Just thinking about being parasitized sent shivers down everyone's spines, and they all simultaneously grabbed their gas masks and put them on.
Just then, Luis also woke up. When the villagers working in the Excavation Site noticed outsiders, they immediately roared and charged forward, wielding their tools. There was even the buzzing sound of a chainsaw starting up, wielded by a villager wearing shorts on his head—a sight both terrifying and comical.
Kevin couldn't help but ask, "Luis, aren't you a local? What are they saying?"
"Despicable outsiders! That's what they're saying. They don't speak foreign languages, which is why you can't understand them," Luis replied grumpily.
Facing the fully armed squad members, these villagers were merely throwing their lives away.
They continued forward, boarded the Mine Cart, and traveled deep inside. There was a massive Furnace here, apparently a place for refining metal. No wonder they didn't need to purchase steel from the outside world; it seemed they could refine and produce it themselves.
At the central Furnace, two villagers activated a device. A large door opened, and two 3.5-meter giants appeared, chained and looking somewhat like Philosophers. They were hideous and extremely ferocious.
The moment they appeared, they stomped the two villagers who had released them to death, then roared furiously at the squad members.
*Bang!* A Molotov cocktail was thrown, activating the central switch. A dent appeared on the steel plate above the Furnace, and the two giants were continuously attacked by assault rifles, forcing them to retreat until they finally fell into the scorching Furnace.
Although they struggled and roared incessantly, they were quickly melted by the churning molten steel.
"That wasn't difficult at all!" Eddie Cai said, blowing on his smoking Desert Eagle.
Luis explained, "The Subordinate Plaga has a certain chance of altering the host's genes, causing the host to mutate and grow much taller. However, they also lose their sanity but can still be controlled by the Dominant species Plaga. The Lord of the Lake and these giants you saw are products of this mutation."
"What the heck is the Lord of the Lake?" Kevin asked, confused.
"It's that giant salamander in the lake!" Luis snapped.
"Why is it called the Lord of the Lake?" Kevin pressed relentlessly.
"Because of its massive size, it was worshipped and offered sacrifices by the local villagers. Chief Mendez then brainwashed them and dubbed it the Lord of the Lake. The chief you encountered also utilized the Dominant species Plaga, which is why he was like a superhuman,"
Luis explained.
"I don't think he was much stronger than a Tyrant," Kevin retorted.
"That depends on actual combat power. The Dominant species Plaga allows the host to maintain sanity and mutate when necessary. It's definitely stronger than a Tyrant!" Luis argued forcefully.
Chris had no choice but to step forward and mediate, "If you want to argue, you can go to a bar later and talk it out. For now, let's get out of this cursed place."
The group continued moving forward. Eddie Cai constantly observed his surroundings, using an Electric Current Magnetic Field to kill the spores in the surrounding soil. Infection and parasitism were only possible when getting close to the fossils.
The Mine Cart reached its destination: an underground tunnel with a decent cement road and many large trucks parked there.
"Let's drive out of here. Don't linger," Eddie Cai said before climbing onto a truck.
The underground mine road was very long; otherwise, trucks wouldn't be necessary. They didn't know what these trucks were used to transport before, and they were quite dirty, but it didn't matter.
When the truck reached the midpoint, Luis suddenly said, "There's a laboratory ahead. I can go in and synthesize some parasite-inhibiting drugs. If taken early in the parasitic stage, these drugs can eradicate the parasite spores. That's how I escaped being infected. You might need some, as compensation for taking me out of this wretched place."
After some thought, Chris decided to wait for Luis to synthesize the drugs. "We'll cover him first."
Eddie Cai waved his hand. "Then I'll go ahead and check things out. You guys wait here while he makes the medicine."
Continuing forward, they found an upward elevator, which seemed to be the exit from the underground mine.
Ashley still chose to move with Eddie Cai; she only felt safe following him.
Leon immediately tried to stop her. "Ashley, it's safer to stay with us. Eddie Cai likes exploring, and since he's a Pharmacologist, he's more interested in these new types of bio-weapons. It will be dangerous if you follow him."
Ashley shook her head. "No way. I was injected with the parasite before, and Eddie Cai helped clear it out. I feel safer following him. Hmph, I'll take responsibility for anything that happens."
Eddie Cai seemed surprised. "Alright, I'll ensure her safety, don't worry. Once the medicine is ready, follow me up. Don't stay down here too long; the underground isn't safe."
Instead of taking the elevator, they walked upward along the truck path here.
Eddie Cai thought that once they exited, they would be at Salazar's hiding place, but unexpectedly, they were still inside the castle.
A cable car was parked in front of them, leading to the slope ahead, where the main castle structure stood. It was hard to imagine just how enormous this castle was; even a local tycoon wouldn't be this wealthy.
Eddie Cai held Ashley's arm. "Ready for takeoff?"
"Takeoff for what?" Ashley asked, confused.
With his other hand, Eddie Cai held Lisa. "To show you my secret, of course—a secret only my women are allowed to see."
Ashley was about to ask what he meant when she suddenly found herself flying. Below them was a sheer abyss, already over a hundred meters deep; falling would certainly result in being smashed to pieces. Coupled with the whistling wind rushing past her ears, she couldn't help but scream, yet she felt incredibly thrilled!
Chapter 505: Salazar Instantly Killed
"You have so many questions. When we have time, let's find a hotel and I'll explain slowly," Eddie Cai said with a wicked grin.
"Hmph, can't you explain at your house?" Ashley giggled, smiling as she watched the scenery rush by. Although her heart was full of questions, she held back from asking, knowing that when the time was right, she would know everything!
Hearing Ashley's screams, the others initially thought something had happened, but upon checking via radio, they realized the trio was just looking for some thrills.
Eddie Cai, Ashley, and the third person arrived at the castle on the slope. This was still the lower half of the castle, the secret location of the Salazar Family. A huge, immovable Plaga Mother was situated here, a mother organism capable of producing parasites, which was extremely helpful for Sadler's plan.
When Eddie Cai arrived inside the lower section of the castle, he realized Salazar had been standing there, waiting for him for a long time.
"Do you know? Without your appearance, our plan would have gone perfectly smoothly. I, Ramon Salazar, would have restored my entire family. You ruined everything, and now I will ruin everything you have!" Salazar roared furiously.
"Get out of the way. We just want to leave, and you can stay here and do whatever you want. But there is one thing I want to ask you, and I wonder if you can answer," Eddie Cai said, his expression serious.
"Hmph, hmph, now that you're facing death, you want to know the truth? Ask away! I'll let you die knowing everything!" Salazar boasted smugly.
Embedded in the wall behind him was a chrysanthemum-like monster. Normally, it looked like a flower bud, with only wriggling veins proving it was a living creature and not an inanimate object.
Eddie Cai held Ai Shi Li and asked, "Since you were injected with the Dominant species Plaga, can you still have children? Will your lineage just end like this?"
"Insolence! How dare you mock me! I will make you die, all of you!" Salazar suddenly became enraged and threw his arms wide.
The huge chrysanthemum on the wall behind him opened up, extending countless small tentacles that grabbed Salazar and the Left Hand Bugman beside him, swallowing them into the flower bud.
Ai Shi Li didn't resist; instead, she asked doubtfully, "Eddie Cai, why did you ask him that question? Can he really not have children anymore?"
Eddie Cai grinned wickedly. "I didn't know, so I asked him! I don't know if he's capable, but haven't you experienced whether I am?"
Ai Shi Li felt embarrassed. "Oh, my! What a terrible thing to say! You shouldn't talk like that in the future; you need to change. At least that guy isn't dead yet—it's bad manners in front of outsiders!"
A strange chewing sound came through, and the sealed chrysanthemum opened again, immediately sending three massive tentacles rushing out.
Eddie Cai took Ai Shi Li and flew into the air. Below them, large numbers of Adult Plagas were crawling out of the chrysanthemum bud. Because they couldn't reach the trio, they kept roaring, their bizarre cries making one's scalp crawl.
"Wahaha! Despicable outsiders! Since you dared to offend the great City Lord Salazar, just wait to die!" Salazar appeared protected inside the flower bud. It didn't look like the parasite mother had infected him; rather, the diminutive Salazar was parasitizing the monster.
"You're so ugly. Is it still possible for you to change back now?" Eddie Cai asked, somewhat perplexed.
"Hmph, you die first!" Salazar controlled a massive tentacle, sending it straight toward them. Eddie Cai dodged, and the tentacle smashed directly into the wall, creating a deep crater. The force had already reached one hundred tons!
Eddie Cai sneered and raised his hand. Salazar immediately shrieked, "What did you do? You are a devil!"