Our factory traveled through time

Chapter 18 The mantis stalks the cicada

"Holy crap, are all the workers at Fu Wah Kang Electronics this fierce?"

Huang Feipeng was startled. He had originally thought that all the workers from Fuhuakang Electronics Factory had gathered on the hill to prevent others from entering.

Unexpectedly, there were about ten more below, and these people were all very strong, with physical abilities far exceeding those of ordinary people, clearly belonging to evolved beings.

Could it be that these people also evolved through crystal cores?

Impossible. Mr. Guo has already joined Fuhuakang Electronics Factory. If he knew the function of the crystal core, he wouldn't have taken out ten pieces so easily.

The entire Fuhuakang Electronics Processing Plant probably only has this many plants.

"Those people down there ate the fruits and vegetables from the mountains and forests, and their bodies evolved. They are incredibly strong, otherwise they wouldn't dare to go down and catch those strange fish."

"We've been preparing for this for a long time, and today is the first time we've gone down to try it."

The person in charge of the Fuhuakang Electronics Processing Plant on the hill exhaled a smoke ring, his eyes slightly narrowed, seemingly quite enjoying himself.

After time travel, even a pleasant journey becomes a rare luxury.

"Brother Ce, these fish can actually run on the shore. They've taken over the riverbank. Forget about finding food in the river, we can't even get close to the water."

Huang Feipeng's description was very accurate. It wasn't crocodiles running on the shore; it was a group of fish that could run, like loaches, darting back and forth.

These fish do not have hands or feet; their pectoral fin muscles have been transformed into feet, which function as hands and feet.

The gills are swollen very large, which may be the reason why these fish can survive out of water even though they do not breathe with lungs.

There are three suns overhead, and it's extremely hot. These strange fish seem to secrete a kind of mucus on their bodies to protect them from the scorching sun.

Its body length is approximately 1.2 to 1.5 meters, its movement speed is three times its body length per second, and its short-distance explosive power is extremely astonishing.

Below, a dozen or so workers from the Fuhuakang Electronics Processing Plant, armed with two electric fences, were trying to get closer to these strange fish.

They are proceeding cautiously and are still in the exploratory stage. Just as the captain of the Fuhuakang team who stayed on the mountain said, today is also their first day down.

"Judging from its appearance, it looks a bit like a mudskipper. It belongs to the class Osteichthyes. Its gill cavity can hold water, and its blood can carry three times the oxygen of ordinary fish. It can survive for seven days out of water."

"However, mudskippers are generally no more than 30 centimeters long, while the big fish here are four to five times longer."

After absorbing one crystal core, Zhang Luoyan put her hand back in her pocket and grabbed another one.

Such a treasure that could enhance one's strength could not possibly be absorbed only after returning; Zhang Luoyan had already begun absorbing it while they were on the road.

"This beautiful woman has a wide range of knowledge; that's also what Mr. Guo thought."

The team leader of Fuhuakang looked at Zhang Luoyan with some surprise.

They had never even heard of mudskippers before, so the fact that Zhang Luoyan, at such a young age, could recognize them meant she was quite knowledgeable.

Wang Ce pulled Huang Feipeng aside and whispered, "Don't reveal your identities as evolved beings yet. I'll go down and take a look first."

"Zhang Luoyan is still absorbing the crystal core. I estimate she's about to advance. You shouldn't go down with her. You must protect Zhang Luoyan."

Huang Feipeng nodded repeatedly and said, "Don't worry, Brother Ce, I understand."

Seeing Huang Feipeng pat his chest, Wang Ce couldn't help but think that the kid had nothing good going on in his head.

Immediately, Wang Ce returned to the hilltop and greeted the team leader of the Fuhuakang Electronics Processing Plant:

"I am Wang Ce of Shenghong. I'll go down and try my luck to see if I can hunt a mudskipper so I can improve my meals when I get back."

The squad leader's eyes widened, and he waved his hand, saying:

"Hey, hey, hey—no, please don't go down there. It's not that we at Fuhuakang are being domineering, but those fish down there don't seem to be moving much."

"But they can not only crawl close to the ground, they can also jump. They can jump really high. Some people tried to go down and kill the fish, but they were all bitten to death by these mudskippers."

"Otherwise, why do you think we're just standing here watching instead of going down and lending a hand?"

"Only those that have evolved, with strong physical abilities and quick reflexes, can go down and try their luck while relying on the electric grid."

"It's only because you handed me a cigarette earlier. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't bother trying to persuade them. If they're asking for trouble, it's none of my business."

This squad leader is long-winded, but he's not a bad person at heart.

Wang Ce nodded, lit another cigarette, and then said, "Don't worry, I was in the army, so my mental fortitude and basic physical fitness are fine. Besides, I've evolved too."

Seeing that Wang Ce was determined to go down, the squad leader of Fuhuakang did not stop him, as he had already said everything he needed to say.

"Captain, more and more people are evolving now. Just like Elder Guo said, will we be able to rival the immortals in myths and legends as we evolve further?"

"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? This Professor Guo is a biology professor whose main research area is the evolution of plants and animals. Just listen to what these experts and professors say."

"However, this guy named Wang Ce is really stubborn. We have an electric grid, so we can basically attack or defend, and at least we won't be easily approached by mudskippers."

"He's quite something, daring to go hunting with just a bow and arrow. Even if he shot and killed a mudskipper, would he dare to go and take it?"

These unevolved humans could only stay on the hilltop; they dared not go down because several people had died yesterday, and they had experienced the ferocity of the mudskippers.

They all stood on the hilltop, observing, and no one dared to go down and risk it.

Zhang Luoyan and Huang Feipeng were also on the hill, but both of them were holding large bows, ready to support Wang Ce's actions.

Even if Zhang Luoyan didn't absorb the crystal core, there was no need for them to go down.

Firstly, they genuinely lacked understanding of the mudskipper's various characteristics, making it impossible for them to target and hunt it effectively. Secondly, although they absorbed the same amount of crystal cores, Wang Ce's physical attributes were far superior to theirs.

In the event of an emergency, Wang Ce's reaction speed would be much faster than theirs.

As expected, after Wang Ce went down, he did not rush forward headlong. Instead, he followed not far from the Fuhuakang hunting team and slowly approached, imitating their actions.

"Brother Ce is really too steady. Our physical fitness can't keep up with Brother Ce, and even the evolved humans from Fuhuakang probably can't keep up."

"If we really encounter danger, whoever runs the slowest will be the one who suffers. With Brother Ce by their side, he'll definitely run faster than them."

Huang Feipeng exclaimed that he had learned a lot, and Wang Ce's footwork and pace were clearly more disciplined. After all, he had been a soldier, and his individual tactical skills looked very smooth.

"Huang Feipeng, I feel something's not right. Help me find a relatively safe place where I won't be disturbed."

After absorbing the last crystal core, Zhang Luoyan suddenly frowned.

She hadn't experienced any special reactions when absorbing the crystal cores earlier, so she subconsciously thought that absorbing one more wouldn't make a difference.

However, after absorbing the last one, his body seemed to break through a certain critical point, and there was a faint sense that it was out of control.

She didn't know if anything unusual would happen, so to avoid attracting unwanted attention, she decided to choose a secluded place for safety.

"You four, two of you stay here and watch over Brother Ce, and two of you come with me. No, three of you come with me. Never mind, all four of you come with me."

Huang Feipeng suddenly remembered Wang Ce's instructions before he went down to take good care of Zhang Luoyan, so he decided to bring everyone along and head upstream along the riverbank.

Let's find a relatively safe place first and see what's going on with Zhang Luoyan.

The squad leader of Fuhuakang didn't even notice Zhang Luoyan and Huang Feipeng leaving.

"These people from Shenghong are really bold, daring to wander around like this."

"The riverbank is the water source, and this place is a hill, which is relatively isolated, so it is not easy for wild animals to come up here."

"But it's not so easy to expand outwards. If it were that easy to expand outwards, we at Fuhuakang wouldn't be sticking to this hunting route."

Huang Feipeng walked east along the riverbank for about fifty meters and found a higher spot to rest.

The drone flew out to provide surveillance, while five people surrounded Zhang Luoyan, keeping a watchful eye on any potential dangers around them.

Zhang Luoyan was relatively lucid, but she had cold sweat on her forehead.

Three minutes later, more than fifty people appeared on the rocks on the east side of the riverbank, led by Zhao Erde, the workshop supervisor of Xinke Plastics Factory.

"Boss, we've finally caught up! The guy on the riverbank with the big bow, carrying a long spear and a Tang sword, isn't that Wang Ce from Sheng Hong?"

"Judging from this, those ten or so people below should all be Sheng Hong's men."

"With over fifty of us, plus you, the evolved being, we'll wipe them out today. Then, all of Shenghong's metal equipment will be ours!"

Behind Zhao Erde, a worker was quite excited. This was the same person who had been sneaking around observing Wang Ce and the others when they got off the bus.

"Alright, you deserve a big credit this time. There are fifty of us, and they only have about ten. The advantage is on our side!"

"Brothers, give it your all! If this works out, you can have your fun with those women at the factory later!"