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墨書 Inktalez
The vast rain fell like a curtain over the ancient forest, drenching every plant and leaf in moisture.
The sticky atmosphere made one long for the warmth and comfort of a wooden cabin, where one could light a fire, take off damp boots and socks to dry, and then enjoy a peaceful nap under cozy blankets.
Yet, this was merely a beautiful wish in people's hearts. The continuous patter of raindrops echoed as they struck the leaves, creating a rustling sound that mingled with the rising mist.
From above, the rain and fog seeped through the dense canopy of trees but were firmly held back by the downpour within the forest.
The dampness of the emerald green rainforest was occasionally pierced by gunfire, startling birds and beasts that had taken refuge from the rain for too long. They took flight, disregarding the torrential rain as they desperately fled from the sound of gunfire.
In one particularly thick area of mist and rain, a large white tarp stretched out over ten meters wide was anchored at its four corners, with ropes tied around tree trunks to secure it in place.
Rainwater flowed smoothly off the tarp, pooling around a campsite beneath it.
The camp was well-organized and equipped; each person donned quality armor and carried weapons.
Some were busy adding half-dry firewood to the pot over the fire to cook soup. A pile of drying wood sat nearby, while a half-meter-wide soup pot simmered with broth made from wild game.
Several mercenaries who had just returned from their watch, hungry and still in their rain gear, approached the food area. The burly cook, with a face full of stubble and a toothpick in his mouth, served each of them a bowl of soup. He also tore apart two wild chickens and distributed portions to everyone. A few others filled bowls with steaming rice, shared a loaf of bread, and added sweet chili sauce.
The mercenaries quickly gathered at a corner table in the camp, devouring their meals ravenously.
Meanwhile, the team leader was reporting to the person in charge—none other than Bai Qi, who wore a black metal mask.
“There are signs of several other camps nearby; they belong to other mercenaries and special operations teams. Should I take some men to drive them away?” the team leader offered eagerly.
“No need. You can go rest now; let the second team keep watch properly,” Bai Qi replied without even glancing at him, focused instead on the plate of food in front of him.
The one he was playing against was a young man with a cold, sharp-featured face. His fair complexion suggested he was undoubtedly handsome, but the indifferent killing intent emanating from him made others wary and reluctant to speak. The most striking aspect of his appearance was the red Tactical Vest he wore, along with a double-handed broadsword with a blade as crimson as blood sheathed at his side.
The chessboard displayed a powerful formation reminiscent of a coiling dragon, yet this domineering strategy was not orchestrated by Bai Qi, but rather by the young man sitting quietly across from him.
Bai Qi prided himself on being a dragon-slayer; no matter how high his chess skills were, he could not control the great black dragon that leapt and broke free from its constraints on the board. He had been staring at the chessboard for some time, rolling a white piece between his fingers, producing faint squeaking sounds from the friction. Several times he attempted to place the piece down, only to stop midway and retract it again.
Finally, he let out a long sigh and tossed the white piece back into its box, unable to suppress his admiration for the young man across from him, whose temperament and patience were as solid as rock. "It has been a long time; Qing Zong's chess skills have improved significantly."
"Too kind," the young man replied, nodding slightly, maintaining an expression of calm indifference.
"Hehe, does it even need saying?" A robust elder in white approached, stroking his gray-white Hu Xu. "After all, Qing Zong is our Lian Family's most promising General. He is just a step away from becoming a War God; how could he lose spirit over such trivial skills?"
He finished with a cold snort of disdain directed at Bai Qi.
"Oh ho ho ho." Bai Qi chuckled in response, the deep laughter echoing from within his helmet, making it hard to discern whether it was mocking or sincere.
"I truly appreciate you both coming here with me this time; it has been hard work for you. Once this matter is settled, I, Bai Qi, will fulfill every promise made without exception," Bai Qi assured them with an air of confidence.
"Hmph, so if things don't go well, you won't honor your promises?" The elder seemed somewhat overbearing, his demeanor aggressive.
Suddenly, behind Bai Qi emerged a woman clad in black tactical gear and half-masked. Upon hearing the elder's words, she reached for two curved blades strapped to her back, ready to strike.
However, Bai Qi quickly reached out to stop her. He chuckled awkwardly and glanced at Lian Qingzong, who had remained silent throughout.
With a clatter of armor, he stood up; the red Tactical Vest made noise as he moved. Gripping the hilt of the crimson Greatsword embedded in the ground with his chainmail-gloved hand, he slowly drew it forth.
"There will be no failure." He hung the Greatsword on his back with cold determination.
Then, with an indifferent demeanor, he walked out of the camp, taking the canopy and heading towards the Rainforest.
The elderly man who had been aggressive towards Bai Qi cast a displeased glance at the woman behind Bai Qi who had drawn her sword. Narrowing his eyes, he seemed lost in thought before turning to follow Qing Zong into the misty depths of the Rainforest, disappearing from sight.
“Chief, why did you stop me? That Jiang Lao is so arrogant; he’s just a third-level General. I’m confident I can handle him!” The woman, appearing somewhat frustrated and anxious, pressed for answers.
“He would love for us to sever our ties,” Bai Qi replied, watching the two figures vanish. “Don’t take it too seriously. Our priority is to obtain the Source of Life; that’s what matters most. We must endure for now.”
With that, he patted his loyal female subordinate on the shoulder before turning to instruct others to keep watch.
Lian Qingzong and Jiang Lao strolled leisurely through the Rainforest, allowing the rain to fall upon them. However, upon closer inspection, one would be surprised to find that neither of their garments was even slightly damp; they remained clean and fresh. The gently flowing Pulse Energy around them repelled the rainwater completely, and this subtle manipulation of their Pulse Energy did not deplete their core reserves at all, indicating the profound depth of their abilities.
“I never expected Bai Qi to hold back his temper. What a pity,” Jiang Lao remarked, feeling a twinge of regret over the earlier encounter. It was clear that his opponent was not as incompetent as he had assumed.
“Let it be,” Lian Qingzong replied coolly. He then paused, raised his hand, and pressed a button on his wrist guard. An electronic projection screen materialized in mid-air, quickly forming a detailed map of the Rainforest with special markers.
“This map won’t be inaccurate, will it?” Jiang Lao questioned skeptically as he examined the projected map.
“It should be fine,” Lian Qingzong said as he stowed away the projection. He gazed at the seemingly endless expanse of Rainforest. “In this kind of atmosphere, there are no reference points or coordinates from years past.”
“It doesn’t matter; this rain won’t last long. Once you retrieve your father’s treasure, victory will be within reach!” Jiang Lao said with utmost respect.
“We need to get there quickly to avoid any unforeseen complications,” Jiang Lao added, already feeling impatient.
“Don’t worry; the barriers set up there are not something ordinary people can breach. Hmph! Those who overestimate themselves will only find death!” Lian Qingzong seemed determined to obtain the mysterious treasure and exuded confidence.
“Wait a minute; why has this rain and mist suddenly thickened?” Jiang Lao pointed out suddenly as a surge of Pulse Energy infused into the clouds above caused the raindrops to grow larger.
Lian Qingzong glanced into the depths of the forest, where a veil of white rain obscured the entire Tropical Rainforest, reducing visibility to almost nothing. If an ordinary Special Operations Team were to recklessly venture deeper into the woods at this moment, they would undoubtedly end up lost.
"It seems like those savage natives are up to something," Jiang Lao remarked disdainfully, squinting at the misty forest ahead.
In the vast expanse of the Rainforest behind them, a tall and sturdy Tree Person, clad in bark-like armor, cradled a girl as it walked into a thicket. Strangely, the rain-soaked trees parted to make way for them; even the overgrown vegetation that stood as tall as a person seemed to yield to an invisible force, instinctively creating a path for this Tree Armored Warrior.
The handsome face of the Tree Person glanced down at the girl sleeping in its arms before it approached an area surrounded by intertwining vines. These vines bore sharp Jing Ji and appeared to possess toxic properties, as the surrounding vegetation had withered upon contact with them, turning into fertilizer.
It seemed that the returning Tree Armored Warrior triggered a response; instantly, the thick Thorny Vines, as large as pythons, retracted to either side, clearing a passage for it to enter.
The towering Tree Armored Warrior carried the girl inside, where another realm awaited.
Here, the trees were robust and towering, their trunks hollowed out to form treehouses. The cozy tree homes glimmered with a soft light—not from open flames but from special luminescent Insects that illuminated the tree hollows. In this secluded Tribal Tree Village, every household was busy crafting weapons.
Upon seeing the Tree Armored Warrior return, a group of human warriors armed with blades and firearms approached.
"Gui Luo, what happened to Yun Kui?" asked the dark-skinned captain.
"Exhausted," replied the Tree Armored Warrior succinctly in two human syllables.
The captain, whose skin was dark and adorned with tribal tattoos, immediately took the girl from Gui Luo's arms, ignoring the gathering onlookers from their tribe.
At the center of the Tribal Tree Village stood a tree that was not particularly tall but was as robust as a building, exuding an impressive presence. Its hollow was also a human dwelling, yet its branches and leaves were adorned with shimmering green lights. Occasionally, glowing green orbs floated and spun among them.
"Elder! Elder!" The captain hurriedly rushed toward the central treehouse.
With a creak, the door swung open.
A figure in a Green Robe emerged, his eyes rolled back as if blind, but a faintly glowing totem marked his forehead. The elderly man leaned heavily on his staff.
“What’s going on? Have those people made it outside?” the old man asked urgently.
“No, it’s Yun Kui. Yun Kui has fainted,” the captain replied, glancing at the girl in his arms.
“Bring her inside,” the Grand Elder commanded as he turned to enter. The captain hurriedly followed him into the massive treehouse, while the guards responsible for protecting the village waved away the curious onlookers from the outer circle.
Meanwhile, in the rain, the Tree Armored Warrior glanced at the treehouse standing tall in the center of the village before turning toward a shadowy green Azure Pond on the other side of the village. Just as he reached halfway, he suddenly stopped. The Azure Pond began to churn violently, and a towering figure emerged—an enormous Bodhi Tree Demon, its height comparable to a three-story building, sprouting four or five tendril-like Tree Vines that lifted its body. Half of its form was covered in lush Emerald Green Vine Plants, and its head resembled a pod, radiating a vibrant green light filled with life.
If Lu Fei Fan and his companions were present, they would surely recognize this as the nearly extinct Bodhi Tree Demon that Bai Qi had encountered!
Gui Luo reached out to press against one of its Tree Vines and began murmuring something unintelligible.
The towering Bodhi Tree Demon responded with a series of deep sounds, echoing through the rain. Aside from their kind, it seemed no one else could comprehend their conversation.
Yet in this world, the process of extinction was silently consuming their dwindling kin. Perhaps soon, one of them would be next.
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