Chapter 128: Florida Man Attempts to Burn Forest, Claims Man-Eating Zombie Goats Haunt This Place
Since opening the sealed metallic crate by hand seemed too tedious, Felix opted to store it directly in his inventory. Once inside, he checked its description.
…
Emergency War Supply
This war supply crate contains hi-tech gadgets for immediate combat. It typically comes in sets of two to four crates. Happy hunting!
Contents:
- Jet Pack x1
- High Healing Potions x5
- Universal Panacea x5
…
"A jet pack? Perfect timing!"
Beneath the item's icon, the system offered a flashing 'Collect' button, practically begging for attention. With a nonchalant shrug, Felix indulged the prompt and tapped the button.
The crate automatically unpacked, its contents smoothly transferring into his inventory.
Felix eyed the jet pack. At first glance, it resembled the standard backpack engines he'd seen in video games, but something caught his attention. A large, glowing crystal embedded between what appeared to be the fuel tanks.
Felix recognized it instantly as an essence stone, a powerful magical energy source commonly used as a battery in high-tier gear.
With a renewed sense of confidence in the item, Felix strapped the jet pack onto his back, feeling the hum of the essence stone powering the system. He fiddled with the controls, checking the straps and adjusting the fit, already anticipating his flight to his flying island.
Yet there was one small problem. Felix had never actually operated a jet pack before.
"Hope this works like the games," he eyed the twin control sticks. Tentatively, he pressed the only visible buttons on each side.
With a sudden roar, the jet pack came to life, unleashing twin beams of fire beneath him. Felix's feet left the ground as the pack thrust him upward. Startled by the sudden lift-off, he reflexively released the buttons, and the fiery jets cut off, sending him plummeting back down.
Landing with a thud, Felix let out a wry chuckle. He glanced upward and noticed the looming underside of the flying island. His head could have easily slammed into it if he had been more reckless.
"Maybe I should pick a better spot."
Not taking chances, Felix relocated. He moved to a scorched patch of the battlefield, now wide open with no obstacles overhead. Looking up, Felix saw the purple-tinged sky, a phenomenon caused by the planet's strange atmosphere and the presence of its four giant moons, one of which bathed the sky in its violet hue while another one was as bright as the sun.
Still, planetary anomalies were the least of his concerns. Felix shrugged off the unusual sights, focusing on the task at hand. He had to master this jet pack and get back to his base.
Pressing the buttons again, Felix shot skyward, the jet pack propelling him with a sudden burst of power. He soared into the air, higher and higher, the ground rapidly shrinking beneath him.
A Floridian with a jet pack, Felix ascended until he could see the entire flying island from above. He ended up reaching the clouds, and his ears started hearing ringing noises.
Trusting his instincts, Felix released the controls, allowing gravity to pull him downward before engaging the jets again. With a more controlled touch, he gently pressed the buttons, causing the jet pack to stabilize in mid-air, leaving him floating in place as he surveyed the landscape.
From his vantage point, Felix took in the island's features. As advertised, it was rich in natural resources. Its surface covered with a dense forest that stretched in every direction.
The only break in the greenery was at the center of the island, where Felix's house once stood, now a small dot in the distance. To the south of the house, a mysterious lake shimmered. Its clear waters reflected the sunlight. To the west, a towering mountain stood guard, crowned with a majestic waterfall that cascaded down into a river, which snaked its way toward the southern lake.
The north side of the island, however, was less appealing. Felix frowned as he noticed that the flying island had brought along the infamous Purple Forest.
"Why did it have to take that nightmare with it?" Felix scratched his head in frustration.
Finally, his gaze turned to the eastern portion of the island. Unlike the rest, this area was a patch of open grassland, untouched and waiting for cultivation. Several giant trees dotted the landscape, and small streams from the southern lake meandered through the plains.
It looked like an ideal spot for farmlands, and Felix's mind immediately began plotting how to use the fertile land to his advantage.
"Well, at least this place still has potential." Felix couldn't wait to plant some crops and grow some vegetables. He wondered if he could self-sustain on the island forever.
Felix leaned forward and pressed the buttons again. The jet pack propelled him forward, flying straight toward the barrier that the dragon had failed to crack. His body entered the transparent dome with ease.
Continuing his journey, Felix flew across the west mountain on the island. He admired the scenery below and spotted many wild goats, standing on the ledges of the mountain and looking up, staring at him. Their glowing yellow eyes made Felix flinch a little.
Then, one of the goats did something that defied all logic. It crouched low, muscles tensing as it gathered strength, and then, without warning, it launched itself into the air with an incredible leap, shooting straight at Felix like a missile.
In mid-air, the goat opened its mouth, revealing a set of sharp, dagger-like teeth and long fangs that gleamed menacingly. With no hesitation, it aimed to sink them into Felix's flesh.
"DAFUQ?!" Felix yelped in shock, jerking back instinctively. His hand slammed down on the jet pack controls, sending him veering off course just in time.
The goat's teeth snapped at empty air, and it plummeted back toward the mountain below. Landing with a dull thud. The creature's eyes narrowed, locking onto Felix with a murderous glare. It licked its chops, drool pooling at the corners of its mouth as it anticipated what must have seemed like a rare delicacy—an exotic meal from the sky.
But the nightmare wasn't over. Felix's eyes widened as he saw the other goats following suit. They stood up on two legs, bending their knees in eerie synchronization. A second later, a dozen of them shot into the air, mouths wide open, their collective gaze fixed on Felix like a predator on prey.
"HOLY SHIT!!" Felix shouted, completely thrown by the sheer absurdity of it all. With adrenaline surging, he slammed both hands down on the jet pack's controls, rocketing himself upward. He could feel the pressure in his ears building as he climbed higher and higher, desperately trying to escape the flying goats that were now snapping at his heels.
His heart raced as he glanced down, seeing the creatures falling back toward the mountain, but he knew it wasn't over. They were watching, waiting for another opportunity to leap again.
Despite the throbbing pain pulsating through his ears, Felix gritted his teeth and pressed on, determined to reach his house. Below, the scene grew increasingly absurd and dangerous. The mountain goats, which had started as a small group, now began sprinting down the slopes in a frenzy.
They leaped into the air with disturbing agility, their numbers swelling from a dozen to hundreds in a matter of moments. Soon, the entire herd—5,000 strong—charged down the mountain like an avalanche of wool, fangs, and fury, all with one goal: him.
Felix glanced downward and felt a chill run through his spine. These weren't the innocent, grass-munching goats he'd once imagined. Instead, they had transformed into something feral. Their once gentle eyes were wild, and their mouths were full of razor-sharp fangs. Even worse, they were screaming an eerie, unified chant that echoed across the landscape.
"MEAAAAAAT!!" they bellowed in unison, their collective voice sending shivers down Felix's back.
As Felix never fleed without a fight, he maintained his grip on the jet pack's control stick with his right hand, while his left hand darted into his system inventory. He retrieved an incendiary grenade.
Not caring about the environmental damage or the rich natural resources below, Felix pulled the pin with his teeth and casually dropped the grenade toward the stampeding horde.
However, things didn't go as planned. Before the grenade could hit the ground, one of the goats, sprinting on its hind legs like a human, launched itself into the air. With unsettling precision, it snatched the grenade out of mid-air—right between its jaws.
*BOOM*
The explosion was instantaneous. The two-legged goat was engulfed in flames, instantly reduced to a crispy, roasted husk. Its charred body crashed to the ground, but the insanity didn't stop there.
A dozen goats at the front of the stampede swarmed the roasted corpse, tearing into their fallen comrade with unrestrained glee. They bit and ripped at the flesh, chewing with savage delight, as though the explosion had simply turned their companion into a convenient meal.
Felix's stomach churned as he witnessed the cannibalistic frenzy.
"What the hell are those? Zombie goats?!" he cursed in disbelief. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of nightmarish land he had gotten himself into.
Realizing he had little time before the rest of the horde reached him, Felix pushed his jet pack harder, trying to outfly the horror below him.
Felix didn't pay much attention to the eerie purple sky or the full purple moon looming overhead. He failed to notice that the goats' yellowish eyes hadn't initially focused on him but had been fixed on the celestial body above.
There was an old saying: "Whenever the cursed moon appears alongside the bright moon and two others, disaster will strike the land."
Right now, the sky held exactly that—one cursed purple moon, a bright moon, and two others. Disaster, it seemed, was already unfolding.
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