The air was thick with a strong and putrid smell of decay, mixed with the damp scent of soil, instantly causing a sense of physiological discomfort.
The deeper they went, the darker it became, and the temperature dropped further still.
At that moment, a huge shadow flashed through the thicket, moving so swiftly that one might think it was merely a figment of their imagination.
Jiang Hua turned his head, his blue eyes filled with deep suspicion.
Sure enough, in the next second, a vigorous wild boar charged straight at them, more accurately a wild boar mutated by the apocalypse.
Wang Tao glanced at the rearview mirror, “What the hell?! What kind of monster is that?”
He nearly lost control of the vehicle, swerving almost into a tree.
The wild boar sported a pair of unusually developed tusks, its body covered in sharp spikes, and it was several times larger than a normal wild boar. If it collided with someone not wearing protective gear, it could easily send them flying.
The road in the dense forest was almost entirely eaten away, leaving barely any smooth stretches to gain distance.
The wild boar seized a suitable opportunity and lunged forward.
Vines from the trees reached out from all directions, binding it in the center, but before they could even breathe a sigh of relief, the boar broke free with sheer brute force and slammed hard against the rear of the off-roader.
The vehicle shook violently.
As the boar prepared for another charge, cold electricity flashed in Jiang Hua’s eyes.
Countless tiny electrical currents twisted into ropes and ensnared the creature, and a burnt odor began to spread through the air.
It crashed to the ground with a thud.
The entire ground seemed to tremble along with it.
“How can there be such monsters…?”
Mutated wild animals were even more troublesome than ordinary zombies, possessing agile bodies and enhanced muscles, with speed and strength far exceeding that of the slow-moving, clumsy zombies.
The team members inside the vehicle felt a sense of fear wash over them.
Only Jiang Hua’s eyes darkened, becoming increasingly icy.
“I will handle these mutated animals; Wang Tao, focus on driving,” he transmitted to the other team members via the vehicle’s radio. “Everyone else, keep the road clear.”
The other team members responded, “Understood!”
After a relatively short drive, the group encountered mutated creatures once more.
This time, it was a swarm of gigantic crustaceans.
Having been magnified dozens of times, even the details that were once minuscule were now shockingly clear, causing sanity to plummet with just a glance.
The team members began to complain:
“That’s disgusting.”
“I’d rather be eaten by a zombie than die to something like this.”
Without blinking an eye, Jiang Hua dropped several electric spheres before they even reached the front, obliterating the crustaceans blocking their path.
Once they became accustomed to this pattern, the team members gradually relaxed.
It was unclear how long they had been driving through the forest.
The off-road vehicle traversed a smooth, reflective rock, strangely devoid of any moss adhering to it.
While driving, Wang Tao sensed something was off.
“Captain Hua…”
Wang Tao suddenly spotted something, his face turning pale, voice trembling, “It seems we’ve gone the wrong way.”
Under their wheels was not smooth rock at all, but the tail of a mutated giant python.
The gigantic snake flicked its tongue, its fangs dripping with deadly venom, waiting with its mouth wide open to swallow them whole.
“You all turn back!”
Jiang Hua drew his long knife, pushed open the car door, and jumped out.
Wang Tao quickly turned the steering wheel to make a U-turn; considering their own safety was more urgent than worrying about Jiang Hua’s.
Jiang Hua’s figure darted through the trees like a swift leopard, closing in on the enormous python in under a minute.
Sensing the formidable intent radiating from Jiang Hua, the python became agitated.
Jiang Hua leapt onto its thick scales.
The python hissed rhythmically, its eyes resembling rotting, moldy green fungi.
Raising his long knife, Jiang Hua stabbed down with force.
The sharp blade made a sound like metal clashing as it struck the thick scales.
But he did not stop; he twisted at a difficult angle, aiming for the python’s vulnerable seven-inch mark, piercing through the weakest junction between two scales.
His arm muscles bulged with strength, tendons visible on the back of his hand, every curve displaying incredible power and beauty.
Silvery energy gathered around the blade’s edge.
The knife point sank an inch deeper, breaking through the outermost protective layer.
Suddenly, the python thrashed violently, its massive tail striking the trees on either side, instantly flattening a wide area and creating a sharp gust of wind.
Several off-road vehicles toppled over.
Fortunately, the vehicle frames were sturdy enough, and the team members quickly crawled out, taking cover in a safe corner to watch the shocking scene unfold.
Jiang Hua stood firm, resolutely gripping the knife handle, thrusting downward no matter how the python thrashed.
His cold indifference surpassed that of cold-blooded creatures, completely regarding the massive python as mere trash that obstructed his path, needing to be swiftly disposed of.
Rich blood gushed from the wound, the flow quickening with the intensity of the python’s thrashing.
Suddenly reaching a critical point, the python thrashed madly, trying to swallow Jiang Hua whole.
Jiang Hua coldly raised his eyes, gathering a ball of electricity, launching it into the python’s mouth.
A crackling sound erupted.
The air filled with a rich burnt smell and the scent of blood, and the giant python gradually fell still.
Jiang Hua pulled out his long knife and leaped back, landing on a tree branch.