Standing nearby, Cobra waved his hand, and two Dark Family members followed him toward the trees.
Ryan turned to face the direction of the woods and didn’t pull Echo aside, letting her stay sitting on the rock in the shallow water.
The rustling sound of something stepping on fallen leaves-it could be a person or an animal?
Everyone, now on high alert, stared intently at the trees.
Rustle.
Before Cobra even made it to the trees, something white suddenly dashed out, staring at everyone with big eyes, completely unafraid.
Echo blinked and said, “A rabbit.”
What came out was a large, plump rabbit-white fur, fiery red eyes, a round body, short legs, and oddly shaped ears and teeth. It was about the size of a one-year-old child, almost like an island-grown mutant. It was so big, it was almost shocking.
The Dark Family members all relaxed at once. They’d thought it was something dangerous, but it was just a rabbit. It was so harmless, they didn’t even feel the need to keep an eye on it. They all turned and slowly sat back down.
The rabbit, still staring with its red eyes, scanned the group before turning around and darting back into the woods. Despite its chunky size, it was surprisingly fast, moving with the speed of an arrow, completely unlike the clumsy appearance it had when it first appeared.
Bang!
A sharp gunshot rang out.
Echo watched as the rabbit froze mid-run, falling to the ground, motionless. She raised an eyebrow and called out to Cobra, “It’s just a rabbit, is this really necessary?”
Cobra turned around, his eyes serious. “It’s not a rabbit, it’s a rat.”
At his words, everyone froze.
A rat?
Where did a rat that big come from? All their eyes immediately turned back to the fallen rabbit-except for its small ears and sharp teeth, it looked entirely like a rabbit.
Had anyone ever seen a rat that weighed ten or twenty pounds?
“Follow me.” Cobra didn’t say much more. He slid his gun back into his waistband and quickly ran toward the trees, where several people helped him climb up the towering tree.
“Could it be a mutation? An experiment?” Echo remembered Ryan mentioning the potential historical or hidden issues on this island.
A rat that size was definitely unnatural. The only explanation was a genetically altered test subject-some kind of mutated species with altered genetic traits.
Ryan didn’t look back but extended his hand toward Echo. She jumped into the water and swam toward him, with Hawk following close behind.
Once the three of them reached the shore, Ryan silently walked toward the others, while Echo glanced up at Cobra, waiting for his assessment.
High up in the tree, Cobra leapt to the top and quickly surveyed the area. After a few moments, he descended and landed on the ground with a serious expression. “It’s all white ahead. Whatever it is, it’s heading this way. It’s crossing a small river in the middle of the island, and everything in its path is stripped bare.”
Hearing this, everyone tensed up, quickly getting to their feet, their eyes now fixed on Ryan. He coldly asked, “How much time do we have?”
Cobra paused for a moment, then said firmly, “At most, ten minutes.”
Bill, standing near the rat that Cobra shot, stood up with a serious expression. “It’s a hybrid-part rabbit, part rat. It has the traits of both animals: sharp teeth and a combination of carnivorous and herbivorous characteristics. This is likely the origin of current gene synthesis.”
Hawk picked up on the conversation. “Get to the point.”
Cobra and Bill exchanged a look, and Bill answered in a low voice, “Either we kill them and survive, or they kill us and survive.”
Carnivores were inherently vicious, and even the weakest animal could turn aggressive when driven by hunger.
Bill’s message was clear-either let the mutated creatures devour them, or strike first and wipe them out.
Ryan nodded sharply, his eyes flashing with a cold, calculating gleam. “Exterminate them.”
“Understood,” the Dark Family members all replied in unison, their voices loud and firm.
For most people, this situation would have been dangerous, maybe even life-threatening, but for them, it wasn’t a big deal. At first, they’d been cautious, unsure of the island’s purpose, but now that they knew it was just a genetic testing facility, everything ahead seemed like a minor issue.
Hawk immediately spoke up. “Split into two groups-one with me, one with Cobra. Grab heavy weapons, and follow me.”
Hawk made a hand gesture, and the Dark Family members split into two groups without hesitation. They grabbed the heavy artillery and followed Hawk into the woods.
Luckily, the other side of the island had a sheer cliff, so nothing could come through there. They only needed to block one direction, which made it easier for Ryan’s team to control the situation.
On the warship, they had prepared for a possible clash with the Street Family. They brought plenty of weapons and supplies, but ironically, they ended up using them on this nameless island instead.
Once Hawk led his group into the woods, Cobra quickly gave his orders. “Douse the entire forest with oil. Once Hawk and the others are back, I want the whole place blown to pieces. Not a single mutant animal should be left alive.”
Echo raised an eyebrow as she watched the fuel being offloaded from the ship. She turned to Bill and said, “They’re some crazy stuff.”
Bill nodded, standing next to Echo. “Their reproductive rate is insane. If it weren’t for us, anyone else would be dead by now.”
Echo looked at the people working in the woods, then rubbed her nose. “So… did we just do a good deed?”
Bill said seriously, “Of course.”
Echo laughed. Anything that shouldn’t exist shouldn’t exist. The presence of such creatures on the island had already disrupted the natural ecosystem. If they hadn’t had all these weapons, they might’ve ended up as nothing but a snack. There was no doubt about that.
“Boss, I’m going to take a look.” Echo said as she ran toward the woods.
Ryan didn’t stop her and let her go.
Boom!
Echo had just reached the same rocky outcrop she’d jumped to the day before when she saw Hawk give a signal. Several people shouldered explosive launchers and fired them at the mutated animals charging toward them. The explosion lit up the area, and the rocks were blown apart. The air was filled with high-pitched, shrill screams.
After a round of shells hit, it didn’t take long before one of the white figures emerged from the fire, charging toward Hawk and the others, screaming wildly. Its blood-red eyes and sharp teeth, combined with its lightning-fast movements, gave off an eerie, chilling vibe. The creature looked absolutely ferocious.
Boom!
Another round of explosions followed.
Echo watched as the mutated creature was blown apart on the ground. The smell of burning flesh and charred remains filled the air, causing her to wrinkle her nose in disgust.
“Get ready to retreat,” Hawk said with a cold, serious tone.
Through the smoke and the explosion’s aftermath, the mutated animals came charging, screaming, and baring their teeth. Their blood-red eyes were filled with a bloodthirsty glow.
Echo frowned and said, “Why are they so vicious? This isn’t like either of these species at all.”
“They’ve been at the top too long, thinking they’re untouchable. A beast is still just a beast,” Hawk grunted. He waved his hand, and another round of explosions went off, the blasts shaking the ground. Hawk turned and coldly ordered, “Retreat.”
Without thinking, Echo followed Hawk as they retreated.
Behind them, the creatures seemed even more enraged, their brutal instincts taking over. The animals became more desperate, more furious, screaming as they leaped through the fire and over their fallen comrades, chasing Echo and the others.
Echo could almost hear their teeth grinding behind her. She had never been chased by animals before, and it wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience.
Echo and Hawk were like bait, drawing the mutated creatures in.
In no time, as soon as they broke through the trees, the sound of the animals charging through the woods hit their ears like a swarm of locusts.
Cobra and the others, waiting outside, were stunned when they saw the blood-red, mangled creatures coming toward them, covered in their comrades’ blood.