Ever since they entered the dense forest, Captain Zhang hadn't once warned them of nearby danger.
Lan Jin was still puzzling over this when the massive snake, not satisfied after devouring the two at the front, swung its gaping jaws toward the rest of the group.
Ling Jiang stepped forward quickly, shielding Lan Jin behind her. With a surge of her ice ability, she froze the serpent's enormous head solid in one move.
Everyone knew snakes well enough: the head was one thing, the tail another. Even if the head was restrained, its tail could still lash out independently.
As soon as the frozen head slammed to the ground, the tail whipped around toward them.
Lan Jin snapped back to her senses. She summoned the Violetbane Ring, leaping into the air, and pinned the serpent's tail to the ground with its deadly spike.
With both ends of the creature restrained, the team rushed forward, striking its thick body again and again until it finally stopped moving. Only when the serpent lay limp did they withdraw their weapons.
Lan Jin dismissed the spike, her gaze turning immediately to Captain Zhang. "Brother Zhang, you're a spiritual ability user, but your sense range is limited. We all know that. But why didn't you warn us when these creatures got so close?"
Everyone turned their eyes toward Captain Zhang. It was clear they had all been wondering the same thing for a while, but unlike Lan Jin, no one else had spoken up. Since ++he had led them down this path, the teams from different bases had been sticking much closer together.
This group wasn't lacking in sharp minds.
Lan Jin's question left Captain Zhang no choice but to respond. "My ability stopped working completely after we entered this forest. I don't know if it's because there are too many mutant creatures here or if something's suppressing it."
Then he frowned. "Lan Jin, you're not suspecting me of something, are you?"
She scoffed. She didn't trust anyone. If she hadn't been forced into this mission and wanted to continue living peacefully in the base, she would never have joined this so-called special training.
Not far away, another hiss echoed through the forest. Lan Jin didn't even glance in its direction. "I don't care what secrets you're hiding or what plans you have. But if I lose even one teammate, none of you are walking out of here alive."
The moment her words fell, a colossal bolt of lightning split the sky, striking the charging serpent directly.
The massive creature convulsed, its body seizing rigidly before crashing to the ground. Unlike the first serpent, this one didn't even twitch. It died instantly.
What terrifying lightning power. Although Lan Jin's ability was known to be less effective against small targets, who was to say this wasn't all just a façade?
Captain Zhang paled. "I'm not lying. My ability really stopped working. Zhou Zhiye knew about it. I told him when it first happened. I also told Dr. Wang before we split up. I just… didn't tell the rest of you so you wouldn't worry."
Lao Gao interjected sharply. "That's too much of a coincidence. Everyone else's powers work. Why only yours?"
A timid voice spoke up from the side. "Not just his. Mine's gone too."
The speaker continued quickly, "I'm a plant ability user. Outside, my power worked fine, but the moment I entered this forest, it failed. When those teammates got dragged away at the fork, I tried to use it to save them. That's when I realized I couldn't. I reported it to Captain Zhang right after. I wasn't trying to hide it."
"Really?"
"Yes," Zhou Zhiye added calmly. "Captain Zhang told me immediately. It's probably just the environment here suppressing abilities. You're wound too tight, that's why you're getting suspicious."
Lan Jin's eyes shifted to Zhou Zhiye. He was also from the H City base, someone who already knew Captain Zhang. Covering for each other wouldn't be hard.
But when she looked into Zhou Zhiye's eyes, something about his expression told her he was telling the truth. The tension in her chest eased, and her words lost their edge.
"Lan Jin, relax. We're teammates. We'd never stab each other in the back. Besides, you've saved me so many times—I couldn't do that even if I wanted to," Captain Zhang said, letting out a sigh of relief. "By the way, when did your lightning get so strong?"
The sheer force she had just unleashed would have drained most ability users completely, but Lan Jin looked fine. The last time she had killed a lizard with her lightning, she had collapsed from exhaustion. Yet now she'd taken down a multi-story serpent and didn't seem to be at her limit.
Lan Jin glared at him. "Why are you asking so many questions? Even if I have that kind of power, I can't explain it."
Her blunt tone made not just Captain Zhang but everyone else exhale in relief.
She really had stunned them with that lightning strike.
Still, she didn't regret her show of power. Whether or not Captain Zhang was lying, someone else might be. If anyone planned betrayal, that display would make them think twice.
With the serpents dead and the confrontation over, they cut out the crystal cores from both creatures' gallbladders and resumed their journey.
Professor Pei still rode on Huang Jinghe's back. He sighed heavily. "I can't tell if this trip is a blessing or a curse."
"Grandpa Pei, what do you mean by that?" Huang Jinghe asked quietly.
"Your group's powers are too strong. I don't know how you achieved that, but it's already enough to attract attention. If you get any stronger, you won't just be a target of envy."
Huang Jinghe nodded. "Sister Lan is always careful. Normally, she avoids using that much power at all. She must have sensed something wrong just now. But isn't strength a good thing?"
"Yes, and no. I can't say too much, but… be cautious."
"We understand."
"You understand nothing," Professor Pei muttered, glaring at him.
Huang Jinghe fell silent, confused at the sudden scolding.