Chapter 28 Bird-Headed Monster

Chapter 28: The Bird-Headed Monster

Did a crow bless your mouth or something?

A deluge of information flooded Chen Yi’s mind, clearly overwhelming his mental capacity. He had merely posed a question, yet it had unspooled into a cascade of further inquiries, multiplying like an endless noodle, leaving him feeling utterly swamped. He attempted to steer the conversation back to his most pressing concern: "So, does this mean we no longer need to worry about individual attacks from mutated insects or ants?"

Gu Ze, reaching the end of his patience, roared, "After all that, did you not hear a single word? I genuinely question how someone with your intelligence managed to get into our school."

Below, Oliver felt a pang of personal offense—he hadn't fully grasped it the first time either, only beginning to understand after reviewing it again today.

Bai Suizhi patiently elaborated, "It’s not that the risk is entirely gone, but smaller animals inherently have weaker survival capabilities. Post-mutation, to hunt more effectively, these creatures at the bottom of the food chain generally tend to congregate. They rarely appear alone, though it’s not an absolute impossibility."

Kahn added, "Moreover, their mutated forms are quite distinctive. You won’t have trouble identifying them."

Relieved, Chen Yi relaxed, then muttered under his breath, "See how patient some people are? Unlike certain others, who are always so agitated and loud."

"Certain others" retorted, "Care to repeat that?"

Oliver suddenly slapped his thigh, remembering something crucial: "Oh, I forgot to remind you guys—have you wrapped yourselves in protective tape?"

Chen Yi and Gu Ze: "?"

Prompted by Oliver, Kahn and Bai Suizhi also recalled, a faint pang of guilt stirring within them.

Oliver explained, "Look, Kahn, Bai, and I all have bandages wrapped around us. It’s to prevent any stray bugs from crawling in."

Kahn and Bai Suizhi, now exposed, said guiltily, "Sorry, we were so busy yesterday we completely forgot." They felt even worse saying it; last night, they had been so engrossed in their conversation that they had entirely neglected the two new members.

Chen Yi fumed, "Well, Oliver, here I was, scared out of my wits, and you secretly equipped yourself! No wonder you were so calm."

Oliver defended himself, "It wasn’t intentional! I’ve worn this for so long I’m used to it and completely forgot I even had it on. Besides, Kahn and Bai forgot too, didn’t they?"

Chen Yi’s logic was sharp: "They were in that corner having a long meeting yesterday, so they must have been busy with important matters. It’s understandable that they forgot. But you? You’ve been with us this whole time and never once reminded us. How utterly heartless!"

Bai Suizhi and Kahn, who had been "busy with important matters" in the corner: "…"

This is why personal image matters.

Oliver was so mortified he wished he could burrow into the ground, but due to his prone position, he could only lie there stiffly, like a frozen fish, enduring the moral condemnation.

Chen Yi and Gu Ze hadn't immediately asked for tape and protective wraps because they assumed there wouldn't be any left. But seeing Kahn pull out so many items from his backpack, they exclaimed in surprise, "Why did you bring so much? This is enough for a lot of people."

Kahn explained, "We anticipated possibly encountering other survivors along the way, so we brought extra, just in case. It also provides us with additional security."

Chen Yi gave a thumbs-up: "Noble of you, sir."

Then he cast a sidelong glance at Oliver, saying nothing and everything at once.

Oliver weakly grumbled in protest, "We're both equally at fault. I wonder who brought things that prioritize aesthetics and luxury over any practical use."

Chen Yi pretended not to hear and looked at Kahn with feigned wonder: "How did you wrap it? It’s completely invisible."

Kahn demonstrated hand-by-hand: "You stick one side of the tape to your skin and the other to your clothes. That way, it’s hidden."

Chen Yi: "Wow, no wonder we didn’t notice yesterday." As for the protective wraps, he had simply assumed they were for zombie defense, never realizing they were for bugs.

Oliver began to grumble under his breath again: "Now that’s what I call combining style and function."

Chen Yi and Gu Ze: "…" One silk bedsheet incident, and they’ll never hear the end of it.

After Gu Ze and Chen Yi finished wrapping themselves, Kahn and Bai Suizhi still offered a solemn apology; it truly had been their oversight.

Chen Yi joked, "Guys, with behavior like this, people will call you saints."

Gu Ze also found their apology perplexing; since when do rescuers apologize to the rescued?

Bai Suizhi and Kahn were indifferent to how they were perceived. They simply believed that helping others didn't absolve them of their own mistakes.

They adhered to their own principles, which might appear rigid, clumsy, or stubbornly unyielding to outsiders. Yet, these sharply defined convictions had long become an intrinsic part of them, forming the very essence of their unique characters.

…

Time passed quietly, and the "frozen" Oliver slowly thawed.

Ever-restless Chen Yi initiated a new topic: "Hey, how do you think animals transmit the virus? The official notice said the virus spreads through mutant saliva and human blood. Could it be the same for animals?"

The now-thawed Oliver chimed in, "Probably similar, right?"

Kahn suddenly realized the infection process bore a striking resemblance to the "marking" process in his world—the distinction being one injected toxins, the other pheromones.

Bai Suizhi had a sudden flash of insight: "If this hypothesis holds, wouldn't that imply a significant characteristic of animal mutation is the evolution of their mouthparts?"

Gu Ze immediately followed Bai Suizhi's train of thought: "Very likely. Use it or lose it."

Chen Yi and Oliver: "…Why does it have to be that? Couldn’t it be other body parts? As long as their attack power is high enough, they can achieve the same goal."

Bai Suizhi calmly analyzed, "This is merely a hypothesis, not necessarily a factual statement. However, all infected creatures lose their rationality and are driven solely by primal desires. And what is their primal desire?"

Kahn: "Hunger."

Gu Ze continued, "Exactly. Therefore, their mouths and teeth—the tools most intimately connected to this primal instinct—become their weapons for survival. Instinct compels them to prioritize evolution in this area."

Bai Suizhi: "Actually, upon closer thought, aren't the most obvious characteristics of zombies also these? Fangs and sharp claws. To some extent, they too regress to a primitive, wild animal state, relying purely on their own strength to hunt."

Kahn recalled, "The mutant ants we saw earlier also had noticeably altered mouthparts. And their increased size might also be somewhat related to this."

Chen Yi and Oliver were caught off guard by yet another wave of new knowledge.

After pondering for a long time, Chen Yi asked, "Hey, do you have any photos of the mutant ants?" The abstract descriptions made it impossible for him to visualize what the infected ants looked like; he desperately needed images to aid his understanding.

Kahn: "No, we lost our phones. And we couldn't have taken pictures in that situation anyway."

The answer was expected, but Chen Yi felt a slight twinge of disappointment.

Oliver casually remarked, "It’d be great to see them in person. We could observe them up close, study them, and even practice on them to improve my combat skills."

Chen Yi: "That’s a bold idea." He had only been thinking about seeing pictures.

Oliver: "Didn’t they say they’re weaker than zombies? If I survived zombie hordes, a few little ants—"

Bai Suizhi warned, "Don’t let your guard down."

Oliver laughed nervously, "I was just talking. If I really ran into them, I’d be running for my life."

The moment he spoke, the helicopter suddenly lurched violently.

Kahn immediately looked up at Bai Suizhi: "What happened?"

Bai Suizhi’s brows furrowed: "Something's hitting the aircraft." Normally, if a helicopter or plane hits something mid-air, it’s not a major issue as long as no core components are damaged. And the only things likely to be encountered in the air are passing birds—compared to the massive steel machine, it’s like an egg hitting a rock.

However, the object striking the aircraft was not only not dislodged by the helicopter but maintained a high-frequency impact with extremely strong force.

Suddenly, a scream erupted from the back row. Bai Suizhi, while stabilizing the helicopter, asked them, "What happened?"

Chen Yi shrieked in terror, "There's a bird-headed monster outside the window, ahhh!"

Gu Ze quickly reacted, "You idiot, it's a mutated bird."

Everyone turned to look at Oliver in unison: "Did a crow bless your mouth or something?"

Oliver was on the verge of tears: "I was just saying it casually! I didn’t expect them to be so 'accommodating.' I swear I’ll never speak carelessly again, boo hoo."

A flock of snow-white birds with red eyes, of an unidentifiable breed, were seen clinging to the helicopter's windows, frantically flapping their wings. Their beaks and claws pounded the glass with chaotic yet powerful strikes.

Another violent jolt shook the helicopter. Oliver, sprawled out, panicked and shouted, "Someone grab me! I'm gonna fall!"

Half of Oliver's body was wedged into the gap between the back seat and the front seatback, squeezed so tightly that it felt as if his internal organs were being rearranged. Without any support, he couldn't lift himself up.

Kahn quickly grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up, while Chen Yi reached out an arm to secure his dangling waist. Gu Ze, like a dead weight, firmly anchored his legs in place.

Oliver was immediately enveloped in a sense of security, though it was so tight he could barely breathe. "You don’t have to hold on so tightly—I can’t breathe!"

Hearing this, the three instinctively loosened their grip. Oliver cried out, "Stop, stop! Just ease up a little."

Chen Yi snapped impatiently, "Stop complaining. Just like this. Use your core strength, find something to hold onto. If you fall later, we’re not responsible."

Oliver didn’t dare say another word, especially since he was on thin ice—the more he said, the deeper he'd dig his grave.

As if displeased by their neglect, the birds outside suddenly let out sharp, piercing cries. They clung to the aircraft like glue, relentlessly pursuing them no matter how fast Bai Suizhi flew or how many crazy maneuvers he attempted. Their attacks seemed to be getting even more fierce.