Chapter Fifteen: The Mutated Spider

When they finally saw their injured companion, he was burning with fever and lying on a makeshift bed, sweating profusely and rambling deliriously, as if he might die at any moment.

Someone spoke in panic, “Wasn’t his foot already amputated? Why is he still like this? Does it mean that anyone bitten is doomed?”

Wujue frowned and asked Xiao Yang, “What should we do? Is there no hope?”

Xiao Yang led him to look at the results from the computer analysis. According to the data previously obtained from the Heaven’s Punishment Clan’s equipment, any human who evolved into a zombie would experience a mutation in their own virus. Even if the initial infection was just the most ordinary virus from the Heaven’s Punishment Clan, the effects would vary from person to person.

The zombie that bit their companion clearly carried a more unusual mutation. Although the foot had been amputated, it still hadn’t stopped the spread of infection. The past few days had merely been the incubation period; now the symptoms had erupted. If they wanted to save him, their only options were to capture some experimental specimens for analysis, or seek an antidote from the Heaven’s Punishment Clan.

Wujue furrowed his brow. “I fear it won’t be that easy. We just encountered mutated rats—it’s likely the enemy is making a comeback. We can’t predict when they’ll launch their attack.”

While they were discussing, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted, “A spider!”

The scene became chaotic as people scrambled to kill the spider.

Wujue wondered how a spider could have appeared and quickly shouted, “Don’t move! Everyone step back, be careful!”

It was too late. Someone screamed, collapsed to the ground, and began foaming at the mouth, clawing desperately at his chest as if poisoned.

Then, dozens of spiders of various colors scattered and began attacking the group.

Wujue charged to the front, grabbing his pistol and shooting wildly at the spiders. Unfortunately, these creatures were only the size of a fist, their bodies covered in strange markings. Hitting their heads was no easy feat. Some spiders had their legs shot off and fell to the ground, spinning webs, while others leapt at Wujue and the others with all their might.

Fortunately, Wujue had drilled everyone thoroughly in recent days. Those who regained their composure grabbed their weapons, formed ranks, and surrounded the spiders, shooting them one by one.

Xiao Yang wheeled himself over to Wujue and said, “These spiders have mutated too. According to the data, the enemy has a virus that can stimulate spiders into becoming infiltration sappers. Their venom can corrode objects, and their silk can be used for defense.”

Just as he said this, some spiders had already woven dense webs around them, forming barriers that bullets could not penetrate.

As some people cursed, a dozen fine threads shot out from the web, piercing through several people. Some had their throats penetrated and died instantly; others were skewered in the shoulder and dragged into the web.

Then, even larger spiders crawled out from within, opening their gaping maws to devour the captured prey, feasting on flesh and blood.

The bloody spectacle inspired terror in all who witnessed it. Women and children covered their eyes, unable to bear the sight.

Wujue knew the situation was critical—they had to act quickly. While Xiao Yang coordinated the others’ retreat, Wujue led a few men farther away to change their strategy.

Someone suggested burning the spiders. An idea struck Wujue, and he ordered people to fetch gasoline and alcohol, throwing it onto the web, then lighting it with lighters.

Soon, the web was engulfed in roaring flames. Wujue told the others to prepare buckets of water for fire control, while he and four or five others fired their guns desperately into the inferno.

In moments, the agonized screeching of spiders sounded within, and some, unable to bear the flames, crawled out. Wujue, swift and skilled in hidden weapons, grabbed a handful of chopsticks and skewered the escaping spiders on the spot.

After a short while, the fire abated. Wujue signaled for everyone to cease fire and began extinguishing the flames.

From the charred remains emerged dozens of blackened spider corpses, their deaths gruesome. Any that still twitched, Wujue finished off with wooden rods and shovels.

“We can’t stay here any longer. We need to find a safer place,” Wujue said as he cleaned up, instructing the others to pack up and prepare for relocation.

Xiao Yang was already organizing supplies—sorting all food and necessities, reinforcing defenses for the night, and planning to depart the next day.

The choice of their new destination would depend on whether Xiao Han had any news. Wujue said, even if Xiao Han didn’t, they’d have to leave—the Heaven’s Punishment Clan had already sent spider spies, and another assault was likely imminent.

As the two discussed, someone suddenly cried out, “It’s bad! Our supplies have been contaminated—spiders have poisoned them!”

Someone stabbed several small spiders with a sharp knife, flinging them to the ground and crushing them underfoot. “Damn it, they created a diversion!”

Wujue went to investigate. To his dismay, the purified water they’d gathered from the supermarket now had tiny spiders floating in the opened barrels, and even some unopened ones had changed color—clearly, all were contaminated.

He clenched his fists in anger. It seemed the enemy’s attacks had been meticulously planned, and the next wave would likely be a full assault.

“Xiao Yang, search the area immediately for any suspicious enemies,” Wujue ordered. Soon, Xiao Yang discovered surveillance feeds showing countless dark figures converging on their position moments before.

At the same time, a tremendous crash sounded at the sealed entrance, and a horde of monsters surged in, slaughtering without restraint.

Wujue recognized them at once—mutated rats they’d fought before, but now even more numerous and terrifying in form.

Without hesitation, he drew his machine gun and opened fire. With heavier weaponry at his disposal, Wujue’s firepower was now formidable.

Since their last narrow escape in the store, he’d pondered how to effectively counter these mutated beasts. His martial arts alone were not enough; though human firearms were inferior to the Heaven’s Punishment Clan’s technology, they could still be leveraged.

He had been contemplating how to combine martial arts with modern firearms.

Now, as he attacked, he employed the secret technique of the Daling Temple—the Seven Stars Formation. Bullets roared forth, not in a chaotic spray but, guided by Wujue’s skillful hands, forming a pattern in midair.

The mutated rats, relying on their sharp teeth and claws, tried to block the bullets, only for the rounds to ricochet off their teeth and strike from unexpected angles, piercing the skulls of their companions.

Apocalypse Divine Martial, Chapter Fifteen: Mutated Spiders—update complete!