The riverbank below the bridge...
The four members of the reconnaissance team were crouching in a reed bed, preparing to cross the river.
"Crossing the river is no problem, but there's a critical issue now..."
Chen Xiaoyu squatted on the muddy riverbank, looking somewhat embarrassed at the dark river water, and scratched her head.
"I told the Chief before that I'm a complete landlubber; I really can't swim at all."
The atmosphere immediately froze upon hearing this.
Now Xing Wu is no longer there to pull him underwater with a rope.
Lin Zhu looked at the wide river and turned to Mo Wan beside her.
"Mo Wan, how about... you use your Wind Fire Wheels to carry him there?"
"No! Absolutely not!"
Mo Wan crossed her arms in front of her chest, making a big X.
"My personal back seat is very sacred!"
"Either you're a sweet-smelling girl like Lin Zhu, or you can only be my future boyfriend!"
"He's a grown man, don't even think about it!"
Chen Xiaoyu gave a wry smile. Although he was rejected, he was too embarrassed to force a young girl to agree.
"However..."
Mo Wan's eyes darted around, and she smiled slyly, "Although I can't take him flying, I can get him a set of high-end diving equipment!"
As she spoke, Mo Wan casually broke off a hollow reed from the riverbank.
Then, she activated her unreasonable Supernatural Ability.
"Hundred Forgings!"
A faint light appeared in Mo Wan's hand.
The next second, the reed stalk transformed into a steel diving mask with a breathing valve!
"Hey, this should be enough to get you to the other side."
Mo Wan handed the mask to Chen Xiaoyu with a hint of smugness, beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.
Clearly, leveling up through Hundred Forgings requires a significant amount of mental energy.
Chen Xiaoyu was flattered and accepted the diving equipment, thanking them repeatedly.
"Thank you so much! You've been a huge help!"
Then, Chen Xiaoyu turned to look at Li Yang beside her.
"Brother Li, why don't you ask Mo Wan for help too..."
"No, no need."
Li Yang smiled, waved, and patted his spacesuit.
"This is the latest generation of spacesuit. Not only does it protect against radiation, but it also has built-in enclosed deep-sea diving and oxygen supply functions."
As he spoke, Li Yang unfastened a uniquely shaped jet from the waist of his spacesuit.
"Furthermore, I also have a miniature motorized spray gun here, which can spray high-pressure nitrogen underwater for acceleration."
"Once we're in the water, tie a rope to me, and I'll swim across with you. It'll be very fast."
Seeing this, Mo Wan didn't insist, after all, it's always good to save some mental energy.
"Since everything is settled, let's proceed according to plan."
Lin Zhu said gently, "Mo Wan and I are too conspicuous in the air. If there are any flying monsters, we will lure them away immediately."
"We'll fly over first and meet you in the shadows on the other side."
Li Yang and Chen Xiaoyu nodded solemnly.
"Cousin, come on up."
Mo Wan stepped onto the Wind Fire Wheels, and after Lin Zhu lay down, she flew close to the river surface towards the opposite bank.
Watching them set off safely, Li Yang turned around and took out the nylon rope he had found.
One end was tied around his own waist, and the other end was tied around Chen Xiaoyu's waist.
"Xiao Chen, put on the mask properly and take a few deep breaths to get used to it."
As Li Yang spoke, he pulled down the glass helmet of his spacesuit.
Through his mask, a smile appeared on his lips. He patted Chen Xiaoyu on the shoulder and took out his communicator to communicate.
Are you ready?
Chen Xiaoyu put on the steel diving mask, gave Li Yang a thumbs-up, and indicated that everything was ready.
"Good..."
Li Yang's voice sounded somewhat distorted through the communicator.
"Then... let's begin."
"Thump."
The two of them, one after the other, plunged into the dark, icy river water.
However, just as Chen Xiaoyu entered the water, the moment Li Yang let go of his shoulder.
A sudden change has occurred!
"Ah!!!"
A scream came from Chen Xiaoyu through the communicator!
Chen Xiaoyu felt an immense force descend upon him!
At that moment, he felt as if he wasn't soaking in water, but carrying a collapsed Mount Tai on his back!
It was as if it had been run over by a fully loaded transport truck!
"Gurgle gurgle~"
Gravity crushed his resistance, and Chen Xiaoyu crashed to the bottom of the river.
The river water seeped into his nasal cavity and lungs through the gaps in his mask, bringing a sharp, knife-like pain.
He struggled desperately to untie the rope around his waist, but the immense pressure made even lifting a finger impossible.
And in front of him.
Li Yang maintained buoyancy.
He looked down through his helmet at Chen Xiaoyu, who was convulsing at the bottom of the river, her body covered in bloody welts from the intense friction.
Beneath the spacesuit visor, a maniacal smile spread across that honest and simple face.
"Sizzle!"
Li Yang activated the miniature motorized spray gun, and high-pressure nitrogen gas shot out a white streak underwater.
He was like a speedboat at full throttle, and behind him, on a taut nylon rope, was...
It is a flesh and blood body that is being pressed down by gravity into the rocks and silt at the bottom of the river, struggling to move forward!
Over the communicator, Chen Xiaoyu's screams gradually faded, leaving only the sound of flesh being torn apart.
As Li Yang accelerated, Chen Xiaoyu, who was being dragged to the bottom of the river, had his head and face rubbing against the riverbed...
It started to gradually become blurry and fragmented...
Li Yang, however, continued to laugh and swam quickly towards the opposite bank.
On the other side.
Mo Wan and Lin Zhu, who had already successfully reached the other side of the river, were anxiously watching the river surface.
"It's been almost ten minutes, where are they?"
"Didn't Brother Li say there was nitrous oxide acceleration? Even if you were dog-paddling, you should have been able to get here by now, right?"
Lin Zhu stroked her chin...
Mo Wan rolled her eyes and couldn't help but complain.
"Oh my god, Lin Zhu, are you all breasts and no brains?"
"The river is pitch black, and those two came diving. They're underwater, how could you possibly see anything?"
Lin Zhu ignored the sharp words, but her tone became increasingly serious.
"But... even if a person is underwater and can't be seen, what about the tube Chen Xiaoyu uses for breathing?"
"The mask you made for him requires a short tube to stay afloat and breathe, but there's nothing on the river right now."
These words were spoken.
Mo Wan, who had been muttering to herself, immediately shut up.
Yes.
Without any ventilation, how could Chen Xiaoyu, a complete landlubber who can't swim, possibly hold her breath and swim across such a wide river?
If personal reasons for equipment malfunction are ruled out...
Therefore, there is only one remaining answer.
Mo Wan and Lin Zhu exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.
Something's happened!
"Let's go! Let's fly over the river and look for it!"
Mo Wan summoned her Wind Fire Wheels and pulled Lin Zhu into flight.
"Boom!!!"
Just as they were about to take off.
A loud bang suddenly erupted from the bridge spanning the river not far from them!
Immediately afterwards, a jet of water shot up from under the bridge!
"It's Captain Xing's side!"
Lin Zhu's face turned deathly pale, and she paused in her movements.
As she watched the aftershocks of the devastating explosion in the distance, a wavering feeling washed over her.
On one side are Li Yang and Chen Xiaoyu, whose fates are uncertain; on the other side is the main force of the advance team, which is engaged in fierce fighting and could be wiped out at any moment.
"Should we... go to them?"
Lin Zhu bit her lip, caught in a dilemma.
Mo Wan was completely speechless at this point.
Her face was tense, and she was in an extremely bad mood.
Clearly, this is no coincidence, but rather a conspiracy against all of them...
A meticulously planned hunt!
Something happened on both sides.
"Bang!"
Just as the two were hesitating, the river water not far from them suddenly burst open!
With a relatively small explosion, two figures flew out of the river and crashed to the ground.
"Cough cough... cough cough!"
It's Li Yang!
Wearing that spacesuit, he rolled twice on the ground, scrambled to his feet, and pounced towards another figure not far away.
"Xiao Chen! Xiao Chen! Are you alright?!"
Li Yang cried out in self-reproach. He knelt beside the figure, his hands trembling as he tried to untie the ropes binding him.
"It's all my fault! It's all my fault!"
"You shouldn't have gone to hold off those water monsters to cover me! I shouldn't have left you to cover our retreat alone!"
Hearing the commotion, Mo Wan and Lin Zhu quickly put away their Wind Fire Wheels and ran over to help.
However, when they saw what the person lying on the ground looked like, both women covered their mouths at the same time.
That cannot be considered a complete person at all.
Chen Xiaoyu's face was now a bloody mess, with even the bones showing.
The eyeballs were long gone, leaving only two bloody holes.
His bulletproof vest and flesh were torn to shreds, a truly gruesome sight.
As if it had heard Li Yang's cries, the mangled body twitched slightly.
Chen Xiaoyu's right hand, with its exposed bone, trembled as she raised it, seemingly trying to grasp something, or perhaps...
What are you trying to point to?
"Don't be afraid, Xiao Chen, don't be afraid."
Li Yang grabbed Chen Xiaoyu's raised hand and pressed it back to his chest.
Li Yang looked through the helmet visor at the face he had personally rubbed raw.
Go in peace.
"Your sacrifice will not be in vain, we... will definitely succeed."
As Li Yang finished speaking, or rather, as he pressed down...
Chen Xiaoyu's heart exploded, her hand slipped limply to the ground, and she fell silent.
He didn't even leave a last word or a warning.
Seeing this horrific scene, Mo Wan could only turn her head away, unsure of what to say.
Lin Zhu bowed and offered words of comfort in a sorrowful tone.
"Brother Li, please accept my condolences."
What exactly happened in the river?
Li Yang recounted what had just happened.
"They are the corpses that have been assimilated by the Flesh Demon!"
"They're lurking in the silt at the bottom of the river, lying in ambush on us!"
"We were attacked when we were only halfway there."
"To save me, Xiao Chen lured away those water ghosts..."
"He was dragged by those monsters into the pile of rocks at the bottom of the river..."
"By the time I used the jetpack to pull him out, he had been wrecked like this by those monsters..."
At this point, Li Yang clutched his head in anguish.
"Those bastards!"
Upon hearing this, Mo Wan stomped her foot angrily, her eyes turning red.
"Brother Li, why don't you rest here for a bit and calm down?"
Lin Zhu patted Li Yang on the shoulder, her voice gentle, "Mo Wan and I will go ahead and scout ahead first. We'll come back to get you once we've confirmed it's safe."
"Let's go together later."
Then, Lin Zhu grabbed Mo Wan's wrist, and without even looking back at Li Yang, turned and walked deeper into the area.
After taking only a few steps, Lin Zhu's pace suddenly quickened.
"Hey? Lin Zhu, why are you walking so fast?"
Mo Wan was still in a daze, staggered as she was pulled along. "Brother Li is so heartbroken, are we just going to leave him like this?"
"Don't speak! Summon the Wind Fire Wheels immediately! Speed up and fly to the military base! Hurry!!!"
Lin Zhu's tone sounded anxious, even... fearful.
In that brief glance, Lin Zhu's keen insight revealed a terrifying blind spot.
Although Chen Xiaoyu's face was completely destroyed, the horrific state was consistent with the account of being dragged into the pile of rocks at the bottom of the river.
But!
In addition to severe abrasions on his front, he also had injuries on his back, limbs, and even neck...
There wasn't a single bite or scratch mark belonging to the monster!
Do those so-called flesh-and-blood water ghosts only rub people to the ground when they attack, without grabbing them?!
This is definitely not right!
"But..."
Mo Wan wanted to ask something else.
"Stop asking questions! Just listen to me! Take off!"
Lin Zhu practically yelled.
"Well!"
Although completely bewildered, Mo Wan had never seen the other party so out of control.
She immediately summoned her Wind Fire Wheels, and the two of them soared into the air once more.
And just as they secretly took flight, preparing to escape at full speed.
Li Yang remained where he was, head bowed, still [crying].
She suddenly stopped sobbing.
A wicked smile curled at the corners of his lips once more.
"Oops... we've been found out."
Li Yang slowly stood up and glanced at the two figures speeding away in mid-air.
He showed no sign of panic.
He glanced at the bridge, where it had become completely quiet.
"It's okay. It should be over over there by now."
Li Yang gently moved his wrists, as if getting used to this body.
"They're just two freebies, do you think... you can escape?"
Li Yang gently touched his thigh.
Then, he made an incredible move.
He didn't gather his strength or unleash any terrifying power; he simply leaped lightly with both feet, as if taking a stroll.
The next second!
Li Yang was lifted lightly into the air!
He didn't have the Supernatural Ability to fly, but at this moment, he was in the sky as if he were swimming in water...
Swinging his arms, he swam towards Mo Wan and Lin Zhu at a seemingly slow but actually extremely fast speed!
"Oh my god! What the hell is that?!"
Mo Wan, who was flying at full speed, turned around and saw Li Yang chasing after her in the sky, which startled her so much that she almost fell off the Wind Fire Wheels.
At that moment, she finally understood!
This Li Yang is a mole!
Moreover, this guy is no ordinary person!
This is clearly an ridiculously powerful Supernatural Ability!
Lin Zhu glanced back, her voice trembling, "That... that's [Sequence 036 - Anti-Gravity]!"
She had discovered this Supernatural Ability in an ancient book in the Polar Icefield!
The ability is to arbitrarily increase or decrease the gravity of living beings and objects, which is extremely abnormal!
"He's eliminated his own gravity! Speed up Mo Wan! We absolutely can't let him catch up!"
"I'm already accelerating like crazy!"
Mo Wan gritted her teeth and channeled her mental energy.
Rear.
As Li Yang swam in the air, he watched the two women desperately fleeing ahead, and a burst of laughter came from under his helmet.
"Heh... why run so fast?"
Li Yang raised his hand, as if embracing the entire sky. "Stop struggling, it's useless."
"Rest in the embrace of this Evil God, rest in the embrace of great Filth!"
"Domain deployment [Heavy Gravity Field]!"
Boom!!!
As Li Yang finished speaking...
A surge of power poured down directly from the heavens!
Centered on Li Yang, a powerful gravitational force began to spread outwards to a radius of several hundred meters.
"Crack! Crack!"
Below, the eaves and abandoned vehicles were instantly crushed into pieces by this immense pressure, turning into flat iron discs!
"Not good!"
Lin Zhu felt a weight on her back, as if a huge mountain had suddenly been placed on her back.
She glanced at the area below that was about to collapse and realized something was terribly wrong.
"Mo Wan! We absolutely cannot let his gravity field cover us!"
"Otherwise, we'll end up like those things down there, crushed into mincemeat!"
The edge of the pressure zone was rapidly approaching.
"It's accelerating! I'm almost at my limit!"
Mo Wan's eyes blazed with fury, and the Wind Fire Wheels beneath her feet propelled the two of them into a final sprint!
The moment that immense pressure field touched their heels!
"Whoosh!"
Using this momentum, the two narrowly escaped the area's coverage!
However, because some parts of them were still hit by gravity, they lost their balance!
The flames on the Wind Fire Wheels went out.
The two men traced a crooked parabola in mid-air as they plummeted toward the military command center below.
"Bang! Clang!"
The glass shattered, and the two fell into the command center.
In mid-air.
Li Yang looked at his two prey, but he wasn't angry.
He reached out, intending to expand the pressure field further, directly covering the military command center and crushing everyone inside into dust.
However.
When his gravity touched the air above the command center.
"Buzz..."
An invisible ripple flashed by.
Li Yang's invincible pressure domain vanished without a trace.
That command center seemed to exist in another dimension, completely immune to his Supernatural Ability, remaining completely still!
Li Yang stopped in mid-air.
For the first time, the look in his eyes, hidden beneath the mask, became serious, even carrying a hint of deep apprehension.
"What's going on? My Supernatural Ability are being blocked?"
Li Yang stared at the command center below, a thought flashing through his mind.
"Could it be... [him]?"
Li Yang dropped the mockery on his face and shut down the heavy pressure domain.
His body began to descend in mid-air, as if facing a truly formidable enemy.
Step by step, cautiously, I walked towards the entrance of the command center...