Chapter 133 The Beginning, Day 133 [Two-in-One] 18:
Day 133 of the game [Two-in-One]
Xia Yan took a deep breath, glanced back at the other staff members who were busy cleaning up the overturned tables and chairs, and then walked out of the camp with his satellite phone.
The night sky was bright with a clear moon and few stars, and in the distance, the dense cattail leaves swayed gently to one side in the breeze.
The clearing they were in was a safe camp cleared by the Nagacho government. It was surrounded by barbed wire fences and armed soldiers took turns guarding it to prevent attacks by wild animals at night.
Xia Yan quickly walked to a secluded corner where there were almost no people, and said to Yin Yu in a low voice, "Mr. Yin, what I am about to say will only be between us and within the Saida Swamp region. Please keep this a secret."
Yin Yu could almost guess what Xia Yan was going to say: the test explosion, just like the previous one in the Joset Desert, which had also disturbed many unknown monsters.
But he did not interrupt.
He simply placed his phone on the hood of the SUV, turned on the speaker, and then wandered around picking up tree branches, intending to make a torch to use for traveling.
Let Xia Yan continue:
“The Sidon Swamp was once an area where the Nagacho government invested in ecological protection projects, but the project was cancelled more than 20 years ago due to government funding issues.”
Yin Yu paused upon hearing this, his ears perking up; this beginning was quite different from what he had expected.
He looked at He Lianzhou, raised an eyebrow, and silently asked if the other knew about this background. He Lianzhou spread his palms out in response.
“Although the ecological protection project was withdrawn, more than a dozen huge pools remain deep in the Saida Swamp. Rather than pools, they are more like patches of continuous water deposits,” Xia Yan continued, speaking in a low and fast voice, as if trying to avoid being discovered.
"There are hundreds of aquatic creatures that are kept in captivity and protected, including tilapia, alligator gar, eels, and alligators. The largest pool in the area contains hundreds of sea turtles."
“These conservation ponds were abandoned after the project was withdrawn from funding. No one is looking after them, and no one is responsible for the survival of the organisms in them.”
Xia Yan's voice echoed through the empty marshland.
“Until twenty years ago.” Xia Yan paused for a brief two seconds, then took a deep breath. “Professor Qian Wenqi told me that you were already aware of Project E, right? I think you should understand what I mean immediately.”
"The Nagacho government chose to conduct their test explosion here, which resulted in the devastation of this swamp area. Wildfires and thunderstorms raged for fifteen days, followed by torrential rains and flash floods that destroyed nearly three-fifths of the area."
"Due to the pollution from element E, the soil and swamps here are partially corrosive, and some of the freshwater in the swamps is undrinkable," Xia Yan warned.
Yin Yu frowned slightly upon hearing this. The freshwater in the swamp had also been polluted, which would cause a lot of trouble.
Freshwater is the source of all life cycles. Its changes mean that the organisms in this area are also likely to have undergone mutations in the life cycle over the past twenty years.
Xia Yan had no idea what Yin Yu was thinking, so he simply continued speaking:
"The extent and severity of the pollution are still being assessed and updated. In addition, we have also found some small E-element warheads in the swamp mud that have not been fully activated and detonated. They are very unstable and could be detonated by movement or changes in temperature or pressure. The Nagajo government does not dare to remove them easily."
Yin Yu's pupils constricted sharply: "What?"
Xia Yan took a deep breath and exhaled, then said in a low voice, "This is the most dangerous and deadliest part. During this month-long manhunt, two Nagacho soldiers died from accidentally detonating a warhead, and another Nagacho soldier died from other injuries."
"Therefore, Mr. Yin, you cannot regard this place as an ordinary wild swamp; it is more dangerous than any other swamp in the world."
Yin Yu paused for a moment, then replied, "I understand, thank you."
“Besides that, there is something else you may need to know and be wary of, although we haven’t found any more conclusive evidence yet,” Xia Yan said after a moment’s hesitation.
Yin Yu made a questioning nasal sound.
Xia Yan pursed his lips, glanced around, and noticed a patrolling Nagacho soldier walking by. He nodded slightly without changing his expression, and after exchanging greetings, he said again only after the other soldier had walked away again: "Do you remember those dozen or so ecological protection 'ponds' I mentioned earlier?"
Yin Yu certainly remembered.
“We’ve always assumed that the creatures in those pools probably died long ago after the government withdrew its funding for the protection project, likely due to lack of management and feeding, not to mention the subsequent bombing test,” Xia Yan said. “But just recently, we followed the snake’s route and arrived at the location of those dozen or so pools.”
Yin Yu paused, then frowned.
He had a gut feeling that he wouldn't like what Xia Yan was about to say.
Xia Yan took a deep breath and continued, "We found broken eggshells there. They looked very fresh, probably only hatched less than two days ago. We also found fresh feces and food scraps there."
Xia Yan pursed his lips deeply: "Our biologists believe that those organisms found a way to survive in an environment that was on the verge of destruction. Life has incredible resilience. They must have changed their usual survival habits."
“On the other hand, biologists in Nagacho believe that these signs do not prove they belong to the descendants of those aquatic creatures, which could not possibly survive for more than twenty years without being fed or cared for after the withdrawal of funding. Those traces simply belong to other wildlife in this swamp,” Xia Yan said.
Upon hearing this, Yin Yu asked, "Then how did you determine that these marks belonged to those creatures kept in the ponds?"
"The original purpose of building there was for ecological protection and to prevent poaching. These pools were surrounded by electrified wire mesh. Even though the terrain changed later and the excavation of the pools caused that large area of land to sink, making the height of the fence and the outer perimeter not much different, these wire meshes can still prevent most wild animals from entering or leaving that area," Xia Yan replied.
The vast majority of the eggshells they found resembled those of crocodiles and turtles, creatures with poor ability to cross fences, making it highly unlikely that they were wild animals from outside.
Upon hearing this, Yin Yu's pupils constricted slightly. He pondered for a moment, then said nothing more, simply indicating that he understood.
Xia Yan let out a breath and couldn't help but ask again, "Mr. Yin, are you sure you really don't need to bring weapons into the swamp? It's not just because of that strange snake. If it's because of the distance, I can bring the weapons over, and you can just wait where you are."
After all, these are helpers we've hired, our own people, so we'd love to stockpile the best weapons and first-aid kits for them.
Yin Yu still refused. He was still on the outskirts of the swamp. Even if Xia Yan delivered these things to him, he was not sure if he would be subject to the system's equipment restrictions. If he couldn't take them with him, it would attract attention.
Seeing this, Xia Yan had no choice but to abandon the idea of deploying equipment.
After hanging up the phone, Yin Yu gathered all the tree branches he had collected together and tied them up. He used the SUV's cover, which was waterproof, and cut a small piece off the bottom of the car with a knife.
The bundled branches were covered with a large amount of moss mud, making them quite damp and difficult to burn, as they would produce a lot of smoke. However, this smoke was exactly what Yin Yu needed at the moment.
Mosquitoes are rampant at night, and the smoke can repel the large number of mosquitoes that come seeking the light.
Yin Yu unscrewed the spare fuel in the trunk of the SUV and poured some onto the mossy soil, just to make it easier to light.
Then, he used a flint to light a small branch, and with the branch slightly spaced, he lit the torch that was covered in fuel.
The fuel on the torch caused it to burst into flames, and He Lianzhou and Yin Yu leaned back simultaneously to avoid the intense heat.
This is why Yin Yu doesn't use a flint and steel to light the torch directly. If he were to use a flint and steel to light the torch directly, his eyebrows would probably be singed off instantly.
Yin Yu made two torches, one for himself and one for He Lianzhou, and they walked towards the swamp with the torches.
The car's navigation map led them to the area where villages used to be scattered throughout the Sidon Swamp. To get deeper into the heart of the swamp, they would need to traverse these former village areas.
However, right now, this place looks much like a rural area.
///
Meanwhile, the little hamster's live stream was still running.
Many streamers, like Yin Yu, now maintain 24/7 uninterrupted live streaming to prove they are genuinely doing live streams from the field.
Right now, in the live stream, Little Hamster and three other group members are still awake, chatting around the campfire.
Among the group members was a couple who were clearly from Northern Europe. They were tall with blonde hair and blue eyes. Even the woman was two or three centimeters taller than the little hamster, not to mention the man, who was like a little giant.
The couple smiled and said they were on their honeymoon. Both were avid outdoor adventure enthusiasts, which is how they met and fell in love. So, they coincidentally chose this special and memorable way to spend their honeymoon.
Another member of the group was a chubby guy named Roy, the son of a winery owner. He looked to be around 230 or 240 pounds. He was sitting by the campfire doing nothing but sweating profusely. He had arrived by private jet the day before.
"Then why did you come here? You don't seem like someone who enjoys outdoor adventures?" the little hamster asked casually.
Roy frowned and said, "I'm treating this as a weight loss camp. Outdoor adventures are more interesting than boring weight loss exercises."
Little hamster:
The young Scandinavian couple standing nearby smiled sweetly: "I think this is a great idea. Every time I go back, I lose several pounds, but I quickly regain them. You just need to resist overeating when you go back, and I think it will definitely work."
“Honey, you’re perfect just the way you are,” the husband said.
“Hopefully,” Roy interrupted, still frowning. He slapped a mosquito that had landed on his neck, his palm covered in bright red blood. He took a breath and said with disgust, “Hopefully before I get sucked dry by mosquitoes.”
Seeing this, the little hamster quickly took out mosquito repellent spray and reapplied it to all the big spenders.
[Hilarious! Going on a wilderness adventure to lose weight?! Seriously?!]
[Don't tell me, it seems like people who like adventure have never seen a fat person before?]
[The fat guy probably isn't physically fit enough; he wouldn't be able to go on any adventures.]
[Little Hamster: The pressure is on two hamsters who love to walk, and one who can't. How should we plan tomorrow's itinerary? Urgent!]
"Can we go back to the tent now?" Roy asked, sighing. "It's not as fun here as I thought. I'd rather go back to the tent and sleep than become mosquito food."
Upon hearing this, the little hamster said, "The weather bureau predicts a high probability of seeing a meteor tonight. The visibility here is excellent. Are you really going back to your tent first?"
This is also the main reason why they have been waiting outside until now. The honeymooning couple made it clear as soon as they joined the group that this was the activity they were most looking forward to on the trip.
The hamster specifically chose a spot with the widest view to set up camp. Normally, he would prefer to choose another small hill, at least so that it wouldn't be easily flooded if it suddenly rained heavily. This area, however, has a high probability of being flooded.
However, he checked the weather forecast and it was sunny for the next seven days, so there shouldn't be any major problems.
Roy waved his hand: "Call me when the meteor comes."
He said this as he got up and went into the tent.
The single tent swayed noticeably from side to side. The little hamster half-sat up, as if it wanted to hold the tent steady, as if it were about to tip over.
The hamster breathed a sigh of relief only after Roy lay down in his sleeping bag and turned off the nightlight in the tent.
The couple from Northern Europe, on the other hand, excitedly said they wanted to go to the nearby hillside, feeling that it was closer to the sky.
The little hamster was immediately at a loss: "This is not appropriate, Mr. and Mrs. Austin. You should not act alone. This is the Ghost Swamp, it will be very dangerous."
“Just call me Harrison,” the husband interrupted, and his wife nodded in agreement, adding, “Call me Alma.”
The little hamster chuckled dryly and nodded in agreement, but in its heart it was thinking, does it matter what it's called? The important thing is that it can't act alone!
Harrison just smiled and shrugged, pointing to a small hill not far away: "That's less than fifty meters away from us, how dangerous could it be? We just need some time alone."
As he spoke, he lowered his head and kissed his new wife. The two exchanged a sweet glance and even moved closer together, giving the little hamster the illusion that he had vanished into thin air.
Does he not exist?
He coughed heavily, then shook his head: "No, you all know how risky it is to be alone in the wild."
“We’re willing to declare that you are not responsible for any accidents that may occur, and I will give you an additional fee for your freedom of movement,” Harrison said.
[Forget it, Rat Bro, there's nothing more to say about their terrifyingly impulsive, straight-brained nature; we can all testify to that! Let them go.]
[Wow, I'm not kidding, don't they ever watch movies? Aren't these the kinds of people who always get into trouble? And they dare to run away?]
Looking at it this way, the chubby boy is definitely the least troublesome.
The little hamster sighed in exasperation. Seeing Alma pleading with her hands clasped together, he couldn't take it anymore and finally relented, saying, "The hillside is out of the question, but you can go over there. See that rock? The view from there is quite good too. I can give you two some time alone."
The Harrison-Austons looked at it and reluctantly agreed.
They took a beautiful tablecloth, along with food and water, and waited there for the meteor shower to streak across the sky.
The little hamster twitched its lips and muttered to its live stream, "This is our second night in the Ghost Swamp. We'll be spending every night from now on here. Hopefully, those lovebirds won't become numb to this scenery."
In the end, only the single dog, Mouse, was left all alone.
There's another one inside the tent.
How can this not be considered being alone in some sense? XD
[Now that you mention it, it makes sense? At least that young couple had two people, while our streamer is all alone by the campfire.]
[The Law of Being Alone in the Wilderness]
The little hamster looked at the comments in the live stream and its eyelids twitched: "Don't scare me, it won't work. I know this place better than you guys even with my eyes closed. I've been playing in that muddy place since I was a kid. The rock that guided those two lovebirds is the place where my first love and I first held hands and looked at the stars."
[Hilarious, is this for real?]
[Brother Mouse is so selfless in sharing his love stones, is it just about holding hands? Nothing else?]
[Ahem! Be careful, you might get banned! What if Brother Mouse's first love is watching the live stream? That would be so embarrassing!]
"What's there to be embarrassed about? He dared to hold my hand and look at the stars with me there, and I'm not allowed to say anything? I'd kick the cabinet door down for him." The little hamster snorted.
[A sudden influx of information]
I want to hear some gossip.
Wait a minute, Rat Bro, did something float past you?
[Wow, don't scare me!]
There weren't many viewers still in the live stream at this point. Little Hamster could see every single comment. Seeing this, he subconsciously glanced back and said, "There's nothing here."
"Got it, you're playing mind games with me, huh?" The little hamster grinned, nonchalantly adding another branch to the campfire to make it burn brighter.
I'm not kidding! I really saw it! It looked like a ghost!
【Ghost Swamp? Ahhh】
[Why is the streamer completely still? Aren't they afraid of ghosts?]
The little hamster glanced at the comments and chuckled, "I've already said this is where I've grown up. Even if there really are ghosts, they're just villagers I know. At most, they'll just look at me because they recognize me."
[Oh no, I'm about to pee from these tears!]
No wonder they couldn't scare the streamer!
So it really was a scam against the streamer? Speechless! All that tension for nothing!
The little hamster was chatting with the viewers in the live stream when suddenly Mr. and Mrs. Austin rushed back.
"Is your romantic time over already?" The little hamster was taken aback and glanced at the time. "It hasn't even been twenty minutes?"
Harrison Austin, his face slightly pale, said to the hamster, "Are there any wild animals here? We saw two bright yellow lights! In the grass not far away! Like the eyes of wild animals!"
The little hamster raised an eyebrow upon hearing this: "Of course there are wild animals here. This is a swamp, the real wilderness. It's perfectly normal to have wild animals here."
Harrison and Alma gasped: "But it...it's huge!"
The little hamster laughed and shook its head: "Okay, tell me, where is it?"
Alma and Harrison instinctively pointed behind the hamster, then said blankly, "But it's gone now."
The little hamster glanced behind it nonchalantly, then asked with a grin, "Is this a trick you two planned to use to scare me? No more time alone together next time, Harrison, Alma."
Alma then realized that the little hamster had never believed that either of them were serious.
She couldn't help but grab the hamster's arm, suppressing a shriek: "This isn't a joke! We're serious! We saw you behind the rock! They were standing right up to you, completely still! For almost a full minute!"
The little hamster was startled by the coldness and dampness of Alma's palms. It was taken aback. Although the temperature at night was only 20 degrees Celsius, Alma was wearing a down jacket, so her body temperature couldn't possibly be that low.
The only possibility is that he was extremely frightened.
He paused, then jumped up abruptly, his face turning pale: "Did you see it move in that direction next?"
“We rushed over to tell you.” Harrison swallowed hard, his face pale as he looked around. “We didn’t notice when it disappeared.”
The little hamster looked at the live stream again: "Has anyone seen this?"
[We've been bluffing the streamer for ages and they weren't scared, but now they're reacting so strongly to just those two yellow eyes?]
[Never seen that before, but judging from what those two lovebirds were saying, someone was at that high position. So, from the angle where Brother Mouse was sitting, we probably couldn't have seen him, right?]
That makes sense.
Now that I'm standing up, the perspective and height are noticeably different from before.
[Damn, I think something just flashed by?! Did anyone see it?!]
【Huh? Huh!? I didn't see it?】
Seeing this, the little hamster immediately turned around to look for them, swallowing hard and whispering, "You're trying to trick me, of course I'm not afraid of that, there's no such thing in the world. But there really are wild beasts and monsters in the swamp, and three villagers really have disappeared completely, how can I not be afraid of that?"
As he was speaking, they suddenly heard a noise coming from the single tent. All three of them turned around abruptly in alarm and saw Roy struggling to crawl out of the tent.
Looking up, Roy rubbed his eyes, puzzled and still sleepy, and asked, "A meteor shower? And it's so noisy?"
"Huh? What's that behind you?" Roy suddenly stopped what he was doing, his eyes widened slightly, and he stopped talking.
Upon hearing this, the three hamsters froze in place, none of them daring to move.
"What's behind us?" the little hamster asked, trying to appear calm.
"Two lights?" Roy frowned in confusion. "They're moving. Is there someone else here besides us?"
Upon hearing this, the little hamsters quickly turned around to look. Now that they were closer, Harrison and Alma could also see that the two yellow dots looked more like moving torches than eyes, appearing and disappearing among the leaves.
The little hamster breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this: "Damn, that scared me to death!"
Harrison's face darkened upon seeing this: "Who's playing tricks here?"
After he finished speaking, he ran straight towards that direction.
The little hamster didn't have time to call a stop, so it quickly grabbed its small oil lamp and rushed after him, shouting, "Harrison! Don't chase! Watch your step!"
Soon, the two yellow dots stopped first, as if they had heard someone chasing them.
The little hamster quickly caught up with Harrison, and then the two of them followed closely behind, taking a few steps to catch up with the yellow light.
The viewers in the live stream could now see the scene clearly. In the video, two men holding torches had their faces obscured by the firelight.
[Dude, you can really scare people to death with that kind of scary stuff!!]
[Oh, so it was a person after all. Sigh.]
[Wait, wait?! Wait!!!]
【Is it Yu-ge?! Monster Hunter-ge?! Are these two?!】
[Holy crap, right?! Right?! Who else but Monster Hunter is wearing a mask?!]
【Huh?! My brother Yu's leg is healed?! When did he start streaming?! Why didn't anyone tell me?! ...
[I just checked Yanyu's live stream, but it wasn't open?]
[Huh? No, Yu-ge, you two aren't streaming? Then what are you doing in the Ghost Swamp? On vacation??]
Suddenly I understand those two lovebirds.
[Ahhh, since you're already here! Why not start a live stream?! That's too much of a formality, Yu-ge!]
[Now! Immediately! Right now! I want to see Brother Yu's live stream!]
[Rat: No, what about me? Did they all run away?]
[Brother Mouse: Me, the only victim, has appeared!]
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