From the moment they entered No Man's Land, the yellow sand began its relentless assault, swirling through the air. During the daytime, they could at least make out their surroundings, though everything appeared shrouded in a hazy, grayish veil.
This time, Chu Ling sat in the passenger seat, leaving the driving to Qian Li. Unlike the high-tech vehicles in the back, which could shield against sandstorms, their own vehicle required them to wear scarves over their faces for protection. Chu Ling had traveled this route several times and knew they needed to find a safe place to camp before nightfall.
She kept her eyes on the surroundings but saw nothing. "It's so quiet," she muttered. The desert seemed devoid of life, eerily calm. "In novels, isn't this the part where something exciting happens during the calm before the storm?" she quipped sarcastically.
As if on cue, Ah Hu shouted from behind, "Boss! Something's coming from the left rear—looks like a sandstorm heading our way!"
"The left rear?"
Chu Ling turned in that direction and saw a steep slope several hundred meters away. A massive cloud of dust rose from the slope, cascading down like an avalanche and surging toward their convoy.
Chu Ling squinted, her sharp eyes catching the movement within the dust. "Wait… that's not a sandstorm—it's Crawlers! A whole pack of Crawlers!"
Crawlers were classified as Class C mutated beasts. Their appearance varied by region, but they all moved on four limbs, resembling wild beasts, which earned them their name.
The mass of Crawlers charging toward them numbered in the hundreds at least. These desert Crawlers had vaguely humanlike heads, but their bodies resembled monstrous lizards covered in black, scaly armor. Their sharp claws could pierce through iron plates, and their massive bodies ranged from three to five meters long, with some reaching as much as ten meters.
A long, segmented tail trailed behind them, sharp like a blade. Their humanoid heads bared razor-sharp teeth, and atop their skulls was a large, yellow crystal embedded in their foreheads. The crystal was transparent, with a liquid-like substance flowing within. Their eyes were pure white, devoid of life.
The crystals on their foreheads resembled the ones Chu Ling used. Crystals like these were commonly found in mutated creatures ranked Class C or higher. Perhaps it was a case of shared origins between humans and monsters. The Empire had yet to uncover the true nature of these crystals. This exploration, led by the Gu family, aimed to determine if new types of crystals could be used as a source of energy.
The pack of Crawlers hurtled toward the convoy with incredible speed, kicking up a sandstorm as they ran. Chu Ling quickly used her communicator to warn the vehicles behind her about the incoming attack.
Gu Jingbo, riding in one of the armored vehicles in the middle of the convoy, had also spotted the swarm. Shocked by the sheer number of Crawlers, he immediately ordered four machine-gun vehicles to move to his sides, providing a protective barrier for his car. He gave no thought to the vehicles in the rear, which were loaded with research equipment. His own car went into defense mode, covering itself with a layer of iron armor.
Chu Ling glanced at Ah Hu and Ah Yi, noticing they were already armed with the Annihilator Type 1. This weapon was the Empire's earliest model of specialized firearms, designed to handle Class D creatures with ease. It boasted rapid fire but lacked high penetration power. The Type 1 was widely used because of its low cost, though newer weapons had been developed to deal with more dangerous monsters.
The Crawlers ran faster than the convoy could drive. Since the convoy couldn't abandon the research trucks, they were bound to be caught. Ah Hu and the others quickly leaned out of the windows and began firing at the approaching monsters.
The bullets from the Type 1 emitted blue streaks of light, zipping toward the Crawlers. But when the bullets struck their armored bodies, they did little more than scratch the surface. The Crawlers' scales were too tough for the Type 1 to penetrate.
Realizing this, Chu Ling immediately issued a new order: "Aim for their eyes—that's their weak spot!"
She then instructed Qian Li to abandon straight-line driving and switch to a zigzag pattern. The Crawlers had already closed the distance, but Qian Li didn't question her orders and quickly adjusted their route.
Gu Jingbo, following behind Chu Ling, noticed her vehicle weaving erratically and sneered. "What an idiot,"
"Straight line driving is faster. She's going to get herself killed—and drag us down with her!"
He barked orders to his machine-gun vehicles, commanding them to target the Crawlers on either side of his car.
The Crawlers grew bolder, their tails lashing out like whips toward Chu Ling's car. But thanks to her zigzagging, they couldn't land a direct hit, the strikes missing their mark as Chu Ling's car narrowly dodged.
Meanwhile, the Crawlers redirected their focus toward Gu Jingbo's car. Three or four Crawlers leaped onto his vehicle, their sharp tails piercing the iron armor. With a flick of their tails, they pulled themselves up and began clawing at the car, their attacks creating loud, grating sounds that terrified the passengers inside.
Bang! Bang! The Crawlers relentlessly assaulted the vehicle.
"Mr. Gu! Our car's under attack by Crawlers! What do we do?!" came a panicked voice over the communicator.
Gu Jingbo was frozen in fear. It was his first time witnessing such a horrifying sight, and the terror of being devoured by these creatures overwhelmed him. He couldn't think straight.
The convoy was now surrounded, leaving Chu Ling little room to maneuver. She wanted to help, but the vehicles were too tightly packed to move freely.
Gu Jingbo remained silent, his expression dark as he stared ahead.
"Mr. Gu, our machine guns can't kill them! Please give us instructions!" one of the drivers begged.
In the silence, Gu Xiyan stepped forward. Holding up a tablet, she showed it to Shi Tuoyi, the communication officer.
[Follow the instructions on the tablet. Relay the commands to all vehicles immediately]
Shi Tuoyi hesitated, staring at the frail-looking woman. Yet her calm and composed demeanor radiated an unexpected strength, steadying everyone's nerves. Glancing at Gu Jingbo, who still hadn't spoken, Shi Tuoyi gritted his teeth and followed Gu Xiyan's instructions.
"All vehicles, listen up! Scatter immediately. Drive in a zigzag pattern. Combat vehicles, switch to Godslayer Mode. The Crawlers cannot penetrate our armor for now—stay calm and follow the orders."
Gu Jingbo snapped out of his daze, realizing that Gu Xiyan was taking charge. "What do you think you're doing?!"
Gu Xiyan ignored him, continuing to instruct Shi Tuoyi.
Shi Tuoyi nervously glanced at Gu Jingbo but still relayed her orders. "Combat vehicles, provide cover for Chu Ling's car. Ensure the Crawlers don't get close to them. This is—" He hesitated, then forced the words out, "This is an order from Miss Gu Xiyan. Execute immediately!"
Gu Jingbo stared at Gu Xiyan in disbelief. The timid, obedient woman he thought he knew seemed like a completely different person.
"Have you lost your mind?!"
[I choose to trust Chu Ling]
As the vehicles scattered and switched to Godslayer Mode, their bullets—highly penetrating rounds meant for sniping—began to pierce the Crawlers' tough scales. Though they fired slower, the damage was significant. Crawlers started dropping one by one, but the horde continued to pursue them relentlessly.
With the vehicles spread out, Chu Ling finally had room to act. She tossed several red crystals into the densest part of the horde and quickly fired at them.
The resulting explosions consumed a large number of Crawlers. Thankfully, the convoy was spaced out enough to avoid being caught in the blast.
Even so, more Crawlers kept coming. Chu Ling scanned the horde, searching for their leader. Finally, on a distant hill a kilometer away, she spotted a massive black figure. The leader, she realized, was commanding the horde from afar using the crystals embedded in their foreheads to communicate.
Chu Ling knew her current weapon couldn't reach that far. She ducked back into the car, and Ah Mo handed her a sniper rifle: the Godslayer Type 1, designed for long-range combat.
The rifle's scope wasn't powerful enough to clearly see a target a kilometer away. But Chu Ling didn't need it—her sharp eyes served as her scope.
Propping the rifle on the roof of the car, Chu Ling took aim at the distant leader. Sensing her intent, the Crawlers charged at her car, desperate to stop her. Ah Hu and the others held them off as best they could, with support fire from the other vehicles.
With a steady hand, Chu Ling pulled the trigger. The bullet flew true, striking the leader in its eye. The horde immediately fell into chaos, scattering in disarray.
The convoy then drove safely into a nearby canyon.
"We did it, Boss! You nailed it!"
Chu Ling, however, wasn't entirely relieved. She had seen clearly that the shot, while it injured the leader, hadn't killed it. It had merely fallen. A sense of unease crept over her—it wasn't over yet.
"Let's keep moving!"