Alice took out a flashlight and shone it around. Not far away, three rats, each as big as a cat, were biting wildly everywhere.
A person was entangled by them, and he screamed in terror, "Help, save me!"
Everyone was focused on escaping, ignoring him. Fortunately, the vigilant security guard arrived in time and quickly shot at them.
The first shot missed, and it angered the three rats, causing them to pounce on and bite the man's face.
The man screamed in agony, unable to shake them off no matter how hard he tried.
The guard hesitated whether to shoot; if he did, the man wouldn't survive.
Seeing the man about to be bitten to death, the guard finally pulled the trigger. The bullet passed through the giant rat and hit the man.
With the three giant rats eliminated, everyone sighed in relief but felt an overwhelming fear.These rats were obviously mutated, not only capable of killing but also devouring human flesh.
The man entangled by the rats was already disfigured from the bites, horrifyingly so.Witnessing this scene, everyone felt a chill, and those with weaker stomachs vomited.
Alice frowned and quickly walked back home.
Before long, news of mutated animals appearing in the base spread throughout every corner. The base's loudspeaker instructed everyone to lock doors and windows, keeping weapons close at hand.
No one knew how many giant rats there were. Like this time, they appeared suddenly, and not only were they unafraid of humans, but also extremely vicious.
Alice returned home and reinforced every possible entry point. Blanche, who hadn't seen how big the rats were, asked curiously, "Are those rats really as big as cats? Are they fast, and do they attack people on their own?""Those rats eating human flesh, what do you think?" Alice smiled and suddenly thought of something. "Now that mutated rats have appeared, will there be other things in the future, like cockroaches, ants, and so on."
At the thought of those enlarged animals, Blanche's scalp instantly tingled, and she prayed that they wouldn't appear.
This was also the sentiment shared by many, as the appearance of mutated rats made living in tents unsafe. Fortunately, they had earned some work points during this time, and everyone crowded into the dormitories. Previously, some had complained about the strong odor in the dorms, but now, as long as it meant survival, no one cared about such things.
Just when people were on edge, uniting and preparing for combat, the giant rats surprisingly did not appear.
Another week passed, and there were still no signs of mutated animals. This caused many to relax their guard.
"Where are all those mutated rats and animals? I think you've all been scared out of your wits."
"Yeah, if they were real, they would have appeared by now. The crisis has passed, just go about your business."
"The base is making a fuss over nothing. The guards have guns, right? If giant rats appear, just shoot them."
"I heard it's because there are too few bullets. They can't be used lightly unless it's absolutely necessary. Next time giant rats appear, we'll have to use mousetraps."
"Be careful when walking. There are many mousetraps installed, especially in corners. If you get caught, your leg will be useless."
"Can you eat giant rats? They're so fat, catching one could provide several meals."
"Bro, you go try it next time. If it's edible, you'll be the hero of the entire base."
"I think it's not a big problem. I've eaten roasted rat before, and it tastes pretty good."
"..."
Regardless of the banter within the base, everyone was still urged to remain vigilant every day and not underestimate the giant rats.
One night, Alice slept in a daze when she suddenly heard squeaking noises outside.She suddenly opened her eyes and looked up, feeling a tingling sensation on her scalp. She saw five giant rats crawling on the tightly closed window.They were gnawing on the glass window, but as Alice shone her flashlight towards them, the rats scurried away.
As she opened the room door to step out, she saw her parents and two brothers were already awake.
"I heard the sound of rats," they all said in unison.Just as they spoke, the sound of rats climbing on the door came from outside, making quite a commotion.Luckily, the door was made of iron, which blocked the rats.
In the middle of the night, the entire base erupted into chaos. Sounds of things being smashed and furious curses echoed everywhere. Occasionally, screams could be heard, not just from far away, even in their own building, the commotion was considerable.
The Allen family sat in the living room. As long as they didn't open the door or windows, the rats couldn't get in.
The entire base remained restless throughout the night until just before dawn when the rats finally disappeared.
No one knew where the rats came from. Alice waited until the rats were gone before opening the door. The iron door was covered in bite marks, some areas were thin and if the rats had bitten for a few more nights, the iron door wouldn't hold.
The iron door installed at the staircase had similar 'battle scars,' but fortunately, it was thick and sturdy enough, showing only marks without any actual damage.
Alice frowned; this situation couldn't continue.She took out an electric fence from her inventory and explained, "These rats can get in anywhere. I'm afraid they'll eventually bite through the windows and iron doors. Let's install electric fences on them for added security."It was the solution that had just occurred to her.
The Allen family agreed that it was a good idea, and each took electric fences from Alice, starting to work on installing them on the windows and the outer iron doors of each room.Alice tried to energize the electric fence, and immediately, the current flowed through. She nodded in satisfaction.
During the day, when there were no rats, they would turn off the electric current and switch it back on at night before sleeping. With these electric fences, they were no longer afraid of a rat invasion.
Thinking of Hurley, Alice wondered how he was doing.She decided to pay him a visit and found that Hurley had just returned from outside. Alice noticed some dark circles under his eyes, likely from being kept awake by the rats the previous night.
Seeing her approach, Hurley's handsome face lit up with a smile. In a magnetic tone, he asked, "Why are you here? Did rats invade your house last night?"
Alice shook her head, "No,
Hurley suggested, "I have glue and lubricant here. You can apply them on your doors and windows; it might provide some protection. If you need them, I can get them for you."
"No need," Alice lifted the bag in her hand, "I brought some electric fences. You can install them on your doors and windows. But in your big mansion, I doubt the electric fences will be enough."
That's the downside of living in a mansion. With three floors, a dozen windows and doors, electric fences wouldn't cover everything.
Hurley seemed to understand her thoughts, smirking, "I'll just seal off the other doors and windows."
Seeing that he had it under control, Alice felt more at ease and was about to leave.
Hurley's expression turned serious, "Last night, the base's food storage was attacked by rats."
Alice's heart tightened, "Did the rats eat all the food?"
"Not all of it, just about a third."Still a significant amount.Hurley'said
Feeling a pang of heartache, Alice asked, "Where is the base storing the food now?"
"They reinforced the warehouse."Hurley'said
"No, it's better to relocate the food," Alice suggested.