Chapter 32 - 31: Kill It While It’s Down!

The male frogs were fighting fiercely when suddenly, over a dozen flexible branches whipped out from the nearby bushes. These branches seemed to have eyes, working together with seamless coordination. One attacked from the front to provide cover, while two others launched a pincer attack from the left and right. The Mutant Tree Frogs under attack had absolutely nowhere to hide.

Soon, the four male frogs were wrapped up tightly like mummies. Their vocal sacs bulged, glowing with a green fluorescence, and an endless chorus of "CROAK CROAK CROAK" filled the air. Even though Hayden Hanson had already stuffed earplugs into Sev Steele’s ears, she still felt a headache coming on from the noise. Moreover, as the croaking reached her ears, stabbing pains throbbed in her temples. This sound definitely carried a Spirit Attack.

Beside her, Hayden Hanson’s face grew even paler. Unable to hold back any longer, he prepared to use the weapon in his hands. Just then, the largest female frog’s body suddenly began to swell. The raised warts on its skin burst open all at once. Bursting out in all directions, it sprayed countless drops of venom shimmering with a dark green fluorescence. Wherever the venom landed, the branches forming the Entanglement around the tree frogs turned from verdant green to ashen black. In the blink of an eye, they withered and fell to the ground.

At that moment, Hayden Hanson, who was half-crouching in the bushes, sprang into action. Gripping the slip-resistant handle of the "Ice Binder" tightly with his right hand, he pressed the low-temperature safety switch on the side of the gun with his thumb. The next second, the Energy tank at the rear of the gun emitted a low BUZZ. The circular cooling vents at the front of the barrel spewed out a thin, white cold mist, instantly freezing the moisture in the surrounding air.

It was the first time Sev Steele had witnessed the spectacular firing of such a weapon. The instant he pulled the trigger, a cone-shaped, pale blue beam erupted from the center of the barrel. Spreading out like a jet of liquid nitrogen, the beam instantly crystallized the water vapor in the air into billions of microscopic ice crystals wherever it swept past. Refracting the fluorescence from the tree frogs’ skin, it formed a sparkling Ice Mist channel.

The male Mutant Tree Frogs, having just broken free from the branches’ Entanglement, instantly formed a thin layer of ice over their bodies. Even the glowing mucus secreted from their toe pads froze, temporarily stripping them of their jumping and climbing abilities.

Sev Steele inhaled sharply, wondering if this was the overwhelming Energy contained within a Crystal Core. It completely surpassed her comprehension as an ordinary mortal!

Without a moment’s hesitation after firing the shot, Hayden Hanson drew a cold weapon resembling a Blade and, with lightning speed, chopped off the head of the foremost tree frog. The other frogs were so stunned they even forgot to croak.

Hand-to-hand combat had begun. Seeing this, Sev Steele leaped out after him. She ignored the three surviving male frogs, bypassing them entirely to charge straight at the female frog surrounded in the center. Sev Steele had noticed earlier that after spraying the venom, the creature’s body had swayed slightly, much like a human falling into a brief period of weakness after exerting tremendous physical effort. She had to strike while it was vulnerable!

Right now, she was like a cheetah that had lain in wait before finally seizing its chance. Taking advantage of the three males’ sluggish movements and their inability to protect it in time, she lunged right in front of the female. Gripping her dagger, she stabbed it viciously into its vocal sac.

With a SPLUTTER, the sound of the punctured sac rang out, sending fluid splashing everywhere. Just before the fluid could hit her, Sev Steele turned her head and raised her thick poncho with one hand, shielding her face and head. A SIZZLING noise echoed as the venom corroded the poncho, even burning holes straight through it in several places. At the same time, the female frog’s agonized shriek rang out half a beat late: "CROAK—CROAK—CROAK—CROAK!"

Nearby, Hayden Hanson, who had just hacked off the third male frog’s head, broke out in a cold sweat in shock. He froze for a second, then continued to raise his hand and swing his Blade, slashing at the fourth male frog. By now, the layer of ice on its body had begun to crack inch by inch under its violent struggles. Regaining its freedom, the male frog instantly leaped up, dodging his lethal strike.

Hayden Hanson’s swing met empty air, but he followed up with a second slash without the slightest hesitation. This time, he threw the entire Blade straight at his target. As if predicting the male frog’s descending trajectory, the Blade cleanly sliced off one of its front legs.

"CROAK!" The male frog let out a tragic shriek but didn’t stop. Using the power of one hind leg pushing off a nearby tree trunk, it leaped to an even higher vantage point. With a THUD, Hayden Hanson’s Blade hit the ground. The male frog had already jumped onto a branch at least five meters high. Under the cover of the foliage, it quickly vanished from their sight.

Sev Steele withdrew her gaze and looked back at the female Mutant Tree Frog whose vocal sac—which also served as a Poison Sac—she had punctured. She found it collapsed on the ground, convulsing. As it turned out, the sac was connected to its throat. When she pierced it earlier, she had used so much force that she inadvertently punctured its throat as well.

Hayden Hanson walked over and picked up the dropped Blade. The edge was smeared with blood and dirt. He took out a cloth, wiped it perfectly clean, and put it back into his backpack. Then, he took out several extra-large vacuum-seal bags, sealed the bodies of the four Mutant Tree Frogs inside, and stuffed them into his backpack.

Looking at the worn, unchanged backpack slung over his shoulder, Sev Steele was practically certain by now that it was no ordinary bag, but rather a Tactical Backpack. To think there was such a wealthy, hidden big shot living among her neighbors! Sev Steele felt a deep sense of envy. She had thought that the residents of The Slums wouldn’t have account balances exceeding Fifty Thousand Points even on a good day. She never expected someone here could afford a high-end luxury item like a Tactical Backpack, which cost a million points!

"It’s a good thing you struck when you did and took out that female frog. Otherwise, we’d be in serious danger today," Hayden Hanson finally spoke.

Sev Steele wanted to ask if the supposed big shot had seriously failed to foresee the danger of the female frog breaking free before making his move.

"I originally thought I could take out the four male frogs in one fell swoop," Hayden Hanson said. "My chances of winning against the female frog afterward were less than twenty percent, so it was going to be a matter of life and death left up to fate."

"Then why did you still charge out?" Sev Steele asked.

"Hiding indefinitely isn’t safe either. Once the male frogs decided a victor, the female frog would begin mating with the winner.

"During the mating process, the female releases a poisonous mist that paralyzes all living creatures within a hundred-meter radius. Under those circumstances, the male frogs that didn’t earn the right to mate would go on a hunting spree.

"The best prey would naturally be offered to the female frog as tribute, and they would share the rest. That’s also why that Mutated Quillwort from earlier took the risk to attack them, even knowing it was outmatched," Hayden Hanson explained.

"Are you saying that those branches forming the Entanglement around them earlier were the legendary Mutated Quillwort?" Sev Steele asked in pleasant surprise.

"Exactly. A Mutated Quillwort rarely takes the initiative to hunt. I spotted it from a distance earlier, which is why I sprayed a bit of ’Blue Tears’ on us.

"To a Mutated plant, this spray acts like a stink bomb. So when we passed by, it would only avoid us and wouldn’t attack at all," Hayden Hanson patiently explained.

Learning that a Mutated Quillwort was nearby, Sev Steele’s eyes lit up again.

"Do we... dare to dig up a Mutated Quillwort seedling?" Sev Steele asked tentatively.

After all, she now had a Wood Ability User at home. If she raised a Mutated Quillwort in her own yard, it would be the equivalent of keeping a guard dog. If a horde of Mutant Rats ever invaded in the future, her safety factor would increase significantly.

"Digging up a seedling is certainly doable, but aren’t you afraid it will turn on you, its owner, once it grows up?" Hayden Hanson asked.

"It won’t. Plants have a certain level of intelligence after mutating. If I water and fertilize it every day, it will definitely be well-behaved and obedient," Sev Steele replied.