Chapter 10: Colorful Miasma

This thick wooden stick, measuring over one meter in length, has one end sharpened. Lin Xiao felt that in a struggle against such a large beast, using a short knife would be less effective than wielding this thick wooden stick.

At this moment, everyone finally understood why Lin Xiao dared to throw away the short knife in his hand; he still had a wooden stick.

Pan Sixi was placed in the middle of the formation, the safest position, because he was carrying the green vine, ensuring that he was surrounded by protection from all sides

Fang Zhirong looked at the man in the suit and said with a smile, "It seems you are quite knowledgeable. So that thing is called miasma? From a distance, it actually looks quite beautiful"

Just now, a Stoneclaw Beast killed three of them, yet Lin Xiao believes it is possible to hunt the Stoneclaw Beast. This statement is quite shocking to Shi Lei

Fang Xinyi lightly snorted and said: "What is there that cannot be done? We are not defenseless, are we? Just now, it was merely an unexpected situation. In fact, if we had undergone a bit of training or coordinated well, we could have completely dealt with a Stoneclaw Beast without any casualties."

It was almost as if it had been pierced through; the Stoneclaw Beast, having endured this blow, received a truly fatal strike. It opened its mouth wide and let out a roar that shook the heavens and the earth. With a sudden violent shake of its body, the force unleashed was so powerful that it sent Lin Xiao flying completely away.

After the Stoneclaw Beast unleashed its final terrifying strike in life, it too became a spent force, with blood gushing from its mouth, nose, eyes, and ears. It staggered a couple of steps before collapsing heavily to the ground

Lin Xiao inadvertently inhaled a breath, feeling a slight itch in his throat, unable to suppress the urge to sneeze. However, it was much better than the intense coughing and the burning sensation in his throat that he experienced after inhaling spore dust at the "Stone Claw Beast's lair".

Everyone held such short knives, watching the approaching Stoneclaw Beast. Although they did not retreat due to their numerical advantage, there was still a hint of hesitation among them. Engaging in close combat with such a ferocious beast was indeed daunting, unless one was forced into a corner with no way out. However, Lin Xiao, wielding a thick wooden stick over one meter long, stood out as the bravest among them.

Pan Sixi wore a simple smile on his face as he listened to Sun Yaojie’s arrangements, but the smile in his eyes had a hint of cunning.

Everyone, let's avoid this, better to be cautious. Sun Yaojie shouted loudly while holding a book

Lin Xiao nodded to him, agreeing with Sun Yaojie’s opinion

Inspired by Lin Xiao just now, Fang Xinyi threw the short knife in her hand like a flying dagger. Her accuracy, speed, and strength in throwing the dagger were far superior to Lin Xiao, resembling that of someone who had undergone professional training

I rely on it, Little Li Flying Dagger

In her voice, she was filled with confidence

Lin Xiao shouted loudly, grasping a sharpened thick wooden stick with both hands, and charged forward

Thus, he prepared this sharpened thick wooden stick, intending to test its effectiveness

As for the exposed white bones, it remains unclear to the public whether they belong to humans or other animals

Lin Xiao struck successfully, feeling great joy in his heart, as his speculation proved correct. When dealing with ferocious beasts like the Stoneclaw Beast, this homemade wooden stick, resembling a spear, holds more advantages than a short knife

Sun Yaojie glanced back at the distant location of the station, took out his phone to check, but still found no signal. He put it back in his pocket and said in a deep voice: "Everyone, do not lose confidence. I believe my judgment is correct. That ghost train brought us here and provided us with weapons, so there must be a way for us to survive... we just haven't found it yet."

Upon hearing Fang Zhirong's words, many people felt a slight rumbling in their stomachs

They have not eaten for more than half a day and are beginning to feel a stronger sense of hunger. At the same time, they are becoming increasingly anxious, aware of the seriousness of the situation

Fang Zhirong glanced at her, muttering a few words under his breath, and did not make any further sound

Everyone looked at each other in confusion, not knowing what it was

Lin Xiao felt somewhat uneasy about the colorful spores in the air that resembled dust. However, it was impossible to avoid inhaling any of this dust, which filled the entire atmosphere. After swallowing, the discomfort in his throat eased significantly, and he couldn't help but let out a helpless sigh.

"Oh, look over there!" Suddenly, in the crowd, the flat-headed young man Zhu Feng, who had been looking around, pointed ahead and exclaimed.

The others who had initially been somewhat hesitant breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Fang Xinyi's short knife almost completely embedded in the belly of the stone claw beast, realizing that this stone claw beast was not to be feared.

As the crowd spoke, they gradually discerned that beneath the swirling red and green mushroom-like smoke lay a living mire. On the surface of this mire was a layer of sludge, from which some white bones could be faintly seen emerging. It seemed that the man in the suit was not mistaken; this mire had likely consumed numerous lives.

Shi Lei is also one of the few individuals at the forefront of exploration. He holds a long wooden stick, carved from a branch, and prods the path ahead. If he encounters soft mud, a gentle poke will cause the stick to sink immediately; conversely, if the ground is solid, it will not.

On the other side, Fang Xinyi emerged without a trace of fear. Her movements were exceptionally agile, and with her right hand holding a short knife, she threw it out with lightning speed

Sun Yaojie was taken aback and said: "Yes, does everyone still remember what this station is called? This place is called Toxic Fog Swamp, so it must be the poisonous smoke."

"I wonder if the other teams have made any discoveries." In the crowd, Zhu Feng, with his crew cut, suddenly swallowed hard and said. He not only felt somewhat hungry but also a bit thirsty

Fang Zhirong could not help but shout, simultaneously handing the short knife in his hand to Fang Xinyi. He was holding a large bundle of thin wooden sticks and was protected within the crowd, rendering the short knife useless. Seeing Fang Xinyi throw the short knife and hit the Stone Claw Beast, he hurriedly passed his own short knife to Fang Xinyi

Lin Xiao let out a fierce shout, swinging the thick wooden stick horizontally and striking out.

Holding a sharp curved dagger of a foot long in hand, along with so many people together, the courage of the crowd has significantly increased, no longer resembling the previous panic caused by a sudden ambush.

"Let's go and take a look over there." Fang Xinyi, filled with curiosity, was the first to call out.

Fang Xinyi took the short knife, surprisingly not rolling her eyes at him, and then she launched the second flying knife.

Lin Xiao charged to the front, thrusting out the sharpened end of a thick wooden stick. His speed was slightly lacking, allowing the stone-claw beast to dodge to the side and attempt to pounce and bite Lin Xiao.

This time, the reactions of the crowd were much calmer than before. Shi Lei and a few others, who were leading the way with wooden sticks, immediately retreated to the middle of the group upon encountering an attack and danger, as previously agreed. Meanwhile, Lin Xiao, Wu Wenxu, Fang Xinyi, along with Sun Yaojie and Shi Qian, rushed out immediately.

As Shi Lei paved the way, he secretly cursed Sun Yaojie. This task had been assigned to him by Sun Yaojie, and since it had fallen upon him in front of everyone, he could not refuse it.

Is this really the world I used to live in?

Shi Lei stuck out his tongue, glanced at Lin Xiao, and then said with a chuckle: "Hunting the Stone Claw Beast? Lin Xiao, my goodness, your idea... is truly astonishing"

Sun Yaojie is indeed quite capable. Under his leadership, the candidates were quickly selected, and there was a clear focus in the choices. Individuals like Lin Xiao, Wu Wenxu, and Fang Xinyi, who appeared to possess good skills, were chosen as bodyguard candidates, while others who seemed somewhat weaker were tasked with probing the way using wooden sticks

Lin Xiao's actions clearly took the stone claw beast by surprise; however, it reacted swiftly, immediately raising one of its front claws and swiping horizontally to knock the incoming dagger away.

With a sneer, everyone felt a flash of white light before their eyes, as a one-foot-long dagger had completely plunged into the belly of the Stoneclaw Beast, nearly piercing through the creature's abdomen.

This poisonous fog swamp truly lives up to its name, damn it, with both poisonous fog and swamp... Ah-choo—" Fang Zhirong had just said this when he suddenly sneezed heavily.

Previously, everyone was afraid that this dust was harmful to the human body, but it was everywhere, and it was impossible to avoid inhaling it completely. Now, it seems that although this substance can cause discomfort, it is not too serious, and people are gradually feeling more at ease.

Who says that just because we look old-fashioned, we are really foolish? These self-proclaimed clever youngsters, experience still holds the upper hand. Pan Sixi wore a silly smile on his face, but inside he felt quite pleased with his own cleverness

Sun Yaojie did not anticipate his small concerns; instead, he earnestly assigned tasks. The group generally had little dissent, and then they continued to proceed according to the plan, moving deeper ahead to better understand the situation in this area

What is that thing again?" Sun Yaojie was taken aback

In Lin Xiao's mind, such thoughts inevitably arose; however, he did not voice them. He believed that many others shared his sentiments, yet everyone clung to their last shred of hope. Thus, no one dared to express the suspicion regarding www.hetushu.com, fearing that articulating it would plunge them into despair.

With her timing well-executed, this stone-claw beast had just taken a blow to its forehead, swaying as it landed, leaving it utterly unable to evade.

"Grandma, I'm so hungry..." On the other side, Fang Zhirong, holding a bundle of wooden sticks, along with a few others, had the task of carrying these sticks. They were to mark the areas where there were active mud pits by erecting a stick nearby to serve as a warning.

He took on the task of carrying the green vine not solely because of his kind-hearted nature and his usual ability to carry things, but more importantly, he knew that by carrying the green vine, he would certainly be protected in the middle, and it would be impossible for him to take risks again. Although it seemed like a significant loss to carry the green vine, compared to directly facing dangers such as the living mud pit or the stone claw beast, what did carrying the green vine really amount to?

When a line of forty people finally encountered the attack of the second Stoneclaw Beast after navigating through the swirling red and green mushroom smoke

Having experienced the previous battle with the stone-claw beast, Lin Xiao had become much bolder and more composed. Holding a short knife in his right hand, he saw the stone-claw beast charging at him with its pair of glistening green eyes and unexpectedly threw the short knife in his hand like a dart.

Fang Xinyi's second throwing knife was launched, but this time it missed completely. The Stoneclaw Beast leaped into the air to evade it, but it could not avoid the spear-like wooden stick thrusting towards Lin Xiao.

With a loud "bang," Lin Xiao let out a muffled groan as he fell heavily to one side, the immense force of the impact making him feel as if his entire body had fallen apart

Lin Xiao raised his head and noticed that, he did not know when, a large number of spores, fine as dust and of various colors, were drifting down from the sky. Just moments ago, everyone had inadvertently inhaled these spores, which had caused the sneezing and coughing.

The speed of this stone-claw beast is remarkable; upon seeing a group of people ahead, it boldly charged forward without the slightest hint of fear

It is precisely because they are aware of the seriousness of the situation and that they have little time left that everyone, knowing full well the potential dangers of moving forward, still mustered their courage and headed in the direction they had chosen

Everyone turned to look, only to see a strange red and green smoke rising in the distance. This red and green smoke lingered there, resembling a cloud of mushroom smoke, gathering yet not dispersing. From afar, it appeared both eerie and beautiful

In the crowd, there was a man in his thirties, dressed in a wool sweater and a suit, who appeared quite refined. He said, "That should be miasma, a type of noxious gas formed from the decay of plants and animals, which contains deadly toxins. Everyone should try to keep their distance."

With a sneer, the sharpened end of the wooden stick, though not nearly as sharp as a Damascus knife, was driven with all of Lin Xiao's strength. At the same time, the Stone Claw Beast also exerted its full force as it darted through the air. The collision of these two forces allowed the thick wooden stick to easily pierce into the soft flesh beneath the belly of the Stone Claw Beast.

Everyone, please do not get too close; this colored smoke may potentially be toxic, Lin Xiao reminded while holding the wooden stick in his hand

Lin Xiao held a short knife about a foot long in his right hand, while in his left hand he grasped a thick wooden stick that was over one meter long, which he had just acquired. He had sharpened one end of the stick, making it resemble a spear, and at this moment, he was holding it in his hand, standing guard alongside Wu Wenxu, just in case.

The Damascus knife is indeed incredibly sharp, but it is somewhat short. To injure such a stone-claw beast, one must close the distance. At such a close range, even if one can kill the stone-claw beast, there is always the possibility of being killed by it as well

At this moment, the advantages of long weapons became apparent. With a swing and a strike, combined with a bit of luck, it landed precisely on the forehead of the charging Stoneclaw Beast, causing it to grunt softly. Its head tilted to the side, and after hitting the ground, its body swayed twice before finally stabilizing

In fact, without him saying anything, no one dared to approach, especially when they saw the white, bony remains emerging from the mud inside from a distance, which sent a chill down their spines.

Not just him, among the forty people in the line, several individuals began to either sneeze or cough.

Lin Xiao pondered for a moment and suddenly said: "If we are strong enough, relying on hunting the Stoneclaw Beast could also serve as a source of food. As for the water source, since this is a swamp and the ground is so damp, it should not be difficult to find water."

What on earth is this place, and what exactly is the ghost train?

This stone-claw beast did not hide and launch a surprise attack like the first one. It was originally lying on the ground in front of everyone, and only when they approached and startled it did it stand up directly and launch an attack towards them