BOOKSDRAMA Chapter 599
Chapter 599
Five days into the submarine's voyage, just as twilight began to paint the sky, the crew caught sight of a new landmass through
their remote periscope.
After a detailed survey, Cole's face turned serious. "The submarine's detected a bunch of movable obstacles. Looks like a port."
In a world torn apart by disaster, the ability to keep a port running was no small feat. This wasn't some private setup; it had to be
a national base.
Afraid of getting caught, the submarine kept its distance, making their observations a bit sketchy. But the salvage team was
seasoned.
Analysis of the sonar data showed the port had more than just submarines. There were large transport vessels and even aircraft
carriers.
Cole turned the data into images. "If I had to guess, I'd say it's either China or a China-led alliance."
They were on a mission for the Kindle Chest, and unless they had no other choice, the special ops team wasn't looking to pick a
fight with China.
They decided quickly to change their landing site.
Time to scram—if China even got a whiff of them, given their notorious shoot-first- ask-later attitude, they'd be toast.
So, the submarine dove deeper, taking an extra half day to find another entry point.
The new continent was massive, and the coordinates for the Kindle Chest's crash site were still a long hike away. They
estimated it would take around 20 days on foot, through who knows what kind of dangers.
After a quick huddle, everyone disembarked.
Stella glanced at Arcadia, reluctantly stowing the submarine away, and the 14- person team boarded two inflatable dinghies,
heading for the shore.
The wasteland stretched out endlessly, with sand and dust whipping around so fiercely it was hard to keep your eyes open.
The environment was brutal; the wind was so strong it could blow a person away. In no time, their faces were caked with sand,
making walking impossible.
Considering they might be on China's turf, they needed to blend in and move fast.
Stella pulled out two top-notch military Humvees, eagle-emblazoned uniforms, weapons, and camo face paint.
From head to toe, they transformed into Chinese soldiers.
Jake and the others were stunned. "Stella, you're like a walking armory!"
Everyone smeared on camo paint, donned sunglasses, and grabbed their rifles.
Yep, they were the spitting image of Chinese troops.
Time to roll out!
The two desert beasts, their Humvees, plowed through the violent dust storms across the rolling wasteland.
Stella thought of Bran. This mad dash across the desert would've been his ultimate joyride. He would've died happy.
They couldn't afford to be discreet, but they stayed alert.
Drivers and lookouts took their positions.
"This weather sucks. Griffith's got nothing on this," one of them grumbled.
"Tell me about it. When we get back, I bet the greenery will have spread even more."
Perspective is everything, they thought, feeling like Griffith was paradise compared to this.
As night fell, they set up tents to brave the storm.
The wind howled all night, and by morning, the tent entrances were buried in sand.
The weather cleared, and a scorching sun beat down on the desolate brown earth.
It was both beautiful and brutal, the line between glory and gore blurred.
As they got closer to the coordinates, the desert's sandy terrain softened, slowing the Humvees.
Around midday, they took a break.
They ate to replenish their energy, scouted the high ground, and some wandered off to relieve themselves.
Stella was eating when three of the lookouts came sprinting back, screaming, "Run, just run!"
The wind made it hard to hear their warning. The lookout with the binoculars initially couldn't see what was following them, but
when he did, his face turned pale.
He jumped down from his perch. "Danger, move!"
Stella and the rest thought they'd been spotted by Chinese forces, and quickly grabbed their weapons.
"No, it's army ants."
The lookout dashed to the Humvee, frantically starting the engine. "Carnivorous army ants."
Army ants, also known as legionary ants, were not only fast but also came in huge numbers.
They usually formed a massive
hunting party, shredding their prey with powerful mandibles. The larger ants would stand guard near the
swarm, protecting their kin as they
hunted.
Stella had never seen army ants in person, but she had seen them in movies, and they were as terrifying as the legends said.
The team panicked, fumbling with their weapons as they piled into the vehicles.
Jasper was quick to board, and Stella, after stowing her gear in Arcadia, jumped into the passenger seat.
The team members, all with special forces backgrounds, moved efficiently, with no hesitation.
The Humvees roared to life, with Stella's vehicle speeding towards the fleeing trio. The relentless pursuit of the army ants was
terrifying. They swarmed from every direction, an endless tide emerging from the earth.
The three men squeezed into the vehicle, howling in pain from the bites.
Jake, trying to avoid the stinging gas, sprayed wildly at their wounds.
Meanwhile, the others hurled handfuls of chili powder out of the vehicle, desperate to stop the advancing horde.
The gas stung their eyes and throats, and Stella, unable to bear it, rolled down the window for air.
A few ants had made it into the vehicle, but they were quickly dealt with.
The two Humvees sped away, only stopping after they were sure they had escaped the ants' territory.
They were lucky to have the Humvees, the chili powder, and the gas; otherwise, they would have been devoured by the
relentless swarm.
Jake, bitten and bleeding, felt an intense burning sensation. He grimaced in pain. "How the hell did you guys stir them up?"
The three shook with residual fear. "How were we to know? We relieved ourselves, and they came swarming out."
They had been vigilant, but who watches the ground while taking a leak? By the
time they realized what was happening, it was almost too late.
Luckily, they had run fast enough to escape a grim fate.
Stella handed them a first aid kit, indicating they should tend to their own wounds.
With the knowledge of what lurked beneath the wasteland's surface the team became even more cautious, a
vigilance that never waned as they prepared to face the night inside their vehicles.
Stella meticulously sprinkled a circle of chalk dust around the vehicle, mixing it with sulfur and chili powder to ward off any
snakes, insects, or ants that might launch a stealthy attack in the night.
Meanwhile, the team members took turns standing guard.
They managed to sleep fairly soundly that night, and at the first hint of dawn, they were back on the road, pressing on with their
journey.
Mid-morning, they encountered a group of survivors. The sight of the Eagle armored vehicle made the survivors' faces blanch,
and they scattered faster than frightened rabbits.
Well, it seemed that the very mention of "China" could still send a shiver down the
spine.
This, however, saved the special unit, cloaked in their coyote fur gear, a great deal of trouble.
Around midday, the lead vehicle reported a new sighting: up ahead was a China military encampment...