Second-Order Mutant Rat

[Detecting host's itinerary, issuing a series of missions:

① Collect supplies covering any 100 square meters (100 points)

② Obtain the Crystal Core of a Second-Order Mutant Beast (100 points)

③ Prevent the plot where Cui Yang mutates after being bitten by a zombie (10,000 points)]

[Detected sufficient repair points. The system is beginning repairs...]

Shen Mo watched helplessly as his points dropped from 510 back to 10. He could not help marveling at how much of a scam this system was! Were repair points mandatory?

He rubbed his chin. "The first two missions are only worth 100 points, but the mission to alter the plot is worth so much more."

Something was off. Very off!

"Mo Mo, what are you muttering about? We're almost there. Get ready to get out." Shen Yue saw her brother's lips moving but could not hear what he was saying.

Seeing him space out, Shen Yue could not help reminding him.

Every time she brought her brother out, she worried constantly. That impostor had truly been too good at courting death. Even though her current brother was well-behaved, she could not help being concerned.

"...Ah, okay, Sis. I got it." Shen Mo snapped back to himself and stopped dwelling on what had just happened.

The vehicles slowly drove into a factory. The area around it was flat, with few trees, though there was a small hill behind it.

They had finally reached their destination. Everyone got out and began gathering supplies.

Shen Mo stayed close to his sister, but his gaze kept sweeping over the surroundings as he remained secretly vigilant.

Suddenly, he heard a faint sound, as though something was approaching.

He immediately turned toward the noise, but only saw a patch of withered grass swaying slightly.

"Sis, I think I heard something," Shen Mo said quietly.

Shen Yue stopped what she was doing and listened carefully. After a moment, she shook her head. "I didn't hear anything. Maybe you misheard. Forget it, stay close to the group. When we're out on a mission, remember not to fall behind, or it'll be dangerous. Even if there really is danger, your chances of surviving are better if you stay with your teammates."

Shen Mo hesitated, but he still nodded and followed the main group toward the warehouse.

He had long known that following the protagonists meant opportunities and dangers would coexist, and he had already prepared himself mentally.

Besides, with him here, he could secretly step in when the time came.

After they left, the previously dry grass rustled several times, and a few rats the size of adult cats crawled out.

Their scarlet eyes stared in the direction the protagonist group had gone, while foul yellow saliva dripped from their mouths onto the ground.

Because they had a clear objective, everyone headed directly toward the warehouse after entering the factory.

Shen Mo suddenly paused. His nose twitched sharply, then he continued walking as though nothing had happened, his peripheral vision scanning the area around him.

All of a sudden, he sensed a dangerous aura closing in.

He whipped around, only to come face-to-face with a gaping bloody maw. Its breath even blasted across his face.

Shen Mo's brow twitched, and a flash of disgust passed through his eyes. He swiftly sidestepped.

That was way too immoral. An attack was an attack, but it was actually using biochemical weapons.

This "breath" was no ordinary stench. He had smelled it from far away. What an unhygienic little rat—not a good little rat at all!

Its eyes should be gouged out, its tendons severed, and it should be made to kneel on the ground and repent for the rest of its life.

However, with so many eyes on him, Shen Mo barely restrained his itchy fingers.

The next second, an ice spike slammed into the spot where the giant white rat had landed. Unfortunately, it dodged, scampered up the wall, and slipped into the rat swarm, vanishing without a trace.

"It's a Second-Order Mutant Rat!" Leng Shiyi reacted quickly. Wrapped in a chill, he froze every Mutant Rat near him in place.

Cui Yang followed up with his superpower, instantly unleashing a current of electricity that cleared out a large area.

The others seized the opportunity to gather together, warily watching their surroundings as they formed a defensive formation.

Rats were social animals. They might be in for a hard fight.

Sure enough, it was not long before more Mutant Rats surged out from every direction and surrounded them.

The ceiling, the ground, and the corners of the walls were all covered in rats. They were packed densely together, a horrifying sight.

Shen Mo moved the foot that was still somewhat numb from being electrocuted earlier and frowned at the rats.

This kind of Mutant Beast horde might really cause the protagonist group some trouble.

After some thought, he secretly released Mo Blade and controlled it to hunt prey farther away, absorbing the energy from the rats to restore the blade.

Unfortunately, everyone was too busy to spare any attention for Shen Mo's earlier thoughts.

After all, anyone with eyes could see that they were in trouble now.

The instant the Mutant Rats closed in, all kinds of superpower effects flashed into existence.

Leng Shiyi continuously cast ice blades in an instant. Frost formed wherever they passed, and large swaths of Mutant Rats were frozen into ice sculptures. Even the temperature in the area dropped several degrees.

Lightning and ice always produced multiplied effects when used together.

The electric current Cui Yang released conducted through the icy water on the ground and rapidly spread outward, turning a large number of Mutant Rats near them into charred ash.

As for the Mutant Rats on the ceiling, Su Ze summoned thorn-covered vines that wrapped around them. After struggling a few times, they quickly died.

Yang Xuan and Shen Yue occasionally launched long-range attacks at those farther away.

Yang Xuan threw several fireballs, which quickly connected into a sea of flames.

Shen Yue made use of whatever was nearby. Whenever she came across large objects such as iron crates or rocks, she hurled them directly at the densest rat swarms, crushing a large number of them at once.

Shen Mo, protected in the center of the encirclement, appeared to be doing nothing, but he was controlling Mo Blade to clear out Mutant Rats farther away.

The once-rusted and dull Mo Blade gradually shed some of its rust amid the slaughter, and a dangerous trace of Killing Intent seeped from its blade.

Although the situation was temporarily under control, the Mutant Rats continued pouring toward them without end.

At this rate, their superpowers would be exhausted sooner or later.

Another flash of lightning struck the ground. The smell of scorched meat wafted through the air. A current flickered through Cui Yang's eyes as he spoke expressionlessly, his tone carrying a hint of gravity. "Something is clearly controlling these Mutant Rats from behind the scenes. It's very likely that white rat from before. If I'm not mistaken, it should be a Second-Order Mutant Beast—the rat king of this swarm."

Leng Shiyi frowned tightly and nodded. The constant release of his ice superpower made his voice sound somewhat weary, but it remained as cold as his power. "Animals and plants should evolve faster than humans. Second-Order Mutant Beasts have already appeared. We may encounter even higher-order ones in the future."

Natural selection gave every living creature an equal chance to survive.

But that was not good news for humans.

After all, in the early stages, before Crystal Cores appeared, it was already incredible for the protagonist group to raise their superpowers to the First Order.

Even Shen Mo's current Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivation only counted as a First-Order Superpower in this world.

But he had advanced in just a few short days. His talent was already monstrously exceptional.

"Warehouse first!" With things having reached this point, Leng Shiyi could only end this quickly.

Although he had a bad feeling about this, returning empty-handed like this still left him unwilling.

But with so many Mutant Rats around, could those supplies really still be intact?