"Where's this way out you mentioned?" Faced with these foot-long mutant bugs, Jill Young couldn't help but feel her hair stand on end. "Hurry up and find it!"
"That can't be right, this place can't be a dead end. There has to be a way forward!" Max Easton, master of attracting trouble, was even more anxious. He stomped and swore, looking around frantically: "Let me see, let me see—there must be a way—wait, look, there's a hole over there!"
Jill Young followed Max's gesture and sure enough, about fifty meters away, there was a dark crevice just big enough for a person to squeeze through. It looked like a cave entrance.
"No idea if that's the place we're looking for, or if it's just some random hole."
"You still have time to say that? Get moving!"
The two of them sprinted toward the cave. Jill glanced at Max Easton—if it weren't for this guy, she could've run much faster. But in the end, Jill just sighed, deliberately hung back a couple steps, and kept an eye on their rear.
Seriously, I've done more than enough for this guy. So if he acts like an idiot again, I won't even feel bad about taking him out!
Behind them, countless green bugs burst out of the woods, swarming like bombers.
Getting closer, Jill could see more clearly—these bugs looked like flies, mosquitoes, and bees all rolled into one. Classic six-legged, bulging-eyed, pot-bellied freaks with shiny green bodies that were just plain gross. But wait, their mouthparts... didn't look carnivorous?
A flash of doubt crossed Jill's mind, and she hesitated, not swinging her knife. The big bugs whooshed past her, not paying her the slightest attention—every single one of them was laser-focused on Max Easton.
Sure enough, just like Jill Young predicted, after a short wait, a rustling sound came from the cave as all the adorable cave-dwellers began to emerge.
Worms and creepy-crawlies? Child’s play.
Ever seen a centipede a meter long? Ever seen a spider the size of a washbasin? Ever seen a mutant cockroach that keeps crawling around even after its head’s been chopped off? Neither Max Easton nor Jill Young had—until today.
This little cave was like the source of all evil, with wave after wave of critters crawling out. Jill Young kindly handed over her big knife, then sat off to the side to watch the show. Sure, the knife was pitiful, but it was still better than Max fending for himself. According to Jill’s analysis, Max must’ve busted open something like the scent gland inside the man-eating flower, soaking himself in super-concentrated attractant, turning him into a walking buffet for all the monsters.
After bug-slaying for more than ten hours, the cave finally quieted down. Jill’s big knife was now gloriously nicked, but with no spare weapon, it’d have to do. Max was sprawled out, exhausted, so Jill tossed him a slice of Black Wolf Essence Meat and fashioned some makeshift torches from the forest’s resources.
"Once you’ve rested up, let’s get moving—the temperature’s rising fast." Even with Jill’s enhanced physique, she was starting to sweat, while Max looked like a heat-stroked stray dog.
Max dragged himself up, glanced at the cave, and couldn’t imagine what would happen if there were still bugs left inside. But with danger looming, he had no choice but to grit his teeth, nod, and follow Jill Young into the cave.
In the darkness, Jill led the way, Max followed, stumbling forward. The draft whistled through the narrow passage, making eerie noises that had Max nervously glancing back, as if some demon was creeping up to pinch his butt.
Trying to ease his nerves, Max said, "Ever since that shipwreck, I keep running into gross stuff. Smashing the bug queen was bad enough, then getting swallowed by the man-eating flower, and those giant flies—ugh, I can’t even think about it! By the way, how come nothing ever happens to you? Forget the flower, but those bugs didn’t even bother with you."
"No idea. Maybe it’s good karma. Or maybe you’ve stepped in every pile of crap there is, so no one else can. Speaking of which, I think you should go first—it’s safer for me. If a giant bug jumps out and eats you, it’ll probably be full afterwards."
This chapter isn’t over yet~.~ Click next page for more excitement!
"Heh, you—you really know how to joke!" Max forced a laugh, but cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
In the pitch-dark tunnel, Jill’s night-owl eyes and super vision were a lifesaver. The few bugs that hadn’t joined the crowd outside were spotted and dealt with before they could cause trouble. Max, trailing behind, thanked heaven, earth, Buddha, and God.
Most girls would scream at a three-centimeter bug like they’d been hit with a fear spell, running around in a panic. But this lady? She could chop a thirty-centimeter bug in half with one clean swing, dodging splattering guts like it was nothing. Incredible!
Now that’s what I call a kickass teammate! Thank all the gods—when the underground nearly collapsed, they sent me this gorgeous, fierce chick. She’s definitely my holy angel of salvation!
"Yeah, this is still way too gross." Jill declared. "Max, go scout ahead and put your only talent to use."
Okay, I take that back—she’s no holy angel, more like a Grim Reaper...
After a long trek, the two finally made it through the pitch-black tunnel. Tumbling out, Max couldn’t wait to take a deep breath—only to choke on the smell of sulfur...
"Oh wow, we’ve arrived somewhere really weird." Jill exclaimed. Max looked around and finally took in their surroundings.
This was definitely a bizarre space. It was another cave, but huge and spacious. No glowing clouds overhead, but the cave roof was studded with eerie, green-glowing minerals. The floor was covered in slabs of rock and crowded with mushrooms—not the market kind, but the kind you’d find in World of Warcraft’s Outland!
The small ones were a meter and a half tall, the big ones were nearly four meters—like massive umbrellas everywhere. It was a sight you’d never expect to see in real life.
"This place feels straight-up alien!" (By the way, someone tipped me again today—feeling pretty happy about that~)