But why during the day?
A chill ran down Chu Guang's spine.
With no time to ponder, he sharply raised his gun, barking out a command as he pulled the trigger.
"Scatter!"
Bang—
The muzzle flashed, but the distance was too great. The bullet missed its mark, leaving a deep hole in the wall behind the Creeper.
Enraged by the flying debris and shrapnel, the Creeper snapped the leg bone it held in its bloodied jaws, unleashing a terrifying roar.
"Aaagh!"
The players froze in fear, standing beside the cart as if glued to the spot.
Damn!
This is way more intense than any encounter with the marauders!
"How many times do I have to say it?! Move away from the cart!" Chu Guang shouted, swiftly working the bolt on his rifle to fire another series of shots.
The days of hunting had honed his skills, and though he wasn't yet a sharpshooter, at least he could reload smoothly.
The Creeper's four limbs moved with dizzying speed, and in a flash, it disappeared into a nearby window.
Finally, two players snapped out of their trance, hurriedly raising their guns, tense and unsure.
"Sir, we aren't going anywhere!"
"Y-Yeah! We vow to protect—"
"Get away from the provisions, damn it!"
Seeing the two fools babbling their lines, Chu Guang resisted the urge to kick them. Now was certainly not the time.
He could feel the danger closing in.
The Creeper was unlike the Gnawers.
Though both were products of the fungal mutations, the latter were mindless, instinct-driven zombies, repelled by sunlight and less threatening than mutant hyenas.
But the Creeper—this was different, disturbingly similar to a living creature. It hunted with cunning, not just instinct.
It could strategize, even pursue targets that slipped from view. Sunlight bothered it, but couldn't keep it away.
Who was the idiot who stirred this thing up?
A cold sweat beaded on Chu Guang's forehead. His eyes darted across the nearby concrete buildings, every nerve taut.
Left?
Or right—
A shadow flickered at the corner of his eye, and Chu Guang instinctively turned, pointing his rifle toward the second floor of a shop to his right.
Almost simultaneously, the horrid figure of the Creeper lunged toward him, arms outstretched.
Bang—
His trigger finger acted on its own.
In a split second, a bullet tore into the creature's shoulder, spraying dark blood.
The Creeper howled in pain, tumbling to the ground.
The two players finally reacted, raising their crude 5mm iron-barrel rifles and firing. But with no rifling and no training, their shots went wide.
The Creeper barely faltered, the shoulder wound only igniting its fury. It adjusted, then charged toward its most dangerous threat.
Death was closing in.
Having just reloaded, Chu Guang instinctively dropped his iron-barrel rifle, grabbing a steel pipe he'd been carrying as a makeshift spear, holding it up to block the snapping jaws.
The pipe groaned under the pressure. Chu Guang clenched his teeth, every muscle taut with strain.
Though he possessed strength above the average, it paled before this creature.
Despite his full force, he felt his feet slipping, the monstrous creature pushing him back until he slammed into a stalled bus.
Boom—
The rusty vehicle buckled under the impact. For a moment, Chu Guang's back went numb.
But the proximity of death ignited his survival instincts.
"Damn!"
His bloodshot eyes glared at the advancing fangs, and he felt a surge of power rise within him, forcing the creature back, if only slightly.
Perhaps sensing danger, the Creeper reared back, intending to grab his shoulders and rip him apart.
In that split second, two more shots rang out. One hit the bus, but the other lodged in the creature's scapula.
"Aaaagh!"
The Creeper howled, loosening its grip on the pipe as its head jerked back, losing its balance and control over its prey.
"Die, damn you!"
Dropping his gun, Fang Chang seized the abandoned 9mm rifle Chu Guang had discarded and charged.
Terrible aim? Then shoot point-blank!
Bang—
The muzzle flashed, and dark blood spattered across the Creeper's back.
The shot wasn't lethal, but it was enough.
Seizing the moment, Chu Guang raised his bent steel pipe and drove the sharpened end into the creature's neck.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then, with all his strength, he twisted.
Black blood erupted, gushing like an open faucet, drenching Chu Guang.
The Creeper emitted a strangled cry, limbs flailing, before collapsing in a twisted heap, twitching briefly, then lying still.
Chu Guang leaned against the bus, wiping his blood-smeared face, spitting a glob of saliva to the ground.
"Thanks."
The two players looked on, stunned by the strength of their leader.
What power!
If they had faced the Creeper, they'd be dead before a single counter.
"It was nothing… I'll help you up," Fang Chang finally said.
Seeing that the battle seemed over, he approached, only for Chu Guang to wave him off.
"No need… just let me catch my breath…"
Panting, Chu Guang glanced down at his own throbbing arms, as if he could feel the pulse beneath his muscles.
Was that his genetic potential?
Pushing himself to the limit, he'd felt a tremendous force well up, pitting him equally against the Creeper.
It was hard to describe that feeling.
Clenching and unclenching his aching fists, Chu Guang resolved to do a check-up later.
He wanted to understand what had just happened to his body.
At that moment, Night Ten approached, rifle in hand.
"Sir, perhaps we should take cover in a nearby shop? The street's too exposed; I'm worried about danger."
"True, those gunshots would have drawn attention." Fang Chang nodded in agreement.
Truthfully, Chu Guang figured anyone hearing the Creeper's howls would steer clear, not even daring to look this way.
Still, his muscles ached as though failing, and he needed rest.
"Alright… Fang Chang, help me to the restaurant across the street. Night Ten, drag our cart to the entrance."
Night Ten nodded with enthusiasm.
"Sure! Should we recover the Creeper's body?"
Chu Guang shook his head.
"No. Its flesh is inedible."