Chapter 83: Do You Like Me? Part 1
“Chirp—”
After Lin Xiwan pulverized the giant Corpse Bird with her fists, the surrounding birds, as if released from some invisible constraint, became agitated.
Amidst the rain of blood and gore, Lin Xiwan saw two blood crystal stones slowly materializing in the air.
Several others, propelled by the force of the explosion, landed further away, hidden in the tall grass.
Lin Xiwan leaped, catching the two crystals mid-air, and then, without a second glance at the others, ran towards the jeep.
She wouldn’t risk her life for mere material possessions. She knew life was precious; greed could be fatal.
Her sister was her priority; blood crystals were secondary.
Large birds were taking flight from the tall grass, their screeches filling the air.
Reaching the jeep, Lin Xiwan tossed the two blood crystals inside, climbed onto the hood, and then, through the shattered windshield, slipped into the driver’s seat.
Her sister was already there, rifle aimed, ready. Lin Xiwan quickly inserted the key and started the engine.
“Whirr—”
The moment the engine roared to life, she shifted into reverse and slammed on the gas.
She had driven straight into this field from the highway; reversing in a straight line would take them back.
Fortunately, there weren’t any bird corpses blocking their path.
“Screech—”
After reversing about two hundred meters, Lin Xiwan spun the steering wheel, turning the jeep 180 degrees, shifted gears, and accelerated.
“Roar—”
The engine howled. Thankfully, the mechanic at the military base camp had done a good job; the modified vehicles were sturdy.
The tall grass obscured her vision, but the screeches behind them were getting closer. There was no time to hesitate; she had to go, now.
“Thump—”
A sudden jolt as the jeep hit something, and then their field of vision widened.
They had smashed through the guardrail and were back on the highway.
But the impact had stalled the engine; Lin Xiwan had to restart it.
Thankfully, it roared back to life.
Lin Jiayao couldn’t do much to help.
The trunk was packed with supplies, the windows barred; she couldn’t reach out to shoot.
Now she regretted not choosing [Hive Skin]. Even if she’d placed the black holes somewhere inconspicuous, like her throat, at least she would have a ranged attack.
And if it were on her throat, no one would see it.
Just a little… unsettling, perhaps.
She had made up her mind: if there weren’t any better ranged options next time, she would choose Hive Skin without hesitation.
“Screech—”
“Thump—”
A Corpse Bird landed on the roof, its claws piercing the metal.
The jeep slowed dramatically, almost tilting upwards.
Lin Jiayao turned and fired three shots at the roof.
“Bang, bang, bang—”
Three more holes in the already riddled roof. The bird’s claws remained, but it was dead.
Perhaps because of the extra weight, the jeep wouldn’t accelerate.
The screeches behind them grew louder. “Sister, can you open the roof?” Lin Jiayao shouted, moving closer to the ammunition box.
Lin Xiwan, seeing the straight stretch of road ahead, pressed the accelerator and, while steering with one hand, reached up and grabbed the two handles on the roof.
With a mighty pull, she ripped off the metal sheet like it was paper, the bird’s claws coming loose, its body tumbling onto the highway.
“You two, hand me the magazines, help me load the bullets.” Lin Jiayao gave the two little girls a command, gripped the edge of the open roof, and looked at her sister. “Sister, can you lift me up with one hand?”
Lin Xiwan instantly understood. Steering with her left hand, she quickly reached down with her right, grabbed Lin Jiayao’s bottom, and lifted her up.
Lin Jiayao, held aloft, adjusted her position, one side of her bottom resting on the headrest of the passenger seat, the other supported by her sister’s hand.
Being held up like that was uncomfortable and would affect her aim.
With half of her body outside the jeep, her left elbow braced against the edge of the opening in the roof, securing her position, Lin Jiayao aimed at the approaching flock of birds and opened fire.
Meanwhile, the two little girls, following her instructions, busied themselves inside the car.
One held two magazines, ready to hand them to Lin Jiayao whenever she reached for them, picking up the empty ones she discarded.
The other opened a box of ammunition, carefully loading the empty magazines, one bullet at a time.
“Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang—”
After another burst, seeing the number of birds hadn’t decreased, Lin Jiayao’s heart sank.
This isn’t working; I can’t get rid of them… there are too many…
Even if they lined up for her sister to punch them one by one, it would take too long, let alone them attacking en masse.
“Hoo…”
“Click—”
Lin Jiayao discarded the empty magazine, took a full one from the little girl, and reloaded, changing her tactics.
If she couldn’t eliminate them all… then she would make them fight each other.
Inside the car, she hadn’t been able to move quickly or deploy her insects to spread the pheromones.
But now, on a moving vehicle, releasing pheromones was like spraying poison from a moving vehicle. Any bird diving towards them would be affected before it could attack.
Lin Jiayao took a deep breath.
As she exhaled, pheromones filled the air, waiting for their receptors to be triggered.
With the cessation of gunfire, three Corpse Birds simultaneously dove towards the jeep.
“Yao? Is your gun jammed, Yao?”
Approaching a curve and the entrance to a highway tunnel, Lin Xiwan couldn’t look back, only asking when she heard the gunfire stop.
Lin Jiayao couldn’t reply.
Releasing a large amount of pheromones had drained her mental and physical strength. Whenever she used these abilities, she could feel her energy rapidly depleting.
Those Hive Zombies had countless brains to boost their mental strength; she only had one.
“Screech—”
The three diving Corpse Birds suddenly lost control mid-flight, as if their minds had been momentarily disrupted.
They tumbled onto the highway, struggled to their feet, shrieked, flapped their wings, and then flew back towards the flock behind them.
The flock descended into chaos. And at that moment, Lin Jiayao’s vision went dark as the jeep entered the tunnel.
Inside the tunnel, Lin Xiwan slowed down.
It was pitch black; she didn’t want to crash into an abandoned vehicle.
Extending her right arm between her sister’s legs, she lifted her and placed her on her lap.
“Are you okay?” She adjusted Lin Jiayao into a comfortable position and hugged her, her voice filled with concern.
The tunnel was quiet, the bird screeches now muffled, only the engine’s roar echoing.
They seemed to have escaped.
“Mm…”
Mentally and physically exhausted, the wind rushing through the missing car door and window, Lin Jiayao could barely keep her eyes open.
She leaned against her sister, her grip loosening on the rifle, fighting to stay conscious.
She knew the birds wouldn’t follow. The pheromones she had released would keep them occupied.
She had given the pheromones a simple command: kill each other.
Any Corpse Bird that encountered the pheromones would turn on its own kind.
The ensuing carnage, fueled by bloodlust and the scent of blood crystals, would draw them all in, a gruesome free-for-all.
This might create another mutated Corpse Bird, but it wouldn’t be her problem; they would be long gone by then, never to return.
“Yao… just hold on a little longer, there’s a service area up ahead, almost there…” Lin Xiwan rested her chin on her sister’s head, her voice a soft reassurance against the roar of the engine and the wind.
Thinking her sister was injured, she gently felt her body, searching for wounds.
But finding none, she accelerated as they emerged from the tunnel.
Lin Jiayao, held in her sister’s embrace, let her sister touch and examine her, unable to speak.
The wind rushing through the broken windshield and window was too loud.
And, weakened, her voice was soft; the wind drowned out her words.
Since it was too dark to see, her sister could only check for injuries by touch.
She knew her sister was just worried, so she didn’t stop her.
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