IWOL Chapter 143: Transparent Insects

With Wang Que guiding the way, they got through the daunting journey without any mishap. She specifically chose the path with the least amount of bugs. For the insects that they did meet, the firepower they carried was enough to sustain them.

The glasses in many of the laboratories were completely shattered, creating a mess. The once exorbitantly expensive equipment sealed within these laboratories had become the home of numerous insects.

With the access card, there was no need to make detours along the way. On this floor, the insects were larger in size and more “independent.” They all stayed in their own territories, not interfering with one another. After encountering one, there won’t be another for a while.

They used the access card to open the door blocking their way. In front of them was a staircase leading downward to the experimental station. The fifth and sixth steps were flooded. The water was similar to the glowing green water they’d seen in the other stairwell. The only difference was that this pool of water had dark red, wool-like tufts floating on it.

“It seems that we have to go from here.” Dong Zheng compared it to the model in his kernel world and found that this was indeed the most convenient way to the main control room.

Wang Que said, “There are insects in it, but they seemed similar to those from the upper floors.”

Dong Zheng said, “Then, let’s go from here.”

After they confirmed once again that their protective suits were undamaged, Cui Zuojing stopped Dong Linhai, who had been leading the way, and said, “Okay, you can rest for a while. I’ll take the lead.”

Dong Linhai was pretty tired. He’d been using the flamethrower to open up the way and had no time to rest. When he heard that Cui Zuojing wanted to take the initiative to lead the team, he hurriedly gave him the flamethrower. Then, holding his beloved Sand Eagle, he went to stand beside Wang Que.

“Approximately how far should I go?” Cui Zuojing stepped into the water. Unknown organisms were growing on the steps, making them slippery. He had to be extra careful not to slip.

Dong Zheng said, “Walk another two hundred meters. Once we get down to the fourth floor, we’ll be in the main control room.

Cui Zuojing nodded. He pressed his hand against the dark wall all the way down to the lowest step. The water became deeper and deeper until it was up to his waist.

“Everyone, be careful.”

The water resistance on the protective suit they were all wearing should be more durable than that of their time. It was, after all, from the year 2472. They waded through the foul water and gradually approached the entrance to the fourth floor.

Small blow flies were buzzing around, which was very annoying. In Wang Que’s perception, there were only two insects in the entire pool of water. They were lurking in the corners and weren’t very responsive to her, indicating that they might be sleeping.

After passing through the quiet hallway, they had to cross a large laboratory the size of a football field. Based on the size alone, it was probably used for testing biochemical products.

Like the other laboratories, the glasses here were also all completely damaged. Even the door was forcibly opened by something, leaving a huge slit that was large enough for a few people to pass through all at once.

Despite having been used for such a long time, their headlights were still going pretty strong. Five beams of lights intertwined to illuminate the path ahead and its surroundings. However, they couldn’t illuminate what was under the green water.

The oxygen tank sounded an alarm, indicating that the supply of oxygen had been automatically switched to another bottle. Cui Zuojing still had two full oxygen tanks left, which should be sufficient.

“There’s an insect against the wall on the side, but it doesn’t seem to have any intention of attacking. Be careful and don’t disturb it.”

Lin Hangzhi glanced in the direction that Wang Que had indicated. From time to time, one or two bubbles would rise to the surface from below, indicating that there was something underneath.

The flooded floor was full of sticky and slippery things. Lin Hangzhi was very careful for fear that he might slip.

But, sometimes, the more people fear something, the more it will happen.

He was obviously walking very carefully. But, suddenly, he felt the floor under his feet go empty. His entire body tilted unsteadily to one side.

Please, don’t let me be unlucky this time!

Lin Hangzhi wailed in his heart. He hurriedly stretched out his hand to balance himself. A second before he really fell, he touched something and finally regained his balance.

But Lin Hangzhi didn’t feel lucky in his heart. He froze at once, his body going rigid.

Because the shape and feel of this thing…

How could it be so strange?

As he began to scream, the giant creature burst out of the water, two red antennas waving wildly, and causing the green water to splash chaotically.

“Ahhhh!”

The waves scattered everyone in all directions. Lin Hangzhi directly fell backward into the water. The turbid, green water made it difficult to see, but he could still vaguely see the creature’s body under the water.

It was like looking at an iceberg lurking under the sea, the size of which was beyond imagination.

He struggled to get back up. Wet from head to toes, he lunged into a corner to hide. By this time, the creature had already pulled its body up from underwater

This thing exceeded people’s perception of what an insect ought to look like. It had an extremely strong, armor-like exoskeleton tightly wrapped in lumps of flesh. Sixteen steel-like feet were evenly distributed along its abdominal segment, and its four filmy wings were covered in filth. In addition to the guillotine-like pincers on its mandible, there were several long tube-like things sticking out of its mouthpart. The tubes had barbs at the tip, which gave them have no doubts that they would be dead the moment it managed to suck them up into its mouth.

It had no vocal cords, but every movement of its limbs could upset the water surface. Its lobster-like tail swept over and directly slammed into Dong Linhai, who didn’t have enough time to dodge.

“Linhai!”

Dong Linhai hit the water. Fortunately, he wasn’t carrying the flamethrower or it would have been temporarily lost.

Wang Que suddenly realized that her ability could only control creatures with a low-level nervous system. The most representative of this type of nervous system was the numerous insects. As such, one could say that the ability was insect control. However, if the insect had evolved its consciousness sufficiently, it could withstand her Fungus Bell and disappear from her perception.

Because, this creature was no longer an ordinary insect.

Dong Zheng shot at it, but the bullet bounced off of its exoskeleton with a loud bang, leaving only a small depression, as if it had hit a steel plate.

He switched over to a laser clip, which managed to burn an inconspicuous hole into the exoskeleton. However, the insect didn’t seem to feel it at all. Its head, which had deformed after thousands of years, turned to face Wang Que, its eyes “staring” at her. Without warning, its antennae stabbed at her!

Go away! Don’t come near me!

Wang Que screamed and attempted to dodge. At the same time, she tried her best to call out in an attempt to control this terrifying giant.

But the creature was so powerful that Wang Que’s command had no affect at all. Then, a clear and distinctive voice suddenly appeared in her mind.

Come to me…Come here.

We are…the same kind. Come and be a part of me…

“Que’er, watch out!”

Wang Que didn’t hear Dong Zheng’s warning. She tripped on a door frame underwater and slipped backward. The turbid, green water splashed over her face shield, blocking her vision.

At this moment, she seemed to feel the fierce wind generated by the two antennae as they whipped toward her.

Help me!

Wang Que squeezed her eyes shut in despair, raising her arm to cover her face.

She expected pain, but what she heard were cries of surprise. Wang Que opened her eyes tentatively, and when she saw the sight in front of her, her pupils dilated.

Countless small, translucent insects covered the giant creature’s antennas, tearing into them. From the breathing holes on their backs were clusters of thin tentacles, which had grown long enough to help them securely attach to the antennae. More and more translucent insects came from the turbid green water and crawled up the giant creature’s legs and tail. Opening their mouths full of tiny teeth, they gnawed through the seemingly invulnerable exoskeleton.

Wang Que couldn’t see it, but everyone saw it clearly. These countless transparent insects seemed to have come from the void. In the blink of an eye, they had formed out of thin air, blocking the blow that was meant for Wang Que.

Wang Que stared in stunned surprise. She’d seen these insects countless times in her dreams.

In her dreams, she’d fallen from the roof of the school building and hit the ground, spilling blood. As her heart filled with despair, these creatures emerged from bubbles of blood, their cluster of tentacles waving. They silently gathered under her body and held her up, as if trying to take her away.

It turned out that…this was also part of her ability?

“Attack!” Dong Zheng shouted. This was an excellent opportunity. Bright, yellow lines appeared in his mind. Guided by these phantom lines of probability, he gripped the gun in both hands, held his breath, and aimed at the yellow target. He fired several shots in succession into the insect.

These shots directly hit the knot on one of the giant creature’s legs. The giant creature struggled desperately, as if it had gone crazy. The leg with countless transparent insects clinging to it oozed with liquid and white meat, and it soon broke off and fell into the water.

Cui Zuojing’s sword followed.

He stepped on the window sill and jumped up. Following the optimal route that Dong Zheng had provided him, his sword flashed. With a shout, he slashed at the root of the wings on the giant creature’s back.

Green juice splashed, and the huge wings slowly fell into the water.

Meanwhile, Lin Hangzhi was hiding in the corner and shooting nonstop at the creature’s belly, suppressing it with strong firepower. His ammunition clip soon emptied, and he had to lower his head to replace it. Suddenly, he felt something curl around his calf.

Lin Hangzhi: …..O.O?

No way!

Lin Hangzhi managed to let out a scream before he was dragged down underwater into an unknown depth.

Fortunately, he was wearing the protective suit, and everyone heard his scream through the communicator. Dong Linhai was nearest to him and so he immediately turned his head and tried to catch up. “Brother Hang!”

“Linhai!” Dong Zheng couldn’t stop him in time and could only watch Dong Linhai’s back disappear underwater. He gritted his teeth, choosing to believe that Dong Linhai and Lin Hangzhi would be able to handle things on their end.

Combined with Dong Zheng’s awareness of the giant creature’s weaknesses and Cui Zuojing’s years of combat experience, they were soon able to slowly gain the upper hand. The transparent insects burrowed into the wounds Cui Zuojing had created and quickly began to gorge on the giant creature’s flesh.

Wang Que staggered up from the water. Panting, she held tightly onto the doorframe and stared at the giant creature covered in countless transparent bugs. Like a general, she sent out an order to the thousands of soldiers under her command:

Kill it!

 


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Anonymous
Anonymous
3 years ago

Thank you for the chapters~

Poor Lin Hangzhi always ends up being the pig teammate unwillingly XD It's so satisfying to see their seamless teamwork~ For a moment I wondered how Allen was contributing, and then I remembered he was gone T.T The team won't be the same without him. Moving onto more cheerful things, it's good to see Wang Que learning more about her abilities. I wonder if those transparent insects are either a type of manifestation of her ability or instead mysterious beings that are attracted to her ability.

Nabong_uwu
Nabong_uwu
3 years ago

Wang Que is great!!! >w<

Dreamer
Dreamer
2 years ago

YAAAAAAS! Wang Que has unlocked more of her ability. Damn, now she has an army of fatal insects! And it turns out… In her dreams these insects were surrounding her like how a worker bee surrounds the queen. They were protecting her.

Also the part where they waded through the water-filled hall reminded me of the one scene in Chernobyl where volunteers were trying to fix a water leak with radiation (If I remembered that right)

Estee
Estee
2 years ago

I feel bad for Hangzhi but his expression was so cute O.O?

Dftbashleigh
Dftbashleigh
7 months ago

Nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope