Chapter 36: Clearing the Battlefield, Gasoline Bomb

Three rapid shots!

Each one resulted in an explosion!

One was dodged by the alert Black Spinal Bug, but the next two hit the insect's eyes, obliterating the brain hidden behind its mandibles.

A perfect shot, delivering a critical hit!

With 120 points of doubled damage, the Lv14 Black Spinal Bug was instantly killed!

Lin Feng exhaled in relief, shaking awake the dazed Chen Yanyan in the driver's seat while continuing to shoot the remaining four Black Spinal Bugs below level 14.

"Damn it, who modified this thing and took out the airbags?"

After killing another Black Spinal Bug, Lin Feng suddenly realized that the airbags hadn't deployed during the intense collision. Whether it was due to modifications or quality, he wasn't sure.

If not for the women's multiple enhancements, making their bodies far stronger than average, such an impact would have resulted in internal injuries, fractures, or concussions.

Under Lin Feng's urging and nudging, Chen Yanyan slowly regained consciousness, her brows furrowed.

With a few deep breaths, she cleared her head.

Seeing the camper surrounded by the insect swarm, Chen Yanyan quickly restarted the engine, shifted to reverse, and floored the accelerator to break free.

"Is Liu Yueqi awake?"

Chen Yanyan asked, looking back as she reversed.

Lin Feng shook his head:

"Wait and see, she should be buckled in. After seven enhancements, she shouldn't have major issues."

Speaking, Lin Feng shot another Black Spinal Bug.

But the nearby Red Armored Beetles numbered over a hundred. Among them, the last two Black Spinal Bugs attacked the camper, biting its armored shell with their mandibles.

"That's enough; stop and cover me!"

With only two Lv12 Black Spinal Bugs left, Lin Feng felt confident in handling them.

Chen Yanyan braked, drew her Divine Handgun, and opened fire on the Red Armored Beetles swarming by the window, tearing them apart.

With the swarm drawn to the driver's side, Lin Feng decisively exited the vehicle, stepping on a beetle's back to reach the rear.

The last two Black Spinal Bugs were positioned at his blind spot, requiring him to maneuver around the camper.

These bugs were cunning, with higher mental stats than others their level.

Seeing the human form emerge, they abandoned their attack on the camper, lunging at Lin Feng.

They coordinated, with one leaping onto the roof while the other attacked from the front.

Mandibles loomed above and ahead, ready to crush Lin Feng between them...

In a split second, Lin Feng calmly activated the Lv7 Red Armored Shield's alternate form, Absolute Defense!

A red light flashed across his visor, and a light red energy shield enveloped him within a five-meter radius.

The bugs' fierce assault was halted at the shield, their rapid attack reduced to a crawl.

Suspended in mid-air, they were rendered immobile.

Unhurriedly, Lin Feng raised his gun, firing explosive rounds at the limbs of the overhead bug, then repeated the process on the one in front.

The explosives paused at the translucent red shield, but Lin Feng retreated to a corner, rolling aside as the shield vanished, evading the bugs.

The ten-second window sufficed for his actions.

As the shield fell, both bugs, hit by multiple shots, lost their limbs and collided, their mandibles sparking.

Seeing them crippled, Lin Feng switched to his Divine Handgun, unleashing the active skill, Metal Storm, on the surrounding Red Armored Beetles.

With a firing rate of 150 rounds per second, the low-level bugs were swiftly dispatched.

Meanwhile, Chen Yanyan cleared the beetles on her side, leaving her seat to rouse Liu Yueqi.

Unbuckled, Liu Yueqi had hit her head, sporting a bleeding bump.

Chen Yanyan found a clean towel to press against the wound.

Luckily, after seven enhancements, Liu Yueqi's body had undergone deep reinforcement, her constitution tripled or quadrupled that of an average person, and the shield absorbed much of the impact.

This minor jolt was manageable.

Still, Liu Yueqi winced in pain, sucking in cold air.

She hadn't expected her first brush with death to come from Chen Yanyan's driving.

Steadying herself with the Thousand Slash Blade, she exited, dismayed at missing the chance to strengthen herself.

Her disappointment was palpable.

"Stop staring and help with the cutting. Let's finish up and head to the next place."

Lin Feng urged, having secured the two incapacitated Black Spinal Bugs at the rear.

The first bug's wounds had begun to heal, a grey membrane forming over the breaks.

Their resilience far exceeded terrestrial creatures.

Given enough food, Lin Feng believed they'd regenerate their limbs in hours.

But they wouldn't have the chance.

Death was their only outcome.

After securing Hu Fei's cargo, Lin Feng and Liu Yueqi processed the remaining three dead Black Spinal Bugs, tossing their mandibles atop the camper.

Unfortunately, the bumper was bent and deformed. Future encounters with multiple bugs would be tougher without it.

Chen Yanyan gathered over thirty intact beetle carapaces, and as instructed, extracted white sacs from the beetles' abdomens.

With the camper full, Lin Feng absorbed the carapaces, securing the sacs alongside the mandibles on the roof.

"Let's go, we spent twenty minutes here."

"In hindsight, we need a trailer for more space next time."

Lin Feng waved, signaling the end of the successful engagement.

Restarting the engine, Chen Yanyan nervously turned the key, relieved when it came to life.

She shifted gears and accelerated.

Lin Feng checked the Lv11 camper's status, noting its damage.

The extra attributes, Bio-Armor and Armor-Piercing Front, were heavily damaged, nearing scrap.

The Lv14 bug's strength far exceeded the Lv11 camper's.

Still, it wasn't all bad news; the camper had gained 9 upgrade points. Beyond Chen Yanyan's sixty-kilometer detour, Lin Feng recalled earning a point from a Black Spinal Bug kill.

The method seemed effective for gathering points, despite the system not recommending it for support equipment like the Red Armored Shield or camper.

Such gear risked quick degradation, with disproportionate cost and benefit.

The other two points came from the camper's battles with Black Spinal Bugs.

Lin Feng guessed mileage reflected battle intensity, with more deaths speeding accumulation.

Still, taking the camper to the frontline would see it shredded in seconds.

He needed to skirmish at the edges to build strength.

A few more minutes driving should secure the last point needed for the next upgrade.

Integrating the Lv14 bug's mandibles would further enhance defense and damage.

Unfortunately, after wandering for a while, no Black Spinal Bugs appeared, and even the common Red Armored Beetles dwindled.

As time passed, the vast outskirts were empty save for their lone vehicle.

With the three live bugs' cries echoing, Chen Yanyan's unease grew.

She focused on the road, hesitating:

"Lin Feng, it's past midnight..."

"If the other teams completed their tasks, along with our two teams, Lieutenant Qin's conditions should be met..."

Liu Yueqi suddenly realized:

"That's right! If so, a large bug swarm might come to investigate, and we..."

Before she could finish, a massive shadow rose on the right, where the stars met the horizon.

Chen Yanyan, tense, angled the headlights, revealing a horde of Black Spinal Bugs 700-800 meters away, charging toward them!

A long line, hundreds strong!

After consecutive scout team losses, the Empress had dispatched the frontline Black Spinal Bug army!

"Turn around!"

Lin Feng shouted, firing explosive rounds at the leading bugs.

Twenty-plus shots slowed the swarm, but they continued surging.

Thankfully, Chen Yanyan quickly turned, flooring it, the engine roaring as they accelerated to 70-80 km/h, narrowly escaping the swarm on their tail.

Once more, a frantic escape ensued, the swarm looming like a black cloud, devouring everything in its path.

"What now? They're relentless. Should we lead them to the highway!?"

Chen Yanyan panted, maintaining 80-90 km/h for safety, but the bugs chased relentlessly.

Leading them to the highway, where refugees were stuck, meant certain death for defenseless civilians.

Especially since the state armed guard was blocking the swarm elsewhere, leaving the service area and nearby towns unguarded.

Leading the swarm there would be catastrophic.

Yet Lin Feng only instructed to return, not worrying about anything else, then unbuckled and moved to the rear.

Liu Yueqi, anxious, watched him closely.

Lin Feng climbed onto the camper's table, opened the rooftop hatch, and emerged halfway, surrounded by tied Black Spinal Bug mandibles.

Wind whipped around him, a defiant figure against the night.

Facing the approaching swarm, Lin Feng shouted:

"Pass me the oil barrels, all four!"

Below, Liu Yueqi gulped, hastily tying the four gasoline drums together.

These were their rewards from joining the bureau.

The only supplies Lin Feng took!

Amidst the howling wind, Lin Feng hoisted the barrels, securing them with the bugs' hydrogen sacs, then eyed the oncoming swarm...

Laughing wildly in exhilaration:

"Come! Taste the power of 100 liters of gasoline!"