Nightfall came, and tonight was a night shrouded in thick clouds.
The sky was filled with dark, low-hanging clouds, pressing down heavily.
A rumbling sound echoed from the high skies, the thunderous roar of clouds colliding.
In the vast forest, a gigantic mosquito soared through the air.
Surrounding him were the same eerie and terrifying bushes and thickets.
But now, the forest at night seemed less frightening.
It wasn't the forest that had changed, but himself!
His unprecedentedly powerful physique had filled Jia Yan with an overwhelming sense of security!
The tiny and weak Chinese mosquito he used to be had now grown to the point where he could ignore most spider webs.
Well, that didn't sound too cool, did it?
Jia Yan couldn't explain it, but he felt much safer at night now. Many of the threats he used to fear during the night were no longer threats. From a mere 1.5-centimeter mosquito, he had grown into a seven-centimeter behemoth, surpassing many creatures that could have preyed on him!
"After the second mutation, my lifespan is now at least more than just one or two months. So, what can I do next?"
Jia Yan felt a bit lost. He had been searching for the Northeast Tiger's factory to once again obtain the mutagenic effects of the purple-red liquid, ultimately extending his lifespan and becoming even more powerful.
Now that this goal had been achieved, Jia Yan had fulfilled his original wish, gaining both longevity and a much stronger physique than before.
But with the completion of his goal, he suddenly felt a bit lost.
"What should I do next? It feels like nothing I do has any meaning." Jia Yan had always lived desperately. In blunt terms, the overwhelming pressure of survival had been the driving force behind his constant advancement and strengthening.
Now that the pressure of survival had suddenly diminished, Jia Yan didn't know what to do!
"Should I go back to the Northeast Tiger's factory? It seems very dangerous. Last time, I almost got killed by the Northeast Tiger and the man with glasses. Even though I've turned into a giant mosquito now, I'm more likely to be discovered by humans, and consequently, more likely to be killed by them."
Jia Yan was powerful now, but only in comparison to other animals. Against humans, he still wasn't that strong, and his enlarged body posed many more risks!
With a seven-centimeter size, he would easily be noticed flying into human society. His previous small size allowed him to roam freely in human society and even hitch rides on various modes of transportation.
But now, not to mention hitching rides, if he flew into a human city, he might be chased by a curious crowd as soon as he appeared.
After all, a seven-centimeter mosquito was much larger than many birds.
With wings spread and legs stretched, he covered the sky, almost twenty centimeters in wingspan.
Having gained longevity, Jia Yan seemed reluctant to take risks!
He used to fear the wolf in front and the tiger behind.
Having been afraid for so long, he was afraid of returning to that feeling.
Ever since his rebirth, the mosquito with a purpose had always had a goal. Initially, it was revenge, then finding the factory to extend his lifespan. Now, it seemed like he had lost his goal.
"Huh, why are there lights ahead?"
Through his compound eyes, Jia Yan noticed lights in the distance within the forest.
Curiously, he flapped his wings and flew towards the lights.
In the forest, three tents were pitched in a row.
In the largest tent, four students and teachers from Shanghu sat discussing their upcoming itinerary.
"This is the map of the nearby terrain. Have you all noticed that, according to the local elderly, this area was once a battlefield of a fierce battle decades ago? There are even some war remnants in the nearby forest."
Professor Lin took out a simple hand-drawn map, something common for someone who had spent years conducting field research.
"The appearance of these mutant insects is definitely not a coincidence. Since we've seen one giant mosquito, it's only a matter of time before we discover more. After all, the people here have witnessed not only the gigantism of various creatures but also other anomalies like centipedes and millipedes. If we add the giant mosquito we've seen, then the concentration of these animals in this area definitely has a reason."
"Professor Lin, so what do you think is the reason?" asked Professor Chen from the School of Media carefully.
Professor Lin took a deep breath and said, "It's just my personal speculation for now. After thinking about these things today, I feel there are signs of human intervention!"
"Human intervention?!"
The others were taken aback!
At the same time, outside the largest tent, a large mosquito flew over.
He glanced down to make sure there were no humans outside the tent.
The small camp had a total of five people.
Four of them were discussing something in the largest tent, while the other male was sleeping in his own tent.
Jia Yan flew over purely out of curiosity. Why would someone set up tents for overnight camping in such a remote forest? Were they just outdoor enthusiasts?
With no immediate danger, he quietly attached himself to the outside of the largest tent, using his six strong legs to grip the top, and listened stealthily to the conversation inside.
"It's definitely too early to say it's human intervention, but I've thought about it. From a biological perspective, it's unlikely for so many different species of animals to undergo natural gigantism in the same area. There's only one possibility, and that is someone meddling!"
"Professor Lin, why do you think that?" asked a student from the group in surprise.
"I'm almost sure this organization isn't an official entity. It's highly unlikely even to be a civilian research institution. Instead, it likely dates back to... that era of war decades ago!" Professor Lin concluded firmly!
His words not only shocked everyone in the tent but also startled Jia Yan, perched on the tent's peak. He almost lost his grip and fell off the tent!
Perhaps the people in the tent found Professor Lin's speculation absurd and bold.
But Jia Yan knew that the three buildings of the "factory" of the Northeast Tiger were originally old military buildings converted into research facilities, with traces of war still visible on them.
There were bullet holes on the walls!
Professor Lin continued, "You may find it hard to believe, but as I've mentioned before, this area was once the site of a major battle. We have reason to suspect that the previous war destroyed a secret research institute belonging to a certain country or faction in this forest, and it gradually faded from memory. Then, the items produced by that technology remained until now, only to emerge recently."
"It must be the Japanese! They even established a hospital to study biochemical viruses and conducted experiments on Chinese people. The biological mutations here must be their doing!" Unexpectedly, a young male student in the tent turned out to be quite radical and angry.
Professor Lin glanced at his student speechlessly. He was somewhat helpless. This student was always like this. Whenever there were Japanese people or Japanese students involved in academic exchanges, he always refused to participate.
"Whether it's the Japanese facility or not remains to be seen. I think if those facilities are really operating now, there must be someone behind it. Our first step is
to find that place. Whether it's a research institute left by the Japanese or not, the truth will come to light!" Professor Lin said.
"But... if there are signs of human intervention, won't we be in danger?" A young female voice sounded somewhat timidly from inside the tent.
The voice sounded familiar to Jia Yan. He paused for a moment.
However, there were countless voices in the world, and Jia Yan only had a vague feeling of familiarity. He was more drawn to the discussion inside!
"I don't know if there will be danger, but if you're worried, you can choose to leave. I'll continue searching on my own." Professor Lin's voice was firm.
"Or, we could notify the police or relevant authorities. It's not a good idea for us to wander around like headless flies." Professor Chen also sounded a bit nervous.
"That's possible, but we must find that place before anyone else does. Otherwise, if the other side catches wind of it, it'll scare off the prey!" Professor Lin agreed with the suggestion but insisted on finding the place first.
This Professor Lin seemed quite stubborn.
After eavesdropping for a while, Jia Yan flapped his wings and flew up from the tent's peak!
Because the meeting in the tent was almost over.
"I didn't expect to hear such news... a factory... what kind of existence is it? And could it be true, as Professor Lin said, that it's a research institution left over from decades ago, during that period of world war? And now, it's just been reopened by the Northeast Tiger?" Jia Yan soared in the night sky, his curiosity piqued.
He wanted to know the truth, but exploring the "factory" again would be extremely dangerous for him!
So, he was back to the old topic. If he wanted to live quietly, he shouldn't take any more risks.
And exploring the factory was definitely risky!
Just as Jia Yan was undecided,
"Squeak!――"
A familiar sound reached his auditory organs!
"What!?" Jia Yan was startled and quickly looked back!
Bats!!