Two cockroaches crept toward the backpack Noah had set down, their sharp, spiny legs probing the vacuum-sealed meat inside before passing it to the largest one of the group.
It wasn't until that moment that they noticed the leader of the cockroaches. It stood nearly two meters tall, with a fearsome appearance as if it had stepped out of the worst nightmare. Its shell was glossy and thick, resembling a suit of armor forged to withstand any attack. Its six legs were covered in sharp spines, each step sending a chill down their spines.
Its two long antennae stood straight, sharp as swords. Just imagining them piercing through their bodies was enough to make their blood run cold such a death would be agonizing, grotesque, and unimaginable.
Both of them took a small step back, unable to tear their eyes away from the monstrous creature. The cockroach leader, still chewing on the meat, suddenly raised its head. It let out a shrill, metallic screech, like metal scraping together, a sound that signaled the true nightmare was about to begin.
"Don't move!" Kai whispered. "Don't back up anymore. What it wants to eat is us."
Noah's legs felt weak, and his voice trembled: "How do you know?"
After asking the question, Noah immediately realized how pointless it was. The cockroach wasn't looking at the meat, it was staring at them, its hungry gaze focused directly on them.
"It's simple. We're the fresh meat."
"Are these damn cockroaches evolving intelligence now?"
"How do we get out of here?"
"If we can kill the leader, we'll be able to escape this nightmare." Noah suggested.
"When I say run, you run fast. Don't worry about me."
"No! I won't leave you behind."
"Don't worry."
Noah took a deep breath, forcing himself to steady his shaking legs. He crouched low, preparing for what might be their only chance.
Suddenly, Kai shouted, "Run!" He fired a shot at the cockroach leader, hitting one of its antennae and causing it to screech in pain.
Noah turned and bolted out of the house. The leader, enraged, screeched louder. Seizing the opportunity, Kai turned to follow, but swarms of cockroaches were already charging toward them, their six legs moving faster than ever.
The stench of the cockroaches filled the air, and they seemed to go mad, attacking the one who had injured their leader.
Kai gripped the pistol tightly, the cold metal in his hand mirroring the steel resolve in his heart. There was only one bullet left, but without hesitation, he aimed directly at the head of the largest cockroach and fired.
The shot echoed loudly, and the bullet lodged into the tough shell of the creature's head. But instead of collapsing, the cockroach emitted a high-pitched screech, one that made Kai shudder. The sound seemed to be a command, as immediately, the cockroaches surrounding them shifted and formed a circle, closing into trap Kai.
Not missing the opportunity, the lead cockroach charged straight ahead, its sharp antennae extended like a sword, ready to pierce Kai. It moved so quickly that the ground seemed to tremble with each step. Kai gritted his teeth, his hand trembling, but his gaze remained determined, not backing down despite death looming before him.
Kai didn't hesitate, leaping into the air to avoid the cockroach's strike, still gripping the dagger tightly, aiming straight for the creature's head. The dagger embedded into its armor, but only caused it to emit a shrill, painful growl.
Immediately, the lead cockroach used its spiny legs to swipe violently at Kai. He was still in the air, unable to dodge, only able to raise his arms to block the strike. The pain immediately surged through him as the blow landed on his body. He was instantly thrown against the wall.
Noah heard the noise and, without thinking, quickly turned around. He saw Kai spitting out a mouthful of blood. Noah couldn't hold back, shouting, trying to draw the lead cockroach's attention, hoping it would turn away from Kai.
"Come here, you damn cockroaches!" Noah shouted, each word coming out from his throat full of anger. Even if he were to die here, he wanted to die heroically, not living his life in cowardice. If he ran away now, he would never forgive himself for the rest of his life. Besides, if Kai died, he wouldn't survive either.
The world now was no longer the world humanity once ruled.
Noah pulled out his gun, his palm sweaty, trying to aim at the lead cockroach. His hands wouldn't stop shaking, and every breath became harder. He looked at the huge cockroach, his heart pounding strangely.
Kai, trying to press his hand tightly against the bleeding wound, gritted his teeth and shouted: "Shoot!"
Noah just stood there, eyes wide open, unable to do anything except stare at the approaching cockroach. Kai saw Noah's expression, the helplessness clear in his eyes. This was the first time he had held a gun, and in this life-or-death situation, it seemed all the instructions on how to use the gun had completely vanished. Noah had forgotten everything, even the safety latch that was still on.
When the cockroach raised its giant, spiny leg, preparing to strike a deadly blow, Noah could only scream in his heart, seeing Kai lying motionless, blood still flowing. Finally, he focused all his strength, removed the safety, aimed straight at the cockroach's head, and pulled the trigger.
The bullet flew out, piercing the cockroach's head. It looked up at Noah with a hateful glare and let out a terrifying scream. But the cockroach didn't fall, staggering before charging toward Kai.
Kai, though in pain, still tried to hold his body up, sweat and blood mixed: "Why hasn't it died after two bullets to the head?" Kai's voice was full of anger, but his strength was almost gone.
Noah looked at the smaller cockroaches they had killed and suddenly remembered something:
"I forgot one thing... Cockroaches can still live even without their heads."
As soon as he spoke, the headless cockroach corpses on the ground began to move, standing up in an eerie manner. This was a bad omen for the fate of both.
The lead cockroach charged again, lightning fast, now only a step away.
"We can't beat them..." Noah gave up, his voice filled with despair.
At the moment when it seemed destiny had been sealed, something strange happened.
Kai's senses suddenly became sharp. The sounds, movements, and even the breath of the enemy seemed to appear clearly in his mind. Kai not only heard but also "saw" each movement of the cockroach before it struck.
He leaned to the side, dodging the deadly thrust from the sharp antenna. The cockroach lost its balance, crashing into the wall, its antenna getting stuck. Not missing the opportunity, Kai leaped up, yanked the dagger still lodged in its body, and repeatedly stabbed deep into its head. Each stab sent a shockwave, causing the cockroach to writhe in agony.