"Screech!"
"Whoosh!"
Two large Plague Crawlers suddenly flew down from the ceiling. They were as big as sheep, covered in a yellowish-green exoskeleton. Their black eyes and mouths opened and closed like sharp blades. Their jagged claws on their backs and legs looked like saws, and the humming of their wings sounded like a small plane engine, making them terrifying. This was one of the first bio-organic weapons, or BOWs, that the Umbrella Corporation had created.
In the biological world, there was a saying that the strongest animals were not lions or tigers, nor were they bears or elephants. These so-called apex predators were only considered to be the best because of their large size. Their weapons were not very diverse—just fangs and claws. But this was enough for them to be at the top of the food chain.
But there was another type of animal that was a master of weaponry. All parts of its body had evolved to hunt. They were not at the top of the food chain only because of their small size. But even so, in the microscopic world, they were the absolute kings!
These animals were insects! Most insects had their own unique weapons, like the sharp mandibles and venomous stingers of a wasp, or the lightning-fast attack speed of a praying mantis. They were all masters of their own unique fighting styles.
Biological scientists believed that if insects were as big as mammals, they would become the absolute rulers of the planet. This belief gave birth to many insect-like monsters in movies and games, as well as races like the Zerg.
Because of this, insect-type BOWs were some of the most difficult monsters to fight in the early stages of the game. Their speed and hard shells made it difficult for ordinary handgun bullets to cause any fatal damage. And compared to zombies, these insect monsters were much more terrifying!
Of course, the reason why the Umbrella Corporation did not mass-produce insect BOWs was because they had too many flaws. Although they were powerful, they were weak against fire and insecticides. Any pesticide on the market could kill them, but it had no effect on zombies.
Another problem was the infection and control. The infection rate of zombies was high. They could infect a person just by biting them, and some zombies could be controlled because their brains were still human.
But insects... their brains were different, so it was difficult to control them. The Umbrella Corporation would have to find a group control system like the Plaga parasite, where there was a queen bee and worker bees that could be controlled through pheromones. But most insects do not live in colonies, so they would not suddenly start to follow a bee's habits just because a new gene was implanted in them. This was as difficult as creating an artificial species!
The most disgusting part was the infection. The infection of insects was not as simple as a zombie biting a person. Insects do not have blood, so they cannot transmit the virus through blood. The only way for insects to infect a person was by laying eggs inside their bodies. The eggs would then absorb the person's nutrients and hatch. This was a very complicated and time-consuming process. If Javier were a high-ranking official at Umbrella, he would not have chosen to focus on insect BOWs from the start.
"Watch out for the ceiling!"
"Rebecca, Billy, get away and then shoot!"
Javier yelled at them, hearing the buzzing of the Plague Crawlers. These two were a pain to deal with and he knew that just shooting them wouldn't work. This wasn't a game. In the real world, if he shot them, and the monster fell on them, it would be a disaster. He didn't have a magical biological recovery system. The Plague Crawlers were the size of sheep. What if they didn't die and attacked them?
Rebecca and Billy were not as well-equipped as Javier. He was armed to the teeth with a helmet, a gas mask, a tactical vest, and various protective gear. Even if a leech bit him, it would take a while to break through his defenses. But Rebecca and Billy only had a tactical vest and thin clothes. If a Plague Crawler landed on them, its sharp mouthparts could cut their throats.
The best way to deal with them was to back away and let them land on the ground before they started shooting.
"Jump!"
Rebecca and Billy instantly understood Javier's meaning. They backed away and pressed their backs against the wall. They pulled out their guns and fired at the Plague Crawlers that had landed on the ground with a loud "thump."
"Click!"
"Bang—bang—bang—!!!"
Rebecca's 9mm police handgun fired a flurry of bullets at the Plague Crawlers, but most of them bounced off their hard shells. Although some did pierce their armor, they only went a small way into their bodies and couldn't cause any fatal damage.
This only made the Plague Crawlers angry.
"Screech!"
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—!!!"
They let out another piercing screech, and their wings buzzed as they flew at Rebecca, who had just attacked them. They opened their sharp mouths and tried to cut her into pieces. They were as fast as a small plane.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you..."
"You damn insects! Don't think you're unstoppable just because you're big. Die!"
"Bang... boom—!!!"
Billy reloaded his M1887 shotgun and pulled the trigger. The old shotgun spewed out smoke and fire. The projectiles flew out and went right through the Plague Crawlers' bodies.
"Hiss..."
With a whimper, the Plague Crawlers' bodies were instantly shredded, and a disgusting green liquid splattered on the ground. Billy and Rebecca took a deep breath. This cursed facility was a death trap. Who would create such inhuman bioweapons?!
Javier was relieved to see that Billy and Rebecca had successfully dealt with the Plague Crawlers. It was good that they were okay. He quickly found what he was looking for in a corner of the storage room—a can of gasoline and a black statue with a broken head and one wing. It looked like a fallen angel from hell. This was undoubtedly one of the key items needed for the goddess statue in the main hall!