Chapter 24: Leaving the Corridor, Lv12 Black Spinal Bugs
Lin Feng looked at the high school girl before him, seeing in her a reflection of his own youthful fantasies of gaining superpowers to save the world...
Perhaps such pure thoughts fueled a fearless courage.
Unfortunately, Liu Yueqi was still too weak. Returning the Thousand Slash Blade to her was not only a means to help her accumulate damage points for future use...
It also hinted at nurturing potential; who knows, she might become a valuable ally.
After all, most wouldn't choose to fight bugs in close combat, a risky way to level up, licking blood from the blade.
So Lin Feng declined for now:
"Let's talk when you've awakened your superpower. Right now, you can't even handle a few higher-level worker bugs. How can you protect me?"
"Sorry, I'm not interested in being your babysitter."
With that, Lin Feng jumped out the window, landing smoothly on the tenth floor.
With a Lv7 constitution of 35, jumping from three meters was no challenge.
The woman following Lin Feng smiled:
"I'm Chen Yanyan, Lin Feng's personal assistant."
"Good luck, girl. If you want to stay by Brother Feng's side, maybe your aunt needs to work harder than you..."
She too jumped down, with Lin Feng catching her below, ensuring her safety.
Standing alone on the rooftop, Liu Yueqi took a deep breath, bidding farewell to the place where her dreams came true.
Then she grabbed the rope, slowly descending.
The corridor's scene left everyone stunned.
Even the experienced Qin Hu was shocked, unable to fathom how such firepower could appear here.
The pile of over a hundred worker bug corpses seemed impossible to have been defeated without a dozen armed soldiers coordinating crossfire.
Yet in the dormitory, only the young man named Lin Feng had a handgun.
When Qin Hu inquired with the professors, they looked towards the newly descended group.
Lin Feng waved his dark handgun:
"Yeah, mine's pretty powerful."
Qin Hu nodded, saying nothing. His team had several awakened superhumans, some able to shoot fire, others with super speed, and more with enhanced physiques.
He'd heard of snipers awakening abilities to imbue bullets with power, giving them grenade-like or greater force.
Perhaps Lin Feng was such a lucky one.
With him, their escape would be safer.
Enduring the stench of bug corpses, Qin Hu gestured for the group to use broken carapaces as shovels, clearing a path.
Lin Feng helped, as the beetle corpses, shot by his Divine Handgun, were too mangled for reuse, easily making a person-wide path.
Qin Hu took point, aiming at a few beetles in the corridor, dispatching them with headshots.
The group followed, feeling a semblance of safety.
Liu Yueqi, failing to gain Lin Feng's help, returned to her aunt's side, while Lin Feng and Chen Yanyan covered the rear, guarding against beetle pursuit.
Soon, the group, having rushed down ten floors, was breathless.
Fortunately, outside the dorm, no beetles were in sight.
Yet Qin Hu showed no joy, frowning, urging the eleven survivors:
"Hurry! This isn't good."
"The helicopter noise scares away worker bugs but attracts terrifying soldier bugs!"
Seeing Qin Hu head for the parking lot, the group abandoned thoughts of finding food, following him.
Zhang Xuan was the fastest, sticking close to Qin Hu, chatting and leading him to his car.
He knew whom to rely on.
Watching her aunt struggling to keep up with Zhang Xuan, Liu Yueqi sighed, convinced that following him would lead to doom.
He only cared for himself.
Once they reached the car, her aunt, breathless, waved from the backseat:
"Yueqi, come on!"
Zhang Xuan, engine running, yelled:
"Get in! What are you waiting for?!"
Liu Yueqi considered joining Lin Feng but saw her aunt in the car, sighed, and joined Zhang Xuan.
With everyone aboard, Zhang Xuan sped out of Haicheng University, following Qin Hu's directions, ignoring the other professors starting their cars.
Lin Feng and Chen Yanyan returned to the Land Rover. Fortunately, only the roof rack was damaged, leaving the chassis and drivetrain intact. Chen Yanyan started the car, following closely.
Along the way, no beetles were seen.
But approaching a crossroads, several vehicles appeared, including a bright yellow school bus filled with survivors.
They came from the opposite direction, abruptly stopping. The quick-thinking bus driver swerved, avoiding a collision with Zhang Xuan's speeding car.
After stopping, they yelled:
"Why are you coming from there?!"
"Where's the helicopter?"
"Is the rescue team here?"
A barrage of questions came from the bus.
They were survivors drawn by the helicopter.
Zhang Xuan impatiently leaned out:
"Gone! They're gone!"
"Follow us! We have a Federation soldier to guide us to the main force!"
"Move! Let us lead!"
He honked aggressively.
Seeing Qin Hu armed in the passenger seat, the bus driver reversed, clearing the way.
But in those moments, several black giant bugs appeared on the road, over three meters tall, like small trucks, moving swiftly.
Behind them surged a tide of red, densely packed beetles.
Three black bugs, leading a beetle swarm...
Charged at the convoy!
Lin Feng, through the rearview mirror, first noticed the threat, quickly leaning out and using Eagle Eye to track the fast-moving black bugs.
These must be the soldier bugs Ding Chenghai mentioned!
Beyond black, they bore yellow stripes like bees, but their appearance was anything but cute, with sharp teeth, spines, and a ferocious demeanor.
Their four sharp limbs twisted rapidly, with long, swinging pincers beside their massive mandibles, razor-sharp.
A multi-attack giant bug!
Under Lin Feng's focused gaze, their attributes were revealed:
"Black Spinal Bug, Lv12/19"
"Health: 120, Constitution: 60, Spirit: 6"
"Basic soldier unit of the insect race, tasked with defending nests and eliminating enemies. Extremely high attack and speed, a perfect biological weapon."
Reading the data, Lin Feng took a deep breath,
Finally, they arrived!
Powerful insect races capable of threatening humanity!
The main attack force, Black Spinal Bugs!
A scream echoed as everyone turned, seeing the swarm and three Black Spinal Bugs charging!
Fear of death fueled drivers to floor the gas, racing for the city outskirts.
Chen Yanyan followed Zhang Xuan's car, slipping past the bus before it could turn.
But trailing cars weren't so lucky!
Weighing barely over a ton, these thin-skinned imports were shredded by Black Spinal Bugs, their occupants torn apart, some severed at the waist!
None caught by the bugs survived.
They didn't feed, pursuing the fleeing convoy.
With speeds of seventy, they leaped over abandoned roadside vehicles, outpacing the convoy's need to weave.
The three Black Spinal Bugs, chasing the convoy, stood out on the road.
As they closed in, Lin Feng swallowed hard, on a straight path, kicking open the broken sunroof to emerge halfway.
Raising his handgun, the rear bus driver wisely veered aside.
Lin Feng took a deep breath, steadying his aim.
Using Eagle Eye for dynamic tracking, he prepared for long-range shooting!
This would be his first face-off with Black Spinal Bugs!