Chapter 181: Against Time
Translator: Editor:
During the apocalypse, humankind was more alert than ever. Most people slept with their clothes on and their weapons by their side, prepared for battle at any time, and they would wake up by even the slightest movement, let alone Luo Yuan’s shout.
The group leaped out of sleep. They did not show a single sign of fatigue though they had just woken up. Grabbing hold of their weapons, they rushed out of their tents.
“Brother Luo, what’s going on?” Wang Shishi asked frantically.
“I’ll explain everything on the way out,” Luo Yuan said quickly. He paced anxiously as the faint sense of danger got stronger. Seeing that they were still packing their tents, he shouted, “There’s no time! Leave everything behind except your weapons! We have to go!”
Everyone’s hearts sank as the feeling that something bad was about to happen dawned upon them.
They reluctantly put down the things they were packing and left of the outpost quickly.
The giant lizard and Lao Huang were already pacing around on edge. The beasts may not be as intelligent as humans but their instincts never failed them. The two creatures clearly felt the danger that was heading towards them.
The lizard laid low upon hearing Luo Yuan’s order, the man hopping onto it with Chen Jiayi in his arms, and pulling everyone up right away.
On his command, the lizard ran. It picked up its speed as it sprinted through the raindrops as if there was an invisible danger chasing it in the dark.
“Hang on tight, so you don’t get flung off!” Luo Yuan shouted, pulling the unconscious Zhou Yicheng to his side and pressing his hand on him. The man immediately stopped moving as if an invisible force had enveloped him.
No one had needed Luo Yuan to remind them. The group was already keeping their bodies low, their hands gripping the carpet tight. The lizard’s back was more spacious now that four people were gone, but it was still not wide enough for them to lay down completely, so they could only lay as low as possible to try and reduce the air resistance. They still felt as if they could be flung off at any time, though.
The giant lizard was naturally not an animal that you could ride on; riding it while it ran felt like you were riding a rollercoaster. That, in addition to the wind blowing against them, made even the soldiers look pale.
It was only their third time riding the lizard, so they were still not used to such a mode of transportation. They could barely hold on as the lizard jogged; it was running so fast, that it made them feel nauseous.
The soldiers’ bodies were tense, and they looked like they were about to throw up. No one dared to make a move as the lizard moved erratically. Falling off from six meters would at best cause them paralysis, if not death.
The only one not moving at all was Luo Yuan. He sat still as if he was sitting on the ground, one arm holding Chen Jiayi while placing his other hand on Zhou Yicheng. He was not holding onto anything to keep himself from falling off. Strangely, no matter how the lizard moved during the trip, he still looked as if he was glued to the lizard’s back. Only Chen Jiayi, who was in Luo Yuan’s embrace, could feel his muscles tense and relax.
The strong wind messed up his hair as he stared into the endless darkness with a thoughtful expression.
Chen Jiayi looked up at Luo Yuan. The warmth on her back gave her a strong sense of security, despite the fact that up until recently she had been afraid of this man.
Along the way, an injured soldier was almost flung off when he lost his grip on the carpet. If it were not for Luo Yuan, who had reacted quickly, the man would have died.
Under the current circumstances, if someone did fall off, Luo Yuan would have to leave them behind. He would not put everyone in danger just for any individual.
Seconds and minutes passed. Barely ten minutes later, Luo Yuan felt a slight vibration; there was a faint, yet intense buzzing sound in the air, as if all the small noises merged into one.
In the darkness, there seemed to be countless running beasts that were charging towards them.
Fifteen minutes later, the vibration got stronger. Even ordinary people could feel it now.
The giant lizard sped up a few times but had to slow down to its initial speed at Luo Yuan’s command.
The lizard’s Dexterity was a point higher than Luo Yuan’s. Its 15-point Dexterity and its gigantic size could move at a blinding speed if it decided to unleash its full potential. If the road was a smooth, straight line, the lizard’s could sprint at speeds up to 400 kilometers per hour at short distances.
Even if it were to jog through long distances, it could still speed itself up to 200 kilometers per hour; guaranteeing its escape from the wave of beasts tailing them.
However, that kind of speed, along with the air resistance and jostling, would have everyone except Luo Yuan falling off. Even Luo Huang, which was still recovering, would be left behind. Thus, Luo Yuan could only be patient and go slow, no matter how impatient he was feeling.
Time is especially precious at the moment as everyone tensed up in preparation for the incoming attack.
A loud boom was heard from about two kilometers away, followed by the sound of cement collapsing.
“It’s the highway,” was the thought running through everyone’s heads. They knew there were no buildings around. The only thing that could be collapsing was the highway.
“Careful,” Luo Yuan suddenly said. His eyes seemed to glow like a cat’s in the dark. The night vision that was a result of his evolution and strong physique enabled him to see far away clearly. He slowly took out a short spear from the sack on his back before passing Chen Jiayi and Zhou Yicheng to Huo Dong and Lin Xiaoji who were beside him before standing upright on the lizard's body.
The unknown danger had everyone breaking out in goosebumps, their gazes instinctively turning towards the darkness. Everyone but Lin Xiaoji could only see a few meters in front of them as they heard the buzzing sound approaching from afar.
It was a strange insect as big as a small van, with a green scaled back. Two pairs of tiny mismatched wings flapped fast as it jumped. Its stomach was ink-black, with a clean cut in the middle. Luo Yuan could not see what was inside because it was too dark, but it did not look like a decoration.
It was large, but it moved swiftly, its strong hind legs and wings allowing it to jump several dozen meters high and about a hundred meters far.
Considering the lizard’s current speed, it would catch them within ten seconds.
What complicated the situation was that there were more than twenty of those insects.
Most of them were underneath the highway. Only six of the insects were on it, but Luo Yuan was not sure if the other insects would join in the battle, should he attack one of them.
Sweat dotted his forehead as his heart beat violently, nerves and excitement boiling in his blood.
Closer. They were getting closer.
The mutated insects did not avoid the humans. Instead, they flew right through them. Everyone had felt a strong gust of wind before an insect landed about ten meters in front of the lizard. Soon it jumped again, disappearing from view.
Then the second and the third one followed…
Luo Yuan was slightly relieved, but his relief was once again short-lived.
The fourth insect made obvious pauses between its leaps, unlike the others that moved without a pause. It seemed like it was calculating something.
Although it went on its way not too long afterward, its leaps had changed significantly – some were longer while others were much shorter. It kept adjusting its hopping distance. A short time later, it paused slightly before leaping into the air with more force.
Luo Yuan looked up. The insect was at the highest point of its jump and came down full force, flapping its wings. This action was something the previous insects had not done; it was a clear sign of a predator hunting its prey. Once Luo Yuan realized where the insect would land, its target became clear – it was the already exhausted Lao Huang.
The long journey had roused the insect’s appetite, and it had chosen Lao Huang because it was still in recovery.
With gravity on its side, the insect accelerated like an incoming missile.
By the time Lao Huang sensed the danger, it was already too late. The insect spread its limbs, its steel, curtain-like legs covering almost eighteen square meters as their sharp ends shined with a deadly gleam.
Before it got close, the cut in the middle of its stomach opened to reveal two rows of sharp black teeth – it was the insect’s mouth. Once it reached its prey’s back, it would tear its flesh and bite into its spine, shattering it into pieces.
The insect’s attack was impulsive, its movement light and fast. Lao Huang hadn't any time to react.
Luo Yuan moved in the nick of time.
His left leg slowly slid forward as his right one landed with tremendous force; his spine rolled like that of a snake’s, the veins on his right hand that was holding the short spear popped out like they were tree roots. His whole body seemed to expand before he thrust the short spear into the air.
The speed made everyone’s ears hurt. No one could see what had happened. They could only pray that Luo Yuan had eliminated the unknown danger.
Compared to the first time he had done this, Luo Yuan had improved. The powerful recoil had even the lizard stumbling in its steps.
There was no chance of missing considering the target’s sheer size and Luo Yuan’s 9-point throwing accuracy. In the blink of an eye, the short spear glided through the air at supersonic speed and collided with the insect, flying about ten meters away and landing harshly by the roadside.
The blue level spear exploded into pieces upon the impact, the explosion causing a half-meter diameter wound on the insect.
The insect struggled to stand, collapsing again after a few steps. After repeated struggles, it finally wailed pathetically before surrendering.
The extent of the damage was nothing compared to its body, and the wound was not lethal either. What put the final nail in the insect was the internal injury that it sustained during the high-speed collision. Nothing could save the insect, especially when its internal organs had turned to mush. Not even an extremely powerful one could survive this.