The mutated spider let out a shrill cry and quickly shielded its eyes with its spindly legs.
Seeing that his first shot had worked, Chen Du seized the moment without hesitation, firing one bullet after another in quick succession.
But each round was deflected by the spider's legs.
Its exoskeleton was rock-hard. Even though subsequent shots struck its legs and abdomen, most of them merely grazed the surface or left shallow dents—none managed to fully penetrate.
There wasn't time for Chen Du to dwell on this.
As soon as his pistol clicked empty, signaling it needed reloading, the spider pounced. Dropping down from the ceiling of the mine shaft, it lunged toward him with terrifying speed.
Chen Du holstered his gun and unsheathed his Enhanced Arming Swords.
The monstrous arachnid swung all eight of its limbs at him, stabbing wildly.
Reacting instinctively, Chen Du raised his swords to block.
Had he not been temporarily boosted to the peak of human capability, there was no way he could've held off such an assault.
Despite its massive size, the creature's legs moved with eerie precision and fluidity.
And every strike carried devastating force.
Ducking under one leg aimed directly at his face, Chen Du heard a loud thunk behind him—the stone wall crumbled as if sliced through soft cheese.
Quickly grabbing a Molotov cocktail, he hurled it at the thick web blocking the cave entrance, igniting it.
But the flames spread slowly; the web was too dense for the fire to consume quickly.
Earlier, when the spider silk had ensnared his left hand, he'd realized something strange: this mutated spider's silk had evolved alongside it—it was surprisingly resistant to heat.
He'd only broken free at the last second by frantically rubbing a torch against the strands.
Burning through the web to create an escape route would take precious time.
Until then, he'd have to rely on every ounce of skill and strategy to keep the beast at bay.
Using his superior agility, Chen Du darted around the cavern, dodging attacks while occasionally thrusting his sword into the softer parts of the spider's abdomen.
The pain only fueled the creature's fury.
Unlike normal creatures, which weaken as injuries accumulate, this monstrosity seemed invigorated by the attacks, lashing out with renewed ferocity.
Chen Du clenched his jaw.
This is just like those rage-mode bosses in video games, he thought bitterly. You think you've almost won, but then they switch to phase two and wipe the floor with you.
Except… if I die here, there's no respawn screen waiting for me.
He forced a wry smile despite the gravity of the situation and redoubled his focus.
The spider suddenly spat out a stream of silk, attempting to pin him down.
Without hesitation, Chen Du threw two more Molotovs, then slid beneath the spider in one smooth motion. Taking advantage of the opening, he slashed his sword across the creature's exposed belly, carving a deep gash.
"Well," he muttered with a grim grin, "good thing you're not a mutant tiger. Otherwise, that slide would've gotten me killed."
He wasn't really trying to crack jokes—it was just his subconscious way of coping with the overwhelming tension. Talking helped, even if it was only to himself.
The spider's once-green compound eyes began to glow red—a literal manifestation of its growing rage.
Chen Du felt the shift immediately. The air grew heavier, charged with primal aggression. It was as if the beast radiated a wild, untamed aura that pressed down on him, making it harder to breathe.
Perhaps this was the raw savagery unique to mutated creatures.
Then, an idea struck him.
If this was a spider, could insecticide work against it?
Among the daily supplies distributed recently, there had been unlimited cans of insecticide.
Grabbing two cans, he tossed them toward the spider. With a flick of its leg, the fragile metal containers were sliced open, releasing their contents in a violent burst.
To his surprise, the spider recoiled, shuffling awkwardly to the side.
What? It actually worked!
Not wasting a second, Chen Du pulled out more cans of insecticide and began spraying liberally throughout the confined space.
The spider flailed its legs in agitation before charging again.
But Chen Du was ready. Using his smaller frame and superior mobility, he weaved and dodged, keeping the enraged beast at arm's length.
One can emptied, he grabbed another, continuing to spray relentlessly as he circled the chamber.
For a moment, he doubted whether the insecticide was truly effective. Maybe the spider's retreat earlier had simply been a reflex—an ingrained survival mechanism.
But soon, the effects became undeniable.
The spider staggered mid-charge, swaying unsteadily on its feet.
It looked almost comical, like a drunkard stubbornly insisting, "I'm fine!"
Prolonged exposure to the toxic fumes was finally taking its toll—even on this mutated abomination.
The fiery glow in its eyes dimmed, reverting to their original green hue. Its aggressive posture slumped, replaced by visible fatigue.
Still, Chen Du remained cautious.
After all, this was insecticide! He'd practically turned the entire cavern into a toxic cloud. Even with a mask on, he found it hard to breathe.
Yet the spider, supposedly vulnerable to such chemicals, merely seemed dizzy.
He couldn't afford to let his guard down—not yet.
Seizing the opportunity, Chen Du charged forward with his Enhanced Arming Swords drawn.
Just as he closed in, however, the spider whipped out one of its legs in a desperate counterattack.
But Chen Du had anticipated this. Without missing a beat, he struck the joint of the extended leg, severing it cleanly.
The spider screeched in agony, thrashing its remaining limbs wildly.
Weakened by both the poison and its injuries, its movements were sluggish now. Attacks that once required every ounce of Chen Du's skill to evade were now laughably easy to sidestep.
One slash—another leg fell.
Another swing—he carved through the spider's compound eyes.
Blow after blow, Chen Du hacked away until the creature's head rolled free, its body split wide open.
Against all odds, he had won.
Initially, he'd planned to hold out until the burning web cleared, then make a run for it. Survival alone would've felt like a miracle.
Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine killing the mutated spider single-handedly.
Still, he wasn't taking any chances. After chopping off all eight legs, he finally allowed himself to collapse onto the ground, panting heavily.
This fight had pushed him further than ever before. Though victorious, witnessing the true strength of a mutated creature left him sobered.
As other survivors had warned, surviving in this apocalyptic world would only grow harder.
He could already picture the next wave of humanity being wiped out.
By the time he caught his breath, the flaming web had burned away enough to reveal an exit.
Standing up, his attention was drawn to a faint golden glow emanating from the spider's abdomen.
Curious, he used his sword to cut it open, revealing a Gold-tier Supply Crate nestled inside.
So Bai Xi's intel had been correct—there was a high-value crate here. Somehow, the spider must have swallowed it whole.
Without wasting time to inspect it, Chen Du stuffed the crate into his backpack and hurried out of the mine.
Stepping into the sunlight, he basked in the warmth, savoring the relief of survival.
"Home," he murmured with a small smile.
Whistling cheerfully, he hopped into his battered Jetta and drove off, leaving the battlefield far behind.