69novels Chapter 61 Eating
Chapter 61 Eating
Chapter 61 Eating
Inside the cockpit, Father Alpha's newly replaced mechanical tentacles were rapidly operating on the control panel.
"Buzz".
The front of the Chimera truck, with its several ugly, mutated metal plates, began to vibrate.
The once calm metal surface began to undulate like muscles.
Fine cracks opened up, revealing dark red vein-like patterns underneath.
"Emit cooling acid mist!"
Following Rowe's orders.
The high-pressure nozzles hidden on both sides of the front of the vehicle spray out a thick, yellowish-green mist.
This was collected by Luo Wei specifically from the bottom of the fermentation tank, containing highly acidic waste liquid.
"Hiss hiss hiss."
Acid mist enveloped the swarm of rats in front of the vehicle.
A chemical reaction occurred.
When the strong acid came into contact with the hot, alkaline oils on the surface of the fever-infected rats, a violent neutralization reaction occurred.
White foam churned, accompanied by the pitiful screams of rats.
Their prized high-temperature armor becomes a fatal burden in the face of strong acid.
The grease solidifies and clumps, completely locking them in place.
Then, something even more terrifying happened.
The "wall of gluttony" on the front of the car has come to life.
The dark red metal plate sensed the large amount of damaged biomass and rapidly extended forward, transforming into countless sharp metal barbs.
It looked as if the Venus flytrap had closed its leaves.
Dozens of giant rats trapped in the acid mist were instantly pierced by metal barbs and then forcibly dragged onto the front armor of the vehicle.
"Click, click."
The sound of chewing drowned out the rats' screams.
The mutated metal is "feeding".
It secretes a clear digestive fluid that dissolves the mouse's flesh and bones, then absorbs them into the metal.
The originally mottled and rusted front armor quickly became shiny and thick, and even emitted a strange red glow.
The rats behind were terrified by this scene.
Although their brains were damaged by the plague virus, their biological instinct for fear remained unchanged.
The gruesome deaths of their kind and the scent of their superior predators caused them to halt their charge and begin pacing anxiously in place.
"The effect is good."
Lowe noted in his notebook: "'Gluttony Wall' activity test: perfect score. It possesses an extremely strong suppressive effect against heat-spreading organisms."
"Disadvantage: It also consumes a lot of resources."
The instrument panel showed that the backup battery's charge level dropped by 15% in a split second.
In this universe, the use of any power comes at a price, even the power of chaos.
Driving this living metal to hunt requires a huge amount of energy.
"Buck, take the riot shield and stun spear, go down and clear the area."
Luo Wei closed his notebook, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
"Save a few alive. Kill the rest."
"Alive?" Buck hesitated for a moment. "Advisor, this thing is too dangerous—"
"Not just alive, but also the corpses."
Lo Wei pointed to the rats still convulsing outside.
"Remember what I just said? They're gnawing on metal."
"This means that their stomachs are rich in high concentrations of heavy metals and rare minerals. They are living ore bags."
"They can adapt to this high-temperature, highly acidic environment; the biological enzymes within them are invaluable!"
"Put them in sealed cages. We've already made back half of the fuel cost for this trip just from these few rats."
The battle ended quickly and wasn't particularly heroic.
The intimidating "Wall of Gluttony," combined with the skilled coordination of the defense forces, turned these plague-ridden giant rats into piles of corpses.
To be precise, they were piles of raw materials.
Susan and two other widows, battling intense nausea, began dissecting the body with the help of their servants.
On the side, Luo Wei held a glass rod and fiddled with something he had taken from the stomach of a rat king.
A dark golden stone, about the size of a fist.
"Undigested industrial alloy? It's very pure." Father Alpha leaned closer, his electronic eyes gleaming with greedy blue light.
"It seems they've eaten a lot of the equipment in the Ninth Grain Depot." Luo Wei threw the "stone" into the recycling bin. "However, this also means that the industrial facilities inside the Ninth Grain Depot may have been completely destroyed."
After saying that, he looked into the distance.
"Whatever's left is ours," Luo Wei ordered. "Pack your things and move out at full speed!"
Two hours later.
The convoy stopped at the end of Pipeline B-7.
The underground transfer hall of the Ninth Agricultural War Zone.
Before the plague struck, this was a standard industrial space made up of steel supports, conveyor belts, and cold concrete.
Hundreds of automated sorting machines roar day and night, sending "organic raw materials" from the ground—that is, corpses—into the crushing process.
However, what Luo Wei saw before him at this moment resembled a morbid biological cavity.
The originally cold metal walls are now covered with fleshy tissue resembling mucus.
Countless fist-sized lumps hung on the walls and ceiling, like alveoli slowly contracting and expanding.
With each expansion, a stream of hot, pale yellow steam would spray out from the hole at the top.
Steam gathered in mid-air, forming a murky cloud-like mass of air.
"Ambient temperature: 68 degrees Celsius, constant." Father Alpha said, puzzled. "Advisor, this doesn't conform to the laws of thermodynamics. In such a large open space, heat should dissipate rapidly."
"This is a closed thermal circulation system," Rowe continued.
He quickly sketched a draft in his notebook on his lap.
"These growths are not decorations; they are heat exchangers. They inhale and exhale exhaust gases, maintaining a balance of air pressure and temperature."
"This is not just pollution, Alpha; it's a complete ecological loop."
Luo Wei's pen paused on the paper, then he wrote a note:
[Asset Assessment: This area has been converted into a highly efficient biomass energy plant. Thermal energy utilization rate: Extremely high.]
In his eyes, the horrific scene before him was quickly deconstructed.
The corruption of filth often leads to disorderly decay.
But here, Luo Wei sensed a scent called "order," which made him somewhat uneasy.
However, the indescribable fear did not frighten him.
In his eyes, there were only intricate pipeline diagrams and energy flow tables.
"Keep going," Rowe ordered. "Remain silent and switch to low power mode."
Two modified Chimeras silently drove into this hellish place.
As the convoy drove deeper into the hall, the smell in the air changed.
It's no longer just a simple stench.
The smell of rotten fruit was detected.
This flavor has an amazing penetrating power; even through the sealed car body and filter canister, it can make you feel a sweet sensation deep in your throat.
"Alert. The concentration of virus in the external environment is rising exponentially. Thermal radiation levels are exceeding the standard!"
Father Alpha issued a warning.
"Advisor, look at the front of the car! The Wall of Gluttony!" It's reacting!
Luo Wei immediately turned his gaze to the front of the car.
The dark red armor was now trembling violently.
There were no enemies.
There were no corpses for them to devour.
But they were "eating" like crazy!
Suddenly, the vein-like patterns on the surface of the metal plate burst forth, penetrating the holy oil coating that had covered it.
They greedily opened and closed in the air.
With each pulse, the surrounding air, filled with viral spores and high-energy heat, forms small vortices that are drawn into the metal.
"Sizzle s ...————"
Under Luo Wei's gaze, the dark red living metal surface began to secrete a viscous black liquid, which then rapidly hardened and formed a crust in the high-temperature environment.
Finally, a layer of shiny black substance forms, covering the original armor.
Its texture is neither like metal nor like rock.
It is more like the chitinous exoskeleton of an insect.
"It is adapting to its environment."
"Love said in a low voice, a glint of light flashing in his eyes."
"It's not just adaptation; it absorbs the plague energy in the environment and converts it into bioenergy," Father Alpha reminded him. "Advisor, please look at the energy readings!"
Luo Wei glanced at the dial.
The energy consumption curve of the backup battery pack was originally slow to decrease due to maintaining the life support system.
At this moment, it actually stopped falling and rebounded, showing a slight upward trend.
This means that the living armor at the front of the vehicle has become a "solar panel".
However, it does not absorb sunlight.
It is the corrupting energy of a benevolent father spreading corruption in the air.
"very good."
Lowe made a heavy mark on his notebook.
[The Wall of Gluttony] Environmental Testing: Excellent. It possesses the potential to convert subspace radiation into kinetic energy. Recommended for inclusion as a core asset and in-depth development.
"Ignore it, let it eat," Rowe said coldly. "As long as it obeys, even if it grows a mouth and bites, it's still good equipment. Keep moving forward."
The convoy stopped at the edge of the hall.
The ground ahead was no longer flat.
The original concrete floor has disappeared.
What appeared before everyone's eyes was a thick, dark red substance that covered the entire hall floor.
It's like a carpet has been laid out.
This "carpet" has a texture that looks like rubber, with a rough, grainy surface.
Under the dim red light, cracks would occasionally appear, from which scalding hot oil would flow out.
"What is this? Some kind of bacterial colony?" Buck, in the back seat, gripped the laser gun tightly and asked warily.
"It looks like some kind of sediment." Lowe observed for a moment. "Stop the car. I need to take a sample."
"Advisor, this is dangerous."
Buck tried to dissuade him again.
He had been a soldier for most of his life, but this was the first time he had ever seen anything like it.
The unknown means risk.
This time, Lo Wei did not go down himself.
He pointed to a death row inmate next to him.
These death row inmates were pale and terrified.
"You, put on your heat-resistant suit and take the sampler. Go dig up a patch of carpet. Come back. Just the surface, don't dig too deep."
The death row inmate nodded, trembling.
Under the cover of two fully armed defense soldiers, they climbed out of the airtight door.
The heat wave outside the cabin instantly fogged up his goggles.
He staggered to the dark red substance.
He plunged the entrenching tool into the ground with all his might.
It felt strange, like cutting open a piece of butter.
He pried up a dark red lump, quickly put it into a sealed box, and then ran back to his car as if his life depended on it.