Chapter 39: The Mutated Insects

"Let’s drag it out a few more days. The search teams tell me that there’s not a single insect or beast to be seen outside right now. I think they’re plotting something. We’ll wait until this blows over, then deal with it. Just say we’re making every effort." Xiang Tianxiao replied calmly. He dared not challenge Ma Yi’s bold attitude; after all, he wasn’t nearly as powerful.

"Alright, that’s settled. While we look for news, keep stalling him." Old Xu made the decision.

Li Li stood at the entrance of the tall building, carefully surveying the core area. She hadn’t finished her inspection when Ma Yi strode out from the gate. The entire coming and going took only a few minutes.

"Didn’t reach an agreement?" Li Li asked anxiously, afraid of any unpleasant outcome.

"It’s done. Let’s go back." With that, Ma Yi led Li Li away. Within a day, news of Ma Yi had spread throughout the Changfeng Base. Though rumors grew with embellishments, everyone at Changfeng now knew that the boy who looked barely ten years old possessed strength rivaling the base’s top fighters. People greeted him respectfully on the streets, nodding to show their deference.

Li Li, following Ma Yi, was surprised by the attention. Even the lowest were second-level evolvers, and several third-level ones, including famed search team captains, treated her with unusual courtesy. She owed this entirely to the young man beside her.

The sky grew ever more gloomy, as it had for three days now. It was midday, but felt as dark as dusk. Overhead, thick clouds roiled, and thunder rumbled ominously. Rain seemed imminent.

Other than Li Li, the three others had successfully joined the organizations they’d envied. The small stone hut was now left to Ma Yi and Li Li alone. The boy and his sister had been temporarily taken away by Qian Duoduo, surprisingly showing a generous heart.

"The weather’s strange. Something’s about to happen. Li Li, tell me about the big emergencies the base has faced before."

Ma Yi lay with his head resting on Li Li’s long legs. Food was plentiful now; they didn’t need to venture out. Besides, with the help of the mice outside, a quick trip could yield enough provisions for two people for a week.

"Alright. Since I arrived at the base, I’ve been through three major battles. The first was just after the base was established—a massive influx of refugees stormed the walls, both from within and without. The base was nearly lost, but thanks to the current Chief Administrator, who appeared gentle but acted decisively, he ordered the City Defense Chief to open fire with all forces. All resistance was crushed on the spot. The city was filled with bodies; it was a horrific scene.

"The second time was the evolver beasts. For the first time, I saw the true brutality of the apocalypse. Evolvers facing evolver beasts were tragic. Thousands of beasts attacked, costing us two-thirds of our soldiers. Many firearms were destroyed. Everywhere, humans had been bitten or killed by beasts. That was when Xiang Tianxiao made his name at Changfeng Base.

"Evolver beasts are formidable; ordinary people really can’t handle them." Ma Yi nodded in agreement, having witnessed their enormity firsthand. Even first-level evolvers couldn’t approach them.

...

"The third time left the deepest impression—bugs! Swarms of bugs everywhere. You know women fear strange insects. During that crisis, the population of the base was halved. Everyone fought, but sometimes a person would suddenly dissolve, and from their melting skin more bugs crawled out. It was revolting. In the end, we had no choice but to burn them out with gasoline. The fires raged for three days before the bugs retreated—there was simply no end to them. Afterward, the city walls were raised by half and a barbican constructed."

"No wonder I noticed the base of the walls were black—it’s from that, and the upper part was added later!" Ma Yi realized the oddity he’d noticed.

"Yes, now, in a crisis, we can rely on the wall’s height to battle beasts and bugs." Li Li nodded.

A bright flash of lightning sliced through the dark sky, signaling a shift in the oppressive gloom.

The long-awaited rain finally came. Calling it rain was an understatement—it was as if the heavens poured down upon the earth. Torrential, overwhelming, beyond description. Within an hour, Changfeng’s drainage system was nearly overwhelmed, and water pooled inside the base, reaching ankle-deep in Ma Yi’s stone hut.

Watching the rushing water pouring from the inner city gate, it wasn’t long before even the barbican and the area outside the walls were flooded to knee height. Ma Yi had to take Li Li up to the city wall, where there were towers and watch posts—no problem sheltering from the rain. Normally, the walls were off-limits, but Ma Yi’s reputation preceded him; everyone in the city knew he was a formidable figure. The City Defense troops were easy to get along with, and the ordinary citizens didn’t mind the rain, either. The weather was still muggy, and the rain felt almost warm—other than being soaked, it wasn’t much trouble.

None of the guards objected to Ma Yi ascending the walls. Even Captain Gu, their leader, showed him respect. Having such a powerful figure among them gave the soldiers a sense of security; in an emergency, his strength would be a shield. The City Defense troops welcomed Ma Yi’s presence.

"Something’s wrong," Ma Yi stood at the watchtower window, gazing out over Changfeng Base. The land was a vast expanse of water; even inside the base, the flooding was over ten centimeters deep. Outside, in the lower areas, it was half a meter or more. Ma Yi’s vision was excellent, and he thought he saw something.

"Order all gates closed," Ma Yi shouted, suddenly seeing splashes several kilometers away. Something was in the water, and he knew trouble was coming.

"Sir, what’s wrong?" A City Guard, puzzled, asked. Opening the gates to drain the water had been the official order.

"Quick, evolver beasts are coming." Ma Yi shot him a glance, continuing to watch the distance. There were many things moving underwater.

"Understood, I’ll notify everyone." The guard saluted, startled by the news of evolver beasts, and ran off to spread the warning. Instantly, alarms blared throughout the base.

The three leaders received the alert and rushed to the walls. Luckily, with Ma Yi, the four strongest could each guard a side, holding all directions.

...

The gates were sealed, and water inside Changfeng Base reached half a meter. Many people climbed onto rooftops. Nearly all evolvers were on the walls, weapons ready, standing in the rain with their eyes fixed on the water outside.

Ma Yi studied the ripples drawing nearer—three hundred meters away now. The stronger evolvers could see farther and noticed the strange patterns, while the weaker ones focused on what was right below the walls. They couldn’t see what was coming, but sensed their leaders tense up, ready to fight. Everyone knew it was time to risk their lives again.

"Sir, all reinforcements are in position. We have fewer than four thousand here." Captain Gu, the gate commander, was the highest official present. He’d been ordered to cooperate with Ma Yi, and truly respected him—a man even the Chief Captain said must never be offended.

"As long as everyone’s willing to fight, we should be alright." Ma Yi had little faith in these troops; their strength was too weak. He only trusted his own power.

"Understood. If you need anything, just command us." Captain Gu stood behind Li Li, gripping a long blade so tightly his knuckles had gone white, his whole body taut. He was a veteran of several Changfeng crises and knew when it was time to fight.

"What the hell is that?" With the rain splashing and distorting the surface, Ma Yi couldn’t see clearly at first. But as the ripples came within two hundred meters, his eyes widened—in the water, countless creatures of varying length swam toward them, dense and disgusting.

"Damn, it’s bugs! Water bugs, tons of them!" Ma Yi shouted. Captain Gu tensed up, quickly instructing his men to relay the news to all defense posts.

Since the apocalypse, waterborne insects had seemed to vanish. But clearly, they hadn’t disappeared—they’d only hidden away. The previous sunny, dry weather had kept them at bay, but now the deluge and flooding offered perfect conditions for them to emerge and attack without restraint.

Compared to land insects, those in water were even stranger—bloodsuckers, leeches, parasites, water snakes, stick insects, all grotesque in form. Once harmless to humans, now a half-meter leech wasn’t coming over to make friends; a single bite could drain a person dry.

"Reporting! This is Gu Jun, this is Gu Jun. Lord Ma Yi says they are aquatic insects, aquatic insects—huge numbers, huge numbers!" Captain Gu hurriedly sent the intelligence over the radio to every section of the wall.

"Evacuate everyone from the barbican to the inner city. This isn’t something they can resist. Seal the inner city gates immediately—quick!" Ma Yi, seeing some twenty-centimeter leeches and bloodsuckers in the water, thought of the people in the barbican and urgently gave orders to Captain Gu.