"Whether the mysterious creatures are yet to be confirmed," Yang Qi said. "Only after discovering the meme of the Deceit Virus in the bodies of these wolves can we confirm it has transformed into a new type of mysterious creature."
"You academics are all crazy, aren't you?! Why be so meticulous at a time like this?!" 0401 tried desperately to lean back, "Is there any way to shake this thing off?!"
"I've already floored the gas pedal!" Yang Qi said rapidly. "If I want to shake off this wolf, I might have to roll the car over!"
"Let me do it." Wang Xiyi said succinctly. The next second, she'd already rolled down the rear window, and like a nimble eel, she instantly squeezed out to the side of the car.
All they saw was her taut, muscular long leg kicking out, hitting the wolf precisely on the jaw!
Sun Hang couldn't judge the power of that kick, but in any case, the wolf that Yang Qi couldn't shake off flew nearly ten meters high, spun in the air about two and a half times, and then crashed heavily to the ground.
"Whoa, that's badass!" 0401 stared in awe at Wang Xiyi who had returned to the car interior, "Is this the combat power of a Mysterious Creature Hunter?!"
Sun Hang estimated in his mind that it was fortunate 0401 hadn't seen Wang Xiyi in her beast transformation, or he'd probably be too scared to sit in the same row with this 'human-shaped disaster.'
In terms of sheer destructive power, Wang Xiyi in her beast transformation is probably already stronger than most known mysterious creatures.
"Those wolves are still chasing us. Should we call for support?" Sun Hang glanced at the rear-view mirror, only to see those red-eyed wolves still hot on their trail... Their mutated bodies expanding, and running faster and faster.
Yang Qi didn't have time to respond when the mutant wolves suddenly stopped, squatted, and watched the SUV gradually drive away — as if an invisible barrier had blocked them.
"What's going on? Why aren't they chasing us?" 0401 asked in confusion.
"Because we've already driven out of that abnormal area from sixty-five years ago," Sun Hang looked up and saw the bright moonlight streaming through the sunroof, illuminating the interior of the car.
In the distance, above the gorge, modern elevated roads had large trucks occasionally passing with headlights on, the sound of tires rubbing against the asphalt could still be heard clearly, even several kilometers away.
"We've made it out?" 0401 clutched the seatback and looked back, "Is the blood moon gone?"
"The blood moon hasn't disappeared, you can only see it in the abnormal area," Yang Qi tapped a few times on the car's control panel, "Okay, the boundary point coordinates information has been sent back... 'Night Slayer,' how are you feeling now?"
"I feel much better after coming out." Wang Xiyi also glanced at the moon returned to normal above, "I no longer have that suffocating feeling of irritation."
"Then... Do we have to go back?" 0401 asked cautiously.
Yang Qi took a roll of wide tape from the armrest box, pasted over a few leaky spots on the car window, and started the engine again: "Of course we're going back, but not the same way."
Those mutant wolves had already disappeared from sight, but no one could guarantee they weren't ambushing somewhere, waiting for the prey to deliver itself.
With Wang Xiyi's ability, dueling a single wolf wasn't a problem, but if surrounded, without using beast transformation abilities, it could get overwhelming.
Moreover, those wolves were continuously mutating, becoming faster and stronger.
The SUV drove closely along the border of the abnormal area, occasionally crossing the boundary, and when the moon overhead turned into a blood moon, it would quickly steer back out — it reminded Sun Hang of a widely circulated meme online.
The sea, waves, beach, and a seagull stretching its leg out – constantly testing the boundary. JPG
"Attention all units, attention all units," Yang Qi shouted in the communication channel while driving, "The operational area hosts multiple wolf packs with extremely aggressive tendencies, numbering about fifty. Individuals in the pack show clear signs of mutation, initially assessed as Deceit Virus mutation. If encountered, avoid combat and prioritize personnel safety."
"Any reports of other teams being attacked?" Sun Hang asked.
"Not for now," Yang Qi shook her head, "Those wolves are just fixated on chasing us."
"They smell the scent of the infected, just like sharks in the sea smell blood," Wang Xiyi remarked, "My suggestion is to call for air support and solve it with heavy firepower before these beasts mutate into troublesome mysteries."
"I've already requested it from the top," Yang Qi nodded.
"Phew... Hearing you say that makes me a lot more at ease," 0401 breathed a sigh of relief, "It really validates the old saying that all fear originates from lack of firepower... Just thinking of the large-caliber machine guns on armed helicopters brings a sense of security right away."
"If you think that's safe, then you're still too young," Yang Qi scoffed, "Things like wolves that can be seen and touched are not scary at all. Even if they mutate under the blood moon, they're at least shapes within our comprehension... What's really terrifying are those things placed right in front of you, yet you still cannot understand."
"Unnameable entities, huh, feels like I've heard about that concept somewhere..." 0401 murmured.
"From Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos series," Yang Qi replied.
"That name... is it Westerners?"
"Yeah, Americans."
"The United States across the ocean, is there also mysterious creatures?" Sun Hang recalled, his perception of the continent across the ocean was surprisingly barren.
He only knew of the big nation called the United States but all information related to the United States was a blank slate; he didn't even know if the country still existed.
"Not just that... The place has long since become a 'Surrendered Area,'" Yang Qi sighed, "Survivors fled to the Xiazhou Continent a hundred years ago, those left on the other side of the ocean are either dead, or have been assimilated into various mysterious creatures... Xiazhou Federation is the last spark of human civilization."
Right after Yang Qi's words, a piercing brake noise rang out — a few indistinct figures appeared several dozen meters ahead, wandering in places untouched by the headlights.