19 Global Evolution
The young soldier stood briefly, stunned, before quickly regaining his composure. "Do you have any identification? Let me see," he asked.
Cheng Tianbi produced his soldier's identification and handed it to the young soldier. However, the ID only displayed his status as an ordinary soldier in an infantry company, while his true position was classified information, belonging to the realm of national secrets.
The young soldier glanced at Cheng Tianbi, his eyes lingering for a moment. He couldn't help but feel that this person, with his aura, was no ordinary soldier. However, he refrained from further inquiries and returned the identification, saying, "Currently, General Zhao, the Chief of Staff of the xx Military Region, is commanding the Kunming city area. Why do you need to see him?"
"I am here in Yunnan to carry out a special mission. I have the official authorization documents from the x Military Region, and I have had contact with Deputy Commander Shen Wanjia. I need to meet with General Zhao, the Chief of Staff," Cheng Tianbi explained.
"Documents..."
"I cannot show you the documents," Cheng Tianbi replied, his expression devoid of emotion.
The young soldier hesitated for a moment and then said, "Wait here for a moment. I will report your name."
Once the young soldier had left, Cong Xia sighed, "Thank goodness our military is not in disarray."
Cheng Tianbi remarked, "The military is the most organized, disciplined, and resilient armed force of humanity. It must not be compromised."
Cong Xia stared at Cheng Tianbi's soldier's identification and asked, "May I take a look?"
Cheng Tianbi tossed the identification towards him.
Cong Xia examined it briefly and exclaimed, "This can't be real."
Cheng Tianbi gave him a piercing glance and inquired, "How do you know?"
"Judging by the weapons you are carrying, there is no way you are just an ordinary infantry soldier. If you were, you wouldn't even have the opportunity to lay a finger on these things. For instance, your Type 95 rifle, and I even noticed you have two powerful flash grenades. Although my knowledge of weapons is limited, I can still discern quality."
Cheng Tianbi remained silent, neither confirming nor denying.
Cong Xia continued, "However, if you say you are here in Yunnan for a special mission, I believe you. It must be a highly classified mission related to global evolution, isn't it?"
Cheng Tianbi stared at him coldly and commanded, "Just keep your mouth shut."
Cong Xia sighed and a sense of disappointment flickered in his eyes. "Tianbi, we have been through life and death together. I thought there should be some trust between us, but you have been keeping a lot of things from me."
Cheng Tianbi responded, "If you want to know, go and ask Professor Cong yourself."
Cong Xia thought about his uncle and the entire situation. Suddenly, a chilling thought occurred to him, and he clenched his teeth. "At least answer one question for me."
"Go ahead."
"I always believed that the helicopter you mentioned was arranged by my uncle to pick me up. Now, I realize I was mistaken. The helicopter was actually waiting for you, and I was just a coincidence. You were only entrusted by my uncle, right?"
Cheng Tianbi looked at him intently, his lips lightly touching as he uttered a single word, "Yes."
Cong Xia immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
Indeed, he had been mistaken all along. Cheng Tianbi was the important figure needed in Beijing, and he had merely tagged along. This realization made him even more curious about Cheng Tianbi's mission and the secrets he carried.
For some reason, Cheng Tianbi keeping this from him weighed heavily on Cong Xia's heart. He had considered Cheng Tianbi a friend, yet Cheng Tianbi always maintained his distance. Cong Xia had even thought that his presence was part of Cheng Tianbi's duty as a soldier. In the end, he discovered that he was just an incidental item brought back at someone's request.
He realized that he was dispensable to Cheng Tianbi.
Cheng Tianbi could abandon him at any moment, and the mere thought of it filled Cong Xia with panic and sadness.
Observing Cong Xia's pale face, Cheng Tianbi almost instantly guessed what he was thinking. He spoke softly, "I will take you back to Beijing."
Surprised, Cong Xia looked up. It was the first time he had heard reassurance from Cheng Tianbi since they met. Regardless of whether Cheng Tianbi's words could be fulfilled, the fact that Cheng Tianbi said them touched Cong Xia deeply. After all, he was nothing more than a burden now, and Cheng Tianbi had not given up on him. That was enough for Cong Xia, and he said excitedly, "Thank you."
Cheng Tianbi was about to say something when suddenly, a loud explosion rang out from a distance, followed by violent shaking of the earth.
"An earthquake! It's an earthquake!"
"Oh my god, another earthquake!"
Cheng Tianbi pulled Cong Xia abruptly, rushing into the nearby fountain. As Cong Xia turned around, he saw that the spot where they had been standing was now crowded with panicked people. The square had erupted into chaos, with everyone agitated and clueless about where to go. People were being knocked down and struggling to get back up. Amidst the confusion, being inside the fountain provided some safety. At least there was no risk of being pushed or trampled upon.
The ground vibrations quickly ceased, and the people on the square froze in place. Nobody knew what had happened, but the lifeless bodies trampled to death served as a stark reminder that the recent events were not a figment of their imagination.
"Don't snatch! Stop snatching!" an angry shout echoed from the center of the square.
"Somebody's stealing food! Don't push! Damn it!" It seemed that after the previous turmoil, the fear, anger, grief, and despair bottled up within everyone were unleashed with the intense tremors. The square descended into chaos once again, with people grabbing each other's food, screaming, and launching attacks. The trucks distributing food were besieged by frenzied citizens, and waves of people attempted to climb aboard and seize the provisions.
Some individuals used loudspeakers to urge the crowd to remain calm, while others stood on the trucks' fronts and fired shots into the air. Despite these efforts, the situation remained out of control, and the restless emotions spread rapidly among the tens of thousands gathered in the square, akin to an epidemic.
Cheng Tianbi forcefully pulled Cong Xia into a crouching position inside the fountain, pressing them tightly against the central pillar. He whispered, "Don't move, don't stand up."
Cold sweat trickled down Cong Xia's forehead, but having experienced several life-threatening situations before, he had grown considerably calmer. He nodded emphatically and clung to Cheng Tianbi, seeking solace in his distinct masculine scent, attempting to find comfort.
The agitated crowd ran back and forth around them, but the fountain unexpectedly became a natural barrier. They were spared the pain of being squeezed like canned goods.
They could no longer see what was happening in the square's center, but the cries emanating from that direction indicated that tear gas had been deployed by the military.
Assessing the situation, Cheng Tianbi swiftly opened his bag, tore open his padded jacket, and retrieved the cotton lining, stuffing it into Cong Xia's hands.
"What's this for?" Cong Xia asked.
"Put it in your ears. With this many people, tear gas won't be contained. Hurry, stuff it in, the more, the better," Cheng Tianbi instructed, stuffing cotton into his own ears as well.
Cong Xia followed suit, hurriedly inserting the cotton into his ears.
As he struggled to accommodate more cotton, a sudden, shrill screech pierced through the square's center. Immediately afterward, a blinding burst of light erupted, illuminating the dusk-filled square as if it were daytime. Fortunately, the crowd shielded their eyes, preventing discomfort, but the screech penetrated their bodies, causing Cong Xia to cover his ears desperately. He felt dizzy from the shock, almost on the verge of vomiting.
He knew what it was—a concussion grenade. Those in close proximity would be instantly incapacitated, and even those several tens of meters away had collapsed to the ground.
The two of them, due to their prior preparations, could be considered the luckiest, although they both felt a bit nauseous.
The concussion grenades had achieved the desired effect, but the cost was devastating. Concussion grenades were intended for long-range use, as even the soldiers themselves could be harmed if they were too close. Yet, in order to prevent the situation from worsening, the military had shockingly deployed the concussion grenades at such a close range. It was likely that the nearby soldiers had also suffered significant injuries.
Nevertheless, the situation was now under control, and there was no longer anyone with the strength to rise and snatch food from others.
A group of soldiers hurriedly arrived from distant military vehicles, driving the civilians on the square and reorganizing them into a single queue.
Those who still had the energy obediently continued to stand in line, while those who couldn't stand any longer went unnoticed in this apocalyptic world where self-preservation was paramount.
Having narrowly escaped a disaster, both Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia let out a sigh of relief.
Following the chaos, they no longer expected the young soldier to come back and find them. Deciding to shoulder their bags, they made their way toward the military vehicles on the outskirts of the square.
They struggled to push through the persistently congested crowd until they finally reached the outer edge of the square. However, there were guards stationed there, preventing anyone from getting too close to the military vehicles.
As Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia contemplated how to approach, they noticed the soldier from earlier approaching with two others.
The group approached, and the soldier saluted Cheng Tianbi, saying, "Comrade, this is Captain Wang from our Machine Gun Battalion, and Instructor Du Fei. Captain, this is the person I mentioned, from the Beijing X Military District."
"Hello, Comrade Cheng."
They saluted each other and shook hands. "I heard that you had previous contact with Deputy Commander Shen, but he's currently not here. First, let me speak with you to understand the situation," Captain Wang said.
The two of them followed the captain toward the military vehicles.
They established a temporary command post in an office building near the square. The building was heavily guarded, and even the weeds had been meticulously removed.
They were led to the front of an office, where Captain Wang said to Cheng Tianbi, "Comrade Cheng, I would like to have a private conversation with you."
Cong Xia glanced at Cheng Tianbi, but Cheng Tianbi didn't even acknowledge him and went straight into the room with Captain Wang.
Disappointed, Cong Xia let out a sigh. A young soldier approached him and said, "Comrade, please have a seat here. Let me pour you a glass of water."
Cong Xia could only wait outside the office. After less than ten minutes, a disheveled soldier rushed in, asking, "Where's the captain?"
A person blocked his path. "Zhao Qian, what are you doing? Why are you in such a hurry? The captain is busy, can't you see?"
"I need to see the captain right away. Something big has happened!"
"What happened?"
"The giant pine tree is gone!"
Cong Xia suddenly looked up.
Gone? What do you mean it's gone?
The person blocking his path also froze. "Gone? Are you kidding me?"
"It's really gone! There's a massive hole left on the ground. The tree, roots and all, completely disappeared! Vanished into thin air!"
At that moment, Cong Xia forgot about his own identity and rushed forward. "How could it disappear? Wasn't it over twenty stories tall? How could it just vanish into thin air?"
If what Zhao Qian said was true, it was a terrifying reality. A tree so large, simply gone. How did it disappear? How many unpredictable forces still exist in this world? A sense of unease filled Cong Xia's heart.
The two men looked at him skeptically. "Who are you? Who let you in?"
The young soldier who received him hurriedly approached. "He's the companion of the person the captain wanted to see. I'll go inform the captain right away."
Cong Xia struggled to contain his surging emotions and spoke politely, "Brother, if that tree really disappeared, it can't be a secret. Just tell me about it."
Indeed, it wasn't a secret. Soon, the entire city would know that the immensely huge Devil Pine tree had vanished into thin air. Zhao Qian explained, "There was an earthquake just now, and they detected the tremors originating from the direction where the pine tree was rooted. So I took some people to investigate. On the ground, there's a deep pit with a diameter of over a hundred meters. I couldn't have been mistaken. I've lived here for over thirty years, and that's exactly where the pine tree's roots were, but it's completely gone!" Fear was evident on Zhao Qian's face.
Captain Wang and Cheng Tianbi rushed out upon hearing the commotion. "Zhao Qian, what are you saying? The giant pine tree is gone?"
Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia exchanged a glance, seeing deep concern in each other's eyes.
Captain Wang said, "Let's go and see for ourselves."
Cheng Tianbi said, "Captain, take me with you."
Captain Wang glanced at him and Cong Xia. "Let's go."
The group quickly arrived at the city center.
As Zhao Qian had said, there was indeed a massive pit on the ground. The pit was at least thirty to forty meters deep, and at a glance, they could see many broken roots of the pine trees.
This indicated that the pine trees hadn't evaporated. Instead, it seemed as if they had been uprooted by a giant hand. Whatever the reason, the disappearance of the large pine trees had exceeded human imagination.
"Let's go and take a look over there," Wang Lian said, taking the lead and heading towards another direction. The pit there was shallower, and they might be able to descend into it.
They walked around the pit in a half-circle when suddenly they smelled a strong, putrid odor in the air. The stench was reminiscent of decaying corpses and was extremely unpleasant. Everyone covered their noses.
Cheng Tianbi frowned and discreetly manipulated the wind direction, blowing the foul smell to the other side so that they could breathe a little easier.
"What's going on? Why does it suddenly smell so bad?" Wang Lian asked.
Cong Xia suggested, "There must be a reason behind this anomaly. Let's follow the smell and investigate."
"It's so unbearable," someone complained.
Wang Lian replied, "Hold your nose. It won't kill you." He took a deep breath, pinching his nose tightly, and ran towards the area with the strongest odor.
The others followed suit, and suddenly Wang Lian shouted, "There's someone here!"
Indeed, behind a pile of shattered construction materials on the ground, they discovered a naked man.
Cong Xia squeezed his way through and widened his eyes in disbelief. Wasn't this Li Fengyu? How did he end up unconscious and naked here, with pine needles stuck to his body?
"Hey? I know this person. Isn't he a celebrity?" someone exclaimed.
"It's really him... Damn, it's so disgusting. I can't take it!" Zhao Qian crouched down and vomited.
His vomiting triggered the others, and they all started to retch.
Wang Lian turned pale. "Quick, carry him away. He's still alive, probably just fainted from the stench."
Cheng Tianbi was the only one who didn't need to pinch his nose. He created a small vortex of wind near his nose, dispersing the foul odor. Although he could still smell it slightly, it was within tolerable limits. He approached Li Fengyu, lifted him up, and ran towards a distant place.
The group followed him to a place where the stench was overwhelming. Strangely, they didn't find anything causing the foul smell, but it could be that they hadn't found it yet, and nobody wanted to go back and look for it.
They ran several tens of meters away before daring to take a breath.
Cheng Tianbi placed Li Fengyu on the ground. The famous star still carried a faint odor, but it improved significantly with the wind blowing.
Cong Xia squatted down, opened his eyelids, and examined him. "He's just unconscious. Besides these pine needles, there don't seem to be any other injuries on his body."
One of the soldiers asked Wang Lian, "Captain, what should we do with him?"
"Bring him back. He might know something about the disappearance of the big pine tree. It's evident that he was attacked by the tree before he passed out."
Cong Xia sympathetically glanced at Li Fengyu. A few hours ago, he had been a carefree and well-groomed celebrity. How did he end up in such a sorry state, covered in pine needles and passing out in a place reeking of foul odor? Considering his previous fragrance and pristine clothing, Cong Xia couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
Cheng Tianbi, noticing Cong Xia's intense gaze at Li Fengyu, felt uneasy. He furrowed his brow and asked, "Are you also a fan?"
Embarrassed, Cong Xia quickly turned his head. "No, it's not that. I mean... it's just surprising. He seemed to be doing well before. Who would have thought..."
Cheng Tianbi let out a cold snort, turned around, and got into the car.
19 Global Evolution
The young soldier stood briefly, stunned, before quickly regaining his composure. "Do you have any identification? Let me see," he asked.
Cheng Tianbi produced his soldier's identification and handed it to the young soldier. However, the ID only displayed his status as an ordinary soldier in an infantry company, while his true position was classified information, belonging to the realm of national secrets.
The young soldier glanced at Cheng Tianbi, his eyes lingering for a moment. He couldn't help but feel that this person, with his aura, was no ordinary soldier. However, he refrained from further inquiries and returned the identification, saying, "Currently, General Zhao, the Chief of Staff of the xx Military Region, is commanding the Kunming city area. Why do you need to see him?"
"I am here in Yunnan to carry out a special mission. I have the official authorization documents from the x Military Region, and I have had contact with Deputy Commander Shen Wanjia. I need to meet with General Zhao, the Chief of Staff," Cheng Tianbi explained.
"Documents..."
"I cannot show you the documents," Cheng Tianbi replied, his expression devoid of emotion.
The young soldier hesitated for a moment and then said, "Wait here for a moment. I will report your name."
Once the young soldier had left, Cong Xia sighed, "Thank goodness our military is not in disarray."
Cheng Tianbi remarked, "The military is the most organized, disciplined, and resilient armed force of humanity. It must not be compromised."
Cong Xia stared at Cheng Tianbi's soldier's identification and asked, "May I take a look?"
Cheng Tianbi tossed the identification towards him.
Cong Xia examined it briefly and exclaimed, "This can't be real."
Cheng Tianbi gave him a piercing glance and inquired, "How do you know?"
"Judging by the weapons you are carrying, there is no way you are just an ordinary infantry soldier. If you were, you wouldn't even have the opportunity to lay a finger on these things. For instance, your Type 95 rifle, and I even noticed you have two powerful flash grenades. Although my knowledge of weapons is limited, I can still discern quality."
Cheng Tianbi remained silent, neither confirming nor denying.
Cong Xia continued, "However, if you say you are here in Yunnan for a special mission, I believe you. It must be a highly classified mission related to global evolution, isn't it?"
Cheng Tianbi stared at him coldly and commanded, "Just keep your mouth shut."
Cong Xia sighed and a sense of disappointment flickered in his eyes. "Tianbi, we have been through life and death together. I thought there should be some trust between us, but you have been keeping a lot of things from me."
Cheng Tianbi responded, "If you want to know, go and ask Professor Cong yourself."
Cong Xia thought about his uncle and the entire situation. Suddenly, a chilling thought occurred to him, and he clenched his teeth. "At least answer one question for me."
"Go ahead."
"I always believed that the helicopter you mentioned was arranged by my uncle to pick me up. Now, I realize I was mistaken. The helicopter was actually waiting for you, and I was just a coincidence. You were only entrusted by my uncle, right?"
Cheng Tianbi looked at him intently, his lips lightly touching as he uttered a single word, "Yes."
Cong Xia immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
Indeed, he had been mistaken all along. Cheng Tianbi was the important figure needed in Beijing, and he had merely tagged along. This realization made him even more curious about Cheng Tianbi's mission and the secrets he carried.
For some reason, Cheng Tianbi keeping this from him weighed heavily on Cong Xia's heart. He had considered Cheng Tianbi a friend, yet Cheng Tianbi always maintained his distance. Cong Xia had even thought that his presence was part of Cheng Tianbi's duty as a soldier. In the end, he discovered that he was just an incidental item brought back at someone's request.
He realized that he was dispensable to Cheng Tianbi.
Cheng Tianbi could abandon him at any moment, and the mere thought of it filled Cong Xia with panic and sadness.
Observing Cong Xia's pale face, Cheng Tianbi almost instantly guessed what he was thinking. He spoke softly, "I will take you back to Beijing."
Surprised, Cong Xia looked up. It was the first time he had heard reassurance from Cheng Tianbi since they met. Regardless of whether Cheng Tianbi's words could be fulfilled, the fact that Cheng Tianbi said them touched Cong Xia deeply. After all, he was nothing more than a burden now, and Cheng Tianbi had not given up on him. That was enough for Cong Xia, and he said excitedly, "Thank you."
Cheng Tianbi was about to say something when suddenly, a loud explosion rang out from a distance, followed by violent shaking of the earth.
"An earthquake! It's an earthquake!"
"Oh my god, another earthquake!"
Cheng Tianbi pulled Cong Xia abruptly, rushing into the nearby fountain. As Cong Xia turned around, he saw that the spot where they had been standing was now crowded with panicked people. The square had erupted into chaos, with everyone agitated and clueless about where to go. People were being knocked down and struggling to get back up. Amidst the confusion, being inside the fountain provided some safety. At least there was no risk of being pushed or trampled upon.
The ground vibrations quickly ceased, and the people on the square froze in place. Nobody knew what had happened, but the lifeless bodies trampled to death served as a stark reminder that the recent events were not a figment of their imagination.
"Don't snatch! Stop snatching!" an angry shout echoed from the center of the square.
"Somebody's stealing food! Don't push! Damn it!" It seemed that after the previous turmoil, the fear, anger, grief, and despair bottled up within everyone were unleashed with the intense tremors. The square descended into chaos once again, with people grabbing each other's food, screaming, and launching attacks. The trucks distributing food were besieged by frenzied citizens, and waves of people attempted to climb aboard and seize the provisions.
Some individuals used loudspeakers to urge the crowd to remain calm, while others stood on the trucks' fronts and fired shots into the air. Despite these efforts, the situation remained out of control, and the restless emotions spread rapidly among the tens of thousands gathered in the square, akin to an epidemic.
Cheng Tianbi forcefully pulled Cong Xia into a crouching position inside the fountain, pressing them tightly against the central pillar. He whispered, "Don't move, don't stand up."
Cold sweat trickled down Cong Xia's forehead, but having experienced several life-threatening situations before, he had grown considerably calmer. He nodded emphatically and clung to Cheng Tianbi, seeking solace in his distinct masculine scent, attempting to find comfort.
The agitated crowd ran back and forth around them, but the fountain unexpectedly became a natural barrier. They were spared the pain of being squeezed like canned goods.
They could no longer see what was happening in the square's center, but the cries emanating from that direction indicated that tear gas had been deployed by the military.
Assessing the situation, Cheng Tianbi swiftly opened his bag, tore open his padded jacket, and retrieved the cotton lining, stuffing it into Cong Xia's hands.
"What's this for?" Cong Xia asked.
"Put it in your ears. With this many people, tear gas won't be contained. Hurry, stuff it in, the more, the better," Cheng Tianbi instructed, stuffing cotton into his own ears as well.
Cong Xia followed suit, hurriedly inserting the cotton into his ears.
As he struggled to accommodate more cotton, a sudden, shrill screech pierced through the square's center. Immediately afterward, a blinding burst of light erupted, illuminating the dusk-filled square as if it were daytime. Fortunately, the crowd shielded their eyes, preventing discomfort, but the screech penetrated their bodies, causing Cong Xia to cover his ears desperately. He felt dizzy from the shock, almost on the verge of vomiting.
He knew what it was—a concussion grenade. Those in close proximity would be instantly incapacitated, and even those several tens of meters away had collapsed to the ground.
The two of them, due to their prior preparations, could be considered the luckiest, although they both felt a bit nauseous.
The concussion grenades had achieved the desired effect, but the cost was devastating. Concussion grenades were intended for long-range use, as even the soldiers themselves could be harmed if they were too close. Yet, in order to prevent the situation from worsening, the military had shockingly deployed the concussion grenades at such a close range. It was likely that the nearby soldiers had also suffered significant injuries.
Nevertheless, the situation was now under control, and there was no longer anyone with the strength to rise and snatch food from others.
A group of soldiers hurriedly arrived from distant military vehicles, driving the civilians on the square and reorganizing them into a single queue.
Those who still had the energy obediently continued to stand in line, while those who couldn't stand any longer went unnoticed in this apocalyptic world where self-preservation was paramount.
Having narrowly escaped a disaster, both Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia let out a sigh of relief.
Following the chaos, they no longer expected the young soldier to come back and find them. Deciding to shoulder their bags, they made their way toward the military vehicles on the outskirts of the square.
They struggled to push through the persistently congested crowd until they finally reached the outer edge of the square. However, there were guards stationed there, preventing anyone from getting too close to the military vehicles.
As Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia contemplated how to approach, they noticed the soldier from earlier approaching with two others.
The group approached, and the soldier saluted Cheng Tianbi, saying, "Comrade, this is Captain Wang from our Machine Gun Battalion, and Instructor Du Fei. Captain, this is the person I mentioned, from the Beijing X Military District."
"Hello, Comrade Cheng."
They saluted each other and shook hands. "I heard that you had previous contact with Deputy Commander Shen, but he's currently not here. First, let me speak with you to understand the situation," Captain Wang said.
The two of them followed the captain toward the military vehicles.
They established a temporary command post in an office building near the square. The building was heavily guarded, and even the weeds had been meticulously removed.
They were led to the front of an office, where Captain Wang said to Cheng Tianbi, "Comrade Cheng, I would like to have a private conversation with you."
Cong Xia glanced at Cheng Tianbi, but Cheng Tianbi didn't even acknowledge him and went straight into the room with Captain Wang.
Disappointed, Cong Xia let out a sigh. A young soldier approached him and said, "Comrade, please have a seat here. Let me pour you a glass of water."
Cong Xia could only wait outside the office. After less than ten minutes, a disheveled soldier rushed in, asking, "Where's the captain?"
A person blocked his path. "Zhao Qian, what are you doing? Why are you in such a hurry? The captain is busy, can't you see?"
"I need to see the captain right away. Something big has happened!"
"What happened?"
"The giant pine tree is gone!"
Cong Xia suddenly looked up.
Gone? What do you mean it's gone?
The person blocking his path also froze. "Gone? Are you kidding me?"
"It's really gone! There's a massive hole left on the ground. The tree, roots and all, completely disappeared! Vanished into thin air!"
At that moment, Cong Xia forgot about his own identity and rushed forward. "How could it disappear? Wasn't it over twenty stories tall? How could it just vanish into thin air?"
If what Zhao Qian said was true, it was a terrifying reality. A tree so large, simply gone. How did it disappear? How many unpredictable forces still exist in this world? A sense of unease filled Cong Xia's heart.
The two men looked at him skeptically. "Who are you? Who let you in?"
The young soldier who received him hurriedly approached. "He's the companion of the person the captain wanted to see. I'll go inform the captain right away."
Cong Xia struggled to contain his surging emotions and spoke politely, "Brother, if that tree really disappeared, it can't be a secret. Just tell me about it."
Indeed, it wasn't a secret. Soon, the entire city would know that the immensely huge Devil Pine tree had vanished into thin air. Zhao Qian explained, "There was an earthquake just now, and they detected the tremors originating from the direction where the pine tree was rooted. So I took some people to investigate. On the ground, there's a deep pit with a diameter of over a hundred meters. I couldn't have been mistaken. I've lived here for over thirty years, and that's exactly where the pine tree's roots were, but it's completely gone!" Fear was evident on Zhao Qian's face.
Captain Wang and Cheng Tianbi rushed out upon hearing the commotion. "Zhao Qian, what are you saying? The giant pine tree is gone?"
Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia exchanged a glance, seeing deep concern in each other's eyes.
Captain Wang said, "Let's go and see for ourselves."
Cheng Tianbi said, "Captain, take me with you."
Captain Wang glanced at him and Cong Xia. "Let's go."
The group quickly arrived at the city center.
As Zhao Qian had said, there was indeed a massive pit on the ground. The pit was at least thirty to forty meters deep, and at a glance, they could see many broken roots of the pine trees.
This indicated that the pine trees hadn't evaporated. Instead, it seemed as if they had been uprooted by a giant hand. Whatever the reason, the disappearance of the large pine trees had exceeded human imagination.
"Let's go and take a look over there," Wang Lian said, taking the lead and heading towards another direction. The pit there was shallower, and they might be able to descend into it.
They walked around the pit in a half-circle when suddenly they smelled a strong, putrid odor in the air. The stench was reminiscent of decaying corpses and was extremely unpleasant. Everyone covered their noses.
Cheng Tianbi frowned and discreetly manipulated the wind direction, blowing the foul smell to the other side so that they could breathe a little easier.
"What's going on? Why does it suddenly smell so bad?" Wang Lian asked.
Cong Xia suggested, "There must be a reason behind this anomaly. Let's follow the smell and investigate."
"It's so unbearable," someone complained.
Wang Lian replied, "Hold your nose. It won't kill you." He took a deep breath, pinching his nose tightly, and ran towards the area with the strongest odor.
The others followed suit, and suddenly Wang Lian shouted, "There's someone here!"
Indeed, behind a pile of shattered construction materials on the ground, they discovered a naked man.
Cong Xia squeezed his way through and widened his eyes in disbelief. Wasn't this Li Fengyu? How did he end up unconscious and naked here, with pine needles stuck to his body?
"Hey? I know this person. Isn't he a celebrity?" someone exclaimed.
"It's really him... Damn, it's so disgusting. I can't take it!" Zhao Qian crouched down and vomited.
His vomiting triggered the others, and they all started to retch.
Wang Lian turned pale. "Quick, carry him away. He's still alive, probably just fainted from the stench."
Cheng Tianbi was the only one who didn't need to pinch his nose. He created a small vortex of wind near his nose, dispersing the foul odor. Although he could still smell it slightly, it was within tolerable limits. He approached Li Fengyu, lifted him up, and ran towards a distant place.
The group followed him to a place where the stench was overwhelming. Strangely, they didn't find anything causing the foul smell, but it could be that they hadn't found it yet, and nobody wanted to go back and look for it.
They ran several tens of meters away before daring to take a breath.
Cheng Tianbi placed Li Fengyu on the ground. The famous star still carried a faint odor, but it improved significantly with the wind blowing.
Cong Xia squatted down, opened his eyelids, and examined him. "He's just unconscious. Besides these pine needles, there don't seem to be any other injuries on his body."
One of the soldiers asked Wang Lian, "Captain, what should we do with him?"
"Bring him back. He might know something about the disappearance of the big pine tree. It's evident that he was attacked by the tree before he passed out."
Cong Xia sympathetically glanced at Li Fengyu. A few hours ago, he had been a carefree and well-groomed celebrity. How did he end up in such a sorry state, covered in pine needles and passing out in a place reeking of foul odor? Considering his previous fragrance and pristine clothing, Cong Xia couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
Cheng Tianbi, noticing Cong Xia's intense gaze at Li Fengyu, felt uneasy. He furrowed his brow and asked, "Are you also a fan?"
Embarrassed, Cong Xia quickly turned his head. "No, it's not that. I mean... it's just surprising. He seemed to be doing well before. Who would have thought..."
Cheng Tianbi let out a cold snort, turned around, and got into the car.
