"I didn't prepare any food or water," Xu Huo chimed in.

Yue Weiping and the others simultaneously looked at him, their expressions a mix of suspicion and anger.

Xu Huo knew what they were thinking, so he explained, "I came directly to Clown City after finishing another dungeon. I didn't have time to prepare those things."

Liang Song stopped Yue Weiping, who was about to speak, and said, "Then we'll have to find a way to gather more food and water sources."

Xu Huo's luggage compartment was contaminated, and its storage capacity was limited, but he didn't mention that.

"Finding more food and water sources means we'll have to rob others, right?" Yi Mao's voice turned slightly heavy.

"That's the only way," Liang Song replied. "If we don't rob others, they'll come rob us. Besides, the longer time passes, the scarcer food and water will become."

The implication was clear: they needed to find more food and water as quickly as possible.

Yi Mao fell silent. Though his eyes were hidden, just looking at the lower half of his face made it obvious he didn't approve of this method.

"We're just taking food and water; we don't necessarily have to kill anyone," Yue Weiping argued. "Besides, they don't even know that consuming the cleanup items will cause problems. The little stuff they brought won't last long anyway, so sooner or later, they'll—"

"Shouldn't the right thing to do in this situation be to tell the other warriors the truth?" Yi Mao suddenly snapped angrily. "Many people who come here are fighting to reclaim their homeland!"

Yue Weiping looked somewhat awkward but quickly retorted, "What's the point of talking about this if we can't survive? Once this news gets out, forget about the cleanup mission. I'm afraid all that's left for everyone will be fighting over water and resources until we're all wiped out from internal conflict!"

Yue Weiping was stating the harsh reality. Though Yi Mao's conscience troubled him, he understood that if the news really got out, the risks he'd have to bear would double. Therefore, his earlier words were both for the others to hear and a form of self-reproach and questioning.

Xu Huo offered no opinion on this. After a long silence, he reminded them it was time to set off.

He and Jin Dong took the lead. Liang Song and Yue Weiping exchanged a glance. Liang Song went ahead, followed by Yi Mao and Wan Xiao, with Yue Weiping bringing up the rear.

Jin Dong pointed out a steep mountain path. It wouldn't be easy to traverse, but if they succeeded, they could save one-third of the time compared to the original plan.

Halfway through, Yi Mao from the back suddenly sat down, removed his face shield, and gasped for breath. "Don't you guys find it hard to breathe?"

"It is a bit difficult to catch my breath," Wan Xiao said. "My mouth also tastes a bit bitter."

As soon as the two finished speaking, Liang Song immediately realized something and asked Jin Dong, "Is the air also problematic?"

Jin Dong was stunned for a moment, then quickly typed: "I don't know…"

"Don't waste time!" Liang Song pulled Yi Mao and Wan Xiao to their feet. "Move quickly!"

However, these two seemed as if they were drunk, their steps unsteady. They nearly tumbled headfirst off the mountain path. Yue Weiping, beside them, hurriedly grabbed Wan Xiao. Wan Xiao, who was facing downward, suddenly pointed down the steep slope and shouted, "Mutants!"

The group looked in the direction he pointed and only then noticed that many Mutants had hidden themselves in the steep slope's undergrowth at some point. Having spotted them, the Mutants began climbing along the mountain stream, charging toward them at incredible speed!

"Bang! Bang!" Yi Mao fired first, shouting angrily, "Kill all these monsters!"

Their current position was completely unsuitable for combat. Even firing with too much movement might make it hard to stay balanced, let alone engage in close combat with Mutants. After barely managing a few shots, they had no choice but to flee desperately. After charging forward a distance and finding no way to break through, they turned back the way they came.

The group retreated while shooting, quickly exhausting their ammunition. Trapped on a sloping area, Yue Weiping, trying to save Yi Mao, got his arm scratched by a Mutant. The wound soon turned black.

"It's poisonous!"

Xu Huo timely tossed an antidote bottle over. "The same kind Jin Dong used. Whether it can detoxify you depends on your luck."

"Thanks!" Yue Weiping caught it and drank it, then added, "You guys go ahead; I'll cover the rear!"

"Weiping!" Liang Song refused to abandon his comrade, but Yue Weiping said, "I'm already injured anyway. What's the difference between once and twice? You absolutely cannot die here. If I'm unlucky and don't make it, please take care of my family!"

"I'm not leaving!" Yi Mao broke free from Liang Song's grip at this moment and charged forward on his own, raising his Submachine Gun and firing a sweeping burst. "Kill the Mutants! Avenge our compatriots!"

Wan Xiao was equally agitated.

These two were clearly not in their right minds. Xu Huo simply knocked them out and handed them to Liang Song. After they had put some distance between them and the Mutants, he took out the energy cannon components and quickly assembled them. Then he aimed at the mountainside and pulled the trigger. With a deafening roar, a torrent of rocks and earth came tumbling down!

The cascading rocks and mud soon flooded onto the path they were on. Xu Huo grabbed his piano wire and ascended into the air, taking the opportunity to eliminate two Mutants that had escaped the rolling stones. He then watched as the pursuing Mutants and those still on the steep slope below, about to come up, were all buried by the collapsing mountain rocks.

Liang Song and the others ahead stopped and looked back at the person catching up, asking, "Are they all dead?"

"They won't die! There are more below!" Xu Huo answered while running at full speed. The ones buried by the rocks were only a portion. Who would have thought the area below was a complete hornet's nest? The moment the rocks went down, within mere seconds, Mutants swarmed out in full force! 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Liang Song and Yue Weiping were about to turn their anger on Jin Dong, but one look at the densely packed creatures swarming from the valley floor made their scalps tingle instantly. They hoisted Yi Mao and Wan Xiao onto their shoulders and ran!

Jin Dong probably hadn't anticipated this situation either. Running behind the group, he kept glancing back in disbelief at the Mutants gradually pouring out from the valley below. For a moment, he seemed dazed. Just as he was about to fall behind, a wire suddenly shot forward from ahead, piercing his abdomen. Immediately after, he felt as if he had lost all weight. Pulled by the wire, he flew up, narrowly dodging a Mutant that was about to catch him!

Liang Song and Yue Weiping were also struggling immensely. Dealing with Mutants was hard enough, let alone carrying an unconscious person each. They used both their items and characteristics, but there were simply too many Mutants. Unable to hold out any longer, Liang Song called out to Xu Huo for help, "Brother Old Wu! Think of something fast! If this drags on, we're all dead!"

Xu Huo was leading the way ahead. Although the jungle was dense with trees and deep grass, the Mutant swarm was like a plague of locusts. Forget hiding in corners or rock crevices; even climbing trees wouldn't stop the Mutants from following—Liang Song, carrying Yi Mao, had tried. Before he could even climb up, he was attacked by a leaping Mutant. If not for his quick reflexes, both of them would have ended up in the Mutants' mouths right then and there. Although Liang Song was a D-level player, even if he swung his knife until his arm fell off, he couldn't possibly kill this many Mutants.

Unable to fend them off, the two who were conscious got injured, and the two who were unconscious were jolted awake by their injuries. Whether stimulated by pain or terrified by the sight of the Mutant swarm before them, they lost their earlier fearless, ready-to-die spirit. They didn't dare touch the ground at all, only firing shots to kill the Mutants right in front of them, letting Liang Song and Yue Weiping focus solely on finding a path.