Chapter 167 Swamp
Two off-road vehicles were parked on the hard edge, with endless mud and puddles in front of them, and the air was filled with a mixture of humus and a sweet, fishy smell.
Tall, mutated reeds grew in abundance, and from time to time, the sounds of slippery objects wriggling or low growling could be heard.
Shen Yan adjusted the detector; the energy readings on the screen were chaotic but had a directional peak.
"About three kilometers to the northeast, there are multiple life signals and strong abnormal energy reactions. That should be the location of the collection team; they may have already found something."
Qin Li distributed anti-mist masks and antitoxin serum syringes: "Most of the mutated creatures in the swamp are poisonous, watch your step and the water. Zhou Min, use your mental energy to scan for living beings. Lin Yan, watch your sides."
The fire pawed at the ground restlessly, golden flames flickering weakly on its surface—it hated this damp, sticky environment.
Ruan Ning put on her mask and stepped into the mud first. Her mental energy spread out like a fine net, sensing the movement and energy flow beneath the mud.
The mud was up to their calves, and each step required a strenuous effort to pull themselves up. Swarms of mutated mosquitoes attacked, but were driven away by the impatient flames and blasts of air from the raging fire.
After traveling about a kilometer, Ruan Ning suddenly raised his hand to signal a stop. "Ahead in the reeds, an ambush. Six people: two ability users, one a third-tier earth-type, one a second-tier water-type. And four ordinary people, well-equipped."
"The gathering team's rearguard," Qin Li whispered, "Take care of them, but don't make a big fuss."
Lin Yan and Shen Yan flanked from both sides. Ruan Ning and Qin Li drew attention from the front.
The reeds swayed, and a man with mud smeared on his face peeked out, just raising his gun—
puff.
The ice needle silently pierced his brow.
Almost simultaneously, short groans and the sound of people falling to the ground came from both sides. Shen Yan used a metal wire to strangle the water-type ability user, while Lin Yan's knife dealt with the other two ordinary people.
The remaining earth-type ability users sensed something was wrong, roared, and slammed their hands on the ground!
The surrounding mud suddenly swelled up, transforming into several giant mud hands that grabbed at the crowd!
Qin Li stepped forward, and an invisible defensive force field was erected. The muddy hand crashed into the defense, splashing mud everywhere, but it could not break through.
Ruan Ning raised her hand and aimed it at the puddle at the feet of the earth-type ability user.
"凝".
The puddle froze instantly, and the extreme cold spread upwards along the mud, freezing the man's legs in the icy mud mixture in the blink of an eye.
He tried to struggle, but Shen Yan manipulated a rusty piece of iron to slash across his neck, leaving a shallow bloodstain.
"Move again, and you die," Shen Yan said coldly.
The earth-elemental ability user froze.
Qin Li stepped forward: "Where is the 'doctor's' collection team? What are they looking for?"
The man gritted his teeth and remained silent.
Ruan Ning's mental energy pierced his consciousness, rapidly rummaging through the surface layers of his memories—
...Deep into the heart of the swamp, they discovered a luminous shallow area with crystalline veins at the bottom...
...The "doctor's" order: Collect the largest and purest crystals at all costs...
...The captain led the main team over there; they were just the defenders on guard...
...The "doctor" himself will come to receive the patient at noon today...
Ruan Ning withdrew her spiritual power, and the man's eyes glazed over as he collapsed.
“The central luminous shallows contain natural energy crystal veins. The ‘doctor’ will arrive at noon,” she said briefly.
"Speed up," Qin Li said.
The team continued forward, becoming more cautious after dealing with the rearguard. They encountered several lurking mutated crocodiles along the way, which were dealt with by Da Huo and Ruan Ning's combined ice spikes.
As they approached the central region, the energy fluctuations became increasingly pronounced. The ionized radiant energy in the air caused the detector to hum.
After passing through a dense patch of reeds, the view suddenly opened up before me.
A relatively clear, shallow area of water, the bottom of which is covered with translucent crystals of varying sizes, in pale gold or milky white, emitting a soft and stable halo.
Seven or eight people were busy in the water, using special tools to mine crystals and pack them into radiation-proof boxes. Three others were on guard on the shore, one of whom possessed a fourth-tier aura and was a fire-type.
"This is it." Shen Yan lay prone behind the reeds. "The fourth-tier fire-type is the captain. The other two ability users are both second-tier. There are five ordinary people."
Ruan Ning observed the terrain: "The water area is to our advantage. Qin Li, you and Da Huo deal with those on the shore, especially that fire-type captain. Shen Yan, Zhou Min, and Lin Yan handle those in the water. I'll control the situation."
Everyone nodded.
Qin Li charged out first, his target the fire-type captain!
The fire followed closely behind, with golden flames shooting towards the other two superhumans on guard on the shore.
At the same time, Ruan Ning placed her hands in the water.
The shallow water instantly boiled! It wasn't from heating; rather, countless streams of water seemed to come alive, transforming into resilient water whips that coiled around the hands, feet, and tools of the data collection team members in the water!
"Enemy attack!" The fire-type captain was shocked and furious. He wanted to provide support in the water, but Qin Li held him back tightly.
Shen Yan manipulated the metal parts of the gathering tool to curl back, stabbing or trapping enemies in the water. Zhou Min used her mental power to interfere, while Lin Yan moved in like a ghost, her short knife precisely slicing through her opponent's throat or wrist.
The battle started quickly and ended quickly.
Ten minutes later, there were no more enemies standing on the shore or in the water. The fire-type captain had his arms broken by Qin Li and was trampled under his feet. Several corpses and struggling wounded floated in the water.
Ruan Ning walked to the edge of the shallows and probed the underwater crystal mineral with her spiritual power. The energy was pure and resonated slightly with the necklace, but its nature was gentler and more primitive, like an unrefined "primordial" energy deposit.
“These crystals…” she picked up a piece, “have very stable energy, can be absorbed directly, and have few side effects. They are helpful for cultivating supernatural abilities.”
Shen Yan has already begun collecting crystals: "'The doctor' wants these, probably to refine them or use them in some kind of experiment."
Around noon, Ruan Ning instructed everyone to hide, leaving only Qin Li and her to guard the shallows, where they tied up the fire-type captain in a conspicuous place.
About half an hour later, the sound of engines grew louder as they approached. Three tracked swamp vehicles broke through the reeds and came to a stop on the edge of the shallows.
A "doctor" wearing a white protective suit and gold-rimmed glasses got out of the middle vehicle.
He was accompanied by two bodyguards, the same fourth-tier mental and physical enhancement types he had met before.
The "doctor" glanced at the bound captain and the empty shallows, showing no panic on his face, but instead pushed up his glasses.
"Miss Ruan Ning, Mr. Qin Li, we've been waiting for you for a long time."
Before he could finish speaking, a glint of silver flashed in the eyes of the psychic bodyguard behind him!
A powerful mental shock rushed straight into Ruan Ning's mind!
Ruan Ning was prepared, and her sixth-level mental power launched a counterattack. The two invisible forces collided in mid-air, and the air produced a muffled explosion! The mental bodyguard grunted, took half a step back, and his face turned pale.
Almost simultaneously, the bodyguards with enhanced physical abilities charged towards Qin Li like cannonballs! Their speed and strength far exceeded those of ordinary fourth-tier warriors!
Qin Li shouted, activating the necklace's defensive force field to withstand the opponent's heavy punch!
boom!
A shockwave erupted, splashing mud and water everywhere. Qin Li took two steps back, his arm numb. His opponent also staggered back, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
The "doctor," however, stood calmly in place, taking out a palm-sized silver controller from his pocket.
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