Chapter 105: The Crimson Ants!

Taking Qin Feng's words to heart, Zhan Ying grew serious. He realized that Qin Feng seemed to have a premonition for danger; if Qin Feng felt that danger was near, then it was likely true.

"Everyone, move forward in stealth. Flying Shadow, lead the way. Fengzi, keep a close watch on our rear. The rest of you, advance with caution and do not let the enemy detect us," Zhan Ying commanded, signaling the team to conceal themselves.

"Understood," they replied in unison, continuing their advance under cover.

About five minutes later, Flying Shadow suddenly stopped. He had spotted something crawling ahead. Startled, he looked closer and realized it was a swarm of ants. Each was the size of an adult's thumb, and they were densely packed together. The ground, covered in rotting leaves, had been cleared into a path by their passage. Their bright crimson color was oppressive, and though it was unclear if they were aggressive, their appearance was terrifying.

Alerted by this sight, Flying Shadow did not act rashly. He observed them calmly and raised his hand to signal the team to halt, sensing that continuing forward might lead to danger.

Seeing the signal, the team stopped and scanned their surroundings. Zhan Ying looked at Flying Shadow and asked, "What is it?"

"Ants, about the size of a thumb. These are the largest ants I've ever seen. I sense a threat, so I didn't proceed," Flying Shadow explained. He felt these ants were dangerous, and in the heart of the tropical rainforest, one had to be cautious to survive.

"Ants? We can just walk over them. Our military boots are rugged enough; what is there to worry about?" Black Wolf said dismissively. He didn't see anything frightening about them, believing that ordinary ants would be harmless underfoot.

"Let's wait and see. These aren't your average ants," Flying Shadow replied with a wry smile. If they were normal, he wouldn't have bothered stopping.

The others gathered to look. The ground was covered in a vast, dense mass of crawling, crimson insects. Some were the size of a thumb, while the larger ones were nearly twice that size. They moved with surprising speed. No one knew if they were venomous, aggressive, or lethal.

The sight of the swarming mass made everyone’s skin crawl; these crimson ants were clearly extraordinary.

As they crawled, a few ants seemed to notice the humans. Instead of retreating, they turned and scurried toward the team, appearing highly aggressive.

The team recoiled in surprise. Qin Feng noticed that while most were crimson, there were also black, yellow, and brightly colored ones mixed in. In a tropical rainforest, the more vibrant a creature looks, the more likely it is to be poisonous. These crimson ants were unlike anything they had ever encountered, and their demeanor suggested they were best left alone.

Sensing the threat, everyone looked to Zhan Ying. Even Zhan Ying felt a chill down his spine, realizing these ants would be difficult to handle. He turned to Qin Feng and asked, "Fengzi, what do you suggest we do?"

Zhan Ying knew Qin Feng possessed superior jungle survival skills and hoped he might have a solution.

Qin Feng pondered for a moment before saying, "I think we should detour. These ants don't look simple. Red ants are already aggressive, and these could be even worse. We shouldn't provoke them, or we might face endless trouble."

Qin Feng believed in being cautious; it was better to prevent a problem than to solve it once it arose.

"Agreed, we'll follow your lead," Zhan Ying nodded. He directed the team, "We are going to detour. Do not linger here."

The team nodded and found a path to bypass the swarm.

After moving past the ants, Qin Feng suddenly felt a sharp, intense sensation of danger. He sensed that enemies were closing in from behind. The feeling grew stronger, and he stared intently in a specific direction, identifying the source of the threat.

"What's wrong?" Zhan Ying asked, noticing Qin Feng's change in demeanor.

"I sense danger again. Captain, take the others and head forward. I will stay back to cover our trail and deal with the tail," a sharp, piercing light flashed in Qin Feng's eyes. He could feel the enemies closing in, intent on hunting them down.

"Very well. Be careful. If you can't handle it, call us, and we will come to your support immediately," Zhan Ying said. He knew Qin Feng was formidable, but he also knew the pursuers were strong enough to track them into the mist-shrouded forest.

"Understood," Qin Feng replied.

Zhan Ying led the team deeper into the mist. Qin Feng found a vantage point and took out his Type 88 sniper rifle. He observed the terrain, steadying his breathing, imagining himself as a part of the jungle, blending into the environment.

Gradually, the surroundings fell silent. It seemed as if no one had ever passed through.

Just then, a figure appeared silently. The intruder moved with light footsteps, quickly concealing himself behind a large tree to scan the area. Seeing no one, he continued to push forward.

Qin Feng observed through the sniper scope and spotted a vivid, lifelike blood-skull tattoo on the man's neck. "Someone from the Blood Skull Mercenary Group?"

A murderous intent flared in Qin Feng's eyes. He was now certain that the Blood Skull Mercenary Group was among the pursuers, determined to wipe them out. He would not let them succeed.

"Since you've come, you won't be leaving," Qin Feng thought rapidly. He looked toward the area where the crimson ants were, deciding to use the swarm to test both the ants' lethality and his ability to eliminate the mercenary.

The mercenary, unaware of any presence, felt that Qin Feng and his team must be ahead. He moved cautiously, searching for them, but he had not yet reached the area where the crimson ants were swarming.

"The crimson ant swarm, the Blood Skull mercenary... I'll let you pass and see how it feels to be bitten by them," Qin Feng aimed steadily at the mercenary. He glanced at the grass to calculate factors like humidity and wind speed.

With his presence fully focused, sharp as a drawn blade, he pulled the trigger without hesitation.

"Whoosh!" A sniper bullet roared through the air, carrying Qin Feng's fury, as if tearing through the atmosphere, vanishing into the distance in an instant.