# Chapter 528: Jungle Pursuit
"I didn't prepare any food or water," Xu Huo responded.
Yue Weiping and the others looked at him simultaneously, somewhat suspicious and somewhat angry.
Xu Huo knew what they were thinking, so he said, "I came directly to Clown City from another instance and didn't have time to prepare these things."
Liang Song stopped Yue Weiping, who was about to speak, and said, "Then we'll have to find a way to get more food and water sources."
Xu Huo's luggage compartment had been contaminated, so the amount he could store was limited, but he didn't explain this.
"Finding more food and water means we'll have to take it from others." Yi Mao's voice was somewhat heavy.
"That can't be helped," Liang Song said. "If we don't take from others, they'll take from us. And the longer it goes on, the less food and water there will be."
In other words, they needed to find more food and water as quickly as possible.
Yi Mao didn't speak. Although his eyes couldn't be seen, judging from the lower half of his face alone, it was clear he didn't approve of this approach.
"Just taking food and water doesn't necessarily mean killing people," Yue Weiping said. "Besides, they don't even know that eating the cleaned things will cause problems. The little they brought won't be enough either, so sooner or later they'll all..."
"Shouldn't we be telling the other soldiers the truth in this situation?" Yi Mao suddenly said angrily. "Many of the people who came here are trying to reclaim their homes!"
Yue Weiping looked somewhat embarrassed, but quickly added, "What's the point of saying these things if we can't survive? Once this information gets out, forget about the cleanup mission—everyone's remaining time will be spent fighting over water and resources until they exhaust themselves to death!"
What Yue Weiping said was the real problem. Although Yi Mao's conscience troubled him, he also understood that if the news really got out, the risks he would have to bear would double. Therefore, his words were both spoken to the others and simultaneously a self-condemnation and questioning of himself.
Xu Huo didn't respond to this. After a long silence, he reminded them it was time to set out.
He and Jin Dong took the lead. Liang Song and Yue Weiping exchanged glances. Liang Song went next, followed by Yi Mao and Wan Xiao, with Yue Weiping at the rear.
Jin Dong pointed to a steep mountain path. It wouldn't be easy to traverse, but if they could successfully cross it, they could save a third of the time compared to the original plan.
Halfway through, Yi Mao at the back suddenly sat down, pulled off his mask, and gasped for breath. "Don't you guys feel like it's hard to breathe?"
"It is a bit hard to breathe," Wan Xiao said. "My mouth also tastes a bit bitter."
As soon as the two finished speaking, Liang Song immediately reacted and asked Jin Dong, "Is there something wrong with the air too?"
Jin Dong froze for a moment, then quickly typed: "I don't know..."
"Don't waste time!" Liang Song pulled Yi Mao and Wan Xiao up. "Let's go quickly!"
However, the two were like drunks, their steps unsteady, nearly tumbling off the mountain path. Yue Weiping quickly grabbed Wan Xiao, who was facing downward, but Wan Xiao suddenly pointed down the steep slope and shouted, "Xenomorphs!"
The group looked in the direction he pointed and discovered that countless xenomorphs had somehow hidden in the grass on the steep slope. After spotting them, they climbed along the mountain stream and rushed toward them at incredible speed!
"Bang! Bang!" Yi Mao fired first and said angrily, "Kill these monsters!"
Their current position was completely unsuitable for fighting. Even firing a gun required careful balance, let alone engaging in close combat with xenomorphs. After barely managing a few shots, they could only flee for their lives. After running forward for a while and finding they couldn't break through, they retreated back the way they came.
The group fired and retreated simultaneously, quickly running out of bullets. When they were cornered on a slope, Yue Weiping, trying to save Yi Mao, had his arm scratched by a xenomorph. The wound quickly turned black.
"Poison!"
Xu Huo timely threw a bottle of antidote over. "The same kind Jin Dong used earlier. Whether it can neutralize the poison depends on your luck."
"Thanks!" Yue Weiping caught it and drank it, then said, "You all go ahead. I'll cover the rear!"
"Weiping!" Liang Song refused to abandon his brother, but Yue Weiping said, "I'm already injured. What difference does one time or two make? You absolutely cannot die here. If my luck is bad and I don't make it, I'm counting on you to take care of my family!"
"I'm not leaving!" Yi Mao broke free from Liang Song's hand at this point and rushed forward, raising his submachine gun to spray. "Kill the xenomorphs! Avenge our comrades!"
Wan Xiao was equally agitated.
These two were clearly not normal anymore. Xu Huo simply knocked them unconscious and handed them to Liang Song. After they had put some distance between themselves and the xenomorphs, he took out an energy cannon barrel, quickly assembled it, then aimed at the mountainside and pulled the trigger. With a loud boom, rolling rocks came crashing down from above!
The cascading rocks and soil quickly reached the path they were on. Xu Huo grabbed his strings and rose into the air, taking the opportunity to eliminate two xenomorphs that had escaped from the falling rocks. Then he watched as the pursuers and the xenomorphs still on the steep slope below, about to come up, were all buried by the collapsing mountain.
Liang Song and the others ahead stopped and turned back to ask the person catching up, "Are they all dead?"
"Not dead! There are more below!" Xu Huo replied while running at full speed. The ones covered by the rocks were only a portion. Who would have thought that underneath was a complete hornet's nest? As soon as the rocks fell, within seconds, xenomorphs poured out in full force!
Liang Song and Yue Weiping were about to confront Jin Dong, but when they saw the dense mass below the valley, their scalps immediately went numb. They hoisted Yi Mao and Wan Xiao and ran!
Jin Dong probably hadn't expected this situation either. He ran behind the group, incredulously watching the xenomorphs gradually surging up from the valley, momentarily dazed. Just as he was about to fall behind, a thread suddenly flew from ahead and pierced his abdomen. Then, as if he had lost his weight, he was lifted by the thread and flew directly into the air, narrowly dodging a xenomorph that was about to catch him!
Liang Song and Yue Weiping were also struggling. Dealing with xenomorphs was hard enough, let alone carrying unconscious people. They had used both items and traits, but there were simply too many xenomorphs. When they couldn't hold on any longer, Liang Song appealed to Xu Huo for help, "Brother Old Five! Think of something quickly! If we drag this out, we'll all die!"
Xu Huo led the way ahead. Although the jungle was thick with trees and deep grass, the xenomorph swarm was like locusts. Whether they tried to hide in corners or rock crevices, or even climb trees, the xenomorphs would follow—Liang Song had tried carrying Yi Mao up a tree, but before they could climb up, they were attacked by leaping xenomorphs. If not for their quick reactions, both would have been killed by the xenomorphs' jaws. Although Liang Song was a D-level player, even if he swung his arm until it broke, he couldn't kill this many xenomorphs with a blade.
Unable to withstand the assault, the two who were awake were injured, and the two who were unconscious were also jolted awake by their wounds. Whether stimulated by pain or horrified by the xenomorph swarm before them, the two had lost their earlier death-defying spirit. They didn't dare to land at all and could only fire their guns to kill the xenomorphs closest to them, letting Liang Song and Yue Weiping focus on finding a path.
(Chapter End)