Over fifty Red-throat members remained in M Port, led by Huang Ci, an M2-level Ore Gland Alpha, retreating through the valley.
Had IOA agents not hijacked the train cargo and delayed them, the Red-throats would have had enough time to retreat to a pre-prepared temporary base. As it stood, PBB’s two special forces blocked them.
Huang Ci shut off his comms, slammed a dead tree in frustration: “Damn Langster, wasted his diamond gland. Even a few kids couldn’t handle them, yet they were wiped out. Cargo’s gone. 109 Research keeps pestering me—how do I report this to the boss?”
A Hyena Alpha suggested: “For now, we can only retreat, minimize casualties. The boss said Bai Chunian’s tough. He’ll understand.”
“Do it,” Huang Ci ordered, pointing to an Omega resting under a tree: “You! Hold them off, cover our retreat!”
The Omega was the Golden Thread Worm.
Sitting under the tree, the Golden Thread Worm held the mummified spider-like humanoid in front of him. Limbs pliant and flexible, he bent its arms and legs across his crossed legs, hands circling its waist, cheeks pressed to the cocoon’s neck, eyes closed in sleep. His rifle rested across his legs, held tight.
This was Huang Ci’s first time working with this creature. Previously, even seeing it from afar caused a shiver of disgust. This experimental was purchased from 109 Research by the boss—silent as a mute, inseparable from the terrifying humanoid cocoon he carried.
Wearing the Red-throat’s signature bird-beak mask, it was impossible to tell if he was awake. Huang Ci gestured to the Hyena to wake the creature for cover.
The Hyena Alpha approached, rifle tip nudging the head: “Get up. Work time.”
The Golden Thread Worm stirred, lifting its head sluggishly. Through the mask, his eyes gleamed metallic, lacking pupils, expression cold and rigid—alive or dead, it was impossible to tell.
The Hyena, used to bullying, relaxed when it showed no resistance and pressed harder with the rifle tip: “Hear me?”
The Golden Thread Worm nodded slowly, adjusting the cocoon’s limbs into a backpack-ready arc. Then, from his pale, smooth fingertips, he drew silk, weaving it to secure the humanoid cocoon onto his back.
They were on the run; there was no time to wait for an experimental subject to slowly pack up. The Hyena, growing impatient, prodded the head of the mummy with his gun: “Is that a real person or a dummy inside?”
Before the barrel even touched the cocoon, the Golden Thread Worm lifted his AK-74. A single shot hit the Hyena squarely in the chest. In an instant, the man exploded into a cloud of blood, scattering across the forest and clinging to the branches of nearby trees, where delicate, snow-white spider silk webs formed several layers like gossamer.
In the blink of an eye, the Hyena’s body was gone. Those who witnessed it felt their knees buckle, instinctively stepping back ten meters from the Golden Thread Worm.
Yet he acted as if nothing had happened, settling the humanoid cocoon on his back and standing upright with the AK-74 in hand.
Huang Ci’s heart raced as he hurriedly led the others to retreat. There was no time to tussle with this creature—it was clearly not to be trifled with. He decided to leave it behind; the pursuing forces would likely crush through this path, and the “ghost spider” would buy them some time.
Huang Ci and the others sprinted away. M Port was rugged, full of narrow mountain trails, so he ordered everyone to split up and regroup near the rendezvous ferry outside M Port.
Halfway through their escape, they discovered every small path had been ambushed. IOA agents and PBB special forces worked together to encircle them.
The IOA agents assisted in the sweep. Luyan and Bilansheng were in this group, with Lan Bo following to protect them. On the other side, the PBB Stormtroopers were led by the He brothers, and the Wild Shark unit was led by an M2-level Whale Shark Alpha.
The PBB Wild Shark unit was a marine corps force, mostly composed of aquatic-gland subjects, dressed in dark blue camouflage, wearing goggles, leather gloves, and mid-calf boots. They carried serrated daggers and M27 automatic rifles.
The Whale Shark Alpha leading the unit appeared barely in his twenties, slightly slender, face painted with camouflage clay but still handsome, and he glanced at Lan Bo occasionally.
Lan Bo listened carefully to Bai Chunian’s instructions over the communicator. The IOA agents split into two routes. Han Xingqian, Xiao Xun, and Bai Chunian would assist the Stormtroopers on a different route to capture the Golden Thread Worm.
Bai Chunian said, “Once your side is clear, follow the route I marked. Encircle the Golden Thread Worm with minimal casualties.”
Lan Bo glanced at his nails: “I’ll take care of these little escaping ants first.”
“Be careful,” Bai Chunian replied.
Lan Bo moved along the rugged cliffside. Blue light shimmered along his tail, white fin rays neatly aligned beneath translucent scales. As one of the most strikingly beautiful of the merfolk, he naturally held an irresistible allure for aquatic-gland subjects.
Moreover, this Omega wasn’t the delicate, soft type—he was lean and muscular, with abdominal muscles partially visible beneath his wrapped bandages, over which he wore a tight bulletproof vest protecting his chest.
During the march, the Whale Shark Alpha involuntarily drifted closer, striking up a conversation.
“Uh, which department of IOA are you with?”
Hearing the voice, Lan Bo turned, showing the IOA Freedom Bird emblem on the back of his vest.
“Special Ops? That’s impressive.” The Whale Shark Alpha slowed his pace to match Lan Bo, scratching his nose. “You… are pretty. What’s your name?”
“If I don’t take advantage of you, you can call me Daddy,” Lan Bo replied lightly, leaping and magnetically clinging to a point ten meters away.
A nearby Sea Anemone Alpha bumped him with a shoulder, grinning: “Wei, a cold beauty like that isn’t easy to pursue. No IOA Omega is to be trifled with—watch your arms.”
The Whale Shark exhaled, eyes on Lan Bo’s retreating figure, patting the Sea Anemone Alpha on the shoulder: “Keep up. Don’t let anyone get hurt.”
“Stop joking, Wei. The IOA Omegas are strong, all muscle.”
“Nonsense. Agents do intel work. Charging with us, any casualties—majors will blame us.”
“Alright, let’s move.”