Chapter 33.1: Cockroaches (End)
“You just said you needed boric acid?”
It was only after the car drove into a narrow alley, and no sign of the giant cockroach was visible behind them for the moment, that Everly spoke up and asked James.
Running away was impossible. At this point, it seemed the biggest boss in this movie was this giant cockroach; the smaller cockroaches seen earlier were just its byproducts. Cockroaches can reproduce asexually, and even the immature ones were terrifying. If left unchecked, Everly suspected that given a little more time, once the giant cockroach reproduced again, the entire U.S. might be in trouble.
Where would they even escape to then? It was better to take action while the cockroach population hadn’t fully developed yet, and while the movie’s protagonists were still around—risking everything for a chance at victory.
“That’s right, we need boric acid. Mr. John, do you know where we can get some?”
“I’m heading to a place where we can get boric acid,” Old John replied. He flicked the steering wheel, heading deliberately toward the western part of the town.
James nodded and began explaining his plan to everyone.
“I’ve read relevant papers. A cockroach’s exoskeleton is a composite of chitin and protein. Its outer layer is a cuticle containing hydrophobic lipids, which reduce water loss and provide surface protection. Let’s assume this new breed of cockroach we’re facing also has these features. In theory, the hydrophobic layer on the exoskeleton is the most vulnerable part. Once it’s compromised, the cockroach will die from dehydration. Some commercial cockroach poisons that use boric acid as the main ingredient exploit this principle. However, because boric acid takes at least 48 hours to kill a cockroach through dehydration, it’s too slow. That’s why initially, I didn’t even think in this direction…”
“Then what?” Diana couldn’t stand her boyfriend’s habit of stopping halfway and leaving things hanging. She slapped his thigh and pressed him for an answer.