Chapter 136 The Snake Swarm Approaches

Chapter 136: Chapter 135: The Snake Swarm Approaches

Cai was someone who had only recently become an Awakened. His ability was akin to "super-vision," allowing him to pierce through the rain and darkness to a certain extent, enabling him to see farther than normal.

"What is it?" Brother Yu asked from beside him, somewhat confused, as he lacked Cai’s enhanced vision.

Cai did not answer. To verify that he wasn’t seeing things, he picked up a pair of binoculars and looked closely. Then, his body stiffened, and the binoculars nearly slipped from his grasp.

Under the veil of night, countless Black Snake Monsters twisted their bodies as they broke the surface of the water. Like a black torrent, they surged from the west and south, moving rapidly toward the Yun Valley Business District office building and the areas further north.

HISS. Cai drew in a sharp breath. With an uncontrollable tremor in his voice, he urgently said to his companion, "Brother Yu, it’s the Black Snake Monsters! A Black Snake Monster Swarm is moving on a massive scale!"

"I understand." Brother Yu nodded gravely.

He scooped Cai into his arms, turned around, and sprang into the air toward the office building where Chairman Wu and the others were located. A pair of massive insect wings materialized on his back, cleaving through the rain as they carried the two of them toward their destination.

Inside the office building.

"Warning, warning. Black Snake Monsters have invaded the perimeter of the Yun Valley Business District..."

Brother Yu dashed into the building, sprinting wildly as he shouted, "Attention everyone, attention everyone! A large number of Black Snake Monsters are invading! All personnel, enter combat readiness!"

The entire office building suddenly echoed with his blaring, repetitive roars. Within just a few seconds of his shouts, various lights instantly flickered on inside the pitch-black building.

"Emergency gathering, emergency gathering!"

RUSTLE. The sound of shuffling footsteps emerged from all directions.

On the fifth floor of the office building, in areas temporarily converted into bedrooms.

Almost at the exact moment the shouts rang out, Chairman Wu, Vice President Zhao, and a group of Awakened snapped their eyes open from their sleep. There was no time to get dressed; everyone hurriedly rushed out of their rooms. By the time they reached the ground floor, several companions who hadn’t yet gone to sleep had already gathered there.

"Black Snake Monsters are invading?"

"You few, gather the ordinary people first and head toward the predetermined evacuation route."

Just in case of an attack by Black Snakes or other monsters, Chairman Wu and the others had made early preparations, mapping out the fastest route to reach the North District.

"Old Zhao, Qianqian, Long, let’s go to the front and take a look." Chairman Wu looked at the slightly chaotic lobby, forcing himself to remain calm as he issued commands in a split second.

Long nodded and turned his head to an Awakened beside him. "Kai, go organize the ordinary survivors. I’ll stay here."

"Brother Long, I’ll stay behind to help you," the young man named Kai said, taking a step forward.

"Don’t be stupid!" Long tilted his head, listening carefully. "I hear the dense sound of water currents fluctuating. There are at least several thousand Black Snakes nearby."

He was a Water Awakened and was extremely sensitive to water fluctuations.

"Several thousand?!" Upon hearing Long’s words, everyone’s expressions turned exceptionally grave. Even before this, they had never seen so many Black Snakes at once.

"The Black Snakes... the Black Snakes are here?!"

As the group conversed rapidly, an endless stream of ordinary survivors ran out of their living quarters like mad, absolute terror plastered across their faces.

"Don’t panic! The Black Snake Monsters haven’t discovered this place yet! Everyone, evacuate toward the escape routes in an orderly manner. We will stay with you the entire time!" Chairman Wu bellowed, his voice overpowering all the screaming.

The lobby fell into a brief, eerie silence. Everyone looked at Chairman Wu and the several vice presidents standing atop the tables, steadfast like towering iron pillars. The tense expressions on their faces eased slightly. One by one, they lined up and evacuated in an orderly fashion under the direction of the other Awakened.

"There is no need to rush. The swarm doesn’t seem to have discovered our tracks." At this moment, Han Ning emerged from the darkness. He stood before the window, gazing into the distance.

"Mr. Han, what do you mean?" Vice President Zhao was somewhat uncertain.

Long before the swarm moved into the vicinity, Han Ning’s formidable Mental Power had already sensed them. However, he noticed that the swarm’s movement trajectory did not have a precise target, such as this particular office building. Instead, they were merely heading in a general direction, roughly moving further northwest. None of the snakes were charging directly toward their specific building out of the hundreds in the area. They simply happened to be in the path of the swarm’s movement.

"They aren’t moving on a massive scale because of us. There might be another reason."

"Does that mean we aren’t in any immediate danger?" Chairman Wu asked, seeking confirmation.

"Do not make a sound, extinguish all light sources, and observe the situation," Han Ning replied.

"Have everyone halt their movements and gather together," Chairman Wu said, turning his head to a companion beside him.

The crowd, which had been about to surge toward the stairwells, received the message. They stopped at once and huddled together. In the darkness, anxious and terrified faces all turned toward where Han Ning and Chairman Wu stood.

"Everyone, don’t be nervous. The swarm isn’t coming for us, at least not right now," Chairman Wu comforted them. He pressed his hands downward as a colorful, faint glimmer radiated from his palms.

One by one, translucent soap bubbles materialized out of thin air, enclosing every survivor—whether an Awakened or an ordinary person. The walls of the bubbles shimmered with flowing light, separating the internal and external worlds with a hazy barrier.

"Do not make a sound. Do not emit any light. Those who are tired can close their eyes and rest."

The office building fell into dead silence. There was only the SPLASH of the pounding rain outside the window and the ever-approaching sound of scales sliding against surfaces.

RUSTLE. Many Awakened could hear the faint, creeping sounds.

The number of Black Snakes at the base of the office building was not large. Occasionally, a few stragglers that had deviated from the path would slither into the waters near the building. However, these Black Snakes only lingered downstairs for a brief moment before changing direction again and swimming north.

The dark night was long and excruciating. Time ticked by, bit by bit.

Finally, a faint glimmer of light pierced through the heavy clouds on the distant skyline. The rain seemed to have lessened somewhat, though the sky remained terribly gloomy.

Inside the office building, the crowd peered out through the hazy glass. The water level below had risen considerably without them noticing.

The Black Snake Swarm had long since vanished without a trace.

The nerves that everyone had kept taut all night finally relaxed in this moment.

"Is... is it over?" someone in the crowd murmured softly in a dry, hoarse voice.

Many let out long sighs of relief. The bubbles Chairman Wu had released had long since disappeared due to a lack of Energy.

Xu Ming placed his soundly sleeping daughter back in her resting area and walked over to Han Ning. He noticed that Han Ning’s solemn expression had not eased despite the disappearance of the swarm. His heart tightened, and he hurriedly asked, "Mr. Han, what is the situation now?"