Chapter 101: Chapter 89: Flora Bloom’s Return

"Cynthia Grant, you’re a Second-level Superpower User, for God’s sake! This giant rat is struggling harder and harder. Help me restrain it!"

To Flora Bloom, Cynthia Grant was like a clueless child. She was a complete novice when it came to combat experience and using her superpower, which was a total waste of her Second-level Wood Element Ability.

Startled by Flora Bloom’s shout, Cynthia Grant quickly unleashed her Wood Element Ability. Three unusually thick vines sprouted from the inner side of the earth wall. One wrapped around the giant rat’s neck while the other two ensnared its hind legs, yanking the creature back. A moment before, it had been thrashing violently, clawing desperately at the earth wall.

Meanwhile, Neal Wallace stood to one side, using the flames in his hands to pick off the smaller rats that slipped through the cracks between the wall and the corridor, lunging at them.

The four of them worked together seamlessly. For a moment, the rat swarm within the walls couldn’t break through their containment.

But Flora Bloom knew this was only temporary. She was well aware of how dangerous these rat-like monsters were.

Rats were rodents; they excelled at burrowing. If Flora Bloom hadn’t been reinforcing Ethan Monroe’s earth wall, the creatures would have chewed a hole right through it and swarmed out by now.

Sure enough.

Seeing how difficult the wall was to chew through, the swarm of rats finally found another way.

Less than three minutes later, a crack surprisingly appeared in the ground between Flora Bloom’s team and the earth wall.

At first, it was just a thin line, but within seconds, the ground began to tremble. The earth on either side of the crack started to pulse, as if something was about to burst out from beneath.

Flora Bloom’s skin crawled as she watched the ground.

Just then, a car horn blared from outside the processing plant. Hugh Holden came rushing in, gun in hand.

"Leader, the supplies are loaded! Get out here, we need to drive out of this place!"

Flora Bloom’s expression eased. "Old Monroe, Mr. Wallace, Cynthia, let’s go."

The four of them followed Hugh Holden and sprinted out of the processing plant. The very second they climbed into the vehicle, the earth wall collapsed and the cracked ground exploded.

Innumerable rats, a black and gray tide, surged out from the corridor and from beneath the ground. With scarlet eyes, they all sped off in pursuit of Flora Bloom’s departing group.

On arrival, two military vehicles had led the way, with two cargo trucks following behind. Now, having turned around to leave, the two cargo trucks were in the lead. The two military vehicles followed, with a soldier driving the first. Hugh Holden was still behind the wheel of the last vehicle, with Flora Bloom in the passenger seat, and Neal Wallace, Ethan Monroe, and Cynthia Grant in the back. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Flora Bloom saw a black tide of rats rapidly closing in on their convoy in the rearview mirror. She grabbed Hugh Holden’s walkie-talkie and yelled into it.

"All vehicles ahead, if you don’t want to die, floor it! Maximum speed!"

Flora Bloom had barely finished speaking when the trucks ahead sped up, accelerating rapidly. But their own vehicle, bringing up the rear, was about to be overrun by the swarm.

If the swarm caught up, no one in the vehicle would be left in one piece. Left with no choice, Flora Bloom opened her window. Watching the position of the approaching tide of rats, she conjured a massive water shield.

The rats, running at full speed, didn’t even notice the massive shield in their path. They slammed into it one after another, sending violent ripples across its surface. But the sheer number of rats was too great; Flora Bloom’s shield was on the verge of shattering. Just as it was about to break, another one of the same size appeared in its place.

The vehicle careened around a bend in the on-ramp. Flora Bloom threw up water shields as if they were free, one after another. In less than a minute, she had already cast nearly fifty. If her superpower’s intensity weren’t comparable to that of a high-level user, such high-frequency casting would have drained any Initial-stage Superpower User to death.

The rat swarm behind them was falling further and further into the distance. If they could just hold on a little longer, the convoy would shake off these terrifying creatures.

But just then, something changed.

The giant black rat suddenly appeared, towering over the swarm. Facing Flora Bloom’s layered water shields, it broke through them with a single, casual swipe of its claw.

Refusing to give up, Flora Bloom continued to create water shields. But the giant black rat’s forelimb seemed to be the natural bane of her defense; a single swipe could shatter three consecutive shields, leaving her completely helpless.

With the giant black rat’s help, the swarm surged forward again, catching up in no time. They pursued the convoy relentlessly, as if the vehicles were a giant, delicious piece of marked cheese that they absolutely had to sink their teeth into.

After rounding a bend, the convoy passed a large Sea Eel farm. Suddenly, the lamppost at the farm’s entrance snapped clean off at its base and fell across the road. The lead truck was forced to slam on its brakes. Fortunately, the soldiers driving the vehicles behind had all undergone special training and managed to avoid a pile-up.

"The lamppost is down! It’s blocking the road, we can’t get through! Awaiting your orders, Leader!"

Flora Bloom was on the verge of cursing. ’A lamppost falling in the middle of the road right now? Could there be such a coincidence in the world?’

She looked up toward the fallen lamppost.

"The Sea Eel farm."

A bad feeling took root and sprouted in Flora Bloom’s heart, making goosebumps break out all over her skin.

’It’s just one disaster after another. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.’

In the shallow pools of what were once fields, the water began to churn and bubble as if it were boiling. Then, from each pool, slender, snake-like creatures emerged. They had scarlet heads, and their bodies were covered in spots as dense as a leopard’s. For some reason, despite being marine creatures, they were able to leave the water and swim through the air, their movements eerily reminiscent of a dragon’s promenade.

Their speed was no slower than the rats’. It seemed that the very moment the rat swarm was chasing Flora Bloom’s group was the exact moment these mutated Sea Eels decided to emerge.

As they drew closer, Flora Bloom realized that a thin layer of electric filaments surrounded each mutated Sea Eel. These filaments formed an electric field around them, complete with magnetic poles.

Perhaps that was what allowed them to swim through the air.

The Sea Eels didn’t swim toward the convoy. Instead, they attacked the onrushing rat swarm.

Hundreds of electrified Sea Eels blocked the rat swarm’s path. Thin filaments of electricity slowly connected in the air between them, gradually forming a massive electric net.

Seeing the two groups of creatures facing off, Flora Bloom yelled to the driver of the lead truck, "Get a few people out there and move that lamppost! Hurry up! Old Monroe, you go help!"

Five soldiers disembarked from the first military vehicle and ran to the front to help move the lamppost, hauling it onto the muddy ground to the side of the road.

Suddenly, a few stray Sea Eels from somewhere zapped one of the soldiers from a distance. The man was knocked unconscious on the spot.

Flora Bloom knew there wasn’t a moment to lose. The evolved Sea Eels had electrical powers, and the rat swarm was currently on the losing end. If the rats realized they were outmatched and retreated, the convoy would be the eels’ next target.

"Get him in our vehicle! Old Monroe, you get in the lead car! We’re leaving now! Go, go!"

With the road clear, the lead trucks roared back to life. The three vehicles behind followed close behind. The convoy sped off the on-ramp, heading toward the suburbs.

Seeing the Sea Eels and the rat swarm still locked in their confrontation, oblivious to their departure, Flora Bloom and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief.