Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and Long Yuehong had heard Bai Chen mention mutated mosquitoes, so they knew how dangerous they were toward unprepared humans.
Mutated mosquitoes always moved in large numbers, and they flew quickly. They could tolerate a certain level of heat and low temperatures.
They were relatively small in size and difficult to be hit by bullets. Even if they encountered sharpshooters—or if the swarm was too dense—mutated mosquitoes would be unafraid of losses due to their large numbers. The number of bullets and ordinary bombs a team could carry could not compare with the number of mosquitoes.
Mutated mosquitoes usually lived on plant sap, but they yearned for blood. They had strong survival abilities and extremely terrifying offensive abilities. They were brainless and fearless. Even if more than half of their kind was lost, they would still come for blood one after another.
Their bites came with poison that could paralyze a human body and an animal’s body and slow their thinking.
Their proboscises were longer, firmer, and sharper than those of unmutated mosquitoes. They could penetrate clothing fibers and pierce into the target’s skin...
For many Ruin Hunters and wilderness nomads, this was a hellish tide that could devour life. Upon encountering mutated mosquitoes, it was difficult to escape the swarm even with the advantage in numbers.
Of course, as one of the most ferocious creatures in the Ashlands, humans were not incapable of resisting such mutated mosquitoes. However, all the solutions required relatively special equipment. For example, flamethrowers, special mosquito repellent spray guns, a Pangu Biology Herbicide Round, a complete set of biochemical clothes that could defend against toxic gases, sufficient numbers of incendiary rounds, technologically immature kinetic armor, or rare, terrifying bombs from the Old World that could cause high temperatures around the explosion’s core...
Unfortunately, the Old Task Force didn’t have any of these items.
Fortunately, the jeep they drove was relatively well-sealed. It was impossible for the mutated mosquitoes to force their way in. Furthermore, this vehicle was electric-powered, so there was no fear that the mosquito swarm would fearlessly block the exhaust pipes and other places. At the same time, the mutated mosquitoes’ proboscises were not strong enough to puncture the rubber tires.
This was indeed good news for Jiang Baimian and the others, but it was also bad news.
The ventilation system had to be switched off; otherwise, it would eventually be blocked by the mutated mosquitoes.
As a result, the air quality in the car would rapidly decrease until it was unbearable. Shang Jianyao and the others had to rush out of the mutated mosquitoes’ encirclement before that happened.
Bai Chen had experience dealing with such terrifying creatures. The same moment Qiao Chu gave the order, she had already closed the windows and turned off the ventilation system.
As Bai Chen continued stepping on the accelerator, she habitually consoled everyone in the car. “Don’t worry. These mutated mosquitoes won’t distance themselves from places with vegetation. As long as we pass through these vines, they should give up.”
“Left...” As Qiao Chuyu nodded, he directed the way forward.
Jiang Baimian muttered thoughtfully, “Even mutated creatures have the instinct to continue living in swarms. Therefore, such mosquitoes won’t leave places with dense vegetation... This is a necessary condition for them to survive. The blood of humans and animals is only a very attractive delicacy...
“That’s true. The Old World has been destroyed for so many years. The mutated creatures that can’t reproduce would’ve died long ago...”
Qiao Chu ignored Jiang Baimian’s mutters. He was more focused on identifying the path blocked by the greenish-black vines than before.
A few seconds later, the moving jeep encountered the mosquito swarms.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
The finger-sized mosquitoes with dark-red heads were like miniature bombers. They used themselves as bombs as they smashed into the windshield one after another.
In Shang Jianyao’s eyes, this was like the first rainstorm he had seen in Moat Town. Countless water droplets smashed against the glass with all their might. However, unlike the rain, these ‘droplets’ did not slide down and stuck to the glass instead.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
Be it the windshield or the windows on both sides, they were covered with black mosquitoes amidst a series of continuous sounds. The dark-red heads and hideous proboscises were densely packed together, giving one a headache.
Bai Chen and Qiao Chu couldn’t see the road ahead. The jeep was like a wild horse that had lost control at the edge of a cliff. They had no idea where they were heading.
Long Yuehong’s face quickly turned pale. He wanted to save himself, but he didn’t know what he could do or how to help.
Jiang Baimian’s and Shang Jianyao’s bodies tensed up. Their expressions were filled with worry and confusion. Their life-preservation instincts and hormonal secretion from the life-and-death situation seemed to allow them to sense the anomaly in their current situation.
At this moment, Qiao Chu stopped looking ahead and glanced down at the mechanical watch on his wrist. The dial was attached with a compass filled with engravings.
“Head in the 3:12 direction.” Qiao Chu seemed to have established a map of the swamp’s depths in his mind. He then relied on the equipment to ‘navigate manually.’
Bai Chen was no stranger to using clock positions as an indicator for bearings. However, the ones she had encountered previously had never been this specific. Therefore, after being momentarily stunned, she immediately reacted and started steering.
But with a mutated mosquito swarm in front of her, she couldn’t accurately drive according to the navigation instructions. There were definitely deviations.
Qiao Chu did not mind because he also knew that it was impossible for humans without a supplementary chip or the corresponding genetic modifications to accomplish such maneuvers at such high speeds. He had given a highly precise bearing so that the deviation would be within an acceptable range.
At this moment, Shang Jianyao suddenly said, “You can wear an exoskeleton and drive.”
Qiao Chu had previously seen the military exoskeleton device in the trunk. After some thought, he nodded and said, “Do it quickly.”
Normal exoskeleton devices had short-ranged positioning capabilities. This was often integrated into the comprehensive warning system and facilitated the wearer via a supplementary chip.
“Let me do it,” Jiang Baimian volunteered.
Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong had no objections. They immediately turned around and dragged the military exoskeleton from the trunk.
With their help, Jiang Baimian quickly adjusted the metal skeleton’s length and wore the equipment.
After the system’s self-checks were complete, she quickly said, “It’s done.”
“Stop the car.” Qiao Chu immediately retracted his gaze from his watch.
Bai Chen stepped on the brakes without hesitation.
With a screeching sound, the jeep suddenly stopped. Shang Jianyao and the others lunged forward from the momentum, but thankfully, they were held back by the seat belts. Many of the mutated mosquitoes covering the windshield and the windows on both sides were flung out.
As for Jiang Baimian—who did not have a seatbelt to secure her—she easily offset the inertia with the military exoskeleton.
As soon as the car stopped, Bai Chen immediately unbuckled her seat belt, changed gears, and pulled up the handbrake. She then crawled to the backseat from the armrest compartment.
Jiang Baimian stretched out her arms that were covered in black metal bones, picked Bai Chen up, and placed her on Long Yuehong’s side.
She then followed Bai Chen’s ‘path’ and quickly climbed into the driver’s seat.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
The swarm of mutated mosquitoes with dark-red heads slammed into the glass windows again, densely covering them.
Jiang Baimian—who had a powerpack behind her—couldn’t lean back. She could only lean forward and start the jeep. She buckled her seat belt as she steered the steering wheel with one hand.