novelbin Chapter 238 238: Insect Swarm
Chapter 238 238: Insect Swarm
Jason felt a heavy weight pressing down on him.
Ever since they fell into this cavern, the oppressive atmosphere had only intensified, building up like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
He secretly shook his head, forcefully suppressing his mounting anxiety.
The entire team had placed their survival squarely in his hands. He was used to the burden, so it wasn't overwhelming. At least everyone was following orders, which saved a lot of trouble.
After marching for thirty minutes, the tunnel narrowed significantly, branching into several diverging paths that made navigation incredibly difficult.
Worse yet, the tunnels were now too tight for their heavy tracked rovers. They had to abandon them! This meant leaving behind a massive cache of survival supplies. No matter how strong the load-bearing capacity of their power armor was, they couldn't carry a vehicle's worth of cargo.
However, they were still dangerously close to the crashed spacecraft. If the nuclear reactor went critical, this entire area would be caught in the blast radius. Even if the explosion didn't vaporize them, the collapsing ceiling would bury them alive!
Jason was huddled with several geologists, desperately trying to determine which path led back to the surface. Getting lost in this subterranean maze would be a death sentence...
"Based on our experience back on Earth, we usually just test the air currents to find the exit, or follow a subterranean water source upstream..."
"But this cavern network is far too massive. The uneven thermal distribution creates unpredictable drafts. The standard methods we used on Earth simply won't work here..." a geologist muttered anxiously.
The other scientists were still arguing passionately, debating how such a massive geological anomaly could have formed.
Jason ignored their chatter. As long as no one wandered off, he let them talk.
They were scientists, driven by an insatiable curiosity and a burning desire to explore. It was the very reason they had volunteered to come to Nyx. Normally, strict security protocols barred them from exploring the caves. Now, forced into the abyss and surrounded by bizarre alien ecosystems and impossible geology, they were practically vibrating with excitement.
Their mindset was completely different from a normal person's; they were fiercely obsessed with discovery. Like the legendary scholars of the past, they would gladly risk their lives for a breakthrough. If given the choice between 'immortality' and 'discovering the ultimate theorem of the universe,' most of them would undoubtedly choose the theorem!
However, despite their enthusiastic chatter, their actions proved they still valued their lives.
The 'ultimate theorem' could wait. In this pitch-black, sunless abyss, sticking with the heavily armed group was their only chance at survival. No one wanted to get lost in the dark alone.
With Special Forces operatives positioned throughout the convoy, the formation remained secure.
During a brief halt, a few researchers couldn't resist approaching Jason, begging for permission to capture some local insect specimens. This subterranean expedition was a rare opportunity; once they escaped to the surface, it would likely be a long time before command authorized another dive.
They pleaded their case passionately, claiming that studying these geothermal organisms could revolutionize humanity's energy efficiency protocols.
They made it sound like the fate of the colony depended on it! Shielded by Jason's leadership and the ring of heavily armed operatives, the scientists felt entirely insulated from the actual danger, allowing them to focus solely on their research.
Jason shook his head, rejecting the request instantly. His gut was screaming that something was wrong. He absolutely refused to let anyone break formation!
But the scientists were relentless. Worn down by their pleading, Jason reluctantly compromised. He assigned a squad of operatives to escort them, strictly ordering the researchers to stay within a tight perimeter and remain in visual contact with the main group at all times.
The scientists hurried off, thrilled by the concession.
Jason watched them go, letting out a heavy sigh. He had a much bigger problem on his hands.
The tunnels ahead were completely impassable for the tracked rovers. Abandoning the vehicles meant leaving behind the bulk of their emergency rations and equipment.
"We consolidate our gear here!" Jason ordered. "Eat and hydrate now. We move out in 15 minutes! The rovers stay behind!"
Having made the hard call, he found a flat rock and sat down.
He slotted a sealed ration can into the designated compartment on his power armor's chest plate and locked the external cover.
With a sharp hiss, the suit injected 400-degree Celsius steam into the chamber, instantly sterilizing the exterior of the can.
A minute later, a feeding tube extended inside his helmet. He took a hard pull, drawing up a warm, jelly-like nutrient paste. It was overly sweet and tasted heavily processed, but in a survival situation, taste was irrelevant. The paste provided optimal hydration and caloric density without requiring him to unseal his helmet.
As Jason sat there, watching the scientists excitedly scraping samples off the cavern walls, his heart began to hammer against his ribs.
That oppressive, inexplicable sense of dread surged back. It felt closer now—as if the danger was staring him right in the face!
Unable to pinpoint the source of the threat, he chalked it up to the claustrophobia of the alien abyss. He quickly finished the nutrient paste, letting the empty canister eject onto the rocky floor.
"Alright, let's—"
Just as he was about to give the order to move out, a strange, low buzzing sound echoed from the dark. It grew rapidly louder, closing in on their position at terrifying speed.
"Look out!"
The perimeter guards spotted the threat instantly. They opened fire into the tunnel, grabbing the nearby scientists by their harnesses and violently dragging them back toward the main group.
With a deafening whoosh, a swirling black cloud erupted from the tunnel like a localized tornado!
In a fraction of a second, the personnel at the front of the formation were completely engulfed.
The rest of the team watched in pure horror as several operatives and scientists were swallowed by the writhing black mass. They thrashed and convulsed wildly, desperately trying to break free from the dark cloud. The entire convoy recoiled, frozen in absolute shock.
Jason's survival instincts screamed. He vaulted to his feet, finally getting a clear look at the threat.
It was a swarm of black, locust-like insects!
Each bug was smaller than a human pinky finger, but they were exceptionally aggressive. As they slammed into the victims' power armor, they produced a horrifying, metallic clattering sound.
They weren't just biting. Jason could hear the distinct, sickening hiss of rapid chemical corrosion!
The sealed helmets filtered out the smell, but the visual evidence was undeniable. A highly corrosive mist was rapidly filling the air, leaving a faint, dissolving haze across the cavern floor!
The insectoid acid was so potent that even the ambient fumes were eating into the solid bedrock. The metal plating of the power armor didn't stand a chance.
"Damn it!"
Jason cursed internally. He had no idea if their advanced super-alloys could withstand the alien acid! Worse yet, the power armor had structural weak points—specifically around the articulated joints and flexible environmental seals.
He roared over the comms, "Fall back to the rovers! Get inside the vehicles now!"
"Marcus, incendiaries! Burn them out!"
Jason didn't bother raising his assault rifle. High-velocity kinetic rounds were completely useless against a dense swarm of tiny insects; thermal weaponry was their only option.
There was no time to hesitate. The operatives operated on pure muscle memory. With a synchronized thump, several incendiary grenades were launched directly into the heart of the writhing black mass.
Instantly, a roaring inferno erupted in the tunnel!
Thousands of the alien insects were incinerated on contact. However, as their bodies ruptured from the intense heat, they unleashed an even larger wave of volatile acidic fluid.
A few burning figures managed to stagger out of the swarm, but others collapsed onto the rocky floor, their armor's servos entirely melted by the acid, rendering them paralyzed...
Panic seized Jason's chest. He absolutely refused to leave his people behind.
He lunged forward into the chaos, screaming over his shoulder, "Flamethrowers! Get the heavy flamethrowers up front now!"