Chapter 56: The Big Dungeon in Progress

Even in the depths of winter in December, the canopies of trees in these mountains still block out the sun.

The ground is covered with an extremely thick layer of humus. When you step on it, it feels like you can't sink to the bottom. The bouncy, rhythmic feeling of walking on it is like stepping on the body of a living creature.

The forest was not quiet. As the team formed a sharp line and advanced, a scream suddenly rang out from the trees on one side, and a red shadow flashed by!

"Holy crap, there are already bugs!"

Zhuang Xiao fired a shot with a backhand, hitting the red figure. The entire squad immediately switched positions and went on alert!

But as the red shadow fell, everyone saw clearly, and Su Qingran said speechlessly, "A squirrel."

The squirrel's tail was half bald, and its incisors were crooked and jagged, making it look a little ugly, but it was definitely not an insect.

"Stay alert but don't be too tense, conserve your energy," Zhao Bohan said.

Everyone is carrying too heavy a burden, and the road ahead is still long.

"Take a deep breath, take a deep breath." Zhuang Xiao squatted down and drew circles inward with both hands.

"Is it difficult for Sister Qi? If it is, you can give me the drone." Tang Long looked at Qi An and asked with concern.

"It's alright," Qi An replied.

Her carrying capacity was higher than she had imagined. Although the bag looked like it would bury her, she had been carrying more than 40 kilograms of equipment uphill for an hour and her steps were still steady.

There were also some extremely important things deep inside Qi An's large bag; having more miscellaneous items would help with concealment and protection.

"Xiao Qi's physical fitness is improving so fast!" Su Qingran exclaimed.

"My sister Qi has unlimited potential!" Zhuang Xiao said matter-of-factly.

Yu Shuang and Zhao Bohan exchanged a glance, remembering Qi An's words about what other abilities she might develop in the future...

Xiao Qi's basic abilities are also improving rapidly!

Everyone, relax a little. Actually, if you relax before you start walking, even on a march, you can still appreciate the beauty of this forest.

The morning sun struggled to squeeze through the branches and leaves, planting golden rays of light in the cold, deep green landscape.

As they walked, they discovered ancient and magical tropical plants they had never seen before.

There are many lizards on the ground, and a wide variety of birds in the sky, each with its own unique and dazzling plumage.

"There are buildings ahead... Oh my god, they're so beautiful!" Zhuang Xiao exclaimed.

"Don't be so startled!" Qi An, who was right next to him, couldn't help but scold him softly.

However, she was also taken aback when she looked over.

This area is the burial site of what was once the most prosperous city on the continent before the apocalypse.

The epicenter is within the city limits, but there are also villages and towns on the outskirts.

The ruins were too devastated, with only one main building, about four stories high, standing out in good condition.

The building was completely covered by a vine. The plant was in full bloom with crimson three-petaled flowers, which cascaded down from the rooftop like a sea of ​​smoke, forming a crimson waterfall!

The building was tall, and there weren't many big trees in the area. The sunlight slanted down, giving the waterfall a golden halo.

"This isn't some polluted dead zone at all; it's teeming with life!" Zhuang Xiao exclaimed.

The flower waterfall was indeed extremely beautiful, so beautiful that it seemed otherworldly. Qi An loved flowers the most, and he couldn't help but follow everyone into the sea of ​​flowers in amazement.

The surroundings were quiet and peaceful. Yu Shuang murmured, "These flowers smell so nice, but the fragrance is a little too faint."

Qi An nodded vigorously, and as she tried to sniff, she realized that it was the filter mask of her protective suit that was affecting her ability to smell the flowers.

She instinctively reached out to take off her mask.

But the moment my hand touched the cold metal, a string in my mind snapped.

Qi An focused part of her mind on the present moment, while another part sensed the fallen insects. The part that sensed the distant past retreated into the darkness of her spiritual sea, instantly bringing her back to her senses!

This is a radiation zone, why is she taking off her mask like that?!

Among her teammates, Zhuang Xiao was already picking, and Su Qingran, who was quick, was about to pick them! Yu Shuang, who was walking further ahead, was almost buried in the dense flower branches!

There seems to be something wriggling inside, probing out!

Qi An fired a blank shot into the air!

The gunshot startled countless birds into flight, and the group of people snapped back to their senses in an instant!

Yu Shuang stopped abruptly. Zhao Bohan regained his senses with his mental strength, grabbed Yu Shuang, and took a step back.

Qi An put Su Qingran's mask back on and pulled her and Zhuang Xiao back sharply.

Zhao Bohan gave Tang Long a ride, and the group retreated until they were a hundred meters away before stopping.

"The fragrance of that flower is hallucinogenic!" Su Qingran was still in shock.

Thankfully they had filter masks, otherwise, with such a strong neurotoxin, they would have all fainted long ago.

There was something clearly inside the flower branch, possibly a reptile or insect that lived in symbiosis with this mutated plant, and it was carnivorous.

No wonder the area around the flower waterfall is so quiet; there isn't a single bee or butterfly around!

Everyone looked at each other somewhat bewildered, because this was only the edge of the contaminated area, yet it had already fully demonstrated its colorful and dangerous side to them!

"Alright, we still need to be vigilant and not let our guard down. Let's stick to the original plan and maintain our marching speed." Yu Shuang rubbed her forehead.

She took photos of the flower waterfall, and Qi An took a few more from a slightly closer distance.

Mutant plants and animals also have scientific research value, demonstrating their capabilities and dangers, allowing other teams to avoid them, and also have tactical value.

There are two communication groups between the team leaders: one for sending orders and requests for assistance, and the other for uploading materials.

Yu Shuang glanced at it briefly: "Good heavens, there are already teams that have killed the insects."

"That team at the new recruit base is amazing! They've taken down three mutated insects with scales on their bodies!"

On the large screen in the command hall of South China Base No. 1, the grid of the new base team was indeed ranked first, standing out prominently at the top!

The second is a team from Southeast Base 1, and the third is from North Base 1.

The Stars Squad barely made it onto the first page because they uploaded information about this mutated bougainvillea.

"This Stars Squad you were eyeing doesn't seem to be up to par? The clone legion from the new base is much stronger." There were four or five people on the second floor, including Yu Songyi and his chief of staff, as well as several officers from North 1.

An officer with a naturally smiling face spoke to a stern-faced officer.

The solemn officer said calmly, "The mission has only been going on for an hour and a half. What we encounter on the outskirts depends entirely on luck."

That's true, and the smiling officer couldn't refute it.

However, for most of the next day, all the teams went on a killing spree. The group chat for uploading data was constantly buzzing with messages, and the ranking competition was extremely fierce, changing almost every moment!

The team at the new student base is truly a killing machine, firmly holding first place! The North 1 team is rising rapidly, and the South China Wind and Heat team is gradually catching up.

"Six hours have passed, and this Star Team has only encountered a few mutated creatures." The smiling officer then raised an eyebrow at the somber officer.

"We're lucky, really just lucky. It's helped us avoid a lot of fighting," the general staff officer in South China said with a smile.

"Luck?" This time, the solemn officer from the Northern 1st Army asked a counter-question:

"Hasn't it been discovered that among all the teams, Team Stars is currently the one furthest from the starting point?"

After six hours, they were nearing the edge of the city.

Everyone paused for a moment, then looked at the numerous red dots on the map.

That's true.

The Stars Squad's marching route was winding, but they were moving quite slowly.