Of course, with the black insects covering the top, leaving the cabin was never going to be easy.
First, both the front and rear doors had to be tightly closed to prevent the insects from entering the rest area by any means.
Second, after opening the cabin door, someone inside had to wear a high-tech protective suit and hold saltwater to eliminate the insects. Only once all insects brought inside were eliminated could the task of those leaving the cabin be considered complete.
They first had to clear the insects around the cabin. At the same time, they needed to guide the ship toward a slightly safer direction, deciding whether to retreat or attempt a rescue of the ships ahead.
Abandoning the mission was impossible. The people on the deck could be ignored, but inside the cabin, dozens of well-trained elite personnel remained. There was no way to simply give up. Moreover, this was not the time for total retreat. Naturally, they had to attempt a rescue.
However, when the team reached the deck, the scene before their eyes left them frozen. Shivering and screaming for help, they immediately ran back to the cabin.
…
On the other ship, shrouded in smoke, the people who had charged onto the deck had fallen after being bitten. Blood ran across the deck and into the water, creating a strong metallic smell. Normally, with such injuries, they could barely stand, maybe only sit.
Yet, the injured now all stood on the deck. Their eyes glowed with an eerie red light. A closer look revealed the truth. They were not standing with legs alone. Large wings had sprouted from their backs, lifting them off the deck.
Clearly, the insects carried some virus. Once infected, the victims mutated immediately.
Anyone seeing this scene would be terrified. Not far away, the so-called bait, the J City base power squad leader, had nearly an entire insect separating from his back.
The scene was horrifying yet absurd.
Even the bravest among them could not immediately respond.
After a moment's hesitation, the few who had ventured out abandoned the attempt to eliminate the insects. They ran back to the cabin through the deck door.
Inside the cabin, the person responsible for clearing the insects had just finished removing the airborne ones and was preparing to wrap up. The few returning, however, brought more flying insects inside.
Without waiting for explanation, they shouted,
"Quick, eliminate them, hurry, hurry!"
The worker understood and did not ask questions. He sprayed the insects around and on the bodies of the newcomers.
Saltwater worked, but disinfection still required alcohol. After the saltwater, alcohol was sprayed over everything.
Only when every part of the body had been treated did the few breathe a sigh of relief.
…
Captain Zhang inside the cabin had received no response from above for some time. He came to the doorway and saw many people crowded there. Initially thinking they were slow to move, he fell silent upon hearing their explanation.
Captain Zhang did not blame them for acting on their own. With the power disparity, there was no need to send themselves to die.
Yet this was an unprecedented situation, a new problem he had never encountered.
The people who had cleared the insects said,
"I saw the insect escape from the back of the person on the wooden board. The ones on the deck are not reliable either. These insects seem to carry parasitic viruses. They can wound, parasitize, and regenerate. We must not let them hurt anyone."
Normally, they should retreat, but that would leave the people on the ship ahead vulnerable.
Moreover, simply admitting defeat without fighting was not their style. If they gave up now, they would be defeated before even starting. If that happened, there was no point in continuing forward. They could just return.
Captain Zhang hesitated for a moment and then said,
"Bring up several more suits. We will go with the power users."
Meanwhile, the team inside the cabin worked busily. Captain Zhang informed the nearby ships of the situation. The crews responded in kind,
"Okay, we will put on protective suits and go onto the deck immediately. If the enemy attacks, we can hold for a while. Otherwise, staying inside the cabin is too passive."
"Okay, arrange people to go out. Handle it yourselves."
Captain Zhang could not make decisions for other ships, but on his own ship, the stronger personnel would go, including the powerful Lan Jin.
But thinking of Lan Jin's fear of insects, he hesitated.
"Lan Jin, can you handle this situation?" Captain Zhang asked cautiously.
"I can manage," Lan Jin said. "Captain Zhang, luckily these insects are not the multi-legged kind we saw before. I could not stand those, but I can handle these. We must act fast. A moment longer and I might lose it."
If she lost control, she could vomit or even collapse on the deck.
Captain Zhang exhaled in relief. "Alright, let's move quickly."
The high-tech protective suits from the base were delivered.
Lan Jin could not help thinking how impressive the technology was.
The suit felt stiff in her hands, a single piece covering head and feet. It used invisible zippers and seemed uncomfortable at first.
Once worn, it felt like she wore nothing. It clung perfectly to the body and was highly comfortable.
The head design was unique. The helmet did not touch the scalp and had a large viewing frame. A ventilator filtered all toxic gases.
No matter how large it seemed initially, once worn, it fit like a second skin. It felt unreal, as if no earthly technology could produce such a suit.
Even though it seemed strange, Lan Jin did not ask questions. She knew any answer would only be shallow.