158 Enchanted Forest
On the day of departure, everyone was taken to the military airport of the former Beijing Military Region, where several aircraft were still in service, including a large military transport plane that could carry Abu.
Upon arriving at the airport, they found Li Dao'ai waiting there with two men. One of them, in his thirties, they hadn't seen before, while the other was a young man who had sat beside Li Dao'ai at Yao Qianjiang's banquet. He looked somewhat similar to A Qing, and it was evident that they were brothers.
Li Dao'ai walked over with the men. "Let me introduce you. This is Zhao Zixiang, captain of the Liudao Huangquan Second Team. And this is Huo Bai, captain of the Sanfen Team."
Both of them nodded in greeting. The young man called Huo Bai spoke up, "I heard you often visit the beauty salon my brother runs. Thanks for supporting his business." Huo Bai was in his early twenties, with a handsome appearance and a dash of heroism in his brows. He exuded the vigor of youth, a bit proud, but not unpleasant.
Cong Xia smiled, "You're welcome. Without A Qing's unique business, we wouldn't have a place to bathe Abu."
Huo Bai also laughed, revealing a bright smile, "My brother just likes to dabble in things. He used to cut people's hair before the apocalypse, but no one needs haircuts anymore. So, he thought of opening a pet shop. At first, I was against it, but surprisingly, the business turned out to be quite good. It's just a way for him to pass the time." The way he spoke seemed to say, "What can I do? He's my brother." The brotherly affection between them was truly admirable.
Liu Fengyu added, "It shows that A Qing has a good head for business and found the right niche to fill."
Cong Zhenzhong said, "It's almost time. Let's board the plane, and Abu can go in first."
Cong Xia looked at the transport plane and said, "I'm a little worried. Will it be big enough to fit Abu?"
"It will fit, but it'll have to lie down all the way. Don't worry; it's just a 2-hour flight, and we'll be there," Zhuang Yao called out. "Abu, come in."
Abu was already wrapped in a black bulletproof vest. Even though it only covered its main body, it felt quite uncomfortable. Throughout the journey, it used its claws and teeth to protest. Moreover, the weather was getting warmer, and with its thick fur, it was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. Initially, Abu was a bit hesitant about the open mouth of the transport plane's cargo hold, but as soon as the hold opened and a rush of cold air hit its face, without hesitation, it crouched and crawled inside.
The transport plane could handle the weight, but the space was indeed a bit small compared to Abu's body. Abu struggled to squeeze in, and Zhuang Yao directed it to curl up tightly. He repeatedly instructed it not to stand up or move around and to alert them in advance if it needed to move. Abu mewed twice to indicate that it understood.
Once Abu crawled inside, the entire cargo hold seemed to fill up instantly. Its fur even poked out of the cabin, and its large tail wagged outside the aircraft.
Tang Tingzhi directed the others to load weapons and equipment into the cargo hold. The people carrying things were careful as they passed by Abu. One person accidentally rolled over Abu's fur with a cart, causing Abu to turn its head. In the dimly lit cargo hold, two enormous amethyst-like eyes glared at the person with a touch of resentment.
The person was startled, nervously pushing an ammunition box inside. Others followed, pushing more cargo in, constantly pressing down on Abu's pristine white fur. Abu ended up using its tail to block the cargo hold's entrance, looking displeased at the part of its fur that got dirty.
Cong Xia smiled and patted Abu's tail, saying, "Abu, move your tail away quickly, don't be mischievous."
After the cargo was loaded, it was time for them to board the plane.
They all brought their luggage and began boarding one after another. Cong Xia was surprised to see Shan Ming and several Dragonblood people. "Shan-ge, why are you here? I thought you weren't going into the forest?"
"We're not going in. We're here to provide backup for you and Tang Tingzhi outside," Shan Ming's tone was clearly dissatisfied.
Al laughed, "Who asked you not to mutate? If you did, Tang could have turned you into a Dragonblood person, and then you could go anywhere with us."
Shan Ming cursed, "Get lost! What if I die?"
"If you die, then you're just unlucky, hahaha," Al laughed recklessly.
Shan Ming kicked him, then was dragged onto the plane by Shen Changze.
Everyone found their seats in the cargo hold, and Cheng Tianbi's group all sat around Abu, patting its belly and talking to it, trying to distract its attention as much as possible. They knew that if Abu started moving around inside the plane, it would cause a lot of trouble.
After more than two hours, the plane entered the territory of Heilongjiang and began to descend gradually.
When they descended through the clouds, they finally witnessed the magnificent and massive Devil Pine Tree in the distance. It stood tall like a divine needle in the vast forest of the Xiaoxing'an Mountains. Its roots reached for the sky, as if to pierce through the heavens. Its branches and leaves formed a giant canopy, covering an area of hundreds of kilometers, truly a divine entity.
Seeing such a breathtaking giant, everyone was left speechless in awe. As the world's largest transport plane flew by the Devil Pine Tree, they felt as tiny as ants. The concepts of human evolutionary forces and the formidable combination of wind, fire, and thunder seemed insignificant in the presence of the Devil Pine Tree. They didn't even know how they could communicate with it; apart from a nuclear bomb, there shouldn't be anything in this world capable of harming the Devil Pine Tree.
Tang Tingzhi murmured, "To evaluate the mission difficulty level, we need to reevaluate the Devil Pine Tree. We won't truly understand its size until we're on-site."
Shan Ming sighed, "Damn, this is way too big. How are we supposed to deal with it?"
Everyone shared the same feeling. When faced with such overpowering divine power, the emotion they experienced was not just fear but a deep sense of powerlessness.
Zhuang Yao said, "Being big also has its drawbacks. A large target means slower reactions. Besides, our main goal this time isn't to fight it but to gather information. Alright, stop scaring yourselves. Get your equipment ready and prepare to land."
As soon as Abu heard the word "land," it excitedly meowed. After being unable to move for over two hours, it was feeling extremely frustrated.
The plane landed safely at Yichun City's civilian airport. As soon as the cargo hold door opened, Abu couldn't wait to slide out. It was now a little past 7 o'clock in the morning, and the temperature difference between day and night in the north was considerable. Even in the summer, it was still only around 14-15 degrees Celsius, which was the most comfortable temperature for Abu. Upon landing, it excitedly rolled on the spacious airport grounds, stretching and flexing its muscles and bones after being cramped up for the entire journey.
Yichun City's forest area was vast, rich in negative ions, and the air was very fresh. Breathing in the morning air, everyone felt their lungs being cleansed.
The commander of the Yichun Military Region personally led a team to greet them. Instead of leaving the airport, they were settled in a temporary military base set up in the terminal building.
Deng Xiao shrank his neck and said, "It's quite cold; I didn't dress warmly enough."
Zhuang Yao replied, "Did you wear the protective suit? It has insulation, so you won't feel cold at all in this temperature."
Deng Xiao complained, "I didn't wear it. That thing is designed without considering human comfort. The crotch area is too tight and uncomfortable."
"If you have the guts, don't wear it ever again."
"I can't do that. I don't want to be butt-naked when I transform. Besides, I heard there are many bugs in the forest. With the suit on, the bugs can't crawl in. I'll put it on when we enter the forest."
Liu Fengyu glanced at him and said, "Are you indirectly saying that you're well-endowed?"
Deng Xiao chuckled mischievously, "It's true, want to feel it, Liu-ge?"
Liu Fengyu rubbed his hands, "Come on, let me feel it." He lunged at Deng Xiao, who laughed heartily and evaded his grasp.
Entering the airport lounge, it had been transformed into a dormitory and workspace. Their weapons and equipment were stacked in the spacious corridor. Liberation Army soldiers in slightly worn military uniforms were moving around, looking vigilant, exuding a strong military atmosphere.
Looking through the glass at the outside Liberation Army troops, Zhuang Yao remarked, "Commander Zhang, I didn't expect you to mobilize so many troops in just half a month."
Commander Zhang replied, "The central government has provided significant support. During this time, they sent us a lot of supplies and equipment; otherwise, our Liberation Army would have become hunters."
Tang Tingzhi asked, "What's the current situation with the Devil Pine Tree?"
Commander Zhang replied, "It's the same as before. It continues growing daily, and the forest remains calm. However, the forest area is expanding day by day. In another two months, the people living near the forest will have to evacuate. Sigh."
Zhuang Yao said, "The recent growth of the Devil Pine Tree is a bit strange. Previously, it aimed to grow vertically as high as possible, but now it's growing horizontally. The thickest part of its root system is nearly 2 kilometers, but its height is still less than one kilometer, which is peculiar."
Tang Tingzhi added, "You're right. The Devil Pine Tree might be like those insects that can choose the direction of their evolution. Although Deng Xiao, Tang Yanqiu, and the others can also evolve selectively, they currently need external assistance, and the process is slow. They can't evolve in any way they want. However, a tree can make its diameter exceed its height, which must be the result of autonomous evolution."
Zhuang Yao pondered, "What's its purpose? Is it just expansion? Perhaps it wants to grow taller and needs to establish a deeper root system first. So it evolves its trunk and roots. Moreover, the larger the forest area expands, the wider area it can draw nourishment from."
Tang Tingzhi said, "That's the most likely scenario. In the early stages of rooting in the northeast, the Devil Pine Tree depended on absorbing the bodies of decayed animals and plants to grow, just like it did in Yunnan. However, it soon stopped relying on those things. The first possibility is that it acquired the Puppet Jade, and the second is that its root system has grown so deep that there's an abundance of nutrients underground, enough to sustain all its growth requirements. In recent months, apart from speaking when harassed by reconnaissance planes, it acts like an ordinary tree, as it has never encountered any attacks that could affect it. All its energy is probably focused on evolution, leading to its current size. Now, it may feel that growing too tall isn't conducive to stability, so it's reinforcing its root system. Dealing with a super life form possessing human intelligence isn't easy."
Commander Zhang asked, "When do you plan to depart?"
Zhuang Yao replied, "Tomorrow morning. Have you all prepared the reception location?"
"Everything is ready. Let's go through the map later."
At that moment, a spirited young boy approached. Commander Zhang introduced him, "This youngster is San'er, just 16 years old. He's one of the deer variants, commonly known as red deer. He's a child of local hunters and grew up in the forest. He's very familiar with everything in the Xiaoxing'an Mountains Forest. Now that he's mutated, going in and out of the forest is easy for him. He has even had close contact with the Devil Pine Tree. Don't be fooled by his age; he's the best local guide and will definitely lead you to the Devil Pine Tree."
San'er grinned and said cheerfully, "I often play in that area of the forest where the Devil Pine Tree is. There's nothing to be afraid of, and there's plenty of delicious stuff there. Count on me to show you around."
Deng Xiao's eyes lit up when he heard the mention of food, "What delicious things are there?"
"There are many. Do you prefer what flies in the sky or what crawls on trees? Let me tell you, this season, you must eat..."
The two of them happily engaged in a conversation about wild game, while the others studied the map of the pine tree forest with Commander Zhang.
After dinner, they retired early. Knowing that they would be entering the deep and unpredictable primitive forest of the Xiaoxing'an Mountains the next day, everyone had trouble falling asleep. Although the Devil Pine Tree wouldn't pay any attention to a team as insignificant as theirs entering the forest, the prospect of safely getting out after a direct encounter with the tree was uncertain. The journey ahead seemed more dangerous than fortunate.
With anxiety in their hearts, they entered into slumber.
The next morning, after breakfast, Commander Zhang had them all loaded into a large truck heading towards the forest area. Along the way, they watched in awe as the Devil Pine Tree grew larger and larger in their eyes until their entire field of vision was filled with the tree and the vast forest beneath it. The flora in this forest was deeply influenced by the Puppet Jade, causing each tree to be abnormally huge. Standing at the edge of the forest, they could hardly see the sky when they looked up. The forest was enveloped in thick fog, with visibility not exceeding 10 meters.
Cong Xia tapped on a tree, saying, "This is a true primeval forest. These trees must average over a hundred meters in height."
San'er hastily called out, "Cong-ge, please don't hit the trees randomly!"
As soon as the words fell, a shadow dropped from the tree. Cong Xia quickly leaped backward, while Deng Xiao acted swiftly, grabbing the black shadow in his hand.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a caterpillar the size of a goose egg, gray and almost identical to the tree bark.
"Motherf*cker!" The soft and squishy sensation in Deng Xiao's hand was disgusting. He quickly threw the caterpillar away, and in a flash, Abu lowered his head and swallowed the bug whole.
Zhuang Yao widened his eyes, "Abu, who told you to eat that!"
Abu hesitated for a moment, with the caterpillar still in his mouth, not sure whether to swallow it or not, looking at Zhuang Yao with hopeful eyes.
San'er said, "Let it eat, it's not poisonous."
Only then did Abu swallow the caterpillar and licked its mouth contentedly.
Commander Zhang remarked strangely, "This cat understands human speech?"
"It understands."
"Unbelievable, good cat!" Commander Zhang admonished, "When you're in the forest, make sure to listen to San'er. Don't touch anything or eat anything randomly. Just follow his lead."
Li Fengyu patted Deng Xiao, "Did you hear that? No eating random things."
Deng Xiao retorted, "I won't eat anything randomly."
Tang Tingzhi said, "Alright, you can set off now. We'll be waiting not far from here."
Everyone strapped on their equipment and climbed onto Abu's back. The larger items were carried by Abu, with the heaviest being Deng Xiao's ammunition box. However, a few hundred kilograms of weight was nothing for Abu.
At this point, San'er transformed into a three-meter-tall deer with antlers measuring seventy to eighty centimeters in length. He looked like a strong and majestic deer. His appearance was drastically different from his youthful human form.
Deng Xiao exclaimed, "Wow, you look really handsome! How about I ride on your back?"
San'er laughed and replied, "Sure, you're not heavy."
Deng Xiao jumped from Abu's back to San'er's and touched his sturdy antlers. "Wow, this feels way better than Abu's fur."
Abu glanced at Deng Xiao and suddenly swiped his tail across Deng Xiao's face, catching him completely off guard. Deng Xiao ended up with a mouthful of fur, making his face turn red from the irritation.
At this moment, Huo Bai also transformed into a five-meter-tall mountain lion that appeared before everyone. His mane was full and fluffy, his paws were incredibly large, and his gaze was sharp and commanding. This majestic lion was so awe-inspiring that no one could look away.
Abu, driven by strong animal instincts, took two steps back and let out a small meow, nervously staring at Huo Bai with its fur bristling.
Zhuang Yao comforted Abu with a gentle pat, "Abu, it's not an enemy."
Li Fengyu exclaimed, "Damn, that's so impressive." When he saw others' evolutions and compared them to his own, he couldn't help but feel a little melancholic.
Animal evolvers were initially considered the most powerful type of evolution in the apocalypse, especially those who evolved into large carnivorous animals, as they already possessed natural predatory abilities. After evolving, their physical abilities would increase exponentially. Cong Xia finally understood why Huo Bai, so young, could become the captain of the Liudao Huangquan. No wonder Xiao Wang said that no one dared to bully A Qing. With such a giant lion standing before them, it exuded an intimidating aura.
Zhuang Yao said, "Now that we have a lion, we can avoid a lot of disturbances from other animals when we enter the forest."
With a lion around, many animals would be deterred.
Li Dao'ai and Zhao Zixiang jumped onto Huo Bai's back, and Li Dao'ai rubbed Huo Bai's head, "Find some time to go to A Qing and groom your fur."
Huo Bai shook his mane, "No, my brother always teases me. It's annoying."
Li Dao'ai smiled faintly.
Zhuang Yao called out loudly, "Let's go!"
With a lion, a cat, and a deer, plus ten people, they marched vigorously into the deep and dense interior of the Xiaoxing'an Mountains, heading towards the towering giant pine tree in the distance.
They were about 80 kilometers away from the great pine tree, and the tree's control was relatively weak at this distance. The first few hours of their journey went relatively smoothly, but they proceeded cautiously at a slow pace.
After walking for more than three hours, the sun began to rise, but it couldn't penetrate the dense forest, leaving them feeling damp and cold.
Occasionally, half-body-sized squirrels climbed up and down the trees, holding pine nuts the size of quail eggs. They looked curiously but remained vigilant towards the group. There were numerous mutated animals around them, and if it weren't for the three large creatures with them, they would have been attacked by those watchful predators long ago.
Huo Bai raised his head. "Have you noticed that the fog is getting thicker?"
Cong Xia said, "Yes, it seems like the sun should have dispersed the fog by now."
San'er chuckled, "In this forest, nothing can be judged by common sense. No matter how big the sun is, the sunlight can't penetrate here. There are rivers in the forest, and fog can be seen floating around all year round. Sometimes, the fog is so thick at noon that you can't see the road clearly. It's not surprising at all."
"Do you think there might be dangerous things in the fog? Should we rest for a while?"
San'er pondered, "It's hard to say. Let's rest for a bit. To be honest, the closer we get to the Devil Pine, the more dangers there are. The fog doesn't have much to do with it. We're now about 40 kilometers away from the Devil Pine, and we have entered a very dangerous area. We need to be extra careful with every step from now on."
As they walked deeper into the forest, they noticed that the forest became darker, sunlight became scarcer, and the size of both plants and animals grew significantly larger. The chirping of crickets in the grass sounded like thunder, and birds flying low had a wingspan of over three meters. They felt as if they had entered a land of giants, where everything was magnified several times.
They found a dry spot on the ground and sat down to eat and rest.
San'er transformed back into human form, put on his clothes, and took some dry rations from Abu to distribute to everyone.
Zhuang Yao said, "While we're resting, tell us about the scene you saw when you encountered the Devil Pine."
San'er smiled amiably, "It wasn't as thrilling as you might think. The Devil Pine simply doesn't care about me, just like we don't care about ants at our feet."
"Please tell us."
San'er cleared his throat, "It was about three months ago. My father brought back a deer from the forest, and after I ate it, I evolved into a deer evolver. The people in the village were delighted because it made hunting with me more convenient. I also felt that this ability was pretty awesome. So one night, I transformed into a deer and ran deep into the forest, wanting to see the legendary Devil Pine up close. As a deer, my speed was fast, and I had human intelligence, so even when encountering a tiger, I managed to avoid it. I ended up standing in front of the Devil Pine.
To be honest, at that moment, I had no idea where I was. I thought I was lost or running into some kind of illusion because there was a huge wall in front of me, and I couldn't see its edges from any direction. It was like a wall that had fallen from the sky, blocking all the paths in front of me. The first time anyone saw it, they would have thought they were seeing a ghost. But after I calmed down, I realized that I couldn't see the Devil Pine anymore, which meant that I was actually right in front of it. The area within a hundred meters of the Devil Pine had only wild grass that grew as tall as a fingernail. There were no large plants or trees; the Devil Pine had absorbed all the nutrients. It looked quite mystical."
"And then?"
"Then I ran around the roots of the pine, wanting to see how thick they were, but after running for a while, I still couldn't see anything but roots. At that moment, I had a strange feeling."
"What kind of strange feeling?"
"I felt like there were eyes watching me." San'er said mysteriously and seriously.
158 Enchanted Forest
On the day of departure, everyone was taken to the military airport of the former Beijing Military Region, where several aircraft were still in service, including a large military transport plane that could carry Abu.
Upon arriving at the airport, they found Li Dao'ai waiting there with two men. One of them, in his thirties, they hadn't seen before, while the other was a young man who had sat beside Li Dao'ai at Yao Qianjiang's banquet. He looked somewhat similar to A Qing, and it was evident that they were brothers.
Li Dao'ai walked over with the men. "Let me introduce you. This is Zhao Zixiang, captain of the Liudao Huangquan Second Team. And this is Huo Bai, captain of the Sanfen Team."
Both of them nodded in greeting. The young man called Huo Bai spoke up, "I heard you often visit the beauty salon my brother runs. Thanks for supporting his business." Huo Bai was in his early twenties, with a handsome appearance and a dash of heroism in his brows. He exuded the vigor of youth, a bit proud, but not unpleasant.
Cong Xia smiled, "You're welcome. Without A Qing's unique business, we wouldn't have a place to bathe Abu."
Huo Bai also laughed, revealing a bright smile, "My brother just likes to dabble in things. He used to cut people's hair before the apocalypse, but no one needs haircuts anymore. So, he thought of opening a pet shop. At first, I was against it, but surprisingly, the business turned out to be quite good. It's just a way for him to pass the time." The way he spoke seemed to say, "What can I do? He's my brother." The brotherly affection between them was truly admirable.
Liu Fengyu added, "It shows that A Qing has a good head for business and found the right niche to fill."
Cong Zhenzhong said, "It's almost time. Let's board the plane, and Abu can go in first."
Cong Xia looked at the transport plane and said, "I'm a little worried. Will it be big enough to fit Abu?"
"It will fit, but it'll have to lie down all the way. Don't worry; it's just a 2-hour flight, and we'll be there," Zhuang Yao called out. "Abu, come in."
Abu was already wrapped in a black bulletproof vest. Even though it only covered its main body, it felt quite uncomfortable. Throughout the journey, it used its claws and teeth to protest. Moreover, the weather was getting warmer, and with its thick fur, it was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. Initially, Abu was a bit hesitant about the open mouth of the transport plane's cargo hold, but as soon as the hold opened and a rush of cold air hit its face, without hesitation, it crouched and crawled inside.
The transport plane could handle the weight, but the space was indeed a bit small compared to Abu's body. Abu struggled to squeeze in, and Zhuang Yao directed it to curl up tightly. He repeatedly instructed it not to stand up or move around and to alert them in advance if it needed to move. Abu mewed twice to indicate that it understood.
Once Abu crawled inside, the entire cargo hold seemed to fill up instantly. Its fur even poked out of the cabin, and its large tail wagged outside the aircraft.
Tang Tingzhi directed the others to load weapons and equipment into the cargo hold. The people carrying things were careful as they passed by Abu. One person accidentally rolled over Abu's fur with a cart, causing Abu to turn its head. In the dimly lit cargo hold, two enormous amethyst-like eyes glared at the person with a touch of resentment.
The person was startled, nervously pushing an ammunition box inside. Others followed, pushing more cargo in, constantly pressing down on Abu's pristine white fur. Abu ended up using its tail to block the cargo hold's entrance, looking displeased at the part of its fur that got dirty.
Cong Xia smiled and patted Abu's tail, saying, "Abu, move your tail away quickly, don't be mischievous."
After the cargo was loaded, it was time for them to board the plane.
They all brought their luggage and began boarding one after another. Cong Xia was surprised to see Shan Ming and several Dragonblood people. "Shan-ge, why are you here? I thought you weren't going into the forest?"
"We're not going in. We're here to provide backup for you and Tang Tingzhi outside," Shan Ming's tone was clearly dissatisfied.
Al laughed, "Who asked you not to mutate? If you did, Tang could have turned you into a Dragonblood person, and then you could go anywhere with us."
Shan Ming cursed, "Get lost! What if I die?"
"If you die, then you're just unlucky, hahaha," Al laughed recklessly.
Shan Ming kicked him, then was dragged onto the plane by Shen Changze.
Everyone found their seats in the cargo hold, and Cheng Tianbi's group all sat around Abu, patting its belly and talking to it, trying to distract its attention as much as possible. They knew that if Abu started moving around inside the plane, it would cause a lot of trouble.
After more than two hours, the plane entered the territory of Heilongjiang and began to descend gradually.
When they descended through the clouds, they finally witnessed the magnificent and massive Devil Pine Tree in the distance. It stood tall like a divine needle in the vast forest of the Xiaoxing'an Mountains. Its roots reached for the sky, as if to pierce through the heavens. Its branches and leaves formed a giant canopy, covering an area of hundreds of kilometers, truly a divine entity.
Seeing such a breathtaking giant, everyone was left speechless in awe. As the world's largest transport plane flew by the Devil Pine Tree, they felt as tiny as ants. The concepts of human evolutionary forces and the formidable combination of wind, fire, and thunder seemed insignificant in the presence of the Devil Pine Tree. They didn't even know how they could communicate with it; apart from a nuclear bomb, there shouldn't be anything in this world capable of harming the Devil Pine Tree.
Tang Tingzhi murmured, "To evaluate the mission difficulty level, we need to reevaluate the Devil Pine Tree. We won't truly understand its size until we're on-site."
Shan Ming sighed, "Damn, this is way too big. How are we supposed to deal with it?"
Everyone shared the same feeling. When faced with such overpowering divine power, the emotion they experienced was not just fear but a deep sense of powerlessness.
Zhuang Yao said, "Being big also has its drawbacks. A large target means slower reactions. Besides, our main goal this time isn't to fight it but to gather information. Alright, stop scaring yourselves. Get your equipment ready and prepare to land."
As soon as Abu heard the word "land," it excitedly meowed. After being unable to move for over two hours, it was feeling extremely frustrated.
The plane landed safely at Yichun City's civilian airport. As soon as the cargo hold door opened, Abu couldn't wait to slide out. It was now a little past 7 o'clock in the morning, and the temperature difference between day and night in the north was considerable. Even in the summer, it was still only around 14-15 degrees Celsius, which was the most comfortable temperature for Abu. Upon landing, it excitedly rolled on the spacious airport grounds, stretching and flexing its muscles and bones after being cramped up for the entire journey.
Yichun City's forest area was vast, rich in negative ions, and the air was very fresh. Breathing in the morning air, everyone felt their lungs being cleansed.
The commander of the Yichun Military Region personally led a team to greet them. Instead of leaving the airport, they were settled in a temporary military base set up in the terminal building.
Deng Xiao shrank his neck and said, "It's quite cold; I didn't dress warmly enough."
Zhuang Yao replied, "Did you wear the protective suit? It has insulation, so you won't feel cold at all in this temperature."
Deng Xiao complained, "I didn't wear it. That thing is designed without considering human comfort. The crotch area is too tight and uncomfortable."
"If you have the guts, don't wear it ever again."
"I can't do that. I don't want to be butt-naked when I transform. Besides, I heard there are many bugs in the forest. With the suit on, the bugs can't crawl in. I'll put it on when we enter the forest."
Liu Fengyu glanced at him and said, "Are you indirectly saying that you're well-endowed?"
Deng Xiao chuckled mischievously, "It's true, want to feel it, Liu-ge?"
Liu Fengyu rubbed his hands, "Come on, let me feel it." He lunged at Deng Xiao, who laughed heartily and evaded his grasp.
Entering the airport lounge, it had been transformed into a dormitory and workspace. Their weapons and equipment were stacked in the spacious corridor. Liberation Army soldiers in slightly worn military uniforms were moving around, looking vigilant, exuding a strong military atmosphere.
Looking through the glass at the outside Liberation Army troops, Zhuang Yao remarked, "Commander Zhang, I didn't expect you to mobilize so many troops in just half a month."
Commander Zhang replied, "The central government has provided significant support. During this time, they sent us a lot of supplies and equipment; otherwise, our Liberation Army would have become hunters."
Tang Tingzhi asked, "What's the current situation with the Devil Pine Tree?"
Commander Zhang replied, "It's the same as before. It continues growing daily, and the forest remains calm. However, the forest area is expanding day by day. In another two months, the people living near the forest will have to evacuate. Sigh."
Zhuang Yao said, "The recent growth of the Devil Pine Tree is a bit strange. Previously, it aimed to grow vertically as high as possible, but now it's growing horizontally. The thickest part of its root system is nearly 2 kilometers, but its height is still less than one kilometer, which is peculiar."
Tang Tingzhi added, "You're right. The Devil Pine Tree might be like those insects that can choose the direction of their evolution. Although Deng Xiao, Tang Yanqiu, and the others can also evolve selectively, they currently need external assistance, and the process is slow. They can't evolve in any way they want. However, a tree can make its diameter exceed its height, which must be the result of autonomous evolution."
Zhuang Yao pondered, "What's its purpose? Is it just expansion? Perhaps it wants to grow taller and needs to establish a deeper root system first. So it evolves its trunk and roots. Moreover, the larger the forest area expands, the wider area it can draw nourishment from."
Tang Tingzhi said, "That's the most likely scenario. In the early stages of rooting in the northeast, the Devil Pine Tree depended on absorbing the bodies of decayed animals and plants to grow, just like it did in Yunnan. However, it soon stopped relying on those things. The first possibility is that it acquired the Puppet Jade, and the second is that its root system has grown so deep that there's an abundance of nutrients underground, enough to sustain all its growth requirements. In recent months, apart from speaking when harassed by reconnaissance planes, it acts like an ordinary tree, as it has never encountered any attacks that could affect it. All its energy is probably focused on evolution, leading to its current size. Now, it may feel that growing too tall isn't conducive to stability, so it's reinforcing its root system. Dealing with a super life form possessing human intelligence isn't easy."
Commander Zhang asked, "When do you plan to depart?"
Zhuang Yao replied, "Tomorrow morning. Have you all prepared the reception location?"
"Everything is ready. Let's go through the map later."
At that moment, a spirited young boy approached. Commander Zhang introduced him, "This youngster is San'er, just 16 years old. He's one of the deer variants, commonly known as red deer. He's a child of local hunters and grew up in the forest. He's very familiar with everything in the Xiaoxing'an Mountains Forest. Now that he's mutated, going in and out of the forest is easy for him. He has even had close contact with the Devil Pine Tree. Don't be fooled by his age; he's the best local guide and will definitely lead you to the Devil Pine Tree."
San'er grinned and said cheerfully, "I often play in that area of the forest where the Devil Pine Tree is. There's nothing to be afraid of, and there's plenty of delicious stuff there. Count on me to show you around."
Deng Xiao's eyes lit up when he heard the mention of food, "What delicious things are there?"
"There are many. Do you prefer what flies in the sky or what crawls on trees? Let me tell you, this season, you must eat..."
The two of them happily engaged in a conversation about wild game, while the others studied the map of the pine tree forest with Commander Zhang.
After dinner, they retired early. Knowing that they would be entering the deep and unpredictable primitive forest of the Xiaoxing'an Mountains the next day, everyone had trouble falling asleep. Although the Devil Pine Tree wouldn't pay any attention to a team as insignificant as theirs entering the forest, the prospect of safely getting out after a direct encounter with the tree was uncertain. The journey ahead seemed more dangerous than fortunate.
With anxiety in their hearts, they entered into slumber.
The next morning, after breakfast, Commander Zhang had them all loaded into a large truck heading towards the forest area. Along the way, they watched in awe as the Devil Pine Tree grew larger and larger in their eyes until their entire field of vision was filled with the tree and the vast forest beneath it. The flora in this forest was deeply influenced by the Puppet Jade, causing each tree to be abnormally huge. Standing at the edge of the forest, they could hardly see the sky when they looked up. The forest was enveloped in thick fog, with visibility not exceeding 10 meters.
Cong Xia tapped on a tree, saying, "This is a true primeval forest. These trees must average over a hundred meters in height."
San'er hastily called out, "Cong-ge, please don't hit the trees randomly!"
As soon as the words fell, a shadow dropped from the tree. Cong Xia quickly leaped backward, while Deng Xiao acted swiftly, grabbing the black shadow in his hand.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a caterpillar the size of a goose egg, gray and almost identical to the tree bark.
"Motherf*cker!" The soft and squishy sensation in Deng Xiao's hand was disgusting. He quickly threw the caterpillar away, and in a flash, Abu lowered his head and swallowed the bug whole.
Zhuang Yao widened his eyes, "Abu, who told you to eat that!"
Abu hesitated for a moment, with the caterpillar still in his mouth, not sure whether to swallow it or not, looking at Zhuang Yao with hopeful eyes.
San'er said, "Let it eat, it's not poisonous."
Only then did Abu swallow the caterpillar and licked its mouth contentedly.
Commander Zhang remarked strangely, "This cat understands human speech?"
"It understands."
"Unbelievable, good cat!" Commander Zhang admonished, "When you're in the forest, make sure to listen to San'er. Don't touch anything or eat anything randomly. Just follow his lead."
Li Fengyu patted Deng Xiao, "Did you hear that? No eating random things."
Deng Xiao retorted, "I won't eat anything randomly."
Tang Tingzhi said, "Alright, you can set off now. We'll be waiting not far from here."
Everyone strapped on their equipment and climbed onto Abu's back. The larger items were carried by Abu, with the heaviest being Deng Xiao's ammunition box. However, a few hundred kilograms of weight was nothing for Abu.
At this point, San'er transformed into a three-meter-tall deer with antlers measuring seventy to eighty centimeters in length. He looked like a strong and majestic deer. His appearance was drastically different from his youthful human form.
Deng Xiao exclaimed, "Wow, you look really handsome! How about I ride on your back?"
San'er laughed and replied, "Sure, you're not heavy."
Deng Xiao jumped from Abu's back to San'er's and touched his sturdy antlers. "Wow, this feels way better than Abu's fur."
Abu glanced at Deng Xiao and suddenly swiped his tail across Deng Xiao's face, catching him completely off guard. Deng Xiao ended up with a mouthful of fur, making his face turn red from the irritation.
At this moment, Huo Bai also transformed into a five-meter-tall mountain lion that appeared before everyone. His mane was full and fluffy, his paws were incredibly large, and his gaze was sharp and commanding. This majestic lion was so awe-inspiring that no one could look away.
Abu, driven by strong animal instincts, took two steps back and let out a small meow, nervously staring at Huo Bai with its fur bristling.
Zhuang Yao comforted Abu with a gentle pat, "Abu, it's not an enemy."
Li Fengyu exclaimed, "Damn, that's so impressive." When he saw others' evolutions and compared them to his own, he couldn't help but feel a little melancholic.
Animal evolvers were initially considered the most powerful type of evolution in the apocalypse, especially those who evolved into large carnivorous animals, as they already possessed natural predatory abilities. After evolving, their physical abilities would increase exponentially. Cong Xia finally understood why Huo Bai, so young, could become the captain of the Liudao Huangquan. No wonder Xiao Wang said that no one dared to bully A Qing. With such a giant lion standing before them, it exuded an intimidating aura.
Zhuang Yao said, "Now that we have a lion, we can avoid a lot of disturbances from other animals when we enter the forest."
With a lion around, many animals would be deterred.
Li Dao'ai and Zhao Zixiang jumped onto Huo Bai's back, and Li Dao'ai rubbed Huo Bai's head, "Find some time to go to A Qing and groom your fur."
Huo Bai shook his mane, "No, my brother always teases me. It's annoying."
Li Dao'ai smiled faintly.
Zhuang Yao called out loudly, "Let's go!"
With a lion, a cat, and a deer, plus ten people, they marched vigorously into the deep and dense interior of the Xiaoxing'an Mountains, heading towards the towering giant pine tree in the distance.
They were about 80 kilometers away from the great pine tree, and the tree's control was relatively weak at this distance. The first few hours of their journey went relatively smoothly, but they proceeded cautiously at a slow pace.
After walking for more than three hours, the sun began to rise, but it couldn't penetrate the dense forest, leaving them feeling damp and cold.
Occasionally, half-body-sized squirrels climbed up and down the trees, holding pine nuts the size of quail eggs. They looked curiously but remained vigilant towards the group. There were numerous mutated animals around them, and if it weren't for the three large creatures with them, they would have been attacked by those watchful predators long ago.
Huo Bai raised his head. "Have you noticed that the fog is getting thicker?"
Cong Xia said, "Yes, it seems like the sun should have dispersed the fog by now."
San'er chuckled, "In this forest, nothing can be judged by common sense. No matter how big the sun is, the sunlight can't penetrate here. There are rivers in the forest, and fog can be seen floating around all year round. Sometimes, the fog is so thick at noon that you can't see the road clearly. It's not surprising at all."
"Do you think there might be dangerous things in the fog? Should we rest for a while?"
San'er pondered, "It's hard to say. Let's rest for a bit. To be honest, the closer we get to the Devil Pine, the more dangers there are. The fog doesn't have much to do with it. We're now about 40 kilometers away from the Devil Pine, and we have entered a very dangerous area. We need to be extra careful with every step from now on."
As they walked deeper into the forest, they noticed that the forest became darker, sunlight became scarcer, and the size of both plants and animals grew significantly larger. The chirping of crickets in the grass sounded like thunder, and birds flying low had a wingspan of over three meters. They felt as if they had entered a land of giants, where everything was magnified several times.
They found a dry spot on the ground and sat down to eat and rest.
San'er transformed back into human form, put on his clothes, and took some dry rations from Abu to distribute to everyone.
Zhuang Yao said, "While we're resting, tell us about the scene you saw when you encountered the Devil Pine."
San'er smiled amiably, "It wasn't as thrilling as you might think. The Devil Pine simply doesn't care about me, just like we don't care about ants at our feet."
"Please tell us."
San'er cleared his throat, "It was about three months ago. My father brought back a deer from the forest, and after I ate it, I evolved into a deer evolver. The people in the village were delighted because it made hunting with me more convenient. I also felt that this ability was pretty awesome. So one night, I transformed into a deer and ran deep into the forest, wanting to see the legendary Devil Pine up close. As a deer, my speed was fast, and I had human intelligence, so even when encountering a tiger, I managed to avoid it. I ended up standing in front of the Devil Pine.
To be honest, at that moment, I had no idea where I was. I thought I was lost or running into some kind of illusion because there was a huge wall in front of me, and I couldn't see its edges from any direction. It was like a wall that had fallen from the sky, blocking all the paths in front of me. The first time anyone saw it, they would have thought they were seeing a ghost. But after I calmed down, I realized that I couldn't see the Devil Pine anymore, which meant that I was actually right in front of it. The area within a hundred meters of the Devil Pine had only wild grass that grew as tall as a fingernail. There were no large plants or trees; the Devil Pine had absorbed all the nutrients. It looked quite mystical."
"And then?"
"Then I ran around the roots of the pine, wanting to see how thick they were, but after running for a while, I still couldn't see anything but roots. At that moment, I had a strange feeling."
"What kind of strange feeling?"
"I felt like there were eyes watching me." San'er said mysteriously and seriously.
