The deadly disaster arrived without warning.

Unknown, large flying insects resembling mosquitoes invaded through the entrance of the five-star hotel, each the size of a basketball. The giant mosquitoes first attacked the bellhops and hotel security. The security personnel from the Grimm Group, who were responsible for maintaining order at the fundraiser event, immediately took action. However, they soon realized that although the flying mosquitoes weren’t fast, they were incredibly difficult to aim at, flickering in and out of view like ghosts.

Many of the security staff fell victim in this way.

"Close the door!" Nemo shouted, while pushing his way through the panicked crowd toward the entrance to the banquet hall, trying to assess the situation outside.

The bodyguards at the door ignored his warning and instead drew their weapons, stepping outside. A few male guests near the entrance attempted to close the door but were too slow. A giant mosquito flew above the doorway and landed on a man’s shoulder. Its barbed legs clung tightly to his body, and its sharp mouthpart pierced his carotid artery, immediately beginning to suck his blood.

The man let out a horrifying scream, as if his muscles were being peeled away piece by piece. He couldn’t even raise his hands to tear the creature off his neck, his limbs limp, his body twitching uncontrollably on the ground.

"It’s probably a neurotoxin. Even touching it could cause absorption," Matthew said, grabbing Nemo.

By this time, the entrance to the banquet hall had been successfully sealed, but the same horrifying screams echoed from outside. No second mosquito had yet entered, but ominous thumping and crashing sounds reverberated from the door and windows.

Taking advantage of the fact that everyone’s attention was focused on the door, Tolya quickly handed the elderly Russian woman’s son to her, pointing to the escape route on the other side. "Get out now! Don’t use the elevator. Find the nearest room, lock the door and windows, and stay away from any ventilation openings. Don’t answer the door, even if someone knocks."

The middle-aged businessman appeared dazed, but before anyone could respond, the elderly Russian woman swiftly grasped Tolya’s hand, then smacked her son’s back with her cane. In a flurry of action, the businessman quickly yanked his mother aside and, almost before anyone could blink, bolted towards the exit.

The man who had been attacked by the mosquito had veins bulging beneath his skin, his eyes rolling back. It was clear he was beyond saving.

People watched in fear, eyeing the mosquito’s noticeably swollen abdomen, which had not yet been filled, and retreated, terrified that they might be next.

Nemo, unable to just stand by, shook off Matthew and, over Tolya’s shouted objections, grabbed a tablecloth, folded it three times, and lunged forward. He pinned the mosquito down with a forceful tug and pressed it to the ground. Then, he stomped repeatedly, making the mosquito emit a high-pitched squeak.

The blood it had just ingested stained the tablecloth red, which began to spread across the floor.

"These bugs are lightweight and their bodies are fragile. Rubber bullets might kill them, but unless they stop feeding, it’s hard to aim at them in the air because their flight path is erratic. We’d need something like a flamethrower or an electric net. They look big, but if a bullet just breaks their wings or legs, it won’t do much. The worst part is if the venom touches your skin, you’re done for," Nemo said, pulling his foot back before it could come in contact with the creature's blood and fluids. He analyzed the mosquito’s weak spots from the impact.

"What do we do then? Will superheroes come to Lone Star City? How will Leviathan handle such small bugs? Can other superheroes only deal with one at a time?" someone asked.

"Michael’s light feather attack seems most suited for this, but how do we let him know we’re in trouble here? Maybe he isn’t even in the U.S. right now!" People rushed online for help, only to find that related posts were already going viral on forums. Many netizens were calling for the nearest superheroes to take action quickly.

No reporters dared to lift the bloody tablecloth or crack the door open for a sneak shot, since the mosquitoes could land on their hands in an instant.

The tapping on the door grew louder, and to make matters worse, one of the glass windows began to crack. Though the mosquitoes were light, their hard, blood-sucking proboscis delivered an unreasonably strong attack.

"Why aren’t you looking for duct tape? If the bugs manage to make a hole, we’ll all die here!" someone shouted.

Doubts about the superheroes’ timely arrival began to spread, and more people opted to escape through the emergency exits. Nearly a hundred people remained in the banquet hall. Matthew Grimm dialed his phone to contact all available reinforcements.

"Damn it! Nemo, you actually went bare-handed to grab that disgusting mosquito!" Tolya, ignoring the panic around them, kept checking Nemo’s palms to make sure his hands hadn’t been infected.

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"I was holding it with a thick tablecloth!" Nemo defended himself. "Tolya, you should check the restaurant’s situation! If necessary, lead Boss and Sunny Jie and the others along our planned route for evacuation. I’ll stay here to help until the superheroes arrive."

"We go together! Only a fool would stay behind!" Tolya insisted.

Nemo lowered his voice, whispering in the Russian’s ear, "These high-profile people have private bodyguards who can hold out for a while. The police and the military will be here soon, but I suspect the person who released these bugs is inside this hotel. Matthew mentioned he was the target of a coordinated attack, but there’s a small chance that someone from my past is behind this. I need to confirm that. If the target is Matthew, they won’t be wary of someone like me, which gives me a good opportunity."

If the hotel wasn’t the epicenter of the bug outbreak, their phones should have received evacuation alerts by now. The hotel would have broadcast warnings about dangerous creatures. The hotel was clearly unprepared, which meant it was likely the gathering point for the bloodsucking mosquitoes with a specific purpose.

"I can’t let you do something so dangerous! Was this what you’ve been training for all these days?" Tolya asked, exasperated.

"It’s just a few days of training; it’s not going to do much! I’m just mentally preparing myself!" Nemo explained. "If superheroes focus on rescuing at the hotel, that means the indiscriminate attacks outside will be even more dangerous to civilians. I’m asking you to take the risk of crossing half the city."

Tolya, still confused, asked, "Why do we have to split up?"

"If either of us gets bitten by the mosquito, the other will be dragged down, and then both of us will die. Yes! I’m saying that you’ll drag me down," Nemo replied. As long as his companion was still alive, he would do whatever it took to drag them to safety.

But where could be considered safe? Their enemies were numerous, poisonous, and could fly—making it nearly impossible for him to protect himself and help others.

"It’s more like you’ll drag me down!" Tolya retorted, still upset.

"Besides, you have more friends than I do. Go warn them! Don’t drive, the streets will be blocked. Use motorcycles to get out," Nemo said, slapping Tolya on the back.

Time was running out, and they were racing against death.

Tolya suddenly raised his sleeve and forcefully wiped the color-changing lip balm off Nemo’s lips. "It looks much better now."

The Russian pulled the trembling hotel security guard out from under the table, grabbed his expandable baton, and sprinted toward the emergency exit, disappearing from view.

"Please take any tablecloths, shawls, or extra clothing you have and wrap them around small pieces of debris or heavy objects—like this!" Matthew demonstrated by wrapping a few empty plates in a tablecloth, stomping on them to crush them, and swinging the cloth by its end. "Imagine you're just taking down a mischievous drone. The military rescue team is already on the way; we just need to hold on for a while."

Matthew Grimm's voice remained steady and strong, a perfect example of someone who had survived numerous hardships. His calm demeanor immediately spread through the crowd, awakening the American fighting spirit. Many began to follow his instructions, quickly crafting makeshift weapons from available materials.

"What if the superheroes don’t show up? What if the government can’t handle these bloodsucking mosquitoes?" No one dared to escape now, unsure if the swarms outside were even worse or more aggressive, not to mention that other guests were still flooding into the banquet hall seeking shelter. It was clear that staying inside was far safer than going out.

Over ten minutes had passed, and the city police had yet to control the situation. Things weren't as optimistic as Matthew had claimed.

"Mr. Grimm, news reports say you’ve been supporting superheroes. Do you have a way to contact them privately?" A reporter asked, remembering the key point.

"I can’t directly contact specific heroes, as they tend to be cautious around regular people. However, there are several devices at the Grimm Group headquarters that can communicate with them. They might discuss sending volunteers to help, but I’d need to authorize the communication first."

"Mr. Grimm, can you get back to your headquarters now?" An elderly man, resembling a business magnate, asked with a tremor in his voice.

They all knew how dangerous it was to leave cover and venture into an open area.

Matthew smiled. "No problem. My car is bulletproof. It's about 200 meters from here, so it won’t be too hard to reach."

The outdoor parking lot had already transformed into a world-class car exhibition, attracting many car enthusiasts who had become the first victims of the bloodsucking mosquitoes. The mosquito swarm outside was indeed large and flying in mass.

The man with the golden eyes spoke into his earpiece: "The security team outside will deploy a laser net to clear a path to the car. It's only wide enough for me, so please don’t try to follow. I can’t guarantee your safety. I’m sorry."The Grimm Group’s leader adjusted his collar and stepped forward, though several people made to follow, they hesitated after witnessing Matthew sprint into the laser net.

Laser beams precisely synchronized with Matthew Grimm’s movements, each second delaying meant the beams would tear through flesh in an instant, just as Matthew had warned—this was a path of escape that only he had the privilege to use.

At that moment, several people ran back from the emergency exit, quickly closing the fire doors behind them.

"The mosquitoes flew out of the elevator! A lot of the people who ran out were bitten!"

The elevator shaft—a more horrifying monster’s den couldn’t exist.

Nemo can imagine a terrifying sight: an elevator full of people, when suddenly the ventilation grate above them fell, and one giant mosquito after another rushed in to feast.

The young man with curly hair quickly made a decision.

Meanwhile, Matthew, now behind the wheel of his car, was trying to find an exit through the parking lot. A convertible sports car, poorly parked, was blocking the nearest route. It was unclear whether the owner or the valet had abandoned the car, but it became a roadblock, forcing Matthew to take a detour. Fortunately, a sniper stationed on a nearby high-rise had already reported another escape route.

the giant mosquitoes relentlessly collided with the car’s windshield, their bodies splattering upon impact. Some, already sated with blood, persisted in their assault, their relentless frenzy undeterred. A few crashed headfirst into the glass, their abdomens bursting open and spraying blood and fragments of their bodies across the surface. The gruesome mess clouded the windshield, blocking Matthew's sight. Cursing under his breath, he quickly flicked on the wipers.

At that moment, the little chef's distinctive ringtone sounded, he answered it hands-free.

"What's going on, baby? I’m kind of busy right now."

"I know the Grimm Group car is parked outdoors. If you haven’t left this building yet, come to the underground parking lot escape exit to pick me up. It's too late for everyone else to drive out, but the underground lot isn’t blocked. There are still mosquitoes here, but fewer, probably due to their attraction to light."

Nemo Captain, always able to surprise. Matthew slapped his forehead.

"If you can’t come, just say so. I’ll find my way to you." Nemo added.

"Stay there, don’t wander. I’m coming." Matthew drove out of the outdoor parking lot, turned the car around, and drove into the dark underground.

Nemo’s location marker on his phone grew closer, until Matthew saw the escape exit that Nemo had described. His voice came through the phone again. Apparently, he had recognized the black Ford. "Park the car and turn off the lights. I’ll come to you."

The metal weapon sliced through the air. Matthew saw Nemo push open the escape door, expertly striking down a bloodsucking mosquito and quickly running over.

Matthew was about to open the door to greet him when Nemo suddenly raised his weapon, startling the billionaire, whose hand quickly recoiled. A sharp thud echoed as the giant mosquito was smashed into pieces. Matthew hurriedly opened the passenger side door, and Nemo, carrying a golf club stained with an unknown liquid, jumped into the car, tossing the club to the backseat.

"There was one hiding on the roof. You should be more careful when getting out of the car next time." The curly-haired young chef spoke casually, then ruffled his bangs, and his hair returned to its usual messy state.