Night of Despair

Chapter 139: Development First
 

“So, what do you want to exchange?” After a moment’s thought, Zhang Kaijun was the first to speak.

He didn’t believe that Yu Hong would joke about this sort of information with them.

“I want to exchange for detailed information about other types of Black Disaster creatures likely to be encountered in the vicinity of where I am. Similarly, I have at least two types to offer in exchange,” Yu Hong said. “Besides, I don’t have a computer here, so I can’t transmit the information directly. It can only be relayed verbally.”

“The location you are at is the Baiqiu Village ruins mining area. The surrounding Blood Tide creatures mainly include Big Skin, elephant worms, common black worms. Shadow creatures include Withered Woman, Language Person, Back People among the Interval People, Speed Man. Additionally, about four weeks later, there will be a danger level 8 Evil Shadow approaching. The specific category cannot be determined from the middle, but I can only see from the satellite radiation scan images that the concentration is very high and possesses a level 8 hierarchy,” Zhang Kaijun said, his cold voice succinctly outlining the situation in Yu Hong’s area.

“Four weeks later?” Yu Hong’s heart chilled. The types mentioned by the other party matched the circumstances he had encountered in his surroundings; it seemed that the subsequent highly dangerous Evil Shadow might indeed be consistent with what he mentioned.

“If the movement of that radiation doesn’t change, it should be around that time,” Zhang Kaijun replied. “I can provide a more specific encounter time to exchange for the information you give. Does that sound fair?”

“Accurate to the day?” Yu Hong understood what the other person meant; this was an attempt to trade information based on Evil Shadow forecasts.

“Yes. In addition, if the information you provide is of sufficient quality, I will also consider providing compensation. Here’s a piece of information for you: the Baihe port area near your location saw the emergence of a danger level 9 Blood Tide creature—the Smoke Horn Whale—just a few days ago. This creature completely blocked the port’s shipping, cutting off Baihe City’s transportation channels with the outside world. I can provide detailed information on the Smoke Horn Whale. How does that sound?” Zhang Kaijun continued.

Yu Hong was startled at the news.

“Are you saying that a level 9 creature appeared in Baihe City!? How is it there now?”

He hadn’t expected that his mere intention to kindly exchange information would yield such critical news from the other side. Stutter was still enlisted there.

“It’s already collapsed,” Wei Song chimed in with a sigh, “The external communication with Baihe City is completely severed. It’s clear it’s not just the interference of the Blood Tide creatures; there must also be some special Evil Shadow attacks that can affect signals. According to the scant information from the few survivors who escaped the city limits, the city has been completely overtaken by the Black Disaster, and not one in ten of the living survive.”

Yu Hong’s expression instantly turned somber.

He had worried that Stutter might encounter danger and meet with an accident, but he hadn’t anticipated that the day would come so soon.

“Do you have someone important there?” Wei Song evidently caught on to something from the silence on this end.

“A friend,” Yu Hong took a breath and solemnly replied, “Is there a way to get in touch with the combined military camp in that city?”

“No way,” Zhang Kaijun said icily. “The officials sent three Blood Attraction Forces there, all to no avail. The intensity of the Black Disaster there is significant; although it hasn’t reached War Level, the number of level 9 and lower Black Disaster creatures that are congregating is very high, and they have occupied the entire port area.”

Yu Hong had no response.

He wanted to go and check it out in person, but if he left, the luminous stone grass would disappear, and Aisena and Zhou Xueguang in the yard would die.

Without the luminous stone grass, even the cave safe house wouldn’t last long without a Black Mark repair. As long as a large Multi-eyed Bird kept attacking the gate, it would soon be breached.

“You should worry about yourself,” Zhang Kaijun’s cold words were not misguided.

Yu Hong thought for a moment.

If he could leave alone now and the luminous stone grass could live without him; if he had enough Inner Qi, enough Radiation Hand Grenades, more information, perhaps he could personally go to search for and rescue Stutter.

In the end, he wasn’t strong enough, and neither was his base; thus, he couldn’t take care of both ends.

‘If there were more good hands, perhaps I could equip them and send them as scouts to Baihe City for investigation.’ Suddenly, an idea flashed through Yu Hong’s mind.

If he had many subordinates as skilled as old Li, he wouldn’t have to personally handle this matter.

With that thought, he pondered for a while.

“What about the survivors? Can you help me hire some strong enhanced humans?”

“Currently, there are a total of twelve accessible locations around Baihe City, most of which include teams with enhanced humans. But I don’t think they would be willing to go back to the city to investigate and look for people,” Zhang Kaijun replied. “In reality, they are all facing pursuit from the Black Disaster.”

Yu Hong felt the shortage of manpower all the more keenly.

If he could take in a few more good hands…

“Have you decided? Exchange of information?”

The interrogative voice came through the communicator once again.

Yu Hong paused.

“Okay.”

Anyway, he had high-risk Black Disasters to deal with himself. The information had to be secured in advance.

With Zhang Kaijun’s reminder, he could detect the approach of the Black Disaster more accurately and be better prepared.

Moments later, the communicator disconnected.

Yu Hong, holding a piece of recording paper, looked over the detailed information on it.

‘The high-risk Black Disasters I may face include: Speed Man, tick spheres, Insect man.’

‘Speed Man: One of the Interval People, danger level 8, traits: The second glance, if it results in mental fear, will lead to an instant ambush.

Defense method: Once you see a suspicious individual with limbs slender like a possible Speed Man, you must remain calm and not generate any fear. However, this method can only withstand twice. After each time resisting, the human spirit will suffer what seems to be permanent damage, resulting in a severe decline in condition, endocrine disorders, abdominal pain, dizziness, nosebleeds, and various other abnormalities.’

“`

‘Tick Ball: Danger Level 7, a huge sphere made up of Blood Ticks, possesses certain low-level hunting intelligence, and fears not radiation damage with negative values below 100,000. Immune to physical strike damage, it can regenerate at high speed within three seconds regardless of the injury.

According to the experience feedback from the Blood Attraction Squad, the Tick Ball does not possess a true core, having been ignited by an overdose of radiation bombardment, and it quickly regenerates from the brink of annihilation, completely reverting to its original state.

Defense method: Striking cannot destroy the Tick Ball, but it can be forcefully rerouted. Path adjustments can be prepared in advance to divert it in another direction.’

‘Insect Man: A special humanoid form of Black Disaster evolved from Blood Ticks, Danger Level 8. It has certain intelligence and is extremely fast, able to rapidly enhance its strength by devouring blood. After hunting over a thousand humans, it can evolve into a second form, reaching running speeds of 230 kilometers per hour. The impact force of its pounce can reach over 3 tons. It can perform short-distance teleportation, crossing barriers to attack from inside. The maximum range of the teleportation is unknown.’

“…..” Yu Hong fell silent upon reviewing the intelligence he had just obtained.

Although there was no specific method of defeat, and the value was less than the two pieces he provided, but… these three pieces of intelligence detailed the high dangerousness of the Black Disasters he might face…

Any of these three Black Disasters was worthy of their Level 7 and 8 status.

Especially the last one, Insect Man… What kind of ability is teleportation into the interiors of obstacles?

This means that any external defense is like a facade in front of it. A Black Disaster with such a terrifying ability is only Level 8!?

And importantly, the speed of the Insect Man is also very fast, 230km per hour… which converts to 63 meters per second… With this speed, not to mention anything else, just a direct collision would be an extremely horrifying impact.

Yu Hong didn’t believe his Protective Suit could withstand it; no matter how it was strengthened, it couldn’t block the Insect Man’s teleportation.

‘According to the principle of mutual exclusivity among Black Disasters, only one type of Black Disaster will appear in the same area at the same time, unless it is the rare enslavement-style Black Disaster. But none of these three are, meaning I will most likely encounter only one of the three separately…’

What he feared most was the Insect Man, although he had chased cars and had a fast running speed, it was in the woods, where the cars themselves couldn’t go very fast. At most, they were around seventy or eighty yards.

This is nothing compared to the Insect Man’s 230km per hour.

‘I have to find every possible way to prepare for the surroundings.’

He stood up, walking around the inside of the house with the paper in his hand.

‘Right, I can try to use the Shadow to scout at long distances and see how far away I can detect danger in advance. If it’s far enough, I can try to use traps to guide a change of direction.’ Yu Hong thought of the strategy of the Blood Attraction Force, suddenly feeling a glimmer of hope.

If the Shadow was reliable, he might use it in place of a person as bait, to lure away the Black Disaster. After all, several more days had passed, and now he had three Shadows, the hatching speed was still okay.

Right away, he walked to the door and looked outside through the ventilation holes.

It was still morning now, around eleven o’clock. In the courtyard, Zhou Xueguang and Aisena were teaching how to maintain breeding boxes.

Clearly, Old Zhou was not teaching entirely like how he would during peacetime enlightenment.

Aisena’s little face was very serious, with her hands on her hips, she asked a few questions now and then, appearing exceptionally mature.

Yu Hong let out a sigh, his gaze shifting towards the foggy mountains in the distance.

He picked up the paper, roughly determined the direction, and then closed his eyes to focus his Inner Qi on the second Black Mark Shadow.

Instantly, a map of a mountain cave safe house enclosed by darkness appeared in his mind.

To the left of the mountain cave safe house, there was a straight path extending outwards, like a gray thin line, leading to a white stone house.

This was the route that he had previously set for Shadow Number One to patrol.

The area slightly larger around the courtyard was the map expanded by Shadow Number Two’s patrol.

However, the expansion of Shadow Number Two was not going smoothly.

These past few days, Shadow Number Two had constantly encountered a large number of Evil Shadows wandering around, going through a vicious cycle of being injured, healing, being injured again, and healing. Yu Hong realized that a single Shadow couldn’t drive away the surrounding Evil Shadows.

Because the Evil Shadows would also revive, the speed of their appearance due to their numbers had already exceeded the clearing capability of Shadow Number Two.

‘Then let’s try the maximum distance.’ Yu Hong had not tried to control the Shadow to go to a distant place before.

Thinking of this, he immediately controlled Shadow Number Two with his mind, making it crawl towards the direction of the highway.

That was also the direction from which new Black Disasters were about to surge at the frontline.

In the misty wooded mountains.

A stick-like black lizard silently and swiftly crawled forward.

No insects on the ground, just fallen leaves. The entire forest seemed devoid of life except for the Shadow.

Deathly silent and despairing.

Rustling.

The breeze passed, scattering a shower of dry yellow leaves and creating a rustling sound among the branches.

It wasn’t long before the Shadow left Yu Hong two hundred meters behind.

It crossed over slopes one after another and soon extended the distance to five hundred meters.

The sensations it sent back remained clear even here.

The Shadow continued to move forward, sprinting towards a radius of one kilometer.

“`