Chapter 74 Sandstorm [VIP]
Tang Tian's brows showed doubt, but the next moment, the whole building suddenly trembled slightly.
Could it be... an earthquake? !
Tang Tian was startled and ran out quickly. After running only a few hundred meters, he heard a loud rumbling sound behind him.
She did not stop, but continued to run forward quickly. In the cloud of dust raised behind her, she finally lay on the ground and rolled several times before slowly stopping.
It was a close call!
Putting the filter back on, Tang Tian waved away the dust with his hands, then took out the telescope and looked in that direction.
But this sight made her extremely surprised.
The collapsed building became a ruin, but next to the rubble, a group of animals appeared!
Tang Tian suddenly felt bad.
From the end of the world until now, she has rarely seen ordinary wild animals like those before the end of the world, unless they are... the mutated animals she had seen before!
She thought for a moment, used her invisibility ability again, moved closer cautiously, and observed through the telescope.
Each of those creatures was the size of a medium-sized dog or a piglet, and they didn't look fat, but rather quite strong.
But when Tang Tian changed her perspective and looked again, she was shocked again.
Those creatures' mouths were filled with a pair of huge and sharp incisors, which were clearly the characteristics of rodents!
At this moment, they were gnawing at the ruins of the building with their front teeth, but the sound of such friction was drowned out by the roaring wind.
“Squeak…squeak…squeak…”
One of the larger creatures suddenly turned its head, and the beard around its mouth trembled, which made Tang Tian's heart sink suddenly.
But fortunately, it did not make any further move. It probably did not notice her and turned back to chew on the ruins.
Tang Tian looked at this group of creatures and got goosebumps all over her body.
She was 80% certain that this was definitely a mutant creature!
I just wonder if these dog-like and rat-like creatures are eating the ruins or just grinding their teeth?
But no matter which one it is, it is a disaster for mankind.
The shelter in Area S has basically reached a certain scale, and even has the prototype of a base. If these gnawing creatures attack, the shelter will definitely be paralyzed or even collapse!
Moreover, if they are indeed rodents, their reproductive capacity would be astonishing, and they might even create a network of nests underground, so who knows how many there would be...
Before she knew it, Tang Tian had broken out in a cold sweat because of her frequent thoughts.
This is more troublesome than piranhas and mutant vultures!
Tang Tian packed up her things and quickly got her transportation home.
"Tiantian, you're back? What's wrong with your clothes..."
Tang Tian used her healing ability to heal the wound, but the bloodstains on her clothes could not be removed. There was no dust in the house, so they were visible at a glance.
Tan Tan's sensitive sense of smell also smelled the faint trace of blood belonging to Tang Tian, and he walked forward worriedly and whimpered at his feet.
"Mom, I'll explain to you later. I have something more important to tell the shelter right now!"
Tang Tian stroked the dog's head to comfort it, then turned on the radio to make contact.
Due to such a severe sandstorm, although Jiangnan Liyuan was not particularly far from the shelter, it was impossible to use the intercom.
Fortunately, Tang Tian was acquainted with the leader of the shelter, and most importantly, the leader also valued her, so she left her contact information.
Leaders like Yang Gan mostly gave orders, so the message was connected after only two calls.
Tang Tian spoke briefly and quickly told him about the mutant creatures she had seen on the road.
Tang Yi and Wei Mingxia, who were standing by, also looked unhappy when they heard this.
They had seen piranhas and mutant vultures with their own eyes. If they didn't have special abilities, their situation would probably be no different from that of other civilians...
…
After listening to Tang Tian's report, Yang Gan was silent for a moment before asking sternly:
"Ms. Tang, are you sure you saw this with your own eyes?"
"I'm sure, Deputy Yang, and I can take responsibility for my words."
Tang Tian's expression was also solemn.
"I just went out and saw it on the road, but I don't know how many there are underground, and I don't know when we can reach the shelter."
"We've seen mutants appear before, and the ones that appeared in the sandstorm this time seem to be particularly fond of things like metal and stone. That shelter is like a huge granary for them!"
"Deputy Captain Yang, you may not believe me, but at least you can be alert and take precautions in advance."
Although Yang Gan valued her, the Tang family was still ordinary people and it was impossible for them to believe everything they said.
Tang Tian had said this, she had done her best, and whether she could prevent the shelter from being paralyzed in the end depended on them.
Yang Gan answered and hung up in a hurry. Tang Tian also hung up and then breathed a sigh of relief.
But when she turned around, she saw Tang Yi and Wei Mingxia's interrogative gazes again. Perhaps it wasn't time to relax yet.
Helpless, she could only leave.
, she was the first to give in, clasping her hands together:
"Mom, sister, please stop scolding me. I was wrong. It won't happen again next time!"
"You, this time you've turned your confidence into complacency. Go and stay home!"
Wei Mingxia rolled her eyes and sounded helpless.
But having said that, if Tang Tian really wanted to go out, no one could stop her.
"Even if we have to go out, next time we have to go together, so we can have someone to look after us."
"Anyway, Jiangnan Courtyard is completely deserted, and the sandstorm continues. Even if someone came in, they probably wouldn't immediately notice that someone was in Building 30."
Tang Yi also gave instructions.
It seemed like it didn't take much time, but in fact it was almost evening when Tang Tian came back, and her family was still thinking of contacting her.
Unexpectedly, the former came back with injuries all over his body. How could they not be worried?
Tang Tian immediately nodded in agreement, with a well-behaved look on her face.
Wei Mingxia softened her heart and said:
"Okay, now that you're all dusty and dirty, go take a shower and have dinner."
…
After that, Tang Tian stayed at home for several days, which made Wei Mingxia feel much more at ease.
But even at home, Tang Tian has free time and still exercises and practices, and learns supernatural powers.
She had already mastered the sand attribute ability, and remembering the time when she was captured by external forces and had to use the space attribute ability in a desperate situation, she decided to practice it more.
When it comes to space, the first thing she thinks of is space storage.
But when dealing with that man, she also thought quickly, wondering if she could also use the air cutting method to attack the enemy. Unexpectedly, she actually used it.
It's just that one can clearly feel that this spatial ability consumes much more mental energy than other abilities.
Moreover, the cutting in the air was like an invisible sharp blade forming in the air, truly killing people invisibly and without any color or taste. If she hadn't used her mental power too much, she would have wanted to keep using it.
While practicing space cutting every day, Tang Tian also did not forget to expand the space storage function.
Although she already had a system warehouse, the extra-large warehouse she upgraded to was too large, and some supplies were placed in corners, and she occasionally had to use her mind to search for them for a while before she could completely retrieve them.
But the storage of space abilities is different. It is not only a portable space, but its size is determined by the level and ability of the psychic, making it more suitable for storing personal items.
As for the fact that she had time to ask about her supernatural powers, it was mostly because she had drunk a cup of honey grapefruit tea before she set out, which gave her this supernatural power.
Tang Tian waved her hand forward, and after a flash of honey-colored light, a translucent window of the same color appeared. After it opened automatically, it became a small space similar to a suitcase.
Since it's a power obtained from honey dishes, it really looks like a honeycomb!
But before Tang Tian could admire her honeycomb backpack for a while, the mental exhaustion that she hadn't felt for a long time appeared again.
She quickly closed her backpack and took out a cup of homemade lychee jasmine ice wine from the refrigerator.
The fermented rice is brewed in system wine barrels, and the lychee, jasmine tea and milk are all produced from various ingredients. Both the mind and mental strength are guaranteed to be restored.
The chilled ice wine is sweet and cool, and your mouth is filled with the sweetness of the fruit pulp, the light sweetness of the wine and the lingering fragrance of jasmine, which is refreshing.
Tang Tian not only made this version, but also made bayberry, red bean, osmanthus, and ice wine latte... She only regretted that she only had one mouth.
After recovering his mental strength, Tang Tian thought that this space-questioning ability could only be used in emergencies, so he put it aside for the time being and practiced other abilities.
The sandstorm continued to strike everywhere, and three months had passed in the blink of an eye from the first day until now.
Three months have passed, and the progress of this year has advanced a lot and is almost halfway through.
Only the Tang family's Jiangnan Liyuan was left, and it was slowly becoming a small isolated island, with no strangers to be seen and no voices to be heard. But it was estimated that all the shelters, big and small, outside were like this.
The sandstorm, which already reduced visibility, also blocked out much of the sunlight. Because the villa was protected by metal barriers, there was virtually no natural light, and most of the lights in the house were powered by batteries.
However, Tang Tian also tried to use another supernatural power in the yellow dish - the light attribute.
As the name suggests, this one must be able to shine. Tang Tian first ate a Level 1 delicacy: sunny-side-up egg.
After obtaining the superpower, she only needs to release the superpower, and a palm-sized ball of light will appear in her palm, illuminating half of the room.
But she couldn't always be a human desk lamp. After Tang Tian's continuous experiments, she finally found the light-attribute ability that was most suitable for the current situation.
Another delicious ginger candy slice also has a light attribute ability level 1. It can not only produce light balls, but can also be rubbed out like fuel balls and insect repellent balls. It will lose its effect after a few days.
In this way, they just need to rub out more light energy balls to maintain the light for a few days!
Moreover, the light emitted by the ginger candy slices is actually warm when it shines on people, just like the morning light, and it can also dispel the cold and dampness.
If you can get some sun, it will be very beneficial to you.
Especially now, the sand and dust in the wind are still rubbing against each other, and the low-frequency noise coming from day and night makes people feel depressed, and even feel a little headache, nausea and irritability.
So the Tang family simply started rubbing light balls, which could replace electric lights and also relieve discomfort appropriately.
…
Tang Tian was afraid that the large amount of sand and dust would even bury the villa, so she took the time to take precautions with Tang Yi. They would go out to clean up the yard and clear the dust every once in a while, which was equivalent to practicing their supernatural powers and exercising their mental strength.
The next day, Tang Tian received a message on her radio and she picked it up immediately.
Gu Bin's voice came from the other end.
"Hello, Miss Tang!"
Gu Bin's voice sounded a little hurried, perhaps because he was in the middle of an action, so he cut to the chase:
"What you said is true. That kind of mutant creature really appeared!"
The never-ending sandstorms constantly destroy everything on the ground, and the tiny collisions even cause scars of varying depths on buildings.
For humans, the harm is even more severe, and many people have become sick due to the sandstorms.
Nasal congestion, cough and sore throat are common symptoms, and some people develop bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema and even pneumoconiosis.
But ever since Tang Tian's reminder, Yang Gan has been worried all day long. He still pushed aside everyone's doubts and objections and stepped up patrols in the shelter.
There were indeed many complaints during that period, but last night, almost everyone heard the squeaking sound, which really sounded like the sound of mice harassing before the end of the world.
When the patrol team arrived, they discovered that the walls of the shelter, factories, warehouses and other buildings had been attacked by creatures.
They drilled into the building from underground in groups and began to gnaw on the various equipment inside. Their sharp incisors actually flashed like metal!
The patrol reported in and proceeded to attack directly.
Fortunately, these creatures are not as small as real mice and are easy to target.
But they were thick-skinned and some of them not only failed to kill the attacker with one blow, but were even enraged and turned around to bite the attacker.
If they are bitten carelessly, the least they will suffer is a piece of flesh being lost. Some members may even have their bones bitten off on the spot, losing their mobility and attacking power.
But people also noticed that these creatures did not seem to actively attack humans, and their eyes were narrowed into slits, which was very similar to some animals before the end of the world whose vision had degenerated but whose perception was sharp.
But if we let them gnaw at the buildings, the shelter will be eaten down sooner or later!
In desperation, the shelter had no choice but to continue attacking.
However, after hearing that biological traces were found, Yang Gan felt relieved. This proved that his persistence was right, and Tang Tian's trust in him also deepened.
But this was not the time to relax, so Yang Gan continued to devote himself to issuing instructions.
But despite his busy schedule, he also asked someone Tang Tian knew to inform them of the current situation.
"How are you doing with the elimination now?" Tang Tian asked.
Gu Bin sighed:
"These creatures are like rats, but dozens of times larger. They must have nested underground before, and their numbers are incalculable. We fight them with weapons, and when we kill one, there's always another. It seems like we can never kill them all!"
"But we can't keep these creatures that chew on buildings. So we've issued an order that all staff at the shelter must get involved and try to drive them out as soon as possible."
"Miss Tang, you should be careful too. Since these creatures can chew on buildings, those abandoned buildings outside might also be their targets!"
Tang Tian thought for a while, then suddenly said:
"These creatures must have mutated, and they should have the same weaknesses as the animals before the apocalypse. I've seen these before, and they look a bit like naked mole rats. Those animals are afraid of light and noise. Why don't you give it a try!"
Gu Bin thought it made sense, thanked him and hung up the radio.
What he said makes sense. For the mutant gerbils that like to chew on buildings and metal, this deserted Jiangnan Liyuan is food in their eyes!
It seems that staying at home is not safe either, and they must find a way to prevent these home invasions.
…
The shelter acted quickly. In the evening, there was another message on the radio, and this time it was Yang Gan who contacted personally.
Tang Tian's guess turned out to be correct. The group of mutant gerbils were indeed afraid of light and noise. There was no need to waste weapons. With these, they could make them scream and burrow into the ground and disappear.
The wounded have been sent to medical stations and some bodies have been sent for autopsy.
The shelter began to patch holes and repair buildings, and patrols could not be stopped. Yang Gan came here specifically to express his gratitude.
But these cannot completely eliminate the mutant gerbils, and Tang Tian and Yang Gan both know this.
"Speaking of which, Deputy Director Yang, I don't think I've ever heard where the director is."
Yang Gan is the deputy director, so logically there should be a director, otherwise Yang Gan would have been promoted automatically long ago. People's psychology is that they must have a team leader.
Yang Gan replied:
"Director Wu is here, especially for this battle against those mutant creatures. However, as director, he sometimes goes to Area A for meetings, or to the next area to inspect and discuss the construction of the base, so I am usually stationed in the shelter."
In a natural disaster environment, the director has a harder job than the deputy director.
After hanging up the radio, Tang Tian listened to the whistling wind outside.
Even though she had a golden finger, the continuous days of hardship still made her sigh unconsciously.
Tang Tian still felt that it was not enough even though there were three air purifiers running at home at the same time, so she continued to look for suitable superpowers.
I didn't expect that she actually found it.
After checking the inventory of ingredients in the warehouse, she made three portions directly.
"Mom, sister, you all try it."
It turned out to be a bowl of light yellow rock sugar and snow pears. Its moisturizing ability must be able to lubricate the skin.
After eating a bowl of sweet and delicious candied pear every day, Tang Tian touched her face and felt that it had become much younger. Compared with the people nowadays, it seemed that she was from a completely different world.
And one night, it was Tan Tan who reacted first. He stood up and barked after realizing there was danger.
The mother and her two daughters were immediately awakened. After getting up to stop the noise, they listened carefully and indeed heard the squeaking sound.
The shelter is now driving away mutant gerbils every day. Strong light sources require fuel, but noise does not require any prerequisites, so the latter is basically used.
From then on, Tang Tian could sense the noise coming from the shelter every day, and it would start to sound after a while.
Naturally, the gerbils temporarily abandoned their shelter and turned to attack the abandoned buildings in the uninhabited area.
Tang Tian went directly to the second floor, which she seldom went to, but it was also protected by metal barriers. Otherwise, the balcony windows would have been broken and dust would have rushed in.
She used her special powers to open a breakthrough, then controlled the wind and sand that wanted to fly in. She looked down with a telescope, but she couldn't help but feel her eyes go dark.
It turns out that Jiangnan Liyuan is densely populated with mutant gerbils!
When their numbers increased, the swarm of gerbils was like surging waves, even covering an entire villa!
“Crackle, crackle…Crackle, crackle…”
The overlapping grinding sounds became increasingly high-pitched and harsh, and one could even vaguely hear some sparks.
In the blink of an eye, the entire villa collapsed and turned into ruins.
But the gerbil still did not leave the ruins. Instead, it ground up all the debris before turning to attack another villa.
If the situation continues like this, it will be the Tang family's turn sooner or later.
We can only be thankful that they don't seem to attack humans too actively.
But you can't let them into the house no matter what!
Tang Tian looked unhappy, but fortunately they were the only ones left in Jiangnan Liyuan, so it was okay to use her supernatural powers directly at this time.
"Tiantian, I think those mutant gerbils are about to come in!"
Tang Yi shouted loudly downstairs.
"Sister, you and mom should make some light balls first, and then place them outside!"
Tang Yi and Wei Mingxia did as they were told, and then Tang Tian opened the ability column and saw the new delicacy she had just unlocked today: lava chocolate.
The new ability that can be obtained from this SSR-level dish is also simple and easy to understand - that is, the ability to generate and manipulate magma!
This thing is more powerful than fire!
Tang Tian did it right away. She stretched out her hands and released her supernatural power. Sure enough, a bright orange-red viscous liquid ball slowly appeared in the middle and continued to expand.
Tang Yi and Wei Mingxia quickly rolled out a few balls of light and threw them into the yard.
The higher the level, the brighter the light. Several of them shone simultaneously, and the area above Building 30 was as bright as day.
This creates a significant gap from other realms, like a clear dividing line between light and darkness.
The stimulating light for gerbils did indeed cause them to change their route and go to other villas to gnaw on them.
But this time there were so many gerbils that Tang Tian discovered that some of them were small gerbils, and they rushed in in groups, completely covering the light of the light ball, making the light much weaker.
I didn’t expect these mutant creatures to have this trick?
Tang Tian looked at the lava ball in her hand and waited for the gerbils downstairs to gather so that she could throw it over immediately.
“Zizizizi…”
There was a teppanyaki-like sound outside, accompanied by the intense squeaking of the gerbils.
Tang Tian withdrew his hand again, and the lava returned to his hand. The gerbil, which had been burned all over, turned black as charcoal, and died with its limbs facing upwards.
Confirming it worked, she continued to use her lava power to attack the gerbil. Tang Yi also came to help, trying to prevent the gerbil from entering the house.
Wei Mingxia continued to place light balls in the house and used her sand-attribute ability to control the flying sand and dust.
Tan Tan was sniffing the ground to prevent any gerbils from coming in from underground. With its size, it could fight a gerbil.
The family of three and a dog naturally came up with a battle plan and were implementing it in an orderly manner.
Finally, daybreak arrived. Although the sun was almost obscured by the dust, these mutated gerbils, perhaps truly nocturnal creatures, began to dig and drill into the ground with their claws, and their number soon dropped to less than half.
Until finally, the gerbils gradually disappeared, leaving only the scorching sand.
There were many holes on the bare ground. I don’t know how many villas in Jiangnan Liyuan were eaten by them, but at least for this night, they protected their home.
After Tang Tian rearranged the metal barrier, she went downstairs and collapsed exhausted on the sofa in the living room with Tang Yi and Wei Mingxia.
Now they not only urgently need to restore their mental strength, but also need to fill their stomachs.
At this time, the function of the food system is once again highlighted.
Tang Tian waved her hand, and a variety of dishes and drinks appeared on the coffee table, enough for them to eat and drink their fill.
It's just that I don't know if these gerbils will invade again, or how many are buried underground, so I can only take it one step at a time...
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