Chapter 498

After the initial shock wore off, Zhang Tuohai and the members of Bai Shi's team fell silent. No one had ever imagined the world would end in such a way. To make matters worse, they were now among the last remaining survivors. The whole situation felt utterly absurd.

"So... what do we do now?" Bai Shi was the first to break the silence. She looked at Zhang Tuohai, her eyes filled with confusion. Though usually composed, even she seemed overwhelmed by the enormity of the change.

"What else can we do? Keep living," Zhang Tuohai said with a wry smile. "Since we've survived, we'll live well. We'll live better than those who didn't." He patted Bai Shi's shoulder, a hint of comfort in his voice. "We still have a chance, don't we?"

A flicker of light appeared in Bai Shi's eyes upon hearing Zhang Tuohai's words. Yes, they still had a chance. As long as they were alive, there was hope.

"But... where do we go now? The world is like this, can we even find other survivors?" Bai Shi asked with concern. Her question echoed the doubts in the other team members' minds. In such a ruin, where were they to go?

"Don't worry about that for now," Zhang Tuohai shook his head. "Our top priority is to find a safe base and ensure we have enough supplies. Only then will we be able to search for other survivors and explore this world."

"A base?" Bai Shi looked at Zhang Tuohai, puzzled. "Where would we find a base?"

"In the abandoned cities, of course," Zhang Tuohai said matter-of-factly. "There should still be many undamaged buildings there. We can convert them into our base."

"But... won't there be dangers in those cities?" a team member asked, worried. "Like... those monsters?"

"Definitely," Zhang Tuohai nodded. "But we have no choice. To survive, we must take risks." He looked at everyone, a hint of determination in his gaze. "We are not weak. We have the ability to protect ourselves and to explore this world, to seek new hope."

Hearing Zhang Tuohai's words, a spark of hope ignited in the team members' hearts. Yes, they were not weak. They were the last survivors of this world. They had the responsibility, and the ability, to find a ray of hope for this world, for humanity.

"Alright! We'll follow you!" Bai Shi was the first to declare. "Let's set out now and find a base!"

The other team members also chimed in. "Yes! We'll go together!" "We're sure to find one!"

Seeing everyone's fighting spirit reignited, Zhang Tuohai felt a sense of relief. He knew that in such despair, confidence was more important than anything else. As long as they had faith, they could overcome their difficulties.

"Zhang Tuohai, can we really find other survivors?" Bai Shi suddenly asked. Her voice was low, laced with uncertainty. "This world is so vast, how would we know where they are?"

Zhang Tuohai was silent for a moment. He understood Bai Shi's concern. In such a ruin, searching for other survivors was like looking for a needle in a haystack. But he decided to give everyone some hope.

"We'll definitely find them," Zhang Tuohai said firmly. "As long as we try and don't give up, we're sure to. Perhaps they're also waiting for us."

A glimmer of light once again sparked in Bai Shi's eyes at Zhang Tuohai's words. She nodded, asking no further questions.

"However, before we search for a base, there's one more thing we need to do," Zhang Tuohai suddenly stated. "What is it?" everyone asked, looking at him curiously.

"That is... to confirm the changes in this world," Zhang Tuohai said with a serious look in his eyes. "This world is no longer the one we knew." He pointed out the window, his voice heavy. "Look, the plants, the animals, they've all mutated. We must understand the habits of these mutated creatures and the rules of this world to better survive."

Everyone looked out the window upon hearing him. Sure enough, the once lush forest was now a chaotic mess. Many plants had undergone bizarre mutations, becoming enormous or growing sharp thorns. The animals, too, had turned monstrous and aggressive.

"This... this is truly terrifying," a team member murmured. "How are we supposed to deal with these monsters?"

"Don't worry," Zhang Tuohai patted his shoulder. "We have weapons, equipment, and experience. We can handle them. What we need to do now is observe first, understand first. Only by knowing ourselves and our enemy can we fight a hundred battles without danger."

Everyone nodded in understanding. They knew Zhang Tuohai was right. In this unfamiliar world, acting blindly would only lead to greater danger.

"Alright, let's rest now and replenish our strength," Zhang Tuohai said, glancing at the sky. "We'll set off when it's light!"

Everyone nodded. They knew the path ahead would be fraught with danger. But they also knew they had no choice. To survive, for humanity, they had to fight to the end.

Zhang Tuohai looked out the window, a pensive look in his eyes. Had the world truly become like this? He had always thought he would live in a peaceful world. He never imagined that one day he would face such a desperate situation.

He thought of his family, his friends. Where were they now? Had they become corpses in the ruins, or had they, like him, struggled to survive?

"Zhang Tuohai, what are you thinking about?" Bai Shi's voice broke his train of thought. Zhang Tuohai turned to her. "Nothing, just thinking... why this world turned out this way."

Bai Shi was silent for a moment. "Perhaps, this is heaven's punishment for humanity," she said softly. "Humans were too greedy, too selfish. That's why they were destroyed."

Zhang Tuohai said nothing. He knew Bai Shi had a point. Humanity's destruction of the environment and plunder of resources were indeed the culprits behind all this. But now, it was too late to say anything. They could only strive to survive and search for new hope.

"Zhang Tuohai, do you believe... this world will get better?" Bai Shi suddenly asked. Her eyes held a hint of confusion and uncertainty.

Zhang Tuohai looked out the window, his gaze firm. "I believe so," he said softly. "As long as we work hard and don't give up, this world will definitely get better. We are survivors, we are the sparks of hope. We have a responsibility to ignite hope in this world."

Another spark of light flashed in Bai Shi's eyes as she heard Zhang Tuohai's words. She nodded, asking no more questions.

Just then, a violent tremor suddenly rocked the ground. Everyone was startled and looked out the window. On the horizon, not far away, a huge dark silhouette was rapidly approaching them.

"W-what is that?" a team member asked in terror. "It's a monster!" Zhang Tuohai's expression instantly turned grim. "Prepare for battle!"

He quickly grabbed his weapon and rushed to the window. The others also seized their weapons, ready for action. They knew a fierce battle was about to begin.

Zhang Tuohai looked out the window, his eyes filled with grim determination. No matter what dangers lay ahead, he would not flinch. To survive, for humanity, he had to fight to the very end.

"Zhang Tuohai, can we win?" Bai Shi's voice trembled slightly. Zhang Tuohai turned to her. "Yes!" he said firmly. "We will definitely win!"

He knew that giving them confidence was the most important thing now. Only with confidence could they unleash their full combat potential.

The silhouette drew closer, and everyone could make out its form. It was a giant praying mantis, over ten meters tall, covered in a hard exoskeleton. Its two massive, blade-like forelegs gleamed coldly, and its blood-red eyes radiated savagery and bloodlust.

"Oh my god..." a team member gasped. "This... this is truly terrifying."

"Don't be afraid!" Zhang Tuohai roared. "It's just a monster! We can handle it!" He raised his rifle, aiming for the giant mantis's eyes. "Fire!"

Bang, bang, bang! A volley of gunfire erupted. Bullets rained down on the giant mantis.

However, the giant mantis's exoskeleton was incredibly tough. Bullets merely pinged off it, unable to penetrate.

"Damn it!" Zhang Tuohai cursed. "It has armor!"

"Zhang Tuohai, what do we do?" Bai Shi asked anxiously. "Our bullets are useless against it!"

Zhang Tuohai quickly strategized. He knew they couldn't directly confront the giant mantis. Its defense was too high.

"Retreat! We're retreating first!" Zhang Tuohai yelled. "Find some advantageous terrain, then we'll circle back and deal with it!"

Upon hearing this, everyone began to retreat. However, the giant mantis was incredibly fast. It spread its wings and instantly flew above them. Its massive blade-like forelegs, whistling through the air, descended upon the group.

"Watch out!" Zhang Tuohai roared. He quickly lunged towards Bai Shi, pushing her out of the way. At the same time, he raised his rifle and fired at the giant mantis's eye. Bang! The bullet accurately hit the mantis's eye. The giant mantis let out a painful shriek and staggered. However, it didn't stop its attack. Its massive blade-like foreleg still swung down towards Zhang Tuohai.

Zhang Tuohai had no time to dodge. He could only raise his rifle to block. Crack! The rifle was instantly severed. Zhang Tuohai's body was also sent flying by the immense force.

"Zhang Tuohai!" Bai Shi cried out. She quickly rushed to his side and helped him up. "Are you alright?"

Zhang Tuohai shook his head, a trickle of blood escaping the corner of his mouth. "I'm fine... just a small injury."

He looked at the giant mantis, his eyes filled with anger. This monster was simply too powerful.

"What do we do? We can't beat it at all!" a team member cried out in despair. The giant mantis's appearance had completely shattered their newly built confidence.

"No! We can beat it!" Zhang Tuohai roared. He struggled to his feet, a determined glint in his eyes. "We still have a chance! We have... a secret weapon!"

From his backpack, he pulled out a black box. A complex rune was engraved on its lid. It was the one-time item he had previously drawn from the system—[Rune Trap]!

**[Rune Trap]:** A consumable item. Deploys a rune trap in a specified area, dealing significant damage to enemies entering it. The trap lasts for 10 minutes.

"What's this?" Bai Shi asked, puzzled.

"This is our lifeline!" Zhang Tuohai shouted. He quickly opened the box and took out a palm-sized metal disc. The disc's surface was also engraved with complex runes.

"Listen! Everyone listen up!" Zhang Tuohai roared. "We'll set this trap inside that abandoned factory ahead!" "Then, we'll lure the mantis into it!"

"But... how do we lure it in?" Bai Shi asked. "It's so powerful, how can we lure it?"

"Trust me!" Zhang Tuohai said firmly. "We can do this!" He raised the metal disc high and then forcefully threw it towards the abandoned factory.

The metal disc arced through the air and landed precisely at the entrance of the abandoned factory. Buzz! A faint hum resonated. Streams of blue light emanated from the disc, rapidly spreading outwards. In an instant, the entire abandoned factory was engulfed in blue light.

"Alright! The trap is set!" Zhang Tuohai roared. "Now, let's go lure that mantis over!" He looked at everyone, his eyes full of determination. "This is our only chance!"

Although fear still lingered in their hearts, seeing Zhang Tuohai's unwavering resolve, they were inspired. They knew this was not the time for hesitation. Life or death, it all hinged on this one move!

"Zhang Tuohai, how do we lure it?" Bai Shi asked. "Do we attack it directly?"

"No," Zhang Tuohai shook his head. "That's too dangerous." He pulled a foul-smelling piece of meat from his backpack. It was an item he had previously drawn from the system—[Lure Meat].

**[Lure Meat]:** A consumable item. Emits a special scent to attract nearby mutated creatures. The effect lasts for 1 minute.

"Use this!" Zhang Tuohai tossed the meat chunk to Bai Shi. "Find an opportunity to throw this meat into the factory, then immediately retreat!" "Remember, be quick!"

Bai Shi nodded, taking the meat. She knew the task was dangerous, but she had no choice.

"Zhang Tuohai, what about you?" Bai Shi asked. "What will you do?"

"I'll distract the mantis!" Zhang Tuohai said in a low voice. "I'll do my best to hold it off and buy you time!"

"No!" Bai Shi exclaimed. "That's too dangerous! How can you fight it alone?"

"Don't worry," Zhang Tuohai patted Bai Shi's shoulder. "I'll be fine." He looked at the giant mantis, a resolute glint in his eyes. "For you, for humanity, I have to do this!"

He quickly rushed out, running towards the giant mantis. "Hey! Big bug! Come here!" he shouted loudly, trying to attract the giant mantis's attention.

The giant mantis, drawn by Zhang Tuohai's voice, turned its head to look at him. Its blood-red eyes were filled with savagery and bloodlust. It shrieked and charged towards Zhang Tuohai.

"Zhang Tuohai! Be careful!" Bai Shi cried out loudly. She knew Zhang Tuohai was sacrificing himself to buy them time. Her heart was filled with worry and deep emotion.

She clutched the meat chunk tightly, a determined glint in her eyes. She had to succeed! She couldn't let Zhang Tuohai's sacrifice be in vain!

While the giant mantis was distracted by Zhang Tuohai, Bai Shi quickly sprinted towards the abandoned factory. She carefully dodged the debris on the ground, rushing to the factory entrance at top speed. Then, she forcefully threw the meat chunk into the factory interior.

The meat chunk landed, emitting an even stronger, foul odor. The giant mantis, drawn by the stench, suddenly paused. It stopped and looked towards the abandoned factory, its eyes filled with longing and greed.

"Success!" A flicker of joy passed through Zhang Tuohai's heart. "Quick! Bai Shi! Retreat now!" he shouted loudly.

After throwing the meat, Bai Shi didn't hesitate, immediately turning and retreating. She knew every second counted.

Drawn by the meat, the giant mantis charged towards the abandoned factory. Its massive body left a deep trench in the ground.

Boom! The giant mantis crashed into the abandoned factory. Buzz! A violent hum resonated. The blue light instantly became more dazzling. Runes emerged from the ground, quickly coiling around the giant mantis's body.

The giant mantis let out a painful shriek. Its body, entangled by the runes, was unable to move. Simultaneously, arcs of electricity emanated from the runes, continuously striking the mantis's body.

Sizzle! Sizzle! The giant mantis's exoskeleton, bombarded by the electrical arcs, gave off a burnt smell. Its body also trembled continuously, emitting pained roars.

"It worked!" Everyone cheered at the sight. "Zhang Tuohai! You're incredible!"

Zhang Tuohai looked at the giant mantis trapped by the rune, a flicker of exhaustion in his eyes. He knew this was only temporary. The Rune Trap's effect lasted only 10 minutes. They had to completely eliminate the giant mantis within that timeframe.

"Don't celebrate too soon!" Zhang Tuohai roared. "It's not dead yet! We must attack with all our might while it's trapped!"

Hearing him, everyone immediately sobered up. They knew Zhang Tuohai was right. This was no time for celebration. It was time to fight!

They quickly grabbed their weapons and charged towards the giant mantis. Gunfire and glinting blades instantly erupted. Everyone unleashed all their attacks upon the giant mantis.

However, the giant mantis's defense was simply too strong. Even trapped by the rune, it could still withstand their attacks. Its exoskeleton remained incredibly hard, and its life force was terrifyingly resilient.

"Damn it! Its defense is too high!" a team member cursed. "We can't even scratch it!"

Zhang Tuohai looked at the giant mantis, his eyes filled with anxiety. Time was ticking away. The Rune Trap's effect was also gradually weakening. If they couldn't eliminate the giant mantis before the trap wore off, they would be in grave danger.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Zhang Tuohai's mind. *A weakness! It must have a weakness!*

He carefully observed the giant mantis's body. Its exoskeleton covered almost its entire body. But...

His gaze fell on the giant mantis's abdomen. There, a section seemed slightly lighter in color than the rest. And it was also the softest part of its body.

"The abdomen! Attack its abdomen!" Zhang Tuohai shouted. "That's its weakness!"

Hearing him, everyone redirected their attacks to the giant mantis's abdomen. Bang, bang, bang! Blades flashed and shots rang out, concentrating on the mantis's belly.

It worked! Bullets and blades finally managed to penetrate the giant mantis's exoskeleton. Blood gushed from its abdomen. The giant mantis let out an even more agonizing shriek. Its body trembled violently.

"Keep attacking! Don't stop!" Zhang Tuohai roared. "We're almost there!"

Encouraged, everyone's attacks grew fiercer. They poured all their fury and strength into the giant mantis's abdomen.

The giant mantis's shrieks grew weaker and weaker. Its body gradually stopped trembling. Finally, under the combined assault, it crashed to the ground, utterly lifeless.

Phew—everyone let out a long breath. They looked at the giant mantis lying dead on the ground, their eyes filled with the relief of having survived a close call. The battle had been incredibly perilous.

"We... we won!" a team member murmured. "We really won!"

Bai Shi also slumped to the ground, panting heavily. Her body was covered in blood and dust. Yet, her eyes were filled with joy and excitement. "Zhang Tuohai, you're amazing!"

Zhang Tuohai also breathed a sigh of relief. He walked over to the giant mantis's corpse and examined it carefully. This was his first time directly killing such a powerful mutated creature. He wanted to see if he could find anything useful on its body.

Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to the giant mantis's head. On its crown, there seemed to be a shimmering object. He reached out and touched it, discovering it was a crystal-clear core.

**[Mantis Core]:** A special material containing powerful energy. It can be used to craft advanced equipment or enhance the abilities of superhumans.

"What's this?" Bai Shi leaned closer, asking curiously. "It looks beautiful."

"This is a core," Zhang Tuohai explained. "Mutated creatures form these cores inside their bodies. They contain powerful energy and are very useful materials."

"Wow! Then we're rich!" a team member exclaimed excitedly. "Such a big monster must have a lot of cores!"

Zhang Tuohai shook his head. "No. Only a few powerful mutated creatures can form these cores. And usually, a mutated creature only has one core."

Everyone was a little disappointed to hear this. Still, getting even one core was a good outcome.

Zhang Tuohai put away the Mantis Core. Then, he looked at everyone and said in a deep voice, "Alright, the crisis is over. But we can't let our guard down. There are still many dangers in this world."

Everyone nodded. They knew Zhang Tuohai was right. This was just the beginning. The road ahead was still long.

"Now, let's continue searching for a base," Zhang Tuohai said. "Once we find a safe place, we can better plan our next moves."

Everyone set out once more. They walked along the abandoned streets, heading deeper into the city. Along the way, they encountered many mutated creatures. But with their previous experience fighting the giant mantis, they became more cautious and efficient. They avoided overly powerful mutated creatures, choosing only those they could handle.

Two days later, they finally found a suitable location for a base: an abandoned shopping mall. Although its exterior looked dilapidated, its internal structure was relatively intact. Furthermore, the buildings surrounding the mall formed a natural barrier, which could effectively defend against attacks from lower-level mutated creatures.

"This place is good!" Bai Shi exclaimed excitedly. "We can convert it into our base!"

Zhang Tuohai also nodded. "It's indeed a good spot. We can use the supplies inside the mall to build defenses and stock up on food and water."

Everyone immediately sprang into action, beginning to clear out the shopping mall. They removed discarded goods and repaired damaged walls. At the same time, they also set up some simple traps and alarm devices around the mall.

For the next few days, they were busy building the base. Zhang Tuohai used his abilities to reinforce it. He transformed some rebar and concrete into sturdy walls and defense towers. He also created some simple energy generators to provide power for the base.

Bai Shi, meanwhile, was in charge of collecting and distributing supplies. She led the team members in searching the surrounding ruins for useful materials: food, water, medicine, weapons, and ammunition. They wouldn't overlook anything that could be utilized.

The other team members were responsible for daily patrols and security. They took turns on duty, ensuring the base's safety. Concurrently, they also trained to improve their combat abilities.

Thanks to everyone's efforts, the abandoned shopping mall gradually transformed into a sturdy fortress. They now had a stable food supply, ample water, and various weapons and equipment, capable of handling most dangers.

However, a hint of worry still lingered in Zhang Tuohai's heart. Was this world truly safe now? Would more powerful mutated creatures and unknown dangers still emerge?

He knew this was merely a temporary calm. The real trials were yet to come. And he had to remain vigilant at all times to lead everyone to survival.

"Zhang Tuohai, what are you thinking about?" Bai Shi's voice once again interrupted his thoughts. Zhang Tuohai turned to her. "Nothing, just thinking... what other changes this world might undergo."

Bai Shi was silent for a moment. "Perhaps it will get even worse," she said softly. "But we are prepared, aren't we?"

Zhang Tuohai nodded. "Yes. We are prepared." He looked out the window, his gaze firm. "No matter what the future holds, we will face it bravely. We won't give up."

He knew they were survivors. They were the sparks of hope. They had to live on and seek new hope.