipede suddenly snapped apart.
The two Wild Chicken Necks surged forward, sweeping across the centipede's muscular segments, which caused the muscle to tear apart.
Taking advantage of this moment, the vehicle immediately increased its power and pulled away.
As for what happened to the centipede behind them, it was clear enough to imagine.
"That was really dangerous just now, we were almost done for," Xiong Tai shouted.
"But this thing is amazing! Move aside, let me give it a try. Find a target for me to fire at."
Xiong Tai quickly turned around and pulled Ross, who was sweating profusely while sitting down. They swiftly swapped seats in the speeding vehicle.
"Alright, there will be more chances for you to find targets. The priority now is to get back quickly. This vehicle doesn't have any spare fuel. Once the gas inside runs out completely, we'll be as lucky as we were before. The bugs around here seem quite formidable; that poisonous centipede must have thought we were invading its territory when it attacked us. If we understand these creatures' habits, we can avoid danger along the way. You should know that four lives in this vehicle are not worth your recklessness. Some bugs can withstand the damage from those bullets; Wild Chicken Neck won't stand much chance against such creatures, I can assure you," Freyr said anxiously as he drove the off-road vehicle while humming.
"Uh, fine then. Forget it; I'm going to sleep. Wake me up if something happens."
Xiong Tai disdainfully scratched his nose and then responded, "Feel free."
Freyr did not reply.
The road ahead became slightly clearer, and soon they found themselves driving on a newly paved asphalt road.
As they drove along this road, it wasn't long before they could see the distinct outline of the city in the distance.
With each passing moment on this road, their mood lightened, as it was certainly safer here than on some of the previous stretches.
Upon arriving at Slyland City, they hurriedly parked the car at the repair shop.
Following the established procedures, the four of them soon exited the shop, feeling considerably more relaxed.
Their current goal was to return and rest at Rose Inn.
When they returned, the butler greeted them warmly and welcomed them into the inn, providing them with food and drinks.
To be honest, they hadn't expected the association to be so efficient. Before long, the environment of the inn had transformed significantly.
This change was mainly due to the presence of women in the inn; The Butler's Wife had returned. She was the lady who had been targeted by a mysterious figure and was now under special protection by the association.
Now that this inn was receiving special attention, news of its improved conditions spread quickly. Thanks to the butler's significant sacrifices behind the scenes, they were able to resolve this incident completely.
After that, not only did business thrive, but he also became a local hero in no time.
His life could now rely on Freyr and his companions' help, and naturally, upon their return, everyone treated them like benefactors.
Returning to the second floor, Parker was feeling much better. After they left, he had developed a high fever.
After receiving an injection, his temperature returned to normal, and he was awake and able to walk again.
On the other side, Maggie's mental state had also improved significantly. Shortly after they left, the association's personnel arrived.
They immediately brought in a neurologist to conduct a mental scan, which ruled out any suppressed energy in her brain. Now, she was even in a better mental state than before.
"This time, the number of Straw Worms we collected exceeded what was mentioned in the mission. I think it's time for a full mobilization," Freyr called the remaining five into the room for a meeting. "Let's surprise those who are watching us, make a fortune by selling these corpses at a high price to those who can use them, and we'll only accept Reward Points as payment."
"Yes, that's a delightful decision. I'll handle the calculations," Ross said, regaining his spirits. "If we sell well, we could earn over 100 Reward Points this time. As for the two types of bugs we need to deal with next, if we can catch more of them as well, our haul will be substantial. It's settled then."
"Hahaha! If this deal goes through, our team will surely be the envy of others!" Xiong Tai laughed heartily.
"Hold on, keep your chin up," Ross quickly supported Xiong Tai's chin as they both acted playfully and perked up again.
"Can you join this operation?" Freyr asked, relieved at their spirits and turning his gaze to one side.
Mackey nodded without hesitation and replied, "Of course! Why not?"
"That's good to hear." Freyr continued looking at Parker Parkinson beside him. "How's your leg injury?"
"It's alright. I've already used the recovery fluid; it's scabbed over now. In about three hours, it should heal completely, and then I can walk normally again." Parker Parkinson seemed to have fully recovered and would be able to move within a few hours.
Fortunately, they had returned this time to rest for a few days before setting off again to complete the mission all at once.
Freyr continued to prepare the equipment for their mission while the others rested. He hadn't anticipated encountering unexpected situations, and everything had been left in the vehicle, all of it consumed by the flames in the explosion.
First, he needed to settle the bill. The wrecked off-road vehicle was beyond repair, and he had to pay the full price of 80,000 for it.
Fortunately, Freyr lived in a large family that was oblivious to the value of money; otherwise, this hefty expense would have burdened an ordinary household for two to three years.
After paying for the vehicle, he rented another one with a more powerful engine.
He stocked up on sufficient fuel reserves and procured gunpowder from the black market.
Although it would have been better if they had landmines from before, those explosives had been wasted in previous missions. He could only salvage a small amount of gunpowder from firecrackers to make some rudimentary bombs. He wasn't sure if these makeshift explosives could even kill insects; probably not, but gathering these materials was already quite a challenge.
It was important to note that acquiring these supplies came with significant risks. The Human Alliance had been experiencing severe shortages of resources in recent years, and large-scale purchases of explosives required revealing one's true identity.
After acquiring the equipment, he drove back to Rose Inn.
They had rested for two days; Parker Parkinson was now able to run and jump. It was unprecedented for so many people to be mobilized at once. The six of them piled into the off-road vehicle and set out of the city again.
Freyr looked at the familiar road ahead and responded, "Let's go."
This vehicle could accommodate more people than the last one, but they were still somewhat spread out, with each row seating two people.
Thanks to their recovery period, everyone was in good spirits. They remained vigilant throughout the journey, alerting each other to potential sudden situations. Gradually, they traveled over ten kilometers away from the city, distancing themselves from the Human Alliance. After crossing several hills, they finally reached their destination.
This area was known as Red Wasteland. It earned its name because it was a desert devoid of water and life.
Upon seeing this red desert, they initially thought it was just an ordinary wasteland. However, it wasn't long before they spotted some wild beasts not far away; their presence seemed relatively normal.
As they passed through the desert, two enormous red pincers suddenly emerged from the sands, snapping a creature in half and splattering blood across the barren landscape.
Indeed, the soil of this desert was not of ordinary color; it seemed as if the blood had irrigated the ground into such a hue.
Before long, the soil returned to its original state, leaving behind a chilling silence.
In the midst of the wind, the Red Earth Desert quickly exuded a strong metallic scent, which grew increasingly foul.
"What was that just now?" someone asked.
"That was a type of bug from our mission. Its exoskeleton is rich in white phosphorus, which can be used to create powerful weaponry," Freyna's voice chimed in, sounding like an encyclopedia.
"But how do we get the phosphorus bug to come out?" Xiong Tai cursed under his breath. "It's a killer that only emerges three times in its life: once before birth, once when laying eggs, and once after death. It usually stays underground; otherwise, it wouldn't be so difficult to deal with. In fact, it's not invincible. The exoskeleton of the phosphorus bug is quite fragile; just a touch can shatter it. Their lives are bound within their weakest exoskeleton. In my view, they are the strongest yet also the weakest. There are ways to deal with them; we just need bait."
"You mean to lure it out," Ross replied.
"Well, you're clever, but you're mistaken. Do you think I bought all those cattle for nothing? We'll tie ropes around their legs and wait for that monster to swallow them. Once it does, the ropes will automatically entangle in the gaps between its teeth. That's our winning strategy."
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