Chapter 113: The Swarm's Sudden Onslaught

“Ah, you really called it!” Tanya now deeply admired Chu Ning’s far-reaching foresight. If they had also been blindly rushing about like everyone else, their fate would have been utterly disastrous. Their lives weren’t in immediate danger, thanks to Chu Ning’s safety net.

Suddenly, the situation ahead took an unexpected turn, exactly as Chu Ning had predicted. The most notorious trait of the swarm was its reproductive ability, enabling it to survive tenaciously in harsh environments.

Tanya saw a large batch of X-07 units inexplicably emerging ahead. These newly hatched X-07s were covered in a sticky green substance, as if just hatched, and were smaller than the usual X-07 units.

War is always most vulnerable to unforeseen variables. They were caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the swarm, especially witnessing new X-07s hatching from the corpses used as a delay tactic.

Their morale collapsed as expected; this meant their plan had utterly failed. Failure always demands a price, and Zhao Qing, who had proposed the idea, became the scapegoat for everyone’s frustration.

Yet Zhao Qing’s figure mysteriously vanished within the workshop; no corner revealed any sign of him. The only place neglected was inside an X-07’s abdomen—but surely no one would bother a dead body.

In truth, searching for Zhao Qing wasted little time. They were now preoccupied with fighting the swarm, striving to increase their chances of survival. If they were in a safe position and encountered Zhao Qing again, they would make sure he had no place to rest in death.

“Heh, what a coincidence!” Chu Ning muttered, watching helplessly as the X-07s emerged from the corpses. The scene felt eerily familiar. If he remembered correctly, it resembled an old game from years ago.

Tanya patted her chest nervously. She had not anticipated the swarm’s rapid reproduction. And indeed, her suspicion had been correct; she had been closely observing Zhao Qing’s every move.

Until, in an unnoticed moment, Zhao Qing’s figure suddenly disappeared. She knew then that things had gone terribly wrong. As for the possibility of Zhao Qing being devoured by the swarm, considering the reality, his resilience would allow him to withstand attacks for a while—there was no room for a mysterious disappearance.

“Damn it, let’s move quickly!” Chu Ning shouted urgently, like a commuter rushing to catch a bus, fearing a delay that would cost him money. He regretted dragging his feet; every second wasted reduced their chances of escape.

“Let’s fly away quickly!” Tanya said with a hint of anticipation. Since becoming a ghost, she hadn’t yet experienced the joy of flying. Most ghosts could only drift aimlessly, hardly managing even low-altitude flight.

Chu Ning swallowed hard, suddenly feeling unclean. What was going on? Now he was expected to carry others while flying? What had “he” been up to behind his back? Chu Ning glanced at her with a mix of resentment and complexity.

“This isn’t right, is it? I think our top priority should be survival!” Chu Ning hesitated but explained as he grabbed Tanya’s small hand, rushing toward the path they had previously cleared through the crowd.

Tanya looked at him curiously but didn’t resist his touch. She didn’t know how to fly yet anyway—it was her first time, after all.

“Come on, hurry up! We’ll run out of time otherwise!”

“Alright. I’ve scoped out the escape route. Even if sudden swarms appear, they won’t block our planned path!”

Chu Ning scanned ahead quickly and identified a feasible escape route. The battle’s shifting chaos left no time for a thorough search. Moreover, the threat behind them was closing in relentlessly; there was no time to dawdle.

Tanya followed Chu Ning blindly into the heart of the swarm. She found the swarm largely indifferent to her, as long as she didn’t provoke them.

With one less person to worry about, Chu Ning bore the full brunt of endless harassment. Every ounce of pressure pressed down on him, making his escape through the swarm a truly miserable ordeal.

“This is really too much!” Chu Ning sighed deeply, his eyes vacant as he gazed forward. Gritting his teeth, he plunged into the swarm. They were close to shaking off the pests, which filled him with excitement.

After all, this was the first time he had successfully executed a plan he devised. As a worthy successor, he considered his performance quite satisfactory.

Tanya remained silent on the matter of flying. Having discovered her unique abilities, she chose not to flaunt her power openly but instead cultivated it quietly and discreetly—a wise and commendable approach.