Pyrethroid, by definition, has an extraordinarily potent insecticidal effect against insects.
However, it is not non-toxic or harmless to other organisms, as it can also cause dermatitis and central nervous system damage.
The howling wind tore through the plastic bucket filled with pyrethroid, atomizing all the liquid inside and engulfing the deeper parts of the cave ahead.
Even fully enveloped in protective gear with a breathing mask, one could still smell the strong odor.
Moments later, a piercing screech faintly transmitted through.
Rhinoceros Cockroaches do not produce sounds, so it could only be Mutant BC-2325. They are insect-type mutants and are likewise subject to pyrethroid. Even if not killed on the spot, the experience was likely to be extremely unpleasant.
"As expected, there are still Mutants BC-2325,"
Blake felt it was prescient of him to have taken out the pyrethroid in time, understanding that Rhinoceros Cockroach AA-01 and Mutant BC-2325 were close at hand, given that he had already encountered the former.
Pyrethroid doesn't differentiate between cockroaches or anything else; if it's an insect, it can be severely harmed.
The pyrethroid-laden wind gushed for over an hour. Although the screeching never ceased, the multitude of Rhinoceros Cockroach AA-01 didn't surge like before. They were likely decimated by Hanna Gagel's storm and the pyrethroid. Even if not poisoned, the disarray caused by the airflow led to significant casualties.
After waiting for over half an hour, the airflow slowly receded, and an intense pungent smell rushed forth.
Chief Exterminator Blake then issued the command to continue advancing.
Six orbs of Illumination Technique followed the footsteps of the 13th Reconnaissance Squad, lighting up a long stretch of the cave as if it were daylight.
After walking over a thousand meters, they once again saw the figures of those Rhinoceros Cockroaches scattered on the ground, some dismembered, some still intact but without exception, all dead. The aerosolized lethal effect of pyrethroid combined with Wind-type Ability was particularly effective, leaving almost no room for escape.
Delving further, Blake pointed at some Rhinoceros Cockroaches still struggling in their death throes and said, "Pyrethroid is effective."
The vitality of cockroaches is extraordinarily tenacious, but the poison from pyrethroid had penetrated their nervous system, making it impossible for them to revive fully at the same spot.
Suddenly, a harsh and intense loud noise erupted.
Four monstrous insects, each taller than an adult, suddenly stormed into the 13th Reconnaissance Squad's line of sight.
One was topped with massive giant scissors, another was cloaked in heavy armor like a tank, while the other two, covered in spikes and scratching their claws, ran the fastest and could even climb on the cave walls.
For larger mutants, the effect of pyrethroid wasn't immediately apparent.
Captain Blake exclaimed.
Mutant BC-2325 consisted of four types, and three had just emerged.
If it weren't for the limited space in the cave, they might have witnessed the fourth type, a flying mutant.
The four insects suddenly lunged thirty meters outward, issuing piercing screeches at the troop.
Chen Fei made a motion as if to throw a baseball.
The NM-32 spring-loaded anti-infantry mine he had been carrying finally had a target.
A five-pound anti-infantry mine exploding was not to be underestimated.
Earth Mage Andy Brian pointed his magic wand in front of the team.
The ground immediately swelled, and at the same time, a pile of rocks fell from the cave ceiling, connecting top to bottom, attracted to each other.
A stone wall over two meters high swiftly formed, and just then, boom!
The mine, fired like a cannonball, finally detonated with a loud explosion.
Amid the deafening blast, the entire cave passage shook violently. The stone wall, erected initially, clattered chaotically with countless shrapnel and stones striking it, causing slight tremors but eventually it stabilized.
Pungent gunpowder smoke rushed forward, replacing the irritating smell of pyrethroid.
Hanna Gagel made a gesture, and the smoke quickly dispersed.
The roaring of the four mutants ceased completely.
Andy Brian pointed with his magic wand again.
The stone wall shielding the team immediately crumbled into fine particles the size of fingers and scattered on the spot.
An almost dusty-faced Blake remarked irritably, "Number 74, you really went overboard!"
The randomly flying shrapnel was still deadly at a distance from the blast radius.
Hanna Gagel immediately cautioned without any niceties, "Hey! Number 78, watch your tone."
Rookie belonged to her; she could speak to, scold, and strike Rookie, but no one else was allowed to touch her.
Besides, dropping a landmine or something similar was fairly common practice. They had even done more outrageous things—there was really nothing surprising or noteworthy about this minor incident.
Blake was infuriated by the unreasonable actions of the one-eyed old woman, who didn't make any sense. For the unity of the team, he had no choice but to swallow his anger and pretend he hadn't heard, refraining from targeting Chen Fei further.
"See? Next time you run into people , just confront them straight away. Even B-level supernatural power users aren't that big a deal."
Hanna Gagel was giving Rookie some hands-on education.
Chen Fei broke out in a cold sweat. While the tall, black team captain might have had his own agenda, Manager Hanna wasn't exactly easy to deal with either!
He was just a Metal Ability User who had recently awakened. He didn't even know his superpower level, and here he was, recklessly confronting a B-level supernatural power user—that was practically a death wish!
Blake, full of pent-up anger, could only vent it on the giant scissor mutant, which barely had any life left. He pulled out a large-caliber pistol and fired three shots at its head.
The first shot only cracked the skull, the second shattered the exoskeleton, and the bullet from the third shot finally penetrated.
And this was only a giant scissor mutant, not the truly thick-shelled heavy armored mutant.
Meanwhile, two spiked mutants, due to their fragile defenses, were hit directly by the landmine's explosive force. Most of their spikes were broken, their shells shattered, releasing a foul smell of bodily fluids and innards—dead beyond doubt.
the heavy armored mutant unexpectedly stood up, roaring at the unprepared Blake, and charged at him like a tank.
Blake had been venting his emotions on the battered mutated insects but hadn't anticipated that the stunned heavy armored mutant wasn't fatally injured and had rapidly regained consciousness.
"Captain, be careful!"
"That mutant isn't dead!"
The members of the 13th Reconnaissance Squad shouted one after another.
Blake grunted as he was sent flying. Before his body could make intimate contact with the hard cave wall, his Dark System Ability activated, turning him into a shadow, slipping away to another location.
Xiao Jiu called out, and the illumination orb at the top of the cave shifted slightly.
Blake awkwardly flew out from the shadow.
He had almost forgotten that there was a Light-element Magical Beast in the reconnaissance team. Without preparation, the Light-based Spells of the Pure Light Sparrow interfered with his Dark System Ability. If shadows were directly exposed to light, it could cause the ability to fail, forcing him to reveal his shape as it happened now.
Just then, the heavy armored mutant didn't plan to let Blake go and charged at him again.
The team's Wind Elemental Great Swordsman charged forward, his two-handed great sword cleaving down with a pale blue Sword Qi that howled and surged, boosting its force.
Amid a loud noise, the sharp blade barely penetrated an inch and failed to break through. The heavy armored mutant's thick shell was unexpectedly resilient, even resistant to the Sixth Rank Wind Battle Qi.
Earth Mage Andy Brian shouted.
The newly risen stone wall was easily smashed by the heavy armored mutant, instantly crumbling apart.
Chen Fei, wielding the White Steel Crowbar, charged in.
A forceful blunt strike heavily hit the rampaging heavy armored mutant's head, failing to crack it, but causing its entire body to stiffen.
The second hit directly crushed the mutant's skull, the hooked end of the White Steel Crowbar piercing into the brain tissue. With a forceful stir, the rhinoceros-sized body convulsed fiercely and collapsed powerlessly.
As a Wind-type Ability User, Hanna Gagel showed no intention of intervening, watching alongside the female electronics expert as Chen Fei and the others brutally beat the poor mutated insect.
Some were deficient while others excelled. In such a tight space, against an opponent with thick skin and heavy build, neither Dark System Ability, Wind System Ability, nor Battle Qi presented a good solution.
Conversely, a Metal Ability User like Chen Fei, who didn't dodge or evade and used brute force to directly confront the enemy, turned out to be successful in defeating the enemy.
A big bug was taken down with just two strikes, and his handling became even more proficient.
From a distance, another shrill roar came, clearly signaling that more Mutant BC-2325s were on their way.
"Oh boy, trouble's coming! 76, call for backup; 75, set up the position; everyone else, get ready for battle."
Team leader Blake frantically pulled stuff out of the Space System Alchemy Storage Device: boxes of hand grenades and anti-infantry directional mines, heavy machine guns with long chains of ammunition, individual rocket launchers, and 14.5 mm caliber cannon snipers.
Task number 75, Seventh Rank Earth Mage Andy Brian, adeptly controlled the ground to rise into a three-foot-thick breast wall and had several sturdy rock columns hang down from the front cave ceiling to prevent the mutants from directly breaking through the ceiling, compressing their maneuverability within the firing range as much as possible.
The thick stone wall, composed of large and small stones, not only blocked explosions and mutants but also served as a blockade position for the 13th Reconnaissance Squad.