After speaking, as if remembering how unfair her reaction had been, Lan Jin immediately apologized to Zhou Zhi. "Sorry. I did not mean to use you as a shield. I…"
Zhou Zhi was not angry. Zhou Zhi smiled. "It is alright. I am not angry. When you face something you fear, this reaction makes sense."
They had met too many dangerous creatures along the way. There had never been a time when Lan Jin backed away once danger appeared. Because her ability was strong, she always stood in front. So when she pulled that move just now, not only did Zhou Zhi fail to react at first, nearly everyone was caught off guard.
So even someone as powerful as Lan Jin had something she feared.
That was… something.
Now was not the time to discuss it. The bug was down, but the matter was not done. Based on past experience, Lan Jin said, "It will not be the only one. The last time I saw these, they came in swarms. There is something strange inside them too. We should leave here quickly. But this path, I will never take it. Not even if I die."
They all lived in bases, but each base had different mutant creatures nearby. Outside of the H City base, most had never seen this kind of bug. Hearing Lan Jin's warning, the others around Lan Jin immediately grew wary.
Sure enough, at the back of the fork where the first bug had fallen, a rustle stirred. In moments they saw it clearly. Just as Lan Jin said, more bugs the same size crept into view, and not just one.
Lan Jin had just straightened up when a glimpse of the horror made Lan Jin duck99 behind Zhou Zhi again. It was not that Lan Jin refused to switch to someone else. The two male teammates from Lan Jin's squad were not beside Lan Jin at all. So Zhou Zhi had to bear it again.
Zhou Zhi sighed. "Two o'clock."
They had just coordinated once, so Lan Jin understood at once. Lightning flashed from Lan Jin's hands toward two o'clock.
To prevent more from crawling out, Lan Jin chained the bolts, striking whether she could see the targets or not. Better to blast first.
When the thunder faded, Lan Jin wanted to leave at once, but follow-up was still required.
Captain Zhang ordered, "Move. Ice abilities to the front. Freeze all of them. Leave no gaps."
There were two ice users in the team, Ling Jiang and another man. Ling Jiang and the man stepped up and sealed the bugs in ice. Only then did the others ask, "Why freeze them? They are already dead."
Captain Zhang said, "Freeze them because they are dead."
Captain Zhang quickly relayed what had happened with the bugs before. If the butterfly things came out, it could be worse than now.
With the bugs encased, the choice remained.
From behind Zhou Zhi's back, Lan Jin poked out her head. "Right. The right path. We go right."
The farther from the bugs, the better.
Captain Zhang could not help it. Since any path was a gamble, he gave way this time. "You win."
"Don't laugh at me. Don't pretend none of you were scared. I don't believe you did not flinch just now."
When the panic passed, Lan Jin calmed down. Inside the heatproof suit, Lan Jin quietly drank a sip of Spirit Spring water, and Lan Jin's heart steadied.
No one knew if the road ahead was safe or deadly. In this place, no road would be simple.
Sure enough, they had only gone a short way when a black shape flickered past.
The team startled. "Don't tell me it is that thing," someone said.
"That thing" meant the big cat. The speed fit, but the size seemed smaller. It did not move like something on the ground. It looked like something flying.
As the thought formed, Lan Jin spotted a bird perched on a branch, feathers black as ink.
The bird was huge, about as tall as a five-year-old child, and thicker by far. You could imagine its weight.
A bird that size could only perch here because the Maolin's branches were enormous. Outside, any ordinary branch would bend under it.
Looking closely, the mutant bird was a crow.
Crows have big beaks and love to call. With a body this large, that beak was even larger. When it opened its mouth, the cry almost shook their eardrums. There was something else. Crows are fierce and hold grudges. They are not to be provoked. Otherwise the road ahead becomes a gauntlet.
This crow clearly meant to block their way. After a volley of harsh caws, Lan Jin asked, "What do we do. It seems like it will not let us pass."
Lao Gao said, "If it says no, we stop. Like hell. I do not take orders from people, much less a bird."
As Lao Gao spoke, he drew Ashen Blaze and slashed at the crow.
The crow was huge, but quick. The crow slipped the blow with a flicker, twisted midair, then dove to attack the team.
Because of the size, lightning would work well. Lan Jin threw a bolt. The crow froze in mid-flight, then crashed to the ground with a heavy thud.
They thought that would be that. But crows are flocking creatures. The moment the first dropped, countless crows burst from the branches. At that size…
Well, the trees here were just as massive. They could bear the weight.
There was no chance for Lan Jin to act again. Ling Jiang raised her hands, and ice swept out. The crows froze where they perched, fused to the boughs. They would not be coming loose any time soon.
After finishing, Ling Jiang said lightly, "Go. Don't waste time."
Everyone stared for a beat, then fell in step and moved on.
…
That was how it went. Dangers ahead, many of them, yet they seemed not to cost much effort. Each problem was solved cleanly.
In the past, any one of these would have meant a brutal fight. Now it ended like this. So easily. It was almost
Too smooth.
Having abilities is truly good.
No. Having strong abilities is even better.