The officer, also a junior officer, spoke to the group as he led the way, “You must be the museum personnel here to collect specimens, right? Remember, once you are ashore, absolutely do not venture beyond the steel cable warning line. It’s not just the giant dinosaurs or the smaller raptors; several types of insects here are just as terrifying as the dinosaurs... We’ve deployed large amounts of repellents and insecticides along that line; otherwise, our soldiers wouldn’t be able to get to shore...” Zheng Zha considered speaking, but Chu Xuan suddenly tugged his clothes, then smiled and asked, “Regarding the insects... are the soldiers afraid of their numbers? Or are they afraid of their size? As far as I know, ancient insects should have been quite enormous, right?” The officer nodded, “Yes, these insects were originally normal, but a few months ago, they started growing continuously larger, and their numbers also began to increase rapidly. About a month ago, a single mosquito was as long as an arm, and a bite from it could leave a wound almost like a bullet hole on your limb... However, what’s strange is that since the beginning of this month, those insects have started dying off in large numbers. They are dying by the mass, continuously. It’s precisely for this reason that the higher-ups sent you here to collect their corpses, I presume?” Chu Xuan, at this moment, fell into deep thought about something. Zheng Zha quickly took up the conversation, laughing, “That’s right, that is the situation. But the orders from above also mentioned collecting some plant specimens and feces samples, correct?” The officer said casually, “I wouldn't know about that. In any case, we absolutely refuse to step foot inside that island.”

“Back then, to secure that high ground by the shore, we bombarded that area with naval cannons for nearly half a day. Even the soil completely withered, but when we finally went up, we still lost dozens of men...” As he spoke, the group arrived from the transport vessel to the edge of the ship. Sure enough, a small speedboat was moored there. Once the four of them boarded the speedboat, the officer piloted it toward the island.

From afar, the group gazed upon Dinosaur Island. The island truly presented a vision of pristine beauty.

The island was densely covered with trees, and those trees appeared impossibly tall. Although it was already around 8 PM, the afterglow of the sunset still lingered by the sea. The blood-red afterglow cast upon the island made the entire landmass look as beautiful as a fairyland.

The officer murmured, “It looks beautiful, doesn’t it? Many parts of this island used to be barren. But for some unknown reason, recently, not only have dinosaurs and ancient insects appeared in great numbers, but the fern-trees have started growing too. Don't be fooled by how huge those large trees are.

These used to be ground-level, grass-like ferns. Now, they’ve all turned into towering giants dozens of meters high, and the wood quality is extraordinarily good. You wouldn't believe it; those researchers are even contemplating extracting some edible fern varieties, which could solve world hunger... A bunch of lunatics.”

The group asked no further questions.

As the yacht continued forward, suddenly, a fish covered in hard scales leaped out of the sea. The fish was nearly four or five meters in size. Fortunately, it didn't strike the yacht; otherwise, this small vessel would surely have been capsized.

“I see now...” Chu Xuan muttered to himself, head slightly bowed, his voice just audible to Zheng Zha beside him.

So, Zheng Zha quietly asked, “Did you figure something out? Tell me the situation.” Chu Xuan nodded, “Actually, regarding why the ancient insects and dinosaurs are so huge, although the evidence isn't entirely clear, one prevailing theory is that the oxygen content was much higher back then, leading to biological gigantism. Concurrently, in some respects, insects are indeed tougher than reptiles.

But in other aspects, life is much more fragile. For example, maintaining such enormous bodies with the current oxygen levels would be like reptiles suddenly climbing from sea level to the Tibetan Plateau—they’d feel distressed and need a long time to adapt. But if insects continue to grow unchecked... once they reach a certain size, death is the only outcome, without a doubt...” “I can probably guess the insane scientist's research. He must have developed some substance or agent that induces biological regression, allowing the reptiles on this island to achieve an environment suitable for their growth and reproduction. Likewise, those ferns have begun to regrow into giants. As for that fish we just saw... it’s also an ancient species, an Dunkleosteus... There might be other signs, but overall, we are quite lucky.”

Zheng Zha asked curiously, “Lucky? How are we lucky? Can we still call this luck in our current situation?” Chu Xuan nodded and said, “Yes, we can certainly be called lucky now. Did you know that compared to the dinosaurs we can eliminate with firearms, the truly terrifying threats are the insects? They might not be able to harm the giant dinosaurs—much like common mosquitoes biting us—but what if those ancient insects attack us? A dense, countless swarm, and their sheer magnitude could swallow us whole... If that were the case, it would present an entirely different level of difficulty and require a different solution.”

Zheng Zha nodded, but before he could speak, they reached the shore. The officer steered the speedboat onto the beach and immediately jumped off, wiping sweat from his brow. “That was lucky just now; the sea is full of strange creatures. Like sea snails the size of a person—if you fall in, one suction, and you’re pulled inside, and they won't spit you out until only the bones are left... Luckily, we made it safely to shore... Damn it, I wish we could just leave this hellhole and flatten it with missiles! Why do we have to stay and guard it?” As he spoke, two soldiers ran out from a nearby bunker on the shore. They helped haul the speedboat onto the sand and secure it. The officer then turned to the group, “Follow us, sirs. We’ve prepared rooms for you up on that high ground over there...” Only then did the group have a chance to thoroughly survey the beachhead. About a kilometer inland from the sand, it was a gently sloping plateau that rose gradually. At its highest point, it descended again. At the limit of this downward slope from the beach, a barbed wire fence was erected. Rotten chunks of meat and severed insect legs and feet hung from the wire; in short, the scene was rather disgusting.

Zheng Zha and the others exchanged glances, nodded silently, and followed the officer to the fortified building constructed at the center of the high ground. Though it looked unremarkable from the outside, the interior of this fortress building was quite spacious, furnished with some items and decorations. The group even spotted some electronics, like computers.

The next phase was routine procedure: checking authorization documents and work permits. Then, the four were led to a four-person room to rest. They were informed of several rules: they were not allowed to leave the building after 10 PM, not to cross the barbed wire fence arbitrarily (how could they anyway?), and not to act alone. Despite the strict rules, the group was soon provided with a relatively hearty boxed meal for four. If one ignored the environment, the living conditions here were comparable to some inns or lower-tier hotels.

The four quickly finished their dinner. As lights gradually went out after 10 PM, Zheng Zha retrieved everyone's respective weapons and tools from his Nà Jiè and Spatial Pouch.

First, Zheng Zha held a multi-barreled Gatling gun in one hand and the Spear of Judgment in the other. Although this presentation was mismatched, those who had witnessed the power of these two weapons knew that their effectiveness was terrifyingly maximized in Zheng Zha’s hands. Setting aside anything else, a full volley of the Spear of Judgment could easily kill one or two Tyrannosaurus Rexes.

Wang Xia carried a standard submachine gun. His role was laying mines and setting timed explosives. The submachine gun was for suppressing common raptors; the T-Rexes were left to the others. His gun would do negligible damage to a T-Rex.

Tyrant held his exceptionally cool-looking tubular Pulse Blaster. This weapon looked so flashy that the other three glanced at it several times, and Tyrant wore a look of complete satisfaction.

As for Chu Xuan, he appeared completely unequipped. His two Gauss pistols with infinite ammunition were tucked into his sleeves, ready to attack the moment circumstances demanded.

Seeing that everyone was prepared, Zheng Zha also smiled and took out the Green Goblin Glider. Since there was only one board, the others took only a length of reinforced rope. Zheng Zha looped the rope onto the glider, and then the group headed toward the entrance of the fortress.

Wang Xia and Tyrant operated in a very similar fashion: they crept slowly toward the two guards at the entrance, then, with a slight tap to the neck with both hands, the two soldiers instantly fell unconscious. As both men signaled 'mission accomplished' behind them, Zheng Zha and Chu Xuan emerged from the darkness.

“Let’s go, the game begins!” Zheng Zha stepped onto the Green Goblin Glider, pulling the other three along, and flew away from the high ground. Soon, the glider carried the four into the depths of the jungle. The searchlights around the fortress showed no reaction, as if the four had never appeared at all... “It really is a fern-tree species...” Chu Xuan said, touching the trunk of a colossal plant.

This plant bore crown-like leaves typical of ferns, and the wood was dense and fine. Touching it felt smooth, completely free of splinters, like running a hand over finely sanded lumber.

The group had only flown about a thousand meters into the jungle. To conserve the glider’s energy and to allow them to eliminate more dinosaurs along the way, they had agreed to land and proceed on foot. Furthermore, in such dense foliage, the efficiency of the Green Goblin Glider was severely diminished; walking wouldn't necessarily be much slower in comparison.

“Besides those two reasons, I’m also worried about the Pterodactyls appearing. While our equipment certainly fears no Pterodactyls, once our attack commences, the naval forces outside will quickly be alerted. If they use air support or ground-to-ground precision missiles, we might not be able to evade them. This is precisely what I must avoid. Until we locate that mad scientist and complete this island’s side quest, it’s best we avoid conflict with the navy,” Chu Xuan explained.

Among the group's weaponry, only Chu Xuan’s Gauss pistols and Zheng Zha’s Spear of Judgment possessed silent assassination capabilities. Of course, the others hadn't actually seen him use the Gauss pistols, so their power was unknown—though it couldn't be terribly weak if they were classified as Gauss weaponry, suggesting a certain high tier of performance.

The group was currently walking through the jungle. According to the island’s topographical scan from the computer, the entire island had a bowl-shaped topography: higher jungle or mountains on both sides, sloping progressively lower toward the center, where an abandoned research facility from long ago should be located.

Their target was that research facility. Rather than wandering aimlessly across the island, seeking an obvious target made more sense. Moreover, that mad scientist originally traveled to this island alone; for his research, he would very likely utilize that derelict facility.

“That’s the situation. We will have to cross approximately three completely different zones: the outermost dense jungle, a grassland plain in the middle, and finally, the swampy lowlands close to the research station. If nothing unexpected happens, we should reach that abandoned research facility before dawn,” Chu Xuan said, looking at the island map while walking.

Tyrant kept looking around constantly, “But why haven’t we seen any dinosaurs? Wasn’t it said there should be many dinosaurs here? We haven't seen so much as a ghost of one.”

Chu Xuan replied without looking up, “Most dinosaurs appearing in the jungle are herbivores; they don’t forage at night. The plains mostly host carnivores. Unfortunately for you, if you truly want to find large numbers of dinosaurs, the plains will better suit your desires. However, your weapon’s power is excessive, and the noise it generates is outrageous. Unless it's an emergency, try your best not to use it. Our goal is to complete the side quest quietly, then strike the navy, and then...” Tyrant scratched his head, “...go to the island from Part One, right? I do know all that, hah! I was just saying. Anyway, I will only start attacking at full strength when my firepower is required. That should be acceptable, right?” Having said that, he hoisted his incredibly cool firearm onto his shoulder and laughed heartily.

Zheng Zha had been listening silently to their conversation. As they walked, Zheng Zha suddenly whispered, “Shh... did you hear something?” The other three immediately became vigilant and scanned their surroundings. But it was pitch black, and there wasn't even a single sound. The others looked at Zheng Zha strangely, but this man suddenly charged toward a fern-tree, thrusting the Spear of Judgment hard at the base of the tree.

A strange rustling sound followed. When Zheng Zha returned from the tree, the group saw that impaled on his Spear of Judgment was an arm-sized, elongated insect... Ignoring the scale, this insect was unmistakably a magnified American cockroach.

“Giant insects, there are indeed giant insects.” Zheng Zha frowned. A nauseating stench was emanating from the Spear of Judgment, and what chilled him further was that this giant roach hadn't died even after being pierced; its body was still writhing.

Chu Xuan completely ignored the stench from the cockroach and leaned down to examine it closely. “Yes, it’s a cockroach... This might be one of the few ancient insect species capable of tolerating low-oxygen environments. The vitality of a cockroach can almost be described as frighteningly tough. Moreover, this type of roach eats everything; it can survive by consuming only wood... I am somewhat concerned about our journey ahead.”

Zheng Zha activated his Red Flame skill, causing the blood-colored flames to spread along the Spear of Judgment to the tip. With a hiss, the cockroach was instantly incinerated to ash without even a struggle. Zheng Zha then said, “I know you’re worried we might encounter an insect swarm, right?” I don’t think there’s much to worry about; after all, if it's just cockroaches, they shouldn't pose a threat to us. Besides, killing this insect won't yield any reward points. Rather than this, we should hurry to the plains and start hunting dinosaurs.”

Chu Xuan stood up, “Let’s go. Without sufficient information, we can't draw an accurate conclusion. For now, let’s stick to the original plan.”

The three nodded in agreement and walked out of the jungle. It was past 10 PM; it was completely dark, and they couldn't even hear the usual sounds of night insects outdoors. Aside from the occasional dinosaur roar from the far distance, the silence around them was so profound one could practically hear a leaf fall. This situation made the three, excluding Chu Xuan, increasingly tense.

The group finally managed to break out of the jungle and saw a grassy wilderness before them. Not only that, but they finally saw dinosaurs. Several massive Stegosauruses lay sleeping at the edge of the forest. These creatures had vertical, sword-like spines running down their backs, measuring about seven meters in total length. Besides the sword-like spines, they also had a massive tail resembling a club. All these Stegosauruses lay peacefully on the grass, completely unaware of the arrival of Zheng Zha and his team.

Zheng Zha, Tyrant, and Wang Xia were quite excited. Besides earning reward points, seeing real, active dinosaurs for the first time was a major source of their enthusiasm. Zheng Zha gripped the Spear of Judgment, intending to approach the Stegosauruses, but Chu Xuan quickly blocked him. “Wait a moment. Let's complete the side quest before starting the dinosaur hunt. Once that's done, even if the navy or air force discovers our presence, they won't be able to attack us while we're on the Green Goblin Glider—I mean, when dealing with these large herbivores. Their reward points are minimal anyway; we shouldn't risk anything for just twenty or so points. Let's venture further in. If we encounter carnivores, then we attack.”

Zheng Zha shrugged, “...In that case, let’s start attacking. What about the raptors? They are supposed to be carnivorous, right?” Among the four, Zheng Zha had the highest physical conditioning and enhancement; thus, only he could see far in the dark night. Looking through his eyes, he saw more than ten bipedal, upright dinosaurs rapidly approaching across the distant plain. They seemed to be about two meters tall, resembling shrunken T-Rexes. Moreover, they were covered in strange, colorful feathers. It appeared they were chasing an injured, medium-sized Triceratops, and their trajectory was indeed heading toward where the four were standing.

Zheng Zha was, after all, the team captain. While his analytical and strategic planning skills might not match Chu Xuan’s, requiring reliance on him in those areas, in terms of combat arrangements, he was undoubtedly the captain of the Central Continent team.

Zheng Zha briefly assessed the situation with the Spear of Judgment in hand, then immediately said, “Chu Xuan, you take the raptors; the Triceratops is mine...” With that, he channeled his internal energy and Vampire energy into the Spear of Judgment. Just as the spear began to emit a faint golden glow, he raised it and hurled it toward the charging Triceratops about a hundred meters away.

This Triceratops was about seven meters long and weighed at least four or five tons. Its charge resembled a tremendously powerful tank; a rhinoceros in comparison was like a miniature toy. This was a charging beast of immense power. As the Spear of Judgment flew, Chu Xuan also sprinted rapidly toward the area, his eyes simultaneously glazing over in focus.

The Spear of Judgment, carrying a faint golden shimmer, easily struck the Triceratops in the head. Then, the golden light flashed, and before the Triceratops could even utter a scream, its massive body flipped over. Still driven by inertia, its carcass careened forward for about several dozen meters before slowly coming to a stop. The path it carved across the ground was a deep, two-meter-wide furrow, as if turned over by heavy agricultural machinery.

Chu Xuan, meanwhile, already strode toward the raptors. His twin Gauss pistols dropped straight from his sleeves, and then, strangely, he closed his eyes. The two pistols began firing ceaselessly around his body, their attack vectors mimicking the motions of martial arts in close combat, constantly pointing toward the leaping beasts.