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Chapter385
Out of sheer curiosity, Zhou You clicked on a news link. Moments later, he spat out a mouthful of water in shock, startling those asleep around him. They grabbed their weapons and rushed out, asking, "What happened? Mutant beasts?"
"No, no, I just choked on my water. Go back to sleep," Zhou You said with a chuckle, shutting off his phone screen. "I'll stay up tonight; you guys rest well."
"How can that be? I was supposed to take the night watch during the latter half," Long Gan objected.
Zhou You thought to himself, wondering about the swirling rumors about Shao Qi. What on earth was he thinking, letting such gossip spread? Did he not care about his reputation?
Everyone went back to sleep. Not far from Zhou You, Long Gan sat in meditation, his inner strength steadily advancing. By Zhou You's standards of martial art grading, Long Gan seemed on the brink of reaching the third level.
The grading system was Zhou You's personal classification for the martial artists around him, a secret he hadn't shared. He categorized inner strength into nine levels. Most of his acquaintances were stuck between the second and third levels. While aptitude played a part, he believed other factors hampered the pace of cultivation.
Zhou You moved a distance away, opening a live stream. The broadcast began with a close-up of Shao Qi's handsome face, looking unusually relaxed at home — a rare off-duty moment.
The interview was brief, merely ten minutes. But the live viewer count skyrocketed from single digits to millions. The chat was bombarded with messages and gifts, with the host, Shao Zhen, earning a fortune in virtual points.
Hearing the host's final question, Zhou You's cheeks flushed subtly. He thought, "Could the host be Shao Qi's sister? Who else would dare to ask such a direct question?" He then saw Shao Qi's conflicted expression as the screen faded to black, without an answer.
Zhou You's heart raced, a smirk forming on his lips. Was Shao Qi too shy to answer or just unwilling?
He missed Shao Qi deeply, wishing they could meet immediately. But given their current locations, even video calls were luxury due to connectivity issues.
Still, he dialed Shao Qi's number, hoping to hear his voice.
Unexpectedly, Shao Qi hung up. Was he too busy to pick up? It never crossed Zhou You's mind that Shao Qi would hang up upon seeing his incoming call, and by the time he redialed, Shao Qi was unavailable.
In the dead of night, rustling noises emanated from the grassland, growing louder and closer. Zhou You slammed his palm to the ground, waking everyone. As they emerged, Zhou You stood atop a rock, signaling them. Understanding his gesture, they climbed nearby trees, spotting luminescent blue dots moving in the grass.
"What are these? Mutated insects?"
"I'm not sure. What kind of bugs glow in the dark?"
"I'm only familiar with fireflies. And don't fireflies fly?"
Zhou You couldn't answer the question. He fired a steel needle at a blue light, feeling the sensation of a hidden weapon piercing through. Yet, he heard no sound. As he controlled the needle to fly back, he saw a dead black insect impaled on it, completely devoid of any glow.
Long Gan, standing behind him, observed it clearly. It was an insect roughly the size of a fist. Based on the size transformations of mutated creatures after the apocalypse, this insect must've been the size of a ping pong ball before the cataclysm. However, he couldn't discern its exact species.
Zhou You examined the carcass closely. It had six legs and wings, but the wings were tough, almost metallic. The resistance he felt earlier when shooting the insect indicated its strong defensive capabilities. It had antennas on its head and pincer-like appendages beneath its mouth. The segmented abdomen resembled that of a beetle.
Long Gan gestured the others to pack their tents and other belongings quickly into the vehicle. Zhou You instructed them to drive away first as he wanted to capture a few live specimens. He was intrigued by their bioluminescence.
The bugs rapidly swarmed towards Zhou You, covering the ground in an instant. Whether they were attracted by the human scent or just spread everywhere indiscriminately, some even climbed over rocks, making their way towards Zhou You.
They crawled at an incredible speed. Their wings fluttered, but it seemed they couldn’t fly. The glow emitted from their backs, probably due to some luminescent organ. Zhou You then understood the function of the pincers when he saw them swiftly snipping grass in the rock crevices before devouring it.
"Herbivores?" Zhou You wasn't entirely sure. He had seen them move through grass without depleting it. As one neared his foot, he stepped on it. Its tough shell pierced his shoe sole. Fortunately, everyone wore thick-soled shoes outdoors; otherwise, his foot might have been injured.
He tried to trap one in a bottle, but the moment he sealed the cap, he heard a crunching sound – the insect had cut through the plastic, freeing itself.
The tree he crouched under was soon surrounded and swiftly cut down by the bugs. As it fell, Zhou You jumped to an adjacent tree. As he fled, the glowing bugs pursued him, forming a river of blue light. Now Zhou You was certain they couldn't fly. But he wondered why they were so intent on chasing him. Was it because he had killed one of their kind?
Even if Zhou You had multiple arms and heads, he couldn't fend off such a vast number of bugs. He sprinted across the wilderness, with various mutated beasts converging from all sides. Initially, he thought they were attracted by the commotion, but to his surprise, they actively attacked the luminous insects.