Chapter 43 Wounded
Wild boars are omnivorous. Before the major crisis, adult wild boars could grow to over 400 pounds, with a body length and weight far exceeding that of an adult. These creatures are also aggressive and will actively attack people; ordinary people can only run away if they encounter them.
Lingshan Reservoir is a famous natural scenic area with a large number of wild boars. After experiencing a major crisis, many of the wild boars have mutated. Their bodies are now much more robust, and their weight has increased several times over.
Just a few months ago, the wild boars that charged towards Jiangjiaqiao were a small group of only a dozen or so pigs, but now they have grown into a large herd of over a hundred. The lead boars are larger than an off-road vehicle, with ferocious faces and blood-red eyes. As they charge down the mountain, all the buildings in their path are flattened.
The houses in Jiangjiaqiao are mostly fancy guesthouses, many of which sacrificed their structure for aesthetics. A massive herd of wild boars, like dozens of large trucks, reduced half of the houses in Jiangjiaqiao to ruins in just over ten minutes.
This was a wild boar's feast; they crashed into houses, searching for those trapped underneath to devour. Villagers who managed to escape were chased by the frenzied boars, their screams and cries echoing throughout the village.
Faced with disaster, most people could only flee helplessly. But some people always step forward; dozens of strong young villagers spontaneously organized themselves. They used the terrain to their advantage, fighting back with hunting rifles, guns, bows, and crossbows.
Jiang Zixuan was one of the members of the self-defense squad. He was squatting on the second-floor balcony of his house, holding his ancestral dagger. One by one, the lights in the village went out, and by the dim light, he spotted a wild boar that was more than a man's length long.
The wild boar wandered along the village road, stopping and starting, sniffing as it went, following the scents left by survivors. Its fur was much lighter than the lead boar, suggesting it was a small pig.
After aiming at the wild boar's head, Jiang Zixuan gently pulled the trigger. A flash of light appeared at the muzzle, and the wild boar staggered, its two front legs buckling to its knees. Just when Jiang Zixuan thought the wild boar would fall, it shook its head and struggled to its feet. The next moment, covered in blood, the wild boar howled and charged quickly into the alley to the side.
Jiang Zixuan angrily slammed his fist on the wall beside him. The mutated wild boar had thick hide and tough flesh; even a small gun couldn't harm it. What could he do?
The sound of houses collapsing filled his ears. Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw houses at the end of the alley collapsing one after another, from afar to near. Jiang Zixuan's heart skipped a beat. It seemed that the two wild boars leading the way had arrived. He had to quickly pack his things and run, otherwise, if he got trapped in the building, he would be dead.
But before he could put away his gun, a dark shadow emerged from the dust and smoke rising from the collapsed building. The solar-powered streetlights at the alley entrance flickered, illuminating the shadow's form.
This was a ferocious wild boar, nearly two meters tall and as long as a car parked on the roadside. Just seeing it made Jiang Zixuan's legs go weak.
The stench grew stronger, and he realized that the strange smell they had been experiencing was coming from wild boars. These beasts had scurried around the village under cover of darkness, launching their attack and catching the villagers completely off guard.
The wild boar was snorting heavily, its eyes bloodshot, and it looked around as if searching for something. Behind it followed another wild boar, its head bleeding, a piglet with its head down, grunting like a child who had been wronged and was running to its parents to complain.
Jiang Zixuan was filled with regret, never expecting the wild boar to report him, let alone that the reinforcements it had found would be such terrifying pigs. He knew he shouldn't have fired that shot.
Jiang Zixuan tried to pull his neck back, but the moment he moved, the boar suddenly raised its head and looked at where he was hiding. Through the scope, the boar's eyes were like two bright light bulbs, their inorganic eyes filled with savagery.
Just a glance was enough to send cold sweat pouring down Jiang Zixuan's back, soaking his shirt halfway through. He frantically loaded the bullets and then aimed the gun muzzle at the mutated wild boar's eyes.
Every living thing has weaknesses. Since there are no thick furs or fat to protect its eyes, if the wild boar could be made to feel pain, it might have a chance to escape.
The idea was beautiful, but reality was cruel. Jiang Zixuan's hands trembled violently, and he couldn't seem to get a good look into the wild boar's eyes. His heart was pounding faster and faster, and he was already cursing the wild boar's ancestors in his mind.
After finally aiming at the wild boar's left eye and pulling the trigger, his gun suddenly exploded with a loud "bang." Jiang Zixuan felt his hands go numb from the shock, and blood gushed from the base of his thumbs. Looking closely, he saw that the gun and barrel had been blown into a mangled mess.
Fortunately, the explosion occurred at the barrel; if it had happened in the chamber, his hand would have been ruined.
Just as he was feeling relieved, Jiang Zixuan suddenly remembered something even more terrifying.
This gun has been used since his grandfather's generation. Although it's a rifle, the workmanship is excellent. His grandfather used it for so many years without ever experiencing a barrel explosion. How could it suddenly explode?
A terrifying thought arose in Jiang Zixuan's mind: This pig is not only mutated in size, it is also a pig with superpowers!
It's over.
Jiang Zixuan's mind was filled with only these two words; he could already foresee the horrific scene of his corpse being devoured by wild boars.
The wild boar lowered its head, pawed backward with its right foreleg, and aimed its two tusks at the house where Jiang Zixuan was. With a muffled grunt, the wild boar charged forward with all four hooves.
Because of the incredible speed, Jiang Zixuan only saw a black afterimage flash by. He closed his eyes and instinctively clutched his head, awaiting death.
However, the expected pain did not come, the walls did not collapse and the house did not crumble, and he was not buried by falling rocks. Instead, he heard the agonizing screams of wild boars.
Jiang Zixuan opened his eyes and looked over in surprise and doubt. What had happened? He was stunned after just one glance.
The wild boar, which had been so arrogant just moments before, was suddenly caught in a huge red net. Disoriented, it wandered around in circles under the streetlights. It howled pitifully, its body scraping against the wall of a courtyard, trying to break free of the net.
However, the more violently the wild boar struggled, the tighter the net became. Under the streetlights, every "rope" in the net seemed to glow. The black of the boar and the red of the net created a striking contrast.
Jiang Zixuan heard slurping sounds, as if a dozen people were simultaneously drinking beverages through straws. Upon closer listening, he realized the sounds were coming from the direction of the wild boar.
Upon closer inspection, Jiang Zixuan's skin broke out in goosebumps.
This isn't a net; it's a living creature! Every single one of its tendrils is wriggling, rapidly traversing the wild boar's fur. Whenever it reaches a suitable spot, it tightly wraps itself around the boar.
When the wild boar realized it couldn't shake off the foreign object, it lay on the ground and rolled around. However, each roll only tightened the vines' grip. As the vines moved, the wild boar's cries grew weaker and weaker.
Its strength waned, and it could only utter soft humming sounds. The eerie sucking sounds grew louder and louder, mixed with strange music.
The wild boar fell silent, its body convulsing. With each convulsion, a bloodstained hoof emerged from the vines. The thick hoof was riddled with holes, bright red blood slowly dripping from its fur.
Just then, a vine as thick as a thumb wrapped around the hoof. It first caught the dripping blood, and then covered the pig's hoof again. Only then did Jiang Zixuan notice that the vine was covered with sharp thorns, and the bloody hole in the pig's hoof was caused by the thorns.
The wild boar, larger than a car, was wrapped up in a red ball and quickly lost its life.
Seeing the vines that were reaching out to suck the wild boar's flesh and blood, Jiang Zixuan's legs went weak and he could barely stand. His teeth chattered, and immense fear was about to overwhelm him.
What kind of monster is this? Such a terrifying wild boar couldn't even last five minutes against it. After it finishes eating the boar, will it come to eat itself?
A familiar voice came from downstairs: "Don't stand up there, quickly retreat towards the brigade headquarters."
Jiang Zixuan, his body trembling, stiffly turned his head to look. Two figures had appeared at the end of the road. One, carrying a rifle, strode ahead with practiced agility. The other, holding a bow and crossbow, followed closely behind. Their coordinated movements were a stark contrast to the villagers who were only concerned with their own survival.
As the two drew closer, Jiang Zixuan finally saw their faces clearly. His pupils contracted sharply, his face filled with disbelief: "Jiang... Jiang Rong? Chu Qiang? How could it be you?"
Chu Qiang sneered and ignored him. Jiang Rong quickly glanced at him and added, "Hurry up and leave. The rest of you are at the brigade headquarters."
Jiang Zixuan's wildly beating heart calmed down, and he forced a smile as he asked, "Why are you here?"
Jiang Rong frowned: "We can talk about this later. If you don't leave now, we won't be able to help you if a fight breaks out."
Jiang Zixuan understood that now was not the time for pleasantries; saving his life was the priority in this critical moment, so he left the balcony without looking back.
Seeing Jiang Zixuan's disheveled figure as he fled, Chu Qiang clicked his tongue and said, "This bastard really hasn't changed at all, just as cowardly as before. Let me tell you, Xiao Jiang, you and Xiao Heng should stay away from him."
Jiang Rong glanced at Chu Qiang indifferently, and Chu Qiang realized he had misspoke: "I was just reminding you, don't take it to heart."
Jiang Rong nodded slightly. He lowered his stance and advanced more than ten meters, quickly arriving at the Bloodthirsty Vine. Little Guai Guai was engrossed in sucking the flesh and blood of the mutated wild boar. It hadn't eaten for several days since following Jiang Rong.
The taste of flesh and blood was still so delicious. Little Darling rhythmically swayed the thorns on the vines, driving them deep into the mutated wild boar's fur. The red vines, soaked in blood, were even more beautiful than usual.
Chu Qiang murmured, "My God... is this what the Bloodthirsty Vine really looks like?"
I usually only see this adorable little rascal looking like a pushover, but this is the first time I've realized how terrifying it can be.
Chu Qiang's back was soaked with cold sweat: "Xiao Jiang, you are really amazing."
It's one thing to subdue a little fairy, but to actually subdue such an incredibly powerful mutated plant for his own use. If it were him, let alone subdue it, he'd probably be a dried-up corpse like this wild boar after just one encounter.
The wild boar visibly lost weight, and just when Jiang Rong thought the little darling would continue feeding, it released the boar and curled up into a ball: "Protect~"
Jiang Rong had told it before setting off that it should kill as many mutated wild boars as possible to protect the members of the superhuman team. Now that it had dealt with this boar, it was off to hunt down the next one.
Jiang Rong nodded slightly: "Go ahead."
The little creature darted around and disappeared quickly into the dark alley, followed closely by Jiang Rong and Chu Qiang. Chu Qiang breathed a long sigh of relief: "Luckily, this thing is our companion. I didn't want to fight it at all."
Jiangjiaqiao is a fairly large village, with several hundred households built along the mountainside. More than a hundred pigs are scattered throughout the village, and even if Jiang Rong and his few companions fought for several days and nights, it would be impossible for them to wipe them all out.
However, Jiang Rong and his group didn't fight unprepared battles; they had already decided on their tactics before setting off. Before entering the village, they would use all their supernatural abilities to seal off all entrances and exits of Jiangjia Bridge, cutting off any chance of the mutated wild boars escaping and forming an encirclement.
Once the encirclement is complete, the Bloodthirsty Vine will seize the opportunity to infiltrate and kill the roaming wild boars.
Apart from Wang Chunlan and her daughter, everyone else had to enter the encirclement. Killing the wild boars would be ideal; if not, they would have to work with their teammates to drive the herd to the artificial pond east of the village.
The weather was dry, and the pond had long since run dry. As soon as a wild boar entered the pond, it would be trapped by the thick silt.
When the battlefield shrinks, they will be in a more advantageous position, making it much easier to deal with the wild boars.
The idea was good, but wild boars weren't pushovers. As more and more villagers successfully escaped, the pressure on Jiang Rong and her group inside the encirclement increased.
After killing several wild boars in succession, Jiang Rong's face turned pale. He had used up too much of his supernatural power, and his speed was no longer as good as before.
Chu Qiang shielded Jiang Rong behind him and asked with concern, "Xiao Jiang, are you alright?"
Jiang Rong responded, her voice carrying a weariness she herself didn't realize: "I'm fine, I wonder how they are."
The five who entered split into two teams: he and Chu Qiang were in one team, while Guan Shao led Ruan Hanyu and Pan Pan in the other. Although Guan Shao had extensive combat experience, he was quite worried because Pan Pan and Ruan Hanyu had no combat experience.
Jiang Rong really wanted to use the walkie-talkie to ask Guan Shao and the others about their situation, but she was afraid that she would distract them.
Chu Qiang reassured him, "Don't worry, Guan Tou'er is a master among masters, he's incredibly capable. Besides, Pan Pan and Han Yu just lack experience, it doesn't mean they're stupid. Guan Tou'er only needs to give them a little pointers, and they'll understand. Don't worry!"
A rustling sound came from Jiang Rong's ear, and Guan Shao's voice came through the walkie-talkie on her chest: "Jiang Rong, a rather large mutated wild boar is heading in your direction. It will probably pass through the main road to your left in about a minute. Can you take the side path and lure it towards the clock tower?"
Jiang Rong readily agreed, "Okay." There was a small square in the middle of Jiangjia Bridge, with a small clock tower built in it. He had already memorized the location of the clock tower when he looked at the map earlier.
Guan Shao added, "Don't take the main roads; you can't outrun wild boars. Try to take the side streets and be careful."
Jiang Rong chuckled softly, "Okay."
After hanging up the walkie-talkie, Chu Qiang was a little puzzled: "Huh? How did Guan Tou'er know where we were?"
Jiang Rong gripped the gun tightly and pressed it against the wall behind him: "I don't know." Guan Shao possessed a terrifying intuition when it came to warfare. Jiang Rong prided himself on his amazing memory, yet while he and Guan Shao were both looking at the map of Jiangjiaqiao, Guan Shao had already begun formulating a plan, while he hadn't even finished reading it.
After silently counting to sixty, heavy breathing indeed came from the main road to his left. Chu Qiang quickly peeked out and his body stiffened abruptly. When he pulled back, his eyes widened in disbelief: "You call this 'relatively big'?"
The wild boar that Little Darling had previously entangled was already quite large, but this one was a whole size bigger. It strolled leisurely through the village in the dead of night, like a king surveying his territory. With each step, the ground beneath their feet trembled.
No matter how difficult the mission, they had to get moving. Jiang Rong took a deep breath: "Let's go."
He and Chu Qiang simultaneously pulled the triggers towards the wild boar, their crossbow bolts and bullets striking the boar's body with deadly accuracy. The boar's body abruptly stopped; it turned its head to look at the new wounds on its body, its eyes seemingly filled with confusion. However, it quickly realized it had been ambushed, and in an instant, the boar looked towards the alley where Jiang Rong and the others were, its eyes filled with madness and rage.
The instant the trigger was pulled, Jiang Rong and Chu Qiang took off running. The mutated wild boar was incredibly fast and incredibly strong; if they had been caught by it, this day next year would have been their death anniversary.
The two ran desperately through the alley, Chu Qiang yelling, his voice trembling: "Why is Jiangjia Bridge so big! Aww, Xiao Jiang, which way do we go?"
Jiang Rong ran ahead without looking back: "Stay close to me."
A loud noise came from behind them, and a thick cloud of dust billowed up from the alley they ran through. A wild boar was hot on their heels. The boar was enormous; if they took the main road, they would easily be caught. Now, they could only rely on Jiang Rong's memory to navigate through the alleys.
The alleyways between the guesthouses were full of steps, and it was easy to slip and fall if you weren't careful. Led by Jiang Rong, they made their way through several alleys without any major incidents.
Chu Qiang felt relieved: "As expected of Xiao Jiang, he's really strong." Xiao Jiang has been smart since he was a child. Just now, he was so dizzy that he couldn't find his way, but Xiao Jiang was able to lead him to the fastest alley.
Just as they turned the corner and prepared to rush into the last alley, Jiang Rong suddenly stopped. A mutated wild boar was stuck in the alley, blocking their way.
Seeing the pig, Chu Qiang couldn't help but swear. The clock tower was right in front of them; changing course now would be suicidal: "Xiao Jiang, what do we do?"
Jiang Rong steeled his heart, "Charge!" With that, he charged towards the wild boar.
To Chu Qiang's astonishment, Jiang Rong stepped on the wild boar's head with one foot and its back with the other.
Jiang Rong flew over on top of the wild boar, and Chu Qiang's eyes lit up: "Awesome!"
However, Jiang Rong let out a muffled groan after landing, and Chu Qiang's heart tightened: "Are you alright?"
Jiang Rong's suppressed voice came through: "I'm fine, come here quickly!"
Chu Qiang followed Jiang Rong's example and leaped over. As an enhanced ability user, he was tough and resilient, so even if he fell, it wouldn't be a big problem. After rolling twice on the ground, Chu Qiang successfully got up.
With the clock tower in sight, Chu Qiang was overjoyed: "Xiao Jiang! We did it! Hmm? Where's the crucial moment?"
Jiang Rong struggled to his feet and staggered toward the clock tower: "It's on the clock; we need to get out of here quickly."
Blood streamed down Jiang Rong's forehead, and his left arm was twisted at an odd angle. He had landed hard, and he was still seeing stars.
Chu Qiang's voice rang in my ears: "Xiao Jiang, Xiao Jiang, you're bleeding. Don't move, I'm coming!"
The next moment, Jiang Rong's body was suddenly suspended in mid-air. Chu Qiang picked her up and ran wildly towards the clock tower, shouting, "Little Jiang's arm is broken! Where is Sister Chunlan?"
Jiang Rong hadn't felt any pain at first, but Chu Qiang jolted him so hard he almost passed out. He lowered his voice and said, "Shut up! Sister Chunlan is outside."
No matter how loud Chu Qiang's voice was, it couldn't compare to the noise made by the wild boar. He had only run a few steps forward when he suddenly heard a whistling wind behind him.
Guan Shao's voice suddenly rang out: "Get down!"
Chu Qiang hurriedly crouched down, holding Jiang Rong in his arms. Just as he crouched down, a wild boar brushed against his hair and fell heavily in front of them. The boar grunted twice, twitched a few times, and then stopped breathing. Judging from its size, it was probably the same boar that had been stuck in the alley.
Chu Qiang's hair stood on end. Why would a pig fly? It must have blocked the path of a stronger wild boar and been knocked away. He couldn't think of a better reason.
Heavy breathing came from behind them, and Chu Qiang instinctively tightened his embrace around Jiang Rong. He swallowed hard and turned around tremblingly, only to see a pair of bloodshot eyes right behind them.
The wild boar exuded an astonishing oppressive force, even frightening Chu Qiang, a superhuman.
The enraged boar lowered its head, its front legs pawing the ground incessantly, its tail whipping wildly. With a roar, it suddenly charged at the two men.
"Bang." A gunshot rang out.
The bullet's trajectory is barely visible to the naked eye, but Jiang Rong and Chu Qiang clearly saw it. It trailed a pale purple arc of electricity, tracing a beautiful straight line through the air.
The bullet pierced through the boar's long, sharp tusks and embedded itself deep in the middle of its eye.
With a crisp "snap," the wild boar's head exploded.
In a flash of lightning, the giant wild boar crashed to the ground.
*
The brigade headquarters of Jiangjiaqiao Village is located directly in front of the village. The villagers are wealthy and powerful, and the headquarters is also built in a magnificent manner. The headquarters has an auditorium and a gym, where villagers used to relax and enjoy themselves.
When the brigade headquarters was built, the villagers never imagined that one day it would become their refuge.
The villagers who survived the disaster were covered in dust and trembling. Some sat on stools with blank eyes, some sobbed softly, and some lay on the ground with their clothes stained with blood, their fate unknown.
This was the longest night of their lives; even the occasional noise outside the auditorium would send them huddled together in fear. During this time, everyone present had been contemplating the profound question of life and death: could they really survive?
The long night finally passed, and at dawn, good news came from outside the auditorium: "The superhumans have wiped out the mutated wild boars!"
People inside the auditorium helped each other out to the outside. Looking at the rising sun, they unconsciously smiled, but as they smiled, they began to cry.
Many of them had previously thought that if they were forced to live without dignity and nothing, they might as well find a place to end their lives. However, after this bloody and long night, they would never say that again.
Only when you are dead do you truly have nothing; only when you are alive can you have hope.
But survival is far too difficult for ordinary people; a mere herd of mutated wild boars easily destroyed their homes. Without the protection of those with superpowers, how long can they last?
When it comes to survival, they are willing to give anything.
Author's Note:
Chu Qiang: Xiao Jiang! Xiao Jiang, are you alright?! Xiao Jiang, don't scare me! [Shaking violently]
Jiang Rong: Chunlan, you saw it, this is how my injuries worsened. [Innocent]
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