Allen's heart leaped. It was too late to turn the steering wheel, so he could only surge forward along the raised ground.
The next moment, the jeep flew into the air.
Looking down, he could see a giant mole that had lifted the ground, and then...
Bai Ye swiftly flickered, transforming into a bolt of electricity and leaving the car, reappearing on the ground.
As for Allen...
Bai Ye clasped his hands together and said piously, "Amitabha, Buddha will protect the benefactor."
Bang, bang, bang!
Just as Bai Ye finished speaking, the car in the air let out a series of deafening crashes. Allen violently kicked open the door and leaped out. The car then smashed heavily onto the ground, utterly destroyed.
On the other side, Allen landed, bracing himself with one hand on the ground before raising his gun and pulling the trigger behind him.
Allen's firearm was peculiar. It looked like a rifle, but was shorter than an ordinary one, with a muzzle resembling a pot lid.
As Allen pulled the trigger, a "hum, hum" sound emanated from the center of the pot lid, which was quite piercing. The gun body began to vibrate continuously until...
Bang!
A deafening sound.
Bai Ye felt a ripple in the air, and then...
Bang!
A second loud noise erupted. A poisonous dart frog in front of Allen instantly disintegrated, its body exploding into a shower of blood and gore that splattered in all directions.
Another jeep screeched to a halt. Ji Ruyue, upon opening the door, was startled and quickly ducked back inside. Only after the bloody debris had settled did she step out again.
"Mr. Allen!" Ji Ruyue exclaimed, displeased. "Can you not use sonic weaponry against poisonous dart frogs? These creatures are venomous, and their bodies exploding like this can easily cause collateral damage."
"My apologies," Allen said sheepishly. "I usually work alone."
Meanwhile...
Li Chengjie remained still.
Although Allen was nominally the captain of this temporary team, Li Chengjie's status meant he was not subject to command.
In combat, it was up to Li Chengjie to decide whether to engage. If he chose not to act, he wouldn't.
However, Gonzales and Davis immediately surged forward.
They ran towards the rear, grabbed the plasma rifles from the back seat, quickly loaded the energy cells, and began firing behind them.
The mutated creatures in this area, no, to be precise, the poisonous dart frogs, were more numerous than anticipated. It felt like they had stumbled into their lair.
Within a short span, seven or eight poisonous dart frogs had appeared around them. Their bodies were mottled with various colors and spots, all carrying potent venom.
Gonzales and Davis began to sweep through them rapidly.
Allen rejoined the fray, no longer using his sonic gun. He walked forward, took a plasma rifle thrown by Davis, and continued to advance and fire.
Bai Ye had intended to stand back and spectate, but at that moment, his gaze met Li Chengjie's.
Bai Ye smiled, then moved forward.
Spreading his hands, the Steel Slime began to writhe, and soon, Bai Ye condensed the Shadow War Axe.
Suddenly, Bai Ye accelerated, charging towards a poisonous dart frog.
Allen exclaimed, "You plan to go into melee? Those things are covered in poison..."
Splat!
Before Allen could finish speaking, the accelerated Bai Ye had turned into an afterimage, rushing towards a poisonous dart frog.
The poisonous dart frog opened its cavernous maw, and its tongue shot out like an arrow towards Bai Ye. However, Bai Ye's speed was extreme. The moment the frog opened its mouth, Bai Ye sidestepped to avoid it.
Bang!
The tongue hit the ground, and upon impact, it shattered a patch of the earth.
The next instant, Bai Ye raised the Shadow War Axe and swung it forcefully to the side, cleaving into the poisonous dart frog's tongue.
With a 'thwack!', the tongue was severed. Immediately, a large amount of venom sprayed outward, but it did not land on Bai Ye.
This was because, the moment the venom appeared, Bai Ye had already moved forward.
With a flick of his wrist, Bai Ye threw the Shadow War Axe forcefully.
Thwack!
The Shadow War Axe struck the poisonous dart frog's head, piercing clean through. Then, Bai Ye, who had already circled around to the rear, caught it with his hand.
Bang!
The poisonous dart frog's massive body toppled over, crashing heavily onto the ground.
Bai Ye glanced in Li Chengjie's direction, then smiled slightly, deliberately putting on a smug expression, before moving towards the next poisonous dart frog.
The City of Ruins was not without mutated creatures that could trouble Bai Ye, but poisonous dart frogs certainly were not among them.
These creatures had weak combat abilities; their greatest threat was their pervasive venom. Coincidentally, poison was completely ineffective against Bai Ye.
However, there was a mole within the team, and not a minor one... he couldn't just kill them as he pleased.
Therefore, Bai Ye felt it was necessary to display some of his strength, to avoid making Li Chengjie think he was acting too independently. But he also needed to hold back appropriately, for the same reason of not appearing too exceptional.
Thwack!
Bai Ye swung his axe, cleaving open the head of another poisonous dart frog. He then feigned some distress, supporting himself with one hand on the ground and rolling continuously to evade the splashing venom.
"Just a passerby, just an ordinary passerby," Bai Ye muttered to himself inwardly.
The strength he was currently displaying was just right: capable, but not overly so. Compared to others, he was just about passable.
Most importantly...
Bai Ye had not shown any strength superior to Li Chengjie's.
"Careful behind you!"
While thinking this, Bai Ye severed the head of a third poisonous dart frog. At that moment, a strong gust of wind suddenly sounded from behind him.
An attack was coming!
But Bai Ye didn't move!
The next instant, Allen's voice rang out, and he pulled the trigger forward.
A tongue flying towards Bai Ye was abruptly severed by Allen's shot.
Gonzales and Davis quickly flanked from either side, firing continuously at the poisonous dart frog.
Bang!
Its massive body fell, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Simultaneously, with the fall of this poisonous dart frog, the surrounding poisonous dart frogs were finally cleared.
Bai Ye walked towards Allen, putting on a grateful expression. "Thank you!"
"Small matter!" Allen clapped Bai Ye on the shoulder. "We should help each other."
Bai Ye nodded.
Davis walked over, shouldering his rifle. "Can your car still be used?"
Allen glanced back at the overturned jeep not far away. "It doesn't look like it can be driven anymore."
Gonzales said, "Let's unload the gear and move it to our car."
Li Chengjie and Ji Ruyue walked over, nodding in agreement. Li Chengjie then asked, "Are we still far from the location of those strange crystals?"